Feb 11
2014
After initially reporting no one was injured in the Jan. 31 explosion at its River Road plant, the company reports to state officials that two workers were injured in the blast. Investigative Post reported last week that, contrary to company claims, at least one employee had been injured.
Feb 4
2014
Contrary to claims by Tonawanda Coke, at least one person was hurt in an explosion that rocked the plant and nearby homes on Friday, sources have told Investigative Post. In addition, records obtained by Investigative Post revealed that Tonawanda Coke in at least one instance told emergency responders who showed up at the plant that they had not felt the explosion that had been reported by neighbors. “At this time, Tonawanda Coke says normal operations,” a first responder said in radio communication. “They did not feel anything. They’ve got somebody coming up to talk to me.” The state Department of[...]
Jan 30
2014
The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority is finally launching a recycling program that should service all 30 of its developments by the end of this year. This decision comes almost 10 months after Investigative Post reported that the authority was ignoring a longstanding city ordinance that requires residents of multi-family residences to recycle. The authority is the city’s biggest landlord with 4,748 apartments that are home to 7,642 low-income families and senior citizens. “It is something that we looked as the responsible thing to do and we want to do the right thing,” said Modesto Candelario, the authority’s assistant executive director.[...]
Jan 20
2014
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.
Jan 16
2014
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[...]
Dec 17
2013
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.
Dec 17
2013
State officials proclaimed in March that their plan to reconfigure roads leading to and from the American side of the Peace Bridge would improve air quality in adjoining neighborhoods where residents in one-third of the households suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses. “We are moving the traffic further away from the neighborhood where the residents are and where the people in the park are and believe just instinctively that that is going to improve air quality,” Sam Hoyt, regional president of Empire State Development and vice chairman of the Peace Bridge Authority, said when the project was announced. “The[...]
Nov 26
2013
Those upset by the prospect of Delaware North Companies receiving public subsidies to move into new office space are 13 years and some $4 million too late. The company has been receiving public assistance since it moved into its present headquarters at Key Center in 2000. Sales and property tax breaks, some of which continue until its office lease expires in 2015, total an estimated $4.1 million. That’s not counting the $11.6 million low-interest line of credit Delaware North obtained from the city when it moved into its new quarters for a spell, until federal officials objected because the money[...]