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Innovators Insights




  • Traffic Control
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Public Transit
  • Education
  • Poverty Alleviation
  • Technology
  • Ecosystems

  • Call for Applications: 2009 Innovations in American Government Awards
  • The Mind Trust Education Entrepreneur Fellowship
 
August 8, 2008
What's New
Second Event in Series on Sexual Violence


This online event will address Sexual Violence and Evidence Collection. Please join us on August 13 at 2 pm (EDT) for this interactive event. Registration is required and free of charge.

New on our site
Management Insights for Public Managers


Frank Fairbanks provides guidance on how to ease the pain of staff cuts in a time of shrinking government budgets.

Traffic Control
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Flashing yellow arrow introduced to traffic signals in New Hampshire

07/21/2008 | US States News

New Hampshire is among the first states in the nation to use a flashing yellow arrow left-turn signal at intersections. A national study concluded that motorists were less likely to make mistakes when encountering these yellow arrows than when faced with the traditional green circle or green left arrow, because the yellow color reminds drivers that they must yield to incoming traffic.

Juvenile Justice
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Last chance for a turnaround; A pilot pretrial program in Fulton County gives young men charged with drug offenses one year to change their lives --- or face the prospect of jail

06/16/2008 | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard Jr. and Superior Court Judge Marvin Arrington have unveiled a pilot program to give a second chance to young drug dealers with limited criminal histories and those for whom dealing has become a primary occupation. If the young men stay out of trouble for a year they will be absolved of their felony charges. Project Turn Around is an intensive twelve-month program that will provide these young men with drug counseling, G.E.D. classes, job training, family counseling, and other social services.

Public Transit
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French look to mass car sharing in Paris

07/28/2008 | BreakingNews.ie

Encouraged by the success of its bike-sharing program, the city of Paris is planning to launch a similar system for cars. Through Autolib', users will be able to rent and return one of 4,000 electric, or zero-emission hybrid, cars at 700 parking lots. While critics argue that this will increase congestion in the city, supporters point to the success of both private and public initiatives, such as Zipcar and a smaller program started in 2003 by the city of Lyon, France.

Education
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Libraries booking young video gamers

07/13/2008 | Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)

The American Library Association will develop a tool kit to help libraries develop gaming programs for educational purposes. Those who support this effort claim that video games increase literacy among youth and may contribute to developing focus, team building, and decision-making skills. Proponents also suggest that video games make libraries more attractive to teenagers and help bridge the digital divide.

Poverty Alleviation
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U.S. reports drop in population of homeless

07/30/2008 | Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)

The "housing first" policies promoted by the federal government have led to significant decreases in the nation's homeless population, according to a report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The number of homeless individuals has decreased by 12 percent between 2005 and 2007, and the number of chronically homeless people has declined by approximately 30 percent. The "housing first" strategies focus federal and local resources on providing these populations with stable housing, and treatment for drug addiction, mental illness, and medical issues.

Technology
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New NASA 'Fire and Smoke' web page shows latest fire views, research

07/22/2008 | States News Service

Firefighters battling blazes in California are receiving assistance from an unmanned plane, modified by NASA, which alerts them to new hot spots by transmitting real-time images. This allows firefighters to attack the hot spots sooner and to evacuate residents, if necessary. NASA has also created a public Web site, "Fire and Smoke," which incorporates these images and includes the latest research results and multimedia resources charting the impact of wildfires on the earth's ecosystems.

Ecosystems
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Restoring Florida; Transfer of land tract, sugar company to state will help revive Everglades

07/26/2008 | The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)

In one of its biggest land acquisitions ever, Florida will spend $1.75 billion to acquire 187,000 acres of farmland to help restore the Everglades. Under the deal, the state will purchase the U.S. Sugar Corporation and then turn its fields back to marshes and waterways, which will help cleanse the polluted Everglades water as it travels from Lake Okeechobee to the southern reaches of the preserve.

Call for Applications: 2009 Innovations in American Government Awards

IAG Seal

The Innovations in American Government Awards Program—sponsored by the Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation—awards grants each year to creative and effective government initiatives. Winners receive $100,000. Applications for the 2009 awards are due by September 30, 2008.

The Mind Trust Education Entrepreneur Fellowship
The Mind Trust Education Entrepreneur Fellowship, a nationally unique incubator for transformative education ventures, offers promising education entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop and launch their education ventures and the support necessary for success. Fellows receive a full-time annual salary of $90,000 for two years, benefits, and customized training. Statements of Intent are due September 5, 2008.

Newsletter produced by: Vanessa Ruget and Brendan St. Amant, researchers and writers; Jessica Engelman, editor.
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