'When You're a Met You're a Met All the Way; From the First Day in March to the Last Day in May'

Forgive me for paraphrasing that song from West Side Story, but it fits here.

You'd have to be as old as I am to remember the miracle 1969 season of the Amazing Mets. This year, their owner is labeling the New York team as the Underdog Mets -- and some don't like it.

O'Dwyer's sports blogger Kevin McCauly wrote that the son of owner Jeff Wilpon gave players orange t-shirts with the U symbol of the 1960s cartoon character Underdog.

"There's no need to fear...." Unless you're a Mets fan.

"Wilpon’s shirts send the signal 'Let’s pack it in before the season even starts.' That’s a distressing attitude for young Mets like slugger Ike Davis, striver (?) Lucas Duda and the ever-talented Danny Murphy. Veteran pitcher Johan Santana must have second thoughts about his comeback from surgery bid. Why even bother?

"David Wright, the public face of the Mets, complained to the Daily News: 'I don’t really like using the whole underdog thing. I don’t really like playing that card. I think it’s just a way to remind everybody in here that the outside expectations aren’t the expectations that we have for ourselves.'"  (http://www.odwyerpr.com/blog/index.php?/archives/4093-PR-Fortunes-of-Mets-Continue-to-Unravel.html)

Wright has no need to fear. He'll be gone from the Mets well before the dog days of summer. The cash-poor Mets will unload him in a trade for prospects. "That’s what the team should have done with Reyes since management had no intent of re-signing the reigning National League batting champ. Stay healthy, David. Better times beckon."
 
You would think a Big-Apple team would be packing in fans and making money as the Yankees do. The Mets' biggest problem, as I explained here some time ago, stems from the millions of dollars that the Wilpons lost in the ponzi scheme orchestrated by convicted swindler Bernie Madoff.
 
"If Junior Wilpon wants to wear a t-shirt to Citi Field this year," McCauly wrote, "he should make one with an 'L' on it. L is for 'loser.' It also could stand for 'lonely' because Jeff will see thousands of empty seats at Citi Field thanks to the mismanagement of the team."

We all can fall prey to making errors in judgement. Wilpon seems to have made one here with the shirts. If you have a nagging sensation in your gut when you're about to go out on a limb, bounce your idea off colleagues or off your intended audience. If it's something major, conducting focus groups can save money in the long run. Wilpon thought he was being cute. There's nothing cute about offending your employees.

Apple Jacks Times With Unwise Snub

I've had non-communications managers who urged me to not cooperate with a certain reporter or media outlet because of a negative news story. Fortunately, I successfully made the case every time that there's no way to punish the media. If you try, they'll come after you with guns blazing. Snubbing the media is a smoldering crisis.

Apple may have to learn that lesson the hard way. Bulldog Reporter on February 26 claims Apple sought revenge against the New York Times.
(http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/snubbing-media-%E2%80%94-strategy-or-revenge-apples-stiff-arming-ny-times-after-papers-foxc)

"For more than a week, the gadget giant has been seeding selected media outlets with early access to its next Mac operating system, dubbed Mountain Lion, and the Wall Street Journal's Jessica Vascellaro was recently offered a briefing by Apple marketing exec Phil Schiller and an exclusive interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook. Even Daring Fireball blogger John Gruber, who is known to write positively about Apple, described how he was summoned to a fancy hotel room in New York, given a polished one-on-one keynote presentation by Schiller, and sent home with a loaner MacBook Air pre-loaded with the new OS."

Apple, I think, is playing with fire. "'We're starting to do things differently,' Schiller told Gruber." Different doesn't mean better.

"The (New York) Times, however, got skunked.... No regular Times journalist could make a dent. The reason for all this disrespect, the Washington Post's Erik Wemple speculates, was the hard-hitting Foxconn series the Times' ran last month. Foxconn assembles roughly 40% of the world's electronic devices, including those sold by Dell, HP and Sony — but the Times' series singled out Apple in a way that many, including CEO Cook, thought was misleading and unfair. Was the cold shoulder the Gray Lady got this week really payback for the series? Reporters and editors at the Times seem to think so, Fortune reports."

Advantage Apple. But the match isn't over.

Call me old-fashioned, but I don't want to do things differently if it means snubbing media that I want to treat  me fairly. I advise you to think it through carefully before you play favorites with reporters, for whatever reason. It's like dumping pirhanas into your bathwater.

Mercer Schoolgirl Chokes on Hot Dog; School and Family Respond

A Mercer, Pennsylvania, elementary school will continue dealing this week with a classmate, who choked on a hot dog on February 20 and died two days later at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. She suffered heart and brain damage. Based on news reports, the school did the right things during the crisis and after her death.

Aizeya Mattocks, 8, was reportedly laughing and talking to friends while eating the school lunch staple, the hot dog. She suddenly started choking. "Mercer School District Superintendent William Gathers said all lunchroom monitors are CPR trained and his staff helped Aizeya until paramedics arrived. Her family said they're thankful for their quick response. 'They were there right on top of everything. They did everything they could have done in a timely manner,' said Mattocks."  (http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/girl-8-critical-condition-after-choking-during-lun/nHckb/)

An announcement of her death was read at the school Friday. After school, parents picking up their children were seen hugging them and each other.

It appears the school's staff did all the right things Monday until paramedics arrived. It responded appropriately  during the week. "Grief counselors spent Thursday at the school, but Superintendent Bill Gathers said the students were taking the death hard (Friday). 'A very difficult day, especially among the children she was friends with.' As word spread that many children were also afraid to eat lunch, Gathers also confirmed that hot dogs would no longer be on the menu at the school."  (http://fox8.com/2012/02/20/hot-dogs-banned-at-school-after-student-chokes-to-death/)

I think that's a good idea from a psychological point of view. It will remind students of Aizeya's death, and who will want to eat hot dogs then? Child advocates don 't agree, but they're missing the point of the hot dogs ban.
 
"While pediatricians understand the fear, they say banning hot dogs might not be the correct approach. 'That’s not the approach. Parents need to take a safe approach and use this as teaching example to teach good habits,' said Dr. Abdulla Ghori, Director of Pediatrics at MetroHealth Medical Center.

"Dr. Ghori says children need to learn to take small bites, chew slowly and never talk or goof around while eating. He says, 'Just banning hot dogs will not solve the problem. Children choke on toys more than food items.'” (http://fox8.com/2012/02/20/hot-dogs-banned-at-school-after-student-chokes-to-death/)

"Relatives say they are appreciative of the outpouring of support from friends, family and people they don't even know. Now they want to become advocates to educate the public on the dangers of kids choking on hot dogs." (http://www.wfmj.com/story/16940608/mercer-girl-hospitalized-after-choking-on-a-hot-dog)

Visiting family in Pennsylvania last week (Mercer County, coincidentally), I watched my eight-year-old wolf down a salad and stuffed shells despite warnings from his grandmother to slow down. But the sooner he finished dinner, the sooner he could play. Parents and schools should work with kids to get them to take small bites and chew thoroughly. Schools should allow for longer lunch periods and provide instructions on safe eating habits. Parents should keep kids at the table until everyone is finished.
 
