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David Cay Johnston, author and journalist, and Leonard Downie Jr. of The Washington Post won seats on the IRE Board of Directors at the 2009 IRE Conference in Baltimore. (See voting results online) Four incumbent candidates were re-elected to the 13-member board: Lise Olsen of The Houston Chronicle, Cheryl Phillips of The Seattle Times, broadcast…
Read MoreA group of journalists representing investigative reporting organizations throughout the nation gathered this week to take the first steps toward forming a non-profit investigative news network. Representatives from the Center for Public Integrity, the Center for Investigative Reporting, IRE, the Investigative Reporting Workshop, several newly formed regional investigative centers and other groups met at the…
Read MoreBy Julia Luscher Thompson Tallahassee(Fla.) Democrat When 23-year-old confidential informant Rachel Hoffman was murdered in a botched drug sting, her story begged to be told, especially to young readers. But young people aren’t reading the daily Tallahassee Democrat as often as they once did, so we had to find a way to bring the story…
Read MoreThe following members received George Polk Awards: David Barstow of The New York Times for “Message Machine”; Richard Behar for “China Storms Africa” in Fast Company; Adam Davidson of National Public Radio and Alex Blumberg of “This American Life” for “The Giant Pool of Money”; M.L. Elrick and Jim Schaefer of the Detroit Free Press…
Read MoreA Los Angeles Times analysis of fire inspection reports “show that personnel from the department’s Bureau of Fire Prevention and Public Safety have been falling behind in their efforts to flag hazards such as inoperable sprinkler systems, illegally stored hazardous materials and broken or missing fire extinguishers. In some parts of the city, inspectors were…
Read MoreJoin IRE and NICAR in Phoenix for the 2010 Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference. The annual event, which offers hands-on training, panels on the latest trends and insight into cutting-edge developments, will be hosted by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University from March 11-14. The 2010 CAR Conference will give…
Read MoreIn this free-read article from Uplink, Gavin Off of the Tulsa World shows how he used local school crime report data to uncover a rise in incidents at local elementary schools. The article provides useful tips for journalists who’d like to cover school crime in their own areas.
Read MoreThe San Diego Union-Tribune found that “San Diego’s payroll ballooned by $41 million last year, fueled by unpublicized payouts, labor settlements and costly benefits.” Analysis of spending data “helps put into perspective the $43 million in wage and benefit reductions that will take effect July 1 to address a budget gap. [Mayor Jerry] Sanders portrays…
Read MoreBy Gavin Off, Tulsa World I drive by an elementary school on my way to work every day. More than once there’s been a police cruiser idling in the school’s parking lot with lights flashing and the officer standing nearby. Although those incidents never involved a major crime, on several occasions this year the Tulsa…
Read MoreIn its on-going watchdog series “Clout Goes To College,” the Chicago Tribune reveals a “jobs-for-entry scheme” at the University of Illinois’ law school. Internal emails “show for the first time efforts to seek favors — in this case, jobs — for admissions, the most troubling evidence yet of how Illinois’ entrenched system of patronage crept…
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