Abuse of Faith: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders resist reforms | The Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News

A team of reporters compiled news stories and court records to document cases of sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest coalition of Baptist churches in the United States. The journalists discovered that church pastors, employees and volunteers sexually abused more than 700 people — most of them children — in the past two decades. Stories by Robert Downen, Lise Olsen and John Tedesco

Spirit of Fear: Hundreds of sex abuse allegations found in fundamental Baptist churches across U.S. | The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Women and children have faced rampant sexual abuse while worshipping at independent fundamental Baptist churches around the country. The network of churches and schools often covered up the crimes and helped relocate the offenders, an eight-month Star-Telegram investigation has found.” Stories by Sarah Smith

Unwatched | The Austin American-Statesman

“A yearlong American-Statesman investigation for the first time reveals in stark detail the dangerous conditions that exist inside many Texas daycare sites, leaving hundreds of children with serious injuries and nearly 90 dead as a result of abuse or neglect since 2007.” Stories by Andrea Ball and Tony Plohetski

Houston police officer in drug raid had previous allegations against him | The Houston Chronicle

Before a deadly drug raid in Houston left two civilians dead, Houston Police Officer Gerald Goines had been involved in “multiple shootings, racked up a smattering of written reprimands, faced several lawsuits and is currently accused of fabricating a drug deal then lying about it in court to win a conviction against a man who has long maintained he’s innocent, according to a Houston Chronicle review of internal police records and court documents.” Story by Keri Blakinger and St. John Barned-Smith

Serial crimes, no hard time | The San Antonio Express-News

Repeat DWI offender James Preston Green managed to stay out of jail for years, even though he repeatedly violated conditions of his probation, lied to law enforcement and berated and threatened the officers who chased and arrested him. After the Express-News published an investigative story about Green, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Story by Brian Chasnoff

Amid historic flooding, Austin water systems sank | The Austin American-Statesman

Records obtained by the American-Statesman shed new light on the water crisis that caused Austin to issue a rare, citywide boil-water notice last year. Story by Elizabeth Findell

Section 8 vouchers are supposed to help the poor reach better neighborhoods. Texas law gets in the way | The Texas Tribune and Reveal

“While states and cities across the U.S. have outlawed discrimination against voucher-holders, Texas is one of just two states that’s done the opposite. In 2015, Texas passed a law that ensured landlords cannot be punished for discriminating against families with vouchers. The law essentially legalized a long-standing practice among landlords that blocked voucher-holders, who are overwhelmingly black and Hispanic, from moving to better neighborhoods.” Story by Edgar Walters and Neena Satija

Signs and blunders | The Texas Observer

The Texas Observer investigated the sudden opposition to a proposed Texas historical marker detailing how, in 1918, Texas Rangers and other vigilantes massacred 15 unarmed civilians in the border town of Porvenir. “An Observer investigation, involving dozens of interviews and hundreds of emails obtained through an open records request, reveals a county still struggling to move on from a racist and violent past, far-right amateur historians sowing disinformation and a state agency that acted against its own best judgment.” Story by Daniel Blue Tyx

He’s built an empire, with detained migrant children as the bricks | The New York Times

An investigation of the nonprofit Southwest Key Program, which provides housing to migrant children, reveals how chief executive Juan Sanchez “built an empire on the backs of a crisis.” Sanchez was paid $1.5 million — twice as much as his counterpart at the Red Cross — and his organization has a record of “sloppy management and possible financial improprieties.” Story by Kim Barker, Nicholas Kulish and Rebecca R. Ruiz

Texas police made more than $50 million in 2017 from seizing people’s property. Not everyone was guilty of a crime | The Texas Tribune

“Last year alone, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors throughout Texas grew their coffers more than $50 million by seizing cash, cars, jewelry, clothing, art and other property they claimed were linked to a crime.” Some of those seizures involved people who were never charged with a crime, but Texas officials don’t keep track of how often that happens. Story by Edgar Walters and Jolie McCullough

Rape suspects walk free. Victims don’t get justice. And police get to count it as a success | Reveal, Newsy and ProPublica

“Across the country, dozens of law enforcement agencies are making it appear as though they have solved a significant share of their rape cases when they simply have closed them, according to an investigation by Newsy, Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting and ProPublica based on data from more than 60 police agencies nationwide.” Story by Mark Greenblatt, Mark Fahey, Emily Harris and Bernice Yeung

Did I miss a good story? Contact me or leave a comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates and check out more watchdog journalism from the great state of Texas.

