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A glimpse into the counterfeit trade
This series by The Columbus Dispatch delved into the origins of fake goods that are so common throughout the U.S. The paper sent reporter Jeffrey Sheban and photographer Jeff Hinckley to China, Hong-Kong, Taiwan and Thailand to trace the path that brings counterfeit goods from Asia into the U.S. The series covers how fakes are…
Read More“13 Seconds in August” details bridge collapes
The Star Tribune spent months reconstructing the locations and identities of the more than 150 people who were on the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis when it collapsed into the Mississippi River on August 1. With the help of an aerial photo, an interactive Flash graphic titled “13 Seconds in August” offers the most comprehensive…
Read MoreInside the Seminoles’ ascension from poverty to profit
The last three decades have seen the Seminole Tribe of Florida ascend from extreme poverty to substantial wealth thanks to their lucrative Indian gaming endeavors. A South Florida Sun-Sentinel investigation found that, while this wealth is shared throughout the tribe, a “a handful of tribal leaders have especially benefited, steering millions of the tribe’s money…
Read MoreConsumers unknowingly exposed to potentially hazardous chemicals
Susanne Rust, Meg Kissinger and Cary Spivak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reviewed more than 250 scientific studies and examined thousands of pages of regulatory documents for their investigation detailing the failure of the federal government to regulate chemicals known as endocrine disruptors. The Environmental Protection Agency promised a decade ago to screen 15,000 chemicals,…
Read MorePlenty of holes in drug screening for college athletes
A survey by The Salt Lake Tribune of Division 1-A schools exposed extreme differences in how drug-testing programs are administered from school to school. Through FOIA requests, The Tribune “requested detailed information on student-athlete drug testing programs administered by the schools themselves, separate from the NCAA.” Findings show that broken systems allow students to abuse…
Read MoreBroken water meters costly in Atlanta
Jeremy Redmond of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a large number of Atlanta-area residents and businesses have received outrageous water bills because of broken meters that the city has not fixed, even after multiple complaints. Atlanta entered into a new contract with a private company to repair and update all meters, but the company is…
Read MoreNew York’s political “odd couple”
A Newsday investigation delves into the long history between former New York City Mayor and current GOP presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani, and New York State democratic senator Chuck Schumer. The connections, which benefited both men politically, span everything from Giuliani’s appointment of Schumer’s wife to his mayoral cabinet, to the two politicians’ collaboration on the…
Read MoreHaven Healthcare riddled with problems
Lisa Chedekel and Lynne Touhy of the Hartford Courant exposed the patient care issues and financial troubles at Haven Healthcare, one of Connecticut’s largest nursing home chains. The reporters utilized Medicare data and Connecticut Department of Public Health data to uncover patient care problems. The investigation also revealed that the chain’s CEO funneled corporate resources…
Read MoreDeath rates rise at Kabul maternity hospital supported by U.S. training
Maternal and infant death rates spiked at a major Kabul maternity hospital that was promoted as a model of U.S. medical training in Afghanistan. Alison Young of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reveals that “the rate of normal-sized babies dying in labor and delivery at Rabia Balkhi jumped 67 percent last year.” The statistics, including death rates…
Read MoreEnergy devices sell snake oil technology
Michael Berens and Christine Willmsen examine the global behind fraudulent medical devices that “claim to cure cancer, reduce cholesterol, even eliminate AIDS. Their operators say these ‘energy medicine’ devices work by transmitting radio frequencies or electromagnetic waves through the body, identifying problems, then ‘zapping’ them. Their claims are a fraud. The Seattle Timeshas found that…
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