Author: Ethan Johnson

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. Written by Benjamin PaleyApril 15, 2024 You don't need a PhD in public administration to understand that Americans have a hard time trusting their government. According to the Pew Research Center, trust in government is “back to near all-time lows.” This is not unexpected given what is currently happening in Washington DC. In general, there are two interrelated issues that contribute to high levels of distrust of government. First is the important role of government in our lives. People tend…

Lincoln Township is moving forward with plans to change its government structure. The Lincoln Township Board of Trustees voted at Tuesday's meeting to begin the transition from the current supervisory form of government to a managed form of government. This means that when longtime Lincoln Township Supervisor Dick Stauffer steps down at the end of the year, the township will no longer have an elected supervisor serving as its top administrator, but a hired administrator to replace him. It means that it will be placed. Board member Mark Florian said as Lincoln Township grows, there is an increasing need for…

Forty civil society organizations, including Amnesty International, today said that the proposed sale of Shell's onshore oil operations in southern Nigeria's Niger Delta region risks exacerbating human rights abuses and that unless a series of safeguards are put in place, governments will said that it should be prevented. . In an open letter to the Nigerian Industry Regulatory Authority, the group said that the sale of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to Renaissance Africa Energy will be prohibited unless the environmental pollution caused by SPDC is fully assessed and adequate funding is provided. , said it should not be allowed…

Opinion editor's note: Published in Star Tribune Opinion letter We hear from readers online and in print every day.Click to contribute here. ••• The editorial “National Groups Come Together to Stand with Ukraine” (April 12) outlines a number of important reasons why the United States must support Ukraine in its efforts to repel Russian aggression. Critical aid has been withheld in the House of Representatives for months as the death toll of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians mounts. House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to bring the bipartisan aid package passed by the Senate to the floor for a vote. He fears…

PIERRE, South Dakota (KELO) — Here are summaries of South Dakota government board and commission meetings, legislative committee meetings, and three public hearings on proposed administrative rule changes. These are open to the public during this period. A new week begins on Monday, April 15, 2024. Click on the name (highlighted in blue) to view meeting details. Please note that the event may be postponed due to bad weather or other reasons. Monday, April 15th Expert Committee on Addiction and Prevention9 a.m. Central Time, video conference. Insurance section9:30 a.m. Central Time, Public Hearing on Proposed Administrative Rule Changes, 124 N.…

POV: You're on TikTok, and so is the governor. That's despite Congress considering banning the app from state-run devices and networks.Efforts to ban TikTok, citing security concerns about Chinese influence through TikTok, have gained momentum in state legislatures over the past year, with broader bans proposed in Congress. In Pennsylvania, a bill that first passed the state Senate unanimously last year could soon be sent to the Democratic governor's desk if it moves forward.But even as the app faces intense scrutiny and bans, governors, state agencies, and even President Joe Biden continue to use it to advance their own initiatives…

In Florida, the state government under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed into law new legislation dealing with worker safety and police oversight, creating two more examples of limits on local authority. . The bill signed Thursday prohibits local governments from requiring heat and hydration breaks for outdoor workers. And the bill Mr. DeSantis signed Friday would strip investigators from local resident police oversight boards. A bill signed by DeSantis on Thursday in Florida, one of the hottest states in the country, would prohibit local governments from requiring heat and hydration for outdoor workers. This was a direct response to…

A majority of House Democrats approved a bill Sunday that would require urban local governments to plan and implement state-approved housing “density goals.” The main goal, proponents say, is to create more housing near transit.But the bill's fate is by no means certain. In fact, the measure revives much the same debate over state versus local regulations that doomed housing and zoning policy last year. The focus is on “transit-oriented communities,” which are also part of the 2023 law. Sponsors say House Bill 1313 would encourage more housing near public transportation and workplaces. The bill would create a grant program…

BAGHDAD (IraqiNews.com) – To protect children from infectious diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella, Iraq's Ministry of Health on Sunday launched a large-scale nationwide immunization campaign in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign has started. The goal of the program, which ends on April 25, 2024, is to reach more than 7.5 million preschool and elementary school children ages 6 to 12. Iraq's Minister of Health Saleh al-Hasnawi said the timing of the campaign was critical to halting the spread of measles, one of the most contagious diseases, according to a joint statement issued…

Colt Fire torching on Thursday, July 20. (Courtesy InciWeb)Black Butte is an inactive volcano that rises from the high desert in eastern Oregon. In May 2022, a turboprop plane approached its pine-blanketed slopes, carrying about 10 men wearing bulky Kevlar outfits. They were smokejumpers with the United States Forest Service, the agency that directs the majority of the nation’s efforts to manage wildfires. Within the vast and hierarchical fire service, smokejumpers occupy a singular niche, parachuting into remote areas to fight early-stage wildfires. There are only about 450 nationwide, and the physical requirements are rigorous. One of the smokejumpers on…