Investigative Post

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.

The Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation is spending more than $300,000 a year on luxury suites at KeyBank Center and New Era Field. OTB officials say it’s a way to reward frequent patrons at Batavia Downs. But an Investigative Post review of hundreds of pages of documents obtained from OTB shows executives and board members have helped themselves to expensive tickets.

Prosecution for people producing, distributing or possessing child pornography spiked last year in Western New York.

Between 2015 and 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Western New York handled an average of 38 cases annually. Last year, that number spiked to 58. They only take on the most egregious of these crimes. The others go to local district attorney offices. Prosecutions by the Erie County District Attorney also increased last year.

As part of their partnership with WBFO, Investigative Post's Ali Ingersoll reports.

"Shocked and speechless" was how the president of the Buffalo Newspaper Guild described the sale of The Buffalo News to Lee Enterprises. It could be a major change for the region, in an industry where cuts and consolidation are already common. For more information about the new owner and what the sale could mean for Western New York, WBFO's Marian Hetherly talked with Jim Heaney, a reporter at the News from 1986-2011 and now editor of Investigative Post, a nonprofit investigative reporting center based in Buffalo.

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.

The city of Buffalo has exhausted most of its cash reserves following years of using the extra funds to cover budget gaps. That problem, says Geoff Kelly of Investigative Post, will be compounded by New York State's $6 billion budget deficit. As Kelly points out, with the state unable to rescue future Buffalo budgets, the city may be forced to lean on taxpayers.

Joseph Gramaglia is Buffalo's Deputy Police Commissioner, the department's second-in-command. He is also the "officer in charge" of the Village of Blasdell police department. According to Geoff Kelly of Investigative Post, most observers say Gramaglia does a fine job in both roles. In fact, it's not unusual for Buffalo police personnel to have second jobs. But Kelly raises the question: Should high-level officials of New York's second-largest police department have their attention diverted toward second jobs?

New York State has been moving to shut down coal-burning electric power plants in recent years. On WBFO's Press Pass, Kate Kaye of Investigative Post outlines one such effort that may be producing unintended consequences.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration is negotiating to award incentives to the would-be developers of data centers proposed for coal-fired power plant properties in the Town of Somerset, in northeast Niagara County, and the Town of Lansing, located about an hour southwest of Syracuse. But are they worth it? Subsidized data centers can be expensive propositions for taxpayers.

Reporter Kate Kaye brings over two decades of journalism to her role at Investigative Post. By returning to her hometown after 23 years away, she offers a historical understanding of Buffalo's economic development efforts. Waterfront investment has had a positive impact, she says, but some parts of the city continue to be left behind.

While the move may be saving money in the short term, the city of Buffalo's limited spending on police cars may have a long-term negative impact. At one point this summer, Geoff Kelly of Investigative Post says, some police districts were working with less than half their allotted vehicles because so many were in need of repair. Without available transportation, many officers have been forced to remain at the station while detectives are unable to efficiently pursue investigations.

When the city of Buffalo recently found itself with a cash flow deficit, officials were able to cover the gap by using funds from the Buffalo Public School District. Geoff Kelly of Investigative Post adds this to a growing list of questionable budget practices, notably the use of cash reserves to cover previous budget deficits.

When Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced the city's budget for the approaching fiscal year, much of the discussion centered on a lower property tax rate and the ambitious set of goals outlined in the $508 million spending plan. After reviewing the proposal, Geoff Kelly of Investigative Post has raised several questions about some projected revenues. At the top of the list:  $11 million in casino revenue from the Seneca Nation of Indians, a funding line that is unlikely to be realized anytime soon.

With a change of state law, the Buffalo Traffic Violations Agency was created in 2015. While the move allowed for more flexibility in how the city handled traffic violations, it has also signaled a significant rise in traffic tickets issued. Investigative Post's Marsha McLeod reports Buffalo collected $2.8 million in traffic fines in the last fiscal year, helping to ease the city's financial stress. It's a benefit that may be causing pain for Buffalo's poorest residents.

