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Company at San Francisco International Airport Neglects Baggage Screening
“Baggage screeners at San Francisco International Airport allege that dozens if not hundreds of bags identified by X-ray machines as high-risk bomb threats are loaded onto planes each day without any human inspection in a clear violation of federal rules.” “In interviews conducted over the past year, six company screeners told The San Francisco Examiner…
Read MoreMental health patients falling through the safety net
KUOW’s John Ryan reports that “in the past decade, a dozen patients of Washington’s Western State Hospital have killed themselves and more than a hundred others have tried.” “Suicide is the second leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults in Washington state. But inside a psychiatric hospital like Western, patients are supposed to…
Read MoreDCFS failing to protect Illinois children
In a report by The Chicago Reporter it has been found that “despite the Illinios Department of Child and Family Services involvement, many children die at the hands of their caregivers. Advocates say their deaths could be prevented.”
Read MoreUtah’s Transit Authority officials travel the world
Documents obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune have revealed that Utah’s Transit Authority CEO has spent more than $600,000 on international travel. Trips range from China to the United Arab Emirates and also include 17 U.S. cities. “But UTA officials say they receive great value from travel, learning from mistakes and successes of other transit agencies.…
Read MoreThe Throwaways
Police enlist young offenders as confidential informants, the New Yorker reports. They are the foot soldiers in the government’s war on drugs. By some estimates, up to 80 percent of all drug cases in America involve them. For police departments facing budget woes, untrained C.I.s provide an inexpensive way to outsource the work of undercover…
Read MoreIt’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 MoreFord recall comes too late for some
An ABC15-Phoenix investigation has found years of lawsuits, dozens of complaints and even a warning from Ford itself in regards to a discovery of an acceleration problem in ’02-’04 Escapes. Documents obtained suggest Ford may have known about the problem for years but are just now issuing a recall.
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 MoreEmployers caught cheating
The News & Observer exposed employers who cheat, misclassifying construction workers to avoid taxes and buying fake workers’ compensation policies. A three-part series, “The Ghost Workers,” also showed a state government inept at — and not interested in — finding the dishonest businesses. However, Governor Bev Perdue has already ordered reforms.
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.“
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