Podcasts about investigative reporting

You might have heard that the U.S. turns 250 this year. It's a big, corporate to-do — the phrase “America 250” is plastered all over baseball hats and bags of potato chips. But what do Americans really make of this anniversary? The historian Jill Lepore and audiomaker Sophie Crane wanted to find out. They sent reporters all across the country, from California to Louisiana to Vermont, to listen to what people had to say about it.This piece is part of a project called The Listeners, an experiment in hyperlocal documentary storytelling from the Transom Story Lab. You can find the Transom post here and the New Yorker Radio Hour presentation here.Reporting by Eve Abrams in Louisiana, Scott Carrier and Jenny Ament in Utah, Erica Heilman in Vermont, Yohance Lacour in Illinois and David Weinberg in California. It was produced by Sophie Crane. Mix and sound design by Josh Crane with music from Matthias Bossi and Jon Evans of Stellwagen Symphonette. Special thanks to Jay Allison, Jen Jerrett and David Krasnow.The Brave Little State team is Josh Crane, Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org  Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're discussing the ongoing controversy surrounding the Epstein files, its blackmail, the political implications of Charlie Kirk's assassination, and the growing conflict between Israel and Iran. We'll also talk about the influence of powerful Israeli interests on American foreign policy and ask whether the United States is being drawn into another Middle Eastern war against the will of its own citizens (and at our cost, yet again).--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

On this episode we're joined by Nicole Carr.Nicole is a journalism professor at Morehouse College and author of the new book, The Price of Exclusion, The Pursuit of Healthcare in a Segregated Nation.She's previously been a TV reporter in North Carolina, and in Atlanta, where she won four Emmys. And she was an investigative reporter for ProPublica.Nicole has a degree in mass communications from Winston Salem State, a masters from Syracuse, and is currently studying for a doctorate at Clark-Atlanta University.Nicole talked about her book writing journey and why she wrote it. She explained how she linked past to present with the story of her great grandfather's becoming a doctor and his work as one, in conjunction with an explanation about the shortage of Black doctors in America. She provided tips for those interviewing people "in the fourth quarter of their lives" and explained how a cold e-mail to Kamala Harris' father led to a gold mine of information.We also talked about an article Nicole wrote for ProPublica about a school administrator from Maryland who took a new job in Georgia and was promptly chased out of town by overzealous anti-Critical Race Theory parents.If you were a fan of the Longform podcast, I think you'll like the approach we took in this episode.Link to Nicole's bookhttps://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-price-of-exclusion-nicole-carrNicole's ProPublica storyhttps://www.propublica.org/article/georgia-dei-crt-schools-parentsNicole on the importance of the Black Presshttps://theemancipator.org/2024/11/09/topics/movements/the-black-press-democratized-america/Nicole's salute: Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting & The Committee to Protect JournalistsNicole's book recommendations: Caste, The Origin of Our Discontent & The Warmth of Other Suns (Isabel Wilkerson), How The Word Is Passed (Clint Smith)Subscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark Simon's website MarkSimonmedia.comMark Simon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-simon-92355124/

Right now, there are around 150 Vermonters behind bars in Tutwiler, Mississippi. Question-asker Devon Kurtz is wondering: Why does the state send these men to a private prison more than a thousand miles away — especially since there's a vacant prison in Windsor, Vermont? Click here for the web version of this episode, including photos and a full transcript. And read an in-depth dispatch from Liam's visit to Tutwiler here. RSVP to our upcoming event in Winooski!This episode was reported by Liam Elder-Connors. Editing and production from Sabine Poux, Burgess Brown, Alicia Freese and Josh Crane. Angela Evancie is our Executive Producer. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Zoe McDonald, Catherine Hurley and Tom Marsh.This episode was made possible with support from the Vermont Public Journalism Fund.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org  Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Katherine Rovello is an Investigative Reporter. She discusses how there should be more transparency and full routine FOI Requests in the wake of the Erin Stewart situation.

Filmmaker and SilverVox Film + Music Festival judge Sharon Pieczenik – who spent nearly two decades creating documentary and nonfiction media for clients such as Discovery Channel International, San Diego PBS, National Geographic, and the Center for Investigative Reporting - discusses what makes documentary film different, the high points and pitfalls of the creative life, and the path that brought her to Frederick.

