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 "Torre " ...
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A Damaged District
For more than a year, Zahira Torres overcame obstacle after obstacle to document one of the worst school cheating scandals in the nation's history. Where other cheating scandals involved altering accountability tests, the El Paso Independent School District gamed the state and federal accountability systems by targeting Mexican immigrant students. In a number of cases, district officials refused to enroll students or pushed out students already enrolled -- denying countless students their constitutional right to an education. In other cases, they arbitrarily reclassified grade levels or altered transcripts, all in an attempt to keep students out of the testing pool. Torres' reporting sparked numerous results. The superintendent who masterminded the scheme went to federal prison. The state education agency removed the school board. And when Torres' reporting documented that the state was aware of details of the cheating in 2010 and cleared the district anyway, the new education commissioner ordered an independent investigation of how the agency missed the cheating.
Tags: schools; scandals; education; school board
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Mexodus
The story provides an in depth look at the violence-driven exodus of the Mexican professionals, businessmen and middle class families to the U.S. and safer parts of Mexico. Major findings include sourcing of estimates of those displaced by the violence.
Tags: Mexico; immigration; asylum; exodus
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The Fed's Trillion-Dollar Secret
"Bloomberg News sued the Federal Reserve under the FOI Act, seeking disclosure of its loans to banks during the financial crisis. The central bank fought the release of the data for more than two years, during which time congress and the courts both weighed in on Bloomberg's side."
Tags: FOIA; Federal Reserve; foreign banking; central bank
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The Fed's Secret Liquidity Lifeline
The stories reveal the first details of the Federal Reserve's unprecedented bailout of hundreds of banks and other companies during the financial crisis.
Tags: Federal Reserve; Goldman Sachs; bailout; banks
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Quest for Transparency
The investigations in the series come after Bloomberg News sued the Federal Reserve in 2008, seeking to force the disclosure of details related to the central bank's emergency assistance programs. After a lower court found in Bloomberg's favor, the Federal Reserve released a list of securities used to produce the stories.
Tags: Bloomberg; the Fed; Federal Reserve; securities; central bank; FOIA
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Aid to Indian County
Amidst an impoverished American Indian reservation lies nearly of decade of corrupt practices from a welfare program meant to help those who need it. The Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program has misused more than $6 million in taxpayer money over two years.
Tags: Native Americans; Indians; welfare; Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
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The Fight for Transparency
"Bloomberg is the only news organization ever to sue the Federal Reserve Board-and win, forcing disclosure of borrowers and collateral for emergency bailout money." They are forcing the Reserve Board's accountability by providing accurate numbers to the public. Also, the information on the subject is now available to every major news organization in the US.
Tags: Federal; government; money; funds; taxpayers; financial; stimulus; Obama; banking; banks; FOIA
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"How (And Why) Athletes Go Broke"
In "How (And Why) Athletes Go Broke," Pablo S. Torre, investigates how professional athletes squander their high salaries on "lavish spending," failed business attempts and corrupt "money managers." He also reveals illegal activities by a "Texas investment firm" with prominent sports affiliations.
Tags: NFL; NBA; Triton Financial LLC; Raghib Ismail; Kurt Barton; baseball; PGA
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Foreclosure rescue plan? Be cautious you could be signing away control over your home
"Our investigation focused on soeley on a specific foreclosure rescue company and its owner, Jack Moussa, who had a history of deceiving clients and taking advantages of them."
Tags: foreclosures; companies; home owners; homes; neighborhood; Florida; housing
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How safe is your restaurant?
"The story was an explanatory piece about how food inspections are conducted on restaurants in Florida, and most importantly, about how crucial they are to keep the public safe from food borne illness outbreaks. But the story had a computer-assisted component because we analyzed inspections and used some of those findings to tell the story. Furthermore, we provided a searchable database for our readers to allow them to search their favorite restaurant’s latest food inspections. "
Tags: restaurants; health; safety; database; inspections