Latest news with #GoshenCollege
Indianapolis Star
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Ben Ganger's 'Jeopardy!' streak is over — but he'll be back
Show Caption Indiana contestant Ben Ganger scored his fifth " Jeopardy!" win on Cinco de Mayo, but Tuesday was his last time on the stage — for now. Ganger has qualified for the annual Tournament of Champions, earning $105,915 in his five wins. During Tuesday's show, Ken Jennings revealed what Ganger told him after his fifth win about making it to the Tournament of Champions: "Man, that's beyond my wildest dreams." In a nod to his Hoosier heritage, during Tuesday's show, Ganger and Jennings chatted about his love for motorsports, pointing out that Indiana's drivers' licenses have an Indy Car on them. Jennings asked if it encouraged bad driving. You can let us know the answer next time you're on Interstate 465. Here's a look at Ganger's five-day streak. Who is Ben Ganger? Ganger is a data analyst and opera singer from Goshen, Indiana, and a Goshen College graduate. Learn more about Ganger and his connections in the community in the South Bend Tribune story linked below. Did Ben Ganger win Tuesday, May 6, on 'Jeopardy!'? No. Tuesday's challengers were Sarah Gillis, an Asbury Park, New Jersey, mortgage loan processor; and Keegan Olson, a Vancouver, Canada, consultant. Gillis took a page from Ganger's book by going into Final Jeopardy with a strong lead of $7,400. Ganger was in second place with $3,600. Even though she had the incorrect response and the other two contestants responded correctly, Gillis only wagered $100, leaving her with the highest score. How much did Ben Ganger win on 'Jeopardy!' Ganger won a total of $105,915 in his five wins. Here's how it breaks down. Tuesday, April 29: $24,999 Wednesday, April 30: $16,816 Thursday, May 1: $34,600 Friday, May 2: $20,000 Monday, May 5: $9,500 How did Ben Granger do in Final Jeopardy? What was the clue on May 6, 2025? Both Ganger and Olson correctly responded in Final Jeopardy. In the category "Word Origins," the clue was: "Fittingly, this adjective describing a hit-you-in-the-gut kind of feeling goes back to the Latin word for internal organs. The correct response: "What is visceral?' May 6, 2024, 'Jeopardy!': Goshen's Ben Ganger's Jeopardy win streak ends Tuesday at five What was the Final Jeopardy clue on May 5, 2025? In the category of "Official Languages," Monday's clue was: "Of the four independent nations of the Americas without English or Spanish as an official language, it's the smallest in area." None of the contestants got the correct response, "What is Haiti?" What was the Final Jeopardy clue on May 2, 2025? Friday's clue in the category of "Boats & Ships" was: "Nearly a century after her 1851 sporting triumph, she was a rotting hulk finally scrapped in 1945." No contestants gave the correct response, "What is the America?" Ganger simply wrote "What." What was the Final Jeopardy clue on May 1, 2025? On the Thursday, May 1, broadcast, Granger correctly responded to this clue in the category of "The Stage": "Their show ended its off Broadway run in 2025 after 34 years, 17,800 shows, and 82,150 gallons of paint." The correct response was "Who is the Blue Man Group?" What was the Final Jeopardy clue on April 30, 2025? Final Jeopardy on Wednesday, April 30, was in the category "Business & Television." The clue read: "This TV show that debuted in 1960 licensed its name eight years later to a children's health product that's still around today." Ganger was already in the lead before he gave the correct response: "What is 'The Flintstones'?" What was the Final Jeopardy clue on April 29, 2025? On Tuesday, April 29, the category for Final Jeopardy was '20th Century Figures' and the clue was, 'After studying business in Chicago in the 1920s, this man obsessed with Sherlock Holmes was an investigator for a credit company.' The correct response was: "Who is Elliot Ness?" All three contestants got it wrong. Morin answered with 'Who is Raymond Chandler?' Her wager of $2,000 dropped her down to a final total of $600. Zubairi fared slightly better. He wagered $11,601 with 'Who is Dashiell Hamett?' and ended with $1,799. Ganger wrote 'Who is Pinkerton?' His wager of $901 gave him a final total of $24,999, meaning Ganger will be back for his second game on Wednesday, April 30. What time is 'Jeopardy!' on? Where to watch "Jeopardy!" airs nightly at 7:30 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday on WTHR in Indianapolis. Visit to see when and where the show airs in your area. Where is 'Jeopardy!' streaming? How to watch without cable You can stream episodes of "Jeopardy!" online with a subscription to Philo. Watch 'Jeopardy!' on Philo "Jeopardy!" doesn't stream on Peacock, but with a premium subscription, you can watch the broadcast live. Watch 'Jeopardy!' on Peacock Who won the most money from 'Jeopardy!' all-time? Contestant Brad Rutter won $4,938,436 — including tournaments — on "Jeopardy!," the all-time record amount of money awarded, according to the show's website. Ken Jennings is second on the list with $4,370,700. What's the longest 'Jeopardy!' winning streak of all time? Ken Jennings won a record 74 consecutive games, according to the "Jeopardy!" website. Who won the most money on 'Jeopardy!' in a single game? James Holzhauer won $131,127 in a single game on April 17, 2019, according to the show's website. Holzhauer holds each of the top 10 single-game winning totals with No. 10 checking in at $89,229. His total earnings rank third all-time at $3,612,216. Take the Jeopardy! audition test Adult contestants must be age 18 or older.
