First for Friday, May 8, 2015

State of Our Water
A few weeks ago people of all ages came together for a single purpose – the 24th Annual Christina River Cleanup. Looking at the amount of trash collected shows the kind of effort it takes to keep our waterways clean. WHYY is undertaking a two-year project to bring you stories about the way we use our rivers, ponds and streams. We begin with an assessment of Delaware’s water health. It’s our First Look.

First Person: Alan Levin
Alan Levin is the Director of the Delaware Economic Development office, and he is nearing the end of his term. Alan joins us in the First studios this week to look back at his time in office, the good and the bad, and what’s next for him after he leaves.

Violence in Baltimore
The People’s Project Report found that a sense of hopelessness in the future is one of the root causes of violence. That sense of hopelessness is one of the things we heard in the aftermath of the Baltimore unrest. We’ve asked the People’s Project author and University of Delaware Associate Professor of Black American Studies Dr. Yasser Payne to join us.

Teach Me
It’s been decades since Delaware had a significant forest fire, but the First State still plays a role in fighting them. When big blazes break out, crews from around the country fly in to assist. Delaware’s volunteers get ready for the summer fire season every year at a training summit called Fire Camp. As part of our ongoing series Teach Me, we look at the learning process that goes into becoming a wildland firefighter.

First Experience: The Work of William D. White
William D. White created hundreds of paintings, murals, and illustrations over his 40 year career. When White, who lived in the Pennyhill section of Wilmington, died in 1971 it seemed the world would forget the impact he made. The Biggs Museum in Dover has reintroduced White’s work to the world, it’s our First Experience this week.