Posts by hdcoadmin
ATF uses fake drugs, big bucks to snare suspects
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has locked up more than 1,000 people using controversial sting operations that entice suspects to rob nonexistent drug stash houses. See how the stings work and who they target in this USA Today report.
Read More13 excessive force complaints against Minneapolis police officer involved in Terrence Franklin shooting
His supervisors and fellow officers praise Officer Lucas Peterson as a courageous and exemplary cop. Court records offer a different view — an officer whose aggressive methods frequently cross the line, according to a Star Tribune report. Since he joined the force in 2000, he has been named in at least 13 excessive force complaints…
Read MoreExtra Extra Monday: Payday fees, ATF stings, inpatient bills and unpaid attorneys
The Koch Club | Investigative Reporting WorkshopKoch foundations gave more than $41 million to 89 nonprofits from 2007-2011, part of a wide effort at funding organizations with public policy, education and political interests that align with those of Koch Industries, run by Charles and David Koch. The Investigative Reporting Workshop examined Internal Revenue Service documents…
Read MoreTips for covering the Arizona wildland firefighter deaths
Photo courtesy of the Incident Information System. Editor’s Note: As the Yarnell Hill Fire continues to blaze, mourning begins for the lives of 19 firefighters lost in the battle. Reporters are beginning to dig into why this disaster happened. Nate Carlisle, justice editor at The Salt Lake Tribune, has covered wildfires since 2005 and completed…
Read MoreWisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism to remain at University of Wisconsin-Madison location
Andy Hall, of the Wisconsin CEnter for Investigative Journalism, addresses IRE members at the 2013 Awards Luncheon on June 22 in San Antonio. Photo by Travis Hartman The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Wisconsin State Journal report that Gov. Scott Walker has decided to veto a budget measure that would have forced the nonprofit Wisconsin…
Read MoreInvestigating tax credits, subsidies and incentives
By Zachary Matson Each year local and state governments provide private companies with billions of dollars of tax credits, subsidies and other forms of incentives to mover or open new facilities in their communities. These deals are shrouded behind layers of quasi-public agencies, weak disclosure rules and secretive businesses, but rarely the economic benefits turn…
Read MoreMobile-first journalism and new presentations for enterprise reporting
By Syed Tawseef Ali The web is not a desktop — it is an interweave of phones, tablets, TV’s, laptops and desktops of every shape and size. Accessibility of the content is an important factor. During a panel entiled “Demystifying mobile for investigations” at the recent IRE Conference in San Antonio, experts in web design…
Read MoreNieman Lab hosts Q&A with new INN/IRE Director of Data Services
Nieman Lab held its Monday Q&A with Denise Malan, the new Director of Data Services in a collaboration between IRE and the Investigative News Network. In that role, Malan will focus primarily on obtaining and analyzing data sets that can be used by INN members; the data will also ultimately be archived in IRE’s library. She talked…
Read MoreThe 2013 IRE keynote speech: ‘Don’t abandon us’
Marcela Turati delivers IRE’s keynote address as board members David Cay Johnston and Andrew Donahue look on. Photo by Travis Hartman. As Mexican journalists become war reporters in their own country, Mexican journalist Marcela Turati of Proceso makes a plea to the investigative reporting community. Regions of Mexico are zones of silence. Citizens die every…
Read MoreIRE remembers Kelly Guckian
For many of us in this organization we have two families – our personal one and our IRE family. Today I was heartbroken to hear that we’d lost Kelly Guckian from our IRE family. For those of you who didn’t get the pleasure to meet Kelly, she was kind and sincere. She also loved data,…
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