The number of children with learning disabilities is surging. Some say the real problem is schools' failure to teach students how to read.

An emerging approach to highway maintenance takes the politics out of road repair.

Communities don't need a moribund mall in order to make big changes to stale shopping spots. Consider the commercial areas on the outskirts of almost every American suburb and city.

It isn't easy, but some suburbs are converting aging shopping centers and their acres of asphalt into vibrant, mixed-use town centers.

A bumper crop of new state leaders will move in next January. Some may soon wonder why they wanted the job.