Steve Mills
I’m an editor in the Midwest, based in ProPublica’s Chicago office.
Have a Tip for a Story?
I’m interested in any and all tips about stories anywhere in the Midwest.
What I Do
I work with reporters in Illinois and four other states, though they sometimes range beyond the borders of the states where they live.
My Background
I came to ProPublica in 2017 to help open the organization’s first regional office. Before that, I was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune for more than 20 years. I also worked at the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle and the Winston-Salem Journal. I’m originally from California.
The Art Institute of Chicago Returned a Sculpture to Nepal But Obscured Its Connection to a Wealthy Donor
The famed museum recently returned a 12th-century Buddha sculpture that it says was stolen from the Kathmandu Valley. However, the institute’s announcement failed to mention the statue had once belonged to wealthy donor Marilynn Alsdorf.
A Rare Statue of Buddha Fails to Sell at Auction as Questions Swirl Around a Renowned Art Collection
What happened may be a sign that objects from the collection of James and Marilynn Alsdorf will have trouble finding buyers following questions about how they were acquired. The piece from Nepal was once displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Questions Shadow These Items From a Renowned Art Collection
Chicago art mavens James and Marilynn Alsdorf amassed their collection during an era where standards were looser than they are today. Now, the origins of more than a dozen objects they acquired face scrutiny.
Nepal Wants a Sacred Necklace Returned. But a Major Museum Still Keeps It on Display.
Questions about the origins and ownership of some Asian artifacts in a key collection at the Art Institute of Chicago have cast doubt on the museum’s commitment to keeping its galleries free of stolen antiquities.
Daniel Taylor Was Innocent. He Spent Decades in Prison Trying to Fix the State’s Mistake.
He was in police custody at the time of the murders, but a dubious confession led to his wrongful conviction while Chicago police and prosecutors turned a blind eye to inconvenient facts that eventually exonerated him.
How Much Money Has Your Doctor Received From Drug Companies?
Use ProPublica’s Dollars for Docs database to find out. I did.
We Stick With Our Stories Until We See Results
Think we’re done reporting on ticket debt, research violations at the University of Illinois at Chicago or issues at Aurora Chicago Lakeshore Hospital? Think again.
Why Do Journalists Describe What Story Subjects Look Like?
Do those descriptions help readers? Or do they reveal our biases?
Cook County Judge Loosens Unusual Restrictions on Publishing Details of Child Welfare Case
Calling her previous order “overbroad,” the presiding judge of the child protection division says ProPublica Illinois is free to report on the case but can’t disclose the identities of the children.
Cook County Judge Keeps Limit on Publication in Place in Child Welfare Case
The presiding judge of the child protection division of juvenile court says she will rule soon on ProPublica Illinois’ request to lift ban.