Archive - Illinois

A New Illinois Law Shifts Repatriation and Reburial Power to Tribal Nations

For the first time, tribal nations forcibly removed from Illinois will have final say in how and when the remains of their ancestors will be returned to them.

EPA Approved a Fuel Ingredient Even Though It Could Cause Cancer in Virtually Every Person Exposed Over a Lifetime

An EPA document shows that a new Chevron fuel ingredient has a lifetime cancer risk more than 1 million times higher than what the agency usually finds acceptable — even greater than another Chevron fuel’s sky-high risk disclosed earlier this year.

A Utah Therapist Built a Reputation for Helping Gay Latter-day Saints. These Men Say He Sexually Abused Them.

Several patients complained to the church or the state licensing board about inappropriate touching during therapy sessions. It was years before the therapist gave up his license.

La industria lechera de Wisconsin depende de los indocumentados, pero el estado les prohíbe tener licencia

Los inmigrantes indocumentados en el estado pueden registrar sus autos, pero no los pueden manejar—lo cual los pone en riesgo de ser multados o arrestados.

Wisconsin’s Dairy Industry Relies on Undocumented Immigrants, but the State Won’t Let Them Legally Drive

Undocumented immigrants in the state can own and register their vehicles, but they aren’t allowed to drive them, forcing many farm workers to risk fines and arrest. “It’s a Catch-22 for a lot of folks,” advocates say.

Homeowners Trying to Get Out of “We Buy Ugly Houses” Deals Find Little Relief in State, Federal Laws

ProPublica found few jurisdictions have laws or regulations to protect homeowners from aggressive real estate tactics short of fraud or elder abuse.

Doctors Emerge as Political Force in Battle Over Abortion Laws in Ohio and Elsewhere

Ohio is among at least five states where physicians have mobilized to protect reproductive rights. Here’s what doctors in the state are doing to protect abortion.

Activists Have Long Called for Charleston to Confront Its Racial History. Tourists Are Now Expecting It.

Surging interest from visitors is contributing to a more honest telling of the city’s role in the American slave trade. But tensions are flaring as South Carolina lawmakers restrict race-based teachings.

“The Reporting Gave a Number of Us Pause”: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Rethink Funding for Child ID Kits After Investigation

A bill that would require purchasing the kits is facing key opposition after ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found no evidence that they’d ever been used to find a missing child. The probe previously spurred Texas to strip millions in funding.

Lawmakers Propose $45 Million in New Funding for Measures to Lower U.S. Stillbirth Rate

The legislation seeks to improve data and research, as well as develop stillbirth awareness materials. Many women interviewed by ProPublica said they didn’t know they were at risk until they delivered their stillborn baby.

Mississippi Remains an Outlier in Jailing People With Serious Mental Illness Without Charges

At least a dozen states have banned the practice of jailing people without charges while they await mental health treatment. But Mississippi routinely keeps people in jail during the civil commitment process.

Their Families Said They Needed Treatment. Mississippi Officials Threw Them in Jail Without Charges.

In Mississippi, serious mental illness or substance abuse can land you in jail, even if you aren’t charged with a crime. The state is a stark outlier in jailing so many people for so long, but many officials say they don’t have another option.

Maternal Deaths Are Expected to Rise Under Abortion Bans, but the Increase May Be Hard to Measure

It’s clear that abortion bans can make pregnancy more dangerous, but experts say it may take years for maternal mortality data to reveal the toll.

Senator Elizabeth Warren Probes Google’s Quest for Soldiers’ Medical Data

Responding to a ProPublica report, the Massachusetts Democrat has begun investigating Google’s “aggressive” pursuit of a biotechnology archive that could be used to build AI tools. She also faulted the Pentagon for favoring the tech giant.

How the Ultrawealthy Use Private Foundations to Bank Millions in Tax Deductions While Giving the Public Little in Return

It’s a simple bargain: The rich get huge tax breaks by donating art, property and company shares to benefit the public. But some donors collect millions while offering little or no public access.

How We Found What the City of Los Angeles Didn’t: Landlords Renting Low-Cost Housing to Tourists

Hotel ads, booking sites and guest reviews. Tourists staying in rooms meant for low-cost housing. Yet the city’s Housing Department has cited few landlords for violating the residential hotel law.

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