Investigating the Bank

Banks hold money, but they also have to make some to operate. That’s why overdraft fees and user fees exist.

When I worked for a bank in Ceredo, West Virginia, I felt the company actively defrauded customers they called “valuable.” The company mailed $10 checks to their “valued customers” for being good clients. Unbeknownst to the customer, when the check was cashed it was considered a signed contract agreeing to enroll in an account that charged them $5 per month.

On the very bottom of the check, a sliver of perforated paper read in tiny letters what cashing the check meant. Many customers who received the check were elderly and for whatever reason did not heed the warning.

I think a good investigation of this would be to talk to the FDIC to see what their point of view on grey area of false advertising is.

Investigating this story would also require speaking to someone at the United Bank company to see why they thought it was okay to rip off their customers in this way, especially elderly customers with bad vision and trusting personalities. It would also be very important to speak with a customer affected and pull their bank documents showing the transactions.

I think this would be an ethical question – the small words on the check were obviously supposed to be ignored.

It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe says he governs his city on a set of priorities: keeping his people, their property and their ideas safe from harm. That's why he says street conditions in his city have taken a backseat – so the safety of those riding on them does not have to.

In a March 22 vote, Huntington City Council members agreed to cut $867,000 from the city's budget. Funds were cut from every department, including those meant to protect and serve.

$200,000 was cut from the Police Department, $165,000 from the Personnel Department and $120,000 from the Fire Department.

"There's no sense in making your streets smoother if they're not safe," Wolfe said.

An officer of the peace himself, one of Wolfe's campaign promises was to enhance protective services offered to residents like police and fire. This fiscal year, the economy got in the way. With all of the budget cuts, he said his goal was to protect those men and women who protect Huntington as much as possible.

"We can't print money and spend it like they do in Washington," Wolfe said. "The piece of the pie has to come from somewhere. We had to start cutting it up."

Some of that cutting came from the Streets Department.

Whether taking the road less traveled or Fifth Avenue, in Huntington either is probably a bit bumpy. The harsh winter was no friend to pavement and because of budget deficits those potholes may stay in place a little longer.

“Especially after this past winter, Huntington’s streets are really bad,” Marshall University commuter Ryan Vance said.

For Huntington's fiscal year 2010-2011, the budget estimate released on Feb. 12 listed $2.14 million in expenditures for the Streets Department. The number City Council members agreed on: $2.1 million. That means nearly $40,000 was taken away.

According to Wolfe, if repairs were made to every street in the city that needed them, the price tag would total $20 million. That’s half of the total amount of Huntington’s budget.

“That’s a tough situation because we have absolutely no money and now we’re cutting the budget police funds,” Vance said. “I don’t know that that potholes should be their biggest concern but I think they should do something because they’re becoming dangerous.”

Wolfe said streets would be repaired on a squeaky-wheel-gets-the-grease basis. He says city officials are keeping record of the most complained about streets – those will be the first to be patched up.

The Future of Investigative Journalism

Backpack, citizen, and multimedia journalists are just three of the many reasons investigative journalism has nearly become extinct. Cutbacks and other loss of resources have forced newsrooms to downsize and in most cases, true investigative journalism is the sacrifice.

Kevin Cullen works for the Boston Globe and won a Pulitzer in 2003 for the work he did breaking the story of the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. The Harvard University Gazette reports he joined a panel of other journalists on campus back in August of 2006 to discuss the future of investigative journalism. According to him, that future is bleak.

"Investigative reporting is a high and lofty title for people who get the time and resources to get the story," Cullen said on the panel. "I'm one of the luckiest people in American journalism because increasingly that luxury is taken away from us." He’s lucky, because he is allowed to continue a form of public enlightenment that has virtually vanished.

Print newsrooms from the New York Times to the Herald-Dispatch have endured cutback after cutback. However, they seem to be the only form of media that can still generate investigative work.

"The only place we see it [investigative journalism] is in the print media and I don't know if we'll see it five or 10 years down the road," Cullen said, "and that scares the hell out of me." This is probably because for print stories, phone or E-mail interviews are usually sufficient. In television, interviews have to be done on camera, often creating the difficult task of physically getting to the interview location – or persuading the interviewee to be on camera. Often times, the phone or E-mail interview is easier for the person who is being interviewed, and when that person is very far away it would be impossible otherwise.

