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Just How Green Are State Governments?
© AP California’s state Christmas tree shines from 10,000 ultra-low-wattage LED bulbs. State agencies routinely are told to meet energy-saving targets. Whether they do is often hard to determine. (AP) When President Barack Obama this spring ordered federal agencies to cut their greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade — to 40 percent below 2008 […]
Elder Abuse a ‘Huge, Expensive and Lethal’ Problem for States
© AP An elderly woman who was abused by a relative watches television inside her room at a retirement community in Mason, Ohio. Inconsistent reporting and scarce resources have hampered efforts to combat the growing problem of elder abuse. (AP) We know that victims of elder abuse tend to be socially isolated, physically weakened and […]
Older Americans Act Limps Along at 50, Stressing Local and State Agencies
AP Senior citizens gather for cards at the Citrus County Resource Center in Lecanto, Fla. Federal funding for in-home support, meals and social centers to help America’s elderly age at home hasn’t kept up with their skyrocketing numbers. (AP) This year marks a half-century since Congress created the Older Americans Act, the major vehicle for […]
States, Cities Brace for Global Warming Fallout
AP A cyclist and vehicles negotiate heavily flooded Miami streets last September during heavy rains and high tides, illustrating the city’s vulnerability to rising sea levels. Florida is among several states and communities that have begun to address the concrete effects of global warming. (AP) SAN FRANCISCO – Eroding beaches and the seawater that laps […]
Choosing Public Lands as National Monuments and Wilderness
Point Arena-Stornetta in California is among scores of federal lands that are being considered for special protected status. (Credit: BLM) POINT ARENA, Calif.—Life is quiet along this remote northern California coastline, unless you walk the craggy bluffs where surf pounds high against a rugged shoreline and seals honk from their rocky patios below. The world-class […]
National and State Parks Suffering From Budget Cuts
Enchanted Rock in Texas is one of almost 8,000 state parks in the nation. Many state and national parks face budget cutbacks that will affect visitors this summer. (Handout, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department) National and state parks will be open for business this summer, but it won’t be business as usual: Washington’s sledgehammer budget […]
California Governor Burnishes ‘Green’ Image
United Nations World Environment Day on June 1 gave Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a high-profile platform to burnish his Republican moderate image, and he maximized the spotlight by announcing a bold global warming initiative for California. Plagued by sinking popularity numbers, the governor used his announcement in San Francisco last week to remind Californians that he […]
Hawaii Falls Behind In Health Care Coverage
There was a time when Hawaii enjoyed a reputation as the nation’s health care leader. It was the only state that required employers to provide health benefits, and its uninsured rate was a mere 5 percent. In addition to the employer mandate under the 1974 Prepaid Health Care Act, the state had the so-called QUEST […]