Archive - Illinois

Lawmakers Ignored Warnings About New York’s Broken Guardianship System for Decades. Here’s How They Can Fix It.

From public funding for guardians to more scrutiny of nonprofit providers, experts say policymakers could take several actions to bolster the state’s foundering system for caring for its most vulnerable.

黑帮、金钱与凶杀:华人有组织犯罪主宰美国地下大麻交易

奥克拉荷马州的一起谋杀案导致四人丧生,同时为外界揭示了美国蓬勃发展的非法大麻生意如何被华人黑帮主宰,并帮助被指与中国威权政府有联系的帮派成为全球有组织犯罪体系中的强者。

Tennessee Lawmakers Want More Oversight of Juvenile Detention. The Department of Children’s Services Is Pushing Back.

New legislation would shift enforcement power to an independent agency after a WPLN and ProPublica investigation found that a Knoxville detention center was illegally locking kids alone in cells.

Utah Child Care Providers Are Struggling. Lawmakers Haven’t Helped.

Legislators ended their session without making a direct investment in child care. Instead, they loosened regulations on unlicensed care, a move that operators, parents and other advocates say is unsafe.

An Oregon Bill to Cut Millions in Timber Taxes Is Dead, Despite Backing by the Industry, the Governor and a Top Lawmaker

The legislation aimed to reformulate how Oregon funds the rising costs of fighting wildfires. It sparked debate within the Democratic-controlled Legislature about who should pay: taxpayers or big timber owners, who won steep tax cuts in the 1990s.

An Expert Who Has Testified in Foster Care Cases Across Colorado Admits Her Evaluations Are Unscientific

Diane Baird labeled her method for assessing families the “Kempe Protocol” after the renowned University of Colorado institute where she worked for decades. The school has yet to publicly disavow it.

“It Feels Impossible to Stay”: The U.S. Needs Wildland Firefighters More Than Ever, but the Federal Government Is Losing Them

Highly skilled firefighters are the last line of defense against wildfires, but that line is fraying because the government decided long ago that they’re not worth very much.

New EPA Rule to Slash Cancer-Causing Emissions From Sterilization Facilities

The new rule comes after a 2021 investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune revealed the EPA’s yearslong failure to inform communities of the risks they faced from cancer-causing ethylene oxide emissions.

Indiana Enacts Law to Allow State Child Services to Investigate More Abuse Claims at Youth Centers

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law that aims to curb abuse at youth treatment centers for those 18-21 years old. It comes after a ProPublica-IndyStar investigation into employees at Pierceton Woods Academy.

Customer Service Company That Worked With Disney, Comcast Will Pay $2M to Workers to Settle Lawsuit Over Pay Practices

The D.C. attorney general settled with Arise Virtual Solutions for misclassifying workers as “independent contractors.” The action followed a ProPublica story that outlined the violations.

Virginia Lawmakers Approve Commission to Examine Universities’ Displacement of Black Communities

The groundbreaking commission, which was proposed in response to our “Uprooted” series, would consider compensation for dislodged property owners and their descendants. Whether Gov. Glenn Youngkin will sign the bill is unclear.

Gangsters, Money and Murder: How Chinese Organized Crime Is Dominating America’s Illegal Marijuana Market

A quadruple murder in Oklahoma shows how the Chinese underworld has come to dominate the booming illicit trade, fortifying its rise as a global powerhouse with alleged ties to China’s authoritarian regime.

Listen to the “Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars” Podcast

“Salmon Wars,” produced by ProPublica and OPB, tells the story of one Yakama Nation family who has spent generations fighting for salmon. The series uncovers who is to blame for the fish vanishing and why their disappearance affects all of us.

What’s Missing From Railroad Safety Data? Dead Workers and Severed Limbs.

Thanks to government loopholes, rail companies haven’t been scrutinized by the Federal Railroad Administration for scores of alleged worker injuries and at least two deaths.

New York Trusted This Company to Care for the Sick and Elderly. Instead, It Left People Confused and Alone.

Unchanged diapers. Fees collected for care never given. New York Guardianship Services is often tasked with caring for the "unbefriended," but records show more than a dozen cases where it failed to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.

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