Editorial standards.

Every news item links at least one source: a news outlet, an official agenda, minutes, a vote record, a court filing or a government statement. We summarize what that source says. We don't add facts it doesn't contain.

We prefer primary records (votes, contracts, filings) and established local outlets. When a story rests on one outlet, we name it. When a company or agency disputes a report, we say so.

Camera counts come from reports on OpenStreetMap, much of it mapped through DeFlock. They're labeled reported, not verified, and every count shows the date of the snapshot it came from. See sources & methodology.

When someone is arrested, charged or indicted, we say exactly that and add "charged, not convicted". Lawsuits are labeled as allegations until a court rules. We generally leave out the names of private people and of officers who haven't been convicted. Elected and senior officials acting in their public roles are named.

A post going viral isn't a source. Before a trending claim goes on the site, we look for a primary record or credible reporting, and we check the date. Old stories re-shared as "breaking" are left off or clearly dated.

If we can't verify a claim, we don't publish it. We'd rather be a few hours late than wrong.

Every item carries the date of the event or report. Each story has its own permanent page, and counts on the site show their snapshot date. When a story develops, such as a vote that follows a pause, we add a new dated item instead of quietly rewriting the old one.

Mistakes get fixed quickly and in the open. Substantive fixes are listed with dates on the corrections log. To report an error, use the contact on our corrections & contact section and include a source.

We don't accept payment for coverage. The shop and tips cover hosting and printing. Neither buys placement or changes what we publish.