Posts by hdcoadmin
Law enables over-production of Oregon medical marijuana, enabling traffickers to exploit state program
The illicit trafficking of Oregon medical marijuana is widespread and highly lucrative, according to The Oregonian’s analysis of highway stops, police reports and federal and state court records. Exploitation of the 14-year-old program is made possible by lax state oversight and loose rules lead to the production of far more pot than a typical patient needs, the newspaper…
Read MoreInvestigations lax in cheating cases
The next installment in the Journal-Constitution’s coverage of school cheating shows that many states and school districts handle cases of cheating on high-stakes achievement tests in a “haphazard manner.” Delving through 130 cases from school districts in Atlanta, Baltimore, St. Louis and other places where they identified possible cheating, the Journal-Constitution uncovered evidence of “a…
Read MoreSolving a health gap
After a report was released by Spokane’s regional health district, the newspaper mapped life expectancy for each neighborhood in Spokane – showing the differences in well-being among its many neighborhoods: People in the county’s wealthy neighborhoods can expect to live longer than those in the poorer ones, by years and years.
Read MoreUse of interactive timeline shows failed project, lack of city oversight
“The Lansing (Mich.) State Journal spent more than two months gathering and reviewing public records to determine how city leaders in East Lansing handled construction of a downtown mixed-use building, not far from Michigan State University, after a portion of the unfinished building collapsed and it was discovered that the developer had started construction without…
Read MoreLeak detection systems not providing as much protection as the public has been led to believe
Lisa Song, an InsideClimate News reporter, has analyzed a decade worth of federal data that shows that the general public has detected far more oil pipeline spills than leak detection technology.”
Read MoreIRE members winners in Knight News Challenge
Three IRE members were awarded Knight Foundation grants that will create online resources for journalists. The grants are part of six news innovations intended to improve access to information on local communities, air quality, elections, demographics and more that in total received $2.22 million as winners of Knight News Challenge: Data. The Knight Foundation said…
Read MoreData to fact check economic claims
Economic issues have taken center stage during this year’s elections. Candidates for office are trying to tap into voters’ discontent about unemployment, government spending and housing. It’s easy for journalists and the public to get lost when politicians toss out economic statistics to score points. So IRE and the Sunlight Foundation have teamed up to…
Read MoreUsing grade data to show trends in universities
“Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press higher education reporter Brian McVicar used a decade’s worth of electronic grade reports to examine what classes at Grand Valley State University students struggle with the most, what academic areas students perform well in, and how grading at the university has changed over time.” “McVicar, an IRE CAR boot camp alum,…
Read MoreBoy Scout officials often helped cover tracks of alleged child molesters
“Over two decades, the Boy Scouts of America failed to report hundreds of alleged child molesters to police and often hid the allegations from parents and the public.”“A Los Angeles Times review of 1,600 confidential files dating from 1970 to 1991 has found that Scouting officials frequently urged admitted offenders to quietly resign — and helped many…
Read MoreWisconsin forestry tax break program gives taxpayers bill, landowners benefit
There are more than 1 million acres in Wisconsin open to the public through a forestry tax break program. Good news for hunters and hikers … if only they could find it. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Raquel Rutledge found while taxpayers pick up the tab, it can be nearly impossible for anyone other than the landowner to…
Read More