The call comes in to emergency dispatch: An electric vehicle is on fire near the interstate exit ramp. Fire crews rush to the scene. If the blaze involves the car’s lithium-ion battery, putting out the fire could be a challenge. … Continue reading →
Some residents visit parks in Rapid City, S.D., to do more than admire the beauty of flower gardens or get in a hike or evening stroll. They go to take care of the park. Volunteers in the city’s Adopt-A-Park program … Continue reading →
People have migrated through El Paso, Texas, the Paso del Norte, for decades to enter the United States from Mexico. Recent surges in migration spurred the city to develop a plan for managing the huge influx of people. The experience … Continue reading →
If you can drag your trash to the curb and it goes away, you don’t really have skin in the game, said Chip Chesley, general services director for the city of Concord, N.H. If you pay by the bag to … Continue reading →
Rain from storm after storm saturated the soil. When on Jan. 9, 2023, an atmospheric river dumped several more inches of rain on the city of San Luis Obispo, Calif., rushing water swelled creeks and submerged streets. Floodwaters piled debris … Continue reading →
They clean and cool the air. They soak up stormwater and prevent erosion. They add beauty and become wildlife habitats. Gazing on them or strolling among them just makes people feel better. Cities and towns increasingly are recognizing the value … Continue reading →
Lancaster, Mass., has been an early-adopter with energy programs. The town of about 8,500 people moved quickly to join Massachusetts’ Green Communities program, which encourages municipalities to reduce energy consumption by 20%. Lancaster likely was the first community statewide to … Continue reading →
The Lamoille Valley in northern Vermont once bustled with trains hauling passengers and freight through the scenic, rural countryside. Towns along the route and the state of Vermont now believe a trail built on the former railroad bed will be … Continue reading →
Communities have a new, free tool available to keep their residents safe from wildfires. The Western Fire Chiefs Association, which is based in Wilsonville, Ore., created its interactive online fire map as part of its mission to aid fire and … Continue reading →
Electric bikes, or e-bikes, allow people to enjoy the outdoors even if they can’t pedal up large hills or cycle long distances. The motorized bikes’ popularity also creates new challenges for municipal law enforcement agencies. Most problems involve riders traveling … Continue reading →
There’s a Frostasaurus roaming the streets of Boulder, Colo., but city officials and residents aren’t worried. It’s one of a herd of 10 city snowplows bearing names bestowed on them this winter by Boulder elementary schoolchildren. “We wanted to engage … Continue reading →
