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Localities'whether cities, townships or counties'are crucial "partners" in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) transactions. While not an actual member of the partnership, localities play a major role in the ability to fund affordable housing properties. In this week's episode of Tax Credit Tuesday, Michael Novogradac, CPA, and Mark Shelburne, a housing policy consultant at Novogradac, discuss the roles localities play in LIHTC-financed housing, both for them and for the developers who work with them. They begin by discussing the various ways localities are involved in those transactions, then discuss how they play a role in funding the property, including what to avoid. After that, Novogradac and Shelburne examine nonfinancial ways that localities can help and the role of localities in helping properties meet timelines and deadlines.
Plus: a story from our partner station WHRO about offshore windfarms; a new mural dedicated to Arthur Ashe; and other stories. In the podcast: VPM Daily Newscast: a new mural dedicated to Arthur Ashe unveiled in Henrico, Allegations of inappropriate behavior have been raised by RPS employees against Chief Talent Officer Maggie Clemmons.
Thank you Sheila Rutz, jdm1, Cindy Fisher, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.* Trump Won't Rule Out Military Force to Seize Control of Panama Canal, Greenland: Trump claimed both the canal and the Danish territory are needed for U.S. "economic security." [More]* Facebook Follows X Down Path to Becoming Right-Wing 'Cesspool' by Ending Fact-Checking Efforts: "Zuck isn't just kissing the ring, he's slobbering all over it," said one media reporter. [More]* Are You Still Wondering Why Workers Voted for Trump?: The frustration, the resentment, the anger about the rigged system was building long before Donald Trump came on the scene. [More]* FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris Announces Final Rule Removing Medical Debt from All Credit Reports Home: Today's final rule will remove $49 billion in unpaid medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans. In addition, the Vice President is announcing that States and Localities have already Eliminated Over $1 Billion in Medical Debt Thanks to Biden-Harris Administration Support [More] To hear more, visit egberto.substack.com
Major policy shifts in immigration, taxes, trade, energy, health care, and pandemic-era programs passed under the Biden Administration look increasingly likely with Donald Trump capturing the White House and his fellow Republicans taking control of both houses of Congress for the first time in two years. Our panel of experts share their views on what this sea change may mean for the economy and Federal Reserve, as well as the impact on states, localities, and the $4 trillion municipal bond market, including the possible elimination of the federal tax exemption on most muni bond interest. Our panel of experts includes Torsten Slok, Partner and Chief Economist, Apollo Global Management; Annie Linskey, Wall Street Journal White House Reporter; Former US Representative Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA); Eric Kazatsky, Head of Municipal Strategy, Bloomberg LP; and Teryn Zmuda, Chief Research Officer and Chief Economist, National Association of Counties (NACo). Notable Quotes: “The short version of what's happening is that the economy is doing really well. GDP growth for the last two and a half years has continued to surprise from the upside. The big issue in financial markets and policymaking continues to be why did Fed hikes not slow the economy down more, why was GDP growth in the third quarter 2.8, and why is GDP growth in the fourth quarter, according to the Atlanta Fed, going to be 3.3.” - Torsten Slok “The primary program that they (the White House) are working on which impacts states and localities is getting money out of the door for the CHIPS Act. It was a $39 billion program, about $30 billion of that is tied up right now in complicated negotiations between the government and companies, and so the Biden administration is working very hard right now to get those negotiations finished.” - Annie Linskey “This brings me to the DOGE effort, and you have Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy out there pounding their chests about how they are going to make all these dramatic cuts. Well, most of us who have been around the block on budgeting know that it's really easy to do this in the abstract, but it is very hard to do it when you are actually putting programs on the line.” - Carolyn Bourdeaux “When we're thinking about the effects of any administration and talking about policy changes, cost cuts could really be cost shifts. Sometimes programs are cut but you do have to think how the effect of that is carried out throughout communities.” - Teryn Zmuda “Right now, state and local payrolls are at the highest levels they've been ever. We've had a 3% growth since the great financial crisis, and 2% growth since 2019. So, as efficiencies have come into the job market, technology has been embraced even by state and local governments, and payrolls has continued to expand.” - Eric Kazatsky Be sure to subscribe to Special Briefing to stay up to date on the world of public finance. Learn more about the Volcker Alliance at: volckeralliance.org Learn more about Penn IUR at: penniur.upenn.edu Connect with us @VolckerAlliance and @PennIUR on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn Special Briefing is published by the Volcker Alliance, as part of its Public Finance initiatives, and Penn IUR. The views expressed on this podcast are those of the panelists and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Volcker Alliance or Penn IUR.
Will Localities Fall in Line With Governor Youngkin's Sanctuary Policy? full 1666 Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:07:00 +0000 qGU1lDOFyfaabIqPpsgZIycXAtFizzgu news Richmond's Morning News with John Reid news Will Localities Fall in Line With Governor Youngkin's Sanctuary Policy? On Richmond's Morning News, John Reid discusses the top stories of the day from around the world, nationally, in Virginia, and right here in the Richmond area. Listen to news you can use, newsmakers, and analysis of what's happening every weekday from 5:30 to 10:00 AM on NewsRadio 1140 WRVA and 96.1 FM! 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperw
When legislators passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, it set lofty goals for carbon-free power generation across the Commonwealth. And while localities line up to take tax revenue from power-hungry data centers, they've been less willing to approve clean energy projects. Brad Kutner has more from Richmond.
A state commission that addresses food insecurity sends recommendations ahead of January's General Assembly… It's likely that, for the first time, Virginia's next governor will be a woman… Localities along the Allegheny Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia want the federal government to lift low power restrictions to improve responses to 911 calls….
To help those struggling with substance abuse disorders (and their families), officials from Henrico, Hanover and Chesterfield counties and the city of Richmond will host Regional Recovery Day in Henrico Sept. 30. The free event is open to the public and will take place place from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Henrico Sports and Events Center, 1 All Star Boulevard in Glen Allen. “The health and well-being of our residents, especially our youth, are vital to our success as a region,” said Varina District Supervisor Tyrone Nelson, chair of the Henrico Board of Supervisors. "We want all residents...Article LinkSupport the show
Henrico, Hanover and Chesterfield counties and the city of Richmond will host the 2024 Regional Government Purchasing Expo Oct. 16 at the Henrico Sports and Events Center to provide an opportunity for local businesses, contractors, trade partners, suppliers and other stakeholders to connect with government agencies and learn about potential procurement opportunities. The expo will feature a light breakfast at 8:45 a.m., followed by a session from 9:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. during which participants will hear from local purchasing directors, learn about upcoming business opportunities, and network with buyers and other government representatives. A separate session from 1 p.m....Article LinkSupport the show
EV-maker BYD to buy out its German distributor, China Vanke debt cracks exposed after first loss in 20 years. Subscribe to a bundle deal now to unlock all coverage by Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal for only $200 a year. That's a 66% discount. Group access and applicable discounts are available. Contact us for a customized plan.
Commercial property values are cratering across Virginia. As Michael Pope tells us, that’s creating a crisis for local governments trying to balance their books.
With recent rainfall clearing Virginia's drought-stricken landscape, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality recently announced that drought advisories have been lifted for 76 counties and cities throughout the commonwealth, including Henrico. Significant drought is now no longer a reality in 8 of the 13 regions that were previously under drought watch or warning, DEQ officials said. However, the drought watch remains in effect for the Shenandoah region. The recent rains have improved streamflow levels across the majority of the state, but groundwater levels remain below normal and require additional rain to recover. The agency is working with local governments and...Article LinkSupport the Show.
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Deputy Editor Rob Lott to the program to discuss a recent policy proposal that would result in prohibiting medical debt from being included in credit reporting and how the upcoming presidential election could play into the policy's implementation.Read our "ahead-of-print" article on how adverse childhood experiences and health care utilization and expenditures. Check out this year's You're A Health Policy Wonk If... contest!Submit an abstract for our upcoming theme issue focusing on Food, Nutrition, and Health. Submissions are due by Monday, July 29th.Submit an article for the Forefront series "Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage." Submissions will be taken on a rolling basis through June 2025.Related Articles:FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris Announces Proposal to Prohibit Medical Bills from Being Included on Credit Reports and Calls on States and Localities to Take Further Actions to Reduce Medical DebtIllness And Injury As Contributors To Bankruptcy (Health Affairs)Medical Bankruptcy: Dranove And Millenson Respond (Health Affairs)The Joint Distribution Of High Out-Of-Pocket Burdens, Medical Debt, And Financial Barriers To Needed Care (Health Affairs)HEALTH POLICY BRIEF: Health, Income, & Poverty: Where We Are & What Could Help (Health Affairs) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.
Inside the latest effort to foster cooperation between the region's cities and counties in hopes of creating a rising economic tide to lift them all.
Our conversation today features Winchester Fire Marshal, Jeremy Luttrell to talk about firework safety ahead of the July 4th celebrations. Jeremy provides crucial information about what constitutes permissible fireworks in Virginia and emphasizes the importance of using them safely and responsibly. Permissible fireworks are defined by Virginia State Fire Code and state law. They exclude anything that leaves the ground, such as projectiles or fireworks that explode. The state fire marshal's office conducts thorough testing to ensure all fireworks sold in Virginia meet the required safety standards. Localities, like the city of Winchester, can further narrow down the list of permissible fireworks but typically follow the state's guidelines. See the Approved Permissible Fireworks List here. Jeremy highlights several safety precautions for using fireworks, such as wearing eye protection, reading labels, maintaining a safe distance, and ensuring the fireworks are set on stable surfaces. He advises against using fireworks on public properties, such as school parking lots or city parks, and stresses the importance of seeking permission before lighting fireworks on private property. We also touch on the dangers of sparklers, the impact of fireworks on pets and people with PTSD, and the significance of being respectful to neighbors concerning noise and safety. Jeremy suggests attending professional firework displays as a safer and more convenient option for enjoying fireworks. We discuss the benefits of locally organized events, like the one at Jim Barnett Park, which provides a fun and safe environment managed by professionals. Jeremy notes that these events include additional activities, such as food vendors and family-friendly zones, making them ideal for community participation.
