Chief Opie Smith Jr. of the Charleston, W.Va., Police Department recalls early in his career the encounters he had with hearing-impaired citizens. “The only way I had of communicating with them was through handwritten notes,” said Smith. “Obviously communication … Continue reading →
Distracted driving has taken many lives and is only getting more hazardous annually, especially for first responders and construction workers who are more likely to get hit since parts of their careers are on or near the roadside. Some … Continue reading →
Grand Rapids, Mich., and Lakewood, Colo., are two medium-sized cities that have taken on the weighty and hefty issue of climate change and related issues — and both have made strides in that regard. Alison Sutter’s position as the … Continue reading →
Not that long ago, Jeff Collins of Augusta, Arkansas, was the last person one would want to run their city or town. As the one-time owner of a trucking business, he began to use methamphetamines as a means to … Continue reading →
Portsmouth, Va., has undertaken an exciting endeavor to build its very own fiber network spanning 55 miles, a project that began back in July 2018. The city is not alone. The Institute for Self-Reliance has been tracking such fiber network … Continue reading →
The city seal of Laurel, Md., has a lot going on. The seal, adopted by the mayor and city council on the city’s centennial in 1970, combines elements of heraldry, royalty, agriculture, industry, community and geography. “An examination of the … Continue reading →
Although it has been 157 years since President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law — and 43 years since it was officially repealed — states across the nation continue to offer financial incentives in hopes of attracting new … Continue reading →
Regardless of weather or calendar, there is only one season in Santa Claus, Ind. The town of 2,410, located in the southwest corner of the state, would likely not be welcoming more than a million visitors a year today had … Continue reading →
As of October 25, the total number of gun violence deaths in the U.S. this year alone is a staggering 31,885 with 342 from mass shootings. These numbers would be unbelievable if we weren’t seeing it play out nearly daily … Continue reading →
After the Virginia Tech shooting occurred in 2007, I vividly recall assessing each of my college classrooms with new eyes, highlighting points of escape, nooks for hiding and objects that could be hurled in a worst-case scenario. It’s a habit … Continue reading →
Outsourcing any public works function can be an economical solution for a municipal government. Utilizing a third-party contractor such as Sweeping Corporation of America for street sweeping and jet-vac service can provide a range of cost saving options for a … Continue reading →
