Archive - Southwest
She Trusted Her First OB-GYN Because He Spoke Spanish. Now She’s 1 of 94 Women Suing Him for Sexual Assault.
The Utah Supreme Court this week is hearing arguments in the case, which will determine if what 94 women say they experienced was sexual assault or medical malpractice.
Western States Opposed Tribes’ Access to the Colorado River 70 Years Ago. History Is Repeating Itself.
Records unearthed by a University of Virginia professor shed new light on states’ vocal opposition in the 1950s to tribes claiming their share of the river. Today, many are still fighting to secure water.
When Foster Parents Don’t Want to Give Back the Baby
In many states, adoption lawyers are pushing a new legal strategy that forces biological parents to compete for custody of their children.
These Men Say Their Utah Therapist Touched Them Inappropriately During Sessions Paid for by the LDS Church
A spokesperson for the church said it does not vet the therapists its bishops recommend and pay for, saying “it is up to church members” to “make their own decisions.”
Life in Limbo: Victims of New Mexico’s Biggest Wildfire Wait for Checks From the Federal Government to Rebuild
Congress set aside $4 billion to compensate victims after the U.S. Forest Service accidentally set the largest wildfire in state history. The vast majority of victims haven’t been paid, and many can’t rebuild until they are.
Concerned About Your OB-GYN Visit? A Guide to What Should Happen — and What Shouldn’t.
As we’ve reported on sexual misconduct by OB-GYNs, many women told us they didn’t know what was normal. With the help of providers, patients and experts, we created this guide.
New Mexico AG to Investigate Gallup-McKinley School District for Harsh Discipline of Native American Students
Gallup-McKinley County Schools enrolls a quarter of New Mexico’s Native students but was responsible for at least three-quarters of Native expulsions over four years.
They Were Promised Help With Mortgage Payments. Then They Got a Foreclosure Notice.
Homeowners enrolled in Nevada’s mortgage assistance program have received foreclosure notices when the money fails to make its way from the federal government to the loan providers on time.
In the Child’s Best Interest
As a contentious custody dispute drags on for years, both sides agree on one thing: The child at the center of it is being abused. Is his mother or father to blame?
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.
How One Woman Narrowly Avoided a Bad Deal With a “We Buy Ugly Houses” Franchise
Royanne McNair believed she had canceled her contract with a “We Buy Ugly Houses” franchise, so she pursued another offer on her house — this one for $100,000 more. Then an anonymous envelope froze the deal.
FEMA Has So Far Paid Out Less Than 1% of What Congress Allocated for Victims of New Mexico Wildfire
Congress gave FEMA $3.95 billion to compensate victims of the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire in northern New Mexico. Seven months later, just $3 million has been paid, and most hasn’t gone to households.
In Arizona Water Ruling, the Hopi Tribe Sees Limits on Its Future
Arizona's unique method for awarding water to tribes was supposed to open up economic possibilities beyond farming for the Hopi Tribe. Instead, the tribe says it has dashed their dreams of building a thriving homeland.
The Colorado River Flooded Chemehuevi Land. Decades Later, the Tribe Still Struggles to Take Its Share of Water.
The Chemehuevi’s reservation fronts about 30 miles of the Colorado River, yet 97% of the tribe’s water stays in the river, much of it used by Southern California cities. The tribe isn’t paid for it.
Supreme Court Keeps Navajo Nation Waiting for Water
Decades of negotiations between the tribe and Arizona over water rights have proven fruitless. The court case was the Navajo Nation’s bid to accelerate the process and secure water for its reservation.
How Arizona Stands Between Tribes and Their Water
As it negotiates water rights with tribes, Arizona goes to unique lengths to extract concessions that limit tribes’ opportunities for growth and economic development, according to a ProPublica and High Country News investigation.
Las Vegas Needs to Save Water. It Won’t Find It in Lawns.
Drought-plagued Nevada pledged to do away with 3,900 acres of grass in the Las Vegas area within six years, but a ProPublica analysis found that the state grossly overestimated how much of that grass would likely be removed.
Colorado Becomes the First State to Limit Court Use of Family Reunification Camps
A new bill restricts the use of reunification programs and requires domestic violence training for experts in custody cases. Lawmakers credit ProPublica’s reporting for exposing the need for reforms in the family court system.
A Court Ordered Siblings to a Reunification Camp With Their Estranged Father. The Children Say It Was Abusive.
Family courts are increasingly using programs like Turning Points for Families to treat the disputed psychological theory of parental alienation. But little is publicly known about the programs’ controversial methods.
Colorado Law Will Require Homes to Be More Wildfire Resistant
The state will develop building standards for homes in high-risk areas after ProPublica’s reporting showed previous efforts to require fire-resistant housing materials had been repeatedly stymied by developers and municipalities.