In this episode of "The Truth in This Art," host Rob Lee interviews Fabiola R. Delgado, a Venezuelan independent curator and former human rights lawyer. Delgado shares her journey, including her struggles as an immigrant seeking political asylum in the US and her transition from law to the art world. She discusses the importance of storytelling in her work, the role of art in activism, and her approach to curating exhibitions that amplify marginalized voices. Delgado also reflects on her recent exhibition "Between, Through, Across," the significance of diaspora in art, and the challenges of balancing diverse narratives in the arts. Additionally, she opens up about her love for music, her mug collection, and her fashion sense, emphasizing the need to make art spaces more inclusive and accessible.Episode Highlights:Fabiola's Background (00:00:54) Fabiola shares her journey from being a human rights lawyer in Venezuela to becoming an independent curator and creative producer in the arts.Transition to Art and Activism (00:10:55) This highlight captures Fabiola's shift from law and activism to engaging with the arts, which is a significant pivot in her career and life story.Current Work as a Curator (00:14:44) Fabiola discusses her current role and the importance of storytelling and amplifying marginalized voices, which is central to the theme of the podcast.Seeking Justice Through the Arts (00:22:37) Exploring the concept of justice through art and history is a compelling topic that ties back to Fabiola's background in human rights.Recent Exhibition (00:37:35) Details about a recent exhibition that gives insight into Fabiola's work and its impact on diaspora and cultural identity.Curatorial Program and Mentorship (00:41:34) Fabiola discussed the curatorial program and mentorship that offers valuable information about professional development and collaboration in the arts.Decision-Making in Curation (00:48:28) Fabiola gives an inside look into the curatorial process, including research and the selection of artworks for exhibitions.Justice, Representation, and Value in Art (00:57:22) Rob and Fabiola talk about the importance of representation and the value of art in challenging dominant narratives and uplifting marginalized communities.Key Takeaways:1. Embrace your journey: Fabiola's shift from law to art underscores the power of personal transformation and following your passion.2. Art as a voice for the voiceless: Delgado's curatorial work highlights how art can be a potent tool for activism and representation.3. There's strength in diversity: Delgado's experiences reveal the importance of including diverse narratives to enrich the cultural conversation.4. Inclusivity is key: Fabiola's dedication to making art spaces more accessible serves as a reminder to continually strive for inclusivity in all areas of life.Website and Socials:fabiolardelgado.comInstagram: fabiola.rdelgadoLinkedIn: Fabiola R. DelgadoIf you were inspired by Fabiola R. Delgado's incredible journey from a human rights lawyer to a passionate art curator, and her dedication to amplifying marginalized voices through art, then we encourage you to dive deeper into her world. Visit her website to explore her latest projects and follow her on social media to stay updated on her impactful work. Your support means everything, so please take a moment to rate and review this episode of "The Truth in This Art," letting us know your thoughts and helping others discover our conversations. And if you want to contribute further, consider supporting us on Patreon. Your patronage helps us continue to bring these vital stories to light. Join us in celebrating the transformative power of art and storytelling by engaging with Fabiola's work and becoming a part of our creative community. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation.If you have a story about art, culture, or community in Baltimore, share it with us at rob@thetruthinthisart.com for a chance to be featured on "The Truth In This Art" podcast. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the arts and culture podcast scene and showcase your insights on "The Truth In This Art" with Rob Lee.Follow The Truth In This Art on Twitter, Threads, IG, and Facebook @truthinthisart Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard.Episode illustration by Alley Kid Art.About "The Truth In This Art"Hosted by Rob Lee, "The Truth In This Art" podcast dives into the heart of creativity and its influence on the community. This arts and culture podcast from Baltimore highlights artists discussing their ideas, sharing insights, and telling impactful stories. Through these artist interviews, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the creative economy and artistic life in Baltimore. Support the show:Merch from Redbubble | Make a Donation ★ Support this podcast ★
With the state legislature returning to Albany through early June, a key issue is whether they will pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. Localities and taxpayers are stuck footing the bill for managing the growing flood of packaging waste. From a May 2 news conference, we hear from Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics; Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger; and Jumaane Williams, the NYC Public Advocate. This has been Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.
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In this week's edition I talk about the Poll Book Replacement Grant ($14.7m), Postage Grant ($7.7m) and Aid to Localities ($5m). for local county boards and funding for the Public Campaign Finance System and NY Voting database in the 24-25 NY budget. Enjoy.
On this week's episode of The Power Test, we're looking at all things local elections - including bins! - New Statesman Britain Editor Anoosh Chakelian joins Sam and Ayesha on the pod and discussed how these will have an impact on Labour and whether it can deliver real change in government.Episode notes:The Tories are trying to make headway by putting the blame on Labour-run councils themselves, but while voters seem to be seeing through the attacks, the question remains as to whether Labour is really prepared for the true state of its likely inheritance.“We know councils are under a huge amount of pressure at the moment and this is a source of real pain for people - who are seeing services cut, council tax bills rising and places like Birmingham going bankrupt, with others teetering on the brink” says Ayesha.“Eight councils have gone bankrupt since 2010, and this should be a story of how the Conservatives have failed local government. But, Tory rhetoric is trying to blame Labour-run councils themselves” added Chakelian.“A lot of major councils are run by a Labour administration, and so there is a reputational risk which Labour needs a retort to, but it doesn't because it doesn't really seem to have a plan of how it would save local councils from going bankrupt when they get into government.”If Labour does well in the elections, the party will also face increased scrutiny over what its approach will be like more generally in government - presenting risks for the party.Chakelian says the party “needs an answer” - and that “there's all sorts of things that they can do without making big spending commitments, like council tax reform and changes to business rates.” “Sorting out adult social care is also key, but that would require some sending commitments.”When asked her key tests for Labour, Anoosh said that having a plan on local government financing was key - but also whether the party could hold firm on their commitments over planning.“I would like to see if their planning commitments will actually come off. Starmer has said he will ignore local opposition to developments. But can he really do that if they win as many MPs as the polls tell us they will. They're going to have lots of MPs representing places with nice lovely green spaces and are they really going to want the first thing their government to do is sign off a load of building projects?”Sam added, “Then you'll have the National Trust kicking off their campaign, and the RSPB and all of them get involved. It's pretty hard to fight that lobby. So yea, I'm with you - I hope they commit to that. But, it will be a big test for the first couple of years.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Local governments will have to find other ways of funding school construction and modernization costs after Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed legislation on Monday that would have allowed them to impose a 1% sales tax for such projects. Under the bill, local governments could only impose the 1% sales tax if voters approved the tax in a referendum. While Youngkin said school construction is a “worthy cause,” Virginia has taken significant measures to address school construction costs, he added, and citizens should not be paying additional taxes — especially [post_excerpt].5 billion annually that would be generated from the 1% sales tax....Article LinkSupport the show
Suffolk's Assistant Fire Chief David Harrell said the city responds to any locality that requests mutual aid where no formal agreement exists. In 2023 alone, the department sent or received mutual aid 462 times. The city formalized that process with other Hampton Roads by approving an ordinance this week at City Council that adds the last few localities to the official agreement: the city of Poquoson, and counties of Gloucester, Southampton and Surry.
Democrats are again pushing for legislation that would allow local governments to hold referenda on increasing their sales and use tax to pay for school capital projects such as construction and renovations. The party hopes the effort, which has been tried twice before but defeated by Republicans, will be successful now that Democrats are set to control both the House of Delegates and the Senate following the November elections. “We think with the change in the dynamics in the House that this bill has a very good chance,” said Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William, adding that a similar version of...Article LinkSupport the show
China's top health authority on Monday required localities to "exhaust all means" to increase pediatric service capacity and stock up on pediatric medications and relevant medical materials to cope with a spike in respiratory illnesses among children.周一，国家卫健委要求各地“竭尽所能”提高儿科服务能力，并储备儿科药物和相关医疗材料，以应对儿童呼吸疾病激增的情况。All grassroots medical institutions should be open to child patients and are forbidden from turning them away, the general office of the National Health Commission said in a circular released on its website.国家卫健委总办公室在其网站发布的通知中表示，所有基层医疗机构应面向儿童患者开放，不得拒诊。"Community healthcare centers in cities seeing surging demand should also extend hours on weekdays by one to three hours or set up additional service periods on weekends based on their capability," said the commission.“在需求激增的城市社区卫生中心，根据医院容纳患者能力，还应在工作日延长一至三小时或在周末增设额外的门诊时段，” 卫健委表示。Rural and community health centers should be guided to set up separate sections for pediatric services, and they should organize general physicians who have received training on pediatric diseases to see child patients.农村和社区卫生中心应设立专门的儿科服务区，并引导经过儿科疾病培训的全科医生为儿童患者提供门诊服务。Each community or village healthcare center should be paired with a pediatric department at a higher-level hospital. Experienced medical professionals will be allocated to grassroots facilities to provide pediatric services and train staff on key skills, including emergency care, prompt identification of severe symptoms and venipuncture — the process of inserting a needle into a child's vein.每个社区或村庄的卫生中心应与更高级别医院的儿科部门配对。将经验丰富的医疗专业人员分散到基层医疗机构，提供儿科服务并培训医务工作者的关键技能，包括急救护理、及时识别严重症状的能力，以及静脉注射——即对儿童进行静脉扎针的能力。Localities are also required to equip grassroots facilities with thermometers, nebulizers, antibiotics, antivirals, as well as pediatric medicines for easing cough and phlegm.各地还需为基层卫生设施配备体温计、雾化器、抗生素、抗病毒药物，以及止咳化痰的儿科药物。These requirements have been raised as China is battling a surge in respiratory illness fueled by the circulation of different pathogens including influenza, the COVID-19 disease and mycoplasma pneumoniae.由于我国呼吸道疾病激增，包括流感、新冠疫情和支原体肺炎等不同病原体的传播，因此国家卫健委提出了这些要求。Children have appeared to be affected particularly hard this winter as parents have found difficulties obtaining hospital appointments or have to endure long waiting periods at major pediatric hospitals. Despite authorities' appeal to the public to visit primary health institutions first rather than going straight to large hospitals, concerns have emerged over the community clinics' capability and capacity in handling pediatric patients.今年冬季，儿童受到的影响似乎尤为严重，因为父母难以预约门诊，或不得不忍受较长的重点儿科医院等待时间。尽管政府呼吁公众优先于基层卫生机构就诊，而非直接前往大型医院，但人们对社区诊所吸纳儿科患者的能力和容量有所担忧。Wang Huaqing, chief immunization planning expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said late last month that influenza and rhinovirus are the most prevalent among toddlers aged 1 to 4, and for children aged 5 to 14, influenza, mycoplasma pneumonia and adenovirus are the most common.中国疾病预防控制中心的首席免疫规划专家王华清11月底表示，1到4岁的幼儿中，流感和鼻病毒最为普遍，而5到14岁的儿童中，流感、支原体肺炎和腺病毒最为常见。Tong Zhaohui, vice-president of the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, suggested a child who begins developing a fever to visit a community hospital to first take a rapid antigen test, which can identify whether they contracted a respiratory virus or a bacterial infection like mycoplasma pneumonia. They can also get regular antivirals and drugs there.首都医科大学附属北京朝阳医院副院长童朝晖建议，开始发烧的孩子首先应该去社区医院进行快速抗原测试，以确定他们是否感染了呼吸疾病病毒或类似支原体肺炎的细菌感染。他们还可以在社区医院获得常规的抗病毒药物和药物。"However, for kids who have had a fever for more than three days or have shortness of breath, they should visit pediatric hospitals," he said during an interview with China Central Television on Sunday evening.“但是，发烧超过三天或呼吸急促的患儿应该去儿科医院，”上周日晚间，他在接受中国中央电视台采访时表示。Tong added that most doctors at primary health institutions are trained in general medicine and are capable of dealing with common respiratory illnesses in children.童朝晖补充说，大多数基层卫生机构的医生都接受了全科医学培训，能够处理儿童常见的呼吸道疾病。"It is important for them to access prompt treatment at medical facilities nearby, and in this way, parents and kids can save the trouble of lining up at large hospitals, where the risk of cross-infections is higher," he said.“对患者来说，及时在附近的医疗机构接受治疗非常重要，这样父母和孩子就能避免在大型医院排队等候，在大型医院，交叉感染的风险更高，”他说。The commission also said in the newly released notice that grassroots medical facilities should play a role in meeting demands for pediatric services, easing pressure on major hospitals seeing large volume of visitors, as well as monitoring health conditions of and expanding vaccination among key populations.卫健委还在新发布的通知中表示，基层医疗机构应在满足儿科服务需求、减轻大型医院患者压力，以及监测和扩大关键人群的疫苗接种方面发挥作用。According to the document, fever clinics at grassroots clinics should also keep surveillance of the situation of respiratory disease and report data to higher authorities swiftly.根据该通知，基层诊所的发热门诊还应对呼吸系统疾病的情况进行监测，并迅速向上级报告数据。Pediatric medicationsn.儿科药物The National Health Commissionn.国家卫健委
