The early bird deadline for 
The 2025 Freelance Fellowship Recipients
Nancy Amons of WSMV-Nashville investigated Tennessee’s TennCare (Medicaid) rides program and found that millions of dollars may have been wasted. The investigation found the program assigning patient trips to the most expensive companies, even though that is against its own regulations. “Taxpayers have been overpaying by 40% or more for some trips simply because TennCare…
Read MoreNorberto Santana Jr. and Tony Saavedra of The Orange County Register used data crunching, document digging and old-fashioned gumshoe work to reveal how Orange County bungled its fledgling AIDS program for African-Americans. The investigation found what the county hadn’t bothered to look for when hiring an AIDS service provider. ” Pastor Aubrey Keys, the person…
Read MoreA team or reporters and editors with the Gannett New Jersey newspapers and Gannett News Service examine loopholes in Megan’s Law in a three-part series. The investigation found that New Jersey’s law stands as one of the weakest in the nation in immediately warning residents when an offender moves into their neighborhood. “In New Jersey,…
Read MoreKen Armstrong, Justin Mayo and Steve Miletich of The Seattle Times used court records to show that since 1990, at least 420 civil suits have been sealed in King County, Wa. “These sealed records hold secrets of potential dangers in our medicine cabinets and refrigerators; of molesters in our day-care centers, schools and churches; of…
Read MoreThomas Peele and Jessica Guynn of Contra Costa Times found that despite houses being retrofitted to keep them safe during an earthquake, less than a third of the houses inspected would survive a major earthquake. In an investigation of 35 retrofitted houses, the newspaper found that in 24 of the 35 homes , residents might…
Read MoreMichael J. Sniffen and John Solomon of the Associated Press used court records to show that despite the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of public trials, nearly all records are being kept secret for more than 5,000 defendants who completed their journey through the federal courts over the past three years. The investigation found that most of…
Read MoreThe Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press’ quarterly magazine, The News Media & the Law, reports “more than 450 cases in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., were completely hidden from the public through the use of a hidden docketing system that two federal appeals courts have declared unconstitutional.” The report, written by Reporters…
Read MoreGregg Jones and Doug Swanson of The Dallas Morning News use a fatal 2004 truck accident near Dallas to illustrate many of the problems in the trucking industry. Miroslaw Jozwiak, a Polish immigrant, plowed the commercial truck he was driving into incoming traffic in 2004, killing 10 people, including three children. The investigation found that…
Read MoreMatthew Haggman, Lisa Arthur and Tim Henderson of The Miami Herald analyzed home sales over the past five years and found South Florida has gone through the most explosive housing boom in its history. “The land rush has transformed just about every corner and corridor of the region, sending prices skyward since 2000 — more…
Read MoreGarrett Therolf and Matthew Waite of St. Petersburg Times used Internet records to show that three Pasco commissioners visited numerous Web sites during commission meetings over the past three years. The investigation found personal use of county computers has gotten rank-and-file county employees fired. “Like many other workplaces, the county uses software to track employees…
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