KUOW Presents

Last week, a task force made up of elected officials prepared to make the final decision on what to do with Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. They agreed they had to do something. After all, the building was full of the memories of the students killed there in December. But should they remodel it? Tear it down and build somewhere else?

For now, the students are crammed into other schools. But economic reality and the school district's space limitations have forced them to face the painful fact: Something had to be done with Sandy Hook.

In a packed meeting, parents, teachers and staff gave emotional testimony. In the end, the task force put off the decision. You just can't rush these things.

Sharing Advice

After the death of a loved one, many of us face the painful drudgery of picking up the pieces of a life. We arrange funerals. We read through the will. Sometimes, friends offer sympathy and advice -- and this helps.

This is also happening with Sandy Hook. Some of the other school administrators who've lived through shootings have stepped forward, to offer their experiences. They've shown that people can get through this, it just takes time. And it doesn't hurt to have a good architect.

Full list of stories from KUOW Presents, Thursday, May 9:

The Woodstock generation may be aging, but don't try to tell them they're not still cool. Poet Marjorie Manwaring's "Letter to Mick Jagger from the St. Paul Chapter of the Daughters of Norway" captures the dissonance between how we feel inside, and how we may appear to others.

Most people know kids in America don't get enough sleep. But did you know they're the sleepiest in the world? Researchers in Boston say sleep deprivation partly explains why US students are falling behind in math and science.

Full list of stories on KUOW Presents, Wednesday, May 8:

Last week, attorney Judy Clark took on the defense of accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev — a man 70 percent of Americans want to see put to death. So what compels lawyers to stand up for such unpopular clients? Here’s a hint: It ain’t all about money. Many lawyers who’ve represented some of the most despised individuals can speak passionately about the importance of their work. A few even find humanity in people who’ve committed murder. Even as our instincts cry out for revenge, these attorneys take pride in withstanding the call of the mob.

Other stories from KUOW Presents, May 6:

Egypt is currently under the rule of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood. Yet sexual harassment is on the rise there. A recent UN survey showed most Egyptian women have suffered from it. And in many cases, that harassment comes from the Muslim Brotherhood itself.

Other stories on KUOW Presents, Thursday, May 2:

For the first time in almost a decade, Cuba has allowed foreign journalists to visit several of its prisons.

It's part of an effort to show improvements ahead of a review of the government's human rights record at the United Nations. But access for expert monitors like the Red Cross remains barred.

These days far fewer Cubans are being imprisoned for their political views, but activists say hundreds of dissidents still suffer detention by police.

Other stories on KUOW Presents on Wednesday, May 1, 2013:

Adoption can be a long, painful process for would-be parents. The red tape and the knowledge that there are babies in other countries who need parents can inspire some parents to try adopting from places like Kazakhstan. But that introduces a whole new set of problems.

Other stories on KUOW Presents, Tuesday, April 30:

At age 23, Andrew Forsthoefel set out to walk across the United States. He carried a tape recorder and a sign that said "Walking To Listen." When he began, he wasn't quite certain what he wanted out of life. He felt restless and confused. He felt he needed advice — from as many people as possible.

For the next two weeks, we'll follow Andrew on his journey. For just a few minutes each day we'll hear the advice he heard, hear the voices that moved him. And as his journey progresses, his own voice slowly begins to come through. And we find he's painted a bold, beautiful portrait of this country. It's an awesome landscape filled with fragile, generous people.

We invite you step into the shoes of this questioning young man. You might find yourself renewed.

Other stories on KUOW Presents on Monday, April 29, 2013:

In the news business, reporters sometimes feel a rush from scooping the competition, from being the first to publish a story. For reporter Jason Leopold, the euphoria of breaking a story filled a void in his life, a void created when he kicked his addiction to cocaine. But he found out the hard way that he was just trading one form of addiction for another.

Other stories on KUOW Presents, Thursday, April 25, 2013: