3 Years, 13 Legionnaires’ Deaths At Illinois Veterans’ Home
Since 2015, 13 residents of a veterans’ home have died from Legionnaires’ disease. Eleven families are suing the state.
WBEZ Investigates
Surviving War, But Not The Veterans’ Home
WBEZ investigates mismanagement and cover-up by the state of Illinois in the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak tied to 14 deaths at the state’s largest veterans’ since 2015
WBEZ produced more than 40 enterprise-driven stories in 2018 about the cover-up and mismanagement by the state of Illinois of recurring Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks tied to 14 deaths at the state’s largest veterans’ home since 2015.
At its core, this yearlong investigation has been a story of how decorated military veterans who could survive the awful rigors of war couldn’t endure an unseen bacteria lurking in their room sink faucets, showerheads or whirlpool jets. WBEZ’s exclusive reporting, fueled by hundreds of thousands of state documents obtained through open-records requests, led to changes in state law, plans for a new facility and the launch of a criminal probe. It also shaped Illinois’ 2018 political campaigns by contributing to the defeat of the state’s one-term governor, who presided over the outbreaks.
The 2017 stories listed at the end are considered a supplement to the submission.
Featured
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Before Debate, Quincy Legionnaires’ Families Gather To Reflect
After telling their stories to WBEZ, families of Legionnaires’ disease victims at the Quincy veterans’ home shift blame to Gov. Rauner.
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Read Some Of The Legionnaires’ Emails Rauner Is Fighting To Keep Secret
WBEZ obtained 1,400 emails between state and public health officials. Some discuss how to spin a deadly Legionnaires’ outbreak.
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Latest
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State Health Official: Quincy Legionnaires’ Crisis A ‘Mess’ Fueled By Rauner’s PR Team
New emails show further proof Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office restricted notification about deadly outbreaks at Quincy veterans’ home.
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Rauner’s Health Officials Knew About Legionnaires’ ‘Broth’ Mistake In Quincy
Newly released emails show the state skipped citing Quincy vets’ home in 2015 for a botched repair that may have fueled a deadly outbreak.
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Before Debate, Quincy Legionnaires’ Families Gather To Reflect
After telling their stories to WBEZ, families of Legionnaires’ disease victims at the Quincy veterans’ home shift blame to Gov. Rauner.
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Rauner’s Office Contributed To Delay In Quincy Legionnaires’ Notice
Slow public response by Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration to Legionnaires’ crisis extended to outbreaks in 2016 and 2017, records show.
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Records Show Quincy Home Couldn’t Find Woman Who Later Died Of Legionnaires’
Was Dolores French dead for two days before the Rauner administration found her? A coroner says yes, the state says no.
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Documents: Rauner’s Own Administration Critical Of Legionnaires’ Notification
Rauner’s Veterans’ Affairs Department says it properly notified staff of a deadly Legionnaires’ outbreak. His Labor Department disagrees.
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Top Rauner Aide Suggested Blaming Duckworth For Legionnaires’ Deaths
The idea was floated in an email from Rauner’s deputy chief of staff. “I’m not going to dignify that email from her,” Duckworth says.
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The Legionnaires’ Emails Rauner Doesn’t Want Lawmakers To See
See what Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration redacted when Legionnaires’-related emails were released to lawmakers.
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Read Some Of The Legionnaires’ Emails Rauner Is Fighting To Keep Secret
WBEZ obtained 1,400 emails between state and public health officials. Some discuss how to spin a deadly Legionnaires’ outbreak.
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‘It’s A Crime’: Illinois Cap On Legionnaires’ Payouts Lowest In U.S.
The $100,000 maximum went into place decades ago. A top state official wants to remove it after an outbreak at a veterans’ home in Quincy.
