Taking Center Stage in Minnesota’s Legislature: Infrastructure, Taxes and Health Insurance Costs
Now in control of both the state House and Senate, Republican leaders look to tackle escalating health insurance premiums.
Federal Auditors Recommend Colorado Repay $9.7 Million; Ohio’s New Anti-Blight Rule
Also in our State and Local Daily Digest: L.A. County family homelessness soars; a squabble over number of airport noise complaints; and concerns over weakening Texas open-records rules.
U.S. Opioid Overdose Deaths Reach Record Highs
The CDC data are painful reminders of the tragic losses affecting families and communities across the country.
Distressing Stat on Colorado’s Overdose Deaths Underscores Urban-Rural Disparities
In 2015, more people died from opioid overdoses than homicides and the problem is made worse by a lack of access to treatment options.
Telemedicine in Schools Helps Keep Kids in the Classroom
Many states are experimenting with telemedicine to address health disparities that can depress student achievement.
A Long-Lost Data Trove Uncovers California’s Sterilization Program
Some of the 20,000 victims are still alive today.
Indiana’s Medicaid Experiment May Reveal Obamacare’s Future
The state’s health-care system was expanded under the Affordable Care Act. Now, it may serve as a model nationwide.
As More Women Drink, Some States Take Action
As the proportion of female drinkers rises, public health officials are urging more doctors to screen for alcohol abuse, particularly among women who could become pregnant.
Tracking W.Va.’s Opioid Pill Pipeline; Opening Date Set for N.Y.C.’s 2nd Ave. Subway
Also in our State and Local Weekend News Digest: Nigerian man indicted in L.A. County phishing attack; investigation finds that $1 billion was misused for Navajo Nation housing; and Iowa bill would ban traffic cameras.
After Water Contamination Crisis, Sighs of Relief in Corpus Christi
But there are a lot of questions about last week’s incident, involving an asphalt emulsifying agent, Indulin AA-86.
How States Can Help Curb Opioid Misuse
Increasing prescriber use of prescription drug monitoring programs is critical to stopping the opioid crisis.
Which Soda Tax Model Actually Encourages People to Consume Less Sugar?
When it comes to improving health, there’s a difference between taxing by drink volume and taxing by sugar content, according to a new Urban Institute report.
How Disease Rates Vary by State — and What States Can Do About It
Public health officials are using information about disparities based on where people live to craft effective interventions.
Pesticides Aren’t the Best Way to Fight Zika-Carrying Mosquitoes
Chemical spraying is less sustainable than other mosquito-fighting methods, and may give people a false sense of security.
Why Cities Should Get Smart About Their Environments
Getting “smart” about environmental monitoring doesn’t just put a city at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, it could also mean life or death for its residents.
Fighting Opioid Abuse in Indian Country
The overdose death rate among Native Americans is three times the rate in the general population. As the opioid epidemic surges, many tribes are investing in treatment and specialized housing on the reservation.
Lax Ambulance Rules Put Paramedics, Patients at Risk
Ambulances are involved in 4,500 crashes a year, in which 2,600 people are injured and 33 are killed.
Pa.’s Medicaid Expansion for Long-Acting Birth Control; Maine’s Lousy Infrastructure Report Card
Also in our State and Local Daily Digest: Is Pasadena, Texas redistricting racist?; another ransomware attack on an Indiana county; Boston PD social media monitoring raises discrimination concerns.
Drug Prices, Senior Programs May Deliver Blow to State Budgets
Recent changes in federal programs for seniors could drive up states’ Medicaid costs by millions of dollars.
Hazardous Needles Pose Difficult Problems for Local Governments
If a safe-injection site “eliminates this public health hazard, maybe it’s something to consider,” says the public works director in Santa Cruz, California.
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