This NPR piece covers a book by Hedrick Smith about what he calls "dismantling the American Dream". Smith made an appearance as part of an interfaith community series "We the People" in Exeter NH . The series presents films, speakers and discussions about social and civic issues facing citizens today.

This story covers the success of the Community Watershed Stewardship Program in Portland, OR where partnership between Portland State University and the city of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services. For the past 17 years the partnership along with PSU volunteers has worked to restore natural habitat and enhance open space concepts in parks and neighborhoods.

This story covers a month-long vigil that I participated in for 5 weeks last October in Exeter, NH. after another unexpected shooting story was in the news. The Social Justice Committee at the church I attend wanted to bring awareness to this recent situation and the continued rampant acts of random gun violence plaguing the country. The vigil also coincided with the 1-year anniversary of the deaths at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut. In the past I would resist small vigils like this one because I believed, and I think erroneously, that something of this size couldn't make a difference (I was thinking of the March on Washington!). But the vigil's goal was simply to raise awareness, encourage conversation and give voice to caring.