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Electronic ballots are effective, fast and used all over the world — so why aren't used in the U.S.?

Cristina Tardáguila

November 04, 2020 |

Poynter |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Brazil

Electronic voting, used in 25 countries, has proven safe and efficient. In Brazil, with about 150 million voters, the 2018 presidential results were announced just over two hours after polls closed. Election officials test the system regularly, which even the machine manufacturers are not allowed to do, and hacking the machines is almost impossible because of at least 30 digital barriers to overcome. The machines are not connected to the internet, which means a hacker would have to physically possess the machine to breach it. Electronic receipts for each ballot also allow for an easy recount if needed.

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An Ohio Mill Town Lost Its Identity. Can Youth Sports Restore It?

Kevin Williams

November 03, 2020 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Hamilton, Ohio

The promise of a youth sports facility in Hamilton, Ohio, is already prompting financial development in the once-bustling city. The indoor sports complex, Spooky Nook, will be the biggest of its kind in North America. Currently, a complex by the same company has provided a significant boost to the economy in Mannheim, Pennsylvania. In Hamilton, vendors who had once given up on the economic revival of the Rust Belt town are now returning with high hopes for the local economy, especially now that 35 weekends in 2022 are already booked for events at the stadium.

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The Sweet Fruits of the Chilean War on Sugar

Tomáš Nídr

November 03, 2020 |

Reportér |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Chile

To fight obesity concerns, a law in Chile is now requiring that foods high in sugar, have a high content of saturated fats, are high in sodium, or high in calories carry a label (or labels) to help inform consumers of their contents. Although the strategy has received pushback from some companies, others have redesigned recipes to avoid the label and consumers report that it has influenced their shopping habits.

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Innovative program helps Lawrence, MA, get off the mat

Tom Condon

November 02, 2020 |

The Connecticut Mirror |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Lawrence, Massachusetts

A program in Lawrence, MA has helped hundreds of families to enter the paid labor force by connecting with them via their children’s’ schools. Using a $700,000 grant, the program connects with parents when they register a child for school. Schools offer programs through resource centers that help them get the training and connections needed to find a job. Oftentimes the parents also get an actual job referral. A key component of the program is English language training as well as skills courses in healthcare, education, manufacturing, and other fields.

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In a boon for the climate, philanthropists are making it rain for cleantech innovators

Adrienne Day

October 30, 2020 |

Grist |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Prime Coalition is financing clean tech startups and climate-focused technologies that often don’t get a lot of funding. These technologies can be expensive to build and don’t generate profits immediately. So far, the public charity has secured $89 million that it has given into 18 energy ventures. “What’s important here is that the climate crisis is such a large-scale problem that we need lots of different types of solutions,” says Sarah Kearney, founder of Prime Coalition, “and so we need to match up right-fit capital to each kind of solution.”

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A new era in maritime travel: Electric boats

Justin Sondel

October 29, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Niagara Falls, New York

The Maid of the Mist has given tours of Niagara Falls for 174 years, and recently replaced its fleet with electric catamarans, the first of their kind in North America. The boats are zero-emission and run on dual banks of lithium-ion batteries that are recharged between each tour by plugging two high-voltage lines into a charging station for seven minutes. The charging station is powered by a nearby hydroelectric facility. Two joysticks, like those on an arcade game, allow captains to steer the boats and dual monitors in the wheelhouse provide detailed battery status reports for constant monitoring.

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Ticket to ride: Officials, riders debate the safety of riding the RTA during the pandemic

Conor Morris Sydney Kornegay

October 29, 2020 |

FreshWater Cleveland |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Cleveland, Ohio

COVID-19-transmission rates on public transportation have been relatively low. This is in part because many public trains, buses, and commuter rails—like the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) – rely on high-frequency air exchange systems that filter and exchange inside air every few minutes. The RTA also requires all employees and customers to wear masks while riding or waiting for transit. Giving away over 6,000 masks. RTA disinfects vehicles every 24 hours and installed vinyl barriers to provide additional protection for drivers.

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How They Did It: Tracking Down a Rwandan Genocide Suspect

Marthe Rubió

October 27, 2020 |

Global Investigative Journalism Network |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: France, Orléans

Years after international authorities had stopped searching for a man suspected of being an architect of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, a freelance journalist spent eight months searching data and doing on the ground reporting to find the suspect in central France. A story on the find by journalist Théo Englebert led Rwanda to issue an arrest warrant and a French prosecutor to open a counterterrorism investigation. Englebert's sleuthing provides a tutorial on "finding someone who wants to disappear."

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Colville, Washington Survived the Timber Wars. Now It's Tackling Wildfire

Jake Bullinger

October 23, 2020 |

Bitterroot |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Colville, Washington

A collective of timber companies, conservationists, and forestry professionals has made the adjacent national forest more resilient to wildfires by focusing on small-diameter trees while preserving old growth. In 2019, the Northeast Washington Forest Coalition allowed for the harvesting of 87.1 million board-feet from the forest and 16,561 acres underwent controlled burns and mechanical thinning to mitigate the risk of wildfires. The group’s record of compromise and innovation could offer a blueprint for other areas looking to boost the resilience of fire-prone forests and rural economies.

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Calls to action: How 211 became an instant link to health and social services during the pandemic

Marie Elizabeth Oliver

October 21, 2020 |

The Current (Louisiana) |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Louisiana

In Louisiana, where many communities face barriers to health care access, the implementation of a 211 hotline during the coronavirus pandemic has helped residents access the information they need to make informed decisions. The system has received hundreds of thousands of calls and because of this, the live specialists have also been able to collect meaningful data that helps the state to assess where there are areas of unmet needs.

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