Jared Strong

Jared Strong is an investigative reporter for The Center Square based in the Midwest. He is a lifelong Iowan who has worked for news organizations — big and small — for more than 20 years. He and…

Culture
Sizable sick leave payouts cost Minnesota county $2 million each year

(The Center Square) – Agreements that allow St. Louis County employees to accumulate and cash out their unused sick leave when they retire have led to several payments of… Read More

June 23, 2026
Culture
An ‘arms race’ for pay at elite, tax-exempt colleges

(The Center Square) – Top private nonprofit universities that receive government funding pay some of their top leaders millions of dollars and one even received a $20 million longevity… Read More

May 12, 2026
Public Education
Investigation: Wisconsin university closes DEI unit but keeps most staff working on equity issues

(The Center Square) – After concerns were raised about spending on DEI, the University of Wisconsin-Madison shuttered a department but kept most of the staff and their titles working… Read More

February 5, 2026
Politics
Despite promises, MN Dems kept some of their fraud-linked Somali donations

(The Center Square) – In an attempt to distance themselves from the Feeding Our Future fraud, Minnesota politicians vowed to return their tainted donations, but an investigation by The… Read More

January 15, 2026