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A Climate Plan for San Jacinto: Building a Sustainable Future

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San Jacinto, situated in Riverside County, California, faces a range of climate-related challenges, including extreme heat, wildfires, drought, and air pollution. To address these issues and create a more sustainable future, our community must implement a comprehensive climate plan. The plan should prioritize both mitigation and adaptation strategies. Mitigation efforts aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to slow climate change. This can be achieved through the promotion of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and by improving energy efficiency in homes, businesses, and public buildings. Additionally, encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles and expanding charging infrastructure can contribute to emissions reduction. Adaptation strategies focus on preparing for and responding to the impacts of climate change. These include water conservation measures, emergency preparedness plans, urban forestry initiatives, and infrastructure upgrades to enhance resilience
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New Southern California rule would require dramatic reduction in rail yard pollution

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New Southern California rule would require dramatic reduction in rail yard pollution - Trains
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Government Solutions: A Public Administration Perspective on Openness and Truth-Telling

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In the highly complex realm of public administration, trust in the government is the fundamental currency. Citizens should believe that their public institutions act in their best interests based on reliable information. This is precisely when the paramount imperative of cultivating a culture of openness in public administration should take on its greatest urgency. Why Openness Matters Psychological Safety: Employees who feel safe enough to speak up about their concerns and contribute new ways of doing things promote more responsive and honest public service. Diversity of voices: Because people are present and tolerate differing viewpoints, many more voices are heard and understood. Better policies and solutions are developed to address the needs of the whole society. Open Dialogue with Citizens: When decision-makers engage in dialogue and openly discuss the ‘why’, citizens are more willing to be involved and work on developing solutions. From Openness to Truth-Telling A cultu
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If you choose not to celebrate our "freedom" on this day, you are not alone.

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You're not alone if you don't want to celebrate our "freedom" today. When millions of people's fundamental rights are being attacked by unelected judges and our autonomy over our own bodies is being taken away, how can we as a nation celebrate freedom? when Republican politicians are battling tooth and nail to restrict the right to vote in their fascist attempts to seize control of our democracy? when the police that our taxes support are killing Black people and our transgender siblings? How can we honor our nation's freedom when, just three days prior, a Supreme Court tainted by MAGA granted presidents the authority of kings? This was not supposed to be our day. Rather than using today as a punishment, let's use it to visit with loved ones, spend time outside, and get enough of rest because we still have a long battle ahead of us.
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Rethinking Urban Mobility: How Cities Can Ditch Double Taxation and Embrace Sustainable Scooters and E-bikes

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In a time when micromobility offers an ever-growing network of fast, fun, and environmentally friendly ways to move around towns and cities, it's crucial to recognize the potential it holds. However, alarm bells should ring when successive local and state authorities appear to be shooting themselves in the foot by creating a maze of regulatory fees, taxes and barriers that hinder rather than encourage their adoption. By reviewing these structural fees, we can unlock micro-mobility's tremendous potential, enabling greater urban accessibility, reducing CO2 emissions, and making our cities more equitable and fairer for everyone. What the current system does is not just taxing micromobility twice over, it's also creating an unfair situation. First, every trip pays sales tax to the states, which scooter and e-bike riders then pay. Second, many cities also charge operating fees to micromobility companies, which are again passed on to the consumer through the price of fares.
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Standing Guard: Protecting Our Elders in an Uncertain World

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Every year, on 15 June, we commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). It’s another reminder of our older population’s unique vulnerabilities, especially this year, with its theme ‘Spotlight on Older Persons in Emergencies.’ Our parents and grandparents built the world we inhabit and should be revered and nurtured—but they are frequently exploited by scams, abused, and neglected. Why Be Vigilant? It can be a function of our physical or cognitive deterioration as we age, making us more vulnerable to exploitation, less able to detect it, and less likely to overcome it. Isolation, also a common condition of the elderly, can be a contributing factor. Here's what we can do: Stay in Touch: Conduct regular check-ins over the phone, in person, or via email. Listen to the person and pick up the phone if his or her mood or behavior has changed. Educate: Openly discuss scams and fraudulent behavior of all sorts. Ensure they are suspicious of strangers who make unsolicited phone cal
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What are the effects of migration on community infrastructure?

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Riverside County's growing immigrant population means it faces both the demands and benefits of migration from social services. Increased Demand for Services: A quarter of Riverside County’s immigrant population likely qualifies for CalWORKs/TANF, overburdening the program’s budget alongside California’s high participation rates. Medi-Cal is one of the chief sources of health coverage for the region's poor, and undocumented immigrants tend to rely heavily on Medi-Cal. This can stretch the program's resources, leaving lines longer than they would be and possibly limiting the availability of some treatments. With the rising cost of living, more families in Riverside County, including those with immigrant family members, may need assistance covering their food expenses through CalFresh (food stamps). This program will be even more stretched, and over-demand likely would make it more difficult for eligible members to receive the full benefit. The increase in migration has
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