Indianapolis Star
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Ben Ganger's 'Jeopardy!' streak is over — but he'll be back
Indiana contestant Ben Ganger scored his fifth " Jeopardy!" win on Cinco de Mayo, but Tuesday was his last time on the stage — for now. Ganger has qualified for the annual Tournament of Champions, earning $105,915 in his five wins. During Tuesday's show, Ken Jennings revealed what Ganger told him after his fifth win about making it to the Tournament of Champions: "Man, that's beyond my wildest dreams." In a nod to his Hoosier heritage, during Tuesday's show, Ganger and Jennings chatted about his love for motorsports, pointing out that Indiana's drivers' licenses have an Indy Car on them. Jennings asked if it encouraged bad driving. You can let us know the answer next time you're on Interstate 465. Here's a look at Ganger's five-day streak. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Who is Ben Ganger? Ganger is a data analyst and opera singer from Goshen, Indiana, and a Goshen College graduate. Learn more about Ganger and his connections in the community in the South Bend Tribune story linked below. Did Ben Ganger win Tuesday, May 6, on 'Jeopardy!'? No. Tuesday's challengers were Sarah Gillis, an Asbury Park, New Jersey, mortgage loan processor; and Keegan Olson, a Vancouver, Canada, consultant. Gillis took a page from Ganger's book by going into Final Jeopardy with a strong lead of $7,400. Ganger was in second place with $3,600. Even though she had the incorrect response and the other two contestants responded correctly, Gillis only wagered $100, leaving her with the highest score. How much did Ben Ganger win on 'Jeopardy!' Ganger won a total of $105,915 in his five wins. Here's how it breaks down. 'Jeopardy!' streak: Goshen community rallies around neighbor Ben Ganger How did Ben Granger do in Final Jeopardy? What was the clue on May 6, 2025? Both Ganger and Olson correctly responded in Final Jeopardy. In the category "Word Origins," the clue was: "Fittingly, this adjective describing a hit-you-in-the-gut kind of feeling goes back to the Latin word for internal organs. The correct response: "What is visceral?' What was the Final Jeopardy clue on May 5, 2025? In the category of "Official Languages," Monday's clue was: "Of the four independent nations of the Americas without English or Spanish as an official language, it's the smallest in area." None of the contestants got the correct response, "What is Haiti?" What was the Final Jeopardy clue on May 2, 2025? Friday's clue in the category of "Boats & Ships" was: "Nearly a century after her 1851 sporting triumph, she was a rotting hulk finally scrapped in 1945." No contestants gave the correct response, "What is the America?" Ganger simply wrote "What." What was the Final Jeopardy clue on May 1, 2025? On the Thursday, May 1, broadcast, Granger correctly responded to this clue in the category of "The Stage": "Their show ended its off Broadway run in 2025 after 34 years, 17,800 shows, and 82,150 gallons of paint." The correct response was "Who is the Blue Man Group?" What was the Final Jeopardy clue on April 30, 2025? Final Jeopardy on Wednesday, April 30, was in the category "Business & Television." The clue read: "This TV show that debuted in 1960 licensed its name eight years later to a children's health product that's still around today." Ganger was already in the lead before he gave the correct response: "What is 'The Flintstones'?" What was the Final Jeopardy clue on April 29, 2025? On Tuesday, April 29, the category for Final Jeopardy was '20th Century Figures' and the clue was, 'After studying business in Chicago in the 1920s, this man obsessed with Sherlock Holmes was an investigator for a credit company.' The correct response was: "Who is Elliot Ness?" All three contestants got it wrong. Morin answered with 'Who is Raymond Chandler?' Her wager of $2,000 dropped her down to a final total of $600. Zubairi fared slightly better. He wagered $11,601 with 'Who is Dashiell Hamett?' and ended with $1,799. Ganger wrote 'Who is Pinkerton?' His wager of $901 gave him a final total of $24,999, meaning Ganger will be back for his second game on Wednesday, April 30. What time is 'Jeopardy!' on? Where to watch "Jeopardy!" airs nightly at 7:30 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday on WTHR in Indianapolis. Visit to see when and where the show airs in your area. Where is 'Jeopardy!' streaming? How to watch without cable You can stream episodes of "Jeopardy!" online with a subscription to Philo. Watch 'Jeopardy!' on Philo "Jeopardy!" doesn't stream on Peacock, but with a premium subscription, you can watch the broadcast live. Watch 'Jeopardy!' on Peacock Who won the most money from 'Jeopardy!' all-time? Contestant Brad Rutter won $4,938,436 — including tournaments — on "Jeopardy!," the all-time record amount of money awarded, according to the show's website. Ken Jennings is second on the list with $4,370,700. What's the longest 'Jeopardy!' winning streak of all time? Ken Jennings won a record 74 consecutive games, according to the "Jeopardy!" website. Who won the most money on 'Jeopardy!' in a single game? James Holzhauer won $131,127 in a single game on April 17, 2019, according to the show's website. Holzhauer holds each of the top 10 single-game winning totals with No. 10 checking in at $89,229. His total earnings rank third all-time at $3,612,216. Take the Jeopardy! audition test Potential contestants are invited to audition by taking the show's online test, which can be found here: Adult contestants must be age 18 or older.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mendon record holder Allen running to new opportunity with Goshen College
