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| The above mentioned café, photo from City Lab |
The Washington Post reports that similar operations are popping up across the country. Find out more about these infill eateries here.
December 3, 2014
Repairing Sprawl with Gourmet Gas Station Eateries
City Lab, previously known as The Atlantic Cities, recently reported on a popular Korean-fusion café operating within a suburban Maryland gas station. The café is accessible from both the gas station’s convenience store and a sidewalk-lined street, and incorporates outdoor eating space.
City Lab reports the café’s nontraditional location is good for everyone involved: the gas station’s owner makes money on unused space, the café gets guaranteed foot traffic, and patrons can enjoy a freshly prepared meal. Additionally, the local planners are thrilled with the cafés location, as it brings character to the neighborhood by “[letting] locals experience th[e] corner not as a handy service site, but as an actual place.”
The Washington Post reports that similar operations are popping up across the country. Find out more about these infill eateries here.
The Washington Post reports that similar operations are popping up across the country. Find out more about these infill eateries here.
Combating Blight: Cleveland Gets Creative
The foreclosure crisis hit many cities like Cleveland hard, leaving thousands of vacant and blighted properties in its wake. According to a CNN Money article, developers have attempted to rebuild some of the homes, but renovation costs often exceed resale values and they can lose money.
So Cleveland’s Cuyahoga County shifted gears last summer and started tearing down abandoned buildings. In their place, the county has created green spaces, turning some empty lots into greenhouses and food production facilities. There’s even a vineyard.
The county used about $10 million of Ohio's Hardest Hit Fund to demolish 1,000 properties under the state’s Neighborhood Initiative Program. The U.S. Treasury Department established the fund in 2010 to help the 18 hardest hit states and Washington D.C. develop local programs to assist struggling homeowners.
Ohio’s Neighborhood Initiative Program website describes demolition as “a critical component of strategies to stabilize home values,” explaining that “foreclosures result in distressed sales that further depress property values…too often resulting in Vacant and Blighted homes.” The initiative has been so effective in Cleveland that in October, Cuyahoga’s county issued a $50 million bond to demolish 5,000 additional properties. And, according to the article, other states like Michigan and Indiana are following suit.
So Cleveland’s Cuyahoga County shifted gears last summer and started tearing down abandoned buildings. In their place, the county has created green spaces, turning some empty lots into greenhouses and food production facilities. There’s even a vineyard.
The county used about $10 million of Ohio's Hardest Hit Fund to demolish 1,000 properties under the state’s Neighborhood Initiative Program. The U.S. Treasury Department established the fund in 2010 to help the 18 hardest hit states and Washington D.C. develop local programs to assist struggling homeowners.
Ohio’s Neighborhood Initiative Program website describes demolition as “a critical component of strategies to stabilize home values,” explaining that “foreclosures result in distressed sales that further depress property values…too often resulting in Vacant and Blighted homes.” The initiative has been so effective in Cleveland that in October, Cuyahoga’s county issued a $50 million bond to demolish 5,000 additional properties. And, according to the article, other states like Michigan and Indiana are following suit.
December 2, 2014
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going, Right?
Yes, but economic development stakeholders in the North Dakota-Minnesota Red River Valley region aren’t waiting for times to get tough before they get going. “Too often economic development planning efforts are a response to an economic downturn. The need to collaborate among municipalities, coordinate planning initiatives, and leverage regional assets is considered a temporary activity—necessary only to right the ship and set a new course,” states the Valley Prosperity Partnership, itself a broad-based interstate coalition public officials, business executives, community leaders, and college and university chiefs.
The partnership’s five-year action plan (2014-2019) is trying to capitalize on and sustain the valley’s unprecedented job growth by identifying the barriers to future growth and recommending how to surmount them. Ironically, one of those barriers arose from the valley’s success: a lack of skilled workers needed to fill the very jobs the economic boom created. Discouraging workers from relocating to the region is the general misperception that its jobs are mainly in the energy fields. Consequently, the partnership recommends a strategy to market and promote all the different kinds of jobs available there.
The partnership also recommends integrating veterans and military families into the economy and regional recruitment programs aimed at interns, college students and alumni, and foreign-born talent. Other recommendations include accelerating business startups and stimulating innovation, and insuring that the valley’s water infrastructure and management systems are fully funded.
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| Image Source: http://bit.ly/11UkIXG |
The partnership also recommends integrating veterans and military families into the economy and regional recruitment programs aimed at interns, college students and alumni, and foreign-born talent. Other recommendations include accelerating business startups and stimulating innovation, and insuring that the valley’s water infrastructure and management systems are fully funded.