Health authorities in China said on Friday that no unknown pathogens have been detected amid a recent surge in infectious respiratory illnesses and that they have already held a meeting with the World Health Organization on the recent domestic epidemic situation.Hu Qiangqiang, a spokesman for the National Health Commission, said that all respiratory cases cataloged in China's monitoring system and reported by hospitals are caused by known pathogens.China has registered an increase in seasonal respiratory diseases since mid-October, fueled by the simultaneous circulation of influenza viruses, mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, the respiratory syncytial virus and adenoviruses, among other pathogens.Children are among the worst affected this winter, with pediatric hospitals saying they are handling a record number of patients and waiting time in the outpatient department is often more than three hours.Hu said the health commission held a videoconference on Thursday about infectious respiratory cases with WHO officials, which was also attended by experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Children's Health.During the conference, Chinese experts briefed all the attendees on the recent outbreak of respiratory illnesses in China and the country's efforts in monitoring pathogens, diagnosing diseases and prescribing treatment as well as offering health advisories, according to a statement released by the commission.China and the WHO also communicated on epidemiology, pathology and clinical symptoms of infectious respiratory illnesses, and said they plan to keep exchanging information.To deal with the surging number of patients, Hu said the commission has instructed localities to implement stratified care. It has also boosted the ability of grassroots facilities to diagnose and treat normal cases while keeping tabs on signs of severity.Children with mild symptoms have been advised to seek treatment at community clinics or under pediatricians at general hospitals, instead of visiting pediatric hospitals, he said.Also on Friday, the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council released a circular aimed at beefing up containment measures for COVID-19 cases and pathogens in the coming months.According to the circular, China will likely see simultaneous circulation of multiple respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza and mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, this winter and in spring.The risk of a rebound in COVID-19 cases this winter remains, although the current epidemic situation is stable, it said.Meanwhile, cases of influenza and mycoplasma pneumoniae infections have been on the rise since October. Flu cases are expected to register a peak in the coming months, while mycoplasma pneumoniae infections will continue to spread fast in some regions.The circular emphasized using different sources of data from online reporting systems, fever clinics, sentinel hospitals and laboratory test results as part of efforts to strengthen monitoring of and early warning against contagious diseases.In addition, personal protection measures and health monitoring efforts at nursery care and elderly care homes as well as schools should be reinforced, and vaccination campaigns targeting the elderly, people with preexisting diseases and children should be intensified, it said.Localities are instructed to allocate medical resources to fit intensity of regional epidemic situations and strengthen the supply of key medications, especially pediatric drugs.Epidemic control measures at ports such as measuring body temperatures of inbound passengers, carrying out epidemiological investigations and medical screenings should also be strictly implemented, it added.Reporter: Wang Xiaoyu
In this episode...
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, pronounced pee-FOSS) include thousands of unique chemical compounds that have been widely used in industrial and household products since the 1940s — including firefighting foam, nonstick cookware and disposable plates. And in 2021, Henrico County detected those chemicals in both the Chickahominy River and further upstream in the White Oak Swamp watershed, near Richmond International Airport.
Stafford Commissioner of the Revenue Scott Mayausky and Curry Roberts, the President of the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance at the University of Mary Washington talk about data centers in the region. Localities have been studying the issue for years. Discussion on financially what data center would mean and what makes them different here than in Prince William County.
This week in review, Crystal is joined by metro news columnist and opinion editor for The News Tribune in Tacoma, Matt Driscoll! They discuss the first closure of a state prison in over a decade, the new statewide drug law likely to fill more jails than treatment centers, Bruce Harrell's new Downtown Activation Plan, a new poll found 82% of voters don't believe highway expansions are the best solution for reducing congestion, Washington receiving $1.2B for affordable and reliable high-speed internet access from the Biden administration, and the King County Council deciding that businesses must accept cash. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Matt Driscoll, at @mattsdriscoll. Resources “Cydney Moore, Candidate for Burien City Council Position 2” from Hacks & Wonks “Washington Department of Corrections to close one of 12 prisons” by Joseph O'Sullivan from Crosscut “Washington's new drug law was 'designed to fill our treatment centers.' Experts say it won't” by Scott Greenstone from KNKX Public Radio “Harrell's Downtown Plan for the Perfect Seattle” by Ray Dubicki from The Urbanist “Stop The Sweeps Protesters Drown Out the Mayor's Boring Downtown Press Conference” by Hannah Krieg from The Stranger “Americans Are Ready to Move On from Highway Expansion Even If Politicians Persist” by Doug Trumm from The Urbanist “Many WA residents still don't have internet access. How much will $1 billion help?” by Shea Johnson from The News Tribune “King County will require businesses to accept cash” by Melissa Santos from Axios Seattle Find stories that Crystal is reading here Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the full versions of our Tuesday topical show and our Friday week-in-review delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, the most helpful thing you can do is leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. If you missed our Tuesday topical show, I chatted with Cydney Moore about her campaign for re-election to Burien City Council Position 2, the accomplishments from her first term, and her consistent progressive track record. We also dug into the details of Burien government's most recent non-handling of their unhoused populations as sweep after sweep has disrupted and endangered lives, caused community division, and failed to solve anything. Today, we continue our Friday week-in-review shows where we review the news of the week with a co-host. Welcome back to the program, friend of the show and today's co-host: metro news columnist and opinion editor for The News Tribune in Tacoma, Matt Driscoll. Hey, Matt. [00:01:32] Matt Driscoll: Thank you Crystal - yeah, hi. Thanks for having me again - it's great to be back. [00:01:36] Crystal Fincher: Great to have you back, very excited to have this conversation today. And starting off, we received news this week that one of Washington's 12 state prisons, the Larch Corrections Center, is going to be closing basically for lack of demand. What did you see here? [00:01:54] Matt Driscoll: Yeah - first of all, no shortage of news this week, so that's always good. But yeah, this is one of those stories that - I think for maybe some folks - flew under the radar a little bit, but the lack of need aspect of it is really interesting. Obviously in the announcement, it was acknowledged that if the situation changes in the future, they reserve the right to reopen the facility, which is a minimum security facility. But it's really interesting and follows our incarceration rates here in the state, which have dropped. Some of that's pandemic related - maybe a significant portion of it is pandemic related, whether folks being released, or toward the end of their sentences, or just some of the ways that the justice system has been slowed down. But yeah, it's really interesting, of course, because by a lot of metrics, it's described as a success. The state has been working to reduce its population of incarcerated individuals, I think, as a society, or at least as a state - partisan aspects of this. But understanding or the acknowledgement that incarcerating people - in all instances, for long periods of time, over and over again - is not ideal, not good for our society, not good for people. They would say that in addition to some of the things that have cut down prison population, just pandemic related or whatnot, some of the things they're doing within the prisons to reduce recidivism rates and those sorts of things are working. I would say that we still need much, much more of that - still really underfunded and just under-everything area. I think that when you talk to folks who were incarcerated, I don't think the sentiment is usually that - Yeah, we've got everything we need here to help us. I think there's still a lot of need there, I guess, is what I'm saying. But yeah, overall, I think it's a sign, hopefully, that some things are working. Also, I'm hesitant to read just too much into it in terms of gauging our success of reducing recidivism or reducing prison population, just because there are those kind of variables related to the pandemic and those sorts of things. I don't know - what was your take? [00:03:58] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, I think it's interesting. And clearly, the trend has been - especially with lower security facilities - is focusing on more evidence-based practices that do reduce recidivism. And those are more likely to occur in community settings, not in carceral settings. Localities have been moving in that direction, counties have been moving in that direction. Now, we're seeing a retrenchment of some more punitive policies, so I wonder if that is going to turn around. I thought it was interesting that we saw Teamsters Local 117, which represents a lot of the corrections officers, expressing dissatisfaction with this move - talking about it will be detrimental to the prison staff and their families. But I think a lot of people also view this as the impact on the population. Obviously, I think most people want the end goal for us to have a safer community overall. And so if we can - for people who have committed an offense, whatever offense - if we can lower the chances that they do that again, following those evidence-based practices, I think most people are on board with that. I think we do need to see that. But we'll see how this continues. Certainly, imprisoning people is wildly expensive, and many local budgets are feeling the pressure of that. Certainly, the state budget is feeling the pressure of that. So this is the first closure since 2012, 2011 - since the McNeil - yeah, yeah, so it's been quite a while. We'll see if this is a trend that continues, especially as we have more local conversations about whether to close county facilities and other facilities here. So interesting to see - I am gratified to see it. We will see if this is a trend that continues. And obviously, the most important thing is making sure our communities are safer. Also want to talk about news this week - really analysis - of Washington's new drug law in response to the Blake decision, kind of 2.0, the second take on it. And lots of people looking at the new drug law with the hopes that it would increase access to treatment, but it looks like that is not what it's going to do. What's your take on this? [00:06:10] Matt Driscoll: I have a broad take on this, just in general. I think that - and somewhat in relation to the conversation we just had - the thing progressives, or Democrats, are really good at doing is identifying, for lack of a better term, the easy part. I think there is an acknowledgement that the criminalization of drug use and the War on Drugs was a failure and is not the way to address issues of addiction. It's just not. And so I think there's broad consensus on that. But unfortunately, for a whole lot of political reasons and other reasons, at this point - in my mind, and again, I'm an opinion columnist, so take this for what it's worth - but the bulk of what they've been able to do is the easy parts of the decriminalization side, which is an important side of it. But what we don't have, what we