Archive - South

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

What Happens After a Debt Collection Machine Grinds to a Halt

One year ago, Methodist Le Bonheur hospital system erased nearly $12 million of medical debt after an investigation from MLK50 and ProPublica. We checked in with two women who have new jobs and a new optimism about their future.

The Kushners’ Freddie Mac Loan Wasn’t Just Massive. It Came With Unusually Good Terms, Too.

Despite a history of underperforming properties, Kushner Companies received a near-record sum from a government-backed lender. Should it default, taxpayers could be forced to foot much of the bill. The agency says politics played no role.

Gov. Jim Justice’s Companies Have Now Reached $140 Million in Lawsuit Settlements and Judgments Over Unpaid Bills

A company owned by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice agreed to a $4.4 million settlement over missed coal shipments. ProPublica previously reported that Justice’s businesses were sued dozens of times for millions in unpaid bills.

A Wealthy Governor’s Coal Company Might Get a Big Break From His Own Regulators

West Virginia environmental regulators are proposing fine reductions for water pollution violations from a coal company owned by Gov. Jim Justice, even after the company promised to clean up its mines.

The Hospital System Sent Patients With Coronavirus Home to Die. Louisiana Legislators Are Demanding an Investigation.

The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus called the practice of sending infected coronavirus patients home to die “disturbing” after ProPublica found that one New Orleans hospital system had done so numerous times.

New Research Shows Disproportionate Rate of Coronavirus Deaths in Polluted Areas

The type of pollution emitted by many chemical plants in Louisiana's industrial corridor is correlated with increased coronavirus deaths, according to new peer-reviewed research from SUNY and ProPublica.

What Can Mayors Do When the Police Stop Doing Their Jobs?

In cities across the country, leaders face a phenomenon encountered in Baltimore and Chicago: officers slowing their work in the wake of high-profile episodes of police violence. Reporter Alec MacGillis asks: Will the result be different this time?

Sent Home to Die

In New Orleans, hospitals sent patients infected with the coronavirus into hospice facilities or back to their families to die at home, in some cases discontinuing treatment even as relatives begged them to keep trying.

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