Over the past year, msnbc.com has covered the big stories and sought out characters and issues that are too often overlooked. From South Dakota to Ferguson, Missouri, our reporters chased stories across the country. Here is some of the standout work we published in 2014:
Mayor: Christie camp held Sandy money hostageby Steve Kornacki
A New Jersey mayor alleges that Christie's administration held Sandy relief money hostage over a lucrative redevelopment plan favored by the governor.
How Personhood won by losingby Irin Carmon
Advocates for reproductive rights fear the ragtag Personhood movement. But not as much as Republicans who support it do.
Failing America's most forgotten childrenby Trymaine Lee
How a jumble of public, private and federal school systems overlap but rarely ever bolster the prospects of America's most forgotten children.
The Democratic plot to retake America in 2020by Benjy Sarlin
Republican gerrymandering after 2010 made it harder than ever for Democrats to retake the House. Now Democrats have a plan to win 2020 and undo the damage.
The Creation Museum wants your childrenby Adam Serwer
A prominent creationist and science personality debate the merits of creationism and evolution.
This is how families go hungryby Ned Resnikoff
What's happening in New York is a testament to just how dire America's hunger crisis has become.
Is this the American dream?by Suzy Khimm
The housing crisis wiped out the wealth of lower-income, minority Americans. But it's not clear how we can help them get it back.
Safe haven keeps families togetherby Amanda Sakuma
Pointing to higher moral laws they say trump the nation’s immigration policies, faith leaders are actively defying federal laws and thwarting deportations.
Why the World Cup is no gameby Emma Margolin
The 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil became the latest international sporting event to spotlight the social and political tensions gripping the country.
A new blow to America's poor?by Aliyah Frumin
Thanks to a plan to widen the Panama Canal, it's about to get a whole lot busier in Newark, New Jersey. And consequently, environmental groups are ringing the alarm.