don't even come close to having is infrastructure or the alternative that's actually going to provide treatment and recovery for people. And so sure, to my mind, what's happened so far is basically we've said - Okay, we shouldn't criminalize drugs, but we haven't in any way, shape, or form set up the infrastructure that it's going to need or dedicated the funding that it's going to need to actually create something better. And so in the interim of that, I think what you're seeing - and I don't subscribe to the conservative idea that all the drugs we see on our streets are related to Blake, and I'm not buying that. But I do think in the interim, what you've seen - and it impacts people's perception and it impacts people's views - increased suffering on our street, increased the visibility of suffering and addiction, and just contributing to a general feeling that society is unraveling. And you can have a kind of whatever take on that you want, but until progressives, until Democrats, until as a state, we actually create a system that provides an alternative to criminalization and go beyond just things that make it less criminal or decriminalized altogether, I think we're going to be stuck in a very hard spot. So I think there's a lot of work yet to be done. And in several instances, I've interviewed proponents of trying to get an initiative on the ballot around the decriminalization of drugs and setting up treatment options - and those proposals always funnel massive amounts of money towards treatment, like that's the other part of it. And we just really haven't, to my mind, gotten there yet. [00:08:36] Crystal Fincher: We haven't gotten there. And in my mind, there's a wild inconsistency between the rhetoric about - especially this Blake bill that they passed - and the reality of it. It's absolutely true there's a lot of rhetoric here. Inslee is saying this bill was meant to fill our treatment centers, not to fill our jails. Oh, but it was absolutely written to fill the jails - to be clear. The rhetoric around Blake acted as if we had a free-for-all for the prior years, but that's not the case. The Blake decision was actually, a couple of few years back. It has been a misdemeanor to possess drugs - that they have not been decriminalized for years. And this latest fix increased the criminalization, while removing treatment mandates and options there. So we have something now that's a gross misdemeanor, adding additional public usage stuff on there, and basically giving all of the tools and infrastructure to arrest - but not providing anywhere close to the infrastructure to treat, while at the same time providing discretion to prosecutors to say - No, we actually don't want to do diversion at all. It's not something they have to do. It's optional at this point in time. And we see, even in cities like Seattle, them moving to dismantle some of the community-based and treatment-based options they had with Seattle exiting, the city attorney saying that Seattle will be exiting the community court program. So it just is confounding to me because - no, clearly this is going to fill jails. Clearly we're going to see more arrests and prosecutions because that's explicitly what this bill allowed for. And it also allowed for these continuing closures that we're seeing, and this lack of capacity without doing much meaningfully to address it. We see the county stepping in - counties stepping in really across the state - to try and fill some of that gap. But without state action, we're still going to be woefully under-resourced. [00:10:36] Matt Driscoll: The points, or a point, I was trying to inarticulately make - because I agree with all of that - is, and going back to the rhetoric, clearly the idea that the massive expansion, everything we've seen relates to Blake is not true. There's so many more factors to that. But I guess my point being that because progressives and Democrats haven't gone beyond just decriminalization and haven't created anything better, it created a void where that rhetoric and political pressure to do something was able to grow. If you're just the average person in Washington and you see what's going on, you wouldn't be right, but I can understand how you would come to the conclusion that we've got to do something and we'll criminalize more. I can understand how people get there. So the point being that because Democrats and progressives haven't done the full deal, they've only done the easy parts - it creates the space for the reintroduction of the punitive measures, the reintroduction of the criminalization. And until they go the full way, I think it's going to be really hard to completely break free of that. [00:11:47] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, I think that's a good point. And also to that, just overall, when we have situations like this where the rhetoric does not match the legislation - and they talk of moving in one direction, but pass policy that make it inevitable that we will be moving in the other direction - it makes it harder to implement actual progressive policies because you're wrapping these conservative policies in the cloak of progressivism. And so when people hear - Okay, these are the progressive people in charge. They're passing progressive policy and it's failing. Well, yeah, of course it's failing because it's essentially the same War on Drugs. But that does make it harder in the future to do anything because people hear - Oh they tried something new and it didn't work, so let's go back to what it was when we have been doing that the whole time. So it just is frustrating from a policy perspective, it's frustrating just from dealing with it in our communities. This is an untenable situation overall. It is not great to have people using in public around other people. It's not great to have people suffering with addiction and really having nowhere to turn or having to be criminalized before you get access to services. It just is undesirable. And I wish we would do all of the work - the easy and the hard stuff to your point - to actually take a real shot at an evidence-based solution to this. [00:13:09] Matt Driscoll: Hear, hear. [00:13:10] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. Now also this week, we saw Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell seemingly try and address some issues like this, included with his downtown activation plan. What was your thought about his plan and the reactions to it? [00:13:27] Matt Driscoll: Yeah - of course, I have the comfort of watching all this from afar, which is always enjoyable. The first thing is, from a lot of perspectives, this was seen as a - and I know there's a lot to it - but addressing some of those issues we just talked about - around kind of disorder, open drug use, addiction in our streets, and the impact that's having on downtown. But I think it's also worth keeping in mind that when we talk about downtowns, just in general, they're facing a lot of challenges right now in terms of the reinvigoration, or whatever we're calling it, that are not related to those sorts of issues. The lasting impact of COVID and everything that went along with it is still very much in effect. Here in Tacoma - last time I checked - you're looking at occupancy rates, offices are still 60%. Here at UWT, students aren't on campus like they used to be. The broader point being - there are a whole lot of issues that are impacting downtowns right now that kind of go beyond the "Seattle is Dying" - homelessness on our streets, addiction, all that kind of stuff. And from my understanding of it, there are parts of Harrell's plan that kind of deal with that, in terms of the closing of streets and some things. Because I think we're going to have to reimagine our downtowns in some respect. I don't think it's necessary - I'm tempted to say it's never going to go back to the days when we can rely purely on the 9-5 office work to sustain a downtown. What I probably should say is if that is going to happen, it's not going to happen anytime soon. I think that we've experienced massive changes, and there are massive trends, and there are trends that downtowns are going to have to adjust to. Now, all that being said - again, I think Harrell - related to the disorder, crime, drug use, again - it goes back to that conversation we just had around the political pressures and the ways that when we half measure things, or don't go the full way - or to your point, which is a really important one - wrap bogus policy in progressive talking points and champion it like progressivism when it's really something different and then it fails, it creates a lot of pressure. And I think there's a lot of pressure on Harrell right now. I think a lot of residents want, rightfully, rightfully want to see a downtown and just a city that is not dealing with these stories. It's not good. I write a column, my politics are out there. What we see in our downtowns right now, just in general - and not even just downtowns - it's not good. There's suffering, there's addiction, there's disorder - and it contributes to a feeling that kind of society is falling down. And I don't mean to be hyperbolic around it because I know the kind of the perspective is important and there are a lot of factors here, but it's that tension too. And I think Harrell is trying to respond to the very real concerns that people have. And I know that the rhetoric of those concerns doesn't always really match the politics of councilmembers and Seattle as a whole, and so there's that tension. But you're the poll person, not me, but I think I saw a poll not too long ago that said Harrell's approval or numbers look considerably stronger than the city council. And I think issues like this are a reason why, because I think there are - and again, I don't live in Seattle, I don't know, you tell me, you don't live in Seattle either, but you follow Seattle much closer than I do - I think there's a large part of the population that's just really frustrated and really fed up and is looking for answers and is looking for strong answers. And so I think there - now, is it going to work? [00:17:34] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, I think a lot of your points are right on. I think for the actual plan, Mayor Harrell articulated seven bold goals for downtown Seattle - looking at the details of these goals, they're largely rehashes of things that have been previously announced, but bringing it together under one heading and one focus, I suppose. So wanting to make downtown safer and more welcoming, increased service provider outreach along Third Avenue - I think that's great to provide a 24 hour presence, if they're actually service providers and not just a crackdown and like we've seen before where police flood a block and then leave and really ultimately not many things change. Graffiti services - Mayor's really, really into graffiti removal - dealing with it there. But also, I think he is getting at some of the re-imagining of downtown and some of what he's talked about - talking about convening leaders to share strategies about return to office and hybrid work policies, incentivizing the development of childcare and education services downtown by allowing greater building heights when these facilities are included in new buildings, develop a life-at-night agenda to activate downtown businesses. When you - really, after reading many proposals by Mayor Harrell and realistically Mayor Durkan, it is notable when you read the actual plans - how much of them start with words like develop and hire and create. This is not an active initiative. This is basically - we're going to start to actually think about and do things. And it looks like they're great at launching these initiatives, but what results from them is another question. And I think people are waiting to see - and to your point, are frustrated at so much talk over years and years while watching these problems get worse, certainly not better in a lot of areas, and wanting to do something that moves the needle. I also notice in these that it's - these problems that we're facing, that downtowns are facing, are substantial. They're going to require some really different action to get a different result. And things like - for childcare, we just received - there was a story written, I think, by Axios either this past week or the week before, talking about childcare in Seattle is now more expensive than college on an annual basis. It seems like with this crisis currently in process, more needs to be done for childcare affordability than allowing increased building heights in new development that's going to happen - that might make a difference in five or 10 years, maybe, but what are we doing to try and move the needle in the short term? What are we doing to ensure that we're going to get those results and not just hope for some trickle-down impact from tangential policies that aren't offensive to anyone. We're going to have to start making decisions that - moving one way or the other - are probably going to make some people unhappy, and I feel like there's a hesitance by some elected officials to do that. But what we've seen is that in the hesitance to make people unhappy, they're making people unhappy because problems have just persisted. So it's a challenge. We'll be following it along. There are some good things in here - and if they get this rolling, there's going to be some good things that result. But that's the big question here. What is the - is the implementation actually going to happen and what's going to result from it? So we will see what happens with that. Also, want to talk about a poll that came out this week about Americans being ready to move on from highway expansion even if politicians aren't. A new poll showed that 82% of voters don't view highway expansion as the best solution for reducing congestion. This is