The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "CT" ...
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C-HIT: Toxic Laundry Emissions
Industrial laundries in New England have recently come under intense scrutiny by the EPA, ever since the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) found that volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) were being released at a facility in Waterbury, CT. According to Steve Rapp, Chief of the Air Technical Unit, EPA Region 1, the problem is widespread and significant. “The industrial laundries are grossly under-reporting their VOCs,” said Rapp. “It’s a total sleeper.” The problem stems from the process of laundering shop towels, which are often contaminated with toxic solvents. When improperly cleaned, the solvents are vaporized and emitted to the surrounding air. This article investigated this little-known source of air pollution, shedding light on the industry’s practices and its impact on air quality and public health.
Tags: Volatile organic compunds; VOC's; DEEP; air quality; public health
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C-HIT: Pharma Perks
The Affordable Care Act requires pharmaceutical companies to publicly report all payments to physicians by September 2013. Some drug companies have already compiled, but few consumers know that the information is available or how to access it. What this story did is disclose for the first time for CT consumers: 1) how many doctors in Connecticut are high-prescribers of certain psychotropic and pain medications, (108) 2) the cost of written prescriptions (hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases) 3) how many of these doctors received payments from drug companies (at least 43) 4) and the amounts that the doctors received from the drug companies ($30,000 - $99,000) It also reported that only 3 doctors on the high-prescribing drug list have been disciplined by the state Medical Examining Board.
Tags: Affordable Care Act; pharmacy; physicians; prescriptions; drugs; Medical Examining Board
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The Evidence Gap
The nations' medical bill last year exceeded $2.7 trillin -- nearly as much as the projected total cost of the Iraq war. If it were medical money well spend, there might be few cries to "reform" the American health care system. But by some estimates, one-third or more of the medical care received by patients in this country may be virtually worthless. The nation is wasting hundreds of billions of dollars each year on superfluous treatments -- money that otherwise could by spent, for example , on providing health insurance for every child, woman and man int his country who currently have no coverage. A team of science and business reporters from The New York Times set out to explain how and why the United States is spending so much on health care with so relatively little to show for the money, They discovered a gaping chasm between scientific evidence and the practice of medicine. In an in-depth series of articles, told through real doctors and patients, and based on information they dug up that was frequently unflattering to medical providers, companies and regulators, the Times team documented many disturbing instances of "The Evidence Gap."
Tags: health care; CT angiograms; Avastin; cancer treatment; reckless spending; Food and Drug Administration; mammograms
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Deadly Discrepancy: New Light on Aortic Aneurysms
This collection of stories won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. The authors did in-depth reporting about aortic aneurysms, a dangerous bulge in an important artery. This condition causes 25,000 - 40,000 deaths a year, most of which are preventable. Conventional medical wisdom says that such aneurysms are rare, but this investigation proved otherwise. The investigation found that there is available technology to ease this condition and save lives, but it is not being used effectively because physicians misdiagnos the problem.
Tags: medicine; surgery; ruptured artery; aortic disease; CT scan; heart disease
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Keeping Charities Out of Town: Feeling overrun by social services, Hartford bards new facilities; other cities may follow suit
According to the article, "City leaders around the country have expressed frustration as they have watched suburbs draw away residents and businesses, often leaving behind large numbers of disadvantaged people. With little power to require the suburbs to offer care for the urban poor, cities like Hartford are taking steps to limit the private social services available within their own boundaries in the hope that some non-profit groups will decide to open their doors elsewhere."
Tags: charity; charities; Chrysalis Center; social services; poor; urban poor; disadvantaged people; Hartford; Connecticut; CT; non-profit; non-profit groups; businesses; suburbs
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Crime on Campus
In this four-part series, advanced journalism students from the University of Connecticut examine rising crime statistics and the various new types of crime at the UConn campus at Storrs, CT. Using data from the university's police department and Uniform Crime Reports, reporters found that the UConn police department was greatly understaffed despite increasing student numbers and rising crime. They also discovered that problems such as poor dormitory security and underage alcohol abuse contributed to the increase in serious and violent crime on campus.
Tags: Crime; universities; UConn; Uniform Crime Reports
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Disappearing Act: The Martin Frankel Story
CNN Financial News Moneyline "chronicled Martin Frankel's alleged embezzlement scheme from the convoluted string of insurance companies he controlled to the offshore Catholic charity he established with backing from a Vatican official to his life on the run in Europe. We reported on his high-tech trading operation, his curious talent for attracting celebrities and credible business partners, as well as his quirky lifestyle and checkered past."
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Candidates turn to Westport for financial help
The Hour (Norwalk, CT) reports that "If money is the mother's milk of politics, this town is a dairy farm. Westport's Democratic, Republican and unaffiliated residents give and give and give to campaigners across the country running for the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate and the presidency...."
Tags: donations
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Gods and Monsters
Connecticut Magazine investigates the current slew of cases being invoked against Connecticut Catholic priests on charges of sexual misconduct. Dioceses consistently covered up complaints and defended its clergy in light of numerous accusations. Church officials then proceeded to send the priests to other parishes, where the cycle of abuse continued. Special attention given to the recent legal triumphs that have forced churches to shell out millions in compensation.
Tags: Priests; Pedophilia; Sexual misconduct; Bridgeport; CT; Pcolka; L. Brett
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Letter from the Ivy League
Andrews chronicles the events leading up to the 1998 murder of Yale student Suzanne Jovin and does a follow-up to see where the investigation is heading. The chief suspect is James Van de Velde, Jovin's former professor, though he denies any involvement in the crime. Focuses on how the murder has affected New Haven, CT, specifically the Yale community.
Tags: Yale University; Colleges; Suzanne Jovin; Murder