Welcome to the latest installment of the Texas watchdog journalism roundup, a series that showcases hard-hitting investigative stories in Texas that uncover hidden facts, hold officials accountable and demonstrate why journalism matters.
Schlitterbahn co-owner plagued with financial, legal troubles before murder charge in boy’s death | The San Antonio Express-News
Wow….I love this place but had never heard any of this. I do remember seeing the slide in question on the Travel Channel & thought this was insane. But to find out they did not use engineers is delusion. https://t.co/pcIuZ8vg1y via @expressnews
— Traveldiva (@tvldiva) April 3, 2018
Express-News reporters dug through court files and state records to reveal the troubled history of Schlitterbahn co-owner Jeff Henry, who was arrested in connection with the death of a 10-year-old boy who died on a towering, 17-story tall Schiltterbahn water slide in Kansas. Story by Joshua Fechter, Zeke MacCormack and Patrick Danner
Sid Miller put ex-doctor with 2 revoked licenses on rural health panel | The Austin American-Statesman
This ex-doctor has had his medical license suspended in 3 states.
He once married his 15-year-old stepdaughter.
More recently, he donated thousands to Sid Miller's campaign.
And then he got appointed to a state task force. #txlege
From @statesman: https://t.co/jYDjG6f5Mx
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) April 9, 2018
Rick Ray Redalen, a former physician who had his medical license revoked or suspended in three states, was appointed by Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller in 2016 to the state’s Rural Health Task Force after contributing $17,000 to Miller’s campaign. Buck Wood, a lawyer who helped write many of Texas’ ethics laws, said the situation “sure stinks to high heaven.” Story by Sean Collins Walsh
Silent Spills: In Houston and beyond, Harvey’s spills leave a toxic legacy | The Houston Chronicle and the Associated Press
MUST READ: Reporters found more than 100 Harvey-related toxic releases in the Houston area. Most were never publicized. We still don’t know the toll on human health. https://t.co/S6zjia903x
— EDF Texas (@EDFtx) March 22, 2018
A review of county, state and federal records by reporters reveals far more toxic impact from Hurricane Harvey than authorities publicly reported after the storm slammed into the Texas coast in late August. “Benzene, vinyl chloride, butadiene and other known human carcinogens were among the dozens of tons of industrial chemicals released throughout Houston’s petrochemical corridor and surrounding neighborhoods and waterways following Harvey’s torrential rains,” the review found. Story by Frank Bajak and Lise Olsen
City official placed on leave after newspaper investigation found he helped friend get $825,000 housing gig | The Dallas Morning News
How did a pastor with a spotty business record get a $825,000 gig with Dallas City Hall? He knew a guy.
My latest story with @bysambrose https://t.co/xo6OZ3z1Bv
— Sarah Mervosh (@smervosh) March 11, 2018
At least eight houses, paid for by the city of Dallas for people with limited incomes, have suffered construction problems — and all the homes were built by the friend of a city official who sought special permission to help get his pal some work, a Dallas Morning News investigation found. The city official was placed on leave as a result of the newspaper’s story. Story by Sue Ambrose and Sarah Mervosh
As wait times grow, calls to the Texas abuse hotline go unanswered | The Austin American-Statesman
What is that sound? It's not the sound of a dropped call.
It is the sound of an abused or neglected child falling through the cracks.
This call center must be fully staffed and funded. Come on Texas, you can and must do better than this.https://t.co/YmkciE8xBC— Finding the Right (@right_finding) March 29, 2018
A newspaper investigation found that “more than 100,000 callers each year to report potential child or elder abuse and neglect in Texas are hanging up before reaching an operator because of long wait times.” The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is on track this year to exceed 180,000 abandoned calls to the agency’s abuse hotline, the most in at least a decade. Story by Julie Chang
Most homes damaged by Harvey were outside flood plain, data show | The Houston Chronicle
Our most recent story shows we are on the Harvey story for the long haul. We won't forget those affected by the storm.https://t.co/CbtqUrwuhH
— Matt Dempsey (@mizzousundevil) April 2, 2018
A new analysis by the Houston Chronicle shows most of the homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey’s floodwaters were outside the federally regulated 100-year flood plains. “The findings raise questions about local government plans to prevent flooding that focus on tightening building codes inside the flood plain. They also cast further doubt on the accuracy of the maps used to identify housing most in danger of flooding.” Story by David Hunn, Matt Dempsey and Mihir Zaveri
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