Categories for News

May 5

2020

Gillibrand, Higgins call out ICE

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U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins want federal scrutiny of the way Immigrations and Customs Enforcement treats immigrants held at its detention center in Batavia. Investigative Post reported last week that ICE routinely released detainees without regard for their well-being, dropping them off at a local gas station and bus stop without sufficient notice to family or lawyers or means to reach safe quarters. Investigative Post previously reported on what detainees described as unhealthy conditions inside the facility that have contributed to the infection of 49 detainees with COVID-19. “I’m deeply concerned by the reports of ICE’s[...]

Posted 5 years ago

Apr 30

2020

Gambini radio interviews on his ICE story

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Phil Gambini’s report Wednesday for Investigative Post documented how ICE mistreats immigrants released from the federal detention center in Batavia. He discussed the story Thursday morning with Jay Moran on WBFO . Gambini was also interviewed by Susan Rose on  NewsRadio 930WBEN. Investigative Post reported that detainees are commonly released from the facility without coordinating with their attorney or family. Instead, they are routinely dropped off at a nearby gas station that doubles as a bus stop. The buses have sometimes come and gone for the day, forcing released detainees to find alternative transportation or wait overnight in the elements[...]

Posted 5 years ago

Apr 29

2020

Kelly discusses failed WiFi project on WBFO

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Geoff Kelly’s investigation into a long-delayed project to provide WiFi access to some 5,000 city students was the topic of discussion with Jay Moran on WBFO‘s Press Pass. Kelly explained the dubious circumstances under which HarpData was awarded the contract and the harm that’s been caused by the company’s failure to complete the job.    

Posted 5 years ago

Apr 28

2020

Buffalo facing big budget deficit

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 City Hall is facing the prospect of a COVID-19-induced budget deficit of $20 million to $31 million, with limited reserves to close the gap. A combination of increased expenses and lost revenues will cost city government an estimated $20 million, according to a report filed by Finance Commissioner Donna Estrich.  An additional $11 million in anticipated casino revenues is also at risk, given the closure of casinos during the pandemic and continued legal stalemate between the state and Seneca Nation. Meanwhile, Mayor Byron Brown’s administration is preparing a budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1, knowing[...]

Posted 5 years ago

Apr 24

2020

Hospital workers cope with virus, furloughs

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Nurses and other employees at local hospitals are facing a double whammy these days: furloughs and increasing COVID-19 infections. An investigative Post survey of a dozen hospitals, including those run by Kaleida Health and Catholic Health, finds that infections among their staffs have doubled in the past two weeks. The count also includes Erie County Medical Center and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.  The updated total stands at 356, double that of two weeks ago. About a dozen employees a day are testing positive, a number that hasn’t fluctuated much in recent weeks. The good news: nearly two-thirds of those[...]

Posted 5 years ago

Apr 22

2020

Kaleida, losing big money, seeks furloughs

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Kaleida Health, the region’s largest health-care system, is asking hundreds of employees to take voluntary, month-long furloughs beginning April 26. Exempt are doctors, nurses and other employees who are treating patients infected with COVID-19. Kaleida, like other hospital and health-care providers, has been hammered by the material costs of fighting the COVID-19 epidemic. And it has been deprived of its most lucrative revenue streams while doing so. Three weeks ago, Kaleida spokesman Michael Hughes told Investigative Post that the impact of the coronavirus on the system’s finances was “going to be ugly.” In a press release announcing the furlough program,[...]

Posted 5 years ago

Apr 21

2020

Infections spike among immigrant detainees

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Large numbers of detained immigrants and state inmates in Western New York facilities are starting to test positive for COVID-19. Infections have mushroomed from 13 on Friday to 46 on Tuesday among immigrant detainees at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia. That’s more positive test results than at any of the 25 detention facilities operated nationwide by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Twenty-three inmates have tested positive at the Wende Correctional Facility in Alden. Eleven of the 23 people have recovered, according to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Only two other state prisons — Sing Sing[...]

Posted 5 years ago

Apr 15

2020

More sick detainees; more released inmates

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Updated: 3:08 p.m. A growing, but still small number of people are being released from local jails and the immigration detention center in Batavia in response to concerns about possible infection from COVID-19. Up to 80 people have gotten out in recent weeks as the result of efforts by advocates to release those incarcerated to get them out of harm’s way from the coronavirus. Some were near the tail end of their sentences for misdemeanor crimes. Others were in for parole violations, and still others had their bail eliminated or reduced. While no inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at[...]

Posted 5 years ago
Investigative Post