CobCast

Jacob Vaughn

I'm Jacob Vaughn, a journalist based out of North Texas. Some people call me Cob and this is the CobCast.

  1. Mother of Man Slain at Epic Easter Bike Out and Field Party Shooting Says He Will Get Justice – CobCast Ep. 19

    04/12/2022

    Mother of Man Slain at Epic Easter Bike Out and Field Party Shooting Says He Will Get Justice – CobCast Ep. 19

    Family and friends trickled into The Loon Bar & Grill after a recent vigil for Kealon Gilmore, the 26-year-old man killed when gunfire erupted at the Epic Easter Bike Out and Field Party on April 2. People at The Loon wore yellow and purple shirts with his name and photo on it.         Gilmore would be at the restaurant just about every day, the manager said, and he always loved the burgers. So, when the owner and manager heard of Gilmore's death, they named the Kealon Burger after him. A table lit with candles was reserved for Gilmore's mother, Shalonda Gilmore. The family was invited out to dine at his old hangout spot.       “Tragic,” Shalonda Gilmore told the Observer. “He was a wonderful kid. Good spirt.”         Kealon, along with several others, was shot when a fight broke out at the party in southeast Oak Cliff attended by more than 2,000 people. The event took place without a city permit, though off-duty Dallas police officers were providing security.       The Dallas Police Department is trying to identify the shooter while it looks into why its officers were working the non-permitted event. The city is considering increased regulations for special events and the people in charge of throwing them. That includes the promoters and the owners of the land where events are taking place.    Shalonda said she isn’t sure yet how tragedies like this can be prevented. All she can think about is finding justice for her son.       “He will have justice. I can say that,” she said. “He will have justice and his name will live on. I hate that this has to be the way for it to live on, but his name will live on. I’m not going to stop. We won’t stop.”   This is an audio adaption of stories I've written for the Dallas Observer. It was written and produce by me. Music by me.   After Fatal Shooting Over Weekend, Dallas Wants Promoters to Go Through Background Checks https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/after-fatal-shooting-this-weekend-dallas-wants-promoters-to-go-through-background-checks-13757809   Mother of Man Slain at Epic Easter Bike Out and Field Party Shooting Says He Will Get Justice https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/im-still-in-disbelief-mother-of-slain-dallas-man-says-he-will-get-justice-13788789

    8 min
  2. How Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company Could Disrupt 'Big Pharma' - CobCast Ep. 17

    02/03/2022

    How Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company Could Disrupt 'Big Pharma' - CobCast Ep. 17

    Mark Cuban’s new online pharmacy is slashing drug prices for 100 different generic medications. Its main goal is affordability for consumers, and some think Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drug Co. is just the kind of disruption “Big Pharma” needs in the U.S. Cost Plus Drug ditches the middleman, the pharmacy benefit management companies. Those help negotiate benefits for employers, health insurers and government health programs. These could include rebates and discounts. These companies have been criticized for a lack of transparency. Most times, you can’t tell how much they’re making on rebates and how much they’re actually saving customers. Cuban’s company shines a light on how these companies contribute to inflated drug prices. Cost Plus Drug buys the medications at wholesale and sells it at the manufacturing prices with a flat 15% markup and a pharmacist fee.   On this episode, I talk to Paul Segeert, managing partner at the healthcare consulting company PCS Advisers, to help put this into perspective. How big of a deal is Mark Cuban’s new company in disprupting big pharma? Segeert’s going to help answer that question.   I’ll also be speaking with Zack Zeller, the co-founder and president of ScriptCo, another company looking to drive drug prices down for the consumer.   This episode is an audio adaptation of reporting I've done for the Dallas Observer. It is recorded and produced by me.

    17 min
  3. REvil Indictments, a Ransomware Attack Affected Dallas Employees, and More - CobCast Ep. 15

    12/29/2021

    REvil Indictments, a Ransomware Attack Affected Dallas Employees, and More - CobCast Ep. 15

    A group known as REvil has been pulling off ransomware attacks on businesses and government entities across the U.S., including in Texas. Ransomware is a kind of malware that is used to lock users out of computer data until they pay a ransom.           In 2019, REvil (also referred to as Sodinokibi) stole files from 22 Texas municipalities, hoping to get millions of dollars in ransom. Texas cities never coughed up the cash, but REvil kept pulling off attacks around the world.           But recently, the U.S. Department of Justice announced two foreign nationals have been charged for their involvement in deploying REvil ransomware attacks. The feds also seized $6.1 million allegedly traceable to ransom payments. The Dallas and Jackson FBI field offices have lead the investigation.   In this episode, I talk to Dan Cogdell, a partner with the law firm JonesWalker, who specializes in white-color criminal defense, to put the REvil indictments in perspective. I also talk about a recent ransomware attack that affected city of Dallas employees, and read the headlines from stories I've had published in the last week.   For more on these stories, visit DallasObserver.com.   This episode is an audio adaptation of reporting I've done for the Dallas Observer. It is recorded and produced by me.   REvil Ransomware Attacks Targeted 22 Texas Cities. Now, Two Men Have Been Charged. https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/feds-charge-two-allegedly-involved-in-revil-ransomware-attacks-12777965   Ransomware Attack Affects More Than 2,400 City of Dallas Employees https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/ransomware-attack-affects-2411-city-of-dallas-employees-13038485   Protest Photographer Is Suing Dallas Police and City Over Injury Caused by 'Less-Lethal' Round https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/warrant-obtained-for-dpd-officer-over-actions-during-dallas-george-floyd-protests-13056327   Dallas First Responders Sue the City Over Pay Dispute https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-first-responders-sue-city-over-pay-13063269   Dallas Observer print edition: https://voice-media-group.dcatalog.com/v/Dallas-Observer-flipbook-12-23-21/?page=1

    12 min
  4. CobCast Weekly Roundup – 12/13/21-12/17/21

    12/18/2021

    CobCast Weekly Roundup – 12/13/21-12/17/21

    In this dispatch of the CobCast, I give you the headlines and details of the stories I've had published in the last week. These stories were published from 12/13-12/17.   Philip Kingston Has His Eyes on a Seat at the Dallas County Commissioners Court https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/philip-kingston-has-his-eyes-on-a-seat-at-the-dallas-county-commissioners-court-12993383   'We Won Again': Texas Supreme Court Leaves Delta-8 Legal For Now, but The Fight's Not Over https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/delta-8-still-legal-after-texas-supreme-court-decision-13011135   Dallas Police Department Wants City Council to Extend the Juvenile Curfew Another Three Years https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/cities-keep-renewing-juvenile-curfews-but-some-worry-they-do-more-harm-than-good-13017719   Dallas Police Want Sexually Oriented Businesses Closed 2-6 a.m. https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-police-say-sexually-oriented-businesses-should-be-closed-between-2-am-6am-13026152   Federal Appeals Court: Dallas Police in Tony Timpa Case Not Shielded by Qualified Immunity https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/federal-appeals-court-dallas-police-in-tony-timpa-case-not-shielded-by-qualified-immunity-13032294   Ransomware Attack Affects More Than 2,400 City of Dallas Employees https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/ransomware-attack-affects-2411-city-of-dallas-employees-13038485   Dallas Observer print edition: https://voice-media-group.dcatalog.com/v/Dallas-Observer-flipbook-12-16-21/

    11 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

I'm Jacob Vaughn, a journalist based out of North Texas. Some people call me Cob and this is the CobCast.