#local-governments

#local-governments

Public libraries in Illinois could be cut off from state funding if they remove books and other materials from their shelves for "partisan or doctrinal" reasons under a measure signed into law Monday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker."Book bans are about censorship, marginalizing people, marginalizing ideas and facts," Pritzker said before signing the legislation at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago.

SPRINGFIELD - Negotiations over proposed state assistance for the Chicago Bears' move to northwest suburban Arlington Heights will continue into the summer as the team on Wednesday weighed in publicly for the first time on a plan before lawmakers that would offer the property tax "certainty" sought by club owners.

Maybe you've faced this same dilemma: You have an item that's come to the end of its life-say, a string of holiday lights-but you're wavering between tossing the tangled mess into the trash (after all, it's got all sorts of electronic bits) or the recycling (still, it has quite a bit of plastic).There's a person who can help you with that dilemma: Charlotte Dreizen.

A popular proposal for a federal e-bike credit is back in front of Congress - and this time, supporters have hard proof of concept that it will be the emissions-slashing, congestion-cutting, mode-shifting tool that Americans deserve.On Tuesday, a coalition of lawmakers led by Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.)

Mallinckrodt says it is considering its financial alternatives, including a second bankruptcy, and might not make a $200 million opioid payment next week.Whitney Curtis/AP The generic drug-maker Mallinckrodt says the company's board might not make a $200 million opioid settlement payment scheduled for later this week.

The Treasury Department is steadily draining the funds it has to pay the nation's bills during the debt ceiling impasse.Treasury had $57.3 billion in cash on hand as of Thursday, according to federal data.The amount bounces around as the agency takes in revenue and makes payments, but the balance has declined from $238.5 billion at the start of the month, when the coffers were relatively flush from tax collections in April.

The law will create potentially harmful living situations for transgender youth in the state, critics contend.A protester holds a placard that says, "The blood of trans youth is on your hands" inside the Indiana Statehouse as the Indiana Senate's Health and Provider Services Committee in February considers legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors in Indiana.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 by Seth Smalley
The recent ice storm caused over $29 million in damages, felling trees, snapping power lines and sparking a declaration of disaster from county officials.On Tuesday, the county announced another debris drop-off point at Mansfield Dam, in addition to the site at Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant.

Politicians and advocates gathered on Feb. 22 to demand that the state legislature end onerous court fees, which disproportionately harm low income New Yorkers and "perpetuates poverty" in the Empire State."Are you aware that it's still a crime here in New York in 2023, and are you aware that if you are poor you will fund that same system that perpetuates your poverty and keeps you poor," said Bronx Assembly Member Kenny Burgos, a sponsor of the End Predatory Court Fees Act .

For Linda Green James, getting onto the beach is usually top of mind when she's planning a summer getaway with her daughter Suzi Osborne, 47, who uses a wheelchair because of a traumatic brain injury.But when the two stay at a friend's condo in Pompano Beach, Fla., they usually resign themselves to hanging out around the pool.

While Republican supporters bill the measure as a way of reducing blowback, Democratic leaders argue that even debating it fuels a risky and dishonest theory that it's possible to avert irreparable economic damage without raising the debt limit.Since GOP lawmakers keep talking it up, however, Democrats are happy to exploit the tricky politics of the convoluted proposal.

The cancellations rippled across the country: A Japanese choral band touring China, stand-up comedy shows in several cities, jazz shows in Beijing.In the span of a few days, the performances were among more than a dozen that were abruptly called off some just minutes before they were supposed to begin with virtually no explanation.

China's government said it expected the country's economy to grow around 5 percent this year, a goal that may be attainable as activity rebounds quickly but will still require considerable public borrowing and spending on roads, rail lines and other infrastructure.Li Keqiang, who will finish his decade as the country's premier in the coming days, announced the target on Sunday at the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress.

Spring Woods High School in Houston, Texas, is one of the schools that put on a production of The Addams Family.Susan Doremus/Educational Theatre Associaton The Educational Theatre Association has released its top-10 lists of plays and musicals performed in high schools during the 2022-2023 school year.

Beijing will give out a $6 monthly cash subsidy to low-income residents to cushion the impact of rising food prices, a move that has unexpectedly angered many online who say the amount is far too low.The announcement from the city government comes as food inflation accelerated in China after policymakers scrapped their zero-Covid strategy in December and eased monetary policy further to fuel economic recovery.

