Indiana Enacts Law to Allow State Child Services to Investigate More Abuse Claims at Youth Centers
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law that aims to curb abuse at youth treatment centers for those 18-21 years old. It comes after a ProPublica-IndyStar investigation into employees at Pierceton Woods Academy.
Reporting From the Midwest
Our team in the Midwest covers Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri. Based in Chicago, it grew out of our first regional publishing operation, which focused on people living and working in Illinois. Read more.
How a Fire on a Dairy Farm Led Us to More Than a Year’s Worth of Stories About Immigrant Dairy Workers
ProPublica reporter Melissa Sanchez reflects on what led her to investigate the many dangers and inequities faced by the immigrant workers without whom America’s dairy farms wouldn’t function.
The Law Doesn’t Protect Immigrant Dairy Workers in Substandard Housing
Minnesota’s attorney general exposed conditions at one dairy farm where workers lacked heat and plumbing and dealt with mold in their homes.
St. Louis Police Chief Receives a Third of His Pay From a Local Foundation, Raising Concerns of Divided Loyalties
In a city with a high violent crime rate and claims of inequitable policing, leaders are questioning the $100,000 per year the chief receives from local business owners. “Can the criminals get together and pay the chief?” asked one alderwoman.
Midwest News Staff
- Midwest Editor
- George Papajohn
- Deputy Midwest Editor
- Steve Mills
- Reporters
- Anna Clark, Jodi S. Cohen, Vernal Coleman, Duaa Eldeib, Jeremy Kohler, Jessica Lussenhop, Megan O’Matz, Melissa Sanchez and Jennifer Smith Richards
- Abrams Reporting Fellow
- Emily Hopkins
Local Reporting Network Partners
ProPublica is supporting local and regional newsrooms as they work on important investigative projects affecting their communities. Some of our past and present partners in the region:
- Chicago Tribune
- Chicago, Illinois
- The Southern Illinoisan
- Carbondale, Illinois
- WBEZ
- Chicago, Illinois
- The Daily Herald
- Arlington Heights, Illinois
- The Business Journal
- Youngstown, Ohio
- Outlier Media
- Detroit, Michigan
Michigan Lawmaker Introduces Bill Requiring State Health Plans to Cover Cutting-Edge Cancer Treatments
After ProPublica reported on a Michigan insurer that wouldn’t cover a cancer patient’s last-chance treatment, a state lawmaker introduced a measure compelling health plans to cover a new generation of advanced cancer therapies.
Cómo un incendio en una granja lechera nos llevó a escribir varias historias sobre los trabajadores de las granjas
La reportera de ProPublica Melissa Sanchez reflexiona sobre qué la llevó a investigar los muchos peligros e injusticias que enfrentan los trabajadores inmigrantes sin los cuales las granjas lecheras de Estados Unidos no funcionarían.
Los trabajadores de las granjas lecheras a menudo aguantan viviendas precarias. La ley no los protege.
El fiscal de Minnesota reveló cómo los trabajadores de una granja lechera carecían de calefacción, plomería y tenían moho en sus viviendas. Estas condiciones son comunes, debido a que estos trabajadores son excluidos de muchas protecciones.
Wisconsin Picks New Legislative Maps That Would End Years of GOP Gerrymandering
Under legal pressure to address Wisconsin’s “Swiss cheese” and oddly shaped districts, the Legislature approved redrawn maps that promise to create a new dynamic in a state known for its pivotal role in national politics.
El Departamento de Justicia trabaja con un sheriff de Wisconsin para eliminar las barreras lingüísticas
Una investigación de ProPublica en el Condado de Dane de Wisconsin reveló cómo las barreras lingüísticas y los errores de una oficial la llevaron a culpar erróneamente a un obrero de una granja lechera por la muerte de su hijo.
After Seeing Controversial Contract-for-Deed Home Sales Affect Constituents, Minnesota Lawmakers Propose Reforms
The state legislators said the home deals had harmed members of the Somali community in and around the Twin Cities. Some buyers have lost their homes.
The DOJ Is Working With a Wisconsin Sheriff to Improve How Deputies Communicate With People Who Don’t Speak English
A ProPublica investigation in Wisconsin’s Dane County revealed how a grammatical mistake in Spanish led sheriff’s deputies to wrongly blame a Nicaraguan dairy worker for his son’s death.
In Crisis, She Went to an Illinois Facility. Two Years Later, She Still Isn’t Able to Leave.
The state of Illinois is asking for the end of court oversight of its system of care for people with developmental disabilities. But some advocates say it’s too soon.
Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Reform Controversial Contract-for-Deed Home Sales
Proposed legislation follows a ProPublica and Sahan Journal report that revealed questionable real estate transactions that left members of Minnesota’s Somali and Hispanic immigrant communities at risk of losing their homes.
Private Schools, Public Money: School Leaders Are Pushing Parents to Exploit Voucher Programs
Voucher expansions have unleashed a flood of additional taxpayer dollars to the benefit of families already enrolled in private schools. In Ohio, some schools are now “strongly encouraging” parents to apply for vouchers, regardless of need or income.
Indiana Lawmakers Trying to Kill Historic Suit Seeking Gun Industry Accountability
Gary, Indiana’s long-running lawsuit against the world’s largest gunmakers is jeopardized by a bill that would allow only the state to sue.
How Chicago Became an Unlikely Leader in Body-Camera Transparency
The city has a long history of brutal, violent policing, but its latest approach to body-worn cameras and police oversight could serve as a national model.
Health Plans Can’t Dodge Paying for Expensive New Cancer Treatments, Says Michigan’s Top Insurance Regulator
After ProPublica reported on a health insurer that refused to cover the only medicine that could save a cancer patient’s life, Michigan insurance regulators clarified that, by law, many plans must pay for any clinically proven treatments.
Skipping School: America’s Hidden Education Crisis
Absenteeism has nearly doubled since the pandemic. With state and federal governments largely abdicating any role in getting kids back into classrooms, some schools have turned to private companies for a reimagined version of the truant officer.
Illinois Judge Closes Juvenile Detention Center After “Facility in Crisis” Fails to Meet New State Standards
The Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center abruptly closed on Dec. 31. The judge who ordered the closure said staffing shortages made it difficult to meet state standards for caring for youth in custody.
