Controversies
Obama Criminal Deportation Program Centers on Latino Men
Secure Communities, the anti-illegal immigrant deportation program embraced by the Obama administration, has removed Latinos from the United States in disproportionate numbers.
Ninety-three percent of the individuals arrested through Secure Co... read more
Most Unpopular Judges in the United States
Passing judgment over criminal and civil matters is bound to produce more than a few disgruntled detractors. But some judges earn widespread reputations for incompetence or unfairness while presiding from the bench, placing them at the bottom of j... read more
Pennsylvania District Allows Advertising in Public Schools
Short on revenues and wanting to avoid program cuts, officials with Bucks County’s Pennsbury School District in southeastern Pennsylvania have decided to allow marketers to post large print advertisements in K-12 schools.
The advertising initi... read more
Half of Americans Support Legal Marijuana for First Time
A plurality of Americans for the first time supports the legalization of marijuana, according to a new Gallup survey.
In the new poll, 50% said the use of marijuana should be made legal, while 46% oppose the idea.
Last year, support for le... read more
U.S. Leads Developed World in Child Abuse Death Rate
The United States leads the developed world in child-abuse deaths, according to the organization Every Child Matters. More than 20,000 American children have died over the past decade in their own homes because of family members, with about 75% be... read more
Electricity Meter Reader Arrested for Being Black in a White Neighborhood Wins Compensation
Christina Jones, an African-American utility worker in Illinois, has been awarded $59,000 by a jury after she sued two police officers for arresting her in a white community while doing her job.
On August 16, 2005, Jones was reading electricit... read more
Prime Healthcare Hospital Chain Bills Medicare for Rare—and Expensive—Diseases
Already under investigation for questionable billings, the hospitals of Prime Healthcare Services are also accused of fraudulently charging Medicare for a variety of unusual medical conditions that pay more than ordinary illnesses.
According t... read more
First Indictment of Catholic Bishop in Cover-Up of Sex Abuse Case
For the first time, a high-ranking Catholic official in the United States has been charged in a child sexual abuse case. Bishop Robert Finn, who oversees a diocese of 134,000 members in Missouri, and the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph ... read more
EPA Finally Admits that Chemical in Camp Lejeune Water Caused Cancer
A chlorinated solvent used for three decades at a U.S. Marine Corps base has been deemed a carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), confirming the suspicions of those who contracted rare illnesses after living on the base.
... read more
Support for Death Penalty Hits 39-Year Low
Support for capital punishment has weakened among Americans, down to its lowest levels since the Nixon administration.
A new Gallup survey found 61% still approve of using the death penalty for persons convicted of murder. Last year, however, ... read more
City Council of Pennsylvania’s State Capital Files for Bankruptcy
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s financial woes have the city teetering and local leaders battling each other over how to address the situation.
The City Council on Wednesday voted 4-3 to file for bankruptcy, due to the staggering debt of $400 milli... read more
Michigan Town Shuts Down Street Lights to Settle Unpaid Bills
After not paying its utility bill in full for five years, the struggling city of Highland Park, Michigan (population: 11,776), is so bad off that it is tearing out the majority of its street lights—and in the process exposing its residents to a he... read more
Monsanto and FDA Fight Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods
The nonprofit Center for Food Safety has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change its regulations and require all food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to bear labels informing consumers of this fact.
Current... read more
Is Fort Detrick Toxic to Soldiers and Their Families?
Fort Detrick in Maryland, where the U.S. biological weapons program was based from the 1940s through the 1960s, is suspected of causing numerous cases of cancer and other serious health problems for those living near it.
Randy White, founder... read more
Obama Escalates Attack on Legal Marijuana
The Obama administration’s top prosecutors in California are implementing a joint campaign to go after the state’s biggest medical marijuana operations, claiming businesses are flouting the law and making an illegal profit.
For the first two a... read more
Scientists Present Evidence that 2001 Anthrax Case Should Not be Closed
Federal investigators should consider reopening the 2001 anthrax case, according to a new assessment of the attack by three scientists. Anthrax spores, which were sent through the mail to media and political offices, killed five people and sicke... read more