Crime, education, immigration, energy and water are among the issues reported on by News21 fellows.
- Unlocking the Revolving Door: California Prisons
California’s tough-on-crime laws have resulted in overcrowded prisons and ballooning budgets. A few innovative programs for non-violent women offenders, however, could be the first step to fixing the state’s prison crisis.
- Nevada: Battered by a Perfect Storm
In a state that bet its entire social service infrastructure on booming population growth and seemingly unending tourism, an economic perfect storm annihilated what were once the holy trinity of Nevada tax revenue streams: property, sales, and gaming.
Even as population growth held steady at 6 percent annually for a decade and fueled unprecedented prosperity, Nevada’s long and storied addiction to its narrow tax base leaves social services scraping by and keeps the creation of a true safety net as an afterthought.
- Upstream Battle in the California Delta: Water Fights
The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is home to the latest battleground over a dwindling natural resource: water. The fight pits the environment and fish against urban and agricultural interests. It’s characterized as the “people versus the fish,” but everyone stands to lose if solutions are not found.
- California Energy: Power to the People
California is often the first to face challenges over how to best provide the cleanest, most reliable energy to its people. Community fights, environmental battles and the rush to cash in on innovative technologies are shaping the future of California’s role as an energy leader.
- Fighting Battles: Latinos in the Military
Fighting Battles tells the stories of Latinos and their experiences in the military, from the first non-citizen U.S. soldier killed in Iraq to an activist who is trying to counter the military’s recruitment efforts in heavily Latino communities. The stories are told in video, text and photos. A Flex/Flash presentation is used to present data in a visually compelling way.
- One Less Bell to Answer: Auditing Charters
It’s been four years since the New York State Legislature authorized the State Comptroller to audit all public schools, including charter schools. And almost two years since the charter schools began their constitutional challenge to that legislation.
Now, the charter schools have an answer. Sort of. Yes, the New York Court of Appeals said, the charter schools were right. They don’t have to be audited by the state comptroller. For now, but that could change.
- Gimme Shelter: Story of a Moving School
Money lies at the heart of the battle between charter schools and their public school counterparts, and in New Jersey, the lack of money for school facilities is on the front line. See how one school in New Jersey solved its facilities problem.
- Newark Schools Fight Back Against Charters
Challenged by a growing number of high-performing charter schools within its bounds, the Newark, N.J., public school district announced an ambitious plan to turn around its schools to create a system that is bolder, more accountable, more transparent and more innovative.
- Changing Policy: Exploring E-Verify
The national E-Verify program helps employers avoid hiring illegal immigrants. This project examines the program in Arizona and Illinois and shows how naturalized citizens are much more likely to be falsely flagged by the system and to be discriminated against. It includes stories of two legislators – one whose son was shot by an illegal immigrant and another who experienced discrimination as a child. Text stories, photos and video.
- Latino Kids Show Grit to Gain Education
Building Success turns the tables on most stories about Latinos and education, focusing on programs in Phoenix and Tulsa, Okla., that have won national recognition for helping Latino students close the achievement gap. A Flash video introduces the project, which is then told through video, using a unique player that allows the user to access stories, graphics and data without exiting the video.
- Crossing Lines: Staring Down Death in the Desert
Crossing Lines is a three-part narrative that tells the stories of people in Mexico who are trying to build their own economic opportunities so their children won’t feel compelled to leave. Photos and video are imbedded in the text to add to the narrative at key points.
- NYC Charter Schools in Depth
Charter schools have grown rapidly in the city, with notable effects on the public school system. Enrollment data shows that Harlem’s zoned public schools, for example, are now educating more children who live in poverty and more children whose first language is not English. Text stories, photos, graphics, video.
- Fighting Coal: The Story of Meigs County, Ohio
In 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that 151 new coal-fired power plants were in the works. But a loose network of activists has forced plans for more than 100 of the plants to be abandoned. This story profiles the people of Meigs County, Ohio, which is surrounded by four coal-fired power plants and where three more are proposed. Q&A, video, map.
- Mining the Mountains: The Ongoing Fight in Appalachia
To extract Appalachian coal, coal companies are blasting off mountain tops and leaving rubble in nearby valleys. Uncertainty about the Obama administration’s position on the practice is fueling a vigorous fight for the mountains. Video, graphic.
- Debating Coal’s Future
Since 2001, U.S. energy companies have proposed more than 150 new coal plants. One of them is for Meigs County, Ohio, where residents debate the environmental effects of more smokestacks versus the benefit of more jobs. Video, Q&A, photos, map.
- Analyzing 'Immigration' Amnesty
This is a story about the experiences of two communities – Albuquerque, N.M., which was significantly affected by the 1986 amnesty bill, and Culpeper, Va., where a similar bill would have a huge impact today. The story is largely told through text, with the addition of a Twitter widget that displays discussions of the topic and makes it easy to start new discussions.
- Volunteerism or Service: Young People Explore Options
From an Air Force recruit to a political volunteer and a Cuban-American activists, the young in America are passionate about their choices. Text, audio, galleries.
- New President Re-opens Old Debate
With estimated undocumented immigrant population four times higher than when then-President Reagan signed the immigration bill of 1986, President Obama has made immigration reform a big part of his agenda. The outcome could have a significant impact on employers, the number of work visas allocated to foreigners and the workplace rights of those allowed into the country for jobs.
- Amnesty’s Next Front: Small Town USA
Culpeper, Va., epitomizes the change in Hispanic immigration to the United States over the past two decades. Between 1990 and 2007, U.S. Census data shows that Culpeper County experienced a general population growth of 62 percent, nearly three times the national rate. But over that same time, the Hispanic population of Culpeper County increased 18 fold. Text, video. live Twitter updates.