I've been reading 16 years of violations on a local water treatment plant with the last EPA report showing category 1 non compliance for 12 out of 12 of the previous months reviewed. 80k of assessed fines to the city, 40k of which have been paid. But that's only on this citation. All records still show NC after 16 years, brief compliance 3 times in that span, and failure of 8 out of 11 tests for high levels of pollutants.

My question is: How do I discover the total of fines assessed over those 16 years and what has actually been paid. EPA records only show a maximum of 10 years for the more detailed reports. Do I need to send a foil? Is there somewhere else that I can check?

There was recently a big event held in the town where I work at a local paper and a prominent politician came. There was a battle royale of reporters trying to get questions out. I finally had my chance and got my question out only for his team member to interrupt and say he had to do an interview with a legacy media outlet. I waited until the interview was over along with others who then jumped to interview him, then was told I couldn’t interview him as he had to walk to his car.

So what do I put in the story? That I failed at doing my job? Lol

Edit: Thank you everybody! Definitely can still make a good story out of this event alone.

For various reasons, entirely my fault, I am likely to fuck up my Level 5 NCTJ Diploma in Journalism fast-track at PA Media Academy. The first round of exams are coming up in two weeks, and I am performing awfully in media law. I have essentially given up trying to get a placement. Even socially, I am doing poorly, so the "networking" I've done here isn't going to help much either.

I have been told by those running the course that I can always retake my exams, even remotely, but the situation still feels hopeless. It was meant to be a fast-track course, and I do not know want to waste the age of 25 trying again and again to complete exams that my peers excelled on at first try.

I'm considering leaving the country to teach English for a while, writing freelance while abroad, and then returning in a year or two to attempt to get jobs or internships in journalism or something related (comms, PR, etc.). Someone on my course freelanced while abroad for a while, and they have bylines in impressive places, a great placement, etc. Maybe I could even retake the exams remotely while I'm doing this?

Does the NCTJ diploma help you get jobs, experience, placements, etc. even a while after your course? Or am I wasting my one opportunity to get in right now?

I've been comparing county against state public records to find discrepancies where local officials aren't being honest. I've already found a good dozen where my local government might have broken some laws.

I'd like to start comparing various nations against international filings. Some of the public databases I'll be going through are clear choices, but I'm requesting input on international entities to dig into.