Midwest

Chef Yia Vang

How Chef Yia Vang is putting his own twist on Hmong cuisine

Yia Vang, who moved to the US from a Thai refugee camp as a kid, explains his family's rites of passage, and why beets can be controversial.

How Chef Yia Vang is putting his own twist on Hmong cuisine
Nunes, phone

How a community in Ohio is stepping up when deportations split families

How a community in Ohio is stepping up when deportations split families
Members of the Longhorns compete in a Friday night softball game in West Liberty, Iowa

'Somebody else's babies' built Steve King's Iowa district — literally

'Somebody else's babies' built Steve King's Iowa district — literally
Somali Americans recently gathered at a banquet hall in Columbus, Ohio, to celebrate Somalia’s new president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

Why some Somali Americans are cheering for their home country's new president

Why some Somali Americans are cheering for their home country's new president
Thu MacKenzie and Madison Bau are freshmen at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

Racist taunts tested their friendship, but this Clinton supporter and her Trump-backer pal are in it for the long haul

Racist taunts tested their friendship, but this Clinton supporter and her Trump-backer pal are in it for the long haul
Suud Olat is a refugee advocate in St. Cloud, Minnesota

Despite discrimination and backlash, this Somali in St. Cloud says, 'I love my state'

"It’s a really, really scary moment for the Somali community," says refugee advocate Suud Olat.

Despite discrimination and backlash, this Somali in St. Cloud says, 'I love my state'
Refugee students Wichita East High School

Schools in Wichita learn to adapt to the needs of their refugee students

The largest high school in Kansas, Wichita East, has welcomed 58 new refugee students in the past year and a half. Many grew up in refugee camps and have no formal education — perhaps haven't ever learned to hold a pencil. The whole school system is learning to adapt.

Schools in Wichita learn to adapt to the needs of their refugee students
A few men pray in an open room

What's it like to be a Muslim voter in polite, largely Christian Wisconsin?

The politicians and staff are gone now that the state's primary is over, but some residents are left to deal with animosity stirred this political season.

What's it like to be a Muslim voter in polite, largely Christian Wisconsin?
Iowan Maria Alcivar caucused and voted yesterday for the first time.

This Latina was undocumented for 14 years — she just taught others to caucus

After a childhood of pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes and singing the national anthem, Iowa caucus veteran Maria Alcivar finally feels American.

This Latina was undocumented for 14 years — she just taught others to caucus
Ice cream sandwich

Why are some brands of ice cream 'meltier' than others?

Despite the simple sweetness of a scoop of ice cream, this frozen dairy product has a complicated microstructure. And this combination of air cells, ice crystals and fat globules affects the way and rate in which different kinds of ice cream melt and collapse.

Why are some brands of ice cream 'meltier' than others?
Daniel Melendez is program director for TSJ Media, which runs three Spanish-language radio stations in Ohio, including La Mega, and puts out out Spanish-language newspapers and magazines all over the Mid-West.

Cleveland's La Mega radio tries to unite diverse Latin American communities

Spanish-language radio stations aren’t new on the coasts, and they’ve gradually been cropping up in the American heartland, too. La Mega, in Cleveland, is the latest offering; one station playing the pop hits from all over Central America and the Caribbean.

Cleveland's La Mega radio tries to unite diverse Latin American communities
Riot police stand guard as demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri August 13, 2014.

Why are police using military gear in Ferguson and how did they get it?

As demonstrations continue in Ferguson, Missouri, after the shooting of teenager Michael Brown, the city's police have brought out military equipment to tamp down the protests, shocking many Americans. The gear most likely came through programs created after 9/11.

Why are police using military gear in Ferguson and how did they get it?
A police officer holds his riot gun while demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 13, 2014.

'Municipal shock and awe' comes to the streets of Ferguson

Tear gas, armored vehicles and the arrest of reporters marked Wednesday's protests in Ferguson, Mo. The images coming out of the Missouri town furthered anger at police tactics in the town and even prompted a White House response.

'Municipal shock and awe' comes to the streets of Ferguson

Local officials find difficulties in evaluating effectiveness of business tax incentives

States are competing against each other with tax incentives in the battle for jobs. But once incentives are given out, some are finding it impossible to determine whether they're getting any return on their investment.

Local officials find difficulties in evaluating effectiveness of business tax incentives

University students organize protests to call for divestment from fossil fuels

Students at Harvard University, joined by others at some of the country's top universities, are taking a new tact. Rather than change lightbulbs and conserve more, they want their universities to empty fossil fuel company investments from their endowment.

University students organize protests to call for divestment from fossil fuels