Categories for In-Depth

Feb 27

2014

Cuomo’s costly Peace Bridge purchase

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  The property was a mess — contaminated, mired in debt and depreciating in value — but Gov. Andrew Cuomo wanted it bad. As it turns out, as much as $27 million bad. To buy the abandoned Episcopal Church Home, a property considered essential to an expansion of the Peace Bridge plaza, state government under Cuomo’s direction paid a premium and inherited a costly environmental cleanup. The Cuomo administration also orchestrated moves that cost state and federal taxpayers millions more. The final tab hasn’t been tallied, but it could run as high as $27 million, for a property appraisers hired[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Feb 24

2014

Heaney talks Paladino with WBFO

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Investigative Post editor recaps his recent exposé on Carl Paladino’s double standard of criticizing Republicans who donate to Democrats while doing the same thing himself.

Posted 11 years ago

Feb 19

2014

Peace Bridge: Radioactive roadway?

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West Side residents have long complained about trucks crossing the Peace Bridge because of diesel fumes that have been linked to respiratory illnesses. They now have another reason to be uncomfortable with truck traffic: rigs carrying high-level radioactive cargo. Federal authorities in May gave approval for a company to truck spent nuclear fuel over the Peace Bridge. They say there haven’t been any leaks or other problems involving similar shipments elsewhere. But some experts and activists are concerned the route approval is a prelude to shipping highly radioactive liquid waste. This would be unprecedented for North America, let alone the Peace[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Feb 12

2014

Carl Paladino is a RINO

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RINO is a four-letter word to Carl Paladino. It’s short for “Republican In Name Only.” Paladino dismisses many mainstream Republicans as RINOs for failing to subscribe to his Tea Party-flavored politics, committing the sin of compromising with Democrats or contributing to their campaigns. Republicans donating to Democrats is supposedly so repugnant to Paladino that he organized a protest outside a fundraiser Dec. 16 that was co-hosted by GOP heavy hitters to benefit Congressman Brian Higgins. Paladino held a sign for part of the demonstration that read: “No Funding For Dems.” The fundraiser put one of its organizers, Anthony Gioia, who has[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Jan 20

2014

Heaney talks stonewalling with WBFO

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Investigative Post editor tells Eileen Buckley on Press Pass that government at all levels – local, state and federal – is becoming increasingly hostile to the public’s right to know. Heaney cites numerous examples of officials refusing interview requests and delaying the release of public records.

Posted 11 years ago

Jan 16

2014

Distrust in the air at Peace Bridge

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State environmental officials have been mum for two months about their plans for a second round of air monitoring at the Peace Bridge after they misrepresented the flawed first round of testing. In the face of that silence, community activists and a key lawmaker who represents the neighborhood near the Peace Bridge agree that the Department of Environmental Conservation needs to take a different approach. “There’s a lot of distrust here,” said Assemblyman Sean Ryan. “We need to bridge the distrust. I think we bridge it by having more honest and open communication and less gamesmanship.” The DEC should let[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Dec 17

2013

Heaney talks subsidies on WBFO

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Investigative Post editor tells Eileen Buckley on Press Pass that the clean energy initiative at Riverbend represents progress, but is not the panacea that project proponents are claiming. He also expressed concern that many subsidized projects, including planned Uniland-Delaware North building in downtown Buffalo, do little to build the region’s tax base.

Posted 11 years ago
Investigative Post