On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the island of Puerto Rico, wreaking havoc and widespread destruction. The rain lasted for longer than 30 hours, the winds sustained at 155 miles per hour. In one day, the island saw 30 inches of rain—the same amount…
The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) states that after a detailed gender analysis of U.S. Census poverty, income, and health insurance data from 2015, they found that women’s poverty rates were substantially above the poverty rates for men. More than one in eight women lived…
According to a report in the New York Magazine, New York spends $1.2 billion a year on homelessness, and yet the problem continues to get worse. Though mental health problems and drug dependency contribute, the biggest factor for the working poor is soaring rent costs…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year, about 2,640 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,440 babies are born with a cleft lip (with or without a cleft palate). These are two of the most common types of…
Currently, the “poverty line” exists at $24,600 for a family of four. Those earning this much or less are considered to be living in poverty. In the city of New York, a family making only this much is going to find it near impossible to…
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) states that about 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. shelters nationwide every year. Of those, about 3.2 million are cats. Despite efforts to adopt these animals out, about 860,000 cats are euthanized each year.…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that in a nationally representative survey, nearly one in five women and one in 71 men reported experiencing rape at some point in their lives. About one in 20 women and men experienced sexual violence other…
According to Time magazine, the death toll from hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, was at least 103, with an estimated $200 billion in damages. That makes 2017 the worst year for hurricanes since Katrina and friends (including Dennis and Rita) blew through in 2005. In…
In June 2017, the New York Times reported that New York City experienced an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. According to the report, one person died and six others were sickened by Legionella bacteria. Inspectors examined all cooling systems…
On December 1, 2013, Kari Rene Hunt Dunn agreed to meet her husband at the Baymont Inn and Suites in Marshall, Texas. The two were estranged, and Kari had planned to divorce him, but she agreed to meet him to allow him to visit with…