Call it safety, call it extinguishing a smoldering crisis. Either way, prevention could save the life of a child somewhere sometime. As in preventing any crisis, the time and effort are well worthwhile.

Coal Officials and Companies Pay for Coal Mine Accidents

I've written often about companies that fail to do the right thing. The darling of doing the wrong thing has been Massey Energy. That's the company that operated a West Virginia coal mine whose violations of safety laws led to a fatal explosion.

Here's the latest victim of Massey's wrongdoing. (Massey ended up being unloaded in a fire sale.) "The superintendent of the West Virginia coal mine where an explosion killed 29 men was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to defraud the federal government, becoming the highest-ranking employee to face criminal prosecution in an investigation that appeared to be moving steadily up the corporate ladder....  He is the second employee of Massey Energy, the company that owned the mine at the time of the 2010 tragedy, to face prosecution."  (http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/apnewsbreak-feds-charge-mine-boss-with-fraud-highest-ranking-to-face-prosecution-in-blast/2012/02/22/gIQA9M79SR_story.html)

U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said his investigation isn't finished, signaling that officials are apparently looking at possible criminal charges against even higher-level executives of the company.

"The information filed in U.S. District Court in Beckley accuses (Gary) May of conspiring with others to conceal many dangers in the mine through an elaborate scheme that included code words to alert miners underground when inspectors were on the property, the deliberate alteration of approved ventilation plans and the deliberate disabling of a methane gas monitor on the continuous mining machine. May allegedly ordered the wiring to be altered in February 2010 so the automatic shut-off mechanism was disabled, allowing the machine to function for several hours without a methane monitor."

If the Mine Safety and Health Administration had known of all the safety violations, it's reported the mine would have been temporarily closed and fines levied immediately. And 29 employees still would be alive. The mine now is permanently closed.
 
Meanwhile, the governor and senators of Kentucky, and I presume other elected officials from other coal states, use strong words when urging the Obama administration to get of the coal mines back in passing and enforcing tighter regulations.
 
And down the road in Kentucky: "A federal grand jury (yesterday)  has indicted a coal company and three officials at a Harlan County mine where an underground miner was killed in a roof fall last year. The 32-count indictment issued Wednesday in London, Ky. charges Manalapan Mining Company and three officials with violating federal mine safety laws related to underground mine roof structures and dangerous electric cables.

"The indictment says records of pre-shift inspections kept by the supervisors dating from June 13 to June 28 were falsified. On June 29, 46-year-old David Partin died at the P-1 mine when he was crushed by a roof collapse. A spokesman at Manalapan Mining did not return a call for comment on the indictments Wednesday afternoon."
 (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57383516/feds-indict-kentucky-mine-company-officials/)

The charges range from a maximum of one year in prison for some of the counts and up to five years in prison for the counts related to the false records, plus fines up to $250,000 per count.

So tell me: did these men serve their companies well? Don't put up with managers who do the wrong things or look the other way when employees take shortcuts. That's a smoldering crisis ready to literally or figuratively blow up in your face.

Indiana Company Ignores Ongoing Crisis And Pays

There may not be too many outside of southern Indiana/Louisville (and OSHA) who have heard of Jeffboat. "We are an industry leader in marine design and construction for both inland and ocean service vessels, offering custom barge design and manufacturing. (http://www2.aclines.com/site/division-manufacturing/)
Cool! A good company that hires lots of people. So then why is it so often in a crisis mode?

"The death of a Jeffboat employee in August has led to nine federal safety violations that could cost the Jeffersonville, Ind., ship-building company $119,000 in fines. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it issued the citations Wednesday. They bring the total violations for the company to 46 since May 2010, when two other employees were killed about a week apart. OSHA said it has conducted five inspections at the company since May 2010." (http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012302160050)
 
OSHA said some citations were listed as “willful,” meaning the company disregarded laws and regulations with indifference to worker safety. "Those included failing to properly assemble and install equipment used to operate transfer cars, possibly allowing moisture to corrode equipment and cause it to malfunction, and allowing employees to continue to use electrical parts that may have been corroded."

"Kim Durbin, a spokeswoman for American Commercial Lines Inc., Jeffboat’s parent company, said Thursday that the company is reviewing the citations. 'Jeffboat is fully committed to protecting the health and safety of our employees,' Durbin said, adding that American Commercial Lines would 'look forward' to working with OSHA in addressing any safety concerns.

"Look forward" to working with OSHA? My 80-year-old mother doesn't believe that.
 
"Jeffboat had also been cited by OSHA after two deaths in May 2010 and fined about $53,000. Kent David Martin, 44, of Corydon, died after he fell about 25 feet from a ladder into a cargo tank on a barge. About a week earlier, Robert Harrison Jr., 50, of Louisville, fell about 20 feet from a deck of a barge as he was trying to step around a 24-inch fan placed on a narrow walkway."

Here's a company with problems. Those problems may be operational or perceptual. It doesn't matter to the community or investors. The crisis needs a fix. Nothing on Jeffboat's website suggests it has seen the light. (http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=192936&p=irol-irhome) A crisis plan, complete with legally blessed statements to the media, would have been a big help.

Jimmy John's At Least Should Be Telling Us It Is Doing The Right Thing About Contaminated Sprouts

Feel free to read the comments to my February 16 blog post about E. coli being traced back to Jimmy John's sprouts.

The first said, in part, "I think its his lack of response to the owners of his franchizes. They knew about this for days, and did not tell an owner to feb 16th. I received a call at 8am from my business coach and was told to say that we just ran out of sprouts. That's not right."

Another comment read (sorry for the spelling), "Jimmy john business coach called where calling stores telling managers to say they ran out of sprouts instead of telling the consumers the truth. When I wrote this on his facebook page because the company always stresses integredy, my post was deleted. He has a history of bad public relations when something like this happens."

My post was critical of Jimmy John's for having no comment to reporters or on its website. I also received a comment that said, "My business coach told me to remove all sprouts from my stores yesterday morning (2/16/12). At 5:20pm EST yesterday, I received an email from Jimmy saying that he was done with sprouts and that they would be permanently removed from the menu.

"So, Dan Hicks - Ralph Nader wannabe, JJ's unwillingness to comment yesterday morning kinda set you off, didn't it? So now you're going to change the world by bringing down Jimmy Johns, is that it? Do you realize how difficult it is for a chain of over 1000 stores to get on the same message at the exact same time?...

"You wrote, 'Sprouts are causing a crisis for Jimmy John's, and the company and its most loyal customers are ignoring it.' Funny, JJs didn't ignore it if they pulled sprouts from all their stores yesterday before announcing a permanent removal from the menu. JJs just ignored you."

