����vlog

I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. WELCOME TO. MATTER OF FACT, THE ONLY WAY TO TRULY CAPTURE THE AMERICAN STORY IS BY GETTING ON THE GROUND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EACH COMMUNITY AND FAMILY IS EXPERIENCING ITS OWN SET OF ISSUES AND SUCCESSES. TODAY, WE TAKE A LOOK AT TWO NATIONAL STORIES PLAYING OUT IN SMALL TOWNS. IF YOU DON’T INVEST IN BROADBAND, YOU ARE SIGNING SOMEWHAT OF A DEATH CERTIFICATE FOR THE AREA. PHILLIPS COUNTY, ARKANSAS IS ONE OF THE MANY RURAL COMMUNITIES DESPERATE FOR RELIABLE, HIGH SPEED INTERNET. WHAT’S IT TAKE TO GET MORE OF THE COUNTRY ONLINE? AND AN IOWA SCHOOL GRAPPLES WITH THE NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF BUS DRIVERS. TODAY, WE’RE UTILIZING ANY SUB THAT WE HAVE. THE CHANGES IT’S MAKING TO TRY TO MEET THE NEED. PLUS, I TALK TO THE REPORTERS WHO WORKED ON BOTH OF THESE STORIES ABOUT WHAT THEY LEARNED WHILE IN THE FIELD. THAT MORNING, WE WALKED INTO THE BUS BARN AND YOU COULD FEEL THE TENSION IN THE ROOM. AND WHAT’S HAPPENED SINCE ALL THAT? RIGHT NOW, ON MATTER OF FACT. ACCESS TO THE INTERNET IS CRUCIAL FROM APPLYING FOR JOBS TO PAYING BILLS, TO COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR DOCTOR’S OFFICE. SO MUCH HAPPENS ONLINE, BUT THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN 20 MILLION AMERICANS STILL LACK BROADBAND ACCESS IN 2022, RIGHT AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WHICH MADE US ALL THE MORE DEPENDENT ON INTERNET ACCESS. OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS VISITED PHILLIPS COUNTY. IT’S ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTIES IN ARKANSAS. THEIR NEIGHBORS WERE WORKING TO JOIN THE DIGITAL AGE. IN THE HEART OF THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, THE SMALL AGRICULTURAL TOWN OF ELAINE, ARKANSAS, IS A PICTURE OF HISTORIC DIVIDES RACIAL, ECONOMIC, AND NOW DIGITAL. THIS IS THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN, WHERE IT’S PREDOMINANTLY BLACK, AND THE SOUTH SIDE THAT’S PREDOMINANTLY WHITE. LISA GILBERT IS TRYING TO BRIDGE THOSE DIVIDES WITH FIBER OPTICS. NOTHING WORKS WITHOUT THE INTERNET, AND DEFINITELY NOTHING WORKS WITHOUT INTERNET. THAT’S RELIABLE. GILBERT SAYS WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, THE SLOW SERVICE FROM THE TOWN’S ONLY PROVIDER PRACTICALLY BROUGHT IT TO A STANDSTILL. YOU HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD LOST THEIR JOBS. THEY’RE TRYING TO MAYBE SELL JEWELRY, YOU KNOW, GET AN ONLINE BUSINESS. THE CHILDREN ARE TRYING TO DO HOMEWORK. YOU REALIZE HOW INADEQUATE THE SERVICE IS LAYING FIBER LINES IN RURAL AREAS IS COSTLY. THE SMALLER CUSTOMER BASE MEANS A SMALLER RETURN ON INVESTMENT. THAT LEAVES RURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE DUST. ELAINE HAS JUST BEEN GETTING CRUMBS. AND WE CAN NO LONGER ALLOW THAT TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. FEELING THE PAIN OF HER COMMUNITY STAGNATION, GILBERT FOUND A BENEFACTOR WHO PAYS FOR FREE INTERNET. ON ONE BLOCK OF MAIN STREET. SO HOW MUCH HAS THIS FREE WI-FI HELPED PEOPLE AND CHANGED THEIR LIVES? WELL, EVEN WHEN WE HAVE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS THAT COME WITH THEIR INTERNET SERVICE GOES OUT, THEY CAN COME UP HERE AND FINISH FINISH THEIR WORK THEY NEED TO HAVE DONE. OUR VENDORS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE INTERNET AND BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CASH APP, PAYPAL, VENMO, WHATEVER SALES FOR CANDACE WILLIAMS, AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT RURAL COMMUNITY ALLIANCE, AND HER NINE YEAR OLD SON CALEB. LACK OF INTERNET SERVICE DURING THE PANDEMIC FORCED THEM TO DRIVE A HALF HOUR EACH WAY DAILY TO HELENA FOR CALEB’S VIRTUAL SCHOOL. I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO TO MCDONALD’S TO USE THEIR FREE WI-FI. I WOULD JUST SIT IN THE PARKING LOT. NOW WILLIAMS FAMILY SWITCHED TO A HOTSPOT, BUT IT EATS UP DATA QUICKLY, COSTING HER UP TO $200 A MONTH TO BUY MORE GIGS. WHY CAN’T WE CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD WITH WITH, WITH THAT SERVICE THAT THEY NEED? AND IT’S NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THEIR INCOME. HEADING UP TO HELENA, ITS RESIDENTS DON’T FARE MUCH BETTER. AT LEAST 40% CAN’T GET ONLINE RELIABLY. WE HAVE GOT A DIVIDE IN EVERYWHERE IN RURAL AMERICA. WHEN YOU ADD ACCESS, QUALITY INTERNET ACCESS, YOU TAKE THAT DIVIDE AND YOU FILL IT UP THIS MUCH. NANCY MCKEE TRIES TO LURE NEW BUSINESSES AND LIFE TO PHILLIPS COUNTY. THEY SAY, WHICH OF THESE BUILDINGS HAS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY GOOD FIBER IN. AND I’M LIKE. NONE. ZERO. THEY JUST KIND OF LOOK AT ME LIKE, WHAT? WHERE AM I? IS THIS PREHISTORIC? IT WOULD COST $550 MILLION TO FINISH COVERING ARKANSAS WITH FIBER. AND MANY RURAL OFFICIALS DON’T HAVE TIME TO PURSUE FEDERAL AND STATE BROADBAND GRANTS. MCKEE SAYS IT’S TIME FOR A FEDERALLY FUNDED WORK PROGRAM TO LAY THAT FIBER. THERE’S A JOB FOR TEN YEARS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU’RE GROWING, RIGHT? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GROW? OH, WELL, YOU GET A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD. OH, WELL, YOU GET A WHOLE NEW DEVELOPMENT AREA. DEVELOPMENT. THAT WOULD MEAN HIGHER PAYING JOBS SO PEOPLE CAN GROW IN SMALL TOWNS. AS WE REIMAGINE OUR LIVES AND OUR FUTURES HERE IN ELAINE, IT’S GOING TO HAVE TO START WITH BROADBAND. AND THAT’S WHAT WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IN PHILLIPS COUNTY, ARKANSAS. I’M DINA DEMETRIUS, FOR MATTER OF FACT, AFTER THE BREAK, DINA DEMETRIUS JOINS ME FOR AN UPDATE ON THE NATIONAL EFFORT TO EXPAND BROADBAND ACCESS. AND LATER ON, MATTER OF FACT, SEEING THEIR SON BOARD THE BUS FOR SCHOOL WAS A SPECIAL MOMENT. I CHOKED UP. BUT THEIR DISTRICT IS STRUGGLING TO KEEP ALL ITS BUSSES RUNNING. HOW ONE IOWA FAMILY IS GRAPPLING WITH AMERICA’S BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE. YOU’RE WATCHING, MATTER OF FACT, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS MAGAZINE. BEFORE THE BREAK, WE WATCHED A 2022 STORY FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS ABOUT AN ARKANSAS COMMUNITY’S STRUGGLE TO GET HIGH SPEED INTERNET. DINA, I KNOW THAT YOU RECENTLY CHECKED BACK IN WITH THEM. WHAT HAPPENED? WELL, ON THE PRACTICAL LEVEL, NOT MUCH HAD CHANGED. LISA GILBERT IS NOW THE MAYOR OF ELAINE, AND SHE TELLS ME THAT RESIDENTS THERE STILL NEED TO GO DOWN TO MAIN STREET FOR THAT FREE WI-FI, BECAUSE THEIR OWN HOME INTERNET IS KIND OF UNRELIABLE. NOW, THE LOCAL INTERNET PROVIDER, WINDSTREAM DID INSTALL FIBER BACK IN 2023, BUT IT WAS AERIAL FIBER, MEANING IT’S UP ON POWER LINES AND THAT MAKES IT MORE VULNERABLE TO BAD WEATHER. WHEN THAT COMES, THE STRUGGLE JUST KEEPS MARCHING ON. MUST BE SO FRUSTRATING FOR THEM. SO THEN WHERE DO