Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Special Reports and Investivations

The honey business is plagued with international intrigue, where foreign hucksters and shady importers sometimes rip off conscientious packers with Chinese honey diluted with cheap sugar syrup or tainted with illegal antibiotics.

Voiceless and Abused

A nursing assistant accused of raping and impregnating a blind, nonverbal woman is the second caregiver in two years at a Kent agency suspected of sexually abusing her, a Seattle P-I investigation found.

A Green Light for Greed

While Wall Street financiers stoked today's financial meltdown with explosive investing in high-risk mortgage loans, politicians, federal officials and lobbyists shielded them from lawsuits that would have protected borrowers and tempered the frenzy.
- Mortgage system crumbled while regulators jousted

State pays in blood for flawed mental health system (Ongoing)

The biggest price taxpayers pay for mental illness in this state is not the cost of treatment -- it's the cost, and consequences, of failure to treat.
- Dangerous and mentally ill: A system in restraints (March 26)
- A 'gravely disabled' mental health care system (Sept. 8)
- Task force recommends changes to state's involuntary commitment laws (Oct. 9)
- This story of mental illness -- and recovery -- is still being told (Oct. 30)
- County's mentally ill fade into the system (Nov. 17)
- Mental health system failing (Dec. 5)
- Balancing punishment and treatment when crimes are committed (Dec. 29)

Young Guns: A New Brand of Gangster (August 2008)

During the first eight months of 2008, gang gunplay in the Seattle area killed at least a half-dozen young men, injured scores more and left police scrambling to address a problem that is decades old.

Demoted to Private: America's Military Housing Disaster (August 2008)

A military program to privatize housing for soldiers and their families is behind schedule and over budget. The man who blew the whistle on the problems ended up getting fired.

The Strong Arm of the Law (Ongoing in 2008)

What happens when Seattle Police officers are accused of using unnecessary force, lie or arrest people for "contempt of cop"?

The Dangers of Diacetyl (Ongoing)

Diacetyl is a chemical butter flavoring commonly found in microwave popcorn. Government worker safety investigators have linked diacetyl exposure to the sometimes fatal destruction of the lungs of hundreds of workers in food production and flavoring factories. Yet it can be found in thousands of products.

A River Lost? Decision Time on the Duwamish (Nov. 25-27, 2007)

Decades after pollution started killing the Duwamish River, restoration efforts are under way. But is it too little, too late?

Farmed Out (October 2007)

While schools are offering healthier menu choices, what seems like a no-brainer -- feeding local kids locally grown food -- is surprisingly hard to do.

School Crimes Under Wraps (Sept. 27, 2007)

Some serious crimes reported in the Seattle's public schools last school year -- including cases of assaults and strong-arm robberies -- weren't reported to police, the P-I has found.

One Fatal Shot (Sept. 13, 2007)

On Sept. 21, 2006, Jordan Jantoc accidentally shot his stepbrother Michael Miller to death while the two were playing with a gun. This is the story of how their family coped with how that tragedy affected them in the following year.

Green Power: The New Generation (Aug. 15-17, 2007)

In the name of fighting climate change, solar, geothermal, wave and tidal energy are getting a new look.

Undue Influence (Aug. 6-8, 2007)

Police officers arrested for drunken driving fare better than the average citizen, according to an investigation of seven years worth of internal discipline records, arrest reports, accident reports, license-suspension files and court documents.

Boeing Struggles With Sarbanes-Oxley (July 17, 2007)

A rare glimpse into Boeing's struggles with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance in its information technology department.

The Terrorism Trade-Off (Throughout 2007)

Thousands of white-collar criminals across the country are no longer being prosecuted in federal court -- and in many cases, not at all -- leaving a trail of frustrated victims and potentially billions of dollars in fraud and theft losses.

Pike Place Market at 100 (Throughout 2007)

An ongoing series of reports and features on Seattle's oldest public farmer's market as it celebrates its centennial.

On the Waterfront (Dec. 13-15, 2006)

An examination of deals the Port of Seattle has brokered to develop the central waterfront shows a history of sweetheart deals that have been very lucrative for a select few businesses. But how good a deal has it been for the public?