There's a saying that twins are “in the water” in the town of Sheldon. Our journey to get to the bottom of this curious bit of local lore takes us from a dairy farm in Franklin County to a university in Amsterdam and back.Thanks to the amateur investigators who aided us along the way, and to Ellen Stanley, our winning question-asker. She's wondering:“I live next to a community — Sheldon, Vermont — that has so many twins. Are twins really 'in the water'? What might cause this over generations?” Click here for the web version of this episode, including photos and a full transcript. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org  Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Justin Randolph, assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, joins Michael Stauch to discuss Mississippi Law: Policing and Reform in America's Jim Crow Countryside (UNC Press, 2026), his new book on policing in Jim Crow Mississippi, told through the lens of that state's highway patrol. Using oral history and a wide range of archival sources, Randolph narrates efforts by elites in Mississippi to modernize the police while maintaining social hierarchies, as well as efforts on the part of Black Mississippians to envision a world without police. Highlights include: What a focus on state-level policing adds to our understanding of policing; How the founding of the Mississippi highway patrol brought together various forms of policing in the Southwest, including the Texas rangers; A surprisingly robust discussion of cows, including Mississippi's economic transformation to a center of cattle raising and the rise of cattlemen's “Massive Resistance” in the 1950s; What Nina Simone revealed about policing in Mississippi, and the myth of Southern exceptionalism, in her song “Mississippi Goddam.” Guest: Justin Randolph is an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, and his other research projects include histories of police desegregation, rural debt peonage, the Taser, and 9-1-1. His writing has appeared in scholarly outlets like the Journal of Southern History and Southern Cultures. He has also written for popular outlets such as The Washington Post, The Mississippi Encyclopedia, and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. He has received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship and prizes from both the Southern Historical Association and Agricultural History Society. Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Justin Randolph, assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, joins Michael Stauch to discuss Mississippi Law: Policing and Reform in America's Jim Crow Countryside (UNC Press, 2026), his new book on policing in Jim Crow Mississippi, told through the lens of that state's highway patrol. Using oral history and a wide range of archival sources, Randolph narrates efforts by elites in Mississippi to modernize the police while maintaining social hierarchies, as well as efforts on the part of Black Mississippians to envision a world without police. Highlights include: What a focus on state-level policing adds to our understanding of policing; How the founding of the Mississippi highway patrol brought together various forms of policing in the Southwest, including the Texas rangers; A surprisingly robust discussion of cows, including Mississippi's economic transformation to a center of cattle raising and the rise of cattlemen's “Massive Resistance” in the 1950s; What Nina Simone revealed about policing in Mississippi, and the myth of Southern exceptionalism, in her song “Mississippi Goddam.” Guest: Justin Randolph is an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, and his other research projects include histories of police desegregation, rural debt peonage, the Taser, and 9-1-1. His writing has appeared in scholarly outlets like the Journal of Southern History and Southern Cultures. He has also written for popular outlets such as The Washington Post, The Mississippi Encyclopedia, and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. He has received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship and prizes from both the Southern Historical Association and Agricultural History Society. Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Justin Randolph, assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, joins Michael Stauch to discuss Mississippi Law: Policing and Reform in America's Jim Crow Countryside (UNC Press, 2026), his new book on policing in Jim Crow Mississippi, told through the lens of that state's highway patrol. Using oral history and a wide range of archival sources, Randolph narrates efforts by elites in Mississippi to modernize the police while maintaining social hierarchies, as well as efforts on the part of Black Mississippians to envision a world without police. Highlights include: What a focus on state-level policing adds to our understanding of policing; How the founding of the Mississippi highway patrol brought together various forms of policing in the Southwest, including the Texas rangers; A surprisingly robust discussion of cows, including Mississippi's economic transformation to a center of cattle raising and the rise of cattlemen's “Massive Resistance” in the 1950s; What Nina Simone revealed about policing in Mississippi, and the myth of Southern exceptionalism, in her song “Mississippi Goddam.” Guest: Justin Randolph is an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, and his other research projects include histories of police desegregation, rural debt peonage, the Taser, and 9-1-1. His writing has appeared in scholarly outlets like the Journal of Southern History and Southern Cultures. He has also written for popular outlets such as The Washington Post, The Mississippi Encyclopedia, and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. He has received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship and prizes from both the Southern Historical Association and Agricultural History Society. Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Justin Randolph, assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, joins Michael Stauch to discuss Mississippi Law: Policing and Reform in America's Jim Crow Countryside (UNC Press, 2026), his new book on policing in Jim Crow Mississippi, told through the lens of that state's highway patrol. Using oral history and a wide range of archival sources, Randolph narrates efforts by elites in Mississippi to modernize the police while maintaining social hierarchies, as well as efforts on the part of Black Mississippians to envision a world without police. Highlights include: What a focus on state-level policing adds to our understanding of policing; How the founding of the Mississippi highway patrol brought together various forms of policing in the Southwest, including the Texas rangers; A surprisingly robust discussion of cows, including Mississippi's economic transformation to a center of cattle raising and the rise of cattlemen's “Massive Resistance” in the 1950s; What Nina Simone revealed about policing in Mississippi, and the myth of Southern exceptionalism, in her song “Mississippi Goddam.” Guest: Justin Randolph is an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, and his other research projects include histories of police desegregation, rural debt peonage, the Taser, and 9-1-1. His writing has appeared in scholarly outlets like the Journal of Southern History and Southern Cultures. He has also written for popular outlets such as The Washington Post, The Mississippi Encyclopedia, and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. He has received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship and prizes from both the Southern Historical Association and Agricultural History Society. Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Justin Randolph, assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, joins Michael Stauch to discuss Mississippi Law: Policing and Reform in America's Jim Crow Countryside (UNC Press, 2026), his new book on policing in Jim Crow Mississippi, told through the lens of that state's highway patrol. Using oral history and a wide range of archival sources, Randolph narrates efforts by elites in Mississippi to modernize the police while maintaining social hierarchies, as well as efforts on the part of Black Mississippians to envision a world without police. Highlights include: What a focus on state-level policing adds to our understanding of policing; How the founding of the Mississippi highway patrol brought together various forms of policing in the Southwest, including the Texas rangers; A surprisingly robust discussion of cows, including Mississippi's economic transformation to a center of cattle raising and the rise of cattlemen's “Massive Resistance” in the 1950s; What Nina Simone revealed about policing in Mississippi, and the myth of Southern exceptionalism, in her song “Mississippi Goddam.” Guest: Justin Randolph is an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, and his other research projects include histories of police desegregation, rural debt peonage, the Taser, and 9-1-1. His writing has appeared in scholarly outlets like the Journal of Southern History and Southern Cultures. He has also written for popular outlets such as The Washington Post, The Mississippi Encyclopedia, and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. He has received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship and prizes from both the Southern Historical Association and Agricultural History Society. Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law

Justin Randolph, assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, joins Michael Stauch to discuss Mississippi Law: Policing and Reform in America's Jim Crow Countryside (UNC Press, 2026), his new book on policing in Jim Crow Mississippi, told through the lens of that state's highway patrol. Using oral history and a wide range of archival sources, Randolph narrates efforts by elites in Mississippi to modernize the police while maintaining social hierarchies, as well as efforts on the part of Black Mississippians to envision a world without police. Highlights include: What a focus on state-level policing adds to our understanding of policing; How the founding of the Mississippi highway patrol brought together various forms of policing in the Southwest, including the Texas rangers; A surprisingly robust discussion of cows, including Mississippi's economic transformation to a center of cattle raising and the rise of cattlemen's “Massive Resistance” in the 1950s; What Nina Simone revealed about policing in Mississippi, and the myth of Southern exceptionalism, in her song “Mississippi Goddam.” Guest: Justin Randolph is an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, and his other research projects include histories of police desegregation, rural debt peonage, the Taser, and 9-1-1. His writing has appeared in scholarly outlets like the Journal of Southern History and Southern Cultures. He has also written for popular outlets such as The Washington Post, The Mississippi Encyclopedia, and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. He has received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship and prizes from both the Southern Historical Association and Agricultural History Society. Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-south

Justin Randolph, assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, joins Michael Stauch to discuss Mississippi Law: Policing and Reform in America's Jim Crow Countryside (UNC Press, 2026), his new book on policing in Jim Crow Mississippi, told through the lens of that state's highway patrol. Using oral history and a wide range of archival sources, Randolph narrates efforts by elites in Mississippi to modernize the police while maintaining social hierarchies, as well as efforts on the part of Black Mississippians to envision a world without police. Highlights include: What a focus on state-level policing adds to our understanding of policing; How the founding of the Mississippi highway patrol brought together various forms of policing in the Southwest, including the Texas rangers; A surprisingly robust discussion of cows, including Mississippi's economic transformation to a center of cattle raising and the rise of cattlemen's “Massive Resistance” in the 1950s; What Nina Simone revealed about policing in Mississippi, and the myth of Southern exceptionalism, in her song “Mississippi Goddam.” Guest: Justin Randolph is an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, and his other research projects include histories of police desegregation, rural debt peonage, the Taser, and 9-1-1. His writing has appeared in scholarly outlets like the Journal of Southern History and Southern Cultures. He has also written for popular outlets such as The Washington Post, The Mississippi Encyclopedia, and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. He has received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship and prizes from both the Southern Historical Association and Agricultural History Society. Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025.

