This summer, Massachusetts will launch MassGangs, a statewide computer database that all levels of law enforcement can use to search for gang members by entering characteristics such as nicknames, gang colors, or tattoos. Funded by a $12 million grant from the US Department of Justice, the information-sharing system will help officials better identify and track the movements of suspects or felons from over 250 separate gangs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will launch a pilot program in South Carolina that will offer Medicare beneficiaries access to their own online personal health record (PHR). Unlike electronic health records which are owned and controlled by physicians, PHRs allow patients to both input additional information and open or limit access to any information. The voluntary program will give CMS insight into how it can help consumers use their PHR more efficiently.

Two construction projects in Portland, Oregon, are among the first in the US to be certified as LEED-ND—Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development. To qualify as LEED-ND, a building must not only be environmentally sustainable but also located in an urban area that is pedestrian friendly and near mass transit. For example, the Helensview Homes is a high-density, affordable housing project surrounded by walkways and near public transit, and also features native landscaping and low-flow fixtures to reduce water consumption.

Madison County, New York, is creating a mobile farmers' market that will give customers the ability to order locally grown food online and have it transported directly to their door. Under Madison Bounty, farmers will list what they have for sale each week on a Web site. Then, local individuals and restaurant chefs will place their orders and the program will deliver the goods later that week.

Greensburg, Kansas, is using green technology to put itself back on the map after a tornado almost completely destroyed the town in 2007. The US Department of Energy will devote people and funding to work with the town to develop a three to four megawatt wind energy system that will generate enough electricity to meet the demands of the town, using a biodiesel plant for backup.

The new Global Wildlife Disease News Map is the first online tool that allows users to track wildlife health conditions around the world and access recent reports of diseases such as West Nile virus, avian influenza, chronic wasting disease, and monkeypox. The site, developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the US Geological Survey, is expected to be of interest to wildlife managers, animal disease specialists, medical professionals, and others active in monitoring wildlife health.

Visalia, California, is part of a growing urban trend of providing short-term bicycle rentals for those who work in city centers. Visalia's yearlong pilot program has two twists. First, prison inmates will refurbish the stolen, abandoned, or donated bicycles. Then, the Vi-Cycles will be sold to downtown businesses for employee or customer use, which will relieve the city of liability concerns and will encourage the establishments to keep the bikes in good condition.

The new Tulsa Community Intervention Center in Oklahoma will give officers a safe place to deposit juveniles detained for offenses that do not merit secure detention. The short-term reception facility obviates the need for officers to wait with youth until legal guardians arrive, allowing the officers to quickly return to their duties. This holdover center will also provide access to a range of interventions, helping to match juvenile offenders with the most appropriate course of action to reduce recidivism.

RecycleBank is working with over 35 municipalities in the US to provide an incentive for individuals to recycle. For a small monthly fee, families on a garbage route are issued a special container with an RFID chip. The container's weight is recorded when the recycling is picked up, earning reward points that residents can redeem at many local and national businesses. Besides providing a financial incentive, the RecycleBank allows each family to track how much they recycle, reinforcing the idea that their participation is having a tangible impact on the environment.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is conducting a unique tree census. In addition to recording the size, species, location, and condition of every tree along the town's 300 miles of streets, Bethlehem is raising the bar by integrating the information with computerized maps. This step will allow the city to develop a tree care program and calculate the volume of carbon dioxide its trees are removing from the air.

Angelo State University of San Angelo, Texas, has committed to a 10-year program to study and promote social improvement in its host city. During the first two years of the Community Development Initiative, faculty and students in the social work program will create a community social health index, compiling information on poverty, medical insurance coverage, salaries, and housing affordability.

HospitalCompare.hhs.gov, a Web site designed to compare hospitals' quality of care, has added a new feature: patients' feedback. The site was launched three years ago by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; its data is collected by independent companies that survey patients after being discharged. Patients answer questions about issues such as nurses' attentiveness, cleanliness of the premises, and side effects of medication. While participation is voluntary, several hospitals have already organized patient satisfaction teams to address problem areas uncovered by these surveys.

Because of soaring gas prices, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will allow vacationers to temporarily store their camper or recreational vehicle onsite between their stays at state parks. According to park officials, campers taking advantage of this opportunity will save up to 30 percent on fuel.