Best Rebel Dispatch Podcasts (2025)

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The Rise of RFK Jr., Part 4: From Protest to Power 26:21

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6d ago26:21

26:21

RFK Jr. ascends to the top ranks of government. Raney Aronson-Rath and filmmaker Michael Kirk examine his alliance with President Donald Trump, his rise to Secretary of Health and Human Services, and his efforts to turn his long-held beliefs into federal policy—concluding FRONTLINE’s serialized adaptation of The Rise of RFK Jr.…

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The Rise of RFK Jr., Part 3: A Movement Finds Its Moment 44:41

15d ago44:41

44:41

As COVID-19 upends daily life, RFK Jr. emerges as a leading voice of dissent. Continuing FRONTLINE’s serialized audio adaptation of The Rise of RFK Jr., Raney Aronson-Rath and filmmaker Michael Kirk examine how the pandemic unified his beliefs, expanded his audience, and propelled him from the fringes into the national spotlight.…

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The Rise of RFK Jr., Part 2: Public Purpose, Private Turmoil 40:06

14d ago40:06

40:06

RFK Jr. emerges from a turbulent adolescence determined to reclaim his legacy. Raney Aronson-Rath and filmmaker Michael Kirk trace his rise as an environmental advocate—and the private contradictions that complicated his public mission—continuing FRONTLINE’s serialized audio adaptation of The Rise of RFK Jr.…

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The Rise of RFK Jr., Part 1: From Hickory Hill to Heartache 37:11

19d ago37:11

37:11

How did Robert F. Kennedy Jr. evolve from Democratic political heir to MAGA-aligned power player? Host Raney Aronson-Rath and filmmaker Michael Kirk trace his path from Hickory Hill to the Trump administration and introduce FRONTLINE’s serialized audio adaptation of The Rise of RFK Jr.By GBH

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Inside Germany’s Far-Right Surge 25:26

30d ago25:26

25:26

In this episode of The FRONTLINE Dispatch, host Raney Aronson-Rath speaks with longtime FRONTLINE correspondent Evan Williams, director of The Rise of Germany’s New Right. Together, they unpack how the hardline Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has surged in popularity, drawing young voters on TikTok, capitalizing on economic anxiety, and reframi…

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Born Poor: A 14-Year Journey into Childhood Poverty and its Consequences 32:50

2M ago32:50

32:50

What happens when you grow up poor in America—and stay in touch with the same filmmaker for more than a decade? FRONTLINE filmmaker Jezza Neumann and documentary participant Kaylie Hegwood reflect on “Born Poor,” a film following three children, including Kaylie, from their lives as “Poor Kids” into young adulthood. Fourteen years after filming beg…

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'Unprepared, Part Two: There is No Plan’ (from NPR’s Up First) 26:33

7M ago26:33

26:33

From The Sunday Story on NPR’s Up First, hosted by Ayesha Rascoe. As North Carolina struggles to build back after Hurricane Helene, NPR correspondent Laura Sullivan travels to New York and New Jersey years after Superstorm Sandy to find how recovery efforts fell short. And we learn special interests are shaping how we put communities back together.…

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‘Unprepared, Part One: Hurricane Helene’s Deadly Warning’ (from NPR’s Up First) 24:10

7M ago24:10

24:10

From The Sunday Story on NPR’s Up First, hosted by Ayesha Rascoe. NPR correspondent Laura Sullivan examines how the nation is failing to rebuild after major storms in a way that will protect them from the next one. As climate-related storms become more frequent and severe, NPR and FRONTLINE investigate the forces keeping communities from building r…

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After Hurricane Helene, Are We Ready for the Next Big Storm? 22:03

7M ago22:03

22:03

Last fall, Hurricane Helene tore through multiple states, leaving millions without power, billions of dollars in damage, and more than 200 people dead. In the days that followed, NPR correspondent Laura Sullivan and a team from FRONTLINE began reporting on the ground in Western North Carolina, one of the hardest-hit areas — despite being inland and…

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Inside a White Supremacist Network That Encouraged Members to Kill 27:52

