The IRE office will be closed from December 25th to January 5th.
Business
Land deal results in huge profits for developers
Bert Dalmer of The Des Moines Register analyzed land records to uncover an insider land deal that makes big-name developers rich but ends with taxpayers paying twice as much. The operators of a struggling scale-model air show sold 84 acres along Interstate Highway 35 at $15,000 an acre, though other land being sold in the…
Read MoreNatural gas costs high in Ala.
Bill Finch and Ben Raines of the Mobile Register used an independent energy-use analysis to show that Alabama natural gas customers are likely to pay hundreds of dollars more for the same amount of natural gas than customers in neighboring states this winter. "The higher price that the Alabama Public Service Commission allows Alabama utilities…
Read MoreDespite donations, charities spend little on vets
Matthew Kauffman of The Hartford Courant conducted a computer-assisted analysis of federal financial records for nearly 300 veterans’ charities across the country to show that veterans’ charities, whose donations have increased since the start of the Iraqi War, lag well behind other charities when it comes to the percentage of money that goes directly to…
Read MoreLack of standards plagues drug industry testing
David Evans, Michael Smith and Liz Willen of Bloomberg Markets report on the lack of strong regulation and standards that is plaguing the pharmaceutical industry in the testing of experimental substances on humans, resulting in the death and injury of scores of people. The world’s largest drugmakers spend $14 billion each year to test experimental…
Read MorePrice of gold too high for the environment
Lowell Bergman, Jane Perlez, Kirk Johnson with other contributing reporters of the FRONTLINE/World and The New York Times examined the growing conflict between the local people and the Yanacocha Mine in Peru along with tours of gold mines in the American West, Latin America, Africa and Europe to provide a rare look inside an insular…
Read MoreRetirement promises remain unfulfilled
Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele report, in the Oct. 31 issue of Time magazine, that more and more companies are walking away from the promise of retirment benefits, leaving millions of Americans at risk of an impoverished retirement. "The investigation looks at how Congress let it happen and the widespread social insecurity it’s…
Read MorePentagon program results in inflated prices
Lauren Markoe and Seth Borenstein of Knight Ridder Newspapers conducted a computer database analysis to show that a Defense Department purchasing program called prime vendor is costing taxpayers 20 percent more than the previous system. " Run by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the program is based on a military procurement strategy to speed delivery…
Read MoreCEO salaries soar at disabled workers’ expense
Jeff Kosseff and Bryan Denson of The Oregonian found that executive pay has soared at nonprofits that often give disabled workers less than the federal minimum wage. "In Texas, one of the biggest nonprofits paid $4.6 million to a management firm founded by its CEO. In Baltimore, another charity’s top executive earned more than $700,000…
Read MorePrivate foundation sponsored international travel of congressman
Bob Williams of The Center for Public Integrity and Steve Henn of Marketplace examine the organizational structure and business activities of the International Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, or the IFCNR in their “Power Trips” series. IFCNR has alienated mainstream environmental groups and its tax documents show its major financiers include the Japan…
Read MoreFew minority businesses take advantage of federal program
Jeff Raymond of the The Brownsville Herald reviewed the Small Business Administration
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