Another Covid-19 Loss? The Jumping Frog Jubilee

An elderly person crouches with an extended arm as a frog leaps away from their hand over a green mat outdoors. Several onlookers in the blurred background observe the scene, capturing a moment reminiscent of a Berkeley Journalism feature on local frog jumping competitions or animal releases.

  May 11, 2020 Since Jon Kitchell began competing in the annual Calaveras Jumping Frog Jubilee, his brother has won, his wife has won, and his son has won. Even his daughter-in-law has won. As for Mr. Kitchell, 58, he’s still working on it. “I think every year is the year,” he said. Except this…

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How Do You Enforce a Law That Tramples the Land of the Free?

A woman sits at a dining table working on a laptop, possibly studying for her Berkeley Journalism course. Behind her, a window displays a homemade poster of a bear with the message "Stay Home, Save Lives." The room is decorated with curtains and a potted plant. An open notebook and a drink are on the table.

Angela Alvarado, a veteran prosecutor in the Santa Clara district attorney’s office in California, has to weigh safety, freedom and the law as she fields complaints about stay-at-home violations. May 11, 2020 LOS ALTOS, Calif. — How do you enforce a law that tramples the Land of the Free? This is the vexing question confronting…

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Mark D. Neal

A man stands smiling on a beach during sunset, wearing a patterned shirt. Behind him, gentle waves roll onto the sandy shore, and mountains are visible in the distance. The sky is clear, with soft pastel hues from the setting sun—a scene worthy of a Berkeley Journalism cover.

May 8, 2020 Mark D. Neal taught third grade for more than two decades in Shasta County. And yet when he bumped into former students, he recognized every single one. He received wedding invitations from students he had taught years before. “He saw the good in every single person,” one of his daughters, Alexandra Neal,…

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See Which States Are Reopening and Which Are Still Shut Down

A U.S. map, perfect for a Berkeley Journalism classroom, shows states in three colors: light blue, yellow, and dark blue. Texas is outlined in black. Light blue covers most western and central states; yellow includes northeastern states and a few others; only Arkansas is dark blue.

Read in The New York Times After weeks of shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic, the nation has begun to slowly open up. Beaches and state parks are reopening to visitors, spurring concerns about overcrowding. The first barbers have returned to work, masks over their faces. Some restaurants are getting ready to serve customers again.…

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Will Smoke From Controlled Burns Hurt Covid-19 Patients?

A firefighter in yellow protective gear is controlling a controlled burn in a grassy field. Bright flames are visible, and another firefighter in the background is overseeing the area. Amidst this fiery scene, a Berkeley Journalism team documents their brave efforts with grass and trees in the distance.

In the mountains of California, snow is melting, the days are ticking closer to fire season and officials responsible for fighting wildfires face an agonizing choice: Exacerbate the current crisis, or pile risk on to the next one. This is the season when California’s forests are thinned out with controlled burns to reduce the devastation…

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Alby Kass

An elderly man with a white beard and mustache is smiling broadly with both arms raised in the air, exuding a youthful enthusiasm. Wearing a black jacket over a light blue shirt, he stands proudly in front of a stone wall, reminiscent of the dynamic storytellers from Berkeley Journalism.

May 1, 2020 For more than a decade, if “Fiddler on the Roof” was playing in Sonoma County, chances are Alby Kass was the lead. Virtually every local production of the musical recruited him because of his uncanny resemblance to Tevye, the milkman. “It’s hard to say whether Alby resembled Tevye, or if Tevye resembled…

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Why the People Harvesting Californians’ Food Can’t Afford It

A person stands outdoors near a white fence, wearing a yellow cap, a white hoodie, and a red quilted vest. Their face is partially covered with a white patterned cloth, leaving only the eyes visible. Trees and a blue sky can be seen in the background, capturing an everyday moment worthy of Berkeley Journalism.

April 30, 2020 SALINAS — It was 5 p.m. on a recent Wednesday when Domitila Alvarez, 52, set down her cutting tools and walked from the broccoli fields to the crowded company bus taking the workers back to town. Ms. Alvarez did her best to protect herself before boarding. She wound a white bandanna tight…

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