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Ethics experts say questionable ties between nonprofits and politicians are on the rise, but state scrutiny is often ineffective.

Governing: State and local government news and analysis

Why don't more governors seek federal office?

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After stepping down as head of the Government Accountability Office, David Walker started drawing the nation’s roadmap to fiscal sustainability that’s also applicable to states and cities.

Governing: State and local government news and analysis

Chattanooga, Tennessee raised more than $10,000 to support its efforts to become the first U.S. city with its own font.

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In Baltimore, a new study showed that a 10 percent increase in tree cover yielded at least a 12 percent decrease in crime.

Governing: State and local government news and analysis

Cities from coast to coast are giving up parking spaces (and the revenue that comes from them) to create green public places for people to sit.

Governing: State and local government news and analysis

The new Open States app lets users identify and contact their state reps, scroll through voting records and follow bills through the legislative process.

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San Francisco hopes that by raising some prices based on supply and demand, it can ensure there’s always at least one open spot on every block. According to a New York Times analysis, it may be working.

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After Hurricane Katrina, Latinos moved into the city in record numbers and have transformed the disaster-struck town.

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New York City streets are getting a little more literary. The city Transportation Department has partnered with an artist, John Morse, to create a series of graphic, pop-art signs encouraging drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to be more careful.

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Boston's longest-serving mayor has started to think big. (But he still sweats the small stuff.)

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In what may have been the only arrangement of its kind, the Midwestern city owned waterfront vacation property in Florida. The sale of it added $6 million to this year’s budget.

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Handling the onslaught of traffic, crime and health needs of the 80,000 people who attend Bonnaroo every year is an art form for local officials.

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Cities are struggling to increase residential density without destroying single-family neighborhoods. That means the return of the backyard cottage.

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The recent economic crisis suggests that state lotteries and other forms of gambling may not be the predictable cash cows they once were.

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Proposals in states like Washington and North Dakota aim to streamline education from pre-k to Ph.D.

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How federalism is being redefined, and how states got to this point.

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At GOVERNING's annual Outlook conference, states' looming 2012 budget crisis took center stage, but Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley offered advice for making smart fiscal decisions.

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Regions have supplanted cities as the nation's economic centers. Local tax structures don't recognize this shift.

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Now that Republicans control the U.S. House and state legislatures, more business-friendly food safety measures may be on the table.

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Two of the candidates in May's Republican primary for a West Virginia House of Delegates seat share more than just a love of tax reform. ...

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The mayor of Hagerstown, Maryland, abruptly resigned this week with no explanation and after only nine months in office. Okay, fine. Resign if you need ...

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Okay, this isn't a blog written from beyond the grave. But it's pretty close. The county coroner for Lake County, Illinois, has started a blog (!). ...

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Fort Myers, Florida, seemingly did everything right to redevelop its historic downtown -- tax incentives, preservation tax credits. The city even hired a New Urbanist ...

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg hasn't ever been a very convincing Republican. He only joined the GOP a few months before running for office ...

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Chicago is seeing an unexpected economic boon from its ban on using handheld cell phones while driving, which went into effect 8 months ago. While the ...

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Sad news for Connecticut voters who like government corruption: former Governor John Rowland, who served prison time for accepting gifts from state contractors in exchange ...

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Hey, remember that time the Vice President shot a guy? No, not that one. The other one. From 1804. When VP Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton ...

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New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been pretty clear about the fact that he doesn't want to run for higher office. Yesterday, his answer was ...

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Britney Spears is something of a poster child for bad marriages. She married two different guys in 2004. Her infamous first marriage, a quickie Vegas wedding ...

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You may have seen the news this week that Rufus, a bull terrier, won Best in Show at this year's Westminster Kennel Club dog show. ...

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You know when lawmakers accept gifts from lobbyists? And they don't disclose the gifts, even when they're considering legislation that could benefit those lobbyists' clients? ...

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In an effort to boost ridership on the city's flagging two-year-old Gold Line, Los Angeles transportation officials tried a new tack: an express train. Sounds ...

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For cities and states, a great slogan can be a terrific way to market yourself. (Just ask New York.) But you have to be careful; ...

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Ray Bradbury wants to bu ild a monorail in Los Angeles. In New York, Mayor Mike Bloomberg is entertaining an idea for a huge gondola ...

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The Philadelphia City Council unanimously approved a resolution yesterday opposing the deal to sell shipping operations at six major U.S.ports to a company ...

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Earlier this month, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show", defending his position that the state can require pharmacists ...

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posted by Zach Patton When you call your city government and get put on hold, you usually brace yourself for an onslaught of Olivia Newton ...

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Remember those folks who live on Hooker Lane in Greenwich, Connecticut, who were petitioning the town last fall to change the name of their street? ...

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What do a former Pennsylvania lieutenant governor, a former county executive, a former city councilman and a former Steelers player have in common?  (Other ...

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In a victory for anyone who gets annoyed seeing rotting jack-o-lanterns on Christmas Eve or wilting Easter bunnies at Memorial Day, Aurora, Il., has passed ...

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Ahh, New Jersey. Good for an easy punchline or for stereotypes about bad hair, turnpikes, The Sopranos or gold jewelry. Not to mention a fun ...

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Rule No. 1:  Know Where Your State Is Jeanine Pirro, the ex-Westchester County DA and ex-opponent to Sen. Hilllary Clinton (in a race where Pirro ...

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Last week, Robert J. Healey Jr., announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor of Rhode Island. But Healey wasn't exactly in the state at the time. ...

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Smoking marijuana: not okay. Spray-painting huge marijuana leaves on the outside of your house: fine, apparently. That's the verdict in Winsted, Connecticut, where town officials (...

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If only homeland security were this simple: Conducter on a DC metro train:  "Passengers, please refrain from taking pictures of the train due ...

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You know those 90,000 FEMA trailers that the President of the United States seems, somehow, powerless to get moved off the lot in Arkansas? Maybe it's ...

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Whatever happened to running for an office you actually wanted?  Last week, we mentioned a candidate for Rhode Island lieutenant governor who's running on ...

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If you're reading this post on a bar's wi-fi connection in Austin, you might want to put down that beer. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission ...

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Hey, congratulations on your move to a new city! Hope you enjoy the new digs. Oh, didn't you realize you'd changed locales? Well, according to ...

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Ohio Secretary of State---and '06 GOP gubernatorial hopeful---Kenneth Blackwell has been getting some flak lately for owning stocks in companies with which the state does ...

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posted by Zach Patton Let's put the just-finished Maryland legislative session into perspective: What Lawmakers Did Not Do: Reach any agreement to limit utility rate ...

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Poverty is encroaching on suburban enclaves -- even the most affluent of them. Many are ill-equipped to meet the new social-service needs.

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Consolidation. That was the watchword as the nation's top public-sector technologists gathered in Baltimore this week for the midyear conference of the National Association ...

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Call it City 2.0: a metropolis where officials instantly monitor all of the urban environment's constantly changing dynamics--the outside temperature; snow or rainfall; traffic; and perhaps...

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Well, you can drink with impunity in Texas again. Okay, maybe not impunity, but you don't have to worry about getting arrested in a sting ...

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Remember when you used to check in at the airport, and the airline employee would ask you if anyone had asked you to carry anything ...

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Lobbying gift bans: Good for clean elections, bad for the local economy? That's what restaurants in Tallahassee are reporting. Bars and eateries in the state ...

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One floor of the newly renovated West Virginia governor's mansion "will have something of a sports-bar atmosphere, with a wet bar, game room area, ...

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posted by Zach Patton Clogging isn't a problem in Kentucky. In fact, Bluegrass lawmakers are celebrating clogging by making it the official state dance of ...

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Yesterday, we wrote (actually, a couple times) about Kentucky lawmakers' unflinching resolve in the face of the War on Clogging. Now comes news that the ...

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Wonkette has been chronicling the bizarre -- and hilarious! -- story of the header photo on the campaign website for New Orleans mayoral candidate Kimberly ...

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UPDATE: Kimberly Williamson Butler has taken down the Disneyland photo from her website.  Disney: 1, Butler: 0. Oh, also:  Photoshop: 1.

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Rounding out this week's stories on Official State Fish and Official State Dances That Sound Like Coronary Problems, the New Hampshire Senate has voted to ...

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If you have a few million dollars lying around, and if you've always wanted your name attached to an unsightly, congested roadway, has Chicago got ...

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Here's a story you're definitely going to see repeated throughout the upcoming election season. So, as a helpful feature for the media, here's a stock ...

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Yesterday's Wikipedia-tampering story is today's campaign-manager-resignation story. After being accused of tampering with an opponent's Wikipedia bio, the campaign manager for Georgia Secretary of State ...

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Here's some fun end-of-the-week irony. Civic leaders in Atlantic City, NJ, are organizing a petition drive to make sure their city's landmarks remain on the ...

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So, you're a really rich corporation just dying to put your name on something in Chicago, but renaming the Skyway isn't your thing. Don't worry! ...

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Voters in Northern Virginia are heading to the polls today for town and city council races. In the town of Herndon, the mayoral race could ...

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Tourism officials in South Dakota and Iowa may have struck a goldmine: Free gasoline. South Dakota announced its "Twenty Bucks for the Road" ...

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Well, that was fast! New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has given up his week-old quest for self-serve gas. It was too controversial, he said. "...

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New Lenox, IL, Mayor Mike Smith recently racked up a $1,500 charge in one visit to a Chicago strip club. It's deplorable, it's disgusting, blah blah ...

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Proving that Iowa and South Dakota don't have a lock on gimmicky tourism ploys, Fairfax County, VA, is announcing plans to bury a car. According ...

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Voters in Herndon, VA, ousted the mayor and two town council members who supported the construction of a city-financed center for day laborers. I don't ...

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Just how popular is South Dakota's "Twenty Bucks for the Road" program, in which residents of neighboring states are enticed to enter the ...

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Maybe we post too much about tourism on the 13th Floor, but it's just too darn interesting to ignore. Illinois has introduced its first slogan ...

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Rejoice, college freshman co-eds! Rejoice, skaters and goth kids! Rejoice, bemuscled gym-goers! It looks like tatoos will finally, officially be legal throughout these United States. (...

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Kansas is putting an end to child brides -- kinda. The state passed a minimum age requirement for marriage. Previously, Kansas didn't have a minimum ...

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As previously stated, once you start writing about state slogans and tourism, you just can't stop. It's a story begging for a story teller, a ...

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We've written lots about state legislatures wasting time by designating official dances, fish, dirt and other inane bits of culture.  But I'd like to ...

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Check out the 13th Floor the first part of next week, when resident political oddsmaker and horserace prognosticator Josh Goodman is going to update his ...

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There are lots of state-specific blogs out there (as evidenced by our long and growing blogroll down on the left). But blogs that cover state-level ...

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Slate takes a look at the arguments for and against governments' regulating tanning beds. It's a fairly conservative take on the issue. The author, William ...

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Google Maps are great. Love 'em. Super simple to use, and they make it easy to get around. (And hey, Yahoo Maps and MapQuest are ...

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Sometimes it seems as if, for every piece of legislation, there is an equal and opposite loophole to render that legislation ineffective. Today's loophole comes ...

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Are Houston dog-owners not feeding their pets enough? Houston tops the list of cities with the most mail carriers bitten by dogs. Houston was at ...

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Idaho gubernatorial candidate Dan Adamson -- who lost this week's GOP primary election to incumbent C.L. "Butch" Otter -- has an interesting ...

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Civil servants, you wouldn't lie to your boss for a million dollars, would you?  Well, okay, yes, probably you would. We all would. But ...

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Break out your white pants---it's Memorial Day. The 13th Floor is taking a little break. We'll be back on Tuesday. Hopefully you'll get a chance ...

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It's Summer 2006. Gas prices are soaring (!). People are complaining (!). The media is collapsing under the weight of the overused phrase "prices at the pump&...

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Oh, New York Post. When I read this morning's news about the federal government cutting homeland security money for New York City and D.C., ...

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When you think of mayoral hiring scandals, you think of, say, a cushy administration job for a political donor. Or maybe a sweet building contract ...

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The current issue of New York magazine takes a really interesting look at the changes in urban planning and design that they city will undergo ...

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Vermont Senator Matt Dunne stopped by the 13th Floor yesterday to chat about what's going on in the Green Mountain State, including healthcare issues, technology ...