Cutbacks in television newsrooms seem to be a lot worse than in print. Reporters are now forced to become one-man-bands, shooting and editing their own stories, or face the loss of their job. In many cases, that same one-man-band is also responsible for putting their stories on the web and doing multiple versions of the story for different newscasts. With so many things to be done and fewer resources everyday for which to do them, taking two or three days off at a time to put together a well thought out, investigative piece has become impossible.

Aside from the rare chance that local television reporters are given time to complete comprehensive, investigative stores, I see from personal experience in television newsrooms they often rely on their network. Local affiliates of national news organizations have access to works of the network, and in most cases the network has the manpower to produce quasi-investigative pieces.

A new trend the world of journalism is seeing is privately run investigative units. For example, Joe Bergantino has made being an investigative journalist his life. He said when he saw the downfall of his life’s passion, beginning with television news, he developed his own way to do the work he loves.

With a lot of hard work and a lot of begging for funding, Bergantino and Maggie Mulvihill founded the New England Center for Investigative Reporting at Boston University. The Center is a new, rare breed of investigative journalism that may truly be the future for the craft.

On the Center’s Web site this principal is stated: “NECIR-BU intends to distribute its projects to the broadest possible audience with a coordinated, multimedia, multi-platform distribution using a variety of storytelling styles afforded by new technologies.” That is exactly what the team is doing. While the way the Center’s journalists get their work out to the people may seem a little unconventional – it is the future.

Bergantino and Mulivhill have formed unique partnerships with their local media. Once a story is completed, it is generated in many different mediums. Bergantino reports on camera for television stories, then shares his story with a local television station, which invites him on set. On air, the station says he is a part of their “i-Team”. The story may then be used by other affiliates of that station across the country if desired. Mulivhill transforms the piece into a print story and it is then offered to a local newspaper, which runs the piece.

In years past, news organizations would not have used stories completed outside their walls but now it is not seen as taboo – especially when the organization used, like the New England Center for Investigative Reporting is so highly accredited.

At the 2010 West Virginia Broadcaster’s Association convention, Bergantino offered advice to local news organizations hoping to continue investigative journalism at their station. He said there is always a way to advance a hard news story into something that qualifies as investigative. The problem though, is finding time and manpower from a station that relies on day of stories.

Huntington's Sinking (Budget) Ship

Budget cuts and furloughs are not what most city employees hope to deal with, but in Huntington it’s the bleak reality.

At his February 13 State of the City Address, Mayor Kim Wolfe proposed a 10 percent budget cut for all city expenditures. He also proposed unpaid, forced time off for all city employees, excluding himself and members of the Council.



Mayor Wolfe said he plans to cut Huntington’s estimated $44 million dollar list of expenditures down to $40 million.



16 percent of the city’s expected revenue is supposed to come from the municipal service fee, but in Huntington many residents aren’t paying up. Mayor Wolfe printed names of those residents who haven’t paid their bill in the newspaper. After his State of the City address, he said he wouldn’t stop there.

Mayor Wolfe said he would put liens on properties and turn names over to collection agencies.

Huntington’s largest expenditures, the police and fire departments, make up 48 percent of the outgoing budget – or $20.9 million. In an effort to save money there, Mayor Wolfe proposed cutting all civilian positions, meaning police officers and fire fighters would be forced to pull double duty – on the front line and behind the secretary’s desk.

Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook says he’s not happy about taking skilled officers off the street. He called it a “swift kick to the gut,” but said he will support the mayor’s decision.

Mayor Wolfe said these cuts are a “worst case scenario.”

City Council members, beginning February 27, will make final decisions on the budget for fiscal year 2011 following four weeks of special budget meetings.

Kim Wolfe's State of the City

At his 2010 State of the City Address, Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe gave a grim outlook for the future of city workers. He put furloughs and pink slips on the table.

In an effort to cut the budget, Mayor Wolfe proposed laying off civilian positions at the police department. He says he is trying to avoid laying off trained police officers, but this move would still keep them from doing their job – something Police Chief Skip Holbrook says he is not happy about.

