Breaking: Rep. Tim Kennedy has introduced a bill in Congress that could prevent migrant deaths like Nurul Amin Shah Alam's. The bill would require ICE and Border Patrol to call a migrant's "point of contact" before releasing them "to ensure their safety." investigativepost.org/2026/06/02/k...

Breaking: Two weeks ago, a Tesla was found abandoned in Niagara Square. In the car: A gun belonging to former Sheriff's chief DJ Granville. We now know who'd been driving: Former cop and Evans town official Tom George. investigativepost.org/2026/06/02/d...

A new state law bars former OTB executives like Henry Wojtaszek from joining the board of directors — a measure inspired by Wojtaszek himself. The legislations was also inspired by an incident last fall involving Wojtaszek's wife berating an OTB employee. investigativepost.org/2026/06/02/h...

For the sixth time, the state attorney general has found a Buffalo cop at fault for years of misconduct. Officer Ronald Ammerman's history includes unjustified searches and other misdeeds. He's also been named in both state and federal lawsuits. investigativepost.org/2026/05/27/a...

New: In this week's Off the News column, Editor Jim Heaney revisits the Common Council's battle against Mayor Sean Ryan's new budget. We've got a full recap of what went down at City Hall — plus more news from the week — below: investigativepost.org/2026/06/01/c...

The Ryan administration is seeking to sell the city's parking ramps to the Buffalo Parking Authority. It's also refusing to share key details related to their appraisal. The sale is expected to draw $1 million in funds to help revitalize downtown. investigativepost.org/2026/05/26/b...

Dolores Bustamante, a migrant advocate for farm workers, was freed from ICE detention Wednesday night. A federal judge ordered ICE to release Bustamante, and said the agency violated her due process rights by arresting her without warning. investigativepost.org/2026/05/28/f...

Mayor Sean Ryan's first budget is here. In the end, the proposed hike in property taxes dropped from 25% to 19%, and the state came to the city's rescue with an additional $25 million in funds. Geoff Kelly breaks down the numbers and the politics: investigativepost.org/2026/05/29/b...

The state attorney general has flagged yet another Buffalo cop for substantial misconduct. Officer Ronald Ammerman's record includes searches that violated constitutional rights, dishonesty under oath & numerous pending federal civil rights lawsuits. investigativepost.org/2026/05/27/a...

Breaking: Dolores Bustamante, the apple picker and longtime advocate for upstate farm workers, was freed from ICE detention last night. Bustamante had been arrested at a check-in appointment in Buffalo last month. She was nearly deported to Mexico. investigativepost.org/2026/05/28/f...

Buffalo is seeking to sell its parking ramps to a new entity called the Buffalo Parking Authority, a move that will help the city balance its budget. It will also leave the Parking Authority with $1 million annually. Some key details, however, remain unknown investigativepost.org/2026/05/26/b...

New: A new deal for public sector unions is set to hit taxpayers hard. It'll cost taxpayers $557 million annually — straining the budgets of school districts, cities & towns statewide. Editor Jim Heaney explains how it works in this week's Off the News: investigativepost.org/2026/05/25/i...

In the last year and a half, local courts have turned hostile to migrants. Migrants are more likely to lose cases. The cost of appealing rulings has risen tenfold. And now, a new policy allows cases to be dismissed before a judge can hear their merits: investigativepost.org/2026/05/19/u...

Finding a place to live after prison can be extremely difficult. In Buffalo, many end up in boarding houses. In some cases, that means dealing with infestation, fights & thefts. We interviewed several current and former parolees. Here's what we learned: investigativepost.org/2026/05/21/f...

D.J. Granville, the scandal-plagued former narcotics chief, has been charged with improper storage of a firearm. The weapon was found in an abandoned Tesla in Niagara Square on Tuesday night, along with other items bearing Granville's name. investigativepost.org/2026/05/21/d...

Under Trump 2.0, many asylum cases are being tossed before a judge can hear their merits. The policy is called pretermission. We followed one such case— a Tibetan man named Tenzin, who was nearly deported to Uganda until his attorney intervened. investigativepost.org/2026/05/20/t...