Justin Randolph, assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, joins Michael Stauch to discuss Mississippi Law: Policing and Reform in America's Jim Crow Countryside (UNC Press, 2026), his new book on policing in Jim Crow Mississippi, told through the lens of that state's highway patrol. Using oral history and a wide range of archival sources, Randolph narrates efforts by elites in Mississippi to modernize the police while maintaining social hierarchies, as well as efforts on the part of Black Mississippians to envision a world without police. Highlights include: What a focus on state-level policing adds to our understanding of policing; How the founding of the Mississippi highway patrol brought together various forms of policing in the Southwest, including the Texas rangers; A surprisingly robust discussion of cows, including Mississippi's economic transformation to a center of cattle raising and the rise of cattlemen's “Massive Resistance” in the 1950s; What Nina Simone revealed about policing in Mississippi, and the myth of Southern exceptionalism, in her song “Mississippi Goddam.” Guest: Justin Randolph is an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, and his other research projects include histories of police desegregation, rural debt peonage, the Taser, and 9-1-1. His writing has appeared in scholarly outlets like the Journal of Southern History and Southern Cultures. He has also written for popular outlets such as The Washington Post, The Mississippi Encyclopedia, and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. He has received an American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship and prizes from both the Southern Historical Association and Agricultural History Society. Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're talking about “law enforcement” and why so many people no longer feel like laws are actually being enforced equally or consistently, especially when it comes to powerful and well-connected individuals connected to the Epstein scandal.We discuss the growing public frustration surrounding the unreleased and heavily redacted Epstein files, the lack of visible accountability for elite predators, and why so many Americans feel the justice system has failed women, children, and vulnerable people. We also talk about why local police departments, sheriffs, prosecutors, and public officials should be demanding full transparency and supporting the release of the complete unredacted Epstein files so the public can see the truth plainly.This episode also goes into the broader leadership crisis facing America and much of the world: weak leadership, fear of confrontation, and silence in the face of corruption. We discuss the need for stronger moral leadership, stronger families, stronger communities, and men willing to stand up publicly against evil instead of shrinking back from difficult conversations.If laws are not enforced equally, trust in institutions collapses. If justice is selective, people stop believing justice exists at all.It's time for courage, accountability, truth, and leadership again.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

Mea Culpa welcomes back one of the most dialed-in journalists of the last several decades, Jane Mayer. Mayer has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1995. As the magazine's chief Washington correspondent, she covers politics, culture, and national security. Previously, she worked at the Wall Street Journal, where she covered the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, the Gulf War, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1984, she became the paper's first female White House correspondent. She is the author of the 2016 Times best-seller “Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right,” She also wrote the 2008 Times best-seller “The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals,” which was named a National Book Award finalist. She is the co-author, with Jill Abramson, of “Strange Justice,” also a National Book Award finalist, and, with Doyle McManus, of “Landslide: The Unmaking of the President 1984-1988.” She has won numerous prizes and awards including a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Nellie Bly Award for Investigative Reporting. Michael and Jane dig into Clarence Thomas and the Supreme Court, GOP's scary policies, and Trump's legal woes. 

Inside a cavernous redemption warehouse in the Upper Valley, customers come to exchange bottles and cans for coins — and to see bottle-sorter Teera “Sweet T” Paye. We visited thanks to a question from Kevin Donohue of Thetford. He asked,“Who redeems bottles and cans in Vermont? Why are there so few places to do so?”Click here for photos and a full episode transcript. And here to sign up for the BLS newsletter!This episode was reported by Burgess Brown. Editing and additional production from Sabine Poux and Josh Crane. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Catherine Hurley and Marcie Gallagher.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org  Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Today we're talking about why so many people feel like none of us are fine anymore. The Epstein files reopened deep questions about power, corruption, protection, and why the people at the top never seem to face real accountability. We're breaking down the public reaction, the distrust, the anger, and what it means when people feel like justice only applies to ordinary citizens.--https://www.bible.com/

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum talks to Court TV correspondent Matt Johnson about what it takes to cover high-profile criminal cases and trials, from the Lori Vallow Daybell case and Rex Heuermann to Karen Read and the Delphi murders. Matt explains how deadlines, jury reactions, and the pressure of live television shape the way he turns hours of courtroom testimony into clear, accessible coverage. They discuss the public’s fascination with true crime, investigative missteps, and the emotional weight of sitting near violent offenders, including a moment when Matt says it felt as if “the devil is real, and here he is. Highlights: (0:00) Sheryl McCollum welcomes Matt Johnson to Zone 7 (2:45) Matt’s process for turning complex cases into clear, headline-driven reporting (5:45) The pressure of explaining a full case narrative in seconds on live television (7:15) Matt describes seeing Bryan Kohberger in court and the feeling of being near what he describes as “pure creep and evil” (10:00) The psychological impact of observing defendants like Lori Vallow Daybell during trial (14:30) The Delphi murders, Richard Allen, and how courtroom access, investigative gaps, and missing details shape public trust (18:15) Rex Heuermann, plea deals, and the answers families may never fully receive (20:45) Matt describes Rex Heuermann’s courtroom presence and the unsettling behavior he observed (26:00) The early cases that shaped Matt’s career, including the Turpin family case and Rebecca Zahau (29:30) Matt shares his new YouTube venture: True Crime and Justice with Matt Johnson (31:00) Sheryl closes with a Karen Read quote that captures Matt’s next chapter Guest Bio: Matt Johnson is an Emmy Award-winning crime and justice correspondent for Court TV Network covering major criminal cases and high-profile trials. He hosts the award-winning true crime podcast True Crime Deadline and recently launched True Crime and Justice with Matt Johnson on YouTube Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire. Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than 4 decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing. Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023. Social Links: Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com X: @ColdCaseTips Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum Instagram: @officialzone7podcast TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, releasing May 12, 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Supreme Court this week heard a case about Roundup, a weedkiller widely used in agriculture — and that tens of thousands claim has caused their cancer. Now a new investigation from Mother Jones reveals that Roundup is used across California by the US Forest Service and Cal Fire. While Bayer, Roundup's parent company, claims the chemical's safety is backed up by extensive research, the investigation calls into question data behind these claims. We look at what's known about the health impacts of Roundup, how it's used for fire recovery and why it's causing a rift in Trump world. Guests: Nate Halverson, senior reporter and producer, The Center for Investigative Reporting who reported on Roundup for Reveal and Mother Jones Patrick Thomas, reporter, The Wall Street Journal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

