All Society
First LookThe US is seeing a stadium construction boom. Who鈥檚 paying for it?A proposed sales tax hike to fund stadium projects in Kansas City failed this week聽at the ballot box. When pro sports teams don鈥檛 get the public funds they seek, some double down on a pitch to voters or go to legislators. Others threaten to move.
First LookKept on the sidelines, Black assistant basketball coaches want a shot to leadBlack head coaches are still a rarity in college basketball, despite a growing number of Black coaches rising to the level of assistant coach. Long seen as just recruiters, Black coaches are hoping to take up top posts that don鈥檛 change hands often.
First LookThese local newspapers were struggling. Then student journalists took charge.As news deserts grow across the U.S., college newspapers could offer a solution. The Daily Iowan, a student paper for the University of Iowa, bought two struggling local papers which student journalists will help run, in a first-of-its-kind deal.
First LookChaplains serve in hospitals and colleges. Should they be in public schools?Conservatives in more than a dozen states are hoping to reform public school cultures by installing chaplains. The initiatives are drawing concern from some chaplains and interfaith organizations.
Transportation spending surges to historic levels. Will US get historic results?The U.S. has never spent so much on transportation, water systems, and other networks. Whether it will get once-in-a-generation results is unclear.
The new story of old age in rural America: Neighbors and community lend a handAging in rural areas is increasingly viable, as communities and neighbors create support networks for older adults who want to stay where they are.
First LookFull heart. Empty stomach. Can鈥檛 lose. BYU鈥檚 star combines March Madness and Ramadan.BYU basketball star Aly Khalifa is heading into the March Madness tournament without food or water, observing the strictures of Ramadan. Mr. Khalifa鈥檚 sacrifice epitomizes his career as a college athlete and a devout Muslim.
First LookRed, white, and feeling blue: Why young Americans are in a 鈥榤id-life crisis鈥�The United States and western Europe lost ground in the annual World Happiness Report, a change driven by young people鈥檚 dejection around social issues, social media, and economic inequality. But some U.S. legislators are looking to turn the tide.
First LookMarch Madness fans dream of a perfect bracket. Can AI give them a shot?Will advancements in AI give some fans a leg up for March Madness? Machine learning isn鈥檛 new to the art of crafting brackets. But experts say the amount of randomness in the tournament still gives basketball obsessives a fighting chance over big data.
First LookThe fastest growing girls鈥� high school sport? It鈥檚 not what you think.Girls鈥� high school wrestling has seen a surge in support with Kentucky, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania hosting state championships. About 50,000 athletes are estimated to be on teams聽鈥� a 60% spike in participation in the past year alone.
Cover StoryHow people like Brenda Glass help violent crime survivors rebuildTrauma recovery centers help clients break cycles of violence,聽while shining a light on the dignity and trust that propel progress.
Driven by Caitlin Clark mania, women鈥檚 basketball soars on sellout crowdsWith Iowa phenom Caitlin Clark, history is taking flight from center court tonight聽in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament.聽
First LookWhen a snow-coated horse pulls a guy through a course, that鈥檚 skijoringIn Leadville, Colorado, this winter, contestants skied over high jumps and tried to lance suspended hoops 鈥� all while being pulled by a horse. This is skijoring, a sport that started as a transportation method in Scandinavia.聽
Stars and strife: Who gets to decide what appears on state flags?The recent wave of flag redesigns reflects awareness that a strong visual identity can bring residents together. The challenge states face, though, is how to agree on symbols that represent everyone.
First LookWhen cellphone outages strike, landlines can help 鈥� if you have oneLandlines are handy to have when mobile networks go down 鈥� but they鈥檝e disappeared from nearly 3 in 4 American households. The shift is part of a broader evolution in our expectations around communication.
First LookFor libraries, e-book lending is a new chapter 鈥� and a new challengeThe 鈥淣etflix model鈥� of leasing e-books to public libraries is expensive, full of limitations, and potentially a boon for censorship, librarians say. It鈥檚 a growing business model that shifts power to publishers and makes access harder for patrons.
First LookWhy most Black millennials who leave church don鈥檛 give up on faithWhen Black Americans leave organized religion, the majority of them still retain some degree of faith in a higher power, a new Pew study shows. The central role religious institutions played in securing civil rights is one reason why, say experts.聽
Cover StoryWhy Oklahoma鈥檚 tough-on-crime lawmakers no longer trust death penaltyOnly five states executed people last year. Oklahoma was one of them 鈥� and some GOP state lawmakers worry they cannot trust their system to get it right.
First LookGoogle, META to blame for mental health crisis, NYC mayor saysNew York City is suing Silicon Valley tech giants like Meta and Google for fueling a youth mental health crisis via social media apps, citing the financial burden of counseling affected teens.
Why Boston鈥檚 wealthy Back Bay said yes, in our backyardNIMBY can be a powerful force in wealthy areas. Here is what happens when neighbors say yes.
