Hurricane Michael: Seven Months Later
You may remember October 2018, when Hurricane Michael hit the Florida panhandle. This record-breaking storm left a wide path of devastation across Florida and southern Georgia, and now, seven months later, many people are still suffering Michael’s aftermath. Here, btw takes a closer look at the storm, at what happened after, and at the challenges […]
YOU DECIDE: Voting Rights for Ex-Criminals?
In November, Florida voters approved Amendment 4, a ballot initiative that, for the first time, allows Florida residents with felony records to vote. According to the new amendment, anyone who has completed their prison sentence is eligible to vote, though people who have been convicted of murder or felony sex offenses still are not. The […]
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Paradise Lost Once again, Northern California is finding itself ravaged by wildfires–and this year is the deadliest and most destructive one yet. The confirmed death toll currently stands at 85, but with at least 249 still missing, it’s expected to continue to rise. Furthermore, after two weeks, the Camp Fire has destroyed more buildings than […]
Midterm Election Update
This week’s story update on the Election Central Web site provides an update on the close midterm election races that were not resolved after the events of Election Day on November 6. Imagine that you’re running for political office. It’s a close race, and as the numbers roll in on Election Night, you’re not sure […]
Midterm Races to Watch
This week’s story update on the Election Central Web site reports on key political races in the midterm elections that are less than a week away. It feels like you can’t turn on the television or check in on social media this month without seeing a political ad, as candidates gear up for the November […]
Democrats Threatened by Bombs
The last week has seen a shocking amount of violence across the country, including bomb threats against several prominent Democrats and other opponents of Donald Trump. While no one was hurt by the bombs, they still sent an unsettling message about the political divisiveness of the United States just a week before the upcoming November […]
Hurricane Michael Hits the Panhandle
As the Carolinas struggle to recover from Hurricane Florence, another deadly storm has hit the eastern United States. Hurricane Michael made landfall in the Florida panhandle last Wednesday, leaving behind a wide path of destruction in Florida and across southern Georgia that has leveled entire towns and left more than a dozen dead. Here, btw […]
Stop Sipping to Save the Earth
When you order your favorite soft drink or milkshake, how do you drink it? If you said “With a straw,” you’re not alone. In fact, Americans use an estimated 500 million plastic straws every day. But this is about to change. Across the country, universities, food service companies, and even entire cities are banning plastic […]
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Exciting Primaries in Red States If you haven’t been paying much attention to the recent primary elections, you’re not alone: voter turnout from both parties for non-presidential primaries is always quite low. This year, however, there are exciting races to watch in many places, most notably in Georgia, Arkansas, and Kentucky. These are all historically […]
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Another Sexual Harassment Charge New York attorney general Eric T. Schneiderman has become the latest politician to resign in the wake of the powerful #MeToo movement. Schneiderman–a Democrat, vocal defender of women’s rights, and anti-Trumper–has been accused of physically abusing four women. Aside from their anger over the incident itself, Democrats have also been angry […]