9M ago27:52

27:52

For more than a year, FRONTLINE and ProPublica have been investigating a global network of far-right extremists known as the Terrorgram Collective. The recent documentary The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram explores how this white supremacist network grew on anonymous, loosely-moderated platforms — and the violent consequences. Reporters A.C. Thompson …

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Life in Tibet and What Comes Next 17:51

10M ago17:51

17:51

After 75 years of Chinese Communist Party rule in Tibet, and as Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, approaches his 90th birthday, Tibet is at a critical juncture. FRONTLINE’s documentary Battle For Tibet goes inside the long-running struggle over the future of the mountainous region. Award-winning producer and director Gesbeen Mohammad joins …

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Martin Smith on China Under Xi 23:32

12M ago23:32

23:32

Longtime FRONTLINE correspondent and director Martin Smith returns to talk about his latest documentary, China, the U.S. &the Rise of Xi Jinping. With President Trump vowing larger tariffs in his second term, the documentary examines China’s rise to economic prominence, the life and vision of its longstanding leader, and rising tensions with the Un…

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'Breakdown' Episode 6: 'I think there's hope' 36:43

12M ago36:43

36:43

The FRONTLINE Dispatch presents: Breakdown (from Maine Public Radio, The Portland Press Herald, and FRONTLINE). In the aftermath of Lewiston, healing and recovery is taking many forms. One shooting location was renovated and reopened. Another has become a nonprofit that serves some of the area’s most vulnerable residents. One victim’s father now ad…

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'Breakdown' Episode 5: 'We're still here' 31:12

1y ago31:12

31:12

The FRONTLINE Dispatch presents: Breakdown (from Maine Public Radio, The Portland Press Herald, and FRONTLINE). Four members of Maine's deaf community died in Lewiston in October 2023 in what is believed to be the deadliest mass shooting of deaf people in the U.S. The pain of that loss was magnified by the barriers to communication and information …

1
'Breakdown' Episode 4: 'They controlled it all' 38:40

1y ago38:40

38:40

The FRONTLINE Dispatch presents: Breakdown (from Maine Public Radio, The Portland Press Herald, and FRONTLINE). When a gunman opened fire in a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, last October, he used an autoloading rifle to fire 54 rounds in less than two minutes. Eighteen were killed and 13 wounded. Although nearly half of Maine household…

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American Experience Presents: The Birth of McCarthyism 27:44

1y ago27:44

27:44

American Experience is television's most watched history series. We're bringing you an episode of their new podcast, American Experience Presents: The Birth of McCarthyism. Joseph McCarthy grows up on a Wisconsin farm where he learns the value of hard work. After serving in World War II, he capitalizes on his military service to launch a successful…

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Who Is the Rebel Leader Who Ousted Assad? 19:31

1y ago19:31

19:31

On December 8, 2024, Syrian rebels stunned the world when they seized Damascus and toppled the government of Bashar al-Assad, more than 13 years into the country’s brutal war. Spearheading the rebel offensive was Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, the leader of the Syrian militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — and a man who has been designated a terroris…

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'Breakdown' Episode 3: 'Dereliction of duty' 36:50

1y ago36:50

36:50

The FRONTLINE Dispatch presents: Breakdown (from Maine Public Radio, The Portland Press Herald, and FRONTLINE). How did leaders of the Army Reserve respond to the many, clear warning signs about the Lewiston shooter, a part-time soldier who was in a dangerous, downward spiral? And why didn’t they take further action? The Army has acknowledged some …

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'Breakdown' Episode 2: ‘I Believe He Is Going To Snap' 40:01

1y ago40:01

40:01

The FRONTLINE Dispatch presents: Breakdown (from Maine Public Radio, The Portland Press Herald, and FRONTLINE). Months before the mass shooting in Lewiston that claimed 18 lives, the gunman’s family and friends were desperately trying to get him help. His mental health was deteriorating. He was experiencing auditory delusions. And there were multip…

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The VP Choice: Vance vs. Walz (Full-length film audio track) 57:43

