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Elected office should be more than a steppingstone to higher office or wealth accumulation. Among other things, elected officials should respect their constituents and side with the underserved whose voices are rarely heard.
Houston, Texas, has started deploying digital kiosks throughout the city. In addition to offering wayfinding services and municipal resources to residents and visitors, they also serve as Internet connectivity hubs.
Many want to sanction Putin and Co. at every turn, but it’s a mistake to move too quickly. Pension funds actually don’t hold that much in Russian assets, and they're sitting ducks for crafty, amoral traders.
The state has updated a law that will likely add more decentralized autonomous organizations to the state, which officials hope will further Wyoming’s status as a national trendsetter for virtual currency.
The state’s oil producers claim that an increase in oil drilling could help stop runaway gas prices, but, since the price of oil is set by global market forces, it’s unlikely that $5.72 per gallon statewide price would drop.
Climate change is causing once-predictable winter weather patterns to now become uncertain, which could lead to greater water pollution and deterioration of road infrastructure across the state.
The prison that was previously privately run will return to local government control in April and Warden Laura Williams’ background in behavioral health could help to bring a much-needed culture change.
Katie Wright, Daunte Wright’s mother, regarding the memorial for her son at a suburban Minneapolis intersection. City officials plan to remove the memorial. Daunte Wright was killed by Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter, after Potter claimed she mistakenly pulled her handgun instead of her Taser. (Associated Press — March 14, 2022)
The increase in Black-owned businesses as compared to pre-pandemic levels, growth that is primarily driven by Black women.
No Democratic governor has been defeated since 2014. Look for that to change in November.
The systems shouldn’t be diluted in the name of “reform.” Licensing benefits women and minorities, brings higher wages and protects the public.
The radicalization of a congressional clerk in the 1800s and the introduction of the telegraph set a young country on a new trajectory.
American farmers are the quintessential do-it-yourself businesspeople. Yet tractor manufacturer John Deere forbids them from attempting to repair their agricultural machinery when it breaks down. But change could be coming.
The CHP, one of California’s largest police agencies, does not provide body cameras for 97 percent of its officers.
Unprecedented federal investment from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will soon land in state broadband offices. Maryland, Maine and Utah share their plans for putting those resources to use.
Los Angeles gasoline prices are reaching record highs and the Metro has reduced costs to encourage riders, yet many still aren’t riding public transit for safety concerns. Violent crimes on the system rose 36 percent last year.
Gov. Jay Inslee proposed spending $100 million to subsidize the purchase of electric vehicles, but only $25 million was earmarked for EV incentives in the budget that was passed on Thursday.
The California city was victim to a larger scheme that targeted several municipalities across the nation, but some wonder why city officials waited two years to provide information on the scam.
A California-based startup company will invest $254 million in the state, partly to establish a manufacturing plant for its hydrogen-powered passenger capsules in Albuquerque that is expected to open in 2024.
Virginia Sen. Scott Surovell, regarding the state’s decision to lift its ban on facial recognition technology for surveillance or monitoring just eight months after passing one of the most restrictive bans in the nation. The new legislation will allow police agencies to use the technology in certain circumstances, such as identifying crime victims or witnesses, sex trafficking victims and unidentified bodies in morgues. (Associated Press — March 10, 2022)
The proportion of U.S. adults who expect to spend less on meals out if gasoline prices continue to rise; 49 percent said they would reduce spending on movies and other entertainment while 60 percent reported they wouldn’t drive as far for leisure activities.
A California case involving local sugary-drink taxes demonstrates the value of taking to the courts to push against industry-backed laws that block city and county policies that promote health and equity.
The federal funds provide an opportunity for cities to address and make tangible progress toward addressing the systemic inequities that have lingered for far too long.
The idea was first included in a campaign pledge during the 2000 election and has been debated ever since. The state will abolish the county’s office and transfer its duties to the county commission, effective in 2024.
Obscure court fees are disproportionately issued to low-income residents of color, who often cannot afford to pay the fines; 86 percent reported that paying for the ticket would impact their ability to pay for food.
Residents across the Maryland county are reporting instances in which they are forced to wait several minutes before they’re connected with a 911 operator. Improving call center retention and efficiency could help alleviate the issue.
Amber Briggle, a Texas resident and the mother of a transgender son. Briggle is under investigation after Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a legal opinion this year claiming that gender-affirming treatments for transgender children constitutes child abuse. In 2016, Briggle invited Paxton to dinner to “put a human face” to the struggle for transgender rights and has felt that she has been a target ever since. (Texas Standard — March 9, 2022)
The rate of local election officials who say that they’re planning on leaving their position before 2024. The most common reasons cited included job stress and that too many politicians were attacking “a system that they know is fair and honest.”
California got the ball rolling, working to keep organic materials out of landfills by issuing regulations and using technologies that can turn them into an energy source and carbon sink. Now, other states are joining in.
The war in Ukraine has triggered an outpouring of sympathy for the plight of the people under attack, but also a surprising amount of isolationist sentiment. It’s not the first time this has happened.
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