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There Was a Plan to Save This City From Flooding. But When the Rains Came, So Did Hesitance.

The Army Corps of Engineers’ delay in activating a floodway — land designated to take on water — cost millions of dollars in damage to Cairo, Illinois, and surrounding communities in 2011.

How the Army Corps’ Hesitation Nearly Destroyed a City

When the worst flood in nearly a century hit Cairo, Illinois, in 2011, the Army Corps waited before following an emergency plan designed to save a city of 2,800 people. See how that week unfolded and the delays and indecision that cost millions in avoidable damage.

Why Am I Seeing This? Interesting Facebook Ads From Our Political Ad Collector

We're highlighting examples from our Facebook political ad collection that are interesting because of how they're targeted, what they say or how they can help explain how Facebook's advertising system works — and how it can be gamed.

As Months Pass in Chicago Shelters, Immigrant Children Contemplate Escape, Even Suicide

Internal documents reveal despair and tedium in one of the nation’s largest shelter networks for unaccompanied minors.

At Hearing for Bronx Trash Hauler, More Questions About Safety and Oversight

Unregistered employees. Dangerously long driving schedules. Sanitation Salvage’s bid last week to have its suspension lifted produced more damning findings and fresh questions about why it took regulators so long to act.

The Imam’s Widow

As the wife of a Muslim religious leader, she came to America with uncertainty and hope. A suspected hate crime snuffed out the hope.

Prominent Houston Judge Quits St. Luke’s Board After Heart Transplant Troubles Revealed

Carolyn Dineen King, a senior U.S. Circuit Court judge, resigned from the St. Luke’s board on May 30, two weeks after ProPublica and the Houston Chronicle detailed deaths and complications in the famed heart program.

From Ministry to Muckraking: The Biblical Basis for Investigative Reporting

Some people say journalists are “godless.” But I spent five years in full-time Christian ministry, and my faith has made me a better reporter.

Why Trump Should Have Read “Ask ProPublica Illinois” Before He Tweeted

In fact, Mr. President, there are real people behind those unnamed sources, and reporters at reputable news outlets work hard to verify the information they provide.

New Mexico Senators Speak Out Over Order They Say Would Hamper Nuclear Safety Board

They want Congress to suspend a move that would limit access to information about facilities and could hinder the panel’s ability to oversee worker health and safety.

Marines Move to Tackle Racial Extremists in the Corps

An updated order emphasizes that participating in white supremacist groups is prohibited and calls on service members to report those who violate the policy.

Senators Seek Answers From HUD About Public Housing Crisis in East St. Louis

Last year, HUD Secretary Ben Carson gave control of the city’s public housing complexes back to local officials after a lengthy federal receivership. He said problems had been fixed, but an investigation by The Southern Illinoisan and ProPublica found deteriorating conditions.

Natural Gas Industry Again Beats a Tiny West Virginia County That Wanted to Control Its Destiny

A federal judge ruled that Fayette County must allow a natural gas compressor station, saying the federal Natural Gas Act takes precedence over local zoning rules.

Nuclear Safety Board Slams Energy Department Plan to Weaken Oversight

The Trump administration defended an order that could be used to withhold information about nuclear facilities from a federal board, but its leader says the action is not consistent with the U.S. Atomic Energy Act.

Embattled Garbage Hauler Co-Owns Dump With Person Expelled From Trash Industry, Records Show

A ProPublica review found that the agency that oversees New York City’s commercial trash industry may have overlooked another potential impropriety involving Sanitation Salvage.

How Do We Verify Anonymous Sources?

Very, very carefully, and only after making sure they merit anonymity.

How the Trump Administration Went Easy on Small-Town Police Abuses

The Obama Justice Department thought Ville Platte, Louisiana — where officers jail witnesses to crimes — could become a model of how to erase policing abuses that plague small towns across the nation. Jeff Sessions decided not to bother.

Sanitation Salvage Ordered to Halt Trash Collections

The Business Integrity Commission suspended the license of one of New York’s biggest garbage haulers after it was involved in two fatal accidents and a spate of collisions.

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ProPublica was a recipient of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for public service, the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting, the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting and a 2010 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. See the full list of our awards.

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