Changing All the Light Bulbs
Energy efficiency improvements, like switching out traditional incandescent lighting for more efficient bulbs, can save money for consumers, businesses, and state and local governments. While federal legislation in 2007 increased standards for light bulbs, states have also implemented loans, rebates, tax exemptions, and other incentives to encourage everyone to make the switch. More efficient lighting options include compact florescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs).
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| Source: Library of Congress |
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has compiled a table showing incentives in all 50 states and some U.S. territories. The table includes Connecticut’s state rebate program for businesses, as well as a sales tax exemption for CFLs.
Proponents of these types of incentives argue that they promote economic development, since money saved on energy bills can be spent or otherwise invested. They also note that reductions in energy demand across a utility’s service area can reduce the pressure on energy infrastructure, lowering the need to build more power plants and lines.
December 1, 2014
Most Connecticut Veterans Wait Less than 30 Days for Health Care
According to the Connecticut Mirror, approximately 96% of veterans awaiting medical appointments at Connecticut VA medical centers are being seen within 30 days, which is slightly better than the national average.
Only 2,218 veterans out of 51,281 were waiting more than 30 days for their medical appointments. These statistics are based on data released by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of all the scheduled appointments as of October 1.
The article notes that earlier this year, “VA centers nationwide came under intense scrutiny by federal officials for falsifying health care records, in order to reduce the appearance of long wait times.” VA centers now try to schedule all appointments within 30 days.
Only 2,218 veterans out of 51,281 were waiting more than 30 days for their medical appointments. These statistics are based on data released by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of all the scheduled appointments as of October 1.
The article notes that earlier this year, “VA centers nationwide came under intense scrutiny by federal officials for falsifying health care records, in order to reduce the appearance of long wait times.” VA centers now try to schedule all appointments within 30 days.
Don’t Be Quick to Move Your Children to Seat Belts Alone
Nine out of 10 parents move their children out of booster seats into seat belts before the children are big enough, according to a recent survey.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said its survey also found that most parents of children between the ages of 4 and 10 are unaware that a child should be at least 4’ 9” tall to ride in a car using a safety belt without a booster seat. The children should also weigh at least 80 pounds.
IIHS said most parents based their decision on when to place their children in seat belts on state law, their child’s comfort, or their spouse’s opinion. But IIHS said state child restraint laws differ and do not always reflect the best practices recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Connecticut seat belt law allows the use of either a child restraint system or a seat belt for children at least seven years old and weighing at least 60 pounds.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers another tip on when it’s okay for a child to use only a seat belt: the child should be able to keep his or her (1) back against the car seat, (2) knees naturally bent over the seat edge, and (3) feet flat on the floor.
Read more about the IIHS survey at: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/49/9/2.
NHTSA booster and seat belt information is available at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/archive/promote/know.htm.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said its survey also found that most parents of children between the ages of 4 and 10 are unaware that a child should be at least 4’ 9” tall to ride in a car using a safety belt without a booster seat. The children should also weigh at least 80 pounds.
IIHS said most parents based their decision on when to place their children in seat belts on state law, their child’s comfort, or their spouse’s opinion. But IIHS said state child restraint laws differ and do not always reflect the best practices recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Connecticut seat belt law allows the use of either a child restraint system or a seat belt for children at least seven years old and weighing at least 60 pounds.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers another tip on when it’s okay for a child to use only a seat belt: the child should be able to keep his or her (1) back against the car seat, (2) knees naturally bent over the seat edge, and (3) feet flat on the floor.
Read more about the IIHS survey at: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/49/9/2.
NHTSA booster and seat belt information is available at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/archive/promote/know.htm.
November 28, 2014
New Report Tracks Trends in State Financial Aid Programs Enacted by Legislatures
The Education Commission of the States (ECS), a nonpartisan organization created by the states that tracks education policy, recently released a report examining the types of financial aid programs enacted by state legislatures during the 2013 and 2014 sessions. ECS found that major trends included (1) changes to need and merit-based programs, (2) linkage of financial aid programs and workforce demands, and (3) creation of two- to four-year transfer student pathways.
The report also focused on states that passed laws creating commissions to examine college affordability, as well as those enacting programs related to loan repayment assistance or forgiveness. It concludes with predictions for legislative financial aid policy issues in upcoming sessions.
For more information, read the report at:
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/01/15/62/11562.pdf
The report also focused on states that passed laws creating commissions to examine college affordability, as well as those enacting programs related to loan repayment assistance or forgiveness. It concludes with predictions for legislative financial aid policy issues in upcoming sessions.