KALAMAZOO, Mich.When Anna Capling, a labor and delivery nurse in Livonia, Mich., heard from family members on Wednesday that their lights were flickering amid an impending ice storm, she stood up to charge her phone just in case the power went out.Then she heard a loud boom, and everything went dark.

One of China's richest women has fully taken over Country Garden, a top real estate developer, after her father resigned, which added to a string of prominent entrepreneurs retreating from their posts during a historic downturn in the property market.Yang Huiyan succeeded her father Yang Guoqiang as chairman of the company that he founded, according to a Wednesday filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange, which said the appointment took effect the same day.

California studio Kadre Architects has used bold graphics and vibrant colours to transform a dilapidated motel into The Alvarado, which offers beds for families experiencing homelessness.Designed by local firm Kadre Architects, the adaptive reuse project involved converting a 20,000-square-foot (1,858-square-metre) motel built in 1984 into a shelter for families transitioning out of homelessness in LA's Westlake neighbourhood, one block north of MacArthur Park.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County supervisors met privately Tuesday to discuss demands by The Times that they turn over transcripts of two recent meetings following alleged violations of one of California's bedrock open-government laws.The discussion, held as part of Tuesday's closed-session board meeting, came after a lawyer representing The Times sent the supervisors a letter accusing them of twice violating the Brown Act, which aims to ensure the public can watch local government meetings.

(John Locher / Associated Press)

The Supreme Court issued a major ruling Thursday upholding a California animal-cruelty law and therefore the authority of state and local governments to regulate what's sold within their borders.Although the justices were splintered over the proper reasoning and disposition of the case, the ruling rejected an argument that would have greatly weakened states' power to protect their residents from pollution and much more.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Corruption in California's cannabis industry has become widespread and brazen.There have been pay-to-play schemes, including a demand for cash in a brown paper bag for a pot license, threats of violence against local officials, and city council members accepting money from cannabis businesses even as they regulated them.

Since 2019, the state has funneled more than $2 billion in flexible spending to local agencies to reduce homelessness through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program, known as HHAP.Last year was the first time cities and counties had to submit action plans in order to get funding through the program.

"I'm asking my colleagues to update our 'Due Process for All' ordinance to add fentanyl dealing felonies alongside violent felonies," Dorsey told KQED."The whole idea of sanctuary was to create a safe environment so that local governments could serve immigrant communities, including undocumented immigrant communities, and have their trust.

Now that Bluetooth speakers, Alexa home assistants and internet-connected refrigerators have become ubiquitous in our homes, it is a good time to ask a question: How should we power all of this technology in the most efficient way?A big part of the answer can be found in sustainable tech and the expanded use of solar power.

This photo provided by Indivior in May 2023 shows their drug Opvee.U.S. health regulators approved the medication to reverse overdoses caused by fentanyl and other powerful opioids.Indivior via AP WASHINGTON U.S. health regulators on Monday approved a new easy-to-use version of a medication to reverse overdoses caused by fentanyl and other opioids driving the nation's drug crisis.

Laura Polizoti, a family intervention specialist at Youth Villages, discusses strategies with Haley that would be more beneficial for both her and her mother Carmen.Jesse Costa/WBUR If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 9-8-8, or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

A huge opioid settlement dragged Walgreens to a $3.7 billion loss in its fiscal first quarter, but the drugstore chain still beat Wall Street forecasts.The company also reaffirmed its earnings forecast for the new year.Walgreens said Thursday that it recorded a $5.2 billion, after-tax charge in the quarter that ended Nov. 30 for opioid-related litigation.

Kara Greene, a spokesperson for the Western States Petroleum Association, which opposed the bill, said it would have been unfair to oil and gas companies and done more harm than good."The billions of dollars and the fiscal mess that this bill would have caused to the State and local governments from their own liabilities, the fiscal responsibility of inherited wells, and the cost to the court system, would be substantial," Greene said in a statement.

Peel Region is splitting up by 2025, but for the town of Caledon, the separation isn't something it wanted to see.On Thursday, Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark tabled legislation to begin the dissolution of the region, making Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon standalone cities by the beginning of 2025.

Recent polling shows the vast majority of Americans support a nationwide ban on assault weapons.The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.Samuel Corum/Bloomberg, via Getty Images The U.S. Supreme Court could soon issue a decision on whether state and local governments can legally impose bans on assault weapons within their jurisdictions.

