The IRE office will be closed from December 25th to January 5th.
Blog
An investigation by Isaac Wolf, national reporter for Scripps Howard News Service, found that fracking, a widespread method of extracting natural gas by shooting chemical-laced water underground, is a growing threat to water supplies in 28 states, according to scientists, landowners and environmentalists. Plus, Wolf reported, overwhelmed, understaffed state inspectors aren’t keeping up with the exploding number of…
Read MoreIn an ongoing investigation into problems at Parkland Hospital, Brooks Egerston of The Dallas Morning News reports on a botched knee surgery that ultimately led to an amputation. The surgery was performed by a doctor in training. According to a patient safety report by the hospital, these outcomes aren’t uncommon. “‘We harm two patients a…
Read MoreThe Post and Courier (Charleston, S.C.) spent months going through individual case files at the Charleston County Probate Court to learn what was happening to the savings of elderly incapacitated persons. Reporter Doug Pardue discovered a court that was set up to protect vulnerable elderly persons but often helped drain their estates throught court-approved fees…
Read MoreThis month, new American Community Survey data for census tracts will be released. This will be the first detailed demographic data at the neighborhood level from the U.S. Census Bureau since the 2000 “long form.” To help you make sense of the treasure trove of story ideas at the local level, IRE has produced a…
Read MoreIt’s that time of year again – time to consider entering your best work into the IRE Awards. Among the most prestigious in journalism, the IRE Awards recognize outstanding investigative reporting across all media. Eligible entries must have been published or aired between January 1 and December 31, 2010. The postmark deadline for submissions is…
Read MoreIn The Washington Post‘s continuing investigation, The Hidden Life of Guns, reporter Cheryl W. Thompson offers the first comprehensive analysis of how cop-killers got their guns. “Legal purchase was the leading source of weapons used to kill police officers. In 107 slayings, the killers acquired their firearms legally. In 170 deaths, The Post could not…
Read MoreIn a two-part story on North Caroina’s satellite-based monitoring of sex offenders program, the Winston-Salem Journal newspaper found that technological limitations create a system that some say does nothing more than create a false feeling of security. Additionally, legal challenges may reduce the number of offenders who will have to enroll. The Journal built an…
Read MoreA report for CNN by Alex Quade explores the struggles of veterans suffering with combat-related health issues as they try to reintegrate into civilian life following service in Iraq and Afghanistan. “War veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury and their families say military commanders, policy-makers, health care providers, and communities need…
Read MorePolice in Ohio and Indiana have launched new murder investigations after a Scripps Howard News Service investigation revealed dozens of clusters of unsolved killings of women nationwide that are likely the work of serial killers. Also, authorities in Nevada acknowledge they are hunting a serial killer, although the public has not been told that the unsolved murders of up to seven women…
Read MoreBy Doug Haddix, IRE training director Plenty of watchdog stories are waiting to be told in small towns and rural areas across America, says Daniel Gilbert of The Wall Street Journal. “There aren’t enough of us (reporters) in rural areas, so there are lots of opportunities to plow new ground,” he told participants at an…
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