"This was a swift kick in the gut to know there's a potential we'll have to reduce front line staff to keep the police department running – just at an efficient rate," Holbrook said.

If the mayor's plan is passed by City Council, as many as eight officers could be pulled off the street and put behind desks. Laying off civilian workers, like secretaries, would mean police officers would have to pull double duty – picking up where the clerical staff left off.

It's a controversial move, especially after the most recent round of bar shootings this past weekend.

Three people were shot at random after a fight broke out on a dance floor at a Huntington nightclub. While that was news, it wasn't new news. Back in November 2009, one man was shot and killed and other were injured at a bar just a few blocks away. Same story, different bar back in 2008, when a former Marshall University football player was shot and killed at another nightclub shooting.

"The biggest issue is always protecting citizens," Mayor Wolfe said after his speech. "Part of the government is protecting citizens."

Chief Holbrook may not think taking officers off the street is a good idea, but he says he supports the mayor's decision.

The same proposal has been made for members of Huntington's Fire Department.

The unpaid, 20-day forced time off Mayor Wolfe proposed would affect all City employees, except himself and Council. He says that would save the city more than $1 million.

Mayor Wolfe says he's keeping his glass half full, though, and that these proposals are "worst case scenarios." Final budgeting decision will be made after four weeks of speical meetings, starting February 27.

Presidential Campaign Funds by MU and WVU Employees

In the 2008 Presidential Election, employees from both Marshall University and West Virginia University favored Barack Obama, according to campaign contribution records.

Federal Election Commission records say overall, West Virginians donated about $2.3 million dollars in the 2008 Presidential Election. More than $34,000 of that came from people who claimed to be employees of Marshall and WVU. Sixty individuals from both universities donated funds to the campaigns of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Ron Paul and John McCain.

WVU biologist Andrew Cockburn, an

Obama donor, says he pitched in because it needed to be done.

“I thought we needed a change,” Cockburn said. He says he wasn’t happy with what the Republican Party was doing and felt he

needed to help make a difference.

Cockburn donated $500 to then Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s campaign. He said if Hillary Clinton had been the Democratic Party’s choice – he would have given to her campaign, too.

Donating time and money is a way Cockburn says he is able to get his hands in national politics. “I’ve been donating to campaigns fairly regularly over the last 20 years or so,” he said. “This one, I cared about more than most.

Cockburn says he thinks people in Morgantown really care about presidential politics. “We have a lot of professors here that are really involved in politics.”

Fifty other mountaineer professors also donated. WVU employees donated more than $30,000 to the campaigns of Obama, Clinton, Paul and McCain. About 60% of that money – $17,616 – was given to Obama’s Campaign.

At Marshall University, nine employees claimed to have donated about $3,700 to the 2008 campaign. The most of that money – $2,448 – was given to Obama.

In West Virginia, the Democratic Party raked in the most cash, nearly $1.7 million, and the highest funds were for Obama at $942,263. The GOP brought in $644,242, and the republican with the most donations was McCain with $294,730.

Investigative Proposal

TO: Professor Burnis Morris

FROM: Hanna Francis

---

RE: Story Outline: Huntington Weed & Seed Investigation

Subject: Huntington Weed & Seed program has/has not affected criminal activity.

Scope: I will research Huntington crime data by district, before and after the Weed & Seed initiative. Huntington’s Weed & Seed program has been named third in the country, it is my goal to find out if it is worthy of that acclaim.

Need: The city’s money is going into this program, so it is necessary to ascertain if that money is being used in a way that benefits residents.

Methods: I will obtain crime data from the Huntington Police Department from before the Weed & Seed program was initiated and now, after it has been in place. I will break that information down by district.

Sources: Members of City Council and Huntington police officers would be the best sources for this investigation. Residents of the most crime stricken districts would also be valuable informants.

Presentation: This would be a good story for television, because we have file video of former crime activity and of Weed & Seed meetings. It would also be good for a newspaper.

Follow up: If it was discovered that the program hasn’t changed criminal activity much, it would be interesting to find out why tax dollars are still funding it. If it turns out the program has changed activity, it would be valuable to explain how. Other cities would be interested to know how Huntington’s actions have worked.

