Categories for Broadcast on WBFO

Aug 4

2016

Untested waters at two Erie County beach bars

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Authorities steered swimmers away from a Southtowns beach more than 30 days last summer because of unhealthy levels of bacteria in the water. But adjacent beaches owned by two popular waterfront bars remained open to patrons because the businesses lack permits that require testing of the water and closure when fecal matter and other bacteria are detected at dangerous levels. One of the bars, Turtle Joe’s Sand Bar, appears to be in violation of the state beach code. Whether Mickey Rats Beach Club is in violation is open to interpretation. Owner Richie Alberts obtained what he maintains is a waiver[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Jul 14

2016

Buffalo Billion program at Daemen struggles

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When Sonja Slother enrolled in a fledgling film production program at Daemen College, her enthusiasm was buoyed by the college’s partnership with a company committed to creating more than 100 jobs. The initiative, which was awarded $4.5 million in Buffalo Billion funding, was meant to train a workforce for the visual effects industry Gov. Andrew Cuomo said would take root in Western New York – and, specifically, for the company Daemen had partnered with, Empire Visual Effects. State and college officials touted the training program as a fast track into high-paying jobs. A graphic designer by profession, Slother had recently been[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Jul 5

2016

Radioactive hot spots pepper Niagara County

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The first hint of radioactive waste near John Grace’s home in Lewiston came from his son who carried a radiation meter for his government job. The meter would beep every time his son drove over the gravel driveway. “He said ‘something’s not right here,’ ” said Grace, who lives at 738 Upper Mountain Road. Turns out, he was right. Gravel in the driveway was first tested some 40 years ago by the federal Department of Energy and found to have radiation levels some 70 times greater than what’s found in the local natural environment. The driveway was still hot when[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Jun 8

2016

Cuomo’s flawed model, Part 2

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Jim Heaney, in a second story prepared for WBFO and other upstate NPR stations, details how the model being used to develop major economic development projects upstate thwarts transparency and involves other questionable practices. Part 1 aired Tuesday.

Posted 8 years ago

Jun 7

2016

Cuomo model no game changer

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Jim Heaney, in first of two stories broadcast on WBFO and other major NPR stations across upstate, reports that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s model for revitalizing Buffalo and other major cities has several serious shortcomings. Is his model a game changer? Hardly. Heaney’s second story broadcasts Wednesday.

Posted 8 years ago

May 25

2016

Recycling on the rise in Niagara Falls

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A year after getting serious about recycling, Niagara Falls has increased its recycling rate by 50 percent and cut the amount of trash it dumps in landfills by almost 20 percent. The city’s recycling coordinator credits the success and the 17 percent curbside recycling rate over the past year to an effective marketing campaign led by a quirky mascot named Totes McGoats, whose outfit cost $100. “The whole purpose wasn’t to be a man in a mask,” Brook D’Angelo, the recycling coordinator for Niagara Falls, said about the mascot. “The whole purpose was to have another way to educate the[...]

Posted 8 years ago

May 2

2016

Heaney talks Billion probe on WBFO

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Jim Heaney of Investigative Post discusses the latest developments in the federal probe into the Buffalo Billion program with Jay Moran of WBFO. Heaney said the expanding investigation is unlikely to derail construction of the SolarCity plant or any other projects. He also said the allegations of misconduct are not surprising, given what he said is the Cuomo administration’s culture of secrecy and ethos that “the rules don’t apply to us.”

Posted 8 years ago
Investigative Post

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