Conflict of interest: Federal agency asks Michigan dam owner to investigate dam failure?

Monday, May 25th, 2020

Arrow shows direction of flooding from Sanford & Edenville Dams

Our hearts go out to the people of Midland community in Michigan after two dams failed on May 19 forcing the evacuation of 11,000 people amid the coronovirus pandemic.

Wixom Lake (held back by Edenville Dam) and Sanford Lake (held back by Sanford Dam) both emptied into the region after heavy rains swelled the Tittabawassee River resulting in about 120 square miles under several feet of water.

In addition to the hardships of the individuals, the flooding will create environmental damage by exposing toxins and washing them into the nearby Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. President Trump has declared a state of emergency.

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Army Corps hired PR firm to improve its image

Friday, May 15th, 2020

After the levees broke in New Orleans, the Army Corps of Engineers quietly hired a public relations firm called Outreach Process Partners (OPP).

OPP was hired under a 3-year contract to ostensibly improve the federal agency’s image.

This small firm was paid $1 million up front and, over the next three years, received another $3,613,998.00.

OPP boasted in its website that it reduced negative news stories for the corps. Levees.org brought the nearly $5 million contract to the attention of its supporters in May 2009.

The eBlast got the attention of CBS National News and the Associated Press who both did national stories.

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The ten most poorly-reported stories in American journalism

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

One of the most poorly covered stories in American journalism history is Hurricane Katrina and the levee breaches.

This is according to W. Joseph Campbell in his book Getting it Wrong: Ten of the Greatest Misreported Stories in American Journalism.

Says Campbell, the news coverage of the storm, the levee breaches and the aftermath was flawed and exaggerated.

“The coverage made it seem as though the city were a haven for lurking criminals waiting for the opportune moment to inflict violence on others.”

As Campbell described in his book, the consequences of the poor unverified reporting caused distinct harm to “an already wounded population.”

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