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Many sites tied to the national mental health crisis hotline transmitted information on visitors through the Meta Pixel analytics tool despite promises of anonymity to their users.
California is one of the few states that requires farmworkers working in the heat to have shade, water and rest, but those rules are often not followed. Additionally, 39 percent of workers reported having problems keeping their own homes cool.
Charter, the parent company of the area’s cable and broadband provider Spectrum, will cover 100 percent of tuition costs for workers pursuing a high school diploma, undergraduate or associate degree and some certificate programs.
The state has the nation’s highest rate of gun violence per capita. Residents experience more gun violence than even those living in California, and a survey found that more than half of residents have experienced physical violence.
Goodhue, Minn., Mayor Ellen Anderson Buck, regarding a mass resignation of the police department. Police Chief Josh Smith, another full-time officer and five part-time employees have resigned; Smith, who led the resignations, said the city wasn’t offering enough money to retain officers. The mayor said that the resignations were surprising because the City Council gave officers a 5 percent increase and Smith a $13,000 raise earlier this year. (Associated Press — Aug. 16, 2023)
Data from cities, counties and states reveals the roles they have the toughest time filling (and they’re not just in cybersecurity). Here are some of their innovative approaches to navigating these workforce shortages.
Some states have taken steps to shield their election workers from intimidation and harm, but there’s a lack of urgency at the federal level. A nationwide threat requires a nationwide response.
A state judge delivered a huge win to young climate plaintiffs. Montana is one of just three states that have the affirmative right to a healthful environment. Montana’s attorney general called the ruling absurd and said the state would appeal the decision.
New York state’s Office of Information Technology Services issued a report last week, following a state law that banned biometric identifying technology in schools. A decision about the tech will be made in the coming weeks.
The city’s homicide rate was up 80 percent, car break-ins were up nearly 90 percent, vehicle thefts have doubled and reported assaults increased 40 percent as compared to pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.
An independent consultant reported that the problematic rollout of the new payroll software system could be tied to a lack of IT involvement, communication and planning from the county’s own staff.
Kim Mitchell, senior water policy adviser at Western Resource Advocates, a Phoenix-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting water and land in the West, regarding the brief relief that this past winter’s precipitation brought to Lake Powell and Lake Mead of the Colorado River, which are still only at about 39 and 33 percents full, respectively. Federal officials are expected to ease water cuts for 2024 due to the slight improvement of the river’s health, but experts are still concerned about the impacts of a drying future. (Associated Press — Aug. 14, 2023)
Boston has a new tax incentive program to help developers convert downtown office space to housing. Conversions remain relatively rare, but more cities are looking at ways to push them forward.
It offers significant cost, efficiency and sustainability benefits, but its widespread use is hampered by a patchwork of state and local regulations. Regulatory consistency could help builders deliver the housing we need.
The Democracy Restoration Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas, Texas, would restore voting rights in federal elections for all released felons regardless of parole or probation status and regardless of state laws.
After a series of closures, the North and West sides of the city had six birthing hospitals and the South Side had three. A community-founded birthing center hopes to fill the city’s “birth deserts” and improve maternal care for Black women.
Washington state’s Lower Valley has had excess levels of nitrate in groundwater since the early 90s and in 2017, 20 percent of wells exceeded the state’s drinking water standards.
It makes anyone across the state who shares personal identifiable information about another person with the purpose of harming them to be found civilly liable in court. The ACLU has cited free speech concerns.
First Amendment attorney Lynn Oberlander, regarding a police raid of the Marion County Record, a local newspaper in Marion, Kan., under a search warrant signed by a county judge to investigate for “identity theft.” Several media law experts explained that the raid appears to be in violation of federal law which protects journalists from this type of action. (NPR — Aug. 14, 2023)
The work that public health officials do is determined by policy, but engaging with policymakers hasn’t been a strong suit for the field. A new book aims to help them do better.
The governor’s ambitious plan bets heavily on competition, through vouchers and school choice, but there’s no reliable evidence that competition can make a real difference.
The federal agency found Alabama’s program of managing its own coal ash is “significantly” less protective than what the federal rules require. For many the decision is evidence that other states, like Georgia, need to adjust their plans.
A recent study found that reused water is not only safe but it’s actually cleaner than conventionally sourced water, but proponents are still fighting an uphill battle against the “yuck” factor.
Officials tout the state’s diverse portfolio of energy sources, including wind, solar, natural gas and nuclear, as a major factor behind its resilience. On Aug. 7, peak demand was at 84,029 megawatts.
The Mendocino County board of supervisors decided to use more than $63,000 of opioid settlement funds, approximately 6.5 percent of the total the county received in the first two years of distribution, to fill a $6 million budget shortfall.
Attorney Tricia Herzfeld, regarding the federal civil rights investigation against Vanderbilt University Medical Center for turning the medical records of transgender patients over to the Tennessee attorney general. VUMC waited months to tell the patients of the disclosure. (Associated Press — Aug. 11, 2023)
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