The Scoop

Yesterday I wrote about the Fresno Bee’s story on heat-related deaths this summer; today comes Hank Shaw of the Stockton Record, who did a similar story with a focus on the whole Central Valley. “A Record investigation involving dozens of county coroners’ reports, published accounts as well as state and local data shows most of the victims fit a pattern: They lived alone, many in trailers. Most had underlying health problems. Many were too poor to afford air conditioning. And a number refused to use what air conditioning they had.”