Please tell me: If Jimmy John's Sprouts were responsible for three food poisoning outbreaks in recent years, why would Jimmy John's not tell consumers that it was permanently pulling sprouts from its sandwiches? Don't you think consumers would be interested in that news? That should be a good-news story: Sandwich company eliminates sprouts because it cares about the safety of its customers. Instead, it apparently lies to its franchises and pretends there's nothing wrong in sandwichland.

I'm sticking to my original analysis on Thursday: "The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that 12 cases of E. coli poisoning in five states are linked to raw clover sprouts eaten at Jimmy John's restaurants. The outbreak comes a year after raw alfalfa sprouts from one of the chain's suppliers were linked to 140 salmonella illnesses. Sprouts from the chain's suppliers were also linked to a 2009 salmonella outbreak in several Midwestern states and were suspected in an E. coli outbreak in Boulder, Colo. in 2008.... Illinois-based Jimmy John's declined to comment on the outbreak."  (http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2012-02-16/Tainted-sprouts-again-linked-to-Jimmy-Johns/53114120/1)

Why won't Jimmy John's admit to the problem (caused by suppliers) and boldly announce it is doing away with sprouts on its sandwiches? That's so much better than lying or keeping franchisees in the dark.

Crises Can Keep Many Involved Away From Their Other Work

I was doing a little re-read of Bob Irvine's book, When You Are the Headline (Published 1987 by Dow Jones-Irwin). Bob is the founder of the Institute for Crisis Management, where I serve as a senior consultant.

I want to share with you some real-life, mind-blowing facts to prepare you for the time you will have to invest in a major crisis. We advise clients not to work more than 16 straight hours. That's about the point most people get tired, lose their adrenalin that fueled them to that point, and start making mistakes.

Communications response to the Bhopal chemical leak in India that killed thousands was led by Jackson Browning and Ed Van Den Ameele. According to When You Are the Headline, "First day ran from 2:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Heavy media coverage of daily press briefings began after Anderson returned from India. Worked seven-day weeks through Christmas.Van Den Ameele forced to get unlisted phone number after Fortune article on Bhopal."

When he conducts crisis communications training, ICM's Larry Smith (http://www.crisisexperts.com/) likes to tell the story of the Challenger disaster. Communications had a new crisis plan it hadn't trained on. So when the Challenger exploded, the top communications people who always watch the launch from the control room didn't know security locked down the building in a crisis. It took hours before they could be released to brief reporters. Shirley Green, Hugh Harris, and Chick Young were spokespersons.

"Worked 19 hours after Challenger accident. Seven hours off, then 18-hour day. Briefing center staffed 24 hours a day for two weeks, then 18 hours a day for six weeks. Still handling media calls late at night and on weekends six months after the accident."

One more example from When You Are the Headline should be enough to make the point that crises are time consuming -- and are worse without a crisis plan you've practiced with. Delta flight 191 crashed in Texas, and Bill Berry and Jim Ewing handled the brunt of the communications.

"Initial day went 26 hours, including regular workday before accident occurred. Berry worked several 16-hour shifts from midafternoon through the next morning before media pressure let up enough to switch to daytime hours. Press relations staffed 24 hours a day at Atlanta headquarters and Dallas crash site in accordance with Standard Practices."

You can see that a crisis will cost you, the CEO, and many employees a great deal of time. If you're having trouble convincing the top dogs that a well-thought-out crisis plan is a sound investment, figure out how much in employee hours a crisis -- even one that's gone in a day -- will cost in terms of dollars. The same money approach also works if you can't stir up attention to handle a smoldering crisis before it hits the fan.

Keep in mind that the best crisis plans are really three plans: operations, communications, and recovery.

E. Coli Sprouts at Jimmy John's, But No Comment

I love my sprouts, whether in a salad or on a sandwich. Few salad bars that I frequent have sprouts any more, and now I know why. Sprouts are causing a crisis for Jimmy John's, and the company and its most loyal customers are ignoring it.

"The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that 12 cases of E. coli poisoning in five states are linked to raw clover sprouts eaten at Jimmy John's restaurants. The outbreak comes a year after raw alfalfa sprouts from one of the chain's suppliers were linked to 140 salmonella illnesses. Sprouts from the chain's suppliers were also linked to a 2009 salmonella outbreak in several Midwestern states and were suspected in an E. coli outbreak in Boulder, Colo. in 2008."  (http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2012-02-16/Tainted-sprouts-again-linked-to-Jimmy-Johns/53114120/1)

Unfortunate. What's even more unfortunate is, after the same crisis struck in the past, Jimmy John's has no response.

"Illinois-based Jimmy John's declined to comment on the outbreak. After the salmonella outbreak a year ago, the company said it would switch from using alfalfa sprouts to using clover sprouts because they are easier to clean. But federal regulators warn against eating all raw sprouts, which are one of the most frequent perpetrators of foodborne illness."

That's probably why I can't get sprouts at the salad bar these days. It turns out that the warm, humid conditions needed to grow sprouts are the same conditions in which bacteria thrive. According to the CDC, there have been 30-plus outbreaks associated with raw sprouts in the United States in the last 15 years. An outbreak in Japan in 1986 sickened thousands of people with E. coli. Fenugreek sprout seeds from Egypt killed more than 50 people who contracted of E. coli poisoning in Europe last year.

"In most sprout outbreaks the restaurant is not to blame for the contamination itself. Contamination usually happens when the seeds are grown or harvested and is often impossible to wash off. Food safety lawyer Bill Marler has represented victims in the three previous sprout outbreaks potentially linked to Jimmy John's. He has pushed the FDA to require warning labels on sprouts and praises restaurants that have taken them off the menu.

"\You have to wonder what this company is thinking,' he said."

Yeah, I do wonder what this company is thinking. No comment and no news on your website since January 3? (http://www.jimmyjohns.com/company/news.aspx) Come on, Jimmy John's. You've been through this before. It's not your fault, even though you'll take the publicity and legal hits unless you can make menu changes and sue the guilty supplier.

I also wonder what customers are thinking. Jimmy John's Facebook page has virtually no comments about the contamination. ( http://www.facebook.com/jimmyjohns?sk=wall) Maybe they've been removed. Instead, people are asking that sprouts be returned for their sandwiches and ask why there aren't any sprouts any more. All but one six minutes ago: "FINALLY you get rid of the sprouts! I really cant believe how long it took! I personally love them but they are SO not worth the risks that they carry and the potential harm they can cause, especially to your children and elderly customers. Thanks for finally stepping up and taking your consumers health and safety seriously. I hope this is a permanent decision."

Jimmy John's needs to reassure customers and potential customers, and I consider myself among the latter. One Facebook writer said she asked the owner at a Jimmy John's store why there weren't any sprouts, and he said he didn't know. The owner didn't know!

That's unacceptable. I think I'll just keep going to Subway for my sandwiches.

Penn State's New Website: A Door Half Open or Half Closed?

Penn State this week launched a new website it calls Openness. It may be too little too late. Some are praising this new commitment to transparency, but others find reasons to be critical.