Iran: A Rediscovery (Nov. 28-30, 2006)

Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter D. Parvaz was born in Iran but hasn't lived there since childhood. In 2006, she returned to visit for the first time in 22 years.

Crane Accident (Nov. 16, 2006)

One person inside an apartment building was killed when a construction crane collapsed November 16, 2006 in downtown Bellevue, striking several buildings.

The Glass Ceiling (Nov. 15-16, 2006)

Women have made gains politically in Washington, but executive suites and boardrooms at the state's largest publicly held companies are decidedly masculine.

The Sound of Broken Promises (Oct. 9-14, 2006)

This report examines the weak regulations, spotty enforcement and political foot-dragging that have put local orcas in jeopardy, and threatened efforts to clean up the polluted waters of Puget Sound.

Conduct Unbecoming (Ongoing)

Since August 2005, the Seattle P-I has exposed the King County Sheriff's Office for rewarding rather than punishing cops who get in trouble, failing to investigate possible criminal behavior and suppressing internal whistle-blowing.

A Life in the Balance (August 2006)

Afer surviving a horrific accident at sea, Rose Bard struggled to deal with being both a new amputee and a new mother-to-be.

Masking the Truth (June 21, 2006)

A Seattle man known across the U.S. and Canada as a pre-eminent American Indian psychologist has embellished his credentials and past, a P-I investigation has found.
- Counselor's credentials investigated
- UW police investigates counselor who claimed Ph.D.

Nothing But Profit (May 15, 2006)

Why is KeyArena deemed obsolete 11 years after it was rebuilt? In today's NBA, winning no longer is the sole key to success. The league's evolving business model demands bigger and fancier arenas and greater financial control.

Capitol Hill Shootings (March 25, 2006)

On a Saturday morning, Kyle Aaron Huff left a house party on Seattle's Capitol Hill. He returned minutes later, heavily armed, and opened fire. The unexpected rampage left seven dead and police and mourners looking for the answers.

Taming a Defiant Mind (Jan. 12, 2006)

Lori Farmer spent 10 years in a mental hospital for an unforgivable crime: killing her 4-year-old son. Since then, she has struggled to get hold of a defiant mind and is trying to rebuild a life.

Learning to Heal (Dec. 26, 2005)

Greg Lipski was halfway through medical school when he received a life-changing diagnosis: he had leukemeia. The ensuing months of grueling cancer treatment not only taught him something about the will to survive, but also about what kind of doctor he one day hopes to become.

The Youngest Profession (Dec. 6, 2005)

Growing numbers of girls are coming to the attention of Seattle police for their involvement with prostitution. Almost all are seduced by a recruiter, often an acquaintance, who dangles promises of money and independence.

Public Protection, Private Abuse (Nov. 16-18, 2005)

A state-funded program which pays private residential companies to supervise dangerous developmentally disabled people is protecting the public while putting vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and neglect.

The Longest Flight (Nov. 9-11, 2005)

Boeing's new 777-200LR flew from Hong Kong to London, setting a new world record for the longest commercial jetliner flight: 13,422 miles in 22 hours, 42 minutes.

Urban Forests Under Siege (Nov. 7, 2005)

Seattle's urban forest is in trouble. Public woods are overrun by weeds that can strangle the hardiest of trees. Street trees aren't getting the care they need. And high-density development threatens the remaining private groves.

The Cipher in Room 214 (Oct. 6, 2005)

A neatly groomed woman calling herself Mary Anderson ended her life in a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Seattle on an unseasonably hot October day in 1996. At first it looked like a simple case of suicide. But police soon learned that Mary Anderson was an enigma.

Toothless: Washington's lax dental oversight (Oct. 3-5, 2005)

A P-I investigation found that the state dental board has been slow to act and has cut generous deals with some of the state's most complained-about dentists.

Lewis and Clark Trail (October 2005)

Join David Horsey, the Seattle P-I's Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist, on the path of Lewis and Clark, from the Continental Divide to the Pacific.

Health care reform (Sept. 18, 2005)

The Seattle P-I Editorial Board, in conjunction with Codebluenow.org, on Sept. 18 began a 10-week series of commentaries on health care reform.