certainly in line with data and evidence that we've seen here - expanding highways creates more traffic than it reduces and is induced demand - this is a thing that has happened. We can see all the expansions that we've had in this area - on 405, on I-5 - and traffic seems to be worse than ever. What's your view of this? [00:21:46] Matt Driscoll: My take on the poll is that it does reflect, certainly, I think, a growing acknowledgement that we can't just continuously expanding our freeways until the end of time, until we have 27 lanes, and everyone can fit in their SUV single-occupancy to go to and from there. I think, and it's evidence-based, and so I do think there's much greater recognition of that - that we need alternatives to that. That being said, just to be honest with you from a Pierce County perspective - from working here and talking to people - the 82% seems incredibly high. From the folks I hear - this is a county that voted against Sound Transit 3 - historically is anti-Sound Transit. This is a community where congestion near I-5, or near the Tacoma Dome, and construction feels like it's been going on for most of our natural lives. And yet people, I still think - and I don't know the percentage of it, but county-wide - I still think that a significant portion of this place wants to see the bulk of our transportation money going to the traditional things like freeways and roads and all those sorts of things. Now, the other thing about this poll is that it included - it was like expand our highways, freeways, or, and a bunch of different options - there were a bunch of other things that all got lumped into, Would this be better? - things like fish passage, and then mass transit, bus, those sorts of things. And so I think that probably impacts the numbers just a little bit, in that it was kind of like either you do freeway expansion or would any of these things or all these things together be better? And so I think that that probably contributed to the poll a little bit, although I know the conductors of the poll defended their methods there. But overall, just coming full circle, I think it matches with a growing sentiment that we need to do more than just build highways and expand highways. But still, in Pierce County, 82% - it seems high to me. [00:24:03] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, I think there's a lot at play in this. I do think that seeing so many highway expansion projects with a promise of reducing congestion not do that over the last 20, 30 years - there's more skepticism. I also think it's significant that more people are recognizing just how much money we are spending on expansion while also not spending on maintenance. I think it has permeated into the public. People who are driving are driving on streets that often are not maintained well, that certainly aren't complete streets - they aren't maintained well for drivers, let alone everyone using the streets. And then on top of that, just looking at the expenses there - we're sitting here watching bridges fall down across the country, bridges closed locally for challenges, and saying that we have this huge backlog - we can't afford to maintain our bridges, we can't afford to maintain our roads. But we're talking about building new ones that are also going to increase the maintenance price tag - that just doesn't seem fiscally responsible at all. And I think as people are looking at the variety of things that we can't afford - we can't afford to feed kids free food in schools that we mandate they attend. We can't afford so many of the human services that we talk about. We can't afford transit - transit service we're watching being degraded, we're watching planned new light rail, new bus facilities be pushed back for decades sometimes. It just doesn't seem to be working. We don't seem to be spending our money in the right places and in the right way. And I think there is more popular awareness of that. One of the most notable things I found in this poll is that 90% of the people polled drove regularly. This isn't a poll of lefties and people who just don't have cars, which some people use to just discount their opinions - Oh, you don't drive anyway, you don't know how important it is. This is not the case - this is everyone realizing and recognizing what a problem is. And also, I think it also helps that people got a taste of not having to commute during the pandemic, got a taste of - Hey, what if I didn't have to drive all the time? What if there was an alternative? What if I didn't have to brave rush hour all the time? What if we invested in these other things that make that more possible and everything more livable with this new way of life that we've entered into? - and cause people to do more reflection on their own perhaps. Maybe that is also accelerating it. There's a lot of maybes in here. To your point, this does cover a lot of things. Not everything was that huge number, but we see over 65% of people agreeing with - providing people with more transportation options, it's better for health, safety, and economy. Expanding highways takes years, causes delays, and costs billions of dollars. More important to protect our quality of life than to spend billions of tax dollars on expanding highways. And no matter where you live, you should have the freedom to easily get where you need to go. So there are certainly some takeaways in here that people are feeling like there should be more options - not to the exclusion of cars - but certainly not only for cars and expanding highways in that one specific way. So very interesting to see. What I think is safe to say is that members of the public overall seem in a different place than our elected officials who are still seemingly operating from expand-it policies being great for everything. But it doesn't have the cachet that it used to, to say - I'm going to fix your traffic by expanding this highway. - it's not landing like it used to. [00:28:01] Matt Driscoll: Yeah, I agree with so much of that. I think your point about the maintenance, because it's unsexy, but I think your point about the maintaining what we have aspect of that whole is really important. I suspect that's - the reasons you talked about it are a big reason why that number was so high. And then also, again, just to come back to a theme so far in this show about progressives, big ideas, and then the impact when they fail to deliver. Obviously it's not over yet, but I can't help but think of Sound Transit here. It's like sitting here in Pierce County, we've been told for years - and in Tacoma we voted in favor - we need more options, we need this infrastructure, we need mass transit. And it's a progressive cause and it's politicized, and it gets pushed through. And then the carry through, follow through, frankly - just a disaster. It's just a disaster. And if you're sitting down here in Pierce County in Tacoma, and you're paying those car tabs every year and you're looking at what that has done and when that might do - and it's just - so again, it's just the plans are great, it's important, all that - but just the follow through and progressives just continued inability to nail the follow through for - again, and I think it ties in something you said earlier - it's just their hesitancy to upset people in a lot of cases. It just hamstrings these things and they end up big and stupid and dumb - and I voted in favor of it, I voted in favor of it again, but Sound Transit's dumb, man. It's just from down here, what we've got - and that might anger some people that I speak to regularly, and some people I consider friends, and some people I'm ideologically aligned with - but just from an average citizen perspective, it's unfortunate to see how it has played out and how it looks like it's gonna continue to play out, just because there's so much at stake in terms of public sentiment. [00:30:13] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely, and just continuing down that tangent - one, I think this is another example of something that gets a progressive label, but you look at the policy, you look at the substance of it, and you look at the Sound Transit board itself - it skews moderate to conservative, and probably closer to conservative when you look at the composition of the entire board. And it shows in this policy, but of course, it is another thing that is wrapped in progressive policy. But beyond that, I don't think Pierce County voting down ST3, I don't think that Pierce County rejecting this iteration of transit necessarily means that Pierce County is anti-transit. What is really predictable is that if you sell someone something and say - I'm gonna deliver it next week - and then next week comes and you say - Okay well, actually next year, next decade - they're not gonna be happy to continue giving them money. People pay taxes with an expectation of benefits and services and things being provided in their community. If they are getting nothing back from that, if all they're doing is paying and watching other people get the benefits, they are not gonna be excited to do that. This is just really, to me, common sense that you have to deliver for people. You have to give them what you sold them. Otherwise, they're going to be unhappy about it, and they're not gonna trust you the next time you come with something to sell them. This is what we're doing with our suburbs, with Pierce County with Sound Transit. Got lines open in Seattle and coming down through South County, the Eastside, going north - but the timeline of this is just absolutely absurd and keeps getting pushed back while people are currently paying for it. You have to deliver something if people are paying something. You, at minimum, have to deliver what you say you're going to, and they just aren't. And don't seem to care and seem to continue to push back stuff, instead of really sitting down and saying - What can we do to honor the commitment that we made? What can we do to deliver this needed service and infrastructure to these communities? They just say - Oh, that's fine if you wait. It's fine if you wait. [00:32:26] Matt Driscoll: Yeah, I guess that's the one thing that gets me about it too - is just the seeming not to care. They just seem so oblivious to it, or not even oblivious, but just dismissive of it, and it sticks in your craw. Not to re-litigate any of this, but I 100% agree with you. You charge people these sorts of taxes - you have to deliver all those sorts of things. Let us not forget that, right or wrong, a lot of people also felt misled about what the cost of this tax was going to be. Part of it was voter - I think they were transparent in terms of saying this was what it would cost for the average car, but I think what people don't - everyone thinks they have the average car. Everyone thinks they have the average car. People who are driving a two-year-old car think they have the average car. I drive a 2006 Chevy Malibu - sometimes I feel like I have the average car. I think people - a lot of people also felt like they were slightly misled about what the cost was going to be, and then however many years later, we don't really have anything to show with it, show for it, at least down here, and we keep getting told it's going to be longer and longer. I don't know. We could talk about this forever, but it's just disappointing to see the follow-through, or the lack thereof. [00:33:54] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, and I think it's good to hear. Sometimes - just in Seattle - certainly, a lot to be desired with Sound Transit delivery, but there has been stuff that's already delivered. There is infrastructure that's there. What is frustrating to me is I see infrastructure that does exist going to Pierce County, like the heavy rail Sounder train, which is packed, right? It's not like there's an aversion to transit - what's available there is being heavily utilized. There just doesn't seem to be any acknowledgement or desire to continue to deliver there. It is certainly frustrating - and again, just the delivery is the most important aspect of this whole thing. If you don't do that, everything - everything - goes to waste, and the rhetoric that you use to do it matters. On some more optimistic news this week, we got news that Washington is going to receive $1.2 billion to help address internet affordability and access to high-speed internet. What possibilities does this open up, and what will this do for Washington? [00:35:05] Matt Driscoll: I'm by no means a high-speed internet expert, but I will say that this is and has been a huge issue down here in Pierce County. There are areas of this county - across the Narrows and some parts of the county - where the internet access is almost nonexistent. That creates major challenges for those communities, particularly - I know obviously it was a couple of years ago now - when you start talking about remote schooling, or even as you see an increase of remote work. The internet is like heat and water and gas. If you don't have internet, you are essentially disconnected from the world, disconnected from the way the world works. There are major areas of this county where the internet that we take for granted here in Tacoma would be revolutionary. I don't know all the specifics of the Biden administration's plan - and I don't think we have all the specifics yet in terms of how it might be applied in Washington and all those sorts of things - but I'm hopeful about it, and I think it's much needed. I think that the need to invest in internet infrastructure - certainly, I think we've talked about it a lot in some circles, but I think in the broader national conversation, maybe it hasn't got the attention it deserves. So hopefully this action raises the level of that a little bit and really highlights the importance of it. But again, at the end of the day, at this point, I just think