The lack of funding for our nation’s inland navigational arteries is reaching a point of crisis. Much of the nation’s critical inland navigation infrastructure is crumbling, and not much is being done to resolve the funding shortfall needed to upgrade old locks and dams. Western Pennsylvania’s 23 locks are old and, in some cases, crumbling,Read… Read more »
In Lancaster California (population 157,000) Mayor R. Rex Parris has installed 70 speakers along a half mile stretch of a city street and for the past 10 months has played bird songs blended with mellow synthesizer tones, five hours a day. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the Mayor believes the birdRead… Read more »
Indiana is on the verge of stripping union rights and becoming a right-to-work state. The Republican-controlled House passed a bill on Wednesday that would ban unions from collecting mandatory fees from workers. The bill follows similar measures in other states like Wisconsin, which have drawn mass protests. The bill now goes to the Senate whereRead… Read more »
Deltek Analyst Erin Brady reports. California Governor Edmund Brown presented his proposed budget on Jan. 5. In last year’s budget, even after many cuts, Brown faced a $12.5 billion deficit. The reality coming into FY 2013 is a $9.2 billion deficit that includes $4.1 billion that will be carried over from FY 2012. In hisRead… Read more »
Deltek Analyst Kate Tussey reports. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell delivered the State of the Commonwealth address on Jan. 11 in Richmond, Va. During the speech, the governor outlined core budget objectives as the state enters a “period where uncertainty and unpredictability are the new norm.” The governor’s priorities include: Prioritize spending on ideas and policiesRead… Read more »
The state in the darkest shade of blue on the map above is New York. In New York in 2009, per person energy consumption was 196 million BTUs. This was the most efficient number, as a state, in the nation. The state in the darkest shade of orange on the map above is Wyoming. InRead… Read more »
As towns and cities are geared up for winter snowfall, some are making sure that those charged with clearing it are doing their jobs. Chicago, for example, has last year installed trackers on its fleet of ~300 snowplows, and turned them on again this year just in time for their first major snowstorm. So manyRead… Read more »
Attend any local chamber or social function, meet somebody new, the first thing asked of you: what do you do? In this new digital world, it’s getting harder to answer that question because you’re probably doing more than one thing. That’s where your brand, how you package yourself/your business, especially online, becomes important. What doRead… Read more »
Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin is sending $37 million back to the federal government. The money was an award for the state’s health care exchange under the early innovator program. The move follows an earlier announcement from the Governor that Wisconsin will not move forward on health care reform requirements until the Supreme Court rulesRead… Read more »
Social Media can be a powerful tool for all types of organisations around Christmas. It can generate enormous goodwill from your community if you make the effort to provide something of value. Here are two simple examples from around Melbourne this Christmas. @Kingston_santa The City of Kingston used Twitter and You Tube to engage familiesRead… Read more »