Kara Bettis

I cover religion, politics and culture for the NewBostonPost with a focus on women's issues and education. While I spent my early reporting years at a metro newspaper in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., the NewBostonPost has offered me a chance to return home and a chance to explore its people – their faith and culture.   Email: [email protected]    Twitter: @karabettis

Items by Kara Bettis

Eighth-grade impressionist wows as ‘Little Donald’ on ‘Tonight Show’

June 24, 2016, 12:30 EDT

Baker administration to ramp up addiction solutions

June 23, 2016, 10:14 EDT

Family-friendly Massachusetts museum should be summer priority

June 21, 2016, 12:45 EDT

Globe targets assault rifles, Ayotte in editorial wrap

June 16, 2016, 16:01 EDT

Washington takes aim at New England opioid epidemic

June 16, 2016, 14:42 EDT

Study: Breast, ovarian cancer may be linked in origin

June 15, 2016, 17:31 EDT

Opioid battle takes a new direction thanks to local police

June 10, 2016, 18:59 EDT

World Health agency advises delaying pregnancy over Zika risk

June 9, 2016, 18:34 EDT

Weld backs legalizing pot sales in Bay State

June 8, 2016, 17:44 EDT

Elder care provider looks to clients’ spiritual needs

June 8, 2016, 15:05 EDT

Critics protest ‘Me Before You’ as a pro-euthanasia message

June 3, 2016, 21:16 EDT

Seaport chapel reborn as face of South Boston evolves

June 3, 2016, 18:58 EDT

Report: ISIS sells Christian women, children for sex

June 3, 2016, 13:01 EDT

America’s values keep sliding lower, poll shows

June 2, 2016, 20:16 EDT

Catholic Church grapples with diversity in pews

May 23, 2016, 5:00 EDT

Unite Boston connects Christian churches across the Hub

May 20, 2016, 15:46 EDT

Obamacare punt by high court gives hope to both sides

May 19, 2016, 0:13 EDT

Becket Fund leader named to religious freedom panel

May 18, 2016, 16:48 EDT

Church-going women live longer, Harvard study shows

May 18, 2016, 13:41 EDT

Asian-American Lin to head national campus Christian group

May 17, 2016, 15:33 EDT

Amherst College wins $1M prize for helping low-income students

May 16, 2016, 14:52 EDT

UMass critics decry veer to left in required courses

May 13, 2016, 18:53 EDT

Framingham will join towns banning plastic bags

May 13, 2016, 16:54 EDT

Boston tops Silicon Valley as innovation hub, study says

May 12, 2016, 15:11 EDT

Harvard prof says treat conservative ‘losers’ like post-war Germans

May 10, 2016, 16:45 EDT

Facebook reportedly suppressed news from conservative sites

May 9, 2016, 18:29 EDT

Trump slams Southern Baptist leader Moore as ‘nasty’