Since the Civil War, U.S. political leaders have championed the cause of the American war veteran. While it's a popular stance with the electorate, the reality of providing for veterans has been more complicated. In her recent report for Investigative Post, Sara Jerving details the difficulties members of Gold Star families have had in accessing benefits from programs established specifically for them. In some cases, family members have been denied assistance. 

With minimal copays and no premiums, the health coverage offered to the board members overseeing the operations of Western Regional OTB stands out in comparison with what most people receive. According to Jim Heaney of Investigative Post, 13 of 17 active board members and three retired members utilize the coverage. Heaney's research also discovered an earlier ruling from the Attorney General which found such benefits to be improper. OTB officials say they will now seek an opinion from the Attorney General on the matter.

For a regional economy seemingly addicted to public subsidies, a surprising development is occurring at the New York Power Authority. According to Charlotte Keith of Investigative Post, NYPA is finding no takers when it comes to two subsidy programs.  During her monthly appearance on WBFO's Press Pass, Keith reviews the problem and discusses the real difficulty in modifying the programs. Any adjustments would require a change in state law.

The Niagara Power Project in Lewiston generates cheap, clean hydropower, one of the region’s most valuable resources. But for years, there were complaints that Western New York wasn’t seeing its fair share of the benefits. Rep. Brian Higgins led a push to change that.  

Food is big business in Western New York, and according to the November issue of Buffalo Spree, women are playing an increasingly important role. In this week's Press Pass with WBFO's Mark Scott, Spree editor Elizabeth Licata says women are well-represented across the industry.

With millions of dollars awarded over five years, the 43North business competition has succeeded in generating excitement and publicity. Its track record in creating local jobs has not been as stellar. Charlotte Keith  has been reporting on their results for Investigative Post. While there have been some notable shortcomings, she says the competition is doing a better job at identifying companies more likely to remain in Buffalo.

The 43North business plan competition had a problem. The Buffalo Billion funded program offers winning startups investments of a quarter of a million dollars and up.  In exchange, companies have to give 43North a five percent stake and come to Buffalo for at least a year.

Researchers at SUNY Buffalo State are concerned that climate change could be helping to lay the groundwork for an eventual collapse of the Niagara River’s ecosystem. Populations of the Emerald Shiner minnow have been cut drastically this summer. As Investigative Post's Sara Jerving reports, researchers worry that as the region continues to heat up, this could become the new norm.

A bill which has passed the state Senate looks to provide oversight of state contracts awarded to development companies. The legislation would allow the state comptroller's office to review each contract. The measure, however, is being blocked in an Assembly committee, and, as Jim Heaney of Investigative Post points out, the bill is unlikley to have the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

In 2006, Buffalo officials took a bold step by passing a law which expanded upon state and federal fair housing guidelines. The law prohibits landlords from discriminating against potential tenants who rely upon federal subsidies like Section 8 which is used by thousands in Buffalo.  On WBFO's Press Pass, Charlotte Keith of Investigative Post discusses her story which indicates city officials are doing little to enforce the statute.                                                                          

The roots of Thursday's convictions in the Buffalo Billion bid-rigging case in federal court in Manhattan can be traced back to the work of Investigative Post.  Stories produced by Jim Heaney and his staff prompted federal authorities to take a closer look at state economic development practices. While convictions have been secured, Heaney is calling on authorities to continue digging into the case.

In a city as poor as Buffalo, a lot of people depend on government rental assistance - and that can make it hard for them to find a place to live. There is a local law meant to protect them, but as Charlottte Keith with our partners at Investigative Post reports, it doesn't always work.

Though the drowning death of Buffalo Police Officer Craig Lehner remains under investigation, some troubling details regarding the incident continue to emerge. For her recent reporting, Daniela Porat of Investigative Post reviewed United States Coast Guard documents recorded during the search for Lehner. During her monthly appearance on WBFO's Press Pass, Porat described how the Niagara River's swift conditions on that fatal day were less than ideal for a training exercise.