THE FEDERAL EFFORTS STAND IN TRYING TO BRING BROADBAND TO MORE PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS? IN 2021, THERE WAS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW THAT WAS PASSED, WHICH PROVIDED ABOUT $42 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR BROADBAND. RECENTLY, I SPOKE TO A FEW OF THE BROADBAND DIRECTORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT I SPOKE TO A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THEY TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS TO START TO GET FUNDING FOR THOSE BROADBAND PROJECTS. NOW THAT ALL CHANGED THIS PAST JUNE, WHEN THE NTIA, WHICH IS THE AGENCY THAT IMPLEMENTS THESE BROADBAND PROJECTS, CHANGED THE RULES, THEY’RE NOW REQUIRING PROPOSALS TO BE OPEN TO WHAT THEY CALL TECHNOLOGY NEUTRAL ISPS. THAT MEANS IT CAN BE SATELLITE OR CABLE OR WIRELESS PHONE TOWERS, ANYTHING, SO LONG AS IT FAVORS IN CRITERIA THE LOWEST COST. BUT THESE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND THE BROADBAND DIRECTORS TELL ME THAT THEY’VE ALREADY SEEN SOME COMMUNITIES WHERE NON-FIBER LOW COST PROJECTS WERE PUT IN PLACE, AND THE SERVICE IS NOT WHAT THE RESIDENTS WERE TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE, NOT WHAT THEY WERE PROMISED. AND IN SOME CASES, SOME OF THOSE COMPANIES HAVE ACTUALLY GONE BANKRUPT. SO THERE IS SOME WORRY AND SOME UNCERTAINTY. BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE FORMALLY GREENLIT UNDER THE OLD PROPOSAL RULES HAVE BEEN RESCINDED. AND THE NEW PROPOSALS ARE DUE ON SEPTEMBER 4TH. ONE OF THE THINGS I’VE ALWAYS REALLY LIKED ABOUT YOUR REPORTING IS YOU HAVE A GIFT FOR TAKING VERY COMPLEX POLICY ISSUES AND DISTILLING THEM SO WE UNDERSTAND THEM, AND THEN KIND OF PUTTING A HUMAN FACE ON THEM. AND I’M ALWAYS WONDERING, WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY AS YOU THINK ABOUT STORYTELLING? I THINK THAT WE’RE ALL LIVING WITH AND NAVIGATING REALLY COMPLEX POLICIES IN OUR OWN DAILY LIVES, WHETHER WE THINK OF IT THAT WAY OR NOT. SO WHEN I DIG INTO A STORY, I SEARCH FOR WHAT IS THE CLOSEST I CAN GET TO A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF A POLICY AND HOW IT FEELS AND HOW IT LOOKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY LIVING WITH IT. SO THE HOPE IS ALWAYS TO CONNECT THE DOTS ON ANY POLICY TO PEOPLE’S OWN LIVES TODAY. WE OFTEN DESCRIBE MATTER OF FACT AS, YOU KNOW, AS A SHOW THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW POLICY LANDS ON PEOPLE AND YOUR WORK IS ALWAYS EXHIBIT A, AND YOUR REPORTING IS ALWAYS EXCELLENT. DINA. DEMETRIUS, THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. SOLEDAD. COMING UP, HE OVERSEES THE BUSSES AT AN IOWA SCHOOL. IT’S BEEN A WILD DAY, BUT SHORT SEVERAL DRIVERS. HE HAD TO CALL IN BACKUP. STEP IN. AS A TEACHER. THAT WAS A VERY NEW ROLE TO PLAY. TODAY, THE CHALLENGES SCHOOLS ARE FACING AMID A NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF BUS DRIVERS. OVER OUR TEN SEASONS, MATTER OF FACT HAS VISITED COMMUNITIES LARGE AND SMALL TO SEE WHAT COMMON CHALLENGES THEY FACE AND TO THINK ABOUT SOLUTIONS. IN 2021, OUR CORRESPONDENT LAURA CHAVEZ REPORTED ON AN ISSUE IMPACTING FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. A SHORTAGE OF BUS DRIVERS. IT’S A PROBLEM THAT PERSISTS TODAY. AS OF SEPTEMBER 2024, THERE ARE ABOUT 199,000 SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS. THAT’S DOWN FROM MORE THAN 