MENDON — Presley Allen has logged quite a few miles with her feet. The graduating Mendon High School senior has been running for what seems like many years, but she finds herself at a spot now where giving up on that running isn't an option. For the next four years, Allen will continue putting in the distance with Goshen College, where she will extend her academic, cross country, indoor and outdoor track careers. Advertisement The Maple Leafs officially welcomed Allen into the fold and are excited for her to be a part of the squad. "She's a really good person in general. When we recruit, we look for good people, and we definitely see that in her," Goshen associate head coach Lisa Voyles said. "She has 'it.' She's that person who is gonna care about things and has the drive to keep going. She is fine with putting the work in, and I know she's passionate about what she is doing both in sports and academics." Allen is a multi-sport athlete at Mendon, competing in cross country, track and basketball during her time with the Hornets. Ending up as a collegiate athlete really began when she was in middle school, Allen said, and now she can focus on finishing out high school with her future cemented in Goshen. Presley Allen, graduating senior at Mendon High School, will continue her academic and running careers with Goshen College. NOT TOO FAR AWAY: Georgia's not too far away for Hathaway, who will follow her love of horses south Advertisement WHY CHOOSE: Why choose? Smith gets multiple opportunities in one with Olivet "I feel like ever since seventh grade, when I started running year-round, that's when I started to know that I could run in college as well," she said. "It's been a huge goal that I've wanted." A member of the National Honor Society, Allen said she has some ideas on what she plans to study while at Goshen. For the time being, though, deciding on a major has not officially come to fruition, bu she does know it could be something in the exercise science portion of academia. Being injured as a sophomore and attending physical therapy helped spark that interest, Allen said. Advertisement When it comes to success, both Allen and Voyles share some qualities. Allen has consistently been one of the better runners in the area during her time in high school, and she plans to continue that in her final spring track season. Voyles is an eight-time NAIA national champion from her time at Indiana Tech. She was hired by Goshen back in August, making Allen one of her first recruits to campus. Voyles said the process of recruiting has been a learning one but also enjoyable. Goshen has been to the NAIA National Championship in both track and field plus cross country in recent years, a trend they plan to continue. Presley Allen finished her final race for Mendon in 31st position on Saturday. CUVO EXCITED: Constantine's Cuvo excited for throwing opportunity with SMC Advertisement "I really like the coaching staff; they are nice people. I love the campus, and the team was great," Allen said of her time spent with her new colleagues. "They are used to winning, and they take it seriously, but they also make it run, which is great." As Allen prepares to begin another chapter in her life, she still is holding on before completely turning the page. She will miss her coaches and teammates at Mendon, especially running cross country with her sister, Rowan. Allen said she's nervous to be out on her own, but she's excited about having teammates with whom to run at Goshen and training through the college process as an athlete. It will all work out, she believes. Advertisement "I'm excited about running, I know that," she said. Allen believes she has some unfinished business at Mendon as well. She currently owns the school records for the 5K, the mile and the two-mile runs. She has her sights completely set on taking down the record in the 800 run, which currently sits at 2:19. Her best in that event is a 2:25. Six seconds away. "I believe I can do it," Allen said. "I just keep telling myself to keep going." Contact Sports Editor Brandon Watson at bwatson@ Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @BwatsonSJ. This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Mendon's Presley Allen joins Goshen College running programs
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Public records make journalism possible. Here are 4 stories we couldn't do without them.
