Local Reporting Network

This Convicted Felon Gets $1 Million a Year to Sell Obsolete Internet Service. You Pay for It.

Roger Shoffstall spent three years in prison for tax evasion. Still, each year the federal government pays his Alaska company, Summit Telephone, for internet service that’s slower than in most of the U.S.

by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News

May 19, 2026, 6:00 am EDT

What is the Local Reporting Network?

Since its founding in 2018, the Local Reporting Network has grown into one of ProPublica’s marquee undertakings, bringing together local talented journalists and all the resources our newsroom has to offer. The journalism we create has changed laws, held bad actors to account and helped communities. It has strengthened the craft of local investigative journalism and created a network in dialogue with us and with one another.

In 2024, we launched the 50 State Initiative, a commitment to support yearlong projects in every state by 2029. We have also launched our Sustainability Desk, which allows us to work with former partners on shorter-term investigations. Are you a local journalist interested in collaborating? Please read more about all the ways to collaborate with us.

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We’re Investigating Alaska Internet Companies. We Need Your Help.

Alaskans pay the most for phone and internet but get the slowest service. Please fill out our quick survey to share how much it costs you to get online and what you think of the service.

by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News

May 19, 2026, 5:55 am EDT
With a Chance at Freedom, They Faced an Unexpected Obstacle: Their Own Lawyers

Pennsylvania courts allow attorneys to argue against their convicted clients’ bid for justice. It has resulted in people spending years or decades in prison before being freed based on issues lawyers overlooked or rejected.

by Samantha Melamed and Dylan Purcell, The Philadelphia Inquirer

May 19, 2026, 5:00 am EDT
Toxic Pressure

Oily Sludge Is Flooding Their Dream Home. Oklahoma Regulators Say They Can’t Help.

The Merediths were forced to abandon their house after it filled with black goo, reaching gas concentrations at explosive levels. Despite evidence of oil and gas pollution, the state “wanted to act like it would go away,” the family says.

by Nick Bowlin, The Frontier, and Katie Campbell, ProPublica

May 18, 2026, 6:00 am EDT
In a Private Meeting, Colorado Marijuana Regulators Acknowledge the Extent of Illegal Hemp Sales

Their remarks confirm testing done by The Denver Gazette and ProPublica, which found signs of hemp in marijuana vapes sold at dispensaries. One regulator said the extent of suspicious transactions would “explode your minds.”

by Christopher Osher, The Denver Gazette

May 15, 2026, 6:00 am EDT