May 9, 2016, 15:01 EDT

The most diverse Massachusetts high schools

May 6, 2016, 18:29 EDT

Greater Boston churches observe National Day of Prayer

May 5, 2016, 13:57 EDT

Leonard Nimoy takes a virtual star turn in the West End

May 4, 2016, 19:08 EDT

Victims of Islamic State horrors appeal for intervention

May 3, 2016, 17:54 EDT

Boston roasters renew city’s coffee obsession

May 2, 2016, 5:00 EDT

Rhode Island, Connecticut deliver landslides to Trump

April 27, 2016, 15:15 EDT

‘Free speech’ panel triggers insults at UMass Amherst

April 26, 2016, 16:41 EDT

‘Brady Bunch’ star aids group helping people walk again

April 26, 2016, 0:10 EDT

Little Sisters sees ray of hope in Obamacare court battle

April 22, 2016, 6:10 EDT

‘Serial’ makers give Boston audience a peek behind the scenes

April 21, 2016, 17:08 EDT

Bono makes ‘Psalms’ film with Bible translator Peterson

April 20, 2016, 15:46 EDT

The regulars are coming! Paul Revere alerts Adams, Hancock to Redcoat danger

April 18, 2016, 13:32 EDT

Demands for ‘safe’ spaces lead to campus debates

April 16, 2016, 19:32 EDT

Women-only ride service for Boston confronts legal concerns

April 15, 2016, 16:23 EDT

Jimmy Fallon channels Trump in interview with Ted Cruz

April 15, 2016, 10:51 EDT

Memories of classmate reflected in Montrose mural, road races

April 14, 2016, 10:22 EDT

Cuban poet Valladares to receive Becket’s Canterbury Medal

April 13, 2016, 18:03 EDT

New Bedford presses parents to accept PARCC exams

April 12, 2016, 20:29 EDT

The Bible listed among most ‘challenged’ books in US

April 12, 2016, 18:15 EDT

Marathon bomber’s one-time friends turn distress into film

April 11, 2016, 14:32 EDT

SNL pokes at Hillary Clinton’s inability to relate to ‘real’ New Yorkers

April 11, 2016, 10:53 EDT

Vandals strike Catholic churches in Boston suburbs

April 8, 2016, 17:02 EDT

The economics of self-confidence

April 7, 2016, 16:47 EDT

Reliving Paul Revere’s Patriots’ Day

April 7, 2016, 12:11 EDT

Sikh Army captain wins right to wear turban, beard

April 4, 2016, 18:19 EDT

Ralph Boyd: American Red Cross leader driven by faith and passion

April 4, 2016, 10:18 EDT

Pioneer Institute calls on Baker administration to remember ‘middle cities’

April 4, 2016, 6:19 EDT

Heritage Foundation report addresses Common Core

March 30, 2016, 19:06 EDT

Massachusetts students resist politically correct campus culture

March 30, 2016, 15:42 EDT

Worcester region sinks to lowest rank in ‘well-being’

March 29, 2016, 15:47 EDT

Transgender bathroom-access debate heats up in NC

March 28, 2016, 19:09 EDT

Most Bay State employers oppose legal pot sales

March 28, 2016, 12:21 EDT

Easter celebrations worldwide range from bloody to benign

March 25, 2016, 13:31 EDT

Greater Boston shows most population gains as rural areas shrink

March 24, 2016, 16:12 EDT

Committee forms to oppose Common Core ballot question

March 23, 2016, 16:08 EDT

Baker administration suggests support for hydropower may help stop pipeline

March 23, 2016, 14:19 EDT

MIT grads often choose Cambridge for startups

March 23, 2016, 5:00 EDT

Supreme Court to hear Little Sisters of the Poor

March 21, 2016, 16:45 EDT

Walsh St. Pat’s video plays off Baker ‘bromance’

