Sustainable Communities

• Saltville, Virginia: A Company Town Without a Company
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   August 2012
• In 1971, the Olin chemical company pulled out of Saltville, leaving the tiny town to fend for itself.
• 5 Comments

• Medical Marijuana: Do States Know How to Regulate It?
• BY: Dylan Scott   |   August 2012
• Colorado’s decade-long debate over how to manage medical marijuana has produced a tightly controlled approach that more states are starting to emulate.
• 8 Comments

• Transparency in Spending for the Long Haul
• BY: John M. Kamensky   |   July 30, 2012
• States have been on the front lines of a stimulus-driven revolution in accountability. A new report urges them to build on the lessons they have learned.

• Vermonters Tweet for Tourism
• BY: Brian Peteritas   |   Vermont   |   July 30, 2012
• The state tourism agency is giving residents access to its Twitter account so they can tweet about what makes Vermont special.

• Embattled D.C. Mayor Joins Chick-fil-A Ban Supporters
• Source: Washington Post   |   District of Columbia   |   July 30, 2012
• Vincent Gray issued his statement on Twitter after mayors in Boston, Chicago and San Francisco also stated that the company was not welcome due to president Dan Cathy’s outspoken opposition to same-sex marriage.
• 10 Comments

• Chick-fil-A Controversy: Chicago, Boston Threaten Bans
• BY: Ryan Holeywell,Dylan Scott   |   July 27, 2012
• After the company's president expressed opposition to gay marriage, two mayors said they'll try to prevent it from expanding.
• 15 Comments

• $7 Billion Plan for D.C.'s Union Station Announced
• BY: Eli Richman   |   District of Columbia   |   July 26, 2012
• The undertaking would be one of the country's most expensive transportation infrastructure projects. But at least one hurdle remains: how to pay for it.

• Baltimore Welcomes Immigrants, in Attempt to Boost City's Population
• Source: Washington Post   |   Baltimore   |   July 25, 2012
• After decades of seeing the city’s population slide with every census count, Baltimore officials are trying to turn things around. One key strategy is embracing immigrants, in the hope they will encourage friends and family to join them.

• D.C. Commuter Tax Faces Opposition in Maryland, Virginia
• Source: Roll Call   |   District of Columbia   |   July 25, 2012
• A commuter tax for the District of Columbia could reappear on the Congressional agenda later this year, but Maryland and Virginia Democrats — typically staunch supporters of the District — feel the same way they did when the issue came up several years ago: They hate the idea.

• Oregon's 'Cool Schools' Program Fails to Live up to Hype
• Source: Oregonian   |   Oregon   |   July 24, 2012
• Gov. John Kitzhaber made a campaign promise that his "Cool Schools" program would put people back to work doing energy upgrades on classroom buildings. Nearly two years later, it turns out that the program is really a modest expansion of what already existed, only with a catchy new name.

• Federal Online Sales Tax Could Pass This Year, Reid Says
• Source: The Hill   |   Nation   |   July 20, 2012
• Some governors, including prominent Republicans, are sympathetic to a federal solution, with reports suggesting that states could bring in billions of dollars in extra revenue with an online sales tax law.
• 1 Comments

• Widespread Drought Threatens Crops
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Nation   |   July 18, 2012
• As drought grips 80% of the country, the devastation to corn and other breadbasket crops this year could surpass last year's record claims for weather-related crop losses.

• Wildfires in West Strain Outdoor Tourism
• Source: Reuters   |   West   |   July 18, 2012
• Wildfires sweeping across the western United States are straining communities that depend upon the summer tourism season, as recreation sites catch fire, campgrounds close and outdoor activities such as river rafting are disrupted.

• How Will Defense Cuts Affect Local Economies?
• Source: Christian Science Monitor   |   Nation   |   July 18, 2012
• Former Vice President Dick Cheney visited Republican senators on Capitol Hill to convey his message that defense spending cuts will hurt the U.S. military. Local mayors are concerned that lost government contracts will threaten their local businesses.
• 4 Comments

• Budget Task Force Highlights 6 Threats to States
• BY: Ryan Holeywell   |   July 17, 2012
• Study led by government veterans warns of "calamity" for states if federal deficit reduction goes too far.
• 1 Comments