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 "DMV" ...
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Executive Privilege
The former governor of North Carolina, Mike Easley, is the focus of this series. Easley accepted a number of free items such as flights, golf club membership, and a discount on a coastal lot. Further, a new job was created strictly for his wife and Easley cleared a friend of DMV violations. He also was involved with a number of other dishonorable activities, which led to state and federal investigations.
Tags: state government; corruption; N.C. State University; administration; laws; first lady; state rules
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Nevada DUI
This investigation found a number of frightening facts, which could change many lives. One of the first findings is “judges have not been following a 1997 law that requires them to order the installation of interlock devices for all offenders convicted of DUIs causing death or substantial bodily harm.” Also, many previous offenders were convicted of a second DUI and had blood alcohol levels (BACs) considered of those with an alcohol abuse problem. Further, found that DUI offenders released from prison didn’t have their licenses restricted for three years after the conviction.
Tags: drunk drivers; laws; Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV); interlock devices; prosecutors; parole officials; probation officials; death; harm; courts; convictions
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The Wrong Suspect
Kevin Wehner was announced as the prime suspect for the deaths of four Miami-Dade cops after Shawn LaBeet, a violent felon, had stolen his identity four years before. CBS4's investigation revealed that "a combination of both poor police work and lack of communication among local, state and federal agencies allowed Shawn LaBeet to remain free.
Tags: police; identity theft; local agency; state; federal; communication; assault weapons; drivers license; Florida; DMV; Department of Motor Vehicles;
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Stolen Titles
A look into how the Nevada DMV is giving out statewide, vaild titles to vehicles that had been reported as stolen.
Tags: DMV; stolen vehicle; automobile; title; National Crime Information Center
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Caught in the Driver's Seat
This investigation stared when a driver with a suspended license for more than 10 years hit and killed a jogger. In a 6-month investigation, WJAR-TV found violations such as reckless driving, DUIs, suspended licenses and criminal violations missing on driving records. Without these histories, courts were unable to fully prosecute habitually irresponsible drivers. As a result of this investigation, the state of Rhode Island set up a system to update records automatically.
Tags: reckless driving; suspended license; DUI; DWI; driving records; department of motor vehicles (DMV)
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Hidden threat of junkyards
The Times Union investigates junkyards and the possible health and safety hazards they hold due to gaps in regulations.
Tags: junkyards; environment; EPA; vehicle junkyards; regulations; fires; Department of Environmental Conservation; DMV
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Driving by Deception
From the contest questionnaire: " The series expanded on its initial findings of 2001 - that a well-organized black market was providing illegal immigrants with genuine New Jersey driver's licenses, posing ominous questions of security, legal status and untrained driving - to prove the criminality went right to the heart of the Division of Motor Vehicles, one state agency that touches almost all New Jersey residents." The findings are that DMV employees take bribes; the agency does not prevent criminals from requesting duplicates of existing driver's licenses; and DMV's work environment, low pay and antiquated computer system have allowed for corruption to flourish.
Tags: immigration; immigrants; transportation; illegal licenses; police; fraud
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How N.J. auto test program failed
Records show managers downplayed or ignored warnings of problems with the state's new emissions project. Undertrained inspectors, software woes, staffing problems and breakdowns hurt the test.
Tags: auto-emissions test; Division of Motor Vehicles; DMV; N.J. DMV; emissions test; EPA
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2002 IRE National Conference Show and Tell Tape #3
1) Valeri Williams (WFAA-Dallas/Fort Worth) WFAA-TV follows up its 2000 IRE Awards entry with this return investigation into Fort Worth's John Peter Smith Hospital. Reporter Williams and producer Schucker continued their investigation, focusing on Dr. Lydia Grotti and her connection to suspicious and overlooked deaths in the emergency room. As a result of WFAA-TV's investigation the Texas Department of Health began conducting its own investigation and discovered additional deaths that took place in the ER. The county district attorney's office called in a special prosecutor to examine a total of eight suspicious deaths in connection with Dr. Grotti at the hospital. 2) Robb Leer (KSTP-Minnesota) An investigation reveals that state adoption laws have loopholes that allow mothers of out of wedlock children to give the babies up for adoption without the father ever knowing. 3) Larry Posner (Inside Edition) An investigation reveals that a Florida man claiming to suffer from a rare conversion disorder that makes him act like a child is actually defrauding the state. 4) Jim Strickland (WSB-Atlanta) An area smoke detector salesman plays off the fears of senior citizens and sells them alarms at an inflated cost. 5) Larry Posner (Inside Edition) An investigation reveals that insurance companies can sell nearly-destroyed cars as though they weren't damaged. The cars are then repaired and end up in the hands of drivers who don't know they're driving dangerous vehicles. 6) Laure Quinlivan (WCPO-Cincinnati) A clip from the hour-long Visions of Vine street documentary on Cincinnati's deteriorating urban core. WCPO-TV tells the story of "Vine Street, the crumbling centerpiece of a neighborhood called Over the Rhine, ground zero for the April race riots that attracted national media attention." 7) (WTTG-District of Columbia) The city's DMV routinely charges two drivers for the same parking ticket or issues illegitimate tickets. The system is so bad that one lawyer spends all his time fighting parking tickets. 8) Vic Lee (KRON-San Francisco) An investigation reveals its not hard for employees at the San Francisco airport to sneak in knives. 9) (CBS 11-Dallas) Workers at a U.S. Post Office in Dallas are shown stealing from the mail. 10) (CBS 11-Dallas) Coverage of a fony charity called Kid Wish USA. The scam took money from donors who thought they were giving to dying children.
Tags: TAPE; San Francisco; conference; no transcripts; IRE
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How the emissions program failed
The News & Observer reports that North Carolina's Division of Motor Vehicles routinely allows safety inspection stations to violate anti-pollution rules. The stories reveal that the DMV's emissions program, which costs 2.5 million a year, has been receiving bad marks form federal and state environmental officials for years. Although DMV revoked the licenses of three inspection stations that failed to check required items on a division's undercover car, all three soon got their licenses back.
Tags: automobiles; transportation; vehicles; cars; politics