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NEWS: Oct. 13, 2016
Facebook Credited with Driving Surge of Voter Registrations A 17-word Facebook reminder displayed for four days in September contributed to substantial increases in online voter registration across the country, according to top election officials. At least nine secretaries of state have credited the social network's voter-registration reminder with boosting sign-ups. In California, 123,279 people registered to vote or updated their registrations on Friday, Sept. 23, the first day of the campaign. >> New York Times Judge Extends Florida Voter Registration Handing Democrats a victory, a federal judge gave Floridians six more days to register to vote in the presidential election, citing disruption caused by Hurricane Matthew. Republican Gov. Rick Scott had rejected calls to extend the registration deadline. >> Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Education | The Nation New Teacher-Prep Rules Prod Programs to Improve The Education Department published long-awaited final regulations governing college programs that prepare new K-12 teachers, aiming to hold teacher-training programs accountable for the performance of their graduates and prod the programs--long criticized as cash cows for universities that produce ill-prepared educators--to improve. >> Washington Post, Education Week Georgia AG Named President of Kennesaw State University Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens was named president of Kennesaw State University by the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents. Olens was selected without a national search to fill the position, a point of conflict for many faculty members. >> Chronicle of Higher Education
Justice Department Slams Police over Use of Force, Calls for 272 Changes A six-month U.S. Justice Department investigation of the San Francisco Police Department, prompted by fatal police shootings, concludes that the department does a poor job of tracking and investigating officers' use of force, has ineffective anti-bias training and shields its disciplinary process from public view. The report recommends 272 changes, and Mayor Ed Lee said he was directing the department to implement them "as soon as possible." >> San Francisco Chronicle Portland Police-Contract Protesters Pepper-Sprayed Portland, Ore., police pepper-sprayed and arrested protesters on the steps of city hall as an unruly demonstration followed city council approval of a controversial new contract for rank-and-file officers. >> Portland Oregonian NYPD Picks Seattle-Based Startup to Supply Body Cameras Bypassing Taser International, the industry leader for police body cameras, the New York Police Department selected a Seattle-based startup despite questions about its performance in other cities. >> New York Times Public Workforce | The Southeast 10,000 Feds Deployed for Hurricane Recovery Spearheaded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, agencies have deployed more than 10,000 employees, including nearly 3,000 civilians, to five states and three countries to assist local communities as they recover from Hurricane Matthew's devastation. >> Government Executive Survey: Oregon Human-Services Workers Stressed Out Employees at the Oregon Department of Human Services lack the resources necessary to do their jobs and feel overworked, underpaid and stressed out, according to a survey released by state auditors. >> Portland Oregonian Md. County Pension Pushed to Divest Fossil-Fuel Stock The Montgomery County, Md., employee pension fund would be ordered to divest an estimated $65 million in fossil-fuel company stock under legislation proposed by two council members. >> Washington Post
Online Complaints System Launched With less than a month until the election, the state's political watchdog agency unveiled a new online system intended to make it easier to file complaints against sleazy politicians and corrupt campaigns. Jodi Remke, chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, said the system will allow the agency to look into complaints quicker than in the past and is part of an ongoing FPPC effort to bring its dated technology up to speed and simplify rules. >> Sacramento Bee Texas AG Loses Bid for Dismissal of Fraud Charges Texas' highest criminal court rejected state Attorney General Ken Paxton's request to dismiss securities-fraud charges against him, setting the stage for a trial that could begin as early as spring. >> Austin American-Statesman Public Services | The Nation Americans Warming to Package Delivery by Postal Service Drones, Survey Finds Americans are intrigued by and open to the possibility of the U.S. Postal Service using drones to deliver packages, according to a new survey from the agency's inspector general, but do not appear ready for a deployment of the technology. Forty-four percent of respondents told the IG they like the idea, while 34 percent said they do not. >> Government Executive >> Follow GovManagement on Twitter >> Share this edition:
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DATAPOINT 287,002 Number of New York City's full-time employees as of July, more than at any other point in its modern history, with every major agency growing under Mayor Bill de Blasio, a situation that worries some budget experts who fear a lack of fiscal discipline and greater pension obligations >> New York Times | More data VIEWPOINT Policy | James Keene American Governance's Fundamental Tension Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton represent two poles of the American experiment in self-government, with differing perspectives on the factors and form for effective government and a thriving country. Our constitution was forged out of this tension. But while we like to celebrate the Constitution, these days we seem to use it more to beat our opponents about the head with why our view is right and theirs is wrong. We ignore the fact that the dynamic tension inherent in our government is intended and meant to be held in balance. >> Governing | More commentaries
“It hurts us to think about such a beautiful, sacred place called Devils Tower.” Chief Arvol Looking Horse, spiritual leader of the Great Sioux Nation, who is among Native Americans asking President Obama to change the name of the Wyoming landmark--which was the country's first national monument, is sacred to at least 26 tribes, and the name of which local Indians and others say was based on an incorrect translation--to Bear Lodge, as the 865-foot rock butte was called in the Lakota language >> AP/Yahoo News | More quotes UPCOMING EVENTS
Heritage Foundation Discussion: "The All-Out Assault on the First Amendment: Restricting Speech, Religion and Association" Today, noon-1 p.m. ET, Washington, D.C. Brookings Institution Discussion: "How to Make Fintech Work for All Americans" Today, 2-4:30 p.m. ET, Washington, D.C. Governing Webinar: "Making a Difference with Data: Harnessing Analytics as a Powerful Tool for the Public Good" Today, 2 p.m. ET Pew Charitable Trusts and Route Fifty Discussions with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and webcast: "Data-Driven Decision-Making at the State and Local Level" Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-noon MT, Denver Center for American Progress Book discussion: "The Populist Explosion" Oct. 14, 10-11 a.m. ET, Washington, D.C. Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Program on Creating Collaborative Solutions: Innovations in Governance Oct. 15-21, Cambridge, Mass. >> Full events listings |
