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 "WEWS" ...
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"Final Justice
For seven years, the WEWS-TV Investigative Unit researched and reported the case of a Cleveland man, Darrell Houston, who was serving "33 years to life" in prison. By uncovering new witnesses and interviewing past jurors, the investigation by WEWS eventually led to a new trial, the release of Houston and the exoneration of his "murder and robbery charges."
Tags: Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court; Nancy Fuerst; judge; Ohio Court of Appeals; Cleveland Police Department; Nancy Margaret Russo; jury; court
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What's on the Menu?
Eight stations in the E.W. Scripps Television station Group worked together to investigate claims by national restaurant chains about low-fat and low-calorie menu items. The group specifically gathered menus from restaurants who listed the fat and/or calorie content directly on their menus, and decided to have the food tested at Analytical Laboratories, Inc. in Boise, Idaho. They created an excel spreadsheet and assigned each station three foods listed on various low-fat/low-calorie menus on the same way. The stations each packed their food the exact same way and videotaped this procedure to verify protocol. The packages were then sent overnight to Analytical Laboratories, Inc. for testing. The test results showed that out of the 23 items tested, 78% were over the fat limit and almost 69% were over the calorie limit listed on the package. A producer from KNXV-TV then contacted all the restaurants involved in the test and asked for a response. No company would go on camera for the story, though the company that owns Chili's and Macaroni Grill apologized and said they would work to reinforce the menu standards.
Tags: food; nutrition; low-fat; low-calorie; Ohio; false advertising
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Final Justice
For five years, the investigative team from WEWS reviewed trial testimonies, interviewed witnesses and jurors and uncovered police records obtained through the Ohio Open Records Act in order to prove that Darrell Houston, serving time in prison for murder, was innocent. Their two part report found sufficient evidence for a new trial.
Tags: innocent; trial testimonies; police records; time in prison; suspect; convicted; justice
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Feed 5: Best of Show and Tell
1) Jennifer Kraus (WTVF-Nashville) This story exposes problems at the Nashville office of international charity "Feed the Children." In a four-month investigation, WTVF-TV's undercover cameras caught the charity's staff loading up their personal cars with donated items and taking the items home. 2) Deborah Sherman (WFXT - Boston) Costa Rican trips for child sex. Actually spoke with girls who used to get paid by American tourists for sex. Focuses on one area man charged with this crime. 3) Anna Werner, David Raziq (KHOU-Houston) KHOU-TV reports that "You're in physical pain. You need help. So you go to your doctor expecting needed relief and comfort. But what if in the process of treating you, you realize this healer's touch has become 'sexual?' That's what dozens of Houston women claimed happened to them when they were referred to a local health professional, a professional they claimed used their trust to molest and even rape them. His name is Shin Higashiura and he claimed to be a Master of Shiatsu, also known as acupressure, a Japanese massage therapy that promises health benefits...." 4) Jilda Unruh (WCCO-Minneapolis) An investigation reveals that automatic door sensors can't detect certain colors. The doors often close on elderly people, causing them harm. 5) Tom Merriman/Jeff Harris (WEWS-Cleveland) The story investigates how state-trained lifeguards perform on state beaches as compared to privately trained lifeguards on private beaches. Follows both teams though a simulation. The state team fails horribly and never recovers the dummy planted for them to rescue. 6) Jim Schaefer; Shellee Smith (WXYZ-Detroit) WXYZ-TV discovered that the leaders of Highland Park, a poor city surrounded by Detroit, had virtually ignored a major problem in the 911 emergency response system while continuing to enjoy the relatively expensive perks of their jobs. While claiming there was no money in the budget to fix the problem, the mayor leased a brand-new Lincoln with city cash. Undercover video found citizens at risk, fire fighters in danger and no one helping. 7) Drew Griffin (KCBS-Los Angeles) "The Real ConAir" Investigation reveals department of corrections transporting convicts on commercial flights. Passengers are not told who's sitting beside them. Planes are forced to land because of disturbances during the flight. A girl is sexually assaulted by one of these convicts. 8) Robb Leer; Maria Tomasch (KSTP-Minneapolis) Inmates can change their names on the taxpayer's dime. 9) Jeremy Rogalski; Bill Dutton; Gerry Lanosga; Kathleen Johnston (WTHR-Indianapolis) WTHR-TV reports that "a source mentioned to us that numerous DUI cases were being dismissed because police witnesses fail to appear in court... After we crunched a slice of our county's criminal justice data ... We found thousands of DUI cases - nearly one in ten - thrown out because cops didn't show..." 10) Wes Williams; C.J. Ward (KPNX-Phoenix) Security guards with criminal records have a "License to Steal." 11) Tony Kovaleski; Matt Goldberg (KPRC-Houston) Ninety-eight guns were discovered in schools in 10 of Houston's largest school districts -- that works out to 5,864 students per gun. 12) Phil Williams; Chris Clark (WTVF-Nashville) WTVF-TV's investigation into the backgrounds of school teachers found more than three dozen convicted felons working in Metro Nashville-Davidson County schools. 13) Chris Halsne; Kim Albro; Dave Weed (KWTV-Oklahoma City) Voters handed Oklahoma City Schools a 93 million dollar bond in 1993 to improve schools. The money is now gone, but many projects remain unfinished. KWTV-TV's investigation found millions of dollars in waste, fraud and mismanagement. 14) Laure Quinlivan; Jeff Keene; Ken Fulk; Mark Shafer; Scott Diener; Stuart Zanger (WCPO-Cincinnati) WCPO-TV's investigation "... to monitor County officials as they began spending nearly a billion dollars of taxpayer money... earmarked to build two, new sports stadiums for our city's professional sports teams, the Bengals and Red. As (the) investigation enters its third year, work on the first stadium is two-thirds complete and ground will soon break on the second. Already, our investigation has revealed broken promises, manipulation of numbers in official reports, political cronyism in contract awards, creation of 'pass-through' companies and other questionable and possibly illegal activities...." 15) Jim Barry; John Campbell; Sam Zeff; Jennifer Snell; Denise Haley; Brad Naw (WTXF-Philadelphia) After transit union strike crippled Philadelphia's bus and subway service for forty days, WTXF-TV investigated the region's transportation agency - Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. SEPTA is one of the largest and most expensive transit systems in the county. This investigation exposed a widespread culture of laziness and dishonest work habits that was allowing hundreds of buses with potentially dangerous problems out onto the street each day. 16)Darcy Spears; Kim Kruger (KVBC-Las Vegas) "Taken for a Ride". Taxi drivers getting kickbacks for taking clients to certain bars/stripclubs.
