Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Goodbye, Governing
A letter from the editor.
Authors
Zach Patton |
Email : zpatton@governing.comZach Patton -- Executive Editor. Zach joined GOVERNING as a staff writer in 2004. He received the 2011 Jesse H. Neal Award for Outstanding Journalism for his GOVERNING story on economic cutbacks in Colorado Springs. He has served as an editor since 2010, and as Executive Editor since 2012.
Just How Big Is Burning Man?
Every year, people build a city solely for the event, then take it down a week later.
What Cities Can Learn From Burning Man
The annual gathering is a radical experiment in urban design that rebuilds itself in the desert every year -- with the help of its residents.
8 Ways to Make Your City More Like Burning Man
From building public art to creating "sacred spaces," the annual event is inspiring leaders across America.
Can Free Money Make Up for Widescale Job Loss?
Faced with the prospect of up to a third of jobs being eliminated by automation in the next decade, governments are taking another look at Universal Basic Income.
Data Is Improving Government Services, But at What Cost to Citizens' Privacy?
Data now informs almost everything the public sector does, and it also informs on us.
What If Government Just Gave Everyone Cash, No Strings Attached?
The radical idea of a universal basic income is far from new, but it's finally being tested around the world -- even in America.
At Governors Meeting, Trudeau Pushes to Preserve NAFTA
As the first leader of a national government to ever address the National Governors Association, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for fewer trade barriers and promised to work directly with state leaders.
White House Lobbies Governors on Latest Health Bill, But They're Not Buying It
The Trump administration's attempt this weekend to win their support didn't go as planned.
The Miami Method for Zoning: Consistency Over Chaos
After a population explosion and building binge led to haphazard and random growth, Miami became the nation's first big urban area to adopt a citywide code based on looks.
Parting Wisdom From 5 Outgoing Mayors
Most of them have been in office for decades. Here's what they've learned about government.
The Illusion of Cities' Recovery From the Recession
In many ways, Colorado Springs and other cities have rebounded. But things aren’t as good as they seem.
Terry McAuliffe’s Barnstorming of Virginia
The progressive governor has the business acumen to lure companies and jobs to the state, but can he win over an increasingly conservative legislature?
A Tale of 'Two Chicagos'
In the city’s upcoming election, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his critics both paint a portrait of the “two Chicagos” but with dueling interpretations.
Tom Menino, Long-Time Boston Mayor, Has Died
He left office earlier this year after an unprecedented two decades leading the city.
John Hickenlooper: The Man in the Middle
Can the geologist-turned-brewpub owner-turned-governor of Colorado lead as a centrist when there’s no political center?
America's Hungry Again
Americans are hungrier now than they've been in generations. Some states are fighting it, but they can only do so much with a Congress committed to cutting budgets.
Hoopla: It's Like Netflix for Libraries
Library systems in cities across the country are debuting Hoopla, a free and unlimited streaming service for music and movies -- though the selection won’t be quite the same as Netflix or Hulu.
State Treasurers Caught in Politics’ Crosshairs
As finances grow tighter and pension liabilities stay in the spotlight, treasurers in several states have been clashing with their peers about how best to manage the money.
Does Puerto Rico Really Want to be the 51st State?
For the first time ever, a majority of the island's voters favor statehood. But while many think it's the answer to the territory's economic woes, others disagree.
Nonprofits Draw States' Money, But Not Much Oversight
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
Where Have All the Governors Gone?
Why don't more governors seek federal office?
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Chatype: The Nation’s First Municipal Font
Chattanooga, Tennessee raised more than $10,000 to support its efforts to become the first U.S. city with its own font.
David Walker’s Plan to Fix America
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.
More Trees Equals Less Crime
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
Parklets: The Next Big Tiny Idea in Urban Planning
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
50-State Legislation Now Searchable by Smartphone
The new Open States app lets users identify and contact their state reps, scroll through voting records and follow bills through the legislative process.
San Francisco Parking Program Eases Congestion
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.
New Orleans’ Latino Population Boom
After Hurricane Katrina, Latinos moved into the city in record numbers and have transformed the disaster-struck town.
Promoting Road Safety in New York City via Haiku and Pop Art
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.
Dearborn, Mich. Sells Florida Apartment Building
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.
The Boss of Boston: Mayor Thomas Menino
Boston's longest-serving mayor has started to think big. (But he still sweats the small stuff.)
A Small Town Hosts the Nation's Largest Concert
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.
Seattle Looks to Cottages for Affordable Housing
Cities are struggling to increase residential density without destroying single-family neighborhoods. That means the return of the backyard cottage.
States Attempt to Streamline Education
Proposals in states like Washington and North Dakota aim to streamline education from pre-k to Ph.D.
Lottery Revenues Not a Sure Bet
The recent economic crisis suggests that state lotteries and other forms of gambling may not be the predictable cash cows they once were.
Reshaping the Federal-State Relationship
How federalism is being redefined, and how states got to this point.
Outlook 2011: States Brace for Toughest Year Yet
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.
Food Safety Regulations and the GOP Mood
Now that Republicans control the U.S. House and state legislatures, more business-friendly food safety measures may be on the table.
Making the Case for Regional Taxes
Regions have supplanted cities as the nation's economic centers. Local tax structures don't recognize this shift.
8 Issues to Watch in 2011
These topics will capture the attention of state legislators in 2011.
Why is Election Day Always a Tuesday?
Does holding elections on a workday contribute to low voter turnout?
States Get Tough on Bullies
States and localities across the country are adopting tougher anti-bullying laws.
Obama: No Such Thing as 'Shovel-Ready' Projects
The President now says public works don't do a good job of stimulating the short-term economy. That's not news.
White House to States: Invest in Infrastructure While It's Cheap
President Obama wants Congress to approve $50 billion in new infrastructure funds, but he wants states to throw in their share, too.
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
States Test Algae as a Biofuel
Could algae be the next big thing in biofuels? Some states are finding out.
New Governors Could Derail Obama's High-Speed Trains
Many of this year's Republican gubernatorial candidates have vowed to delay -- or permanently end -- the administration's high-profile plans for high-speed rail.
Stimulus Slowdown: States Lag, Jobs Sag
Some states are taking their time spending stimulus highway dollars, and jobs aren't being created as quickly as the feds had hoped.
Fiscal Fallout for States if Bush Tax Cuts Expire
Allowing the Bush-era cuts to expire will benefit some states while hurting others.
'Secure Communities': Mandate or Not?
The feds say participation in the "Secure Communities" initiative is voluntary, but can cities really opt out?
Colorado Springs' Do-It-Yourself Government
The citizens of Colorado Springs must decide how much they want from their government, and how much they're willing to pay for it.
States Eager to Spend Federal Education Money Outside Classroom
Some states are looking for ways to spend federal stimulus cash that was intended for schools in completely different ways.
Federal Stem Cell Ban: Which States Benefit?
Now that a federal judge has halted government funding for embryonic stem cell research, the field is at a standstill. But one state stands to benefit.
Even With Stimulus Cash, Schools Aren't Rehiring
The federal government has sent billions in extra stimulus money to states for the purpose of rehiring educators and school administrators. But states are skittish.
GAO: Fiscal Pressures Threaten Intergovernmental Programs
A recent report from the Government Accountability Office says states' financial woes will ultimately make it harder for the federal government to deliver services.
Chicago's Transit Chief
Transit Chief Richard Rodriguez combats a monumental fiscal crisis.
Bringing Home the Bacon
In a small town in Michigan, the pig on top of the Oink Joint -- made famous in the movie "Whip It" -- gets new life as a charity fund-raiser.
It Pays to Assume You're Not Getting Paid
Some states are waiting with bated breath to see if Congress denies a federal boost in Medicaid spending. But few places are resting easy, since they never assumed they'd get the money in the first place.
The Value of Movie Tax Incentives
States spend billions on incentives to lure film productions away from Hollywood. Some say it's gone too far.
Debt Concerns Could Affect State Aid
Concerns over the mounting national debt could hamper efforts in Congress to provide aid to cash-strapped states.
White House Fights Senate Dems on States' Rights
A bipartisan group of Senators is moving to limit states' abilities to regulate financial transactions. The White House is pushing back, states are the best regulators for local markets.
Affordable Housing Funds Hit the Ground
A residential complex in Washington, D.C., is set to begin renovations into affordable housing using federal dollars to help fund state and local housing projects that have been stalled by the recession. The project is one of the nation's first to be funded by a new Treasury bond program.
Grading Agencies' Open-Government Plans
Federal agencies released their Open Government Plans last month. Some of them were a lot better than others.
Poverty Comes to the Suburbs
Poverty is encroaching on suburban enclaves -- even the most affluent of them. Many are ill-equipped to meet the new social-service needs.
Sensors Make Cities Smarter
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...
Stemming the Tide of Homelessness
Last year, when the city of Raleigh, N.C., partnered with Wake County to announce a new program to help homeless families find housing, officials...
Next-Generation Government and Today's Needs
Today's leaders are wrestling with a big question: How can they shape next-generation government to fit the changing needs of their communities? At Governing's Managing...
Autonomy, Access and Accountability
As a wave of younger employees, including those from Generation Y, enters the workplace, governments are working to position themselves as employers of choice. Aaron...
Could Roads Be the Next Source of Renewable Power?
There are more than 4 million miles of paved roadways in the United States. Increasingly, renewable energy advocates are looking at all that asphalt and seeing...
My Big Fat Pension Payoff
Just two years ago, Ray Patchett worked for the city of Carlsbad, California, a coastal town in northern San Diego County. Patchett, now 61, had served...
Students Speak About Earning and Learning
Read more about big-city schools and cash incentive programs in "Wage Earners" and in "Should the Best Teachers Get More Than an Apple?" in the...
The Risk and Reward of Web 2.0
Governments are understandably skittish about utilizing social networking sites and other Web 2.0 tools--Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and open-source wiki documents. But some adventurous officials are...
Technology for Tough Times
Struggling to deliver more services with fewer resources and to rise to the twin challenges of transparency and accountability, state and local leaders are counting...
Should the Best Teachers Get More Than an Apple?
As some schools experiment with cash incentives for students, others are resurrecting the idea of paying teachers bonuses for good performance. Traditionally, teachers have been...
Wage Learners
Gregg Flecha earned pretty good money last year, for a 9-year-old. As a fourth-grader at P.S. 64 in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, Gregg...
Robe Warriors
Justice Martin Johnstone's first campaign for the Kentucky Supreme Court was a big deal. It was 1996, and state judicial elections had always been small-time affairs....
The Bench and the Ballot Box
PARTISAN ELECTIONS Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, Michigan, Ohio NON-PARTISAN ELECTIONS Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota,...
Tracy Welsh
Tracy Welsh is the executive director of the HIV Law Project, a New York City group founded in 1989 to provide legal and advocacy services to...
Issues to Watch 2007
Much of the Democrats' success in state elections last year was due to dissatisfaction with the way things were going in Washington, D.C. Voters...
Bad Bugs
Usually, it's just a mild skin infection, an irritating outbreak of pimples. But it can get much worse: The pimples can become painful lesions or...
Back on Track
Tracy Finch would prefer to show visitors around the south side of Charlotte by train. But the city's first light-rail line won't open until this...
NASCIO's Midyear Conference: The Consolidating Game
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 ...
Suburban Poverty and the Geography Problem
I'm working on a story for an upcoming issue of Governing that takes a look at the increasing rates of poverty in suburbs across ...
News of Public-Private Partnerships' Death May be Exaggerated
Yesterday I mentioned the idea -- voiced by Dan Borut at the National League of Cities, but supported by several others -- that the era ...
Mark Zandi: State Fiscal Outlook is "Dark"
Mark your calendars, everybody: Feb. 11, 2011. That's the day Moody's.com economist Mark Zandi says the economy will shift from financial recovery to a &...
States Face Huge Deficits, But Also Opportunities to Transform
**From GOVERNING's Outlook in the States and Localities 2010** The fiscal outlook for cities and counties may be bleak, but it's nothing compared to ...
Another Nail in the Coffin of the Big Public Sell-Off
**From GOVERNING's Outlook in the States and Localities 2010** If consolidation is the watchword for what cities and counties will do to help manage during ...
The Push to Consolidate
**From GOVERNING's Outlook in the States and Localities 2010** "Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate." If there was one overarching theme of the first day of ...
Should States Get In On This "Move Your Money" Idea?
If you read the Huffington Post at all, you've no doubt read about this "Move Your Money" notion they've been pushing. ...
Is There Really a 'New Face' of Homelessness?
In the February issue of Governing, I have a story about the rise of family homelessness in the United States. Over the past couple years, ...
