Archive - Illinois
9 Times the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Miscalculated Badly at the Expense of Taxpayers, Wildlife
The agency has a history of diving into big construction projects that exceed projected costs, fall short on projected benefits and, in some cases, create new problems that engineers hadn’t bargained for.
DOJ Backs Tenants in Case Alleging Price-Fixing by Big Landlords and a Real Estate Tech Company
A ProPublica investigation last year about RealPage’s rent-setting software led to federal lawsuits asserting inflated apartment prices.
Child Welfare Officials Have Searched Her Home and Her Son Dozens of Times. She’s Suing Them to Stop.
Despite no evidence a mother mistreated her child, New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services continues to enter her home without a warrant. She has filed a lawsuit, citing ProPublica’s reporting, arguing her rights are being violated.
Health Insurers Have Been Breaking State Laws for Years
States have passed hundreds of laws to protect people from wrongful insurance denials. Yet from emergency services to fertility preservation, insurers still say no.
This Louisiana Town Runs Largely on Traffic Fines. If You Fight Your Ticket, the Mayor Is Your Judge.
Fenton, population 226, brings in over $1 million per year through its mayor’s court, an unusual justice system in which the mayor can serve as judge even though he’s responsible for town finances.
This Youth Detention Center Superintendent Illegally Locks Kids Alone in Cells. No One Has Forced Him to Stop.
The Richard L. Bean Juvenile Service Center has been punishing kids with seclusion more than any other facility in Tennessee. And as the laws and rules on how to treat kids changed, the facility failed to keep up.
“Do Your Job.” How the Railroad Industry Intimidates Employees Into Putting Speed Before Safety
Railroad companies have penalized workers for taking the time to make needed repairs and created a culture in which supervisors threaten and fire the very people hired to keep trains running safely. Regulators say they can’t stop this intimidation.
Insurance Executives Refused to Pay for the Cancer Treatment That Could Have Saved Him. This Is How They Did It.
A Michigan law requires coverage of cancer drugs. One insurer came up with a “defensible” way to avoid paying for treatments that offered Forrest VanPatten his last chance for survival. “We crossed the line,” says a former executive.
Appeals Court Sides With Author Sued Over ProPublica Article
A New York state appeals court issued a quick and decisive ruling in a case stemming from an article that chronicled the downfall of a Fortune 500 CEO.
Residential Hotels Got Contracts Under the Los Angeles Mayor’s Homelessness Program Despite Violations
A city law sought to prevent low-cost housing from turning into hotels, but some landlords rented to tourists anyway. That didn’t stop them from receiving city funds for a new temporary shelter program.
Columbia University to Set Up $100 Million Fund for Patients of Predator OB-GYN
After ProPublica and New York Magazine revealed how the school ignored warnings about Robert Hadden, Columbia announced a number of major initiatives, including a settlement fund for survivors and an independent investigation.
The Supreme Court Has Adopted a Conduct Code, but Who Will Enforce It?
Experts say it is unclear if the new rules, which come after reporting by ProPublica and others revealed that justices had repeatedly failed to disclose gifts and travel from wealthy donors, would address the issues raised by the recent revelations.
La OSHA rara vez investiga las granjas pequeñas. Por eso los defensores de los obreros no reportan muertes o lesiones.
Un mosaico irregular en la implementación de las normas laborales a través del país significa que muchas muertes y lesiones de los trabajadores en las granjas no son investigadas por oficiales de seguridad del gobierno.
OSHA Investigates Small Dairy Farms So Rarely That Many Worker Advocates Don’t Bother to Report Deaths and Injuries
Worker advocates say the federal agency’s patchwork of enforcement across the country is fundamentally unfair. Many don’t contact OSHA over safety incidents because they’ve heard so frequently that small farms can’t be investigated.
Mississippi Jailed More Than 800 People Awaiting Psychiatric Treatment in a Year. Just One Jail Meets State Standards.
Counties are allowed to hold people awaiting court-ordered psychiatric treatment in jails only if the facilities meet safety and health standards, but there’s no funding to help them comply and no penalties if they don’t.
Maine Rarely Sanctions Residential Care Facilities Even After Severe Abuse or Neglect Incidents
From 2020 to 2022, Maine’s state health department cited residential care facilities for dozens of resident rights violations and hundreds of other deficiencies. But it has imposed only one fine in response.
One Woman Died on an Alaska Mayor’s Property. Then Another. No One Has Ever Been Charged.
Before they died, Jennifer Kirk and Sue Sue Norton were both victims of domestic violence, but the men involved — the ex-mayor’s sons — faced few consequences despite a long history of similar allegations.
Aprueban $8 millones para viviendas para obreros de granjas. La policía intentará cerrar las brechas lingüísticas.
Funcionarios electos del Condado Dane en Wisconsin dijeron que las reformas responden a la investigación de ProPublica sobre la muerte de un niño nicaragüense en una granja lechera en 2019.
Officials Approve $8 Million for Housing for Immigrant Dairy Workers in Wisconsin. Sheriff’s Office Will Try to Close Language Gaps.
Dane County lawmakers cited ProPublica reporting for the moves to improve the lives of dairy workers in southern Wisconsin.
Utah Therapist Arrested for Allegedly Sexually Abusing Patients During Sessions
Scott Owen, who was considered an expert in helping struggling gay Latter-day Saint men, is accused of assaulting his patients.
