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Physicians stay on, despite past drug and alcohol problems
Cheryl W. Thompson of The Washington Post studied medical board records from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, finding that “scores of physicians in the area and across the country have been given repeated chances to practice, despite well-documented drug and alcohol problems.” In addition, sanctions in such cases can take months or years…
Read MoreArmor shortage due to Pentagon missteps
Joseph Tanfani, Tom Infield, Carrie Budoff and Edward Colimore of The Philadelphia Inquirer studied the availability of armor for military vehicles in Iraq, finding a shortage “had more to do with Pentagon missteps than any lack of industrial capacity.” The importance of vehicle armor is highlighted in casualties: “Since May 1, 2003, when the United…
Read MoreHousing authority spending practices questioned
Brian Meyer of The Buffalo News used city records to show that “the agency that runs public housing in Buffalo set aside nearly $124,000 last July for trips, credit card spending, cell phones, insurance and stipends for its seven volunteer commissioners for this fiscal year. … This is the same Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority that…
Read MorePolice use of steriods a growing problem
CNN investigative correspondent Drew Griffin reports on police officers who use steriods. Griffin reports this is a growing problem across the country as police feel they need to bulk up to gain an advantage over criminals. In an interview with Al Geoit, a former officer in rural Michigan who was fired for poor job performance,…
Read MoreHouse members hire family, pay with campaign funds
Larry Margasak and Sharon Theimer of the Associated Press reviewed federal campaign filings to find that “dozens of lawmakers have hired their spouses and children to work for their campaigns and political groups, paying them with contributions they’ve collected from special interests and other donors.” The AP identified about 50 House members who pay their…
Read MoreSchool accountability reports flawed
David Olinger and Jeffrey A. Roberts of The Denver Post examined reports of violent incidents in Colorado schools, finding that “disclosures of school violence vary wildly from one district to another. Some schools report every punch thrown on the playground. Others did not include assaults that police classified as felonies.” The state requires districts to…
Read MoreConnections land luxury seating at professional sporting events
Marcia Gelbart of The Philadelphia Inquirer used city records to show that more than 1,000 seats in luxury suites at professional baseball and football games went “mostly to people with clout.” Among the top recipients were members of the city council, aides to Mayor John Street and members of his family. Street has distributed another…
Read MoreState officials hire relatives
Tim Smith of The Greenville News used state records to show that “relatives of two South Carolina Department of Transportation commissioners have been hired at the agency, but the board members said there was nothing improper about their employment.” The two relatives are part-time employees, but one has worked for the agency since 1999 and…
Read MoreState official under investigation after defects went undetected
Jason Method of the Asbury Park Press reported Sunday that a construction official charged in an FBI bribery sting also is under investigation by a state agency for failing to detect several potentially deadly defects at a townhouse complex, such as inadequate fire walls. Residents also complained about other serious defects, including carbon monoxide leaking…
Read MoreFaulty oversight put youth at risk
Jonathan D. Rockoff and John B. O’Donnell of The (Baltimore) Sun analyzed spending by 25 companies that run group homes for foster children, finding “a broad failure by the state to protect the interests of 2,700 youths who live in 330 privately run homes in Maryland. The state licenses and funds the facilities but does…
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