Bill Chappell Bill Chappell is a writer and editor on the News Desk in the heart of NPR's newsroom in Washington, D.C.
Stories By

Bill Chappell

Bill Chappell

Reporter, Producer

Bill Chappell is a correspondent and editor, and a leader on NPR's flagship digital news team. He has frequently contributed to NPR's audio and social media platforms, including hosting dozens of live shows online.

He has gone to two Olympics for NPR (Rio and Pyeongchang), focusing on finding the human aspect of sports — and sharing that fascination through text, video and images on NPR's Instagram and other branded accounts. He was also the lead editor for several other Olympic Games.

Because of his contributions, Chappell is also named on NPR's Peabody-award winning team for its Ebola coverage. Years ago, he established the Peabody Award-winning StoryCorps' presence on NPR.org, which separately won a Webby Award.

At NPR, Chappell has trained digital and radio staff in how to tell compelling stories online, facilitating collaboration between departments and desks. He was previously NPR.org's homepage editor, and has frequently worked with shows such as Morning Edition, Fresh Air, and All Things Considered.

Prior to NPR, Chappell was an editor on the Assignment Desk at CNN International, handling coverage in areas from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. He also edited and produced stories for CNN.com's features division, and edited video for the CNN Sports Illustrated venture.

Story Archive

Tuesday

The Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine suffered a catastrophic breach overnight, in what Ukrainian officials say was an attack by Russia. Planet Labs PBC hide caption

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Planet Labs PBC

Monday

Saint Mary's Wilderness is seen in the distance on June 5, 2023. A Cessna Citation jet crashed over mountainous terrain Sunday afternoon near Montebello, Va. Aviation officials are investigating the fatal crash of the unresponsive plane that flew over the nation's capital, prompting F-16 fighter jets to be scrambled. Erin Edgerton/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Erin Edgerton/AFP via Getty Images

Friday

Marie C. Bolden made national headlines when she turned in a flawless performance at a spelling bee in Cleveland. Her competitors included white students from segregated school districts in the South. Courtesy the Brown Family hide caption

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Courtesy the Brown Family

Wednesday

The Mountain Valley Pipeline would stretch 303 miles, from West Virginia to North Carolina. This 2018 file photo shows a section of downed trees on a ridge near homes along the pipeline's route in Lindside, W.Va. Steve Helber/AP hide caption

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Steve Helber/AP

Tuesday

Aderrien Murry, 11, called the police as his mother asked — but when officers arrived, one of them shot him in the chest. A new lawsuit says officials failed to train and supervise its officers. Courtesy of Nakala Murry hide caption

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Courtesy of Nakala Murry

A passenger stands on scales at Auckland International Airport as part of a survey to generate average weights for people traveling on Air New Zealand flights. Courtesy Air New Zealand hide caption

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Courtesy Air New Zealand

Saturday

Friday

Thursday

Marlin High School in Texas was set to hold its graduation this week — but it postponed the ceremony, saying only a small portion of the senior class was able to graduate. Google Maps/Screenshot by NPR hide caption

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Google Maps/Screenshot by NPR

Wednesday

Amanda Gorman says she wrote "The Hill We Climb" — which she read at President Biden's inauguration — "so that all young people could see themselves in a historical moment." Gorman is seen here in February, at the Grammy Awards. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images hide caption

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Tuesday

A school district's book screening process didn't violate civil rights laws — but it should have done a better job of handling the process, the U.S. Department of Education says. Terry Vine/Getty Images hide caption

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Terry Vine/Getty Images

Friday

Wednesday

Tuesday

Cambodia's Bou Samnang runs in the women's 5,000-meter final despite heavy rain, during the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh. A video of her finish, minutes after the race was decided, has won over fans around the sporting world. Duc Dong/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Duc Dong/AFP via Getty Images

Monday

Martin Luther King Jr. never said he thought Malcolm X "has done himself and our people a great disservice," a biographer says. The two civil rights leaders with opposing views on nonviolence met only once, in March of 1964. Henry Griffin/AP hide caption

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Henry Griffin/AP

Friday

Lori Vallow Daybell listens as the jury's verdict is read at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on Friday. The jury convicted Daybell of murder in the deaths of her two youngest children and conspiring to murder a romantic rival. Kyle Green/AP hide caption

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Kyle Green/AP

Wednesday

Jaleel Stallings said he fired at officers in self-defense — and after he surrendered, he was badly beaten. A former officer pleaded guilty to a felony charge in the case on Wednesday. Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP hide caption

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Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP

Tuesday

Construction workers build along State Road 836 in 2018 in Miami. HB 1191 would compel the Florida Transportation Department to study using phosphogypsum in paving projects. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Friday

Dr. Rochelle Walensky is leaving her post leading the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, citing progress in the battle with COVID-19. J. Scott Applewhite/Pool / Getty Images hide caption

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J. Scott Applewhite/Pool / Getty Images

Hundreds of pounds of pasta were found along the Iresick Brook in Old Bridge, N.J., setting off questions about where the noodles came from — and why they were dumped. Nina Jochnowitz hide caption

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Nina Jochnowitz

Thursday

Little Saint James, an island previously owned by the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, has been sold. The 71.6-acre property, seen here in an aerial view, includes a main compound and four guest villas. Bespoke Real Estate hide caption

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Bespoke Real Estate

Wednesday