While Harvey’s Floodwaters Have Receded, the Health Risks Linger
From overwhelmed sewage infrastructure to inundated industrial sites, the disaster’s impacts loom weeks after the record-setting storm left Texas.
Mostly Cut Off, Puerto Ricans Flock to the Few Spots With Cellphone Service
STATE AND LOCAL NEWS ROUNDUP | Amid unrest, St. Louis mayor wants investigation of police actions; report finds mental health care troubles in Kansas; and North Jersey city fumes over mayor’s guilty plea.
Puerto Rico Devastated: ‘When We Can Get Outside, We Will Find Our Island Destroyed’
STATE AND LOCAL NEWS ROUNDUP: More states announce their FirstNet opt-in decisions; Mich. Civil Service Commission gives state more power over its workers; and Louisiana has some good budget news for a change.
Tech Companies Are Redefining How We Respond to Natural Disasters—In a Good Way
We are entering an era in which the app-based technology that facilitates so much of our lives is also enabling a new generation of disaster response.
Houston Mayor Seeks to Hike Taxes to Pay for Flood Recovery
STATE AND LOCAL NEWS ROUNDUP | Maine’s governor vs. Native American tribes; “bikini barista” lawsuit filed in Washington state; and multi-state diarrhea outbreak linked to puppy sales.
Disaster Risk and Economic Growth Create Uncomfortable Questions for Civic Boosters
ANALYSIS: Suitors seeking Amazon’s 2nd headquarters should ask themselves: How resilient is their city or region?
How Flood Insurance Premiums Could Threaten Local Government Tax Revenues
It’s one of the concerns local government officials have as Congress looks to reauthorize the financially-stressed National Flood Insurance Program.
How Transit Can Speed Houston's Recovery
Yes, the city does have a mass transit system. And it will need it.
Local Officials in Houston Area Fear Higher Numbers From Texas Flood Impacts
STATE AND LOCAL NEWS ROUNDUP | L.A. can breathe a sigh of relief, for now; S.C. governor releases “top secret” report on failed nuclear project; and Alaska’s largest needle-exchange sees growing demand.
Vulnerable Communities Lose Critical Documentation in Natural Disasters' Wake
Texas’s S.B. 5 voting ID law, struck down last week, could have had serious consequences for minority voters impacted by Tropical Storm Harvey.
Harvey's Floodwaters Cut Off City’s Water Supply
The storm has turned most of Beaumont, Texas into “an island,” isolating a city of 120,000 residents, many who now find themselves scrambling for water.
2 Florida State Employees Fired Over Missing a Critical Federal Deadline
STATE AND LOCAL NEWS ROUNDUP | Chinese investors vs. South Dakota; legal victory for Minneapolis mayor; and a conservative state network targets employee unions for “mortal blow.”
The Invisible Toll of Trauma and Stress From Storms Like Harvey
Research on Hurricane Katrina survivors shows that the mental health impact of a catastrophe of this scale will likely linger for years to come.
The Looming Consequences of Breathing Mold
Flooding means health issues that unfold for years.
Harvey’s Devastation Brings New Attention to Troubled Flood Insurance Program
“The stability of the real estate and mortgage markets depend on an on-time, multi-year reauthorization” of the flood insurance program, a FEMA deputy associate administrator told senators earlier this year.
Houston Also Had a Disastrous 'Once-in-500-Year' Flood in 2001
Why do these floods occur far more frequently than their names would imply?
Federal Agencies Respond to ‘Unprecedented’ Texas Storm
Here's a rundown of the federal response to Hurricane Harvey.
Airbnb Activates Disaster Program in Advance of Hurricane Harvey’s Landfall
Prepping free housing for evacuees and relief workers, the company’s network in the “cone of impact” includes more than 30,000 members and hosts.
Can Congress Bring the National Flood Insurance Program Above Water?
The debate over too-low premiums and repetitive payouts grinds on, even as the thunderheads roll in and the water levels rise.
Municipal Leaders Gather for Resilient Cities Summit
Climate change presents complex and interwoven policy challenges for local governments, all of which will be front and center during discussions in Vermont.
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