Welcome to the FINAO News section, where we highlight stories about people from every walk of life, who epitomize the spirit of FINAO. If you find these stories inspiring, and know of other examples our online community might enjoy, please share them in our Public Forum.
A Reporter With a 'Tom Sawyer Business Plan' Buys a Newspaper
Of the thousands of paths taken by journalists who have been cast off by shrinking metropolitan newspapers, M.E. Sprengelmeyer's is one of the more unusual, and one of the more hopeful. At the age of 42, Sprengelmeyer has embarked on a new life as editor of his own newspaper in an isolated little town in New Mexico. The former Washington correspondent for the Denver, Colo. Rocky Mountain News, which closed in February, says he is making enough money to support himself and to begin providing employment to former co-workers. "It feels like it matters, and I'm having fun," he says. Click here to read the full story.
Whispering to Rottweilers, and to C.E.O.'s
It's a miracle. That's what people believe, more often than not, after watching Cesar Millan, "The Dog Whisperer," do his work. At the age of 40, he commands as much as $100,000 fees from the rich and famous who are having problems with their dogs. And, he is building an enviable empire in a country where pet lovers treat their animals like children. . . . Not bad for a 40-year-old, once-poor native of Culiacan, Mexico, who crossed the border illegally 19 years ago with nothing in his pockets. When Millan talks about transformation, he's living proof that it's possible. Read this engaging business story by clicking here.
'De-ganging' in Brick City: A Sundance Television Series
In 2007, gang members went to producer Mark Benjamin's office to encourage him to do a film about "de-ganging," their process for getting younger members to turn around their lives. Until Newark Mayor Cory Booker got involved, Benjamin couldn't find anyone interested in the subject. That was then. This is now: A five-part series called Brick City, which kicked off Sept. 21st on the Sundance Channel. It's being heralded as one of the best documentaries produced in recent memory, and as a catalyst for the remarkable spirit that has engulfed this embattled community. Visit the Sundance Channel here to learn more.
From a Porch in Montana, Low-Power Radio's Voice Rises
Scott Johnston broadcasts KXZI radio from his 90-year-old farmhouse in Creston, Mont. Mainstream media it is not. But his low-power noncommercial radio station, one of many others like it that have emerged in towns and out-of-the-way places across the country, fills a specific need -- that of local residents. And it hasn't gone unnoticed. In fact, some communications experts say Congress could pass legislation increasing the number of low-power station licenses, which now are anticipated to grow from about 800 to more than 1,600 -- soon. Click here to learn about "Montana Radio Cafe" and why it may be coming to a town near you.
Seldom-Heard Compliment for Atlanta's Mayor: 'You Were Right'
Mayor Shirley Franklin endured criticism when, as the first black woman to lead a major city in the South, she warned of a financial crisis in Atlanta -- months before Wall Street collapsed. But the tiny, unflappable figure, who wears a giant flower pinned to her lapel, stood her ground. Today, some of her fiercest opponents are admitting they should have listened to her warnings. And they're thanking her for standing her ground -- and taking the "long view" that has enabled her to achieve major things, such as fixing the city's medieval sewers, building new parks and keeping the papers of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from leaving Atlanta. Read more about this political dynamo and her accomplishments, here.