Oregon will soon become the first state to implement a solar panel project on a major highway. In partnership with Portland General Electric (PGE) and US Bank, Oregon will install a row of panels five-feet wide and two football fields in length near an interchange. The installation will produce electricity for the PGE grid during the day, and PGE will return an equivalent amount of power at night to light the interchange. The state Department of Transportation will seek proposals for similar highway projects early next year.

University of Wisconsin-Madison police are taking extra steps to keep bikes safe from thieves. Under the new "Bait Bike" program, the police have equipped decoy bikes with GPS devices around campus. When the bike is stolen, police follow the GPS signal and try to catch the thief. Typically, bicycle thefts rarely lead to recoveries or arrests. However, under the new program, 18 people have taken the bait since May, leading to 18 recoveries and 16 arrests.

Maryland prison officials are using specially trained dogs to sniff out illicit cell phones in the possession of inmates. Cell phones are often smuggled into prisons by visitors, volunteers, and even staff. It is known that some inmates use cell phones to arrange drug deals or even killings. While several states have begun using canine units for phone confiscations, Maryland's corrections department is the only one to have dogs specifically trained for this task.

As tough economic times are pushing more people into poverty, state governments are ramping up efforts to tackle this issue among their citizenry with comprehensive campaigns. States have created bipartisan commissions to eliminate the traditional barriers that keep the poor from escaping chronic poverty. Others are setting specific poverty reduction goals, focusing on child poverty and extreme poverty. Poverty advocates are hailing the increased engagement of the states.

US state and local governments are considering the switch to four-day workweeks to save money and energy. Utah became the first state to shut down most services on Fridays. Washington is considering a similar proposal from state employees. Other programs do not reduce the hours of operation, but have staff working staggered schedules to save money, energy, and resources. Several states—including Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, and New Mexico—are considering legislation to move government workers to a four-day workweek.

Massachusetts' Governor Deval Patrick has signed a law that will make quality preschool available to all children in the commonwealth. The legislation acknowledges the need to ensure that education starts early for future workers in an increasingly competitive, knowledge-based economy. The law formally establishes the Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program, which will build on projects already underway at the Department of Early Education and Care, and whose goal will be to provide voluntary and universally accessible education and care for preschool-aged children.

Minnesota has launched Parent Aware, a pilot project that rates participating childcare centers, preschools, and home sites. Staff training, teaching materials, parent involvement, and child progress are used as measures. Parents can search for the ratings online or by calling a hotline. Parent Aware is a collaboration between the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation, the state Department of Human Services, and the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network. So far, over 250 providers have signed up with the system.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has embarked upon a pilot program to allow some regulated facilities in some states to voluntarily disclose their environmental violations online. While businesses normally receive incentives from the EPA when they disclose, correct, and prevent violations, eDisclosure will help businesses comply with the policy more efficiently by reducing their transaction costs. If successful, the EPA will consider expanding eDisclosure to other states.

Scientists state that they have inched closer to developing materials that will render people and objects invisible. With funding from the US Army Research Office and the National Science Foundation's Nano-Scale Science and Engineering Center, researchers say they can redirect light around three-dimensional objects using artificial materials created at a nanoscale and that contain optical properties not found in nature. The technology could have major implications for pilots, surgeons, the military, and others.

Dozens of municipal governments are permitting golf carts and other small vehicles to travel on some public roads and state highways. While safety remains a concern, electric and solar powered carts can be restricted to city streets with low speed limits. Proponents also argue that the rising cost of gas, increasing air quality concerns, and a rise in general traffic congestion, the use of these ecofriendly and space-efficient vehicles should be expanded further.

Pittsburgh has become the first city in Pennsylvania to create a new bike-pedestrian coordinator position to help those pedaling or walking the city's neighborhoods. In addition, the city will track bicycle- and pedestrian-related car accidents; sensitize police to cyclists' rights; examine the implementation of tax credits and zoning preferences for businesses that accommodate cyclists; and strengthen general bicycle route infrastructure, such as signage, trail development, and bike racks.