Stuff YOU Should Know
Florida Condominium Collapses On June 24, 2021, a high-rise condo building in Surfside, Florida, collapsed in the middle of the night. Champlain Towers South stood for nearly forty years along the waterfront. The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined. It has been reported that in 2019 five members of the Champlain Towers […]
YOU DECIDE: Should Daylight Savings Time Become Permanent?
Spring forward, fall back . . . or is it the other way around? Daylight Savings Time was first developed in the early 1900s to save fuel during World War I. Most states in the United States observe Daylight Savings Time—which lasts for eight months of each calendar year. Standard Time (from November to March) […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Reparations in Asheville One of the more controversial suggestions for how to improve economic equality between white people and African Americans is the use of reparations. Reparations are direct monetary payments to African Americans as compensation for the fact that their ancestors were enslaved and that past generations of African Americans suffered economic inequality and […]
Coronavirus Outbreak: How are States Responding?
This week’s story update on Election Central provides a quick summary of how some states are responding to the coronavirus outbreak. We are living in unprecedented times. As the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the United States–with more than 2,000 deaths nationwide so far–governors of each state are being tasked with coming up with a plan […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Death of ISIS Leader Raises Questions You might not have heard of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before he was killed at the end of October in Syria, but now his death is making headlines across the world. Baghdadi has spent much of his rule in hiding. But Trump announced that Baghdadi was killed by […]
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 […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
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 […]