House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week announced a formal impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. The impetus: an anonymous whistleblower’s complaint alleging that the president “is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.”
 
The story, which continues to dominate the American news cycle, raises questions about how journalists should cover whistleblower reports — and the extent to which journalists are responsible for protecting whistleblowers’ identities. Denise-Marie Ordway addresses some of those concerns in this week’s tip sheet, enlisting the help of veteran journalists, journalism faculty and scholars who study whistleblowing behavior.
 
Also new on the JR website:

• Clark Merrefield highlights new research that reveals an interesting link between high pollen counts and low crime rates in several U.S. cities.
• Chloe Reichel looks at a new study showing that while American adults’ diets have gotten a little bit healthier over the past two decades, eating habits in the U.S. still fall short of federal government recommendations for healthy eating.
• Ordway summarizes a recent paper that links the performance of Massachusetts charter schools to the composition of their governing boards.

You’ll find more information about these new pieces below.

Yours in knowledge,