New England Center for Investigative Reporting at Boston University http://necir-bu.org Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:08:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Taxpayers spending millions on mill that keeps on polluting http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/18/taxpayers-spending-millions-on-mill-that-keeps-on-polluting-2/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/18/taxpayers-spending-millions-on-mill-that-keeps-on-polluting-2/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:24:51 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8843   Continue Reading »]]> The state has spent millions of dollars to prop up the Old Town pulp mill while steadily fining the mill’s owner for ongoing pollution. And now the biggest fine ever is imminent.
The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting has learned that the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is preparing to slap a $497,000 fine on Old Town Fuel & Fiber for excess air pollution over a 12-month period.

Read the full story from fellow INN member the Pine Tree Watchdog.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/18/taxpayers-spending-millions-on-mill-that-keeps-on-polluting-2/feed/ 0 VT DMV Waiting for New Computer System http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/17/vt-dmv-waiting-for-new-computer-system/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/17/vt-dmv-waiting-for-new-computer-system/#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:21:26 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8841   Continue Reading »]]> An outdated computer system at Vermont’s DMV is causing some trouble. The state has already pumped more than $18 million on a new system but the department is still waiting to see the upgrades.

Read the full story from ABC 22.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/17/vt-dmv-waiting-for-new-computer-system/feed/ 0 Alarm fatigue can be life-threatening http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/16/alarm-fatigue-can-be-life-threatening/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/16/alarm-fatigue-can-be-life-threatening/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:20:26 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8839   Continue Reading »]]> Alarms save lives in hospitals every day. But health officials tell us too many of them can overwhelm caregivers, creating a potentially deadly scenario.

It’s called ” alarm fatigue ,” a situation where doctors and nurses become so overwhelmed with beeps and warnings from medical machines that the alarms go unnoticed, or even ignored.

Read the full story from WPRI.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/16/alarm-fatigue-can-be-life-threatening/feed/ 0 Cops Mix Booze, Policing In Silence http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/15/cops-mix-booze-policing-in-silence/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/15/cops-mix-booze-policing-in-silence/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:18:33 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8837   Continue Reading »]]> A Team 5 Investigation found police officers all over Massachusetts fighting crime while also fighting their own alcohol abuse.

Little is being done to track the problem or help officers get the training and treatment they need

Read more from Channel 5.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/15/cops-mix-booze-policing-in-silence/feed/ 0 Prisoners On The Run http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/14/prisoners-on-the-run/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/14/prisoners-on-the-run/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:28:52 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8845   Continue Reading »]]> A Courant review found that since 1970, 15,255 inmates have walked away from halfway houses or bolted from their parole officers, and have been listed as “escaped” or “absconded” for some period of time. It could be hours. It could be years. A small number of them were let go from prison accidentally or never returned from a work furlough.

Read the full story from the Hartford Courant.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/14/prisoners-on-the-run/feed/ 0 Owner of Worcester fire-death site has problems at other buildings http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/14/owner-of-worcester-fire-death-site-has-problems-at-other-buildings/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/14/owner-of-worcester-fire-death-site-has-problems-at-other-buildings/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:18:27 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8835   Continue Reading »]]> The Newton landlord who owns the three-decker where a city firefighter was killed in a fire Dec. 8 has been cited by officials for 66 violations of the city’s sanitary, building and nuisance codes at two other buildings she owns.

Read the full story in the Worcester Telegram.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/02/14/owner-of-worcester-fire-death-site-has-problems-at-other-buildings/feed/ 0 Taxpayers spending millions on mill that keeps on polluting http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/30/taxpayers-spending-millions-on-mill-that-keeps-on-polluting/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/30/taxpayers-spending-millions-on-mill-that-keeps-on-polluting/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:44:34 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8711   Continue Reading »]]> [Maine] has spent millions of dollars to prop up the Old Town pulp mill while steadily fining the mill’s owner for ongoing pollution. And now the biggest fine ever is imminent.

The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting has learned that the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is preparing to slap a $497,000 fine on Old Town Fuel & Fiber for excess air pollution over a 12-month period.

That will come on top of $331,000 in penalties assessed by the DEP and the federal
Steam plant and recovery boilers, Old Town Fuel and Fiber. Photo Kevin Bennett, BDN
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the past five years.

Click here to read the full investigation from fellow INN member the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/30/taxpayers-spending-millions-on-mill-that-keeps-on-polluting/feed/ 0 I-Team investigates Bloomfield neighborhood still dealing with storm damage http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/29/i-team-investigates-bloomfield-neighborhood-still-dealing-with-storm-damage/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/29/i-team-investigates-bloomfield-neighborhood-still-dealing-with-storm-damage/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:46:23 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8713   Continue Reading »]]> Cleanup from storm still not happening for CT resident.

Click here to watch the full story from WFSB.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/29/i-team-investigates-bloomfield-neighborhood-still-dealing-with-storm-damage/feed/ 0 Grey Market Drugs: Profiting from Poorly Managed U.S. Health Care http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/28/grey-market-drugs-profiting-from-poorly-managed-u-s-health-care/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/28/grey-market-drugs-profiting-from-poorly-managed-u-s-health-care/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:43:20 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8709   Continue Reading »]]> The Johnson and Johnson (J&J) drug is one of some 200 pharmaceuticals that critically ill people and hospitals are finding it hard to buy, sometimes, even if they are willing to pay grey-market prices that can soar many times higher than the regular price when supplies run short.

Click here to read the full story from CorpWatch.

]]> http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/28/grey-market-drugs-profiting-from-poorly-managed-u-s-health-care/feed/ 0 Stream Gauges May Still Be in Jeopardy http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/27/stream-gauges-may-still-be-in-jeopardy/ http://necir-bu.org/2012/01/27/stream-gauges-may-still-be-in-jeopardy/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:41:40 +0000 Sarah Kuranda http://necir-bu.org/?p=8707   Continue Reading »]]> Funding from Senate leaders is not enough to keep stream gauges running which help warn residents of flooding in their area.

Click here to watch the full story from WPTZ.

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