Investigative Reporting

A convicted felon was allowed into a Greenup County classroom. WSAZ reporter Randy Yohe investigated the case to find out how Dakoda Bowling, the felon, got past appropriate screenings.

This story is an investigation because the reporter didn’t just say a felon was in a classroom, he found out what the breakdown was in the system that allowed him to get there. He wasn’t just reporting the up front facts, he dug deeper.

The reporter did attempt to talk to the target of the investigation – attempts to track him down were unsuccessful and his grandmother told the reporter he wouldn’t have spoken anyway.

The key document in this story was a report on the felon from the Kentucky State Police. A school superintendent said that report came back clean.

A broadcast story accompanies the print story. Within the broadcast package, there are interviews and images of documents. I think allowing the viewer to see things other than words gives the story a greater since of credibility.

Parents will be the most affected by this story. Anyone who knows a school aged child may pass this story along.

The follow up story here should be what has the school or school board done about their screening process. The print version was not over written; the broadcast version may have some shrill tones. This story was from a tip.

---

The Huntington Weed and Seed Program has been named number three among similar programs in the country. My proposed investigation is to find out if the program is really doing any good the crime in Huntington. Research would include data from criminal activity in Huntington before the program was started, and now after it has received such high acclaims.

Obama's State of the Union Predictions

President Barack Obama did not disappoint those making bets on his State of the Union address topics. He continued to urge congress to pass his health care bill. “I didn’t take on health care because it was good politics,” Obama said. He says it needed to be done.

He brought up of one of his big campaign promises – the end of the war in Iraq. “As a candidate, I promised that I would end this war, and that is what I am doing as president,” he said. “Make no mistake: this war is ending and all of our troops are coming home.”

The beginning of solving America’s problems, according to the president, is stabilizing the economy. His answer to that, at least for now, is to take some of the money from Wall Street and give it back to Main Street. “I’m proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat,” Obama said.

Draining Funds Dry up City Budget

Like a cup with a hole in the bottom, the City of Huntington is losing money faster than it can stock up. Nearly 50,000 people live within the city’s 16 square mile area – their tax dollars are not enough to keep the budget afloat.

For fiscal year 2009, Huntington brought in $39,990,304, but only spent $38,919,497. This fiscal year, the city plans to spend every penny it brings in – $42,135,417 in and $42,135,417 out. Most of the city’s revenue comes from the business and occupational tax, $17,395,121, and municipal fees, $5,900,000. The highest expenditures are from the police and fire departments, $11,580,414 and $10,271,811 respectively.

As a quick fix, Mayor Kim Wolfe has issued a spending freeze for the remainder of fiscal 2010. According to WSAZ.com, the mayor told city council the freeze affects all city departments through June 2010.

WSAZ.com also says Wolfe has contingency plans if the cup keeps draining.

State of the University

Last week during West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin's State of the State address he told state universities and colleges not to raise tuition prices in 2010. It was his way of saving cash for higher education students in the Mountain State. Marshall University President Dr. Stephen Kopp admitted it's going to be tough.

Kopp said one way to keep the university making money without hiking costs is to bring in new students. He says Marshall will bring them in by bringing in new programs -- sports therapy and pharmacy. Both programs would be a value, as there is a serious need for professionals in those fields.

Kopp also addressed the Marshall's green initiative . He says by being more environmentally friendly, money will be saved. Kopp laid out how many resources have been saved since the program began.

So Obama, Reagan, Nixon and Truman walk into a bar...

There's no sense in burying the lead – probable topics of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech are easy to pinpoint: the bankrupt economy, war and that other thing we never hear about, health care reform.

In 1981, Ronald Reagan became president during one of the worst economic climates our country has ever seen. A year ago, a New York Times story compared the current the economic meltdown to that of 1982. He notes that more than half of America is too young to remember 1982. I wasn't even born.

The signs were the same: oil prices jumped, home sales bottomed out and jobs were lost faster than college students lose their keys.

"We have an economic program in place, completely different from the artificial quick fixes of the past," Reagan said in his 1982 State of the Union Address. Funny, he thought artificial quick fixes were of the past (think: cash4clunkers, then think: I need a cocktail).

