News
Local criminal justice officials have called Gov. Kate Brown’s commutations of those at high risk for COVID-19 an overreach of executive authority. But many of those that were released quickly returned to prison for new crimes.
The state Department of Transportation has received a $10 million grant to transform an Amtrak station into a centralized transportation hub with retail opportunities and exhibits. The new station is expected to open in 2025.
The number of hours certain federal agencies, such as national security and intelligence agencies, will have to assess and report a cyber attack if it rises to a major level of concern.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, regarding his pledge to empower California residents to enforce the ban of the manufacture and sale of assault weapons in the state by using the same authority conservative lawmakers have used to mostly ban abortions in Texas. (NPR — December 12, 2021)
The state knew something special had to happen if it wanted to revive intercity passenger rail service. A coalition of political and private support created the highly successful Downeaster.
After the successful shift to remote work for many government agencies in 2021, the public sector has begun to weigh the benefits of hybrid work environments and reassess hiring practices.
Most of downtown Mayfield was destroyed and dozens of residential blocks have been wiped out. “War zones don’t look this bad,” Gov. Beshear said, but residents were optimistic about rebuilding.
Journalist and historian Jay Cost says this is not the time to get rid of parties but have them rise to the challenge and help make a more perfect union.
The top performers in this year’s Digital Cities Survey from the Center for Digital Government pushed through the challenges of COVID-19 while continuing to innovate and engage with residents.
Minnesota attorney general warns lenders: Don’t be surprised if you’re investigated.
As the country grew, each Census required greater effort than the last. That problem led to the invention of the punched card – and the birth of an industry.
The controversial lab uses DNA to create “virtual mugshots” of crime suspects. Defense advocates consider the images unreliable. Police use of the company has continued more than a year after City Hall said the arrangement had been terminated.
Seven months after the state Supreme Court barred judges from blocking public access to records without explanation, court records continue to disappear from public view without reason.
The Edison Electric Institute estimated that to match the projected 22 million electric vehicles that will be on the road in 2030, utilities across the nation must increase the number of charging stations by more than tenfold.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced that the state will soon release a voluntary digital vaccination verification system that local governments and businesses can enact as they see fit. The state will not reinstate a mask mandate.
Alexis Campbell, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesperson, regarding the national shortage of snowplow drivers which could cause delays in snow removal this winter. (Associated Press — December 10, 2021)
Billions of dollars available to state and local governments might be enough to bring affordable broadband to all Americans. But some states have yet to produce plans for these funds.
Public health, justice and safety suffer when we reflexively deploy police to respond to mental health crises, “quality of life” disorder and other societal ills beyond officers’ training.
The legislation would create a statewide incentive to develop and retain businesses in an increasingly competitive market. Five Democrats and 16 Republicans voted against the bill.
As pandemic regulation creeps beyond privacy to protect public health, South Korea is developing an entire “smart city” to better understand how to regulate technology to keep the benefits of smart living without losing data privacy.
The trucking industry faces high turnover among drivers because its business model isn’t driver-centric. A tech company uses artificial intelligence to determine which routes are best for both the driver and revenue generation.
More than a dozen current and former Torrance, Calif., police officers and recruits exchanged racist text messages for years. The discovery could undermine hundreds of cases in which those officers either testified or made arrests.
Rachel Wagoner, director of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, regarding the state’s mandatory residential food waste recycling program that will go into effect next month. Vermont is the only other state in the nation that requires residents to compost their food waste. (Associated Press — December 9, 2021)
The proportion of Americans who say that the COVID-19 vaccine conflicts with their religious beliefs; six in 10 Americans say that no religious reason is a valid reason for not getting vaccinated. Nearly 60 percent of Americans say that too many people are using religion as an excuse to not get vaccinated.
State and local governments have billions to invest in recovery and equity. Emphasis on diversity and purpose-driven jobs could get them the workers they need to make the most of a historic opportunity.
The Los Angeles School District has struggled to increase school enrollment with a shortage of teachers and staff. That has left many students with disabilities without the assistance they need.
It will cost the city $938,000 each year for the next 10 years to gain access to 250 body cameras, which is more equipment for less money than officials originally had anticipated. But the tech may not arrive until 2023.
Jeffersonville’s $19 million project will widen roads, add sidewalks and increase lighting to ease driving issues and improve child safety. Construction will begin in 2024, with hopes for completion two years later.
The telecom giant has agreed to a settlement with residents of Dewey Beach that it will remove five 5G poles from oceanside sand dunes and beach entrances. But there are still seven poles that are unaffected by the settlement.
Most Read
