Local Reporting Network Archive
West Virginia’s Natural Gas Industry Keeps Pushing to Whittle Away Payments to Residents
Companies are deducting “post-production” costs or creating shell companies to reduce royalty payments. The firms say they have done nothing wrong.
Indiana Police Officer Before Punching Handcuffed Man: “If You Spit Again, We’re Gonna Party”
On Friday, the Elkhart, Indiana, Police Department released a 30-second clip of two officers beating a man in custody. Now we have the full 30 minutes, ending with the man leaving the police station on a stretcher.
How a Police Beating in Elkhart, Indiana Unfolded
Reporting by ProPublica and the South Bend Tribune revealed a history of corruption and police abuse in Elkhart. This video, obtained through a public records request, shows police officers punching and kicking a handcuffed man.
Two Indiana Police Officers to be Charged After Video Shows Them Beating Handcuffed Man
“A little overboard,” is how the police chief had previously described the officers’ actions. The decision to charge them came only after ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network demanded to see the video.
“Jobs Alliance” Backed by Coal Giant Loses Bid To Stop West Virginia Natural Gas Plant
A group backed by Murray Energy has tried to block gas plants in West Virginia. The state Supreme Court rejected arguments against one plant, saying it will help the local economy.
Half-Life
Chad Walde believed in his work at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Then he got a rare brain cancer linked to radiation, and the government denied it had any responsibility.
Another West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Declines to Step Aside in Another Natural Gas Case
A lawyer who represented new Supreme Court Justice Evan Jenkins is on the legal team representing the natural gas giant Antero. The opposing side asked Jenkins to recuse himself, but he said no.
Another Court Ruling Against a West Virginia Pipeline, Then Another Effort to Change the Rules
A federal appeals court has revoked a key approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Now, state regulators are working to change the rules — again — so it can proceed.
ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network Is Looking for the Best Accountability Projects to Fund in 2019
We pay the salary and a stipend for benefits to local reporters working on investigative projects with a moral force. Apply by Oct. 26.
“Jobs Alliance,” Funded by Trump Backer, Tries to Block Gas Plants That Would Bring Jobs to West Virginia
Murray Energy, one of the nation’s largest coal producers, is paying for lawyers trying to block natural gas plants that would support a growing industry.
How the Orlando Fire Department’s Active Shooter Policy Fell Through the Cracks
Emails and interviews show that the agency had been working for three years to update its response to active shooter situations, but those efforts faltered by the time of the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Orlando Paramedics Didn’t Go In to Save Victims of the Pulse Shooting. Here’s Why.
The Orlando Fire Department had been working on a plan to respond to a mass shooting. It had even purchased vests filled with tourniquets and special needles to relieve air in the chest. But at the time of the Pulse nightclub shooting, the plan had already sputtered and the vests sat untouched.
He Said He Faked Mental Illness to Avoid Prison. Now, Accused in 2 Killings, He’s Sent Back to a State Hospital.
A judge ruled that Anthony Montwheeler was not competent to stand trial for an assault and two murders that prosecutors say he committed just weeks after his release from the Oregon State Hospital.
Congress Passes Measure to Protect Board that Monitors Nuclear Safety
The Energy Department had taken steps to curtail the reach and authority of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. New Mexico’s senators are fighting back.
New Mexico Senators Speak Out Over Order They Say Would Hamper Nuclear Safety Board
They want Congress to suspend a move that would limit access to information about facilities and could hinder the panel’s ability to oversee worker health and safety.
Senators Seek Answers From HUD About Public Housing Crisis in East St. Louis
Last year, HUD Secretary Ben Carson gave control of the city’s public housing complexes back to local officials after a lengthy federal receivership. He said problems had been fixed, but an investigation by The Southern Illinoisan and ProPublica found deteriorating conditions.
Natural Gas Industry Again Beats a Tiny West Virginia County That Wanted to Control Its Destiny
A federal judge ruled that Fayette County must allow a natural gas compressor station, saying the federal Natural Gas Act takes precedence over local zoning rules.
Nuclear Safety Board Slams Energy Department Plan to Weaken Oversight
The Trump administration defended an order that could be used to withhold information about nuclear facilities from a federal board, but its leader says the action is not consistent with the U.S. Atomic Energy Act.
Louisiana Senate President Sank Ride-Sharing Bill. His Close Pal Sells Insurance to Cabs.
Widely supported legislation would have allowed Uber and Lyft to operate throughout Louisiana. But John Alario took steps to kill it, and colleagues point to his long-standing ties to a power broker who sells insurance to cab companies.
