Archive - South
Nonprofit Hospital Almost Never Gave Discounts to Poor Patients During Collections, Documents Show
We reported how Memphis’ largest hospital system sued thousands of poor patients. Now, new data shared with Sen. Chuck Grassley shows the system collected $169 million in past-due bills, but only 1% received financial assistance during collections.
A Coal Company Owned by This Billionaire Governor Has Pledged to Stop Breaking Pollution Laws
Gov. Jim Justice's Bluestone Coal Corp. will stop violating water pollution rules, according to a settlement. The company benefited from actions by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, whose secretary Justice appointed.
Pistols, a Hearse and Trucks Playing Chicken: Why Some Voters Felt Harassed and Intimidated at the Polls
Across the country, people complained about threats, aggressive electioneering and racist language both at early voting locations and on Election Day. We’ve corroborated some of those accounts.
A Deputy Prosecutor Was Fired for Speaking Out Against Jail Time for People Who Fall Behind on Rent
Arkansas prosecutor Josh Drake called the state’s criminal eviction statute “cruel” and “unconstitutional.” Criminal charges against tenants falling behind on rent have continued, even as the pandemic has worsened.
A Power Company’s Quiet Land-Buying Spree Could Shield It From Coal Ash Cleanup Costs
Georgia Power paid top dollar to buy land from residents living near waste sites at its power plants. Environmentalists fear it’s a tactic to forestall the cleanup bill from new regulations for coal ash.
Two School Districts Had Different Mask Policies. Only One Had a Teacher on a Ventilator.
Eleven states let school districts decide whether students and staff must wear masks. One Georgia middle school where masks were optional became the center of an outbreak.
Georgia Senator David Perdue Privately Pushed for a Tax Break for Rich Sports Teamowners
It’s unclear why Senator Perdue was interested in tax regulation that would impact only a tiny set of the richest Americans. The effort, which wasn’t successful, could have helped several of his donors, including fellow senator Kelly Loeffler.
Permit for Controversial $9 Billion Plastics Plant in “Chemical Alley” to Be Put on Hold
Proposed emissions from the plant would triple the levels of cancer-causing chemicals in one of the most toxic areas of the U.S., but the Army Corps of Engineers intends to suspend the permit.
La importancia del caso Bush vs. Gore en la elección de 2020
La decisión de la Corte Suprema que otorgó la elección de 2000 a George W. Bush no se considera en general un precedente, pero desde entonces ha sido citada en cientos de casos federales y estatales. Y también podría influir en las elecciones de este año.
Why Bush v. Gore Still Matters in 2020
The Supreme Court decision that handed the 2000 election to George W. Bush is widely believed not to be a precedent, yet it’s been cited in hundreds of federal and state cases since. It could play a role in this year’s election, too.
West Virginians Were Promised an Economic Revival. It Hasn’t Happened Yet.
The coal industry continues to decline. Natural gas isn’t bringing the prosperity it promised, and now the pandemic has wrecked the state’s economy.
How Cops Who Use Force and Even Kill Can Hide Their Names From the Public
Marsy’s Law ensures crime victims the right to privacy. But police departments across Florida and the Dakotas have repeatedly used it to hide the names of officers who use force on the job. And the law may be spreading, too.
¿Los cubanoamericanos le darán el triunfo a Trump en Florida?
Sesenta y dos años después de la Revolución cubana, las relaciones entre Estados Unidos y la isla cobran gran importancia.
When Falling Behind on Rent Leads to Jail Time
Evictions in Arkansas can snowball from criminal charges to arrests to jail time because of a 119-year-old law that mostly impacts female, Black and low-income renters. Even prosecutors have called it unconstitutional.
Arkansas: My Landlord Is Trying to Kick Me Out. What Can I Do?
If you live in Arkansas and are worried about being evicted, you’re not alone. Our reporting revealed thousands have been forced into the confusing legal process during the pandemic. Here’s how it works — and what you can do.
Could Trump’s Success With Cuban American Voters Help Tip Florida His Way?
Many Cuban Americans oppose steps the White House has taken against Cuba, but they are still backing his hard-line approach.
The Elk, the Tourists and the Missing Coal Country Jobs
A proposed wildlife center got a $12 million federal grant after promising to bring millions of dollars and thousands of tourists to eastern Kentucky. Four years later, residents are still waiting for the jobs they were promised.
Help Us Investigate Collection Practices at Virginia Colleges and Universities
Academic institutions are sending students’ unpaid tuition bills to collection agencies and courthouses. Has this happened to you or anyone you know?
Inside the Utility Company Lobbying Blitz That Will Hike Electric Bills
Democrats who campaigned against Virginia’s largest public utility, Dominion Energy, swept into office. Then the company’s lobbying efforts kicked into high gear. Here’s how it fought against legislation meant to lower residents’ electric bills.
ProPublica to Launch New Regional Units in the South and Southwest; ProPublica Illinois to Expand to Midwest Regional Newsroom
Nonprofit Newsroom Also Launches Distinguished Fellows Program to Support Local Investigative Journalism