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Two weeks ago, the state of Utah launched www.espanol.utah.gov, a Spanish-lanaguage site with info on taxes, health services, driver licences, etc. It ...

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Okay, so he's no Schwarzenegger.  Or even Ventura. But Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has landed a role in a major film production. The governor ...

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They sneak across the border illegally. They leave their country and their families, hoping the journey north will provide a better life. They're willing to ...

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If blogs were the big shiny new campaign tool in 2004, this year's election techno-gimmick may be social networking sites like Friendster, MySpace or Facebook. Those ...

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This might be the best headline of the day: State Senator Wants To Limit Fluffernutters But it's actually a really outrageous story. This legislator in ...

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When incoming Newark, NJ, Mayor Cory Booker gets sworn in on July 1, it's not going to be some small-time affair. He's getting Queen Latifah, Wyclef ...

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Utah has sort of reinstated the Spanish-language site that was taken down after only a week and a half, following outcry that it violated the ...

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posted by Zach Patton Kentucky Gov. Ernie Flecther doesn't need any more public relations debacles. But he's getting flak right now for not walking to ...

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It's the Fourth of July weekend, and we here on the 13th Floor are going to be, well, not on the 13th Floor. Hope your ...

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I was born and raised in the South, so I was dismayed -- but not really surprised -- to run across this ranking of which ...

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I have to say, I was a little surprised at yesterday's New York court ruling rejecting an effort by gays and lesbians seeking the right ...

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Lousisana Gov. Kathleen Blanco has vetoed a bill that would have designated an official state poem for the Pelican State. She said the poem "...

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Now that Google has officially become a verb, it's only a matter of time before we bestow similar recognition on the phrase "Googling yourself.&...

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Giving Sonny Perdue a run for his money, Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich has gone Hollywood. The Guv has a small role as a Statehouse security ...

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So in New Orleans, Ron Mazier can't be "I.Q." And in Texas, Richard can be "Kinky" but Carole can't be &...

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Alan Greenblatt wrote recently about how business revenues in Montgomery County, Maryland, shot up after the county instituted a smoking ban. It looks like restaurants ...

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My apartment isn't very far from the 13th Floor. I love it. It's close enough for me to walk to work, and if there's something ...

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Kentucky Gov. Ernie Flethcer's patronage hiring scandal is well documented. But his lawyers are trying an innovative defense of his alleged improprieties: Everybody else was ...

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Ohio officials are getting flak for a state-produced CD of children's music, made by inmates in Ohio prisons. The disc, entitled "Wings of Hope,&...

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The Albuquerque Journal has a story (subs. required) about how New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is courting blogs with as much fervor as he courts ...

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Fiji water, the schmancy bottled water that sells for like $9, is getting heat from Cleveland. A recent ad campaign for the bottled water says: "&...

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This is from Australia, but it's too good not to post. Rockdale, a suburb of Sydney, was having a problem with loiterers in a local ...

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Hey, what's the difference between a pigeon and a homeless person?  According to a couple laws passed last week, nothing. The city of Redmond, ...

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Last week, Chris Swope was blogging from the Gulf Coast. He sent posts and photos as he made his way from New Orleans to Mississippi. ...

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Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is on a roll. After solving that whole pesky homeless problem, he has announced his idea to reduce graffiti:  ...

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These kids today! With their weird clothes and crazy hair.  And their weapons of mass destruction. Well, not so much. See, when police in ...

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A couple weeks ago, I wrote about Cleveland's objections to an ad campaign for Fiji bottled water, which said "The label says Fiji because ...

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When I was in college, I knew this girl who took great pride in the fact that, in four years of school -- three spent ...

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When it comes to big spending in judicial elections, Alabama is pretty much the biggest. It's at or near the top of the list in ...

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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has agreed to a challenge from a potential campaign donor. The donor, an 80-year-old Sacramento man, said he would donate to ...

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I wrote a story for the current issue of Governing about Lower Town, a neighborhood in Paducah, Kentucky. City planners in Paducah are reviving the ...

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There's a statue in Loveland, Colorado, that's causing quite a stir. "Triangle" is a statue of three figures, and it was recently placed ...

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We talk a lot about interoperability among first responders. It can be tough for police and fire departments to get on the same page. Their ...

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The level of political debate in Tampa was ratcheted up (or down?) a few levels over the weekend. In a debate on the local cable ...

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So last year all the governors got together and agreed on a uniform way to measure their dropout rates. But now, two states have taken ...

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Santa Fe has had a living wage since 2004. It's actually the highest minimum-wage requirement of its kind in the country. The law raised the city's ...

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Needless to say, there are a lot of factors that influence you when you go to the polls -- your personal background, your community, your ...

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Q. What happens if you implement an anti-tailgating measure, and motorists obey it perfectly? A. Traffic jams. Last weekend, Washington State transportation officials enacted their 2 ...

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Utah Senator wants to be able to fire judges. Salt Lake Tribune When lobbying for school vouchers doesn't work, get the poor to lobby for ...

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As an out lesbian, Patricia Todd knew she'd have a tough time running for a seat in the Alabama legislature. What she didn't expect, though, ...

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SLC mayor will protest Bush's visit to city. Salt Lake Tribune   Another day, another "electronic voting machines aren't very accurate" study. Columbus ...

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One urban planner's search for soundbites: "If it looks like the Louvre, you must approve." Planetizen Are state fairs in trouble? You bet ...

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The Hollywood Walk of Fame is going to have to start reserving stars for some state governors. (No, not that one.  Or that one.) ...

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Chicago Mayor Daley slams visiting officials from Sante Fe and San Francisco: "You manage your city." Chicago Tribune Wyoming has a drinking problem. ...

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Portrait of a party-switcher. Houston Chronicle Why California redistricting is a "con job." Sacramento Bee MA Gov Romney: Polygamist skeletons in the closet. ...

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posted by Zach Patton The chance to win a million bucks? Public embarrassment if you don't make the grade? What is this, a game show? ...

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To you, a mattress may be just a comfy place to pass out at the end of the day. But to city council members in ...

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Pensions: The state sweetens, the city pays. NYT MA Lt. Gov. candidate is touring the state by kayak. Boston Globe blog New NY law will ...

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For Chicagoans, the days of dining on fatty duck and goose livers are drawing to a close. The city council ban on selling foie gras ...

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New AZ law speeds up school construction to keep place with population boom. Arizona Daily Star Here's IN Gov. Mitch Daniels singing a Hank Williams ...

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One year after Katrina, a skyscraper, and other things, grow in Mobile. WSC (subsc req'd) If terror strikes DC, West Virginia disaster planners want to ...

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America's drunkest (and therefore not angry?) cities. Forbes America's angriest (and therefore not drunk?) cities. Men's Health SLC Mayor Rocky Anderson has an illegal yard. ...

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A couple weeks ago, Ellen wrote about the HeaterMeal® she picked up at the National Association of Counties meeting in Chicago. They're pre-cooked, self-heating meals ...

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The controversy is over: AL Dems remove their opposition to lesbian state house nominee Patricia Todd. Birmingham News The housing crisis goes suburban. Washington Post ...

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Is industrial space necessary in the gentrified city? Washington Post DNA evidence is so "hot" right now that states are neglecting other forms ...

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Can a Mid-American mom survive a month without a car? Grist A shallower Lake Erie means deep troubles. Buffalo News Can microchips end traffic congestion? ...

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Probably everyone reading this (actually, probably everyone in the country) remembers where they were on September 11, 2001. You probably even remember specifically how you spent that ...

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posted by Zach Patton Here's something you might not know:  A lot of people live in California.  Yeah, I know! Who would have ...

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How the Army Corps lost New Orleans. Grist Illinois' "Taj Mahal" on the auction block? Daily Southtown Automated calls from politicians? Not in ...

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A blockbuster real estate deal complicates Bloomberg's affordable housing goals. NYT The biotech world is flat. MidwestBusiness.com Back in black: Ft. Worth police cars ...

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Apparently, former VA Gov. Mark Warner has entered his Second Life.  Nah, he's not dead.  He's just joined the online alternate universe called ...

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It didn't work in Virginia, but Dallas is thinking about banning baggy pants. Dallas Morning News MI voters not sold on the push to end ...

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A greenbelt grows in Atlanta. NYT Google tests a transit wayfinder. Google On affordable higher ed, most states fail. AP, study In Portland, OR, a ...

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Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks Cubans and Puerto Ricans are "hot" and fiesty because of their mix of "Black blood" and "Latino ...

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Regulations in Houston make it hard to be pedestrian-friendly. Houston Chronicle OR community opts off the grid. Seattle Times CA's CO2 limit: All hot air. ...

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Is there a glut of condotels in FL? South Florida Sun-Sentinel IL plans to raise special-ed class sizes. Chicago Sun-Times New Orleans schools chief hits ...

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Hedging bets: In NE, Dems want their candidate listed on the ballot twice. Lincoln Journal Star The problems with MD's electronic voting system aren't electronic ...

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posted by Zach Patton Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels stopped by 13th Floor HQ the other day to discuss what's going on in Hoosier Country. Daniels ...

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Ladies Drink Full Price! Tampa wants to ban drink specials. St. Pete Times NV okays Wiccan symbol for soldier's plaque. AP Is a rolling pin ...

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Poll: Midwesterners concerned about money in government, but they're REALLY concerned with gas prices. AP "You've Got Sex Offenders." Cook County considers sex-offender ...

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Who knew? S. Dakota nation's 4th largest banking center. Argus Leader Next DC mayor plots takeover of schools. WaPo Katrina evacuees wearing out their welcome ...

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Jewish leaders: God positively abhors foie gras. Can't stand the stuff. Chicago Sun-Times Is Buffalo's losing streak over? NYT Ex-Gov. Jim McGreevey's affair turns into &...

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A couple days ago, the federal government and the New York State government announced they would occupy a large chunk (1 million sq ft out of ...

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WA tries all-mail-in voting; turnout dips to lowest point in years. Olympian NYC is the safest big city -- again. NYDN A green community grows ...

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Henry Cisneros' life as a homebuilder. WSJ (subs req'd) The best day of the year to be the governor of Alaska. Anchorage Daily News The ...

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Attention, everyone who gets annoyed by politicians' calls to your house: Maybe you should consider a move to Indiana. The state's attorney general is suing ...

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Seattle's monorail has had its fair share of problems: In 2004, a fire from a mechanical failure sent eight people to the hospital because of smoke ...

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Picking a major in 8th grade?  In SC, t's the law. Greenville News Pay phones: Once a lifeline, now a fun street game. CNET ...

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At NM's much ballyhooed spaceport, the inaugural launch ends in a crash. SPACE.com Private prison stocks soaring. WSJ (subs req'd) Dallas considers oil rigs ...

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For the first time in Alaska state history, the outcome of a legislative race has been determined by a coin toss. Bryce Edgmon and incumbent ...

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It's a good time for large chain retailers in Chicago. First came Mayor Daley's veto two weeks ago of a city ordinance that would have ...

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Wait -- Carole Keeton Strayhorn wants baseball players to handle counterterrorism?! Austin American-Statesman SHOCKING! CA lawmakers are anti-global warming, yet they drive gas guzzlers. SF ...

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TX legislators poised to break 28-year-old spending cap. Austin American-Statesman Albuquerque does what New Mexico couldn't/didn't. Free New Mexican When it comes to education, ...

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In Miami, a move against the strong-mayor plan. Miami Herald Bringing A/C to the Arctic Circle. Chicago Tribune Natural irony: Wildlife waste pollutes waterways. ...

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Pittsburgh's boy mayor, et al: Does maturity matter? Post-Gazette Govs as White House hopefuls: Romney vs. Warner. Politics NH TN Teacher wants Bible as only ...

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Whether you agree with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's opinion on a 'big box' minimum wage, you can see his point: If your city requires chain-store ...

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By now, you may have heard of Charleston, SC, city councilman Larry Shirley. He recently advocated sterilization for parents who can't take care of their ...

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Feds investigate African-American suppression of MS white vote. NYT What if you spent millions to develop a website, and no one came?  San Diego ...

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How green are my governors? A round-up on candidates and the environment. Grist PA legislator: Air fill-ups at gas stations should be free. Daily Review ...

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Remember California Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia?  She of the hot Latina blood? Well now she's under fire for making her own political gaffe. She's apologizing ...

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Joel Kotkin looks to Population: 400 Million. WSJ (subs req'd) Arnold & Bloomberg buddy up. NYT Freak dancing: Obscene or just the new tango? LA Times ...

