TODAY'S NEWS

Local

Detroit Mayor
Rejects Plea Deal
Including Prison Time

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Politics

McCain Poised to Name Veep

Legislatures

California Tribes Winning
Ban on Bingo Machines

State

Alabama to State Workers:
Slim Down or Pay More

Federal

Irradiated Produce
to Make Slow Debut

Technology

Voting-Systems Lab
Under Scrutiny from Feds

BLOGS

13th Floor

E-government and crime

Ballot Box

Down the ballot from Obama

DAILY DIGIT

$250 billion

Estimated amount of the war chest amassed by investment firms that are eyeing privatization deals for U.S. roads, bridges and other public infrastructure

EVENTS

I am tired.”

Who Said That?

Vancouver, B.C.
Demographics

Trading Places

In the past three decades, Chicago, Atlanta and a number of other cities have undergone changes often defined as gentrification but better described as a "demographic inversion." Today the people who live near the city centers are those who can afford to do so, while the poor are living on the outskirts. double green arrows

Left: Vancouver is "demographic inversion" writ large

Idea Center

Democracy, Wiki-Style

Come November, gubernatorial, legislative and local races won't be the only items on the ballot. Initiatives and referenda will top ballots in more than a dozen states, and a new Web site aims to help voters navigate these measures. double green arrows

Politics

Obama’s Coattails

Now that Barack Obama has moved from presumptive Democratic nominee to actual Democratic nominee, it seems like a good time to judge just how the Illinois senator might affect downballot elections across the 50 states. double green arrows

More News & Features

Management Insights
Feather O'Connor Houstoun

Lighting Fires

The belief that all trees are good and all fires are bad is giving way at one fire department, which is setting more fires than it's putting out. This, writes Feather O'Connor Houstoun, provides a valuable management lesson. double green arrows

Politics
Kathleen Sebelius

The Governors Speak

With domestic policy the focus at this week's Democratic National Convention, the schedule is chock-full of governors. See what Ohio's Ted Strickland, Kansas's Kathleen Sebelius, Pennslyvania's Ed Rendall and others had to say. double green arrows

Technology
Will Pelgrin

Data Defender

Will Pelgrin, New York State's director of cyber security, is his state's Indiana Jones in a tie, pioneering this relatively new field as he fends off cyber attacks on his state — and others — from all over the world. double green arrows

Tech Talk
Ellen Perlman

This Little Light of Mine

Many cities have been switching to the efficiencies of as-needed lighting, thanks to their computer programmers. These lighting systems, writes Ellen Perlman, save energy and reduces emissions.