"The site is designed to be a resource for the Penn State community and other stakeholders to find answers to their questions regarding ongoing investigations and related matters.

"'This new website represents reform and change and our commitment to improve the University's openness with the public,' said Karen Peetz, chairwoman of the Board.

"The website has information under various categories: Frequently Asked Questions, Documents, Updates, and messages from the President of the University and Board of Trustees. The site also includes links to the University Budget Office, Right-to-Know information, hotlines and several other sources." (http://live.psu.edu/story/57742)

The new site is at http://openness.psu.edu/.

I was surprised to learn that Penn State and at least some other tax-supported schools don't have to comply with open records laws. There's a move on to change that. I wonder if the openness site is a way to throw the dogs a bone without giving away the whole steak.

"It fell far short, say observers, of what the school would have to release were it subject to the state's Right-to-Know Law, providing fresh ammunition for those who say taxpayers are not well served when a university receiving nearly $228 million in general state aid gets to decide what is and is not the public's business.

"For instance, the consultant total (related to the child sex scandal)  released reflects what Penn State paid but not what it actually received in return, since vouchers and other spending documents that would detail services -- documents available under Right-to-Know -- were not attached to the totals.

"Campus officials say confidentiality language is why a settlement agreement with former Penn State president Graham Spanier, who resigned, will remain a secret. They say such language ultimately may keep secret a settlement agreement with late football coach Joe Paterno, who was fired, once that document is complete." (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12046/1210279-143-0.stm)

PSU also refuses to reveal Spanier's current pay as a tenured professor.

"Under Right-to-Know, such agreements generally 'would be available to citizens despite any confidentiality language, even if both parties agree,' said Terry Mutchler, executive director of the state Office of Open Records."

Mutchler acknowledged that the website provides "a sliver of what would be available" through Right-to-Know. But she praised Penn State for releasing information it currently isn't required to share. She said the website probably won't slow momentum for placing Penn State and three other state-related schools under Right-to-Know.

"State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York County, lead sponsor of one bill to do that, agreed. 'I don't think it changes the momentum. Even the governor said a couple weeks ago if those schools want their (state aid) they have to change their thinking on Right-to-Know,' Mr. DePasquale said."

Penn State is giving its critics plenty of ammunition. For example, "With potential for lawsuits (for sex allegations against Jerry Sandusky) that could drag on for years, public interest may grow in the size of several pools of revenue that Penn State says it has on hand for costs not covered by insurance. The school did not respond Tuesday to inquiries about those funds, which are rooted in interest income from loans made by Penn State to unidentified parties, from monies the athletic department paid the university related to the Beaver Stadium expansion and other unspecified sources."
DePasquale thinks Penn State ought to detail those accounts and their origins.

"A group of Penn State alumni and others who fault school trustees for their handling of the crisis had a more critical assessment of the data release. Penn Staters for Responsible Stewardship, also known as PS4RS, said in a statement that the data and new website are 'a disappointing and superficial attempt at transparency' and suggest things have not changed.

"'If the university learned anything over the last four months, it should have been that transparency should not -- and cannot -- exist only when it's convenient,' the statement read. 'There is no open dialogue present on this new website; no real-time engagement. Only a sterile, one-way email address, which smacks of backroom secrecy, review and control.'"

I'm no longer an  admirer of Penn State in general and the football program specifically (I was accepted there, but chose to take a full scholarship at another school) because of the way the trustees started firing first and looking for facts later. But this website is a good start toward transparency. Baby steps first, I say. But Penn State still has a long way to go before it can run.

Bed Bugs Found in Newborn's Indianapolis Hospital Bed

When I was little, my mom used to tuck me in with the warning, "Don't let the bed bugs bite." I thought bed bugs were make believe until infestations of the bloodsuckers started making news not long ago.

One of the latest bed bug problems occurred at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis last weekend. I heard about it on the news, but no one will learn about the problem from the hospital's website. There's not a word about it. At least a spokesperson was available to reporters, albeit only via email.

"'Bed bugs continue to be an issue nationwide,' said IU Health spokeswoman Abby Gras in an email. 'To ensure the safety of our patients and families, we work closely with our infection control and environmental services departments to ensure the incident is isolated and dealt with in a timely manner.'"  (http://www.indystar.com/article/20120213/LIVING01/202130344/Bed-bugs-found-Riley-Hospital-Children-Indianapolis?odyssey=tabtopnewstextIndyStar.comChildren-Indianapolis?odyssey=tabtopnewstextIndyStar.com)

That doesn't say much. Nothing in that quote is reassuring to parents of patients and prospective patients, who have a choice of hospitals for their children.

"A family staying at the hospital with a newborn daughter shared photos of the bedbugs and an email with WXIN (Channel 59).... Although their bites cause redness and itching, the insects do not transmit diseases, according to the medical information website."

According to Riley's home page, "We encourage you to be a part of your child’s treatment, ask questions and talk to us about any concerns you may have." (http://iuhealth.org/riley/)

Maybe. But Riley should be more forthcoming with information about how the bedbug problem is being dealt with.

Indiana State Drug Lab Draws Suspicion With Its Secrecy

"State toxicology officials know. Prosecutors know. But, apparently, the public may never be told the depths of drug testing problems at the troubled State Department of Toxicology."  (http://www.indystar.com/article/20120204/LOCAL/202040326/State-won-t-release-toxicology-lab-results

The Indiana University School of Medicine used to run drug tests for the state. But it was hit with three separate reports from an independent lab that suggested sloppy work and unacceptable levels of testing for drugs, which police and prosecutors use to evaluate evidence for criminal cases. That's why the state took over the lab from IU last summer. But the state is creating its own crisis when it  informed The Indianapolis Star Friday that it is refusing to disclose the results of a most recent retesting of positive blood samples. Those samples -- about 500 -- were taken for marijuana and cocaine cases from 2007 to 2009.

Why would a government agency create a crisis for itself by refusing to release what should be public information? That's a rhetorical question. I don't know.

"These specific results -- because they were retests of actual samples -- are viewed by forensic scientists and legal experts as particularly important. The results would be the most conclusive indicator yet of not only how bad the problems at the lab might be, but also whether people have been convicted of crimes based on evidence that is flawed.

"Teri Kendrick, an attorney for the Toxicology Department, did not give a specific reason for denying The Star's public-records request for the results. The state has had the results since at least mid-December and shared them with prosecutors."

Fran Watson, a professor at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis, is quoted as summing up the mantra of crisis communicators everywhere. "'The more open they can be at this point, the more they are open about how this happened, who it happened to and why it will never happen again,' she said, 'the more faith people will have in the system.'"

"The more faith people will have in the system." Isn't that why crisis communications is so critical to every organization? Again, rhetorical.

"Indianapolis defense attorney John Tompkins said he has a pretty good idea what the secrecy means -- in lay language. 'If the results were good,' he said, 'they would be telling us.' Tompkins said that after the much-publicized troubles with the lab -- which led to the state taking it over -- he can't imagine the state wouldn't immediately tout anything positive. 'This looks to me like a delay tactic to buy time,' Tompkins said, 'in the hope that people will just forget about it.'"

