Archive - Southwest

A Utah Cleft Palate Team Says Its Approach Is Innovative. Others See a Pattern of Unnecessary Surgeries on Children.

At Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah, pediatric surgeons are taking controversial risks with how they care for kids with cleft lip and palate. Outside doctors found that some parents weren’t told their child’s care was different from the norm.

The Rising Cost of the Oil Industry’s Slow Death

Unplugged oil and gas wells accelerate climate change, threaten public health and risk hitting taxpayers’ pocketbooks. ProPublica and Capital & Main found that the money set aside to fix the problem falls woefully short of the impending cost.

Nevada Republicans’ Caucus Adds Chaos and Confusion to the State’s Presidential Primary

While legal, the party’s decision to host a competing contest to the Feb. 6 primary election has angered GOP voters and provided fertile ground for misinformation to take hold, experts say, undermining voters’ trust in the process.

Medicare Certifies Hospices in California Despite State Ban on New Licenses

The agency has rolled out sweeping changes to target end-of-life care providers that were billing for unneeded services, but some fraud hot spots continue to evade scrutiny.

FEMA Leader Overseeing $4 Billion Fund to Pay Victims of New Mexico Wildfire Steps Down

Longtime agency official Angela Gladwell has overseen the fund to pay victims of a wildfire accidentally started by the federal government. Her departure comes amid criticism of FEMA’s handling of payments for damages.

Utah Bills Itself as “Family-Friendly” Even as Lawmakers Have Long Neglected Child Care

Federal relief had improved access to child care. But when funding expired, the state rejected proposals to replace it. Some advocates say the historical influence of the LDS church has added to the resistance.

In the Scar of New Mexico’s Largest Wildfire, a Legal Battle Is Brewing: What Is Victims’ Suffering Worth?

A wildfire accidentally started by the federal government drove them from their homes and destroyed the things they loved most about their land. The government will pay them only for things with a price tag.

¿Preocupada por su visita al ginecobstetra? Una guía sobre lo que debería suceder —y lo que no debería suceder.

Luego de informar sobre la conducta sexual inapropiada por parte de ginecobstetras, muchas mujeres nos dijeron que no sabían lo que era normal. Con la ayuda de proveedores, pacientes y expertos, creamos esta guía.

Mujeres de Utah intentaron denunciar agresiones sexuales a la policía. Dicen que enfrentaron retrasos y barreras lingüísticas.

Mujeres, todas inmigrantes mexicanas, acudieron a la policía de Provo para denunciar al ginecobstetra David Broadbent por agresión sexual. Experimentaron demoras, confusión y negaciones en sus informes debido a la falta de servicios en español.

Utah Women Tried to Report Sexual Assaults to Police. They Say They Faced Delays and Language Barriers.

Several women, all Mexican immigrants, went to the Provo police to report OB-GYN David Broadbent for sexual assault. They experienced delays, confusion and denials over their reports due to the department’s lack of Spanish-language services.

A Former Police Chief Fought to Rebuild After a New Mexico Fire. He Died Before He Could Go Home.

The man and his wife urgently needed payouts from the federal government, which set the fire that burned down their house.

Biden Administration to Overhaul Welfare Following ProPublica Reporting

The Administration for Children and Families has quietly proposed closing loopholes in the nation's cash assistance program for the poor that a 2021 ProPublica investigation found states had exploited for years.

Utah Therapist Arrested for Allegedly Sexually Abusing Patients During Sessions

Scott Owen, who was considered an expert in helping struggling gay Latter-day Saint men, is accused of assaulting his patients.

The 20 Farming Families Who Use More Water From the Colorado River Than Some Western States

Tens of millions of people — and millions of acres of farmland — rely on the Colorado River’s water. But as its supply shrinks, these farmers get more water from the river than entire states.

Here’s What Can Happen When Kids Age Out of Foster Care

Two teens aged out of New Mexico’s child welfare system last year. This photo essay shows how different their lives have become.

Ella confió en su primer ginecobstetra porque hablaba español. Ahora es una de las 94 mujeres que lo demandan por agresión sexual.

La Corte Suprema del estado de Utah escuchará esta semana los argumentos del caso, que determinarán si lo que 94 mujeres dicen haber experimentado fue agresión sexual o negligencia médica.

She Trusted Her First OB-GYN Because He Spoke Spanish. Now She’s 1 of 94 Women Suing Him for Sexual Assault.

The Utah Supreme Court this week is hearing arguments in the case, which will determine if what 94 women say they experienced was sexual assault or medical malpractice.

Western States Opposed Tribes’ Access to the Colorado River 70 Years Ago. History Is Repeating Itself.

Records unearthed by a University of Virginia professor shed new light on states’ vocal opposition in the 1950s to tribes claiming their share of the river. Today, many are still fighting to secure water.

When Foster Parents Don’t Want to Give Back the Baby

In many states, adoption lawyers are pushing a new legal strategy that forces biological parents to compete for custody of their children.

These Men Say Their Utah Therapist Touched Them Inappropriately During Sessions Paid for by the LDS Church

A spokesperson for the church said it does not vet the therapists its bishops recommend and pay for, saying “it is up to church members” to “make their own decisions.”

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