Posts by hdcoadmin
Investigation prompts postal service policy change
An investigation by CNN’s Abbie Boudreau and Scott Zamost led to a major policy change in how much the U.S. Postal Service will pay for an employee’s home. The investigation also prompted an inspector general’s review that criticized how much the agency spends to relocate employees. CNN revealed how the agency was buying homes costing…
Read MoreIt’s not too late to come to the IRE conference in Baltimore
While early-bird registration has ended, you have not missed your opportunity to attend this great training event. On-site registrations will be accepted beginning Wednesday evening from 4-6 p.m. and will continue Thursday – Saturday during the conference, being held at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, 700 Aliceanna Street. Learn from the best in the business, including…
Read MoreHigher poverty schools get newer teachers
The Statesman Journal recently ran a two-day package that showed how the newest and least experienced teachers in the Salem-Keizer School District work in the highest poverty schools, which was based on a data analysis by the newspaper. Salem-Keizer is the second largest school district in Oregon, with about 40,000 students. Using raw data from…
Read MoreSeries exposes conditions of aging mentally retarded workers
Clark Kauffman of the Des Moines Register follows up on the newspaper’s initial, exclusive stories about mentally retarded processing plant workers who spent 40 years living in an aging Iowa bunkhouse run by a Texas labor broker. The latest installment, “The Last Bunkhouse,” focuses on a licensed care facility on a rural Texas farm where…
Read MoreTraining, IRS 990s pay off in Santa Fe
Building on IRE custom training, reporter Craig Smith of the Santa Fe New Mexican produced a two-part look at the financial challenges of arts organizations. The first installment gave an overview of the financial picture, while the second story examined salaries and funding for arts organizations. The second piece included a full listing of more…
Read MoreBoard elections, amendment at Baltimore conference
At the 2009 IRE Conference in Baltimore, IRE members will be electing six board members. (See the candidate list.) They also will vote on a proposed amendment to the organization’s Articles of Incorporation to lift the restriction on the number of academic members who can serve on the board. Currently only one member of the…
Read MoreInspiration Network draws scrutiny
The Charlotte Observer published a two-part investigation into the Inspiration Network, which has become one of the world’s fastest growing religious broadcasters largely by repeating this on-air pitch: God brings financial favor to those who donate to the network. Those contributions have turned the network’s CEO into one of the nation’s best-paid non-profit leaders, with…
Read More“CAR Day” has something for everyone
We’ve received lots of questions about whether the optional Computer-Assisted Reporting day at the Baltimore conference June 11-14 is suitable for people new to CAR. The answer is “Yes.” The day will serve as a good introduction to the tools and tricks of analyzing electronic information. In addition, hands-on classes Friday through Saturday will give…
Read MoreQuick tips from the training blog
Check out the IRE on the Road blog for several new postings, including: Tips on making the most of the computer-assisted reporting day on June 11 during the IRE conference in Baltimore. Advice from reporter Ron Campbell of The Orange County Register on digging deeper on covering businesses and their key leaders. A strategy for…
Read MoreBudget cuts reconfigure Database Library staff
IRE training director Jaimi Dowdell and NICAR academic adviser David Herzog have assumed responsibilities for the IRE and NICAR Database Library. Like many companies and nonprofits, IRE has seen a drop in revenue this year. As a result, we were forced to cut expenses. As part of that reduction, we eliminated funding for the Database…
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