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tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
tamia fowlkes
@tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
270 followers 250 following 38 posts
✍🏾 public investigator @ milwaukee journal sentinel
📚 columbia journalism ‘23 + uw-madison ‘22
📰 words in washington post, blavity, essence, teen vogue & more
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tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
In my latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, I assessed the financial records of 125 organizations across the state of Wisconsin that are recipients of Victims of Crime Act funding. After a nearly 70% funding cut, many say they are unsure how programs will survive. bit.ly/4p9wF52
Federal funds for Wisconsin crime victims are drying up. Who will be most at risk?
Domestic abuse hotlines, child advocacy centers, and other crime victim services in Wisconsin are paid for by a federal fund that is drying up.
www.jsonline.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:39 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
In my latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a Wisconsin man went on Family Medical leave to get cancer treatment. When he couldn't return to work, he was fired. Attorneys say the experience is unfortunate but common for people with disabilities. Read more:
www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
A Wisconsin man went on leave to get cancer treatment. When he couldn't return to work, he was fired.
The rigid rules for FMLA leave some disabled or sick employees questioning their job security.
www.jsonline.com
October 23, 2025 at 10:22 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
I am looking forward to moderating the "Spin, Lies and Disappearing Data" panel at tomorrow's @uwethics.bsky.social conference. @phoebepetrovic.bsky.social, @fahrenthold.bsky.social, and I will discuss DOGE efforts to remove public data and how journalists can combat the spread of misinformation.
An image that reads "Spin, Lies & Disappearing Data" and lists the speakers for a panel at the UW Journalism Ethics conference, "Journalism Ethics in a Fracturing World. Three photos of participating journalists are beneath the panel title. Speakers include David Fahrenthold, Tamia Fowlkes and Phoebe Petrovic. The date of the event is September 26, 2025.
September 25, 2025 at 6:20 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
In my latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the City of Milwaukee spent $300K making accessible homes. Most went to buyers without disabilities. Advocates say it's a frustrating outcome given the national shortage of affordable housing for people with disabilities. bit.ly/4gu34jS
The city spent $300K making accessible homes. Most went to buyers without disabilities.
Two of the three homes have been sold to individuals without mobility challenges, one under an agreement to reverse some of the accessible features.
bit.ly
September 17, 2025 at 7:31 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
A group of troubled Milwaukee-area nursing homes will soon have new operators after financial strains and hundreds of resident complaints sent the facilities into receivership. Read the latest from my colleague @natalieeilbert.bsky.social and I with the link below. www.jsonline.com/story/news/h...
Troubled Milwaukee-area nursing homes will have new operators soon, residents protest conditions
A group of Wisconsin nursing homes that were ordered into receivership after years of financial distress will soon be taken over by a new operator.
www.jsonline.com
August 27, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by tamia fowlkes
natalieeilbert.bsky.social
Four Wisconsin nursing homes with a litany of health care quality concerns have been put in court-ordered receivership as of July 31, the result of dire financial strains. Here's what me and @tamiafowlkes.bsky.social learned in our investigation.
Four Wisconsin nursing homes put into receivership, have racked up 384 violations
The state will appoint a receiver to take over four nursing homes in Wisconsin operated by Bedrock Healthcare due to financial strains.
www.jsonline.com
August 7, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by tamia fowlkes
uwethics.bsky.social
Come hear @fahrenthold.bsky.social and @phoebepetrovic.bsky.social discuss reporting in an era of spin, lies and disappearing data (w/ moderator @tamiafowlkes.bsky.social) at our 9/26 conference.

Registration: ethics.journalism.wisc.edu/2025-journal...
Headshots for David Fahrenthold, Tamia Fowlkes, Phoebe Petrovic
August 20, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Reposted by tamia fowlkes
uwethics.bsky.social
Join us 9/26 for our conference "Journalism Ethics in a Fracturing Word." Expert panelists, such as @sewell.bsky.social, @timkarr.bsky.social and @tamiafowlkes.bsky.social, taking on topics like "The New Age of Censorship." In person and online.

More info: ethics.journalism.wisc.edu/2025-journal...
Head shots of Sewell Chan, Christa Westerberg and Timothy Karr, along with the text "The New Age of Censorship"
August 25, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by tamia fowlkes
uwethics.bsky.social
Full conference program and registration: ethics.journalism.wisc.edu/2025-journal...
2025: Journalism Ethics in a Fracturing World
Friday,  September 26, 2025 Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, 330 N. Orchard St., Madison, Wis. Free and open to the public.     Register hereKeynote 9:00 AM CT: “IN DEFENSE OF JOURNALISM” BY KEITH ...
ethics.journalism.wisc.edu
July 28, 2025 at 2:37 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
Looking forward to moderating the "Spin, Lies and Disappearing Data" panel at this year's @uwethics.bsky.social conference. I will be speaking with @phoebepetrovic.bsky.social and David Farenthold about DOGE efforts to remove public data and how journalists can combat the spread of misinformation.
July 29, 2025 at 7:03 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
In my latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a family's pleas for assistance go unanswered by a caregiver they accuse of misusing social security funds.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
Social Security paid $80,000 for her care. Yet this disabled Milwaukee woman slept on the street.
Representative payees collect Social Security for disabled people and use it to help them secure housing. The arrangement is vulnerable to misuse.
www.jsonline.com
July 16, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by tamia fowlkes
rj4real.bsky.social
Important information about avoiding #Medicare and #Medicaid scams from @nationalpress.bsky.social 2025 Widening the Pipeline fellowship @tamiafowlkes.bsky.social of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