For those who can remember 1982, the phrase "economic recovery" is probably annoying. Reagan said it five times in 82 – Obama dropped it 13 times in his inauguration speech last year.

When you think Richard Nixon you probably think Watergate or impeachment. My friend, Nixon expert and London School of Economics graduate Justin Roth, tells me that way back in 1968 Nixon was elected on the promise of solving the Vietnam War, but after the first year things weren't any better.

Obama can certainly relate. Folks across the country with George W. Bush’s face on bulls’ eyes voted for “change.” Obama was supposed to get troops out of Iraq by Jan. 21, 2009. Now it’s Jan. 21, 2010 and they are still there.

In 1970, Americans probably expected strong words from the president full of exit strategy promises. Instead, in Nixon’s State of the Union address he said, "I do not intend to go through a detailed listing of what I have proposed or will propose.” He did, however, talk about some things important to those concerned about Vietnam, like clean air and living the American dream.

In 1945, President Harry Truman proposed a program to improve health care in the United States. Before Congress in 1946 Truman explained his proposal, “One of the best possible contributions toward building a stronger, healthier nation would be a permanent school-lunch program on a scale adequate to assure every school child a good lunch at noon.” Maybe that’s where Jamie Oliver got his idea for how to save Huntington.

Last year during his inauguration speech, Obama touched on each of these themes. He pushed for better health coverage by hitting listeners where it hurts – their wallets. “The cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year,” he warned, “yet we keep delaying reform.”

No doubt Obama will ask for bipartisan approval of his proposed health care plan. He may even mention Scott Brown’s upset of the “people’s” seat in Massachusetts.

He also made a promise that so far, has not seen fruition. “I will soon announce a way forward in Iraq that leaves Iraq to its people and responsibly ends this war,” he said. He may have plans, but action is implied.

“The impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere,” Obama reminded Americans during his inauguration speech. A year later and the impact of the recession is even more real. Like Visa, it’s everywhere you want to be… but can’t get to because you lost your job.

There are more questions than answers to what exactly the state of our union is. Obama has a lot to bring Americans up to speed on – and it better be good, after all, he is preempting American Idol.

If you'd like to catch Obama's State of the Union address, there are plenty of ways you can watch Wednesday night. Download the White House iPhone app or click over to YouTube for a live stream. It starts at 9 p.m., EST (for folks that like to kick it old school, the address will also be on television).

2010 State of the Union Address

In the early 1980s, president was added to Ronald Reagan’s title just a year before one of the worst economic climates our country has ever seen. This time last year, David Leonhardt with the New York Times wrote a story comparing our economic breakdown to that of 1982. He notes that more than half of America is too young to remember 1982. I wasn't even born.

"We have an economic program in place,” someone wrote and Reagan read. “Completely different from the artificial quick fixes of the past." That was during his first State of the Union address. Funny, he thought artificial quick fixes were of the past (think: cash4clunkers, then think: I need a cocktail).

For those who can remember 1982, the phrase "economic recovery" is probably annoying. Reagan said it five times in 1982 – Obama dropped it 13 times in his Inaugural Speech last year.

When you think Richard Nixon, you probably think Watergate or impeachment. My friend, and London School of Economics graduate Justin Roth, tells me that way back in 1968 Nixon was elected on the promise of solving the Vietnam War, but after the first year things were not any better (If I wasn't alive in 1982, what am I supposed to know about the 1960s?).

Obama can certainly relate. Folks across the country with George W. Bush’s face on bulls eyes voted for “change.” Barack was supposed to get us out of Iraq by January 21, 2009. Now it's January 2010 and guess where our troops are? Hint: it's not St. Barths.

"I do not intend to through a detailed listing of what I have proposed or will propose," President Nixon said regarding the war in his 1970 State of the Union Address. He did, however, discuss some things important to those concerned about Vietnam, like clean air and living the American dream.

In 1945, President Harry Truman proposed a program to improve health care in the United States. Before Congress in 1946 Truman explained his propsal, “One of the best possible contributions toward building a stronger, healthier nation would be a permanent school-lunch program on a scale adequate to assure every school child a good lunch at noon.” Maybe that’s where Jamie Oliver got his idea for how to save Huntington.