The post Texas watchdog journalism roundup: Sexual abuse in Baptist churches appeared first on John Tedesco.

Immigrant who sued, won back pay, now in hiding for his life | The San Antonio Express-News

Trapped between the Rio Grande and border checkpoints, Sandro Garcia Moreno is among thousands of undocumented immigrants being ripped off by unscrupulous employers. The Express-News analyzed a database of federal wage-theft investigations and found the Rio Grande Valley is a prolific source of worker complaints.

“Since the Labor Department began keeping public records in 1984, three of the five cities with the highest number of wage theft investigations are in Texas. And eight of the top 20 ZIP codes in the country with the most investigations are in South Texas. Five of them are in the Rio Grande Valley.” Story by Luke Whyte

Out of Control | The Houston Chronicle

Traffic deaths kill hundreds of people every year in the Houston area, which leads the nation in fatal crashes involving drugs and alcohol, but little is done to stop the carnage. The Houston Chronicle analyzed traffic data and police records and interviewed scores of experts and victims to put the staggering problem in perspective.

“The death toll is the equivalent of three fully-loaded 737s crashing each year at Houston’s airports, killing all aboard. Losing that many planes and passengers would lead to federal hearings, but the Houston roadway deaths are met largely with silence, other than the occasional warning from public safety officials to drive safely and be careful crossing the street.” Story by Dug Begley and St. John Barned-Smith

How Atmos Energy’s natural gas keeps blowing up Texas homes | The Dallas Morning News

A review of thousands of regulatory records, lawsuits and news reports by the Dallas Morning News revealed that more than two dozen homes across North and Central Texas have blown up since 2006 because of leaking natural gas, killing nine people and injuring 22 others. The investigation focused on old, corroded gas pipes owned by Atmos Energy. Story by Cary Aspinwall and Holly K. Hacker

What do we owe her now? | The Washington Post

Elizabeth Bruenig visited her old high school in Arlington, Texas, to learn the real story behind an ugly memory — rumors of a student who was raped, ostracized and forced to leave the school. Bruenig reviewed police documents, interviewed witnesses, and talked to the victim, Amber Wyatt, to find out what really happened and why the case was never prosecuted.

“Making sense of her ordeal meant tracing a web of failures, lies, abdications and predations, at the center of which was a node of power that, though anonymous and dispersed, was nonetheless tilted firmly against a young, vulnerable girl.” Story by Elizabeth Bruenig

Inside Texas State’s year of hate: neo-Nazi propaganda fight | The Austin American-Statesman

Internal emails obtained by the Austin American-Statesman reveal how Texas State University struggled to respond to dangerous hate speech spreading across campus. The emails, which the university tried to withhold from the newspaper, showed the problem wasn’t entirely coming from outside agitators as school officials claimed — students were actually behind some of the inflammatory fliers being posted on campus and inside dorms. Story by Jeremy Schwartz

Breaking all the rules: Lax oversight undercuts Houston housing program goals | The Houston Chronicle

An investigation of the Houston Land Bank revealed there was “little to no oversight” from city officials who said they had no idea how many reduced-prices homes actually went to low-income buyers.

“It was not until the Chronicle started asking questions last year that housing department leaders grasped the rules surrounding the program, and it took them a year to take steps to begin enforcing them, undercutting Houston’s housing goals at a time when rising prices are putting homeownership out of reach for an ever-growing share of families,” the investigation found. Story by Mike Morris

Federal agency sent immigrant kids to dangerous youth facility, despite warning signs | Reveal from the Center for investigative Reporting

Despite multiple deaths and complaints at the Shiloh Treatment Center south of Houston, the federal government has signed lucrative agreements worth $33 million with the center to hold immigrant children.