New: After being released from prison, many men wind up renting rooms in boarding houses. Those rooms tend to be unsafe and unclean. Some are not properly registered. And several men told us their rooms were infested with bed bugs and other insects. investigativepost.org/2026/05/21/f...

Breaking: D.J. Granville, the embattled former narcotics chief, has been charged with improper storage of a loaded gun. The gun was found in an abandoned Tesla. Granville wasn't driving, but the car was registered to Buffalo Biodiesel, his new employer. investigativepost.org/2026/05/21/d...

New: Earlier this year, the Trump administration tried to deport a stateless Tibetan immigrant to Uganda — a country he'd never been to before. The story ultimately has a happy ending, but not before the migrant endured the harsh reality of ICE detention. investigativepost.org/2026/05/20/t...

The win rate for migrants has fallen sharply. Judges have resigned. And the Trump admin now seeks to throw out migrants' cases and send them to foreign countries, like Uganda. We take a deep dive into how Trump has transformed the local immigration courts: investigativepost.org/2026/05/19/u...

Rats falling from the ceilings and raw sewage in the backyard. Hundreds of police calls and building code violations over the years. And over $62,000 in unpaid taxes and fees. Here's what we discovered about one Buffalo landlord's properties: investigativepost.org/2026/05/14/l...

The numbers make it clear: American elementary school students aren't learning the basics. According to a report from The New York Times, math & reading scores have dropped in the majority of districts nationwide. The full story, plus more news, below: investigativepost.org/2026/05/18/t...

New: In the last ten years, reading and math scores have dropped in most school districts nationwide. One expert called the trend "an enormous problem." The data, plus more reporting from around the country, in this week's Off the News: investigativepost.org/2026/05/18/t...

One reason the city will pay $6M to firefighter James Arno's widow: officers on the scene of the blaze that killed him were working "out of title." For decades, the practice has been a factor in nearly every critical fire department injury or fatality. investigativepost.org/2026/05/12/a...

Residents of an 85-mile stretch in Louisiana have long suffered the consequences of heavy industrial pollution. The region even has a nickname: Cancer Alley. Now, Trump's EPA is granting polluters a pass on clean air rules. All they have to do is email. investigativepost.org/2026/05/12/t...

After Buffalo police shot a man at an illegal boarding house, we dug into the landlord's history. It's extensive. Andre Foster owes thousands to the city, and his properties are rife with issues, including rat infestations & sewage leaks. investigativepost.org/2026/05/14/l...

In March, Buffalo police shot and killed a man living on the East Side. He was a tenant in an illegal boarding house. We then looked into other properties owned by the landlord & found unpaid bills, numerous code violations and unsafe living conditions: investigativepost.org/2026/05/14/l...

Beginning a year ago, the Trump administration gave major polluters a huge gift: Write an email explaining why their business was critical to national security and they could be exempt from pollution regulations. More than 180 facilities were then exempted. investigativepost.org/2026/05/12/t...

New York spends more on education than almost every state in the nation. But its reading scores are middle of the pack. Today's Off the News includes a new story by New York Focus on how that happened — plus some of our reporting from 2024 — below: investigativepost.org/2026/05/11/p...

New: In this week's Off the News, Editor Jim Heaney covers the public pension battle in Albany. Gov. Hochul, with the blessing of lawmakers, is considering costly plans to improve retirement benefits for the public sector. Taxpayers would foot the bill. investigativepost.org/2026/05/11/p...

The drama at Western Regional OTB never stops. According to a new lawsuit, the gambling agency is now split into two warring camps — those loyal to new CEO Byron Brown and those to Henry Wojtaszek. How this battle began & what's next at OTB, explained: investigativepost.org/2026/05/06/w...

In May 2024, WBEN host Tom Bauerle's siblings sued him, claiming he cheated them of their late mother's nearly $1 million estate. Two years later, the feud continues. In a court doc, Tom described his siblings as "vultures waiting to pick the bones." investigativepost.org/2026/05/05/b...

Henry Wojtaszek, the embattled former CEO of Western Regional OTB, finally gave his two cents on the state comptroller's damning audit. In front of the Niagara County Legislature, he called the comptroller "flat-out wrong." From the Niagara Gazette: investigativepost.org/2026/05/07/w...