History has shown that authoritarian regimes can be toppled and social injustices can be eliminated if the public participates even in just one peaceful but powerful protest. But despite their noble goals, activism is often vilified and protesters are criminalized. Corinna Bellizzi is joined by Annie Leonard and André Carothers, two powerful souls who have spent their careers at the frontlines of activism. Together, they discuss why the public should never give up their right to protest, which is an essential “weapon” to voice out woes to those in power when all legal avenues of democracy have been exhausted. They also talk about the widespread impact of digital activism, the danger of overusing in-group language, and why protests can be effective even without resorting to violence. Blog for this episode: https://caremorebebetter.com/if-we-lose-the-right-to-protest-we-lose-everything-with-annie-leonard-andre-carothers/ About Guests: Annie Leonard is a lifelong activist whose work has taken her to protests, courtrooms, and congressional hearings around the world. As Executive Director of Greenpeace US from 2014 to 2023, she led one of the most recognized environmental organizations on the planet. She is the creator of The Story of Stuff — one of the most widely viewed environmental films in history — and co-launched the Jane Fonda Climate PAC. She has testified before Congress, appeared across major media, and been recognized by Time magazine as a Hero of the Environment. She received an honorary degree from Vermont Law School and has spent decades campaigning against pollution, waste, and unchecked corporate power. André Carothers is an activist, writer, and organizer with more than four decades of experience in campaigns spanning climate change, human rights, environmental protection, and nuclear disarmament. He worked for Greenpeace US for 13 years, including serving on its board of directors. He co-founded the Rockwood Leadership Institute, a training organization for activists, and consults as an organizational development coach for leaders across the social change sector. He has served on the boards of the Center for Investigative Reporting (which includes Mother Jones), International Rivers, the Center for Environmental Health, the Furthur Foundation, and Rainforest Action Network. Guest LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-leonard-65a00333/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrecarothers/ Guest Website:  theprotestbook.com Guest Social:  https://instagram.com/theprotestbook https://www.instagram.com/andrecarothers/ https://www.instagram.com/annie_leonard/ https://bsky.app/profile/theprotestbook.bsky.social https://www.facebook.com/annie.leonard/ Show Notes:  03:03 - Difference Between Activism And Protest 08:42 - Disability Rights Movement And Giving Funerals For Glaciers 14:49 - Common Trait Of Protests Regardless Of Issues Confronted 19:22 - How Protests And Protesters Vilified And Criminalized 28:37 - Where Does The Legitimate Limits Of Protests Lie 37:45 - How Stuff Welcomes Everyone Into The World Of Protests 42:44 - How Protests Can Actually Move The Needle 49:48 - The Widespread Impact Of Digital And Online Activism 53:12 - Balancing Clarity Of Direction, Discipline Of Movement, And The Diversity Of Humans 58:57 - Sustaining Oneself Emotionally Despite The Overwhelming Mission 01:03:18 - Seeing Protests In A Different Light BUILD A GREENER FUTURE with CARE MORE BE BETTER: Together, we planted 36,044 trees in 2025 through our partnership with ForestPlanet. Join our newsletter, and we'll plant even more. CAUSE PARTNER: If you value open dialogue, sustainability, and social equity, I invite you to support our new cause partner — Prescott College. To learn more about this effort and to support the show, visit: https://caremorebebetter.com/support/ Follow us on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/caremorebebetter TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caremorebebetter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caremorebebetter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareMoreBeBetter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/care-more-be-better Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode we're joined by Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg. Elizabeth is an investigative reporting fellow for The Appeal.The Appeal is a non-profit news organization that writes exposés about the criminal legal system. She's written for other news organizations too. Among the topics she writes about – wrongful convictions and extreme sentences.She has previously worked for The Innocence Project as a case analyst helping exonerate those wrongfully convicted. And she's written two interview-based plays on intense subjects. Elizabeth is a graduate of Rutgers with a masters from Northwestern.Elizabeth explained how a job like this has always been her passion, what goes into the work she does reporting on such harrowing subjects, and why a distrust of those in power is necessary for her reporting work. She explained how she decompresses. And she shares what aspiring journalists need to know about entering the profession.Elizabeth's articles: https://theappeal.org/authors/elizabeth-weill-greenberg/Elizabeth's salutes: Lauren Gill (Bolts), Joshua Vaughn (Penn Live)Subscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:30:00 GMT http://relay.fm/cortex/178 http://relay.fm/cortex/178 The Process of Investigative Reporting, With Jason Schreier 178 Myke Hurley Myke talks to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg about the realities of reporting – how stories start, how sources are built, and how he balances fast-moving news with the slower, deeper work of writing books. Myke talks to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg about the realities of reporting – how stories start, how sources are built, and how he balances fast-moving news with the slower, deeper work of writing books. clean 3664 Subtitle: State of the WorkflowMyke talks to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg about the realities of reporting – how stories start, how sources are built, and how he balances fast-moving news with the slower, deeper work of writing books. This episode of Cortex is sponsored by: Fitbod: Get stronger, faster with a fitness plan that fits you. Get 25% off your membership. Sentry: Mobile crash reporting and app monitoring. New users get $100 in Sentry credits with code cortex26. Mercury Weather: Forecasts, beautifully done. Download now for free. Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CORTEX. Guest Starring: Jason Schreier Links and Show Notes: Get Moretex – More Cortex, with no ads. Submit Feedback Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) — Bluesky Jason Schreier | Bloomberg Sony UX570 Digital Voice Recorder Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier – HarperCollins Press Reset by Jason Schreier – Hachette Book Group Play Nice by Jason Schreier – Hachette Book Group Why 'Silksong,' Team Cherry's Sequel to 'Hollow Knight,' Took So Long to Make - Bloomberg Triple Click | Maximum Fun

