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Friday, 14 June 2013 11:57
US whites now losing majority in under-5 age group
For the first time, America's racial and ethnic minorities now make up about half of the under-5 age group, the government said Thursday. It's a historic shift that shows how young people are at the forefront of sweeping changes by race and class.
Friday, 14 June 2013 11:55
Nation's drinking water system needs $384B upgrade
The nation's drinking water systems are deteriorating, and $384 billion needs to be spent in the next 17 years to maintain a safe supply for millions of Americans, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The most significant expense, $247.5 billion, should go to replacing the aging pipes, many of which are between 50 to 100 years old.
Friday, 14 June 2013 11:54
U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin to step down
After four years on the job, the nation's top doctor is leaving. U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin announced this week that she plans to step down next month. According to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius, Ms. Benjamin has served as America's doctor since 2009 and has impacted the health and lives of Americans across the country.
Friday, 14 June 2013 11:53
Blacks are singled out for marijuana arrests, federal data suggests
Black Americans were nearly four times as likely as whites to be arrested on charges of marijuana possession in 2010, even though the two groups used the drug at similar rates, according to new federal data. This disparity had grown steadily from a decade before, and in some states, including Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois, blacks were around eight times as likely to be arrested.
Friday, 14 June 2013 11:52
Racial Justice Act repeal heads to North Carolina Governor
A bill that Republicans say is designed to clear the way for executions to resume in North Carolina is headed to Governor Pat McCrory's desk after receiving final legislative approval Wednesday. The Senate approved changes made by the House to a bill that repeals the Racial Justice Act, a landmark 2009 law that allows convicted murderers to reduce a death sentence to life in prison if they can prove that race played a major role in their cases.
Friday, 14 June 2013 11:51
Data reveal a rise in college degrees among Americans
The number of Americans graduating from college has surged in recent years, sending the share with a college degree to a new high, federal data shows. The surge follows more than two decades of slow growth in college completion, which caused the United States to fall behind other countries and led politicians from both parties to raise alarms.
Friday, 14 June 2013 11:50
Delaware lawmaker proposes installing panic buttons in schools
Schools across Delaware could get panic buttons like those in banks if legislation aimed at improving school safety becomes law. House Bill 33, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Miro (R-Pike Creek), would require every school in Delaware to have an alarm system school staff could trigger to alert law enforcement of a potential threat.
Friday, 14 June 2013 11:48
Hawaii No. 3 in U.S. for solar installations in 2013
Hawaii continues to move up in the solar photovoltaic ranks in the United States, from seventh in 2012 to third so far in 2013, according to a new report. Statewide, companies installed 109 megawatts of solar PV in 2012, good for seventh in the nation, and in the first quarter of this year, Hawaii companies installed 44 megawatts of solar PV, enough to put the state in third place, behind California and New Jersey.
Friday, 14 June 2013 11:47
No easy answers on increasing minimum wage
As Massachusetts legislators consider raising the state’s minimum wage, they will encounter a problem: Economists are often at odds about whether such a move would help or hurt the economy. It is a debate that spans decades, with some economists arguing that an increase in the minimum wage will benefit poor families and the broader economy by increasing their spending power.
Thursday, 30 May 2013 10:47
Florida governor signs elections bill extending early voting
Florida Governor Rick Scott has signed an elections bill that attempts to reverse some of the restrictions the Republican-controlled Legislature put in place in 2011, including allowing more early-voting. The legislation is a response to the ridicule Florida received in the days after President Barack Obama's re-election when votes were still being counted in a few counties.