A Closer Look

An Open Letter to Elon Musk

As Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy prepare for their roles as co-heads of the Department of Government Efficiency, they might look at the wasteful practices and spending by federal agencies ProPublica reporting has surfaced.

Donald Trump Controls a Publicly Traded Company. Now He Will Pick Its Regulator.

There have been internal concerns that Trump Media could be misleading investors, a source said. But with its largest shareholder about to be president, experts doubt the SEC is up to the job of investigating Truth Social’s parent company.

Stillbirths

Sign Up to Screen Our New Documentary About Stillbirths

“Before a Breath” gives voice to parents who have lost children to stillbirth. Screenings for the film will roll out across the country in early 2025. Here’s how you can get involved to help spread the word.

How to Reduce Formaldehyde Exposure in Your Home

The underregulated toxic chemical can be found in common household items from couches to clothes. We asked experts how you can reduce your exposure.

How Much Formaldehyde Is in Your Car, Your Kitchen or Your Furniture? Here’s What Our Testing Found.

The chemical can trigger health problems and causes more cancer than any other toxic air pollutant. Our reporters traveled around New York City and New Jersey with equipment to measure its presence. The results proved concerning.

“Eat What You Kill”

Hailed as a savior upon his arrival in Helena, Dr. Thomas C. Weiner became a favorite of patients and his hospital’s highest earner. As the myth surrounding the high-profile oncologist grew, so did the trail of patient harm and suspicious deaths.

A Tribal Lender Charging 800% APR Has Agreed to Stop Operating in Minnesota

The Lac du Flambeau tribe of Wisconsin settled a civil suit filed by Minnesota’s attorney general that alleged its triple-digit interest rates violated state caps. The tribe is under increasing legal pressure nationally over its lending practices.

Missouri Voters Enshrined Abortion Rights. GOP Lawmakers Are Already Working to Roll Them Back.

One month after Missouri approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion, legislators have proposed a flurry of bills to tighten abortion access or raise the bar for future amendments driven by voter initiatives.

If Trump Makes Cuts to Medicaid, Texas Officials Could Seize the Opportunity to Further Slash the Program

State leaders have shown a decadeslong antipathy toward the health insurance program. If Trump makes severe reductions, it’s unlikely leaders would have the political will to make up any lost federal funds with state money, experts say.

Check the Formaldehyde Cancer Risk in Your Neighborhood

In most of the country, formaldehyde contributes more to outdoor cancer risk than any other toxic air pollutant. Look up your address to see risks from the chemical on your block and where it comes from.

Formaldehyde Causes More Cancer Than Any Other Toxic Air Pollutant. Little Is Being Done to Curb the Risk.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s attempts to reckon with formaldehyde have been repeatedly thwarted by the companies that rely on it. If the past is any guide, even modest steps toward reform are all but guaranteed to hit a dead end under Trump.

A Timeline of Failed Efforts to Reform Idaho’s Coroner System

Idaho lawmakers have come close to instituting reforms to the state's coroner system. Every attempt has failed. Often, the reason is simple, experts told ProPublica in recent months: Nobody wants to spend money on death.

For Decades, Calls for Reform to Idaho’s Troubled Coroner System Have Gone Unanswered

Idaho’s patchwork of 44 coroner’s offices leaves grief-stricken parents without answers in their children’s deaths and creates disparities in coroners’ investigations.

Long-Term Challenge

Maine Proposes Major Staffing Increases for Assisted Living and Residential Care Facilities

The proposed regulations come after an 18-month investigation by The Maine Monitor and ProPublica found dozens of violations at the state’s largest facilities.

Local Reporting Network

Landlords Evicted Maui Residents and Housed Wildfire Survivors for More Money. FEMA Didn’t Take Basic Steps to Stop It.

FEMA officials said they didn’t want their housing program for survivors of Maui’s 2023 wildfires to displace any residents. But they didn’t bar the agency’s contractors from leasing properties previously occupied by long-term tenants.

Local Reporting Network

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