internet's a utility. Everyone deserves to have it - needs to have it - it's not a matter of whether you deserve it or not. It's essentially a necessity of life, whether you're applying for a job or banking. On your list, there was talk of accepting cash. And I know it's not exactly the same, but it's just the way our world works now. And when people don't have access to it, it creates disproportionate impacts, it harms vulnerable communities, it creates an uneven playing field. So anything we can do to expand that access and get people connected, I think is a good thing. And again, the test is going to be in how it's actually applied and what the rollout and end result looks like. But I don't know, you might be more tuned into this issue than I am. What's your take on this? [00:37:43] Crystal Fincher: I agree with a lot of what you said. I agree with the Pierce County Council who deemed broadband internet to be essential infrastructure - absolutely necessary. It is necessary - to participate in our society today fully requires reliable internet access. And last numbers were that 6% of Washington homes still don't have reliable internet access at all, which 6% - that's a tiny percent. When you look at the amount of households in the state, those are so many people being left out and left behind and at a disadvantage in everything in our society - from just access to basic goods and services to employment and the type of work you can do, getting work to schooling. We saw these hybrid models and flexibility with school. Broadband access is absolutely necessary for learning, for homework, just on a regular basis. This is something really important to our society, so I'm excited that we see this investment. And I hope that we do more to solidify equitable access for people in the long term, not just to subsidize service from a couple carriers and provide subsidies. Not that there's no place for subsidies, but certainly the current structure is very beneficial to providers who barely have to compete with anyone. I hope that we do more to ensure flexible open access to allow more competition - certainly more last mile infrastructure investment and creation is needed. And certainly a lot of that will go towards this, but more flexible access, I hope, is a long term result from this. [00:39:35] Matt Driscoll: Yeah - are you skeptical of the North Star of public-private partnership? Is that not the good thing I've been told it is - when governments and well-meaning for-profit businesses work together to meet the people's needs? [00:39:53] Crystal Fincher: This is where I admit I've looked longingly at Tacoma for decades with your public utility that you've had there, which I think is the right way to approach this because it is necessary. [00:40:05] Matt Driscoll: Which we tried to give away. [00:40:06] Crystal Fincher: Yes. [00:40:07] Matt Driscoll: Essentially. Just for the record. [00:40:10] Crystal Fincher: There will always, always be some well-funded momentum towards privatization that needs to be addressed and fought against. But yes, I am skeptical of it because look at our system - I'm one of the lucky people with regular internet access, but it still goes out here frequently with no repercussions. There's no real competition. If you're lucky, you have to - the really lucky people have three choices, when there are hundreds of choices between providers for this overall. But we have this monopoly, duopoly system that is just not friendly. And so fitting within that framework is really what a public-private partnership at this point in time would be. And I just think it's a toxic framework that is not there for the benefit of consumers. It's there for the profit for these large corporations. And I don't think that has been serving us very well, especially when you look at other models internationally who are providing much, much higher speeds, much more reliable infrastructure at a much lower cost. But we're not there at this point here. [00:41:23] Matt Driscoll: No, I agree with all that. And to the kind of - I think one of the most important points - that 6% you mentioned, doesn't seem like a lot of folks. But let's be honest about where those 6% of folks likely live and the challenges and the inequities they likely already face. And so it's just like the lack of internet access is just an exacerbating factor on many of the ways that they're already under-resourced and underserved. So it's really important and hopefully we get it right. [00:41:56] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. I think it's really important. I also think it's critical for rural communities. This is a humongous issue for our rural areas and just their ability to manage and survive and thrive, especially as some other traditional industries are struggling - that the ability to embrace new industries, to be competitive in our current local and global marketplace really needs broadband access and so many areas still don't have it. [00:42:28] Matt Driscoll: Yeah, totally. And just for the, that's - rural communities are in part what I'm talking about, about being underserved. The inequities we see in Pierce County, in general, between rural communities and places that are more fluent and more urban - it's significant. We focus a lot, and rightfully so, on inequities we see in our cities and along demographics and those sorts of things. But the rural-urban divide in terms of what those folks, the services those folks have, what's available to them is - it's steep and it makes it much, much harder to have an even playing field if you're a - say, a kid that comes from a rural community. [00:43:19] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And we will just close today talking about other good news - in my opinion, good news - which you alluded to before, which is the King County Council passed legislation to require businesses in unincorporated King County to take cash payments - because there are movements and some businesses have wanted to not take cash, to require electronic payment, which can disenfranchise a lot of people and keep a lot of people out. What's your view of this legislation? [00:43:51] Matt Driscoll: Oh, this brings me back, actually. It's funny - somehow when I'm on the show, I always end up divulging more than I anticipated to - but so let me just say there was a time in my life, many years ago, where I didn't bank. And the reason I didn't bank is because I was, it's because I didn't have any money. It's because I was poor and it's because you run into continual issues with - and this was more at the start of the corporatization of banks and everything becoming a Bank of America or a Chase - but you run into the overdraft fees, pretty soon you owe $300 on your checking account and you don't have $300. And pretty soon you're just cashing your checks. And I lived like that for a significant amount of time. And it is hard, but it's also the reality that a lot of people face. There are very real reasons that traditional banking, or the cards, or swiping, or paying on my phone - people don't have access to it. And so I think the acknowledgement that we can't just leave folks out to dry and force them to use a system that frankly is oftentimes exploitative - banking just is. I'm a firm credit union guy now, but still, it's - I'm sure we've all heard a million times - it's very expensive to be poor. And this is just - the move toward not accepting cash, or card only, or electronic payment only - it's just another way, another burden that gets placed on folks who don't have a lot of money. So I'm happy to see it. I think you should be - frankly, I think you should be required to take cash. I don't think it should be optional. I certainly understand with businesses who would consider it easier. This is another topic entirely, but there's a Subway sandwich shop by my house. And I think just in relation to crime or fears of crime, they've got a big sign up that says - Card only, we don't take cash. And I think there is part of it - a very small part of it - it's maybe kind of folks trying to grapple with that, but overall I think it's good news. Like you said, I think businesses should have to take cash. I think most comfortable Americans don't understand what it's like to not have a lot of money and how hard it actually is to access those sorts of things that a lot of people take for granted. And so I think it's good. I think it's an important acknowledgement. [00:46:58] Crystal Fincher: I completely agree and appreciate your perspective on that. It's very important. I know Transit Riders Union did a lot of advocacy with that, so I appreciate that and congrats to them for helping to pass that. Thank you to the councilmembers - it passed on, by one vote. So appreciate the councilmembers who did vote on that. And it is very important. To your point, I think a lot of people don't realize how hard and how expensive it is to be poor. And that being poor is only a result of irresponsibility and bad morality - that is so far from the truth. And my goodness, the people who are poorest generally know where every single penny is going to a much greater degree than a lot of people who are comfortable that I know. It's not an issue of morality, it's not an issue of responsibility. It's an issue of poverty and inequality. And the way to address it is not to further disenfranchise people and to exclude people from society even more. So I'm certainly happy to see this legislation passed. And with that, we thank you for listening to Hacks & Wonks on this Friday, June 30th - every week I say the date and it surprises me, time just evaporates. The producer of Hacks & Wonks is Shannon Cheng. Our insightful cohost today was metro news columnist and opinion editor for The News Tribune in Tacoma, Matt Driscoll. You can find Matt on Twitter @mattsdriscoll, with two L's at the end. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Twitter @HacksWonks. You can catch Hacks & Wonks wherever you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get the full versions of our Friday week-in-review shows and our Tuesday topical show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen. It really helps us out. You can get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the podcast episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.
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The City of Richmond, the Town of Ashland, and the Counties of Henrico, Chesterfield, Powhatan, Hanover, and New Kent rarely have much in common, but later this year all six localities will enjoy expanded access to public transportation thanks to a planned microtransit pilot program run by the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC). Lasting three years, the test service will close mobility gaps in rural and suburban parts of the region via an on-demand system that will allow people to book rides in real time and get picked up and dropped off in designated areas. Piloting progress Ahead of the planned launch...Article LinkSupport the show
The General Assembly is considering a bill that would keep localities from banning natural gas connections in new buildings; The Virginia Board of Education voted to advance its latest history standards draft Thursday afternoon; Virginia law enforcement officers would no longer be able to make false statements while interrogating children under a bill from Democratic Delegate Jackie Glass; and other local news stories.
It was freezing cold as the temperature was below minus 15 degrees Celsius outside. However, a hotpot fanatic surnamed Wang was enjoying the renowned Chinese cuisine on the frozen surface of the country's second-longest river.酷爱美食的中国人将铜火锅搬上了冰封的黄河冰面。火锅迷小王冒着低于零下15摄氏度的严寒，脚踩冰面享用美食。The steaming-hot pot, about two meters in diameter, was filled with various local specialties, such as fried tofu, local ribs, and meatballs, as well as fresh fish and shrimp caught through newly-cut holes in the ice.这个直径约两米的蒸汽火锅里装满了各种当地特色菜，有炸豆腐、当地排骨、肉丸子，还有从刚凿的冰窟里冬捕上来的新鲜鱼虾。The pot stood on the frozen surface of the Yellow River at its section of Pianguan county, North China's Shanxi province. The ice was around 60 centimeters thick, safe enough for the tourists.冰上火锅位于中国北部山西省偏关县的黄河河段。冰层厚度约60厘米，对游客来说足够安全。"It was definitely the best experience ever in my life so far," Wang said, with his face brimming with laughter, satisfaction, and a crimson nose.小王说：“这绝对是迄今为止我人生中最棒的一次经历。”尽管鼻子冻得通红，他的脸上还是洋溢着笑声和满足感。Besides "hotpot on ice," Wang, together with his wife and daughter as well as other tourists, also enjoyed other activities on the ice, such as go-karts, snowmobiles, and bumper cars.除了“冰上火锅”，小王和他的妻子、女儿以及其他游客还享受了其他冰上活动，如冰上卡丁车、冰上摩托和冰上碰碰车。For the Chinese, family reunion is the eternal theme of the Spring Festival. Among all kinds of holiday activities, traveling with families is gaining increasing popularity.对于中国人来说，阖家团圆是春节永恒的主题。在各种各样的节日活动中，全家出游也变得越来越受欢迎。After China optimized the COVID-19 response policies, the pent-up demand of the public for travel has been unleashed.在中国优化新冠病毒应对政策后，人们被压抑的出行需求得到了释放。Data from Alibaba's travel branch Fliggy showed the number of domestic long-term tour orders during the Spring Festival increased by more than 500 percent year-on-year, domestic air ticket bookings by more than 40 percent, and train ticket bookings by nearly 80 percent.据阿里巴巴旗下旅游部门“飞猪”的数据显示，春节期间国内长期旅游订单量同比增长超过500%，国内机票预订量增长超过40%，火车票预订量增长近80%。Localities across the country also spared no effort to hold various cultural and tourist activities to woo tourists.全国各地也积极举办各种文化旅游活动来吸引游客。A total of 25 parks in Beijing, including the Summer Palace and Beihai Park, greeted visitors with winter sports such as ice cars, ice slides, and snow frisbees. On Thursday alone, the sixth day of the week-long Spring Festival holiday, Beijing parks received 630,000 visits. The Summer Palace registered over 75,400 visits, said the Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau.北京共有25个公园，包括颐和园和北海公园。冰车、冰滑梯和雪上飞盘等丰富多彩的冬季运动也在迎接游客的到来。仅在1月26日，也就是春节假期的第六天，北京的公园就接待了630,000人次。据北京市园林绿化局介绍，颐和园共接待游客7.54万人次。The Universal Beijing Resort also promoted a Spring Festival-themed event, having more tourists from across the country than last year's holiday.北京环球度假区还推出了春节主题的活动，与去年相比，来自全国各地的游客数量有所增加。According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this year's Spring Festival holiday has seen 308 million domestic trips, up 23.1 percent year-on-year, recovering to 88.6 percent of 2019 level.根据文化和旅游部的数据，今年春节假期国内游达3.08亿人次，同比增长23.1%，恢复到2019年水平的88.6%。Domestic tourism revenue reached around 375.8 billion yuan ($55.52 billion), up 30 percent year-on-year, recovering to 73.1 percent of that registered in 2019, the ministry added.文化和旅游部补充说，国内旅游收入达到约3758亿元（555.2亿美元），同比增长30%，恢复到2019年登记的73.1%。Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, predicted that this year's Spring Festival will be the best and most prosperous for tourism market recovery in the past three years.中国旅游研究院院长戴斌预计，今年春节将是近三年来旅游市场复苏最好、最旺的一年。Besides the tourism market, China's cinemas also welcomed crowds of moviegoers during the holiday.除了旅游市场，中国的电影院也在春节期间迎来了大批观众。The holiday box office sold a total of more than 187.6 million tickets as of 12:00 pm Friday, generating a whopping revenue of 67.6 billion yuan, according to box office tracker Maoyan.据票房跟踪机构猫眼网的数据显示，截至1月27日中午12点，假日票房累计售出1.876亿张，创造了676亿元的巨额收入。The earnings overtook that of the same holiday last year, making this year's Spring Festival holiday the second highest-grossing to date.这一收益超过了去年同期，使今年的春节假期成为迄今为止票房收入第二高的假期。"The audiences are all back!" said Dong Wenxin, a cinema manager in the eastern Chinese city of Jinan, Shandong province.中国东部城市山东省济南市的电影院经理董文新说：“观众都回来了！”Diameter英 [daɪˈæmɪtə(r)] 美 [daɪˈæmɪtər]n. 直径Prosperous英 [ˈprɒspərəs] 美 [ˈprɑːspərəs]adj. 繁荣的
