Garbage Gangsters and Greed
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Garbage, Gangsters, and Greed

A history of illegal dumping in Orange County, NY

In 1997, Middletown High School students produced a 54 minute documentary about organized crime and corruption in the toxic waste hauling industry.

The I-Team

WWOR-TV investigates the Town of Wallkill, NY toxic landfill with Maurice Hinchey, Ward Stone, and Middletown High School journalism students, August 17, 1992.

Up to the Minute

Middletown High School students David Birmingham, Jeff Dutemple, Trey Long, Brent Nyland, and teacher Fred Isseks discuss their investigations into illegal toxic dumping on CBS late night news, May 27, 1994.

NewsTalk

Middletown High School students David Birmingham and Melissa Kubik with teacher Fred Isseks speak from the NewsTalk audience about organized crime and the waste hauling industry on Earth Day, April 20, 1995.

Eyewitness News

The channel 7 news crew comes to Middletown High School to report on our investigations into the Town of Wallkill landfill on November 17, 1995.

Headline News

The CNN news crew accompanies Middletown High School journalism students to the Town of Wallkill landfill and to Town Hall to tell the story of their investigation into illegal dumping, January 3, 1996.

In the Mix

PBS In the Mix encourages youth activism by telling the story of Middletown High School's toxic waste investigations, including interviews with Congressman Hinchey, DEC pathologist Ward Stone, and Wallkill Town Supervisor Howard Mills, April 7, 1996.

Guerrilla TV

The BBC includes footage shot by Middletown High School students in a series about how political activists use videotape to achieve their ends.  The segment documents the conflict between the Wallkill Town Supervisor and the DEC wildlife pathologist over his right to take samples from the landfill, as well as footage of the students giving their videotape to President Clinton.  May 13, 1996.

Media Literacy: the new basic

A teleconference on media literacy at Rutgers University includes footage shot by Middletown High School journalism students as well as their participation at the event.  The conference was edited into a documentary for PBS, 1996.

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