Archive - Midwest
Illinois Governor Calls for Changes After “Awful” Reports of Abuse at Developmental Center
Gov. J.B. Pritzker resisted, but did not rule out, a call to close Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in southern Illinois after we found widespread problems.
At a Remote Mental Health Facility, a Culture of Cruelty Persists Despite Decades of Warnings
Federal and state officials have urged reforms at the rural facility for people with mental and developmental disabilities. But the state-run center still has more allegations of abuse and neglect than any other in Illinois.
A Disabled Young Patient Was Sent to Get Treatment. He Was Abused Instead. And He Wasn’t the Last.
The 24-year-old with developmental disabilities was brutally beaten by his caretakers inside a state-run facility with a long history of patient abuse.
Minnesota Set to Become “Abortion Access Island” in the Midwest, but for Whom?
Out-of-staters have long traveled to Minnesota for abortions, but as neighboring states restrict access to the procedure, data suggests patients of color may not make the trip.
How a Secretive Billionaire Handed His Fortune to the Architect of the Right-Wing Takeover of the Courts
In the largest known political advocacy donation in U.S. history, industrialist Barre Seid funded a new group run by Federalist Society co-chair Leonard Leo, who guided Trump’s Supreme Court picks and helped end federal abortion rights.
She Didn’t Know She Still Owed Money to Her Utility. Then 25% of Her Paycheck Was Gone.
After the state’s largest utility sold consumer debt, thousands of Detroiters faced default judgments and garnished wages. The utility only reaped pennies on the dollar.
Republicans Turn Against the League of Women Voters
The league, long known for focusing on voter registration and other fundamentals, became more willing to speak boldly during the Trump era. Now, some on the right are portraying it as a tool of the radical left.
Clean Energy Lender Will Stop Making High-Interest PACE Loans in Missouri
A ProPublica investigation revealed how PACE loans hurt homeowners. Ygrene, one top Missouri lender, said reforms made after our investigation were a factor in its decision to stop making loans in the state.
“God, No, Not Another Case.” COVID-Related Stillbirths Didn’t Have to Happen.
A lack of testing data and government guidance led many to avoid the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, unwittingly increasing their chances of a stillbirth.
Michigan Proposes Juvenile Justice Reforms After Story of Teen Locked Up for Missing Homework Exposed Gaps in System
The story of Grace, the Michigan teen detained for not doing her online schoolwork during the pandemic, has prompted a series of juvenile justice reforms.
New Data Gives Insight Into Ticketing at Five Suburban Chicago School Districts
ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune’s unique student ticketing database has been updated. Naperville data reveals signs of racial disparities in ticketing in one school but not in a second.
Two Cities Took Different Approaches to Pandemic Court Closures. They Got Different Results.
Did closing courts contribute to the resurgence in violent crime that began in 2020? What happened in Albuquerque and Wichita may provide clues.
In Debate Over Chicago’s Speed Cameras, Concerns Over Safety, Racial Disparities Collide
Cities nationwide look to Chicago as officials wrestle with whether speed cameras have improved traffic safety enough to justify their financial burden on Black and Latino motorists.
Ken Griffin Spent $54 Million Fighting a Tax Increase for the Rich. Secret IRS Data Shows It Paid Off for Him.
The ultrawealthy poured money into a successful campaign to defeat a graduated state income tax. For the first time, we can reveal the scale of their return on this investment.
A Teen Was Ticketed at School for a Theft She Says Didn’t Happen. Years Later, She’s Still Fighting.
The Illinois student’s long ordeal shows the extraordinary effort it can take to overturn a school-related ticket. Her case — involving a missing pair of AirPods — is heading to a jury trial.
Shielded From Public View, Misconduct by Corrections Staff in Illinois Prisons Received Scant Discipline
At least 18 corrections employees abused or used excessive force against incarcerated people in Illinois, according to internal corrections investigations. They all remained on the job.
This Land Was Promised for Housing. Instead It’s Going to a Pro Soccer Team Owned by a Billionaire.
More than 30,000 people wait for homes from the Chicago Housing Authority. Meanwhile, a site that’s gone undeveloped for two decades is set to become a Chicago Fire practice facility.
How Missouri Helps Abortion Opponents Divert State Taxes to Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Abortion foes praise the nonprofit centers for supporting women and presenting alternatives to ending pregnancies, but supporters of abortion say the facilities mislead women by appearing to offer clinical services and unbiased advice.
Illinois Will Investigate Possible Civil Rights Violations in Student Ticketing
The Illinois attorney general’s office said it is trying to determine if a suburban Chicago school district violated students’ civil rights when police ticketed them for minor misbehavior.
