OK, this is a weird one.

Gazette Chicago has just published its latest coverage about MAT Asphalt : the article "MAT Asphalt, N4EJ disagree on safety of McKinley Park plant" by William Bike. You can read it online at gazettechicago.com/2022/09/mat-asphalt-n...mckinley-park-plant/ . The article includes a lead photo from the day of testing at the facility.

The thing is: That's me in the photo! I was clamoring to the top of the smokestack to get shots of the environmental engineers in action as part of our coverage of this testing at MAT Asphalt, which resulted in our coverage: " Emissions Testing, Tracking Targets MAT Asphalt, Neighborhood Air Quality ."

By the way, the guy in the photo looking up at me is Brian Derry of Ensafe. Neither of us are responsible for IEPA oversight.

Once I did get to the top of the bag house, I was able to get some great shots of environmental engineers in action. Here's the photo we published as the lead shot for the article:


I was pretty proud of this shot, especially as it's been a very long time since I climbed up an industrial facility ladder: an exercise that provided a harsh reminder of exactly how fat and old I've become.

Still, the shot and the coverage were worth it, and I think both illustrate our practice of taking time to investigate an issue deeply based on facts from credible sources and an intimate understanding of and connection to neighborhood issues through on-the-ground reporting.

Gazette Chicago, you might think of making an update to your coverage! This issue is a bit more fraught for us due to the ongoing campaign of theft, libel and sabotage from a source you present as credible. I'm sharing this here because we don't want any more confusion about our role in covering neighborhood news piled onto recent fabricated outrage issued with malicious intent against our independent news publication.

We of course are happy to assist: We've covered MAT Asphalt in greater depth and detail than any other publication , including breaking the story. We've also always been happy to help Gazette Chicago with other coverage support when correspondents have reached out to us for neighborhood intelligence and sources. We've even linked to your coverage on occasion. (Maybe you'd like to link to ours, too?)

We're also especially happy and proud to support a fellow member of the Chicago Independent Media Alliance (CIMA) . I personally have also enjoyed and appreciate all the original local news coverage that Gazette Chicago brings to our end of town.

However, could you please get this fixed? We appreciate all consideration. Cheers!
 

Thank you, Gazette Chicago!

After quickly responding to my outreach over the long holiday weekend, including connecting with reporter William Bike, Gazette Chicago has switched up the news photography in their article " MAT Asphalt, N4EJ Disagree on safety of McKinley Park plant ." 

Gazette Chicago was gracious enough to remove my inconsequential self from news coverage and replace it with a photo of MAT Asphalt co-owner Michael Tadin Jr. answering questions on site for Neighbors for Environmental Justice members, including Executive Director Alfredo Romo.

We covered this ourselves in our October 12, 2019, article " Neighbors, Environmental Group Tour Asphalt Plant ," an article that includes our very similar photo depicting the scene:


Thank you again to Gazette Chicago for promptly fixing this issue, and also for your additional reporting on this and other neighborhood topics.