January 13, 2020
The Biggest Issues to Watch in 2020
State legislatures will have a lot on their plates. They’ll deal with issues in wildly differing ways. We set the context for the 2020 session with an overview of abortion, election security, housing, immigration, net neutrality, pensions, pre-emption, recession fears, redistricting, vaping, and workforce.
January 7, 2020
Microlending Sparks Hope and Renewal in Rochester, N.Y.
As New York’s third-largest city finds its industrial giants continuing to downsize, a unique, no-interest loan program based on crowdfunding is stimulating a business revival at the grass-roots level.
December 23, 2019
Behind the Lens: Governing Goes on Holiday
From a (reputed) nontraditional location for the penning of one of America's more popular Christmas songs, to a decked-out statue of the founder of Communism, we take a look at some less-than-conventional holiday festivities.
November 18, 2019
Washington, D.C., Showcases the Architecture of Pumping Water
A once-desolate stretch of waterfront has become home to DC Water, a futuristic hub for managing water treatment in the nation’s capital and an architectural symbol of environmental sustainability.
September 1, 2019
The History of Minneapolis Through Milling
Photos and musings from our photographer.
August 15, 2019
The Parking Garages of the Future
As many of them fall into disrepair, some are adapting to cities' changing needs.
August 14, 2019
Cleaning Up the Anacostia River, One Boat at a Time
Photos and musings from our photographer.
August 1, 2019
Georgia’s Most Visited Tourist Attraction Is Also Its Most Controversial
Photos and musings from our photographer.
July 26, 2019
How the Tilt-a-Whirl Became a Fixture of State Fairs
Photos and musings from our photographer.
July 11, 2019
This Vacant City Block Will Soon Be the Tallest Building in Michigan
Photos and musings from our photographer.
July 1, 2019
America’s Oldest -- and Probably Wettest -- State Park
Photos and musings from our photographer.
June 1, 2019
Nevada's Official State Element
Photos and musing from our photographer.
May 24, 2019
The Government Office That Feels Like a Modern Art Museum
Photos and musings from our photographer.
May 1, 2019
A Bridge at the End of Its Lifespan
Photos and musings from our photographer.
April 9, 2019
How Long Beach Prepares for the Grand Prix
Photos and musings from our photographer.
April 1, 2019
The Mayor Who Lives in Thomas Paine's Old Home
Photos and musings from our photographer.
April 1, 2019
Drugs? Pets? Couples? Unlike Most Homeless Shelters, This One Will Take You No Matter What
Las Vegas is taking a new, more tolerant approach to helping the homeless.
March 1, 2019
When the State Line Runs Down Main Street
Photos and musing from our photographer.
February 1, 2019
The Rest Stop That Inspired a Book on Highways in America
Photos and musing from our photographer.
January 25, 2019
People ‘Love’ This State's Tourism Campaign
Photos and musings from our photographer.
December 27, 2018
Love Art Deco Architecture? Check Out This City Hall.
Photos and musings from photographer David Kidd.
December 21, 2018
A $16 Million Flop
Photos and musings from photographer David Kidd.
December 21, 2018
The World's First Mountain Cog Railway
Photos and musings from photographer David Kidd.
December 21, 2018
This Vintage Stoplight Still Keeps Traffic Moving
Photos and musings from photographer David Kidd.
December 21, 2018
This Retro Drive-In Isn't What It Seems
Photos and musings from photographer David Kidd.
December 1, 2018
Can a Park Heal Racial Rifts?
Photos and musings from our photographer.
November 28, 2018
Why This High School Football Team Spends $20,000 for Every Game
Photos and musings from our photographer.
November 27, 2018
To Get Rid of Blight, Baltimore Tries Something New
The city, which has more empty and dilapidated houses than most, is making buyers prove that they can afford to purchase a home -- and to fix it up.
October 18, 2018
Welcome to America's Smallest City Hall
Photos and musings from our photographer.
September 26, 2018
It Was America’s First Superhighway. Now Much of It Sits Abandoned.
But the Pennsylvania Turnpike hasn't been completely forgotten.
September 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: The Only State With an ‘Embassy’ in D.C.
It's just a block away from the U.S. Capitol.
August 7, 2018
'I'm Somewhere Bettering Myself': Prison Reform Unlike Any Other in America
North Dakota is conducting a prison experiment inspired by Norway, a country with recidivism rates three times lower than in the U.S.
August 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: The Oldest Free Music Festival in America
Coachella, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza may be better known, but this festival has been going strong since 1924.
July 27, 2018
Behind the Lens: A Peek at One State's Politics Hall of Fame
The Louisiana Political Museum may be the only one if its kind.
