Kokomo – BBC America
When it comes to business innovation these days, the cities of America’s Rust Belt do not come quickly to mind. Once hotbeds for manufacturing, these northern towns developed a reputation for skyrocketing unemployment and blighted neighborhoods. But reporter David Brancaccio has been traveling to some downtrodden spots along the rust belt and is finding surprising signs of economic life. Kokomo, Indiana–once written off as one of America’s “worst cities”–is now attracting some major international investments.
NJ Soldier – NBC Today
Even as Iraq War combat deaths decrease, the war is still haunting parts of the home front, as the consequences of post traumatic stress disorder – PTSD – spread fresh pain. Newsweek columnist and NBC News contributing correspondent Jonathan Alter on one town’s tragedy.
Rockford – BBC America
It says something when this line can be considered news: “Manufacturing jobs come to America’s rust belt.” Reporter David Brancaccio has been visiting some northern cities with reputations for grim headlines about unemployment and found surprising evidence of economic vigor that could point toward a better future. It is once-mighty Rockford, Illinois where a new factory is starting out on an up note.
Timber Wars – 60 Minutes
Correspondent Ed Bradley goes to the Pacific Northwest to uncover attempts by the logging industry to circumvent environmental regulations to harvest old growth timber.
Youngstown, Ohio – BBC America
Bruce Springsteen sings about the smokestacks of Youngstown, Ohio once reaching “into a beautiful sky of soot and clay.” Today there is less soot—and many fewer jobs– with so much of the steel industry in that city long gone. Yet reporter David Brancaccio has been finding surprising signs of economic vigor in some Rust Belt cities. In Youngstown, it is a story of reversing the city’s decades-long brain drain.
Ted Kennedy – NBC Today
MSNBC Contributor Mike Barnicle visits Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy at the Kennedy Compound in Hyanis where the Senator takes him on a tour of the historic House and talks politics.
DC Homicide – Dateline
Produced By: Steve McCarthy The Homicide rate in DC is skyrocketing in 1995. But the case closure rate of the murders is dropping. DC Homicide Detectives are undermanned, outgunned and suffer a lack of witnesses willing to testify. Almost half the murders in the District go unsolved. Detective Carl Gregory and his fellow squad members fight the battle on several fronts.
