Archive for March 2009
Mexican drug war creates new class of refugees
As part of the Los Angeles Times’ continued coverage of the drug war in Mexico, Andrew Becker and Patrick J. McDonnell report on a new class of refugees seeking asylum in the United States. Law enforcement officers, business owners and journalists are increasingly trying to escape the violence and danger linked to Mexico’s drug war.…
Read MoreNo clean air testing at schools
Dozens of public and private schools opened in recent years in areas where government records show students could be exposed to air tainted by high levels of industrial pollution. While environmental regulations typically require builders to examine the effect that a structure might have on the surrounding ecosystem, in most states, school officials are not…
Read MoreMore bilingual workshops expected
The success of a bilingual Better Watchdog Workshop in El Paso, Texas, may lead to additional workshops in Spanish later this year or in 2010. Highlights from the El Paso workshop are available on the IRE On the Road blog. If you have ideas about content, trainers or venues for additional bilingual workshops, please e-mail…
Read MoreAttorneys help screen employees who could later oversee their work
Voice of San Diego reports that lawyers from a firm that has received millions of dollars in business from a public agency have, at least twice, helped the agency screen potential employees who later oversaw outside attorneys’ work.
Read MoreBilingual workshop successful in El Paso
More than 70 people gathered in the desert – presenters, students, border journalists of all ages and experiences — at the University of Texas El Paso for IRE’s first bilingual version of our Watchdog Workshop. The event included hands-on CAR training and lectures on topics including immigration, storytelling and organized crime by mostly bilingual presenters…
Read MoreFederal car seat tests results raise safety questions
A Chicago Tribune investigation raises serious questions about the rigor of safety standards for infant car seats. Thirty one such seats either flew off their bases or exceeded injury limits in a series of frontal crashes conducted by federal researchers using 2008 model year vehicles. The test results were never publicized. Car seat manufacturers question…
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