Part two of our ARPA: Helping Missourians Prosper Tour. In this episode we wrap up our trek across the state highlighting grant awards for various ARPA projects. This leg of our journey takes us from southwest Missouri, to St. Louis and finishes in the southeast region.

Episode 22 - DED's ARPA Tour - Part 2

In this week’s episode, host Margaret Walls talks with Victoria Sanders and Molly Robertson. Sanders is a research analyst at the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, and Robertson works at Resources for the Future as a research associate. They discuss a recent report that Sanders and Robertson have published alongside coauthors about the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, a 2019 law in New York State that aims to achieve net-zero emissions and specifies that at least 35 percent of the benefits should go toward disadvantaged communities. Sanders and Robertson describe the role of environmental justice communities and advocacy groups in the development and implementation of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, options for implementing the law, and how these implementation options are projected to affect greenhouse gas emissions and air quality in specific communities.

References and recommendations:

“Prioritizing Justice in New York State Climate Policy: Cleaner Air for Disadvantaged Communities?” by Alan Krupnick, Molly Robertson, Wesley Look, Eddie Bautista, Victoria Sanders, Eunice Ko, Dan Shawhan, Joshua Linn, Miguel Jaller, Narasimha Rao, Miguel Poblete Cazenave, Yang Zhang, Kai Chen, and Pin Wang; https://www.rff.org/publications/reports/environmental-justice-communities-new-york-state-climate-policy-clcpa/

“Broken Ground” podcast; https://brokengroundpodcast.org/

“Never Out of Season: How Having the Food We Want When We Want It Threatens Our Food Supply and Our Future” by Rob Dunn; https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/rob-dunn/never-out-of-season/9780316260695

Climate Policy and Environmental Justice in New York, with Victoria Sanders and Molly Robertson

Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) Executive Director, Jack Scatizzi, discusses the latest from MTC - including its implementation plan, success stories, challenges faced, and more.

Episode 25 - Investing in Missouri's Companies of Tomorrow

Immigration ranks as the second-most important issue among registered U.S. voters and the top issue for Republican voters, according to a Marist Poll/PBS NewsHour/NPR poll released last month. Perhaps that's because of the 3.2 million border encounters documented by Border Patrol in 2023—a new record high that's so far being outpaced this year.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who continues to erect razor wire fencing at the border despite a Supreme Court ruling prohibiting Texas from stopping federal agents from cutting through the barriers, has likely also heightened the salience of the issue for Republican voters. Even politicians in blue cities like New York are calling the influx a problem, with Mayor Eric Adams saying that the arrival of 110,000 asylum seekers over a year and a half would "destroy New York City" as shelters become overwhelmed. 

What do libertarians, traditionally in favor of permissive immigration laws, have to say about this? The truth is, there's a divide. Today's episode of Just Asking Questions features two thinkers on either side of that divide laying out what they each believe is the ideal immigration policy.

Libertarian podcaster and comedian Dave Smith said on the Liberty Lockdown show last month that "all of our troops should come home and be stationed around our borders." He continued saying that "if you believe in open borders right now, under current circumstances, you're an insane person, and you're as bad as a communist."

That sparked a social media firestorm, which included exchanges between Smith and today's other guest, Chris Freiman, a professor at the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University and author of several notable papers about the ethics of immigration. 

Watch the full conversation on Reason's YouTube channel or on the Just Asking Questions podcast feed on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcatcher.

Dave Smith vs. Chris Freiman: What's the Ideal Immigration Policy?

Shari Schenewerk, North Regional Manager for the Regional Engagement Division discusses the latest developments in our state's north region. Shari provides an overview of the area's economic strengths, explains how DED's programs have supported recent business expansions, and more.

Episode 37 - Missouri's North Region

Dan McKeon joins KGFW’s Talk of the Town to discuss his campaign for Nebraska's State Legislature, District 41. With a background in agronomy and deep community ties, Dan shares his perspective on Nebraska's pressing issues, from government overreach and unfunded mandates to the importance of local control and moral leadership. Tune in to hear Dan's vision for a state guided by the people, rooted in the Constitution, and driven by the Golden Rule.

Dan McKeon on KGFW: Nebraska Values, Local Control, and Service-Driven Leadership

We sit down with Doug Hermes, Statewide Planning Coordinator for the Missouri Association of Councils of Government (MACOG). Doug describes MACOG's work, his role, and how both are contributing to economic development statewide in addition to Missouri's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).

Episode 46 - Missouri Association of Councils of Government (MACOG)

With the recent DEI policy changes, changes have also been made to certain areas of Marshall's campus. Listen to Sean's full report to hear all about those changes.

Sean Donovan: DEI changes on campus 3-11-25

This week’s Priorities Podcast is joined by Talita Elizeu, director of partnerships at Govern for America, and Cara Eckholm, the nonprofit’s research director. Elizeu and Eckholm say that a recent report published by the group provides valuable tips for states still early in their adoption of artificial intelligence policies. The report, which includes insights gathered from technology workers in at least 11 states, was itself guided in part by ChatGPT, which the authors used as part of their research into which states have created AI task forces or chief AI officers. “States have a common set of services they offer regardless of where they sit in our very diverse country, and I think there’s a lot states that are just starting on their AI strategy development today can learn from those states that are now two years into it,” Eckholm says.

Top stories this week:

Indiana state agencies on Tuesday warned residents to delete phony emails sent using official state government email addresses. Phishing emails emanating from numerous departments fraudulently informed recipients of unpaid toll fees and warned of financial penalties or vehicle registration holds if they refused to pay.

In a message shared on Truth Social, President Donald Trump last week vowed to end the “unconstitutional” Digital Equity Act, which provides states with funding through a set of programs intended to close the digital divide. The act was enabled by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, under the watch of former President Joe Biden.

Nevada lawmakers are considering legislation that would create a statewide security operations center, offering school districts, local governments and other public offices in the Silver State greater access to cybersecurity services and products.
New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday.
For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,Soundcloud or Spotify.

On AI policy, states can learn from each other

In this week’s episode, host Margaret Walls talks with Jenny Schuetz of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropic foundation where Schuetz serves as vice president of housing infrastructure, and where she focuses her work on expanding and diversifying the supply of housing while addressing issues like affordability and vulnerability to climate risks. Walls and Schuetz discuss the intersection of housing policy and climate change, the growing exposure of US households to climate risks such as wildfires and floods, the gaps in information about hyperlocal climate risks, and policies that can help protect communities from future climate disasters.

References and recommendations:

“How to nudge Americans to reduce their housing exposure to climate risks” by Julia Gill and Jenny Schuetz; https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-to-nudge-americans-to-reduce-their-housing-exposure-to-climate-risks/

“Fixer-Upper: How to Repair America’s Broken Housing Systems” by Jenny Schuetz; https://www.brookings.edu/books/fixer-upper/

“Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity” by Yoni Appelbaum; https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/700580/stuck-by-yoni-appelbaum/

Reducing Climate Risks through Housing Policy, with Jenny Schuetz

Each Wednesday, StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast explores the latest in state and local government technology news and analysis. Listen to in-depth conversations with government and industry’s top executives, and learn about trending stories affecting state and local IT leaders ranging from modernization and digital accessibility to the latest advances in generative artificial intelligence.

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