“The federal Office of Refugee Resettlement continued to send immigrant children to Hill’s care after another teenager was killed during a restraint and the state of Texas shut down one of his facilities, deeming it unsafe for children,” the investigation found. Story by Will Evans, Lance Williams and Matt Smith

Farenthold tried to steer federal contract to Calhoun port chairman | The Victoria Advocate

Records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that former Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold tried to steer a federal contract to a business owned by the chairman of the Calhoun Port Authority. The authority later hired the former congressman after Farenthold resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal. Story by Jessica Priest

Dallas housing agency gave deals worth at least $50,000 to its board members | The Dallas Morning News

The Dallas City Council stopped the Dallas Housing Finance Corporation from awarding contracts to its board members after a newspaper investigation revealed the obscure city housing agency had been awarding thousands of dollars to members of its board. Story by Sue Ambrose

El Paso police overtime policy doesn’t stop dangerous shifts, big payouts | The El Paso Times and Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting

An analysis of El Paso Police Department overtime data shows that some officers worked dangerously long hours and dramatically increased their taxpayer-funded salary. The officers have crashed cars and at least one was accused of being asleep at the wheel. Story by Elida Perez

Texas prisons often deny dentures to inmates with no teeth | The Houston Chronicle

The Texas prison system is changing its policies after the Houston Chronicle revealed that prisoners with few or no teeth are routinely denied dentures and must eat pureed food.

“In 2016, prison medical providers approved giving out 71 dentures to a population of more than 149,000 inmates, many of whom are elderly, have a history of drug use or came from impoverished backgrounds with sub-par dental care to begin with.” Story by Keri Blakinger

Unpaid: Inside the ‘lawless jungle’ of worker exploitation after Hurricane Harvey | The Dallas Morning News and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting

In the blitz of construction and rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey, state officials were ill-prepared to handle claims of wage theft from workers who said they were shortchanged or never paid by their employers.

“Texas’ process for investigating unpaid wages is ill-suited to tackle the problem,” the investigation found. “Over the last nine years, the commission investigated an average of 13,180 wage claims annually. Splitting the claims among the 19 labor law investigators on staff gives each one nearly 700 cases a year.” Story by James Barragan

Dallas police sergeant collected millions for fallen officers. A fraction went to the families | The Dallas Morning News

After a gunman killed five Dallas police officers in 2016, millions of dollars were raised in donations for the fallen officers’ families. But most of that money instead went to telemarketing companies and obscure charities overseen by a Dallas police sergeant named Demetrick Pennie.

“Last year, for every $100 donated to Pennie’s Texas Fallen Officer Foundation, just $5 went to families, while $74 went to telemarketers, $15 to cash reserves and $6 to travel, meals and expenses for Pennie and his team,” the Dallas Morning News reported. Story by Naomi Martin Ariana Giorgi

Even after Harvey, Houston keeps adding new homes in flood plains | The Houston Chronicle

An analysis by the Houston Chronicle shows that one in five new homes being built in Houston in the year after Hurricane Harvey is in a flood plain — even as new rainfall data showed existing flood maps understate the risk posed by strengthening storms. “The city just lets it happen over and over again,” one resident complained. Story by Mike Morris and Matt Dempsey

Did I miss a good story? Contact me or leave a comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates and check out more watchdog journalism from the great state of Texas.

The post Texas watchdog journalism roundup for Oct. 21, 2018 appeared first on John Tedesco.

San Marcos apartments where inferno killed five people lacked fire sprinkler system | San Antonio Express-News

A week after flames engulfed a building in the Iconic Village apartment complex in San Marcos, killing five people, a team of reporters examined how the tragedy unfolded and why the units lacked a fire protection system, which can save lives:

“From 2005 to 2016, 144 people died in fires in multifamily residential buildings in Texas that lacked automatic extinguishing systems, the state fire marshal’s office reports. Just two deaths occurred in buildings equipped with such systems over the same period.” Story by Peggy O’Hare, Austin Horn, Emilie Eaton, Patrick Danner and Krista Torralva

Pain and Profit | The Dallas Morning News

In a yearlong investigation, the Dallas Morning News found Texas’ Medicaid system is “protecting a booming multibillion-dollar industry while the most vulnerable Texans wait in vain for wheelchairs, psychiatric drugs and doctors’ appointments. That system has failed countless disabled adults and sick children who can’t advocate for themselves.” The newspaper reviewed 70,000 pages of documents, including material that state officials and companies tried to keep secret, and interviewed hundreds of families, doctors and policy experts.

