Archive
How We Reached Workers While Reporting on Dairy Farm Conditions
As we reported on dairy farms in Wisconsin, we knew we’d have to get creative in how we got our articles to the affected workers. Here’s how reporters Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel went beyond a simple translation to reach dairy farm workers.
They Held Down a Black Teen Who Had Tried to Shoplift. He Died From Asphyxia. Why Was No One Ever Charged?
Customers at a Wisconsin corner store subdued 16-year-old Corey Stingley, who died after allegedly being placed in a chokehold. A decade later, the youth’s father still fights for justice and awaits the findings from an unusual new inquiry.
In the “Wild West” of Outpatient Vascular Care, Doctors Can Reap Huge Payments as Patients Risk Life and Limb
To move vascular procedures out of expensive hospitals, the government turbocharged payments to doctors’ offices. Instead of saving money, it started a boom that is making doctors rich and putting patients in danger.
New York Charter Schools Write Their Own Rules for When to Call 911 on Students Having a Mental Health Crisis
Families say Success Academy and other publicly funded but privately run schools are allowed to punish and discriminate against students by calling in emergency services.
Why Scientists Have a Hard Time Getting Money to Study the Root Causes of Outbreaks
Government and nonprofit groups that award grants to scientists favor research that’s high tech and treatment oriented rather than studies that seek to understand why contagions leap from animals to people in the first place.
This Scientist Tracked Bats for Decades and Solved a Mystery About a Deadly Disease
Ecologist Peggy Eby’s discovery after decades of studying bats in Australia underscores the time and shoe-leather research needed to prevent future pandemics.
The Federal Government Plans to Reform “Star” Workplace Safety Program That Reduced Inspections at Some Manufacturers
After ProPublica raised questions about the rigor of inspections at Star Program facilities that used asbestos but received limited unannounced OSHA visits, regulators are seeking input about how to reform it.
ProPublica Partner Sues Mississippi County for Blocking Access to Search Warrants
A joint investigation found that many Mississippi courts thwart public scrutiny of search warrants. Experts say that violates long-standing norms of public access and the state’s public records law.
The Scientist and the Bats
Funders thought watching bats wasn’t important. Then she helped solve the mystery of a deadly virus.
This Scientist Tracked Bats for Decades and Solved a Mystery About a Deadly Disease
Ecologist Peggy Eby’s discovery after decades of studying bats in Australia underscores the time and shoe-leather research needed to prevent future pandemics.
As Residential Care Homes Expand in Maine, Seniors Don’t Always Get the Care They Need
The disappearance of nursing home beds is sending thousands to “nonmedical” residences that aren’t equipped to handle more intensive health needs.
He Became Convinced the School Board Was Pushing “Transgender Bullshit.” He Ended Up Arrested — and Emboldened.
Eric Jensen, a parent in North Carolina, had grievances to air about library books “trying to convert kids to gay,” and about mask and vaccine mandates. So he joined an activist group and headed to a school board meeting.
Hospitals in Two States Denied an Abortion to a Miscarrying Patient. Investigators Say They Broke Federal Law.
Doctors told her she might die but she couldn’t have an abortion under state law until she got sicker, documents show. The Biden administration says failing to act violates a federal law requiring hospitals to provide emergency care.
It Will Cost Up to $21.5 Billion to Clean Up California’s Oil Sites. The Industry Won’t Make Enough Money to Pay for It.
An expert used California regulators’ methodology to estimate the cost of cleaning up the state’s onshore oil and gas industry. The study found that cleanup costs will be triple the industry’s projected profits.
A Court Ordered Siblings to a Reunification Camp With Their Estranged Father. The Children Say It Was Abusive.
Family courts are increasingly using programs like Turning Points for Families to treat the disputed psychological theory of parental alienation. But little is publicly known about the programs’ controversial methods.
The Newest College Admissions Ploy: Paying to Make Your Teen a “Peer-Reviewed” Author
A group of services, often connected to pricey college counselors, has arisen to help high schoolers carry out and publish research as a credential for their college applications. The research papers — and the publications — can be dubious.
Texas Legislature Closes Gun Background Check Loophole
State lawmakers passed a bill requiring courts to report involuntary mental health hospitalizations of juveniles for inclusion in the federal gun background check system. The law closes a gap revealed by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune in 2022.
The IRS Tiptoes Into Offering Free Online Tax Filing — and Possible Competition With TurboTax
In the wake of ProPublica’s reporting on the misleading tactics of the major tax-prep companies, Congress asked the IRS to examine whether it could offer free filing directly with the tax agency. A new pilot program will test the concept.
Clyburn’s Role in South Carolina Redistricting May Be Examined as Supreme Court Hears Racial Gerrymandering Case
The NAACP successfully challenged the state’s new congressional maps as racially motivated. Republicans argued that they fielded requests from the powerful Black Democrat before redrawing district lines.
Looking to Sell Your Home for Cash? Read This First.
Cash home buyers like the “We Buy Ugly Houses” company may offer a quick and convenient sale to homeowners. Here’s what experts say you should know about interacting with these companies.