Why Every City Supervisor Should Say the F-word in Public Meetings
San Francisco City Supervisor Chris Daly is getting a lot of attention for his New Year's resolution to drop the F-bomb at every city ...
New Species of Cockroach in NYC: The Jokes Write Themselves
New York City has shed its pop-culture image as a dingy, dirty burg where all the streets have rats and all the apartments are full ...
Blagojevich and Trump: Can Your TV Handle the Hair?
As you most likely have already read, disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is finally getting his day in the reality-show sun. A federal judge ...
Staying Afloat: Kansas Learns a Lesson About Motor Pools
In 2003, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius Eliminated The State's Motor Vehicle Pool. Cars Were Sold Off. Agencies Were Directed To Rent The Vehicles They Need. Sibelius Predicted Major Savings.
Florida Will Revisit A Rebuilt Code
After four years of infighting, and with the nightmare of Hurricane Andrew's $16 billion devastation in mind, Florida's legislature adopted a new statewide Unified Building Code this May.
Fly Locally, Think Globally
Communities like the sound of the words `international airport.' And they don't mind stretching the truth to use them.
Stolen Identities
States are leaping on the identity theft issue, hoping to reassure consumers. The data industry wants them to take it easy.
A Jolt to the System
Caffeine has created quite a quandary in the land of Starbucks. The drug has become so prevalent in the Seattle-area water supply that officials have had to change the way they track pollution.
The Set-Aside Syndrome
Minority-contracting programs can be undone by a city's inability to distinguish between a real and a fake minority firm.
Chasing the Shadow
"527" groups are a mysterious but increasingly powerful force in American elections. One state has cracked down on them; others are trying.
Womb Service
Surrogacy is becoming more common, and lawmakers must confront a host of tough questions.
It's Elementary: New Jersey Demands Chemical Plant Security
New Jersey has put its chemical processing plants--all 140 of them--on notice. Under a state order signed last fall, those facilities will have to outline their security weaknesses and report them to state officials. That makes the state, which is among a handful of states with the most potentially dangerous chemical sites, the first to change from a voluntary to mandatory reporting system.
Introducing Our Public Officials of the Year
Everyman's Executive
Restoring public confidence in the wake of a scandal.
The Platt Tit for Tat
The future looks dark for the George C. Platt Memorial Bridge in Philadelphia, as city and state officials continue an eight-year stalemate over who's responsible for the structure's lighting.
Great Forensic Expectations
Do TV shows about crime investigation influence real-life jurors?
Gasoline and Gambling
Crude oil at $60 per barrel has some bizarre fiscal side effects.
Skysores
Keeping pedestrians indoors no longer seems like a smart way to bring downtowns back to life.
Side Effects
Inconsistencies in how patients' bodies are marked for surgery can have serious consequences.
Urban Bright: A Land Bank Helps Save Inner-City Homes
An innovative program in Flint, Michigan--the Genesee County Land Bank--is helping to salvage vacant and abandoned properties and transfer them to new owners for redevelopment.
Transportation & Infrastructure
Count Your Assets
The vibrant past history and current woes of Lockport, New York, are a wake-up call for struggling post-industrial regions.
Pedal Pushers
Fair- and foul-weather cities alike are gearing up to make it safer and easier for commuters to bicycle to work.
Judging the Judges
Performance measures are coming to the tradition-bound world of state courts.
Strong And Strategic Leadership
This has been a year of partisan polarization and institutional paralysis in Washington. The inability of Congress to provide leadership and generate consensus on major issues has been obvious not only to the nation but also to the world--from the rancorous debate over Terri Schiavo to the squabbling over filibusters and the ethics investigations that have embroiled the leadership.
Premium Pressure: The Cost of Coverage Eases
Premiums for health insurance coverage continue to rise--but the pace has slowed.
Border Guard
After a quarter-century of crusading against illegal immigration, Russell Pearce has become a major player on the issue.
Feeling the Sting of a Cut
Oregon pares back its health plan to keep it alive
Pill Politics: Legalizing a Prescription for Leftovers
Nursing homes in Oklahoma will soon be able to donate unused prescription drugs to state residents who can't afford them.
No Time to Rest
Whenever Doug Brown tries to retire, New Mexico comes up with another job for him to do.
Dock Shock
The competition for federal grants pits the security concerns of small ports against big ones and leaves all of them short of what they say they need.
Boarding Calls
Airports are catering to busy travelers and their animals with kennels fit for Fideaux.
Contract Lens
As states continue to outsource corrections services, they are struggling to find the right level of private-prison scrutiny.
Price Shopper: Vermont Mandates Details on Drug Prices
In an effort to check the increase in prescription drug prices, Vermont in March became the first state in the nation to require pharmaceutical companies to disclose to doctors the average wholesale price of a given drug.
Finite Funding: Vermont Accepts A Medicaid Cap
Facing ever-increasing costs for health care, officials in Vermont have brokered a landmark deal with the federal government. The state will get more flexibility in managing and distributing Medicaid funds. In exchange, it will accept a limit on the amount of federal Medicaid money it receives over the next five years.
Mixed Smoke Signals
The patchwork of local laws on lighting up can be confusing.
Low Grade: Wis. Audits Its Job Growth Programs
Wisconsin lawmakers plan to restructure the state's economic development efforts, after a sweeping state audit found substantial mismanagement among those programs.
Persuasive Performance
The practice of performance management links elected officials with the front lines of government.
Too Big for The Road
Massive trucks are tearing up fragile state highways. And more of them are out there every year.
The Bell Tolls: Revenue Relief for a Traffic Slump
Transportation officials in Orange County, California, have agreed to bail out the financially beleaguered San Joaquin Hills tollway. The deal will keep the toll road from defaulting on nearly $2 billion in bonds.
Value-Added Taxi
Sometimes transit operators' and cab drivers' personal beliefs conflict with their jobs and passengers.
Illinois Inmates Getting Too Much Soy?
Prison inmates at the Danville Correctional Center in Illinois are being fed too much soy, according to a new lawsuit from the Weston A. Price ...
NYC's Newer, Grosser Obesity Ads
Both my colleague Penelope Lemov and I have both written about New York City's recent ad campaign aimed at curbing obesity. The poster ads, ...
Pot Restaurant Testing the Boundaries of Medical Marijuana
Colorado voters approved a medical-marijuana law in 2000. But since then, THC-users have had to make do getting their drugs from medical dispensaries. The facilities were ...
Would Online Gay Marriage Be a 'Game-Changer' for States?
What if gay couples could get married in a state without ever setting foot there? Two University of Michigan professors say that should be an ...
Phoenix Drivers Confused by Light Rail
The light-rail line in Phoenix has been running for a year now. But automobile drivers are still having trouble getting used to dealing with the ...
States Conspiring to Get You Drunker
If you're finding lately that your local tavern's quaffs are packing more of a wallop, it could be because an increasing number of ...
Is a Stoplight with a Progress Bar a Good Idea?
This stoplight has won a design award for incorporating a progress bar that shows drivers exactly how long they can expect to wait at an ...
What Do Google Searches Say About Your City?
Google has released its annual "zeitgeist" numbers, tallying the top Internet searches for the past year. (Congrats, "michael jackson" and "...
Brad Pitt's Katrina Cottages: Energizing or Too Extreme?
The travel section of this Sunday's New York Times had a cool little piece about the houses that Brad Pitt's Make It Right ...
Colorado State Senator Sets New Bar in Calling-Obama-a-Terrorist Contest
President Obama's critics have accused him of being a Socialist, a Communist, a Fascist and, yes, a terrorist. But in a recent Twitter post, ...
Does Posting Calories Make a Difference?
You may recall that New York City began requiring fast-food restaurants to post calorie counts alongside all of their menu items. The city's thinking, ...
Making it More Fun to Take the Stairs
Cities from New York to Missoula, Montana, are urging residents to "take the stairs" instead of an escalator or elevator. It's a ...
Conan to Newark Mayor: I Will 'Crush You'
It's really a shame that David Letterman and his sex-extortion scandal are all anybody can talk about in late-night TV right now, because there'...
Keeping Gen Y in Government: The Three A's
Just got out of the panel I co-moderated on Attracting and Keeping Young Leaders in Government. It was great -- one of those terrific sessions ...
Newark Mayor: Conan O'Brien Better Stick With JFK
Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Cory Booker knows you think his city is a punchline. But he's out to change that. After Conan O'Brien ...
Illinois' Bold Bid to Reshape the Local Food Scene
I've become something of the go-to guy around Governing when it comes to food stories. I've written about street food carts, urban farm ...
Urban Farming: A Tough Row to Hoe
In his Urban Notebook column last month, Governing managing editor Chris Swope explored the idea of urban farming -- the concept of utilizing vacant properties ...
Rating NYC's New Gross-Out Soda Ads
The New York City health department has a new ad campaign aimed at reducing consumption of sodas and other sugary drinks. The campaign takes an ...
Reno Fights to Save the Show that Mocks It
Now that Comedy Central has canceled "Reno: 911!", the Biggest Little City in the World has launched a campaign to save it. Via Facebook, ...
Kentucky D.A. Provides Relief From Boring (and Impartial) Web Sites
News flash: Government Web sites can be boring. Even the ones that are attractive and user-friendly (and there are plenty that aren't) can be ...
Is This Gigantic Biblically-named Floating Buoy the Key to Saving New Orleans?
Everyone who's been to reconstruct and preserve New Orleans has been going about it all wrong, apparently. While they were foolishly toiling to rebuild ...
What's Rod Blagojevich Saying Now?
Ousted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is on the air! Or at least the Internet. Blago will not be silenced! From the Chicago Sun-Times : He'...
Who is the 'Oatmeal Governor'?
Which current governor is represented by a bowl of oatmeal? Click to find out.
Why the Santa Cruz City Council Deserves a Medal
This clip has been popping up all over the Internet this week (which is a little weird, since it's more than a year old). ...
How Will States Handle DIY Funerals?
According to the New York Times , there's a hip new thing all the kids are trying these days: home funerals. Apparently, a growing number ...
Microjournalism: How Will Cities Respond?
From Grist comes this very interesting story about one reporter's experiment with new media: When Adam Klawonn quit his job at a shrinking major ...
To Discourage Water Bottles, a Little "Tap" Dancing
Cities like New York and San Francisco have been aggressively marketing the drinkability of their tap water in recent months. With the skyrocketing number of ...
Judges, Elections and the Perception of Bias
The Supreme Court today ruled that judges who are elected must recuse themselves in "extreme" cases -- those in which the contributions to ...
You Can Lead a Private-Sector Partner to Water...
Three of the nation's most notable governors -- Pennsylvania's Ed Rendell, New York's David Paterson, and California's Arnold Schwarzenegger -- have ...
The Promise -- and Peril -- of Web 2.0
What a difference a year makes! At last year's Managing Technology conference in Seattle, the attendees spent a lot of time discussing Web 2.0 tools ...
The Key to Being an Effective CIO? Don't Act Like One.
Things are humming along at Governing's Managing Technology conference. I just got out of a standing-room only session on IT consolidation. No surprise that ...
Pawlenty on the Tech Learning Curve -- And on Learning's Tech Curve
Improving and reinventing technology isn't a choice for governments -- it's a necessity. That was the message from Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who ...
The Role of Technology in the Stimulus -- And After It
Government technology is undergoing a shift unlike anything else in the past decade -- or perhaps ever. The federal stimulus plan is completely overhauling how ...
Montana Town Wants to Gitmo Jobs, Gitmo Money -- and Maybe Gitmo Problems
President's Obama's pledge to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has created the ultimate NIMBY problem: Where will we put all the ...
Fascinating Maps of Subways To Scale
While we're on the subject of maps, I just ran across these terrific maps of subway systems in different world cities, all drawn to ...
Where Did Your Favorite Sitcom Take Place?
Love this map from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch site! It uses Google Maps to plot the location of dozens of treasured (?) sitcoms. According to the ...
Patti Blagojevich to Further Strain the Definition of "Celebrity"
So, remember all that fuss about how former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich wanted to appear on the reality competition show "I'm a Celebrity, ...
DNA Exoneration: Too Real for Reality TV?
One of Governing's Public Officials of the Year 2008 was Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins. In fact, he was on the cover of our November ...
No Tofu in Colorado (Or the F-Word, Either)
Because it's Friday, and because we haven't had a good ol' personalized license plate story in a while, check out this story from ...
Wisconsin's New Logo: A $50,000 Mistake?
I'd heard about Wisconsin's newly redesigned logo a little while ago. The new tourism logo, for which the state paid a design firm $50,000, ...