Within days of the series’ publication, Texas lawmakers began calling for change and more regulators were hired. Story, photos and videos by J. David McSwane, Andrew Chavez and Tom Fox

Separated migrant children are headed toward shelters that have a history of abuse and neglect | Reveal and the Texas Tribune

A team of reporters covering the Trump administration’s controversial “zero tolerance” immigration policy found that taxpayers paid more than $1.5 billion to private companies operating immigrant youth shelters accused of serious lapses in care, including neglect and sexual and physical abuse.

“In nearly all cases, the federal government has continued to place migrant children with the companies even after serious allegations were raised and after state inspectors cited shelters with deficiencies, government and other records show.” Story by Aura Bogado, Patrick Michels, Vanessa Swales and Edgar Walters

Plutonium went missing in San Antonio, but the government says nothing | The Center for Public Integrity

Two security experts travelling to San Antonio lost equipment that contained small amounts of radioactive plutonium and cesium in March 2017, but authorities kept the theft secret until it was revealed by the Center for Public Integrity more than a year later.

The lack of transparency is not a new phenomenon.

“Unlike civilian stocks, which are closely monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and openly regulated — with reports of thefts or disappearances sent to an international agency in Vienna — the handling of military stocks tended by the Department of Energy is much less transparent,” the investigation found. Story by Patrick Malone and R. Jeffrey Smith

Flood Games: Manipulation of flood insurance leads to repeat disasters | The Houston Chronicle

Cities across the country are failing to enforce a central pillar of the taxpayer-subsidized National Flood Insurance Program: Making sure severely damaged properties are elevated or removed from flood plains.

“Thousands of such homes get rebuilt and then flood again, often for more than they are worth, costing taxpayers more than $1 billion in repeat losses,” the Houston Chronicle reported. “Seven of the nation’s 10 most frequently substantially damaged properties are in Houston. Those seven have had 107 damage claims totaling $9 million, even though the combined value of those buildings is just $426,000.” Story by Mark Collette

Decades later, mercury still poisons parts of Lavaca Bay | The Victoria Advocate

A popular fishing destination near an Alcoa aluminum refinery and plastics producer in Lavaca Bay is a federal Superfund site that has struggled for years to reduce toxic mercury in the ecosystem. Levels of mercury in red drum are twice as high as levels considered safe to consume. But some residents are still fishing in the bay and eating what they catch. Story by Jessica Priest

Trustees spending fire and police pension funds on expensive travel | WOAI

Taxpayers pay millions each year to make sure San Antonio firefighters and police officers have a secure retirement. But records obtained by the News 4 Trouble Shooters show the trustees in charge of the pension fund have spent more than $193,000 since 2015 on dozens of trips to places like Las Vegas, New Orleans and China for investment conferences.

“Of the nine pension fund trustees, the ones who traveled the most still work for the police and fire departments. When they travel the city says it often has to pay their salaries AND the salaries of people to replace them while they’re gone.”

City officials limited the travel expenses after the television station’s investigation aired. Story by Jaie Avila

Is Austin training police to be too aggressive? 10 ex-cadets say yes | The Austin American-Statesman

Interviews with nearly a dozen former cadets at the Austin police training academy reveal instructors referred to homeless people and prostitutes “cockroaches,” demeaned suspects, and said anyone who resists arrest “just earned a legal ass-whooping,” raising questions about the academy’s methods. Story by Tony Plohetski

Four Texas prison guards fired, major resigns after allegedly planting evidence in inmate’s cell | The Houston Chronicle

Prison guards are out of a job after the Houston Chronicle revealed a short-lived quota system that required them to discipline prisoners twice a day or face punishment. A grand jury later indicted some guards accused of planting screwdrivers in an inmate’s cell.

“In the weeks after news of the scandals was first reported in the Chronicle, five officials were fired, another resigned under investigation, several others — including a warden — were demoted or transferred, more than 600 disciplinary were cases tossed out, and the prison system set out to review its disciplinary policies,” the Chronicle reported. Story by Keri Blakinger

Why do Bexar County judges keep releasing domestic violence suspects on the honor system? | KSAT

A months-long investigation by the KSAT 12 Defenders found that more than 32 percent of Bexar County domestic violence suspects were rearrested after being released from custody without posting bail. Victims advocates say the findings are concerning because it’s already been a record-setting year for domestic violence-related fatalities in Bexar County. Story by Dillon Collier

Atmos’ gas leaks go far beyond one northwest Dallas neighborhood | The Dallas Morning News

A sharp increase in natural gas leaks has plagued neighborhoods across North Texas after three explosions and fires in February, including one that killed 12-year-old Linda Rogers. The Dallas Morning News analyzed public data to create a map showing areas where leaks have been detected since then.

