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States lose track of thousands of foster children each year
Sharday Hamilton, a 28-year-old advocate for foster youth, homeless youth and runaways, still bears her own scars from running. There’s one near her left knee. She got it as a little girl, running away from her foster mother, who was trying to hit her with a bag of frozen food but who sometimes used a […] The post States lose track of thousands of foster children each year appeared first on Stateline.
More states strive to make parks, trails accessible to people with disabilities
TWO HARBORS, Minn. — Perched high on rugged cliffs overlooking Lake Superior, Split Rock Lighthouse dominates the shoreline. Visitors from across the country make the 113-year-old beacon one of the most-photographed lighthouses in the country. The most spectacular view, many say, is from Pebble Beach, reachable only by a steep, winding forest trail that snakes […] The post More states strive to make parks, trails accessible to people with disabilities appeared first on Stateline.
Ohio voters pass constitutional amendment to protect abortion and reproductive rights
This story first appeared in Ohio Capital Journal. Ohio voters passed the Issue 1 constitutional amendment to protect abortion and reproductive rights Tuesday. The Associated Press called the election over Issue 1 shortly after 9 p.m. local time. With more than 99% of precincts reporting early Wednesday, the amendment was passing with 56.35% of the […] The post Ohio voters pass constitutional amendment to protect abortion and reproductive rights appeared first on Stateline.
‘Worse than people can imagine’: Medicaid ‘unwinding’ breeds chaos in states
This story was produced by KFF Health News. More than two dozen people lined up outside a state public assistance office in Montana before it opened to ensure they didn’t get cut off from Medicaid. Callers in Missouri and Florida reported waiting on hold for more than two hours on hotlines to renew their Medicaid […] The post ‘Worse than people can imagine’: Medicaid ‘unwinding’ breeds chaos in states appeared first on Stateline.
Sewer rates soar as private companies buy up local water systems
For residents in some Pennsylvania communities, flushing the toilet has suddenly gotten much more expensive. In many townships and counties, rates have spiked as private water companies have bought up wastewater systems from local governments. The new push to privatize sewer services follows the passage of a state law in...
‘I felt so naughty’: New open carry alcohol laws boost downtowns
Holly Smith Mount wanted to be first. Smith Mount, chair of the city council in Huntington, West Virginia, was determined to see her community launch the state’s initial outdoor drinking zone — an idea made possible only after the legislature changed the state’s alcohol law earlier this year. “I will fully admit I’m very competitive,” […] The post ‘I felt so naughty’: New open carry alcohol laws boost downtowns appeared first on Stateline.
Controversial PragerU videos gain educational foothold in a handful of states
In July, Florida became the first state to allow schools to incorporate instructional videos with a conservative viewpoint from vendor PragerU into their classroom materials. Oklahoma and Montana rapidly followed. New Hampshire in September approved the use of online PragerU videos to satisfy financial literacy requirements in public schools. PragerU and one state education board member announced it was on the approved vendor list in Texas as well, but other state education officials denied it.
State and local election workers quitting amid abuse, officials tell US Senate panel
State and local election officials face threats and intimidation, driving experienced workers out of the profession, a panel of election officials told a U.S. Senate committee Wednesday. Conspiracy theories have fueled a more hostile environment for election workers, which has led many to quit, creating more challenges for the inexperienced new leaders, the top election […] The post State and local election workers quitting amid abuse, officials tell US Senate panel appeared first on Stateline.
Older adults want to ‘age in place,’ but their options are limited in most states
Read more Stateline coverage of how communities across the country are trying to create more affordable housing. As older adults begin to outnumber young people in the United States in the coming decade, advocacy groups are challenging states to shift away from single-family zoning in favor of housing solutions that allow older adults to “age […] The post Older adults want to ‘age in place,’ but their options are limited in most states appeared first on Stateline.
