Municipal Equation Podcast

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EP 62: Cities Initiative on Climate Change Aug 16, 2019

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Calling climate change an intimidating issue may be understating it. It's massive, right? Being so global and often pulled into intense debate, climate change may have us individuals feeling helpless against it. But there are local-level approaches for making a difference, and municipal governments are sharing best-practices with one another to that end. We travel to Chapel Hill -- the electric-vehicle capital of North Carolina -- to learn how they are others are leading the charge in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing other environmental impacts as part of a program called the Cities Initiative, which seeks to remove the barriers to sensible policies and practices that could be exactly what the world needs right now. To join or pose questions about the Cities Initiative, email Zach Ambrose at zambrose@ambrosestrategy.com. Cities Initiative overview and consensus action items https://www.dropbox.com/s/u8gb42d1jyzwajm/Cities%20Initiative%20Outcomes.pdf?dl=0 Description of phases 1 and 2 https://deq.nc.gov/energy-climate/climate-change/mitigation/cities-and-towns/cities-initiative Mayor Pam Hemminger, Chapel Hill, North Carolina https://www.townofchapelhill.org/town-hall/mayor-and-council/mayor-council/mayor-pam-hemminger

EP 61: Actual Mask-Wearing Superheroes Jan 30, 2019

Show notes

Superheroes exist. Yes, in real life. Just like in the comics, they wear masks and uniforms, they nab bad guys, and they spread peace across the city. On this episode, we talk to a couple of them, and their stories are absolutely amazing. Thanks to Sgt. Clint Ferguson and Officer Damon Cole for making this happen. Sgt. Clint Ferguson and Deadpool https://www.policeone.com/chiefs-sheriffs/articles/480045006-NC-cop-uses-Marvel-costume-to-connect-with-teens-community/ Officer Damon Cole http://www.heroesandcopsagainstchildhoodcancer.org/what-we-do.html 2020 Census news update https://www.npr.org/2019/01/28/689237309/census-bureau-conducts-massive-recruiting-effort-for-2020-head-count

EP 60: Inside the 2020 Census Jan 03, 2019

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It's one of the biggest federal projects going, and it affects all of us. What do we need to know about the 2020 Census? It's different from any in the past. How private is the information being collected? What's it's used for? And how can we be sure it's accurate? We're joined by the U.S. Census Bureau, the National League of Cities, state government and academics on this, our 60th episode. General 2020 Census info https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census.html 2020 Census questions https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2018/dec/planned-questions-2020-acs.html NLC resource, Cities Count: Preparing for the 2020 Census https://www.nlc.org/resource/cities-count-preparing-for-the-2020-census D. Sunshine Hillygus https://sites.duke.edu/hillygus/ The Hard Count: The Political and Social Challenges of Census Mobilization https://www.russellsage.org/publications/hard-count-0 News story, Census Bureau to Test How Controversial Citizenship Question Affects Responses https://www.npr.org/2018/12/06/674107748/census-bureau-to-test-how-controversial-citizenship-question-affects-responses

EP 59: Street Photography, the City and You Dec 12, 2018

Show notes

After a little downtime, we're back -- and let's pick up with a fun one. On this episode, we continue our quest for ways to better connect with or figure out the city you're in -- whether it's your hometown or a place you've never been before. Here, we're documenting and learning the secrets of the city through street photography, as guided by notables from around the world. Hear from Craig Reilly (Street Photography International co-founder, Olympus ambassador), Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin (celebrated L.A. street photographer focused on the changing city) and Jerome De Perlinghi (career international photographer, Eyes on Main Street Photography Festival curator) on what they're able to extract between curiosity, chance, a walk, and a camera. We hit London, Los Angeles, Wilson (N.C.) and Kuala Lumpur. Craig Reilly https://www.craigreillyphotography.com/ Craig at Street Photography International https://streetphotographyinternational.com/craig-reilly/ Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin http://www.kwasiboydbouldin.com/ Kwasi in the New York Times https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/the-real-hollywood-without-the-glamour/ Jerome De Perlinghi https://jeromedeperlinghi.com/ Eyes on Main Street Photography Festival https://www.eyesonmainstreetwilson.com/#/

EP 58: The Map Is Wrong Oct 29, 2018

Show notes

The FCC's map of broadband availability in the U.S. is a basis for policymaking, funding decisions and planning to close service gaps for communities. But what if we told you that map, as many can testify, is pretty inaccurate? How? Why? What's the fallout, here? As fast internet service increasingly solidifies itself as necessary infrastructure, it's vital we have accurate data to shape our policymaking and funding decisions. So what's going on here? We dig in on this episode. (Stick around, too, as we have updates on past episodes that you guys pitched.) FCC broadband map https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/#/ Doug Dawson's "Pots and Pans" blog https://potsandpansbyccg.com/ Municipal Equation EP 47 "Leaping the Digital Divide" http://municipalequation.libsyn.com/ep-47-leaping-the-digital-divide N.C. Broadband Infrastructure Office https://www.ncbroadband.gov/ NCLM report, "Leaping the Digital Divide" https://www.nclm.org/broadband

EP 57: 'We Can't Arrest Our Way Out of This' Sep 17, 2018

Show notes

A little while back, we began talking with police chiefs for a video series on what they're doing to tackle the surging opioid problem locally -- and sat upright at the different approaches of chiefs Tom Bashore in Nashville, N.C., and Bill Hollingsed in Waynesville, N.C. They're seeing results, even as one of the chiefs said this approach initially was out of his comfort zone. So we made an episode to explain it all, step by step. (This joins with the video series and other resources now available in the N.C. League of Municipalities' Opioid Solutions Toolbox at nclm.org/opioidsolutions.)

