JCCF NEWS SUMMARY
October 11, 2013

A Night of News and Inspiration 

 

Listen to the winners of the 2013 Casey Medals share their stories of persistence, luck and powerful reporting as they receive their awards from emcee Steve Inskeep, of NPR's Morning Edition. 

 

"Mike and Victor: A Family Story"
Journalists Alex Kotlowitz and Amy Drozdowska Win 2013 Casey Medal
Journalists Alex Kotlowitz and Amy Drozdowska Win 2013 Casey Medal
"Dollars and Dentists"

Journalists Jill Rosenbaum and David Heath Win 2013 Casey Medal
Journalists Jill Rosenbaum and David Heath Win 2013 Casey Medal

"31 Shocks Later"

Journalist Jennifer Gonnerman Wins 2013 Casey Medal
Journalist Jennifer Gonnerman Wins 2013 Casey Medal

"Children in Peril"
Journalist Marisa Kwiatkowski Wins 2013 Casey Medal
Journalist Marisa Kwiatkowski Wins 2013 Casey Medal

"Broken Shield"
Journalist Ryan Gabrielson Wins 2013 Casey Medal
Journalist Ryan Gabrielson Wins 2013 Casey Medal

"Transgender at Five"
Journalist Petula Dvorak Wins 2013 Casey Medal
Journalist Petula Dvorak Wins 2013 Casey Medal
"I Boy"
Journalist Mark Johnson Wins 2013 Casey Medal
Journalist Mark Johnson Wins 2013 Casey Medal

 

And the two Casey Medal winners who were also honored by America's Promise Alliance:

 
"In God's Name"
Tampa Bay Times Wins America's Promise Journalism Award
Tampa Bay Times Wins America's Promise Journalism Award

"Unfolding Our World"
WNYC's Radio Rookies Win America's Promise Journalism Award
WNYC's Radio Rookies Win America's Promise Journalism Award

 

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What It's Like to Lose Head Start

The Washington Post, Niraj Chokshi | Oct. 10

At least seven Head Start programs, still reeling from sequestration cuts, were closed last week when the federal government shut down Oct. 1. A surprise $10 million donation saved the day. But one big questions remains: Will the shutdown outlast the emergency funds?

 

Baby Veronica Case: Dusten Brown to stop custody fight for Veronica

Tulsa (Okla.) World, Michael Overall | Oct. 10

Dusten Brown will drop all litigation in the "Baby Veronica" case. The decision concludes a custody battle that stretched across two states, dragged on for nearly four years and went to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

 

Hunger in the Valley of Plenty (Video)

Center for Investigative Reporting/KQED, Scott Anger, Natasha Del Toro and Sasha Khokha | Oct. 9

The families that harvest California's produce face many barriers to accessing healthy and affordable food.

 

New Psychosis Center Aims to Prevent Violence

Stateline, Michael Ollove | Oct. 9

This year, Maryland was one of a handful of states that bucked a national trend and actually increased spending on mental health. Unlike the other states, Maryland is also focusing directly on psychosis, the symptom that makes violence more likely.

 

Suspecting Parents Doesn't Protect Kids - Training and Partnership Do (Opinion)

Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, Tamar Birckhead | Oct. 7

The author recalls her experience as a young caseworker in the child welfare system where, she says, too many children are taken from their parent's homes in a process that is traumatic and damaging to kids and adults.

 

Nashville Wants Renters, Homebuyers to Be Able to Spot Subtle Discrimination

The Tennessean, Tony Gonzalez | Oct. 7

Housing discrimination is alive and well in Middle Tennessee, but bias isn't as obvious as it once was. Spurred by recent instances of discrimination, a burst of funding and heightened attention from the federal government, local housing rights advocates are amping up efforts to root out bias and teach prospective buyers or tenants their rights.

 

For Boys With Eating Disorders, Finding Treatment Can Be Hard

NPR, Rhitu Chatterjee| Oct. 7

Eating disorders are commonly thought to be a problem for girls and women, but an estimated 10 million American men have an eating disorder at some point in their lives. And though eating disorders in boys share many similarities with those in girls, treatment programs tailored to girls may not feel like the right fit.

 

Largely Unchecked, Tutors Got Millions Through Program 

The Texas Tribune, Morgan Smith | Oct. 6

Texas spent millions tutoring students from low-income families as a part of a lesser-known No Child Left Behind program. A Texas Tribune investigation has uncovered years of inaction by state officials while money flowed to tutoring companies, delivering few academic results and flouting state law. The program quietly ended in late September.

Part 2

 

Ethical Parenting

New York Magazine, Lisa Miller | Oct. 6

All kinds of parents seize advantage for their kids when they can. Is there such a thing as ethical parenting?

 

Prosecutors Shift Approach on Underage Sex Trafficking

The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), Anne Blythe | Oct. 5

As prosecutors understand more about the harsh dynamics of sex trafficking, they are trying to better coordinate efforts to treat the minors involved as abused victims, which criminal justice officials say a vast number are.

 

Breaking Ground: Yesterday's Dropouts

WAMU 88.5 News, Kavitha Cardoza | Oct. 4

Every year more than one million students fail to graduate from high school on time. Ten, 20, even 40 years later, the long shadow of their unfinished education still follows them every day.

 

False Abuse Reports Trouble Child Welfare Advocates

City Limits Magazine, Rachel Blustain | Oct. 4

In some neighborhoods, it's not uncommon to file false, malicious reports of child abuse to settle a grudge. The scope of the problem is unknown and what to do about such reports is a conundrum for the child welfare system, which is built around encouraging people to speak out when they suspect a child is being harmed.

 

Chicago Police Organize Take-back Events at Parks After Shootings 

Chicago Tribune, Lolly Bowean | Oct. 3

Historically, parks and playgrounds have been community anchors. But a recent spate of high-profile shootings at Chicago's South Side parks has framed play areas as gang strongholds. Now city officials and police are pushing to empower residents to take back their parks.

 

Facebook and Md. Schools Partner to Combat Bullying

The Baltimore Sun, Liz Bowie | Oct. 3

Facebook and Maryland's school system will pilot an effort to combat cyber bullying next year. The initiative was announced two days after Grace's Law took effect in the state. The law, named for a 15-year-old who took her life after repeated online harassment, will make online bullying a misdemeanor.

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Events
EVENTS
 

Oct. 15, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. 
Sentencing Project
webinar
A discussion about the dramatic shift in women's prison population demographics and recommendations for how to address racial disparities in incarceration.

Oct. 21, 8 a.m. ET
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
Washington, D.C.
The causation, mitigation and prevention of violence. 

Oct. 21, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. 
The Hamilton Project
Washington, D.C.
A forum on the evolving role of higher education in American society.
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Opportunities
OPPORTUNITIES
 

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ABOUT THE JCCF NEWS SUMMARY

Mina Dixon, Editor 


The Journalism Center on Children & Families, a program of the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, is a national nonprofit organization committed to supporting media coverage of children, youth and families, particularly the disadvantaged. The JCCF News Summary helps journalists and others keep in touch with the latest news, policy analysis and research reports on critical social issues that impact families and communities. We encourage redistribution of this material with credit given to the Journalism Center on Children & Families.

Journalists are encouraged to submit their stories for consideration for publication in the JCCF News Summary and on our website. Please send story links to: [email protected]. Stories should be archived and free of access charges for at least seven days.
 
JCCF thanks The Annie E. Casey Foundation for its generous support of our work.
 
www.journalismcenter.org



 
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