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:30:00 GMT http://relay.fm/cortex/178 http://relay.fm/cortex/178 Myke Hurley Myke talks to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg about the realities of reporting – how stories start, how sources are built, and how he balances fast-moving news with the slower, deeper work of writing books. Myke talks to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg about the realities of reporting – how stories start, how sources are built, and how he balances fast-moving news with the slower, deeper work of writing books. clean 3664 Subtitle: State of the WorkflowMyke talks to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg about the realities of reporting – how stories start, how sources are built, and how he balances fast-moving news with the slower, deeper work of writing books. This episode of Cortex is sponsored by: Fitbod: Get stronger, faster with a fitness plan that fits you. Get 25% off your membership. Sentry: Mobile crash reporting and app monitoring. New users get $100 in Sentry credits with code cortex26. Mercury Weather: Forecasts, beautifully done. Download now for free. Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CORTEX. Guest Starring: Jason Schreier Links and Show Notes: Get Moretex – More Cortex, with no ads. Submit Feedback Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) — Bluesky Jason Schreier | Bloomberg Sony UX570 Digital Voice Recorder Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier – HarperCollins Press Reset by Jason Schreier – Hachette Book Group Play Nice by Jason Schreier – Hachette Book Group Why 'Silksong,' Team Cherry's Sequel to 'Hollow Knight,' Took So Long to Make - Bloomberg Triple Click | Maximum Fun

People love to highlight Vermont “firsts” — like, how we're the first state to ban billboards and to approve civil unions. Or how we're first in the nation in maple syrup production and number of craft breweries per capita. Gary Gulka, of Cabot, wants to know: Where is Vermont ranked dead last?As we waded through a sea of last-place statistics, one stood out to us more than any other. Satisfy your cravings (hint hint) and tune in to learn more.Thanks to Gary for the great question. Click here for photos and a full episode transcript.This episode was reported by Sabine Poux. Editing and production from the rest of the BLS team: That's Burgess Brown and Josh Crane. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Kari Anderson, Bobby Lussier, Mikaela Lefrak, Jon Ehrens, Zoe McDonald, Phil Edfors, Shawn Harrington, Barbara Baraw, Hank Lambert, Michael Moser and everyone on Reddit who responded to our callout for fast food stories.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org  Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Before launching a capital campaign, most nonprofits hire a consultant to conduct a feasibility study. The consultant interviews donors, disappears for a few weeks, and returns with a report and a number. It's the way it's been done for decades. But a growing number of organizations are choosing a different path—and getting dramatically better results.In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Andrea Kihlstedt sat down with Emily Cozart Mohammed, Vice President of Development at the Center for Investigative Reporting, to discuss her experience completing a Guided Feasibility Study for a $50 million campaign. The conversation made a compelling case for why the guided model is replacing the traditional approach.In a traditional feasibility study, an outside consultant conducts every donor interview, compiles the data, and delivers a final report. The organization gets a number and some general feedback, but the staff never hears directly from donors and often has no idea who said what. Emily put it bluntly: not having that intel within your own system feels backwards.The Guided Feasibility Study flips this model. Instead of outsourcing donor conversations, the organization's own leaders—the VP of development, the CEO, trained board members—conduct the interviews themselves, with structured coaching and support from a Capital Campaign Pro advisor. The result is threefold: better data, deeper donor relationships, and a team that's ready to fundraise.Emily's team completed 55 interviews with a 2% decline rate—a remarkable response that reflects both donor engagement and organizational credibility. Donors told her repeatedly how much they preferred speaking directly with organizational leaders rather than, as one donor put it, another guy in a suit pitching one organization after another. For a deeper look at how feasibility studies fit into the campaign planning process, see Capital Campaign Pro's ultimate guide to feasibility studies.The guided model also produced tangible early results. One donor made an early gift of $420,000 during the study. The team documented $8.5 million in planned gifts against a $10 million planned giving goal. And because every conversation was led by someone who knows the organization deeply, Emily reported a higher degree of certainty that stated gift intentions would hold.Perhaps most importantly, the process doubled as professional development. Gift officers who had never worked on a high-level campaign gained firsthand experience. The CEO became a vocal advocate for the process. Board members who participated in interviews arrived at the approval vote already informed and confident—so much so that Emily's board presentation was met with almost no questions.Emily's advice for organizations considering a campaign: if you're hesitating between a traditional consultant-led study and a guided approach, don't overthink it. The guided model is more work, but it's not overwhelming—and the intelligence, relationships, and team readiness you gain are worth far more than a number in a report.Thinking about a feasibility study for your next campaign? Download the free Feasibility Study Ultimate Guide to understand the process, prepare your team, and set your campaign up for success.

