Education
New, Tougher GED Has Students Scrambling
Julia Harte |
With more rigorous standards for the high-school equivalency diplomas set to arrive in 2014—and get harder after that—people are racing to prep for and take the test now.
Government
How Vito Lopez Changed Bushwick
Tobias Salinger |
Many think the former assemblyman and powerbroker is a creep. Some hail him as a hero. In Bushwick, his legacy—and the story of his downfall—are more complicated than either label suggests.
Boroughs
Program to Take Buildings from Bad Landlords Fades
Jordan Moss |
7A, once a key enforcement tool, is used less often amid a changed real-estate market and new programs. But it’s still needed as a threat. The question is: Can the threat remain real?
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Hospitals Retool in Face of Cost Crisis
Ruth Ford |
Quietly, three Brooklyn hospitals are revamping their operations to increase efficiency and reduce ER visits—hoping to avoid the fate that has befallen LICH and Interfaith.
Health and Environment
Rising Deaths from Hepatitis C Spur City Action
Gerard Flynn |
Deadlier than HIV, the disease can appear years after infection, and testing and treatment are complicated. The city’s Action Plan draws praise, but advocates want more resources applied.
Government
Latino Nonprofits Blame Mayor's Policies for Struggles
Marlene Peralta |
Organizations say contracting reforms by the Bloomberg administration have made it harder for them to compete for funds. But management problems have also hampered their efforts.
Boroughs
Personal Drive, PAC Money Fueled Pioneering Candidate
Nicholas Nehamas |
How a gay 25-year old named Ritchie Torres won a City Council race in New York’s “Bible Belt”—and what it means that a real-estate PAC backed his quest.
Investigations
False Abuse Reports Trouble Child Welfare Advocates
Rachel Blustain |
Child protection experts say false, malicious reports of abuse are not uncommon. Efforts to address the problem face complex challenges.
Education
City Schools Ask State to Waive Librarian Requirements
Madeleine Cummings |
Citing fiscal pressure, the schools want to use in-classroom libraries and parent volunteers instead of certified librarians. Critics say kids need more than that.
Investigations
Prisons Get Grayer, But Efforts to Release the Dying Lag
Emma Quail |
Over the past 20 years, New York State’s compassionate release mechanism has seen nearly three times as many applicants die behind bars as won freedom through the program.