Seattle Americans (July 4, 2005)

With all the polarized politics swirling around our country P-I photographer Joshua Trujillo set out the discover what Seattle-area Americans think of themselves and their country.

New Orders (July 7, 2005)

Gen. John Shalikashvili, a man used to being in charge, faces a new nemesis: Because of a massive stroke, his body is no longer taking orders from his brain.

Broadway Revival (June 2005)

Capitol Hill's main retail strip has been transformed many times over the years -- an Ozzie and Harriet kind of place with a soda fountain and hardware stores, Seattle's gay Mecca, a center of the grunge scene. It's now a shadow of its former self, with vacant storefronts and panhandlers dotting the retail strip. But some argue that the city's plan to fix it will just do more harm.

Costly Collections (May-June 2005)

Why have some wealthy art collectors gotten away with not paying taxes they owe to the state?

License to Kill (May 3-5, 2005)

The federal government is handing out licenses to kill endangered species. Hundreds of exemptions to the Endangered Species Act have been issued nationwide since the mid-1990s. The deals being cut are perfectly legal. Many last for decades. And they are helping push creatures to the brink of extinction, conservation biologists and other critics say.

Judgment calls: When to remove a child? (April 28, 2005)

Child abuse investigators often rely on personal judgment. Acting as government agents, they decide whether preserving less-than-idyllic families - well-meaning but addicted mothers, physically present but uninvolved fathers, malnourished children begging to remain at home - should prevail over placing kids in foster care.

The Human Factor: Why another Exxon Valdez disaster could happen (March 22-25, 2005)

A Seattle Post-Intelligencer investigation of a major oil-company tanker fleet has found disturbing evidence that Exxon Valdez-inspired reforms are being evaded or undermined.

EMP @ 5 (March 21, 2005)

Approaching its fifth anniversary, things haven't worked out as planned for the Experience Music Project. Attendance has been half what was projected, exhibit plans have stalled and insiders say a highly secretive -- even toxic -- culture rules what was supposed to be one of Seattle's cultural gems.

Hard Work, Hard Times (Ongoing coverage in 2005)

In King and Snohomish counties -- the state's most prosperous region -- nearly 300,000 people live in poverty even though at least one family member works full time. This special report takes a closer look at the region's working poor and the challenges they face.

Tasers Under Fire (Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2004)

Police say that the non-lethal stun devices save lives. But 69 deaths nationwide have been linked to their use, including three in the Puget Sound area.

Driven to Distraction (Nov. 16-17, 2004)

It's not illegal in Washington to drive while using a cell phone, and yet it seems as if everyone has a story about bad driving and phone use. This special report looks at the dangers of mixing cars and cell phones.

Floating Loopholes (Nov. 10-12, 2004)

Using tax dodges that range from perfectly legal to dubious, wealthy boat owners are enlisting the aid of the federal government to keep their luxury yachts on the water.

Remaking South Lake Union (Oct. 20, 2004)

The industrial area north of downtown Seattle will become a vibrant neighborhood and the nation's biotechnology hub, if billionaire Paul Allen has his way. But not everyone thinks that's a good idea.

The Fall of AT&T Wireless (Sept. 21, 2004)

In the end, a single event may have sealed AT&T Wireless's fate: the opportunity for its customers to leave.

Seth's old photos A Time to Live (Sept. 16, 2004)

Seth Cook was born with progeria, a disorder that has left him 11 years old going on 80, but that hasn't stopped him from living a boy's life.

The Unseen Cost of War (Aug. 27, 2004)

A growing number of local soldiers are returning from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder. Experts predict they will eventually number in the tens of thousands. Reservists and National Guard soldiers appear particularly vulnerable.
Two veterans's stories:
- Once a 'people person,' vet couldn't leave home
- 'I'm afraid something is going to set me off'

No Safe Haven (Aug. 19-20, 2004)

Buried deep in the hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits filed against Catholic priests lies a startling, little-known detail: At least a dozen clerics accused of molesting minors lived with children for years, often serving as legal parents or guardians to boys who called the rectory home.

