Nov 12
2020
Jim Heaney discusses his story on the state of the Buffalo Niagara economy with Susan Rose and Brian Mazurowski on NewsRadio 930WBEN. Bottom line: fewer people are employed here than in 30 years and our recovery has slowed.
Nov 11
2020
The coronavirus pandemic has stripped Buffalo-Niagara of so many jobs that the region employs fewer people in the private sector than it has in at least 30 years. The metro area was down 46,000 private sector jobs in September, compared with a year earlier. That amounts to a 9.6 percent drop. That leaves the labor market with 431,300 full- and part-time jobs. “It’s the smallest private-sector workforce in 30 years, by a good deal,” said E.J. McMahon, senior fellow at the Empire Center for Public Policy, who conducted the jobs analysis for Investigative Post. Heaney discusses his story on WBEN[...]
Nov 8
2020
Investigative Post has launched its annual fundraising drive and this year there are two reasons to donate to Buffalo’s nonprofit investigative reporting center. For starters, donations of up to $1,000 will be matched. Donors get to double their money. In addition, donations will not only underwrite our current operation but be put towards funding a plan to add reporters and expand our award-winning coverage. It’s part of our Journalism Worth A Million campaign that extends through the end of 2021. “Investigative Post is the only news organization in Western New York that is adding staff, expanding news coverage and growing[...]
Nov 4
2020
I’m not old enough to remember the Kennedy-Nixon cliffhanger of 1960. Bush-Gore, yes. But as a stomach churner, nothing comes close to the ongoing Biden-Trump election. I think most Democrats and Republicans can agree with that – if nothing else. With that said, let me offer some random notes: It’s mostly overlooked, but worth noting, that Biden won the national popular vote. Just like Hillary Clinton four years ago. And Al Gore back in 2000. The margin of victory for the Democratic candidates this time around is about 3.2 million votes as of this writing. Just saying. Turnout nationally was[...]
Nov 2
2020
Nov 2
2020
Voter turnout is considered key to the 2020 presidential election. This week, our Money In Politics takes a look at turnout in Western New York during the last six presidential elections. Our analysis also tracks which candidate won Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties. Ken and Geoff discuss the numbers and the turnout so far this year, both locally and nationally.
Nov 2
2020
There is exactly one Buffalo cop whose past conduct has so damaged his credibility that the Erie County District Attorney’s office refuses to put him on the witness stand. His name is Joseph R. Hassett. In an April 2019 letter to Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood, DA John Flynn wrote that Hassett, 34, suffered from “irremediable problems of credibility.” As a result, Flynn wrote, he would “no longer call Officer Hassett as a witness in any pending or future criminal action.” In an arbitration proceeding that began two months later, Hassett’s employer, the City of Buffalo, sought to fire him.[...]
Oct 30
2020
Investigative Post reported earlier this week on major contributions to the major campaign committees funding Donald Trump and Joseph Biden. (Trump report here, Biden here.) David Bellavia interviewed Jim Heaney about our coverage Friday morning on NewsRadio 930WBEN. Give a listen.