Inside George Magazine: Lisa DePaulo on JFK Jr., Journalism, and Getting the Story Right What happens when the opportunity that changes your life sounds like a joke? In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau sits down with investigative journalist Lisa DePaulo, who nearly dismissed the voicemail that would define her career. When John F. Kennedy Jr. first called to hire her for George Magazine, she did not believe it was real. He had to call back again. That second call brought the Dunmore, Pennsylvania, native into one of the most influential media spaces of the 1990s. DePaulo shares what it was like to work with JFK Jr. as an editor, how he shaped her approach to reporting, and what he understood about the balance between access and restraint. She reflects on the culture inside George, where politics and celebrity met, and where strong journalism still drove the work. The conversation also turns to the FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. DePaulo offers a measured perspective on what the show captures well and where it misses, especially when it comes to the emotional truth behind public figures. This episode is about judgment.Protecting sources.Standing by your work. And it is about the moment that stayed with her.The call she planned to make.The news that followed instead. Clear, thoughtful and grounded, this conversation reflects what journalism looks like at its best.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investigative reporter Shoshana Walter has spent a decade uncovering how America's $53 billion rehab industry exploits the people it claims to help. Her debut book, Rehab: An American Scandal, follows four people through a system of unpaid labour, unregulated programs, and treatment that fuels relapse. "Just because people aren't dying doesn't mean they're not still suffering, doesn't mean their families and communities aren't still suffering." In this episode with Mark Labberton, Walter reflects on the human cost of America's failed treatment system. Together they discuss court-ordered rehab as unpaid labour, the deadly paradox of thirty-day programs, faith-based facilities exempt from oversight, racial disparities in the opioid crisis, the treatment gap for mothers, and why recovery capital and low-barrier care offer a more promising path. Episode Highlights "If indentured labour could be considered a form of addiction treatment in the US today, then how common is that? What does the rest of our treatment landscape look like?" "Someone who goes to a thirty-day program and finishes it is much more likely to overdose and die in the year following treatment than someone who didn't complete that program at all." "Without that recovery capital, it's almost as much of an obstacle as the addiction itself." "Our treatment system is not serving the people the way that it should. And we could be helping people so much more than we actually are." "That exploitation is not transformative." About Shoshana Walter Shoshana Walter is an investigative reporter for The Marshall Project covering criminal justice, health care, and child welfare, and the author of Rehab: An American Scandal (Simon & Schuster, 2025). She was lead reporter on the podcast American Rehab at the Center for Investigative Reporting. A 2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist, she has won the IRE Medal, the Livingston Award, the Knight Award for Public Service, and the Murrow Award. Based in Oakland, California. Learn more and follow at shoshanawalter.com and @shoeshine on X. Helpful Links and Resources Rehab: An American Scandal (Simon & Schuster, 2025) simonandschuster.com/books/Rehab/Shoshana-Walter/9781982149826 Shoshana Walter's website shoshanawalter.com The Marshall Project themarshallproject.org/staff/shoshana-walter American Rehab podcast podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal-presents-american-rehab/id1539955572 Show Notes America's rehab crisis: a $53 billion industry failing patients Court-ordered participants making products for KFC, Popeye's, Walmart—without pay Faith-based programs exempt from licensure, barred from providing medical care "That exploitation is not transformative." Sixty thousand people a year performing uncompensated labor in rehab Thirty- to sixty-day insurance limits fueling relapse and overdose "Someone who goes to a thirty-day program and finishes it is much more likely to overdose and die in the year following treatment." Chris Koon: eighty hours/week of manual labour, compensated with a pack of cigarettes April Lee: could only access treatment by getting herself arrested Accidental overdose: leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women Dr. Larry Ley: early Suboxone prescriber arrested by the DEA Wendy McIntyre: lost her son to overdose, became a reform crusader More than one million US overdose deaths since the epidemic began Racial shifts in overdose from white communities to black and brown communities Recovery capital: community, housing, job training as foundations for change "Without that recovery capital, it's almost as much of an obstacle as the addiction itself." Bridge Clinic at Highland Hospital: low-barrier model keeping people in care Mobile distribution, street medicine, peer navigators "We could be helping people so much more than we actually are." #RehabAnAmericanScandal #OpioidCrisis #AddictionTreatment #RecoveryCapital #HarmReduction #InvestigativeJournalism #Suboxone #ShoshanaWalter Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

We all accumulate lots of … stuff. Increasingly, we're cramming more of that stuff into self-storage facilities: those fields of metal lockers, arranged in neat, industrial rows. Join us as we explore the stuff — and stories — we usually keep stored away.Thanks to Chris Robbins of Middlebury for the great question.JOIN US! We're headed to Northern Stage in White River Junction to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the show. We hope to see you there.Click here for photos and a full episode transcript.This episode was reported by Mikaela Lefrak. Editing and production from Sabine Poux, Josh Crane and Burgess Brown. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Carly Berlin. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org  Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Here at the Center for Investigative Reporting, we excel at finding things: government documents, paper trails, the misdeeds people have tried to hide. It's serious work. But that gave us an idea: What would happen if we used these skills for things that are less about accountability and more about joy? If we turned our energy toward personally meaningful questions? That was the spark for our first-ever Inconsequential Investigations hour. We turned our journalistic strategies on our own biggest questions to see where the trail led.This week on Reveal, we take up Mother Jones video correspondent Garrison Hayes' quest to find the first short film he ever made, even though it was lost to the early 2000s internet. Yowei Shaw of the podcast Proxy brings us along as she meets her doppelganger and discovers the truth behind how people see her. And Reveal reporter and producer Ashley Cleek untangles her own unsolved mystery: Did reclusive rock star Jeff Mangum really call into her college radio show, asking her for a favor? We plan to do more Inconsequential Investigations like this. If you have a personal mystery that needs looking into, please email Inconsequential@revealnews.org. This is an update of an episode that first aired in October 2025. Support Reveal's journalism at Revealnews.org/donatenow Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get the scoop on new episodes at Revealnews.org/weekly Connect with us onBluesky, Facebook and Instagram Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

CNN anchor Carol Lin is at the height of her career after becoming the first network journalist to break the news of the 9/11 attacks. A month later, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a Taliban sniper along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, a stark reminder of the sacrifices she made to succeed in a white-centric, male-dominated journalism career. For Lin, breaking news and the defining split second when lives change is a drug—and a love that her traditional Chinese mother warned would never love her back. But when devastating news breaks apart her own life, Lin is forced to question a career that demands everything, a marriage marked by infidelity and cancer, and the sacrifices required to become the mother her daughter needs her to be.Told with fierce wit and candor, When News Breaks is the story of a woman who has been places and seen things but still has to discover who she really is behind the headlines.Carol Lin is best known for being the first national anchor to report the first 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Carol was a long-time anchor and correspondent for CNN and ABC News. During her career, she covered the war in the Middle East, the aftermath of the Kosovo War, the 2002 Winter Olympics, and every imaginable natural disaster from hurricanes, tornadoes, historic wildfires, and floods. Carol Lin received an Emmy, a Peabody, the Alfred I. Dupont Award, and Greater Los Angeles Press Club Awards for Excellence in both Investigative Reporting and her coverage of the Los Angeles Riots. She lives in Hawai'i and can be found writing, paddleboarding, and teaching her Cavapoo tricks.https://www.carollinnow.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.Subscribe now at YouTube.com/@RefocusedNetworkThank you for your time. 

