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 "liquor" ...
-
Under the Influence, Under 21
In a three-part, eight-story series, I found that underage drinkers on Ohio University's campus were safer drinking at the bars than they were at a house party. It also broke down a three-year Ohio Liquor Control Commission oversight; allowing a bar to remain open for three-years under an intended suspension. The series also looks at drinking in dorms, which are the location of the most underage drinking citations.
-
War Zone: The Destruction of an All-American City
The hour-long documentary War Zone: The Destruction of an All-American City takes an unprecedented look at the impact of corruption on the East St. Louis, Illinois area, one of the poorest and most violent communities in America. The program was broadcast twice during prime time; Tuesday night at 8 pm on August 28, and the following Saturday night at 7 pm. This project was the result of an ongoing decade-long probe of government waste, corruption, police misconduct, and violence in East St. Louis and the surrounding villages by investigative reporter Craig Cheatham. Our documentary begins with a detailed look at police misconduct and corruption, how it has contributed to the breakdown of public safety in the East St. Louis area, and why local politicians tolerated such outrageous behavior by their officers. The second part of our documentary focuses on the impact of derelict and vacant housing, the slumlords who own the property and the people who live in some of the worst housing in the metro area. Our investigation also uncovered new connections between politicians and legendary slumlord Ed Sieron, who was business partners with a longtime mayor. In addition, KMOV revealed that of the 500 mostly rundown properties that Sieron owns in East St. Louis, only 13 were cited for code violations. That lack of accountability for the notorious slumlord, empowered him and made the people living in his homes feel powerless. War Zone also exposes the way East St. Louis communities have sold their economy to vice-driven businesses like strip clubs, liquor stores, a casino, and convenience marts that had a long history of selling illegal synthetic drugs. Our investigation found that nearly all of these businesses failed to employ a significant number of East St. Louis residents, even though they received millions of dollars in tax incentives that are paid by East St. Louis residents. At the same time East St. Louis is handing out tax breaks to wealthy out-of-town businessmen, it repeatedly refused to provide the same tax incentives for local residents who wanted to create family friendly businesses that would employ people living in the East St. Louis area.
Tags: government corruption; police misconduct; violence; politicians; community; local business
-
Welfare Waste
An ongoing KSTP-TV investigation, led by reporter Mark Albert, has examined waste and the potential for fraud in Minnesota's public assistance programs, including free-wheeling rules that allowed welfare to be used for tattoos and liquor, withdrawn at ATMs inside casinos and bingo halls and a systematic lack of oversight in state-funded child care that can lead to millions of dollars in payments every year to families and providers that do not qualify.
Tags: public assistance; welfare; oversight
-
Bomboozled, a Story of Liquor and Money
Profits from North Carolina's monopoly on retail liquor are supposed to flow back to the state. However, the investigation uncovers waste and corruption are causing the liquor boards to lose money.
Tags: alcohol; liquor; waste; Alcoholic Beverage Control; retail liquor
-
"DWI Death Capital"
KHOU-TV set out to answer a frightening question: Why is Harris County, Texas "the DWI death capital of the country?" Employees of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission revealed "little-known amendments" that offer immunity to bars and bartenders "from civil liability" or "state administrative action" that could result from the state law that prevents over-serving alcohol.
Tags: Safe Harbor; TABC; Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; dram shop; liquor distributors; drunk driving; bartender; public records; Texas Public Information Act; Harris County
-
"Welfare Waste"
Welfare funds can be, and often are, misused. A review of "two million state welfare transactions" by the KSTP-TV team reveals that EBT cards were used more than 100 times in liquor stores during the course of one month. They also found the money was spent on things like lottery tickets and tattoos, and the practice is entirely legal.
Tags: FOI; Department of Human Services; EBT; Minnesota; Virgin Islands; Data Practices Act
-
The Casino Kings
The state of South Dakota partners with thousands of bars and restaurants that offer video gambling. The state takes in more than $100 million each year from the games, but basic information about who owns and operates the establishments is hidden from public view by state law. Using liquor license records and business registrations, the newspaper built a backdoor database of owners, officers and financiers that took six months. The reporting revealed a consolidation of licenses by a handful of individuals and partnerships in the state's most lucrative markets.
Tags: video gambling; bars; public records; South Dakota; lottery; money; license
-
Under the Influence
Dixon discovers that Michigan's beer and wine distributors are protected by state law from competition, with none of their customers getting any price breaks. Dixon and the Free Press conducted a survey that indicated beer and wine prices had a tendency to be higher in Michigan than in neighboring states. The prices are so high that Northwest Airlines had to truck beer from Minnesota to Lansing's Metro Airport instead of buying the beer locally. Wholesalers retain this control because the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to make campaign contributions to legislators, paying for legislators' lavish vacations, and picking up their bar and restaurant tabs. Dixon found that out of the 148 people elected to the Michigan House and Senate in 2002, all but 9 received contributions from the beer and wine wholesalers' political action committee.
Tags: Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association; Michigan legislature; Michigan Liquor Control Commission; Michigan campaign finance; Northwest Airlines; beer and wine wholesalers' political action committee; Michigan Campaign Finance Network; alcohol wholesaler lobbying
-
Tax on Living
This two week series looks at the overwhelming state and federal taxes that Connecticut residents pay everyday. The report explores the number of different taxes which families struggle to pay each month, including sales taxes, income taxes, gasoline and fuel taxes, hidden utility taxes, and the misleading Social Security Trust Fund, which is not a trust fund at all. The articles explain that the trust fund is actually deposited directly into the federal Treasury. Reporters also looked into how Connecticut families fared compared to other states.
Tags: personal income taxes; hidden taxes; liquor tax; business tax; gasoline and fuel tax; inflation; social security; Social Security Trust Fund
-
Access to Alcohol
A Rocky Mountain News analysis found that the college towns of Boulder and Fort Collins have among the highest concentrations of liquor licenses in Colorado, with many or most clustered around the state's two flagship universities. The result is easy access to alcohol for University of Colorado and Colorado State University students. Both universities are dealing with tragedy in the wake of student deaths, both alcohol-related.
Tags: liquor licenses; University of Colorado; Colorado State University; Boulder; Fort Collins; liquor stores; fake ID