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Huh?  FL anti-smoking program worked great...so the state got rid of it. Tampa Tribune Houston getting on board smoking ban wagon. Chronicle Cook ...

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Arizona ranked dumbest in the U.S. AZ Republic Newark Mayor Cory Booker's first 100 days. NYT In KS, some GOPers are turning into Dems. WaPo ...

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IL city wants to force residents to put a sticker with a cross on it on their cars. Chicago Tribune NJ bill would ban aluminum ...

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Have you heard?  The English language is under attack!  Immigrants are moving here and bringing their own languages. States are printing voting instructions ...

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As you've probably read, California just announced that, for the first time, the state will send inmates to be housed in private prisons in other ...

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In Chicago, recess may be making a comeback. Tribune Black mayors becoming more common in Mississippi. Memphis Commercial Appeal Urban renewal's final implosion. Washington Post ...

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A nationwide bee shortage, and the Beehive State is on the front lines. Salt Lake Tribune Atlanta's getting a civil rights museum. Thanks, Coca-Cola! Atlanta ...

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Here on the 13th Floor, it's pretty hard not to think of things in political terms. We're in D.C., we cover state and local ...

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Hospitals, stuck with "frequent flyers," give free basic care a whirl. NYT How Europe won the war against hospital infections. Slate Someone on ...

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Alcohol in your bag? No taxi for you! Washington Post In Dodge City, KS, street gangs are replacing Old West gunfights. Topeka Capital-Journal First sprawl ...

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IL Supreme Court chief sues columnist to restore his name. Chicago Sun-Times For a picture of an Indianapolis a Bloomington, IN, city councilman dressed as ...

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Vote early in OR and get a pass on the last-minute ad blitz. Oregonian How faith influences the White House. NYT Public money supporting KY ...

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Buuurn! Miss Idaho refuses to be photographed with Gov. Jim Rische. Idaho Statesman What Dems would do with an IN House majority. Indy Star Can't ...

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Baltimore sells its methane to the Coast Guard. Sun SF mayor may mandate foot patrols. SF Chronicle Got a Heads Up for us? Email 13thfloor@...

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Finally! A congressional page scandal at the state level. Sioux Falls Argus Leader FL police chief ousted for antagonizing dept's "jelly bellies." CNN ...

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Political candidates control a lot:  their appearances, their message, their ads. If only they could control the news stories about themselves. Well, there's a ...

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Oops! AL GOP flier accidently endorses a Dem. Decatur Daily TX state senate candidate thrown in jail before election (again). Austin American-Statesman A world without ...

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You gotta love Nevada. Residents of the state will vote tomorrow on whether to ban smoking in public areas in the state. They have a ...

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To see video of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford being turned away from voting because he didn't have his voter ID card, click here.

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There's some sort of election thingy today. Google Cities get warning to start saving now for retirees. San Jose Mercury News Wait, Kinky Friedman rejected ...

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Our live election coverage starts tonight around 6:00. Check here for the latest news on the 36 governors, the 30 attorneys general, the 300 mayors and each of the 7,200 ...

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Josh and Alan were here all night, burning the midnight blogging oil. They stared into the gaping maw of state and local politics -- here's ...

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In one obvious way, Tuesday wasn't good for gays: Seven states passed constitutional amendments banning gay marriage. Arizona was the exception, where voters rejected a ...

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Surge in Hollywood divorces is tough on LA city clerks. LA Times OH county officials: Election tally can wait until after football. Columbus Dispatch Judge ...

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For VA state police, "10-4" gets 86'ed. Washington Post Jerry Brown: California's once and future governor?? Oakland Tribune How cities compete in the ...

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Our news cup runneth over, so here's a second Heads Up for today. You're welcome. No experience? No problem! You, too, can be a Boston ...

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While many New Orleans residents are still concerned with rebuilding their homes, their neighborhoods and their lives, the city is also embarking on an effort ...

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The 13th Floor's Alan Greenblatt was interviewed on NPR this weekend, dicussing the impact of last week's gubernatorial elections on domestic policy. You can hear ...

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Ru-dee!  Ru-dee!  Ru-dee! NY Daily News A Utah health care panel takes 2 years and $300k to do absolutely nothing. Salt Lake Trib CA ...

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From the Washington Post's Off/beat blog, we learn that a town in Spain is going to fight sexism by replacing half of the males ...

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We on the the 13th Floor have long admired Mike Leavitt.  As governor of Utah and the fedeal Secretary of Health and Human Services, ...

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Well, here's one I bet you haven't heard before. A Missouri House committee has issued a report linking present-day illegal immigration rates with liberal social ...

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Gary Hart to mayors: Link the war and global warming. Salt Lake Tribune If you only resign for seven weeks, isn't that called a "...

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CO legislators who want to be lobbyists are getting out while they can. Denver Post No more piggybacking! New parking meters cause a stir. Boston ...

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You may already be too drunk to drive! USA Today London mayor wants $50 SUV charge. Streetsblog Is hunting by airplane ethical? Anchorage Daily News Is ...

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!!Blatant Cross-Promotion Alert!! Governing recognizes several public officials each year, with an award we oh-so-creatively call Public Officials of the Year. In addition to writing ...

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Now you, too, can smell like an Ohio town! AP Sex offender law snare hospice patient and a man with Alzheimer's. WaPo Suburban hospital boom ...

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There's been renewed talk lately of something that's been a perennial topic of discussion on the 13th Floor for years: a vote in Congress for ...

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The 13th Floor is taking off for Thanksgiving.  See you Monday!

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Okay, that's an overstatement. But the Washington Post has an interesting story about the booming 'burbs and their effect on Christmas tree farms. Here's the ...

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Software predicts who might kill. Philly Inquirer SEC goes light on San Diego. WSJ (subs. req'd) 90210 wants the subway to the sea. LA Times Cities ...

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Back in January, we mentioned the Jail WebCam in Anderson County, TN, which showed a live video feed from the county jail there. What a ...

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Congressman calls Miami "third world." Herald New pitch for mag-lev trains: clean air. LA Times NJ's Ex-Gov. Codey is governor again -- for ...

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The IA Legislature is a lot younger than it used to be. Des Moines Register Gettysburg: Pickett's charge and slot machines? Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Dog food ...

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Which U.S. city has the most exurban areas around it? You know exburbs, those fast-growing but still semi-rural counties that lie near metropolitan areas ...

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ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" costs UT town thousands of taxpayer dollars. SL Tribune Lobbying over NYC's proposed trans-fat ban gets fierce. WSJ (...

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Texas' "top 10 percent" law is under fire. Dallas Morning News Florida could ban stem cell research -- and require it! St. Pete Times ...

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Nation's healthiest state? MN (again).  AP But IL's the most improved. AP Are there some drunken sailors in Massachusetts? Boston Globe Just how much ...

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Here's a fun little game for us -- a holiday Mad Libs! Write a blog entry by filling in these blanks with one of the ...

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Getting white-collar workers to ride the bus. NPR Want naming rights for AR Gov. Huckabee's after-party? Got $15k? AR Times blog KY's U.S. Senators ...

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TSA might let non-passengers go to airport gates again. USA Today AZ creates an honor roll for charter schools. AZ Republic CA gets its first ...

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Whatever a "rolling mortuary" is, AL's the only state that's got one. Birmingham News Will Bill Frist run for TN gov??? Tennessean TX ...

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Is Palm Springs a "hate-free city"? Desert Sun Does wi-fi cause health problems? Wired AK gov's jet to be sold on eBay. Anchorage ...

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U.S. urban dwellers are getting richer, but the racial gap's growing too. Baltimore Sun 1,000 dead ducks in Idaho. (Could it be bird flu??) Chicago ...

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When it comes to gay marriage, most people tend to view the issue in starkly moral terms. Same-sex marriage is usually either seen as an ...

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The Christmas card sent out this year by TN Gov. Phil Bredesen is befuddling some people in the Volunteer State. The cover of the card ...

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L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa's 18-month report card. LA Times Katrina inspires pet-evacuation laws. AP Why is crime going up again? Time Mike Bloomberg, a "...

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So these two guys walk into a Virginia DMV office... Seriously, have you seen this?  These two guys painted their faces in disguise and ...

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Do you live in the Windy City, but long for some velvety-smooth duck-liver pâté? You may think that the city's ban on foie gras ...

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Merry Christmas!!  (Yeah, we said it.) Hope you have a great holiday!  We'll be back later next week.

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What do Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman have in common? Transcontinental love.

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Even in the realm of state and local government, there's a blog for everyone and every subject. (Like this one on court performance measures, which ...

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Wooster and Sharp Top and Dewy Rose and Hemp. Santa's forgotten reindeer? Lip gloss flavors? Nope, they're towns in Georgia that were unceremoniously wiped off ...

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  Hope you have a great weekend and a very happy New Year's Eve! See you in 2007!

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Florida Gov. Jeb Bush handed the reins over to Charlie Crist at noon today. But there's one piece of Bushiana we didn't want to leave ...

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Arizona: America's Marijuana (And Meth) Gateway. AZ Republic Coup might topple TX House Speaker. Texas Politics blog More Speakership drama, in PA. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette LA ...

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Flu Crisis 2007: Too much vaccine. Austin American-Statesman Why transportation planners need Uncle Ben's. Seattle Times Texans: Pay up for tolls, even if they're just pennies. ...

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Speaking of gubernatorial portraits, New Jersey finally got around to hanging a portrait of former Gov. James McGreevey, who in 2004 resigned in disgrace after admitting ...

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Last year, the Georgia DOT cleaned up its map of the state by deleting nearly 500 tiny communities from the map. The cities, predictably, were up ...

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Romney's housewarming gift to Patrick: A slew of GOP appointees. Globe Non-Hispanic governor is named to top Latino list. Texas Politics blog New FL Gov. ...

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SF's urban success story. SF Chronicle At the Sundance Film Fest, without a hired escort. Salt Lake Trib FL prisons chief's new fitness goals have ...

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Ah, January. When a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of legislative agendas. Yes, it's a new year full of new legislative sessions in ...

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New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward is ready for recovery, according to a new report released this weekend. The structures in the flood-damaged neighborhood are structurally ...

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Why won't Arnold talk about his skiing accident? LA Times NYC unveils city-brand condoms with a subway-line theme. NY Post Wanna know how to live &...

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Phew! What's that smell?  NYC blames Jersey. Newsday In IL, pick which town your house is in. Chicago Trib What do the GEICO gecko ...

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From the Daily Show, here's an extremely funny clip about Wisconsin Rep. Frank Lasee's proposal to ensure school safety by providing teachers with firearms. The ...

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Obama's got nothing on the vote for TX House Speaker. In the Pink blog Plate tectonics are really gonna cut down on the SF-LA commute. ...

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NFL offers local officials Super Bowl tix. Miami Herald New gov? Go after ethics reform! AP Fewer eats in NOLA, but still enough for Zagat's. ...

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To promote his new book, From Hope to Higher Ground: 12 STOPs to Restoring America's Greatness, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee went on The Daily Show ...

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You've probably seen the headlines about Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's website typo, in which his staff accidentally labeled the governor's leadership group as "The ...

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New MD Gov. O'Malley kicked a field goal. Balto Sun blog New IA Gov. Culver kissed his wife. Cedar Rapids Gazette ID Gov. Otter wants ...

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The 13th Floor is taking off for the long weekend.  See you on Tuesday!

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The newest front in the War on Smoking? Apartment buildings. Seattle Times MD's new delegates get ettiquette lessons from House's Miss Manners. WaPo NM's Richardson ...

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Virginia House Del. Frank Hargrove is certainly efficient with his insults.  He was able to offend blacks and Jews in pretty much the same ...

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MD's O'Malley: From impatience to prudence. WaPo A history of smoking bans, from Pope Urban VIII to Adolf Hitler. The Atlantic Why does NV have ...

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In Hawaii's Senate, the ladies are in charge. Honolulu Advertiser SF bans booze ads from bus shelters. Chocolate-chip cookie odors still OK. Chronicle Will Wall ...

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It's a newsy day! Here are a few more headlines, served up fresh. Nashville cops trade bikes for motorscooters. Tennessean No eating behind the wheel? ...

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Crime-fighting in New York City just got a whole lot tech-ier: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who built his fortune on innovations in information technology, announced ...

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Drug tests for elected officials? Portland Oregonian Can Scientologists reform NM's prisoners? WSJ (subs req'd) Can you make ethanol from trash? MIT Tech Review McGreevey's ...

