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Voting by Mail Would Reduce Coronavirus Transmission but It Has Other Risks

Jessica Huseman

March 24, 2020 |

ProPublica |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

As the COVID19 pandemic continues, officials are looking ahead to the United States’ presidential election in November and considering mail-in ballots. While it is a limited-contact way of voting, it presents massive challenges in terms of scaling. Things like infrastructure, cost, and voter privacy and fraud have to be considered, which is why states are turning to those who have had some success already, like Minnesota and Montana, to learn from.

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"There Are No Kids Here": Some Enrichment Centers For Children Of Essential Personnel See Light Attendance On Day One

Sophia Chang Jessica Gould

March 23, 2020 |

Gothamist |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

As city schools closed in response to the COVID19 pandemic, New York City opened Regional Enrichment Centers for children of essential personnel. With 93 operating sites, they anticipate caring for about 57,000 children, although attendance so far has been low. Certain precautions are being taken, too, like routine wellness checks for participants and employees, on-site nurses, and constant cleaning and disinfecting.

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What the U.S. Can Learn From Taiwan's Response to Coronavirus

Steve Sternberg

March 10, 2020 |

U.S. News & World Report |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Taiwan, Taipei

After being caught off-guard during the 2003 SARS epidemic, Taiwan developed a public health infrastructure to help prepare them for another. With the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, their number of cases have stayed low because of heightened surveillance for those who travel, the linking of insurance and immigration databases, combating misinformation through an educational campaign, and early plans for child care, businesses, and schools.

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Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren want a wealth tax. Wealthy Swiss say their model could work for America.

Michael Birnbaum

March 03, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Switzerland

Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren see Switzerland's wealth tax as an inspiration for an equitable model of taxing the rich. America's current model taxes income tax on a sliding scale but rates in the U.S. are low compared to the rest of the world. The biggest obstacle is the negative public perception, even though it would only impact those who make more than $32 million. Experts advising Warren and Sanders say the highest amount of wealth per adult in the world exists in Switzerland, proving that taxing wealth instead of income tax does not negatively impact the ability to accumulate wealth.

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How America's shrinking cities can 'rightsize'

Matt Krupnick

February 13, 2020 |

The Guardian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Once-bustling cities contend with population decline by rethinking their use of space for those who remain. Baltimore, New Bedford, and Youngstown have implemented strategies that range from knocking down abandoned houses and factories to developing community gardens and creating public waterfront spaces. Racial and class tensions have arisen when choosing where to spend limited government funding.

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Juvenile justice advocates: Let's ‘Raise the Age' again

Kelan Lyons

February 10, 2020 |

The Connecticut Mirror |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Connecticut

Since 2007, Connecticut has taken major steps in juvenile justice reform – namely, the ages that youth are arrested or charged as adults. By moving 16 and 17 year olds out of the adult system and into the juvenile justice system, the state has seen a 40% decrease in new juvenile court cases, leading to less stigma and large taxpayer savings. With such success, the state now looks to make further reforms in the juvenile justice system.

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Is the future of teaching homegrown? Colorado lawmakers hope so.

Erica Meltzer

February 07, 2020 |

Chalkbeat |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Colorado

In Colorado, a bill would scale efforts to recruit teachers to stay and work in their home communities with the goal of diversifying the workforce. Some of the current programs target future educators while they are still in high school, offering teaching work opportunities and college credit.

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How Fines and Fees Reform Became a Priority for Cities Across the Country

Emma Coleman

February 06, 2020 |

Route Fifty |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Durham, North Carolina

From North Carolina to California, states and cities are taking a new approach to fines and fees – people are having their charges dismissed, warrants for minor offenses cleared, and many municipalities are actually saving money by spending less on collections. With a system that was built because it provided cities and states with revenue, there has been a realization that it disproportionately targets communities of color and often keeps people stuck in cycles of debt. With this national awakening, resources and networks are being created so other places can implement the same change.

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Books behind bars: Pilot Pell Grant program helps inmates look toward the future

Kelan Lyons

January 24, 2020 |

The Connecticut Mirror |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Suffield, Connecticut

At Connecticut’s MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution, people experiencing incarceration have the opportunity to participate in postsecondary classes, even completing a certificate or degree. They’re able to do this because of the Second Chance Pell pilot program, started in 2015, which offers financial aid for inmates to access education. With bipartisan support, there’s hope that the pilot program will grow, as current research shows how the programming reduces recidivism and saves tax dollars.

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2 Years Ago, Kenya Set The World's Strictest Plastic Bag Ban. Did It Work?

Sophie Mbugua

January 23, 2020 |

The Huffington Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Kikuyu

In 2017, Kenya implemented a plastic bag ban and to ensure it was followed, set hefty fines and even jail time for those who broke the law. The law has had an impact – streets are cleaner and the use of single-use plastic bags has reduced, but there is still work to be done. The replacement bags, reusable ones made from polypropylene, have come under scrutiny for their lack of quality, and Kenyan residents cite confusion and fear as a result of not knowing which bags are allowed and which are not.

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