Cities Going Dim for 'Earth Hour'
Don't be alarmed tomorrow evening if the lights in your city are suddenly a lot dimmer. More than 2,000 cities across the globe will be ...
Hawaiians Irked Over 'SNL' Skit
Last weekend's "Saturday Night Live" included a skit set in a Hawaiian resort. In it, SNL host Dwayne "No Longer Nicknamed '...
Cataloging Digital History: A New Role For Libraries?
A frequent topic of conversation in the local-government sphere is the changing nature of libraries. As more and more books and research resources move online, ...
The Recession in Purty Colors
The New York Times has put together a fascinating map of the nation that plots joblessness rates on a county-by-county basis. You can filter the ...
Plastic Bag Bans: All Talk and No Action?
Several U.S. cities in recent years have been talking about banning the use of flimsy plastic shopping bags -- or imposing fees on them ...
Should Obama Apologize to Las Vegas?
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is mad. Earlier this week, when President Obama was in Indiana drumming up support for the stimulus, he emphasized that ...
Maryland Tries to Make E-Filing Sexy, Succeeds in Making Us Uncomfortable
Maryland has made a really, really valiant effort with a new ad encouraging residents to e-file their taxes this year. It's a parody of those ...
Mark Zandi: Government is the Only Hope for Getting Out of the Recession
Just in case it still wasn't clear just how bad the economic outlook is for cities and states, Moody's economist Mark Zandi laid ...
Doomier and Gloomier
As GOVERNING's Outlook conference kicked off its second day this morning, attention turned from the localities to the states. But the message was the ...
The $800 Billion Question: What Do Cities Want?
So the situation's bad and the priorities are varied. But for the public officials and industry leaders gathered at GOVERNING's Outlook in the ...
Now Arriving at the International Terminal: New City Residents?
In a discussion this afternoon at GOVERNING's Outlook conference, local leaders from around the country dicussed the priorities that are highest on cities' lists ...
Cities and Counties: "It's bad and getting worse."
GOVERNING kicked off its Outlook in the States and Localities conference this afternoon with a panel on the economic challenges that cities and ocunties are ...
Blogging Outlook 2009
This week, GOVERNING is hosting our annual Outlook in the States and Localities conference here in Washington. As usual, we'll be taking an in-depth ...
No Posh DC Digs for Ted Strickland
Washington, DC, is settling back to normal after the unprecedented crowd that descended on the city over the weekend for the inauguration. Many of the ...
Amy Poehler's Coming to Local Government
"Saturday Night Live" alum Amy Poehler has hit federal government (with her hilarious take on Hillary Clinton) and state government (with her instant-classic ...
NYC's Swanky New Marriage Bureau
We wrote last year about New York City's plan to spruce up its marriage bureau in an effort to attract more matrimony-minded couples (and ...
Will You Be Living in a 'No-Newspaper' City in Less Than Two Years?
We've all been hearing an awful lot lately about newspapers facing bankruptcy and cutting the size of their staffs. (As Jon Stewart put it ...
A Revolutionary Idea from Revolving Doors
From the Of-Course!-Why-Haven't-We-Thought-About-This-Before? Department: A company in the Netherlands has installed what it calls the world's first device that uses the motion ...
Stocking the Melting Pot
Here's an interesting -- and beautiful -- way to look at immigration patterns. Using data from the Department of Homeland Security, a grad student ...
Can Gay Marriage Save the Economy?
Moral issues aside (which of course is a pretty tall order), people seem to agree on one thing about legalizing gay marriages: it's good for the economy.
"Stealing" the Empire State Building Easier Than You'd Think
In an effort to expose problems in the New York City register's office -- namely the fact that city clerks aren't required to ...
Texas to Dentists: Stop Horsing Around
You may not give much thought to traveling horse dentists, but in Texas, they're causing quit a stir: Here's the deal: These equine ...
Scientific Proof for the "Broken Windows" Theory
Since the late 1980s, cities have bought heavily into the "broken windows" theory: the notion that an unkempt, disorderly environment breeds crime. Leaders ...
The Unhealthiest Town in America
According to the CDC, Huntington, W.Va., is the unhealthiest town in the nation: Nearly half the adults in Huntington's five-county metropolitan area are ...
Georgia's Looking for Some Frog-Speakers. (That's not a French joke.)
If your frog-calling skills are a little rusty, better brush up! The state of Georgia is looking for some help: Wildlife biologists need volunteers for ...
City Skylines and the 'End of Night'
New York City's gilttering night skyline is an iconic symbol of the city. But it's also becoming a thing of the past, as ...
Getting to Know America's First Transgender Mayor
posted by Zach Patton Last week, the people of Silverton, Oregon (pop. 9,588) elected Stu Rasmussen as mayor -- the first openly transgender person to serve as mayor in U.S. history.
The End of the Bake Sale
posted by Zach Patton When I was growing up, bake sales were a fact of life for school, sports teams, academic clubs, whatever. There was ...
TMI From the TSA in Birmingham
Think the annual financial report from an airport sounds like a boring read? Then you should check out Birmingham International Airport's "Report & Accounts 2007-2008."
Election Coverage on Ballot Box
Be sure to read Governing's Ballot Box blog this week for all your state and local elections news. Governing staff writers Josh Goodman and ...
When Everyone's an Outlaw
Thousands of residents in Houston -- including the mayor! -- are in flagrant violation of a city law. So....the city's doing away with ...
For Want of a Pyramid Scheme
The Memphis Pyramid is quite possibly the biggest municipal white elephant in the U.S. today. Built in 1991 for $68 million, the huge arena was never ...
Scranton's Last Laugh?
Scranton, Pennsylvania, is one of those much-maligned towns that's attained almost a mythical status as a rough, hardscrabble, blue-collar place nobody wants to live. It's ...
Forget Joe the Plumber -- Let's Talk About Michelle Rhee
In this year's presidential and VP debates, there hasn't been all that much talk about local policy. But last night's debate between Barack Obama and ...
The Town That Was Saved by Food (?)
Earlier this year, I wrote about how the local-food movement is being viewed in some places as an economic development opportunity. I profiled Woodbury County, ...
Wait'll the Jogging Lobby Hears About This
Hey, you! How did you get to your desk this morning? Your own two feet? Well, congratulations! You just participated in the ...
Bill Bratton's Reading List
Here in Austin for the Managing Performance conference, LAPD chief Bill Bratton made some amazing points about his efforts to apply a data-driven mindset to ...
Bratton's Brass Tacks
I mentioned LAPD chief Bill Bratton's successes at reducing crime in New York City in the 1990s and Los Angeles today. His success in New ...
Bratton: "Measure What Matters"
Being at a state and local government convention in the midst of a huge federal election season is kind of funny. For one thing, as ...
Preparing for the Worst
The theme of this year's Managing Performance conference is "Performance Under Pressure." There's probably no city government more equipped to talk about that topic right now than Minneapolis.
Rybak: Partner-Citizens and the "Seventh Generation"
As I mentioned earlier, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak spoke this morning at Governing's Managing Performance conference in Austin. He had a lot of very ...
'Minneapolis Responds'
We just heard from a panel of Minneapolis public officials, including Mayor R.T. Rybak, about that city's incredibly well orchestrated response to last summer's ...
A Texas-Sized Welcome
The 2008 Managing Performance conference kicked off in Austin this evening with a welcome from Texas Comptroller Susan Combs. She gave the conferees her take on ...
Follow Governing's Managing Performance Conference
Like Congress fleeing a bailout, we're getting the heck out of D.C. We'll be attending Governing's Managing Performance conference in Austin, Texas. We'll be ...
States and Localities: 'Hey, Remember Us?'
The leaders of the "Big 7" state and local government groups released a statement calling on the next president to pay more attention to states and localities in drafting policy.
Carey Torrice Allows "Sexy" and "County Commissioner" to be Used in Same Sentence
Carey Torrice is a commissioner for Macomb County, Michigan. Carey Torrice is also, according to her official bio, an actress. And a private investigator (!). And ...
Invasion of the Pod, People?
If certain advocates have their way, Ithaca, N.Y., could someday be home to a "pod car" system. Based on this New York ...
Water is the New Carbon
Now that we've all figured out our carbon footprints, it's time for a new guilt-inducing eco-buzz question: What's your "water footprint"? Your water ...
O-K-L-A-H-O-M-Hey, Where Are the Sidewalks?
Governing Contributing Editor Anne Jordan is in Oklahoma for a conference. She sent in this dispatch from the road: Last evening, sitting in a ...
Rush Hour in Real Terms
You often see rankings that compare cities in terms of their average commute times. But here's a chart that puts the whole thing into better ...
But If You Put a Price On It, Will It Still Be Special?
As an American circa 2008, I've been known to eat in a restaurant from time to time. And there's probably nothing that irks me more than ...
Pop Goes the Soda
That dark fizzy drink -- what do you call it? Soda? Pop? Cola? Coke? It all depends on where you're from. Check out this ...
But Then Again You Probably Already Knew This
Clairvoyants of St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Rejoice! You can once again practice your sooth-saying gifts without fear of recrimination: Soothsaying might still be banned in some ...
Wholesome Lunches in Charm City
What do the following have in common: a peach straight from the orchard, a fresh tomato salad with basil and mozzarella, raw cauliflower with a ...
You Can't Walk All Over Miss America Anymore
Hope you're not interested in visiting Atlantic City to drive along the street known as Miss America Way: Atlantic City has decided to change the ...
Street Food Graduates from the Hot Dog
Details has a roundup and a slideshow of some of the tastiest street food in the nation -- everything from tamales to "sparerib tips ...
Chicago Will Also Take It to the Streets
New York City is right in the middle of its Summer Streets program (there's a video above) -- in which the city is closing main ...
Watch Out, Corzine!
The next governor of New Jersey could come from the checkout line at the local supermarket -- at least on the TV. From Variety : Lifetime ...
And Starring, As the End of the World, Pittsburgh!
So you're filming a movie about a post-apocalyptic future, and you need to find a location that can stand in for a bleak, post-disaster wasteland. ...
And the Spammiest State Is...
A new report from MessageLabs, a spam-filter provider, lists the states that received the most spam emails in the first six months of 2008. Here's ...
Why DC's Bike-Sharing Program Won't Work
Washington, DC, has become the first major U.S. city to launch a bike-sharing program. Residents who sign up for a SmartBike DC membership -- ...
Holy Economic Development, Batman!
Spoiler Alert! Don't read ahead if you're one of the 13 people in North America who have not yet seen The Dark Knight. So there's a scene toward the end of the new Batman movie (I think it's at about the 4-hour mark) that totally had me geeking out, GOVERNING-style.
omg u guyz: Illinois' Proposed Walking/Texting Ban Still Has Legs
Texting-while-walking could become a crime in Illinois: Several officials, including the Illinois secretary of state, have voiced approval for a bill that would outlaw the ...
Mississippi's Still the Nation's Fattest State
For the third year a row, Mississippi has been ranked the fattest state in the nation, with 32.6 % of that state's population coming in overweight or ...
Bloomberg's "Last Breakfast" Would Make Elvis Blush
Not quite sure how the topic of "last meals" came up, but the NY Post recently asked NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg about what ...
Manhole Covers are the New Copper Wire
Cities battling theft of copper wire? Old news. The big story now is about disappearing manhole covers. Take Philadelphia, as reported in the New York ...
Sure It's Detroit, But Where's YOUR City's Epic Poem?
Plenty of city's have inspired songs or stories or, more recently, blogs. But where's the romance? Where's the epic poetry? Apparently, Detroit. In "The ...
Lifting Saggy Pants Miraculously Solves All of Flint's Problems
You know Flint, Michigan? The place so decimated by job losses that it's sort of become synonymous with Rust Belt poverty? Well, fear not! ...
Potayto, Potahto?
Outside magazine just came out with its 2008 list of the "Best Towns" to live in. (Side Note: I've been fortunate enough to ...
Five Reasons to Love Birmingham's New City Center
The Pentagon is heading for Birmingham! Okay, not the Pentagon. But the Alabama city might be getting a shiny new five-sided building all its ...
Gruesome Hospital Vids Lead to Changes
By now you've probably heard about the disturbing security video from New York's Kings County hospital. It shows a patient -- who's already been waiting ...
Vermont's Looking For A Boring Cow Name
So the Vermont Agency of Agriculture wants you to help name the state's new dairy mascot: a Holstein cow wearing overalls. Which is fine, of ...
WTF?? More License Plate Drama in North Carolina
OMG! What if your license plate had a swear word on it (or at least the slang-y approximation of one)? It's an issue in ...
VA Legislators Save Brew Pops, Summer
Thanks to a couple of Virginia state legislators, residents of the Old Dominion state can once again enjoy a fanstatical summer treat -- frozen beer ...
