AltWeeklies Wire
Albemarle County School Board May Make Latino Liaison Position Full-Timenew
Up until last month, the Albemarle County school board Latino Center coordinator had reason to think she would be one of those county employees whose positions were terminated due to budget cuts. But at the eleventh hour, the county changed its mind.
C-Ville Weekly |
Chiara Canzi |
06-10-2009 |
Policy Issues
Homeless Outreach Team Benefits from Long-Awaited Fundingnew
It's been three years since the city of San Diego gave the United Way the thumbs up to implement a project to address chronic homelessness, And local homelessness services agencies are finally starting to receive funds.
San Diego CityBeat |
Kelly Davis |
06-10-2009 |
Policy Issues
Huffing and Puffing, and the New Justicenew
Thirty-seven states have outlawed smoking in bars and restaurants. Some have done so in all public places. Sadly, Michigan lags behind, even though polls show the vast majority of us want a smoking ban.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
06-09-2009 |
Policy Issues
Minnesota Governor Cuts Healthcare for the Poornew
For over 30 years, General Assistance Medical Care has protected patients living far beneath the poverty line in Minnesota. But in the twilight of the legislative session, it became the victim of a line item veto from Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget.
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
David Hansen |
06-05-2009 |
Policy Issues
Medical Marijuana Martyr Grinds New Mexico's Programnew
Epidemiologist and longtime pot grower Bernie Ellis has concluded that the policy makers in the New Mexico Department of Health are either uninformed or in passive opposition to the state's medical cannabis program.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Maassive |
06-04-2009 |
Policy Issues
Marriage Equality Advocates React, then Move into Campaign Modenew
Expressing anger and frustration with the California Supreme Court's decision to uphold Proposition 8, same-sex couples and advocates for marriage equality nonetheless vowed to push ahead with a new fight to overturn it.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Rebecca Bowe |
06-03-2009 |
Policy Issues
Proposed SF Budget Cuts Public Health and City Employeesnew
San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom has released his proposed 2009-10 city budget, proclaiming it far better than doomsayers predicted and emphasizing how he minimized cuts to health and human services. But there's still plenty of pain in the proposal.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Steven T. Jones |
06-03-2009 |
Policy Issues
Will the Church and the Connecticut Governor Dare to Bring in a Change to the Death Penalty?new
The Connecticut Senate passed a bill in favor of substituting the death penalty with life imprisonment. But Gov. Jodi Rell says she'll veto the bill, and some are saying the Catholic Church is not doing enough to voice their protest against the death penalty.
New Haven Advocate |
Nilanjana Bhowmick |
06-02-2009 |
Policy Issues
Santa Barbara Officials Mull Privatized Jail Mental Health Servicesnew
Santa Barbara County's jail mental health system officially is for sale. The prospective buyer -- a private Tennessee-based prison health company -- is already lined up with a July 1 move-in date.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Benjamin Gottlieb |
06-01-2009 |
Policy Issues
Toronto City Hall's Seven-Hour Showdown on the Future of the Citynew
The 'yes' vote for a new bike lane on Toronto's Jarvis Street foreshadows a city finally daring to pedal into the future.
NOW Magazine |
Mike Smith |
05-29-2009 |
Policy Issues
Running the Numbers on D.C.'s Controversial Lottery Contractnew
The last time that Robert B. Washington Jr. got himself involved in a D.C. lottery procurement, it was 1983. Twenty-six years later, the young upstart is now the entrenched political insider. And Bob Washington has gotten another chance at the lottery contract.
Washington City Paper |
Mike DeBonis |
05-21-2009 |
Policy Issues
Chicago May Have Leased out Its Parking Meters for a Fraction of Their Worthnew
The Daley administration hid its process for privatizing Chicago's parking meters from the public and the City Council. Now, three months into the deal, new evidence suggests the taxpayers were hosed out of billions of dollars.
Chicago Reader |
Ben Joravsky and Mick Dumke |
05-18-2009 |
Policy Issues
Will a Food-Stamp Program Overhaul Bring a Change In Attitudes?new
Some worry that inadequate staffing, combined with a fixation on fraud and a fundamental misunderstanding of clients' needs, will continue to undermine how the federally funded program is run locally.
San Diego CityBeat |
Kelly Davis |
04-29-2009 |
Policy Issues
Nightlife and Street Parties in San Francisco Face Official Crackdowns -- Againnew
As San Francisco's party season gets underway — a time when just about every weekend includes street fairs and festivals — police and other party-poopers keep finding new ways to crack down on the fun.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Steven T. Jones and Marke B. |
04-22-2009 |
Policy Issues
What the Fight Over Larry Mazzola Says About the Progressive and Labor Movements and Their Uneasy Relationshipnew
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors' vote to reject Larry Mazzola Jr. for a fairly obscure district board says more about San Francisco's political dynamics, the state of the American labor movement, and the possibilities and pitfalls facing the board's new progressive majority than any in recent memory.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Steven T. Jones |
04-22-2009 |
Policy Issues
