Wilson Criscione

How Oregon let a wood treater pollute a town's water source Nearby tribe calls on state, federal agencies to end a “decade-long pattern of reckless violations”

Heavy-hitting story from Kaylee Tornay and Aspen Ford: How Oregon let a wood treater pollute a town's water source
www.investigatewest.org/oregon-wood-...

A beloved Mercer Island teacher was accused twice of sexual misconduct with students. The school district kept it quiet. Gary "Chris" Twombley was put on administrative leave in December 2023

New story, reported with with the Mercer Island Reporter, about how the school district kept allegations of sexual misconduct by a teacher quiet for years. www.investigatewest.org/a-beloved-me...

In wildfire-prone Washington, ‘collaboration’ on forest management gives way to timber interests Forest collaboratives formed in the wake of the Pacific Northwest’s “Timber Wars” have become major power players operating largely out of the public eye

Our reporter Moe Clark digs into forest management in Washington and the influential "collaboratives" that critics say are too aligned with timber interests: www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

Spokane hospital where 12-year-old died endangered other suicidal patients, investigators find State health records show repeated safety violations at Providence Sacred Heart hospital

Good journalism matters: The state investigated Providence Sacred Heart only because they read reporting from InvestigateWest about a 12-year-old's death. Officials quickly found deeper issues with the hospital failing to properly screen patients. www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

“Existing data shows Native Americans face the highest risk of deadly police violence in the United States — between three to five times the rate that others face. And that data is likely an undercount of the true figures”

Two killings, no explanation: Families left reeling after Bureau of Indian Affairs shootings Lack of transparency in BIA police killings leave families searching for answers

In 2020, Bureau of Indian Affairs police shot and killed Kirby Paradise. There was no media coverage or public acknowledgement from BIA.

Four years later, the BIA killed his cousin, Cody Whiterock, in Idaho.

Reporter Melanie Henshaw with the story:
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

WA health department investigating Spokane hospital after girl’s suicide sparked public outcry State regulatory officials, elected leaders learned of tragedy from InvestigateWest report

Washington state health officials — after reading @investigatewest.bsky.social's reporting — launched an investigation into a 12-year-old’s suicide at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

Idaho’s Owyhee County joins ICE agreement to enforce immigration law ICE's 287(g) agreements — ended under the Obama administration following abuses like racial profiling of Latinos — are back

“If this is happening, I would be hesitant to report a crime myself:" Idaho’s Owyhee County joins ICE agreement to enforce immigration law (for @investigatewest.bsky.social)

Nurses in the youth psych unit were concerned with Providence's decision to close it because they feared exactly this.

"We said this was going to happen," one former nurse in that unit says.

Very honored to be a Livingston finalist with @kelseyturner.bsky.social!

A 12-year-old killed herself at a Spokane hospital that recently closed its youth psychiatric unit Workers say girl’s death is an example of what they feared from Providence closing the unit

Tragic, must-read story from Whitney Bryen and Kaylee Tornay:

A 12-year-old girl died by suicide after workers say she was left unsupervised at Spokane's Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center — months after the hospital's closure of its youth psych unit.

www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

Under Idaho’s abortion ban, a family confronts life-or-death reality — and a crisis of faith As judges weigh the limits of medical exceptions, Idaho’s abortion ban is being tested — in courts, hospitals and patients’ lives

Don't miss the latest from @kelseyturner.bsky.social www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

‘We have lots of work for you guys’ — emails show coordination between deputies in Idaho’s Kootenai County and immigration officials Cooperation with federal authorities tests bounds of law and policy, stirs fear in immigrant communities

"We have lots of work for you guys." Emails obtained by
@rachelspacek.bsky.social show how Kootenai County deputies have been coordinating with feds on immigration enforcement.
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

Oregon has spent $46 million fighting black market cannabis. Officials can't tell if it’s working Experts say the state’s lack of market-related data may be hampering its efforts

Oregon has spent $46 million fighting black market cannabis in the last seven years. Is it working? Well, nobody seems to know, including the state agency managing the funding. www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

We're looking for another editor! This is a great opportunity to join a growing team of journalists doing ambitious work. t.co/wtFy0TTONb

She was raped and relentlessly demanded answers — until the city took her to court for harassment In a small Seattle suburb, a rape investigation sparks a war over speech and power

Our latest story, co-published by Mother Jones, about a Seattle suburb that banned a woman from contacting the city because she'd been demanding answers to her unsolved rape case. www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

Not only are Native American, Black and Hispanic drivers searched more often, they're also most likely to be issued a citations for nonmoving offenses like expired tabs, registration or driving with a suspended license.

‘A different standard’: Native Americans still searched at far higher rates by Washington State Patrol, new data shows Though disparities for other races improved, InvestigateWest analysis reveals Native Americans five times more likely to be searched despite ongoing scrutiny

In 2019, there were widespread calls for change in response to
@investigatewest.bsky.social finding that the Washington State Patrol searched Native American drivers at a rate 5x higher than whites.

But little has changed since then, our new analysis shows. www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

Recordings reveal Oregon port contractor praising Hitler, using slurs — now officials face a quandary Laws protecting free speech, along with challenging economic circumstances, make it difficult to cut ties

A port contractor in Coos Bay, OR praised Hitler and is involved with White Lives Matter, @investigatewest.bsky.social has confirmed after reviewing secret recordings and other records.

But the Port of Coos Bay says it can't just cut off ties without potentially violating his free speech rights.

Reposting a few of my favorite stories I was involved with from the past few years. This story, by @wilsonc.bsky.social, was for @investigatewest.bsky.social and picked up by @theguardian.com.

I still see Chris from time to time on the streets of Spokane.

Washington and Oregon now have both identified humans infected with bird flu.

Idaho has more cases among livestock than either state.

But none of the states are following CDC guidance to test people exposed to the virus, @investigatewest.bsky.social's Rachel Spacek reports:

t.co/UqmpbO7BQJ

Lawsuit accuses Idaho agency of defunding anti-trafficking nonprofit in retaliation for whistleblowing Victims assistance agency pulled funding for nonprofit believing it was behind InvestigateWest articles

An Idaho victims assistance agency defunded a nonprofit, believing the executive director was the whistleblower behind a series of stories we published in July.

Now the state is being sued for it. www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...

‘Their cases will never be heard’: Sex traffickers evade justice as child victims openly walk Pa... Survivors, police frustrated with low convictions as reported sex trafficking soars in Washington and Oregon...

Law enforcement and prosecutors know that kids are openly trafficked online and on the streets of Seattle and Portland. So where are the convictions for sex trafficking? InvestigateWest's Kelsey Turner dug into it.
www.invw.org/2023/11/30/t...

Cornerstone Cottage in Post Falls says it’s a “trauma-informed,” “secure” and “culturally sensitive” facility for girls.

In reality, girls there have been raped, attacked and called racial slurs.

And Idaho state regulators haven’t stopped it.

www.invw.org/2023/10/01/r...

For years, teachers at Tahoma School District tried to warn administrators that a paraeducator now charged with child rape was grooming young boys.

Emails and public records obtained by InvestigateWest reveal how those concerns were dismissed. https://t.co/vFk9CzJXon

How a new Idaho superintendent is tapping far-right connections to refashion a school district  - I... Teachers flee the small district, fearing the impact of a right-wing politician’s appointment By Daniel...

How a new Idaho superintendent is tapping far-right connections to refashion a school district https://www.invw.org/2023/07/26/how-a-new-idaho-superintendent-is-tapping-far-right-connections-to-refashion-a-school-district/