The early bird deadline for 
Posts by Alena Rehberger
News organizations file lawsuits against Missouri for failing to release execution drug records
Missouri’s failure to release records regarding the drugs it uses in executions keeps the public from providing oversight of the death penalty. That’s what the Associated Press and four other news organizations are arguing in a suit filed Thursday against the state. Another suit filed the same day by a reporter for St. Louis Public…
Read MoreJenna Susko: Why you should go to the IRE Conference
There’s still time to register for the IRE Conference in San Francisco. But if you’re still on the fence, we hope this will help. We asked some of our members to tell us why they think you should go to IRE14. Share you 140-character pitch with us on Twitter and we’ll publish our favorite responses. Tweet to @IRE_NICAR…
Read MoreJeff Kelly Lowenstein: Why you should go to the IRE Conference
There’s still time to register for the IRE Conference in San Francisco. But if you’re still on the fence, we hope this will help. We asked some of our members to tell us why they think you should go to IRE14. Share you 140-character pitch with us on Twitter and we’ll publish our favorite responses. Tweet…
Read MoreRepeat drunk drivers still able to get plea deals
Eleven years of data analyzed by the Columbus Dispatch showed that those charged multiple times with operating a vehicle while impaired were able to get their charges reduced through a plea deal almost as often as those who had no recent drunk driving charges. Some say repeat offenders know how to beat the system. Drivers can…
Read MoreStudents without legal representation jailed in Knox County, Tenn.
In Knox County, Tennessee some students are ending up in jail even though they haven’t committed any crimes. Federal and state laws are supposed to keep juveniles who have committed status offenses – like truancy or running away – out of jail. An investigation by the Center for Public Integrity has found evidence that Knox…
Read MoreHow to investigate subsidized tutoring
Florida’s mandated tutoring program used taxpayer dollars to hire firms run by criminals, cheaters and profiteers. Last year Tampa Bay Times reporter Michael LaForgia used invoice records, complaint reports, audits and interviews to report on the industry, which goes virtually unchecked by state regulators. In this series of clips LaForgia walks through how to investigate…
Read MoreIRE Preview: Improve your data skills with our hands-on classes
Erica Proffer, KRGV-TV, listens during a hands-on class at the 2013 IRE Conference. Get skills to help you dig into your next story with hands-on classes at IRE in San Francisco. If you’re looking to get your feet wet with spreadsheets or level up to mapping, we’ve got you covered. You’ll find classes at the…
Read MoreIRE announces winners of Freelance Fellowship competition
Projects investigating segregation, health care and cold cases have been awarded IRE Freelance Fellowships this year. Winners of the 2014 competition are: Maya Dukmasova, for her work on segregation and public housing in Chicago. Arthur Kane, for his work investigating the Affordable Care Act as well as marijuana legalization in Colorado. Lee van der…
Read MoreThe cost of not caring: Inside a mental health system drowning from neglect
States have been reducing hospital beds for decades, because of insurance pressures as well as a desire to provide more care outside institutions, USA TODAY reports. Tight budgets during the recession forced some of the most devastating cuts in recent memory, says Robert Glover, executive director of the National Association of State Mental Health Program…
Read MoreDrunk behind the wheel again: For one man, 12 DUI arrests
“Despite a series of laws over the years that criminalized drunken driving for repeat offenders and made prison time mandatory, James R. Fisher has been arrested 12 times for driving under the influence since 1991,” The Wilmington News Journal reported. “The 55-year-old’s latest arrest, number 12, came in March, about a year after his release…
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