Senators Call for Further Oversight, Consumer Protections in Contract for Deed Real Estate Transactions
Following a ProPublica-Sahan Journal report on fast-tracked home financing deals that left Somali families in Minnesota financially devastated, federal lawmakers met to discuss what could be done to shield buyers.
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.
Illinois Leaves Three Administrators in Charge at Choate Despite Troubled History of Resident Care
A new state watchdog report calls for a “fundamental overhaul” at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center. But the state kept on administrators who were in charge during some of the facility’s most troubled years.
Problems With Abuse, Cover-Ups at Choate Extend Statewide
Prompted by an outcry over abuse, Illinois proposed moving residents from Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center to similar facilities in the state. New reporting shows the problems at Choate are common throughout the statewide system.
Michigan Still Allows Emergency Takeovers of Local Governments. Is It Finally Time to Reconsider This Drastic Measure?
Under emergency management, Flint faced problems that turned catastrophic while Detroit charted a new course. That mixed record and stark racial disparities have prompted calls for change.
Midwest News Staff
- Midwest Editor
- George Papajohn
- Deputy Midwest Editor
- Steve Mills
- Reporters
- Anna Clark, Jodi S. Cohen, Vernal Coleman, Mick Dumke, Duaa Eldeib, Jeremy Kohler, Jessica Lussenhop, Megan O’Matz and Melissa Sanchez
- 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
How Recent State Laws Are Making It Harder to Sue Trucking Companies After Crashes
Texas, Florida, Iowa and other states have passed new laws backed by trucking industry lobbyists that can limit crash victims’ ability to bring lawsuits or cap the compensation plaintiffs can win.
Illinois Officials Will Try a Second Time to Make Good on Pledge to Reform Student Ticketing
Despite legislative setbacks, state leaders and Gov. J.B. Pritzker say they remain committed to stopping schools from continuing to use police to punish students.
Baker College Faces Federal Investigation Over “Recruitment and Marketing Practices”
ProPublica and the Detroit Free Press found that Baker College spent more on marketing than it did on financial aid. Now, the school faces an inquiry by the U.S. Department of Education.
Wisconsin Republicans Sowed Distrust Over Elections. Now They May Push Out the State’s Top Election Official.
The fate of Wisconsin election administrator Meagan Wolfe is a stark reminder that even though courts and voters across the country have rejected election denialism, it remains a factor in this key battleground state.
Health Care Workers Who Cover Up Patient Abuse Face Stiffer Penalties Under New Illinois Law
The legislation, spurred by a news investigation, allows workers to be barred from health care jobs for obstructing investigations into staff misconduct. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the bill on Friday.
Oficiales en Wisconsin se plantean hacer el departamento del sheriff más asequible a la gente que no habla inglés
Los planes de cambio vienen tras un reportaje de ProPublica que encontró que la policía malinterpretó como murió un niño nicaragüense en una granja lechera. Mientras tanto la familia del niño ha llegado a un acuerdo en una denuncia contra la granja.
Following the Death of an 8-Year-Old on a Wisconsin Dairy Farm, Officials Look to Bridge Law Enforcement Language Gap
After ProPublica found that a police investigation into a child’s death was mishandled due to language barriers, officials hope to improve how police interact with non-English speakers. Meanwhile, the boy’s family has settled a suit against the farm.
This Cop Got Out of 44 Tickets by Saying Over and Over That His Girlfriend Stole His Car
Chicago police officer Jeffrey Kriv used the same alibi to contest dozens of traffic tickets over the years. A deeper look at his career sheds light on Chicago’s troubled history of police accountability.
Cómo alcanzamos a lectores en las granjas lecheras con un artículo sobre ellos
Para reportar sobre las condiciones en las granjas lecheras de Wisconsin, teníamos que tomar medidas creativas para hacer llegar nuestros hallazgos a los trabajadores. Aquí explicamos lo que hicieron las reporteras Melissa Sanchez y Maryam Jameel.
How We Reached Workers While Reporting on Dairy Farm Conditions
As we reported on dairy farms in Wisconsin, we knew we’d have to get creative in how we got our articles to the affected workers. Here’s how reporters Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel went beyond a simple translation to reach dairy farm workers.
They Held Down a Black Teen Who Had Tried to Shoplift. He Died From Asphyxia. Why Was No One Ever Charged?
Customers at a Wisconsin corner store subdued 16-year-old Corey Stingley, who died after allegedly being placed in a chokehold. A decade later, the youth’s father still fights for justice and awaits the findings from an unusual new inquiry.
Hospitals in Two States Denied an Abortion to a Miscarrying Patient. Investigators Say They Broke Federal Law.
Doctors told her she might die but she couldn’t have an abortion under state law until she got sicker, documents show. The Biden administration says failing to act violates a federal law requiring hospitals to provide emergency care.
Minnesota Board of Nursing Executive Director Steps Down Amid Accusations of Mismanagement
The Minnesota Nursing Board was weighing terminating Executive Director Kimberly Miller, who had been criticized for a growing backlog of complaints against nurses.
Could a Michigan School Shooting Have Been Prevented? Families Still Waiting for a Full Accounting of What Happened.
Eighteen months after the deadly shooting at Oxford High School, parents want answers from the district. The mistrust sowed in the community by the delays reflects failures across the country to methodically investigate these tragedies.
Blocked Crossings Crisis Draws Local and National Calls for Action
After seeing images of kids crawling under trains, regulators ask companies to address blocked crossings, lawmakers demand consequences, residents clamor for solutions and Norfolk Southern’s CEO calls a mayor to work out a fix.