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Investigative Post's J. Dale Shoemaker appeared on Channel 7 this week to take you inside all the latest drama happening inside Western Regional Off-Track Betting. A factionalized workplace. A new lawsuit. A former boss on a "revenge tour." Read more at: investigativepost.org/2026/05/06/w...

New: A fierce battle is being waged for control of Western NY’s favorite patronage operation: OTB. The former CEO (& former GOP chair) is “on his revenge tour.” Meanwhile, the new admin must fend off a “false” lawsuit. It’s Henry Wojtaszek v. Byron Brown. investigativepost.org/2026/05/06/w...

New: WBEN radio host Tom Bauerle's family feud continues. In court papers, his siblings accuse him of manipulating their dying mother to get a larger share of the will. In response, he accuses them of defamation. The drama has been ongoing for two years. investigativepost.org/2026/05/05/b...

In Albany, the pushback against data centers is growing. State Sen. Rachel May recently proposed a bill that'd cap subsidies for mid-sized data centers & ban them for those using 100 megawatts or more. Another lawmaker wants a statewide moratorium: investigativepost.org/2026/04/29/l...

New: As the wealthy move to Florida and other states, Buffalo has lost millions, according to IRS data. But it's not just a Buffalo problem. Editor Jim Heaney explains the reasons behind the entire state's wealth exodus in this week's Off the News: investigativepost.org/2026/05/04/w...

Government transparency watchdog Paul Wolf asked for the calendars of Erie County legislators. The legislature said no such records exist. But Wolf didn't buy it. So he tricked two lawmakers into admitting they did. And now he's suing: investigativepost.org/2026/05/01/e...

Mayor Sean Ryan, once critical of the city's charter revision, now says he'll collaborate with the citizen panel overseeing it on several issues. However, unmentioned in Ryan's recent letter to the panel was election reform, a top priority among members: investigativepost.org/2026/04/30/r...

For months, residents have rallied against a $1.46 billion proposed data center in Genesee County & the environmental damage it'll inflict on their communities. Now, one lawmaker has introduced a bill aiming to ban subsidies for large data centers entirely: investigativepost.org/2026/04/29/l...

Reporters from the Canadian Investigative Journalism Bureau have spent months uncovering the dangers of the human smuggling industry across the U.S-Canada border. How two alleged smugglers derailed an operation, from @ijbstories.bsky.social: investigativepost.org/2026/05/01/i...

New: A government watchdog wanted to see copies of the daily calendars kept by Erie County lawmakers. He was told no such records exist. He then devised a test that, he alleges, proves the calendars do, in fact, exist. He's now suing the county. investigativepost.org/2026/05/01/e...

Records detail how federal agents busted a human smuggling operation that aimed to ferry migrants from Canada into the U.S. Such operations have become more frequent since Trump took office again. From our partners at the Investigative Journalism Bureau: investigativepost.org/2026/05/01/i...

Before he took office, Mayor Sean Ryan was clear: He was not a fan of Buffalo's Charter Revision Commission. But now he seems to be warming up to the group, and says his administration is ready to work with them. Here's how that could transform the city: investigativepost.org/2026/04/30/r...

After decades of inaction, an oversight panel that's supposed to hold Housing Court accountable is finally meeting again. They're doing so in secrecy. Some experts say that's wrong. investigativepost.org/2026/04/28/c...

The rest of NY is paying attention to the massive data center proposed in Genesee County. One lawmaker, shocked by the $1.46 billion subsidy package, wants to cap — or ban — such subsidies for future data center projects. investigativepost.org/2026/04/29/l...

THURSDAY: Join us at Big Ditch for wide-ranging discussion on how we can reform state government and City Hall. We'll be joined by one of the sharpest government reformers in the state, John Kaehny. Tickets are just $10 and include a free beer. secure.qgiv.com/for/investig...

Right now, the City of Buffalo has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to review its charter. This Thursday, we're interviewing John Kaehny — one of New York's sharpest minds on city & state government — to talk about what's possible. Tickets $10: secure.qgiv.com/for/investig...