226,000 IN 2019. LAURA’S STORY IS ABOUT HOW A SCHOOL IN CARROLL, IOWA, GOT CREATIVE TO FILL THE GAPS. HEY, JUST LETTING YOU GUYS KNOW BUS 22 IS NOT GOING TO BE RUNNING THIS MORNING. IT’S 6 A.M. ON A TUESDAY MORNING AT THE CARROLL COMMUNITY SCHOOL BUS BARN AND TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR JEFF CULLEN AND HIS TEAM ARE IN CRISIS MODE. IT’S BEEN A WILD DAY. IT’S BEEN A PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST HECTIC DAYS I’VE HAD SINCE I’VE BEEN HERE. EIGHT OF MY 24 DRIVERS ARE OUT TODAY FOR VARIOUS REASONS, SO OBVIOUSLY THAT’S A THIRD OF MY STAFF. SO MANY DRIVERS ARE OUT. EVEN SUPERINTENDENT CASEY BERLAU IS PICKING UP HER OUT TODAY. WE’RE UTILIZING. ANY SUB THAT WE HAVE. OUR TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORS DRIVING BOTH OF OUR MECHANICS, OUR DRIVING BUSSES. WE’VE GOT OUR DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, A COUPLE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, ALONG WITH A SET OF KEYS TO A SCHOOL SANCTIONED VEHICLE. STAFF MEMBERS LIKE KELLY SCHULTZ ARE HANDED A POST-IT NOTE WITH AN ADDRESS AND THE NAMES OF STUDENTS THEY’RE PICKING UP. JUST STEP IN AS A AS A TEACHER TO COME. THAT WAS A VERY NEW ROLE TO PLAY TODAY. TEACHERS AND SCHOOL STAFF HAVE BEEN STEPPING UP OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO MAKE SURE THE 1700 STUDENTS IN CARROLL COMMUNITY GET TO SCHOOL. BUT IF THINGS DON’T CHANGE, THE DRIVER SHORTAGE COULD HAVE A MUCH LARGER IMPACT HERE. ULTIMATELY, IF I LOSE ANOTHER 4 OR 5 DRIVERS, I’LL HAVE TO DO AWAY WITH IN-TOWN BUSSING. REMOVING IN-TOWN BUSSING MEANS KIDS LIVING WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS COULD LOSE ACCESS TO A BUS. DADDY IS IN MY TOOLBOX AND THAT WON’T WORK FOR ADAM AND BAILEY WARNKE, WHO LIVE IN TOWN ABOUT A MILE FROM THEIR SON RYDER’S PRESCHOOL. RYDER HAS AN UNDIAGNOSED, MUSCULAR ISSUE. SO WITHOUT A SPECIALLY EQUIPPED BUS, HE’S STUCK AT HOME AND FALLING BEHIND. YOU GOT IT? YEP. GOOD JOB. AND THERE’S ANOTHER REASON THE BUS SYSTEM IS SO IMPORTANT TO RYDER AND HIS FAMILY. GOOD MORNING. IT’S THE SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN RYDER AND HIS DRIVER, RICK HAMILTON. HE LOVES TO JOKE AROUND WITH RICK. LIKE I’VE TOLD RICK. LIKE HE CAN’T RETIRE. RYDER IS JUST A SWEETHEART. I JUST LOVE HIM TO DEATH. HE’S A GREAT KID. RICK’S BEEN DRIVING A SCHOOL BUS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, AND HE’S SEEN A LOT, BUT NOTHING LIKE THE CURRENT DRIVER SHORTAGE. I DON’T REMEMBER WHEN I STARTED THAT. THERE WAS. THERE WAS NEAR THE PROBLEM FILLING ROUTES OR FIGHTING SUBS. IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS GOTTEN REALLY CRITICAL. ACCORDING TO RICK AND OTHER DRIVERS, I SPOKE TO, THIS SHORTAGE HAS BEEN BUILDING. YOU MAY SEE AN END IN SIGHT. OR IS THIS JUST THE NEW NORMAL? I DON’T SEE AN END IN SIGHT BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN’T GET DRIVERS. THEY DON’T WANT TO DO IT. NO BENEFITS REALLY. THE PAY IS NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE. PAY FOR NEW DRIVERS IN THE DISTRICT IS $19.22 AN HOUR. NO HEALTH BENEFITS, BUT NEW DRIVERS DO GET A $1,000 INCENTIVE, HALF AT THE START OF THE YEAR AND HALF AT THE END. BUT MONEY’S NOT THE ONLY BARRIER. IT TAKES SOME SPECIAL PERSON TO DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU HAVE TO WANT TO DO IT OR YOU WOULDN’T LAST. I ALWAYS HAVE LOVED WORKING WITH KIDS. WE DO A LOT OF