• Stimulus program’s $38 billion spending for transportation projects has only “created or sustained” 1,288 jobs … MORE

Obama pushed to dedicate $38 billion of the plan’s $787 billion funding to capital projects that could be started immediately in the hopes of allaying painfully high unemployment levels in construction and related work.

Even though the pace of job creation is small so far, it is vital, said a construction workers union.

• Federal investigators have already opened 20 criminal probes into misuse of the $750 billion financial bailout program and warn that the total fraud could ultimately reach into the tens of billions of dollars … MORE

Members of Congress and consumer advocates expressed outrage Monday when they heard about the findings of the report.

“It shouldn’t be a big surprise that a huge pot of honey attracts a lot of flies,” said Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, the senior Republican on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which is also examining the program. “I would guess that 20 investigations, while a good start, is only the tip of the iceberg.”

• House of Representatives is not enforcing its earmark transparency reforms; Dozens of congressmen being permitted to keep their earmark requests hidden from the public … MORE

Despite the numerous late entries, the Appropriations Committee is taking a lenient approach.

“We will continue work with offices to bring them into compliance,” said Appropriations Committee spokeswoman Kirstin Brost.

• Corpus Christi plans to spend $3.1 million stimulus grant studying seaweed … MORE

• Department of Homeland Security plans to build a $720 million bioterrorism research facility in Kansas’ Tornado Alley … MORE

Kansas topped the nation in the number of tornadoes for the second year in a row last year, with 187 twisters touching down in the state, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The department’s final environmental impact statement on the bioterrorism center states that a moderate to severe tornado could cause catastrophic consequences, including the destruction of exterior and interior walls – and the release of airborne pathogens that could infect the local cattle populations and cause billions in damage, according to the lawsuit.

The facility would be built to withstand winds of 119 miles per hour, but even a mid-strength F2 tornado can bring wind speeds of 157 miles per hour, according to NOAA. Some even more powerful F3 tornadoes have hit Kansas in recent years.

• Department of Homeland Security is canceling some newspaper and magazine subscriptions to save money … MORE

Spokeswoman Sara Kuban said the agency is expecting the moves to save money but does not know how much.

• $7.5 million in federal stimulus funds to pay to renovate Delaware’s beach boardwalk … MORE

• New York City to spend $15 million of federal stimulus funds to rebuild parts of the Coney Island Boardwalk … MORE

“It’s Christmas in April as far as the Boardwalk is concerned. We didn’t have any of this funding two years ago,” said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “We would take more, but the glass is certainly half full here.”

• $1.2 million federal transportation grant pays to construct a riverfront boardwalk with hardwood decking, Victorian-style metal benches and ornamental lights in Massachusetts … MORE

As a businessman, his big question is whether the boardwalk will see a high enough volume of people to make a profit.

“I might be interested in a lemonade stand, or selling ice cream or slush,” he said. “But there may not be enough foot traffic to support anything.”

• Alabama residents unhappy with plan to spend $250,000 federal grant to replace a privately owned bait and tackle shop with a public park and boat launch … MORE

County officials envision a park, boat launch and fishing pier where Jemison’s stands, all paid for with $250,000 in federal grant money. The plans also call for removing abandoned oyster boats from the property and improving traffic flow.

A further plan would add another boat launch, piers and parking on land south of Jemison’s, near an area known as Heron Bay cutoff. The funding source would be $725,000 in federal Coastal Impact Assistance Program money that compensates states for the effects of offshore drilling.

• Federal government spending $5 million to promote farmers markets in Indiana … MORE

These grants would provide assistance with organizing, marketing, training, business-plan development, community outreach and education to improve direct-market opportunities. Grants have been used in the past for educational workshops for farmers-market managers and vendors. Grants have also been used for advertising the markets.

• Department of Housing and Urban Development spent $750,000 on an industrial park that was never built and $450,000 to pay off loan for a deadbeat developer for a waterfront marina … MORE

The feds say they won’t hammer Newburgh for payments the city made to cover for a deadbeat waterfront developer.

The decision comes from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. In November 2008, inspectors for HUD’s Office of the Inspector General released an audit that said the city squandered $2 million in grants that were supposed to help the poor. The inspectors recommended harsh remedies, such as repaying the money within 90 days from nonfederal sources.

But in its ultimate decision, HUD chose leniency. It also rejected inspectors’ claims a waterfront marina and fallow industrial park were ineligible for the grant program.

The inspectors’ audit had focused on loans for those two projects. For the waterfront marina, the city packaged $1.5 million in federal money and loaned it to developer Thomas Glendening. When he didn’t make the payments, the city covered $450,000 with Community Development Block Grants.