New York

New York Focus

New York Focus unmasks power in the Empire State. As the only nonprofit publication with an emphasis on state-level coverage, we produce deeply reported, investigative stories on the systems, decisions and actors that affect communities throughout New York. While most local accountability coverage is directed at New York City, we keep an eye on Albany — the notoriously corrupt and quietly impactful center of power throughout the state.

Central Current

Central Current is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newspaper for Central New York. It provides fact-based news and analysis about the challenges, solutions and opportunities in the region. It's goal is to foster civic engagement and democratic governance, and to help build a more prosperous and healthy community.

Investigative Post

Investigative Post is a nonprofit investigative reporting center based in Buffalo, N.Y. It produces fact-based investigations and analyses on issues that matter to Buffalo and Western NY. Its goal is to expose injustice and malfeasance and hold those in power accountable.

Ryan Tarinelli

Ryan has been the crime reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, where he anchored the paper’s coverage of gun violence and gang problems. He has also worked as a temporary legislative correspondent for the Associated Press in Nevada and Texas. Earlier, he had internships with the Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; the News Tribune in Tacoma, Washington; and the Moscow-Pullman Daily News in Idaho. He attended University of Idaho, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the student-run newspaper, The Argonaut.

David Escobar

David Escobar covers diversity in the Adirondacks for the Adirondack Explorer & North Country Public Radio. He previously served as the news editor for WFUV 90.7 FM in the Bronx. Along with mentoring student reporters, he produced, directed, and hosted the station's daily news podcast "What's What". Escobar has also worked as an associate producer for the podcast and radio show "Our Body Politic" and as an intern for WNYC's "The Takeaway". His journalism career started at WFUV as an anchor and student reporter. Prior to working in journalism, Escobar researched the history of Chinese migrant labor at the John Muir National Historic Site as an intern for the National Park Service. He has a master's degree in public media from Fordham University, where he also earned bachelor's degrees in journalism and digital technology & emerging media.

Fernando Figueroa

Fernando Figueroa covers the environment and climate change for The Ithaca Voice in NY. Figueroa previously worked as the environment beat reporter at The Independent Florida Alligator covering local protests, hurricanes, and the University of Florida administrative transition's implications on university climate policy. He also worked at WUFT covering Florida's water quality, Gainesville's regenerative agriculture, and sustainable architecture. Figueroa grew up in Venezuela and is fluent in Spanish. Outside of the newsroom, he loves to cook for his friends and will never miss an opportunity to dance.

The Ithaca Voice

The Ithaca Voice is a hyper-local independent non-profit news organization that covers the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County. As corporate media entities in the area have declined, The Ithaca Voice has made its mission to cover anything and everything newsworthy that happens in our community, from the good to the bad to the off-beat to the ugly. Our vision is to be enterprising, accurate and forward-thinking in our coverage to engage and inform our audience about the local issues impacting their daily lives.

Adirondack Explorer/North Country Public Radio

The Adirondack Explorer was founded in 1998 as a watchdog for the Adirondack Park region of Northern New York. The Park is a blend of private and public lands, with 103 towns and villages. The Explorer focuses on environmental and economic issues and the sustainability of this public park/community model. North Country Public Radio is an NPR member station founded in 1968 serving northern New York and Vermont, including the Adirondack Park. NCPR is a rural news service that seeks to tell the stories and improve the lives of people who are often overlooked by other news outlets.

Shannon Chaffers

Shannon Chaffers covers the epidemic of gun violence in New York's Black, immigrant, and under-resourced communities for The New York Amsterdam News’ Blacklight investigative unit. Prior to joining the Amsterdam News, Chaffers spent a year in Berlin, Germany as a Fulbright Young Professional Journalist. She reported on the history and legacy of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium while also interning at The Local Germany. Chaffers’ journalism career began in her hometown of Wellesley, Massachusetts, where she wrote for her high school newspaper, The Bradford. She then attended Princeton University, graduating in 2022. She majored in Sociology and minored in Journalism, African-American Studies, and German and also served as the Head Opinion Editor of The Daily Princetonian, the student newspaper. Away from journalism, Chaffers loves playing soccer and cheering on her favorite team, Arsenal FC.

Arabella Saunders

Arabella Saunders covers economic development for New York Focus. Prior to joining the newsroom, Saunders’ freelance work appeared in VICE, HuffPost, DCReport.org, The Assembly NC and more. Her journalism career began in high school, where she served as editor-in-chief of the school’s newsmagazine. In 2018, she was a runner up for the National High School Journalist of the Year. In college, she worked for The Daily Tar Heel and also as a freelancer. She covered topics that ranged from Snapchat porn scams to the undercounting of COVID-19 deaths in North Carolina prisons. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media as well as English and comparative literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A fun fact about her is that she has a Joan Didion-inspired tattoo.