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Scooping 'em in Washington
The Free Press Got There First
by Doug Collins
At the Free Press, we've made it a habit to scoop the major dailiesand weeklies on a number of issues. Sometimes we are years in advance.How do we do it? Instead of assigning topics, we let writers followtheir personal interests. Articles are edited with an open mind andconcerned heart, without influence of advertising money or wealthyownership.
Below are a few of the noteworthy in-state topics that the Free Pressreported first during the past ten years, before the corporate pressgot to them. And by the way, please subscribe to help support oureffort.
Boeing refuses compensation for chemically-injured workers ("It's Allin Your Head" Feb '94) This ground-breaking article, which largelyfocused on chemical injuries in Boeing's Auburn plant, won the 1994national Investigative Reporters and Editors award for magazines,beating entries from Time, Newsweek, and other large magazines.Environmental dangers of the proposed third runway at SeaTac RegionalAirport ("Third Runway to Hell" Feb '96) Again, we scooped other localmedia in reporting on this still-contended issue. See page 4 of thisissue for an update.
Oil tanker safety laws threatened, risk to Washington coast("Oilagarchy" Mar '97) This and related developments were subsequentlyreported in earnest by the Seattle Weekly.Pierce county garbage dump is smack-dab on top of the drinking waterfor 700,000 residents ("Trashing Public Interest" Jul '00)
How Boeing's globalization hurts the US economy ("Boeing Jobs TakeFlight for Profit" Nov '96) When a series of articles on the globaleconomy was cancelled midway by the Seattle Times after one article inthe series turned out to be critical of Boeing, the Free Press printedthe article and brought it to Washington readers. This was yearsbefore "globalization" became an everyday word with the Seattle WTOmeetings
The lack of grad student/TA labor unions at universities in Washington("University Unions" May, '97) Three years after our article, anultimately successful organizing campaign began at UW.
Environmental dangers at the Trident nuclear submarine base nearBangor, WA (among many articles on this topic, "Why We are Suing theUS Navy" Nov '01)
Snohomish citizen's groups battle developers over gravel quarry impact("Stopping the Stilly from Going to the Pits" Apr '96)
Shady public financing of Nordstrom retail redevelopments in bothSpokane and Seattle ("In The Bag" June '95, with updates thereafter)After we reported this story, mainstream weeklies and dailies finallyprinted investigations of this corporate-welfare scheme. Later, theSpokane city leadership was overhauled by the electorate, andSeattle's then-mayor Norm Rice lost his bid to become HUD Secretary.
Pulp mill toxic pollution in Port Angeles ("Pulp Fiction" Jul '97)
Corporate junk food contracts and advertising blitzes in Washingtonpublic schools ("Getting Corporations Out" Jan '02) This has of latebeen reported in the national media.
Washington prison labor takes jobs from free workers, subsidizesprivate business ("Business Behind Bars" Sep '97, "Slaves of theState" Oct '95)
