Sandhya Dirks
Sandhya Dirks arrived in Iowa in January of 2012 as a general assignment reporter. Since coming to Des Moines she has covered the Statehouse and traveled across Iowa to bring back stories for IPR. Sandhya was previously a reporter at KALW in San Francisco, covering education and criminal justice issues. Her work was awarded a SPJ Sigma Delta Chi and a regional Edward R. Murrow award.
Most recently, Sandhya earned her Master of Science from Columbia Journalism School in New York. Her master’s project was an investigative documentary about international adoption for which she was awarded the Pasty Preston Pulitzer Documentary Fellowship.
Sandhya’s favorite public radio program is Radiolab.
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In California, members of First Congregational Church of Oakland says it's a reaction to white people using law enforcement as a first resort when interacting with people of color. -
Rents in the Bay Area are among the highest in the country, pushing many artists into illegal work/live spaces like the Ghost Ship, where a fire left 36 dead. Now, officials vow to step up regulation. -
The search continues for victims of a fire that swept through an artists' collective in Oakland, Calif., killing at least 30 people. The toll is expected to rise.
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John Lewis is a congressman from Georgia, a pillar of the civil rights movement and an author. Lewis is getting ready to release March, the new graphic novel of his life.
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On Friday, embattled Mayor Bob Filner officially steps down. Allegations of sexual harassment against Filner have rocked the eighth-largest American city. Now, San Diegans face a potentially contentious special election in November. -
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner resigned on Friday. The city council struck a deal under which Filner — a Democrat — will step down on Aug. 30. It's the end result of a sexual harassment scandal that has seen more than a dozen women accuse Filner of inappropriate behavior.
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San Diego Mayor Bob Filner is refusing to resign amid a sexual harassment scandal that continues to grow. On Monday, representatives for three unnamed woman gave details of the mayor's unwanted advances, which included groping and forced kissing.
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If and when immigration reform passes in Washington, thousands of immigrants are going to need trained immigration lawyers. But advocates say there's a dearth of them even now, leaving a void for untrained or unscrupulous attorneys to mislead clients seeking to navigate the system. -
Both campaigns want to claim momentum heading into the final days of the campaign. This is especially true in battleground states like Iowa, where enthusiasm and voter turnout can make all the difference. Momentum is a common political metaphor, but what does it really tell us? -
In Iowa, it takes just 100 signatures to petition for a temporary "satellite" voting station. Campaigns are establishing the pop-up sites at grocery stores and college campuses to encourage early voting at convenient times and locations.
