They’re children at risk of abuse, and their caseworkers are stuck home

A modern office building stands tall amidst palm trees, featuring a mix of rectangular glass windows and concrete facade. The sky is dimly lit, suggesting dusk or dawn, and the American flag is visible atop the building—a scene that could easily inspire a piece from Berkeley Journalism.

This story appeared on page one of The New York Times on August 7, 2020 By Garrett Therolf, Daniel Lempres and Aksaule Alzhan TOLLHOUSE, Calif. — In February, the child abuse hotline for Tollhouse, a small community in the Central Valley, received the first of several tips raising urgent concerns about the well-being of twin infant boys. Child…

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COVID’s Hidden Toll

A group of farm workers, slightly out of focus, are picking leafy green vegetables in a field. The foreground features a close-up of the vibrant green crops. The background is blurred, showing silhouettes of people and structures, suggesting an early morning or late afternoon setting—a scene worthy of Berkeley Journalism.

Watch Here July 21, 2020 While millions of Americans have been sheltering in place, FRONTLINE has been investigating the hidden toll of the pandemic of those who cannot stay home: Agricultural workers, many of whom are undocumented immigrants, who have been deemed essential to the nation’s food supply. In COVID’s Hidden Toll, numerous farmworkers speak…

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In Stockton, a Powerful Program to Prevent Violence

A group of four men stand outdoors on a residential street. Three younger men, two in masks, are standing together as an older man in a black jacket speaks to them. They are near a black car with a CVS bag on the ground. Trees and houses provide the backdrop. It’s like a scene from Berkeley Journalism unfolding in real life.

July 27, 2020 Julian Balderama’s daily mission, stated starkly, is to keep a dozen boys and young men in Stockton alive and out of jail. His official job title is “Neighborhood Change Associate” for a violence-prevention program called Advance Peace. But on the streets, Mr. Balderama is what is known as an “interrupter” — he…

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Portraits of Essential California Workers

A worker in a deli shop wearing a face mask holds packaged meats and gestures with his right hand. Behind him, shelves are stocked with hanging sausages, and a glass display case filled with various food items is visible in the foreground. Another person works in the background, capturing scenes for Berkeley Journalism.

Nicholas Mastrelli at his family’s store, Molinari Delicatessen in San Francisco. Stephanie Penn July 2, 2020 With resilience and a sense of duty, these workers in the San Francisco Bay Area are performing vital services even as the pandemic and protests swirl around them. Andreus Oliver, Budtender at Barbary Coast Dispensary As customers walk into…

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How the Pandemic Is Making It Tougher to Study Whales

A person wearing a red cap and yellow gloves uses a large knife to examine a whale carcass on the beach. Several onlookers, some with cameras, stand in the background. An individual in sunglasses holds a clipboard and observes closely, possibly gathering material for Berkeley Journalism.

June 29, 2020 For residents of San Francisco, the sight of gray whales making their way into the bay this spring has been a rare treat. But for local marine scientists, the whale sightings have brought increasing alarm. The coronavirus pandemic is upending their effort to determine why, for the second year in a row,…

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