Errors in Evidence (July 22-23, 2004)

A recurring problem with DNA contamination and errors at the State Patrol crime labs uncovered during an investigation by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has national experts troubled.

Lead in Our Water (Ongoing coverage)

Water drawn from drinking fountains throughout Seattle's public schools is contaminated with lead that exceeds the maximum level recommended by the federal government -- and in many cases, the toxic concentrations rise far above that threshold. Are you affected? Let us hear from you.

The Navy Wife (published June 28-30, 2004)

To all appearances, Lt. Derek Hunter seemed like the perfect officer and the perfect husband. But did he get away with murder?

Facing Forward (published June 1, 2004)

After being badly burned, two young men face a different world -- one begins his journey, the other nears its end.

Central Library (published May 20, 2004)

Seattle's stunning new library draws rave reviews. Check out our photo gallery, floor plan, maps and more.

Shadow of Doubt (published March 13, 2004)

A year ago, the State Patrol conducted an internal audit of a forensic scientist accused of improperly testing evidence found troubling flaws in 30 cases he handled. Seventeen of those cases resulted in convictions but none of the defendants was notified about the flaws.

Out of Luck (published Feb. 23-25, 2004)

As legalized gambling has grown in Washington, so has the number of problem gamblers and their effects on society.

Public Trust, Private Interests (published Jan. 9, 2004)

From the banal to the brazen, Washington's part-time lawmakers help their friends, families and bosses -- and they help themselves. And it's all legal.

Bill Gates' Global Health Vision (published Dec. 8-10, 2003)

Bill Gates is waging a revolution in global health. The battleground is disease prevention, not treatment. The tactics are businesslike performance, not traditional charitable giving. Can he make a difference?

A Doctor's Secret (published Nov. 25, 2003)

Because of the way the medical profession investigates itself, and the laws that protect it, no one outside the hospital -- not the public, not the state, not even the organization that accredits hospitals -- is entitled to know what really happens when something goes awry.

Made in Misery (published Nov. 17-21, 2003)

Today, thousands of miles from a sweatshop in the South Pacific, 12 women have found refuge in Washington state. They were rescued by volunteers, lawyers, a doctor -- and a brave and determined man who works at Microsoft.

Our Warming World (published Nov. 13, 2003)

From the crest of the Cascades to the bottom of Puget Sound, this region stands in coming decades to be transformed: shorter ski seasons. More winter flooding. Reduced summer water supplies. Increasingly destructive wildfires.

A Dangerous Season (published October 2003)

The P-I gives readers a first-hand look at what could be the last derby-style crab fishing season in Alaska. New reforms could do away with the traditional fast-paced, catch-as-much-as-you-can derbies that make crabbing the nation's most dangerous occupation. But what will be gained, and at what cost?

Chasing the Sun (published Aug. 18-22, 2003)

Courtnay Peifer and her twin sister, Lindsay, came to the United States more than 25 years ago as adoptees from Korea. Three years ago, they started on a quest to find the family they left behind. This summer, they succeeded.

Badge of Dishonor (published July 23-25, 2003)

Dozens of cases of officers in local departments have been accused of domestic violence. But a five-month investigation found that those officers suffer few consequences.

Rebuilding Iraq (published June 2-17, 2003)

P-I foreign desk editor Larry Johnson and photographer Dan DeLong have returned to Iraq to assess how the nation and its people are faring after the 2003 Iraq war.

Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (published March 10-28, 2003)

More than 650 journalists from various news organizations have been "embedded" into military units around the world. P-I reporter M.L. Lyke and photographer Grant M. Haller were among them, spending March aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf.

Women Behind Bars (published March 5-6, 2003)

The number of women in Washington state's prisons and jails has jumped in the past five years, and our penal system is having difficulty coping.

Without a Trace (published Feb. 17-27, 2003)

Because of ignorance, indifference or poor training, police here and around the nation fumble missing-person reports. Bodies remain unidentified, families get no answers and killers get away.

TIPS FOR GETTING ACCESS

From The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
· Letter Generator
· How to use the Freedom of Information Act
· Accessing Electronic Records
· Medical Privacy vs. the Public Interest

Other sources
· From the Society of Professional Journalists
· From the Brechner Center