CA Nuptials Break Record
The LA Times has an interesting interactive map about the record-breaking number of marriages that have happened since same-sex unions were legalized on Monday night. ...
South Carolina Will Be First State to Get "I Believe" Plates
South Carolinians will soon have the option to express their Christian faith via that most sacred of religious media: a vanity license plate: South Carolina's ...
At Least They Were Smart Enough to Change the Name of the State
State mental health care can be bad enough as it is. You don't need your state's mental health commission filing a report that, well, belongs ...
The City That Said No to Google
You can find anything on Google Maps (okay, not anything ). But you might not be able to find the town of North Oaks, Minnesota. The ...
Eliot Spitzer's New Day Job
You can rest easy: Eliot Spitzer has found a day job. He's apparently working in his father's real estate empire. By all accounts, Eliot Spitzer ...
Shave and a Haircut: $150,000
The city of Houston has had a ban on beards and goatees for its cops since 1993. Now, though, four officers are suing the city to ...
The Public-Records Question
from Governing's Managing Technology Conference in Seattle: At the final conference session on Friday, public sector leaders talked about how Web 2.0 is already changing government, bringing drastic changes in the coming years.
Debunking Conventional Lessons Learned
One of the mantras you keep hearing at this conference is how managing technology isn't really about about good technology, it's about good management. Or, as our publisher Peter Harkness likes to say, when it comes to IT, the focus used to be mostly on the "T." Now it's mostly on the "I."
Gov. Christine Gregoire: The Importance of the "Why"
After an extremely interesting pre-conference session on city 311 systems, Governing's Managing Technology conference officially kicked off this evening with an address from Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire.
The 13th Floor -- Live from Seattle!
It's time for Governing's Managing Technology conference, so we're trading the unseasonably cool and rainy D.C. for the seasonably cool and rainy environs of ...
Rhode Island Might Get a Lot Less Artsy
Like most states, Rhode Island is in a budget crunch. One partial solution, proposed by legislators last week, is a cap on art for public ...
The Smart Car on Steroids
Smart cars are here (even if they're not exactly setting the world on fire). So maybe they're not as fuel-efficient as people expect, and maybe ...
Rooty Tooty Fresh and Torn Down
More news today from Seattle: Remember that Denny's that had been declared a historic landmark, preventing the owner, the Benaroya Companies, from tearing down ...
The New York Times Discovers Kentucky
The New York Times special "T Magazine" issue on summer travel came out this Sunday, and it includes a feature on the Artists ...
Next Crime-Fighting Innovation: Plaid Knickers and a Tam O'Shanter
Police in the town of Pine Lawn, Missouri, are getting a new vehicle: Pine Lawn aldermen voted 5-0 Monday night to support Chief Rickey Collins' ...
More Cameras = More Famous People!
Cities contemplating increasing the number of surveillance cameras may want to consider London's recent experience as a cautionary tale -- the city's huge camera system ...
Is This America's Stupidest Bike Lane?
Slate has posted this great video of some of the "stupidest" bicycle lanes in America. Earning the top prize? A 20-foot stretch of ...
Alaska's Sarah Palin: Hottest Lego Governor?
A student at the University of Alaksa Fairbanks has created a "massive Lego replica" of a new campus building. Here, he shows Alaska ...
Heads Up: 5.7.08
Maybe Rudy will have more luck with an election in Kiev? WSJ LA Mayor Villaraigosa to answer Rush Limbuagh's "shoeshine guy" comment. Mixed ...
I Now Pronounce You Pot and Kettle
Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Fumo has introduced a bill that would make divorce illegal in his state: "There's no greater threat to families and ...
Heads Up: 5.6.08
Bill Richardson hits the Kentucky Derby but leaves his Lt. Gov. out of the loop. AP New St. Louis arena suffers different kind of "...
NV Gov. Gibbons Files for Divorce
Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons and his wife have filed for divorce. I guess he'll be able to reclaim his status as a resident of the ...
Jon Corzine is WAY Cooler Than You
From the Newark Star-Ledger : Just over a year after he was nearly killed in a car crash, Gov. Jon Corzine notched a personal milestone yesterday ...
NV's Gibbons Decides Marital Separation Just Not Painful Enough
So Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons and his wife are having some marital difficulties. Which is awful and sad and, frankly, kinda not any of ...
Bum Bot: Future of Crime-Fighting?
Atlanta bar owner Rufus Terrill has come up with a new way to discourage people from loitering around his Irish pub -- the Bum Bot.&...
Heads Up: 4.28.08
KY Supreme Court chief's surprise decision to quit. Lex Herald Leader Drumbeat grows for impeachment of IL Gov. Blagojevich. Chicago Sun-Times MN's "Hannah Montana ...
Let's All Move to Tulsa Metro!
Speaking of maps, here's a really interesting one I found on Paleo-Future.com, a cool blog about now-dated visions of the future. The map is ...
Strange Maps Maybe, But Cool Ones
If you're a regular reader of the 13th Floor, you probably have an affinity for states and localities. And there's probably a good chance you ...
Transit Overcrowding Could Always Be Worse
I wrote a couple weeks ago about overcrowing on U.S. cities' transit systems. But let's all take a moment to give thanks that our ...
CaliforniaTube
The state of California this week launched its own YouTube channel. It brings together videos from several different state agencies -- including, as this San ...
Heads Up: 4.15.08
Mike Huckabee's vision of Utopia: "Hucktown." Albany Times-Union NC Personnel Office accidentally tolerant of gays; fixes "mistake." Citizen Times Workers can't ...
An Infrastructure Top 10
The May issue of Popular Mechanics includes a special report on "Rebuilding America," what it's going to take to get our country's infrastructure ...
Takin' it Easy?
North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley looooves his three-day weekends: Easley's schedules for 2007 show only 10 Fridays over the course of the year with even a single ...
Heads Up: 4.11.08
OR Gov. Ted Kulongoski might get the measles. Oregonian Chicago: "City of Children"? Sun-Times AZ gov's office not amused by April Fools prank. ...
NYPD, Blue?
Judging by the success of the Seattle Police Department's unconventional campaign to recruit officers from New York City, the cops in New York are itchin' ...
The Woonerf, The Swale and Urban Acupuncture
Think city streets are must be either driving lanes or pedestrian malls? Think again, grandpa. The New York Times has this round-up of some ...
The Mortgage Meltown -- So Pretty!!
I've been meaning to post about this all week, but I'm just now getting a chance. The New York Times on Sunday had the most ...
Heads Up: 4.10.08
ID's are totally required to board a plane. Except when they're not. Kansas City Star Wash, DC, metro pulls ads with Pope bobblehead doll. WaPo ...
Heads Up: 4.9.08
Louisiana senate nixes state cocktail. NYT Blind people, take heart! Congress takes up bill on silent hybrid cars. Examiner NV Gov. forced to surrender his ...
Heads Up: 4.8.07
DC Mayor Fenty using city ads to hawk his family's business? DCist CA bill would tax iTunes to ease budget shortfall. San Jose Mercury News ...
Heads Up: 4.4.08
Telemarketers lose access to TX crash victims' phone numbers. Dallas Morning News Cricket comes to NYC schools. NYT Fossilized poop shows evidence of earliest Americans. ...
A Murderer in the Manse
A convicted killer serving time "for one of the most heinous murders in Nebraska history" is working in the state governor's mansion, "...
Jaytalking?
Think you can avoid cellphone bans by walking instead of driving? Maybe not for long. Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit ...
Bringing "Gotham" to Gotham?
New York City has a lot of nicknames, but no official one. But one elected official is trying to change that. Queens Councilman Hiram Monserrate ...
Heads Up: 4.2.08
Supreme Court to hear Ten Commandments vs. 'Seven Aphorisms.' LA Times Two-time forest fire victims rebuilding house underground. San Diego Union Tribune LA city ...
Heads Up: 4.1.08
Pittsburgh transit station has museum-worthy Sol LeWitt mural. Tribune-Review Maple syrup producers worry its rising prices will sap demand. Boston Globe Got a Heads Up ...
Mass Transit Faces Mass Headaches
As this U.S. News story says, "The good news, ridership is up; the bad news, ridership is up." Mass transit systems all ...
Root, Root, Root for the Environment
The Washington Nationals opened their season in their brand spankin' new stadium yesterday. (It's a new era in baseball! The greatest stadium for the bestest ...
Heads Up: 3.31.08
Toddlers take Manhattan -- and other cities. WaPo Chicago cops told to cut the deep-dish and hot dogs. NYT L.A., in search of density. ...
Orlando's "Nipplegate"
If it seems like there's something odd about this WrestleMania billboard in Orlando, that's because there is: The guys don't have nipples. Yep, in ...
Heads Up: 3.28.08
How is Eliot Spitzer like Henry VIII? NY Magazine Foreclosed homeowners trash their homes on the way out. WSJ MA gov skipped casino debate to ...
What Recession?? Alabama Wants You To Buy a $35 Movie Ticket
Do you enjoy going to the movies but think they're just too darn affordable? The state of Alabama hopes so. The Retirement Systems of ...
Heated Sidewalks! Just in Time For Spring!
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle has signed legislation allowing heated sidewalks, stairs, entryways and pedestrian walkways. Wisconsin had the nation's only prohibition against such devices, passed ...
Heads Up: 3.27.08
Silk-pajamas-wearing agency official cleared of harrassment charges. Chicago Sun-Times TX officials want state pension funds to invest in new toll roads. San Antonio Express News ...
Seattle May Flush its Public Toilets
Seattle's $6.6 million experiment with automated, self-cleaning public toilets may be coming to an end: Citing drug use and prostitution in the silver pods, Seattle Public ...
Heads Up: 3.25.08
Florida state employees rank last in pay. AP Fed court throws out NY's Airline Passenger Bill of Rights. NYT Got a Heads Up for us? ...
Is It Food or Punishment?
If you're a prisoner in the Vermont corrections system and you misbehave, you're likely to find something unappetizing at the next mealtime -- "...
Should You Be Allowed to Sell Your Organs For Money?
There's a national shortage of kidneys, and thousands of people die each year waiting for donors. One possible (though, to some, unpalatable) option would be ...
Heads Up: 3.20.08
The hotel that made "Kristin" famous. NYT Two state senators make the case for national prison reform. WaPo College gossip site targeted by ...
Tent Cities in L.A.
The BBC has filed this grim report on the tent cities that have sprung up outside Los Angeles, as more and more people have lost ...
Good News! Your Office Pool Might Not Land You in Jail
In a lot of offices, betting on the March Madness brackets is an entrenched celebration of Spring. It's as much a part of office life ...
Heads Up: 3.18.08
"SUPERDELL" makes "totally awesome" bid for Utah gov. Deseret Morning News Sisters in VA selling Illinois-shaped cornflake online. Virginian-Pilot How mechanization ...
Heads Up: 3.17.08
Dina Matos McGreevey denies sex claims from former driver. ABC News Spitzer's "Kristin" linked to Charlie Sheen. Daily Record No Big Dig copycats: ...
Bloomberg to Rock '30 Rock'
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will appear in an upcoming episode of the NBC show "30 Rock" (which, if I may eschew journalistic objectivity ...
McGreevey Aide Says He Had Threeway Trysts with First Couple
You would think there's nothing left to reveal in the long-running break-up of Jim "Gay American" McGreevey and his wife, Dina Matos McGreevey ...
Heads Up: 3.14.08
NV Gov's aide gets cozy with "The Hills." Las Vegas Review-Journal Hey, Seattle-ites! City wants you to help redesign Seattle Center. Times Got ...
Do Red-Light Cameras Cause More Accidents?
First, we find out that daylight-saving time might actually waste energy. Now comes word of another study that upends conventional wisdom: Red-light cameras may actually ...
Help Solve the Mystery of Poor Transit Service
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 ...
You Like Us! You Really Like Us!
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.12.08
North Carolina OKs use of "gray water." News & Observer U.S. Bowling Congress leaves Milwaukee area for Arlington, TX. Journal Sentinel Got ...
Hey, GOP, Better Drink Fast!
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. ...
Silda's Last Softball
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 ...
Spitzer Watch
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. ...
Is Spitzer Right?
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 ...
OK Lawmaker: Gays More Dangerous Than Terrorists
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 ...
Our 2000th Post!
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 ...
AP: "Also, Have You Guys Heard About This Whole Iraq War Thing?"
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, ...
Diet and Exercise are Soooo 2005
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 ...
Grand Flood
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 ...
States Want in on the Stimulus Fun
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.7.08
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 ...
Does Daylight-Saving Time Use MORE Energy?