July 18, 2018
Behind the Lens: Remnants of a Once-Thriving Town
Photos and musings from our photographer.
July 3, 2018
Behind the Lens: Homeless and Sleeping at City Hall
Photos and musings from our photographer.
June 7, 2018
Behind the Lens: The Glass Barrier Between Us
Photos and musings from our photographer.
June 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: In Detroit, Police Bring Neighborhood Baseball Back
Photos and musings from our photographer.
May 31, 2018
Behind the Lens: Bike-Share Brings Ford Full Circle
Photos and musings from our photographer.
May 21, 2018
Behind the Lens: The Blue Whale of Catoosa
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
May 16, 2018
Behind the Lens: Say Goodbye to Hollywood's Star (of Trees)
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
May 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: Out of Prison, Into a Home of Her Own
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
April 27, 2018
Behind the Lens: Ghost Town
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
April 12, 2018
Behind the Lens: Abandoned Homes in Baltimore
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
April 6, 2018
Behind the Lens: The Boston Tea Pot
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
April 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: The Best Designed Basketball Courts in the World
According to Vogue anyway.
March 29, 2018
Behind the Lens: A Moment of Solitude at Walden Pond
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
March 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: Why People in This Alaskan Town Watch Ice Melt – Literally
When the ice breaks, someone wins a cash prize.
February 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: The Town That Had No Library
Architecture students transformed an old bank into a library for Newbern, Ala.
January 2, 2018
Behind the Lens: The Barboursville Ruins
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
January 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: Los Angeles Has a Surprising Winter Pastime
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
January 1, 2018
Behind the Lens: Ghost Bike
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
December 29, 2017
Behind the Lens: Changing Lights (and More) in Tulsa
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
December 28, 2017
Behind the Lens: Subways in the Desert
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
December 27, 2017
Behind the Lens: The Rosenwald Schools
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
December 26, 2017
Behind the Lens: Taking the Twin Falls Plunge
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
December 1, 2017
Behind the Lens: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (for Arborists)
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
November 1, 2017
The City Where Scaffolding Is Older Than a Lot of Its Residents
New York has 280 miles of “sidewalk sheds.”
October 1, 2017
Reno's Sign of the Times
When you drive through the city, you can’t miss its slogan. That wasn’t always the case.
September 29, 2017
Why Bicyclists Feel Validated by San Francisco
Two words: "bicycle barometers."
August 1, 2017
Music Rocks! Especially in Denver.
It's home to Red Rocks, “the only naturally occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world.”
July 7, 2017
The Erie Canal Is Getting an 8-Year-Long Birthday Party
That’s how long it took to build one of America’s most ambitious public works projects, and that’s how long its bicentennial will be celebrated.
May 23, 2017
In Houston's New Park, Art Goes Green
Smither Park celebrates folk art -- but only if it's recycled or reused.
April 14, 2017
All in a Year's Work, Underground
A tunnel-boring machine recently dug a two-and-a-half-mile-hole beneath the surface of the nation's capital. It only took 366 days.
March 16, 2017
Going Backwards to the Days of Dirt Roads
In an effort to save money, some governments are unpaving roads.
February 1, 2017
How NYC Turned Salt Into Art
The Spring Street Salt Shed has been lauded as one of the city's best public sculptures.
January 27, 2017
Arcosanti: The Original (and Unfinished) Smart House?
In 1970, an architect began building a self-sustaining town of the future. Now it stands as a lab for environmentally conscious urban planners.
May 24, 2016
Remembering Cincinnati’s Old Streetcars
As the city prepares to debut new streetcars, here’s a last look at their old ones.
May 13, 2016
State Capitols: Above It All
Many state capitols were designed to inspire with soaring architecture. The view from the top offers a unique perspective.
April 1, 2016
With NYC's Wi-Fi Kiosks, People Can Practically Go Phoneless
The sleek new stations throughout the city let users make 911 calls and search the web -- all for free.
February 24, 2016
The Henhouse at the Executive Mansion
To fulfill a campaign promise, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe stocked his new digs with egg-laying chickens.
January 15, 2016
Meet the People Who Run a Tiny Town’s Government
The small, rural town of Gifford, S.C., survives with help from just 12 enthusiastic public employees -- most of whom aren't even paid.
December 1, 2015
Iconic Detroit Building Gets Revitalized
The city's main train station, which shuttered its doors in 1988, is getting a makeover.
November 1, 2015
Why Commute by Road or Rail When You Can Ride in the Sky?
Portland, Ore., is home to one of only two aerial commuter trams in the United States.
