Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Brings 'Bad Juju' And Pain 25 Years Later
The lives of fishermen in Alaska were forever changed after the Exxon Valdez oil spill more than two decades ago. They're still haunted by litigation, bankruptcy and herring that haven't returned.»...
View ArticleFrom Judges To Inmates, Finding The Human Casualties Of Mandatory Sentencing
Amid the backdrop of debate inside Washington and across the country, an NPR series will focus on the human toll of the tough mandatory minimum prison terms for drug crimes.» EMail This
View ArticleJudge Regrets Harsh Human Toll Of Mandatory Minimum Sentences
Thousands of people are imprisoned for decades, if not life, because of tough drug sentences. Now judges, lawyers and advocates ask whether it's time to dial back those penalties.» EMail This
View ArticleAfter 17 Years Behind Bars, Coming Home To A Different Life
Stephanie George got a life sentence for drug crimes at age 26, a punishment that troubled the judge who sent her away. Now, after 17 years and a White House commutation, George tries to rebuild.»...
View ArticleSentenced For Life, Inmate Still Holds Hope For Release
David Padilla is one of thousands of people sentenced under tough drug laws who are spending life in prison. Now the Clemency Project 2014 promises pardons or early release for some offenders.» EMail This
View ArticleIn Puerto Rico's Debt Crisis, There Are No Easy Solutions
After years of recession and rampant tax evasion, the U.S. territory is desperate to renegotiate its $73 billion debt. But it can't declare bankruptcy, and plans to raise taxes face strong resistance.»...
View ArticlePuerto Rico Is Sowing A New Generation Of Small Farmers
Decades of industrialization have left the island reliant on imported food. But change is coming — from government subsidies for small farmers, to classes that teach school kids how to grow food.»...
View ArticlePower Problems: Puerto Rico's Electric Utility Faces Crippling Debt
The island's power authority owes $9 billion. Power costs are already high, but bondholders are pushing for rate hikes. That may deter employers, which would further hurt the territory's weak economy.»...
View ArticlePuerto Rico Wants To Grow Your Next Cup Of Specialty Coffee
More than a century ago, Puerto Rico used to produce world-class coffee. Now farmers there are trying to rebuild the industry by focusing on growing higher-quality beans, which command higher prices.»...
View ArticleCorruption On The Border: Dismantling Misconduct In The Rio Grande Valley
The FBI is cracking down on rampant corruption in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. With voter fraud, drug smuggling and bribery a big part of border culture, it's proving to be a difficult task.»...
View ArticleWith Corruption Rampant, Good Cops Go Bad In Texas' Rio Grande Valley
How does a promising young cop go from town hero to drug trafficker? A former rogue officer details what led him to the dark side in a region known for corruption.» EMail This
View ArticleIn Rio Grande Valley, Some Campaign Workers Are Paid To Harvest Votes
It's a time-honored tradition in South Texas: Local candidates who need votes go to campaign workers known as politiqueras. But some of those workers are now charged with manipulating mail-in ballots.»...
View ArticleFor Many Adopted Dogs, The Journey Home Takes A Thousand Miles
In Puerto Rico, poverty and lax rules have stranded about 300,000 dogs as strays. So rescue groups are sending many of those dogs to the mainland — and trying to change attitudes on the island.» EMail...
View ArticleBuilt By Immigrants, U.S. Catholic Churches Bolstered By Them Once Again
About 40 percent of U.S. Catholics are foreign-born or the children of immigrants. The change is having profound effects, from reviving dying parishes to shifting the church's geographical center.»...
View ArticleArt Installation To Welcome Pope Francis To Philadelphia
A Philadelphia artist has been commissioned to welcome the pope with a public art display. She's reinterpreting one of the pope's favorite pieces of art: a baroque painting of the Virgin Mary.» EMail This
View ArticleAs U.S. Attitudes Change, Some Evangelicals Dig In; Others Adapt
America's culture war is being fought inside evangelical Christian circles. Some are resisting secular society's trends that conflict with biblical teaching. Others have found a way to live with them.
View Article'It's Just The Beginning Now,' Says Man Freed From Serving 2 Life Sentences
David Padilla is adjusting to life back home in Northeast Philadelphia. After nearly 20 years in prison, he won clemency last year, freeing him from two life sentences for nonviolent drug crimes.
View ArticleAcceptance Grows, Slowly But Steadily, For Gay Evangelicals
Growing up, gay evangelicals may have thought they had to be one or the other. It's different now. At one welcoming Baptist church in Kentucky, a member says, gay congregants "walk through the door."
View ArticleHalt On Juvenile Immigrant Visa Leaves Thousands In Limbo
According to Border Patrol, more than 120,000 unaccompanied children arrived in the past two and a half years, many seeking asylum. Some young immigrants are now trying to use a new visa category.
View ArticleReligious Voters May Lean Republican, But Feel Conflicted About The Candidates
"I've always felt that the Republicans align with my beliefs," said Judith Martinez, 51, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Mexico.
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