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Daily Archives: June 3, 2021

Washington DC named best city park system in US

From the Trust for Public Land: “The Trust for Public Land announced today that Washington, DC, ranked 1st on the annual ParkScore® index, improving from last year’s second-place finish. Washington climbed ahead of defending champion Minneapolis, which finished third. Saint Paul placed second and Arlington, VA, finished fourth. Washington performed strongly on all ParkScore rating factors and claimed the top spot based on strong scores for park equity, which was added to the rating system for the first time this year. In the District, 98 percent of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, far exceeding the national ParkScore index average of 75 percent. Residents of Washington neighborhoods where most people identify as Black, Hispanic and Latinx, Indigenous and Native American, or Asian American and Pacific Islander have about equal access to park space as residents of neighborhoods that are predominantly white…”

Google and MIT prove social media can slow the spread of fake news

Fast Company: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the public has been battling a whole other threat: what U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has called a “pandemic of misinformation.” Misleading propaganda and other fake news is easily shareable on social networks, which is threatening public health. As many as one in four adults has claimed they will not… Continue Reading

Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium

“The Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium is a coalition of gun violence researchers and practitioners from seven states and territories that aims to inform policymakers and the public by providing evidence-based, data-driven policy recommendations to disrupt the cycle of firearm-involved homicides, suicides, and injuries. The Consortium approaches the study of gun violence with the belief… Continue Reading

Maryland Is First State to Expand Equitable Access to E-books through Libraries

Association of Research Libraries: “In a win for libraries and their users, Maryland is the first in the nation to enact a state law ensuring that libraries can license e-books and audiobooks under the same terms available to consumers. The new law (Maryland House Bill 518) requires that publishers offer reasonable terms to public libraries… Continue Reading

Key findings: How Americans’ attitudes about climate change differ by generation, party and other factors

“Majorities of Americans say the federal government, businesses and other actors are doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change and express support for a variety of policy approaches aimed at addressing the issue. At the same time, the public has limited appetite for some of the more dramatic proposed changes to energy… Continue Reading

Mobile Technology and Home Broadband 2021

“Smartphone ownership (85%) and home broadband subscriptions (77%) have increased among American adults since 2019 – from 81% and 73% respectively. Though modest, both increases are statistically significant and come at a time when a majority of Americans say the internet has been important to them personally. And 91% of adults report having at least… Continue Reading