Tags: TAPE; Investigative reporting; computer-assisted reporting; IRE; FOI; CAR; no transcripts
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1999 IRE National Conference Show and Tell Tape #5
1999 IRE National Conference (Kansas City) Show and Tell Tape #5 is the fifth in a nine-part series. This tape includes: 1.)Tom Merriman/Jeff Harris (WEWS-Cleveland) Lifeguards - Body Recovery or Rescue. The story investigates how state-trained lifeguards perform on state beaches as compared to privately trained lifeguards on private beaches. Follows both teams though a simulation. The state team fails horribly and never recovers the dummy planted for them to rescue. 2.) ? - (WCPO-Cincinnati) "Police Macing"
Tags: TAPE; Kansas City; conference; no transcripts; IRE
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IRE Feed 4 "Investigate This"
A compilation of 17 stories, including: 1.) "Deadly Detectors" WFXT, Boston, tested smoke detectors against the clock. 2.) "Burning Secret" WSMV, Nashville, State troopers were temporarily blinded and burned with pepper spray to feel it's effects, but without knowing the deadly and unhealthy hazards of the spray. 3.) "Take the Money and Run" News 12 Long Island, Election candidates betting campaign money. 4.) "Steroids For Sale" KPRC, Houston, Steroids illegally prescribed and Houston Police as customers. 5.) "Behind the Badge" WTHR, Indianapolis, Convicted criminal Police Officers. 6.) "Daycare Criminal Checks" KTVK, Dallas 7.) "Candy man" KOMO, Seattle, Teacher uses minors for door-to-door candy sales, usually in violation of child labor laws. 8.) "Illegal School Vans" WEWS, Cleveland, Schools transporting children in unsafe and illegal vans instead of buses. 9.) "High Crimes, High School" WITI, Milwaukee 10.) "Life After Death Row" WRAL, Raleigh 11.) "Foul Air" WWOR, New York, Carbon monoxide poisoning in indoor ice rinks. 12.) "Hard Bounces" KTVK, Dallas, "Banks that practice check ordering, or cashing larger checks first, equaling more profits for banks and more fines for customers. 13.) "Investigating the IRS" KTVK, Dallas 14.) "Fake Degrees" WFXT, Boston, Fake universities giving fake degrees. 15.) "Who is Mr. Wright?" KOMO, Seattle, An illegit doctor with fake credentials. 16.) "Medical Secrets" News 12 Long Island, A woman with terminal breast cancer, a doctor who failed to diagnose it, and a hospital that protected the doctors and punished the whistle blowers 17.) "Military Secrets" WRAL, Raleigh, Military doctors without medical licenses.
Tags: TAPE; WFXT; WSMV; KPRC; WTHR; KTVK; KOMO; WEWS; WITI; WRAL; WWOR; News 12 Long Island
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Beachfront Bodyguards
After nine drownings at Cleveland Lakefront State Park in three years, WEWS-TV decided to investigate. They concluded that state officials had abandoned any effort to build a legitimate lifesaving operation at the park.
Tags: TAPE; Lifeguards; Public safety
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No title (id: 9675)
WEWS TV-5 (Cleveland, Ohio) reports that the Housing Authority Police left hundreds of confidential files about crime victims and officers in an abandoned building, Nov 17, 1993.
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No title (id: 9651)
WEWS TV-5 (Cleveland, Ohio) follows the activities of a "dad-beat dad" who avoided paying child support by moving frequently, May 15, 1993.
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No title (id: 9650)
WEWS TV-5 (Cleveland, Ohio) reveals how easy it is for anyone to buy police uniforms and badges at a police supply house; story caused the city council to pass a law against such sales, Feb. 10 - 11, 1993.