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'You bring your gun, we ask no questions': The history of gun buybacks in Kansas City and Missouri

Cat Reid

August 05, 2019 |

KSHB-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Kansas City, Missouri

As Kansas City tries to decrease violent crime in the area, it looks to a decades-old initiative that may have worked in the past: gun buybacks. Such a response was first tried in 1994, and saw a decline in homicides the following year. While the new mayor looks to try this in the city, they face state legislation prohibiting gun buybacks and pushback from critics who say such responses don’t actually work.

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Gun Violence Persists as New KCMO Mayor Takes Office

Brian Perlman

August 01, 2019 |

Flatland |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Kansas City, Missouri

After piloting anti-violence initiatives across the city, leaders in Kansas City, Missouri, are re-evaluating their approach. While the steps taken to curb gun violence were similar to others across the country, here, they yielded few successes. Leaders in the community cite a lack of collaboration and responses that don’t take into consideration root causes like mental health, poverty, education, or police/community mistrust.

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A Unique Military Program Helps Sexual Assault Survivors. But Not All of Them.

Joseph Darius Jaafari

July 30, 2019 |

The Marshall Project |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

Members of the military who are survivors of sexual assault have access to special victims’ counsels to help guide and protect them throughout the legal process. The efforts are still young, and with that comes issues of ill-trained or over-worked legal representation – a criticism that has been made known by advocates. Furthermore, while the existence of such assistance is extremely beneficial to military personnel, the same sort of protection and support isn’t available to civilians who are alleging violent crimes against military members.

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Living without plastic: One family's journey

Susan Spillman

July 19, 2019 |

Los Angeles Times |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

For one family, living plastic-free was a lifestyle decision made after they learned more about the harm that plastic waste causes. The Watt family lives as plastic-free as possible – carrying their own utensils, buying in bulk and bringing their own glass containers, making their own household cleaner, and using reusable beeswax wraps instead of cling wrap. While these are all steps in the right direction toward reducing the nearly 335 million tons of plastic produced every year, experts say we need to rely less on individual actions and push for tougher laws and systemic changes.

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Banning foreign home buyers - the New Zealand experiment

Vivienne Nunis

July 15, 2019 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: New Zealand, Auckland

Housing affordability is a crisis that many countries face. New Zealand addressed the issue in a controversial way: by outright banning foreign ownership. Since it has come into effect, real estate pricing has gone down, and more properties are available for New Zealand residents. Critics argue that the ban coincided with world events like the Chinese government limiting how much money could leave the country into foreign events. They caution against attributing the lower prices to the ban itself and that it is still too early to see its true impact.

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The UK's trailblazing advantage against climate change

Akshat Rathi

July 11, 2019 |

Quartz |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

The United Kingdom’s Committee on Climate Change has helped the country lead the way in cutting emissions and preparing to adapt to climate change. The committee is independent – meaning it isn’t bound to who is in power – which gives its research more stature. Beyond publishing on climate related issues, the committee offers recommendations and sets goals for the country’s work to combat climate change, inspiring other countries to form similar committees.

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How Minneapolis Freed Itself From the Stranglehold of Single-Family Homes

Jeremy White

July 11, 2019 |

Politico |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The city council of Minneapolis has successfully reached out to its constituents and responded to their concerns regarding the housing crisis by enacting the Minneapolis 2040 plan which outlines 100 sustainable solutions to mitigate the threat of urban density. Several progressive city council members have worked toward the goal of providing more affordable housing by creating coalitions and proactively gathering citizen input. Subsequently, affordable housing was the main issue in the latest city elections. The plan rewrites the residential zoning laws to allow multi-family homes in any part of the city.

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A ‘Second Chance' After 27 Years in Prison: How Criminal Justice Helped an Ex-Inmate Graduate

Erica Green

July 08, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

Since 2016, the Second Chance Pell program has been providing financial aid for those experiencing incarceration to pursue a college education. Started under the Obama administration, it has gained bipartisan support and traction in the Trump administration as well. Considering 90% of incarcerated individuals will be released, the Second Chance Pell program serves as a demonstrated commitment to reduce recidivism and mass incarceration.

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They were raped during Colombia's civil war. Now they want justice for their children.

Megan Janetsky

June 24, 2019 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Colombia

Following the Colombian civil war, the country enacted The Victims’ Law, which centered on providing reparations to those affected by violence and war. But since its creation, the law has only provided reparations to less than 11% of those who have applied, and for women survivors, it’s even less. Women, who are disproportionately affected by war because of the use of sexual assault, are coming together under the National Tablle for Victim’s Participation, are demanding more.

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Vermont adopts the most comprehensive plastics ban in U.S.

Laura Parker

June 18, 2019 |

National Geographic |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Vermont

Vermont’s governor has signed into law legislation that bans four different kinds of single-use plastics, including straws, bags, drink stirrers, and foam take-out containers. Such legislation is the only kind that covers so many products, but is part of a growing, global movement to ban such plastics.

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