Latest news with #HoustonLanding
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why connecting underserved communities with critical environmental news takes collaboration
How can news coverage better reach historically marginalized communities facing disproportionate environmental harms? That was the question posed by a panel of reporters and others at the Society of Environmental Journalists conference in Tempe on April 25. The session, moderated by Elena Bruess, an environment reporter for the Houston Landing, brought together voices from both English and Spanish-language media. Panelists included Ana Bueno of Univision 45, Alejandra Martinez of the Texas Tribune, and Sydney Fucci, director of marketing and communications at the Houston Landing. Martinez emphasized the power of collaboration between newsrooms and community organizations. 'For our work to happen, it didn't just take the Tribune — it took a lot of partners,' she said. 'It requires a lot of people and funding.' Bueno underscored the importance of language-accessible reporting that meets Latino communities where they are. Through partnerships with trusted local organizations, she can amplify critical stories and deliver them in formats that resonate. One example shared by Martinez was her reporting on Cloverleaf, a predominantly Latino neighborhood near Houston's Ship Channel. In partnership with advocacy groups, she helped distribute bilingual flyers outlining how residents could respond to chemical incidents and where to seek help — life-saving information many had never received or heard before. Bruess reflected on her experience reporting in Houston's Fifth Ward, a historically Black neighborhood designated a cancer cluster due to groundwater contamination. She stressed the importance of long-term engagement and trust-building. Fucci, who led community outreach for the article, noted that partnerships were key to tailoring messaging. The panelists agreed: Collaboration — with grassroots groups, health advocates and Spanish-language broadcasters and reporters — is essential to building trust, improving access to environmental information, and holding powerful entities accountable. By moving away from extractive reporting and embracing community collaboration, these journalists are showing how environmental news can act as a bridge, connecting communities and policymakers and creating meaningful change. Katarzyna Michalik is a doctoral student at Prescott College and is part of a student newsroom led by The Arizona Republic. Coverage of the Society of Environmental Journalists conference is supported by Arizona State University's Cronkite School of Journalism, the University of Arizona, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust and the Arizona Media Association. These stories are published open-source for other news outlets and organizations to share and republish, with credit and links to This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Panel looks at how to connect news coverage to underserved communities
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Houston Landing to shutter soon. When and why the Texas nonprofit newsroom is closing
Houston Landing will soon close its door after the nonprofit newsroom's board voted to cease operations due to financial difficulties. The newsroom expects to stop publishing by mid-May, resulting in the closure of its operations and the loss of 43 staff positions. 'We are proud of the Landing's coverage of Greater Houston and continue to believe deeply in the need for more free, independent journalism in our region,' said Ann B. Stern, board chair of Houston Landing. 'This decision was difficult but necessary. Houston Landing's reporting has made a meaningful impact in the community, but it struggled to find its long-term financial footing.' The organization launched with $20 million in seed funding but has struggled to develop additional revenue streams to sustain operations over the past two years. As of Tuesday morning, the website still featured a hiring page, but the hyperlink inviting users to 'check out our open positions' was nonexistent. 'Houston Landing is hiring. Come work for us!' the page states. 'We are looking for passionate people to join our mission of advancing democracy and improving the lives of all Houstonians, one story at a time.' Houston Landing was founded in February 2023 with support from the Houston Endowment, Arnold Ventures, Kinder Foundation, American Journalism Project, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It emerged from a two-year study led by the American Journalism Project, which found that many Houstonians feel they lack access to a trusted source for in-depth reporting on issues that affect their daily lives. 'While it's with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of our newsroom, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the dedicated journalists and staff members who poured their passion into our mission every single day,' said Peter Bhatia, CEO, Houston Landing. 'Houston Landing demonstrates how a commitment to truth and accountability can transform communities and improve lives. I'm thankful to those who believed in us, supported us, and stood with us as we connected with each other through stories that inspired positive change.' This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas nonprofit newsroom Houston Landing to shut down this spring
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Does Texas Have a Teacher Retention Crisis?
This article was originally published in Houston Landing. Texas teachers may be increasingly fed up with their job, but they're still staying in school. State data shows Texas public school educators continue to return to the classroom at somewhat similar rates as years past, despite multiple surveys showing the large majority of them have contemplated quitting the profession. While teacher turnover has slightly increased over the past decade, state data show there hasn't been a large exodus of experienced teachers. In fact, the average years of experience for Texas public school teachers hasn't notably changed since 2014-15, nor has the share of first-year teachers hired by districts. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The numbers run counter to years of warnings that Texas teachers are primed to bolt en masse out of frustration with the job. At the same time, Texas does still face widespread issues with morale, as well as big challenges in finding certified teachers and filling several types of positions, including special education educators and bilingual teachers. While much has changed in Texas classrooms over the decade, students continue to be educated by mostly veteran teachers. The average tenure for Texas teachers has held steady during that stretch, ranging from 10.9 to 11.2 years of experience. The state did see a slight dip in the share of first-year teachers — who, on average, have less positive impact on student achievement than other educators — during the late 2010s, then a slight uptick over the past few years. Still, novice teachers account for fewer than 1-in-10 Texas educators. Teacher turnover, a measure of how many educators don't return to teach in the same district each year, has ticked higher since the pandemic. While it once hovered near 16 percent, it's reached roughly 20 percent over the past two years. Ultimately, a 4 percentage point difference equates to about 15,000 more teachers who aren't returning to a classroom in their district. However, state data shows teachers of all experience levels are leaving at similar rates. Teachers might be sticking with their jobs, but that doesn't mean they're happy about it. A 2024 poll of 1,100 Texas teachers by the Charles Butt Foundation, an Austin-based education advocacy nonprofit, found nearly four-fifths of educators surveyed had seriously considered quitting the profession in the past year. Pay, quality of campus leadership and a sense of feeling valued ranked among the biggest factors in whether teachers had considered quitting. Separate polls by two of the largest Texas educator unions — the Texas American Federation of Teachers and Texas State Teachers Association — also showed about two-thirds of teachers had considered leaving the profession. Texas education leaders also are worried about the state's ability to retain teachers and hire tough-to-fill positions. A state panel convened by the Texas Education Agency examined the issues and made numerous recommendations in 2023, though few of its proposals have been put into action. As teachers leave Texas schools, district leaders are increasingly filling those positions with uncertified teachers, who generally leave the profession sooner than certified teachers. This article first appeared on Houston Landing and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
