Archive for September 2009
Millions await disability benefits due to backlog
An enormous backlog of disability claims have left millions waiting for their benefits leading to “splintered families, foreclosed homes and suicides,” reports Clark Kauffman of The Des Moines Register. “During the past year, the number of people waiting to have their claims processed has increased more than 30 percent, from 556,000 to more than 736,000…Nationally,…
Read MoreCharges vanish when officers miss court hearings
By Jason Riley and R.G. Dunlop, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal It had been an open secret for years in Jefferson County’s courts — Kentucky’s largest court system — that many defendants in criminal and traffic cases were able to get their charges dismissed simply because the arresting officer didn’t show up for hearings. But when…
Read MoreState looks to junk bonds to recover pension losses
Carolina Journal‘s Sarah Okeson reports that North Carolina Treasurer Janet Cowell is hoping to recover a potential $3.3 billion loss in the state’s pension portfolio by investing in junk bonds and commodities. “A new law, signed by Gov. Beverly Perdue in June, lets the state treasurer put up to 5 percent of the pension’s assets…
Read MoreWashington Redskins: The Toughest Ticket in Town
For more than 70 years, the Washington Redskins have boasted that they have sold out every game. Seats are so scarce that the waiting list for general admission season tickets has 160,000 names on it. But James Grimaldi of The Washington Post reports that the reality is that the team has sold thousands of general…
Read MoreIRE introduces its first eBook title
The IRE Bookstore is pleased to announce our first eBook title, “Understanding Crime Statistics: A Reporter’s Guide, 2nd Ed.” Our eBooks will provide you with useful desktop references that you can have with you on the go. The PDF is compatible across eReader platforms, or can simply be opened on your computer desktop. You will…
Read MoreHarsh policing tactics employed during RNC assessed
G.W. Schulz of the Center for Investigative Reporting investigated the policing tactics used during Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. last year. “Officials took unprecedented advantage of new laws to halt potential subversives before they attack. But the effort resulted in heavy-handed tactics, according to interviews and documents obtained by the Center for Investigative…
Read MoreLax board, hazardous lending lead to bank’s failure
Hazardous lending practices approved by the directors of Cape Fear Bank appear to have contributed to the bank’s failure, according to a report by Stella M. Hopkins of The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer. John Davie Waggett, a successful pharmacist, tried his hand at real estate development securing over $18 million in loans. The largest lender was…
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