In August I worked with Joseph Hernandez, writing about an experience he had with a couple he sold insurance to last year. It was his first month on the job as a field agent, and he made a sale to the Gonzalez family, in southeast Houston. Eleven days later, the husband dies unexpectedly, and Joseph walks through it all with the wife.
An Insurance Agent
In August I worked with Joseph Hernandez, writing about an experience he had with a couple he sold insurance to last year. It was his first month on the job as a field agent, and he made a sale to the Gonzalez family, in southeast Houston. Eleven days later, the husband dies unexpectedly, and Joseph walks through it all with the wife.
The birth of a relief center in Tuscaloosa
In the city, many hispanics feared going to the general shelters because many were either undocumented or lost their documentation in the storms, along with their homes.
When Victor Tlapanco, a middle-age Mexican-American, offered space in his church for the on-edge hispanics, they accepted the offer and received the help they needed.
Kebabian's Squeezed By Recession
I spoke with John Kebabian Jr. about running his oriental hand-woven carpet business during one of the U.S.'s worst recessions. He's hanging on, though fighting lower volume and higher wholesale prices from weavers in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and India.
Reporting on a K of C coat distribution in Worcester
Two days after the new year, I drove to Worcester, Mass., to report on a coat drive at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, an Italian-American Catholic parish a few hundred yards from the highway in the city.The turnout was low, but the coats eventually made it to kids elsewhere.
Bishops Support Route to Legal Citizenship
A bill that would help integrate immigrant children into the United States by granting them legal status made it through the House of Representatives last week. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors act, or the DREAM Act, has been a goal for some legislators for the past decade, and as it just cleared the House by a vote of 216 to 198, it awaits a vote from the Senate later this month. ... Read more.
Chicago Catholics Are A Faith-Filled, Complex Bunch
Catholic priest and widely-published sociologist Andrew Greeley released a new study Wednesday on Catholics in Chicago. The windy city faithful, the study finds, strongly identifies as being Catholic, but Catholic on their own terms, the study says.Click here to see a few pages from Google Books.
Click hear for my article.
Journalism woes travel to Vatican conference
The Roman Catholic Church's council for communication held a meeting about journalism's present and future this week. Amy Mitchell, a director from the Pew Research Center, explained to the attendees where journalism is, how people consume news today, what got the industry to where it is and some proven ideas for innovation.Click here to read more.
New Haven tries to hook more kids on summer meals
Violence and state laws are hurdles for religious freedom in India
India's Hindu, Muslim and Christian populations are experiencing unease in states where religious practices often incite violence. I wrote in September's issue of Columbia about how, in certain parts of the country, inter-religious violence and state laws that are criminalizing some charitable activities have a deep effect.
New Haven basketball camp says, 'No books, no ball'
Basketball players from throughout New Haven gathered for the final day of the 18th annual Hot Shots Basketball Camp at James Hillhouse High School. Tyrese Sullivan, Jason Burgo and Tayvon Allen talk about the camp and basketball in the city.
New Hillhouse principal readies 4 “academies”
On Sept. 1, New Haven schools will reopen after a long summer nap. James Hillhouse High School, on Sherman Avenue in New Haven, will reopen, but it didn't get its nap this summer. The New Haven Independent picked up my story about Hillhouse's new principal who worked with his staff this summer to turn one high school into four academies, raising the bar for the city's public high school students.
New Haven housing center expands
Demand for services rises nearly tenfold.New Haven's Neighborhood Housing Services expanded its center for home ownership in June. I spoke with Patricia Hinds about how her home was foreclosed upon, how she was scammed by a fake loan-mod company, and how she got back on her feet.
Interview with Devon Cooper
I met up with Devon Cooper on Shelton Avenue in New Haven. He was sitting with a friend on the front porch. This two-minute profile tells a few things about him.
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Vatican satellites powered by generous Knights
I wrote in December about the Vatican's satellite uplink program and how the Knights of Columbus provided much of the material support to get the program off the ground. The Knights continue to keep the program funded, and a spokesperson for the Pontifical Council for Social Communications looks to the future of the program.
Tai Chi in New Haven
I went to my first Tai Chi class at New Haven Public Library's main branch and shot some photos. I've done yoga before, and Tai Chi had some similarities, but in a lot of ways it was different.
I produced the video below with an interview with the instructor, Kathy Brenner. You will hear about some of the benefits of Tai Chi and how she approaches teaching beginners the practice, which is often quite complex.
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