Last year during his Inaugural Speech, Obama touched on each of these themes. He pushed for better health coverage by hitting listeners where it hurts – their wallets. “The cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year,” he said, “yet we keep delaying reform.”

He also made a promise that so far, has not come to fruition. “I will soon announce a way forward in Iraq that leaves Iraq to its people and responsibly ends this war,” he alleged.

“The impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere,” he said. A year later and the impact of the recession is even more encumbering.

These speeches get longer from year to year. Nixon rattled off about 45-hundred words and Obama topped out at nearly 6,000.

state of... planning?

Past, present and future all had a role in Governor Joe Manchin’s State of the State Address on Wednesday. It was Manchin’s sixth address, and even though Jennifer Garner may have been the most interesting thing there, some of his points did stand out.

The governor spoke about budget problems that have come from previous years, current drug use and the future of those who live within these jagged state lines – students.

Manchin ordered West Virginia’s budget to be cut by 3.4 percent in an effort to curb spending; he may have also helped curb spending for those paying for their college education. The governor offered a break for wallets, asking all colleges and universities in our state to freeze tuition this year.

While students and parents around the state whispered “thank you”, professors were probably not so happy. This freeze undoubtedly means no raises for them, but at least educators are on the same level now: Manchin also said no raises for state employees. That means public school teachers, who I’m willing to bet will still picket at the Capitol this spring (their annual picket for a raise may be by now more of a reunion than an actual expectation of more money).

For college students, the freeze on tuition is inconsequential. Manchin’s PROMISE of a free four year education has certainly paid off for them – but now that he’s scratched their back, he’s asking for a return on the favor. Back in 2008, the governor said he wanted a “return on the substantial investment” he’s made with PROMISE scholars. He asked them to stay here in the Mountain State.

This year, something with a little more teeth: the governor asked these students to promise they would do it. That’s going to be a tough thing to hold graduates to when jobs that bring in big bucks just aren’t available in this state. Manchin said we could fight those job problems by “investing in our community and technical colleges”. I’m not a politician, but I think a good way to fight job loss is to create new jobs.

A love for learning does not start in college, it has to be cultivated. In his address, Manchin praised a woman who made her way from the hills of West Virginia to silver screen – and back again to “Save the Children.” Actress Jennifer Garner received a long, standing ovation for her work with the group and Manchin pledged to direct $1 million to young learners in our state’s rural counties.

One thing touched on that really affects this area in particular – drug abuse. Manchin’s message to those involved in the crime was simple: “Get out of our state now, while you still can.” In past few years, drugs dealers have run rampant on our once quiet, college town. Now, I think half of the dealers in Detroit own a timeshare here.

The governor’s way of attacking this issue is to get rid of the places where illicit activity takes place. He plans to collect money from folks who own abandoned buildings that are not kept up. I’m not sure that is the best way to combat this problem, but I’m also not sure I could come up with a better one.

When speechwriters prepare an address of this magnitude, there’s a formula they go by. That formula is really easy to remember: talk about the economy.

There’s this big party and every state is invited. Most of them are wearing red, but West Virginia’s in black. That’s a big deal. That is something Joe Manchin should be proud of.

Manchin says, like he said last year, the state is still in planning mode – no panic here. As a governor he should be ecstatic about that. If things are bad around the country, at least they are a little bit better in our Wild & Wonderful state.

really reporting public affairs

Our first assignment was to chose a local governmental body to follow through the semester. My choice: the Huntington Weed & Seed Program. Weed & Seed is a community based program funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and ran with joint leadership, members of the community and local law enforcement. Members of the program supposed are to do positive things, like plant flowers and clean up trash, to give folks a sense of pride in their community; the idea is that that will be a deterrence to crime. If you'd like to read more about Weed & Seed across the country, click here.

Throughout the coming months, I will get to know those in charge and attend meetings. A special investigative report will be completed on this program by the end of the semester.

back to school

Welcome to Reporting Public Affairs. My name is Hanna, I'm a senior broadcast journalism student at Marshall University. This blog is an inside look at projects I will complete in JMC414.