1y ago57:43

57:43

In this audio-only version of FRONTLINE's documentary The VP Choice: Vance vs. Walz, FRONTLINE investigates the lives and views of Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz as they run for vice president. In a historic election, those who know the candidates best reveal the influences and ideas they would bring to the White House. Stream the documentary on F…

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'Breakdown' Episode 1: Did we really survive this? 36:31

1y ago36:31

36:31

What does it mean to be a victim? Or a survivor? In a few brief moments in October 2023, 18 lives were lost in Lewiston — and Maine was changed. For the victims, their loved ones and everyone affected by this tragedy, the ability to heal means understanding what happened. In Episode 1, we meet several people who are trying to recover — from the tra…

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Introducing: 'Breakdown' 1:50

1y ago1:50

1:50

“Mass shooting.” Two words heard all too often in the United States. There were 656 mass shootings in the U.S in 2023. The one in Lewiston, Maine on October 25, 2023 was the year’s deadliest — and it may have also been the most preventable. For the last year, the newsroom at Maine Public Radio has been on the ground investigating, combing through d…

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The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump (Full-length film audio track) 1:59:25

1y ago1:59:25

1:59:25

FRONTLINE investigates the lives and characters of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump as they seek the presidency. In a historic election, those who know the candidates best reveal key moments that shape how they would lead America. Award-winning filmmaker Michael Kirk and his team, who have made five prior installments of The Choice over the past 25 y…

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Behind ‘South Korea’s Adoption Reckoning’ 30:31

1+ y ago30:31

30:31

In the decades after the Korean war, around 200,000 children born in South Korea were adopted by families in Western countries. As adults, some of those adoptees have returned to South Korea to learn about their origins — only to discover that what they had been told wasn’t true. A new documentary from FRONTLINE and The Associated Press, South Kore…

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Investigating the Rise of the Far Right in Germany 25:40

1+ y ago25:40

25:40

In recent EU elections, far-right parties made major gains across the continent, including Germany's AfD party. FRONTLINE correspondent Evan Williams has been reporting on the rise of the far-right in Germany for years. In 2021, he examined a wave of violence targeting Jews, Muslims, immigrants, and politicians in FRONTLINE’s documentary Germany’s …

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Bill Moyers on Three Decades Documenting 'Two American Families' With Tom Casciato and Kathleen Hughes 42:53

1+ y ago42:53

42:53

For more than 30 years, and over the course of five documentaries, correspondent Bill Moyers and filmmakers Tom Casciato and Kathleen Hughes have returned to Milwaukee again and again, to follow two families: one Black, the Stanleys, and one white, the Neumanns. The newest installment of the project, released this summer, chronicles the families’ s…

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Crisis on Campus (Full-length Film Audio Track) 57:16

1+ y ago57:16

57:16

FRONTLINE Film Audio Tracks are FRONTLINE documentaries, in audio form. Stream or download full-length recordings of film audio on Apple Podcasts or FRONTLINE's website. A firestorm has been raging on many American college campuses. Ignited by the devastating October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the catastrophic war in Gaza, the outrage deeply d…

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Netanyahu, America, & the Road to War in Gaza (Full-length Film Audio Track) 1:26:47

1+ y ago1:26:47

1:26:47

FRONTLINE Film Audio Tracks are FRONTLINE documentaries, in audio form. Stream or download full-length recordings of film audio on Apple Podcasts or FRONTLINE's website. As the war in Gaza continues with devastating consequences, a major 90-minute documentary offers a sweeping examination of the critical moments leading up to this crisis over the c…

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The ‘Dangerous Assignment’ That Sent a Venezuelan Journalist Into Exile 22:51

1+ y ago22:51

22:51

When Venezuelan journalist Roberto Deniz began investigating problems with a government food program with his colleagues at the investigative news site Armando.info, he didn’t know that the reaction to his reporting would one day drive him to flee his home country. For the past six years, he has been living and reporting in exile, helping to uncove…

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Inside the Investigation into Police Use of Force 18:50

1+ y ago18:50

18:50

A new investigation reveals that over nearly a decade, more than 1,000 people died following encounters where police employed tactics known as “less-lethal force,” which ranged from Tasers or physical restraint to forced sedation and other methods meant to stop people without killing them. Police say they are often responding to volatile and someti…