When the review of lab results was initiated under the watch of the medical school, IU brought in former Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman to oversee the process.

"Newman, who could not be reached for comment Friday, was very open about the problems and findings, (Larry) Landis, (executive director of the Indiana Public Defenders Council) said. But Newman was not retained at the lab after the new panel and governor's office assumed oversight.

"'Since then, we have heard virtually nothing,' said Landis. 'I know nothing more than I knew in July. They need to be more transparent and accountable on the deficiencies that were obvious' from the initial review of test results.'"

An independent team of scientists found 10 percent of the marijuana tests and one third of the cocaine tests reported by the department as positive were not conducted using basic scientific standards.
The crisis here comes from a government organization that is withholding information from the taxpayers who foot the bill. That secrecy will never hold up in court. When you are sitting on information, stop and think. Will you be cooperative, or will you be dragged kicking and screaming into the public spotlight?

Dickinson State Chastised in Audit As a 'Diploma Mill'

If a university student is caught cheating, he probably will be expelled. So what happens when a university cheats?

Dickinson State University in North Dakota is about to find out. An audit made public Friday revealed, "students not meeting minimum admission requirements; absence of official documents, including transcripts; lack of English proficiency; non-verification of student completion of general education courses; and degrees awarded without sufficient credits."  (http://www.dickinsonstate.edu/news/feb10120121.aspx)


Dickinson is refreshingly candid in the news releases posted on its web site. For example, "Six State Board of Higher Education and North Dakota University System policy and procedure violations were cited in the audit. The report stated: 'Several process level controls have been waived or controls that were once in place have been intentionally overridden or ignored, threatening the overall compliance of the program....'

"The audit shows that a total of 816 files of students in the special international programs were examined. The review found 743 of these in question as follows: 120 students currently enrolled, 39 have finished coursework and are currently awaiting certificates or degrees, and 584 who have already received a certificate or degree."

University President Dr. D. C. Coston and North Dakota University System chancellor William Goetz held a press conference Friday morning to release results of the audit. However, a meeting with students was interrupted by another crisis. A timeline of Friday's activities released by Dickinson reported, "Student meetings that were scheduled with the president at 1 p.m. MST were interrupted when the emergency management plan was implemented. The president notified the students in person that the campus emergency management plan had been activated and asked them to return to their residences immediately.

"Messages were sent to the entire campus community via the Notifind system shortly thereafter. Approximately 1:45 p.m., Dickinson Police Chief Dustin Dassinger arrived on campus and met with DSU officials to inform them that the missing individual had been located and the threat to DSU was resolved. DSU officials then notified the campus and the media that the threat had been resolved, that the campus would remain closed for the day and that classes would resume on Monday, February 13, 2012. The meeting with the students of Dickinson State will be reconvened early next week to allow them the opportunity to meet with the president."  (http://www.dickinsonstate.edu/news/feb1020123.aspx)

The day couldn't get any worse. Or could it? "This afternoon, we also learned of the untimely death of Dr. Doug LaPlante, dean of the College of Education, Business and Applied Sciences."

The Associated Press spelled out the sins of Dickinson State. "The report depicts Dickinson State as a diploma mill for foreign students, most of whom were Chinese. Of 410 foreign students who have received four-year degrees since 2003 — most of them in the past four years — 400 did not fulfill all the graduation requirements, it said....

"Dickinson State could face penalties from the U.S. State Department for violations of the federal student visa program, as well as sanctions from the Department of Education, the Department of Homeland Security and the Higher Learning Commission in Chicago, an accreditation agency, the report said." (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/11/audit-north-dakota-university-awarded-unearned-degrees/)

The AP story suggests audits of other state schools across the country may find similar misdeeds. "Facing pressure to bring in more students as North Dakota's booming oil industry made it tougher to coax new high school graduates into college, Dickinson State University began looking overseas to boost its enrollment. China, which sends more students to U.S. universities than any other nation, became one of the school's more reliable suppliers of young people....

"The report raises questions about whether public universities, strapped for cash at a time of sharply declining state support for higher education, are cutting corners to attract foreign students who typically pay full out-of-state tuition. It also comes amid an unprecedented boom in the number of Chinese students studying at U.S. universities."

If you deal with  crises at a college or university, it's time to urge an internal audit to ensure no corners are being cut to make money off foreign students while cheating them of their educations. Doing so now might keep your name off the naughty list and avoid possible racism and discrimination on campus.

“'In the next few weeks there will be rumors, fabrications and fairy tales being spread around,' said Scott Poswilko, DSU student senator and ambassador. 'It would be best if students did not fuel this fire or make hasty generalizations about all international students. It is a time when standing united as Blue Hawks is what we need to do rather than divide our campus any more than it needs to be.'"  (http://www.dickinsonstate.edu/news/feb1020123.aspx)

Such discrimination by students against students would be just one more crisis to add to Dickinson's -- or anyone's -- sack full of smoldering crises.

The only negative I take away from Dickinson's problems: "William Goetz, chancellor of the North Dakota university system, and Dickinson State's new president, D.C. Coston, did not respond to emails and phone calls from The Associated Press." (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/11/audit-north-dakota-university-awarded-unearned-degrees/)

I know, they held a press conference in the morning. But they should have responded with at least, "We said all there is to say in our release and at the news conference this morning." Don't ignore reporters under any circumstances.

Are Newspaper Reporters a Dying Breed?

I have a niece who graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh a couple years ago with a degree in journalism. She's good, and I don't dish out praise for young writers freely. She was fortunate to land a job with the Beaver County Times, the same paper where I began my career in 19 -- uh, never mind what year. For example, read Jenny's story about a crisis on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in November at http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/tar-spill-snarls-traffic-on-turnpike/article_a045a45b-eb4b-52d1-a1ba-c3637556a4cb.html.

But I'm sorry to see the newspaper world in disarray. Gannett continues to lay off reporters and watch profits drop. The 2010 annual report shows a decrease in operating revenue from $6.6 million in 2008 to $5.4 million in 2010. "Daily circulation declined in nearly all of the company’s newspaper markets, a trend generally consistent with the domestic newspaper industry."  (http://www.gannett.com/assets/pdf/5Z172149324.PDF)

The Washington Post has reduced its newsroom by more than 200 during the past three years, and now looks to cut deeper. "Those cuts were not enough to turn a profit. The paper reported an operating loss of $9.9M during the quarter ended Oct. 2. That was up from a $1.7M 2010 period deficit. Revenues slid nine percent to $150M." (http://www.odwyerpr.com/blog/index.php?/archives/3988-Washington-Post-Makes-Cuts.html)

Employees have been offered a separation incentive program at the Post that they need to act on within 45 days. The paper retains the right to decline separation for irreplaceable employees. "Though the Post is in a cost-cutting mode, it will continue to make 'tactical hires so that even as we get smaller, we get stronger.'"  (http://www.odwyerpr.com/blog/index.php?/archives/3988-Washington-Post-Makes-Cuts.html)

In other words, we want to rid ourselves of higher-paid senior reporters and replace them with runny-nosed kids. We see that in TV. How many on-air reporters look like they're over 30?

