News
Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, regarding the state’s new designation as a safe haven for trans youth, families and their health-care providers, as made law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday, June 25. The Human Rights Campaign estimates that more than 520 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced this year across state legislatures as of May, 70 of which have already been enacted. (Gothamist — June 25, 2023)
The city's transit agency is implementing a fare-capping system to prevent daily riders from paying more than weekly passholders. It's a trend that's slowly catching on.
Coastal preservation expert Simone Maloz weighs in on the 50-year plan to reverse decades of damage to the Mississippi Delta.
First appearing in leading newspapers more than a half-century ago, the leaked documents became the 47-volume Pentagon Papers. The handling of secret documents attract headlines and larger-than-life figures then and now.
The rollout of facial recognition technology in cities and states nationwide — as well as some overturned bans — could offer lessons on how to regulate other technologies that haven’t yet reached broad adoption.
Law enforcement officials agree that 911 response merits a more nuanced approach. But powerful police unions are against proposals that might reduce their control over 911 operations, and the budget and staff that go with them.
Hackers managed to break into CalPERS and CalSTRS, the two California retirement systems, and have stolen Social Security numbers, birth dates and other sensitive information for 769,000 retirees. The attack came from a breach in a contractor’s cybersecurity system.
The federal infrastructure dollars are available, but it’s unclear whether small-town water systems that need the money most will get help.
Maine’s ambitious broadband expansion is creating demand for more workers to hang fiber. Women are increasingly responding to the opportunity.
A new state law increases what SNAP applicants’ vehicles can be worth before they’re disqualified for federal food assistance. But most states don’t take car values into consideration at all.
Larry Underwood, a 73-year-old resident of Puxico, Mo., who lives near the Duck Creek Conservation Area, regarding the discovery of northern snakeheads, a invasive species of fish, in the area, creating concern that the hard-to-contain species could spread and become a problem. The fish reproduce quickly, have sharp teeth, can survive out of water for days and can grow to nearly 3 feet in length. Some people, including Underwood, are skeptical of the state’s abilities to contain the species, comparing the efforts to the state’s attempt to control feral hogs with little luck. (Associated Press — June 23, 2023)
Americans turned to parks for physical and mental relief during the pandemic. New research by the Trust for Public Land explores connections between urban parks and health.
A trip to the birthplace of the blues is also a visit to a region soaked in the history of bigotry and the struggle for civil rights. It’s a past that we need to acknowledge and that today’s students need to learn about.
By comparing the operating efficiency of 149 of the largest U.S. cities, experts at WalletHub, the personal finance firm, have come up with a score for which ones are managed best.
For many, Suza Francina’s struggle for housing and her council seat is a stark example of California’s ever-growing housing crisis. Last month the Ventura County grand jury gave her 30 days to establish new residency or lose her seat.
A state ethics complaint and a state elections complaint have been filed against the Florida governor for using state official business to advance his political aspirations. But DeSantis isn’t the first to blur the political and campaign lines.
Texas is the most recent state in which regulators have not required companies to offer their outdoor employees rest breaks with shade and water. Heat causes the most deaths of any extreme weather.
Dana Dolan, resident of Elko, Nev., regarding the invasion of tens of thousands of Mormon crickets across northern Nevada. The bugs leave behind a stench that is akin to burning flesh and they stick to tires and the bottoms of shoes and they create an oil slick that has caused some vehicles to slide off roads. The crickets are expected to stick around until at least mid-August, after the bugs have mated and laid eggs and, subsequently, died. (Associated Press — June 20, 2023)
Nationally, nearly 900 unique titles had been targeted for bans during the first half of the 2022-2023 school year. Most bans target stories by and about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals, but some include books on history and art.
As the quick work on a Philadelphia highway collapse shows, there are people in government who know how to get things done. But too often, we let “citizen voice” make the process harder and too expensive.
A judge ruled that the state’s Attorney General Andrew Bailey did not have the authority to inflate the estimated cost of a ballot measure to restore abortion rights from $0 to $12.5 billion of state funds.
Across the Midwest, thousands of miles have been planned to soon have metal pipelines connecting dozens of ethanol plants. Proponents tout the pipes’ financial boon, while critics worry about their environmental impact.
Fluctuations in need and bed availability for foster children is normal, but this year has seen a striking crisis in the regional foster care system, which forced the state’s family agency to house seven children in casino hotel rooms over an 89-day stretch.
Amy Chen, Upside Foods’ chief operating officer, regarding the company’s development and approval by the U.S. Agricultural Department to sell lab-grown chicken meat. Cultivated meat is grown in steel tanks, using cells that come from a living animal, a fertilized egg or a special bank of stored cells. “Cultured” meat is much more expensive than meat from whole, farmed birds and cannot yet be produced on the same mass scale, but advocates celebrate the development as a way to eliminate harm to animals and reduce environmental impacts of raising animals for food. (Associated Press — June 21, 2023)
Taking downtown residential is an attractive idea. But it’s not the ultimate solution to central city decline.
We’re already seeing the potential for what tools like ChatGPT can do to improve public services. It’s time for governments at all levels to invest in training their people in the technology.
Most Read