1
The Search for Ukraine’s Missing Children 23:07

1+ y ago23:07

23:07

Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine began, thousands of Ukrainian children have been taken and held in Russian-controlled territory. A new documentary from FRONTLINE, Children of Ukraine, examines the fate of some of these young Ukrainians, following families and investigators as they search for missing children and collect evidence of alleged …

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Episode 32: The Death Star 1:10:44

1+ y ago1:10:44

1:10:44

After a narrow escape on the swamp planet Dagobah, the crew finds a link to one of the most dangerous weapons ever created in the galaxy - The Death Star. Join Al, Mikel, and CB as they dive into every trench, thermal exhaust port, and superglued panel on the iconic battle station. Digging into the behind the scenes creation and iteration, all the …

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Investigating a Massive Online Leak of Government Secrets 24:02

1+ y ago24:02

24:02

On March 4, 2024, Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira pleaded guilty to charges related to one of the country’s largest leaks of classified information. How did Teixeira manage to go without notice for months as he leaked hundreds of pages of government documents on Discord, the online chat platform popular with teenage gamers? Shane Harris and…

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Stuck in a ‘Fractured’ System 19:23

2y ago19:23

19:23

Working as a health care reporter in North Carolina, WFAE’s Dana Miller Ervin heard about jail inmates living with serious mental illnesses who cycled for years between jails and psychiatric hospitals. The courts deem them too sick to stand trial – incapable to proceed or ITP – but they often wait months to get the care they need just so their case…

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Democracy on Trial, Part Four: Inside the White House on Jan. 6 30:41

2y ago30:41

30:41

FRONTLINE investigates the roots of the federal criminal case against former President Donald Trump stemming from his 2020 election loss in a special audio version of the new documentary Democracy on Trial. In this final installment, the Jan. 6 Select Committee examines what happened inside the White House on Jan. 6, 2021. What was former President…

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Democracy on Trial, Part Three: An “Invitation” for Jan. 6 39:34

2y ago39:34

39:34

FRONTLINE investigates the roots of the federal criminal case against former President Donald Trump stemming from his 2020 election loss in a special audio version of the new documentary Democracy on Trial. In part three, the Jan. 6 Select Committee examines the pressures mounting on the Justice Department and then-Vice President Mike Pence to inte…

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Democracy on Trial, Part Two: A Pressure Campaign and a Warning 33:42

2y ago33:42

33:42

FRONTLINE investigates the roots of the federal criminal case against former President Donald Trump stemming from his 2020 election loss in a special audio version of the new documentary Democracy on Trial. In part two, Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling issues a stark warning about the potential for violence. Rusty Bowers, former Arizona H…

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Episode 31: Yoda: A True Jedi Master 1:06:54

2y ago1:06:54

1:06:54

After a rough landing in the swamplands of Dagobah, the crew of the Raven find themselves uncovering the abode of a great Jedi, and Al and Mikel can't help but share the history and mystery of master Yoda himself! Join us as we cover every nook, crannie and wrinkle on the old puppet, from his inception and design, to the incredible performance by F…

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Democracy on Trial, Part One: A Blueprint For the Case Against Trump 45:19

2y ago45:19

45:19

With the 2024 presidential race underway, FRONTLINE investigates the roots of the federal criminal case against former President Donald Trump stemming from his 2020 election loss. In this special audio version of Democracy on Trial, veteran political filmmaker Michael Kirk and his team examine the House Jan. 6 committee’s evidence, the historic cha…

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‘Democracy on Trial’ Director on the Roots of Federal Charges Against Trump 19:03

2y ago19:03

19:03

Democracy on Trial is a 2.5-hour documentary special from FRONTLINE that examines the roots and implications of the unprecedented charges against former president Donald Trump in connection with the efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Drawing on interviews with elected officials, former government lawyers, House Select Committee witnesses and fo…

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Episode 30: The Legacy of Life Day 1:59:08

