Daily Report:
December 12, 2011, 5:37 PM
Since 1977, CIR has been on the forefront of nonprofit investigative reporting, telling thousands of stories on all platforms and through prominent outlets, reaching millions. Over the years, these stories have sparked federal legislation, policy at all levels of government, United Nations...
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December 8, 2011, 1:48 PM
State regulators charged with overseeing school construction have failed to ensure that the buildings children occupy are safe, according to a state audit released today.
The California State Auditor’s report found that the Division of the State Architect has limited authority to penalize...
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August 11, 2011, 1:57 PM
Nearly a decade ago, state experts flagged thousands of school buildings that might be vulnerable in an earthquake. Engineers cautioned school districts that more inspections were needed to tell if the buildings were in trouble. But here in San Diego County, many of those inspections never...
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July 7, 2011, 12:05 AM
The La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District's problems with managing school construction projects have triggered scrutiny, lawsuits, an emergency county loan and the resignation of a superintendent. Two years ago, Bryan Burns, a parent in the district in southeastern San Mateo...
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May 26, 2011, 12:05 AM
State officials voted yesterday to expand access to a $200 million fund created for urgent seismic repairs at California's public schools. The move came in response to complaints that restrictive rules created by the Schwarzenegger administration had blocked the funds from thousands of...
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May 19, 2011, 9:22 AM
State officials moved a step closer yesterday to allowing more California schools access to a limited pot of money set aside for urgent seismic repairs. A three-member committee of the State Allocation Board, which controls funding for school repairs and construction, is recommending that...
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May 18, 2011, 12:05 AM
Officials will review proposals today that would make it easier for schools with potentially dangerous buildings to qualify for seismic repair funds. Only 20 buildings are currently eligible, but the new proposals could give anywhere from 83 to 189 additional buildings access to a $200 million...
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April 27, 2011, 5:37 PM
State regulators will loosen the criteria for schools to access millions in unspent seismic repair funds and will require building inspectors to reveal whether they have been convicted of a crime before taking the state's certification test, officials said today. Scott Harvey, acting chief...
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April 18, 2011, 10:49 AM
The Schwarzenegger administration hamstrung the ability of state regulators to ensure schools are built safely by imposing hiring freezes and furloughs during a school building boom, an official with a prominent architects lobby said recently. Kurt Cooknick, director of regulation for the...
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April 14, 2011, 12:05 AM
Groups representing parents, teachers and state engineers are calling for reforms to the state's oversight of seismic safety in public schools. At the same time, the chief building official for the state’s community college system says districts are "working feverishly...
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April 13, 2011, 9:09 AM
State construction officials were ordered yesterday to examine ways to make it easier for schools with potentially dangerous buildings to qualify for seismic repair funds. Five years ago, voters approved nearly $200 million in bond funds for seismic repairs at thousands of school building...
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April 12, 2011, 3:39 AM
California Watch is a project of the Center for Investigative Reporting, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious nonprofit investigative news organization. Its award-winning reporters focus on crime and injustice, environmental issues and public safety. So what the heck are we doing...
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April 11, 2011, 5:01 PM
Korean: Lax oversight of school construction raises doubts about earthquake safety
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April 11, 2011, 5:00 PM
Chinese: Lax oversight of school construction raises doubts about earthquake safety
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