A Uranium Ghost Town in the Making
Time and again, mining company Homestake and government agencies promised to clean up waste from decades of uranium processing. It didn’t happen. Now they’re trying a new tactic: buying out homeowners to avoid finishing the job.
Reporting From the Southwest
ProPublica’s seven-person reporting unit based in Phoenix covers the Southwest, including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah. Many of these states are among the fastest-growing in the country, and the region is experiencing rapid changes to the climate, economy, demographics and other trends that will shape the nation’s future.
What Is Radon? The Radioactive Gas Is Found in Homes Across the Country
Radon, a byproduct of naturally decaying uranium, is estimated to cause thousands of deaths in the United States every year. Here’s how to find out how much radon may be in your home and what you can do.
Help Us Report on Uranium Mining, Milling and Enrichment
Across the country, companies have been handing off uranium mills and disposal sites to the federal government. ProPublica wants to understand the process from all sides.
Her Ex-Husband Is Suing a Clinic Over the Abortion She Had Four Years Ago
Experts say the Arizona lawsuit shows how civil suits could be used to intimidate providers and punish people who’ve had abortions.
Southwest News Staff
- Southwest Editor
- Michael Squires
- Reporters
- Anjeanette Damon, Eli Hager, Mary Hudetz, Mark Olalde and Nicole Santa Cruz
- Abrams Reporting Fellow
- Hannah Dreyfus
Local Reporting Network Partners
ProPublica is supporting local and regional newsrooms as they work on important investigative projects affecting their communities. Some of our past and present partners in the region:
- Arizona Daily Star
- Tucson, Arizona
- Arizona Republic
- Phoenix, Arizona
- New Mexico In Depth
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Searchlight New Mexico
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Santa Fe New Mexican
- Sante Fe, New Mexico
- Rocky Mountain PBS
- Denver, Colorado
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.
Utah Officials Called It the “Year of Water.” Special Interests Still Resist Conservation.
The nation’s fastest-growing and second-driest state had a banner year for water conservation as it plays catch-up to the rest of the West.
I’ve Covered Seven Mass Shootings. These Are the Memories That Haunt Me.
Columbine High School. Platte Canyon High School. Virginia Tech. Deer Creek Middle School. Aurora movie theater. Arapahoe High School. Santa Fe High School. ProPublica reporter Jenny Deam reflects on covering them all.
Federal Probe of COVID Testing Company With Stunning Error Rate Expands to Nevada
A federal investigator emailed Nevada officials, notifying them that he would subpoena documents related to Northshore Clinical Labs’ operations in the state.
The COVID Testing Company That Missed 96% of Cases
State and local officials across Nevada signed agreements with Northshore Clinical Labs, a COVID testing laboratory run by men with local political connections. There was only one problem: Its tests didn’t work.
The Southwest’s Drought and Fires Are a Window to Our Climate Change Future
In a Q&A with ProPublica, experts describe how a new climate reality threatens the Southwest, the fastest-growing region in the U.S.
Help Us Investigate Racial Disparities in Arizona’s Child Welfare System
ProPublica is reporting on the Arizona Department of Child Safety. We want to hear directly from the community.
Colorado Legislature Passes HOA Foreclosure Reform Bill
The measure limits homeowners associations’ ability to foreclose on residents who accumulate fines for violating community rules known as covenants.
Colorado HOA Foreclosure Reform Legislation Moves Forward
The bipartisan measure would limit homeowners associations’ powers to file foreclosure cases based on fines for community-rule violations, capping such penalties and increasing due process for homeowners.
They Faced Foreclosure Not From Their Mortgage Lender, but From Their HOA
While most homeowners associations refrain from the “last resort” of foreclosing on residents, some Colorado communities have moved time and again to take members’ homes.
The Invisible Hand of Steve Twist
How an Arizona man who’s never held elected office has shaped one of America’s most punitive criminal justice systems.
Southwestern States Make Changes to Welfare After ProPublica Investigations
The moves follow months of reporting on punitive and outdated welfare policies in this part of the country and come amid a yearslong surge in the region’s cost of living.
Welfare Is No Substitute for a Child Tax Credit
Some in Congress say the child tax credit isn’t needed because Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is a success. Our reporting found it’s marked by repeated failures.
He Was Billed $13,064 for Donating His Kidney
Living organ donors are never supposed to be billed for transplant-related care. NorthStar Anesthesia charged one donor over $13,000 and nearly sent his bill to collections.
Reno Seeks to Purchase Motels as Affordable Housing Instead of Letting Developers Demolish Them
The mayor of Reno did little to stop the razing of motels that housed low-income residents or to replace lost units. Following a ProPublica investigation, that may change.