March 21, 2016, 13:21 EDT

Behind Boston’s innovation district obsession

March 21, 2016, 5:00 EDT

‘Serial’ founders offer Boston a peek behind Bergdahl series

March 17, 2016, 15:56 EDT

Harvard undergrads reshape feminism debate

March 17, 2016, 5:00 EDT

Graffiti Busters erase scrawl to discourage wider disorder

March 16, 2016, 5:00 EDT

Lawn on D concession deal ensures 2016 reopening

March 15, 2016, 17:04 EDT

Assisted suicide bill faces legislative deadline

March 14, 2016, 15:26 EDT

Business support grows for UMass entrepreneur program

March 11, 2016, 15:33 EST

Boston immigrants drive Hub’s economic vitality, author says

March 10, 2016, 18:12 EST

Boston tops Northeast for job creation, Gallup says

March 10, 2016, 13:46 EST

Wynn halts casino site work as Somerville contests permit

March 9, 2016, 14:16 EST

Boston takes steps to help women start businesses

March 8, 2016, 19:05 EST

Boston activists push for new equal pay law

March 8, 2016, 18:05 EST

Carson signs up to lead evangelical voters to polls

March 7, 2016, 16:35 EST

Boston ranks No. 1 for commuting by foot, bike

March 7, 2016, 15:22 EST

Army ordered to back off testing Sikh soldier

March 4, 2016, 15:47 EST

New England fishermen fight onerous regulations

March 4, 2016, 13:14 EST

Unintended pregnancy rate falls to 30-year low, report shows

March 3, 2016, 12:44 EST

Pro-life advocates urge action

March 2, 2016, 19:33 EST

Feel the Dating Bern: Top politically savvy match-makers

March 2, 2016, 14:32 EST

Study shows diverse religious affiliation of primary voters

February 29, 2016, 18:44 EST

Sikh soldier sues Army over religious right to beard, turban

February 29, 2016, 14:18 EST

College-age ‘Sugar Babies’ multiplying in Bay State

February 27, 2016, 7:00 EST

Where the boys aren’t: A look at the ratios of males to females on campus

February 26, 2016, 19:14 EST

Yes, no, maybe so: A Q&A with Party with Consent’s Jonathan Kalin

February 26, 2016, 15:12 EST

Atheists drop suit to block Christian prison ministry funding

February 23, 2016, 17:09 EST

Brown University students overwhelmed by class, activism

February 22, 2016, 17:19 EST

Bernie Sanders gets an artistic boost in Boston

February 19, 2016, 15:13 EST

‘Risen’ offers fresh take on the last days of Jesus

February 19, 2016, 0:01 EST

Charter waitlists shrink yet still number 34,000 students, state says

February 18, 2016, 18:21 EST

Boston cites data for improving traffic flow, snow cleanup

February 18, 2016, 15:28 EST

Weed debate heats up in New England

February 17, 2016, 15:56 EST

Ayotte, Hassan clash over ‘People’s Pledge’ in NH Senate race

February 16, 2016, 16:45 EST

Old North Church work uncovers decorative wall art

February 16, 2016, 14:09 EST

Deval Patrick gets tossed up in Scalia replacement musings

February 15, 2016, 14:40 EST

Defying ‘hookup culture,’ some students work to restore romance

February 12, 2016, 19:11 EST

Baker’s GOP state committee picks rile incumbents

February 10, 2016, 18:53 EST

Catholic Republicans vying for place in history

February 10, 2016, 6:29 EST

Women’s colleges seek to rebrand

February 9, 2016, 18:55 EST

Obama shifts focus to religious liberty and Muslims

February 8, 2016, 17:37 EST

American University’s conservative feminists receive backlash

February 4, 2016, 12:20 EST

Columbia University student touts political correctness

February 2, 2016, 17:21 EST

Pregnant school-age women increasingly find help on campus

February 1, 2016, 18:13 EST

Surprise pregnancy can bring unexpected joy

January 29, 2016, 19:51 EST

Harvard panel highlights Sikh message of healing following massacre

January 28, 2016, 18:52 EST

Christie tries to close in on New Hampshire

January 27, 2016, 13:58 EST

T workers bank sick time to boost pensions, study says

January 26, 2016, 13:51 EST

Common Core supporters sue to prevent vote

January 25, 2016, 19:15 EST

Prison ministries win religious freedom case

January 22, 2016, 14:13 EST

Families raising children with Down syndrome find local, national support

January 22, 2016, 11:35 EST

Religion declines among Americans as spirituality rises

January 21, 2016, 17:08 EST

Spreading ‘the Bern’ in Boston is aim of planned march

January 21, 2016, 15:49 EST

Pipeline builders face off with Bay State homeowners

