The Coming Catastrophe

Climate change is already making large parts of the U.S. nearly uninhabitable. Once you accept that, the future looks like this:

With time, the bottom half of the country grows inhospitable, dangerous and hot. Those who stay behind are disproportionately elderly and poor, writes ProPublica climate reporter Abrahm Lustgarten.
The North American places where humans have lived for thousands of years will shift. You might have to, too. Use these maps to see precisely what’s in store.





The Pollution Profiteers






Coal mines owned by West Virginia’s billionaire governor, Jim Justice, have broken environmental regulations literally thousands of times. Now state regulators who work for him as governor might give his companies a big break.
Chevron and other companies have quietly spilled millions of gallons of oil in California’s Central Valley. Here’s how they’re making big money off of it.





Make Your Voting Plan






Election experts anticipate record turnout, fewer polling locations and a higher-than-ever number of people choosing to vote by mail. So we’ve made a guide to help you plan ahead.
Here’s one reason that’s especially important if you’re voting by mail: The Postal Service’s internal contact tracing and virus control measures aren’t adequate. Thousands of postal workers have taken ill with COVID-19, and staff shortages could further delay mail delivery.
Sign up for our User’s Guide to Democracy, a series of personalized emails that will help you understand the upcoming election, from who’s on your ballot to how to cast your vote safely.

Thank you for taking the time to read ProPublica’s journalism. It can’t happen without the collaboration and help of our sources and our readers. In that spirit, we need your help. Are you participating in a vaccine trial? Are you running one? The development and deployment of a vaccine will affect everybody on the planet. Help us identify and tell important stories. (We very much value your privacy.)

All my very best,

Karim Doumar

Assistant editor, audience





WHAT ELSE WE PUBLISHED THIS WEEK



Her Stepfather Admitted to Sexually Abusing Her. That Wasn’t Enough to Keep Her Safe.
More than 30 years after telling a teacher that her stepfather was molesting her, Sherri Stewart is running out of time to understand why he remained free, and why she was sent back to endure more harm.
by Nadia Sussman



Electionland 2020: USPS Mailers, Pandemic Voting, Get Out the Vote Efforts and More
This week’s headlines on making a voting plan, the mail ballot supply chain and election litigation.
by Rachel Glickhouse, ProPublica, and Thy Anh Vo, special to ProPublica



Mobilizing the National Guard Doesn’t Mean Your State Is Under Martial Law. Usually.
The idea of “calling in the National Guard” can mean different things in practice and perception. We spoke with a public information officer for the Illinois National Guard about rumors, reality and fear.
by Logan Jaffe



ICE Deported a Woman Who Accused Guards of Sexual Assault While the Feds Were Still Investigating the Incident
The DHS and DOJ inspectors general are investigating allegations that ICE guards assaulted detainees in camera blind spots. DHS instructed ICE not to deport a key witness, then suddenly decided to allow it.
by Lomi Kriel



“Cover Up”: House Democrats Subpoena Documents That NLRB Refused to Share in Ethics Investigation
A committee chair is ratcheting up a fight over an investigation into potential conflicts of interests in the NLRB’s repeated efforts to undo an Obama-era rule that expanded liability for corporations like McDonald’s.
by Ian MacDougall



No Democrats Allowed: A Conservative Lawyer Holds Secret Voter Fraud Meetings With State Election Officials
Heritage Foundation’s Hans von Spakovsky, whose work about voting fraud has been discredited, has been conducting private meetings for Republicans only.
by Mike Spies, Jake Pearson and Jessica Huseman



Still No Answers to Lawmakers’ Questions About Children Stuck in Psychiatric Hospitals
Years after a ProPublica Illinois investigation revealed children in state care were being held in psychiatric hospitals beyond medical necessity, officials still haven’t addressed it. “This has not gone away,” said one state senator.
by Duaa Eldeib



Emails Show the Meatpacking Industry Drafted an Executive Order to Keep Plants Open
Hundreds of emails offer a rare look at the meat industry’s influence and access to the highest levels of government. The draft was submitted a week before Trump’s executive order, which bore striking similarities.
by Michael Grabell and Bernice Yeung



The Hospital System Sent Patients With Coronavirus Home to Die. Louisiana Legislators Are Demanding an Investigation.
The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus called the practice of sending infected coronavirus patients home to die “disturbing” after ProPublica found that one New Orleans hospital system had done so numerous times.
by Annie Waldman and Joshua Kaplan



America Is About to Lose Its 200,000th Life to Coronavirus. How Many More Have to Die?
As another grim milestone approaches, here are the lessons officials ignored and what the country needs to do to prevent further tragedy.
by Stephen Engelberg