Stacey Vanek Smith
Stories
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National
Short Of Workers, Employers Are Getting Creative To Entice People Into Construction
Demand for homes has increased dramatically this year amidst a labor shortage in the construction industry. So employers are increasing wages and getting creative to entice people into the trades.
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National
Schools That Cut Women's Sports Teams During The Pandemic Face Lawsuits Over Equality
Several schools have cut women's sports teams during the pandemic, and some of the teams have lawyered up in response. Ultimately, these lawsuits ask the question: how do we measure equality?
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National
As Out-Of-State Buyers Drive Up Prices, A Montanan Utilized Local Cred To Buy A House
Bozeman, Mont., resident Sean Hawksford tried nearly 20 times to buy a house. But a flood of new home buyers from the coasts — who can work remotely — has driven home prices way up and supply down.
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Business
Planet Money: The Lemon Plays A Critical Role In The Mafia's Creation
The essential ingredient in the birth of the mafia wasn't the threats or the murders or the other stuff that's great for Hollywood movies. It was lemons. Our Planet Money team explains.
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National
Why Millions Of Americans May Soon Face Eviction
With government support programs suspended and no immediate prospect of a resolution, millions of renters in the U.S. could soon be facing evictions.
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National
Riots That Followed Anti-Racism Protests Come At Great Cost To Black-Owned Businesses
The Black Lives Matter demonstrations have brought huge protests against racism. But alongside the protests came riots — at a great cost to some Black-owned businesses.
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Health
FDA Adviser: Not Realistic To Expect A COVID-19 Vaccine In 2020
Dr. Paul Offit, who serves on the Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory board, says he doesn't think an effective vaccine that's undergone adequate testing can be ready this year.
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Business
How Racial Inequality Manifests In The U.S. Banking System.
Black-owned financial institutions are a shrinking part of the U.S. financial system. NPR's podcast The Indicator from Planet Money looks at what that means for America's racial disparities.
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National
A Town In N.D. Is Facing Hard Times As Oil Prices Plummet
Williston, N.D., had doubled in size during the oil boom a decade ago — oil companies rushed in to drill, creating thousands of jobs. Now, oil prices have fallen, and the town is facing hard times.
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National
The Link Between Disproportionate Police Brutality And Police Unions
Data shows that the police's disproportionate use of force is associated with the fact that it is hard to prosecute officers for wrongful killings — and one possible reason for that is police unions.