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At least four cities across the state are replacing traditional Fourth of July firework displays with laser and drone shows.
Richard Burke, a member of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, who voted along with three fellow Republican commissioners to continue an investigation into Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek’s since-abandoned plans to give her wife an expanded policy role in her administration. The probe won't be further pursued because the commission deadlocked 4-4 on the question. None of the commissioners said they saw proof that Kotek did anything wrong, but those who voted to investigate Kotek further said they wanted to provide Oregonians with more certainty. (Oregon Capital Chronicle — June 28, 2024)
Cash comprised 16 percent of payments during a month-long survey in 2023, compared to 31 percent seven years prior. But cash still remains pervasive among lower-income and older consumers.
Vaccine hesitancy has spread from COVID-19 to traditional childhood immunizations. Parents who don't want their children vaccinated have increasing political support.
Making change in government is hard, but it can happen. As a top education official, Carey Wright pulled off what became known as the “Mississippi Miracle,” dramatically lifting up the Magnolia State’s traditionally bottom-dwelling test scores. In fact, on her watch, Mississippi’s math and literacy scores improved faster than anywhere else in the country.
AI-trained cameras are putting eyes — hundreds of them — on land across the state. They're spotting fires before the 911 calls come in.
Ebony Clarke, behavioral health director for the Oregon Health Authority. A report released last week by the authority found that the state will need to increase the number of beds by 3,700 by the fall of next year in residential facilities that treat people with severe mental health or addiction issues. Doing so will require hiring more staff, which is already a challenge. (Oregon Capital Chronicle – June 27, 2024)
The bills, which passed with bipartisan support, would have made it easier for felons who’d served time to re-enter society successfully. But Gov. DeSantis said they would reward criminals.
The Court found that there is no constitutional right to sleep outdoors or in cars. In dissent, liberal justices argued that sleep is a necessity that's effectively being criminalized.
Most abortions are now illegal in the state. A ban passed last year had been held up by a lower court’s injunction but justices ruled Friday, 4-3, that it can stand.
Jeffrey Louis, also known as B-Boy Jeffro, a Texas breakdancer who has qualified for the U.S. Olympic team. The Paris Olympics will be the first to offer medals for breaking, a sport that Louis describes as “a party”, that he said will add to the spirit of the entire games. (KPRC – June 23, 2024)
Urban interstate highways displaced hundreds of thousands of households, destroyed neighborhoods and enforced racial segregation, and they continue to harm low-income communities. We need to ameliorate this tragic history.
Sheriffs argue that being elected makes them directly accountable to voters, but the reality is that few face real competition.
Vermont will charge $89 a year for registered electric vehicles, directing revenue to more charging stations. It’s among a handful of states with both incentives and fees for EV owners.
Breaking a years-long impasse, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to increase transparency for the governor and lawmakers. The bill still offers them some loopholes, however.
Deloitte has Medicaid contracts with half the states worth at least $5 billion. Critics charge the company with errors that have delayed care.
The new agency will combine programs that provide services for children under 6, which had primarily been divided among three different departments.
There are strong models for combating youthful disillusionment. San Francisco’s Youth Commission should be replicated across the country and a White House Office of Young Americans could address issues that affect everyone.
Shane Gero, a scientist and explorer with National Geographic. Gero said that whales share certain fundamental characteristics with humans, including being parts of families, having individual identities and being curious, especially when young. (Bioneers – May 16, 2023)
As Mississippi's schools chief, Carey Wright lifted test scores faster than any other state in the nation. Now she needs to show results in Maryland.
In the midst of a “skills tsunami,” agencies and their workers understand the problems better than central HR offices do. And workforce planning should focus on local labor markets.
A Shasta County supervisor was nearly recalled and the county’s longtime elections chief stepped down last month, with stress from death threats causing her heart problems.
Justices found that a federal statute that bans bribery does not apply to “gratuities” paid to elected officials for past acts. The case pertained to a former mayor but has implications for charges against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
A federal judge has ordered the state to release unrepresented defendants, with about 2,500 now out of custody as a result. The state is now hiring more attorneys rather than relying on contracts with private defenders.
Hospitals stuck with unpaid bills will sometimes sell to debt collectors at a discount. The county’s investment could erase 100 times as much in medical debt.
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