RealClearInvestigations' Picks of the Week
April 9 to April 15 Featured Investigation Bake all the goodies you want in New Jersey and Wisconsin â just donât try to sell âem or the cookie police might get you. Those two states are bucking a recent national trend as most states have relaxed rules regarding small-scale food businesses. James Varney reports for RealClearInvestigations: A decade or two ago, most states had strict food-licensing and safety laws. But then came a great transformation in American gastronomy â reflected in buzzwords like locavore, artisanal and microbrew, and in the growing popularity of farmers markets. That, along with advances in food safety and preparation, led to popular pressure for reform through so-called âcottage food" legislation, which âreduces the barriers to entry for small-scale producers while recognizing the low-risk nature of these products," notes a 2013 report from the Harvard Food and Policy Clinic. As he describes the local politics that stifle home bakers in two states, Varney notes that other forms of state regulation abound: The laws in New Jersey and Wisconsin provide a window into the ways innumerable statutes and regulations passed in the name of protecting âthe peopleâ become obstacles protecting established businesses. These include state licensing boards that impose lengthy and expensive requirements on those who want to cut hair or fingernails; and "certificate of need" laws that give private concerns near veto power over local upstarts. Read Full Article Other Noteworthy Articles and Series U.N. Peacekeepers Use Children for Sex, With Impunity - Associated Press
An investigation of U.N. missions across the world over the past 12 years found nearly 2,000 allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers and other personnel. More than 300 of the allegations involved children, but only a small fraction of the alleged perpetrators ever served jail time. West African Migrants Being 'Sold in Libyan Slave Markets' - The Guardian
Migrants are being bought and sold openly in modern-day slave markets in Libya, the U.N. migration agency says, relying on accounts of some who got away. The country has become a major stopover for African refugees trying to take boats to Europe, and migrants with little cash and no papers have become particularly vulnerable.   Tesla Appears to Mask Safety Recalls With 'Updates' - NewCartographer
Tesla has not issued safety recalls despite numerous reports of its Model S suddenly losing power. Instead, repairs after the potentially dangerous incidents have been described as updates allowing the vehicles to benefit from the latest components. Such responses are well outside the norms of U.S. auto safety reporting, this report says. South Dakota: Hooded, Handcuffed and 'Violated' by Forced Catheterization, Argus Leader
Some police departments across South Dakota force catheterizations on people who refuse to give drug samples. In one case, officers subjected a 3-year-old boy to a similar procedure as part of a child-welfare investigation. It Is Healthier to Remove Your Shoes at Home, Wall Street Journal
It turns out taking your shoes off indoors isnât just good manners in some cultures. Itâs good hygiene, too. Shoes can carry dangerous bacteria called C. diff, which resulted in 29,000 deaths in 2011. In a study, 26.4 percent of shoe soles tested positive for C. diff, about three times the number found on bathroom and kitchen surfaces. Finally, this was a major award week American journalism. Read about the winners of this yearâs Pulitzer Prizes for investigative work and see this yearâs Investigative Reporters & Editors Awards. | 
