Investigative Journalist in Houston, Texas
A look at enterprising journalism at the San Antonio Express-News and how it’s done.
Today’s front page of the San Antonio Express-News was dominated by stories that all relied on public records: Karisa King analyzed a public database that tracks property tax disputes in Bexar County. “Everybody wants lower property taxes. But those with the least ability to pay rarely protest their appraised values, while owners of upscale homes … Read more
Express-News Reporter Scott Huddleston has written a story that reveals how some caretakers of the Alamo are splitting from the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the nonprofit organization that oversees the historic mission in San Antonio: Tensions within the group running the Alamo have fueled an unprecedented schism, casting uncertainty on the future of … Read more
Reporters Todd Bensman and Guillermo Contreras, my colleagues on the special projects team at the San Antonio Express-News, won an award from the National Press Club for their series of stories about gunrunning to Mexico called Texas’ Deadliest Export. According to the press club: Related: Call an investigative reporter in Houston, Texas “Reporters Todd Bensman … Read more
Gotta love this letter to the editor by engineer Wendell Peters published today in the San Antonio Express-News: After an explosion at one of our power plants, CPS Energy urged us to conserve power. I was curious to see how much power is used by the digital billboards gracing our highways. The CPS meter is … Read more
Investigative reporter Todd Bensman has been writing about Mexican immigrants who are fleeing the drug war but are denied political asylum in the United States. For his first story, he interviewed a Mexican lawyer who said he was brutally tortured by a drug cartel. Today’s article tells the story of a family from Juarez: In … Read more
Vianna Davila had a good story and video about a nonprofit horse sanctuary in Nixon, Texas. Darla Cherry, who has multiple sclerosis, cares for the horses more for love than money: Her most recent castoff was Star, an 11-year-old Quarter mare acquired in June. A woman paid Cherry the requested $200 donation and handed over … Read more
Here’s a recording of my radio interview last week with KTSA’s Paul Alexander. We talked about a San Antonio Express-News investigation of the thrill ride industry, and how the public can check a little-known government database that tracks amusement ride injuries in Texas. The Express-News posted the injury data online for anyone interested in checking … Read more
Carlos Guerra’s column today points out how “vested rights” could derail efforts to limit new housing around Camp Bullis. Our series of stories called Losing Ground examined how developers in Austin aggressively lobbied for a state law governing vested rights that favored the real estate industry. Since then, developers have used the law thousands of … Read more
John MacCormack’s story today about a South Texas legal scandal in Corpus Christi had a little bit of everything. There’s a fake lawyer who’s represented by a well-connected lawyer. There’s a judge with high aspirations who gives the fake lawyer probation. And there’s an angry district attorney who says the whole thing stinks. John’s been … Read more
Many readers who commented about our story that examined ride malfunctions at Kiddie Park in San Antonio reflected on their love for the old park, and their hope that its woes can be addressed. Here are a few examples: Kiddie Park holds a special place in my heart, but I was fearful taking my children … Read more