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.5.08
"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 ...
SC Gets 'Nailed' For Upcoming Flick
The South Carolina State House will stand in for the Capitol in D.C. in an upcoming movie, "Nailed", starring Jake Gyllenhaal and ...
Political Savvy
According to the Tennesseean , "troubled" Tennessee state Rep. Rob Briley, "who was captured on videotape screaming for police officers to shoot him ...
Heads Up: 3.4.07
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 &...
Sending Teachers to the Rubber Room
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 &...
But They DO Still Want Hello Kitty iPhone Earbuds
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 ...
What Would Your State's Ice Cream Flavor Be?
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 ...
BREAKING! L.A. Council Member Did NOT Kill That Kitten
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.29.08
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, ...
Best Idea EVER for Keeping Kids in School!
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 ...
Evidence of 'Bodies'
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.27.08
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 ...
Eating Your Way to Civic Involvement
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 ...
Tennessee and Georgia Put Up Their Dukes
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.26.08
A marijuana trade school opens in CA. [Insert "higher education" joke]. AP Fewer youths jumping behind the wheel at 16. NYT Is there no ...
Airport Security: Useful or Just Theater?
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 ...
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT THING??
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 ...
Kansas Pol: Drop "Don't Drop the Soap"
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 ...
Deval Patrick Doesn't Deliver on His Promises!
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. ...
Rick Perry on Bush, Obama and the Boy Scouts
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.25.08
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.22.08
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: ...
By The Power Vested in Me By 192.0.2.235
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.21.08
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 ...
At Least The Money's Better, Right?
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)? ...
Heads Up: 2.20.08
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 ...
Gay: Blasé?
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 ...
Kidney Donation Knows No Price
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 ...
Pittsburgh: Romantic, Yes. But Zombie-Proof, Too
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? ...
Michael Bloomberg Wants You to Get Lucky
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 ...
A Bridge, Unabridged
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.13.08
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 ...
The Onion's Take on the Power of Greenspace
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 ...
States Don't Find Stimulus Package So Stimulating
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.12.08
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 ...
New Jersey: Land of Lincoln
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! ...
Would Single-Gender Transit Be a Good Idea in the U.S.?
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 ...
DC's 311 Could Use A Little TLC
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!
Heads Up: 2.11.08
Rudy Giuliani still hasn't posed for his mayoral portrait. NYDN Boston T chief says system is "broke," despite recent fare hikes. Globe TX ...
Heads Up: 2.8.08
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? ...
Water Wars Get Real (?)
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 ...
Bipolar Bicycle Bylaws
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 ...
Paris on the Allegheny
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.7.08
Colorado lawmaker: Shame on "sluts." Rocky Mountain News Nevada state senator's son held for attempted murder. LVRJ "Euros Accepted" signs start ...
Homeowners: "Keep Our Buildings Short And Our Tenants Rich"
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 ...
Introducing Ballot Box
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 ...
Lent Goes Green?
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.5.08
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 ...
Does Miss America Know About This??
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.4.08
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.1.08
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.31.08
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 ...
"Thanks, Folks! I'll Be Here All Term!"
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, ...
Heads Up: 1.29.08
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.28.08
FINALLY! "Surf City USA" gets official OK. Santa Cruz Sentinel Rethinking the meat-guzzler. NYT Got a Heads Up for us? Email 13thfloor@governing....
KS Gov's Son: "Don't Drop the Soap"
The son of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is selling a board game that's a little less Kansas and a little more "Oz." John ...
Heads Up: 1.25.08
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 ...
A Kidney's Worth WHAT?
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 ...
Lose Weight the Hrbacek Way!
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.23.08
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.22.08
Bill Richardson grows a beard to "decompress." AP Drivers take on DMVs over vanity plates. USA Today Got a Heads Up for us? ...
Heads Up: 1.18.08
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.17.08
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. ...
Heads Up: 1.16.08
Is "displaying replicas of human genitalia on vehicles" really that much of a problem? AP Dems pick KS Gov. Sebelius to give State ...
Heads Up: 1.15.08
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.14.08
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. ...
Canadians Must Have Stronger Stomachs
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.11.08
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.10.08
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 "...
Baggin' on the Environment
The country of China isn't exactly known for being environmentally progressive. (I know, who are we to talk? But still.) So I was ...
Heads Up: 1.9.08
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. ...
Heads Up: 1.8.08
Paper names "the illegal immigrant" as "Texan of the Year." Sparks fly. AP Katrina claims add up to quadrillions. Times-Picayune Another ...
Would You Drive a Smart Car?
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 ...
Happy New Year
Wasn't it already 2008? All this presidential election coverage is confusing us.
Walking in a Winter No-one-derland
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 ...
Driving Motor City
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 ...
Happy Holidays!
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.21.07
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 ...
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Solstice
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.20.07
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 &...
Heads Up: 12.19.07
Congrats, Alabama, on no longer being a "judicial hellhole"! AP What's up with this floating bench in NYC? PAPERMAG Hot dog vendor stands ...
I Vant to Suck Your Energy!
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 -- ...
Heads Up: 12.18.07
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 ...
Bringing Back the Bluegrass Blog Ban?
For public employees, is reading a blog a First Amendment right or a waste of taxpayers' money? Should state governments be able to block ...
Heads Up: 12.17.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.14.07
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 &...
A Whole Lotta Huckabees...
This picture's been making the rounds on the Internets. Everybody knows that former Arkansas Governor -- and, you know, presidential candidate -- Mike Huckabee used ...
Heads Up: 12.12.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.11.07
Arnold distances himself from "Conan" video game. Oakland Tribune CRISIS SOLVED!!!! Atlanta public schools ban saggy pants. AJC Los Angeles' water savings just ...
Praise for Indy's New Library
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.10.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.7.07
Some CA lawmakers "no" to pay hike. Sacramento Bee How would you run a subway? NYT Wyoming Gov. Freudenthal doesn't like any of ...
Banging the Gavel
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 ...
Gay Bars and Urban Planning
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.5.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.30.07
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 ...
Racism: Not Just For White People Anymore!
The city of Denver has shelved an employee diversity training video because of complaints that the video itself is racist -- against white people. The ...
Extreme Makeover: MA Speaker's Office Edition
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.29.30
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. ...
Heads Up: 11.28.07
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 (...
Drivers Ignoring Cell-Phone Bans?
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.27.07
Philly Mayor Street presides over same-sex commitment ceremony. NBC10 "FORNO 1" sounds kinda pervy to me. Houston Chronicle Ray Nagin is "disgusted" ...
How Green Was My Alley?
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 ...
Hey, They're Privatizing Everything Else!
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.26.07
In AZ, "Sec of State" might become "Lt. Gov." AZ Daily Star In Portland, "Fourth Avenue" won't become "...
States See Big Bucks in Homemade Hooch
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 ...
Happy Thanksgiving!
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.20.07
NY DMV renegs on "GETOSAMA" vanity plate. Newsday Kansas City's urban renewal project headed for the silver screen. LA Times Philly to give ...
Govs Push the Feds on Climate Change
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.16.07
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 ...
You Can't Spell 'Masseuse' Without 'Sue.' Oh wait, yes you can.
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 ...
Remembering Harold Washington
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, ...
Heads Up: 11.15.07
School buses go green. USA Today KY gov-elect to throw "Kentucky themed" inaugural. Bold. AP Got a Heads Up for us? Email 13thfloor@...
God Sorta Changes Mind, Kinda Answers Sonny Perdue's Prayers
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 ...
A Winner in the Water Wars
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.
And Bruce for Lt. Gov.!!!
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.13.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.12.07
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 ...
Flight Patterns Beautiful, Kinda Terrifying
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 ...
Phantom Tollbooths
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.8.07
MN First Lady Mary Pawlenty "got her wish" -- "her head carved in butter." Star-Tribune Jury in FL Rep. Bob Allen's ...
Come On And Take a Free Ride (Free Ride!)
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 ...
Are Local Politics Post-Gay?
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.8.07
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&...
Heads Up: 11.7.07
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. ...
If I Can't Make It There...
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.6.07
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: ...
Heads Up: 11.5.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.2.07
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? ...
Heads Up: 11.1.07
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 &...
No Wide Stance, But This One's Got Cross-Dressing
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 ...
Gangs of YouTube
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 ...
It's No Holiday for Sex Offenders
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 ...
Tax-o-Lanterns
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. ...
Heads Up: 10.31.07
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 ...
Illegals in Jersey with Plates from PA
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.30.07
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 ...
Recall Blago? Reader Responses
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 ...
Smart at the State Level, But Not at the National One
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.29.07
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 ...
There's Silence "In the Air Tonight"
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 ...
In Dallas? Better Pull Up Yer Britches
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.26.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.25.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.24.07
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. ...
I Take It the Nintendo Wii Isn't Considered a Sport?
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 ...
Bredesen Bunkers Down
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.22.07
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 ...
When Air Travel Really SUX
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.19.07
Sea-Tac Airport vows to avoid "war" on Christmas this year. Seattle Times Does Philadelphia have the ugliest citizens in the country? Philly Daily ...
Heads Up: 10.18.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.17.07
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 ...
Look, We Get It! Portland is Bike-Friendly, OK?
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.16.07
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 ...
Mayoral Politicking is a Drag
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, ...
Blogging the Management Conference: The One-Page Wonder
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, ...
Blogging the Management Conference: NYC's 311
This is totally old news -- from June 20th, to be precise. But I missed it. New York City's 311 call center -- a ...
Blogging the Management Conference: Tap, Tap, Tap
Overheard at a dinner in New York City last night: Waiter: Would you like sparkling or still water? Diner: Tap is fine. New York ...
Blogging the Management Conference: Only Seven?!
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 ...
Blogging the Management Conference: Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks
At these management conferences -- and even more so at Governing's Managing Technology conferences -- you always hear a lot about management systems like enterprise ...
LiveBlogging the Management Conference
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 ...
Classroom Outlaws!
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.9.07
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 ...
Back in the Classroom
It kinda seems like a no-brainer: Retiring Boomers are looking for a good second career. Schools are strapped for volunteers and teachers. States ...
Heads Up: 10.5.07
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 ...
Quirky Kentucky Donors
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.4.07
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 ...
Man-(and-Wife)-Hattan
Who says marriage is on the decline? New York City is banking on it to draw scores of new tourists -- and their cash. NYC ...
Heads Up: 10.3.07
Calling all Newarks of the world: Time to celebrate your "Newarkness." AP NYC Mayor Bloomberg's identity (and $400k!) was stolen. NYT Two men ...
Heads Up: 10.2.07
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? ...
Heads Up: 10.1.07
Is Florida over? WSJ Infrared scans may regulate HOT lanes. WaPo IL county to redo "boring" official seal. Chicago Tribune LA city council ...
Heads Up: 9.28.07
Gulf Coast cities trying to shut down FEMA trailer parks. USA Today DOTs say new lingo is needed for "structurally deficient." AP Introducing ...
Separate. Equal?
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.27.07
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 ...
A Streetcar Named Divisive
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?
Heads Up: Brad Pitt Edition
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.26.07
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 ...
Always Good for a Ride
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 (...
Heads Up: 9.25.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.24.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.21.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.20.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.19.07
Mike Bloomberg creates a "street fair tsar." NY Sun The world's languages are disappearing. NYT Colorado turns poison into profit. Denver Post Blowing ...
Heads Up: 9.18.07
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 ...
City of the Future from the Past
posted by Zach Patton The New York Times has a really interesting story about Arcosanti, an experimental Arizona "town" that was begun in 1970 ...
Heads Up: 9.17.07
Bill Richardson: "Arrest me" for medical marijuana support. MPP Tax protesters pay Indy's Bart Peterson a house call. Indy Star Wichita considers a ...
Heads Up: 9.14.07
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 ...
I Am In the WRONG Business.
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 ...
Klein on Colbert
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.13.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.11.07
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 ...
Public Transi(en)t
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.10.07
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 ...
Canning the Cans
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 ...
Whr ll th lghts r brght
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.4.07
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 ...
Because You're Working So Hard...
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 ...
The F is for Funny
This is juvenile and base politicking -- and just a little bit funny. Wisconsin state Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, a Republican, is upset at a political ...
Heads Up: 8.28.07
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 ...
noun. 1: energy, pep
"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 ...
Heads Up: 8.28.07
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, ...
Horse Meat: Not Just For People Anymore!
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.14.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.13.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.10.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.9.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.8.07
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. ...
Heads Up: 8.7.07
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 ...
Crist: All Mighty
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.
Heads Up: 8.6.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.2.07
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 ...
Nope, They're Still Gonna Smell the Same
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.1.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.31.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.30.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.24.07
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, "...
