Readers will have the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at Tampa Bay Times’ investigation “wastes” at a special event at the Good Intent Restaurant in St. Petersburg on Monday evening.
After hundreds of manatees died of starvation in a lagoon on the Indian River, a team of investigative journalists worked to trace the crisis to its roots. Attendees will hear how reporters discovered that unprecedented deaths are part of the wider pollution crisis across Florida.
Ultimately, their initial analysis revealed surprising levels of chemical levels in one nearby waterway in four waterways.
Rebecca Worlington, the assistant managing editor for the Times’ investigation, interviews reporters Zachary T. Sampson, Shreyavsalur and Bethany Burns about the work. They walk the way they reconstructed the die-offs, sifted through thousands of pages of documents, and analyzed millions of test results from waterways around the state. They also detail how valuable contamination from the Panhandle to Miami, including here in Tampa Bay, has entered and been threatened.
The audience then has the opportunity to ask questions.
This “in-survey” event is free. The restaurant has a full bar and a limited food menu. The door will open at 6:30pm. Discussions will be at 1900 First Ave. S in St. Petersburg from 7pm to 9pm. No reservations are required.
