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How Fines and Fees Reform Became a Priority for Cities Across the Country

Emma Coleman

February 06, 2020 |

Route Fifty |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Durham, North Carolina

From North Carolina to California, states and cities are taking a new approach to fines and fees – people are having their charges dismissed, warrants for minor offenses cleared, and many municipalities are actually saving money by spending less on collections. With a system that was built because it provided cities and states with revenue, there has been a realization that it disproportionately targets communities of color and often keeps people stuck in cycles of debt. With this national awakening, resources and networks are being created so other places can implement the same change.

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A Wait Too Long

Taylor Perse

February 06, 2020 |

Eugene Weekly |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Albany, Oregon

Sarah’s Place, a clinic based in Albany General Hospital focused on helping those who have been sexually assaulted, has proven to be the "gold-standard" for other hospitals in neighboring cities. Whereas most victims have to report to the emergency room where they often face long waiting periods, Sarah's Place focuses on minimizing further trauma by creating a welcoming environment and always having a sexual assault nurse examiner available.

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Iowa Election Snafu: What Happens When IT And Cybersecurity Best Practices Are Ignored

Jody Westby

February 06, 2020 |

Forbes |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Iowa

The wireless application that malfunctioned during the Iowa caucuses highlighted lessons that election officials must apply in future caucuses. The app skipped or was deficient in most of the established best practices for developing software systems. Software should meet minimum privacy and security standards and it should be tested for functionality and security, with access to regular maintenance as needed. Officials should understand the importance of the best practices and standards when making IT decisions and regular testing to identify vulnerabilities, which are promptly addressed, should take place.

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The divers rescuing a drowning island

Kamala Thiagarajan

February 02, 2020 |

BBC |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India, Vaan Island

Vaan Island, off the coast of Indian in the Gulf of Mannar, is rapidly sinking. But scientists are working to prevent that erosion by replanting seagrass, which is an important plant in a marine ecosystem. Despite fishermen pulling up the seagrass with their nets, so far, nine acres of seagrass have been rehabilitated in the area.

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Lake Oswego School District Uses Threat Assessment System to Prevent Student Harm

Asia Alvarez Zeller

January 24, 2020 |

Lake Oswego Review |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Oregon's Lake Oswego School District takes a preventative approach to gun violence in its schools. The district's threat assessment team meets with students who have raised red flags, assesses the situation, and, if appropriate, connects them with mental health resources.

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As Seattle Seeks to Tax Amazon (Again), What Can It Learn From California?

Gregory Scruggs

January 24, 2020 |

Next City |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

In 2018, a per-employee tax levied on Amazon and other Seattle businesses making over $20 million a year was struck down by council members with unfavorable polling. In 2020, that same referendum is being brought back to life with renewed support. This article compares Seattle's past failures to San Francisco's current success in implementing a tax inspired by Seattle's. The processes differ in many areas, and this article considers what would happen if Seattle now followed someone else's lead.

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For many veterans, it's easier to enlist in the military than it is to enroll in its benefits

Henry Savage

January 23, 2020 |

Kensington Voice |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

While Veterans Affairs offers healthcare and other benefits to veterans of the United States, these benefits are often difficult to access due to confusing requirements and bureaucracy. Community organizations and the department itself have had to learn from the failures of the benefits system to try to give veterans the healthcare and services they need to thrive after military service.

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Using Trauma-Informed Design, Buildings Become Tools for Recovery

Daliah Singer

January 22, 2020 |

Colorado Trust |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

In Denver, Colorado, one homeless shelter is using trauma-informed design to make residents feel more at home and less likely to sleep outside. Architects building Sanderson Apartments considered past traumas when choosing the layout, colors, furniture, and building materials. As a result, the physical environment is helping with the recovery process.

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A Vision for a Just recovery - La Marana's work Post Hurricane Maria

Ambika Samarthya-Howard

January 20, 2020 |

New Haven Independent |

Video |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Puerto Rico

La Maraña, a nonprofit in Puerto Rico, created a model for how communities could recover from disasters like the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. By including community voices in the design and planning process of recovery projects — which can focus on water, food, energy, roads, communication, or security — the organization hopes the projects are more likely to succeed and promote longterm community civic engagement.

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This strategy helped stop murders, prosecutors say. But Kansas City police killed it

Glenn E. Rice Luke Nozicka

January 19, 2020 |

The Kansas City Star |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Kansas City, Missouri

Within a year of its creation, a state-federal collaboration to reduce gun violence in Kansas City seemed to result in a deep decline in killings. But the program, called Kansas City No Violence Alliance, collapsed by 2019 after police pulled their support. The program's approach, called focused deterrence, has been proven effective in multiple studies in other cities. But an analysis of the program in Kansas City found multiple failures in consistently getting targeted people to attend call-ins, where they are threatened with arrest if they commit violence but offered social services to choose another path.

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