North Dakota Governor for President?
What the U.S. Supreme Court rulings mean for states and localities; watching the debt limit drama; and more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.
Births Decline in Most States, Continuing a Long-Term Trend
‘We’re back where we started before Covid hit.’
Combining GCN and Route Fifty: A Note to Our Readers
We are merging our publications to better serve the state and local government community.
Curbside Recycling Offsets Garbage Emission Impact
COMMENTARY | The finding in a new study should encourage towns and cities to continue offering recycling services to meet their climate goals.
Funding for Rental Assistance is Ending, But Need Continues
Some states are working to develop programs that will pick up where pandemic-era programs are leaving off.
7% of the United States Is a ‘Play Desert’
COMMENTARY | Many of the counties lacking access to play areas were clustered in the Southeast and Southwest, and were most common in rural and suburban areas throughout the country.
New Initiative Will Help Cities Reduce Homelessness
The program will “embed” federal officials in six cities to help local officials get people off the streets and into homes more quickly.
For Some Convicted Sex Offenders, Finishing Their Sentences Doesn’t Mean They Get To Go Home
Several states are civilly committing sex offenders when their prison terms end. Observers say nationwide data on the practice is needed to shed light on how widespread it is and whether it is effective.
A Few Cities Are Regaining Residents After Shrinking During the Pandemic
Seattle, Houston and Atlanta are among the cities that have rallied.
In Their Fight Against Big Oil, Cities Turn to Laws That Took Down Mobsters
The use of RICO laws could be the start of a new wave of climate lawsuits and a sign that cities and states are trying to learn from the successes and failures of the tobacco and opioid litigation movements.
Did Your Town Make This List of Best-Performing Cities?
The Milken Institute is out with its annual report ranking the economic performance of more than 400 metropolitan areas. Here’s what it takes to be a booming city.
With Summer Coming Fast, Regulator Warns of Electric Reliability Issues
A huge share of the continent could be in for a summer of electricity shortages in the event of severe, long-lasting heat.
Five Takeaways from Tuesday’s Elections
Women make history, Republicans lose ground and crime concerns take center stage. Here's what you might've missed in the dozens of city and statewide races Tuesday night.
Will States Force Localities to Build Affordable Housing?
The need for more housing in America is undeniable. But with localities unlikely to change zoning laws to create more, states are stepping in.
State Lawmakers Eye Forced Treatment to Address Overlap in Homelessness and Mental Illness
Democratic politicians in California and Oregon are reconsidering the restrictions of involuntary commitment laws. They argue that not helping people who are seriously ill and living in squalor on the streets is inhumane.
One County’s Choice to Use Opioid Funds to Pay Off Debt
Greene County, Tennessee, so far has received more than $2.7 million from regional and national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. But most of the money is not going to help people and families harmed by addiction.
Mental Health Statistics Reveal a Crisis in America
County officials are asking Congress for more funding and to change a pair of Medicaid rules that will allow governments to provide more mental health services.
Controlled Burns Help Prevent Wildfires. Regulations Have Made It Nearly Impossible to Do Them.
Even though the 2021 Marshall Fire made it clear that the fire threat posed by Colorado’s grasslands endangers large urban areas, federal, state and local rules continue to make it difficult to address the risk.
AGs Urge Action on Households' Invisible Plastic Waste
In a letter, 17 Democratic state attorneys general called on the federal government to address "microfibers," the tiny bits of plastic most clothing sheds in washing machines.
State Efforts to Undercut Local Governance Widen in Scope
Lawmakers have introduced upwards of 650 bills this year preempting the power of cities and other local governments, says a new report. These bills are broad in their approach, looking to “cut out local authority at-large.”
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