http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Extra! Extra! is your guide to the latest investigative work. Send comments and suggestions to extraextra@ire.org. en-us support@ire.org 2008-06-02T10:45:50-06:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_06.html A Dallas Morning News investigation has found dozens of sites with hazardous chemicals that are in close proximity to residential neighborhoods. It is a problem throughout Dallas County. In some cases, plants and warehouses are within blocks &#8212 and even... 2260@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Environment 2008-06-02T10:45:50-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_05.html Eight stations of the Scripps Television Stations Group pooled their efforts to investigate the nutritional value of low-calorie and low-fat menu items at several national restaurant chains. Food purchased from restaurants such as Applebee's and Macaroni Grill was tested at... 2254@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Health 2008-05-21T10:02:42-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_05.html A three-month investigation by journalism students at Humboldt State University looked into the suicide of James Lee Peters, a mentally-ill Native American inmate at Humboldt County Jail. With few people willing to talk, the students relied on public records obtained... 2249@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Government (federal/state/local) 2008-05-19T09:48:32-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_04.html A series by The Washington Post explores the causes and implications of the current global food crisis, the likes of which have not been seen since the 1970s. "A complex combination of poor harvests, competition with biofuels, higher energy prices,... 2231@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ International 2008-04-28T14:45:11-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_04.html A three-month investigation by Joel Grover of KNBC-Los Angeles found lead levels in drinking water that exceeded EPA safety limits at several area public schools. Contaminated fountains were found at nine of the 30 schools tested. An internal report obtained... 2232@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Health 2008-04-28T13:56:43-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_04.html A Sacramento Bee investigation into the dangers associated with nail guns reveals a dramatic increase in injuries over the last decade. Andrew McIntosh reports that despite an increase in injuries — some resulting in death — the Consumer Product Safety... 2225@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Government (federal/state/local) 2008-04-16T14:38:36-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_04.html Clark Kauffman of The Des Moines Register explores the influence that the Iowa hospital industry exerts over state regulators and lawmakers. In Iowa today, a state license to run a hospital costs $10, just as it did in 1947. That's... 2222@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Government (federal/state/local) 2008-04-15T11:15:24-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_04.html Jim Doyle of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the city's emergency response system is failing to meet response goals. In February 2004, the city adopted a 6-1/2 minute standard for emergency response. Since then, at least 439 people have... 2221@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Health 2008-04-15T11:11:55-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_03.html The three-day special report by Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporters Andrew Conte and Luis Fabregas found that hundreds of patients each year undergo unnecessary liver transplants. The story cites national data for transplants at 127 hospitals across the nation between 2002 and... 2211@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Health 2008-03-12T15:51:11-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_03.html The Hartford Courant's Lisa Chedekel and Matthew Kauffman continue their coverage of the U.S. military's mental health policies with a report revealing that fewer than 1 percent of deploying combat troops received mental-health evaluations in 2007 despite a congressional order... 2204@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Military 2008-03-10T14:55:55-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_03.html A five-month probe by Jeff Donn, Martha Mendoza and Justin Pritchard, of the Associated Press, found traces of medications in the drinking water supplies of over 40 million Americans. While the testing found pharmaceuticals diluted to miniscule concentration levels, some... 2203@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Environment 2008-03-10T14:30:24-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_03.html Clark Kauffman of The Des Moines Register reports that some of the worst nursing homes in Iowa are collecting tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded bonuses that are supposed to reward quality care. The bonuses are paid through a... 2200@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Health 2008-03-07T12:26:15-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_03.html 2198@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Health 2008-03-07T12:06:34-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2008_01.html A six-part series by Kevin Craver of the Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, Ill.) looks into lawsuits facing two chemical companies after a cluster of brain cancer patients were discovered in a small town. Craver studied documents going back 30 years... 2162@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Health 2008-01-10T16:57:44-06:00 http://www.ire.org/extraextra/archives/2007_12.html A three-part investigative series by The Baltimore Sun looks at the drug buprenorphine which is now being commonly prescribed to addicts to help them kick their addictions. It has shown great promise with opiate addictions by curbing withdrawal symptoms. But... 2160@http://www.ire.org/extraextra/ Health 2007-12-18T12:47:22-06:00