I loved my life as a reporter, but I'm certainly glad to have left that life behind. I'm proud of my niece, the newspaper reporter. I just hope her job continues into her old age, if that's what she chooses. The life of a reporter is so different than it was when I was part of the profession. The news media are in a crisis and must reinvent themselves in order to survive.

Controversial Anti-Planned Parenthood Leader Leaves Komen

Here's a postscript to the Susan G. Komen vs. Planned Parenthood crisis. I wrote on February 2 below, "The Komen Foundation denies that the decision had anything to do with Karen Handel, Komen’s new senior vice president for public policy. The Republican ran for governor of Georgia in 2010 and wrote during her campaign, 'Since I am pro-life, I do not support the mission of Planned Parenthood.'"

Handel resigned from Komen last week, but unwisely continued to keep the drama alive.

"Karen Handel, who was perceived to be at the center of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure/Planned Parenthood Federation of America funding flap, has resigned the post that she held since last April. In her resignation letter, the former Republican candidate for Georgia governor expressed support for Komen's recent move to cut off nearly $700K in funding for Planned Parenthood, a move she said was in the works before she took the post and approved by the board of directors.

"Handel is 'deeply disappointed by the gross mischaracterizations of the strategy, its rationale, and my involvement in it.'" (http://www.odwyerpr.com/blog/index.php?/archives/3980-Handel-Quits-Komen.html)

Komen is better off with the controversial Handel gone. It needs to rebuild bridges destroyed when it balked at giving to Planned Parenthood, a decision that blew up and left Komen leadership with red -- no pink -- faces.

LA Elementary Replaces Entire Staff After Three Allegations of Misconduct Against Children

I refer you to the post below about Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles. Two teachers were arrested last week on separate sexual abuse charges against their students. I was interested in following the story to see what action the Los Angeles Unified School District would take to reassure parents that they could send their kids to school safely. I didn't expect the extreme measures taken this week. The school was closed Tuesday and Wednesday and district staff met with parents. Everyone at the school was replaced -- the principal, teachers, cafeteria workers, and custodians.

"The Miramonte staff members are being relocated neither permanently nor temporarily (Huh?) to a new school, school officials said. It will be up to the district to decide in the future where they will be assigned, they said. Technically, they are still considered Miramonte employees. Staffers and students will be questioned as part of the ongoing criminal investigation. Parents will also be given the option of transferring their children to one of four elementary schools in the area."  (http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/07/justice/california-school-case/index.html)

The crisis comes with a big price tag. "The cost of the replacement staff of 169 people is $5.7 million through June 30.... In a letter to LAUSD employees, (Superintendent John) Deasy said every class at Miramonte will be taught by a two-person team made up of an instructor and counselor."  (http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/02/09/miramonte-elementary-school-reopening-to-students-thursday/)

Even such extreme measures may not ease this crisis. "The moves weren't enough to appease outraged parents, who are demanding additional safeguards for the students. 'We're saying enough is enough,' community leader Morris Grifton said at a demonstration Monday. 'We want cameras in the classrooms, in the hallways and around the school.'

"Monday night, about 100 parents fumed outside the South Region High School No. 2 auditorium, unable to get into a meeting with the superintendent because it was over capacity. 'The school authorities should have planned this meeting correctly to allow everyone in,' said one parent, Gustavo Morales. 'If there's not enough room in the auditorium, then they should have at least had it in the football field.'

"Parent Bessy Garcia, the mother of two children who were among (Mark) Berndt's alleged victims, spoke of betrayal. 'He wasn't only a teacher. He was our personal friend,' she said. 'He tricked us. We thought he was the best person in the world.' She described how she and her two children were having trouble sleeping, eating and functioning as they wrestled with last week's disclosures.

"'It's been like hell,' said another parent, Claudia Rivera. 'We're just trying to get some answers.'"  (http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/07/justice/california-school-case/index.html)

Alas, the scandal didn't end with the arrests of two long-time teachers. "A Los Angeles elementary school already roiled by allegations of sexual misconduct has added one more controversy to its record. A teacher's aide at Miramonte Elementary has been accused of sending love letters to an 11-year-old boy.

"The woman, identified as Areceli Luisjuan, sent at least three letters to the then-fourth-grader in 2009. One such letter read 'when you get close to me, even if you give me the chills I like that. Don't tell anybody about this!'" (http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/295431/20120208/miramonte-elementary-love-letters.htm)

Superintendent Deasy is in a major crisis that is costing taxpayers millions of dollars. His solution to replace everyone in the school, perhaps the most extreme of any crisis fixes I've seen, still may not be enough to calm parents. Law suits against the district have already been filed. The country probably hasn't heard the last of Miramonte Elementary.

Two Teachers, Two Molestation Arrests, One School in Los Angeles

Allegations of child molestation by a teacher in an elementary school is cause for alarm. But two teachers arrested in the same school for the same thing becomes a crisis that leaves many parents afraid to send their children to school.

Miramonte Elementary is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest in the country. "'The (latest) allegations involve two girls who were allegedly fondled in the classroom at Miramonte School by suspect Springer. They were approximately 7 years old at the time of the incidents, which were alleged to have occurred during the past three years,' said Capt. Mike Parker of the sheriff's department...." More victims are expected to come forward.

"The arrest comes just days after Mark Berndt, a former teacher at the school, was charged with committing lewd acts on 23 children, ages 6 to 10, between 2005 and 2010. Prosecutors say the 61-year-old took photos of his students where they were blindfolded and gagged, and some had a roach on their faces. In some cases, the veteran teacher allegedly held spoons of semen to their mouths."  (http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=8530185)

Springer is being held on $2 million bail, Berndt on $23 million.

Here come the lawyers. "Some of Berndt's alleged victims are taking the first steps to sue the district. 'My client's daughter was removed from her regular class and escorted over to Mr. Berndt's class in the middle of the day for Mr. Berndt to carry out all of these sordid activities on these kids,' said Brian Claypool, attorney for the alleged victims."

And another. "Lawyer Raymond Boucher, whose Beverly Hills firm specializes in sexual abuse lawsuits against school districts, religious institutions and hospitals, said the legal claim of behalf of 'Jane Doe 1' alleges the district did not take adequate steps to prevent Berndt from repeatedly abusing children after officials received complaints about him." (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2-teachers-charged-a-child-abuse-cases-knew-report-article-1.1017137)
 
Imagine if you were a parent in south LA and had to send your children to Miramonte Monday morning.
 
"Many parents were fuming after learning of the latest allegation Friday morning as they brought their children to school. They saw sheriff's vehicles outside the campus and a sheriff's lieutenant standing at the entrance. Many said they don't feel their kids are safe anymore and said they were pulling their students out of the school.

