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 "fall" ...
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Prium
A report on the dramatic rise and fall of Prium, a Pierce County, Washington State real estate company which lurched into one of the largest bankruptcy filings in state history.
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Decline and Fall of the Vanguard Public Foundation
The stories investigated the Vanguard Public Foundation, one of the original politically progressive foundations founded and funded by heirs to major fortunes. The reporters followed up on rumors of strife within the foundation and uncovered a Ponzi scheme.
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"NetNet's Mortgage Repurchase Exposure Series"
This series seeks to elucidate the "history of hidden risk at financial institutions" and the frequent negative outcomes. The reports indicate that banks were "seeking to reassure shareholders and citizens alike that unknown risks were under control." Some of the stories in this series involve the rise and fall of Citigroup's mortgage program and a "Primer On The Foreclosure Crisis."
Tags: Citigroup; foreclosure; financial crisis; mortgage; SEC; Excel; database; repurchase
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Special Care, Unknown Costs
The series took gave readers a look inside New Jersey's special education system. It's findings show how there is no one held accountable when students in the system fall through the cracks.
Tags: Special Education; bureaucracy; autism; accountability; disabilities
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Gambling on Growth
For years, St. Cloud-area cities have used public financing to pay upfront for improving roads and extending water and sewer utilities to new housing developments. Developers were supposed to pay off the debt through assessments, but many are falling behind on payments, leaving cities to bear the cost.
Tags: Developers; Finance; City Budget; Utilities; Housing; Roads; Funding; Loans; Debt
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The rise and fall of Denny Hecker
Denny Hecker is one of the” biggest, most well-known businessmen in the Twin Cities”. He owned car dealerships, a national car rental company, and was the star of many advertisements. Behind this perfect exterior is a story of criminal behaviors and massive debt. All these details were revealed after Hecker filed for personal bankruptcy, which began the “collapse of a massive empire”.
Tags: loans; revenue; money; fortune; recession; deal maker; financial; finances; assets; FOIA; lawsuits
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The rise and fall of Ray Sansom, speaker of the Florida House
Ray Sansom, the speaker of the Florida House, gave the state college “$35 million in two years”. These two years he oversaw the House budget, but wasn’t the speaker quite yet. Furthermore, these millions of dollars were added outside the normal budget method. Additionally, he worked with the college president to help maneuver the funds to the college.
Tags: government; politics; money; state government; Jay Odom; local officials; Northwest Florida State; college trustees
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Criminal Cab Drivers
This story reveals that “hundreds of criminals are behind the wheels of Houston cabs”. This is allowed to happen because if it falls outside of a 10 year period it won’t show up and they are allowed to get their cab license. It has become a standard on criminal background checks because people can change and straighten up their lives. But when one of these cab drivers commits a crime as a driver, people begin to question these tactics.
Tags: transportation; passengers; travel; cabbie; streets; taxicab; ordinance; FOIA; city council; Ricardo Steele; Yellow Cab
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The Stolen Child
This is a story of the disappearance of Misty Copsey; currently it remains a cold-case left unsolved. A fall afternoon in 1992, the day Misty never came home from the county fair. This series sheds “new light on an investigation plagued by police blunders”. It also “uncovered the malignant impact of an intrusive bystander’s obsession and exposed the foibles of small-town cops whose missteps and misstatements went unchallenged for two decades”.
Tags: police; law enforcement; kidnapped; Diane Smith; Puyallup; police department; runaway; vanish; abduction; evidence; investigation
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You Want a Piece of Me
“Homeless teen Corey Black thinks his fortunes have changed when a prominent local businessman offers to buy his kidney. The venture ultimately falls through, leaving Corey right back where he started. The story tracks Corey as the events are unfolding”.
Tags: poor; street; money; payment; homeless; medical; illegal practices; helping