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 "Jefferson County" ...
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MSD
Corruption in the Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District. The MSD oversees sewer treatment, storm water management and Ohio river flood control for the several hundred thousand people who live in Louisville and Jefferson County, Kentucky. Throughout the investigation, The Courier-Journal discovered that MSD board members owned companies that they were doing business with the agency they served, excessive bonuses to top officials, and a secret $140,000 lawsuit with an HR chief when he threatened a whisteblower lawsuit.
Tags: Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District; MSD; Jefferson County; Kentucky
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Officer Absent, Case Dismissed
Many defendants facing felony charges were set free in 2007 because police officers, who arrested them, never showed up for court. Further, these defendants already had long criminal records and after being released were later arrested for other crimes. In some instances, cases were postponed when officers did not show up for court, instead of having the case dismissed. No matter if the case is postponed or dismissed it wastes the time of judges, lawyers, defendants, and the public’s money.
Tags: law enforcement; Louisville Metro Police Department; Jefferson District Court; absences; county attorney
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Jefferson County (Ala.) Sewer Bonds: Penetrating the Fog of Municipal Debt
Until early 2008, no one paid attention to Jefferson County sewer debt. That is when auction-rate-security auctions began to fail and two municipal bond insurers for county bonds were downgraded. Soon, the most populous county in Alabama faced the threat of the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
Tags: bond; municipal; auction; insurer; Alabama; sewer; county; bankruptcy; debt
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Schools Flunk Finance; The Fleecing of Alabama; JPMorgan's Muni Morass
In "Schools Flunk Finance" (March 2008), reporters Martin Z. Braun and William Selway revealed how JPMorgan had deceived school districts in Pennsylvania by promising them free money if they entered into swaps deals. In Erie, for example, a banker said all the district had to do was sign a contract, and JPMorgan would give $750,000. The bank didn't disclose the exact terms of the contract or its fee. Three years after the schools took the upfront money, Erie paid $2.9 million to JPMorgan to get out of the rapidly souring swaps deal. After their reporting in Pennsylvania, Braun and Selway went back to Jefferson County, Ala. In "The Fleecing of Alabama: The Bills Come Due" (July 2008), the reporters found that Jefferson County was nearly broke because it couldn't make its monthly payments to JPMorgan. In "JPMorgan's Muni Morass" (December 2008), Braun and Selway exposed more cases in which the bank victimized taxpayers in states and municipalities.
Tags: JPMorgan; financial news; public schools; Jefferson County, Ala.; Erie, Penn.
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Birmingham Mayor's Business Deals Snare Friend in Corruption Case
Mayor Larry Langford of Birmingham held ties to raising money for charities and businesses by tapping city vendors and local governments that he served. His friend John Katapodis was later charged in his role with one of the charities.
Tags: Fairfield; nonprofit; Jefferson County Commission; scholarship;
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PRP Football Player Dies
A 15-year-old football player collapsed at practice and died three days later. Jefferson County Public Schools found nothing wrong, but reporters found witnesses of the practice while watching a soccer game next to the football field. Coaches were overheard denying the players' requests for water during practice.
Tags: heat stroke; Max Gilpin; dehydration; head coach; spectator; exhaustion;
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Who Profits From Bond Issues?
The Birmingham News investigates Jefferson County officials who propose borrowing one billion dollars to raise funds for schools. But investigations show that the money raised would be beneficial to friends of county commissioners.
Tags: Jefferson County; Alabama; raising funds for schools; county commissioners; FOIA; banking industry; bonds; lobbyists
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Paschall's military record questioned
The Columbine Courier tells the interesting story of Jefferson County Treasurer and former state Representative Mark Paschall. Apparently, Paschall's own view of his stint in the military differed from the Navy's. The Navy said he was not dishonorably discharged, He said he was.
Tags: None
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Cost of Jefferson County Sewers
An investigation by the Birmingham News revealed that "nearly half of the $1.4 million that the Jefferson County Commission said it needs to finish a court-ordered sewer overhaul would be used for projects that have nothing to do with the federal order." In 1997, county officials launched the sewer repair program, estimated at the time to cost about $1 billion. "The program's cost has more than trippled now, now estimated in excess of $3 billion... The county, with little fanfare, launched its most aggressive sewer expansion program while also complying with the court order."
Tags: Jefferson County; sewer; court order; billion; cost; expansion; Alabama
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County Commissioner Steers Money to Friends
The Birmingham News investigates Jefferson County Commissioner Jeff Germany who "used a social service agency to pass hundreds of thousand of dollars in discretionary money to friends and political allies."
Tags: county commissioner; Jefferson County; Alabama; Jeff Germany; money laundering; corruption; discretionary spending