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 "state buildings" ...
-
Las Vegas Construction Deaths
Workers had been dying at a rate of one every six weeks -- 12 deaths in 18 months -- until contractors made sweeping safety improvements after the Las Vegas Sun revealed that poor safety practices and lax oversight by state regulators had contributed to the fatalities. Before the story, construction safety had been a non-issue in Las Vegas. The deaths were considered the cost of doing business in a $32 billion building boom, the biggest in Las Vegas history. High-rise construction is dangerous, authorities said. Contractors and state regulators blamed many of the accidents on the dead workers themselves. This investigation found those arguments were "plainly wrong."
Tags: Occupational Safety and Health Administration; Las Vegas; construction work; worker deaths; property; contractors; Nevada state regulations
-
Illegal Labor Fix Falls Short
The investigation took three months and looks at the effectiveness in preventing illegal immigration. "The Star focused on the home-building industry for this series because of its vital role in Tucson's growth. Illegal labor also is common in other industries, including hospitality and agrigculture."
Tags: labor; illegal immigration; border patrol; housing; state government; federal government
-
Did State Fund Overpay in Redding Land Deal?
State Compensation Insurance Fund board member Kent Dagg was pushed for State Fund to build a new regional headquarters in his city of Redding, California. SCIF overpaid for the property by almost 50 percent, and the contract was given to a former officer of the Shasta County Builders Exchange, which was run by Kent Dagg.
Tags: Highway 44: Shasta View Drive; Ken Miller; Lewis-Pripgras; Workers' Comp Executive; Frank Del Re;
-
Losing Faith in "Bishop"
A gentleman identifying himself as "His Grace Bishop Frumentius" offered a $56 million investment to build a housing project on the former Saginaw Fairgrounds. That 57-acre parcel of land was owned by the local Housing Commission, which was being forced to sell it due to a ruling that it had purchased the land without authority. But the bishop was revealed as Daniel Earl Phelps, "a parolee who served 10 years in prison on financial improprieties." Phelps' stated education history as well as the church he said he represented were shown to be nonexistent, with his main history shown to be tales of similar cases in other towns.
Tags: fraud; housing development; religious impersonation; fraudulent bishop
-
The Highwaymen
This investigation explores a recent trend: auctioning the maintenance of public highways and bridges to private companies. The article shows how privatization benefits the companies far more than the public. Private road operators charge high tolls and insist on non-compete clauses, so the government can't build other roads in the area.
Tags: transportation; privatization; bridges; roads; constructions; infastructure; driving; transit; state government
-
7.0 - Utah's Big One
The state of Utah has 700 earthquakes a year, and "scientists say Utah has a one-in-five chance of suffering such a large quake within the next 50 years." This story examines the possible effects on Salt Lake City and the surrounding area if an earthquake "measuring 7.0 on the richter scale" were to hit. The death toll is estimated at 6,500, with 90,000 more injured, while damage to buildings and infrastructure would be so severe that "it would overwhelm emergency responders."
Tags: Disasters; earthquake; speculation; projected deaths, damage from disasters
-
The Great Empire Zone Giveaway
The Empire Zone program in New York is meant to "reward new and expanding businesses" but has been mistakenly doling out large sums to companies that do not merit them. For instance: an out-of-state power company was using century-old plants, and did not expand, but received $22 million a year. "Hundreds of companies changed their names to appear on paper to be new businesses, so they could collect the maximum tax breaks available to startup companies." Also, a shopping-mall developer promised expansion, but has been receiving $9 million a year with no new building. Of the top 10 companies receiving Empire Zone money (a total of $56 million a year for the group), some added workers, but others cut jobs.
Tags: Empire Zone; fraud; business; business expansion; job contraction
-
LNG Controversy Dogs Every Step of the Policy Process
Reporting for the Malibu Times at first, Hans Laetz looks into Australian Energy Conglomerate BHP Billiton's plans to "build a liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal floating off the local coast." But after two months, Laetz was removed from coverage by the Times amid criticism, possibly due to the fact BHP Billiton was an advertising client of the Times. He then was picked up by the Malibu Surfside News, and continued to tell a tale of the various aspects of the deal: how BHP got a smog waiver after White House officials overruled local Environmental Protection Agency officials, the safety and pollution risks of the project; citizens' letters supporting the project to the government, which turned out mostly to be fake; and the opposition of state and federal parks officials to the project.
Tags: BHP Billiton; liquified natural gas; Hans Laetz; environmental issues; Environmental Protection Agency; paddleout protest
-
Foreclosing on the American Dream
"Colorado leads a national wave of foreclosures that is leaving neighborhoods blighted and forcing many homeowners into financial ruin. The Denver Post examined why the state's foreclosure rate leads the nation and how it is affecting Coloradans, their communities and the economy. Aggressive building and lending practices, lax regulation and a high rate of mortgage fraud, among other factors, are pushing thousands of homeowners into foreclosure."
Tags: forecolsure; homes; Colorado; fraud; building regulations; lending; mortgage
-
The Hunley: Government by Stealth
The Confederate submarine the Hunley has earned a storied place in South Carolina history, and has received a lot of attention since being raised in 2000. The State investigated the money spent for the preservation and promotion of the Hunley, and revealed the amounts of money spent in the name of this historic artifact, including $10.3 million earmarked to Clemson University to "build a remote campus around the conservation lab that is home to the Hunley submarine."
Tags: The Hunley; submarine; Civil War-era submarine; Confederate submarine; government funds; Clemson University