The Many Laws of Dobie Gillis
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.23.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.20.07
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 ...
Whatcha Got There, Guv'nor?
Stateline has an interesting look at the governors -- and which ones have to tell how much about their personal finances: Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (...
Heads Up: 7.19.07
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 ...
It Takes Green to go Green
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.18.07
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 ...
This Land is My Land, This Land is My Land
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.17.07
Bill O'Reilly backpeddles on "lesbian gangs" story. CQ Politics AK group wants permission to save orphaned moose calves. KTUU TX Gov. Perry: raising ...
Heads Up: 7.16.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.13.07
White firefighters sue over promotions. Sun-Times Vegas monorail plunges to "junk" bond status. Vegas Sun LA County offers "inland port" plan. ...
Heads Up: 7.12.07
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 ...
Public Shame
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 ...
'Badonkadonk' Must Be Devastated
The Merriam-Webster dictionary folks have come out with their list of new additions for the year. Topping the list? "Ginormous" and "crunk.&...
Heads Up: 7.11.07
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 ...
It's Official: Springfield IS Springfield
Sorry, Illinois, Massachusetts, Tennessee and 31 other states. Springfield, Vermont, has won the coveted title of "Springfield." You know, from "The Simpsons." ...
Heads Up: 7.10.07
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 ...
Love In an Elevator
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 ...
What's Good Enough For Scooter...
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.9.07
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 ...
Bratton Gets Down to Brass Tacks
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.6.07
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 ...
Nude Sculpture Update: Still Nude!
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.5.07
Speech snub? Seattle mayor delivers "State of the City" to Rotary Club, not city council. Seattle Times Applications for U.S. citizenship surging. ...
Heads Up: 7.3.07
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. ...
Independence Day -- Not Just For Bad Highway Traffic Anymore!
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 ...
Heads Up: 7.2.07
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 ...
iCan't Wait
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.29.07
AL Gov issues proclamation calling for week of prayer for rain. AL.com Court says"driving under the influence" includes hangovers. NJ.com ...
Sort-of Art Imitates Hypothetical Life
Okay, I promise I'm not promoting a film or anything. But I saw the trailer for "I Am Legend," coming out this winter, ...
Heads Up: 6.28.07
MD legislative leaders try scare tactics with "Doomsday budget." Balto Sun New rules would force many CA pot clubs to close. SF Bay ...
Reckoning With a New Force
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.27.07
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper talks up "brewpub regionalism." CP&DR Is the SF Board of Supes a "clown show"? SF ...
Bottled Water Strikes Back!
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.
Vote For Virtue Soup!
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.26.07
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 ...
Tap Dances
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.25.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.22.07
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 ...
"Look, Ma! I'm homeless"
posted by Zach Patton Remember a couple months ago when those members of Congress took the "Food Stamp Challenge," trying to eat on ...
Heads Up: 6.21.07
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 ...
Reeeeally Deferred Maintenance
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 ...
Landmark or Eyesore?
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.19.07
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 ...
Another Day, Another Cause
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.18.07
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 ...
Can You Imagine Tax Men at Woodstock?
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.&...
Heads Up: 6.15.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.14.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.13.07
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. ...
But We Still Can't Properly Fund Education?
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.12.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.11.07
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. ...
Give Us Your Aquafinas, Your Deer Parks, Your Fijis
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 ...
Loose Lips Sink Public Employees
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.8.07
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 ...
Kids Love Curvilinear Deconstructionist Post-Modernism!
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.7.07
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 ...
That Ain't Jesus -- That's My Mayor!
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. ...
What's So Great About Government?
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 ...
"Get a Life"?
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) ...
Heads Up: 6.6.07
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 ...
The Less and Less Friendly Skies
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.5.07
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 ...
Segway? Or Seg-no-way?
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 ...
Heads Up: 6.4.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.29.07
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 ...
Happy Memorial Day!
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.25.07
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. ...
BREAKING: Blagojevich is Anti-Jobs!!!
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 ...
Buckle Up. No, Seriously.
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.24.07
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. ...
Heads Up: 5.23.07
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. ...
Here a Bike, There a Bike
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.22.07
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, ...
Heads Up: 5.18.07
GA DOT proposal: No new freeway lanes in Atlanta -- EVER. AJC Did you bike to work today? Atlanta city workers protest proposed budget. AJC ...
Nano Metros
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.17.07
From "I Do" to "He Does." Proxy marriages booming in MT. Bismarck Trib Going solar in the rainy Northwest. The Olympian ...
Heads Up: 5.16.07
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 ...
Live Governors and Dead Presidents
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.15.07
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 ...
Horsemeat's Not Dead! (Well, the Issue, I Mean)
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.14.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.11.07
A "Terminator" without the Governator?? Variety NASA tech inventors help roads and air travel, too. Houston Chronicle States crack down on dangerous highway ...
Man, They Shore Do Things Weird out in Kalyfornya!
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.10.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.9.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.8.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.4.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 5.3.07
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 ...
Slaughterhouse-Five (Government-Zero)
Attention, all you fans of viande chevaline : Despite a Congressional ban, the last remaining horse slaughterhouse in the U.S. is staying open -- for ...
Heads Up: 5.2.07
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. ...
Fantasy Baseball Is Soooo 2006
Los Angeles' traffic congestion, of course, is well documented. You might even say "legendary." So maybe it's no surprise that some LA residents ...
Heads Up: 5.1.07
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. ...
Heads Up: 4.30.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.27.07
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. ...
Heads Up: 4.26.07
MT House Maj. Ldr. to Gov: "Go to hell" -- and more. Billings Gazette + video Breaking the jinx of Chicago's Lot 37. NYT Turns ...
Heads Up: 4.25.07
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 &...
Heads Up: 4.24.07
KY Lt. Gov. candidate says he's not qualified to be governor. Herald-Leader The "Frankenstein," the "Vanna White," and other quirky vetoes. ...
Heads Up: 4.23.07
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 ...
No Need to Worry About New Mexico's Self-Esteem
New Mexico's new tourism campaign -- "The Best Place in the Universe" -- shows that the state has a pretty healthy ego (unlike ...
Part of the Problem (?)
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.18.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.17.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.16.07
How farmers can stop global warming. Bismarck Tribune Adaptable coyotes thriving in cities & suburbs. WaPo New team clashes at beleaguered Texas Youth Commission. Dallas ...
Heads Up: 4.13.07
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, ...
Heads Up: 4.12.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.11.07
"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 ...
Heads Up: 4.10.07
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. ...
You Say You Want a Revolution?
Like geodesic domes or glass-encased elevator shafts, revolving restaurants are architectural innovations that recall -- for me, anyway -- a bygone era of Space Age ...
Heads Up: 4.9.07
Wyomingites "disappointed" by amatuerish Easter egg. AP OR Gov and his wife will spend a week on food stamps. Oregonian DNA proof of ...
Heads Up: 4.6.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.5.07
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 ...
Except the Real One Doesn't Have A Safety Harness
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.4.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.3.07
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 ...
I Bet the Partridge Family is Kicking Themselves
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 ...
Heads Up: 4.2.07
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 ...
'A Special Place in Hell'
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.30.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.29.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.28.07
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 ...
Um, Maybe It's All Those Murders That're Hurting Business
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.27.07
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 ...
Your Retirement is NOT Funding Terror
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.26.07
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 ...
Pick a Reason, Any Reason
When it comes to the federal Real ID Act -- which calls for national standards for identification cards such as drivers licenses -- there are ...
Heads Up: 3.23.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.22.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.21.07
Chicago hosts an egg hunt -- designed to kill!!! Tribune Hickenlooper meets opponent, gets a lapful of beer. Rocky Mountain News Missing word sends a ...
Heads Up: 3.20.07
Hawaii state style guide: Don't call that thing a "tiki"!! Honolulu Advertiser OR House members introduce package of Gen X legislation. Oregonian NJ ...
Heads Up: 3.19.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.16.07
Cocoa Beach's "emergency measure": No sofas on the beach! FL Today Death penalty stays on the books in MD. Balto Sun NH bill ...
Heads Up: 3.15.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.14.07
CO's new state song: Not that kind of "high." NYT The bolo tie is now the official tie of NM. Santa Fe New ...
Heads Up: 3.13.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.12.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.09.07
Springfields vie for "Simpsons" movie premiere. WaPo More states dropping motorcycle helmet laws. NPR CDC report: AIDS hits black men the hardest. Reuters ...
Heads Up: 3.08.07
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.&...
Heads Up: 3.7.07
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? ...
Heads Up: 3.6.07
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&...
Heads Up: 3.5.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.2.07
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 ...
There Once Was A Bill In The Statehouse...
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 ...
Heads Up: 3.1.07
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 &...
Heads Up: 2.28.07
Oakland mayor wants to give convicts jobs. Oakland Tribune Mall of America wants $234 million subsidy package. Star-Tribune Arkansas' or Arkansas's? There oughta be a law! ...
Pre-Op City Manager Ousted
Turns out that Steve Stanton, the city manager for Largo, FL, will NOT be one of the first public officials anywhere to undergo gender-reassignment surgery ...
Heads Up: 2.27.07
Govs press Bush on Iraq, get not much in return. Billings Gazette NY state employee fired over a tip to the local news? News10 Albany ...
Heads Up: 2.26.07
Chicago aldermen want to avoid a JetBlue fiaso at O'Hare. Sun-Times Holy #$*%! Anti-porn czar tackles obscenity. SL Tribune Estonia to vote for president on the ...
Heads Up: 2.23.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.22.07
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 ...
More Women in Government
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.21.07
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 ...
Hi, Ohio! Welcome to 1999.
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 ...
Cabs in the City by the Bay
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.20.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.16.07
FL Gov. Crist got set up on a date with a "hottest mom." Palm Beach Post TN might scrap its 4-month-old Ethics ...
Revenues up in Smoke
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.15.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.14.07
"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 ...
Oregon Buying Itself a Gift Card?
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.13.07
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 ...
Unintended Consequences
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.12.07
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, ...
Heads Up: 2.9.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.8.07
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 ...
Josh, He's a Good Man
Governing staff writer -- and consummate 13th Floor blogger -- Josh Goodman has been nominated as a Rising Star journalist on FishbowlDC, medibistro's Washington journo ...
Heads Up: 2.7.07
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 ...
Unblogging
This is from a 13th Floor field operative (okay, "reader"), Chris: I have no idea if this rises to the level of outside ...
Heads Up: 2.6.07 [Links corrected]
OR GOPers grumble over gov's "private" media event. Oregonian MIA delegate in WV might lose his seat. Charlston Gazette Frosh NV delegate's "...
Alcoholics Unanimous
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.5.07
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, ...
Guerillas in the Midst
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.2.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 2.1.07
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 ...
So This Councilman Walks Into A Bar...
Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Dane Cook. Sure those guys are funny, but can they run a city? Joey Novick can. Novick is a professional ...
Socked for Sockpuppets?
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.30.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.29.07
"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 ...
Undergrounded
I've been to Underground Atlanta, the "premier retail entertainment center" that occupies six subterranean blocks of downtown Atlanta, twice in my life. The ...
No Second Political Life for Newsom?
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.26.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.25.07
States take up bills to oppose REAL ID Act. Billings Gazette "Secret" UT legislation shows up on unofficial website. SL Tribune In TN, ...
Something in the Aer
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.24.07
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 ...
Embrace Your Inner Thirteen!
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.23.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.22.07
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 ...
Spare the Rod, Spoil the Legislation
A California lawmaker made headlines last week when she announced plans to introduce a bill banning spanking of children younger than four: "It would ...
Heads Up: 1.19.07
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 ...
Here's Me, Getting Mugged
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.18.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.17.07 -- PART II
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? ...
Heads Up: 1.17.07
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 ...
Gaffe of the Day
Virginia House Del. Frank Hargrove is certainly efficient with his insults. He was able to offend blacks and Jews in pretty much the same ...
Heads Up: 1.16.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.12.06
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 ...
Huckabee STOPS by The Daily Show
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 ...
Wholely Crist
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.11.07
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. ...
Heads Up: 1.10.07
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. ...
Armed Teachers and Kevlar Book Covers
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.9.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.8.07
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 &...
The Top 2 List of Top 10 Lists
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 ...
Hope for the Ninth Ward?
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.5.07
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.4.07
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. ...
Give Us Back Our Po Biddy Crossroads!
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.3.07
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. ...
McGreevey Gets Painted, Too
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 ...
By the Book (and BlackBerry)
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 ...
Heads Up: 1.2.07
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 ...
Happy New Year!
Hope you have a great weekend and a very happy New Year's Eve! See you in 2007!
