From nursing home evictions to a botched investigation of a teacher, Press-Gazette reporters brought issues to light
A new calendar year is often used as a time to make plans on what we will accomplish in the next 12 months, both personally with New Year’s resolutions, and professionally.
While we all want to be moving forward, it's beneficial to step back from the day-to-day, minute-to-minute madness of the never-ending news cycle and look back.
That’s what we’re doing with our annual Impact Report.
The USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin’s 2023 Community Impact Report highlights the work of the Green Bay Press-Gazette as well of our 10 sister newsrooms across the state.
You will find it two special sections in the Sunday print edition — one on the work in Wisconsin and one on the work of the USA TODAY NETWORK nationwide.
We highlight the work we did over the last 12 months that made a difference in our communities. Here are some of the stories covered in the report:
When reporter Benita Mathew wrote about nursing home evictions in Hobart, those stories led to follow-ups that brought more issues to light about the circumstances of these actions and the aftermath, including a story about one resident who died shortly after being forced to move. The news about the evictions led state Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Allouez, to propose a bill to giving residents more time to find new homes.
Sometimes we simply get a tip that we follow up on. Reporter Kelli Arseneau, who covers courts and public safety for the Green Bay Press-Gazette and Appleton Post-Crescent, heard from a prisoner at Sanger B. Powers Correctional Center in Oneida. He told her he was recommended for parole in May. Five months later, he still had not been released. When following up on this tip, Arseneau found a statewide backlog of 29 cases where parole had been recommended but final approval from the Wisconsin Parole Commission chairman had not been given.
Within a week of publication of Arseneau’s story, the prisoner was granted parole.
We also work on longer, investigative stories that bring issues to light. Reporter Danielle DuClos spent nine months investigating a Green Bay School District teacher who was convicted of sexually abusing four second-grade students between 2015 and 2016. DuClos’ investigation found that the teacher was first accused of sexual abuse by a student in 2017 and that after the school district’s investigation he was still allowed to stay in the classroom for four years, until more girls came forward.
Her investigation found gaps in the Brown County welfare system and state reporting laws that kept the extent of the abuse in the dark. The teacher, David Villareal, was eventually convicted and sentenced to 50 years in prison. Meanwhile, some lawmakers are looking into closing the loophole.
Arseneau also worked with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Laura Schulte on conditions inside the Green Bay Correctional Institution in Allouez. The story gave a glimpse inside the prison and how the monthslong lockdown had affected those incarcerated there. In early November, Gov. Tony Evers and Department of Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr announced plans to begin lifting restrictions at both Waupun and Green Bay correctional institutions.
Reporter Jeff Bollier worked with Post-Crescent reporter Madison Lammert on the lack of affordable child care and its impact. It was part of the Families Matter series, which looked at issues such as school lunch programs, pre-K expulsion rates, foster care, senior care and more. Press-Gazette reporters Natalie Eilbert, Danielle DuClos and Benita Mathew also contributed to the series.
As we move ahead in 2024, we will work to have a positive impact on our community. Press-Gazette reporters and editors are part of the community and we strive to tell stories that make our readers better informed and provide answers when none seem apparent.
If you have any tips or ideas for stories to pursue in 2024, I can be reached at pfrank@gannett.com or at 920-431-8311. You can also email the newsroom at metro@greenbaypressgazette.com.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay Press-Gazette reporters track impact of 2023 coverage