July 1, 2015
10 Years and Still Waiting for Space Travel's Takeoff
Truth or Consequences, N.M., is hoping space tourism will transform the sleepy desert town.
July 1, 2015
Taking a Break to Celebrate Cops
What began as a day in 1962 has morphed into a weeklong celebration.
May 1, 2015
What’s All the Buzz About Bees?
The dwindling number of bees has a direct impact on the economy, which is what keeps state beekeepers like Tammy Horn going.
April 1, 2015
The Town That Takes the Elevator Everywhere
Residents of Whittier, Alaska, have to take the elevator or stairs wherever they go in the wintertime.
March 1, 2015
Once a Vacation Spot, Now an Ecological Nightmare
Southern California’s Salton Sea has been neglected for decades, but there’s reason to hope for its restoration.
January 1, 2015
Virginia's Long-Running Page Program Perseveres
The state's legislature has one of the most extensive page programs still running in the country, paying teens to assist and live like lawmakers.
January 1, 2015
The Battle of the Traffic Light
How Irish nationalism in Syracuse, N.Y., resulted in a world-renowned upside-down traffic light.
November 1, 2014
The Nation’s Last Pre-Revolutionary Intersection
It’s home to four buildings, each dating back to the 18th century.
October 1, 2014
What's Love Got to Do with Bridge Safety?
What seems like a simple romantic gesture is actually a major maintenance issue for bridges.
July 1, 2014
Outdoor Art Takes Center Stage
Museums in several cities are hanging art on walls throughout the streets.
May 1, 2014
One Building Divided Between Two Countries
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House was intentionally built straddling the border between Quebec and Vermont.
March 1, 2014
The Sounds of Silence in Prison
In the 1800s, Philadelphia built a prison that isolated inmates so they could meditate and become genuinely penitent. But as views on isolating inmates evolved over time, the prison was forced to close its doors.
March 1, 2014
March 2014 Last Look: Movie-Inspired Architecture
The design for part of one of Los Angeles’ airports was inspired by the spacecraft from the film The War of the Worlds.
June 28, 2013
What Makes a Schwinn Bike?
Schwinn bikes first appeared on streets in the 19th century and were built in such a unique way that decades-old Schwinns can still be seen in Chicago and other bike-friendly cities.
April 30, 2013
Water-Powered Electricity Flows Through Santa Rosa
In Santa Rosa, Calif., the electricity powering a lamp may very well come from recycled wastewater.
January 11, 2012
Boston's City Halls, As Time Goes On
Governing Design Director David Kidd went on assignment to photograph Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. He came back with an architecture review of Boston's old and current city hall.
April 4, 2011
Shadowing Redlands's Volunteer Corps
Design Director David Kidd followed Staff Writer John Buntin as they experienced life as a volunteer in Redlands, Calif., a place where volunteers take on jobs the city can't afford.
February 25, 2011
Players in Wisconsin’s Union Turmoil
The battle over public sector unions in Madison has thrust state legislators into the limelight. Meet some of the players in this slideshow.
June 8, 2010
Beach Cities
Photographer David Kidd went with reporters to L.A. and Chicago for stories on police stations and transportation systems respectively, but ended up on the beach in both cities.
May 18, 2010
Community Problems and Citizen Help
While touring two vastly different areas of the Bay area last month, GOVERNING's photographer found that both communities have problems and depend on citizens and activists to resolve them.
April 27, 2010
Touring the Tenderloin
I was in San Francisco in March, taking pictures for John Buntin's May story about that city's efforts to clean up its roughest neighborhood, the ...
March 17, 2010
The Wire(s) in Denver
Governing writer John Buntin and I were in Denver in February to look into that city's use of DNA testing as a means of ...
February 2, 2010
Golden Snowballs and Snow Globes in Syracuse
Syracusans have much to be proud of. Their city has a long history of accomplishments. But there is one accomplishment that many of its citizens ...
February 1, 2010
Keeping the Streets of America's Snowiest City Clean
There are places nationwide that get more snow, but among cities with populations greater than 100,000, Syracuse's snowfall is supreme.
January 12, 2010
Hometown History: Syracuse
While on assignment in Syracuse last week, I did what I always do: drive around to see the old neighborhood and my favorite places in ...
November 17, 2009
Reporting from the Roller Derby
Writer Rob Gurwitt and I were in Providence City Hall: he to gather information for an upcoming story, and I to take pictures of whomever ...
November 3, 2009
Finding the Right Spots to Chat
Some conversations tend to be of "high" priority. Photo by David Kidd
As part of Governing's 2009 Public Official of the Year coverage, I spent the ...