This story was produced as part of Sunshine Week, a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in the journalism, civic, education, government and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records and open government. Sunshine Week runs through March 22, 2025. There's one tool all reporters in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newsroom utilize: records requests. No matter if they cover education, sports, politics or the courtroom — public records help journalists uncover information that can't be found any other way. The Freedom of Information Act and Wisconsin public records law opened the door for any member of the public to request records from federal, state and local governments. Reporters have used records requests to track how taxpayers' hard-earned dollars are spent or reveal how a universities respond to sexual harassment accusations against professors. In fact, many of the powerful stories you find in the Journal Sentinel couldn't have been done without public records. Here are a few examples. STEVENS POINT – When education reporter Kelly Meyerhofer caught wind of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents voting to dismiss a faculty member, she promptly filed a record request. "This intrigued me because the board rarely fires tenured faculty," Meyerhofer said. Meyerhofer requested all documents related to the UW Board of Regents vote that day and the dismissal of the unnamed UW-Stevens Point faculty member. She waited nearly a year for the records, but in the end, her instinct was right. The records showed that Richard Brunson, a music professor at the university at the time, was accused of sexual harassment by six of his students. One student told the university that Brunson wrapped him in a "bear hug" and kissed him on the lips. All six students reported that Brunson sent sexually suggestive messages to them, the records showed. The records also revealed this wasn't the first time Brunson had been disciplined for sexual harassment at UW-Stevens Point at Marshfield. In 2018, the university required Brunson attend a sexual harassment prevention training. Brunson sued in court to the block release of the records Meyerhofer requested, which caused a delay, but a judge dismissed the case. Brunson initially denied or explained some of his actions to investigators as pranks. He later admitted to sending students messages and said he was "deeply sorry" he made them feel uncomfortable, Meyerhofer reported. Brunson resigned in 2022. By the time Meyerhofer published her first story about him in February last year, he had been hired by Goshen College in Indiana. One week after Meyerhofer's story published, Goshen College fired Brunson. This investigation wouldn't have been possible without public records, Meyerhofer said. "The records also shed light on how the UW System is trying to address a pass-the-harasser problem in academia," Meyerhofer said. "It allows readers to consider whether this strategy is good or, in the eyes of the professor, goes too far." MILWAUKEE – What started out as a routine records request exposed the hefty expenses Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson charged to taxpayers. Politics reporter Vanessa Swales frequently requests the expense reports of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Last year, Swales heard rumors about Nicholson and other board members' exorbitant expenses. She reached out to each supervisor and Nicholson to request their expenses for a 21-month period between 2022 and 2023. She also asked the county board members to note in their responses whether the expenses had been processed or rejected. Some supervisors fulfilled the requests within a few days. Others took weeks or almost a year, she said. The records revealed that Nicholson spent more than $26,000 between April 2022 and December 2023 on a "social club membership, rollerblades, hotel stays, trips across the United States, clothing, furniture and décor," Swales reported. That's more than two times as much as all the other supervisors' expenses processed or approved in the same time period. Nicholson defended her spending, including the $2,600 for her Milwaukee Athletic Club membership. Although the club is outside her supervisory district, Nicholson said the membership was necessary for "civic engagement." Swales' records requests also found that former Supervisor Dyango Zerpa charged county taxpayers $2,644 for his trip to Puerto Rico for a conference. While the trip as a whole was allowed, he wasn't permitted to charge an additional night's stay at the hotel after the conference, plus a bottle of Ron Barcelo Anejo Rum, on the county's credit card. Zerpa paid the county back for the hotel night, but not for the rum. Supervisor Kathleen Vincent expensed about $700 in clothing, including Adidas polos, an Adidas cap and a Columbia jacket, Swales found. One weekend last fall, Bucks player Andre Jackson Jr. crashed his car into a Yankee Hill apartment patio. The Bucks issued a statement declaring the incident a "single-vehicle accident." A records request uncovered more to the story. Breaking news reporter Drake Bentley and