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The state’s Environmental Finance Authority acts as a bank, a development authority and an aid agency all at once. The agency’s mission is about to get even larger as it will manage $1 billion of federal aid.
A 6-year plunge in federal funding that aids victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse is causing alarm among state and local organizations that rely on those dollars to provide services.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order on Monday that pioneers several initiatives to attract public service workers. Approximately 18,000 state employees will become eligible to retire in the next five years.
Allen County, Ind., Superior Court Judge Craig Bobay, regarding his ruling as to what type of establishment can be built in an 11,000-square-foot strip mall in Fort Wayne. The Allen County Plan Commission had denied a Famous Taco restaurant from being located in the strip mall partially based on a “written commitment” that restauranteur Martin Quintana, owner of Famous Taco, had accepted to limit any restaurant not to serve alcohol, allow outdoor seating and would only sell “made-to-order or Subway-style sandwiches.” Bobay ruled that the original commitment did not restrict restaurants solely to American-style sandwiches, and would also permit made-to-order Greek gyros, Indian naan wraps or Vietnamese Banh mi. (The Hill — May 14, 2024)
The Biden administration has updated Title IX to cover sexual orientation and gender identity. Officials in red states are suing to block what they call “gender ideology.”
The University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communication has a new prize meant to highlight the best work of journalists covering state and local politics.
Tuesday’s primary elections will feature a handful of millionaire candidates in Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina and West Virginia. While money does not guarantee political success, it often helps.
Studies have found that four-day work weeks offer a variety of benefits to employees and employers. But not everyone is in favor of a shorter work week, especially amid a tight labor market and high inflation.
The Louisiana Department of Health found that 81 percent of the state’s population were serviced with A or B grade water systems. But 115 of the state’s systems, mostly in rural areas, were ranked with a D or F.
The state’s TEXpress lanes aim to keep traffic moving at least 50 miles per hour using the tollway’s managed lanes’ dynamic pricing. Fees will change frequently depending on the amount of congestion in the free lanes.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Jill Karofsky, regarding an earlier absentee ballot ruling that said that nothing in state law allowed for absentee drop boxes to be placed anywhere other than in election clerk offices. The state’s highest court flipped to liberal control last year and now is showing signs of overturning its previous ruling. (Associated Press — May 13, 2024)
A new city office focused on homeless services has given a boost to programs to help the unhoused in New Orleans.
The state has a surplus of 15,000 prison beds. Consolidating and deactivating prisons could free up billions of dollars for safety net programs, education, housing and workforce development.
Research shows that traditional defined-benefit plans still play a key role in attracting and retaining government employees. To maximize these benefits’ impact, employers need to make sure their workers understand them.
A study found that California students who received associate’s degrees were able to recoup their educational costs faster than students who received bachelor’s degrees or certificates.
The state Legislature passed a “first-grade readiness” bill to require students who do not complete kindergarten to take a test to enter the first grade. If signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, the law will go into effect in July.
Tampa Electric has called for a new rate structure that would shift the economic onus from the utility’s largest customers to residences and smaller businesses, resulting in a potential rate increase of $200 monthly.
Clinton, Maine, Fire Chief Travis Leary, regarding bee stings that his team of firefighters received after responding to the crash of a tractor-trailer on Interstate 95 that was hauling about 15 million honey bees. (Associated Press — May 10, 2024)
Admissions offices are trying everything from entrepreneurship programs to hunting classes.
Chicago and San Francisco are looking to consolidate the transit agencies in their respective cities, proposals backed by state lawmakers. Advocates say such reforms could improve service for riders and make it easier for politicians to address funding issues.
Propaganda doesn’t need to go viral to sway elections anymore. That makes artificial intelligence’s impact more insidious and harder to detect.
The Senate ended the legislative session with a 23-12 vote to pass a bill that will provide funding for striking workers. However, filibusters ran the clock out on other controversial bills, including those on Chinese-made drones and climate change.
An independent study found that more than 62,000 people received temporary housing under the program that moved medically vulnerable people from the streets and congregant shelters to empty hotel and motel rooms.
Proposed legislation would prohibit data center development along the 22-mile Beltline trail loop and from within a half mile of transit centers, including MARTA stations and BRT stops. Existing data centers would be unaffected.
Midland, Mich., Police Department Officer Brennon Warren, regarding the fact that a 34-year-old woman was living inside the business sign of grocery store The Family Fare. The triangle-shaped sign at the top of the building is approximately 5 feet wide and 8 feet high; the sign has a door and is accessible from the roof. (Associated Press — May 9, 2024)
A new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute finds that a significant majority of religious Americans think abortion should be legal in most or all cases.
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