For more information, read the report at:
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/01/15/62/11562.pdf
Geoengineering to Counter Climate Change
The New York Times reports on a possible solution to global warming: olivine, a green-tinted mineral that naturally removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere when exposed to the elements. Dr. Olaf Schuiling, a retired geochemist, suggests that people could speed up the removal process by spreading olivine, which is found throughout the world, on fields, beaches, and other places. By spreading large quantities of olivine around, Dr. Schuiling believes we could remove enough carbon dioxide to slow the rise in temperatures that climate change causes, although it may take decades to see an impact. This is an example of geoengineering, intentionally manipulating nature, which scientists are currently considering. According to the article, the National Academy of Sciences is expected to publish a report on geoengineering later this year.
Click here to read the full New York Times article.
November 26, 2014
Tips to Avoid Home Fires During Winter Months
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) have teamed up to “Put a Freeze on Winter Fires.” The NFPA and USFA are working together to inform the public about ways to keep the public fire-safe this winter. They are targeting home heating and cooking, which are the leading causes of home fires, particularly during winter months.
According to a recent NFPA report, in 2010, heating equipment was involved in 57,100 reported U.S. structure fires, with associated losses of 490 civilian deaths, 1,530 civilian injuries, and $1.1 billion in property damage.
NFPA and USFA recommend these safety tips:
According to a recent NFPA report, in 2010, heating equipment was involved in 57,100 reported U.S. structure fires, with associated losses of 490 civilian deaths, 1,530 civilian injuries, and $1.1 billion in property damage.
NFPA and USFA recommend these safety tips:
- stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or broiling food;
- if leaving the kitchen, even for a short time, turn off the stove;
- keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from space heaters;
- check electrical cords and replace damaged ones;
- do not use an oven or stovetop to heat the home;
- do not put a Christmas tree up too early and take it down before it dries out;
- use “flameless” candles; and
- only use fire-safe cigarettes and smoke outside.
- USFA’s website: www.usfa.fema.gov/winter
- NFPA’s website: www.nfpa.org/winter
- Connecticut’s Commission on Fire Prevent and Control’s website: http://www.ct.gov/cfpc/cwp/view.asp?Q=515086
Slight Decrease in Household Food Insecurity
According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service, the percentage of American households that experienced food insecurity declined slightly from 2011 (14.9%) to 2013 (14.3%). During the same period, the number of households that experienced very low food security remained essentially the same (5.7% in 2011 and 5.6% in 2013). The report defines households with (1) “food insecurity” as those in which “access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources” and (2) “very low food security” as those in which “the food intake of one or more household members was reduced and their eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year because the household lacked money and other resources for food.” The chart below shows how these statistics have changed since 2000.
According to the report, the prevalence of (1) food insecurity ranged from 8.7% (North Dakota) to 21.2% (Arkansas) and (2) very low food security ranged from 3.1% (North Dakota) to 8.4% (Arkansas). For 2013, 13.4% of Connecticut’s population experienced food insecurity and 5.0% were, at times, very food insecure.
In a related USDA blog post, one of the researchers noted that households with children generally have higher rates of food insecurity than those without children. “Most parents try to protect their children from food insecurity to the extent they can. So in about half of these food-insecure households [with children], only adults were food insecure.” In 2013, approximately 0.9% of households with children (360,000 households) faced such severe food insecurity that the children had to skip a meal, go hungry, or not eat for a whole day because they had insufficient food.
Click here to read the full report.
According to the report, the prevalence of (1) food insecurity ranged from 8.7% (North Dakota) to 21.2% (Arkansas) and (2) very low food security ranged from 3.1% (North Dakota) to 8.4% (Arkansas). For 2013, 13.4% of Connecticut’s population experienced food insecurity and 5.0% were, at times, very food insecure.
In a related USDA blog post, one of the researchers noted that households with children generally have higher rates of food insecurity than those without children. “Most parents try to protect their children from food insecurity to the extent they can. So in about half of these food-insecure households [with children], only adults were food insecure.” In 2013, approximately 0.9% of households with children (360,000 households) faced such severe food insecurity that the children had to skip a meal, go hungry, or not eat for a whole day because they had insufficient food.
Click here to read the full report.
November 25, 2014
IRS Increases 2015 Pension Plan Contribution Limits
The IRS recently announced increases in annual contribution limits for certain retirement savings accounts for tax year 2015. According to the IRS announcement, the 2015 adjustments are triggered by the cost-of-living index.
