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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.
The feminist, documentary filmmaker and wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom has had several traumatic experiences that have shaped her life. Now she lets her past help guide her impact on the state through advocacy.
Proponents of the technology claim that it can be used as an important crime-fighting and security tool. But critics argue that mistakes and wrong identifications could put innocent people in prison and threaten data privacy.
Mayor Eric Adams works to open expensive migrant shelters in airport warehouses and school gyms despite the fact that there are thousands of unoccupied beds through the city’s public and supportive housing systems.
Sioux Falls, S.D., police Sgt. Aaron Benson, regarding the recovery of a velociraptor statue that was stolen from outside the Washington Pavilion, an arts and science center. The police were able to track down the statue using surveillance video and the statue did not receive any damage. Three suspects have been detained on charges of grand theft. (Associated Press — June 17, 2023)
Despite steady gains, the LGBTQ+ community is severely underrepresented in elected office.
Inadequate housing stock is causing problems across the country. Local zoning is part of the problem. State-level reforms in two western states may point to the answer.
Most American households don’t save enough for retirement, so some states are pushing private employers to make it easier through state-sponsored payroll withholding plans. Getting the structure and strategy right is crucial.
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