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 "federal stimulus" ...
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Wired for Waste
A Charleston Gazette investigation found the state of West Virginia used $24 million in federal stimulus funds to buy oversized routers that weren't needed. The high-end routers were designed to serve research universities, corporations and major medical centers, but the state installed the pricey devices primarily in small schools and libraries. The routers cost $22,600 each. The newspaper discovered that a high-ranking state technology office administrator warned that the routers were "grossly oversized," but the state's homeland security director and commerce secretary ignored the warning and authorized the purchase.
Tags: Federal funds; routers
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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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The Well Connected
The Gazette revealed how a developer in Charleston improperly secured $3.67 million in federal stimulus funds to build a low-income housing project with help from West Virginia's treasurer.
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Green Grants: Tracking the Energy Stimulants
The 2009 stimulus bill created a program that was supposed to drive development of wind, solar and other renewable energy projects. But when reporter Anne C. Mulkern dug into the grants in lieu of tax credits effort, she uncovered that in many cases, federal money did little to stimulate new business investments.
Tags: stimulus; green power grants; taxpayer money; grants; green grants
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Tracking Your Tax Dollars
The five-part investigation found Florida state agencies were spending hundreds of thousands of tax dollars on bonuses, retirement gifts, flowers, gift cards and more. At the same time they laid off state employees and cut services to balance the budget.
Tags: federal stimulus; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; Stimulus Bill
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Road to Recovery
The series determines whether federal stimulus spending was having any impact on the economic recovery in local communities in Kansas and Missouri.
Tags: federal stimulus; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; Stimulus Bill
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Watchdog website and its web pages
The Oklahoman/NewsOK.com started this project in 2008 with the Right to Know page, a collection of databases developed internally to go along with stories and links to relevant public information. That site became part of the Watchdog page in 2009. In 2010, the staff continued to evolve the Watchdog page with "mini-sites" of investigative topics, such as a political corruption case at the Oklahoma Legislature; the staff's FOI fight over the birth dates of public employees; and allegations of bid-rigging with a married lawmaker and lobbyist for a private company seeking a state juvenile justice contract. Other "mini-sites" under Watchdog include ongoing coverage of the state Department of Human Services and the federal stimulus package.
Tags: continuous coverage; online; watchdog; bid-rigging; Department of Human Services; federal stimulus; FOI; Right to Know
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Mr. Big Stuff
An investigation of the Housing Authority executive director in Phoenix proved he hired family members, used the agency's credit card to pay for travel and meals, and channeled federal stimulus work to developers with political connections.
Tags: Housing Authority; nepotism; politics; neophyte
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Public Works, Hidden Violations
Several construction companies were given "tens of millions in federal stimulus contracts," even though they violated several laws and regulations. Also, a few had been "convicted of defrauding taxpayers on previous projects" and others had previously paid fines for violating regulations. These should have been revealed when filling out the forms to be approved for the stimulus contracts.
Tags: transportation; workplace; safety; pollution; environment; FOIA; Highway Division; officials; federal government; federal funds
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"Minority Contractors in Illinois Get Few Stimulus Dollars"
WBEZ Radio "analyzed contract documents" from the Illinois Department of Transportation to investigate where the money awarded from the Recovery Act is actually going. The analysis revealed that minority- and female-owned businesses are not getting their fair share of the funds.
Tags: Recovery Act; Illinois Department of Transportation; Federal Transportation Secretary; Ray LaHood; American Reinvestment and Recovery Act; stimulus act