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Press Pass: Questions about 'outside agitators'

Following Saturday's protest at Niagara Square and the ensuing vandalism, officials in a variety of government capacities blamed the unrest on the presence of "outside agitators," non-locals whose sole intent was to create tension and violence. The dialogue prompted Jim Heaney to pen a column at Investigative Post which took exception with the claims. Heaney believes the term was used to steer the community conversation away from how local government has failed to combat the city's structural racism.

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Jay joined Buffalo Toronto Public Media in 2008 and has been the local host for NPR's "Morning Edition" ever since. In June 2022, he was named one of the co-hosts of BTPM's "What's Next."

A graduate of St. Mary's of the Lake School, St. Francis High School, and Buffalo State College, Jay has worked most of his professional career in Buffalo. Outside of public media, he continues in longstanding roles as the public address announcer for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League and as play-by-play voice of Canisius College basketball.