January News Byte 2023

Trending news. Delivering on growth and development.

Well, hello! Welcome to the first News Byte of 2023. I’m VNN’s Brittany Harlow. 

Top of the highlights this month: Bad Press premiered at Sundance. The documentary takes you on the journey of Muscogee Creek Nation constitutionally guaranteeing free press for the first time in tribal history.

Mvskoke Media work is regularly showcased on the VNN app. This month included an update from Lighthorse Police on justice system changes since McGirt.

In other affiliate news, Broken Arrow is investigating its first homicide of 2023, story by Broken Arrow Sentinel. That news was unfortunately followed by the city’s second homicide on Thursday.

The Frontier tells us about flood concerns from residents upstream from Grand Lake.

Urban Coders Guild and Holberton School are uniting for a student hackathon, courtesy of The Black Wall Street Times.  

And a related story from VNN Oklahoma, applications are now being accepted for “Women Entrepreneurs Build”, a new accelerator program offering a $25K grant and more to Black and Latinx businesswomen in Tulsa.  

VNN Collaboration continued this month, through a partnership between yours truly and Broken Arrow Sentinel. We told you how the Broken Arrow school board is adjusting to inflation pressures and calling on state lawmakers for help.

The state-level abortion debate ramped up across the U.S. this month. Our national affiliate Kaiser Health News tells us how Michigan Democrats are now working to repeal a 1931 abortion law after enshrining the right to abortions in the state constitution.  

Speaking of Michigan, VNN is grateful to everyone who took part in our Grand Rapids survey last month as the VNN Michigan hub gears up for its official launch.  

VNN is not only building in Michigan, but also New York, and, of course, our premiere news hub Oklahoma, where we are increasing our capacity to provide high-quality news from diverse community perspectives.  

This includes kicking off two great opportunities this month. The first, made possible by Oklahoma Media Center and Gridiron Foundation, an 8-week Data Investigations course to help us develop a database and mapping system of Allotment Era crime and injustice data, in partnership with Lucinda Hickory Research Institute.

And, of course, our most recent update, the kickoff of our participation in the Builders and Backers Idea Accelerator Program, in partnership with Heartland Forward, made possible by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. 

Follow along with us for updates on these exciting adventures- and of course, the benefits they will yield for our entire Verified News Community. 

Like what you see? Do you want more VNN coverage in your state? Send us an email and let me know where you are and what coverage you need. We will add you to our list.  

In the meantime, like, comment, and subscribe to VNN on your favorite medium. And register your free account on the VNN app, our social news media platform designed exclusively for verified news.  

February is a short month! We will see you then.