What The Hell Happened In East New York? Episode One

​For 25 years one neighborhood has remained New York's most crime ridden, most polluted, most neglected, most hopeless — cut off from Brooklyn's emergence as the hippest place on earth. Award-winning journalist Kevin Heldman wants to know why.

This story is the first installment of What The Hell Happened In East New York? a co-production with The Big Roundtable, that that seeks to answer that question in two parts. The first is a four-episode podcast that chronicles Kevin as he unravels the issues with East New York, and ultimately, himself. The second part, available Friday, is Kevin's full investigation.