Workers have filed four lawsuits against Kroger for alleged wage theft in recent months.Sen. Bernie Sanders, right, listens as Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks at the Ministers' Breakfast hosted by National Action Network and Rev. Al Sharpton on February 26, 2020, in North Charleston, South Carolina.Win McNamee / Getty Images Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) are demanding that Kroger, the U.S.'s largest supermarket brand, address reports of and lawsuits over " systemic and widespread errors " in the company's payroll system that labor advocates say have opened the door for the company to commit wage theft.

Wednesday, May 10, 2023 by Jo Clifton
Members of two neighborhood coalitions have been contacting members of the Texas House to alert them to what they perceive as an especially dangerous bill, one that could strip cities throughout the state, as well as counties and special districts, of their ability to protect citizens from a variety of dangers.

After a spike in the number of fatal drug overdoses last year, Austin is getting $2 million in federal funding for prevention programs, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) announced Tuesday.The money will be used to hire more peer-recovery coaches and for a public awareness campaign.City officials said this is the first time Austin has received federal money for this type of effort.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced on Monday a proposed rule that seeks to bolster consumer protections for borrowers seeking Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing for home renovations.These loans, which are often used to finance environmentally-minded renovations, like the addition of solar panels, have led to financial instability for some borrowers.

As Russia's war against Ukraine grinds into its second ghastly year, I have gotten an upfront view on its impact on the lives of numerous ordinary people from both countries.My fascination with Russia dates to my teen years when I became an ardent fan of the great Russian novelists including Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Ivan Turgenev and Mikhail Bulgakov.

Cook County property tax bills are starting to hit mailboxes, with taxpayers getting an extra month to pay their first installments this year.The first installment - 55% of a property owner's total tax bill from the previous year's assessment - for tax year 2022 are due before 11:59 p.m. April 3.
State lawmakers extended the due date from March 1 because second installment bills were delayed last year, with Cook County residents receiving them four months late and bills coming due Dec. 30 instead of Aug. 1.

Here we go again.Twenty years ago, Bears owners bemoaned Soldier Field's facilities, which resulted in taxpayers contributing some $430 million to a $690 million redesign in 2003.Fast-forward to 2023, and now the Bears are worth an estimated $5.8 billion but are pleading poverty.They want taxpayers to pick up the bill as they hopefully get a property tax assessment freeze for 40 years on their new multibillion-dollar stadium.

More than 1 million people took to the streets across France on Thursday in protest of President Macron's unpopular retirement reform.Nearly 120,000 protested in Paris alone, the largest crowd since the protests began earlier this year.Most French people oppose raising the retirement age, polls show, but Macron has repeatedly said it was necessary to keep the nationwide pension program solvent.

Thousands took to the streets of France on for the third night in a row Saturday to protest a pension reform enacted by President Emmanuel Macron.The reform was enacted Thursday when Macron used a clause of France's constitution to change the state pension age from 62 to 64, without a vote by the country's parliament.

Arkansas became the fourth state to ban transgender students from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity on Tuesday after Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the bill into law.The new legislation will prohibit students at charter and public schools from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade from using multiple-occupancy bathrooms that differ from their assigned sex at birth.

Guaranteed income plans have gained prominence since the COVID-19 pandemic.Several states and local governments have come up with similar programs targeting specific groups over the past couple of years.Last year, the city of San Francisco also introduced a guaranteed income program for eligible transgender residents.

Guaranteed income plans have gained prominence since the COVID-19 pandemic.Several states and local governments have come up with similar programs targeting specific groups over the past couple of years.Last year, the city of San Francisco also introduced a guaranteed income program for eligible transgender residents.

In California, most car trips are less than ten miles long - so it's no wonder that e-bikes are emerging as a perfect and climate-friendly alternative for many of those trips.An e-bike journey can reduce urban congestion and increase joy, all while helping California meet our climate goals.But many are now asking how to regulate this new form of mobility.

I don't know Portland, sure you have some pretty glaring faults and issues, but you also pretty smart and compassionate and caring, so things aren't looking that bad for you.I mean, you've been pushed through the same social media narcissism machines as everyone else.Here's what I'd have to say, about the cross sections of EGO and TRANSPARENCY.

WASHINGTON In a major breach of a U.S. Marshals Service computer system this month with ransomware, hackers stole sensitive and personally identifiable data about agency employees and targets of investigations, an agency spokesman said Tuesday.The hacked system was disconnected from the network shortly after the breach and stolen data were discovered Feb. 17.

DAVID MCNEW via Getty Images
Biometric technology may make it easy to unlock your phone, but democratic lawmakers have long cautioned against the use of facial recognition and biometrics by law enforcement.Not only have researchers documented instances of racial and gender bias in such systems, false positives have even led to real instances of wrongful arrest.