investigative reporter Mary Spicuzza emailed Milwaukee Police Department to request Jackson's citation. In less than 24 hours, MPD sent the citation. Jackson's name was blacked out, but the time, date and location of the accident matched the details of Jackson's accident. The citation showed that Jackson was speeding at the time of the crash. In addition, the report said Jackson collided with another vehicle before crashing into the apartment patio, contradicting the team's statement that he was the only vehicle involved. As a result, the Bucks corrected their statement, stating that they "had become aware of additional information." More than a dozen records requests exposed millions of dollars of alleged fraud in Milwaukee-area prenatal care coordination companies, or PNCCs. Longtime investigative reporters Mary Spicuzza and Cary Spivak started digging into these companies after receiving tips that one of these companies, Fortunate Futures, was scamming the program. Quickly, reporters discovered that the state program, intended to prevent infant and maternal mortality, exploded in growth between 2018 and 2021. The taxpayer-funded program spent $22.3 million in 2021, but had minimal government oversight. Spicuzza and Spivak filed records requests with the Department of Health Services for these companies' audits, applications and Medicaid spending totals. The reporters also requested corporate documents from the state Department of Financial Institutions. One PNCC owner brought in more than $2.2 million in revenue last year, with nearly half going toward her salary, the reporters found. Other owners posted pictures on Facebook of flashy vacations, pricey handbags and Gucci clothing. After Spicuzza and Spivak's story published, the state cracked down on the program. The head of the state health department cut off funding to several agencies and announced a comprehensive review of every payment claim. The state later charged several of the owners of these companies with fraud. Markita Barnes, owner of Here for You, was charged with pocketing $2.3 million in Medicaid money. Precious Cruse, owner of Caring Through Love, was charged for stealing more than $700,000, according to the reporters' 2023 article. And in 2024, LaKia Jackson, the owner of We Care Services, was accused of stealing $3 million through her company by signing off on "false and fraudulent statements" to Medicaid. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 4 stories made possible by Wisconsin public records law
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Public records make journalism possible. Here are 4 stories we couldn't do without them.
This story was produced as part of Sunshine Week, a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in the journalism, civic, education, government and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records and open government. Sunshine Week runs through March 22, 2025. There's one tool all reporters in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newsroom utilize: records requests. No matter if they cover education, sports, politics or the courtroom — public records help journalists uncover information that can't be found any other way. The Freedom of Information Act and Wisconsin public records law opened the door for any member of the public to request records from federal, state and local governments. Reporters have used records requests to track how taxpayers' hard-earned dollars are spent or reveal how a universities respond to sexual harassment accusations against professors. In fact, many of the powerful stories you find in the Journal Sentinel couldn't have been done without public records. Here are a few examples. STEVENS POINT – When education reporter Kelly Meyerhofer caught wind of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents voting to dismiss a faculty member, she promptly filed a record request. "This intrigued me because the board rarely fires tenured faculty," Meyerhofer said. Meyerhofer requested all documents related to the UW Board of Regents vote that day and the dismissal of the unnamed UW-Stevens Point faculty member. She waited nearly a year for the records, but in the end, her instinct was right. The records showed that Richard Brunson, a music professor at the university at the time, was accused of sexual harassment by six of his students. One student told the university that Brunson wrapped him in a "bear hug" and kissed him on the lips. All six students reported that Brunson sent sexually suggestive messages to them, the records showed. The records also revealed this wasn't the first time Brunson had been disciplined for sexual harassment at UW-Stevens Point at Marshfield. In 2018, the university required Brunson attend a sexual harassment prevention training. Brunson sued in court to the block release of the records Meyerhofer requested, which caused a delay, but a judge dismissed the case. Brunson initially denied or explained some of his actions to investigators as pranks. He later admitted to sending students messages and said he was "deeply sorry" he made them feel uncomfortable, Meyerhofer reported. Brunson resigned in 