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Loophole endangers drivers in Canada
Kevin McGran of The Toronto Star used federal and provincial records to show that “if you rent a U-Haul, you’ve got a 50-50 chance of getting a truck that won’t pass a road safety check.” Ontario police failed nearly half of such vehicles during road examinations between 2002 and 2004, and Ministry of Transportation data…
Read MoreAnalysis shows improvement in schools
Krista J. Stockman of The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette used state education test data to compare results since the fall of 2000, finding that “the majority of Indiana schools have more students passing standardized tests.” The paper analyzed scores for third, sixth, eighth and 10th grades, because those were the only grades tested in both…
Read MoreCity denies request for records
David Madrid of The Arizona Republic reports on the results of a public records request the paper made asking council members in Surprise, Ariz., “to verify the miles and percentage of driving they do for city business” since the council was set to approve a 289% increase in car allowances. The paper’s request “was denied…
Read MoreContamination levels still high years after discovery
Wade Rawlins of The (Raleigh/Durham) News & Observer reports on toxic chemicals that have been contaminating local water sources for the last 15 years. “Ward Transformer spilled thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals on its 11 acres at the edge of Raleigh-Durham International Airport.” Investigators knew in 1978 and 1979 of the high levels of…
Read MoreState’s teacher salaries outpace national average
Maria Sacchetti of The Boston Globe used state education records to show that “average teacher pay in Massachusetts jumped 37 percent during the last decade, to $53,529 last year.” That’s a larger increase than teachers nationwide, and Boston schools pay an average teacher salary of $69,022.
Read MoreRegulators drop toxic chemical warning after plant lawyer complains
Ken Ward Jr. of the Charleston Gazette used the federal Freedom of Information Act to obtain records showing that a plan by West Virginia environmental regulators to warn residents of Wood County about the spread of the toxic chemical C8 from DuPont Co.’s Parkersburg plant was killed after complaints from a DuPont lawyer. The paper…
Read MoreDrug lobby spends millions to influence legislation
A team from The Center for Public Integrity reports on spending by the pharmaceutical and health products industry on lobbyists. “The drug industry’s huge investments in Washington — though meager compared to the profits they make — have paid off handsomely, resulting in a series of favorable laws on Capitol Hill and tens of billions…
Read MoreConcerns raised over Guard’s possible spying
Army investigators and a state senator are examining California’s National Guard after Dion Nissenbaum of the San Jose Mercury News reported the Guard established an intelligence unit that has “been involved in tracking at least one recent Mother’s Day anti-war rally organized by families of slain American soldiers.” The Information Synchronization, Knowledge Management and Intelligence…
Read MoreDrug industry’s influence drives doctors’ diagnoses
Susan Kelleher and Duff Wilson interviewed more than 160 doctors, patients, medical analysts, regulatory officials and other experts for a Seattle Times series about the health care industry and the influence of the pharmaceutical industry. “Suddenly Sick” reveals that perviously healthy people go to the doctor only to be diagnosed with an illness because the…
Read MoreDog owners receive majority of tickets
Chris Barge of the Boulder Daily Camera analyzed city animal enforcement records to show that “roughly seven out of every 10 tickets written by Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks rangers over the past three years have cited dog-related violations.” About a quarter of all dog-related infractions occurred in the Wonderland Lake management area –…
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