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A California lawmaker made headlines last week when she announced plans to introduce a bill banning spanking of children younger than four: "It would ...

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What to use for currency in a post-tobacco prison? Tennessean FL's parking spaces for disabled can't meet demand. Orlando Sentinel What's wrong with the Chicago ...

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Is MA-style health care reform illegal? WSJ (subs req'd) WA gov wants two more toll projects. Tacoma News Tribune NJ/NY port execs say threat ...

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This is either a testament to UNC business professor John Kasarda's awesome PR machine, the staying power of a good urban-planning concept, the laziness flattery ...

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Sorry Vegas: Macao is now the world's biggest gambling center. NYT MN town bans ultimate fighting. Red Wind Republican Eagle MS Gov. Barbour's insider status ...

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posted by Zach Patton We here on the 13th Floor embrace the fact that our offices are located thirteen stories above the ground. We love ...

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States take up bills to oppose REAL ID Act. Billings Gazette "Secret" UT legislation shows up on unofficial website. SL Tribune In TN, ...

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I've been to Underground Atlanta, the "premier retail entertainment center" that occupies six subterranean blocks of downtown Atlanta, twice in my life. The ...

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Joining the ranks of former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has taken part in an interview in Second Life, the 3D ...

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Study: Kids who live near freeways plagued with lung problems. LA Times Dueling economists agree: Corporate kicker does almost zilch for OR. Oregonian The Guvernator's ...

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"Grills Bill" would outlaw renegade tooth-bejewelers. Memphis Commercial Appeal 48% of jobless pay in error? Sort of. Wichita Eagle MN lawmakers wonder, do biz ...

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From SFist comes this interesting tidbit about the commenting habits of San Franciso Mayor Gavin Newsom's communications director, Peter Ragone. Apparently, SFist found some indications ...

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Chicago's privatize-happy mayor hits a wall on Midway plans. Crain's Los Angeles transit authority might create its own court. LA Times Britain ponders giving local ...

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Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Dane Cook.  Sure those guys are funny, but can they run a city? Joey Novick can. Novick is a professional ...

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Texas Observer remembers Molly Ivins. Observer In an OR city, the cops are riding school buses to spot traffic violations. AP Nailing metal thieves in ...

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Here are a couple videos that might interest you. First, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Lite Brite guerilla marketing campaign that shut ...

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Damage from Exxon Valdez endures. USA Today Sorry, OH kids! Law bans light-up shoes and blinking balls. Dayton Daily News Macon, GA, mayor converts to ...

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Pop Quiz: You're a public figure who's just had a very public fall from grace. You're flailing. Your PR people are scrambling to manage the ...

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Mixed report cards for Chicago school reforms. Tribune 12-hour days for D.C. schoolkids? Washington Post States: Call 911 on drunken drivers. AP For Vegas visitors, ...

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OR GOPers grumble over gov's "private" media event. Oregonian MIA delegate in WV might lose his seat. Charlston Gazette Frosh NV delegate's "...

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This is from a 13th Floor field operative (okay, "reader"), Chris: I have no idea if this rises to the level of outside ...

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Ark. bill will mandate cleaner grocery store carts. NYT Kansas City mayoral candidate wants to build a 50-story wheel. KC Star's Buzz Blog Apartment smoking ...

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Bush Admin pushes "congestion pricing" for cities. CS Monitor Cook County, IL takes a shot at 10-cent-a-bullet tax. Sun-Times TX's Perry is sent ...

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Governing staff writer -- and consummate 13th Floor blogger -- Josh Goodman has been nominated as a Rising Star journalist on FishbowlDC, medibistro's Washington journo ...

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What kind of state legislator was Obama? WaPo Jesus, Crist! Superstar! Sun-Sentinel Do bigger government buildings = better government? NYT Sustainable Rocky: An interview with SLC's ...

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Wi-fi helps criminals hide. WaPo Can Cory Booker revive Newark? Economist VA's unique political method for choosing judges has pros and cons. Virginian-Pilot Cheer up, ...

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As cause-and-effect scenarios go, this one should have been easy to predict: Pass a smoking ban, and more people will smoke outside. If more people ...

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Hybrid cars too quiet for blind pedestrians. WSJ (free link) To announce, Romney heads to his dad's political stomping ground. Globe Pricey jet fuel: Air ...

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"I Love New York" turns 30 and is up for grabs. Buffalo Business First Does AL love steel enough to change its constitution? Times-Picayune ...

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You know that giftcard you got for Christmas that's still sitting in your wallet?  And there's, like, $4.38 on it, and you don't want to ...

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Looming elections in Chicago = speedy snow plows. Tribune Pittsburgh mayor launches major downtown housing push. Business Times Here's where all the automakers' plant closings are ...

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FL Gov. Crist got set up on a date with a "hottest mom." Palm Beach Post   TN might scrap its 4-month-old Ethics ...

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A drop in smoking is good for states, right? Healthier residents, lower strain on health care systems, etc. But there's at least one way it ...

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San Francisco's taxi system is somewhat famously clunky. The city keeps tight control on the number of cabs through a strict medallion-issuing system. So cabs ...

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MN might tax plastic surgery. Star-Tribune Librarians in an uproar over "scrotum." NYT Chicago's idea to lease out airports is catching on. Philly ...

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posted by Zach Patton The Ohio General Assembly has taken a bold step into the late-20th century, and has now begun listing lawmakers' votes ...

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I hesitate to post this on the 13th Floor because, honestly, I don't think it's really worth reporting.  I feel like this is akin ...

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MD Gov. O'Malley's anti-death penalty op-ed. WaPo Crime, violence and traffic: Worth $91 million for Vegas? Review-Journal Cost of a pack of cigarettes in a CA ...

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Arrows to spike strips: NM lawmakers tackle wrong-way drivers. ABQ Trib No more soda volcanos! Science fairs lose luster. Orlando Sentinel MA Guv's property tax ...

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Classroom candy: Undoing AR Gov. Huckabee's health reforms. AR News Hennepin Co. says acronyms will be DOA. Minneapolis Star-Tribune The gov't is DEFINITELY spying on ...

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Chicago aldermen want to avoid a JetBlue fiaso at O'Hare. Sun-Times Holy #$*%! Anti-porn czar tackles obscenity. SL Tribune Estonia to vote for president on the ...

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Govs press Bush on Iraq, get not much in return. Billings Gazette NY state employee fired over a tip to the local news? News10 Albany ...

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Turns out that Steve Stanton, the city manager for Largo, FL, will NOT be one of the first public officials anywhere to undergo gender-reassignment surgery ...

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Oakland mayor wants to give convicts jobs. Oakland Tribune Mall of America wants $234 million subsidy package. Star-Tribune Arkansas' or Arkansas's? There oughta be a law! ...

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National Law Enforcement Museum to be built in DC. DCist TN bill would require drug tests for welfare recipients. AP Drunk-driving that kills: Is it &...

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From 13th Floor reader William comes this groan-inducing bit of legislation introduced in the Minnesota House in January. It establishes a poet laureate for the ...

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Sex scandal cover-up in Missouri? KC Star Great idea! Postal service fixes long waits by removing clocks. AP Toll transponder inaccuracy is widespread. theNewspaper States ...

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CA highway patrol's suicide rate is 7.5 times the U.S. average. Sac Bee Using MySpace to fight gang violence. San Diego Union-Tribune Will NH bingo ...

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MA guv made a call on behalf of his former company. Boston Globe Polar bears endangered? Alaska's not so sure. AP "Rocky Mountain High&...

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Counties criminally liable for posting Soc. Sec. numbers? ComputerWorld SLC's policy protecting gays and minorities is now law. SL Tribune A Big Dig for Philly? ...

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Ritter vs. Ritter: The contradictions of CO's governor. Denver Post Special green license plates for OH sex offenders? NYT "Super Mario vs. the Pieman.&...

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Springfields vie for "Simpsons" movie premiere. WaPo More states dropping motorcycle helmet laws. NPR CDC report: AIDS hits black men the hardest. Reuters ...

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How much for a brain? SC weighs early release for organ-donor felons. LA Times Suit urges MA to overhaul prisons. Boston Globe Thanks for that ...

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Nobody blows up a building like Vegas. Review-Journal video Related: Vegas casino implosions through the years. Vegas.com Ex-NJ Gov. McGreevey wants full custody of ...

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CO's new state song: Not that kind of "high." NYT The bolo tie is now the official tie of NM. Santa Fe New ...

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More states offer preschool. AP Are libraries necessary? WSJ (free link) Cool tag cloud for OH State of the State. Cincy Enquirer's Footnotes blog Is ...

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Cocoa Beach's "emergency measure": No sofas on the beach! FL Today Death penalty stays on the books in MD. Balto Sun NH bill ...

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Take that, science! NM lawmakers say Pluto's still a planet. AP Ray Nagin: Change in NOLA's racial makeup is "a plot." Times-Picayune Global ...

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Hawaii state style guide: Don't call that thing a "tiki"!! Honolulu Advertiser OR House members introduce package of Gen X legislation. Oregonian NJ ...

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Chicago hosts an egg hunt -- designed to kill!!! Tribune Hickenlooper meets opponent, gets a lapful of beer. Rocky Mountain News Missing word sends a ...

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Retirees are lovin' the Wii. Reuters A lobbyist, at age 8. Boston Globe Ethanol backlash brewing in Midwest. WSJ (subs req'd) Tinseltown backlash: Idaho dumps new ...

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KC mayor jumps into tax-breaks fray. KC Star Buying spray paint in Minneapolis? Let's see your ID. Star-Tribune CA Transportation Dept. hid $13 mil of contracts ...

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When it comes to the federal Real ID Act -- which calls for national standards for identification cards such as drivers licenses -- there are ...

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Here's an interesting story in the Christian Science Montitor about the politics of state employee pension funds -- and where they're being invested. This first ...

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MD school backs peppermint for students' alertness. NPR DE fights to save its only regular airline service. Wilmington News Journal At the Big Dig, what's ...

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NJ mayor's political foe goes a little "Single White Female." Newark Star-Ledger States put a dimmer on teen tanning. Stateline How to spend $43 ...

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NOLA's Nagin wants commish ousted for "bitch" comment. Times-Picayune Seattle's library 3 years later: Not holding up. Post-Intelligencer Menino's city hall vision: "technology ...

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Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker is up in arms over some billboards currently scattered throughout his city's downtown. He says that six signs, paid for ...

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Sans earring and credit card debt, Detroit's mayor grows into his job. News Kansas City: a new mayor, a new slogan? You decide. KC Star ...

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Boise man declares mayor candidacy on MySpace. Idaho Statesman On Google maps of NOLA, everything's back to normal after Katrina. AP NV gov. has ties ...

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In this day and age, it's kind of amazing how quickly a public figure can fall from grace -- and how it's so often caused ...

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MA Gov: Put out-of-state gay marriages on the books. Boston Globe "Commerce City" on the ballot in CO. Denver Post No booze on ...

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Hybrid cars are hot right now, but the idea of a true plug-in hybrid -- one whose owner would literally plug it into an electrical ...

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TX lawmakers might legalize Texas Hold 'Em. Houston Chronicle In TN, a tax break for the elderly, but how? AP FL gov. wants to restore ...

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This video has been making the rounds online, and it's really interesting. It's from SpeculativeBubble.com, a blog that originally tracked the dotcom boom but ...

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OR Senate approves bikes without brakes. Oregonian Filling potholes is for chumps: Mayors need some bling! KC Star Does TN's fiscal future include a porn ...

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MO House skirts usual rules to honor Secret Santa. KC Star New Orleans councilwoman clocked at over 100 mph. Times-Picayune East Hartford police bust pot-stuffed Easter ...

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The real O.C.? Not so exciting. LA Times What happens when reporters become state reps? Cleveland Plain Dealer blog Lawmaker wants to require ID ...

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Like geodesic domes or glass-encased elevator shafts, revolving restaurants are architectural innovations that recall -- for me, anyway -- a bygone era of Space Age ...

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Wyomingites "disappointed" by amatuerish Easter egg. AP OR Gov and his wife will spend a week on food stamps. Oregonian DNA proof of ...

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Pimp my Governator! San Jose Mercury News Gibbons: Dems paid Wall Street Journal to publish stories about me. Review-Journal Edited-movie market rebounds despite court ban. ...

