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Can Vote by Mail Work in Low Income Minority Neighborhoods?

Eric Cortellessa

May 14, 2020 |

Washington Monthly |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Maryland and Ohio recently held elections almost entirely by mail and their different approaches provide insight into the impact on low-income voters, particularly those without permanent addresses. All registered voters in Maryland were sent mail-from-home ballots whereas Ohio voters had to request a ballot. Despite some reports of issues, turnout in Maryland increased 10 percentage points overall and 6 points in Baltimore City, indicating no widespread disenfranchisement in poorer counties. In Ohio, the extra step created a barrier for many voters and turnout decreased from 43.6% in 2016 to just 22.6%.

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Hoping for Federal Help, Cities Experiment with Rental Assistance

Jared Brey

May 12, 2020 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Many U.S. cities have responded to Covid-19 related layoffs by using a portion of the CARES Act funds to create local rent assistance programs that keep renters in homes and landlords generating income. For example, Dallas used $13.7 million from the CARES Act for a rent assistance program and within 26 hours they had 25,000 applicants, with about 10,000 meeting requirements and funds likely going to just 1,000 renters. States and cities do not have enough money to meet the demand for rent assistance and are urging the Federal Government to pass a recently introduced bill that will provide more funding.

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Greece Has ‘Defied the Odds' in the Pandemic

Iliana Magra

April 28, 2020 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Greece, Thessaloniki

Because of early and quick actions by the government – and a compliant populace – Greece has seen under 200 COVID-19 deaths, relatively low compared to its European counterparts. The country was quick to cancel large gatherings, enforce mandatory quarantines after travel, increase its healthcare infrastructure, and impose a strict shelter-in-place order. While these measures have seemingly had an impact, limitations like lack of testing and outbreaks in refugee camps are making some question those results.

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California lessons from the 1918 pandemic: San Francisco dithered; Los Angeles acted and saved lives

James Rainey Rong-Gong Lin II

April 19, 2020 |

Los Angeles Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

Two of California’s major cities – Los Angeles and San Francisco – are learning from their history with the Spanish Influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two cities had different approaches, with San Francisco strongly requiring masks, shutting down later, and opening up earlier and Los Angeles shutting down almost immediately and waiting an extra month to open up. Over one hundred years later, leaders are looking back to learn from mistakes to save lives.

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Comic Relief From COVID-19: Leaders Really Meme It When They Say Stay Home

Mary Chris Jaklevic

April 10, 2020 |

KFF Health News |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States

Some officials are using humor to urge citizens to follow Covid-19 directives like staying at home and social distancing. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot used memes shared under #whereslightfoot as inspiration for a public service announcement, where she uses humor to reinforce the city’s stay at home order. Other officials, such as the governors of New York, California, and Kentucky, have created humorous videos, engaged in playful banter, and enlisted the help of famous comedians to reach people. The response has been positive, but some critics worry that sarcasm can cause people to push back on the advice.

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Are We Firing Too Many People In The U.S.?

Greg Rosalsky

April 07, 2020 |

NPR |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Germany, Berlin

“Kurzarbeit” is a German governmental program that helps preserve jobs in an economic crisis. A company can reduce the hours of workers and the government will help pay them, which preserves the important specialized training invested in manufacturing jobs, helps workers get some pay, and reduces the reliance upon unemployment benefits that are comparable to those in the U.S. It worked in the 2008 recession, and it is working in the economic downturn caused by COVID-19.

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Bend it like the Bay Area: Doctors see flatter curve after 2 weeks of social isolation

Debra Kahn Carla Marinucci

March 30, 2020 |

Politico |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

As the coronavirus outbreak began to show signs of spreading the United States, six counties in the Bay Area of California quickly instituted stay at home and shelter-in-place orders. Although the virus is still spreading in much of the country, the early and aggressive measures taken in this region are believed to have contributed to the lower-than-expected caseload reported by hospitals in these counties.

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Coronavirus: Is Bay Area social distancing lockdown working? Some see progress

John Woolfolk

March 30, 2020 |

San Jose Mercury News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

As California’s Bay Area is weeks into its shelter-in-place order – the first in the nation – experts are seeing indications that it’s working in the fight against COVID19, but at the same time needs to continue. Health officials are seeing signs that the increase of cases could be flattening, which was the goal of social distancing, and has been giving the area more time to prepare for a spike, which other experts say is inevitable. Either way, the stay-at-home mandate is helping reduce strain on the healthcare system.

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State Legislatures Scramble to Meet in the Age of Coronavirus

Kate Elizabeth Queram

March 30, 2020 |

Route Fifty |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, New York

Across the United States, local and state legislators are passing resolutions to make sure they can continue to serve their communities while keeping themselves safe from COVID-19. From convening in bigger spaces, like basketball arenas to allowing for voting from separate rooms or via video or teleconference, public servants are working to make sure they can continue to pass emergency legislation for their communities.

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Coronavirus Slowdown in Seattle Suggests Restrictions Are Working

Mike Baker

March 29, 2020 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

After learning of the first cases of coronavirus that weren't contracted by direct exposure or from foreign travel, officials in Washington took quick and strict measures to start introducing social distancing, which may have helped slow the transmission. Although the hospitals are low on supplies, they have not yet been "overrun," indicating that modeling and widespread testing, along with limiting human-to-human interactions and gatherings, were all beneficial parts of the strategy to slow the spread.

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