"'I'm about ready to pull my child out of the school because I don't know, there's too much going on at this school here right now. It's a lot to think about,' said parent Latanya Morris.

"Parent Gloria Polanco called on the school district for stricter supervision of teachers at the school. 'The district needs to put more people here to supervise. Our children are here. We want the district to ensure us the protection and the safety of our kids. We rely on schools,' said Polanco."  (http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=8530185)

I can't find any evidence of pending meetings with parents, notes sent home, or personal phone calls. All I have to judge the school's communications is its website, which reads like business as normal. There's no message from the principal or mention of stepped-up safety measures.

On the district's website, the superintendent posted messages following both arrests. My criticism would be that it's hard to find the messages without searching for them. There should be a prominent link from the home page. After all, parents of children at other district schools may have some doubts about protection of their kids as well.

On January 31, the district issued a statement from Superintendent John Deasy. "I am sickened and horrified by the behavior of Mark Berndt.... I was notified of this investigation by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) more than a year ago on January 7, 2011. Mark Berndt was immediately removed from the school that same day and the Los Angeles Board of Education, at its next meeting, approved his termination.

"Crisis counseling and support have been provided for more than a year to the known victims and their families, and we continue to offer those necessary services to new victims as they are identified or any student or parents who request assistance. LAUSD officials are cooperating with the LASD in its investigation.

"The District takes each and every reported act of criminal and administrative misconduct seriously, and we will continue to aggressively pursue each case to determine the truth of the matter, and initiate the appropriate disciplinary measures.
" (http://notebook.lausd.net/portal/page?_pageid=33,127979&_dad=ptl&_schema=PTL_EP)
 
A news release February 3 after Springer's arrest felt stiffer and more defensive than the first statement. “'As an educator and a father, I’m appalled and sickened by the allegations against this teacher,' said the Superintendent. 'The District is working closely with the entire Miramonte community to deal with the terrible trauma that has arisen as the result of the arrest of Mark Berndt earlier this week and today’s arrest of Martin Springer.'

"Deasy noted that the District removed Springer from the Miramonte campus yesterday when he first learned of the allegations. He said he will ask the Board of Education early next week to immediately terminate Springer’s employment.

“'Though this has been an extremely difficult week for the entire LAUSD community,' said Deasy, 'we must never lose sight of the fact that the great majority of the teachers in this District are caring, nurturing, and understanding toward their students.'”

Duh! If a minority or only a slight majority of your teachers are "caring, nurturing, and understanding," you've got some serious problems. The last statement really is meaningless.

So how is the Los Angeles Unified School District doing so far with this crisis? I guess I would give it a C-, although that may be unfair because I don't know what's happening beyond news stories and internet sites. At Miramonte and maybe other schools, some changes need to be made in order to reassure parents that their children will be safe while they are at school. That means procedural changes and ongoing two-way communication about what's being done to plug the leaking ship.

The whole country is watching. Parents everywhere are shuddering and wondering if the same thing could happen to their children. We'll be watching to see what LAUSD will do next, beyond being "appalled and sickened."

Komen Quiets Crisis by Restoring Planned Parenthood Funding

Chinese proverb: “A crisis is an opportunity riding the dangerous wind.”  (http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/wind/3.html)

Susan G. Komen Foundation created a dangerous wind when it announced it no longer would provide funds to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings. (See my post just below.) While the decision left Planed Parenthood short by $700,000, Komen's snub ended up being an opportunity for Planned Parenthood.

The dangerous wind subsided yesterday when Komen reversed its decision. It will restore Planned Parenthood's grant.

"We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not. Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation. We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair.... Amending our criteria will ensure that politics has no place in our grant process." (http://apps.komen.org/Forums/)

They can say what they want. This was all about abortion and politics.

"'The (earlier) move is clearly connected to attempts by Republicans in Congress to defund Planned Parenthood,' (CREDO, the self-proclaimed largest corporate donor to Planned Parenthood) said in a statement. 'In responding to questions about its decision, the foundation cited as its rationale a sham 'investigation' into Planned Parenthood launched by Republican Rep. Cliff Stearns,' who the group called 'one of the most militant anti-choice members of Congress.'"  (http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/03/politics/planned-parenthood-komen-foundation/index.html)

"Other lawmakers expressed outrage over Friday's announcement. Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers added that the group's 'original stance to stop funding pending an important congressional investigation was an act of courage and prudence, making their sudden reversal today appear hollow and weak.' Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said he was 'deeply disappointed ' in the decision."

However Planned Parenthood, in just a few days, collected $3 million in donations to make up for the $700,000 Komen was going to take away. "In Washington, 26 Senate Democrats had signed a letter calling on Komen to reconsider. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a longtime Planned Parenthood supporter, pledged $250,000 in matching grants to help make up for the loss in funding. 'Politics have no place in health care,' the mayor said."
Support came from the four winds. "...Pro-choice activists and women's health supporters across the nation fought back against what all signs pointed to being a politically motivated attack on Planned Parenthood and the women it serves."  (http://www.alternet.org/activism/154008/5_important_lessons_from_the_komen_planned_parenthood_fiasco_(don't_mess_with_women's_health)/)

Still believe that locking out Planned Parenthood had nothing to do with politics, as the foundation claims? If so, I've got some bottomland in Kentucky you might be interested in buying.

The popular opinion has it that Komen caved in to Catholic leadership and the religious right, who were threatening to withhold support from the foundation as long as it funded Planned Parenthood, which uses 3% of its budget on abortion. The board apparently thought pulling the plug on Planned Parenthood would slip by quietly in the night and it could win the support of the anti-abortion advocates. It found out that Planned Parenthood, pro-choice, and women's health were more important than devotion to a popular foundation that has done many good things for many years.

Conservative politicians take note.

Rep. Ellmers and Santorum can go on being disappointed by Komen's "hollow and weak" change of heart. The foundation has a responsibility to women's health, and a self-inflicted crisis to appease a minority damages Komen's money-raising effectiveness. Reversing the previous decision, and doing so quickly, diffused the crisis. The whole mess probably will be forgotten and the pink parades will go on as usual. Komen and Planned Parenthood both can move forward with the business of raising money to save women's lives. Ultimately, Susan G. Komen for the Cure did the right thing.

Komen Foundation, Planned Parenthood Square Off Over Abortion

The Susan G. Komen Foundation -- the breast cancer fundraiser that made pink an "in" color -- is withdrawing funding to Planned Parenthood over the issue of abortion. The Komen Foundation tried to keep it quiet and noncontroversial when it informed Planned Parenthood in late December. But Tuesday, the news was out and both organizations find themselves in a full-blown crisis.We'll hear a lot about boycotts and politics and religious-right extortion in the coming weeks and months. When cooler heads prevail, these are two organizations that need to move ahead and do so successfully. Both stand to lose support and donations, but both may also profit. It's a battle of communications messages.

