Rebecca Woolington
Tampa Bay Times
St. Petersburg, FL, United States
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Past articles by Rebecca:
Howard Frankland Bridge to close for construction
Traffic heading south on Interstate 275 will be re-routed starting Monday night, and drivers should plan for extra travel time. → Read More
Dozens of workers file suit against Tampa lead factory
Sixty-four workers allege they were exposed to dangerous levels of lead and other toxic chemicals at Gopher Resource. → Read More
Largo man arrested on animal cruelty, child neglect charges; 33 dogs seized
Four of the pit bull terriers taken from the residence on 119th Street North were injured and two children there had no food or supplies, deputies said. → Read More
Tampa lead factory faces $518,000 in more fines for environmental violations
The proposed penalty would be the largest in the history of the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission. → Read More
A Tampa lead factory hurt workers. Here’s how to avoid a repeat.
Experts say the solutions could include adding new reporting requirements and increasing the frequency of inspections. → Read More
Regulators to step up monitoring of Tampa lead factory
The county plans to increase testing around Gopher Resource’s facility and use a new, randomized schedule following a Tampa Bay Times report. → Read More
Tampa’s lead factory promised changes. It kept polluting.
Records show the company pumped lead into the air and mishandled hazardous waste. → Read More
OSHA fines Tampa lead factory $319,000
The lead smelter was the subject of a recent Tampa Bay Times investigation. → Read More
Cadmium spiked inside a Tampa lead factory. Workers didn’t get help.
For years, the company’s contracted doctor failed to flag abnormal test results and provide the required follow-up. → Read More
Tampa lead factory gets credit downgrade
An ongoing federal probe, prompted by a Tampa Bay Times investigation, was a key factor in the decision, the credit-rating agency said. → Read More
Former worker sues Tampa lead smelter over son’s exposure
The worker alleges dusty conditions at Gopher Resource, Florida’s only lead factory, resulted in his son’s lead exposure. → Read More
Tampa lead factory incurs more problems
At Gopher Resource, OSHA inspectors have been present for nearly two months. Video shows more issues with the ventilation system. → Read More
County will provide testing for neighbors of Florida’s lead smelter
Residents who live near Gopher Resource gather in Tampa to hear from county officials in wake of Times investigation. → Read More
Behind the walls of Florida's only lead smelter
Photos and video from inside Gopher Resource in Tampa. → Read More
Florida’s only lead factory finds itself in damage-control mode
Gopher Resource had been working to clean up and fix problems before inspectors arrived. After a five-year absence, regulators finally showed up. → Read More
Federal OSHA regulators begin inspection of Tampa lead factory
After five years away, inspectors arrived Monday at Gopher Resource. The visit follows a Times investigation that found hundreds of workers exposed to high levels of poisons. → Read More
Florida’s only lead factory didn't protect workers.
Equipment designed to control poisons inside Gopher Resource kept breaking down, creating more dangers for workers. As violations mounted, regulators have been absent. → Read More
Florida’s only lead factory didn't protect workers. Regulators didn't either.
Federal inspectors haven’t been to Gopher Resource in five years, while violations and problems mounted. → Read More
Poisoned: A Tampa Bay Times investigation
Hundreds of factory workers have been exposed to extreme amounts of lead. They’ve inhaled it, been burned by it, been covered in it. And no one has stopped it. → Read More
Florida’s only lead smelter exposed hundreds of workers to high lead levels
Hundreds of workers at Gopher Resource have been exposed to dangerous levels of lead and other dangerous chemicals. → Read More