The IRE office will be closed from December 25th to January 5th.
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CDC jet used primarily to shuttle official
Alison Young of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution analyzed the flight log of the jet leased by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and found that “a luxury private jet leased by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in emergencies has been used instead primarily to shuttle Health and Human Services Secretary Mike…
Read MoreMinorities denied for loans more often
Mc Nelly Torres and Jeremy Milarsky of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel analyzed the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data for 2000-04 and found that “blacks and Hispanics who have applied for conventional mortgage loans in South Florida were denied more often than white applicants, even when income levels were about the same.” The analysis also…
Read MoreCharities lose out in bingo game benefits
Darren Barbee of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram analyzed state records and found the proceeds of bingo games were going to the people running the games instead of benefiting the charities they were supposed to help. “No bingo proceeds were reported being spent by more than 40 Texas groups conducting bingo last year, though they raised…
Read MoreFirefighters earned millions in fire-watch duty
Jack Dolan and Scott Hiaasen of The Miami Herald reviewed the fire department records and found that Miami-Dade County had a special program — “‘fire watch,’ an ostensible public safety program that has never saved a life that anyone can remember, but has put at least $4.3 million into county firefighters’ pockets since 2000. ”…
Read MoreSex offenders live close to children
Tony Rizzo and Laura Bauer of The Kansas City Star studied court records and found that “roughly three in 10 sex offenders did not live where they were supposed to.” Additionally, “Many of the missing were the kinds of sex offenders parents most fear. Rapists. Child molesters. Repeat offenders. ” There are offenders who readily…
Read MoreJudicial conflicts of interest in Nev.
Michael J. Goodman and William C. Rempel of the Los Angeles Times analyzed court and campaign records and found that in Las Vegas, “some judges routinely rule in cases involving friends, former clients and business associates — and in favor of lawyers who fill their campaign coffers.” Federal and Nevada judicial canons say judges should…
Read MoreMayor’s brother paid for promoting social service center
Gregory Korte of The Cincinnati Enquirer analyzed weekly billing statements and found that the brother of Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory billed a federal anti-poverty program for working to bring a controversial social services center to the West End. “Dale Mallory, the West End Community Council
Read MoreNY boat operators without training increase risk
John Ferro of the Poughkeepsie Journal analyzed the Coast Guard’s recreational boating accident database and found that “the rate of boating accidents in New York involving operators who never received any kind of formal safety training has consistently exceeded the national average.” In 2004, the rate was 57 percent, the highest since 1996. New York’s…
Read MoreAbuse and neglect at Mo. mental health facilities
Carolyn Tuft and Joe Mahr of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reviewed thousands of paper and electronic records from the Department of Mental Health and found that “mentally retarded and mentally ill people in Missouri have been sexually assaulted, beaten, injured and left to die by abusive and neglectful caregivers in a system that for years…
Read MorePain drug can kill when taken as prescribed
Scott Finn and Tara Tuckwiller of The Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette analyzed death certificates and found that “patients could die if they take the “usual adult dosage” on methadone’s package insert — information that comes with the prescription and was approved by the federal government.” Methadone, once given mostly to heroin addicts to ease their cravings,…
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