Story Archives of 'New England'

Adrian Nicole LeBlanc broke ground when her award-winning book Random Family: Love, Drugs,Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx was published in 2003. She spent more than a decade closely observing three generations of a Puerto Rican family to create an intimate portrait of street life that was anything but pretty.

Random Family was a New York Times bestseller and was recently named one of The 50 Books for Our Times by Newsweek magazine. Tomorrow afternoon, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc and two of the subjects of Random Family will travel to ConVal High School in Peterborough, NH for a day-long workshop with New Hampshire students. It’s part of the MacDowell Colony’s Community Outreach Program in the schools, and we’re catching up with Adrian Nicole LeBlanc before the workshop. We also spoke with Jill Lawler, an English teacher at ConVal, about what her students are learning from random family.

Adrian Nicole LeBlanc Q&A: Journalism for the long haul

As the weather gets colder, social service agencies across the state have found a growing need for warm clothing among the people they serve.

The state's Food Bank distributes donated food to shelters and soup kitchens across the state.

But there's no such central repository for donated clothing.

Students at UNH in Manchester are trying to solve that problem...and get college credit at the same time.

For the third year in a row, they've organized the Warmth from the Millyard clothing drive.

Associate Professor Kate Hanson teaches the UNH Community Leadership Program.

She describes the students' efforts to NHPR's Mark Bevis.

For generations, rural residents of the Northeast burned everything from leaves and brush to garbage and tires to save on trash pickup. As of this fall, all states in the region are regulating open burning…not only to prevent wildfires, but to keep toxic smoke from polluting the region’s air.

As part of a collaboration with Northeast stations, North Country Public Radio’s David Sommerstein reports convincing people to obey the law is an ongoing effort.

Fairpoint Communications has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

If a US Bankruptcy Judge agrees, Fairpoint will reorganize in a deal with its lenders and reduce its debt by 1 point 7 billion dollars.

State officials are expected to be at the hearing in New York on Tuesday to make sure resident's interests are protected.

In the meantime, New Hampshire Consumer Advocate Meredith Hatfield tells NHPR's Mark Bevis that Fairpoint customers should not see any difference in service.

A record 25 thousand dollar bill for a rescue last spring is fueling a debate among search and rescuers in the North Country.

Last April, 17-year-old Eagle Scout Scott Mason got lost during a one-day, 18 mile, solo hike in the Presidentials.

After a massive search, Mason got home alive and his family got the tab.

They’ve hired a lawyer to fight the bill, but the case brings up some important questions.

What’s the role of government and should people have to pay when they get into trouble?

NHPR correspondent Chris Jensen has the story.