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The Scramble: Stories From Puerto Rico; The Final Files On The Assassination Of JFK

Connecticut Public Radio | By Betsy Kaplan
Published October 23, 2017 at 1:00 PM EDT
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Trees stripped of their leaves by the hurricane along a mountain road in central Puerto Rico.
Ryan Caron King / WNPR
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The small mountain town of Maricao, Puerto Rico. The hurricane tore part of the roof of the house on the right, so the family that lived there broke into an abandonded school in the town below to take shelter.
Ryan Caron King / WNPR
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Danny Torres has worked for the fire department in Meriden, Connecticut for decades. He's a member of the self-described Puerto Rican "Water Dogs" -- a group of volunteers and veterans that travelled the island giving the gift of clean water.
Ryan Caron King / WNPR
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In Caguas, former Hartford City Councilman Luis Cotto hands out water filters and solar lamps in a low-income housing development. Residents there said these were the first supplies they've received since the hurricane.
Ryan Caron King / WNPR
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Jeff Cohen - News Director at WNPR, and Ryan Caron-King - Photojournalist at WNPR and the New England News Collaborative.
Chion Wolf / WNPR

The devastation left by Hurricane Maria on September 20 is overwhelming the millions of Americans who are still without power and unable to meet basic needs.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer called on President Trump Sunday to appoint an official to coordinate and oversee relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

Schumer says:

This person will have the ability to bring all the federal agencies together, cut red tape on the public and private side, help turn the lights back on, get clean water flowing and help bring about recovery for millions of Americans who have gone too long in some of the worst conditions.

WNPR reporters Jeff Cohen and Ryan Caron King bring back stories and news from their week in Puerto Rico.

You can read WNPR's continuing coverage of Puerto Rico here.

Watch WNPR's video below to see volunteers and veterans from Connecticut bring clean water to a rural town on the island.

Also this hour: President Trump says he'll release the final batch of classified files on the assassination of JFK. Will they put conspiracy theories to rest or fuel new ones?

GUESTS:

  • Jeff Cohen - News Director at WNPR
  • Ryan Caron King - Photojournalist at WNPR and the New England News Collaborative
  • Philip Shenon - Former Washington correspondent for the New York Times and bestselling author of two books, most recently, A Cruel and Shocking Act: The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination.

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
Tags
HistoryPuerto Rico
Betsy Kaplan
Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. She served as the Senior Producer for 'The Colin McEnroe Show' for several years before stepping down in 2021 and returning to her previous career as a registered nurse. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows.
See stories by Betsy Kaplan

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

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