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Tarence Bailey, a fifth-generation descendant of Frederick Douglass, regarding a 21-foot-tall mural of Douglass in contemporary clothing in Easton, Md. The town has split over the painting, with some residents claiming that it’s humiliating and not representative of Douglass’ historical importance. (NPR — Dec. 21, 2023)
The latest data from HUD shows a 12 percent increase in the homeless population. After declines over the last decade, current trends are troubling, but it's not clear how long the upward swing will last.
Our federalism expert makes predictions about climate and the culture wars and how states will take the lead in policy in 2024. He also owns up to what he got right — and wrong — over the past year.
Supporters of a proposed ballot initiative have collected nearly 425,000 signatures. The measure would ensure parents have access to the materials their children are taught in K-12 classrooms.
The state was one of eight that saw population declines between July 2022 and July 2023. Illinois was third in total population decline, behind New York and California, but remains the sixth most populous state.
Starting Jan. 1, police officers across the state will be required to tell drivers why they’ve been stopped before they can start asking questions. Agencies will be required to track whether officers are complying.
Seattle neighborhoods within two miles of Amazon’s “last mile” facilities were exposed to twice as much traffic from trucks and other delivery vehicles than other communities, with a disproportionate impact on communities of color.
Glynn Simmons, 71, a formerly incarcerated man released in July after more than 48 years in prison. On Tuesday, he was exonerated by an Oklahoma judge on Tuesday. Simmons says that he feels vindicated after his time in prison – some of it spent on death row – now that he has been found innocent. The wrongful conviction makes Simmons eligible for up to $175,000 in compensation from the state. (Associated Press — Dec. 20, 2023)
James Brainard is stepping down after leading Carmel, Ind., for 28 years. He’s best known nationally for building roundabouts and promoting local climate efforts, but his legacy rests with how he rebuilt the Indianapolis suburb.
Omaha Housing Authority has filed more than 400 evictions this year, with 85 percent of those filings over debts allegedly owed to the agency. More than four-dozen filings involved debts of less than $300.
Kate Cox sued for permission to end her 20-week pregnancy after receiving a genetic diagnosis that made the baby’s survival unlikely. A judge’s ruling has given legal and medical experts little clarity about when an abortion may be administered.
The law enforcement training facility will cost as much as $350 million. It will include 300 single-person dorms, an auditorium, gymnasiums, a firing range, a stable and more. Construction is expected to finish in 2028.
New York City schools have received more than $7 billion in federal aid to help students recover academically after the pandemic. But 36 percent of students were still “chronically” absent last year. Those in poverty were gone 45 percent of the year.
The 2021 law will erase nonviolent crimes from public records in hopes of improving employment and housing opportunities for formerly incarcerated people. Technological upgrades required $8 million for implementation.
Steve Barnett, co-director for the National Institute for Early Education Research and a professor at Rutgers University, regarding the importance of kindergarten for children. In California, kindergarten enrollment dropped 10.1 percent between the 2019-20 and 2021-22 school years. (Associated Press — Dec. 19, 2023)
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore promised to revive long-neglected transit projects when he took office earlier this year. Instead, he’s now proposing broad-based transportation cuts.
Increased education, the demand for service workers and an increased share of citizens within the Latino population are combining to boost incomes.
There’s not much research on getting a new program in place, but police chiefs who have been there have a lot of ideas about what to do — and what not to do.
Florida was the only state to decline millions in federal funding that could have been put toward reducing tailpipe emissions and the effects of climate change. The state will build roads and bridges instead.
Law enforcement across the state have violated Fourth Amendment rights numerous times over the last decade. That has called into question the training and experience requirements for officers.
Nationally, more than a quarter of paramedics leave their jobs every year. Calls for ambulance services in Santa Clara County, Calif., have increased by 25 percent over the past three years.
Gov. Brian Kemp, regarding the state’s announcement that state, university and public school employees will receive a $1,000 year-end bonus amid the state’s record-breaking budget surplus.(Associated Press — Dec. 18, 2023)
Chicago is pondering city-owned grocery stores in its poor neighborhoods. It might be a worthwhile experiment.
Wealthier, healthier states receive far more than those with fewer taxable resources and less healthy populations. Congress could do a lot to narrow this fairness gap.
They’re a costly form of welfare for the wealthy that hurts rural and low-income students. They provide no educational accountability and lead to state-funded discrimination.
The station has enough power to charge four vehicles simultaneously up to 80 percent within 20 to 40 minutes and was funded through the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. It is just one of 27 planned across the state.
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