Our joint regional reporting project in the Piedmont got off to a good start Aug. 29 with the publication of Randy Rieland’s reporting on the ripple effects of the nationwide opioid crisis felt here in our own back yard. The series, with interactive graphics and standout photography, appeared as a public service in four of the region’s newspapers as well as five websites.

https://www.rappnews.com/news/opioid-ripples-this-has-touched-everyone/article_1f1a467a-c8e8-11e9-8658-0bc3ef869b98.html

Reactions to “Opioid Ripples” featured letters to the editor and many encouraging comments from the community. Part Two of the series hits newsstands later this month in Rappahannock, Fauquier, Culpeper and Prince William counties. We’re privileged to work with the Piedmont Journalism Foundation, The Fauquier Times, Fauquier Now, and as always, Rappahannock Media.

We are not alone among nonprofit news providers — or civic news organizations — doing topnotch reporting. A spate of excellent work nearby (and on topics dear to our hearts) shows the value and importance of local news. We highly recommend reading and sharing the following links:

+ The Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism published today (Sept. 9) “Virginia’s Toxic Military Legacy,” a sobering look at the consequences of the military’s use of chemical-laden, toxic fire-fighting foam at many Virginia military installations.

https://vcij.org/virginias-toxic-military-legacy

Congratulations to Christopher Tyree and the board of this welcome addition to Virginia’s nonprofit news sector.

+ Charlottesville Tomorrow put months of reporting into a look at changes in how, why and where we recycle. The excellent series (you’ll get hooked by the mesmerizing bird’s-eye drone images), raises the question of whether we can, and should, continue to recycle our waste materials.

https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/articles/local-recycling-now/

+ And ProPublica, the Pulitzer-winning national nonprofit investigative news site, is just out with this instructive look at what happens when Kentucky, a state with geographic similarities to Virginia, goes big in tackling the issue of bringing broadband to more users. (Hat tip to Tac Tacelosky).

https://www.propublica.org/article/how-kentucky-gambled-for-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-from-a-broadband-program-it-didnt-qualify-for

In each instance, community and public support makes this compelling journalism possible.