“Our data analysis reveals potential widespread problems with aging and wear and tear in the gas delivery system running under customers’ homes and businesses all over Dallas County,” the newspaper reported. Story by Holly Hacker, Allan James Vestal and Cory Aspinwall

How a natural gas group pushed for new energy curriculum in Texas | The Austin American-Statesman

The Austin American-Statesman revealed how a politically connected Texas natural gas industry advocacy group developed classroom materials for teachers that cast fossil fuels in a softer light, avoid any mention of climate change, and raise questions about “perceived” renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power. Story by Asher Price

Federal officials investigate loss of potential habitat for endangered species | The San Antonio Express-News

After residents complained to the Express-News about a real estate developer bulldozing up to 38 acres of trees on a picturesque hillside, the newspaper discovered the developer may have mischaracterized habitat studies when he told city officials that his project wouldn’t harm any endangered species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a federal agency that enforces the Endangered Species Act, is now investigating. Story by John Tedesco

Did I miss a good story? Contact me or leave a comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates and check out more watchdog journalism from the great state of Texas.

The post Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for August 1, 2018 appeared first on John Tedesco.

These amazing stories are being published during difficult times in the news business. Last week, the San Antonio Express-News laid off 14 journalists. That’s on top of a depressing number of lay offs at news outlets across Texas and the rest of the country.

The watchdog journalism roundup is a place to read some of the best stories Texas journalists are publishing — and to see what we’re at risk of losing.

Ballet San Antonio dancer faces sexual assault charges | The San Antonio Express-News

A week after San Antonio’s premiere ballet organization announced its artistic director was no longer with Ballet San Antonio after an internal investigation, the Express-News revealed that another employee, dancer Hugo Rodriguez, faces two felony charges of sexual assault after Rodriguez was accused of raping two fellow dancers. The turmoil at the ballet is occurring as the organization reports a $140,000 financial shortfall. Story by Dawn Kopecki and John Tedesco

St. Luke’s to Suspend Heart Transplants After Recent Deaths | The Houston Chronicle and ProPublica

Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston, a renowned heart transplant facility, temporarily suspended its program following two patient deaths and reports by the Houston Chronicle and ProPublica about an “outsized number of transplants resulting in deaths” and the loss of top doctors. “St. Luke’s heart transplant survival rate, the most important measure of a program’s quality, now ranks near the bottom nationally,” the “Heart Failure” series found. Story by Charles Ornstein and Mike Hixenbaugh

Blood Will Tell | ProPublica and New York Times Magazine

Joe Bryan, a small-town school principal, has spent three decades in prison for the murder of his wife — a crime he claims he didn’t commit. Bryan said he was 120 miles away the night his wife was killed in their home. But his conviction was based almost entirely on “blood splatter” analysis, a technique that authorities use with little training or scientific oversight. Anyone who takes a 40-hour class can suddenly become a courtroom expert — even an investigative reporter who signed up for such a class to learn about the case. Story by Pamela Colloff

Six months after a sex-crimes detective was fired, a woman still waits for justice | The San Antonio Express-News

The Express-News examined internal police records to learn that a San Antonio police detective bungled scores of sex-crime cases going back as far as 2010 — not 2015 as officials originally said. “Nearly six months after the detective, Kenneth Valdez, was indefinitely suspended, which is tantamount to being fired, records and video obtained by the San Antonio Express-News reveal conflicting accounts of what went wrong.” Story by Emilie Eaton

Former Congressman Steve Stockman convicted on federal corruption charges | The Houston Chronicle

Former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman was convicted of masterminding a scheme that diverted $1.25 million in charitable donations from conservative philanthropists to cover personal expenses and campaign debts. “The criminal probe of Stockman was triggered by investigations by the Sunlight Foundation and the Houston Chronicle that examined a series of 2013 checks that straw donors made to Stockman’s tapped-out congressional campaign fund. ” Story by Gabrielle Banks

Sid Miller’s political consultant hit up campaign donor for $29K loan | The Austin American-Statesman

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s top political consultant, Todd M. Smith, told a San Antonio businessman he could get appointed to an advisory role on health care policy in return for contributing to Miller’s campaign. Then Smith hit the businessman up for a personal loan of $29,000, according to a promissory note the two signed. Story by Sean Collins Walsh

Zoo director’s departure came amid questions on finances, communication, culture | Waco Tribune-Herald

The Tribune-Herald obtained text messages and emails related to the departure of Cameron Park Zoo Director Jim Fleshman, revealing for the first time he was asked to resign under a cloud. Zoo officials tried to keep the truth from the public, with one person texting: “We need to make sure there is no discussion about the circumstances.” Story by Phillip Ericksen

The post Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for June 2, 2018 appeared first on John Tedesco.