EP 56: The Best Food Delivery Ever Sep 04, 2018

Show notes

We revisit the intersection of drones, local government and public need with a trip to Holly Springs, North Carolina, a small town innovating nationally with a pilot project to see commercial food delivery by way of drone. As you can imagine, it's stuffed with logistical and policy questions. Sushi delivery in Iceland https://youtu.be/fPGzv9V3Vcg Holly Springs press release https://www.hollyspringsnc.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=848 Timeline, "Forget self-driving car anxiety: In the early days human drivers were the fear" https://timeline.com/forget-self-driving-car-anxiety-in-the-early-days-human-drivers-were-the-fear-55a770262c10 NCDOT Launches 'First Flight' in Drone Pilot Program https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2018/2018-08-29-drone-program-partnership.aspx Municipal Equation Episode 13, "Drones and Local Government" https://municipalequation.libsyn.com/ep-13-drones-and-local-government

EP 55: Games Over Gangs (Encore) Aug 07, 2018

Show notes

Here's an encore of a favorite: Games Over Gangs. Those dang video games. Can't pull the kids away from them. And there's one city using that to its advantage -- with an innovative partnership that's actually teaching video game development to local youths from a rough neighborhood (yes, they jumped at the offer to become game developers), affording them a break from an anxious environment and setting them up with a sweet professional skill that can open big doors: computer coding, which has tons of (well-paying) applications. On this episode, we meet the program's creators and some impressive kids who are boosting prospects and expressing real-life (and often tough) experiences through the games they create. With, on the host's part, some reminiscing about old-school Sierra games. Show notes Games Over Gangs info and donation site - https://www.gofundme.com/antigang-gaming-programing NCSU Game2Learn Lab - http://eliza.csc.ncsu.edu/people.html Technician (NCSU student newspaper) story - http://www.technicianonline.com/news/article_e926670c-5c50-11e7-82c9-dfe6870c4bb5.html Space Quest III - https://youtu.be/yTZzFN8ilG0 Pulseboy (used to compose some of the oldschool video game music heard in this episode) http://www.pulseboy.com

EP 54: A Day at the Beach (The Wild Intersection of Gov't and Summer Vacation) Jul 23, 2018

Show notes

It's summer, and beach towns all along the coast are each receiving thousands and thousands of visitors from across the U.S. Take Atlantic Beach, N.C., for example. It has a year-round population of about 1,500, but in the summer months that number surges to roughly 50,000. How in the world does such a small community -- with limited staffing and resources -- prepare for that? How can it provide adequate services, like police or even enough public water, amid outsize demand? What's the procedure when someone calls the authorities to report mysterious matter washing ashore? And did you know it's somebody's job there to make sure the beach is still there for tourists? Yes, literally. It's amazing how it all comes together, though we suntanned beneficiaries seldom ever consider it. Let's think back to that classic summer vacation as we hear from a panel of experts in this special live episode of Municipal Equation, recorded with an audience in Atlantic Beach.

Episode 53: Back Into the Alley Jul 10, 2018

Show notes

Muni Replay! Here's one of our most popular episodes. Meanwhile, we're headed to the coast to record a special live episode, which we'll bring you soon! When you think of downtown alleys, what comes to mind? Bad associations, maybe? The place to avoid at night? Ever since childhood, Americans have had the general impression that alleyways are dark, dirty, dangerous -- the right setting for noir crime stories. And that might often be the case. But some U.S. cities are starting to embrace their alleys like assets -- as places to be -- with art, lighting, planters, seating and cleanliness. Inviting spaces that pedestrians can use to cut from block to block. Some alleyway owners even hold weekend events in them. There's a lot you can do to sweep out the bad associations and boost charm and use, if you want to. What could you do with your downtown alleys? You'll hear tons of ideas and considerations on this intercontinental episode. Show notes: Peter Gorman, "A Guide to Value Added Alleys" - https://ced.sog.unc.edu/a-guide-to-value-added-alleys-for-small-towns-and-cities/ Allison Meier, Hyperallergic, "LED Street Art Lights Up a Dark, Dodgy Alley in Philadelphia" - https://hyperallergic.com/320309/led-street-art-lights-up-a-dark-dodgy-alley-in-philadelphia/ Wilson, Artsy Alleys - https://www.ioby.org/project/wilson-artsy-alleys Wilson Times, "Project adds color to downtown alleys" - http://www.wilsontimes.com/stories/project-adds-color-to-downtown-alleys,88759 Shelby Star, "Local scout takes on alley beautification for Eagle Scout Project" - http://www.shelbystar.com/news/20170206/local-scout-takes-on-alley-beautification-for-eagle-scout-project "Alleys in Urban Design: History and Application" - http://www.canin.com/alleys-in-urban-design-history-application/ Public art episode followups (thanks for sending these!): Monroe, La., News Star "'Wish you were here'! Artists paint postcard-style murals in the Twin Cities," http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2017/07/06/greetings-twin-cities-artists-paint-postcard-style-murals-monroe-west-monroe/452275001/ Wilmington, N.C., Star-News, "Public art in New Hanover Co. spurs both aesthetic and economic activity, backers say" - http://www.starnewsonline.com/entertainment/20170707/public-art-in-new-hanover-co-spurs-both-aesthetic-and-economic-activity-backers-say Durham, N.C., Herald-Sun, "New public art in Durham coming to a corner near you?" http://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article160722269.html And some vintage stranger-danger vids: "Don't Talk to Strangers" - https://youtu.be/jCJRaLWitTc "Dangerous Stranger" - https://youtu.be/eAy2oTIZ38g "Never Be A Victim" - https://youtu.be/t21QskbOl9Y

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