The early bird deadline for 
The 2025 Freelance Fellowship Recipients
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 MoreIn 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 MoreA 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 MoreMedicare’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 MoreThe 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 More“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 MoreJoin IRE in San Francisco, June 26-29 for the annual IRE Conference. More details on the conference will be posted as items are finalized.
Read MoreGain the skills you need to become an essential part of today’s newsroom at the 2014 Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference in Baltimore Feb. 27-March 2. Whether you’re looking for story ideas, advice on digital security or you just want to geek out with the latest tools, we’ve got something for everyone at all skill levels. Check…
Read MoreIRE 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 MoreBy 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…
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