www.linkedin.com/posts/tamiaf...
#medicare #scams #journalism #news #publicinvestigator | Tamia Fowlkes
In my latest for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin residents told Public Investigator that a scam caller posing as a government agency official attempted to steal their personal information. Her...
www.linkedin.com
June 6, 2025 at 7:44 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
In my latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a Wisconsin kidney donor wins paid leave benefits from the U.S. Postal Service after Public Investigator wrote about her challenges.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
Wisconsin kidney donor wins paid leave benefits from the U.S. Postal Service
With the help of reporters, a USPS clerk in Marshfield finally received her paid leave benefits a year after donating her kidney.
www.jsonline.com
May 12, 2025 at 4:12 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
Latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel with
@maryspicuzza.bsky.social and Madeline Heim, Wisconsin counts on help from AmeriCorps. With new DOGE cuts, volunteers are no longer coming.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
Wisconsin counts on help from AmeriCorps. With new DOGE cuts, volunteers are no longer coming.
The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps appears to have been discontinued under cuts to the federal government led by Elon Musk.
www.jsonline.com
April 17, 2025 at 7:08 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
After paying $7,500 to reserve burial space at Graceland Cemetery, Jazmin Waters's family found out about thousands of dollars in extra fees that they say weren't disclosed.

Read my latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel with the link below.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
After years of payments, she learned reburying her father will cost thousands more. Should she get a refund?
After paying $7,500 to reserve burial space at Graceland Cemetery, Jazmin Waters's family found out about more fees that they say weren't disclosed.
www.jsonline.com
April 15, 2025 at 4:47 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
In March, I wrote about a Wisconsin man in a battle with the Social Security Administration to access his disability benefits before he died. His family said calls to senators and congressmen were unsuccessful. But, on Monday, April 7, he won his appeal.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
Terminally ill Wisconsin man wins appeal for Social Security benefits shortly before death
Michael Kraft, a Wisconsin man with pancreatic cancer, was approved for Social Security shortly after Public Investigator wrote about his case.
www.jsonline.com
April 11, 2025 at 4:43 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
Our Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Public Investigator team is working hard to address your questions about problems occurring in Milwaukee and across the state of Wisconsin.

Here’s some of our latest reporting that you should check out.

www.jsonline.com/watchdog/pub...

#localnews #journalism
April 3, 2025 at 7:51 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
Wisconsin voters head to the polls Tuesday in an election that will determine the state Supreme Court's partisan control, who'll lead the state's K-12 public schools and whether the voter ID law will become part of the state constitution.

www.jsonline.com/live-story/n...
Wisconsin 2025 spring election live updates: Voters go to polls in Supreme Court, DPI superintendent, Milwaukee area races
It's Election Day and we'll have live updates on the Wisconsin Supreme Court and other state and local races.
www.jsonline.com
April 1, 2025 at 7:16 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
In March 2025, Public Investigator reported on a Wisconsin man who paid into Social Security for years but after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis was unable to get disability benefits.

Here's what you should know about the SSA Compassionate Allowances program.

www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
What is SSA compassionate allowance and how can you get it?
The Compassionate Allowances program grants individuals with rare or terminal disabilities to gain expedited access to their social security benefits.
www.jsonline.com
March 27, 2025 at 9:55 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
For months, Carole Kane has tried to find a way to expedite her son's social security payment before he dies of cancer. A complex rule got in the way.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
Wisconsin family battles Social Security Administration to secure son's funds before he dies from cancer
For months, Carole Kane has tried to find a way to expedite her son's social security payment before he dies of cancer. A complex rule got in the way.
www.jsonline.com
March 24, 2025 at 11:12 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
Have you ever wondered what to expect when you're interviewed by a journalist?

We want to demystify the reporting process for our readers. If you are contacted or questioned by a reporter for a story, here are some things you can anticipate.

bit.ly/4hpqkOH
Behind the headlines: What to expect when you're interviewed by a journalist
At the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, we produce dozens of stories every day. Here's a behind-the-scenes peek of our interview process.
bit.ly
March 11, 2025 at 9:11 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
In my latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a reader asked if Menards in West Milwaukee overcharging on sales tax. The new City of Milwaukee sales tax has left residents of nearby suburban cities with growing concerns about misapplied taxes. www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
You ask, we answer: Is this Menards in West Milwaukee overcharging on sales tax?
Peggy Schaff asked Public Investigator why she was seemingly double-taxed on a purchase at Menards in West Milwaukee. Here's the explanation.
www.jsonline.com
March 4, 2025 at 5:17 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
Last month alone, more than 400 lawsuits were filed against businesses across the country alleging that their websites are not accessible to people with visual impairments and other disabilities. Critics say it's a money grab.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
A visually impaired woman is suing Anodyne, Koss over their websites. Critics think it's a money grab.
A Racine resident has sued around 30 Wisconsin businesses over accessibility issues on their websites, in what critics call "tester lawsuits."
www.jsonline.com
February 17, 2025 at 7:08 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
Latest for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A financial administrator recently hired by Milwaukee Public Schools has ties to a charter school network that has come under scrutiny for its financial dealings and was raided by the FBI in 2014, records show.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/e...
MPS fast-tracked hire of comptroller who worked for charter network once investigated for fraud
Begmurad Nepesov was treasurer for Horizon Science Academy charter schools, part of a chain that has come under scrutiny for its financial dealings.
www.jsonline.com
February 7, 2025 at 6:09 PM
tamiafowlkes.bsky.social
Public Investigator reporter Gina Castro chases readers' tips, wherever they lead www.jsonline.com/story/news/i...
Public Investigator reporter Gina Castro chases readers' tips, wherever they lead
Gina Castro is one of the Journal Sentinel’s newest reporters, but her work has already made its mark on the city. Here's how she tackles the job.
www.jsonline.com
February 5, 2025 at 11:36 PM