Postcards
Blowout Two highways in Washington state are leaking. According to the San Jose Mercury News, the highways were repaired with used rubber from recycled
- Blowout
Two highways in Washington state are leaking. According to the San Jose Mercury News, the highways were repaired with used rubber from recycled tires and began leaking toxic fumes that threatened nearby waterways, including the Columbia River. The roads were closed and the rubber removed at a cost of about $1 million.
- It’s better than one of those snooty galleries
A Portland, Maine, artist’s latest work has been declared fit for the Hartford, Conn., sewers. Bradley McCallum’s recently closed exhibit, “The Manhole Cover Project: A Gun Legacy,” is going to be reopened — cover by cover — on the streets of one of Hartford’s most violent areas, appropriate since the covers are made from 11,194 melted-down guns that were confiscated by or surrendered to city authorities since 1992. Each of the 228 manhole covers is inscribed with the words, “Made from 172 lbs. of your confiscated guns.” Hartford is the city where Sam Colt introduced firearms more than a century ago.
- Udderly innocent
Mrs. O’Leary’s cow is off the hook. A new research paper, “Did the Cow Do It? A New Look at the Cause of the Great Chicago Fire,” points the finger at Mrs. O’Leary’s neighbor, Daniel “Peg Leg” Sullivan, as the real culprit. According to the paper’s author, Dick Bales, Sullivan might have been in the barn attempting to steal hay for his own cow when he accidentally set the blaze, which killed 300 people and leveled more than three square miles in the city in 1871. At the time the fire began, Bales opines, Mrs. O’Leary was snug in bed and not milking the cow.
Most Recent
-
Why working with the wrong tax escrow payment processor can wreak havoc on government operations
Mortgage tax escrow payments for both local property owners and businesses continue to serve as a crucial source of revenue for local governments. Among these payments, timely settlement of local property taxes holds particular significance. It’s not just about fulfilling a financial obligation; rather, it plays a pivotal role in maintaining stability, both for individual […]
-
For the public sector, security and compliance are just good business
State and local officials in charge of distributing public funds understand that security and compliance must be a top priority, but it can feel like a challenge to be fully prepared for audits. First, government organizations face a significant challenge in securing cyber infrastructure and protecting the personal data of their constituents from malicious actors. […]
-
City-county fleet managers: Do your homework to determine if your jurisdiction should add EVs and hybrids
Does it make sense for local government managers to add electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrids to their fleets? “Each governmental body needs to evaluate that for themselves,” says Satish Jayaram, vice president of eMobility at ABM. His firm provides people and services, including EV charging solutions, to about 20 sectors in the U.S., such as […]
-
EPA to implement national limit on “forever chemicals” in drinking water
For the first time ever, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will implement national limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. PFAS—also known as “forever chemicals”—are man-made chemicals that have been linked to multiple serious health issues, including cancer. The new EPA rule, unveiled April 10, will include health safeguards and require public […]