Schlitterbahn co-owner plagued with financial, legal troubles before murder charge in boy’s death | The San Antonio Express-News

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

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

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

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

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

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

Did I miss a good story? Contact me or leave a comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates and check out more watchdog journalism from the great state of Texas.

The post Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for April 9, 2018 appeared first on John Tedesco.

Biting dogs are a vicious problem in San Antonio | The San Antonio Express-News

Two dog owners were on trial last week after their pit bull named “Bully” viciously mauled their neighbor, who lost part of her arm in the attack. The San Antonio Express-News examined gaps in the city’s Animal Care Services system and obtained public data to map where aggressive dogs are located in San Antonio and where they’ve attacked people. Story by Melissa Fletcher Stoeljte, Vincent T. Davis and Luke Whyte

UT declined to sanction professor who pleaded guilty to violent felony | The Austin American-Statesman

After the Austin American-Statesman revealed a professor pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of strangling his girlfriend but kept his job, officials at the University of Texas announced they’re reviewing their disciplinary policy. Story by Ralph K.M. Haurwitz and Ryan Autullo

Turner aide who used city resources for personal business resigns | The Houston Chronicle

Mayor Sylvester Turner’s press secretary, Darian Ward, resigned after the Houston Chronicle revealed she sent or received 5,000 emails discussing her personal business on her city account. Ward tried to prevent the newspaper from obtaining the messages, claiming they were confidential. Story by Rebecca Elliott and Mike Morris

ICE Arrested Nearly Three Times as Many Immigrants During Last Year’s Austin Raid Than Previously Reported | The Texas Observer

A raid last year by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Austin resulted in far more arrests than previously reported, according to an internal tally obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request made by the Texas Observer. The federal agency took nearly a year to release the documents. Story by Gus Bova

Castle Hills councilman accused of pressuring staff to move his street near top of repair list | KSAT-12

Records obtained by the KSAT Defenders show that Castle Hills Councilman Douglas Gregory was accused of pressuring city employees to move his street to the top of the city’s repair list. A former city manager called Gregory a “liar and a cad” after Gregory denied the allegations. Story by Dillon Collier

Did I miss a good story? Contact me or leave a comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates and check out more watchdog journalism from the great state of Texas.

The post Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for Jan. 28, 2018 appeared first on John Tedesco.

Investigative journalists are still writing powerful, evidence-based stories that help us understand a complicated world.

Here are the latest examples of watchdog stories in Texas that show why facts still matter

Bigger wells, but more water | The San Antonio Express-News

“Shale wells are swallowing twice as much water as they did a few years ago — around 10 million gallons each, or about 15 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The process of making a Texas oil well has grown increasingly intense since the start of the shale boom, with more water, more sand, and more stages in the hydraulic fracturing process leading to wells that make more oil, but also require more resources, according to a San Antonio Express-News analysis of the data drillers have reported to the industry website FracFocus for the past seven years.” Story by Jennifer Hiller

Dangerous Deliveries: Is Texas doing enough to stop moms from dying? | The Texas Tribune

“Researchers were stunned by Texas, where the maternal mortality rate had apparently doubled between 2010 and 2012. That year, 148 women died as the state’s mortality rate hit its highest level since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started recordkeeping with its current disease codes in 1999. The study’s authors called the increase troubling and difficult to explain ‘in the absence of war, natural disaster, or severe economic upheaval.’ But the state’s real maternal mortality rate is now a matter of debate.” Story by Marissa Evans and Chris Essig

Emails show aide to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner repeatedly used city resources for personal business | The Houston Chronicle

“Darian Ward sent or received roughly 5,000 pages of emails about personal business from her government account over the last four years, some of which dealt with a reality series she was pitching to television networks.” Story by Rebecca Elliott and Mike Morris

