Jim Heaney is editor and executive director of Investigative Post. He was an investigative reporter with The Buffalo News from 1986 to 2011 and a reporter and editor with The Orlando Sentinel from 1980-86. His coverage over the years has focused on economic development, local and state government, politics, education, housing and transportation, and he was an early practitioner of computer-assisted reporting. Heaney has won more than 20 journalism awards and was a finalist for the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting.
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 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.
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.
Oct 27
2020
Michael Wooten of WGRZ interviewed Editor Jim Heaney about Investigative Post’s reporting that identified the largest donors from Western New York to the presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Joseph Biden. Trump’s donors were featured in a ‘Money In Politics’ post Monday. Biden’s were published Tuesday. The posts are accompanied by a podcast featuring Heaney and Ken Kruly, who produces Money In Politics.
Oct 27
2020