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Easy E-Bike Rider

Henry Houston

April 21, 2022 |

Eugene Weekly |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Corvallis, Oregon

The Corvallis-Benton County Economic Development Office provides $1,200 rebates for people to buy electric bikes at four local stores. E-bikes cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and are a more affordable option than cars. To qualify, household income must be less than 80 percent of area median income and the household must be a customer of Pacific Power, who helped fund the rebates. E-bike sales have increased with over 30 vouchers handed out, which also serves as a stimulus to the local bike shop economy.

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What Is the Future of America's Greenest Town?

Anne Kniggendorf

April 19, 2022 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Greensburg, Kansas

After a tornado devastated Greensburg, Kansas, the town decided to use the disaster as an opportunity to become more environmentally sustainable. For example, they built a new school out of recycled wood and it was powered with geothermal heat. While the maintenance of these sustainable features can be tricky, this shift to a greener town can be a case study for others looking to make the transition.

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How independent map-drawing commissions are transforming redistricting

Frances Nguyen

April 19, 2022 |

Prism |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

Many states are trying independent redistricting commissions to take politics out of the process and draw fair maps. The California Citizens Redistricting Commission has a rigorous process to select its 14 members and holds all commission deliberations during public hearings with lots of time for public comment built into the process. The state’s new election maps were unanimously approved and about one third of the new districts are Latino-majority.

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Without the protections of the Voting Rights Act, many look to state solutions

Frances Nguyen

April 18, 2022 |

Prism |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Virginia

Virginia’s VRA protects voters from suppression, discrimination, and intimidation and has effectively stopped racial gerrymandering and intimidation. Its pro-voting measures include requiring materials in multiple languages, the provision of accessibility accommodations, and requiring public review of any local level voting changes. The legislation also creates a pathway for Virginians to bring civil lawsuits if a procedure negatively impacts economically disadvantaged communities or communities of color.

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Could the highly political redistricting process be more independent? San Antonio may find out

Megan Stringer

April 17, 2022 |

San Antonio Express-News |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Diego, California

San Diego’s independent redistricting commission has aimed to take politics out of drawing district maps since 1992 by preventing City Council from drawing or approving its own map. Instead, nine commissioners from over 100 applicants were chosen based on background and qualifications by three randomly selected retired judges. The member selection process, rules for transparency, open public engagement and no tolerance for conflicts of interest are keys to its success. There is more equitable infrastructure investment and greater voter turnout now, which are two positive signs of reduced gerrymandering.

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From scandal to scrutiny: How intense citizen oversight reshaped Oakland police

Nigel Duara

April 06, 2022 |

CalMatters |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Since 2016, complaints filed against Oakland police officers have triggered parallel investigations by both the department's internal affairs unit and the city's Civilian Police Review Agency. When an outcome is disputed, the final decision is made by the Civilian Police Commission, a system that has resulted in the city sustaining complaints against officers at a rate more than double the state average between 2018 and 2020.

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What the student loan payment pause has meant to Black women

Danielle Douglas-Gabriel

April 03, 2022 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The two-year pause on federal student loan payments in the United States during the pandemic allowed Black women, who share a disproportionate amount of the country’s student debt, to redirect the money they would typically use for repayment toward other needs.

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Shiny new ballots: Record number of states eyeing ranked-choice voting

Amanda Pampuro

March 25, 2022 |

Courthouse News Service |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Alaska

More states and cities are adopting ranked-choice voting system, which are said to be friendlier and more inclusive. In a ranked-choice system, voters rank multiple candidates in order of preference and a winner must get over 50% of the votes. This often occurs by being a voter’s second choice, so many argue there is less political vitriol since, rather than ignoring voters committed to other candidates, politicians must appeal to them as at least their second choice. Data in the six California cities that use the system show slight increases in the number of women and people of color running for office.

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Solar Power Is Clean and Cheap, But Still Has Challenges to Overcome

Ethan Brown

March 25, 2022 |

The Sweaty Penguin |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, San Jose, California

Solar energy is a clean, cheap, renewable, and land-efficient resource, making it a valuable technology to scale up in the face of climate concerns and clean energy. Diversifying the supply chain for creating and sourcing solar panels can help make solar energy more reliable when faced with geopolitical and human rights issues.

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In Austria, the Government Pays to Repair Your Stuff

Kaja Šeruga

March 22, 2022 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Austria, Vienna

In 2020, Vienna, Austria launched a program to subsidize half the cost of repairs to items such as clothing, electronics, bicycles, and furniture. The initiative supported the repair of more than 35,000 items, saving 850 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and spurring other localities, such as Thüringen, Germany, and Portland, Oregon, to roll out their own repair bonus schemes.

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