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3 die in Eastern Iowa house fire3 die in Eastern Iowa house fire

3 die in Eastern Iowa house fire

Crime & Courts Feb. 26, 2019 8:02 pm2444d ago

MUSCATINE – Nelson Cruz remembers smelling smoke from a fire outside Monday evening. Minutes later, police were knocking on his …

Frequently Asked Questions

At The Gazette, we know crime and courts are among the most closely read – and most sensitive – topics in the news. Our goal is to provide coverage that is accurate, fair and responsible, while giving readers the context they need to understand what’s happening in their communities.

We don’t treat every arrest, charge or court filing as a story. Decisions about coverage depend on factors such as the seriousness of the offense, the level of public interest, community safety and whether public officials or institutions are involved.


When we do cover crime and courts, we aim to:

  • Explain legal processes and provide context
  • Follow cases through to resolution, not just the initial arrest
  • Avoid sensationalism
  • Balance the public’s right to know with the impact on individuals, families and neighborhoods


Our newsroom ethics guide challenges us to be especially careful with sensitive information:

  • We are cautious about identifying juveniles.
  • We do not name victims of sex crimes.
  • We are judicious about naming suspects before charges are formally filed.
  • We also work to balance a suspect’s right to a fair trial with the community’s right to be informed.


Article Removal Requests

  • There are many reasons we write stories about public safety and arrests. While details of many of the stories are gleaned from publicly available records, the passage of time changes how newsworthy the story is.

    • Using the criteria on our article removal request form, The Gazette will consider requests for removal of non-felony and non-violent criminal offenses. Other cases will be handled on an individual basis.

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