Stories told with candor and decency.
Absent Changes at the Very Top, the U.S. Government Will Continue to Impede a Proper Inquiry into Whether Covid-19 Leaked from a Laboratory
OCTOBER 15, 2021
From the onset of being declared a pandemic, certain members of the scientific community and public officials suppressed efforts to determine whether the covid-19 virus was leaked from a laboratory, insisting it was passed to humans by animals.
A Harvard-Trained Cuban-American Doctor on the Battlefield of Covid-19 in Miami
AUG 17, 2020
Leaving behind 35 years at Harvard, Robert Sackstein packed his bags in 2019 and headed to his hometown of Miami, soon to find himself on the new battlefield of Covid-19. The world-
renowned physician, educator and researcher became the first Cuban-born dean of a U.S. medical school when he accepted the position at Florida International University (FIU).
How Will Society React to Childhood Vaccination Under COVID-19 Pandemic
MARCH 10, 2021
More than 3.1 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 during the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10% of COVID-19 cases in this country have been among children ages five to 17.
Taking Care of Animals Starts with People - Don Critchlaw, Sparta’s Animal Control Officer
MARCH 12, 2021
Sparta’s dense woods are full of wildlife, as large as black bears and as small as mice. One common visitor to these parts is the town’s animal control officer or ACO, easily identified by his long, well-coiffed blonde hair. Don Critchlaw has been an ACO for 30 years, the last 20 of them in Sparta. His ability to get along with animals and people alike have been key contributors to his longevity.
What Do You Think of the New Jersey Bear Hunt?
April 16, 2021
In 2014 Pedals the black bear became famous for sauntering upright through suburbs in northwest New Jersey. Occasionally seen dipping down to rest or ducking into nearby woods to avoid a barking dog, the bear had a missing front right claw and a disfigured front left leg. It was his docile behavior and physical characteristics that caused as much concern for his safety as his celebrity. A petition with over 300,000 signatures called for Pedals to be moved to a sanctuary before the upcoming 2016 hunt.
Raymond Lesniak Continues to Get Things Done in
New Jersey
May 18, 2021
When you need something done in New Jersey, Ray Lesniak, 74, has a guy. “Me,” the former state senator said without hesitation. While still active in Trenton, Lesniak’s life as a politician ended in 2018 after 40 years in the state legislature, spending the last 35 years as a senator. During that period, he led efforts to protect the environment, abolish the death penalty and provide equality for same-sex couples.
Journalism’s Woman of Steel – Margaret Sullivan
May 11, 2021
If you are in the news business but neglect journalism’s principles of truth-telling, fairness and integrity, the media columnist at The Washington Post may come for you. Margaret Sullivan (MSJ80), a Medill Hall of Achievement member, has performed that role since 2016. Her writing is direct and polite. But don’t mistake style for substance.
Invisible 911 Dispatchers in New Jersey Face Uncertainty During Pandemic
OCTOBER 23, 2020
On a fall day in 2019, a young boy riding his bicycle rolled onto the main road near his Sussex County home. The reverberations from an oncoming dump truck would signal danger to any adult. For this boy they foretold death. Someone placed a 911 call...
Antibody Testing Provides Key Insights in Fight Against COVID-19
JULY 23, 2020
The human immune system has been optimized through evolution to neutralize pathogens that threaten human health. No academic laboratory or drug company has that capability. An bodies, which are molecules that can bind to and neutralize a recognized threat, are key weapons in the immune system’s disease-fighting arsenal.
Seniors Trapped by Covid-19 Benefit from Food Bank Deliveries
FEBRUARY 18, 2021
Seniors living in subsidized housing are at a heightened risk of coronavirus infection and fatality due to their age, living in close quarters, low income and poor health. Lockdowns, implemented by many nursing homes across the country, are not an option for these low-income seniors because they are viewed as independent and expected to secure their own food.
A Good Summer for White Deer Plaza Merchants But Covid-19 Concerns Return with Onset of Colder Weather
OCTOBER 8, 2020
Lake Mohawk is a private community in Northwest New Jersey that was established in 1926. Its founders envisioned something akin to a small Swiss hamlet, surrounded by hills, lakes and forests. The rural Sussex County location, just fifty miles outside New York City, was chosen to provide a “respite from urban living.”
University Doctor Says Government Messaging on COVID-19 Needs Improvement
AUGUST 21, 2021
When COVID-19 arrived in the United States in early 2020, health agencies had to rapidly develop a plan to inform the public of the SARSCOV-2 virus. Given the pandemic’s rapid spread, communication mistakes were made, potentially contributing to a hesitancy by some to get vaccinated.