This is a tale about what happens when a toxic industry booms and busts, the mess that's left behind and the fight over how to clean it up.Thanks to Morgan Pratt, Ann Fano and Carol Fano for the great questions.You can find the web version of this story here. JUST ANNOUNCED: Join us in April in White River Junction for a behind-the-scenes look at the show!This episode was reported by Burgess Brown. Editing and additional production from the BLS team: Sabine Poux and Josh Crane. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Abagael Giles, Matt Kierstead, Gary Lipson, Dr. Arti Shuckla, Marjorie Gale and Kyle Casteel. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

More To The Story: Over the last half-century, Mother Jones magazine has broken some of the era's defining stories, including some of the earliest reporting about the dangers of Big Tobacco, its investigation into the exploding Ford Pinto, and Mitt Romney's now-infamous line about 47 percent of Americans viewing themselves as “victims” who are “dependent on government.” Monika Bauerlein has been part of Mother Jones' story for half of its existence, first as an editor and now as the CEO of the Center for Investigative Reporting, which produces Mother Jones, as well as the public radio show Reveal and its sister podcast, More To The Story. This week, Bauerlein joins host Al Letson to look back at the magazine's Bay Area origin story. Plus, they examine how the politics of the 1970s are strikingly similar to today and look forward to what the next 50 years might bring for independent nonprofit news in the US.Producer: Josh Sanburn | Editor: Kara McGuirk-Allison | Theme music: Fernando Arruda and Jim Briggs | Copy editor: Nikki Frick | Digital producer: Artis Curiskis | Deputy executive producer: Taki Telonidis | Executive producer: Brett Myers | Executive editor: James West | Host: Al LetsonRead: Are You Driving the Deadliest Car in America? (Mother Jones)Read: My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard (Mother Jones)Read: SECRET VIDEO: Romney Tells Millionaire Donors What He REALLY Thinks of Obama Voters (Mother Jones)Listen: Trump's “Pincer Attack” on Journalism Is Working. But There's Hope. (More To The Story) Donate today at Revealnews.org/more Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at Revealnews.org/weekly Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Millions take flu shots and COVID vaccines every year—but how safe and effective are they really? Tara digs into the data the CDC and mainstream media don't emphasize, from flu shot mortality rates to vaccine effectiveness, and how COVID shots have caused rare but serious complications. This episode separates the facts from the cover-ups so listeners can make informed health decisions. SUMMARY In this episode, Tara examines the risks and effectiveness of flu shots and COVID vaccines, revealing insights many doctors and news outlets overlook. Flu Shots: Each year, 200–250 people die from flu shots in the U.S., possibly up to 1,000 when underreporting is considered. Flu vaccines are based on predictions of last year's flu strains and can actually increase susceptibility to new strains. The CDC reported this year's vaccine was only 25% effective, with long-term reassessments often dropping that number to 5–14%. COVID Vaccines: Amid coverage of global conflicts, media quietly report that adenovirus-based COVID vaccines have caused dangerous blood clots. While rare, the deaths and complications were largely unreported or censored, leaving the public in the dark about the risks. Investigative Insights: Tara draws on years of vaccine research and investigative reporting to question mainstream narratives and encourage listeners to ask informed questions about their health. Actionable Advice: Always consult your doctor—but don't hesitate to challenge them on what you've learned. If your doctor cannot provide clear answers about vaccine risks and effectiveness, it may be time to seek a new provider. KEY TALKING POINTS Flu shot mortality estimates and underreporting issues How flu vaccines can increase susceptibility to unpredicted strains Effectiveness rates of recent flu vaccines: 25% and declining over time COVID adenovirus-based vaccines linked to rare blood clots Media coverage and public understanding of vaccine risks Importance of informed consent and questioning medical advice SOCIAL MEDIA BLURB Flu shots & COVID vaccines: Are you really being protected—or misled?

Fire departments across the country are struggling to find volunteers. But in Norwich, new recruits are lining up. We spent a weekend at the firehouse to find out why.You can find the web version of this story here.This episode was reported by Josh Crane. Additional editing and production from Burgess Brown and Sabine Poux. Angela Evancie is our executive producer. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music from Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Camila Van Order Gonzales, Alex Warner, Chris Pike, Prescott Nadeau, Gerald Levesque, Ronald Morse and Michael Skaza.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Ice is unavoidable during winter on the Champlain Islands. Surrounded on all sides by an icy expanse, islanders embrace this seasonal terrain — as a place to walk the dog, to skate and to fish. One North Hero resident sees trucks of ice fishermen driving out onto the lake and wants to know: How do they know when it's safe? You can find the web version of this story here. For ice fishing guidance from the state of Vermont, head here.Thanks to David Erich, of North Hero, for the great question.This episode was reported and produced by Sabine Poux. Additional editing and production from Burgess Brown and Josh Crane. Angela Evancie is our executive producer. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music from Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Kevin White and Andy Julow.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

The Epstein story is not over, no matter how much certain political figures want it to be.In this episode, we confront the ongoing withholding of key Epstein documents and ask hard questions about transparency. We examine the actions and public positions of Donald Trump, Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino.The real focus remains where it should have been all along: the women and children harmed by Jeffrey Epstein and those connected to him.Justice requires truth. And truth requires courage.--https://www.bible.com/

Send a textAnna Hamilton talks to us about the work of The Marjorie, Florida's independent reporting outlet dedicated to the critical intersection of social justice and the environment. Anna is the Co-Founder & Development Director for The Marjorie. She is a radio producer and oral historian whose work explores the cultures and environments of the American South. Anna has developed projects for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Southern Foodways Alliance, and reported for outlets including NPR and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting. The Marjorie is not your source for breaking news. Instead, they specialize in telling in-depth stories about Florida's environment that consider human values as well as important historical and cultural contexts. The Marjorie was named for three of Florida's iconic Marjories: author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, conservationist Marjorie Harris Carr, and advocate Marjory Stoneman Douglas. The Marjorie has collaborated with members of the Stories-To-Live-By project through panel presentations and resource sharing. You can connect with Anna and The Marjorie at themarjorie.org. Resources mentioned in this episode:Egmont Key: A Seminole Story (https://stofthpo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Egmont-Key-Digital-book-web.pdf)To cite this episode:Persohn, L. (Host). (2026, Feb 12). A Stories-To-Live-By Conversation with Anna Hamilton from The Marjorie. (Season 6, No. 7) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/AB4B-EC88-D5E0-A7FF-E805-GConnect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

On today's episode of Uncommon Sense with Ginny Robinson, we continue unpacking the devastating revelations found in the Epstein files. What's been exposed isn't just corruption, it's a system that protects powerful criminals while innocent victims are silenced.The facts are very disturbing. There has been absolutely no accountability. And the victims deserve more than headlines and non-answers.We're asking hard questions about leadership, responsibility, and why justice still feels so out of reach. If powerful names are involved, then powerful action must follow. No more silence. No more avoidance. The victims deserve truth, and they deserve justice. NOW.--https://www.bible.com/