2y ago1:59:08

1:59:08

Grab a Wookie Cookie and join Al and Mikel on a special holiday voyage to explore the enduring influence Life Day has had on the Star Wars universe! From Chewbacca's family to the Mandalorian's amban rifle, to LEGO, its fingerprints are everywhere. Skit 00:00:00 - 00:03:51 Holonet Hero Star Wars Radio, YouTube SW Preservationist Featured Holo Mail …

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Reconstructing the Uvalde Shooting Response 17:14

2y ago17:14

17:14

The May 2022 gun massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas left 19 children and two teachers dead. It was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Inside the Uvalde Response, a recent documentary from FRONTLINE, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, probes the chaotic police response to the shooting and sheds new light on law en…

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Underage Workers in New England’s Seafood Processing Industry 23:00

2y ago23:00

23:00

Journalists with The Public’s Radio, a station serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, spent two years investigating teen labor in the local seafood processing industry. Their investigation, supported by FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism initiative, reveals flaws in systems designed to protect migrant teens, who’ve arrived at the U.S. south…

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Documenting the Siege of Mariupol (re-release) 22:01

2y ago22:01

22:01

20 Days in Mariupol is an unflinching, first-hand account of the early days of Russia’s invasion of the port city of Mariupol, which remains under Russian occupation to this day. Ukrainian-born director and journalist Mstyslav Chernov and his colleagues from the Associated Press were the last international journalists to remain in Mariupol as Russi…

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Introducing The Big Dig Part 1: We Were Wrong from GBH News 53:55

2y ago53:55

53:55

The FRONTLINE Dispatch presents The Big Dig, Part 1: “We Were Wrong.” The Big Dig is a new 9-part podcast series from GBH News, hosted by Ian Coss. There is a cynicism that hangs over the topic of American infrastructure — whether it’s high-speed rail or off-shore wind — it feels like this country can’t build big things anymore. No one project embo…

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Shattered Dreams of Peace: The Road From Oslo (Full-length Film Audio Track) 1:58:24

2y ago1:58:24

1:58:24

FRONTLINE Film Audio Tracks are FRONTLINE documentaries, in audio form. Stream or download full-length recordings of film audio tracks on Apple Podcasts or our website. Listen to the Film Audio Track for FRONTLINE’s seminal 2002 documentary on how the Israeli-Palestinian peace process begun at Oslo was derailed and ultimately undone by the dynamics…

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Looking Back at the Houston Astros Cheating Scandal 23:19

2y ago23:19

23:19

The Houston Astros didn’t make the World Series this year. But they’re still widely considered one of the best teams of the past decade. FRONTLINE’s documentary The Astros Edge: Triumph and Scandal in Major League Baseball examines how the team used cutting-edge techniques to rise from the bottom of the league to the top, and what happened in 2017 …

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From Russian Newspaper Editor to ‘Foreign Agent’ 21:11

2y ago21:11

21:11

When filmmaker Patrick Forbes decided to make a documentary about Russian newspaper editor Dmitry Muratov, Muratov had just won a Nobel Prize. Over the course of the next year, Russia would invade Ukraine, and Russian President Vladimir Putin would intensify his government’s crackdown on the press – a crackdown in which Muratov and his newspaper, N…

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Episode 29: Din Djarin: The Mandalorian 1:44:26

2+ y ago1:44:26

1:44:26

At last the crew makes it to the glassy green surface of the once luscious world of Mandalore, and this time Al and Mikel are taking a deep dive into the titular Mandalorian himself - Din Djarin. Come aboard for a journey through the history of what eventually brought the Mandalorian to the life, going all the way back to 2005. There's a lot of sur…

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Locked Up for Life After ‘Two Strikes’ 21:41

2+ y ago21:41

21:41

Two Strikes, a documentary from FRONTLINE, The Marshall Project, and Firelight Media, tells the story of Mark Jones, a former West Point cadet serving a life sentence in Florida after an attempted carjacking. The film’s director and producer Ursula Liang, a 2021 FRONTLINE/Firelight Filmmaker Fellow, and reporter Cary Aspinwall of The Marshall Proje…