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"Party fund" stripped from agency's budget. Bismarck Tribune Office rents up, occupancy down, in downtown NOLA. Times-Picayune Do bank robbers think twice if ...

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The fast, high-rolling -- and illegal -- life of a state auditor. Times-Union Whoissick.org -- Google Maps for germaphobes. Gridskipper Vilsack joins Mondale's law ...

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China gets a town where the women make all the rules. Ananova Wireless sensors to watch pollution, traffic, weather. MIT Tech Review Boise's so clean, ...

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How farmers can stop global warming. Bismarck Tribune Adaptable coyotes thriving in cities & suburbs. WaPo New team clashes at beleaguered Texas Youth Commission. Dallas ...

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After VA Tech massacre, TX House postpones debate on closing records for concealed handgun licenses. Texas Politics ATVs replacing horses on the range. LA Times ...

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Colleges everywhere are examining new security measures and ways to alert students of danger. Here's a sampling of some stories. Times-Picayune, Cleveland Plain Dealer, San ...

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I recently wrote a story for Governing on the rise of drug-resistant diseases, which will be published in the May issue. It's starting to be ...

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New Mexico's new tourism campaign -- "The Best Place in the Universe" -- shows that the state has a pretty healthy ego (unlike ...

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Small animals get CA legislature's attention. San Diego Union-Tribune NY Gov. Spitzer's idol. Washington Post Heads up -- literally! Great Falls Tribune Real blood spilled ...

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KY Lt. Gov. candidate says he's not qualified to be governor. Herald-Leader The "Frankenstein," the "Vanna White," and other quirky vetoes. ...

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RI library subscribes to Netflix. Shifted Librarian blog ND cops wrestle with a boa constrictor. Bismarck Tribune Is Boston's ugly city hall a landmark? Globe &...

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MT House Maj. Ldr. to Gov: "Go to hell" -- and more. Billings Gazette + video Breaking the jinx of Chicago's Lot 37. NYT Turns ...

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Exclusive pics of Mike Bloomberg multitasking! Gothamist London's mayor on Bloomberg's proposed congestion charge. Guardian NJ poll: 91% want Corzine ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt. ...

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NJ's Corzine wants a ticket for not wearing his seatbelt. Philly Inquirer WA gets an official state frog. Seattle Post-Intelligencer AZ toys with 24-lane freeways. ...

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Berkeley City Council opposes use of cages. East Bay Biz Times In NY State, big tax breaks for just a handful of employees. AP The ...

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In OR House, refuse to vote on the floor and risk a $5,000 fine. Oregonian NC county gives hefty tax breaks to snag NASCAR wind tunnel. ...

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Los Angeles' traffic congestion, of course, is well documented. You might even say "legendary." So maybe it's no surprise that some LA residents ...

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If McGreevey becomes a priest, can we stop talking about him? Jersey Journal If forwarding email illegal? A law prof says yes. AP CA DHS ...

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Attention, all you fans of viande chevaline : Despite a Congressional ban, the last remaining horse slaughterhouse in the U.S. is staying open -- for ...

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People are walking 10% faster than they did a decade ago. ITV News Seatbelts for dogs? Boston Herald QE2 was introduced to the VA House yesterday ...

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How Philly & Detroit handled highway collapses. San Jose Mercury News Are ports ready for the next decade's surge in cargo? CalTrade Report Paris Hilton ...

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SLC's Rocky fights a downtown sky bridge, loses. SL Trib Video of Berkeley's bike-parking station. Streetsblog Making it tougher for sex offenders to change their ...

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UT DOT planting oil-producing crops along highways. Deseret News MA hasn't collected a cent from businesses for expanded healthcare. Globe "Like, wow." Vegas ...

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A "Terminator" without the Governator?? Variety NASA tech inventors help roads and air travel, too. Houston Chronicle States crack down on dangerous highway ...

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It is sooo tempting to make fun of a story that starts of this way: The Los Angeles Housing Department has paid thousands of dollars ...

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Worst. Idea. Ever. Teachers stage fake gun attack on class. CNN When you're on the train...and you gotta go. Chicago Tribune CT squares off ...

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Stateline has a pretty interesting look at governors' annual salaries, which range from over $200,000 at the top end all the way down to a dollar ...

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AZ moves to outlaw anti-war t-shirts with fallen soldiers' names. Daily Star Just 3 years old, but troubles on Pittsburgh's light-rail line. Centre Daily Talk of ...

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I know, I know. You read all these different posts on the 13th Floor about the legal status of horsemeat in the U.S., and ...

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Houston switches plans from light rail to bus rapid-transit. KPRC Local 2 Mayors unveil carbon footprint calculator. NYT New Anchorage logo replaces blog. Daily News Planning ...

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Hey there, U.S. metropolitan area! Are you tired of chasing after the same tired old biotechnology firms, day in and day out? Well, wake ...

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From "I Do" to "He Does." Proxy marriages booming in MT. Bismarck Trib Going solar in the rainy Northwest. The Olympian ...

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GA DOT proposal: No new freeway lanes in Atlanta -- EVER. AJC Did you bike to work today? Atlanta city workers protest proposed budget. AJC ...

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Lower gas tax revenues mean more potholes and tolls. AP "Czar": What's in a name? NYT 867-5309: What's in a number? AP Hey, ...

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I was in Lexington, Ky., this past weekend -- a town I've written about before for becoming more bike-friendly -- and I noticed all these ...

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Mayors' climate change pact hits 500-city mark. Sierra Club blog Bill Fulton's retailing adventures in Las Vegas. Bill Fulton's blog San Jose's clean-tech economic strategy. ...

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From the Big House to a luxe hotel: Buddy Cianci's new start. NYT AK lawmakers: 90-day session is not enough! ADN SF's Human Svcs. Dept. ...

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Public service announcements don't always make the most interesting television. But NJ Gov. Jon Corzine -- who, of course, survived a horrific traffic accident last ...

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Bees swarm Phoenix city hall. AZ Republic If Trafalgar Square can go green, why not Times Square? Streetsblog Miami gets its first-ever citywide parks plan. ...

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IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a bill into law yesterday that eliminates dozens of jobs in his state. It's the latest -- and probably the ...

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FL's property tax mess. WSJ (subs req'd) TN propane tax would hit backyard cookouts. Tennessean What Atlantans learned on a trip to Vancouver. AJC TX ...

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The 13th Floor is taking off for a long weekend.  Please enjoy this video of Cincinnati residents breaking the Mentos-Diet Coke record: See you ...

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A taste of Napa Valley on the South Dakota plains. Bismarck Tribune Killing gators in FL might get easier. Sun Sentinel Michael Nutter, Philly's reluctant ...

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Bikes and trails -- the solution to the nation's problems? Des Moines Register LIRR tunnels, old and new. Newsday, via APA Transit makes for better ...

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There's an interesting conversation going on over at DCist about cops on segways, and whether they, well, look ridiculous. Many of the comments seem to ...

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In MN, using turkey waste to generate electricity. NYT AK's leg. session: Meeting in Anchorage costs way more than Juneau. ADN CA regs may halt ...

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Sure, the U.S. as a whole emits more harmful gases that any other country. But when you look at the latest data on a ...

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So I'm working on a story for an upcoming issue of Governing. I'm looking at what Gen X and Gen Y want out of a ...

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New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg is getting a lot of attention over comments he made to WCBS-TV this week, in regards to the (barely nascent) ...

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Homeowner insurance crisis puts huge risks on states' shoulders. WSJ Last putt for GA's Golf Hall of Fame. AJC Does blogging improve high schoolers' writing ...

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Some residents of Rosemont, Il., are claiming that a tree in the middle of town has revealed the Second Coming. No, not that Second Coming. ...

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So I'm at the dentist's office this morning, waiting for my name to be called. And I'm kind of mindlessly  flipping through the latest ...

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How Paris Hilton's new ankel jewelry works. LA Times Phoenix lobbyist rescues Mexican fisherman. AZ Republic Giuliani would use a version of Compstat if he's ...

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Frank Gehry, the architect known for his swooping, organic forms of shiny metal, is going to design his first playground. The one-acre playspace will be ...

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Water bottles in Oregon are about to get a little more valuable. Gov. Ted Kulongoski has signed into law a measure that will require Oregon ...

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LA's Villaraigosa and his wife are splitting. LA Times New life for commuter rail in NH. Union Leader Hosting All-Star Game with cost SF $700k. ...

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Effort launched to recall sheriff who let Paris Hilton out of jail. LA Times Playground prank + potato gun = arrested and tried as an adult. Denver ...

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This is an absolutely fascinating map. It renames each U.S. state with the country that has a simlar GDP. It's kind of stunning. You ...

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A rocky week for Rocky (the L.A. city attorney). LA Times A rocky week for Rocky (the SLC mayor). Tribune America's worst traffic traps. ...

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Wait, what's Flag Day mean again, Gov. Kulongoski? Portland Oregonian Uhhhh... "McGreevey blasts wife's taste in clothes." USA Today KC Mayor Funkhouser in ...

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S.L. City releases new video of mayor's skirmish with developer. SL Tribune Steroid tests move to high schools. Stateline Bill Richardson wants a Water ...

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I know, I know, it's tough to keep up. You're probably still reeling from National Peanut Butter Cookie Day. And you're just now getting over ...

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John Rowland's life after prison. Washington Post Funds for NYC's congestion pricing plan might not exist. WCBS Kansas City violates federal Clean Air Act. KC ...

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The Bonnaroo music festival was held this weekend in Manchester, TN. (Which, incidentally, is only a few miles from where I was born and raised.&...

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The New York Times has an interesting profile of the 29-story Cleveland Trust Tower, located in, uh, Cleveland. Built in 1971, it's the only skyscraper ever ...

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Critters aren't using the $25K tunnel NH built for them. Boston Globe TIME's (puff) piece on Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger. TIME States looking at alternatives to ...

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Sure, sewers and street-cleaning and road maintenance are all really important.  But have you ever really stopped to think about how important those sorts ...

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posted by Zach Patton Remember a couple months ago when those members of Congress took the "Food Stamp Challenge," trying to eat on ...

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Bad math forces Schwarzenegger to redo schools plan. Union-Tribune NYC poor to get cash for good behavior. ABC News NV House: No more "Yucca ...

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Where's your best bet for retaining the value of your home? Biz Times SF might get a tourist zeppelin in 2008. CNET Paris Hilton case sheds ...

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The mayors of New York and San Francisco are pushing a radical, bold new idea: It's okay to drink the tap water. NYC Mayor Mike ...

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Woo-hoo! "Michigan not worst in taxes or spending." Detroit Free Press Will Wal-Mart ruin this Hasidic Jewish town? NYT Lost your monkey? Here's ...

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Yesterday, we wrote about cities' touting the drinkability -- nay, deliciousness! -- of their tap water. Unsurprisingly, the International Bottled Water Association isn't took keen on the whole idea of the tap.

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In one race, it could be Oh Bus Horse vs. Sticky Rice or Virtue Soup. In another match-up, people will likely put their money on ...

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Because we, as a news Web site, are legally obligated to cover Paris Hilton's release from jail. Everywhere No cannonball for DC Mayor Fenty. WaPo ...

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NPR says there's a group that's having a newfound impact on state-level politics: the gays. Specifically, the rich gays: A new force is emerging in ...

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Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper talks up "brewpub regionalism." CP&DR Is the SF Board of Supes a "clown show"? SF ...

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MD legislative leaders try scare tactics with "Doomsday budget." Balto Sun New rules would force many CA pot clubs to close. SF Bay ...

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AL Gov issues proclamation calling for week of prayer for rain. AL.com Court says"driving under the influence" includes hangovers. NJ.com ...

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Okay, I promise I'm not promoting a film or anything. But I saw the trailer for "I Am Legend," coming out this winter, ...

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The home of the $3,000 traffic ticket. USA Today Rough road ahead for state-owned "Arizona Highways" mag. AZ Republic KY's First Dog is getting ...

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OMG it's July 2nd and you don't have an iPhone yet??? Philly Mayor John Street and DC Mayor Adrian Fenty both do. Street camped out ...

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LA's Villaraigosa acknowledges "relationship" with Telemundo reporter. ABC7 NCSL prez gets some props. Houston Chronicle GA approves nation's first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant. ...

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Of course road traffic is going to be horrendous this Fourth of July -- record-breaking, in fact, according to AAA. But it's not just cars ...

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Happy Independence Day! The 13th Floor will be back on Thursday.

