Posts by Alena Rehberger
Broome County employees told campaign support for County Executive Debbie Preston was mandatory
When Broome County Executive Debbie Preston ran for re-election in 2012, about a dozen of her appointed county employees got a mandatory email assignment. Employees were told in the note from Deputy Broome County Executive Bijoy Datta that they were required to participate in political activities to help get Preston elected, according to email messages…
Read MoreFBI still investigating Jimmy Haslam, Pilot Flying J
A year after the raids, the investigation at Pilot Flying J is far from over, as federal authorities continue to examine the company in the methodical, painstaking approach that is typical of how the U.S. Justice Department handles complex, white-collar crime cases.
Read MoreMemphis Police Department inconsistent with rape kit testing
Newly released Memphis police records show detectives secured DNA testing within weeks of the 2003 home-invasion rape of a girl, then 12, now suing the city over its massive backlog of untested rape kits. In a story last month exploring early missed opportunities to stop serial rapist Anthony Alliano, The Commercial Appeal reported 12-year-old Madison…
Read MoreLoving county tickets and criminal cases changed to lesser charges in turn for bigger fines
A CBS 7 investigation into how speeding tickets for CDL drivers are handled in Loving County has uncovered even bigger problems. CBS 7 was first to report Thursday that the county judge and county legal advisor have been writing off speeding tickets as parking violations. However, we found more than just speeding tickets are being…
Read MoreWelcome to IRE Radio, our new audio blog
If you’ve been spending time on our site recently, you’ve likely noticed something new – audio. For the last three months we’ve been working with a team of Mizzou journalism students to highlight and share our extensive library of audio recordings. On IRE Radio you’ll find a collection of short audio clips pulled from our…
Read MoreInside the IRE Awards: Secrecy for Sale
This week on IRE Radio we’ll be taking you inside the 2013 IRE Awards with audio from some of the reporters, editors and producers who worked on prize-winning stories. View the complete list of winners here. Secrecy for Sale The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) “Secrecy For Sale: Inside The Global Offshore Money Maze” is one…
Read MoreAudit shows Miss. rural water association plagued by financial problems
An audit of the North Lee County Water Association in Mississippi turned up widespread financial management problems, including violations of several state and federal laws, the Daily Journal (Tupelo, MS) reports. The audit, which is likely “the most rigorous examination ever” of the nonprofit cooperative’s financial records, comes on the heels of a $1.2 million loan from…
Read More8 news organizations chosen for Total Newsroom Training
Total Newsroom Training provides intense, in-house training for small and medium-sized newsrooms dedicated to watchdog journalism. This is the second year IRE has offered the free program. More than 80 applications were submitted. Training is customized and includes two days of sessions ranging from public records battles to hands-on data analysis. “We had a large number of…
Read MoreInside the IRE Awards: The Prescribers
This week on IRE Radio we’ll be taking you inside the 2013 IRE Awards with audio from some of the reporters, editors and producers who worked on prize-winning stories. View the complete list of winners here. The Prescribers ProPublica reporters Charles Ornstein, Tracy Weber, Jennifer LaFleur and others were able to get Medicare Part D data released…
Read MoreFelons, fugitives bought guns amid backlog
More than 300 people banned from owning guns were able to buy them last year because the state police were overwhelmed with background check requests, police said Wednesday. People with histories of mental illness or convictions for violent misdemeanors, felons and fugitives were able to obtain and keep guns for three months or longer before…
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