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The state is home to 23 of the top 300 most unequal school system borders in the country, including eight of the top 100. Only three states have more entries in the top 100, all of which have significantly larger populations.
John Dixon Keller, who heads the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force, commenting about the prosecution of 20 people who threatened election workers. (Washington Post — March 25, 2024)
Veterans were once half as likely as the general population to land in prison. Now, they're twice as likely. State and local officials are trying to prevent this from happening.
The country needs a lot of new infrastructure. But we keep putting it in the wrong places.
Congress could enable cities to employ tax-exempt bonds to help stabilize their office tax bases in a way that’s friendly to both taxpayers and the IRS. There might already be opportunities for brave mayors and crafty public financiers.
A new chief technology officer takes over after a recent cyber attack in which the city lost $5.9 million. The city has also hired a new director to help its most vulnerable residents.
State lawmakers are determined to host a convention to rewrite the state’s constitution, but they have not agreed on which aspects they want to address or who should be in attendance.
The artificial reef aims to replenish marine life eradicated by a nuclear power plant’s water cooling system. The plant has now been shut for more than a decade, giving the aquatic ecosystems time to rebuild.
The Effingham City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s zoning ordinance to regulate cryptocurrency mines and data centers, including their noise generation and physical locations.
Judith Vogel, the director of the Stockton Maple Project, a program at Stockton University that produces maple syrup. The project is in its fourth year of producing syrup from the 300 acres of maples surrounding the school. In 2022, New Jersey produced 1,817 gallons of maple syrup, worth $88,000; by contrast, Vermont produces nearly 3 million gallons each year, worth approximately $105 million. (Associated Press — March 24, 2024)
More than $100 billion in private investment has already been spurred by the federal Inflation Reduction Act, helping to drive advanced manufacturing in many states.
Future in Context
Complete bans, age verification and new online tools are in play as government, the tech industry and parents contend for influence and control in determining how to keep minors safe online.
The unanimous vote will allow the city to exchange some of its own land for a parcel that is currently owned by the state. If the mayor and state commissioner approve, city hall and the Civil District Court will relocate.
Due to a series of atmospheric river storms in 2022, several levees broke along Sacramento County’s Cosumnes River, causing three deaths. The levee repairs were completed last year.
Jails across the state have seen their first reduction in deaths in seven years. But investigations of the 63 deaths revealed supervision failures in more than a third of them.
Failures were due to a communication breakdown between the Democratic co-chairmen of the General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee. It was the first time that a legislative committee failed to approve any legislation.
Joe Mellis, regarding the effort it took to compost his father’s body after his death. Just seven states have legalized human composting, including Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Vermont and New York. In 2027, California will also legalize the practice. (NPR — March 22, 2024)
Health outcomes and life expectancy improve in counties where residents have greater opportunity to engage in civic life.
The city’s tech companies raised more than $3 billion in funding and attracted 57 new investors last year, marking the region’s second highest annual total in 12 years.
The artificial intelligence adviser will tell students and parents about grades, test results and attendance, while also giving out assignments, suggesting readings and helping students cope with non-academic matters.
The site is expected to generate approximately 1,000 construction jobs immediately and 1,400 jobs once the center is finished. The center will be Google’s first in Missouri.
Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties produced 31.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent in 2021. The energy industry produced 45 percent of the region’s emissions, with transportation close behind.
Alabama state Sen. Will Barfoot regarding his legislation banning state funding of diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools, public colleges and state agencies. Barfoot’s bill, which Gov. Kay Ivey signed on Wednesday, bans eight “divisive topics” that range from the idea that “any race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior” to the idea that any “individual is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously.” Since 2023, 80 anti-DEI bills have been introduced in 28 states and Congress. Measures have been signed into law in eight states. (NPR — March 20, 2024)
Canceling the presidential primary cost Florida Democrats in local races. In Ohio, it looks like Jason Stephens will survive as state House speaker after contested primaries.
The Reconnecting Communities program is giving $3.3 billion to help cities address problems caused by highways. But in most cases, the projects stop short of removing highways altogether.
At the canvass of the Gillespie County GOP primary, election workers said poor penmanship, data entry lapses, transposed numbers and simple math mistakes led to discrepancies.
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