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Using tech and circuit riding to beat the pandemic

Shaun Griswold

August 24, 2020 |

New Mexico In Depth |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cuba, New Mexico

The Cuba Independent School District in northern New Mexico has deployed a fleet of school buses to deliver food and school kits to students from its districts. Bus drivers reach rural areas of Sandoval County and help over 500 students complete their lessons. The district also distributed USB bracelets so students can download their lessons when they reach a wi-fi hotspot and later access school content without the need for an internet connection.

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Mexico Is Saving Its Coral Reef From Hurricanes With A One-Of-A-Kind Plan

Alexandra Kirkman

August 24, 2020 |

The Huffington Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo

To protect the Mesoamerican Reef from the effects of climate change, key stakeholders in Mexico created the world’s first insurance policy to protect a natural asset. The policy provides an immediate infusion of cash in the event of a damaging storm, allowing hotel owners and local governments to quickly repair the reef and prevent further degradation. A volunteer corps of people called the Guardians of the Reef make those repairs. While the insurance policy doesn’t cover pollution or overfishing, this mechanism could work for reefs in other countries to restore and protect threatened ecosystems.

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Study Finds Painting Eyes On Cows' Butts Can Save Their Lives

Lulu Garcia-Navarro

August 23, 2020 |

NPR |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: Botswana

As a way to prevent livestock from being attacked by predators and to decrease conflict between farmers and big cats, a pair of conservation biologists painted eyes on the backsides of cattle to fool carnivores during their hunt. A study in Botswana showed that cows painted with artificial eyes on their behinds tricked predators into thinking they’ve been seen by their prey. While it’s not a perfect protection method for cattle, over the four years of the study, none of the cows with the colorful posteriors were killed compared with control groups.

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How a contested region became a model for multilingual coexistence

The Economist

August 22, 2020 |

The Economist |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Denmark

The border between Denmark and Germany was highly politicized and when it was set, Germans found themselves in Denmark and Danes found themselves in Germany. Each country is required to offer regional schools taught in the other language and some Germans have decided to send their children to Danish schools and vice versa. Over the years this has led to cultural exchanges and better relationships between the groups. It can be hard to convince Germans to learn Danish because there are just about 5.5 million native speakers, and young Danes now prefer to learn English over German.

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As COVID-19 cases rise, experts question effectiveness of contact tracing in S.D. and across the U.S.

Nick Lowrey

August 21, 2020 |

South Dakota News Watch |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, South Dakota

Contact tracing has been touted as an effective tool for slowing the spread of COVID-19 and has shown success in countries such as South Korea – helping to not just identify potential superspreader events, but to also help the economy remain largely open. In the U.S., contact tracers in South Dakota have been able to "identify 35,000 close contacts of coronavirus patients during the pandemic so far," but health experts question if the workforce spans enough of the state.

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This Chicago Nonprofit Supports Incarcerated Youth and Local Businesses During the Pandemic

Nicolette White

August 21, 2020 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Liberation Library, a Chicago-based nonprofit, provides books for incarcerated youth. The nonprofit fills the youths' book requests and has also partnered with five Chicago-based bookstores, where shoppers can purchase gift cards on behalf of the nonprofit. Since the onset of the pandemic, it has sent more than 1,100 books, more than double its usual number, along with card games, snacks and art supplies.

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On the Delaware, A Promising New Era in Cleanup of an Urban River

Jon Hurdle

August 20, 2020 |

Yale Environment 360 |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Camden, New Jersey

Once known for being dirty, the Delaware River is being cleaned up by nonprofits and government entities to the point where they’re encouraging people to swim in it again. The Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority diverted the flow of sewage at 52 municipal plants to a new treatment plant, which has kept 15 million gallons of sewage out of the river each day. While overflows have not been completely eliminated, a national advocacy group even named the Delaware its River of the Year because of its improvements in water quality.

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Is It Finally Time For Year Round School

Darcy Sprague

August 19, 2020 |

The Hechinger Report |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Texas

Long summer vacations are a tradition in the United States, but some school districts are challenging the long-standing notion of summer break by using a different model—year-round school. School districts around the U.S. are considering adopting the model in the near future to combat the "COVID slide." School districts in Texas are finding that a year-round school calendar has helped students with former summer food insecurity and provides students who may be falling behind, a chance to catch up without a multiple-month summer interruption to their education.

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Flu was all but eliminated in South Africa this year. Coronavirus is to thank.

Lesley Wroughton Max Bearak

August 18, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: South Africa

When South Africa's government implemented measures to protect its citizens from the spread of COVID-19, it also drastically reduced its flu cases down to 1 single case for its winter season as a side effect. Stringent mask requirements and complete school closures, along with a sharp increase in people getting flu vaccines, contributed to South Africa's record-low flu season, despite being one of the countries with the highest recorded cases of coronavirus.

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A secret hidden in centuries-old mud reveals a new way to save polluted rivers

Paul Voosen

August 18, 2020 |

Science Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Scientists have transformed a stream in Pennsylvania into a marshy waterway because of a restoration project that removed 22,000 tons of legacy sediment built up by colonial-era farming and logging. After removing meters of mud from the banks of Big Spring Run, native vegetation returned, which resulted in the storage of organic carbon tripling in the restored area and the amount of key pollutants in the stream sharply dropping. Similar restoration projects are being tried in other mid-Atlantic states.

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