January 20, 2016, 16:53 EST

Andover nonprofit’s free medical gear helps women, babies survive

January 20, 2016, 5:00 EST

King’s lessons still need to be learned, civic leaders say

January 18, 2016, 14:15 EST

Mass. GOP hunkers down for 2016 election

January 15, 2016, 21:17 EST

Religious freedom resource planned by Becket Fund

January 14, 2016, 21:23 EST

Pregnancy help center goes mobile in Boston

January 13, 2016, 20:19 EST

Guests for Obama speech reflect diverse views

January 12, 2016, 20:38 EST

Groups ratchet up push for transgender bill

January 12, 2016, 19:03 EST

Boston’s O’Connell uses TV for pro-life advocacy

January 11, 2016, 21:13 EST

Warren praises Sanders’ attacks on Wall St. banks

January 8, 2016, 16:23 EST

Rubio campaign ad touts faith in Iowa

January 8, 2016, 14:46 EST

Maine Common Core foes cross party lines to push repeal

January 7, 2016, 21:21 EST

Saving babies Moms don’t want means promoting havens

January 6, 2016, 19:09 EST

Students for Life starts to build on Northeast campuses

December 31, 2015, 20:23 EST

Gordon College revives community service following controversy

December 31, 2015, 19:33 EST

Patients who overdose on opioids get them again, study shows

December 29, 2015, 19:17 EST

Filmmaker explores drug addiction on Cape Cod

December 28, 2015, 14:52 EST

Harvard Pluralism Project maps religions, conflicts

December 24, 2015, 5:00 EST

Obama says he prays for persecuted Christians

December 23, 2015, 18:30 EST

Christmas controversy as American tradition, 2015 edition

December 23, 2015, 15:57 EST

Lawyers fret over religious liberty erosion after Milton Catholic school ruling

December 21, 2015, 21:30 EST

A German scholar reflects on the fading influence of religion on Christmas in Europe

December 21, 2015, 19:42 EST

Beth-Israel rejects doctor’s appeal of firing for remarks about gays

December 18, 2015, 18:52 EST

Massachusetts communities of faith become more diverse

December 17, 2015, 14:32 EST

Obama convenes a discussion of religious pluralism

December 17, 2015, 11:44 EST

Massachusetts ranks among nation’s most secular states

December 16, 2015, 14:23 EST

Bin Laden henchman rejoins al-Qaeda after Guantanamo release

December 16, 2015, 12:49 EST

Warren gets Pinocchios for whoppers on auto lending

December 15, 2015, 13:19 EST

Army lets Sikh captain wear beard, turban on duty

December 14, 2015, 17:21 EST

Millennials ambivalent on fighting Islamic State, Harvard poll shows

December 11, 2015, 19:44 EST

‘In the Heart of the Sea’: a ‘Nantucket sleigh ride’ through survival and depravity

December 9, 2015, 17:33 EST

Trump tempest echos Muslim debate roiling evangelical leaders

December 8, 2015, 19:10 EST

Hanukkah theme educates Boston through public art — Gallery

December 7, 2015, 6:55 EST

Nuns dress as prostitutes to save trafficking victims

December 4, 2015, 5:00 EST

‘Prayer shaming’ debate flares after California massacre

December 3, 2015, 20:35 EST

Muslim Republican Saba Ahmed works to build bridges

November 30, 2015, 21:22 EST

A fighter takes aim at assisted suicide

November 30, 2015, 5:00 EST

Video: In storytelling, Plimoth Plantation faces religious nuance head on

November 25, 2015, 13:17 EST

Breathtaking ‘Pilgrims’ documentary tells substantial tale

November 24, 2015, 5:00 EST

Church leaders urge Baker to welcome more Syrian refugees

November 20, 2015, 18:29 EST

Reports fly on sainthood for Mother Teresa

November 19, 2015, 18:16 EST

Transgender ‘Bathroom Bill’ stalls amid Democrats’ questions

November 18, 2015, 18:12 EST

Hands-free phone measure advances in Massachusetts House

November 18, 2015, 17:26 EST

Greater Boston celebrates Diwali — Video and gallery

November 18, 2015, 13:12 EST

Chorus for and against ‘Bathroom Bills’ builds on Beacon Hill

November 12, 2015, 18:30 EST

Homeless vets pick up support from Brighton health center

November 11, 2015, 17:49 EST

Knights of Columbus hits $100 billion mark in life insurance

November 11, 2015, 10:14 EST

Canadian activist appeals to Trudeau to block assisted suicide ruling

November 10, 2015, 5:00 EST

Massachusetts’s leading ladies call for female candidates

November 9, 2015, 13:57 EST

‘Pope Star’ Francis releases first album, ‘Wake Up!’

