• Planned Parenthood, ACLU Sue Alabama over Abortion Clinic Law
• Source: Reuters   |   Alabama   |   June 12, 2013
• The law, signed by Gov. Robert Bentley in April and set to take effect next month, requires every doctor who performs an abortion at a clinic to have staff privileges at a local hospital.

• NYC Bike-Share Program Faces Problems Unlike Anywhere Else
• Source: New York Times   |   New York City   |   June 12, 2013
• The city's new program has had technical errors of a magnitude never experienced by bike-share programs in other major American cities.

• Kansas to Start Teaching Evolution, Climate Change in Kindergarten
• Source: AP/Kansas City Star   |   Kansas   |   June 12, 2013
• The Kansas school board has approved new multistate science standards for public schools that treat evolution and climate change as key concepts to be taught from kindergarten through the 12th grade.
• 2 Comments

• D.C.’s Educare a Preschool Model for the U.S.
• Source: Washington Post   |   District of Columbia   |   June 12, 2013
• NE D.C.’s state-of-the-art Educare, funded both publicly and privately, celebrates its first birthday.
• 1 Comments

• Thousands Evacuated as Wildfire Burns Through Colorado
• Source: CNN   |   Colorado   |   June 12, 2013
• More than 3,600 people were evacuated as a wildfire in east central Colorado burned quickly through dry timber Tuesday.

• When Local Governments' Pensions Are Beyond Their Control
• BY: Susan K. Urahn   |   June 12, 2013
• Many cities and counties are tied to state pension systems. That can be a liability, but it also can be an asset.
• 2 Comments

• Tea Party Group Threatens Support for Gov. Snyder over Medicaid Expansion
• Source: Detroit Free Press   |   Michigan   |   June 12, 2013
• A coalition of tea party groups sent an open letter to Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday, saying he risks losing their support for re-election for his embrace of Medicaid expansion as part of the federal Affordable Care Act.

• When Child Services and the Media Work Together
• BY: Jonathan Walters   |   June 11, 2013
• The Colorado Department of Human Services and The Denver Post prove that the relationship between government and media doesn't have to be adversarial.
• 2 Comments

• Chicago Public Schools Releases Five-Year Plan
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Chicago, Ill.   |   June 11, 2013
• The long-term plan is the first of its kind since Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office and aligns the entire district with the rigorous Common Core Curriculum by the 2014-15 school year.

• STEM Jobs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
• BY: Michael Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• Maps shows jobs requiring STEM skills for each metro area

• Transportation Funding Added to Texas' Special Session Agenda
• BY: The Texas Tribune   |   Texas   |   June 11, 2013
• Gov. Rick Perry has asked the legislature to consider the funding of transportation infrastructure projects during their current special session.

• Metro Areas with the Most Blue-Collar STEM Jobs
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• A new Brookings report finds that there are far more STEM employees in the United States than previously estimated -- and the demand is growing. View maps and data for metro areas.

• Statewide Workplace Smoking Ban Fails in Texas
• BY: The Texas Tribune   |   Texas   |   June 11, 2013
• For a fourth consecutive legislative session, a proposed statewide ban on smoking in public workplaces fell short, as critics argued that such a ban could unconstitutionally curtail businesses’ freedom.
• 2 Comments

• California Budget Deal a Victory for Governor
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   June 11, 2013
• Gov. Jerry Brown and top lawmakers have reached agreement on some of the most contentious issues in the state budget, granting the governor significant victories on the redistribution of school money and expectations of revenue.

• The Implication of Long-Term Pay Freezes
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• Many public employees have waited years for salary increases, and recent surveys indicate pay freezes are continuing to persist. The implications have been far-reaching, from hindering employee retention to hurting morale.
• 24 Comments