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Coronavirus Contracts: Tracking Federal Purchases to Fight the Pandemic
The federal government is spending billions of dollars to combat the coronavirus, and spending shows no sign of slowing down. Explore who the U.S. is buying from, what it’s buying and how much it’s paying.
The Billionaire Governor Who’s Been Sued Dozens of Times for Millions in Unpaid Bills
Gov. Jim Justice is West Virginia’s richest man. Over the last three decades, lawsuits over unpaid bills have cost his constellation of companies more than $128 million in judgments and settlements.
See Who’s Taken Gov. Jim Justice to Court Over Unpaid Bills
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a billionaire and the state’s richest man, has a long list of debt-collection cases. In the most complete analysis of his legal record to date, ProPublica found dozens totaling more than $128 million.
Trump Tower’s 2010 Profits Magically Grew By $3 Million In New Loan Filings
One set of reports listed the tower’s 2010 profits as $13.3 million; a second put them at $16.1 million. That helped the Trump Organization borrow $73 million more than it had before.
Democratic Congressman Calls for Probe Into Former White House Official’s $3 Million Mask Deal
Trump’s former deputy chief of staff won a $3 million federal contract just days after registering his company. He delivered masks to Navajo hospitals that may not work. Rep. Gerry Connolly asked the HHS inspector general’s office to look into it.
The Financial Catastrophe That Coronavirus Brought to Small Towns
The federal government has abandoned America’s small towns as the coronavirus depletes their budgets. It’s flood season and local leaders have no idea how to help residents through natural disasters. “We do not see how we will survive,” one told us.
Bill Barr Promised to Release Prisoners Threatened by Coronavirus — Even as the Feds Secretly Made It Harder for Them to Get Out
Celebrity prisoners like former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort have been granted home detention, but a secret Bureau of Prisons policy has kept all but 1.8% of federal inmates behind bars, where the virus rages.
Nike Turned Away a Public Health Official From Its Warehouse Days After a Worker With COVID-19 Died
The Health Department received a complaint that a Nike warehouse wasn’t being cleaned thoroughly or allowing for social distancing. Its inspector wasn’t allowed inside. Twenty-one workers have tested positive for COVID-19 at Nike’s Memphis locations.
What Parents Should Know About Coronavirus as Kids Return to Babysitters, Day Cares and Camps
You never planned on raising kids during a pandemic, and there are no easy decisions. ProPublica scoured the latest research and talked to seven infectious disease and public health experts to help think through the issues facing parents.
The Feds Gave a Former White House Official $3 Million to Supply Masks to Navajo Hospitals. Some May Not Work.
Zach Fuentes, former deputy chief of staff to President Trump, won the contract just days after registering his company. He sold Chinese masks to the government just as federal regulators were scrutinizing foreign-made equipment.
Trump’s Food Aid Program Gives Little Funding to the Northeast, Where Coronavirus Hit Hardest
New York and New England have the most COVID-19 cases but received the second-lowest funding of any region. Maine can’t get any shipments because none of the selected contractors serve the state.
In Hard-Hit New Jersey, COVID-19 Saddles Some Small Health Departments With Crushing Workload
Secretaries are working as contact tracers. The person normally in charge of pet shops and tattoo parlors is monitoring nursing homes. And as the state reopens, workers worry duties will increase.
More Than 1 in 5 Illinoisans Living in State Homes for Adults With Disabilities Have Tested Positive for the Coronavirus
In Illinois, at least 355 people who live in state-run homes for adults with disabilities have tested positive for the coronavirus. “They don’t know why their family has stopped coming to visit,” a relative said.
A Nurse With One Lung Had COVID-19. Other Nurses Saved Her.
In the coronavirus era, nurses are called heroes. Sometimes, the lives they save are those of other nurses.
Rent Is Still Due in Kushnerville
Government stimulus checks and a temporary ban on evictions are tiding over the suddenly jobless residents of housing complexes owned by Jared Kushner’s company. But what will happen when both soon run out?
Families of Special Needs Students Fear They’ll Lose School Services in Coronavirus Shutdown
In letters to parents of special education students, some Illinois school districts are asking them to accept scaled-back remote learning plans or waive their rights to “free appropriate public education.”
States Are Reopening: See How Coronavirus Cases Rise or Fall
As states reopen, see if they meet White House guidelines for reopening and whether their COVID-19 infection rate is increasing or not.
What Experts Say About Narrowing COVID-19 Racial Disparities
Our latest digital discussion addressed why the coronavirus has disproportionately struck communities of color and potential pathways to change.
You Don’t Need Invasive Tech for Successful Contact Tracing. Here’s How It Works.
While most discussions have focused on countries’ use of surveillance technology, contact tracing is actually a fairly manual process. After interviewing contact tracing experts and taking an online course, ProPublica health reporter Caroline Chen presents her takeaways.
Do I Know Enough to Get a Job as a Contact Tracer?
Though requirements vary from state to state, many of them are hiring thousands of contact tracers in an effort to curb coronavirus spread. Here’s a brief quiz to check your knowledge.
