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 "Kentucky" ...
-
Assault victim's tweets prompt contempt case
For 17-year-old Savannah Dietrich, it was like being victimized twice – first by the two boys who sexually assaulted her while she was passed out and then sent photos of the assault to their friends; secondly, by a secretive juvenile justice system that appeared more interested in protecting her attackers than her. Frustrated by what she felt was a lenient plea bargain for her two attackers, Savannah lashed out on Twitter – despite a judge’s warning that no one should talk about the incident because the case was in juvenile court. "There you go, lock me up," Savannah tweeted, as she named the boys who she said sexually assaulted her. "I'm not protecting anyone that made my life a living Hell." Though threatened with contempt of court, Savannah refusal to stay quiet, and her decision to talk publicly to Courier-Journal reporter Jason Riley resulted in a series of stories that drew national attention and helped pry the lid off Kentucky’s secretive juvenile courts – potentially opening more cases in the future to ensure justice is done.
Tags: Sexual assults; juvenile justice system; juvenile court; Twitter
-
Behind Closed Doors, Kentucky City Buys Controversial Building For $1.3 Million
Danville, Kentucky’s purchase of the former Boyle County Industrial Storage Facility, better known as the BISCO building, drew a lot of controversy along with legal battles during the second half of 2012. During its Aug. 13 meeting, Danville City Commission unanimously voted to buy the building at auction for $1,237,550. However, a bidder hired by the city had already won the property in auction three days before. Also, on the day of the auction city officials had cut a check for 10 percent of the BISCO building’s purchase price. Residents raised concerns about the secretive nature of the purchase, especially since then-Commissioner Ryan Montgomery’s father, Mike, had a long-standing business relationship with the building’s former owner Mitchell Barnes. After being publicly prodded, Mayor Bernie Hunstad also acknowledged that his wife, Susan, worked for the bidder the city hired to handle the auction process.
Tags: City officials; city government; auction
-
MSD
Corruption in the Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District. The MSD oversees sewer treatment, storm water management and Ohio river flood control for the several hundred thousand people who live in Louisville and Jefferson County, Kentucky. Throughout the investigation, The Courier-Journal discovered that MSD board members owned companies that they were doing business with the agency they served, excessive bonuses to top officials, and a secret $140,000 lawsuit with an HR chief when he threatened a whisteblower lawsuit.
Tags: Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District; MSD; Jefferson County; Kentucky
-
The Brutal Death of Amy Dye
The story finds that many reports of suspected child abuse in Kentucky were "screened out" as not meriting investigation and others were not substantiated after an investigation.
Tags: child abuse; children; Amy Dye
-
Brian Ross Investigates: State House Scoundrels
The story explores the unsettling problem of state house corruption and reveals what really happens at Kentucky's annual conference of state lawmakers.
Tags: state politics; state house; lawmakers; legislators;
-
Children In Crisis
“Kentucky leads the nation in its rate of children who die from neglect or abuse”. Many people missed the warning signs of abuse and these include social workers, family members, health professionals, and day care workers. Another factor into the problem was budget cuts, which wear down a system meant to protect children.
Tags: kids; child welfare; authorities; maltreatment; violence; Health and Family Services; Child Protective Services; programs
-
"It's Your Money"
Several agencies in Kentucky that are funded by taxpayer money came under fire last year when the Herald-Leger revealed records of agency official's extravagant travel costs and other outrageous expenditures. The agencies, including the Lexington Public Library, the Kentucky Association of Counties and the Kentucky League of Cities, were operating with "little oversight" until their excessive use of taxpayer money was exposed.
Tags: Kentucky League of Cities; Lexington Public Library; Lexington's Blue Grass Airport; Kentucky Association of Counties; expenditures; Sylvia Lovely
-
FOIA Package
This is a series of stories that show how the Courier Journal used FOIA requests to report on various problems in the Kentucky government and police systems.
Tags: freedom of information act; Louisville; Jefferson Circuit Court; sex offender; database; metro government
-
Leonard Lawson
State taxes payers were forced to pay tens of millions of dollars because of the influence of blacktop contractors over the Kentucky Department of Highways. The man who headed the largest blacktop monopoly was Leonard Lawson who was indicted on charges of bribery, conspiracy and obstruction of justice.
Tags: contract; asphalt; Elmo Greer & Sons; transportation; roads; Phillip Dufour;
-
Why 66?
"The newspaper found that government-commissioned studies of Interstate highway 66 (in Southern Kentucky) are either outdated or flawed, and the key findings of those studies have been distorted by project supporters to buttress their case for the road."
Tags: I-66; transportation dollars; bridge projects; government-comissioned studies