Politicians benefit from cheaper tickets

Dave McKinney of the Chicago Sun-Times obtained a list of state politicians who have the opportunity to purchase tickets to the top-ranked University of Illinois basketball team's games at face value. "As demand for Illini tickets has rocketed off the charts, the university has dispersed more than 2,000 tickets to its trustees, dozens of state lawmakers, congressmen, lobbyists and even the son of indicted former Gov. George Ryan, who has booked most of the team's schedule."

Hartford Courant reporters Lisa Chedekel and Matthew Kauffman won a
month-long legal battle for release of the contracts between University of
Connecticut mens' and womens' basketball coaches Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma and Nike Inc. Over strenuous objections by the coaches' lawyers, the state Ethics Commission decided that the contracts were public documents. A Courant review of the contracts raised questions about whether the contracts violate state ethics laws by linking Calhoun and Auriemma's endorsement deal to a requirement that the teams where Nike sneakers and uniforms.

Brent Schrotenboer of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that "more than $1.5 million of taxpayers' money has been spent subsidizing a lightly attended college football game played annually at Qualcomm Stadium since 1999." The Gold Coast Classic continues to receive government support despite a series of unpaid bills during the past several years. "The city apparently didn't know there were that many claims and judgments against the Gold Coast game."

Gregg Jones and Gary Jacobson of The Dallas Morning News found that
steroids in north Texas high schools are "readily available and commonly used."
In a four-month investigation, "The News interviewed more than 100
current and former high school students, coaches and parents about steroids
in high schools." They found students buy the drugs from "friends,
classmates and sometimes varsity athletes" and coaches rarely confront
players or parents when they suspect steroid use.