Posts by hdcoadmin
Oregon State fights media adviser’s request for records
Oregon State University student media adviser Kate Willson thought she was just doing her job when she filed a public records request with the university. Now she’s worried it could get her fired. OSU’s chief spokesman says Willson’s job is safe and the university was not trying to muzzle her. But he also says Willson…
Read MoreIRE Holiday Closing
In celebration of the coming holidays, the IRE and NICAR offices will be CLOSED Friday 12/20 through Wednesday 1/1/14 . While staff will be checking in periodically, coverage will be minimal and sporadic. We ask for your patience and understanding during this time and offer our apology for any inconvenience this may cause.
Read MoreWhen the right to bear includes the mentally ill
A New York Times investigation highlights a central, unresolved issue in the debate over balancing public safety and the Second Amendment right to bear arms: just how powerless law enforcement can be when it comes to keeping firearms out of the hands of people who are mentally ill. A vast majority of people with mental…
Read MoreHow fraud flourishes in Medicare’s drug plan
Medicare’s massive drug program has a process so convoluted and poorly managed that fraud flourishes, giving rise to elaborate schemes that quickly siphon away millions of dollars. Among the findings of an ongoing investigation by ProPublica and NPR: ProPublica identified scores of doctors whose prescribing in Medicare’s drug program bore the hallmarks of fraud…
Read MoreInvestigation reveals role of amateurs in China’s military buildup
The latest entry in Reuters’ “Breakout” series focused on China’s military buildup reveals that the US government has more than 350 active military-technology smuggling cases linked to China, up by more than 50 percent since 2010. The report details how China is recruiting amateurs to buy weapons and significantly complicates U.S. efforts to stop the…
Read MoreMRSA infections worse than stats suggest
“A USA TODAY examination finds that MRSA infections, particularly outside of health care facilities, are much more common than government statistics suggest. They sicken hundreds of thousands of Americans each year in various ways, from minor skin boils to deadly pneumonia, claiming upward of 20,000 lives. The inability to detect or track cases is confounding…
Read MoreSign up now for “Investigating Washington” Watchdog Workshop in D.C. in January
IRE is joining forces with The National Press Club to bring you a special Watchdog Workshop: Investigating Washington. A stellar lineup of speakers will tackle a series of topics that will help you prepare for many of the key issues of 2014. Highlights include a national security session with James Bamford, Michael Isikoff and Josh…
Read MoreA fight for newborn screening data across the country
By Ellen Gabler Since June, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has been fighting for important data that affects babies born in every state and the District of Columbia. Data we’ve received so far was the backbone to this investigation into delays in the nation’s newborn screening programs and other related stories. But about two dozen states…
Read MoreRecords: DHHS downplayed food stamp issues
A WRAL News review of thousands of pages of emails and other public records shows that for more than a month starting July 15, counties across the state of North Carolina struggled with a buggy, sluggish system that frequently froze up and prevented workers from keying in cases. By the time the NC FAST team…
Read MoreSupport IRE — Your donation can double its value
Dear Friends and Members of IRE:This has been a remarkable year for IRE. Our two annual conferences were among the largest we’ve held, our trainers worked with journalists in 23 states and in Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe, and membership is at its highest point in many years.Our reach has grown,…
Read More