Allegheny Front: Reid R. Frazier Bio

Reid R. Frazier

Reid R. Frazier is a freelance writer and radio producer. He was a reporter at the North Jersey Herald and News and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. His work has aired on NPR's Justice Talking, the Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Environment Report, and he's written for the Philadelphia Inquirer and several Pittsburgh-area magazines. His story for the Allegheny Front, "Coal Country Ponders a Landfill", won a 2008 Golden Quill from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania for Best Radio Investigative/Enterprise Story.

He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Marijke, daughters Anya and Ruby and Cleo, the curbside setter. He can be reached at reid "dot" frazier "at" verizon "dot" net.

Stories by Reid R. Frazier:

Hard Rock Habit - When the weather warms up, rock climbers leave their climbing walls behind and head for the real thing. The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier went to a local hotspot to find out why millions of Americans are attracted to this fast-growing sport. Aired week of 04/14/2010.

Do-It-Yourself Stream Restoration - A Bedford County man had no idea how to restore the stream running through his property. That didn't stop him from fixing what he and his wife called 'the ditch.' The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier reports that fish are now returning to Callihan Creek. Aired week of 06/17/2009.

Old Mines, Clean Energy - Pennsylvania's abandoned mines could become a dependable source of geothermal energy. The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier reports on an inner-city church in Pittsburgh that's one of the first sites in the nation to turn polluted minewater into clean, renewable energy. Aired week of 05/20/2009.

What's in the Air? - Fine particles in the air we breathe can lead to serious health problems. But what exactly is in the air we breathe? The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier visited the lab of Carnegie Mellon researcher to find out. Aired week of 08/20/2008.

Living with the Health Effects of Air Pollution - Pittsburgh has the worst air in the country, according to a recent report by the American Lung Association. That's bad news for a city trying to shed its smoky image, but what are the health effects of all that bad air, in Pittsburgh and beyond? The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier went to see how the nation's dirtiest air affects the lungs, and the health, of those who breathe it. Aired week of 08/20/2008.

An Urban Forest Imperiled - Corners of undeveloped land are tucked away in most American cities. These pockets of green space can drastically improve the quality of urban life. They're also crucial habitat for wildlife. But economics often make these areas difficult to protect. In our last story in our series on land conservation, The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier visited one endangered forest in Pittsburgh to gauge the importance of saving urban land. Aired week of 02/13/2008.

Small Groups, Big Impact - Small land conservancies have a big impact in preserving vital habitat in Pennsylvania. Clearwater Conservancy has preserved about 4,000 acres of land in rapidly-growing State College. The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier has the story. Aired week of 01/16/2008.

Coal Country Ponders a Landfill - Coal used to come out of the Moshannon Valley. Now, a developer wants to turn a former coal mine into a landfill. The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier reports the plan is dividing the community. Aired week of 12/12/2007.

Interview with Elizabeth Royte, author of Garbageland: On the Secret Trail of Trash - So, where does your trash end up? Elizabeth Royte asked herself that very question. So she followed the trail of her own trash. She followed garbage trucks, visited the grimy floors of recycling centers, and snooped around Pennsylvania landfills to write the book Garbageland. Reid Frazier talks with the author about what she learned, and what we can all do to cut down on garbage. Aired week of 12/12/2007.

Creating a New Chemistry - Look around the room and chances are you'll find something made with the help of a chemist. It's in the dye of your clothes, the circuitry in your speakers, the paint on your walls. Problem is, these chemicals that help can also hurt by causing pollution. As part of our series celebrating the 100th Birthday of Rachel Carson, The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier dusted off his high school chemistry book and looked for some scientists who are trying to change all that. Aired week of 04/18/2007.

A Loveable Face Threatened by Warming - They're big and white and popular with zoogoers, but they may be headed to the endangered species list. They're the first species to be considered for protection because of global warming. The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier visited Nuka and Koda, two young bears at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, to find out how the Zoo is teaching the public about threats to their habitat. Aired week of 01/24/2007.

Reclaiming Pittsburgh's Abandoned Lands - Like in other rust bult cities, many of Pittsburgh's once teeming neighborhoods are now crowded with weeds. The city has lost half its population since World War II. And it's trying to find a use for its 15,000 vacant lots. The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier found that many in the region are seeking a green solution to a pervasive problem. Aired week of 11/15/2006.

Betting on Green Building Products in Pennsylvania - A growing number of people say the region can once again provide the material for the country's next building boom, and do it in an environmentally sensitive way. Reporter Reid Frazier went to Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center to find out how Western Pennsylvania might become a hub for green building materials. Aired week of 11/08/2006.

Transit Budget Gap Gets a Hearing - Pennsylvania's public transportation and state highway and bridge systems are in financial crisis. So says a state commission. Public meetings on the commission's report are being held around the state. The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier listened in on public reactions to the threat of service cuts to public transit and highway programs. Aired week of 09/13/2006.

Meth Labs Find Shelter in the Woods - Attention Hikers: It's time to add one more thing to your list of things to avoid in the trails. After poison ivy, mosquitoes and bears, look out for meth labs. The rise of methamphetamine, the drug formally known as speed, has led to a climb in so-called mobile meth labs in rural Pennsylvania. The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazer crept through the woods of Somerset County to find out where meth cooks are keeping clandestine labs. Aired week of 08/30/2006.

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