The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "Jim Shannon" ...
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What's on the Menu?
Eight stations in the E.W. Scripps Television station Group worked together to investigate claims by national restaurant chains about low-fat and low-calorie menu items. The group specifically gathered menus from restaurants who listed the fat and/or calorie content directly on their menus, and decided to have the food tested at Analytical Laboratories, Inc. in Boise, Idaho. They created an excel spreadsheet and assigned each station three foods listed on various low-fat/low-calorie menus on the same way. The stations each packed their food the exact same way and videotaped this procedure to verify protocol. The packages were then sent overnight to Analytical Laboratories, Inc. for testing. The test results showed that out of the 23 items tested, 78% were over the fat limit and almost 69% were over the calorie limit listed on the package. A producer from KNXV-TV then contacted all the restaurants involved in the test and asked for a response. No company would go on camera for the story, though the company that owns Chili's and Macaroni Grill apologized and said they would work to reinforce the menu standards.
Tags: food; nutrition; low-fat; low-calorie; Ohio; false advertising
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Bogus Billing: Primetime Special
WPTV "uncovered 100 million dollars in Medicare fraud and met dozens of senior citizens who were in jeopardy of losing their health care benefits."
Tags: health; health care; Medicare; fraud; senior citizens; benefits; public forum; Ellen Griffith Cohen; Department of Health and Human Services; registration; equipment
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Secret Sex Offenders
Due to a series of loopholes in laws in several states, some convicted sex offenders are literally "slipping through the cracks," and avoiding being required to register as sex offenders. WPTV-TV first began to investigate the case of children's book author Ronald Eugene Schaaf, a convicted child sex offender living in Florida. From there, the station found that "thousands of sex offenders are living among us - anonymously." In the wake of the investigation, the state admitted mistakes, and Schaaf was forced to register as a sex offender, his publisher dropped him, and Florida State Senator Dave Aronberg introduced legislation to close the state's loopholes.
Tags: Sex offenders; state law loopholes; sex offender registration; unregistered sex offenders; Florida State Senator Dave Aronberg
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Amtrak security
This WPTV investigation shows security lapses at Amtrak. Passengers are allowed to board trains without showing identification. Unidentified luggage is brought aboard. General Accountability Office records added depth to the story while the undercover news team observed lapses first-hand.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; Amtrak; railroad security; terrorism; GAO; Department of Homeland Security
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Up In Flames
Following the disastrous nightclub fire in Warwick, Rhode Island, CBS examines the causes that led to the tragedy. In this story, the question the national fire safety codes that waives the requirement of sprinklers for facilities with fewer than 300 patrons. As part of this investigation, the story also shows how a similar nightclub fire just weeks before the one in Rhode Island, had been contained by a sprinkler system with no loss of life.
Tags: Miami Beach Fire; Jim Shannon; National Fire Protection Association; Jack Chartier
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Building Homes: Building Problems
This set of 14 stories examines recent construction in over 400 central Florida homes. The findings reveal that many of these houses have major flaws in their construction. As WESH-TV reports, these problems are due to subcontractors who hire untrained labor and illegal immigrants.
Tags: Housing; flaws in construction; housing subcontractors; illegal immigrants; tapes; transcript