November 6, 2015, 13:12 EST

Marathon Monday rights go to Everett printer as BAA challenge fails

November 5, 2015, 14:33 EST

Teachers’ unions ask lawmakers to leave charter caps to voters

November 3, 2015, 17:09 EST

Catholics organize to oppose assisted suicide measure

November 3, 2015, 14:33 EST

Mosque vandalism in Burlington leads to call for hate-crime probe

November 3, 2015, 12:38 EST

Pembroke girl’s note wins White House visit, Obama praise

October 28, 2015, 23:47 EDT

Bay State students get best grades in ‘Nation’s Report Card’

October 28, 2015, 13:55 EDT

Lawmakers, not lawbreakers: director Sarah Gavron on ‘Suffragette’

October 28, 2015, 6:13 EDT

Reform based on pre-2011 MCAS draws support from Pioneer Institute

October 27, 2015, 18:49 EDT

Evangelicals change official stance on death penalty

October 20, 2015, 16:30 EDT

Pledging allegiance: Ceremony mints Boston’s newest citizens

October 15, 2015, 20:45 EDT

Interactive maps pinpoint Boston’s immigrant enclaves

October 14, 2015, 16:32 EDT

Hindu temple rising in Groton serves growing immigrant community

October 13, 2015, 17:54 EDT

Boston lays out transportation goals for 2030

October 9, 2015, 17:26 EDT

Kennedy, Healey push lawmakers to broaden transgender protections

October 6, 2015, 17:41 EDT

Witnesses: Gunman targeted Christians

October 5, 2015, 13:33 EDT

The Rev. Liz Walker: Trading the evening news for the ‘good news’

October 2, 2015, 10:34 EDT

Catholic school backers on mission to serve Boston students

September 29, 2015, 8:34 EDT

Baker rolls out plan to fix child welfare agency

September 29, 2015, 6:47 EDT

Pope to Congress: Use the “Golden Rule” and work for the common good

September 24, 2015, 12:55 EDT

Pope at White House urges action on climate change, promotes religious liberty

September 23, 2015, 11:22 EDT

In Yom Kippur, a time to fast and reflect

September 22, 2015, 16:10 EDT

Pope Francis transcends politics to embrace diversity

September 21, 2015, 18:58 EDT

Transgender activists rally in support of so-called ‘bathroom bill’

September 18, 2015, 8:47 EDT

Students, attorneys sue to open charter school seats

September 15, 2015, 17:33 EDT

Beth Israel rejects Needham doctor’s appeal

September 15, 2015, 9:53 EDT

Religious groups press Obama to let them keep the faith when hiring

September 14, 2015, 17:46 EDT

Preserving tradition, spirituality at Jewish day schools

September 14, 2015, 9:11 EDT

Boston remembers 9/11, 14 years later

September 11, 2015, 12:04 EDT

Congressional committee holds first hearing on Planned Parenthood

September 9, 2015, 14:32 EDT

Religious liberty in the workplace on land and in air

September 8, 2015, 22:01 EDT

Hospital review board to decide fate of doctor who criticized gay “lifestyle”

September 8, 2015, 15:57 EDT

Obama addresses Big Labor, accuses opponents of ‘war on unions’

September 7, 2015, 23:33 EDT

Harvard adds alternative gender pronouns

September 4, 2015, 21:15 EDT

The Pope heads to Washington: a rundown on the 2015 papal visit

September 3, 2015, 15:23 EDT

Increased abuse reported among children in state care

September 2, 2015, 14:49 EDT