State and Local Politics and Policy
It’s especially hard to get low-income Americans living in multifamily buildings across the digital divide. But states and nonprofits are finding ways to do it.
The cities that have been the most aggressive about demanding reform and altering policing practices are making it difficult for chiefs to carry out the desired policy changes — or even stay on the job.
The North Carolina Health Department announced that reporting errors since April have over-reported the total number of COVID tests. But key figures, like new cases and positive percent, didn’t change.
There was a time when state and local governments could work out deals with Washington. But as the pandemic struggle illustrates, the glory days of big intergovernmental initiatives have ebbed away.
About three-quarters of voters in Mankato, Minn., used mail-in ballots for Tuesday’s primary. The remaining quarter voted in person and saw seamless execution as polling places were prepared with masks and sanitizer.
California has fixed a glitch that underreported the state’s COVID-19 data and the director of the Department of Public Health suddenly resigned. But many are skeptical of the response and worried they’re being misled.
What’s it like to be a front-line government official in the COVID era? The mayor of Hattiesburg, Miss., talks candidly about "awful moments,” as he navigates a pandemic, an economic meltdown and racial tensions.
Many officials are urging greater openness in contact tracing to help combat COVID-19. But as case numbers keep rising, contact tracers are outnumbered, making the data even more difficult to track.
To address racial disparities, they need to collect and analyze more data to evaluate promising policies and better inform their indictment decisions and sentencing recommendations.
While it's helped a lot of Americans who are displaced from their offices get their work done, it's fallen short in areas like education and disease tracking and has once again highlighted the digital divide.
Two-thirds of Black and Latino voters reported that the virus was a major health threat while less than half of white voters reported the same. And 69 percent of voters agreed that COVID-19 is increasing inequality.
A group of voters have sued Tim Walz and other officials over the governor’s mandate, requiring people to wear masks when they vote in-person for next week’s primary. This is the 11th challenge to the state’s COVID-19 rules.
A technological glitch in the electronic data system used by the state’s health departments could be hampering California’s ability to track COVID-19 cases. Officials are uncertain as to when the issue will be resolved.
With the COVID-19 pandemic raging across much of America, a return to full-scale classroom instruction poses too grave a risk to students, teachers, school staff, parents and their communities.
Over a half-century in office — and running for office — this man of paradox broke virtually every rule in the politico's rulebook. Californians loved him for it.
Following a whistleblower lawsuit alleging illegal spying on citizens and a data breach that exposed thousands of confidential intelligence reports, state police showcased to the media how the center provides assistance.
Federal money and innovative housing-first programs have provided much needed support for the nation’s half-million homeless. But with the pandemic continuing, helping this vulnerable population will remain a challenge.
The U.S. lacks a uniform response to COVID-19, resulting in incomplete and patch-worked data reporting. For many states, deciding what to do next is even harder when they only have bits and pieces of the nation’s data.
Phillip Yellow makes the treacherous drive every day, carrying 500 gallons of water up the mountain to a plot of land that’s been in the family for years. “We’ve been here quite a while.”
We're stuck in a 19th-century model that costs too much and doesn't serve anybody well. Rather than cut, cut, cut, we need to redefine the way we deliver services to bring them into the 21st century.
For many health officials, the percentage of positive tests reveals a lot about how the pandemic is being managed. But others prefer to look at all of the available data to determine the efficacy of the response.
Created in 1892 by the state of New York, the park was preserved just when it was on the brink of widespread deforestation. Today, its 6 million acres encompass 105 towns and villages, making it a unique mix of conservation and civilization.
It shouldn't be surprising to see legislative leaders being accused of corruption. The iron-fisted control many of them have over the legislative process makes for a system ripe for ethical abuse.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is offering financial assistance to schools and businesses to install ultraviolet lighting that could minimize the spread of COVID-19. The utility will budget $500,000 for the installations.
Reforms that address police violence against communities of color won't be effective unless we reduce governments' over-reliance on revenue from fines and court fees for minor offenses.
When students went home in March, some college towns lost half their populations. Tax and utility revenues have dropped and those cities are still wondering what sort of economies they'll have in the fall.
While the pandemic continues to rage, hurricane season is looming. Emergency managers need to be ready not only for threats to life and property but also for new and complex financial challenges.
The pandemic has stressed the federalist system to the point of open conflict. The feds, states and localities are all at odds over responses to health, the economy and public safety.
For weeks, New York was the nation’s largest hot spot of coronavirus cases, but after diligent lockdowns, its numbers have plummeted. Now, California is becoming the nation’s hot spot as case numbers continue to rise.
On July 20, California recorded 11,554 COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day number since the week prior’s record. The state’s death toll is also climbing, reaching its worst since the pandemic began.
Lack of water is a huge issue for state Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai’s district, one of many she must juggle for the people she represents. It's why she and her partner don't hesitate to help two thirsty horses.