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Speech snub? Seattle mayor delivers "State of the City" to Rotary Club, not city council. Seattle Times Applications for U.S. citizenship surging. ...

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From a 13th Floor operative in Colorado comes this interesting update of LovelandSexualSculptureGate '06, in which some residents of Loveland, CO, were upset that a ...

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Los Angeles is 50 percent bigger in area than New York City, but LA has only half the cops. That means they spend most of their ...

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Fliers' bill of rights advances. AZ Republic High-speed rail may link Midwest.  Indy Star The new way to measure student achievement. NYT Independent Bloomberg ...

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Hey, don't know if you heard, but President Bush commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence. Depending on your perspective, it was either a slap in the ...

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Why CA's "green" fleet is actually worse for the environment. Mercury News FL's Crist says he's not Romney's VP. AP NJ's Corzine walks ...

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Governors are fair-weather Facebook friends. Stateline Shaq for sheriff, and Charles Barkley for AL gov? Birmingham News No more roadside parking in Arkansas. Today's THV ...

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Okay, this is easily the single greatest song ever written about a state commissioner of labor. Yep, the smiling face of North Carolina Labor Commissioner ...

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Lean Star State? TX will be first to test its kids' fitness. Morning News OR town's residents upset that the traffic posts look like...you ...

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Sorry, Illinois, Massachusetts, Tennessee and 31 other states. Springfield, Vermont, has won the coveted title of "Springfield." You know, from "The Simpsons." ...

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I went to public schools from kindergarten all the way through college. I actually take a lot of pride in that. But Pittsburgh thinks there's ...

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The Merriam-Webster dictionary folks have come out with their list of new additions for the year. Topping the list? "Ginormous" and "crunk.&...

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White firefighters sue over promotions. Sun-Times Vegas monorail plunges to "junk" bond status. Vegas Sun LA County offers "inland port" plan. ...

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States find no easy fix for aggressive driving. Stateline Out with the old: Seattle's selling its old street signs. Seattle Times PA's Rendell likens political ...

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IL Gov. Blagojevich spends $600 on a makeup artist. AP Iowa DOT: Watch out for tall corn. QC Times Public officials' cars run the gamut. New ...

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Bill O'Reilly backpeddles on "lesbian gangs" story. CQ Politics AK group wants permission to save orphaned moose calves. KTUU TX Gov. Perry: raising ...

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Mitch Daniels' new conference table was made in prison. Courier-Journal " 130-year-old Ventura toilets yield odd collection of artifacts." Mercury News MySpace turns over ...

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The anti-immigration fight has been moving beyond the borders. Increasingly, it's a debate that's happening in the American heartland. From the Wall Street Journal (free ...

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Stateline has an interesting look at the governors -- and which ones have to tell how much about their personal finances: Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (...

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Legislative lubrication: Wine helps soften CA budget impasse. Sac Bee Airline passengers' bill of rights takes shape. Politico MO tests a new kind of highway ...

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The Florida governor's mansion just got a little bit greener. Gov. Charlie Crist has installed several new features that are more eco-friendly, including solar panels ...

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VT town bands public nudity (for 30 days). Reuters AZ gov't test drives its upcoming worker ID law. AZ Republic VA pols: Don't like those crazy ...

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AL gov's Alabama-shaped pool is no longer leaking. Mobile Press-Register Philly Mayor Street and aides help out at fire scene. Daily News Chaos and disorganization ...

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There's a bill in California that, if it becomes law, would offer greater protection of the images of celebrities who are deceased. The state adopted ...

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NY AG says Spitzer improperly leaked info about political rival. AP Invasion of the jumbo squid in CA's Monterey Bay. Mercury News In CA, "...

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The Detroit riots, 40 years later. Washington Post Cities are suing gangs -- and winning. Chicago Sun-Times Is Louisiana's budget a ticking time bomb? Times Picayune ...

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TX officials spend campaign $$ long after elections. Houston Chronicle Despite fire threat, Missoula, MT's Testicle Festival still a go. AP Earth too warm? States could ...

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If you've ever visited Washington, DC, you may know we have an awfully quirky taxi system.  Your fare isn't based on how long you're ...

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NYC's Bloomberg not quite the straphanger he claims. NYT Foie gras ban workaround: faux gras. WSJ (subs req'd) TX to list gas stations that are ...

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Vegas city manager gets a raise he didn't want. LVRJ Free Krispy Kreme donuts for Nashville voters today. Tennessean blog LA city council votes to ...

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LA mayor's girlfriend suspended from her job. LA Times In Illinois, Pepsi is it. AP NM's wood-burning energy plan hits a snag. Santa Fe New ...

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Chestnut tree poised for a comeback. Christian Science Monitor America's fastest growing 'burbs. Forbes New WA State law lets kids sue to get their parents ...

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The Orlando Sentinel did a Q&A with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, and -- seriously -- it's got all the answers to questions you didn't even know you wanted to ask.

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Well, that's one way for a town to get on the map. Portland Press-Herald NYC's Bloomberg showed up for jury duty, but he wasn't chosen. ...

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Didn't want Kinky for Governor? How 'bout a Kinky Cigar? Dallas Morning News Should U.S. police get disciplined with a Hello Kitty armband? NYT ...

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States start offering new help to Iraq War vets. Stateline Stop Internet hunting -- before it starts! WSJ (subs req'd) Judge orders Oakland bakery/murder ...

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Vegas judge loses his position over MySpace comments. LVRJ TX Gov. Perry's program: Business initiative or slush fund? Dallas News CA lawmaker holds out on ...

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Different tacks when it comes to big box stores. Stateline Chicago gets few takers on citywide parking permits. Sun-Times It takes a village to age ...

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Uh, not to beat a dead horse here, but there's an interesting bit of news from the world of horsemeat regulation: Animal-rights activists campaigning to ...

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Love boosts Denver judge's income. Denver Post Receiver tackles CA prison health care. NYT Cities to bikers: Muffle up. AP LA's like NYC, but totally, ...

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Denver mayor, 4 council members smoked pot. [Insert Mile High joke here] Denver Post OH Gov. Ted Strickland can not help you find that in your ...

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"Official" state items are a perennial favorite topic on the 13th Floor -- Kentucky's clogging, Hawaii's humuhumunukunukuapua, Georgia's clay, New Hampshire's pumpkins. I've ...

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Not too much to say about Statetris.  It's a game just like Tetris, except you have to flip states so they're right-side up and ...

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This is juvenile and base politicking -- and just a little bit funny. Wisconsin state Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, a Republican, is upset at a political ...

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Bill Richardson: God wants Iowa's primary to be first. DM Register Ex-NJ Gov. McGreevey heads to seminary. Newsday Beware! Your new pooch may have come ...

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When it comes to recycling empty bottles and cans, Michigan is the place to be. It's the only state in the nation where each empty ...

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Miami might be about to become a little short on vowels: As part of its branding campaign for a new, up-and-coming urban core, Miami's Downtown ...

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New York City's Michael Bloomberg might be the self-proclaimed (but maybe not-all-that-accurate) "subway mayor," but Washington, D.C.'s Adrian Fenty has joined ...

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Portland mayor: Beard or no beard? You decide! Oregonian Why the GOP's losing the Hispanic vote. Houston Chronicle More than you ever wanted to know ...

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This is why I love late night on Comedy Central. What other late shows would have New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein on as ...

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Married couples are the new minority in California. Mercury News Impeachment for Iowa judge who blocked gay-marriage ban? DM Register NC legislature tries to use ...

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Homeland Insecurity: Ports in a Storm. Mother Jones For a day, the A train is the most historic way to get to Harlem. NYT The ...

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I know I praised the a city-branding effort last week. But seriously, sometimes the whole hiring-a-consultant-to-come-up-with-a-new-slogan thing seems kiiiiinda pointless. Like in Burlington, Vermont. That ...

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Bill Richardson: "Arrest me" for medical marijuana support. MPP Tax protesters pay Indy's Bart Peterson a house call. Indy Star Wichita considers a ...

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Fashion police: FBI says that hat you're wearing is CRIMINAL. Seattle Times Iowa schools denied grants because req's weren't double-spaced. Sioux City Journal via Stateline ...

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Protesting frivolous lawsuits, Nebraska senator sues God. USA Today Chi Town's got the cleanest hands in all the land. Sun-Times Louisville tries a welcoming approach ...

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posted by Zach Patton The New York Times has a really interesting story about Arcosanti, an experimental Arizona "town" that was begun in 1970 ...

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Mike Bloomberg creates a "street fair tsar." NY Sun The world's languages are disappearing. NYT Colorado turns poison into profit. Denver Post Blowing ...

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New report: La. didn't get its fair share of fed Katrina $$. Times-Picayune IL abortion clinic held up by local permitting process. AP KY airport workers ...

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NYC's subways are getting cell service. NYT 10-yr-old girl to city council: I WANT A PONY! Minneapolis Star-Tribune Survey: Giving to the homeless can really ...

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Chicago this week unveiled the new logo for its bid to host the 2016 Olympic games. The city had been required to drop its old logo, ...

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CA Mega Millions players get shortchanged. San Mateo County Times Mayor in WY plays criminal. Casper Star-Tribune NYC experiments with a new kind of bike ...

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Seattle's atwitter over a streetcar line being built in the city's South Lake Union neighborhood. Not because the residents just get giddy for public transit (...

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Political appointees make for bad bureaucrats. Journal of Politics Response to ad plans for Golden Gate is lukewarm. Contra Costa Times A mini-horse in Arden ...

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Brad (with Bill Clinton) unveils Florida's plans for first large-scale solar power plant. St. Petersburg Times Brad announces plans (and donates $5 million) for 150 storm-safe, eco-friendly ...

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If you're a married female driver in Georgia, you may be in trouble. AJC A not-so-brief history of the City of Los Angeles. LA Times ...

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Six months ago, gay-rights advocates cheered as a same-sex civil union law took effect in New Jersey. But now, many of those people say civil ...

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What's Larry Craig got to do with childhood obesity? YouTube Dallas teachers in hot water over gold-plated trip to Canada. Morning News Terror plot on ...

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What's public transit for? Is it a way to provide government-subsidized transportation with the goal of moving the most people possible? Or is it part of a larger strategy to encourage walkable, livable cities with neighborhoods clustered around transit stations?

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Gulf Coast cities trying to shut down FEMA trailer parks. USA Today DOTs say new lingo is needed for "structurally deficient." AP Introducing ...

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Is Florida over? WSJ Infrared scans may regulate HOT lanes. WaPo IL county to redo "boring" official seal. Chicago Tribune LA city council ...

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TV Reporter who had affair with LA mayor leaves Telemundo. AP NV might adopt MT's scary anti-meth ads. LVRJ How's MD doing at curbing sprawl? ...

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Who says marriage is on the decline? New York City is banking on it to draw scores of new tourists -- and their cash. NYC ...

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Calling all Newarks of the world: Time to celebrate your "Newarkness." AP NYC Mayor Bloomberg's identity (and $400k!) was stolen. NYT Two men ...

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Bill Gates on what's wrong with health care. WSJ Why are doctors fleeing to Texas? NYT Does San Diego have two mayors? Union-Tribune Competing hammer ...

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The Louisville Courier-Journal took a look this week at the records of who donated money in the most recent gubernatorial campaign, and the paper found ...

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Housing slump slows Baltimore's recovery. NYT "Bike-riding mob" owns the streets of Minneapolis. Star-Tribune OH lawmaker shows nude photo to students. AP Got ...

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It kinda seems like a no-brainer:  Retiring Boomers are looking for a good second career. Schools are strapped for volunteers and teachers.  States ...

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Hey, politicians in Washington State!  Wanna make up something crazy and totally untrue about your opponent?  Go ahead! Not that they need encouragement, ...

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Let's say you want to set up a charter school, but your state doesn't allow them. What should you do?  Start it anyway! That's ...

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SEIU says it won't endorse a presidential candidate, just state ones. Wash Wire How to dispose of a washed-up whale. LAT Brazilian mayor gets LA ...

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We're in New York City for Governing's annual Managing Performance conference -- two days full of more management talk than you ever thought possible. Check ...

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At these management conferences -- and even more so at Governing's Managing Technology conferences -- you always hear a lot about management systems like enterprise ...

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Overheard at a dinner in New York City last night: Waiter: Would you like sparkling or still water? Diner: Tap is fine.  New York ...