2022. By the time Meyerhofer published her first story about him in February last year, he had been hired by Goshen College in Indiana. One week after Meyerhofer's story published, Goshen College fired Brunson. This investigation wouldn't have been possible without public records, Meyerhofer said. "The records also shed light on how the UW System is trying to address a pass-the-harasser problem in academia," Meyerhofer said. "It allows readers to consider whether this strategy is good or, in the eyes of the professor, goes too far." MILWAUKEE – What started out as a routine records request exposed the hefty expenses Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson charged to taxpayers. Politics reporter Vanessa Swales frequently requests the expense reports of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Last year, Swales heard rumors about Nicholson and other board members' exorbitant expenses. She reached out to each supervisor and Nicholson to request their expenses for a 21-month period between 2022 and 2023. She also asked the county board members to note in their responses whether the expenses had been processed or rejected. Some supervisors fulfilled the requests within a few days. Others took weeks or almost a year, she said. The records revealed that Nicholson spent more than $26,000 between April 2022 and December 2023 on a "social club membership, rollerblades, hotel stays, trips across the United States, clothing, furniture and décor," Swales reported. That's more than two times as much as all the other supervisors' expenses processed or approved in the same time period. Nicholson defended her spending, including the $2,600 for her Milwaukee Athletic Club membership. Although the club is outside her supervisory district, Nicholson said the membership was necessary for "civic engagement." Swales' records requests also found that former Supervisor Dyango Zerpa charged county taxpayers $2,644 for his trip to Puerto Rico for a conference. While the trip as a whole was allowed, he wasn't permitted to charge an additional night's stay at the hotel after the conference, plus a bottle of Ron Barcelo Anejo Rum, on the county's credit card. Zerpa paid the county back for the hotel night, but not for the rum. Supervisor Kathleen Vincent expensed about $700 in clothing, including Adidas polos, an Adidas cap and a Columbia jacket, Swales found. One weekend last fall, Bucks player Andre Jackson Jr. crashed his car into a Yankee Hill apartment patio. The Bucks issued a statement declaring the incident a "single-vehicle accident." A records request uncovered more to the story. Breaking news reporter Drake Bentley and investigative reporter Mary Spicuzza emailed Milwaukee Police Department to request Jackson's citation. In less than 24 hours, MPD sent the citation. Jackson's name was blacked out, but the time, date and location of the accident matched the details of Jackson's accident. The citation showed that Jackson was speeding at the time of the crash. In addition, the report said Jackson collided with another vehicle before crashing into the apartment patio, contradicting the team's statement that he was the only vehicle involved. As a result, the Bucks corrected their statement, stating that they "had become aware of additional information." More than a dozen records requests exposed millions of dollars of alleged fraud in Milwaukee-area prenatal care coordination companies, or PNCCs. Longtime investigative reporters Mary Spicuzza and Cary Spivak started digging into these companies after receiving tips that one of these companies, Fortunate Futures, was scamming the program. Quickly, reporters discovered that the state program, intended to prevent infant and maternal mortality, exploded in growth between 2018 and 2021. The taxpayer-funded program spent $22.3 million in 2021, but had minimal government oversight. Spicuzza and Spivak filed records requests with the Department of Health Services for these companies' audits, applications and Medicaid spending totals. The reporters also requested corporate documents from the state Department of Financial Institutions. One PNCC owner brought in more than $2.2 million in revenue last year, with nearly half going toward her salary, the reporters found. Other owners posted pictures on Facebook of flashy vacations, pricey handbags and Gucci clothing. After Spicuzza and Spivak's story published, the state cracked down on the program. The head of the state health department cut off funding to several agencies and announced a comprehensive review of every payment claim. The state later charged several of the owners of these companies with fraud. Markita Barnes, owner of Here for You, was charged with pocketing $2.3 million in Medicaid money. Precious Cruse, owner of Caring Through Love, was charged for stealing more than $700,000, according to the reporters' 2023 article. And in 2024, LaKia Jackson, the owner of We Care Services, was accused of stealing $3 million through her company by signing off on "false and fraudulent statements" to Medicaid. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 4 stories made possible by Wisconsin public records law