In this corner, we have Planned Parenthood, prominent women’s groups, vocal politicians, and public health advocates. In the other corner, we have the Komen Foundation, conservative women's groups, the Tea Party, the Catholic Church, and other religious organizations that oppose abortion.

Actually, Komen's official line is that it acted in accordance with a recently enacted policy to not fund organizations that are under investigation by local, state, or federal authorities. Representative Cliff Stearns, Republican of Florida, wants to know if Planned Parenthood has used federal funds for abortions. Because of that investigation, Planned Parenthood is out as far as Komen is concerned.

Get it? As long as some conservative politician investigates Planned Parenthood, the Komen ban will stand.

"When Komen’s board voted on the policy, several members asked who would be affected by the new policy. Elizabeth Thompson, Komen’s president, said...'Planned Parenthood is the only one we know of.'" ( http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/us/uproar-as-komen-foundation-cuts-money-to-planned-parenthood.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1)

There is further evidence that Planned Parenthood was singled out and targeted, and that Rep. Stearns' investigation was merely a convenient excuse. "Foes of abortion and Web sites critical of it have criticized the Komen foundation’s financing of Planned Parenthood for years. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis and several bishops in Ohio issued statements last year raising concerns about donating to the Komen foundation. In December, LifeWay Christian Resources, which is owned by the Southern Baptist Convention, said it was recalling a pink Bible it was selling because a dollar per copy was going to the Komen foundation."

The Komen Foundation denies that the decision had anything to do with Karen Handel, Komen’s new senior vice president for public policy. The Republican ran for governor of Georgia in 2010 and wrote during her campaign, "Since I am pro-life, I do not support the mission of Planned Parenthood."

The foundation may have felt it had a crisis because of threats from anti-abortionists to withdraw support. But caving in to a few may cost it far more support. "Online petitions have been established to pressure the Komen foundation to reverse its decision. Planned Parenthood Federation of America has launched a Breast Health Emergency Fund to ensure continued funding to the 19 Planned Parenthood affiliates that will soon lose their Komen grants." (http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-komen-planned-parenthood-20120202,0,5429206.story)

That Breast Health Emergency Fund hopes to make up for all the lost Komen funds. As of Wednesday, it had raised $400,000 of the $700,000 it had expected from Komen. Surprising to me, Komen puts down Planned Parenthood for trying to fill its funding gap. “'Why are they going nuts?” (John D. Raffaelli, a Komen board member and Washington lobbyist) asked rhetorically. 'And the answer is that they want to raise money, and they’re doing it at the expense of a humanitarian organization that shares their goals and has given them millions of dollars over the years.'” (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/us/uproar-as-komen-foundation-cuts-money-to-planned-parenthood.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1)

Planned Parenthood sees the Komen Foundation as hurting and even killing women because of its anti-abortion stance. "Dawn Laguens, an executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said that Komen’s money had over the years underwritten breast cancer screenings for 170,000 women, some of whose lives were saved as a result. She said she had no sympathy for Komen’s attempt to mollify donors by ending its relationship with a controversial provider of women’s health services. Only a small percentage of Planned Parenthood’s expenditures go toward abortion services.

“'I’m going to reserve my empathy for the women left on the side of the road by somebody who has given into bullying,' Ms. Laguens said. 'I think it’s particularly curious that they wanted to quietly put this decision out there.'”

Judy Blume, the children’s book author, agreed in a Tweet. “Susan Komen would not give in to bullies or to fear. Too bad the foundation bearing her name did.”

There's bad blood on both sides and the battle lines have been drawn between women's rights and anti-abortion camps. Both the Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood are losing support, but both are gaining some support too. Whether this crisis will affect either long-term will be worth watching in 2012. The Presidential election may serve to add to the mud-pie-slinging arsenal on both sides. It's too bad that two organizations with the same goal have to create a crisis for each other.

If you work for a hospital, clinic, or other organization that provides or counsels on abortion, be prepared. This could be a tough year for you as anti-abortionists take heart at victories such as the Komen Foundation. Better prepare your crisis communications plan right away.

Watch Out for the Stork And for Legal Actions

Ring ring.

"Hello, honey...What's wrong?...You're what?!... But how...Did you forget to take your...Are you sure?...Having a baby is a blessed event, but not now, not for us. How could you let this happen?"

Maybe he's asking the wrong person. Maybe he should ask Pfizer, Inc., how it could let this happen. Perhaps the unexpected bundle is on the way because of  a recall of birth control pills, specifically Lo/Ovral-28 and Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets.

"An investigation by Pfizer found that some blister packs may contain an inexact count of inert or active ingredient tablets and that the tablets may be out of sequence. The cause was identified and corrected immediately."  (http://www.pfizer.com/news/press_releases/pfizer_press_releases.jsp#guid=20120131007121en&source=RSS_2011&page=1)

The improper dosages in the pills could lead to unexpected pregnancies, according to Pfizer's news release. "Pfizer has responded rapidly to ensure that its products continue to meet the company’s high quality standards. The safety of patients who take our medicines is our first priority."

Some couples may have new first priorities in a few months. I can't tell how "rapidly" Pfizer announced the recall. I've heard about it on several news broadcasts, so we can hope women who use the product have heard about it too.
 
Pfizer needs to be looking ahead at legal suits and how it will deal with individual cases or a class action. In the meantime, communicators should be communicating openly about the swiftness of the recall announcement, the steps being taken to address the defective pills, and how it is preventing a recurrence. Communications now may not prevent a single couple from taking multi-million-dollar legal action' but it's not going to hurt.
 
"Dr. Manny Alvarez, senior managing health editor of FoxNews.com, said this recall of birth control pills is one of the largest he can remember in recent years. 'If there’s one thing that for years women have relied on, it’s that the sun is going to come out in the morning, you have to pay taxes, and that your birth control pills will work,' he said. 'The efficacy of birth control pills is supposed to be 99.8 percent in preventing pregnancy, especially when women take it as directed.'"  (http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/02/01/contraceptive-recall-could-put-pfizer-at-risk-multi-million-dollar-lawsuit/)
 
Although Pfizer claims there are no health impacts from the drug, that's immaterial if someone using it gets pregnant.

“'In essence,' (Greg Gianforcaro, a litigation attorney in New Jersey) explained, 'we’re looking at, how do you put a price tag on a child’s education, a child’s upbringing, and other costs – initially, for diapers, then for sneakers, and then 20 years later, college and marriage?...'

"If many women get pregnant as a result of the botched pills, and a class action suit is large enough, Gianforcaro said there is the potential that it could put Pfizer out of business. 'I don’t anticipate that happening here, but there’s always the possibility,' he said."

In case of legal suits, Pfizer has several avenues of defense, such as requiring proof the woman was taking the recalled birth control and claiming pregnancies are part of that .2% rate of ineffectiveness. Strategies need to be formulated now and the communications people need to be filled in so they might craft messages now that will help later.

As with all pharmaceutical recalls, the entire industry must beware. According to Alvarez, "'But again, we’re looking at a drug company that has created more mistrust in the health care system.'”