The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "City of Detroit" ...
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"Looting the Public Trust"
In three different investigations, Jennifer Dixon reveals a single consistency: "piercing government bureaucracies." Bribes, questionable wire transfers and hundreds of millions lost in "bad deals" are all part of the investigative reports that reveal startling government misconduct in Detroit.
Tags: Synagro Technologies; Detroit Public Schools; pension; bribes; U.S. Attorney; Detroit City Council
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Kwame Kilpatrick: A Mayor in Crisis
The Free Press's investigation into Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick exposed "public corruption at the highest levels of government in America's 11th largest city. Schaefer and Elrick's reporting revealed that Kilpatrick and his top aide lied under oath during a police whistle-blower trial and sought to cover up those lies by brokering a secret $8.4 million settlement paid for with the taxpayers dollars."
Tags: FOIA; tax corruption; fraud; Philip Meyer Award; 2009 Pulitzer Prize: Local Reporting
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Detroit tax breaks go to the well-heeled
"An obscure, secretive city council entity, the "Hardship Committee," was charged with determining which property-owners were so poor they should be excused from paying all their taxes. But in many cases the breaks meant for the cash-strapped went to the seemingly well-off, including people who drove luxury vehicles, multiple property owners and others who got six-figure home-equity loans. These stories also looked at the members of the committee and found its members were being sued for fraud, had filed for bankruptcy, had a trail of unpaid debts and, in one case, had submitted a false resume."
Tags: city government; property; taxes; fraud
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Fentanyl - Fatal Euphoria
This special section traces the drug fentanyl from a chemist in Mexico City to dope houses, morgues and the homes of grieving families all over the US, but especially in Detroit. The reporters used medical examiner records and interviews with street addicts to show that drugs like fentanyl are not only problems of the inner city; victims come from diverse social and professional backgrounds.
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Sex Slaves in America
The story is "the culmination of a year long investigation into the underreported epidemic of the forced trafficking of educated foreign women into the United States to work in the growing sex industry of massage parlors, strip clubs and cantinas in major American cities."
Tags: human trafficking; sex slaves; sex industry; sex rings; Detroit strip clubs; Houston cantinas; San Francisco's massage parlors; human rights violation
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The Next Disaster: Are We Ready?
Reader's Digest rated "10 large cities on their level of preparedness for disasters," both natural and manmade. The cities were chosen based on their high level of vulnerability to disasters "from terror attacks to hurricanes." They scored each city based on "first responders, crisis communications and medical capacity." In the study, Miami, New York City and Washington, D.C. were at the top, while Detroit "was at the bottom."
Tags: Disasters; disaster preparedness; hurricanes; earthquakes; terror attacks; tornados; weather-rleated disasters
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Grocery Chains sit out Detroit's Rebirth
Detroit is virtually without chain grocers that promise consistent quality, and stores in the city have food safety violations at about twice the statewide rate for problems such as selling rotten meat and expired infant formula, a Free Press examination found.From 2003 to 2006, just 25 percent of the city's grocery stores were free of critical violations, defined as those that directly contribute to food contamination or illness.
Tags: food safety; health; grocery stores; city quality; food contamination
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Mayor Lives Large While Detroit Struggles
While the city of Detroit struggled through a massive job loss in 2005, its mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, lived a life of luxury on the public's tax dollars. According to The Detroit Free Press, investigating this story became difficult as the mayor refused to turnover public documents and flat out lied to his constituents. However, a lawsuit from the paper finally forced the mayor to hand over documents in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.
Tags: FOIA; tax corruption; fraud
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City is near top of list of spenders
According to this investigation, the city of Detroit is one of the highest spending cities in the country, falling just behind large cities like New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Chicago. The city also ranks fourth among the largest 15 cities in number of employees per 1,000 residents. Despite a steady increase in city spending, tax revenues significantly decreased, leaving the city $200 million in debt.
Tags: budget deficits; city spending; tax revenues; unemployment rates; poverty rates
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Oakland Intermediate School District
The initial story was about a $30 million administration building for the Oakland Intermediate School District, which is charged with providing special and vocational education services to the 28 districts in the county. The 153,000-square foot building is a lightning rod for the community and is very lavish, with balconies, skywalks, gourmet kitchen, ceremonial offices, etc. The reporters found special education funds were used for the building. This story led to speculation that funds were being used for other items not related to special or vocational education. The reporters then started investigating the board members and other top administrators. They found that funds were being used for everything from golf games to rented luxury vehicles and limousines to $400 per night hotel rooms to retreats where alcohol, escargot and other gourmet items were served to the purchase of Waterford crystal and many other items.
Tags: Oakland Intermediate School District; FBI; Michigan Attorney General; Oakland Schools Conference and Administrative Services Center; Oakland County; district spending; taxpayers; school district officials; school administration; fraud; Waterford School District; City of Detroit; expense reports; spending practices; special education