Jul 06 Tiny houses are trendy, minimalist and often illegal By Rebecca Beitsch, Stateline Some local governments around the country are welcoming tiny houses, attracted by their potential to ease an affordable housing crunch or even house the homeless. But lost in the enthusiasm is the fact that in many places, it is hard… Continue reading
Jun 10 Rural doctor shortage spurs states to act By Michael Ollove, Stateline Earlier this month, dignitaries gathered at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro to cut the ribbon on a new medical school, only the second in a state with a dire shortage of doctors. Continue reading
Jun 07 States bedeviled by contraband cellphones in prisons By Teresa Wiltz, Stateline Last month, a Georgia inmate was indicted for ordering the revenge killing of a 9-month-old baby from his prison cell. His alleged tool: a cellphone. Continue reading
Jun 06 Early results of W.Va. town’s needle exchange program show progress By Christine Vestal, Stateline HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The high school students who lined up to graduate at the civic center here on a recent afternoon celebrated their bright futures. And for the college students in shorts and flip flops who filled the downtown cafes… Continue reading
May 26 This case may help states gain billions in tax dollars from online companies By Rebecca Beitsch, Stateline Online businesses have long contended that collecting taxes in the 45 states that tax retail sales would be too burdensome. But states say that argument is outdated because new software can calculate the tax and about half the states have… Continue reading
May 25 Here’s why states want to make it tough to skip childhood vaccines By Sarah Breitenbach, Stateline Even a small number of unvaccinated people can undermine the immunity of the larger population, which is leading public health officials and vaccine advocates to push for changes. Continue reading
May 23 Opioid treatment at Rikers Island is a long-standing success, but few jails adopt it By Christine Vestal, Stateline NEW YORK — For Dr. Ross MacDonald, every person who enters New York City’s main jail with an opioid addiction represents an opportunity for treatment, and the possibility of saving a life. As the medical director of the city’s correctional… Continue reading
May 17 Is America finally ready for smart guns? By Sarah Breitenbach, Stateline Gun safety advocates have pushed for commercially available smart, personalized guns that could only be fired by a specific person through radio frequency chips, fingerprint scans or other technology, for more than three decades. Now, there are signs that a… Continue reading