Check out the latest news, features, opinions, and more from Appalachia, the Midwest, and other Postindustrial Communities.
ASHEVILLE
Asheville Council cancels Flock cameras, loosens zoning rules for smaller homes
Blue Ridge Public Radio: Asheville City Council voted to end the city’s contract with automatic license plate reader provider Flock Safety, but it rejected calls for city government to stop all use of the technology.
ATLANTA
“Dolly Parton shared a special bond with Georgia”: Peach State remembers country music queen
Atlanta News First: One day after her death, tributes continue to pour in for country pop icon Dolly Parton. Although Tennessee rightfully claims her as its own, the Queen of Country Music’s roots run like the Chattahoochee River through north Georgia and other parts of the Peach State.
BALTIMORE
Maryland Republicans take round one in redistricting challenge
Maryland Matters: Maryland Republicans challenging a proposed state constitutional amendment that would set standards for how congressional districts are drawn won an initial courtroom skirmish.
“Moses the Black” returns to Chicago after filmmakers say it was canceled to make way for “Melania”
Chicago Sun-Times: Moviegoers who planned to see the 50 Cent-backed “Moses the Black” earlier this year but saw it abruptly dropped from theater lineups will get a second chance this weekend when it screens at a South Side community center.
CINCINNATI
Ohio immigrant advocates warn DOJ lawsuit against Franklin County court is part of larger strategy
Cincinnati Public Radio: The DOJ wants a federal court to order Franklin County to remove a new rule that prohibits federal officials from detaining people at the courthouse without a warrant. The lawsuit said ICE arrested about 12 people at the court in recent years before the rule was put in place.
CLEVELAND
15 Cleveland patios to visit before summer ends
Cleveland.com: From riverfront hangouts and rooftop views to tucked-away gardens, sidewalk tables and lively courtyard bars, Greater Cleveland offers no shortage of spots worth lingering over a meal or a round of drinks.
COLUMBUS
Columbus Metropolitan Club holds panel on Flock cameras
Ohio State Public Media: The panel held a variety of views, discussing potential misuse of the Flock network by individual officers, use of the technology as a law enforcement tool and what legislation on the technology may look like.
DETROIT
AG releases report on “inner workings” of failure of Flint water crisis criminal cases
Michigan Public: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said a report on the lead in water crisis in Flint is the final step her office can take toward accountability, years after a state Supreme Court ruling shut down criminal cases against a former governor and eight other people.
INDIANAPOLIS
Indiana to receive at least $300M in settlement with Meta
Indiana Capital Chronicle: The settlement resolves allegations that the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on its social media platforms intended to addict children and teens, as well as claims by 47 states and four territories.
LOUISVILLE
Kentucky farmers and cattlemen decry Trump beef import plan
Louisville Public Media: The Kentucky Farm Bureau and Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association say Trump’s plan to import foreign beef at lower retail prices ahead of the midterm elections will harm the industry and an attempt to rebuild domestic cattle herds.
MILWAUKEE
Wisconsin governor asks Trump administration for federal disaster declaration for July tornado
Wisconsin Public Radio: Gov. Tony Evers has formally requested a disaster declaration from Trump in response to a tornado that ripped through the Fox Valley in late July, the governor’s office announced.
MORGANTOWN
West Virginia University, law enforcement working to prevent sextortion and fraud
West Virginia Public Broadcasting: The reports at WVU follow a national trend so disturbing that Matt Harvey, US Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, has released a Public Service Announcement to warn parents and potential victims.
NASHVILLE
Voices: In a divided Tennessee, Dollywood – and Dolly – shows us who we could be
Eric Patton writes for Tennessee Lookout: The next governor should strive to unite Tennesseans in the way only state icon Dolly Parton does: by making sure we are all fed, breathing clean air and getting access to healthcare.
PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia should do more to help unhoused people during heat waves, advocates say
Philadelphia Public Radio: During the heat wave in early July, the city extended hours at dozens of libraries, rec centers and partner organizations to serve as cooling centers during the day, suspended utility shutoffs and advised residents to use air conditioners due to the “dangerously high heat index values.”
PITTSBURGH
A new database will help Pa. get in front of affordable housing subsidies ending soon
Spotlight PA: In an effort to better monitor the supply of affordable housing, Pennsylvania will create a searchable database of properties that are required to offer discounted rents and track when those requirements expire.
WHEELING
Ohio Valley residents voice concerns over Sen. Jon Husted’s proposed constitutional amendment
WTRF.com: Many of those attending were senior citizens, with demonstrators pointing to Husted’s proposed constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to balance its budget within 10 years.
YOUNGSTOWN
Report alleges Youngstown-native 49ers owner actively solicited sex before arrest
WKBN 27 Youngstown: A report from authorities states 49ers owner John “Jed” York messaged someone he believed to be a prostitute — but was actually a member of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force — numerous times before his arrest.
