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 "hot dogs" ...
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Outbreak
The Washington Post Magazine investigates the failure of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent 21 deaths caused by contaminated meat from Sara Lee Corp. The story reveals that the contamination occurred because of moisture problems in the cooling section of "the giant Bil Mar Foods meatpacking plant in western Michigan." While deaths were tolling, the USDA was leery to issue a press release for fear not to face the legal implications of wrongly accusing the meatproducer. Even though Bil Mar quietly recalled the deadly products from the market, people were still eating meat kept in refrigerators or supermarkets and contaminated with the dangerous Listeria bacteria, the magazine reports. A major finding is that government lacks regulatory power to recall unsafe foods, as well as penalties system for repeated violations in the food industry.
Tags: health; FDA; meat; bacteria; contamination; Sara Lee; CDC; listeria; sanitation; immune system; pregnancy; hot dogs; deli meats; consumers; lawsuits
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Family Feud
The Florida Trend looks at the controversies that have teared apart the "once a billion-dollar family empire that encompassed Sunkist juice, Peoples Gas, Lykes hot dogs and meats, First Florida Banks and half-a-million acres of cattle ranches" in Florida. The story reports how 81 Lykes family shareholders have "dragged the once-formiddable, and always private Lykes Bros. company into court over their fair share of a shrunken empire." The author finds that regardless of the lawsuit's outcome, the future of the company is at risk.
Tags: stocks and bonds; courts; litigation; shareholders; privacy; trade; real estate assets; Credit Suisse First Boston; valuation
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Risky Refreshments
"Under the Michigan Food Code, anyone who sells food has to be licensed through the local county health department. For years, High School concession stands were selling nachos, hot dogs, pizza and some even tacos without a license. Many believed as long as the school kitchen was licensed, the people who run the concession stands could also serve food. We found the food code had been in effect since 1978. Some local health departments didn't start cracking down on the concession stands until 1992 . . . Smaller counties say manpower is preventing them from licensing the food service operations. . . We also found two schools who were slow to comply with the requirements. With the state adopting a new law, which went into effect in November 2000, the laws are strict. We found most people were receptive to the change and wanted safety. Others thought it was a hassle."
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; Food; concession stands; county health departments; food service operations
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Pets on Planes
KTVT reports that "we learned that 5000 pets are injured or die on airplanes every year. We first received the support of a local humane society and then took a dog named Rex on a series of flights around the country. We had temperature and humidity sensors inside the kennel and traveled on the same aircraft as Rex. We had Rex examined by a veterinarian at every destination and was always in good health. One airline lost the dog, another left him in the rain, another left him alone and without water, another left him on the hot tarmac when it was 90-plus degrees outside."
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"Scary record: food handling at Dome"
When Adrienne Haynes and a friend worked their first night cooking hot dogs at a Kingdome concession stand, they witnessing some sickening procedures: a plastic shovel used alternately as a dustpan and an ice scoop for soft drinks; hot dog buns picked free of mold, then served; a man with dirt-encrusted hands filling popcorn boxes next to a woman sneezing and coughing over food. Haynes and her friend quit that day, then promptly reported the company to the health department. But to the Seattle-King County Health Department officials, it was just another complaint to add to a long list of chronic city-health-code vilations at dozens of Kingdome concession stands.
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No title (id: 6641)
Ann Arbor News reports on the suicide of an 18 - year - old man and his family's difficulties in obtaining mental health care for him, Oct. 22, 1989.