Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 227 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

Digital Startup Fills News Niche in Wheeling, West Virginia

John Miller

April 19, 2021 |

The Daily Yonder |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Wheeling, West Virginia

Ledenews.com is one of the more than 80 online-only news sites started in 2019 to fill the void in news deserts. The site covers sports, politics, traffic, and local stories about local people in the Wheeling, WV area. The site cost $5,000 to start and now brings in about $60,000 a year in advertising, with 1,500 to 2,000 readers a day, a rate of growth that suggests profitability within a few years. The site publishes around 10 stories a week, including three major features, and all of the news is geared towards local issues not covered by other publications, including holding local officials accountable.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Here's how a Texas border city is closing its digital divide

Molly Smith

April 13, 2021 |

El Paso Matters |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, El Paso, Texas

Texan cities, like McAllen and El Paso, are bridging the digital divide for students and building infrastructure to connect whole communities. In El Paso, the city used $150,000 of the $84 million it received in federal funds to purchase hotspots, which are now available for check-out from public libraries. In McAllen, the city has taken on the $1 million annual cost to provide Wi-Fi to the entire city.

Read More
Go to Original Story
KC court's pandemic program dismisses 5,000 warrants

Miranda Davis

April 07, 2021 |

The Kansas City Beacon |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Kansas City, Missouri

A virtual opportunity to have warrants dismissed and fines reduced resulted in thousands of dismissals for residents of Kansas City. The virtual nature of the program encouraged many people to take advantage of interacting with the court system without the threat of being arrested.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Airbnb-like Miami company helps parents explore childcare centers without the driving

Yadira Lopez

March 28, 2021 |

Miami Herald |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

Parents in Miami-Dade county can now access an online directory of preschools and childcare options through prek.com. Research shows most parents find child care through word of mouth, which leaves those who are new in town, as well as immigrant parents, at a disadvantage. The website provides one-on-one services to help walk parents explore their options and offers a digital presence to many smaller facilities that lacked the time and resources to market online.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Schools Look To Algorithms To Flag Students Who May Harm Themselves

Alisa Roth

March 03, 2021 |

NPR |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Mason City, Iowa

Companies like Gaggle are typically used by school districts to track student online behavior, but now they are tracking something else—self-harm. Machine learning flags words that might indicate a student is thinking of hurting themselves. “It gives us insight into what the student's thinking.” Gaggle identified 64,000 student references to suicide and self-harm. The company claims to have saved 927 student lives. In Mason City, districts receive alerts when a student’s search is flagged. “Nicole Pfirman says there have been a few times where she believes an alert saved a kid's life.”

Read More
Go to Original Story
City governments in Kansas didn't launch the tech revolution. But they're embracing it

Stan Finger

February 23, 2021 |

The Kansas Leadership Center Journal (KLC Journal) |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Kansas

City websites have embraced technology, allowing residents to pay bills, request permits, and attend council or commission meetings online. The shift, which was accelerated by the pandemic, also made the websites crucial information hubs, informing residents about everything from tax increases to street closings. The shift increased efficiency, for example decreasing in-person visits to City Hall, reporting problems like potholes any time, and officials are fielding fewer calls because information is readily accessible. Conducting business online also led to greater transparency into city business.

Read More
Go to Original Story
N.Y.'s Vaccine Websites Weren't Working. He Built a New One for $50.

Sharon Otterman

February 09, 2021 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Online volunteer assistance efforts in New York have played a crucial role in the dissemination of the COVID-19 vaccine, while city and state appointment systems have caused confusion or created barriers for many. Although these efforts can't address all barriers, such as lack of computer access or literacy, they have been used by thousands of people each day to find available appointment times.

Read More
Go to Original Story
To Bridge the Digital Divide, Cities Tap Their Own Infrastructure

Linda Poon

February 08, 2021 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The digital divide has exacerbated the challenge of virtual schooling and has spurred communities to provide affordable internet access. Local governments, nonprofits, and school districts are piloting initiatives to increase digital access for children from economically disadvantaged families. Advocates are pushing for permanent solutions that last after the pandemic in lieu of stopgap actions that have been put in place specifically for virtual schooling.

Read More
Go to Original Story
With free print newspaper, Indian farmers record their protest

Rina Chandran

February 04, 2021 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, New Delhi

Because of internet shutdowns, six friends created a bilingual newspaper to document and record the farmer protests in India. Thousands of farmers have been protesting for weeks about the government’s new agricultural laws. Since there are many older farmers and the government has blocked the internet, they give out free print copies of their biweekly “Trolley Times” newspaper with information on speeches, medical aid, and community kitchens. While producing the newspaper has become harder, they are able to print about 5,000 copies for the farmers.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Getting vaccinated is hard. It's even harder without the internet.

Eileen Guo

February 03, 2021 |

MIT Technology Review |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

A focus on infrastructure has been emphasized as the solution to bridging the digital divide, with “billions of dollars going into expanding broadband infrastructure.” Rural communities have historically struggled with broadband infrastructure but many people living in cities are also kept from accessing reliable internet service due to high costs. Affordability, not just infrastructure alone, must be addressed into order to remedy a lack of internet access.

Read More
Go to Original Story