A true honor to work with a talented team of dedicated journalists! Together, @JkurzynaTV @SusanArdis @LorenThomasTV @AliciaNeavesTV @DarciWLTX @JRBerryWLTX @AndreaMockSC @julie_eisenman @Randa4Real and @WhatsCookenYall helped shed light on a dark spot in Columbia. https://twitter.com/TEGNA/status/1144303419097866241">https://twitter.com/TEGNA/sta...
So what have we learned?

1. We found out early the two residents, Derrick Roper and Calvin Witherspoon died from carbon monoxide poisoning. https://www.wltx.com/mobile/article/news/local/coroner-allen-benedict-court-residents-died-from-carbon-monoxide-poisoning/101-ec092224-5042-441e-b211-4f2fa05e6c2b">https://www.wltx.com/mobile/ar...
Coroner: Allen Benedict Court residents died from carbon monoxide poisoning

Officials confirmed Monday that carbon monoxide poisoning caused two deaths at Allen Benedict Court.

https://www.wlttwitter.com/mobile/article/news/local/coroner-allen-benedict-court-residents-died-from-carbon-monoxide-poisoning/101-ec092224-5042-441e-b211-4f2fa05e6c2b
2. @LorenThomasTV reports the buildings conditions were found to be “severe and lethal.” https://www.wltx.com/amp/article/news/conditions-severe-and-lethal-at-allen-benedict-court-apartments-fire-department-says/101-5be942a7-4400-45f4-9978-4251c21d5121">https://www.wltx.com/amp/artic...
Conditions 'severe and lethal' at Allen Benedict Court apartments, fire department says

Carbon monoxide, missing smoke alarms, charred closets and infestations listed in Columbia Fire Department letter to Columbia Housing Authority.

https://www.wlttwitter.com/amp/article/news/conditions-severe-and-lethal-at-allen-benedict-court-apartments-fire-department-says/101-5be942a7-4400-45f4-9978-4251c21d5121
3. My first look at limited work orders showed that Witherspoon asked for maintenance help repeatedly in the months leading up to his death. https://www.wltx.com/amp/article?section=news&subsection=local&topic=allen-benedict-court&headline=allen-benedict-court-work-orders-show-history-of-maintenance-issues-at-deceased-residents-apartment&contentId=101-0416fc6d-6030-43ba-9e65-459666b4a185">https://www.wltx.com/amp/artic...
Allen Benedict Court work orders show history of maintenance issues at deceased resident's apartment

Calvin Witherspoon asked for maintenance help six times from January to April of 2018.

https://www.wlttwitter.com/amp/article?section=news&subsection=local&topic=allen-benedict-court&headline=allen-benedict-court-work-orders-show-history-of-maintenance-issues-at-deceased-residents-apartment&contentId=101-0416fc6d-6030-43ba-9e65-459666b4a185
4. While attempting to review more public records, @SusanArdis and @JkurzynaTV were detained. Later, the Columbia Housing Authority apologized. https://www.wltx.com/mobile/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/columbia-housing-authority-on-reporter-arrests-it-should-never-happen-again/101-2b86f3a7-6760-4a28-a0dc-43ce5bd21e97">https://www.wltx.com/mobile/ar...
Columbia Housing Authority on reporter arrests: 'It should never happen again'

WLTX reporters Jenna Kurzyna and Susan Ardis were arrested by Columbia Housing Authority police Tuesday while trying to access the building that houses public documents.

https://www.wlttwitter.com/mobile/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/columbia-housing-authority-on-reporter-arrests-it-should-never-happen-again/101-2b86f3a7-6760-4a28-a0dc-43ce5bd21e97
5. @JkurzynaTV learned in the following days that more and more residents had had significant issues while staying at CHA properties. https://www.wltx.com/amp/article?section=news&subsection=local&topic=allen-benedict-court&headline=i-was-in-the-belly-of-hell-ex-allen-benedict-court-resident-describes-living-there&contentId=101-395f5f60-0b5c-47c4-943e-d434277e85c9">https://www.wltx.com/amp/artic...
'I was in the belly of Hell': ex-Allen Benedict Court resident describes living there

In 2014, Valomae Hamilton knew something was wrong when the smell of gas wouldn't go away.

