Imagine my surprise when I awoke this morning to find the St. Louis Post-Dispatch had finally published something about the latest Weldon Spring Cancer Report, issued stealthily by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services late last year, but failed to give credit where credit is due — to me!
Click to read about Weldon Spring Site and related articles.
On Jan. 23, I was the only investigative reporter on the planet to publish an article about the existence of the new report, known officially as the Analysis of Leukemia Incidence and Mortality Data for St. Charles County, Weldon Spring and Surrounding Areas December 2011 (Update to April 2005 Report) and unofficially as the “Weldon Spring Update” or “2011 Weldon Spring Cancer Inquiry Report.” Had it not been for my report, it’s very likely that no one would have learned about the MDHSS report released to me Dec. 29 at 5:04 p.m. after nine months of “birddogging” by yours truly.
Eleven days later, Post-Dispatch medical reporter Blythe Bernhard contacted me about the story I had published. Of course, she asked me to explain my interest in the story and to recount how I had come to obtain the report, etc. In addition, she asked me to put her in contact with some of the people mentioned in my piece.
This morning, Bernhard’s story included only one mention of me in the form of this comment:
“When you have something like this you don’t hide it; you at least let people know because they paid for it, especially people in the affected areas,” said Bob McCarty, who lives in the county and writes a political blog. “I’m not an environmentalist. I’ve never hugged a tree. If it’s all good, so be it, but the one thing they need to do is communicate better.”
While I’m pleased that the story received more attention, I’m disgusted — but not surprised — that the Post-Dispatch took the approach to the story that they did. It’s no wonder the Lee Enterprises-owned newspaper filed for bankruptcy protection last year.
EDITOR’S NOTE: To read my stories about the Weldon Spring Site and related stories, click here.
UPDATE 2/22/12 at 8:15 p.m. Central: Below are links to other local media outlets that picked up on the story I broke Jan. 23:
• Geochemist Highly Critical of Weldon Spring Report (CBS Local)
• Daily Dose: Report on Cancer Risk at Weldon Springs is Questioned (Patch.com)
• Health Advocates Criticize State Report on Weldon Spring (KMOX)
Be sure to check out my new book, Three Days In August: A U.S. Army Special Forces Soldier’s Fight For Military Justice.
UPDATE 3/15/12 at 9:41 p.m. Central: I noticed today that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch scrubbed almost 30 comments from their Feb. 20 story about the Weldon Spring Site. Makes on wonder why they got rid of the comments.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Clarissa Eaton // Feb 20, 2012 at 11:01 am
Thank You Bob for trying to enlighten the truth, where so many try and downplay such an important issue that laddles STL and its surrounding communities….Like you, I am not surprised either for the lack of responsible journalism by STLPD, or any Agency that is paid to protect the livelihood of its citizens and taxpayers…This is mere bureaucratic tape, that also has a stronghold on what is true and correct. Thank You Bob for your decency in your quest for the truth, that is so often buried like the rest of the waste. KUDOS!
2 More Info // Feb 20, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Do we know the locations of the wells that the impacted zip codes draw their drinking supplies from? Is the test data from those wells publicly available?
3 BobMcCarty // Feb 20, 2012 at 9:48 pm
The St. Charles County Health Department monitors the wells and, I believe, would be the agency with that info. I have not yet, however, tackled that aspect of the story.
4 Kay Drey // Feb 21, 2012 at 9:09 am
I have just this morning read your extremely informative, properly incensed Jan.23.2012 blog article: “MO Health Agency Officials Refuse to Answer Questions About New Weldon Spring Cancer Report.” You performed a huge service to Metro St. Louis, and beyond, by exposing the MO Health Dept.’s totally inadequate approach to Weldon Spring, AND by inspiring Blythe Bernhard’s top-of-page one (!!) St.L.Post article (2.20.12). In response to the Health Dept.’s defense about focusing only on leukemia results of exposure to Weldon Spring’s radioactive wastes, “because of historical community concerns,” I believe the more specific concern of Weldon Spring-area citizens and the medical community for several decades has been about the incidence of the area’s CHILDHOOD leukemia. Thank you. Thank you for your persistent, careful research and initial article.
5 BobMcCarty // Feb 21, 2012 at 9:14 am
Thanks, Kay!
6 Kathleen Logan Smith // Feb 23, 2012 at 5:21 am
Bob,
those of us who caught your story knew where credit was due! It was just the Post didn’t want to acknowledge they were totally out reported by a conservative blogger. Go Bob!
Leave a Comment