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NJ state police rely heavily on opinion, rather than exams, for promotions
“The New Jersey State Police are one of only two statewide law enforcement agencies in the country to rely almost entirely on the opinion of supervisors for promotions, a practice most discarded years ago in favor of more objective written and verbal exams.” “A Star-Ledger survey found that the Rhode Island State Police, with a…
Read MoreThe Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer investigate inflated prices on cancer drugs
In a joint investigation, The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer of Raleigh found that large nonprofit hospitals in North Carolina are dramatically inflating prices on chemotherapy drugs at a time when they are cornering more of the market on cancer care. The newspapers found hospitals are routinely marking up prices on cancer drugs…
Read MoreLaw enables over-production of Oregon medical marijuana, enabling traffickers to exploit state program
The illicit trafficking of Oregon medical marijuana is widespread and highly lucrative, according to The Oregonian’s analysis of highway stops, police reports and federal and state court records. Exploitation of the 14-year-od program is made possible by lax state oversight and loose rules lead to the production of far more pot than a typical patient needs,…
Read MoreWhy some medical professionals charge more than others
“Medicare has emerged as a potent campaign issue, with both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney vowing to tame its spending growth while protecting seniors. But there’s been little talk about some of the arcane factors that drive up costs, such as billing and coding practices, and what to do about them.” “The Center for Public…
Read MoreLeak detection systems not providing as much protection as the public has been led to believe
Lisa Song, an InsideClimate News reporter, has analyzed a decade worth of federal data that shows that the general public has detected far more oil pipeline spills than leak detection technology.”
Read MoreUse of interactive timeline shows failed project, lack of city oversight
“The Lansing (Mich.) State Journal spent more than two months gathering and reviewing public records to determine how city leaders in East Lansing handled construction of a downtown mixed-use building, not far from Michigan State University, after a portion of the unfinished building collapsed and it was discovered that the developer had started construction without…
Read MoreSolving a health gap
After a report was released by Spokane’s regional health district, the newspaper mapped life expectancy for each neighborhood in Spokane – showing the differences in well-being among its many neighborhoods: People in the county’s wealthy neighborhoods can expect to live longer than those in the poorer ones, by years and years.
Read MoreInvestigations lax in cheating cases
The next installment in the Journal-Constitution’s coverage of school cheating shows that many states and school districts handle cases of cheating on high-stakes achievement tests in a “haphazard manner.” Delving through 130 cases from school districts in Atlanta, Baltimore, St. Louis and other places where they identified possible cheating, the Journal-Constitution uncovered evidence of “a…
Read MoreLaw enables over-production of Oregon medical marijuana, enabling traffickers to exploit state program
The illicit trafficking of Oregon medical marijuana is widespread and highly lucrative, according to The Oregonian’s analysis of highway stops, police reports and federal and state court records. Exploitation of the 14-year-old program is made possible by lax state oversight and loose rules lead to the production of far more pot than a typical patient needs, the newspaper…
Read MorePrices soar as hospitals dominate cancer market
In the latest in its Prognosis: Profits series, The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer of Raleigh found that “large nonprofit hospitals in North Carolina are dramatically inflating prices on chemotherapy drugs at a time when they are cornering more of the market on cancer care.” Hospitals are routinely marking prices on cancer drugs…
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