https://www.wlttwitter.com/amp/article?section=news&subsection=local&topic=allen-benedict-court&headline=i-was-in-the-belly-of-hell-ex-allen-benedict-court-resident-describes-living-there&contentId=101-395f5f60-0b5c-47c4-943e-d434277e85c9
6. At the same time, @AliciaNeavesTV and @SusanArdis reported that problems were spread among many of the buildings at Allen Benedict Court. https://www.wltx.com/mobile/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/deep-dive-work-orders-highlight-potentially-life-threatening-problems-at-allen-benedict-court/101-d7480eda-b0b9-47b8-bbb1-3a495555880e">https://www.wltx.com/mobile/ar...
DEEP DIVE: Work orders highlight potentially life-threatening problems at Allen Benedict Court

It turns out, many residents filed multiple work orders and at times went unheard. Gas odors were only a fraction of issues reported on the property.

https://www.wlttwitter.com/mobile/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/deep-dive-work-orders-highlight-potentially-life-threatening-problems-at-allen-benedict-court/101-d7480eda-b0b9-47b8-bbb1-3a495555880e
7. Just a few days later, at a meeting I attended, two CHA board members resigned. “I was not, as a commissioner, provided the information I needed,” Jennifer Rubin told me afterwards. https://www.wltx.com/amp/article?section=news&subsection=local&topic=allen-benedict-court&headline=two-columbia-housing-authority-board-members-resign&contentId=101-14bf6196-20f7-4bff-aaf6-2658aaa931ac">https://www.wltx.com/amp/artic...
Two Columbia Housing Authority board members resign

The resignations come as investigations continue into two deaths at Allen Benedict Court

https://www.wlttwitter.com/amp/article?section=news&subsection=local&topic=allen-benedict-court&headline=two-columbia-housing-authority-board-members-resign&contentId=101-14bf6196-20f7-4bff-aaf6-2658aaa931ac
8. There’s too many links for this one, but @LorenThomasTV, @AliciaNeavesTV, and I spent several stories diving into lawsuits aimed at the CHA, it’s management, and others about the conditions that some claim persisted for years.
9. Near the end of February, more change at the top, as Executive Director Gilbert Walker announcer his retirement at a meeting @LorenThomasTV attended. https://www.wltx.com/mobile/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/columbia-housing-authority-director-announces-retirement-one-month-after-deaths-evacuation/101-c750abb5-db20-4f6a-b836-2d3d55625e76">https://www.wltx.com/mobile/ar...
Columbia Housing Authority director announces retirement, one month after deaths, evacuation

Gilbert Walker will stay on until June, and will oversee some structural changes before he leaves.

https://www.wlttwitter.com/mobile/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/columbia-housing-authority-director-announces-retirement-one-month-after-deaths-evacuation/101-c750abb5-db20-4f6a-b836-2d3d55625e76
10. A week later, Walker claimed he did not know CO detectors were required. However, @julie_eisenman, @Randa4Real and I, after reading several documents online, found that CHA’s own rules required CO detectors. https://www.wltx.com/amp/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/columbia-housing-authority-director-claims-he-did-not-know-co-detector-requirements/101-283cad21-7319-4ded-95ef-6171acbbe5b6">https://www.wltx.com/amp/artic...
Columbia Housing Authority Director claims he did not know CO detector requirements

At a special called meeting, Director claims he did not know of requirement for carbon monoxide detectors

https://www.wlttwitter.com/amp/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/columbia-housing-authority-director-claims-he-did-not-know-co-detector-requirements/101-283cad21-7319-4ded-95ef-6171acbbe5b6
11. Senator Darrell Jackson, representing Columbia, has introduced two bills that would allow cities to dissolve housing authority boards in crisis and require CO detectors in all new homes. At the same time, @SenatorTimScott was asking HUD for the same requirement.
12. 5 months later, @JkurzynaTV’s recent reporting found that all the displaced families are now living elsewhere. https://www.wltx.com/mobile/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/it-has-been-more-than-five-months-since-deadly-gas-leak-at-allen-benedict-court/101-f007c878-68fe-4358-9fe7-2e9d2f8505f2">https://www.wltx.com/mobile/ar...
It has been more than five months since deadly gas leak at Allen Benedict Court

On January 17, two men 30-year-old Derrick Roper and 61-year-old Calvin Witherspoon, Jr. died inside of their homes at Allen Benedict Court.

https://www.wlttwitter.com/mobile/article/news/local/allen-benedict-court/it-has-been-more-than-five-months-since-deadly-gas-leak-at-allen-benedict-court/101-f007c878-68fe-4358-9fe7-2e9d2f8505f2
I’ll say it again, in front of the cameras and behind the scenes, it is a talented and dedicated group of journalists working to shed light. I’m glad to work at a company like @TEGNA that recognized that and shows us real journalism still matters to them and our community.
You can follow @JRFromTheSouth.
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