By Rosie Molinary on May 24, 2012 the opening page of one of my many journals... When I teach journaling workshops, I often give participants a series of prompts that I call Three Small Questions. The catch is that they aren’t small questions at all. They are often big questions but what I want from them is short, simple, one sentence, very direct answers. Today, I am sharing three questions that I want you to answer every day- starting today- for the next week or so. Jot your answers down somewhere, in a journal, here as a comment (I do hope you’ll share at least one of your answers here!), on the Notes section of your phone, somewhere, and give yourself the chance to learn ... Continue reading →

by STUART WATSON / NewsChannel 36 Staff Bio | Email | Follow: @stuartwatson36 WCNC.com Posted on May 23, 2012 at 12:09 AM Updated yesterday at 12:09 AM CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Protestors denounced Charlotte’s strong connections to coal this month, hanging banners from Bank of America Stadium, protesting outside the Duke Energy and Bank of America shareholders meetings and blocking a trainload of coal bound for Duke’s Marshall Steam Station west of Lake Norman. The concerns range from mountaintop removal to global climate change. But for most Charlotte residents, the concern about coal and its residue, coal ash, is as close as the next drink of water. If you take a sip of water in Charlotte, whether from the tap at home, from a drinking fountain ... Continue reading →

About this map To begin exploring how air pollution may affect your community, use this interactive map of more than 17,000 facilities that have emitted hazardous chemicals into the air. Color-coded dots and scores of one to five smoke stacks are based on an EPA method of assessing potential health risk in airborne toxins from a given facility. More smoke stack icons signify higher potential risks to human health. Zoom in to your neighborhood by clicking on the map or use the search box to find the area you're looking for. (Reporting methodology and data) Source: Analysis of Environmental Protection Agency databases by Elizabeth Lucas, Center for Public Integrity and Robert Benincasa, NPR. Credits: Map by Nelson Hsu/NPR; developmentseed.org About the data Last year reporting ... Continue reading →

Three Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents are under investigation for hiring prostitutes during the same infamous April trip that embroiled the Secret Service. Officials say the alleged incident took place at the same time, but is a completely separate investigation. The agents have all been removed from Colombia after a Secret Service source revealed during questions in the other case that they may have hired prostitutes. The Department of Justice is leading the investigation of the agents, who were all permanently based in South America. A DEA spokesperson said that the administration was taking the allegations “very seriously.” Continue reading →

In the early 1970s, the most trusted man in America did a very untrustworthy thing. Unbeknownst to the millions who tuned in religiously to the CBS Evening News, Walter Cronkite cut a deal with Pan Am to fly his family to vacation spots around the world. Together with a handful of friends, they roamed from the South Pacific to Haiti, with Cronkite snorkeling, swimming, and drinking, thanks to a friend at the airline. According to Douglas Brinkley’s sweeping and masterful biography Cronkite, the news division president, Dick Salant, was upset at what he deemed a blatant conflict of interest, but took no action against his star anchor. This was not the Cronkite I grew up admiring from the time I watched his image flickering on ... Continue reading →

Announcing the next Knight News Challenge: Data Photo Credit: Flickr user Koen Vereeken The Knight News Challenge is being offered three times this year, in short, focused rounds to better mirror the pace of innovation. Winners of Round 1, which focused on networks, will be announced June 18. Here, Journalism and Media Innovation Program Director John Bracken gives a preview on the upcoming Round 2.We’re excited to announce that the next Knight News Challenge will focus on data. Starting May 31 through June 20, we’ll be looking for ideas that help unlock the power of data, by collecting, processing, visualizing or otherwise making it available, understandable and actionable. Applicants - whether for-profit startups or non-profit ventures - will have 21 days to submit their projects. ... Continue reading →

Printer-friendly versionSend by emailPART ONE: New documents show that Koch Industries had a seat on the controversial "Public Safety and Elections Task Force" of the American Legislative Exchange Council as of at least 2011. (Part two of this special report detailing the extent of the gun agenda over the past two decades is available here.) ALEC announced it was dropping that task force in the wake of the controversy over the tragic shooting of Trayvon Martin and so-called "Stand Your Ground" (SYG) laws. However, the co-leader of that task force, Rep. Jerry Madden (R-TX), revealed ALEC's announcement to be a PR maneuver when he reassured The Christian Post that his task force's work would continue through other ALEC task forces. Koch Industries has vigorously defended ... Continue reading →