As storms batter Texas, billions in state property goes unprotected | The Austin American-Statesman

“You are a responsible property owner, so you make sure to buy insurance to pay for repairs or rebuilding in the event of a disaster. Unless you’re the state of Texas.” Texas leaders erroneously claim that state-owned property is self insured, when in fact Texas is one of the few states that carries no property insurance at all. “Analysts say the unprotected system adopted by state leaders has probably cost taxpayers millions of dollars, the difference between an insurance premium and regularly siphoning general revenue fund money to cover big fixes.” Story by Eric Dexheimer

Rape allegations embroil Kingwood Pines psychiatric hospital in Houston | The Houston Chronicle

“A Houston Chronicle review of medical records, court filings, hospital accreditation reports and records from state and federal regulators, and interviews with parents, portray an understaffed facility that has failed to watch over patients, leaving the most vulnerable among them open to further victimization.” Story by St. John Barned-Smith

Did I miss a good story? Contact me or leave a comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates and check out more watchdog journalism from the great state of Texas.

The post Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for Jan. 21, 2018 appeared first on John Tedesco.

Investigative stories in Texas about embezzlement at Centro San Antonio, substandard dams and the mysteries of brain injuries.

Centro San Antonio CEO quits amid allegations of embezzlement by staffer | The San Antonio Express-News

A former employee of Centro San Antonio, the nonprofit organization focused on building a “more prosperous downtown,” is accused of embezzling $175,000 by fabricating emails and audits and using an accomplice who posed as an auditor to conceal the theft. In response to the discovery, Pat DiGiovanni, Centro’s president and CEO, quit last week. Story by Josh Baugh

Hundreds of dams in Texas could fail in worst-case flood | The Austin American-Statesman

Hundreds of substandard dams upstream of populated areas in Texas violate state law intended to guard against failing in catastrophic floods, an investigation by the American-Statesman has found. The newspaper’s article sparked a review by Texas lawmakers. Story by Ralph K.M. Haurwitz

Alive Inside | The Houston Chronicle

“Thousands of people are discharged to nursing homes or acute care hospitals each year, assumed to be unconscious after suffering a severe brain injury. Experts now believe a staggering number of these patients — more than 40 percent, according to some estimates — are covertly aware, in what scientists have dubbed the ‘minimally conscious state.'” Story by Mike Hixenbaugh

Did I miss a good story? Contact me or leave a comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates and check out more watchdog journalism from the great state of Texas.

The post Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for Dec. 3, 2017 appeared first on John Tedesco.

The latest investigative stories in Texas that uncovered hidden facts and held officials accountable:

Apple served with search warrant in Sutherland Springs shooting | The San Antonio Express-News

Texas Rangers investigating the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs have served a search warrant on Silicon Valley giant Apple Inc. and are seeking digital photos, messages, documents and other types of data that might have been stored by gunman Devin Patrick Kelley, who was found with an iPhone after he killed himself. Story by John Tedesco and Kelsey Bradshaw

At the Texas Capitol, victims of sexual harassment must fend for themselves | The Texas Tribune

“Interviews with more than two dozen current and former lawmakers and legislative aides indicate sexual harassment regularly goes unchecked at the Texas Capitol. And sexual harassment policies rely on officials with little incentive or authority to enforce them, particularly in cases of harassment by lawmakers.” Story by Alexa Ura, Morgan Smith, Jolie McCullough and Edgar Walters

Reversing course, Austin council to reveal city manager finalists | The Austin American-Statesman

“Austin City Council members will reverse course on their secret search for a city manager and release up to five finalists’ names in the next few days, a week after the American-Statesman staked out candidate interviews and sued the city over refusing to release records on the search.” Story by Elizabeth Findell

Arkema documents: Planning, mechanical failures led to Harvey chemical fires | The Houston Chronicle

Poor planning and a series of cascading equipment failures led to dangerous chemicals erupting into flames in late August during the height of Hurricane Harvey at Arkema’s Crosby plant. “The miscalculations indicate the company’s lack of preparation for more than 3 feet of flooding, reflected by an emergency management plan that barely addressed how to handle such a storm.” Story by Matt Dempsey and Jacob Carpenter

Investigation finds corruption, intimidation at Temple VA campus | The Austin American-Statesman

Struggling veterans who work at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Temple campus have lodged nearly 50 grievances in the past decade, claiming they’ve endured verbal tirades, witnessed thefts and were forced to perform personal work at the homes of high-ranking VA officials. An internal VA inquiry has finally corroborated their complaints. Story by Jeremy Schwartz

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The post Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for Nov. 19, 2017 appeared first on John Tedesco.