Per the IRS announcement, the contribution limits increased for employees who participate in plans such as:
According to the IRS announcement, not all pension plans will see a cost-of-living adjustment in the annual contribution limits. For example, for tax year 2015, the annual contribution limit for an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) remains unchanged at $5,500. The additional catch-up contribution limit for an IRA for individuals aged 50 and over will also remain unchanged at $1,000 per year.
See the IRS’s full list of 2015 pension plan adjustments at:
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Announces-2015-Pension-Plan-Limitations;-Taxpayers-May-Contribute-up-to-%2418,000-to-their-401(k)-plans-in-2015
Per the IRS announcement, the contribution limits increased for employees who participate in plans such as:
- 401(k) plans,
- 403(b) plans,
- most 457 plans, and
- the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan.
According to the IRS announcement, not all pension plans will see a cost-of-living adjustment in the annual contribution limits. For example, for tax year 2015, the annual contribution limit for an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) remains unchanged at $5,500. The additional catch-up contribution limit for an IRA for individuals aged 50 and over will also remain unchanged at $1,000 per year.
See the IRS’s full list of 2015 pension plan adjustments at:
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Announces-2015-Pension-Plan-Limitations;-Taxpayers-May-Contribute-up-to-%2418,000-to-their-401(k)-plans-in-2015
New Report: Small Business Express Program
OLR Report 2014-R-0258 provides an overview of and data on the Small Business Express (SBE) program.
The legislature created SBE within the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) in 2011 (Public Act 11-1, October Special Session). According to DECD, SBE assists small businesses by providing access to capital, supporting job creation, increasing skill development, and encouraging private investment.
To be eligible for SBE financial assistance, a business must: (1) employ no more than 100 employees on at least half the working days in the previous 12 months, (2) operate in Connecticut, (3) have been registered to conduct business in Connecticut for at least 12 months, and (4) be in good standing with the payment of all state and local taxes (CGS § 32-7g).
For more information, read the full report.
The legislature created SBE within the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) in 2011 (Public Act 11-1, October Special Session). According to DECD, SBE assists small businesses by providing access to capital, supporting job creation, increasing skill development, and encouraging private investment.
To be eligible for SBE financial assistance, a business must: (1) employ no more than 100 employees on at least half the working days in the previous 12 months, (2) operate in Connecticut, (3) have been registered to conduct business in Connecticut for at least 12 months, and (4) be in good standing with the payment of all state and local taxes (CGS § 32-7g).
For more information, read the full report.
Lake-Effect Snow vs. Sound-Effect Snow?
Buffalo, New York is digging out from its most recent snowstorm, which dumped up to seven feet of snow in parts of the city. Buffalo is prone to high volume snowstorms, often the victim of lake-effect weather.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration describes how lake-effect snow occurs:
According to the National Weather Service, reported in a CTNews blog, although the air around the Sound can be cold enough, the area of open water is not long enough for the air to blow over and pick up the moisture needed to produce significant ‘Sound-Effect’ snow. (The longest area over Long Island Sound is 75 miles, whereas over Lake Erie it is 220 miles and over Lake Ontario it is 170 miles.)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration describes how lake-effect snow occurs:
- cold air masses move over warmer lake waters;
- the warm lake water heats the bottom air layer, causing lake moisture to evaporate into the cold air;
- the evaporated moisture rises, cools, condenses, and forms clouds;
- snow falls!
According to the National Weather Service, reported in a CTNews blog, although the air around the Sound can be cold enough, the area of open water is not long enough for the air to blow over and pick up the moisture needed to produce significant ‘Sound-Effect’ snow. (The longest area over Long Island Sound is 75 miles, whereas over Lake Erie it is 220 miles and over Lake Ontario it is 170 miles.)
November 24, 2014
Tips for Protecting Your Data When Internet Shopping
According to a USA Today article citing retail data from Adobe Systems, 2013 Cyber Monday sales reached a record $2.29 billion, a 16% increase from the year before. (Cyber Monday is the first full workday after Thanksgiving.)
The article cites several reasons for the increase in online shopping, including (1) convenience, (2) an increase in online promotions, and (3) the rise in mobile device users.
To help consumers with online shopping, the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office provides several tips, including:
The article cites several reasons for the increase in online shopping, including (1) convenience, (2) an increase in online promotions, and (3) the rise in mobile device users.
To help consumers with online shopping, the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office provides several tips, including:
- making sure the online company lists its name, address, country where it is based, and contact information;
- looking for easily accessible, clear, and accurate information about the products;
- understanding the sale’s terms, conditions, and costs;
- ensuring the electronic transaction is secure;
- shopping with vendors that protect shoppers’ personal data; and
- understanding customer satisfaction and return procedures.
