Posted on October 30, 2008 by brandibratrude
Todd Donovan, a political scientist at Western Washington University, says population changes usually take time to be reflected in the way people vote. But one of the most striking shifts since 2004 is the solidification of Hispanics’ rank as the state’s largest minority. AP 10/29/2008
2. Shades of Green for California Energy Propositions
California’s major environmental groups have long called for the state to do more to promote a switch to renewable energy sources, yet they widely oppose two state ballot measures that claim to do so, urging votes to reject Propositions 7 and 10 as false promises. San Francisco Bay Guardian 10/30/2008
3. Moms Start Looking for Paycheck
While most moms will say the hugs and kisses are priceless, they don’t help pay the bills in this tough economy. To cope, some longtime stay-at-home Treasure Valley moms are looking to return to the work force – and they’re not alone. Boise Idaho Statesman 10/30/2008
4. Views: Cleaner and Greener in Oregon
Exhibiting the leadership on environmental issues that has become the hallmark of his second term, Kulongoski resisted that temptation to push aside a sweeping energy agenda. Instead, he outlined a bold, ambitious plan that would allow Oregonians to “live cleaner, greener lives” though a far-reaching list of incentives, rules and goals that he wants the 2009 Legislature to adopt. Eugene Register Guard 10/29/2008
6. BC Carbon Tax Whacks the Poor, Later
British Columbians with low incomes will benefit from the carbon tax in its first year, but will pay more by the scheme’s third year, a new study concludes. The impact of the tax and its offsetting income tax cuts will become increasingly unequal unless the provincial government increases payments to low-income earners, the study says. The Tyee 10/30/2008
8. US Transit Agencies Need Financial Help
Two Congressional leaders on Wednesday called on the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve to open the $700 billion government rescue package to the country’s transit agencies, which they said are at risk of losing up to $16 billion. KPLU 10/29/2008
9. Aboriginal Kids Have Young Moms, Big Families
Young First Nations children living off-reserve are three times more likely to have young mothers than non-aboriginal children and almost half live in low-income families, according to data released by Statistics Canada Wednesday. CBC BC 10/29/2008
10. Key to Death’s Door for Portland’s Homeless
In Portland, 646 homeless people were surveyed about their health for the city’s Bureau of Housing and Community Development (BHCD) and the New York-based nonprofit Common Ground “Vulnerability Index” survey. The Vulnerability Index identifies seven medical indicators like HIV, cirrhosis, and kidney disease that cause afflicted homeless people to have a 40 percent chance of dying over the next seven years. Portland Mercury 10/30/2008
Filed under: Community News, National and World News | Tagged: alternative transportation, Bureau of Housing and Community Development, carbon tax, climate change, Common Ground, economy, employment, energy, energy policy, environment, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, green, green college, green university, homelessness, housing needs, immigration, jobs, politics, population growth, population shift, poverty, renewable energy, Seattle mass transit, seattleDIRT, Sightline Daily, Sightline Institute, Southern Oregon University, sustainability, transit, Western Washington University
