AltWeeklies Wire
Thinking and Acting Smartly Everywhere but the Rust Beltnew
At a Brookings Institution forum last week, policy wonks and local government officials from places like Sacramento and Salt Lake City discussed how they used regional planning to cope with rapid growth. What can shrinking Rust Belt cities learn from the places that are stealing their populations?
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
10-23-2009 |
Policy Issues
Ghost Riders: Bicycling in Houston is a Killernew
According to data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Houston is almost always the most dangerous place in Texas to ride a bike. There is also lots of anecdotal evidence.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
10-13-2009 |
Transportation
How Today's Pot Debate is Like the Fall of Prohibitionnew
Law-enforcement maverick Norm Stamper noted "striking" parallels between Prohibition of a bygone era and today's drug debate. "Major difference? It took us only 13 years to end the former" over "essentially identical" reasons: violence, overdose deaths on bad "bathtub gin," public health and revenue.
San Diego CityBeat |
John R. Lamb |
10-07-2009 |
Drugs
New England Plays Catch-Up in the Green Energy Racenew
New England may be used to being the birthplace of revolutions, but in the case of wind power, that ship has sailed. States out West are far outproducing us, and will likely continue to. That said, we still could be a player in the nascent wind industry; we've just got some catching up to do.
Boston Phoenix |
Mike Miliard |
08-19-2009 |
Environment
Cash for Clunkers: Ugh!new
While the know-it-alls in Washington try to satisfy the taxpayers by giving them back some of their hard-earned cash, they didn't really think this whole thing through very well.
Artvoice |
Jim Corbran |
08-17-2009 |
Transportation
How Federal Restrictions Created Colorado's Medical Marijuana Industrynew
The friction between federal and state law has created a booming industry in Colorado, with enterprising men and women stepping in to provide services physicians can't. The rest of the state may be in a recession, but Colorado's medical marijuana industry is thriving.
Boulder Weekly |
David Accomazzo |
08-17-2009 |
Drugs
Follow the Bouncing Lotto Ball in Arkansasnew
In all the haste, headlines and hubbub about what has become the biggest political story of the year, something sometimes gets overlooked. What will the lottery really mean for Arkansas' citizens and higher education system? Here, even big backers hedge their bets.
Arkansas Times |
Gerard Matthews |
07-23-2009 |
Policy Issues
Cash for Clunkers: Buckets of Bolts for the Low, Low Price of $1 Billionnew
Theoretically the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) -- aka "Cash For Clunkers" -- sounds like a swell idea. But it's also pretty pie-in-the-sky. I'm not the first to notice that this bill assumes that there are lots of people driving around a car that is worth less than $4,500 and can actually afford a new car.
Pasadena Weekly |
Jennifer Hadley |
07-13-2009 |
Economy
Louisville's War on Drugs Is a Never-Ending Storynew
With the help of federal dollars, Louisville wages a war on drugs. But is this fight futile?
LEO Weekly |
Jonathan Meador |
07-10-2009 |
Drugs
Learning From Denver: More Insights from the Congress for New Urbanismnew
Denver was the host city for CNU 17, and it's a good city to take lessons from. What has Denver gotten right? Adept planning, linked to new code, linked to new transit.
Austin Chronicle |
Katherine Gregor |
07-02-2009 |
Housing & Development
In San Francisco, Parking is Quietly Becoming the Year's Big Issuenew
Through an unusual confluence of policy initiatives that have been moving forward for several years, the city is finally about to have a serious discussion about the automobile and its impacts. And parking policies are being used as the main tool to reduce traffic congestion, better set development impact fees, increase city revenue, and promote alternatives to the automobile.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Steven T. Jones |
07-01-2009 |
Transportation
Not So Cool: Austin Struggles With Climate Protectionnew
The Austin Climate Protection Plan was among the most ambitious in the country when announced in 2007; two years later, making it real remains a challenge.
Austin Chronicle |
Katherine Gregor |
06-21-2009 |
Environment
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
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
Public Utilities for Health Care: A New Model for Reformnew
A Boise State professor has come up with a new model for state-based health care reform: make insurance companies into public utilities, like power and gas. Will anyone listen?
Boise Weekly |
Nathaniel Hoffman |
03-05-2009 |
Science
