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 "beaches" ...
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Judge Me
The story summarizes the attempt by Elroy Phillips to prove he's in prison for a crime several legal experts say he did not commit. Phillips was arrested by the West Palm Beach police in 2001 for allegedly selling $50 worth of crack to an undercover cop, Phillips has spent the years since his arrest collecting evidence. Phillip's legal work appears to show that cops fabricated the evidence against him.
Tags: Elroy Phillips; West Palm Beach Police; Judge; Court
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Sex offender, other felons ran camps for homeless kids
This investigation "found that Palm Beach County officials paid a convicted child molester, drug dealers, thieves and other people with criminal records nearly half a million dollars in public money to run summer camps for homeless, foster and impoverished children during the past three years."
Tags: child safety; sex offender; criminal records; child care; criminal background; camp; child welfare
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Disorderly Conduct
The investigation documented the unreported abuses at Miami Beach Police Department including officers shoplifting, sleeping on duty, and harassing gay men.
Tags: police; police officer; abuse; Miami; off-duty
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Puppy Pipeline
The Post tracked a puppy mill pipeline stretching from the Ozarks to South Florida, one that brought thousands of sometimes-sick puppies from mass-operations to local pet stores. At least 2,500 puppies were delivered to Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties from out-of-states breeders in an 11-month period. Roughly one in three of those came from breeders or distributors cited for problems by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees wholesale dog breeding. Citations varied from keeping animals in too-small and rusting cages with exposed nails or wires, to caked feces, to infestations of roaches and other insects that covered the walls and ceilings of kennels. In dozens of cases, kennel owners averted USDA inspection entirely.
Tags: puppy mill; puppies; USDA; dog breeder; breeding; Department of Agriculture; animal mistreatment
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"Fighting New Jersey's Tax Crush"
The Abury Park Press takes an in-depth look at the tax system in New Jersey. Based on empirical evidence, reporters found New Jersey's system to have the highest costs in the nation due to property taxes being based on the "what the town says" is the worth of your house. Low- and middle-income homes are paying more than the wealthy, and many businesses are being forced to close or move out of the state due to tax increases.
Tags: Chris Christie; Ortley Beach; Ocean County Board of Taxation; Monmouth County; Lacey Tax Collector; Keyport; Chris Daggett; Jon S. Corzine; New Jersey State League of Municipalities
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"At Top Subprime Mortgage Lender, Policies Were Invitation to Fraud
Amid a nationwide lending crisis, reporters found policies at Long Beach Mortgage "encouraged rampant fraud." Company policies made it easy for employees to submit "fake documents" and override "bad loans." Loan reviewers were often bribed with money or expensive items to approve bad loans.
Tags: Long Beach Mortgage; investment; banking; lending; Wall Street
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Cuts Put Strain on Park Police
The number of full-time police officers at New York State Parks has decreased the past five years, along with increases in more "serious" offenses. Several areas have minimal or no police coverage, and some officers are working extended shifts as a result.
Tags: cops; beach patrol; park and recreation; overtime; Long Island; Bethpage; Caumsett; Hempstead; Belmont Lake;
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Retiree' benefits under fire; Car perks add up for taxpayers; Were city workers' nest eggs too generous?
The series examined lash perks of government workers in Broward and Palm Beach counties. The stories found that even as local governments cried poverty because of state-mandated tax cuts, they continued to heap generous benefits to public employees - even if it meant imposing tax hikes down the road.
Tags: benefits; city workers; taxes; pension; municipalities; retiree
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Palm Beach County's Culture of Corruption
"Dubocq uncovered a series of complicated real estate transactions that secretly benefited two Palm Beach County commissioners. The commissioners voted on matters that enhanced the deals without disclosing their private interests." The reporters filed more than four dozen state FOIA requests to tell this story.
Tags: state government; county government; FOIA; real estate; development
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Baker Resigns
"The series documents the fall of a once-promising local politician, Long Beach City Councilman Dan Baker, who chose to end his career after the Press-Telegram reported that he had entered into a $7.5 million investment deal with the head of the city's police union."
Tags: real estate; conflict of interest; partnership; Steve James; Ray Grabinski