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 "appliances" ...
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Trashing Your Tax Dollars
The NBC2 Investigators uncovered wasteful spending in a multi-million dollar federal program mean to re-stabilize neighborhoods hard hit by foreclosures. The program - called NSP (Neighborhood Stabilization Program) - utilized stimulus money approved during the George W. Bush administration to buy foreclosed homes, refurbish them and then sell them to families who would live in them, thus stabilizing a neighborhood. In our area, the program was administered by our county (Lee) and another program was administered by our city (Fort Myers). Our investigation of the county-run program found they were throwing away perfectly good appliances and replacing them with more expensive products. Not only could they have kept those appliances in the home - leaving them more money to refurbish others - but the appliances they did throw away could have gone to people in need in our community. Ultimately, our story forced the county to change policies in the program. They now coordinate with a local non-profit to donate all appliances and equipment once meant for the landfill.
Tags: broadcast; neighborhoods; foreclosed homes; appliances
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Landing Electrolux
When Swedish company Electrolux announced plans to build a kitchen appliance factory in Memphis, many in the region hailed it as an economic development triumph. But it didn't come cheap. Government officials approved a massive package of money and perks for a company that has a history of leaving communities to cut costs and has made no guarantee to stay in Memphis for the long term. Officials performed minimal due diligence and signed away rights to recover most of the money if the company falls short of job-creation goals.
Tags: Electrolux; Memphis; job creation
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The High Cost of Being Poor
This series shows how businesses and merchants in the Buffalo area prey upon people living near poverty level. Examples include corner grocery stories that illegally cash checks and charge super-high fees, predatory loans for housing and cars, and the high cost of using rent-to-own appliances.
Tags: poverty; economics; local business; tax law; interest rates
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Defective Fridges
This story exposed widespread defects in GE refrigerators. Months after the story aired, GE settled consumer lawsuits filed by owners of the defective appliances.
Tags: product liability; refrigerators; General Electric; GE; consumer lawsuits; product defect
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Fridge Connection. A tangled tale of GE Appliance smuggling and laundered money. Firm gets tough on dealers in Miami area, prodded by a gadfly in Colombia. The Medellin Black Market.
According to the article, "GE auditors are combing through the records of dealers, scrutinizing the way they are paid and making sure they are following a GE policy: that not retail customer can buy more than 10 items, or more than two of any one kind, for use in a foreign country. Since the audits began, GE has cut off some distributors, disrupting relationships and hurting sales of refrigerators and washing machines in South Florida.
Tags: foreign; money; smuggling; money; laundered money; money laundering; cash
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Pump Station #2
An investigation by KGO-TV revealed that "the emergency water supply for San Francisco's fire hydrants was in critical condition. If the water stopped flowing to the hydrants during a disaster such as an earthquake or firestorm, the engines that power the back-up system would blow up. There are two pumping stations in the city that, in an emergency, would draw water out of San Francisco Bay to send to the fire crews. But, the engineer in charge of the stations was failing to maintain the engines. He hadn't changed the oil in more than ten years on the job. (KGO-TV) commissioned independent tests that showed the engines were in critical condition -- that they would blow up, if run at full load for any length of time. (KGO-TV) also revealed that the chief engineer was busy with many other projects at the station that had nothing to do with public safety. The former appliance repairman used the fire department's building to store old washers, dryers, mattress springs, furniture, a bowling ball and other junk. He set up a putting green, and would drive golf balls off the walls. He parked his personal car inside the pumping station for weeks on end, to do body work. He tended a garden of vegetables and spices."
Tags: San Francisco Bay; earthquake; fire hydrants; pumping station; public safety; TAPE; TRANSCRIPT
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Firefighter Dangers
A WTAE-TV investigation found fire departments using air tanks that were potentially dangerous; the alarm bells that are supposed to warn firefighters they're low on air had a history of malfunctioning, leading to several deaths. The story came out of a case that involved a St. Louis firefighter receiving a $6 million settlement from Mine Safety Appliances, a Pittsburgh company that's one of the leading manufacturers of fire safety equipment.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; firefighters; fire departments; fire safety; Mine Safety Appliances; fire safety equipment; NIOSHA; air tanks
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UL: Still Safety's Symbol
The UL symbol is stamped on more than 15 billion products and small appliances a year. Yet troubling incidents and documents from the CPSC indicate that the typical seal of Underwriters Laboratories, the independent testing service that examines appliances and other items to make sure they're are functioning safely, may be little more than decoration.
Tags: consumer product safety; appliances; fire hazard; federal regulation FOIA
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No title (id: 13700)
This article takes a look at the hazards of household appliances such as toasters, coffeemakers, hairdryers and other non-heat generating conveniences such as baby monitors and night lights. Appliances housed in thermoplastic materials can kindle and fuel a devastating fire in just minutes. (Sept. 17, 1996)
Tags: Farrell Appliances on fire Contest entry US Consumer Product Safety Commission 5 pgs.
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No title (id: 8846)
Chicago Tribune Magazine looks at man-made electromagnetic fields, which occur wherever electricity flows, whether in high-tension power lines, neighborhood pole-mounted transformers and distribution wires, or household appliances, Oct. 6, 1991.
Tags: IL Swanson