Land Pride helps save time by using cooperative purchasing
State and local governments manage around 199 million acres — or 8.7% — of the land in the United States. Those spaces include roadsides, city and county parks, sports and recreation fields, golf courses, and state parks, forests and wildlife … More from our cover sponsor →
Memphis Aquifer is the foundation of the city’s water strategy
Memphis, Tenn., bears the nickname the “Home of the Blues.” And, while the history of the blues may date back to the early 20th century, the water that comes from the aquifers beneath the second largest city in Tennessee is … Continue reading →
Windsor highlights safety in award-winning intersection and pathway project
With its Windsor River Road and Windsor Road intersection improvement and multi-use pathway connector project, the city of Windsor, Calif., was the overall winner of the Cal Cities 2024 Outstanding Local Streets and Roads Project Awards. The improvement project became … Continue reading →
Huntsville internship program encourages solution-oriented thinking
For students, internships in the private sector can offer a glimpse into a potential career path. That’s equally true for government roles, though the experience often looks a bit different. Huntsville, Ala., has a successful internship model that other cities … Continue reading →
New Bern combines historic elevator elegance with accessibility
An historic city hall building in New Bern, N.C., recently became more accessible because of a new elevator annex that was constructed with an eye toward taking nothing away from the historic majesty of the building. New Bern City Hall … Continue reading →
Bend to bring art installation to new public works campus
Earlier this year, the city of Bend, Ore., commissioned a large-scale work of art for the new Headquarters Building on the city’s new $130 million public works campus at Juniper Ridge. The city has worked closely with its partner, Art … Continue reading →
Community members step up to adopt Valley, Nebraska, roads
“Public works” is a term we’re all familiar with, but what does it encompass? According to the city of Valley, Nebraska, the department is responsible for a wide range of duties — maintenance of streets, parks, baseball and softball fields, … Continue reading →
Ghost town lifestyle: Old Trail Town preserves the past
Located near the east gate of Yellowstone National Park and situated on the spot where Western scout and showman William “Buffalo Bill” Cody laid out the town that would be named in his honor, Old Trail Town in Cody, Wyo., … Continue reading →
Chattanooga, Tennessee, addresses hard-to-recycle items
Chattanooga, Tenn., is adding a fourth R to the eco trio of reduce, reuse and recycle with recovery. That recovery R has been sparked by the Hefty ReNew program that started in October 2022 and is now in its second … Continue reading →
Frederick hopes to expand residential compost program
The city of Frederick, Md., is not one to “waste” an opportunity. When its citizens pushed for a residential compost program to help reduce municipal waste and encourage environmental stewardship, community leaders worked to create a program that, to date, … Continue reading →
Top 10 hidden gem dog parks
The dog parks that exist across America offer a variety of landscapes, from beaches and rivers to wooded areas and open meadows. These designated areas cater to different preferences for dog owners and their pets. In March, the website Technobark … Continue reading →
New waste management facility benefits small towns
Waste management is as simple as dropping a garbage bag in the can and rolling it out to the curb for its respective pickup day, right? For most people, that is where waste management ends, but for others like Mike … Continue reading →
Recycling centers: Bane or boon?
Municipal recycling centers, in theory, are a good thing — they make recycling convenient for residents and keep things out of the landfill that can be repurposed; however, several cities have had to remove their recycling centers because of problems, … Continue reading →
Recycling is not a waste of energy — it’s a power source
Wood waste is a worldwide problem. It accounts for up to 30% of all waste. The U.S. collects 70 million-plus tons of urban woody debris each year but recycles just 48%. The “leftovers” go to the landfill, wasting landfill space … Continue reading →
New Bedford parks boast impressive programming and recreational space
With over 800 acres of park space in New Bedford, Mass., the parks, recreation and beaches department plans an extraordinary amount of programming and improvements each year. The park space is widely spread throughout the city, so 90% of the … Continue reading →
Eyes, ears and light cut crime in Columbus, Ohio, parks
After what they called a “violent” spring in 2022, city officials in Columbus, Ohio, took steps toward ensuring a safe, more peaceful summer. First, they beefed up the number of officers patrolling the parks. They followed that with a $500,000 … Continue reading →
Police Proximity Project connects officers to the community
Among the hardest jobs in the world is law enforcement. It is dangerous work, and those who do it are sometimes viewed with suspicion by the public. The hours are challenging, and, as of late, police departments are too often … Continue reading →
New real-time systems manage drainage and flooding in Edinburg
Edinburg, Texas, has a little over 50 ditches throughout the city with all subdivisions connecting into the ditches for drainage and a link to the county ditches. The drainage water from four nearby cities also runs through the city ditches, … Continue reading →
California fire service innovator ‘just fell in love’ with career
Marin County’s fire chief of more than a decade received a top state honor in October 2023, earning the Fire Chief of the Year distinction from the California Fire Chiefs Association. But if you ask him about it, he’ll say, … Continue reading →