英语新闻｜做好准备应对新冠新形势China's recent shifts in COVID-19 control strategy are well-paced, with sufficient preparatory work in place to handle the resulting surge in medical demand, authorities said on Thursday.我国政府周四表示，中国最近对新冠控制策略的转变进展顺利，已做好充分的准备工作来应对由此产生的医疗需求激增。With the epidemic progressing rapidly, they added that the country has counted and will always count and publish the COVID-19 death toll in a transparent and fact-based manner.随着疫情的迅速发展，他们补充说，我国已经并将始终以透明和基于事实的方式统计和公布新冠死亡人数。Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a news briefing that outbreaks in cities like Beijing and Tianjin as well as Chengdu, Sichuan province, have peaked.中国疾病预防控制中心流行病学首席专家吴尊友在新闻发布会上说，北京、天津和四川成都等城市的疫情已经达到高峰。Increased movement during the Spring Festival travel rush and circulation of other respiratory diseases will make the situation more challenging, he said. "Localities are closely monitoring and analyzing outbreaks and strive to reduce disruption to normal lives and production."他说，春运期间流动性增加以及其他呼吸道疾病的传播将使形势更加严峻。 “各地正在密切监测和分析疫情，努力减少对正常生活和生产的干扰。”China has adjusted its COVID-19 strategy and gradually eased curbs since November, leading to concerns over the challenges posed to the resilience of a healthcare system serving a dense and massive population.自11月以来，中国调整了其新冠战略并逐步放松限制措施，这引发了人们对服务于密集且庞大人口的医疗保健系统的弹性所面临挑战的担忧。Jiao Yahui, deputy director of the National Health Commission's medical administration bureau, said that the country's overall medical system has not reached full capacity and is not under widespread strain, although some cities have faced a shortage of medical supplies during infection peaks.国家卫生健康委员会医政局副局长焦亚辉表示，尽管部分城市在感染高峰期面临医疗物资短缺，但国家整体医疗体系尚未达到满负荷状态，并未普遍承受压力。"We had foreseen a spike in medical demand (after the policy shift) and have been stepping up preparedness," she said.“我们曾预见到医疗需求会激增（在政策转变之后），并且一直在加强准备工作，”她说。For instance, community and rural health institutions have all been required to set up fever clinics, and the number of facilities accepting fever patients at secondary and tertiary hospitals has increased to about 57,000.例如，要求社区和农村卫生机构全部设立发热门诊，二级、三级医院发热门诊机构增至5.7万个左右。"Makeshift hospitals and nucleic acid testing booths can also be repurposed to function as temporary fever clinics, in order to meet the needs of patients," she said.她说：“方舱医院和核酸检测站也可以改造成临时发热门诊，以满足患者的需要。”Authorities have also beefed up production and distribution of medications, and residents can purchase medicines either online or at bricks-and-mortar pharmacies.当局还加强了药品的生产和分配，居民可以在网上或实体药店购买药品。Jiao said the number of intensive care beds has reached 181,000 nationwide, and more emergency medical equipment, ranging from respirators to high-flow oxygen devices, has been added.焦说，全国重症监护病床数量已达到18.1万张，并增加了从呼吸机到高流量氧气设备等更多紧急医疗设备。To alleviate pressure in hard-hit regions, Jiao said a cross-regional assistance mechanism devoted to mobilizing critical care resources has been set up.焦说，为减轻重灾区的压力，已经建立了专门调动重症监护资源的跨区域援助机制。As China is set to lift quarantine and testing demands for incoming travelers on Jan 8, Jiao said that being well prepared means that the opening up of borders won't overwhelm its medical system.由于中国将于1月8日取消对入境旅客的检疫和检测要求，焦说，做好充分准备意味着边境开放不会压垮其医疗系统。Spike英[spaɪk]；美[spaɪk]n. 猛增；急升Downgrade英[ˌdaʊnˈɡreɪd]；美[ˌdaʊnˈɡreɪd]v. 使降职；使降级Perimeter英[pəˈrɪmɪtə(r)]；美[pəˈrɪmɪtər]n. 外缘，边缘
The Virginia General Assembly is about to go to the dogs. Michael Pope has this preview.
Stephen Moret is a leading expert in the connection between education and work. In this episode, Dr. Moret shares lessons and successes from his many years leading state and local economic development efforts, educational fundraising efforts, and his new role as CEO of Strada Education Network, a social impact organization helping all students access and make the most of their educational opportunities. Mentioned in the episodeStrada Education NetworkStephen Moret Student Body President LSU FoundationVirginia Economic Development PartnershipStephen Moret Dissertation Huey LongSt. John's CollegeVirginia Talent Accelerator Program Georgia Quick Start ProgramLouisiana Fast Start Program – Economist ArticleTim BartikVirginia Office of Education – VOEEStrada Institute for the Future of Work – New Learning Ecosystem KYStats Non-technical skills in career development Increase in Master's degrees 1 counselor for every 1000 students Joe May
You are listening to prayer and fasting crusade in Koume from 17th of October to 25th of November. God bless you!
The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission wrote that the region relies on flood preparedness funding via the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Local politics is key when there are only 26 Ballot Initiative states out of 50. Our Video: https://youtu.be/oJJe70DMvXM Source: https://norml.org/news/2022/08/11/texas-voters-in-five-cities-to-decide-on-marijuana-depenalization-initiatives/ Source: https://ballotpedia.org/States_with_initiative_or_referendum ---------------------------------------- To Follow Mr. Sativa on Social Media: Twitter - https://twitter.com/icsativapod GETTR - https://www.gettr.com/user/icsativapod Periscope: https://www.pscp.tv/icsativapodcast Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_iamcannabissativa/ Please become a Patreon at just $1 a month - http://bit.ly/2NJmshn Please support us via PayPal - paypal.me/icsativapodcast If you want to support us via Anchor: https://anchor.fm/iamcannabissativapodcast/support My Twitch Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/iamcannabissativa My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdMtiTbOFE3D39rpLfLglaw? My Rumble Channel: https://rumble.com/c/c-1354573 Get Great Quality CBD products from Sequoia Organics: https://www.sequoiaorganics.co/?a_aid=iamcannabissativa My Email: iamcannabissativa@gmail.com Now Syndicated on Radical Russ Radio: https://streamingv2.shoutcast.com/radicalruss-radio --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/iamcannabissativapodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/iamcannabissativapodcast/support
For those who follow government budgets in Virginia, Happy 2023! Fiscal year 2023, that is. To my knowledge, there is no celebration but there likely will be a few hiccups here and there as new laws take effect and some cheering as municipal and state employees receive pay increases with the new budget. But for a massive celebration, you’ll have to head north to the border where it’s Canada Day. I’m Sean Tubbs, and I strive to make as many days as possible have a new installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement and so far I’m one for one for the fiscal year.On today’s program:A brief look at new laws that go into effect today The Virginia Department of Health announces a dashboard to track firearm injuries in the CommonwealthCharlottesville City Schools expect the bus driver shortage to worsen and are encouraging parents and guardians to think about alternative methods of transportCharlottesville Area Transit looks at several different kinds of new bus sheltersPiedmont Housing Alliance gets another $2 million from the federal government to help subsidize Friendship Court and Southwood Apartments RCA seeks volunteers for clean-up of invasive vines In today’s first Patreon-fueled shout-out, the Rivanna Conservation Alliance wants you to know about some upcoming opportunities to volunteer. For the mornings of both July 7 and July 9, RCA is seeking people to help clean up invasive vines in the Dunlora neighborhood near a recent buffer planting. Clearing out the vines will help protect newly planted trees and is part of natural forest regeneration project conducted by the Virginia Department of Forestry. RCA will provide gloves and some cutting equipment, or you can bring your own but leave the chainsaws at home! Visit rivannariver.org to learn more! Fiscal Year 2023 begins: Some of what’s newIt’s the first day of the Fiscal Year 2023, and July 1 brings with it several changes in rules, regulations and rates. A whole host of new legislation has gone into effect, according to a status report put together by David Blount of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. (view his latest update) Another 37 miles of the middle portion of the James River are now considered scenic, as are another 23.2 miles of the Maury River. Also, an 8.8 mile section of the Shenandoah River. There is now a Forest Sustainability Fund to promote public education about outdoor recreation and forest conservation The Town of St. Charles in Lee County in no longer exists (updated!)It is now a Class 6 felony to steal a catalytic converterThere can now be seven judges in Virginia’s 31st Judicial Circuit, which covers the area around Manassas in northern Virginia Localities must report potential cybersecurity threats to the Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center Localities smaller than 40,000 people can now opt out the Marcus Alert System If you’re hunting with a dog, the dog needs to wear an identification tagFor more on new state laws, read this Associated Press article. The elimination of the 1.5 percent state sales tax on groceries does not go into effect until January 1. At the local level, Albemarle County’s food and beverage tax rate increases to six percent of the total bill and the transient occupancy rate increases to eight percent. Charlottesville’s meals tax rate increases a half-percentage point to six and a half percent. The one penny increase in the real estate property tax rate is already in effect, as that rate goes by the calendar year. State agency launches dashboard to track firearms injuries in Virginia The number of firearm injuries in Virginia that resulted in emergency room visits increased by nine percent from 2020 to 2021. That’s according to a new dashboard unveiled yesterday by the Virginia Department of Health that tracks the information by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. The data is tracked by counting up the number of times key phrases are used when a patient gives a reason for a visit. The terms include: gun with wound, gunshot, buckshot, revolver, rifle, shotgun, firearm, pistol, handgun, been shot, I was shot, I got shot, or graze with bullet. A press release points out that:Emergency room visits for firearms injuries have increased 72 percent from 2018 to 2021Since the data set begins in January 2016, 86 percent of visits for firearm injuries are males In 2021, 65 percent of patients were Black In 2021, 31 percent were between the ages of 18 and 24In the Blue Ridge Health District, there have been 294 visits to emergency rooms for firearm injuries since 2016. The work is covered by a grant to the VDH from the Centers for Disease Control to help improve public health surveillance of firearm injuries, according to a release. For acronym fans, the CDC program is known as Firearm Injury Surveillance Through Emergency Rooms, or FASTER. The dashboard does not yet extend to hospitalizations and deaths, but that’s expected later this year. Those who are going to take a look at the data are reminded to review a list of limitations with what’s known as syndromic surveillance. Pandemic update: Still on the plateauIt’s another holiday weekend during the era of COVID-19 and Virginia remains on a plateau of a high number of cases. The seven day percent positivity for testing is 20.5 percent, up from 17.4 percent on June 23. Today the Virginia Department of Health reports another 3,393 new cases. That’s based on PCR tests and does not include at-home tests. “There is still a fair amount of disease in the community,” said Dr. Costi Sifri, the director of hospital epidemiologist at the University of Virginia Health System. “We’re certainly seeing that with our staff. In fact, there are a fair number of people that are out right now because they have COVID and its frustrating.”Dr. Sifri said many have already had COVID and are vaccinated, but COVID-19 continues to mutate with new strains. However, vaccination has led to less severe cases.