421 Search Results for buffalo billion

Aug 23

2016

Charlotte Keith discusses Buffalo Billion program on WBFO

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On WBFO’s Press Pass, Investigative Post’s Charlotte Keith talks with Jay Moran about her recent story on a Buffalo Billion program at Daemen College that is not living up to the hype. The state committed $4.5 million to create a training program in film production at the college, which is partnering with a new visual effects company. The plan was that graduates would go straight into jobs with the company but so far, very few have found full-time work.

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

May 6

2016

Latest Buffalo Billion scandal developments

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There were two noteworthy developments Friday involving the mushrooming Buffalo Billion scandal. Gannett newspapers reported that Alphonso David, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s legal counsel, has issued an edict that requires the bureaucracy headed by Alain Kaloyeros to run all decisions regarding the Buffalo Billion and nanotechnology projects in Albany past Bart Schwartz, who is heading the governor’s review of numerous state economic development programs. Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reported that longtime Cuomo associate Todd Howe has been fired from the law firm that employed him to, among other things, represent politically connected upstate developers. Howe is a focus of U.S. Attorney[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Apr 29

2016

Buffalo Billion probe targets Cuomo insiders

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U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s investigation into the Buffalo Billion, triggered by Investigative Post’s relentless reporting, appears to have targeted members of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s inner-circle. The feds issued subpoenas to the governor’s office Friday, and, in turn, the Cuomo administration announced its own investigation and issued a press release that appeared to throw one or more close associates under the bus. Folks, this could get real ugly real quick. Those under scrutiny include Joseph Percoco, a top Cuomo aid and political enforcer who recently left the administration; longtime associate and lobbyist Todd Howe; and Alain Kaloyeros, the so-called nanotech guru who the[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Oct 23

2015

Event will examine the Buffalo Billion

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Investigative Post’s new event season kicks off Monday with a “warts and all” presentation that assesses the Buffalo Billion program. Jim Heaney and Charlotte Keith have broken a number of unsettling stories about the program. Enough to persuade U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara to launch a federal investigation into the awarding of contracts and for members of the city’s African-American community to demand more diversity in the hiring of construction workers at the SolarCity plant at Riverbend. “Governor Cuomo would like everyone to believe the Buffalo Billion is, to use his words, ‘a phenomenal success,’ ” said Heaney, editor of Investigative[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Oct 14

2015

Updated Buffalo Billion diversity numbers

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Figures released Wednesday by developer LPCiminelli show diversity hiring goals are being met on the construction of SolarCity’s plant at Riverbend. The goals call for minorities to work 15 percent, and women to work 5 percent, of hours on the project. The numbers released Wednesday show 16 percent of the hours to date been worked by minorities and 6 percent by women. The disclosure comes after Investigative Post reported that the minority hiring goal on the project was lowered from the 25 percent originally announced to 15 percent. State officials now say the higher goal was only “aspirational.” The change in the goals[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Sep 20

2015

Heaney analysis of Buffalo Billion probe

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Jim Heaney of Investigative Post, whose reporting foreshadowed the ongoing federal probe of developer contracts awarded under the Buffalo Billion program, took to the airwaves over the weekend of offer his take on U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s investigation. Heaney told Maryalice Demler of WGRZ Friday evening that the probe will almost certainly focus on Alain Kaloyeros, the Albany nanotech guru who is quarterbacking the Buffalo Billion program. Sunday, in an interview with Dave Debo of WBEN News Radio, 930 AM, Heaney covered a range of related issues, including the investigation, the state’s pay to play culture and the significance of[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Sep 18

2015

Feds probing Buffalo Billion contracts

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(Updated Saturday at 3:05 p.m.) This is big. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who has tackled corruption in state government, is investigating the awarding of contracts under the Buffalo Billion program, The New York Post reports. “It’s a comprehensive look at the bidding process,” said one source, who also told The Post that several companies have been issued subpoenas. Meanwhile, The New York Daily News is reporting that the feds have subpoened records of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute, headed by Alain Kaloyeros, who is managing the Buffalo Billion program. The Daily News also reported SUNY has hired a criminal defense lawyer to represent[...]

Posted 9 years ago