Names removed from mailboxes. Businesses shuttered. More packages from online retailers. These are just a few of the changes mail carriers say they've noticed since President Donald Trump's administration sent a surge of federal immigration agents to Minnesota in early December.MPR News host Angela Davis hears from mail carriers about how ICE activity is affecting their work and the people they serve, and how their familiar routes feel different.Guests:Artis Curiskis is a reporter and producer for the Center for Investigative Reporting — a nonprofit, independent, investigative newsroom that produces the radio show “Reveal,” the print magazine Mother Jones and the podcast “More To The Story.” You can hear his recent report about the changes mail carriers are noticing on their routes here: How Minneapolis Taught America to Fight Back.Luke Ferguson is a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier who delivers along a Minneapolis route ten blocks from where he grew up.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Vermont has among the weakest forms of county government in the United States, placing a big burden on towns. Is there a better way forward?You can find the web version of this story here.Thanks to everyone who submitted questions about counties, including Gary Novosel of Addison County, Paul Hochanadel of Chittenden County and Michael Moser of Lamoille County.This episode was reported by Howard Weiss-Tisman and produced by Burgess Brown. Editing and additional production from Josh Crane and Sabine Poux. Angela Evancie is our executive producer. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music from Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Becca Golden, Alicia Freese, Catherine Hurley, Ted Brady, Cheryl Morse, Dona Brown, Chris Campany, Austin Davis, Carolyn Partridge, Grant Reynolds, Joyce McKeema and Peter Gregory.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

The Vermont National Guard usually takes orders from the state. But at the end of 2025, President Trump deployed the Vermont guard to the Caribbean — and Gov. Scott said he had no control over the president's orders.It gave this question from a listener newfound relevance: “Who controls the deployment of the Vermont National Guard if orders from the federal government and the state are in conflict?”You can find the web version of this story here. For more about the Vermont guard, check out this 2010 VPR series, which covered some of the 1,500 Vermonters who were deployed to Afghanistan.This episode was reported and produced by Sabine Poux and Josh Crane. Editing and additional production from Burgess Brown. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Michael Bosworth, Jill Lepore, Mikaela Lefrak, Jon Ehrens, Alicia Freese, April McCullum, Peter Hirschfeld, Peter Teachout, Steve Zind and Zoe McDonald.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Craig has identified what he believes to be the single worst piece of proposed legislation for the upcoming session of the Florida State Legislature. Chadd's vote goes to the "Blue Ribbon Project" scheme.Abbott Kahler is an author and investigative reporter. Her September of 2025 "Vanity Fair" article revealed the true identity - the Florida identity - behind an author who had stayed anonymous for more than 40 years. The anonymous author penned a how-to manual for contract murder that ended up being used for a triple murder and at the center of an important First Amendment court case."Welcome to Florida" patrons receive exclusive access to our weekly "Florida Conservation Newsletter" for just $5 per month.

Brian Karem speaks with Dr. Nolan Higdon to discuss the documentary on Seymour Hersh, exploring his impact on journalism, the importance of investigative reporting, and the challenges faced by modern journalists. They delve into the art of building sources, the evolution of the press corps, and the critical role of editors in maintaining journalistic integrity. The discussion also highlights the significance of verification in reporting and the need for a robust media landscape to hold power accountable.The documentary is called "Cover-Up" and is available now on NETFLIXFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JATQPodcastFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/jatqpodcast.bsky.socialIntragram: https://www.instagram.com/jatqpodcastYoutube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCET7k2_Y9P9Fz0MZRARGqVwThis Show is Available Ad-Free And Early For Patreon supporters here:https://www.patreon.com/justaskthequestionpodcastPurchase Brian's book "Free The Press"  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, the origin story of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches more than 2,000 miles from Maine to Georgia. But it was a peak in southern Vermont that inspired the idea of the trail in the first place. Thanks to one of our favorite podcasts, Off the Path, for sharing this story with us. Here's a link to the original web post.For more stories from the trail, check out our episodes, “What's it like to hike the Long Trail?” and “What's the deal with Vermont's fire towers?”This episode was reported and produced by Davis Dunavin at WSHU Public Radio. The Brave Little State team is Josh Crane, Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Our Executive Producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Today we are sharing the trailer for Season 3 of Dig, from the ⁠Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting⁠. Each season, Dig exposes the systems that allow injustice to fester, and shines a light on the people fighting for solutions. Season Three: The GirlsThey were trusted educators and respected coaches. But in the summer of 2025, twin brothers Ronnie and Donnie Stoner, were indicted on more than 50 charges related to child sex abuse allegations. A group of young women say the abuse stretched back nearly two decades. So what took so long? Season Three of Dig brings you the story of those women, who say they survived the abuse, took matters into their own hands and are still fighting for the girls they used to be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They were trusted educators and respected coaches. But in the summer of 2025, twin brothers Ronnie and Donnie Stoner were indicted on more than 50 charges related to child sex abuse allegations. A group of young women say the abuse stretched back nearly two decades. So what took so long? This is the story of those women who say they survived the abuse, took matters into their own hands and are still fighting for the girls they used to be. Dig is produced by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting and Louisville Public Media. Listen to all four episodes of the season here.

Here at the Center for Investigative Reporting, we excel at finding things: government documents, contact information, the misdeeds people have tried to hide. It's serious work that we use for serious tasks—but that gave us an idea. What would happen if we used these skills for things that are less about accountability and more about joy? If we  turned our energy toward meaningful, personal questions? That was the spark for our first-ever hour examining our favorite inconsequential investigations. We turned our tried and true journalistic strategies on our own biggest questions to see where the trail led.This week, we take up Mother Jones video reporter Garrison Hayes' quest to find the first short film he ever made, even though it was lost to the early 2000s internet. Yowei Shaw of the podcast Proxy brings us along as she meets her doppelganger and discovers the truth behind how people see her. And Reveal producer Ashley Cleek untangles her own biggest unsolved mystery: Did reclusive rock star Jeff Mangum really call into her college radio show, asking her for a favor? We plan to do more “inconsequential investigations” like this. So, if you have a personal mystery that needs looking into, please email Inconsequential@revealnews.org  Support Reveal's journalism at Revealnews.org/donatenow Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get the scoop on new episodes at Revealnews.org/weekly Connect with us onBluesky, Facebook and Instagram Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices