Local Reporting Network Archive
All entries from our Local Reporting Network.
North Dakota’s Likely Next Governor Brushes Off Conflict Concerns, Says His Oil and Gas Ties Would Benefit the State
Kelly Armstrong earns nearly all of his personal income from oil and gas. If elected, he'll lead boards overseeing the industry in a state with weak financial disclosure rules.
A Law Was Meant to Target Teen Violence. Instead, 17-Year-Olds Are Being Charged as Adults for Lesser Offenses.
Louisiana’s criminal justice system now treats all 17-year-olds as adults. Lawmakers lowered the age from 18 to curb teen violence, but nearly 70% of the 17-year-olds arrested in the state’s three largest parishes aren’t accused of violent crimes.
We Enlisted a Community to Help Us Report on One State’s Crumbling Schools. Here’s How You Can Do the Same.
Do you want to document problems with school facilities around your state? Reporters from ProPublica and The Idaho Statesman offer some tips.
At Indigenous Sacred Sites, Seeing Things I’m Not Supposed to See
Western journalism tends to value transparency as a public good. But as an Indigenous reporter, I face a unique set of challenges: Include too-specific cultural details, and I risk endangering my community.
The Department of Energy Promised This Tribal Nation a $32 Million Solar Grant. It’s Nearly Impossible to Access.
Washington’s Yakama Nation received both the grant and a $100 million federal loan. Held up by a series of bureaucratic hurdles, the funding could expire before the government lets the tribal nation touch a dime.
How LA’s Illegal Short-Term Rentals Hide in Plain Sight on Booking Sites
Los Angeles officials are struggling to crack down on illegal rentals during a housing crisis. Here’s how to make sure you’re a responsible vacationer.
Decrepit Pipes Put Jackson, Mississippi, on the Edge of Catastrophe. State Regulators Didn’t Act.
For years, Jackson residents endured periods of low water pressure, potentially unsafe drinking water or no water at all. All the while, state inspectors found few problems with the failing pipes that caused those problems.
Struggling to Keep or Find Housing After Maui’s Wildfires? Tell Us Your Story.
We need to hear from anyone who has been touched by what many say is a secondary housing crisis after the fires. Have you faced eviction or a rent increase? Are you a landlord or property manager? Tell us how you’ve been affected.
Maui Residents Have Been Forced From Their Homes to Make Room for Wildfire Survivors. Property Owners Are Profiting.
High prices offered by emergency housing programs have encouraged property owners to chase the money. Housing advocates say state officials haven’t moved aggressively enough to crack down on predatory behavior.
Washington State Solar Project Paused Amid Concern About Native Cultural Sites
The decision comes after an investigation by High Country News and ProPublica found that a land survey funded by the developer omitted more than a dozen sites of archaeological or cultural significance.
In Rural Tennessee, Domestic Violence Victims Face Barriers to Getting Justice. One County Has Transformed Its Approach.
Despite being a rural area that’s steeped in gun culture, Scott County has emerged as a model for the state in trying to prevent domestic violence from escalating.
Utah Supreme Court Rules That Alleged Sexual Assault by a Doctor Is Not “Health Care”
The decision revives a lawsuit filed by 94 women who said their OB-GYN sexually abused them. Previously, a lower court determined that the actions they alleged had to be treated as medical malpractice.
The Government Spends Millions to Open Grocery Stores in Food Deserts. The Real Test Is Their Survival.
The community of Cairo, Illinois, once a food desert, welcomed its new market last year with balloons and cheers. But the store is struggling — exposing problems with the programs set up to help.
How a Washington Tax Break for Data Centers Snowballed Into One of the State’s Biggest Corporate Giveaways
Companies have saved $474 million since 2018, with most of the windfall going to Washington-based tech giant Microsoft. Lawmakers repeatedly expanded who qualifies, and they lowered the number of jobs expected in return.
Why We Investigated Matthew Trewhella, the Far-Right Wisconsin Pastor Influencing Republican Politics
Some people said militant anti-abortion activist Matthew Trewhella was a ’90s figure who’s no longer relevant, but our reporting shows he’s influencing policies, bills and movements today.
Data Centers Demand a Massive Amount of Energy. Here’s How Some States Are Tackling the Industry’s Impact.
As the draw on the grid from these computer warehouses undergoes explosive growth, states that offer tax exemptions to support the industry are considering whether their approach still makes sense.
New Louisiana Law Serves as a Warning to Bystanders Who Film Police: Stay Away or Face Arrest
Louisiana is the fourth state to enact a so-called police buffer law, which allows officers to order people to keep their distance. Journalists say the law will make it harder to document when police use excessive force.
In Los Angeles, Your Chic Vacation Rental May Be a Rent-Controlled Apartment
Amid an affordable housing crisis, dozens of rent-controlled buildings are listed on short-term rental websites. A 2018 law was supposed to stop that, but the city is struggling to enforce it.
