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Crucial errors aided courthouse shooter
Cameron McWhirter and Steve Visser of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution use public documents and interviews to identify crucial missteps that led to the March 11 attack that left three people dead at the Fulton County Courthouse. The investigation found long-standing problems including “… a sick day for a deputy who may not have been sick, a…
Read MoreDevelopers have big plans for rural areas
John McCarthy of the Florida Today analyzed and mapped data from the Brevard County Property Appraiser’s database to report on growth and development in Brevard County, Fla. McCarthy found that land developers in the county “plan to turn agricultural land in the far reaches of the county into upscale housing developments …” The project includes…
Read MoreYouth charity fails to deliver on promise
Collins Conner and Bridget Hall Grumet of The St. Petersburg Times investigated the Florida Youth Conservation Corps, which receives a state no-bid contract to help maintain highway rights of way in exchange for providing jobs and scholarships to its young employees. “FYCC said 46 trainees got scholarships from 1999 to 2003, but none came out…
Read MorePrivate contractors pour $2.5 billion into city
L.A. Lorek of the San Antonio Express-News used federal contracts data to examine the largest military contractors in San Antonio. Lorek found the Pentagon’s reliance on private companies has let to a boom for local businesses who “provide everything from oil and food to aircraft parts and weapons research.” In 2003, the top 20 contractors…
Read MoreGetty chief’s high compensation, management style under fire
Jason Felch, Robin Fields and Louise Roug of the Los Angeles Times investigate Getty Chief Executive Barry Munitz and his handling of the nonprofit. Declining stock markets helped in the nonprofit’s two-year $1 billion loss, leading to cutbacks and layoffs. Two days following a series of layoffs the Getty paid $72,000 for an SUV for…
Read MoreCity fails to enforce refuse policy
Kevin Rothstein of the Boston Herald obtained city data through public records request showing that “trash-disposal scofflaws owe Boston $3.1 million in fines dating back to 2000 … and the Menino administration admits its toothless enforcement policies are allowing property owners to ignore the penalties and let garbage pile up citywide.” Poorer neighborhoods of Boston…
Read MorePolice deny access to records
Debra Erdley of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that police agencies in Western Pennsylvania don’t always comply with the state’s public records laws: “About 40 percent of 217 police agencies surveyed declined to provide access to daily call sheets or police blotters.” Police usually cite ongoing investigations or confidentiality concerns when withholding access, but “the law…
Read MoreLobbyists use nonprofits to finance congressional travel
Bob Williams and Stephen Henn of the Center for Public Integrity investigate lobbyists who sit on the governing boards of nonprofits. Lobbyists are not supposed to pay for congressional travel, but the investigation found “that a favored way to evade the prohibition on picking up the tab is to do so through charitable non-profits…” The…
Read MoreProblems plague state’s biotech partnership
Clint Riley of The (Hackensack, N.J.) Record investigates New Jersey Gov. Richard Codey’s plans to promote biotechnology in the state in a four-part series. The investigation found problems with New Jersey’s partnership with the biotechnology industry. “Millions of your tax dollars have gone to companies that take valuable research, profits and jobs from New Jersey…
Read MorePrivate interests pay for state officials’ trips
David White of The Birmingham News used state records to show that since November 2002, more than 20 state lawmakers and executive officials have taken trips paid for by private interests. “Lawmakers took trips to places such as Australia, the Bahamas and California and got tickets for the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans and the…
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