Can Brain Training Video Games Delay Mental Decline?
The answer is unclear, according to a recent article from The New York Times Magazine. The article notes that Americans spend an estimated $1.3 billion on these games annually, while “nearly all neuroscientists agree there’s very little evidence yet that these games counter the mental deficits that come with getting older.” However, some games may hold promise.
Among other things, the article discusses the work of Dr. Adam Gazzaley, a neurology professor who has studied the effects of games on mental abilities. His research lends support to the idea that games requiring the use of several abilities simultaneously may increase brain function generally (and not just train users to be better at the game).
But the article notes that Gazzaley is “reflexively cautious” about his findings. According to the article, the published research in this area “is a grab bag of contradictory findings.”
This issue is not without controversy. A group of scientists recently issued “a withering statement denouncing the hype by both companies and media” as to claims promoting these games. The article notes that “Gazzaley himself signed the letter, though he pushed the group to use less pessimistic rhetoric.”
For more, read the full article here.
Among other things, the article discusses the work of Dr. Adam Gazzaley, a neurology professor who has studied the effects of games on mental abilities. His research lends support to the idea that games requiring the use of several abilities simultaneously may increase brain function generally (and not just train users to be better at the game).
But the article notes that Gazzaley is “reflexively cautious” about his findings. According to the article, the published research in this area “is a grab bag of contradictory findings.”
This issue is not without controversy. A group of scientists recently issued “a withering statement denouncing the hype by both companies and media” as to claims promoting these games. The article notes that “Gazzaley himself signed the letter, though he pushed the group to use less pessimistic rhetoric.”
For more, read the full article here.
November 21, 2014
Minimum Wage Goes 5 For 5 in Ballot Measures
Voters in five states approved minimum wage ballot measures earlier this month. This means that the minimum wage will increase in four of the five states, according to NCSL and various news sources. In the fifth, Illinois, the ballot question was only advisory and still requires the Illinois General Assembly to act in order to change the law.
Here are brief descriptions of the proposed increases:
For more details and links to the ballot measures, see NCSL’s website.
Here are brief descriptions of the proposed increases:
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State
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Brief Description
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Alaska
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Proposed a two-step increase to the minimum wage: to $8.75
effective Jan. 1, 2015 and to $9.75 effective Jan. 1, 2016.
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Arkansas
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Proposed a three-step increase to the minimum wage: to $7.50
effective Jan. 1, 2015, to $8 effective Jan. 1, 2016, and to $8.50 effective
Jan. 1, 2017.
|
|
Illinois
|
An advisory question that asked voters whether they supported
increasing the minimum wage to $10 by Jan. 1, 2015.
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|
Nebraska
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Proposed a two-step increase in the minimum wage: to $8
effective Jan. 1, 2015 and to $9 effective Jan. 1, 2016.
|
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South Dakota
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Proposed an increase in the minimum wage to $8.50 effective
Jan. 1, 2015.
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For more details and links to the ballot measures, see NCSL’s website.
Public Hearing on Possible Additional Qualifying Medical Conditions for Medical Marijuana Use
On November 26, the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) will hold a public hearing on petitions to add four conditions to those that qualify for medical marijuana use. The hearing will consider the following conditions:
- sickle cell disease,
- Tourette’s disorder,
- post laminectomy syndrome with chronic radiculopathy (sometimes referred to as failed back surgery syndrome), and
- severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
Connecticut’s medical marijuana law allows doctors to certify an adult patient’s use of marijuana for certain debilitating medical conditions, under specified procedures. The law lists 11 qualifying conditions and allows DCP to add other conditions through regulations.
The law also required DCP to establish a Board of Physicians who are knowledgeable about medical marijuana use. Among other duties, the board must conduct public hearings and evaluate petitions seeking to add medical conditions to the list of those that qualify for marijuana use. The board can also recommend adding conditions on its own initiative (it has not done so thus far). The November 26 hearing will be the first such hearing to assess public petitions.
By regulation, after the hearing, the board must make a written recommendation to the DCP commissioner as to whether to add the condition to the list of qualifying conditions. A majority of board members present at the hearing must concur in the recommendation. The decision on whether to add the condition to the list rests with the commissioner, subject to legislative approval.
Currently, the qualifying conditions include cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, epilepsy, cachexia, wasting syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Detailed information about Connecticut’s medical marijuana program is available on DCP’s website.
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