GOP states embrace Uber, Lyft to take low-income patients to medical appointments
This month, Mississippi becomes the latest state to partner with ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to ferry residents to their medical appointments. It’s a bid to improve overall health in a state where advocates and medical groups have called health care a crisis that’s getting worse.
New Washington state rules to protect homes from wildfire ignite controversy
This story first appeared in the Washington State Standard. New Washington state building codes aim to protect properties on the edge between urban and wooded areas — a fast growing type of space known as the wildland urban interface — from wildfire. But the code changes have sparked backlash from builders, cities and environmentalists who say […] The post New Washington state rules to protect homes from wildfire ignite controversy appeared first on Stateline.
Governors show solidarity with Israel, earning plaudits and criticism
Eleven days after Hamas terrorists poured into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing at least 1,400 people and kidnapping more than 230, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul arrived in Israel with a photo of a Long Island native in hand to give to the president of the besieged country. Hochul, the Democratic governor of […] The post Governors show solidarity with Israel, earning plaudits and criticism appeared first on Stateline.
Appeals court hears arguments over ballot title for Missouri abortion amendment
This story first appeared in the Missouri Independent. KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Abortion rights initiatives proposed for the 2024 Missouri ballot would make it impossible for the state to protect women from unsanitary conditions at clinics, attorneys representing Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft argued to a panel of judges on Monday. The restrictions on government […] The post Appeals court hears arguments over ballot title for Missouri abortion amendment appeared first on Stateline.
Residents of Midwest, Mountain West see biggest pay bumps
Residents of some Midwestern and Mountain states gained the most income per capita during the past four years, a Stateline analysis shows, as competition for workers drove up wages in relatively affordable places to live. With the COVID-19 pandemic now in the nation’s rearview mirror, Stateline’s analysis offers a more complete understanding of how some […] The post Residents of Midwest, Mountain West see biggest pay bumps appeared first on Stateline.
Politicians love to cite crime data. It’s often wrong.
When Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his presidential campaign in May, he proudly told the nation that Florida’s crime rate in 2021 had reached a 50-year low. But really, DeSantis couldn’t say for sure. That’s because fewer than 1 in 10 law enforcement agencies in his state had reported their crime statistics to the […] The post Politicians love to cite crime data. It’s often wrong. appeared first on Stateline.
Legislators vow action to address Maine’s weak gun laws after Lewiston mass shooting
This story first appeared in the Maine Morning Star. Following a mass shooting in Lewiston on Wednesday night in which 18 people were killed and 13 were wounded, proponents of gun policy reform pointed out that it remains far too easy to obtain a firearm in Maine and called for stricter safety laws. As Mainers […] The post Legislators vow action to address Maine’s weak gun laws after Lewiston mass shooting appeared first on Stateline.
Western states look to these lands for new affordable housing
In Colorado’s Eagle County, affordable housing is so scarce that school district leaders have pleaded with locals to open their spare bedrooms to teachers — citing the impossibility of hiring when employees have nowhere to live. Home to popular ski resorts in Vail and Avon, the county has seen much of its housing snatched up […] The post Western states look to these lands for new affordable housing appeared first on Stateline.
Blue and red states slash taxes despite warnings of hard times ahead
With a $750 million budget surplus on hand, there was little doubt whether North Dakota lawmakers would cut taxes earlier this year — the question was how much. “The surplus was strong, and we believe it’s going to be sustained into the future,” said state Rep. Craig Headland. “So, it just made sense to cut taxes.”
No more attending classes: These community colleges let students learn at their own pace.
Jaqueline Yalda, who has been a campus police officer at El Paso Community College in Texas for a decade, sought a promotion earlier this year. But first, the department required her to complete a college-level course in criminal justice. It had been many years since Yalda had taken any college...
Medical exceptions to abortion bans often exclude mental health conditions
If you are in need of support, call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) for free, confidential and 24/7 support, or dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. More than a dozen states now have near-total abortion bans following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, with limited medical exceptions meant to […] The post Medical exceptions to abortion bans often exclude mental health conditions appeared first on Stateline.
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