The IRE office will be closed from December 25th to January 5th.
Government (federal/state/local)
It’s all about location for disabled vets in limbo
A Bay Citizen investigation has found that “veterans waiting for decisions on their disability claims wait longer than the Department of Veterans Affairs has acknowledged, especially if they come from larger urban areas. Solutions tried in four locations have not helped so far, as the backlog continues to grow.”
Read MoreBronx prosecutors declined almost one quarter of all cases last year because of policy
“A months-long WNYC investigation has revealed that those accused of crimes in the Bronx have a greater chance of walking away without any charges than anywhere else in the city.” “In the Bronx, if a victim isn’t interviewed by prosecutors within 24 hours after an arrest, the DA will almost always decline to prosecute the…
Read MoreTaxpayers foot the bill for convention parties
“WTSP-Tampa has found, through federal filings, that the Republican & Democratic national conventions promise economic windfalls to host cities but most of the money spent comes from the U.S. Treasury, including money spent on alcohol and parties.“
Read MorePolice agencies rarely audited by FBI
“The FBI’s crime reporting program is considered the final word on crime trends in the United States, but the agency rarely audits police agencies providing the information and when it does its reviews are too cursory to identify deep flaws, an investigation by Ben Poston of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel found.”
Read MoreExhaustive search finds little evidence of voter fraud
Despite calls for strict voter ID laws, an in-depth study of American election fraud reveals that the rate is infinitesimal. Since 2000, News21 found 10 cases of in-person voter fraud, which only photo ID laws would prevent. That would be about one case for every 15 million eligilbe voters. News21 is a national program based…
Read MoreChicago’s escalating public finance debt spreading to small towns
“If you live in a suburb, village or small city surrounding Chicago, the next big public debt crisis is coming your way.” “A Better Government Association investigation finds a flood of red ink is crashing over Chicago-area suburbs, threatening to sweep away basic government-backed services and support while also dramatically altering the very standard of…
Read MorePolluters stick taxpayers with multimillion dollar clean-up bill
“State officials in Missouri talked tough with previous owners of a polluted site, but when it came time to do the cleanup, Missouri taxpayers were stuck with almost the entire bill–$12 million–, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch investigation has found.” “In addition to not holding the polluters to account, the state and city allowed a single…
Read MoreGaming boom now a bust for small town
“As a tough economy wrecked municipal budgets across the country, North Kansas City seemed to be above it all, able to afford well-kept parks, a modern community center and even a community fiberoptic network.” However, a Kansas City Star report has revealed that the once affluent community of about 4,000 residents is now facing a…
Read MoreReviews of child abuse deaths not always completed in KY
“A Herald-Leader analysis of 41 child fatalities in 2009 and 2010 found at least six cases where the Cabinet for Health and Family Services did not do an internal review even though there were previous reports involving the family before the child died.” “The reviews are supposed to examine the cabinet’s actions in a case…
Read MoreIllegal online payday loans thrive in New York
Payday loans — short-term, small dollar loans with exorbitant fees — are restricted in 18 states, and New York’s ban is one of the toughest. But reporter John Sandman found evidence that online payday lenders are circumventing these bans, illegally targeting potential borrowers in these states. The investigation, published by City Limits, was supported by…
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