Whither Po Biddy?
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 ...
Besides the Hordes of Adoring Fans, I Mean
What do Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman have in common? Transcontinental love.
To All a Good Blog
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 ...
Foie La La La La!
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 ...
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!! (Yeah, we said it.) Hope you have a great holiday! We'll be back later next week.
VA DMV Gets Punk'd
So these two guys walk into a Virginia DMV office... Seriously, have you seen this? These two guys painted their faces in disguise and ...
An Enigmatic Christmas
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.18.06
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 "...
Gay Marriage as Revenue
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.14.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.13.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.12.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.11.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.8.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.5.06
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 ...
All I Want for Christmas is Beer
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 ...
Heads Up: 12.4.06
Texas' "top 10 percent" law is under fire. Dallas Morning News Florida could ban stem cell research -- and require it! St. Pete Times ...
Heads Up: 12.1.06
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 (...
Heads Up: 11.29.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.28.06
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 ...
WebCam Canned
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 ...
Sprawl Is Killing Christmas
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.27.06
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 ...
A Good Start
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 ...
We're So YouTube!
!!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 ...
Heads Up: 11.22.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.21.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.20.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.15.06
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 "...
Roe v. Wade v. Immigrants
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 ...
Sign of the Times?
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 ...
Love It or Leavitt
We on the the 13th Floor have long admired Mike Leavitt. As governor of Utah and the fedeal Secretary of Health and Human Services, ...
Heads Up: 11.14.06
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 ...
Big Names in the Big Easy
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 ...
Alan Greenblatt on NPR
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.13.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.10.06 -- PART 2
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.10.06
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 ...
Election '06: Bad For Gay Marriage, Good For Gay Candidates
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 ...
Election Night Highlights
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 ...
LiveBlogging the Election
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 ...
Sanford, Sans Card
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.
Heads Up: 11.7.06
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 ...
On Public Health and Hookers
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.3.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.2.06
Finally! A congressional page scandal at the state level. Sioux Falls Argus Leader FL police chief ousted for antagonizing dept's "jelly bellies." CNN ...
When All News is Good News
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 ...
Heads Up: 11.1.06
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@...
Heads Up: 10.31.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.30.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.27.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.26.06
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 ...
Walking Down the Aisle and Into the Voting Booth
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.25.06
Hospitals, stuck with "frequent flyers," give free basic care a whirl. NYT How Europe won the war against hospital infections. Slate Someone on ...
Heads Up: 10.24.06
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 ...
Outcarceration
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.23.06
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 ...
Español --> Spanglish --> English
Have you heard? The English language is under attack! Immigrants are moving here and bringing their own languages. States are printing voting instructions ...
Heads Up: 10.20.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.19.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.18.06
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 ...
Not Really Disavowing that 'Hot-Blooded' Comment
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.17.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.12.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.11.06
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 ...
And We Should Decapitate People in the Express Lane with 16 Items!
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 ...
Maximum Wage?
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 ...
Heads Up: 10.2.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.29.06
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. ...
Heads Up: 9.28.06
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, ...
Heads Up: 9.27.06
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 ...
Big Box? No, Big Excitement!
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.26.06
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 ...
C'mon, Best Two Out of Three?
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 ...
Hanging Up on Politicians
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 ...
Mono-derailed
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.25.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.21.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.20.06
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 ...
Moving Back to Ground Zero
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.19.06
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 &...
Heads Up: 9.18.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.15.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.14.06
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 ...
Mitch Understanding
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.13.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.12.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.11.06
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. ...
Heads Up: 9.8.06
Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks Cubans and Puerto Ricans are "hot" and fiesty because of their mix of "Black blood" and "Latino ...
Heads Up: 9.7.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.5.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 9.1.06
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 ...
Would Winning A Second-Life Election Count?
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 ...
Dropping Out of College
posted by Zach Patton Here's something you might not know: A lot of people live in California. Yeah, I know! Who would have ...
Heads Up: 8.31.06
How the Army Corps lost New Orleans. Grist Illinois' "Taj Mahal" on the auction block? Daily Southtown Automated calls from politicians? Not in ...
Rudy Awakening
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.30.06
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? ...
Heads Up: 8.29.06
Is industrial space necessary in the gentrified city? Washington Post DNA evidence is so "hot" right now that states are neglecting other forms ...
Heads Up: 8.28.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.25.06
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. ...
MRE: "Man, really enjoyable!"
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.24.06
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.23.06
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 ...
Foie Gras Free-For-All
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.22.06
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 ...
Mattress II Society
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.21.06
Portrait of a party-switcher. Houston Chronicle Why California redistricting is a "con job." Sacramento Bee MA Gov Romney: Polygamist skeletons in the closet. ...
"Vote!...Of!...Fortune!"
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? ...
Heads Up: 8.18.06
Chicago Mayor Daley slams visiting officials from Sante Fe and San Francisco: "You manage your city." Chicago Tribune Wyoming has a drinking problem. ...
That's Govertainment!
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is going to have to start reserving stars for some state governors. (No, not that one. Or that one.) ...
Heads Up: 8.17.06
One urban planner's search for soundbites: "If it looks like the Louvre, you must approve." Planetizen Are state fairs in trouble? You bet ...
Heads Up: 8.16.06
SLC mayor will protest Bush's visit to city. Salt Lake Tribune Another day, another "electronic voting machines aren't very accurate" study. Columbus ...
Also: She's a Woman!
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, ...
Obeying the Law Too Well
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 ...
Heads Up: 8.15.06
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 ...
Power of Place
Needless to say, there are a lot of factors that influence you when you go to the polls -- your personal background, your community, your ...
Living Wage Lives and Lets Live
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 ...
The Dog Ate My Education Policy!
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 ...
Political Discourse SMACKDOWN!
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 ...
Let's Get Ready to Interoperably Rumble!
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 ...
Loveland, CO: Discovering New Sex Acts Since 1877
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 ...
Throwing Down the Paddle
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 ...
Livin' It Up In Lower Town
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 ...
Giving Lip Service to Judicial Independence
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 ...
86ed Over TP
When I was in college, I knew this girl who took great pride in the fact that, in four years of school -- three spent ...
Cleveland Regains Superiority Over Fiji
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 ...
Weapons of Undead Destruction
These kids today! With their weird clothes and crazy hair. And their weapons of mass destruction. Well, not so much. See, when police in ...
Taggers in Stocks
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is on a roll. After solving that whole pesky homeless problem, he has announced his idea to reduce graffiti: ...
A Week on the Gulf
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. ...
Feeding the Homeless is for the Birds
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, ...
At the Copa, Copacab-Ican'tstandya
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 ...
Cleveland Rocks. And Contains No Arsenic.
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: "&...
Child Molester Sails on "Wings of Hope"
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,&...
Richardson <3's the Bloggers
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 ...
The "Everybody Else Did It" Defense
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 ...
Capitol Living
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 ...
A Candidate By Any Other Name
So in New Orleans, Ron Mazier can't be "I.Q." And in Texas, Richard can be "Kinky" but Carole can't be &...
Bans Bring Boffo Bucks for Biz
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 ...
Ehrliching the Competition
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 ...
She May Not Know Disaster Preparedness, But Ask Her About A Rhyming Couplet
Lousisana Gov. Kathleen Blanco has vetoed a bill that would have designated an official state poem for the Pelican State. She said the poem "...
Name that Street, Governor!
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.&...
Nonactivist Judges
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 ...
States With Some Teeth -- Or Not
I was born and raised in the South, so I was dismayed -- but not really surprised -- to run across this ranking of which ...
Happy Fourth of July!
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 ...
Driving Mr. Fletcher
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 ...
Best Inauguration Ever?
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 ...
Utah's Español Site is Back -- Kinda
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 ...
An Issue That's Actually Not Just Fluff
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 ...
TheirSpace
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 ...
The Southern Border
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 ...
Sonny on the Silver Screen
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 ...
¿Como se dice 'overreact'?
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 ...
Interview with Matt Dunne
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 ...
The New New York
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 ...
Masters of Subtlety at the New York Post
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., ...
For Whom the Swell Tolls
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 ...
Minnesota Refuses to Buy Into the Whole "Gas Prices Are Crazy" Thing
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&...
Survivor: Columbus, OH
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 ...
Happy Memorial Day
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 ...
Why Not Court the Asian Vote With P.F. Changs Coupons?
Idaho gubernatorial candidate Dan Adamson -- who lost this week's GOP primary election to incumbent C.L. "Butch" Otter -- has an interesting ...
Houston, We Have a Dog Problem
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 ...
From the Makers of "Little Kegs"
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 ...
The City That Reads (Maps)
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 ...
Turns Out "Healthy Glow" Is an Oxymoron
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 ...
Welcome to the Jungle, NCSL
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 ...
Assessing Gubernatorial Candidates
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 ...
Product Placement
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 ...
Do They Register at Claires?
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 ...
New Jersey -- [insert slogan here]!
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 ...
Tats From Sea to Shining Sea
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. (...
Why, We're On Our Way to South Dakota Right Now!
Just how popular is South Dakota's "Twenty Bucks for the Road" program, in which residents of neighboring states are enticed to enter the ...
Illinois Increases Its Dependence on Foreign Sources of Tourists
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 ...
Upping The Tourism Ante: Fairfax Buries a Car (!)
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 ...
UPDATE: A Referendum on Day Laborers?
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 ...
All Together Now: "Always Pay the Strippers in Cash."
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 ...
It's New Jersey. Don't Get Out of the Car.
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. "...
If You Like Mount Rushmore, You Should See Our Gas Stations!
Tourism officials in South Dakota and Iowa may have struck a goldmine: Free gasoline. South Dakota announced its "Twenty Bucks for the Road" ...
A Referendum on Day Laborers?
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 ...
The Wendy's City?
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! ...
mo·nop·o·ly. n. pl. mo·nop·o·lies
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 ...
The Wiki Files: Resignation Edition
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 ...
The Wiki Files: DUI Edition
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 ...
This Traffic Jam Brought to You by Cisco
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 ...
Actually, It Might Be a Vegetable
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 ...
Kimberly Williams Butler: The End of a Fantasy
UPDATE: Kimberly Williamson Butler has taken down the Disneyland photo from her website. Disney: 1, Butler: 0. Oh, also: Photoshop: 1.
Photoshop Your Way to a Better New Orleans
Wonkette has been chronicling the bizarre -- and hilarious! -- story of the header photo on the campaign website for New Orleans mayoral candidate Kimberly ...
Making It O-fish-al
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 ...
T.G.I.Manchin's
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, ...
A Little Drano Ought to Take Care of That
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 ...
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
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 ...
Why, Oh Why, Oh Why, Oh?
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 ...
Drink in the Heart of Texas
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 ...
Marylanders: Take Your Wine With You to Your Darkened Home
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 ...
At Least You Saved on Moving Costs
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 ...
Get Your Scandal Priorities Right
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 ...
I Guess It's Like a Country Where You Can't Get Drunk
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 ...
The "IQ" Test
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 ...
Better Homes and Gardens?
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 ...
"Hey, Thanks for Not Blowing Stuff Up!"
If only homeland security were this simple: Conducter on a DC metro train: "Passengers, please refrain from taking pictures of the train due ...
The Question of Good Taste is Another Matter Entirely
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 (...
Running for State Office: A Primer
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 ...
Governing Rhode Island Never Looked So Good
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. ...
Getting the Last Laugh in Jersey
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 ...
It's St. Patrick's Day. Put Away the Santa Claus.
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 ...
Lots Plot for Slots Spot
What do a former Pennsylvania lieutenant governor, a former county executive, a former city councilman and a former Steelers player have in common? (Other ...
So Much Better Than Muzak
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 ...
Making "Hooker" Seem Quaint
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? ...
The Joke's on Blago
Earlier this month, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show", defending his position that the state can require pharmacists ...
It Had To Be UAE
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 ...
Maybe Chicago Should Use Zeppelins!
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 ...
Livin' on the Edge
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; ...
Banning Rufus
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. ...
It's the Media, Stupid
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? ...
Spears: Bad for Marriage, Good for Metaphors!
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 ...
No Bloomy; Maybe Rudy?
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 ...
A Shot at Greatness
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 ...
Breaking News: Rowland Out!!
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 ...
More Buck for Your Ban
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 ...
A Little to the Left, A Liiiitle More to the Left
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 ...
In Paradise, Waiting for the Dough
Fort Myers, Florida, seemingly did everything right to redevelop its historic downtown -- tax incentives, preservation tax credits. The city even hired a New Urbanist ...
Blogging from Six Feet Under
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 (!). ...
Mayur Rezines
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 ...