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Hey, municipalities! Interested in improving your city? New York City deputy mayor Daniel Doctoroff has you covered. Doctoroff addressed the conference this morning, and he ...

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This is totally old news -- from June 20th, to be precise.  But I missed it.  New York City's 311 call center -- a ...

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Politicians on the campaign trial make a lot of lofty promises. But here's one that I think would actually be kept: Donnie Corker, aka Dirtwoman, ...

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I had a really interesting conversation here with the guy in charge of Indiana's state government Web site. We were chatting before a conference session, ...

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Portland, Oregon, has long been lauded as one of the nation's friendliest cities to bikers. Miles and miles of bike lanes, dedicated bicycle stations, even ...

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Isn't 414 people, like, half the population of Rhode Island? Projo New Orleans airport back to 80% of pre-Katrina capacity. Airport Biz Panama Canal expansion might boost ...

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DC's cabs come out of the Dark Ages. WaPo Houston debates zoning. Again. WSJ Dismantling Pittsburgh: Death of an airline hub. USA Today Are giant ...

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Customer-service vigilante takes a hammer to Comcast. WaPo Chicago City Council's growing a spine. Sun Times University president, 54, takes down her Facebook profile. WaPo Got ...

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Sea-Tac Airport vows to avoid "war" on Christmas this year. Seattle Times Does Philadelphia have the ugliest citizens in the country? Philly Daily ...

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Good politicians don't always make good neighbors. Just ask the residents of the tony Oak Hill neighborhood in Nashville, the location of the Tennessee governor's ...

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KY gov. candidates can at least agree on Skywalker and Sean Connery. Herald Leader Uh...Happy Veterans Day, Delaware state Wilmington city employees! Wilmington News ...

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With delays, quart-size Ziplocs, sock-footed security lines, lost luggage and gold-plated ticket prices, air travel these days is no fun. But at Sioux City, Iowa's ...

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The nasty side of the Vegas wedding chapel industry. Review-Journal Richmond's Douglas Wilder: Strong mayor? Ask the judge. Post-Dispatch OR could get hydrogen fuel stations. ...

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Quick! What's America's fastest-growing high school sport? Any guesses? Lacrosse? Skateboarding? Nope. Apparently, it's bowling. Yep, bowling has taken the lead (from ice hockey) as ...

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Sucks to be a deer in WV. Argus Leader In 3-way, Stephen Colbert gets more youth support than Giuliani. Rasmussen Got a Heads Up for ...

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You won't win too many friends by banning the circus. Weekly Dig Bush takes a shot at Blanco while touring wildfires. Times-Picayune More from that ...

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In Boston, an experiment with bringing music to subway platforms has been dropped after only two weeks. The culprit, among others, was Phil Collins: Some ...

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As we know, there is no issue more threatening to cities today than men's pants that are worn far too. Why else would the city ...

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Former IL Gov. Ryan is reporting to jail. AP A city-county merger for Pittsburgh? Business Journal An ethics quiz for AK legislators. Anchorage Daily News ...

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Schoolkids in Tennessee are about to get a lot less proficient at reading. (No, not because of video games or television.) It's because the state ...

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State report: Texas has too many reports. Dallas Morning News Are cities' gay neighborhoods becoming passé? NYT Gridlock over how to end airlines' gridlock. CS ...

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Today's Chicago Tribune has posted several readers' reponses to yesterday's opinion piece calling for a recall of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The comments are really thoughtful ...

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Are you an illegal immigrant? Do you live in a state with a complicated drivers license process, making it harder for you to get a ...

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Halloween in Iowa might be a little scarier than other places this year. Why? Because there's a new pumpkin tax (oooooo! scary!) in the state. ...

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NV DEM party launches program to teach rural kids how to caucus. CNN Zipcar and Flexcar agree to merge. WaPo Those new gunshot sensors actually ...

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Another day, another gay Republican legislator sex scandal. Washington State Rep. Richard Curtis has resigned his seat amid revelations of a sexual encounter he had ...

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YouTube isn't just for cute kitten contests, crazed Britney fans, and wise Ninja advisers. It's also for gangs, who, according to the Boston Globe, have ...

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It's Halloween, and that means it's time for another round-up of "cracking-down-on-sex-offenders" stories: Washington Post: Md. Pays a Holiday Checkup on Child Sex ...

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Chicago's Daley says Trib's wrong on Blago recall push. Sun Times ...Meanwhile, Blago's lawyers stall on answering subpoena. Sun Times Seattle mayor tries to live &...

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TN town runs out of water. AP Health care for bridges: A search for diagnostic tools. NYT Seattle and Dallas have the same traffic issues? ...

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Arnold on Jacuzzis and political aspirations. AP Ozzy Osbourne's ticked over police sting operation staged in his name. AP Former Governing staffer lays out case ...

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Are DC's traffic cameras too effective for their own good? Examiner All these forclosures are hurting cities, too. Star Tribune Battle of the beer towns: ...

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Is Mike Bloomberg getting coy about a prez run? AP Gay-marriage advocates in NJ go on the air. Blue Jersey State & local election roundup. ...

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Now that New York City has started chasing after marriage moolah, will the city stoop to trying to profit from another type of tourism? New ...

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Blagojevich repeating George Ryan's mistakes? AP Christian patrols seek to curb Dallas crime. Morning News PA Gov. Ed Rendell "makes a freakish animatronic cameo&...

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Commuters in San Diego yesterday didn't have to pay for public transit. That's because Washington Mutual bank paid for all riders' fares: A bank spokesman ...

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On Tuesday, voters in Ferndale, Michigan, a 22,000-person suburb of Detroit, elected Craig Covey their new mayor. Covey, who is gay, is the first openly ...

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MN First Lady Mary Pawlenty "got her wish" -- "her head carved in butter." Star-Tribune Jury in FL Rep. Bob Allen's ...

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You're probably aware of the kerfluffle over NASA's records indicating there have been a lot more near mid-air crashes than previously thought. As an illustration ...

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Tollbooths are becoming much more common sites along American roadways, and as more states look for ways to fund transportation infrastructure investment, toll plazas will ...

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FL Rep. Bob Allen found guilty of soliciting prostitution from male police officer. Orlando Sentinel VA LUVS VNTY PL8TS. AP Key facts about NYC's ...

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The fish are back in New Orleans' aquarium, but FEMA wants off the hook for payments. Times-Picayune Meanwhile, N.O.'s historic streetcars are back ...

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A few years ago, when I was in college in Chattanooga, TN, I remember community leaders talking about how Chattanooga was always competing with Atlanta to attract business. But it seems the gods are smiling on Chattanooga. Well, at least the water gods.

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Jon Bon Jovi might not be the most qualified person to run for the governor of New Jersey, but you can't deny that he'd be ...

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In the ongoing saga of Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue's prayers for rain to end his state's epic drought, it seems the Lord has had something ...

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Last week's episode of NPR's This American Life was completely devoted to the story of Harold Washington, Chicago's first (and so far only) black mayor, ...

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School buses go green. USA Today KY gov-elect to throw "Kentucky themed" inaugural. Bold. AP Got a Heads Up for us? Email 13thfloor@...

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Governors have been ahead of the federal government on certain policy changes for years. But one of the most prevalent issues where the states are ...

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Charlie Crist ?'s Wal-Mart. Palm Beach Post blog Eliot Spitzer vows to push for gay marriage next year. NY Post Richard Daley walks out of ...

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I once got a massage at this spa that was, while itself a totally reputable and completely legit place, in a kind of borderline seedy ...

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NY DMV renegs on "GETOSAMA" vanity plate. Newsday Kansas City's urban renewal project headed for the silver screen. LA Times Philly to give ...

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Over the river and through the woods, away from the office we go. Have a happy Thanksgiving! We'll be back to posting on Monday. Photo ...

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In AZ, "Sec of State" might become "Lt. Gov." AZ Daily Star In Portland, "Fourth Avenue" won't become "...

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I grew up just a few miles from the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, so I can tell you a thing or two about ...

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Philly Mayor Street presides over same-sex commitment ceremony. NBC10 "FORNO 1" sounds kinda pervy to me. Houston Chronicle Ray Nagin is "disgusted" ...

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Chicago's out to redefine the way you think about alleys. The city is embarking on a hugely ambitious effort to make its alleyways -- which ...

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Should states get out of the marriage business? Stephanie Coontz thinks so. She's a history professor and the author of "Marriage, a History: How ...

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Wash State risks losing out on Vancouver Olympics $$$. Seattle Times Sucks to be AL State. Rep. Alvin Holmes. Montgomery Advertiser NAACP objects to Chinese artist (...

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New stats in Washington, D.C., suggest that drivers are largely ignoring the District's three-year-old ban on using hand-held phones while driving: "Obviously the ...

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If you're a public official, how do you renovate your office when you've made hay of someone else doing the same thing? If you're Massachusetts ...

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IL gov sneaks out of special session for a hockey game. Sun-Times MA's "anti-spanking" bill stirs debate but has little chance of passing. ...

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Which high schools send the most grads to elite colleges? WSJ Art panel: Plans for statue of former Balto Mayor William Donald Schaeffer too boring ...

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The city of Denver has shelved an employee diversity training video because of complaints that the video itself is racist -- against white people. The ...

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Is Chicago's top cop worth $310,000? Sun Times Ex-gov.: Politicians run better on booze. Sacramento Bee Even submerged under water, Seattle can't get support for flood ...

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Wasn't it just the other day that you were thinking, "Man, I wish I could find a blog that covered issues of fairness and ...

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What do gay bars have to do with urban planning? Maybe a lot. In a very interesting Boston Globe op-ed, writer Robert David Sullivan discusses ...

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America's drunkest cities. Men's Health Looking for legislative action in CA next year? Don't hold your breath. Sac Bee Corrupt official used Louisiana's film incentive ...

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Some CA lawmakers "no" to pay hike. Sacramento Bee How would you run a subway? NYT Wyoming Gov. Freudenthal doesn't like any of ...

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Arnold distances himself from "Conan" video game. Oakland Tribune CRISIS SOLVED!!!! Atlanta public schools ban saggy pants. AJC Los Angeles' water savings just ...

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Indianapolis' new library addition has been a long time coming, with years of delays and millions of dollars in cost overruns. (I mentioned it briefly ...

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TX Gov. Perry's Huckabeean slip. Dallas Morning News Rest easy, Ohio state lawmakers! No criminal background checks for you! Toledo Blade Got a Heads Up ...

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Alaska Gov. Palin strikes a pose for Vogue. AP Another day, another presidential denial from Mike Bloomberg. NYDN MO Gov. Blunt fails to put his &...

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This picture's been making the rounds on the Internets. Everybody knows that former Arkansas Governor -- and, you know, presidential candidate -- Mike Huckabee used ...

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For public employees, is reading a blog a First Amendment right or a waste of taxpayers' money?  Should state governments be able to block ...

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D.C.'s voting-rights tea party. DCist How much does it cost to remove 2,400 Indian head logos from an arena? Bismarck Tribune Mortgage-relief plan divides ...

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There's a vampire living in your house! Actually, probably several vampires. Okay, maybe they're not sucking your blood, but they are draining your energy -- ...

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Fed shrugged as subprime mortgage spread. NYT SLC loooves watching movies. SL Tribune Is the new solar tech capital...Toledo?? WSJ 13 states face total shortfall ...

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Congrats, Alabama, on no longer being a "judicial hellhole"! AP What's up with this floating bench in NYC? PAPERMAG Hot dog vendor stands ...

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Score! IL Gov. Blago gets free Hannah Montana tix!!! Sun Times 2,500 OR residents: Stop giving our money to schoolkids! Oregonian Atlantic City to hire a &...

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Happy Holidays from the 13th Floor!  If you need us, we'll be in an egg nog coma for the next several days. We're not ...

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CA House Speaker's Xmas gifts to lawmakers? "Anti-coal." Sac Bee Jamie Lynn Spears is totes preggers! And states' statutory rape laws are totes ...

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We can't leave for the holidays without a good old-fashioned "War on Christmas" story. So... T'was the week before Christmas, and a couple ...

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Driving around a city can be a good way to get to know it. Detroit Free Press columnist Bill McGraw has taken that idea to ...

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It's officially winter, and it's officially after Christmas. For many cities, that means entering into a period of slumber, when residents stay off the city ...

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2008 is here! Among other things, this year marks the first time Smart Cars are available in the United States. You know Smart Cars, right? Those ...

