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In a typical recession, not many older workers lose their jobs. That's not the case this time. They face not only unemployment but the prospect of poverty, with pressures on 401(k)s and other retirement accounts.
Despite their very different attitudes toward the role of government, California and Texas have both found success. But the Lone Star State's small-government/low-tax model gives it an edge.
Without funding to offset plunging revenues and exploding health-care spending, the downturn will be deeper and recovery will take longer. Now is the time for state and local leaders to make their case.
As COVID-19 has discouraged ride- and car-sharing, companies have shifted their focus to driverless delivery of goods instead of people. Car manufacturers also are increasing their efforts for all-electric vehicles.
Federal workers are worried that they will be forced to return to work before health precautions have been implemented. Government agencies are using different approaches to reopening their offices.
Collin County used a mundane civil case to test the feasibility of video conferencing future trials where the jury worked entirely from home. However, lawyers are concerned that a video wouldn’t yield a fair trial.
Gov. Abbott awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to a little-known technology company without much legislative oversight. Legislators on both sides are concerned about transparency and citizen protection.
Because some unemployment insurance cases require human intervention, even states with updated technology can barely keep up with the surge of unemployment insurance claims caused by COVID-19.
The figure personifies the moral force of our judicial systems and has been represented as blind since the 16th century. But that’s not the case with the Storey County Courthouse, located in Virginia City.
We assume that squishing people together on subways and buses, along with urban density in general, accounts for much of the virus's spread. But when you look at the evidence, it's a blurred picture.
Whether it’s a small county or a national stage, Mary Ann Borgeson leads Douglas County, Neb., and the National Association of Counties with compassion and the understanding of the impacts her decisions can make.
As Louisiana begins the first phase of its reopening plan, some businesses are considering the use of thermal cameras to detect fevers and assure health safety. The only issue? Not all COVID-19 carriers have a fever.
Every state is at least partially reopened, but layoffs persist across the nation and unemployment continues to rise. Even as many are returning to work, they may still struggle to make ends meet.
Contact tracers must fight privacy concerns and conspiracy theories before some residents may be willing to speak to them. “For this to be successful, people have to feel comfortable cooperating with us.”
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How safe is it to make payments at your local government office during the pandemic? Offices can limit cards, cash and checks from changing hands—and help slow the spread of COVID-19—by taking these steps.
States face revenue shortfalls exceeding 20 percent. Cities and counties have furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers. Already, public employment has fallen more than during the Great Recession.
The factors that led to the revival of our city centers will still be there in the aftermath of the coronavirus shutdown: low crime, a craving for entertainment and the desire for physical proximity.
From July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2019, the city saw its population grow just 1.5 percent. Seattle is now sixth for growth among the 50 most-populous cities; previously it had been in the top two for the last six years.
Some believe that artificial intelligence can be a great assist to doctors in these times of crisis, but many are concerned that there hasn’t been enough study and testing to validate use of the technology.
Company president Brad Smith urges lawmakers to include broadband expansion funding as part of a coronavirus stimulus package. As millions are working and studying from home, Internet connectivity is no longer an option.
Bills that address contact tracing take aim at the costs related to testing and tracking COVID-19 infections as states reopen. Others tackle privacy concerns and ensuring tracer workers reflect community diversity.
With an expanded role, they could serve as an efficient conduit between local governments of all sizes and federal financial resources for revenue shortfalls and infrastructure.
Spokane, Wash., received $23.4 million from the federal government to maintain the city’s bus system. But officials don’t think that will be enough to offset the challenges that the public transit system has been facing.
Officials in Macomb and Oakland counties, Mich., have announced that portions of their CARES Act money will be allotted for local governments and small business support. With approval, the money could be granted by June.
Twenty percent of California’s Bay Area residents don't have a home Internet connection, a problem made worse during shelter-in-place orders. A recent bill passed by the House would provide billions to fix the problem.
An unemployment benefits website run by the Arkansas state government suffered a large data breach that left the personal information of thousands of applicants exposed, state officials confirmed.
As schools rapidly transition to online learning during the COVID-19 crisis, there's growing evidence that poor planning coupled with insufficient tech resources have diminished K-12 education for some students.
Rebekah Jones was the architect and manager of the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, which had received praise from the White House for its accessibility. Many now worry that data transparency will be lost with her departure.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the funds to aid in coronavirus testing and contact tracing efforts. The state needs at least 670 professional tracers, but only has 100 so far.
The state’s computer crashed Monday when workers flooded the system with requests for relief. Immigrants could apply for a one-time payment of $500 per individual or $1,000 per household.
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