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A 7.2 magnitude earthquake off of the coast triggered a tsunami warning that created confusion, traffic jams and evacuations despite the alert later being canceled. Some worry the inefficient system could erode public trust.
The state’s Vehicle Code says a person cannot drive a vehicle unless they hold a valid driver’s license. While the DMV still requires a physical license, it is working toward a mobile version for their app.
Bob McDevitt, the former president of Atlantic City’s Local 54 of the Unite Here Union, regarding his successor Donna DeCaprio, the first woman to lead the union in 107 years. The union represents about 10,000 members of the city’s casino workers, 60 percent of whom are women. DeCaprio began her work in the casino industry at the Trop World casino in 1987 and has been the union’s secretary-treasurer for the past 19 years. (Associated Press — July 19, 2023)
A proposed bill would pave the way for night markets and farmers’ markets across the state by cutting red tape and costs through a dedicated permit to regularly occurring market events.
Commissioners in Yancey County, in the western part of the state, considered withdrawing their library from the regional system after heated public debate about a Pride Month book display.
Most of our infrastructure has been designed to withstand rainfall projections that are hopelessly obsolete. Every part of the country at risk of flooding needs urgent and significant upgrades.
Rogers-O’Brien Construction is piloting a program in which its workers wear sensors on their arms that continuously monitor biometric data to reduce heat-related injuries and deaths. Nearly 300 people died last year in Texas due to heat.
The Lafayette, La., police department has started piloting 100 e-citation machines, as replacement of paper ticketing, to reduce time and safety risks for officers issuing citations.
About a quarter of businesses across the nation have adopted AI and many are beginning to use the tech in their hiring process. Only three states currently require employers to ask for consent first if using AI in hiring.
Brock Fankhouser, developer of the 1776 Gastonia planned community in Belmont, N.C. All homes in the community will be required to fly an American flag 365 days a year and prohibits any other flag, including even the state flag, from being flown. While Fankhouser claims the development is not political, 1776 seems to be marketed for conservatives. Homes will range from $450,000 to $700,000. (WFAE — July 11, 2023)
Future prosperity depends not only on local resources, but on size. Academic centers that don’t lure new residents are apt to fall behind.
State Republican lawmakers, the powerful petroleum lobby and the public pension funds targeted by the bill oppose the measure that would divest the state’s retirement funds and sell nearly $15 billion in assets.
Pedaled e-bikes were involved in nine fatal crashes in 2022 and 12 in 2023 as of July 4, compared to 10 deaths in 2022 and six in 2023 from human-powered bikes.
More than a dozen states have debated or passed legislation to better define charity care, to increase transparency about the benefits that nonprofit hospitals provide or to set minimum financial thresholds for charitable care.
The state’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation is implementing new, cutting-edge software tools to better help police agencies solve crimes, including drug detection, gun examination and forensics analysis.
To combat the “summer slide,” a network of about 600 community partners created a robust summer environment throughout the Dallas area to help improve students’ academic and social-emotional development.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, in his appointment of acting police chief Edward Caban as the city’s first Hispanic police commissioner. Caban will step in following Keechant Sewell’s surprise resignation after 18 months on the job; Sewell, the first woman to lead the department, gave no reason for her resignation. (Reuters — July 17, 2023)
Greyhound recently left its Philadelphia station to join other intercity bus services on the curb, creating headaches for riders, businesses and local officials. Other cities are in a similar position — or will be soon.
The District of Columbia’s approach isn’t perfect, but overall it’s a balanced and well-thought-out effort that protects individuals and doesn't overly burden businesses. It could serve as a model for other governments.
A University of Idaho-led team, one of 34 semi-finalists for the largest ever grant program from the National Science Foundation, hopes to improve communication across sectors to better address climate change.
To decrease dispatch wait times, the city’s police board wants to implement an auto-attendant to sort calls for police, fire, EMS or non-emergency assistance. But Motorola says the implementation could stretch into next year.
The California city will use the state funds over the next three years for outreach, case management, rapid-rehousing assistance, meal vouchers, health-care coordination, hiring a new city social worker and more.
The city spends roughly $1 of every $5 on pensions while more than 80 percent of property tax dollars go towards retirement payouts. In November, the city had no junk ratings for the first time since 2015.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, regarding the relocation of residents living near a contaminated Union Pacific railyard in Northeast Houston. The site has significantly higher than normal cancer rates for both adults and children. Turner says the city is still working out the details but that the process is estimated to cost at least $24 million and the removal will address 110 lots centered around the cancer cluster. (Houston Public Media — July 13, 2023)
Arresting people who have no options left is just adding another tier of disenfranchisement. At best, it’s a dehumanizing shell game.
County administrators realized too late that they needed to renew the local gas tax for another 30 years. Once the current law expires on Aug. 31 the tax won’t be renewed until Jan. 1, costing the county about $18 million.
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