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Wasn't it already 2008?  All this presidential election coverage is confusing us.

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Paper names "the illegal immigrant" as "Texan of the Year." Sparks fly. AP Katrina claims add up to quadrillions. Times-Picayune Another ...

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The country of China isn't exactly known for being environmentally progressive.  (I know, who are we to talk?  But still.) So I was ...

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Psst! Wanna buy a new $2,500 car? NYT GR8IDEA? South Dakota bill would dump vanity plates. AP The Onion's take on cities' drinking water problems. ...

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Is wearing an ascot considered contempt of court?? AP No news here: New report ranks D.C. school system 51st in nation. WaPo CA's "...

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When I was a little kid, I had this children's book that, depending on how you look at it, either scarred me for life or ...

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Missouri town might ban swearing, drinking contests and table-dancing in bars. AP NYC's first public pay toilet makes a splash. NYT Virginia might mandate yellow ...

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A guide to NYC's free public restrooms. NYT New ideas to stop car-deer crashes. CBS News Vegas monorail taps into cash reserves for 1st time. ...

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Wanna pay for public transit with your cell phone? SF Biz Times New CO Rep. Douglas Bruce off to a rocky start, thanks to kicking ...

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Is "displaying replicas of human genitalia on vehicles" really that much of a problem? AP Dems pick KS Gov. Sebelius to give State ...

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Rhode Island falls in love with Richard Gere. Pawtucket Times Border fence: Mother of all eminent-domain disputes. Chicago Tribune Online chat with Gov. Tim Kaine. ...

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TX state employees can no longer hide their ages. Dallas Morning News Burying the long-dead Seattle monorail. Seattle Times It's Nuh-VAD-uh, not Nuh-VAH-duh. Las Vegas ...

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Bill Richardson grows a beard to "decompress." AP Drivers take on DMVs over vanity plates. USA Today Got a Heads Up for us? ...

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BREAKING!  Mike Bloomberg does laundry. NY Observer After 4 years, Utah's capitol building is back -- and earthquake-ready. SL Tribune Got a Heads Up for ...

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Are you a public official who's concerned that your not-so-svelte figure might be an obstacle to your campaign for a higher office? Don't want to ...

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Alaska state Rep. Richard Foster is sick. The lawmaker had a stroke last week, and he's in need of a new kidney. Fortunately, several people ...

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Nation's 1st green homeless shelter opens in Oakland. Oakland Tribune Which prez candidates will speak to metropolitan issues? Chicago Sun-Times Got a Heads Up for ...

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The son of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is selling a board game that's a little less Kansas and a little more "Oz." John ...

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FINALLY! "Surf City USA" gets official OK. Santa Cruz Sentinel Rethinking the meat-guzzler. NYT Got a Heads Up for us? Email 13thfloor@governing....

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Who knew? Bail bondsmen are illegal almost everywhere except U.S. NYT Ohio judge sentences man to spend a night homeless. AP At airport, West ...

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Didja ever hear the one about the state legislator who was a stand-up comedian? Meet Vermont state Rep. Jason Lorber, who "does standup gigs, ...

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Marijuana vending machines introduced in LA. ABC News Duke Energy to build its (last?) coal plant in NC. Charlotte Observer Is global warming an infrastructure ...

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Strom Thurmond (Jr.) is on the ballot in South Carolina. Augusta Chronicle Same song, verse 943: Bloomberg denies running for prez. AP Strippers get legit in ...

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GA billboards will broadcast Super Tuesday results. Atlanta Journal Constitution TN bill would ban teachers from even mentioning homosexuality. Memphis Flyer Mass transit advocates try ...

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OMG, does Miss USA (Rachel Smith, duh) get to vote twice ? "...I'll be voting, you can be sure of that. As a citizen of ...

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MD bill: If gays can't get married, ain't nobody getting married. WaPo Midwestern farms are killing the Gulf. Indy Star Texans get to vote on ...

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Josh Goodman and Alan Greenblatt have been writing great 13th Floor posts about politics and elections for a long time. Now, they're getting their very ...

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By definition, a blog about state and local government really has no place talking about religion. And a blog about state and local government in ...

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Colorado lawmaker: Shame on "sluts." Rocky Mountain News Nevada state senator's son held for attempted murder. LVRJ "Euros Accepted" signs start ...

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Like a lot of cities, Los Angeles saw a housing boom over the past few years. And like a lot of cities, the boom didn't ...

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Streetsblog has an interesting comparison of recent developments in bike laws in Chicago and L.A. In Chicago, an extremely bike-friendly city (which we've written ...

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When you think of charming sidewalk cafes and bistros, adorable patisseries and streets lined with colorful awnings and pots overflowing with flowers, you're thinking of ...

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The war over water in the Southeast is reaching new levels of absurdity time-wasting hostility. Two Georgia lawmakers have introduced a bill to move their ...

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Building the 30-mpg city bus. Seattle P-I blog Milwaukee Co., Wisc.: Bike racks on buses cancel out asbestos. Journal-Sentinel Got a Heads Up for us? ...

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Walking home during yesterday afternoon's fierce 30-mph winds, I had a moment of excitement. I had my first opportunity to use DC's newly revamped 311 system!

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Rudy Giuliani still hasn't posed for his mayoral portrait. NYDN Boston T chief says system is "broke," despite recent fare hikes. Globe TX ...

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Do you live in the nation's "Disaster Belt"? USA Today VA delegate's obit: In lieu of flowers, give to Obama. AP Yeah, somehow ...

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Happy Abraham Lincoln's Birthday, everybody! If you're a state employee in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Illinois or Missouri, today's a state holiday for you! ...

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Mexico City has launched a new experiment aimed at reducing physical harrassment of women on its crowded transit system: women-only buses and trains. Single-gender transit ...

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Just how transformative can greenspace be in revitalizing a blighted urban area? The Onion offers its take: Notorious for its abandoned buildings, industrial warehouses, and ...

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Excited about that federal stimulus package putting $600 in your pocket? State governments aren't so thrilled. Turns out the package includes a couple of nasty surprises ...

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MA Gov. Deval Patrick loves his newly shaven head. AP Does that voice on the airport PA system sound familiar? USA Today Copper thieves' new ...

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Not sure this is new, but I just heard about it. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune has compiled all of its coverage from last summer's 35W bridge ...

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In honor of Valentine's Day, public health officials have redesigned the New York City-brand condom, and they're promoting the prophylactic's new look with an ad ...

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Sure, the City of Steel is romantic (almost as romantic as Paris!), but did you know it's also equipped to ward off the living dead? ...

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Remember Richard Foster, that Alaska legislator who couldn't receive a kidney donation because it violated the state's new get-tough ethics law? Well, he's gonna get ...

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It's still OK to say "gay" in TN schools. Knoxville News The $14 million personalized license plate. NYT Wheels blog Balloons: The secret to ...

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Is it buzzworthy anymore if a state legislator comes out of the closet? Connecticut Rep. Jason Bartlett has announced that he's gay, but the Hartford ...

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Remember Jason West, the young mayor of New Paltz, NY, who made waves in 2004 for performing same-sex marriages (which later were determined to be illegal)? ...

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GA moves forward in border dispute with TN over water rights. AJC States compete for $30 mil in passenger railroad upgrades. Chicago Trib Grand Slam for ...

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Rocky start for universal healthcare in Mass. NPR In defense of urban skywalks. NY Sun MN bridge chief rebuts critics. St. Paul Pioneer Press Study: ...

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If you've got 30 seconds and an Internet connection, you can become an ordained minister online. It doesn't even cost money. For that reason, a county ...

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Pedestrians killed in DC are disproportionately minorities. Examiner What will the cab of the future look like? Wired's Autopia blog Deloitte racks up half a ...

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The Super Bowl ended more than 520 hours ago, and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has STILL not made good on his bet with New York Gov. ...

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The New York Times Sunday magazine had an interview with Perry this week. (Wonder if Perry did the interview before the Times' hit piece on ...

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Remember that board game that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' son made? The one set in prison with not-too-subtle jokes about inmate rape? Well, Kansas state ...

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You get in the airport security line, throw away your bottle of water, unpack everything in your carry-on, pull off your shoes, your jacket, your ...

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If you find yourself traveling to the San Francisco Bay area, here's a way to save some money. Who needs to spend 15 bucks a person ...

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Georgia's quirky plan to move its border with Tennessee seems to be getting, well, less quirky. The House and Senate in the state have each ...

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A marijuana trade school opens in CA. [Insert "higher education" joke]. AP Fewer youths jumping behind the wheel at 16. NYT Is there no ...

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When Rob Gurwitt isn't writing for Governing , he's trying to get more people involved in local government. Rob lives in Norwich, Vermont, a little burg ...

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Happy Bissextile Day , everyone!

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You've likely heard of shows like BODIES: The Exhibition or Body Worlds -- traveling exhibits that present actual human bodies preserved through plastination. Maybe you've ...

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Most state fleets not rushing to switch to ethanol. Stateline Arkansas Gov. Beebe: Rural states won't support toll roads. AP CA mayor found passed out ...

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Los Angeles tap water wins national taste test. LA Times Minnesota's got its first poet laureate. Minneapolis Star-Tribune King County (WA) Fair shrinks to 3 days, ...

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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants his tank back. Apparently, he bought an M47 tank from the Austrian army and then lent it to an Ohio ...

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You know what's hilarious?  Killing kittens.  At least, that's what a couple Associated Press editors thought last week, when they changed a word ...

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All right, first off: It's not really a padded cell. But last week's This American Life on NPR includes a story about New York City's &...

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If you're a young Japanese hipster -- and really, who isn't? -- chances are, you're not all that interested in having a car. According to ...

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I'm not about to run through all our previous posts about official state products. Suffice it to say, if there's anything out there you can ...

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According to the Tennesseean , "troubled" Tennessee state Rep. Rob Briley, "who was captured on videotape screaming for police officers to shoot him ...

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IL Gov. Blagojevich gives $1 mil -- to the wrong church. Sun-Times Pay soars for some CA state workers. Sacramento Bee Philly mayor hosting party for &...

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The South Carolina State House will stand in for the Capitol in D.C. in an upcoming movie, "Nailed", starring Jake Gyllenhaal and ...

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Conventional wisdom is that daylight-saving time saves energy. It stays lighter an extra hour in the evenings, so you don't need as much electricity to ...

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"Shockwave" traffic jam recreated for first time. New Scientist IL bill would allow 14-year-olds to drive. St Louis Post-Dispatch Former Pittsburgh councilwoman sent ...

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French mayor: "Don't die in my town." Agence France Presse Schwarzenegger's daily jet commute draws ire. LA Times Network apologizes for mocking town's ...

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Check out this video of the Grand Canyon being flooded in an experiment designed to mimic natural floods and recharge the ecosystem. The amount of ...

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That fat check you're about to receive from the federal government might not be the only cash coming your way. Some states are considering offering ...

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Everyone's in a tizzy over this breathless AP story about all the drugs in your drinking water: A vast array of pharmaceuticals -- including antibiotics, ...

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Who's got the time to lose weight the old-fashioned way? Not New Hampshire State Sen. Bob Clegg. He had weight-loss surgery last September, and now ...

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Today marks a significant milestone for the 13th Floor -- it's our 2,000th post! Obviously, a blog without readers is like a tree falling in ...

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Hey, heard anything about Eliot Spitzer this afternoon? Well he just finished the world's shortest press conference, in which he issued what was, in the ...

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An anti-gay speech made by Oklahoma state Rep. Sally Kern has hit YouTube, and the lawmaker is getting a lot of flak for it. Kern ...

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Republicans traveling to Minneapolis [Ed. note: and St. Paul!] for the GOP national convention this summer will face the same last call everybody else does. ...

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Wondering what New York First Lady Silda Spitzer was up to, uh, you know, before yesterday? In a bit of good timing, Domino magazine interviewed ...

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Josh Goodman and Alan Greenblatt are double-teaming the Spitzer story over at Ballot Box. Check it out for updates. We'll post anything Earth-shattering here, too. ...

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The Chicago Transit Authority is launching a mystery-shopper program: It's looking for riders on bus and L trains willing to report back on transit troubles ...

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This could be considered tooting my own horn, except I had nothing to do with this. Governing's textbook, Governing States and Localities, has won a 2008 ...

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North Carolina OKs use of "gray water." News & Observer U.S. Bowling Congress leaves Milwaukee area for Arlington, TX. Journal Sentinel Got ...