Local news and analysis from The Conversation

Highlighting emerging research and expert analysis on issues important to five communities in the U.S. Funded by the Knight Foundation and R.K. Mellon Foundation.

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A young Black woman stands behind podium with an American flag behind her

A young Black woman stands behind podium with an American flag behind her

Detroit’s high property taxes are driving a housing affordability crisis – how can city leaders bring down costs?

Amanda Nothaft, University of Michigan

Cuba needs a long-term solution to its energy crisis

Luisa Blanco, Pepperdine University; Institute for Humane Studies and Isabella Elias, Pepperdine University

2 small lights show on a darkened Havana street

2 small lights show on a darkened Havana street

Philadelphia will celebrate Ona Judge Day to honor Martha Washington’s enslaved maid who made a daring escape to freedom

Timothy Welbeck, Temple University

Colorful paper signs that read 'History is real' and 'Learn ALL History' are taped to the exterior of a brick building.

Colorful paper signs that read 'History is real' and 'Learn ALL History' are taped to the exterior of a brick building.

Battleground state with few combatants – why Pennsylvania’s primaries lack competition

Kristin Kanthak, University of Pittsburgh

Three large white partitions read 'I Voted!' with voters behind it.

Three large white partitions read 'I Voted!' with voters behind it.

A newly rediscovered moth species in Florida may already be at risk

Ryan St Laurent, University of Colorado Boulder

Pinkish, fuzzy moth

Pinkish, fuzzy moth

Detroit

Man stands next to broken water main.

Man stands next to broken water main.

Detroit’s water affordability crisis is tied to the uneven distribution of stormwater management costs – a fraught history explains why

Nicole Van Lier, Loyola Marymount University

Motown’s Black women songwriters and producers were the invisible architects behind the pop music juggernaut

Margena A. Christian, University of Illinois Chicago

Woman stands in front of podium

Woman stands in front of podium

Heavy rain on snow is testing aging dams across Michigan and Wisconsin – this is the future in a warming world

Richard B. (Ricky) Rood, University of Michigan

A city worker in reflective clothes stands knee-deep in a flooded street.

A city worker in reflective clothes stands knee-deep in a flooded street.

Signs of economic instability emerge in Oakland County, one of Michigan’s wealthiest

Grigoris Argeros, Eastern Michigan University and Jordyn Gerwig, Eastern Michigan University

Cars drive on street in a downtown district.

Cars drive on street in a downtown district.

Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas not only recorded an anthem for the civil rights era – they fought for fair pay and proudly called themselves divas

Austin McCoy, West Virginia University

Three female Motown singers from the 1960s pose for a photo

Three female Motown singers from the 1960s pose for a photo

Read more Detroit news

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Philadelphia

Woman in baseball cap holds phone while looking across large intersection

Woman in baseball cap holds phone while looking across large intersection

Would a $1 rideshare fee affect wealthier or working-class Philadelphians more? 2 Chicago studies offer some perspective

Parth Vaishnav, University of Michigan and Miki Tsuchiya, University of Michigan

What to do if someone you know in Philadelphia or elsewhere is detained by ICE

Jennifer J. Lee, Temple University

Armed man with jacket that says 'Police Federal Agent' pats down person in sweatshirt and jeans as other people stand watching

Armed man with jacket that says 'Police Federal Agent' pats down person in sweatshirt and jeans as other people stand watching

The American Revolution’s triumphant story of democracy and freedom overlooks loyalists who paid a steep price for allegiance to Britain

Kimberly Nath, San Juan College

Black and white illustration of large crowd in colonial dress gathered outside of stately building

Black and white illustration of large crowd in colonial dress gathered outside of stately building

How Harriet Tubman and Philadelphia abolitionists coordinated dangerous journeys to freedom

Nilgun Anadolu-Okur, Temple University and Jeremy Mennis, Temple University

Statue of woman wearing handkerchief on head and holding fists over heart

Statue of woman wearing handkerchief on head and holding fists over heart

Stockings once worn by Philly’s wealthiest man show the value of women’s mending in early America

Emily J. Whitted, UMass Amherst

Pair of old and threadbare knee socks

Pair of old and threadbare knee socks

Read more Philadelphia news

Pittsburgh

Three large white partitions read 'I Voted!' with voters behind it.

Three large white partitions read 'I Voted!' with voters behind it.

Battleground state with few combatants – why Pennsylvania’s primaries lack competition

Kristin Kanthak, University of Pittsburgh

Why Pennsylvania’s low-income residents are feeling the squeeze as gas prices rise

Hannah Wiseman, Penn State

A close-up of gas prices on a gas pump.

A close-up of gas prices on a gas pump.

How Pennsylvania’s new paid leave bill leaves the sandwich generation behind

Kate Perepezko, Miami University

A little girl looking out a window while standing next to a man in a wheelchair and an adult woman.

