Texas watchdog journalism roundup: Sexual abuse in Baptist churches
Welcome to the latest installment of the Texas watchdog journalism roundup — investigative stories in Texas that uncover hidden facts and hold officials accountable.
ProPublica
Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for June 2, 2018
Welcome to the latest installment of the Texas watchdog journalism roundup, a series that showcases hard-hitting investigative stories in Texas that uncover hidden facts, hold officials accountable and demonstrate why journalism matters. Read more …
Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for Feb 5, 2018
Welcome to the latest installment of the Texas watchdog journalism roundup, a series that showcases hard-hitting investigative stories in Texas that uncovered hidden facts, held officials accountable and demonstrated why journalism matters.
City of San Antonio awards developers $10 million in incentives for luxury condo tower — $173,400 for each unit | The San Antonio Express-News
A city program to encourage people to live in downtown San Antonio is spending $10 million in tax incentives and fee waivers on the Arts Residences and Thompson San Antonio hotel, a 20-story luxury tower of hotel rooms and condos. Critics call it a “ludicrous” amount of money to spend on housing that few residents can afford. Read more …
Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for Oct. 29, 2017
The latest investigative stories in Texas that uncovered hidden facts and held officials accountable:
How renting furniture in Texas can land you in jail | The Texas Tribune
“Rental companies can avail themselves of a little-known law written decades ago by the rental industry lobby — in Texas and in many other states — that can turn a dispute over a love seat or big screen TV into a criminal offense report, a trip to jail and even felony theft charges.” Read more …
Texas watchdog journalism roundup: Arson, the Red Cross and Trump’s wall
The latest investigative stories in Texas that uncovered hidden facts and held officials accountable:
Investigators: Gym owner started deadly blaze that killed firefighter Scott Deem | The San Antonio Express-News
Local officials have released few details about a deadly blaze that killed San Antonio firefighter Scott Deem. But an arrest affidavit obtained by the Express-News reveals that arson suspect Emond Javor Johnson was plagued by financial problems and confessed to starting the fire to get out of a monthly $2,500 lease at the Spartan Gym. Authorities arrested Johnson Wednesday. Read more …
Texas watchdog journalism roundup: Floods, hazing and an unemployed mayor
With Hurricane Harvey bearing down on Texas and forecasters warning the storm could dump 20 inches of rain in some counties, it’s a good time to revisit news stories about the monster floods that keep striking Texas. Read more …
Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for June 18, 2017
Low-income landlord David Starr gets tax breaks despite allegations of poor living conditions | San Antonio Express-News
“Over the last 25 years, Starr has used property tax breaks, state tax credits and tax-exempt bonds to build a real estate empire throughout Texas and in Florida, Illinois, Kansas and other states. Most of his local complexes have been financed through two nonprofits he runs: American Opportunity for Housing and American Agape Foundation. Those nonprofits have a long history of allegations of poor and sometimes dangerous living conditions, according to court filings, complaints filed with the city of San Antonio and interviews with more than a dozen current and former residents. Read more …
Google Refine: A tool for journalists looking for great stories in data
Hopefully it encourages more journalists to take the plunge into computer-assisted reporting.