Jay Moran

State officials spoke loudly when they announced IBM had agreed to set up in Buffalo, enticed by $55 million in public dollars. Now, their silence on the tech giant's apparent struggles here speaks volumes. As Jim Heaney of Investigative Post reports, four floors of IBM's seven-floor operation are now vacant. Inquiries--including Freedom of Information requests--have gone unanswered. The lack of transparency, Heaney says, follows a familiar pattern for many of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's economic development initiatives in Western New York.

While the dangers of lead poisoning have been understood for decades, getting local officials to acknowledge the presence of the problem in this community has been slow in coming. After years of Investigative Post bringing light to the issue, local governments are responding. As Geoff Kelly reports, first, Erie County established a program. Now, the city of Buffalo has its own pilot program and the early results indicate an urgent need. In January, the program's first month, Kelly says officials inspected 68 residences. Seven of those units displayed evidence of potential lead exposure.

The diligence required for investigative reporting is often overlooked. While headlines catch attention, the grinding process to uncover important details is barely noticed. Phil Gambini's recent work for Investigative Post serves as a classic example. His reporting showed how officials at Western Regional Off Track Betting attended sporting events using tickets purchased as perks for patrons.  The path to accessing key public records was often blocked until an Article 78 lawsuit was filed. That measure provided the necessary documents and caught the attention of the state comptroller's office which is now reviewing the operations at OTB.

Since it was initially proposed, the Outer Harbor residential development Queen City Landing has sparked a number of questions from community interests.  The height of the main tower and how the complex would restrict public waterfront access have been two of the major concerns. Jim Fink of Business First says developer Gerry Buchheit has altered the proposal. While a 20-story tower remains at the heart of the plan, Fink says a 2.5-acre green space has been added to make the location "welcoming" to the public. The alterations will need approval through the city's regulatory process before becoming reality.

Alexis Oltmer recalls how her current exhibition at CEPA Gallery originated three years ago on a visit to Emerald Beach on Lake Erie. "I started to notice tiny, little  (plastic) particles that were every single color in the rainbow. I was just really overwhelmed by them," Oltmer recalled. "When I got home I felt really bad about the fact that I hadn't done anything about that." For Oltmer, it's been angst turned into art.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory through 6 p.m. today for Buffalo and much of region. Meteorologist Kirk Apffel says freezing rain is the concern today, but, as temperatures cool this evening, snow is expected to return. With the possibility of six inches of snow or more in the forecast, a Winter Storm Watch will be in effect through Friday afternoon.

With impeachment still hovering, Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins acknowledged the atmosphere was "a little tense" as President Trump delivered his State of the Union in front of Congress. As for the substance of the speech, Higgins says it failed "to rise above what has occurred over the last several months and outline an ambitious agenda and challenge Congress to work with him." 

With its expanding array of contributors, Buffalo Rising spreads the spotlight on many of the city's newest trends and businesses. Cole Hastings is among those who have been sampling what's happening. He's tasted what he says are Buffalo's best vegan wings, kept close tabs on the city's hip-hop scene and explored the newest entries into a revived business community in Riverside. Hastings shared some of  his perspective during WBFO's Press Pass.

From Des Moines to Council Bluffs, a group of students from Daemen College spent six days in Iowa to study the intense campaigning leading up to today's Iowa Caucuses. Leading their itinerary was Jay Wendland, associate professor of political science. Dr. Wendland says the group was able to attend several events and form a variety of opinions on most of the Democratic Party's Presidential candidates.

Democrat Nate McMurray will take another shot at Congress. After narrowly losing to Chris Collins in 2018, McMurray says he's ready to challenge Republican State Senator Chris Jacobs in a special election for New York's 27th Congressional seat. Erie County Democrats endorsed McMurray last night. This morning, he expressed confidence to WBFO. "I know this place. I know these people."

And the winner is.... Those were the words anxiously clung to Tuesday evening, as "Small Business Revolution" live-streamed which of its Top 5 finalists would receive a $500,000 small business makeover. In the end, there was good news for the packed crowd inside and outside the Fredonia Opera House - and a special live appearance by the television show's co-host.