A group of 16 US lawmakers today reintroduced a bill that would ban the nation's federal agencies from using facial recognition and other biometric surveillance technologies.The Democrat-pushed proposal also aims to limit state and local governments and law enforcement agencies' use of these surveillance measures by cutting off federal funding unless they enact their own bans on the tech.

Long-standing British broadsheet The Guardian has told staff to continue working from home and notified the UK's data privacy watchdog about the security breach following a suspected ransomware attack before Christmas.The publication broke the news about the "serious IT incident" on its systems on December 21, and said the attack affected parts of the company's technology infrastructure.

State regulators have signed off on Oakland's plan to add at least 26,000 new homes over the next decade meaning the Bay Area's third-largest city is no longer at risk of missing out on crucial funding or losing control over local development rules.Under state law, cities must come up with plans dubbed housing elements explaining how and where they aim to accommodate significantly more housing for residents of all income levels between 2023 and 2031.

TRC Retail's Scott Grady (left), Stonefield Development's Bob Pack, 1500 East Village Way (TRC Retail, Getty, LinkedIn, Stonefield Development) Developers seeking automatic housing approvals under the state builder's remedy have swept into Orange, with two fast-track proposals to build nearly 600 homes.

Sen. Scott Wiener (Illustration by The Real Deal with Getty) It was the state law that was supposed to end single-family zoning and remake California's housing industry.But one year after the implementation of SB 9, the signature state housing law that allows homeowners to split their lots and build duplexes, the impact has been limited, according to a report published Wednesday by the Terner Center, the UC Berkeley housing policy research group.

The championing of the north by the Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, is a noble cause, but his past support for HS2 was a dreadful mistake.From the start, it was clear that the staggering 100bn cost more than all other rail projects put together would cripple all British rail investments everywhere.

It's a bit of a strange time to mark the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision - which barred states from criminalizing abortion s performed before about 24 weeks of pregnancy.After all, last year the Court overturned the landmark ruling, leaving women to navigate a fast-changing landscape of options at the state level or face the prospect of giving birth.

Florida's Republican governor Ron DeSantis has announced a proposal to permanently ban Covid mandates in the state.In a press release issued earlier this week, DeSantis said that he has proposed legislation to make permanent Covid freedoms in Florida, adding that the strong pro-freedom, anti-mandate action will permanently protect Floridians from losing their jobs due to Covid vaccine mandates, protects parents' rights, and institutes additional protections that prevent discrimination based on Covid vaccine status.

Six people were shot and killed in a small San Joaquin Valley community early Monday morning.Reporter: Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado, KVPR
Protections For Renters Could End Soon In Los Angeles
When the pandemic hit in early 2020, local governments across the country passed eviction moratoriums to protect tenants from becoming homeless if they couldn't afford to pay their rents.

Scotland's Education Secretary has been accused of inaction in reaching a pay deal to end strikes by teachers.Teachers in North Ayrshire and Perth and Kinross walked out on Tuesday amid the ongoing dispute.It is part of the Educational Institute of Scotland's (EIS) 16-day rolling programme of strike action, with Glasgow and East Lothian schools closed on Monday.

It's been a hard past few years for hockey fans.It's been even harder for NHL capologists, you know, the people who keep a team's financial contracts in order so they comply with the salary cap.It looked like the salary cap might finally go up a significant amount.Now we might have to wait another year.

Walmart will eliminate single-use paper and plastic carryout bags at the register from stores in New York, Connecticut and Colorado this month.The company previously stopped giving out single-use plastic bags in New York and Connecticut and in some areas in Colorado.Walmart offers reusable shopping bags starting at 74 cents for customers without their own bags.

U.S. auto sales likely rose in December and will rebound in the new year as a recovery in vehicle production will more than offset the effects of inflation and rising interest rates.Two years of semiconductor shortages and supply problems have kept vehicle production low and inventories lean.With factories picking up pace again, consumers will buy more vehicles this year even if automakers have to help them manage rising interest rates by cutting today's lofty prices.

Two Chinese cities reported daily Covid cases that far surpassed the official national tally, in another illustration of the unreliability of data in a country grappling with infections after abruptly ending Covid Zero.The city of Dongguan in the southern province of Guangdong has 250,000 to 300,000 people being infected on a daily basis, the city's health commission said on its WeChat account Friday, citing model-based estimates and expert assessments.