Local Reporting Network Archive
Louisiana to Drop Lawsuits Against Katrina Survivors Over Recovery Grants
Louisiana sued thousands of homeowners for not following the rules in how they spent recovery grants. After a joint news investigation, the governor announced Thursday that the state won’t try to collect the money.
How ProPublica’s Local Stories Reach the Communities We Report On
Getting our investigation’s findings to the people we write about is just as important as reaching a large audience. Consider these two examples.
New Report Says Nurses at Illinois Facility Forced Patients to Dig Through Their Own Feces
Newly obtained documents echo our reporting on abuse, cover-ups and a “sense of impunity” at an Illinois institution for people with mental illnesses and developmental disorders. The governor has said Choate must be reformed.
Gallup School Superintendent Says Changing a Label Explains Away Its Harsh Native Student Discipline. It Doesn’t.
Gallup-McKinley County Schools Superintendent Mike Hyatt told the Gallup Sun our findings about Native American student discipline are wrong. This is our response.
From Penis Cookies to Spying: A Growing List of Allegations at Anchorage City Hall
Here’s a timeline of some of the scandals and accusations that have hit the seat of government in Alaska’s largest city since Mayor Dave Bronson took office in July 2021.
It Was Good to Be Friends With the Mayor. Then the Investigations Began.
An influential friend of the mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, is at the center of a burgeoning scandal at City Hall.
Lawmakers Attempting Takeover of Funds for Jackson’s Water System, Federal Manager Warns
Congress sent $600 million to Jackson to help fix its water system. Some are warning that new legislation could funnel the money out of the city.
Some Residents Can Get Home Loans in This Area, but Native Hawaiians Say They Can’t. Officials Want to Know Why.
The U.S. government backed home loans for the public in an area where there may be unexploded bombs, but some Native Hawaiians say they were denied financing in the same place. Now, elected officials are raising questions about safety and fairness.
Judge Orders Washington State Private Special Education School to Turn Over Records
A recent Seattle Times and ProPublica investigation of the Northwest School of Innovative Learning found complaints of abuse and minimal instruction. The school argued it wasn’t subject to public records laws. A King County judge disagrees.
Nearly Half of All Sheriffs in Louisiana Are Violating Public Records Laws
The finding builds on earlier reporting, which found records were destroyed in the case of a 16-year-old boy who died while in custody of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Washington State Launches Investigation of Private Special Education Schools
The inquiry and a sweeping reform bill follow a Seattle Times and ProPublica investigation that found allegations of abuse, overuse of isolation rooms and pressure to skimp on staffing and resources at the Northwest School of Innovative Learning.
Watchdog Seeks Harsher Penalties in Wake of Abuse at Illinois Mental Health Center
The official cited investigations into a center for people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities, where workers lied or conspired to thwart patient abuse inquiries.
Inside the Controversial Sales Practices of the Nation’s Biggest Title Lender
Former TitleMax store managers told ProPublica and The Current about how they were trained to keep customers unaware of the true costs of their title pawns. When they were more transparent, they faced repercussions.
A School Superintendent Says Our Story About Expulsions in His District Is Incorrect. Here’s Why He’s Wrong.
The New Mexico school district’s discipline data, reported to the state education department each year, contradicts the superintendent’s defense.
A Sheriff in Louisiana Has Been Destroying Records of Deputies’ Alleged Misconduct for Years
A lawsuit brought by the family of an autistic teen who died while in custody found the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office destroyed the disciplinary records of a deputy involved in the case.
The Fight of the Salmon People
Randy Settler’s family has spent generations fighting for their right to harvest salmon. But the federal government squandered its chance to recover the endangered fish before the onset of climate change. Now, Settler sees it all slipping away again.
Patients Went to This Isolated Facility for Treatment. Instead, Nearly Two Dozen Were Charged With Crimes.
For years, residents at the Illinois facility received scant treatment for their developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, then faced felonies for lashing out at staff.
Salmon People: A Native Fishing Family’s Fight to Preserve a Way of Life
This documentary film features the plight of the salmon of the Columbia River and the Native people whose lives revolve around them.