How renting furniture in Texas can land you in jail | The Texas Tribune and NerdWallet

“Rental companies can avail themselves of a little-known law written decades ago by the rental industry lobby — in Texas and in many other states — that can turn a dispute over a love seat or big screen TV into a criminal offense report, a trip to jail and even felony theft charges.” Story by Jay Root and Shannon Najmabadi

Tricentennial leaders crafted partnership with local TV station before releasing RFP | The San Antonio Express-News

“Emails obtained by the San Antonio Express-News under the Texas Public Information Act show that Tricentennial Commission officials, operating under city authority, had been discussing a partnership with KSAT since January 2016, raising questions about whether the commission appropriately handled the process of selecting that outlet as its broadcast partner.” Story by Josh Baugh

Charities still waiting for millions pledged for Harvey relief | The Houston Chronicle

“After Hurricane Harvey made landfall Aug. 25, major corporations such as Exxon Mobil Corp., Home Depot Inc. and Kellogg Co. announced big financial pledges to help the people of Texas and Louisiana feed their families and rebuild their homes. Two months later, at least $76 million in pledges from companies, foundations and individuals still has not been delivered to the designated charities, a Houston Chronicle review found.” Story by Emily L. Mahoney

Mayor Adler aide’s nonprofit benefited from lax oversight on city contracts | The Austin American-Statesman

“A nonprofit co-founded and once run by an Austin City Hall insider reaped $1 million in public money for programs he helped create, a seven-month American-Statesman investigation found. It was possible thanks, in part, to a city procurement system that allows departments to award millions in contracts with little oversight or accountability — or even having to put the work up for bid.” Story by Nolan Hicks

Cameras on school buses catch thousands breaking law; less than half of drivers pay fines | KSAT

School districts are trying to discourage drivers from endangering students who ride school buses. “But the KSAT Defenders have learned less than half of the drivers who are issued citations aren’t actually paying them and there’s not much that can be done to force drivers to pay up.” Story by Tim Gerber

Some high-profile local divorce cases are hidden from the public. Why? | The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“A Star-Telegram investigation found a number of cases that cannot be accessed through the county’s computer system. The documents for about a half-dozen cases the Star-Telegram researched don’t appear, raising concerns about whether the public can actually find all the open records in Tarrant County’s family courts.” Story by Max B. Baker

Emails: ICE whiffed in hunt for Austin’s ‘egregious’ criminal immigrants | The Austin American-Statesman

“As the first nationwide immigration raids of the Trump administration were unfolding in February, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials struggled to justify their claims that they had netted serious criminals in the Austin area, according to internal emails published this week.” Story by Sean Collins Walsh

Everyone knew Houston’s reservoirs would flood — except for the people who bought homes inside them | The Texas Tribune and ProPublica

None of the residents interviewed after the floods say they knew they were living inside Addicks or Barker reservoirs — many of their neighborhoods are several miles away from the dams. Several local officials — including Houston’s ‘flood czar’ and a neighboring county executive — said they had no idea the neighborhoods had been built inside the flood pools. Several real estate agents said they didn’t realize they were selling homes inside the pools.” Story by Neena Satija, Kiah Collier and Al Shaw

How dozens in southern Dallas were swindled out of homes — under the government’s nose | The Dallas Morning News

“Alleged scammers took at least $320,000 from victims and were about to close on another $223,500 worth of deals when police intervened in 2016, according to a Dallas Morning News review of deed records and court documents.” Story by Naomi Martin

Excited. Delirious. Dead. | The Texas Observer

Is excited delirium syndrome a medical phenomenon, or a convenient cover for deaths in police custody? Thanks to Vincent Di Maio, a former Bexar County medical examiner turned celebrity scientist, it’s a diagnosis police know well. Story by Michael Barajas

Did I miss a good story? Contact me or leave a comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates and check out more watchdog journalism from the great state of Texas.

The post Must reads: Texas watchdog journalism roundup for Oct. 29, 2017 appeared first on John Tedesco.