The Buffalo News has a new owner: Lee Enterprises. The announcement was made by Lee shortly after 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Billed as a "play-within-a-play," the Brazen-Faced Varlets' production of THE ANATASIA TRIALS IN THE COURT OF WOMEN continues through February 2 at Alleyway's Caberet Theater. The play was written by Carolyn Gage. "She's very close to her plays," said Lara Haberberger, Artistic/Executive Director. So close, in fact, that Gage connected via Skype for a recent rehearsal to offer her insights.

Early on this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Siena College Research Institute released the findings of their poll examining race issues in New York State. Most respondents had a negative view of race relations across the state.

"Making Buffalo Home: A Refugee's First Year" airs tonight at 9 on WNED-TV. Part of the Making Buffalo Home initiative, the show looks at the challenges refugees face upon relocating to Buffalo. As Senior Producer Lynne Bader points out, nearly 16,000 refugees have called Buffalo home since the early 2000's. In order to make lives here, they needed to overcome two major challenges: finding a job and learning the language.

Over the last two decades, eight different politicians have held the seat in New York's 60th Senate district. As Geoff Kelly points out, Republicans and Democrats have struggled to stay in the seat, though some have used the post to jump to other offices. Byron Brown was the senator before turning his sights on Buffalo's City Hall. Now, Chris Jacobs is leaving the senate as he seeks a spot in Washington as the congressman for New York's 27th District. Kelly speculates on who will next serve a district where a moderate approach to politics seems necessary.

Tonight on WNED-TV, Frontline will air the final segment of its  two-part documentary: "America's Great Divide: From Obama to Trump." The series focuses on the nation's increasingly bitter, divided and toxic politics. It's a familiar theme for UB's Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Doctor James Campbell. In 2016, he addressed the topic at the beginning of the Trump Presidency with his book, "Polarized: Making Sense of a Divided America." 

Though snow totals remain below average for this winter, bouts of extreme weather continue to challenge Western New Yorkers. Over the weekend, winds in excess of 60 miles per hour battered the region, leaving thousands without power. To start the work week this morning, freezing drizzle is expected to glaze some roadways. The conditions have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Winter Weather Advisory until 10 a.m.

Despite their overtime playoff loss to the Houston Texans, the Buffalo Bills enjoyed a solid season. Analyst Matt Sabuda says several young players were at the heart of the postseason push in 2019. That group should be expected to improve in the coming season, but Sabuda believes a "few key additions" are needed. At the top of his list is a top-tier wide receiver and an impactful pass rusher. He'd also like to see the coaching staff take an aggressive step forward. "My biggest criticism this year was their tendency to take their foot off the gas when they had any kind of success."

Two prominent Buffalo-area businessmen were killed in a helicopter crash Thursday night.

Sean Cullen's acting credits include work with Hollywood luminaries like Al Pacino, George Clooney and Alec Baldwin. He also appeared in 1,000 shows of the production of  SOUTH PACIFIC at Lincoln Center, yet the actor still feels very much at home in Buffalo. Named Road Less Traveled Productions 2020 American Theatre Master, Cullen will be on stage in his hometown frequently in the coming weeks.

Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans has established himself as one of the NFL's "best young quarterbacks," so says analyst Matt Sabuda. While he believes Watson and his talented teammates present a major challenge, Sabuda wonders if the Buffalo Bills can "keep their nerves in check" in Saturday's playoff game at Houston. If they do, he says the Bills have the talent to come away with their first playoff win since 1995.

In just over a half-year, Devin Chevanne has captured a wide variety of subjects in his role as Director of Photography at Buffalo Rising. He says he's enjoyed shooting most of the 120 video productions he's assembled in 2019, but a few stand out, like the passionate mushroom farmer or the Buffalo cobbler. The common theme Chevanne has found among his subjects, "They all love Buffalo."  He shared his observations during WBFO's Press Pass.