Chicago resident Domitila Valerio started noticing her bill increasing in 2018. When the bills escalated to more than $700, she couldn't afford to pay. Michelle Kanaar for APM Reports hide caption
Investigations Read the latest from NPR's investigative team. If you have solid tips or documents on stories we should probe, please send them to us.
Investigations
Respiratory therapist Deena Neace checks James Muncy's blood pressure and pulse during a therapy session at the New Beginnings Pulmonary Rehab Clinic in South Williamson, Ky. Muncy is one of thousands of coal miners across Appalachia who are dying of advanced black lung. Matthew Hatcher for NPR hide caption
'I Figured It Was Going To Be A Horrible Death, And It Probably Will Be'
"There's a lot of memories here, some good, some bad," says Smith, while reflecting on his years working at the now defunct Solid Energy mine in Pike County. Rich-Joseph Facun for NPR hide caption
An Epidemic Is Killing Thousands Of Coal Miners. Regulators Could Have Stopped It
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Coal miner Nick Stiltner reviews an X-ray of his lungs showing black lung disease at the Stone Mountain Clinic in Grundy, Va. Courtesy of Elaine McMillion Sheldon/PBS Frontline hide caption
Illinois Department of Corrections officers participate in a role-playing exercise during a March training session on working with female inmates, at Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, Ill. Bill Healy for SJNN hide caption
Mary Kathleen "Kathy" Tyler, an 82-year-old woman incarcerated at Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville, was sentenced to life in prison in 1978. She is an avid reader, artist and pianist; is employed as a court reporter; and has accumulated a handful of degrees since she was incarcerated. Jessica Earnshaw for NPR hide caption
Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., shown in 2016, said Tuesday he will hold hearings next year in response to an NPR and Frontline probe that revealed that government regulators failed to identify and prevent dangerous conditions. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption
Using a mannequin to simulate dangerous scenarios, a team at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center learns standard treatments for obstetric emergencies like hemorrhage. Bethany Mollenkof for NPR hide caption
In central Appalachia, the black lung rate for working coal miners with at least 25 years experience underground is the highest it's been in a quarter century. Don Klumpp/Getty Images hide caption
A roof bolter secures the roof of a newly mined section of a coal mine. Studies show roof bolters sometimes have high exposure to the silica dust that is especially toxic to lungs. Thorney Lieberman/Getty Images hide caption
U.S. Army soldiers pass out water, provided by FEMA, to residents in a neighborhood without grid electricity or running water in San Isidro, Puerto Rico, on Oct. 17, 2017. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption
James Meadours delivers the keynote address at a summit in New Jersey to propose reforms to prevent sexual abuse of people with intellectual disabilities. Meadours, a rape survivor with an intellectual disability, travels the country to raise awareness. Joseph Shapiro/NPR hide caption
States Aim To Halt Sexual Abuse Of People With Intellectual Disabilities
U.S. Army soldiers in Puerto Rico unload food on Oct. 17, 2017. Nearly a month after Hurricane Maria hit, the federal government was still delivering basic supplies, like food and water. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption
FEMA Blamed Delays In Puerto Rico On Maria; Agency Records Tell Another Story
Sheralin Greene, 57, mined coal for 20 years. She now suffers paralyzing coughing fits from black lung and receives payments and medical care from the federal trust fund. Courtesy of Sheralin Greene hide caption
The rate of the advanced stage of the deadly disease black lung is growing in central Appalachia, according to a new study. Tyler Stableford/Getty Images hide caption
Alicia Nichols holds her daughter Diana in her home in February. After the birth of Diana, Nichols suffered unusual postpartum blood loss that she feels was not taken seriously by her doctor. Kayana Szymczak for NPR hide caption
Jaime Degraff sits outside on Sept. 23, 2017, as he waits for the Puerto Rican electrical grid to be fixed after Hurricane Maria. The island is still struggling with power outages. Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press hide caption
David Zatezalo, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, was asked about the advanced black lung epidemic at a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 6, 2018. Huo Jingnan/NPR hide caption
Black Lung Study Finds Biggest Cluster Ever Of Fatal Coal Miners' Disease
Under sweeping new recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, doctors would see new mothers sooner and more frequently, and insurers would cover the increased visits. FatCamera/Getty Images hide caption
A new study offers a systematic look at what midwives can and can't do in different states, offering evidence that empowering them could boost maternal and infant health. Trina Dalziel/Getty Images/Ikon Images hide caption
Florida state Sen. Gary Farmer speaks during the 2017 session in Tallahassee, Fla. He has introduced a new bill that would eliminate the false identity provision and clarify the statute so that it applies only to people who commit traditional workers' comp fraud, such as lying about injuries or eligibility for benefits. Steve Cannon/AP hide caption
Pauline stands in her room after coming home from a day program for adults with intellectual disabilities. Michelle Gustafson for NPR hide caption
Patricia (from left), Natalie and their mother, Rosemary, sit in their home in Northern California. Natalie, a woman with an intellectual disability, is unable to speak. She couldn't explain what was wrong and doctors couldn't figure out why she was in pain. Talia Herman for NPR hide caption
James Meadours (left), Debbie Robinson and Thomas Mangrum share their stories about sexual assault. Lizzie Chen for NPR; Claire Harbage and Meg Anderson/NPR hide caption
An NPR investigation finds that people with intellectual disabilities suffer one of the highest rates of sexual assault — and that compared with other rape victims, they are even more likely to be assaulted by someone they know. Cornelia Li for NPR hide caption