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Where Congress stands on gun control
In the aftermath of the Newtown tragedy, President Obama on Wednesday will announce new national gun control measures. He has already urged members of Congress to do the same. ProPublica has created an app that lets you take a comprehensive look at where lawmakers stand on guns, as well as political spending and voting history.
Read MoreDuring federal gun ban, data show drop in high-capacity magazines
According to a Washington Post analysis, during the 10-year federal ban on assault weapons, the percentage of firearms equipped with high-capacity magazines seized by police agencies in Virginia dropped, only to rise sharply once the restrictions were lifted in 2004. In Virginia, the Post found that the rate at which police recovered firearms with high-capacity…
Read MoreBrain-injured kept in nursing homes with inadequate care
Bloomberg News reports that more than 244,00 Americans with injuries are consigned to nursing homes, where patient lawyers say they are warehoused with inadequate care. In many cases, they are housed in institutions designed for geriatric care, not the specialized care they need, and in some cases they are in facilities graded poorly on measures…
Read MoreExtra Extra Monday: Several enterprise stories tackle gun control issues
The Washington PostReview of FBI forensics does not extend to federally trained state, local examinersThe Washington Post reports that thousands of criminal cases at the state and local level may have relied on exaggerated testimony or false forensic evidence to convict defendants of murder, rape and other felonies, according to former FBI agents. The Journal…
Read MoreTreatment guidelines heavily influenced by Dr.’s with interest in drug companies
“Doctors with financial ties to drug companies have heavily influenced treatment guidelines recommending the most lucrative drugs in American medicine, an analysis by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and MedPage Today has found.”
Read MoreExtra Extra Monday: Student debt, river debates, lead contamination and opiate addictions
Milwaukee Journal SentinelThe Wrong-Way River“Biologists predict the number of unwanted organisms moving on the Chicago canal will only grow until the waterway is somehow plugged. And it is much more than a Great Lakes problem because biological pollution travels both directions on this invasive species superhighway.” The Morning CallAmazon warehouse workers fight for unemployment benefits“Its…
Read MoreMA state departments spending hundreds of thousands on bottled water
The MetroWest Daily News reports that “according to Open Checkbook, a Massachusetts state website touted by officials as a means to improve governmental transparency, state departments, little by little, have racked up almost $300,000 since July on bottles of Poland Spring and other water brands, and water coolers.” “With seven months to go in fiscal…
Read MoreMurder remains a stubborn crime to solve in D.C., despite drop
“Despite a stunning drop in homicides in D.C., murder remains a stubborn crime to solve and prosecute. The Washington Post has reviewed nearly 2,300 slayings in the city between 2000 and 2011 and found that less than a third have led to a conviction for murder or manslaughter, although the numbers have improved in the…
Read More“Green” buildings, products become big business in system that rewards minor, low-cost steps
A USA TODAY examination shows that thousands of “green” builders win tax breaks, exceed local restrictions and get expedited permitting under a system that often rewards minor, low-cost steps. Meanwhile, companies that make “green” products and materials are profiting handsomely as the building boom takes off.
Read MoreReuters: The casualties of Chesapeake’s “land grab” across America
Chesapeake Energy has become the principal player in the largest land boom in America since the 1850s California Gold Rush, amassing acreage positions that rival those of any U.S. energy company. Its strategy is clearly spelled out in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: “We believed that the winner of these land…
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