Gail Austin is a senior producer with more than a decade of experience in broadcast news. Before joining Matter of Fact, Gail was the deputy executive producer of National Public Radio’s flagship show, “Morning Edition,” and popular podcast, “Up First.” Joining Matter of Fact was a return to Hearst for Gail. She previously worked at Hearst for six years, most recently as a producer at Hearst Television’s Washington, D. C. News Bureau.
Filing taxes in the U.S. can be complicated, stressful and time-intensive. The IRS is aiming to fix this by piloting its own free online tax filing system at the beginning of 2024. Soledad O’Brien speaks with Nina Olson, the executive director at the Center for Taxpayer Rights and a former national taxpayer advocate at the IRS.
After an impressive major league baseball career that included a World Series win, left fielder Cleon Jones retired to his hometown in Alabama: Africatown, a Mobile neighborhood. Famous for being home to Clotilda, the last slave ship to arrive illegally in 1860, the community suffered through neglect and disinvestment for many years. Now, Jones and his wife Angela are hoping to change that – working to create a space worthy of its residents.
Seniors and their families are facing hard decisions with high costs of assisted living facilities. Many people are choosing to age at home with the support of caregivers. But, while the demand for home health care workers is high, few people want the job due to low pay and few benefits. Dan Lieberman meets with caregivers and their clients in North Carolina, who share how they’re struggling to meet the growing need.
This week on Matter of Fact, a severe staffing shortage of home care workers is leading to worries for aging Americans. Plus, the IRS is piloting a free online filing system for taxpayers. And, a former major league baseball star is going to bat for his Alabama hometown.
Mariko Bennett, a life coach and author of ”The Blueprint to Manifest Your Dreams,” believes in the power of manifesting. In her chat with Soledad, Mariko lays out why everyone should manifest, how to make reasonable goals, and how to bounce back after falling short of those goals.
This week, Matter of Fact of heads to Chicago to talk to a community group training high school students and residents to treat victims on gun violence on the scene. They say this training could save lives in neighborhoods with slow emergency response times. Plus, Soledad chats with Mariko Bennett, the author of “The Blueprint to Manifest Your Dreams,” about following through on the goals you set for yourself. Also, the U.S. Census redefines what rural and urban living mean and find out how a slower grocery checkout lane encourages connections.
In certain areas of Chicago’s south side, victims with gunshot wounds have a low chance of surviving, because ambulance response is slower, there’s a shortage of hospitals and trauma centers and police personnel aren’t required to administer first aid. Ujimaa Medics wants to change that by empowering the residents to help. They are training high school students and neighbors to learn life-saving techniques to treat victims right at the scene. Correspondent Laura Chavez talks to the group about their mission and what medical professionals say about their efforts. [hearst-video upload=”undefined” thumbnail=”undefined” name=”Chicago community group training residents to help victims of gun violence” description=”In certain areas of Chicago’s south side, victims with gunshot wounds have a low chance of surviving, because ambulance response is slower, there’s a shortage of hospitals and trauma centers and police personnel aren’t required to administer first aid. Ujimaa Medics wants to change that by empowering the residents to help. They are training high school students and neighbors to learn life-saving techniques to treat victims right at the scene. Correspondent Laura Chavez talks to the group about their mission and what medical professionals say about their efforts.”
In the wake of the pandemic, many New Yorkers remain worried about where they’ll get their next meal — and frustrated with elected officials. Alexis Clark speaks with a Bronx family of restaurateurs about how this is driving both activism and voter apathy.
More than a month after Hurricane Ian hit Florida, countless residents — including poll workers — are still displaced. Soledad O’Brien speaks with Lee County Supervisor Tommy Doyle about how extending early voting, focusing on absentee ballots and waiving certain requirements for poll workers are keeping the elections process afloat.