Recent articles by Tod Newcombe from governing.com http://www.governing.com/authors/rss/rss/?a=87484082 Tod Newcombe -- Senior Editor. With more than 20 years of experience covering state and local government, Tod previously was the editor of Public CIO, e.Republic’s award-winning publication for information technology executives in the public sector. California is First to Require Websites to Let Minors Delete Social Media Posts http://www.governing.com/blogs/fedwatch/gov-california-passes-eraser-button-law.html Doing what Congress failed to do, California became the first state to require websites to let minors delete what they post on social media. But the new law has already ignited a heated debate. El Paso Teaches New Urbanism to Architects, Engineers http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/gov-city-governments-make-new-urbanism-part-of-work-culture.html Hoping to reinvent the sprawling city, El Paso officials decided to teach the development community the importance of new urbanism. Now, other cities are following in its footsteps. The Rise of Cities and the Mayors Who Run Them http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-rise-cities-mayors-run-them.html With the feds and states more marginalized than ever, cities -- and the mayors who run them -- are growing stronger. BYOD Policies, Growing More Popular, Create Challenges for Schools http://www.governing.com/blogs/view/gov-byod-policies-create-school-challenges.html The rapid proliferation of smartphones and tablets has led an increasing number of schools to allow students to bring their own devices into the classroom, leaving administrators with the big job of re-evaluating security and privacy policies and updating networks. Broadband: Public Officials Want More Government Participation http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-broadband-public-officials-want-more-government-participation.html A Governing survey shows strong support for government-run fiber networks, but it’s less clear how they will get built. Why Camden, N.J., is Still Failing Despite State Intervention http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-pontiac-camden-pew-state-aid-municipal-financial-crisis.html Camden, N.J., one of America's poorest cities, has received hundreds of millions of dollars in state aid to keep it going. Yet by most measures, it's still failing. Ferry Service Cutbacks Hurt New Orleans Commuters, Economy http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/gov-new-orleans-dwindling-ferry-service.html Funding cutbacks have reduced both the number of ferries that cross the Mississippi River and the schedules of those that remain, leaving commuters with few options. Are Police and Fire Department Mergers Catching On? http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-police-fire-department-mergers-catching-on.html As the cost of public safety continues to rise, some cities are thinking the once unthinkable: merging police and fire agencies into one. City Taxi Systems Struggle with Change http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/gov-city-taxi-systems-struggle-with-change.html Calls for reforming city taxi services are getting louder just as new technologies are making it easier to get a ride. Crime, Not Debt, is Detroit’s Biggest Problem http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-crime-not-debt-detroits-biggest-problem.html Two powerful women in Detroit are pushing hard for the city to focus its resources on fighting its high violent crime rate, which, in 2012, was five times the national average. Do Parking Minimums Hurt Housing Affordability? http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-minimum-parking-requirements-affordable-housing.html Some cities think they do, and are moving to change parking mandates to encourage more affordable apartments. Cities and Symphonies: Will the Music Stop? http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-cities-symphonies-orchestras-struggle-finances.html Orchestras, large and small, are struggling financially, and that’s bad news for cities. Is Big Data Just for Big Cities? http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-big-data-just-for-big-cities.html Small and midsize cities are behind in harnessing data to make a city run smarter. Dubuque, Iowa, is bucking that trend. Post-Bloomberg: Will Innovation in NYC Dry Up? http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/col-post--mayor-michael-bloomberg-innovation-guide-nyc.html A new report gives the next mayor of New York City a set of innovative reforms that have proven effective and scalable in other cities. Do Cities Need Chief Resilience Officers to Combat Climate Change? http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/gov-a-city-job-that-requires-resilience.html The Rockefeller Foundation is awarding $100 million to cities willing to create chief resilience officers to prepare for and recover from disasters, which have increased in frequency and intensity due to climate change.