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 "county boards" ...
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Addressing 911
It all started with a tip from people on the front lines, and quickly unraveled into a story that has sparked much needed oversight of Ingham County's new consolidated 911 center. The center merged two 911 dispatch centers into one back in June of 2012. In October, a group of first responders approached Reporter Ann Emmerich with alarming concerns about problems within the system. They believed at least two deaths could be connected to delayed response times because emergency crews were sent to the wrong address. They also believed county officials were trying to "cover up" the problems. Using the Freedom of Information Act, Ann Emmerich began digging into records from the 911 Dispatch Center. She obtained documented complaints from the Lansing Fire Department, call logs from the dispatch center, and time stamped recordings of 911 calls. Just days after Emmerich made those FOIA requests, Lansing's Mayor announced he would form a task force to investigate concerns with the County's 911 Center. At the time, there was no advisory board in place to oversee the center. Once officials went public with the formation of a task force, the original board that worked to establish the 911 center was brought back together to begin oversight.
Tags: broadcast; 911; FOIA; 911 center
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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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Pasco County Housing Authority
WSTP-TV discovered that Pasco Housing Authority was being severely mismanaged. The residents living in the housing projects were being ignored and abused because of incompetence and willful misuse of state and federal funds. They were also being retaliated against for bringing up problems at their homes to the board. Not only was the executive director having sex at the office with people who worked for her, but she was also padding her paramour's overtime sheets.
Tags: Housing Projects
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"Sexting DA"
AP reporter Ryan Foley revealed that prominent Wisconsin District Attorney Ken Kratz was sending harassing text messages to female victims; women whom he was supposed to be protecting. When the sexual harassment was reported to the authorities, "legal regulators and colleagues" kept the allegations private in an attempt to protect the reputation of the DA.
Tags: DA; Ken Kratz; district attorney; Wisconsin; public records; Jim Doyle; Calumet County; Crime Victims' Rights Board; Department of Justice; Chilton; Madison
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A Question of Values
The series revealed rampant problems within the powerful county boards in Ohio that make sure property values set by the country are fair. Findings from the series include board members routinely skipping workdays, decisions being made without public hearings, and tax breaks given to friends of board members.
Tags: city government; county boards; corruption; property taxes; ethics
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"The Air We Breathe"
The people living in and around Pittsburgh are breathing in some of the poorest quality air in the U.S. High levels of Benzene and other harmful chemicals have been found in the air causing potentially serious health risks to residents who inhale the "toxic brew" over a long time period. The Allegheny County Board of Health has "indefinitely postponed" voting on issuing new air quality permits.
Tags: Neville Island; Coke Works; Clairton; Allegheny County Board of Health; air quality; Dan Onorato; Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon University; EPA; American Lung Association
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"Tainted Water"
For more than 20 years, the harmful chemical perchlorate has seeped into San Bernardino County's groundwater. The seep is thought to have started at a local dump site; however, records about the site were lost in the late 1980s by "two state regulatory agencies." The problem wasn't reported again until 1997, but warnings were "dismissed" by the county. The site was "rediscovered" in 2001, but it wasn't until 2009 that the county got serious about stopping the chemical seep. It is estimated that the cleanup operation will be completed by 2013.
Tags: Perchlorate; Broco facility; Department of Toxic Substances Control; Butch Ariza; Water Board; Barry Groveman
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"Fighting New Jersey's Tax Crush"
The Abury Park Press takes an in-depth look at the tax system in New Jersey. Based on empirical evidence, reporters found New Jersey's system to have the highest costs in the nation due to property taxes being based on the "what the town says" is the worth of your house. Low- and middle-income homes are paying more than the wealthy, and many businesses are being forced to close or move out of the state due to tax increases.
Tags: Chris Christie; Ortley Beach; Ocean County Board of Taxation; Monmouth County; Lacey Tax Collector; Keyport; Chris Daggett; Jon S. Corzine; New Jersey State League of Municipalities
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Banking on the Badge
The Orange County Register exposes large pensions and incompetence of local public officials across agencies at a time when California is struggling to stay fiscally afloat.
Tags: orange county; public officials; watchdog; incompetence; pension; salary; costs; expense; executives; water board; police;
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Prescription for Profit
Conditions in the county hospital were deplorable, a culture of callousness pervasive and impoverished patients faced many barriers to care. Yet the system is rolling in money, primarily because it raised rates so that it could game federal Medicaid money that was supposed to help the poor. Rather than using it for that purpose, the taxpayer-financed system banked the money or invested it to try to attract insured patients, as highlighted by decisions to purchase a boutique hospital and a clinic in a high-income area. Officials of the healthcare system also misled the public, the hospital board and county officials about the finances and conditions in the hospitals and clinics.
Tags: public health; Medicaid; hospitals; clinics; healthcare system; county government