SEATTLE -- A new report outlines how the best protections from natural disasters could come from nature itself. The report, "The Protective Value of Nature" from The National Wildlife Federation and Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, evaluates natural systems such as wetlands and forests, a ...Read More

SEATTLE -- A former Seattle police chief says American policing needs sweeping change. Norm Stamper was head of the Seattle Police Department from 1994 to 2000, including when police cracked down on World Trade Organization protesters in 1999. Stamper says his officers' actions contributed to conf ...Read More

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A civil rights advocate in Oregon warns the country is on a dangerous path toward authoritarianism and away from inclusive democracy. Eric Ward is executive director of the Western States Center, a democracy advocacy group. He says authoritarianism is on the rise around the world ...Read More

AUSTIN, Texas -- The arrival of summer in two weeks means many Americans will head to national parks for rest and relaxation. They may, however, find parks in disrepair - a problem that could be addressed by action in the U.S. Senate this week. The Great American Outdoors Act is a bipartisan bill ...Read More

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The state has expanded absentee ballot voting to all registered voters for the upcoming primary election, and the deadline to request a mail-in ballot is June 15. During a recent AARP Kentucky Tele-Town Hall event, Secretary of State Michael Adams offered insight into why residen ...Read More

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York state lawmakers are expected to act on police reform bills this week, including a repeal of a law that shields police officers' disciplinary records from public scrutiny. Civil rights law 50-a has been on the books for 44 years, but the killing of George Floyd in Minneapol ...Read More

DENVER -- Colorado lawmakers are considering a measure that would shore up the state's reinsurance program and expand access to more affordable health insurance for thousands of Coloradans who are not able to get assistance under the Affordable Care Act. Karla Gonzales Garcia, policy director for ...Read More

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Despite a weekend of peaceful protests in Washington, D.C., over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, civil liberties groups say the presence of unidentified law enforcement officials in the city is causing concern. The Knight First Amendment Institute has called on A ...Read More