Social / Demographics

Opinion: California Should Pass Aggressive Housing Reform
While some lawmakers oppose recent efforts to reform housing policies, others argue the state's affordability crisis calls for bold action.

Pandemic Watch: What's Going on in Europe?
A coronavirus resurgence is spreading across much of Europe, forcing Italy into a new lockdown a year after it became the first Western country to resort to the drastic measure. The coronavirus has returned in the form of more transmissible variants.

Partisan Clustering at the Neighborhood Level
Forget red state versus blue state: a new data analysis and mapping project by The New York Times shows that the political divides in the country can be mapped to the neighborhood level within metropolitan areas.

Oregon DOT Studies Impact of Race and Income on Road Safety
The findings of a recent memo highlight the disproportionate effects of unsafe road conditions on low-income people and BIPOC communities.

The Pandemic Baby Bust
The economic uncertainty of the pandemic has added to already declining birth rates in a troubling sign for the future of the American economy.

The World's Worst COVID Outbreak
Brazil has surpassed the U.S. and led the world in the daily average of COVID-19 deaths and coronavirus infections during the last week. Experts point to a coronavirus variant and the lack of a federal strategy, leaving states without assistance.

Mask Order Standoff in Texas: Attorney General vs. Austin and Travis County
It's pandemic déjà vu in the Lone Star State, with local governments wanting to protect their constituents from an increase in viral transmission, a power preempted by Gov. Abbott's executive order. Attorney General Ken Paxton lost the first round.

Oklahoma House Approves Protections for Drivers Who Hit Protestors
A heated debate and a party line vote in Oklahoma.

Experts: Fourth Coronavirus Surge Likely More of a Ripple
The worst appears to be over, say most of the more than 20 experts who spoke with NPR's science editor, Rob Stein. If there is going to be a surge, it will be more like a ripple, he suggested. Not everyone agrees.

Unlocking the City with Context Keys
The human memory is so powerful that a place on pavement suddenly can trigger a stream of imagery from the distant past, or a meaningful story of something that once happened there. We should champion such keys to the context of a place.

Return to Normal: CDC Releases Initial Post-Vaccination Guidance
Millions of fully vaccinated Americans who have been anxiously awaiting new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on what they can now do safely were given initial recommendations that apply only to private settings.

Stories of Resilience From 2020
A year of intense challenges also offers a chance to break from the unsustainable, inequitable status quo.

Where Have All the Metropolitan Statistical Areas Gone?
A total of 144 metropolitan statistical areas might lose their federal designation if a proposal under discussion at the Office of Management and Budget is approved.

Pandemic Watch: We've Been Here Before (but at Lower Case Levels)
The White House COVID-19 Response Team explains why governors are wrong to lift mask mandates and ease restrictions by putting the current level of coronavirus infections in the country in perspective, i.e., comparing it to the two prior surges.

Newark Launches Land Bank to Revive Long-Vacant Properties
The land bank will assess proposals for the sale and redevelopment of 100 city-owned properties in neglected neighborhoods.

Opinion: Stop Paving Seattle Playgrounds for Parking Lots
Seattle schools are often forced to reduce their playground space in favor of parking and circulation for private cars, but altering the city code could change that.

'By the Numbers': California Shows How to Reopen Safely
Unlike other states that lifted restrictions statewide after coronavirus cases plummeted, California replaced its regional stay-home order with a county-based blueprint, permitting counties to advance based on performance in three health metrics.

Bozeman's 'Only Racially Diverse Neighborhood' at Risk
Thanks in part to an influx of remote workers, the Montana town faces soaring housing costs and practically non-existent vacancy rates.

L.A. Metro Will Pilot Free Fares for Most Riders
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority will let low-income residents and K-12 students ride for free starting in January 2022.

Texas Lifts Coronavirus Restrictions, Ends Mask Mandate, Despite CDC Warning
Gov. Greg Abbott announced that he is reopening Texas 100% and lifting the state mask mandate, as is Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning of a variant-induced fourth surge.
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