The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "Indiana" ...
-
State Fair Tragedy: The Investigation
This series investigates the collapse of a temporary outdoor stage at the Indiana State Fair that killed seven people and injured more than 40 others. The stage collapsed because of severe weather, with wind gusts of up to 70-miles an hour, WTHR wanted to know why people weren't evacuated before it was too late.
Tags: severe weather; evacuation plan; broadcast
-
Double Standard
The story investigates the alleged unfair treatment of individuals in an Indiana traffic court.
Tags: Beech Grove; traffic court; handicapped parking; parking; ticket
-
Reality Check: Where are the jobs?
As Indiana's unemployment rate soared, WTHR exposed how state leaders inflated official job statistics through a quasi-state agency shrouded in secrecy. Indiana's Economic Development Corporation claimed it had created 100,00 news jobs and billions of dollars in economic development deals for the state. When called upon to back up their numbers, the agency refused to grant detailed job information under the state's Access to Public Records Law.
Tags: employment; government; Economic Development Corporation; unemployment; jobs
-
Utility Ethics Flap
When the top lawyer for Indiana's utility regulatory commission suddenly quit his job to work for the state's largest utility (Duke Energy Corp.), reporters smelled a rat and demanded state records to see if the two organizations had been engaged in improper conversations. The lawyer in question, Scott Storms, had been the chief administrative law judge for the state, ruling on numerous cases involving the utility, notably its new $2.9 billion power plant. What they found was eye-opening. Mr. Storms had been in talks with the utility for many months about a job, even as he was ruling on cases involving the company, and approving huge cost over-runs for a new power plant. The matter was of deep public interest, because the state agency rules on utility rates paid by all state residents and businesses, and it's dealings were compromised by possible undue influence.
Tags: State Finances; Scott Storms; Ethics; Utility; State Records; Duke Energy Corporation
-
"Shut Down & Shipped Out"
This three-day series examines the "trend of factory closings" through Ohio and Michigan starting as far back as 2000. Reporter Joe Vardon found factory closings accounted for more than 20,000 jobs lost throughout Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. Much of the work has been shipped to other states or overseas. Vardon finds these closings to be as much "a cause as they are an effect" in the recession that has ravaged the U.S.
Tags: recession; factories; job loss; unemployment
-
Gun Permit
In the state of Indiana, “no permit is required to possess a gun”. But to carry a gun outside of their homes or businesses, they must be issued a permit by the state police to make it legal. A few problems have arisen from this, which include the state issuing permits over the request of the local police not to and these permits being issued to convicted criminals or those deemed violent.
Tags: Indiana State Police; law enforcement; police department; public; safety; gun control; protection
-
Benefits Denied
This series reveals the “shameful failing of both the state and federal government in living up to its promises to both Indiana’s most vulnerable and it’s most brave”. The story began when a “1.3 billion dollar state welfare contract” was cancelled and “new federal directives were sent to every V.A. office nationwide”. Further, when people were sick and turning to the V.A. for help, their requests were denied.
Tags: Department of Veterans Affairs; medical care; Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA); support; military; soldiers; agencies
-
Freed Without the Possibility of Life
A man, who was wrongly imprisoned, was freed from prison after a DNA test revealed he wasn’t the murderer. Though, he was freed the murder conviction has never been cleared from his record. This makes him unable to get a job and live a normal life. The prosecutor and the court can legally choose to never clear his name because it is not a legal requirement.
Tags: David Scott; sentence; jail; law enforcement; arrest; Vigo County; Indiana State Police; case; evidence
-
Durham insider loans pile up
Tim Durham “is one of Indiana’s highest-profile businesspeople” and appeared to be rising to the top of the super rich. But behind his image, a story of deception and lies is revealed. After an investigation of his company, Fair Finance Co., revealed this deception and he was accused of securities fraud. Also, he was alleged to be using a Ponzi scheme, “using money from new investors to pay off previous purchasers of investment certificates”. Now, Durham and his company face a number of lawsuits.
Tags: financial; finances; economy; Ohio; securities regulators; business; wealth; investors
-
State of Your Money
The investigation reveals a shocking spending habit by Indiana's state government, while Indiana is faced with a statewide budget crisis. Through this investigation, it was found "nearly 1.7 million expenditures in Indiana's general ledger". The examination uncovered the purchasing of many overpriced and pointless items, such as office furniture, luxury trips, and promotional items. Overall, they spent "millions of dollars" on these items in total. As a result, action was taken and a statewide review of spending took place and new policies were underway.
Tags: budget; money; revenue; profit; state; taxpayers; tax dollars; government; expenses