Investigations

Investigative reports from The Sacramento Bee

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Tom Knudson, Environment & Sierra Nevada
tknudson@sacbee.com
530-582-5336

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Charles Piller, Financial Audits & Prisons
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916-321-1113

Phillip Reese, Computer-Assisted Reporting & Databases
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916-321-1137

FEATURED INVESTIGATION:

State senators see broad management problems in Caltrans

By Charles Piller - Updated: Thursday, December 1 2011 - 9:43 pm

In a sometimes contentious legislative hearing Tuesday, state senators told California Department of Transportation officials that their management of data falsification by a technician in one of the agency's testing units suggests pervasive management problems.

OTHER INVESTIGATIONS:

Investigations

Caltrans releases data on problems in bridge testing unit

By Charles Piller - Updated: Thursday, December 1 2011 - 9:43 pm

Caltrans released thousands of pages of new information Monday about data fabrications and other problems in its Foundation Testing Branch, a unit that examines the underground supports for bridges and other freeway structures in California.

Bay Area panel critical of Caltrans amid bridge structure questions

By Charles Piller - Updated: Wednesday, November 30 2011 - 10:30 am

Bay Area transportation commissioners said Wednesday that Caltrans has much to explain about why it failed to notify other officials that a technician who had fabricated test data on several structures also tested the new Bay Bridge.

State panel to review Bay Bridge work

By Charles Piller - Updated: Thursday, December 1 2011 - 9:43 pm

A state oversight committee announced Tuesday that it had requested a formal review of the foundation of the new Bay Bridge tower by the state's Seismic Safety Peer Review Panel.

Legislature to examine Caltrans testing of Bay Bridge

By Charles Piller - Updated: Thursday, December 1 2011 - 9:43 pm

Caltrans fired two employees who were implicated in problems involving the tests of the Bay Bridge and other freeway structures throughout California, as reported in a Bee investigation Sunday.

Questions raised on Bay Bridge structural tests

By Charles Piller - Updated: Thursday, December 1 2011 - 9:43 pm

A Bee investigation has found that the state Department of Transportation technician who conducted key testing to ensure structural integrity of the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge eastern span's foundation was later disciplined for fabricating test results on other projects.

Probes zero in on Caltrans test unit

By Charles Piller - Updated: Thursday, December 1 2011 - 9:43 pm

Federal investigation looks into caltrans officials using state resources and equipment to build a gate.

At least two agencies have been investigating Caltrans' Foundation Testing Branch - whose technician, Duane Wiles, falsified bridge tests - for financial fraud.

Interactive map: Suspect structures thoughout California

By Charles Piller - Published: Saturday, November 12 2011 - 9:00 pm

Caltrans tests the underground steel and concrete supports piles that support bridges and other freeway structures to ensure against construction defects. Use our interactive map to view some of the structures that have suspect test records.

California Assembly reports on lawmakers' spending misled the public

By Jim Sanders - Updated: Saturday, January 7 2012 - 10:47 pm

The Assembly routinely underreports the amount of money used to run legislators' personal offices and overreports the operating costs of committees that do the brunt of the policy work in the house. The practice obscures how the lower house's $146.7 million budget truly is spent at the Capitol and protects legislators from public criticism of their spending.

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