Note: For the full interview with Shawn Spruce from Native America Calling, subscribe to the podcast or visit this link: A conversation with Shawn Spruce, host of Native America Calling, which President Biden awarded the National Humanities Medal (ktoo.org)
Over the last several months, KTOO Health Reporter Claire Stremple has been following a story about the Division of Public Assistance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), more widely known as food stamps.
Today, we take a deep dive into how a reporter discovers a story and how a story can evolve over time, and the impact that kind of reporting can have. But also, how does a reporter deal with such a long-forming story, and what kind of impact does it have on them?
Links to Claire Stremple’s reporting on the Division of Public Assistance Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program:
- No response from state officials as some Alaskans go months without food stamps (ktoo.org)
- With thousands waiting, state says food stamp backlog won’t improve any time soon (ktoo.org)
- State workers say chronic understaffing caused food stamp backlog (ktoo.org)
- State Public Assistance director is no longer in her post following news of months-long waits for food stamps (ktoo.org)
- At Juneau rally, state workers call for more resources to fix food stamp backlog (ktoo.org)
- Thousands of Alaskans are still waiting for food stamps as state scrambles for solutions (ktoo.org)
- Gov. Dunleavy adds $9M to budget to address food stamp, Medicaid backlog (ktoo.org)
- Department behind Alaska’s food stamp backlog will soon be processing 260k Medicaid reapplications (ktoo.org)
Bostin Christopher hosts today’s program. You can catch Juneau Afternoon at 3:00 p.m. on KTOO Juneau 104.3 and KAUK 91.7 Juneau Auke Bay. A rebroadcast airs at 7:00 p.m. You can also tune in online at ktoo.org/listen.
Guests:
- Claire Stremple, KTOO Heatlh Reporter
- Shawn Spruce, Host of Native America Calling
Subscribe to the podcast:
Juneau Afternoon is a production of the KTOO Arts and Culture Team.
Bostin Christopher produced today’s show with help from Erin Tripp.