“What we are not seeing is people getting critically ill like they were before so the fact that folks are vaccinated has made a huge difference in how the disease presents,” said Dr. Reid Adams, chief medical officer for UVA Health. According to the VDH, nearly 83 percent of the adult population is fully vaccinated. There is a seven-day average of 3,000 doses administered a day. Dr. Sifri said this is a good time to get a booster if you have not done so. He also said a panel of the Food and Drug Administration is encouraging to continue vaccine manufacturers to continue development of new versions that can combat the latest variant of the Omicron strain. Dr. Sifri said people should not wait. “I would advocate if you are eligible for a booster and its been a long time since your body has seen the spike protein, it’s a good time now to get it to prevent infection,” Dr. Sifri said. Visit vaccinate.virginia.gov to schedule an appointment. Piedmont Housing Alliance gets $2 million in additional federal funding The U.S. Treasury Department has awarded $2 million to the Piedmont Housing Alliance through its Community Development Financial Institutions fund. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine made the announcement in late June. The funding comes specifically from the Treasury Department’s Capital Magnet Fund. In a release, Piedmont Housing Alliance said the funding would provide gap funding for the second phase of Friendship Court as well as the 206 apartments the agency is building at Southwood to satisfy the terms of funding Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville received from the Albemarle County and the Albemarle Economic Development Authority. “High development and construction costs, high land and acquisition costs, and limited subsidy resources translate to significant funding gaps for affordable housing developments,” reads the release. “Without adequate subsidies, it is virtually impossible to build affordable housing.”In the fiscal year that begins today, the city of Charlottesville is providing an additional $2.5 million to Piedmont Housing Alliance for the second phase of Friendship Court. Another $10.25 million in city funding for Friendship Court in FY24 through FY27. The adopted capital improvement program for Charlottesville also shows nearly $5 million in city subsidies for two other affordable housing projects, both located on Park Street and rezoned by City Council earlier this year. Today’s second shout-out: Frances Brand and Cvillepedia 101In today’s house-fueled public service announcement, the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society wants you to know about an upcoming exhibit at the Center at Belvedere featuring portraits of several historical figures active in the Charlottesville area in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Frances Brand was a folk artist who painted nearly 150 portraits of what she considered “firsts” including first Black Charlottesville Mayor Charles Barbour and Nancy O’Brien, the first woman to be Charlottesville Mayor. Brand’s work will be on display from July 5 to August 31 in the first public exhibit since 2004. And, if you’d like to help conduct community research into who some of the portraits are, cvillepedia is looking for volunteers! I will be leading four Cvillepedia 101 training sessions at the Center every Monday beginning July 11 at 2 p.m. Sign up at the Center’s website.Charlottesville schools preparing for “worse” situation for bus drivers this fallThere are 54 days until Charlottesville City Schools begin for the next academic year. The school system is seeking assistance and input on alternative methods of getting students to school as an ongoing transportation crisis continues. “As we look to fall 2022, our school bus challenges appear to be worse, not better,” reads a website set up to provide information in advance.The website states the city’s efforts to incentivize new drivers by increasing pay and offering bonuses are not working out. As such, the city wants to get parents ready for potential alternatives. Supporting walking in expanded walk zonesEncouraging use of public transportationCollaborating with community partners to support bikingAdding mini-school buses (hopefully electric)The first of several listening sessions will be held next Wednesday at Westhaven, with others scheduled later in the month at Friendship Court and Hearthwood Apartments. Charlottesville Area Transit designing new bus sheltersAs it seeks to find new drivers, Charlottesville Area Transit is also working to redesign its bus shelters. The agency has hired the firm Wendel Companies to come up with a customized template, and the Regional Transit Partnership got a briefing on the work last month.“We’re really looking at how to look at transit holistically, how to encourage people to take transit,” said Jeana Stright of Wendel Companies. “Part of what makes people want to take public transportation is having a place to wait for the bus, having amenities while you are there, or having a system for what reflects their needs.” Three concepts for the future shelters have been designed, one of which mimics the design of the Downtown Transit Station on Water Street. Stright recommends benches be present in all shelters, as well as space for wheelchairs. She also suggests one modular design with easy to replace parts due to the possibility of vandalism. “We are also looking at a way to incorporate local artists or local communities into the stops to be able to help yourself as you’re riding along on the bus as well, as you’re passing these different shelters, seeing different art, seeing different color schemes perhaps as part of that art panel, so that you can say ‘I’ve driven by that really cool fruit graphic,” Stright said. The partnership was asked to provide feedback. There was no specific information provided about how much each would cost, or how much of a budget CAT has to install the shelters. However, Stright said they have researched costs and all three options would be in the same basic price range. One member of the partnership said she was concerned about the practicality of some of the shelters. “I love all the designs but once again it’s a question of taxpayer’s dollars,” said Albemarle Supervisor Bea LaPisto-Kirtley. “And the artwork I think is great if we can afford it. But I like simple.”Albemarle Supervisor Diantha McKeel said she has been working with CAT Director Garland Williams on the idea of incorporating artwork into some bus shelters. “That artwork would need to be funded privately by neighborhoods,” McKeel said. “We wouldn’t be using [tax] dollars. You know, the murals that got put up on Georgetown, and Barracks, and Hydraulic? Those were all privately funded so that’s what we’d be talking about.” McKeel said it was crucial that the shelters provide relief from the sun and rain. See also: Next steps outlined for Charlottesville Area Transit route changes at partnership meetings, June 24, 2022Watch the partnership meeting:Support the program!This is episode 403 of this program and it contains stories you’re simply not going to see anywhere else. At least, a style you won’t find except here and Information Charlottesville. Town Crier Productions is not a nonprofit organization, but around a third of the audience has opted to contribute something financially. It’s similar to the old days when you would subscribe to a newspaper. I subscribe to several, myself!If you are benefiting from this newsletter and the information in it, please consider some form of support. I am not a nonprofit organization and most of my time is spent in putting the newsletter together, which includes producing the podcast.Supporting the program through a Substack contribution or through Patreon makes it very easy for me to get paid and every single dollar that I get makes me want to work that much harder to serve the community. In just under two years, I’ve produced hundreds of stories that seek to give you information about how decisions are made in our community and in the Commonwealth of Virginia.For more information on all of this, please visit the archive site Information Charlottesville to learn more, including how you too can get a shout-out! Thank you for reading, and please share with those you think might want to learn a few thing or two about what’s happening. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
A significant number of workers in Virginia are still working from home. And as Michael Pope reports, that's creating challenges and opportunities for local governments. 40% percent of days are worked from home in Virginia, according to Census data compiled by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
May 19, 2022 - Families for Safe Streets co-founder Amy Cohen makes the case for traffic safety measures, including giving municipalities around New York the ability to decrease their speed limits below 30 miles per hour.
With the passage of the IIJA in November 2021, governments face the challenge of allocating more than $1 trillion of funding in a strategic manner that address both past neglected needs and paves the way for a sustainable future. Panelists discuss innovative solutions being pursued, roadblocks that are on the horizon, and the overall impact of this funding on the nation's infrastructure and economy. This Special Briefing features a panel of experts, including Patrick Brett, managing director and head, Citi Municipal Debt Capital Markets; Mayor Jorge Elorza, City of Providence, Rhode Island; Lauren Larson, director, Colorado Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting; and Larry Parks, co-founder, Forethought Advisors. Notable Quotes: “When you consider that 80 percent of the nation's infrastructure spending comes from state and local governments, this new federal funding is truly a gift that will keep on giving,” William Glasgall said. “We have a lot of divided governments at the state level,” said Larry Parks, co-founder of Forethought Advisors, which provides strategic counsel and political intelligence to clients in financial services and other regulated industries. “Let's say you have a Republican legislature in Michigan and a Democratic governor. Does Detroit benefit or not?” “We're expecting 120 programs to receive some type of money here, and that's in ten of our state agencies, so it's quite a coordination effort,” said Lauren Larson, director of the Colorado Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting. Be sure to subscribe to Special Briefing to stay up to date on the world of public finance. Learn more about the Volcker Alliance at: volckeralliance.org Learn more about Penn IUR at: penniur.upenn.edu Connect with us @VolckerAlliance and @PennIUR on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn Special Briefing is published by the Volcker Alliance, as part of its Public Finance initiatives, and Penn IUR. The views expressed on this podcast are those of the panelists and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Volcker Alliance or Penn IUR.
Local governments across Virginia are trying to figure out how to handle the rising value of used cars. As Michael Pope reports, what they decide will influence how much tax you pay.
Governor Glenn Youngkin has vetoed 26 bills lawmakers put on his desk this year. Michael Pope has this report on one of those vetoes for a bill aimed at cracking down on slumlords.
This episode, Justin and Chuck debate breeding for localities. Is this a good thing, does it matter? Follow Justin Julander @Australian Addiction Reptiles-http://www.australianaddiction.comFollow Chuck Poland on IG @ChuckNorriswinsFollow MPR Network on:FB: https://www.facebook.com/MoreliaPythonRadioIG: https://www.instagram.com/mpr_network/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtrEaKcyN8KvC3pqaiYc0RQMore ways to support the shows.Swag store: https://teespring.com/stores/mprnetworkPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/moreliapythonradio
March 11, 2022 - The ink was barely dry on her state budget, when Gov. Kathy Hochul was stripping out a controversial proposal that would have given the state the ability to supersede local zoning and planning rules in certain situations. Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, a Rockland Country Democrat, explains why the governor made the right call and consider the future rules for accessory dwelling units, such as basement or garage apartments.
Lawmakers are debating how much power your local government has to prohibit fossil fuels. Michael Pope has more from Richmond.
The Greater Houston Area sees coronavirus positivity rates decline to single digits for the first time in 2022. A new center for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors opens in northwest Harris County. The CI Morning Breakdown is a production of Community Impact Newspaper. It is produced by Olivia Aldridge with editing by Marie Leonard. Weather and allergy reports are sourced from www.weather.com and AccuWeather. Click here to fill out our listener survey.
If you are Irish of a certain age, you will remember when the Pope visited Ireland in 1979. The same age group will also remember the famous Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. Whether an event is organised because of culture, sport or religion, the effect on the local area is similar. In many cases, it changes the city or place's story and potential beyond recognition.In this episode of Constructive Voices, Pete the Builder discusses this topic with Steve Randall. Henry McDonald chats to the Creative Director of Coventry 2021, Chenine Bhathena, in a wonderful interview that explores construction, old meets new, the integration of people and art into the heart of the place and its plans.Image credits:Poster for The Rumble in the Jungle - By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42234585Chenine Bhathena - By Ahsen Sayeed
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