Local Reporting Network Archive
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.
How One West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Gave Natural Gas a Big Victory and Shortchanged Residents
Justice Beth Walker voted to reopen an already decided case around the time her husband owned stock in a variety of energy companies. And that’s not even why she’s been impeached.
What Happens When a Pipeline Runs Afoul of Government Rules? Authorities Change the Rules.
Federal authorities halted work on the massive Mountain Valley Pipeline this month after an appeals court ruled that federal agencies neglected to follow environmental protections.
We Are Expanding Our Local Reporting Network. Submit Your Best Project Ideas for Investigating State Government.
The influence of state government is far-reaching, yet elected officials and state bureaucrats are getting ever less scrutiny. Send us ideas for accountability projects by Sept. 14.
Ben Carson Declared Mission Accomplished in East St. Louis — Where Public Housing Is Still a Disaster
The HUD secretary came to town last year and declared residents were no longer at risk, three decades after the federal government took over public housing here. In fact, the complexes are falling apart and a woman was killed in the weeks before his visit.
What Do You Know About Public Housing in the U.S.? Help Us Investigate.
ProPublica is teaming up with The Southern Illinoisan to examine the public housing crisis in small and mid-sized cities around the country.
When Public Records Aren’t Public
In Elkhart, Indiana, even easy records can be hard to get. Trial exhibits? No. Appellate briefs? No. Police reports in the court file? No. And don’t even ask about moving those boxes.
Standing by Their Convictions
The DNA didn’t match. The witnesses weren’t sure. But the prosecution persisted.
Afraid of “Political Repercussions,” HUD Delayed Action on Crumbling Public Housing
As residents in Cairo, Illinois, dealt with mice, toxic mold and lead paint, HUD officials waited to step in, according to a report from the agency’s inspector general. HUD “could and should have done more to oversee it,” a new report says.
Trump Administration Neuters Nuclear Safety Board
Under a new order from the Energy Department, a nuclear safety board will have to fight for information about and access to nuclear laboratories. In the past, the board has brought serious problems at those labs to light.
HUD Is Failing to Protect Children From Lead Paint Poisoning, Audits Find
Two new reports found that HUD didn’t properly oversee inspections or removal of lead-based paint in public housing complexes across the country.
West Virginia Paid for a CEO to Go on a Trade Delegation to China. Turns Out, He Was Promoting His Company’s Interests, Too.
An executive accompanied state officials to China for a ceremony with President Donald Trump to sign a landmark deal last year. He also pushed his company’s interests, which the governor said Friday was not acceptable.
Oregon Court System Shields Evaluation of Alleged Killer
Last year, Oregon officials tried unsuccessfully to keep secret records on a man found “guilty except for insanity” in a 1996 kidnapping. Now, the state court system is refusing to release a key record in his new murder case even though it's not “legally confidential.”
Five First Responders to the Pulse Massacre. One Diagnosis: PTSD.
“My head’s still not right,” said one paramedic who responded to the Pulse nightclub shooting two years ago. He and some other responders say their departments haven’t given them the help they need.
The Government’s New Contractor to Run Los Alamos Includes the Same Manager It Effectively Fired for Safety Problems
The Department of Energy said it would seek new leadership for Los Alamos National Laboratory. But the University of California is still there, even after mismanagement caused it to lose its contract to run the lab — twice.
