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 "Tampa Bay" ...
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Tampa Bay Times: Stand Your Ground
In the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting controversy, the Tampa Bay Times systematically reviewed scores of "stand your ground" cases and created the first database of its kind to bring the facts of all these cases together as a single source.
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In God’s Name: Abuse at religious group homes in Florida
The Tampa Bay Times shines a light on unlicensed children's homes, operating for years in rural areas out of plain sight and run by zealous operators who believe they answer only to God.
Tags: Religion; religious group; children
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Saving Millions to Cost Billions
The executives who run the local power plant in St. Petersburg said from the start that their customers should help pay a $2.5 billion repair bill at their nuclear plant because no one could have predicted or prevented the disaster that crippled the facility and shut it down. But the Tampa Bay Times revealed gaping holes in that argument. Porgress received multiple warnings from employees and contractors about their approach to the project. An internal report obtained by Tampa Bay Times even warned the utility against self managing such an ambitious construction effort.
Tags: St. Petersburg; Tampa Bay Times; Repair Bill; Utility
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Pension Secrecy and Costly Descisions
These investigative stories, by the Tampa Bay Times, have documented investment debacles, political influence peddling, and oversight failures at the nation's fourth largest pension fund.
Tags: Pension; Investment; Tampa Bay Times; Pension Fund
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Into and out of west-central Florida
Analysis of IRS migration data showed that a large number of people were moving into the Tampa Bay area between 2000 and 2005. Most of those newcomers were from elsewhere in Florida.
Tags: data analysis; IRS; population; Florida; migration;
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A Formula For Disaster
This investigation was born out of various follow-ups to stories about the four hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004. The reporters, concerned about how the high number of mobile homes in Tampa Bay held up the hurricanes, decided to investigate how dangerous they really are. The reporters found that most of the homes were built prior to the established safety standards after Hurricane Andrew. The high number of unsafe mobile homes in the Tampa Bay area means the region could face catastrophic damage when hurricanes strike again.
Tags: natural disaster; tropical storm; housing; trailers; mobile homes
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Money Players
This story deals with NFL players paying a hefty price for allowing people to manage their money. U.S. News examined more than 20 investment deals involving current and former NFL players and found many victims. In exclusive interviews with the magazine, the players described how they were allegedly defrauded. An example includes Buffalo Bills cornerback Antoine Winfield, who was bilked of $1.35 million by a close friend and financial adviser. Other examples illuminate the sometimes tawdry world of player recruitment.
Tags: investment adviser; Tampa Bay Buccaneers; NFL players; Securities and Exchange Commission; investment deals; defraud; Buffalo Bills; Donald Lukens; player recruitment; FBI; money laundering; National Football League Players Association; Cincinnati Bengals; Los Angeles Rams; Carolina Panthers; St. Louis Rams; Baltimore Ravens; San Diego Chargers; Global Sports and Entertainment; Denver Broncos; National Association of Securities Dealers
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Soaring Home Prices in the Bay Area
This investigation by the St. Petersburg-Times looks at the skyrocketing price of real estate in Tampa Bay area homes. Reporters analyzed more than 260,000 homes in 300 neighborhoods to discover a new prospect of wealth for homeowners. "This has changed the face of neighborhoods, created wealth for middle class homeowners unthinkable short of winning the lottery and turned some into overnight land speculators."
Tags: None
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"When Seconds Count"
Reporters from WFTS-TV performed an analysis of emergency response times for EMS districts in the Tampa Bay area. What they found was that the St. Pete an d Pinellas counties were, on average, 6 minutes slower to respond for emergency calls. The action team also discovered that, in some districts, ambulances were not well equipped to decrease their response time.
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BENCH: Trial judges often keep their seats without facing election. So when a Florida lawyer challenged an incumbent, he rocked the de facto merit selection system.
In Manatee County, Florida (a town near Tampa Bay), the judicial system has come under fire. According to the article, "Until recently, a judge hadn't been knocked off the bench in an election for 30 years." The article describes how difficult it is for a lawyer to compete for a bench position that's already occupied.
Tags: Manatee County; Florida; trial judges; Tampa Bay; lawyers; law; judges; bench; Matthew McMillan; Matthew E. McMillian; Sarasota County; Desoto County; scandal; election; de facto merit selection system; incumbent