A little girl looking out a window while standing next to a man in a wheelchair and an adult woman.

Is it wrong to pay incarcerated people in jail? This Pennsylvania county says no

Nancy La Vigne, Rutgers University - Newark

Men in orange jumpsuits are standing in line.

Men in orange jumpsuits are standing in line.

‘Affordable’ Pittsburgh doesn’t have enough affordable housing – here’s why

Selena E. Ortiz, Penn State

A tight row of brick homes under a blue sky.

A tight row of brick homes under a blue sky.

Read more Pittsburgh news

South Florida

cartoon on the left and AI image on the right showing Americans as Cuba's liberators

cartoon on the left and AI image on the right showing Americans as Cuba's liberators

AI-generated fantasies of US intervention reveal how desperation has narrowed Cuba’s political horizons

Michael J. Bustamante, University of Miami

A fungal disease, along with climate change, threatens Colorado’s prized peaches

Jane Stewart, Colorado State University and David Sterle, Colorado State University

A person holding a basket of peaches is surrounded by lush, green peach trees.

A person holding a basket of peaches is surrounded by lush, green peach trees.

Many of the Caribbean’s most important reefs are going unprotected

Sara M. Melo Merino, Smithsonian Institution; Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), and Steven Canty, Smithsonian Institution

A diver over a coral reef with many types of corals.

A diver over a coral reef with many types of corals.

Gerrymandering is unpopular with Florida voters – my recent survey shows why DeSantis pushed it through anyway

Daniel A. Smith, University of Florida

Woman speaks into a megaphone on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives.

Woman speaks into a megaphone on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives.

Sorry, Tampa Bay, mixed-use districts don’t reverse the dismal economics of sports venues

J.C. Bradbury, Kennesaw State University

illustration of a stadium surrounded by trees, businesses and high rises

illustration of a stadium surrounded by trees, businesses and high rises

Read more South Florida news

Colorado

A person holding a basket of peaches is surrounded by lush, green peach trees.

A person holding a basket of peaches is surrounded by lush, green peach trees.

A fungal disease, along with climate change, threatens Colorado’s prized peaches

Jane Stewart, Colorado State University and David Sterle, Colorado State University

Fire is transforming the US West’s public lands – research shows overlooked cost to recreation

Kyle Manley, University of Colorado Boulder

A man with an axe and a hard hat walks in front of bright orange red blazing fire.

A man with an axe and a hard hat walks in front of bright orange red blazing fire.

Thousands of employed Colorado workers need SNAP benefits to make ends meet

Jennifer C. Greenfield, University of Denver

People in orange vests stand under tents with bags of produce.

People in orange vests stand under tents with bags of produce.

Agricultural work is dangerous – but good communication can save lives in Colorado

Morgan Valley, Colorado State University and Lorann Stallones, Colorado State University

A man is reaching up to a machine in a dairy production facility.

A man is reaching up to a machine in a dairy production facility.

1914 Ludlow Massacre took lives of 25 miners and family members during bitter strike for fair wages and conditions

Robert Forrant, UMass Lowell

A black and white photo of a man standing in front of burned canvas tents.

A black and white photo of a man standing in front of burned canvas tents.

Read more Colorado news

Most read stories

Statues of a smiling and waving Hershey's Kiss, Hershey's Chocolate Bar and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

Statues of a smiling and waving Hershey's Kiss, Hershey's Chocolate Bar and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

The costume maker who convinced Hersheypark to embrace candy mascots and ‘chocolatize’ their old-timey theme park

John Haddad, Penn State

How a 22-year-old George Washington learned how to lead, from a series of mistakes in the Pennsylvania wilderness

Christopher Magra, University of Tennessee

George Washington depicted as a young surveyor.

George Washington depicted as a young surveyor.

Broncos say their new stadium will be ‘privately financed,’ but ‘private’ often still means hundreds of millions in public resources

Geoffrey Propheter, University of Colorado Denver

People walk toward a large building with a sign that says "Empower Field at Mile High."

People walk toward a large building with a sign that says "Empower Field at Mile High."

I study rat nests − here’s why rodents make great archivists

Alexandria Mitchem Hansen, Columbia University

Brown rat on the ground outdoors holds red berry-like fruit in its hands

Brown rat on the ground outdoors holds red berry-like fruit in its hands

Colorado ranks among the highest states in the country for flu – an emergency room physician describes why the 2025-26 flu season is hitting hard

Jean Hoffman, University of Colorado Anschutz

Woman in a blue scrub top coughs in a hospital bed while a person in the background in a doctor's coat rub their hands together.

Woman in a blue scrub top coughs in a hospital bed while a person in the background in a doctor's coat rub their hands together.

Our team

Headshots for Beth Daley, Priyanka Sharma-Sindhar, Emily Costello, Kate Kilpatrick, Eleanore Catolico, Claire Cleveland, Eleanore Catolico and Katie Flood.