Recent Blog Posts

Newly released census data for city population growth through 2017 show that what I and others previously heralded as the “decade of the city” may be less valid during the waning years of the 2010s. While most big cities are still gaining population, the rates of that gain are falling off for many of them as the nation’s population shows signs of broad dispersal. Follow this link to read the complete article.

Sourced from Brookings
Each year, mayors across the nation detail their vision for their city’s future in a seminal address — their state of the city speech. These speeches have taken on new significance as mayors emerge as focal points in the intergovernmental context. While many state and federal partners are mired in political gridlock or actively disinvesting in cities, mayors consistently demonstrate the capacity and willingness to solve complex problems that are shaped by local realities and have broad national implications. Follow this link to access the complete report. Sourced from CitiesSpeak
Smart wheelchairs, speakers that can turn on lights and other technology will be considered as part of care plans for Ohioans with developmental disabilities under an executive order signed Thursday by Gov. John Kasich. Follow this link to read the complete article. Sourced from Government Technology
For the first time since the Great Recession of the late 2000s, the fiscal position of the states is looking bright. The economy is growing more rapidly than anytime over the last decade, causing state revenues to rebound, and many states will see additional revenues as a result of last year's federal tax overhaul. Follow this link to read the complete article. Sourced from Governing
Remember white flight? A few generations ago, millions of white Americans left major cities for the suburbs. Their departures were aided, in part, by the growth of the highway system. But they were also motivated by race, as schools and neighborhoods started to desegregate. Now that more minorities are moving into the suburbs themselves -- a majority of minority residents of major metropolitan areas now live in suburbs, according to the Brookings Institution -- white flight is happening all over again. Follow this link to read the complete article. Sourced from Governing  
Academics are starting to disagree about whether low-income children actually hear fewer words than wealthy children by age 4—known as the “30 million word gap”—undercutting significant intervention efforts to close achievement gaps in early development. Follow this link to read the complete story. Sourced from Brookings  
Ask any local elected leader about their top priorities and they will likely tell you about workforce development and quality jobs that help workers provide for their families. While early childhood education may not be the next thing you immediately think of, there are several important connections between the role of early childhood and a city’s workforce development efforts. Follow this link to read the complete article. Sourced from CitiesSpeak
In many ways, the city of Columbus, Ohio, is an outlier among its peers. It’s the most populous city in Ohio (with 886,000 residents) — despite Cleveland and Cincinnati being perhaps better known — and its metropolitan area, with 2.1 million, leads the Buckeye State as well. And unlike many other cities in America’s so-called “Rust Belt”, Columbus has proven itself more than well-prepared for the transition to the knowledge economy. As a state capital and the home of the Ohio State University, Columbus is well on its way to embracing the new economy. Follow this link to read the complete story. Sourced from CitiesSpeak
The newly released operating system gives app developers access to a host of transportation-specific data from sources across the city. What if drivers of oversized trucks had an app showing all the low bridges in Franklin County? Or if a hungry family knew the location of the nearest open food bank? Or if senior citizens' locations and public-transportation routes could be analyzed together to find better ways for the older residents to get around? Follow this link to read the complete story. Sourced from GovTech
Washington State University Extension and the National Urban Extension Leaders are pleased to jointly announce the National Urban Extension Conference on “Innovation in the City: A Land Grant University Experience,” held in Seattle, Washington, May 20-23, 2019. The conference will provide opportunities for Extension professionals from all program areas to share their research and innovative educational strategies that address the needs of urban, suburban, and peri-urban populations as well as urban-rural interdependencies. Visit the NUEC19 website for more information.

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