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Legislators have introduced a bill that would effectively prohibit mail-ballot drop boxes to determine a winner more quickly. But Gov. Wolf is fiercely against anything that inhibits Pennsylvanians’ ability to vote.
Evacuation maps that are a year old, coding errors that stop emergency alerts and an emergency official who didn’t hear his phone that was set to vibrate are just some of the many errors in California’s emergency alert system.
The police department in Pennsylvania has worked to balance legal requirements and moral imperatives of public demands for more transparent policing. Some believe more data will help build trust, but not everyone agrees.
Certain school districts in Florida and Tennessee have formally classified school teachers as essential workers, which means that they must continue to work even if they’ve come in contact with COVID-19.
Outdoor learning can slash the odds that in-person classes will put staff or students at risk of contracting the coronavirus. A national coalition is developing guidelines and resources to help schools in any climate.
Cynthia Giles, Environmental Protection Agency’s former assistant administrator under the Obama Administration, commenting on the waivers that thousands of oil and gas operations have received to suspend environmental regulation checks during COVID-19. (AP News — August 24, 2020)
The number of laptops that the three biggest computer companies are short and are therefore unable to provide schools for distance learning.
Officials aren’t worried about fraud. They’re worried about disqualified mail-in ballots because they weren’t postmarked on time, arrived beyond the 17-day eligibility period or were missing signatures.
Many minority communities have grown to rely on the independent contract work flexibility of ride-sharing and delivery apps, so classifying workers as full-time would actually be detrimental. “It’s not good for folks of color.”
There is no national data network that allows quick and effective responses to disasters or disease outbreaks. Many doctors still have to fax documents to public health agencies, a problem many want to change.
Officials in Washington’s Puget Sound area are considering plexiglass barriers, mask-selling vending machines and ultraviolet light to disinfect stations as ways to ensure safety amid public transit during COVID-19.
Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni, commenting on several states’ efforts to reconstruct Black history into school, either through adapting social science courses or by introducing new classes that focus entirely on African American history. (PEW — August 20, 2020)
The amount that the state of Michigan will pay to more than 25,000 victims of the Flint water crisis. The settlement stipulates that nearly 80 percent of the funds would go to children exposed to the contaminated water, amounting to $45,000 per child.
Reading school board voted to spend up to $700,000 to provide broadband Internet to 10,000 households, with two months of free broadband from Comcast. “I hope this shows the importance of low-cost or free publicly held wifi.”
State lawmakers have stalled a bill that would punish police officers who don’t physically intervene in situations of excessive force. Law enforcement groups opposed the legislation, which stalled without explanation.
Election officials worry the inactive status will further confuse an already complicated general election, but they want to emphasize that dormant voters can still vote; they just have to change their voting status first.
Pushed by unions, Virginia, Oregon and California aren’t waiting for federal guidance any longer and are creating worker protection rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while on the job.
The pandemic has exacerbated building departments' chronic under-resourcing. We need to invest in technology to boost their efficiency and enable them to carry out their critical functions remotely.
Elected officials, agency heads and other government leaders need to understand their organizations' challenges and issues. It's the key to establishing a shared culture of security in a public organization.
Federal help is needed now to reopen schools safely and address educational gaps. But for the long term, K-12 education needs to become more financially efficient and prioritize equity.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, commenting on the fact that nearly 5,000 baby chicks have been delivered dead in Maine and New Hampshire in recent weeks, directly impeding farms’ ability to maintain and raise flocks. (AP News — August 20, 2020)
The percentage of people who said they have not taken a ride-hailing trip since March, according to a new poll. The survey also found that 54 percent of respondents felt uncomfortable using a ride-hailing service during the coronavirus pandemic.
A military surplus program has allowed Illinois to gather 1,139 items of military gear for their police officers. For many, the military gear is used to intimidate the public. Others don’t mind as long as it keeps people safe.
It is deeply imbedded into the idea of what we expect from our national government. Able to reliably deliver letters, prescriptions and ballots anywhere in the country, the Post Office has become more important than ever.
Massachusetts, Nebraska and Minnesota are among numerous states where legislation has recently been introduced to address the affordable housing deficit. Some bills are more concrete than others.
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Digital technology has changed how people live, move and do everyday tasks. The cities of Portland, Maine, Buffalo, New York and Omaha, Nebraska, share a common vision—a future where parking is no longer a burden for city leaders or the communities they serve.
Faid Quran, campaign director at nonprofit advocacy group, Avaaz, addressing the health misinformation that is being spread across Facebook. Most of the deceptive news came as COVID-19 was reaching its peak in April. The misinformation networks received 460 million views in a single month. (The Hill — August 19, 2020)
The proportion of Americans that agree that “a well-functioning United States Postal Service is important to having a smooth and successful election during the coronavirus pandemic,” according to a new poll. The support was bipartisan, with 92 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans in favor of spending more money on helping the country’s mail system.
The state will begin paying one-time relief checks to as many as 70,000 residents who haven’t received unemployment benefit payments from the state. While the $500 payment isn’t sufficient, leaders hope it will help.
Nearly 25 percent of students in the state do not have Internet access at home. Lawmakers are considering how they can address the problem, but until then, school districts are having to make temporary solutions.
