@BenBotkin1

Senior Correspondent at Lookout Eugene-Springfield. Public records/data geek. @SPJOregon board member. Tips: [email protected]

 Oregon
lookouteugene-springfield.com/
Joined July 2012
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672Media
My latest: ‘Harm and death’: Unredacted report shows how Oregon State Hospital failed a Lane County patient lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orleg #Journalism

‘Harm and death’: Report shows how Oregon State Hospital failed a Lane County patient

Federal inspectors linked repeated failures at Oregon State Hospital to the March 18 death of a patient in a locked seclusion room. When the hospital released the report, it censored those failures...

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My latest: ‘Fear, uncertainty and chaos’: A grand jury report on Oregon State Hospital finds staff concerns about retaliation  lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orleg #orgov

‘Fear, uncertainty and chaos’: A grand jury report on Oregon State Hospital finds staff concerns...

The Marion County District Attorney’s Office released a grand jury report on patient care and working conditions at Oregon State Hospital.

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SOJC to host gubernatorial debate dailyemerald.com/191640/news… via @DailyEmerald

SOJC to host gubernatorial debate

Oregon voters will get the opportunity to see the first steps in a rematch of the 2022 governor’s race as challenger, state Sen. Christine Drazan gets another shot at the governor’s office against...

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My latest scoop about @OHAOregon: ‘Radio silence’: Oregon State Hospital’s deputy superintendent has been on paid leave for 3 years lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orleg #orpol

‘Radio silence’: Oregon State Hospital’s deputy superintendent has been on paid leave for 3 years

A top administrator at Oregon State Hospital has been on paid administrative leave for three years, records show.

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The latest: app.lookouteugene-springfiel… #orpol #orleg

Sister sues state over Lane County patient’s death in Oregon State Hospital 

The family of Kenneth Hass is seeking justice in court, alleging months of poor care before his March 2025 death.

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My latest: Oregon lawmaker pushing for more oversight of Oregon State Hospital  lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orleg #orpol

Oregon lawmaker pushing for more oversight of Oregon State Hospital 

An Oregon lawmaker is pushing for more accountability at the state's psychiatric hospital after a patient death.

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Ben Botkin retweeted
Ron Wyden
@RonWydenJun 22
Saddened to hear @Oregonian reporter Zane Sparling has passed. Zane always came well-prepared with questions & a wonderfully quirky style that made him unique. My condolences to his colleagues & loved ones. oregonlive.com/portland/2026…

Zane Sparling, reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive, dies of cancer at 33

“He wanted his identity to be a reporter, and that’s what it was,” his father said.

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My latest out today: Facing lawmaker scrutiny, Oregon Health Authority boss doesn’t dwell on state hospital’s past failures  lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orleg #orpol #MentalHealthIssues

Facing lawmaker scrutiny, Oregon Health Authority boss doesn’t dwell on state hospital’s past...

The Oregon Health Authority director told lawmakers the state psychiatric hospital's past extensive usage of seclusion was confusing.

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My latest: Months before a patient died alone at Oregon State Hospital, Oregon Health Authority boss was warned about seclusion practices lookouteugene-springfield.co…

Months before a patient died alone at Oregon State Hospital, agency boss was warned about seclusion...

The Oregon Health Authority’s director, Dr. Sejal Hathi, has publicly stated through a spokesperson she didn’t know about the “scale and severity” of Oregon State Hospital’s over-reliance of seclus...

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My latest: Oregon State Hospital sued for wrongful death in patient's 2024 fentanyl overdose  lookouteugene-springfield.co…

Oregon State Hospital sued for wrongful death in patient's 2024 fentanyl overdose 

The mother of a former Oregon State Hospital patient who died of an overdose filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the psychiatric hospital.

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So this happened. Proud to do work alongside my colleagues every day. #journalism .@Lookout_ES wins journalism awards for state hospital reporting, hunger stories, feature writing lookouteugene-springfield.co…

Lookout wins journalism awards for state hospital reporting, hunger stories, feature writing,...

Lookout's work has been honored with a Bruce Baer Award, as well as with first places in the Best of the West and the Associated Press Sports Editors competitions.

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Our latest: @PeaceHealth_Ore reverses course, plans to renew ER contract with Eugene Emergency Physicians lookouteugene-springfield.co… by @ashliblow

PeaceHealth reverses course, plans to renew ER contract with Eugene Emergency Physicians

PeaceHealth plans to renew its contract with Eugene Emergency Physicians after nearly three months of conflict with the local doctors group.

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.@Lookout_ES scoop from @ashliblow: Top PeaceHealth RiverBend executive put on administrative leave lookouteugene-springfield.co…

Top PeaceHealth exec put on leave after patient care concerns

A day after medical staff at RiverBend discussed emails between Chief Hospital Executive Jim McGovern and physicians that contained exchanges over patient care, the administrator was placed on leave...

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My latest: For Laurie Trieger, a public criticism rekindles a 30-year-old memory of sexual harassment  lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orpol

For Laurie Trieger, a public criticism rekindles a 30-year-old memory of sexual harassment 

Lane County Commissioner Laurie Trieger accused a critic of sexual harassment after he complained she didn't let him touch her.

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My latest: $183K and counting: How the costs of Lane County's Loveall issues are mounting lookouteugene-springfield.co…

$183K and counting: How the costs of Lane County's Loveall issues are mounting

Lane County's legal costs have risen above six figures as it deals with the fallout from Commissioner David Loveall's controversies.

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Oregon journalists are calling on @GovTinaKotek to veto a bill that would make government less transparent. Details: spjoregon.com/news/oregon-jo…

Oregon journalists call on Kotek to veto bill gutting public meetings law — SPJ Oregon

Gov. Tina Kotek must veto a bill that takes a wrecking ball to public meetings law, Oregon SPJ argues.

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My latest story: Marion County prosecutor opens grand jury inquiry into Oregon State Hospital  lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orleg

Marion County prosecutor opens grand jury inquiry into Oregon State Hospital 

A grand jury will examine the management and conditions at Oregon State Hospital, the state-run psychiatric hospital in Salem. 

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.@LaneCountyGov commissioners censure fellow commissioner David Loveall lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orpol

Lane County commissioners censure fellow commissioner David Loveall

Lane County commissioners censured Commissioner David Loveall, after an outside investigation found he retaliated against county employees.

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.@OHAOregon officials investigating how @Lookout_ES obtained report on Oregon State Hospital  lookouteugene-springfield.co… #orleg #orpol

Officials investigating how Lookout obtained report on Oregon State Hospital 

Oregon state officials are investigating a leak of Oregon State Hospital records to Lookout that showed problems with patient care.

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County investigation finds Loveall retaliated against employees, administrator  lookouteugene-springfield.co…

Investigation finds Loveall retaliated against employees, administrator

Lane County rebuked Commissioner David Loveall in an investigation released Tuesday into complaints about his behavior.

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My latest: @GovTinaKotek, Eugene mayor urge peaceful protests as Trump puts Eugene in national spotlight lookouteugene-springfield.co…

Kotek, Eugene mayor urge peaceful protests as Trump puts Eugene in national spotlight

President Donald Trump highlighted Eugene in a social media post about protecting federal buildings. Oregon’s state and local leaders say peaceful protests are the key to avoiding a stronger federal...

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