Bedfellows Make for Strange Politics
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. ...
Dance Dance Obesity Revolution!
posted by Zach Patton Students in West Virginia, which has one of the nation's worst obesity problems, are getting a whole new way to shed ...
To The Loser Go The Spoils?
Don't try to accuse newly-inaugurated Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine of patronage hiring. He announced (second item) last week that he was hiring Mary Kilgore -- ...
You Can't Spell NASCAR Without NASA
New Mexico's planned spac ep ort is already attracting some new people to the Land of Enchantment. The New York-based Rocket Racing League has announced ...
Check Yourself
Memo to gubernatorial hopefuls: When filing to run for office, don't bounce the check.
If It Looks Like a Bar...
For every smoking ban that passes in a city or state, there seem to be some eyebrow-raising loopholes. Those exemptions can be questionable, and even ...
Not So Dynamite
posted by Zach Patton "Vote for Pedro." Ligers. Tina the Llama. Nunchuck skills. If these words don't make any sense to you, you ...
Takes One to Know One
The talk in the Kentucky statehouse right now is about busts. Pamela Anderson, a spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wants ...
The Mean Streets
It's tough to be homeless anywhere. But some cities are tougher on homeless people than others. The National Coalition for the Homeless this week published ...
Lingle's Jingle: Scrap the Cap
Less than five months into Hawaii's experiment with a gas cap, Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle wants to repeal the price-setting measure. The cap was put ...
McGreevy's Back
Yesterday's Hotline Blogometer cites what it says is ex-NJ Gov. Jim McGreevey's first public writing since resigning office in August 2004. McGreevey collaborates on a Huffington ...
Once You Go Crack...
According to today's Washington Post, Washington, DC, city council member (and former mayor) Marion Barry tested positive for cocaine in a court-ordered drug test last ...
French Kissing
Okay. Not that kind of French kiss. Or that one. The real kind, the kind where you greet someone with a peck on both cheeks. ...
Dressed to Quail
Because there's never a wrong time to show a photo* of a governor in embarrassing hunting gear. "Mitt Under Fire for Hunt" [Boston ...
Go Directly to Virtual Jail
EarthCam, which bills itself as the "recognized authority on the Internet camera industry" (um, okay!), just came out with its seventh annual list ...
The "D" Is For "Desperado"
Of all the Christmas gifts my mom received, surely one that I gave her stood out as unique. It wasn't a sweater or a book ...
Too Good a View?
Yesterday's New York Times has a story about Google Earth, a relatively new satellite image program that allows anyone with a computer to access--free of ...
You Can't Go Home Again
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger seems to be severing some ties with his hometown of Graz, Austria. Officials in Graz have been threatening to rename Arnold ...
Greeting Cards in the "War on Christmas"
Perhaps inspired by the 13th Floor's earlier roundup of governor's holiday wishes on their websites, Stateline takes a look at the guvs' seasonal greeting cards.
The One-Hour Ethics Solution
Stories on patronage hiring at Chicago's City Hall, payola in city contracting decisions, and corruption in the city's Hired Truck program have made news headlines ...
Think Pink!
If you get thrown in the drunk tank in the Jackson County, Iowa, jail, relax! You're not hallucinating---the room really is pink. And the ...
Shelling Out for the Spaceport
Remember that spaceport in New Mexico? It won't come cheap. Governor Bill Richardson has proposed [ABQ Journal, subs. required] spending $100 million in state dollars to ...
From the Annals of Awkwardness
Have you ever seen a more uncomfortable photo than this one? "Hey, remember when I overthrew your administration? Good times."
Land of Space Enchantment
New Mexico state officials are going to announce next week a deal that could have tourists zooming into space in just a couple years, according ...
America's Finest Slogan (Updated)
San Diego's fall from grace has been well documented on the 13th Floor and in a November Governing story. So the news today that San ...
Speed Dating for Lobbyists
The lights are low. You smile across the table at your date. This is going well, you think. You take a sip of your drink ...
If You Offer Money, They Will Come
The town of Clark, TX, was wiped off the map earlier this week. Don't worry--the town didn't get washed away in a flood or flattened ...
"The Buck Stopped Before I Got Here!"
The governors of Kentucky and Illinois must be playing from the same political handbook. Both Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher (a Republican) and Illinois Gov. Rod ...
They Have Surfing in Minneapolis?
Via Hotline's Last Call! (subs. required): And the most enthusiastic winner of Election 2005 goes to this man.
The Sprawl Vote
Concerns over the rate of growth and development could be a key factor in next year's elections in Maryland. A Baltimore Sun study found ...
A Horse is a Course, Of Course, Of Course
If you want to enjoy some delicious, American-grown horsemeat, you'd better do it fast. The federal government is likely putting an end to the practice ...
Blog of the Living Dead
DC Mayor Anthony Williams' blog, which earlier this week was presumed dead, may be returning from the grave. A city spokesperson is now saying that ...
Requiem for a Blog
On Nov. 1, 2005, officials announced that Anthony Williams' blog had passed away. At less than two months old, the online journal was quite young. It had ...
Woe the Bio Teacher?
Evolution has long been under attack in Kansas. The state school board voted in 1999 to ban the teaching of Darwinian theory. That board was soon ...
On Halloween, It's Lights Out for Sex Offenders
This year, New Jersey is forbidding sex offenders from participating in Halloween. The state parole board is instituting a 7 p.m. curfew for sex offenders ...
Downsizing Supersized Homes
Officials in Arlington County, Virginia, will take up a hot-button topic next month: whether or not to limit the size of new houses in the ...
Foie Gras Fatwa
The city of Chicago is one step closer to becoming foie gras-free. A city council committee on Tuesday approved a ban on the food, made ...
Putting Wedlock Asunder?
On November 8, citizens in Texas who vote for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage could inadvertently be voting to ban the institution altogether. Some ...
Arnold Unplugged
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has had his fair share of political blunders in his relatively short political career. And most of the time when he interacts ...
You Live Where?!
Some Greenwich, CT, residents are petitioning the city to change the name of their street. Why? Well, they live on Hooker Lane. They're tired of ...
A Stormy Season
Just as we have run the gamut of names for hurricanes this season, I can't help wondering if any superlatives will be left unused. Right ...
A Model Campaign
In Lexington, KY, last Fourth of July, a handful of attractive teenage girls drummed up support for mayoral candidate Bill Farmer, Jr. The good-looking high ...
Gas Pumponomics
There's an interesting economics experiment going on in Hawaii. A first-in-the-nation state cap on gas prices went into effect last month, and residents have already ...
Scandal Probe Find: Mayor Tips Well
The Salt Lake Tribune obtained the credit card records for Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. The result? Rocky's a good tipper. The mayor is ...
Welcome to GulfCoastWorld!
After some initial grumblings, it now seems there's no question that New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast hit by Hurricane Katrina will ...
Be Careful What You Blog: Bluegrass Edition
Just yesterday, we on the 13th floor were talking about how public employees should watch what they write in a blog. It could cost you ...
(Artificial) Turf Wars Reach Truce
Complaining about artificial turf is easy: It's expensive. It's not as environmenta lly sound as real grass. It's uncomfortable to walk and run on. But ...
Speed Dialing for Safety
Law enforcement officers and medical first responders in many parts of the country have begun pushing ICE -- a program to encourage citizens to enter ...
Robbing Peter to Pay Katrina
Hurricane Katrina killed over 1,000 people along the Gulf Coast, but one of the first legislative casualties may hit another shoreline, 1,000 miles to the north. The ...
Bans (Temporarily?) Up in Smoke
Ten states have adopted smoking bans in the past decade, including California, New York and Massachusetts, as well as several hundred individual cities and counties. ...
Special Fx?
Tourism officials in Fairfax County, Virginia yesterday announced a new marketing logo for the county: they're calling it "fxva." The new brand name ...
A Spitzer Rebellion
Everybody knows Eliot Spitzer. The New York attorney general has garnered national attention in the past few years for taking on everyone from power plants ...
A Merited Change?
Things just keep getting worse better for Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher, who may be found guilty of a crime punishable by up to 6 months in ...
NYC's W.C.'s
You can do anything in New York City: Have baby food delivered at 4:30 am. Take the subway to a primeval forest. Gawk at an island ...
Schmodcasts
The New York Police Department has joined the growing ranks of bloggers across the country who want to make their voices heard. They've started a ...
Sorry, the Bean is Closed
Some Chicago tourists were miffed yesterday, when they showed up at the city's famous Millennium Park, only to be turned away. Toyota had rented the ...
A Gay Marriage Civics Lesson
When it happened in San Francisco, the problem was that a city official was trying to usurp state law through local action. Civics lesson learned? ...
Best State Fair Ever?
It's rare that a state fair can be described as freakin ' sweet. But the Utah State Fair, which kicks off today, tapped a popular ...
Whither the Activist Judges?
The California Senate last week approved legislation that would legalize marriage between two consenting adults, regardless of gender. In passing the measure, the Senate became ...
Can a State Gas Cap Work?
It's impossible to read a paper or watch a news broadcast right now without hearing about soaring prices at the nation's gas pumps. Prices that ...
What's the Point of Even Going to Austria Anymore?
It's a sad day for the American gubernatorial populace, the country of Austria, and iron-pumping aficionados worldwide: The Arnold Schwarzenegger museum is no more. Officials ...
Nothing Says Punk Like Bloomberg
CBGB, the legendary punk-rock venue in New York City, could face eviction as early as tomorrow. The 32-year-old music landmark is in danger of losing ...
The Verdict: Plainer English
Serving jury duty has always been a "banausic, Tartarean nisus in reconditeness." Now, in California, it may just plain "suck." The ...
Double-Scoop of Huckabee, Please
These days, lots of people are noticing that there's, well, less to notice about Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Since June 2003, the Guv has lost more ...
Dr. Evil: Zoning Kingpin
Most city council members don't ask for too much: a hand in city planning, maybe a role in deciding which direction a city's heading. But ...
Mile-High City, Indeed
Denver, CO, residents could soon be allowed to smoke marijuana legally, if voters approve a ballot measure in November. The City Council there this week ...
Why Are You Hurting This Woman???
You just had to have 400-count sheets and an extra pillow, didn't you? Hotel customers are apparently looking for nicer amenities these days, and hotel ...
Setting the Stage for Google, IL?
What's in a name? Well, for a town willing to call itself "Dish," maybe some electronics equipment and a few HBO stations. EchoStar ...
By The Power Not Vested in Him
As the Newark Star Ledger reports this morning, acting New Jersey Governor Richard Codey just can't get enough titles. In addition to serving in one ...
Running on Wireless
Andrew Rasiej is an obscure candidate running for an arcane office: He's campaigning to be the Democratic nominee in the race for New York City's ...
It's Not Easy Being Green
Those newly approved hybrid-electric New York City cabs I exalted last week may not be all that great after all. In a story unrelated to ...
States of Confusion
The town of Easthampton, MA, recently put up road signs directing drivers to Routes 10 and 141. The signs sho wed the road numbers against a ...
What's Yellow and Checkered and Green All Over?
The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission has approved a plan that will add six new hybrid electric models to the city's streets. ...
"I Love You, Joshua Wilson"
That's what Florida State Senator Gary Siplin told a local television reporter--48 TIMES!---when he was asked about alleged undocumented campaign spending. The Democrat from ...
Segways on Subways
The DC Metro has announced it will allow riders to bring their Segways on subway trains (b ut not on buses). Although the ...
Luged, Not Stirred
When the nation's governors convene in Des Moines this weekend for the annual meeting of the National Governors Association, ideas about good governance won't be ...
T Time for Perry
Texas Governor Rick Perry is being quoted all over the Internet and mainstream media today, for what he said to a reporter offhand after an ...
Critics Continue to Lei Into County Officials' Trip
As we said last week, some county officials are feeling tropical-level heat for attending the National Association of Counties' annual meeting in Hawaii next month. ...
WH Connections Deep in the Heart of Texas GOP Primary
With TX Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson out of the race for governor of the Lone Star State, it looks like we're going to see a ...
How much does a segway?
In Chicago this past weekend, I noticed several police officers and other city security workers riding segways, those two-wheeled gyroscopic single-person modes of transportation introduced ...
The Other Side of Paradise
The National Association of Counties is meeting next month in Honolulu, and county leaders across the country are getting a lot of flak from constituents ...
Googlin' on up!
At the US Conference of Mayors meeting this weekend in Chicago, I attended a session on how cities can make themselves more competetive in drawing ...
Sweeping scandals under the red carpet
As the US Conference of Mayors convenes in Chicago this weekend, the city has never looked better. The sun is glistening off the new Millennium ...