TALKING, A LOT OF SHARING, AND SO I GET REALLY CLOSE TO MY KIDS. WHICH RYDER AND HIS FAMILY KNOW FIRSTHAND. IT HELPS WITH THE START OF THE DAY. I’LL TELL HIM RIGHT AFTER YOUR BUS IS COMING UP THE ROAD, AND HE BOLTS IN HIS WHEELCHAIR. HE BOLTS RIGHT TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY AND WAITS FOR RICK TO PICK HIM UP. HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW HIM RIDE OFF ON THAT BUS? I CHOKED UP. I GOT A SOFT SPOT IN MY HEART. IT ALL STARTS RIGHT THERE ON THE BIG YELLOW BUS. YOU KNOW, I’LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. SAY, HAVE A GOOD DAY ON A BIG YELLOW BUS IN CARROLL, IOWA. I’M LAURA CHAVEZ, FOR MATTER OF FACT. WHEN WE COME BACK, LAURA CHAVEZ JOINS ME TO SHARE THE STORY BEHIND HER STORY. THE UNEXPECTED TWIST WHEN SHE SHOWED UP TO REPORT. BEFORE THE BREAK, WE WATCHED CORRESPONDENT LAURA CHAVEZ’S STORY ON A RURAL IOWA SCHOOL COPING WITH WHAT’S A NATIONAL PROBLEM, A SHORTAGE OF BUS DRIVERS. SO, LAURA, NICE TO SEE YOU WHEN YOU ARRIVE TO COVER THE STORY. IT WAS PRETTY MUCH A STRAIGHTFORWARD STORY. AND THEN THERE WAS A TWIST. WHAT WAS THE TWIST? YEAH, WE HAD IT ALL LAID OUT. IT WAS GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL INTRO SUNRISE OVER CORNFIELDS. THE BUS BARN DOORS GO UP AND YOU SEE A BUS PULLING OUT. THAT MORNING WE WALKED INTO THE BUS BARN ABOUT 4 A.M., AND YOU COULD FEEL THE TENSION IN THE ROOM. EIGHT OF THE 24 BUS DRIVERS THAT WERE SLATED TO DRIVE THAT DAY CALLED OUT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. AS YOU SAW IN THE PIECE, TEACHERS WERE GRABBING SETS OF CAR KEYS. ONE OF THE BUS DRIVERS EVEN JOKED AT ONE POINT IN TIME, HE LOOKED AT MYSELF IN THE CREW AND SAID, THEY CAN DRIVE, RIGHT? WHY DON’T WE PUT THEM BEHIND THE WHEEL? MERCIFULLY, WE DRIVE RIGHT? EXACTLY. DRIVING A BUS? YEAH. I DON’T THINK WE WERE GOING TO BE BEHIND A BIG BUS, BUT THEY HAD DEFINITELY CONSIDERED PUTTING US BEHIND ONE OF THE SHUTTLES. WE WERE KIND OF. GAME. HOW’S THE SCHOOL DOING NOW? JEFF CULLEN, WHO WAS THE TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR AT THE TIME, HE HAS SINCE RETIRED, AND JEN DENTLINGER, WHO WAS HIS NUMBER TWO, AND SHE WAS IN THE PIECES AS WELL, HAS TAKEN OVER. I TALKED WITH JEN ABOUT A WEEK AGO WHEN WE WERE THERE. THEY HAD 24 BUS ROUTES IN SCHOOL YEAR 20, 24, 25. THEY DROPPED DOWN TO 22 NEXT YEAR. FOR SCHOOL YEAR 20, 2526, THEY’RE DROPPING FROM 22 TO 17. THIS IS A BIG IMPLICATION FOR THE SCHOOL. IT GETS TO A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME. THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO ELIMINATE WHAT’S CALLED IN-TOWN BUS ROUTES. THAT MEANS ANY KID THAT LIVES WITHIN TWO MILES OF THE SCHOOL WON’T HAVE A BUS ROUTE ANYMORE. THAT’S GOING TO HAVE A MASSIVE IMPACT FOR A LOT OF PARENTS, A LOT OF TEACHERS, AND A LOT OF KIDS. ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, CULLEN AT THE TIME THOUGHT MAYBE MORE INCENTIVES WOULD HELP. JEN DENTLINGER IS ALSO MOVING THAT FORWARD WITH BIG INCENTIVES, INCLUDING CARRYING ON THAT $1,000 SIGNING BONUS THAT YOU GET HALF OF THE BEGINNING END OF THE YEAR AND HALF AT THE END OF THE YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS MADE ZERO IMPACT. AND FOR COMPARISON, JUST ONE COUNTY OVER. WHEN I TALKED WITH DENTLINGER, SHE SAID THAT THEY’RE PAYING BUS DRIVERS ALMOST TWICE WHAT CAROLL IS PAYING THEM, AND THEY’RE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. OH, I’M