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alan-greenblatt

Alan Greenblatt

Editor

Alan Greenblatt — Editor. He is the coauthor of a standard textbook on state and local governments. He previously worked as a reporter for NPR and CQ and has written about politics and culture for many other outlets, print and online. He can be found on Twitter at @AlanGreenblatt.

Homicides are up in major cities. The combination of pandemic, recession and the two-way street of distrust between police and the communities they serve has created a "toxic mix of despair."
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is looking past the immediate health and economic challenges to map out programs for the city's future. She has ambitious ideas about attracting wealth while also addressing racial inequities.
President Trump insists schools must reopen in the fall. It's a widely shared priority in terms of both childhood development and the economy, but there are serious challenges with the coronavirus still on the rise.
The fiscal year begins in most states and cities on July 1. Without further federal aid, many will have to re-examine just-passed budgets for cuts down the road.
Chamber leaders and committee chairs are losing their seats. It's not easy to face voters during a combined health and economic crisis, but many primaries also represent ideological battles.
Around the country, more than two-dozen top public health officials have left their jobs in recent weeks. If combating coronavirus wasn't stressful enough, several have received death threats or seen protests outside their homes.
There have been Black Lives Matter protests in more cities and towns than any set of demonstrations in U.S. history. Rather than traveling to the nearest big city, residents are determined to take a stand close to home.
Google and Apple paired up to produce software allowing health departments to create apps that trace how COVID-19 spreads. But most states aren't interested in the system and most Americans don't want tracing apps at all.
The pandemic has hit black people especially hard in terms of health and employment. Those conditions intensified long-simmering anger over police brutality and racism.
For weeks, public officials have warned against the dangers of mass gatherings. Now, some seem OK with protests. That's going to make it harder to convince people to avoid other activities.