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.
They need to protect their citizens and businesses, but it's time for them to begin addressing the systemic racism underlying the protests that have roiled cities across America.
The company that won the state’s $295 million contact tracing contract hasn’t revealed the subcontractors involved or how much tracers are being paid. The company also won’t discuss details of previous work it's done.
For weeks, public officials have warned against the dangers of mass gatherings. Now, some seem OK with protests. That's going to make it harder to convince people to avoid other activities.
The pandemic is hitting African American communities hardest. Black mayors are taking the lead in narrowing racial disparities and working for policies that help protect everyone.
The state legislature has killed bills that aren’t COVID-19-related or low-cost in time and money. The biggest ones include gun safety, family and medical leave, and will have to wait until next year.
The haunting images of the murder of George Floyd by a police officer have triggered widespread protests and unrest. Will it be enough to change how America, its police force and the black community live together?
Protests and violence around the country were triggered by a police-involved killing in Minneapolis, but are taking place against a backdrop of pandemic and economic collapse.
Sonoma County police will no longer impose the stay-at-home order, even though it contradicts the statewide mandate. “The sheriff’s department is apparently not concerned about the public health of our community.”
President Trump signed an executive order last week that attempted to curb the legal immunity of social media companies, but many see it as a power grab and infringement upon first amendment rights.
California has surpassed 100,000 confirmed cases as the state’s economy begins to restart. But some believe that the reopening isn’t causing the virus to spread and that it’s simply the state’s increase in testing.
The president wants social media sites to be investigated for political bias. His new executive order is the strongest attack yet on a key free speech protection for online platforms, but it's not the only one.
DeKalb, Ga., officials acknowledged an error in the documents that were related to a $61 million sewer contract, but said the mistake had no impact on the final decision. This wasn’t the first mishap with the contract.
We assume that squishing people together on subways and buses, along with urban density in general, accounts for much of the virus's spread. But when you look at the evidence, it's a blurred picture.
Contact tracers must fight privacy concerns and conspiracy theories before some residents may be willing to speak to them. “For this to be successful, people have to feel comfortable cooperating with us.”
Some believe that artificial intelligence can be a great assist to doctors in these times of crisis, but many are concerned that there hasn’t been enough study and testing to validate use of the technology.
The economies of the U.S., Canada and Mexico are interconnected. Their subnational governments and their businesses need synchronized federal guidance about how and when to restart.
The pandemic is challenging colleges' enrollments and finances as never before. Some may not survive, and those that do will have to consider major changes in their structures and the way they teach.
It's not just angry protesters. Governors are finding their stay-at-home orders challenged in court and their authority increasingly under fire in legislatures and from local officials.
St. Louis, Mo., is beginning to lift its stay-at-home orders, but doesn’t have funding to hire many contact tracers. Some believe county officials should help to ensure the virus doesn’t spread throughout the region.
In a 217-189 vote, the House of Representatives approved a package that allows Congress to work remotely amid the coronavirus. However, some members are still concerned that remote governing will erode the institution.
Communities that have lost population temporarily are at risk of an undercount, costing them state and federal aid for a decade. But with a little help from Congress, there are solutions.
Wisconsin’s Supreme Court ruled against Gov. Tony Evers’ “safer at home” order, so local governments are announcing their own “stay home” directives to keep Wisconsinites home and economies closed.
The COVID-19 crisis has inspired new thinking about how communities can embrace technology to better serve the people who live in them. We can be intentional about what we create.
Thirteen attorneys general want more information from Amazon after concerns the company is not ensuring worker safety during the pandemic. Failure to release the information could violate consumer protection laws.
Gov. Inslee says the state is nearly ready to deploy 1,371 contract tracers as part of the state’s first phase of reopening. Washington state is still sheltering in place through the end of May.
Jim Newton’s biography of Jerry Brown details the former governor’s captivating relationship with California public office as well as his impact on both state and national politics.
A researcher from the University of Tennessee believes that the power grid is secure against cyberattacks, coronavirus and lightning but may face challenges as society shifts towards more electric usage.
The state Senate approved a bill that would require the Department of Public Health to provide more COVID-19 information on state agencies, nursing facilities, and correctional facilities in daily reports.
Even though they live in ZIP codes with some of the lowest numbers of coronavirus cases, “Black Ohioans are hospitalized or infected by COVID-19 at more than twice their share of the overall population.”
It may seem hard to believe that the time of a deadly pandemic might one day be remembered wistfully by those who lived through it. But something like that has happened before in American life.