SO SORRY TO HEAR THAT. THERE IS NOT A LOT OF GOOD NEWS TO REPORT IN YOUR UPDATE. YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME THAT YOU’VE REPORTED, FOR MATTER OF FACT, YOU’VE ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE THE PERSON WHO PICKS THE STORY THAT EVERYBODY’S GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE LOCAL STORY WITH THIS BIG NATIONAL IMPACT. I’M CURIOUS KIND OF HOW YOU THINK ABOUT FINDING THOSE STORIES AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO COVER THOSE STORIES. I THINK WORKING WITH MATTER OF FACT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE REALLY BIG BENEFITS THAT I PERSONALLY GOT TO HAVE. I LIKE TO THINK OF MY STORIES AS DINNER TABLE CONVERSATIONS, LIKE WHEN YOU’RE SITTING DOWN WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR YOUR FAMILY, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING TO THEM ABOUT? IS IT THE COST OF CHILDCARE? IS IT THE FACT THAT THE BUS DRIVERS AREN’T SHOWING UP? IS IT DATING FATIGUE? I REALLY LOVED THE IDEA OF TAKING THOSE STORIES THAT YOU’RE EXPERIENCING AT ALMOST A CELLULAR LEVEL, SOMETHING THAT’S IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND TALKING ABOUT IT. AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY WHAT MADE IT SO IMPACTFUL AND UNIQUE. A MATTER OF FACT. WELL, YOU HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB. WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR REPORTING, AND IT’S BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU ON. MATTER OF FACT, LAURA CHAVEZ, ALWAYS NICE TO TALK TO YOU. THANK YOU. SOLEDAD STILL AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, SOLEDAD REFLECTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SHARING YOUR STORIES OF HOPE ANDFINALLY, TOD’ ABOUT THE WAYS THAT BOTH DINA, DEMETRIUS AND LAURA CHAVEZ HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAP INTO THE EVERYDAY CHALLENGES SO MANY AMERICANS FACE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS. BOTH DINA AND LAURA HAVE TRAVELED TO COMMUNITIES WITH FEWER THAN 6000 PEOPLE IN ORDER TO SHOW US WHAT LIFE LOOKS LIKE WHEN PEOPLE LACK RELIABLE INTERNET, SCHOOL BUS SERVICE, CHILDCARE OR ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES. THEY HAVE PUT A FACE ON THE ISSUES THEY’VE COVERED. TO THEIR CREDIT, THEY DIDN’T JUST STOP AT DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM. OUR CORRESPONDENTS HAVE PUT AN EMPHASIS ON UNCOVERING SOLUTIONS. THEIR REPORTING SHINES A LIGHT ON HOW INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES ARE INNOVATING TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS. OUR HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE WHO SEE THE STORIES CAN TAKE INSPIRATION FROM THOSE INNOVATIONS AND EXPAND OR REPLICATE THEM IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. THAT IS THE POWER OF GREAT REPORTING. MY PERSONAL THANKS TO BOTH DINA AND LAURA FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK ON. MATTER OF FACT, IT HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH THEM AND TO FEATURE THEIR REPORTING. NEXT WEEK, JESSICA GOMEZ JOINS ME FOR A LOOK AT SOME OF HER FAVORITE STORIES FROM THE PAST TEN YEARS, AND I’LL SHARE A FEW OF MINE. THAT’S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF MATTER OF FACT, I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN, AND I’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK.