The early bird deadline for 
The 2025 Freelance Fellowship Recipients
A seven-month investigation by Jason Grotto of The Miami Herald reveals how a Boston developer, Dennis Stackhouse, collected millions of dollars for a biotech park. He promised to create thousands of jobs in one of Miami-Dade’s neediest neighborhood, but nothing was ever built. Part two of the series shows how Stackhouse received support for the…
Read MoreMary Shedden of The Tampa Tribune reports on the continuing problem of lead turning up in children’s toys produced outside the U.S. Using independent testing, her investigation turned up toxic levels of lead in one out of three pieces of costume jewelry or trinkets purchased from area stores. In some cases, items subject to recalls…
Read MoreA year-long investigation by Myron Levin and Alan C. Miller of the Los Angeles Times reveals that practices of U-Haul International, the nation’s largest provider of rental trailers, are compromising safety on the road. The three-part series explores how U-Haul policies increase likelihood of accidents; spotty maintenance practices; and how, when sued, U-Haul has a…
Read MoreIn a time of rising gas prices, Eric Morath of The Detroit News brings some good news: increased inspections have reduced likelihood of consumers being cheated at the pump. In 2006, there were more inspections of Michigan pumps than the previous three years combined, leading to detection of 1,358 faulty meters and $250,000 in fines.
Read MoreAn aged maritime fleet located in Suisun Bay off the coast of California is an environmental threat according to an investigation by Thomas Peele of the Contra Costa Times. Over 21 tons of toxic metals have shed off the decaying ships into the water creating a significant environmental risk, significantly greater than Maritime Administration office…
Read MoreThrough analysis of IRS data from 1999-2000 and 2004-05, St. Petersburg Times reporters James Thorner and Dana Oppenheim looked at the huge migration of people and income to Florida from other states in the first half of the decade, mapping the myriad locations from which people arrived. The analysis found that surprisingly, hot spots for…
Read MoreIn their continuing coverage of the issues surrounding Walter Reed, The Washington Post‘s most recent installment deals with soldiers who are returning home with mental health issues – namely Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – only to be met with an inadequate mental health system.
Read MoreAn investigation by the Gilroy (Calif.) Dispatch led to the arrest of a father and son who operated a tow truck company. The two had filed more than 2,000 small claims lawsuits against people from all over California and were arrested last week for allegedly abusing the small claims court system. Previous Dispatch investigations revealed…
Read MoreThe Dallas Morning News worked with a Canadian professor and found that test scores of more than 50,000 students over two years show evidence of cheating. Joshua Benton and Holly K. Hacker report that their in-depth data analysis contradicts claims by the Texas Education Agency which said cheating was “extraordinarily rare and that the agency…
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