Name That Pit Bull (June 29)
The city of Yakima has posted an interesting "game" on their Web site - Name That Pit Bull - that illustrates the difficulty in identifying the Pit Bull Terrier breed. Yakima is one of several cities in Washington that have banned Pit Bulls.

Smart Growth Parking - Best Practices (June 29)
The Maryland Governor's Office of Smart Growth has published Driving Urban Environments: Smart Growth Parking Best Practices ( 500kb), providing an overview of parking strategies that meet the challenges faced by projects in the context of smart growth.

Smart City - Density and Diversity in Development (June 29)
Density and diversity are two key ingredients missing from much of today's development. This week's guests on Smart City™ talk about how some urban designers and real estate developers are reintroducing these concepts back in to city life. More from Smart City.

Conference Announcement - Driving Change and Getting Results (June 29)
Join practitioners from British Columbia, Oregon and Washington for a unique two-day conference on using performance measures and community indicators to achieve desired outcomes (September 13 & 14 at Bellevue, Washington). More from Sustainable Seattle.

Streets Are People Places (June 29)
The first step in winning back our communities is realizing that cars should not rule the roads. More from Making Places.

The Heart of the Matter (June 29)
In the fight against sprawl, it's mixed-use cores to the rescue. More from Planning Magazine.

On the Money - Creating Budgets Based on Targeted Results (June 29)
There's a new money game in town — budgeting for outcomes — and several local and state governments say it has helped them reduce deficits, use revenue more effectively and increase taxpayer confidence. More from American City & County.

Financial Management - Speaking Their Minds (June 29)
Some cities and counties are discovering that involving residents early in the budgeting process can lead to numerous benefits, such as increased public trust. More from American City & County.

Livable Communities Guide for Seniors (June 29)
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) recently published a livable coummunities evaluation guide for seniors and others. More from AARP.

Local Governments Receive Litter Cleanup Money (June 29)
Nine local governments in northwestern Washington will share more than $937,000 in grants to address litter and illegal dumping over the next two years. More from the Washington Department of Ecology.

Branding Your Town for Success (June 21)
The city of Collingswood, New Jersey, is fast becoming a blueprint for success on how to market a town successfully. More from New Jersey Municipalities.

If You Don't Count, Your Park Won't Count (June 21)
Most park managers feel that because they aren’t in the profit business, counting park users is an expense and a headache that they don’t need. This attitude is wrong. More from Parks & Recreation.

Reaching English-as-a-Second-Language Communities (June 21)
Talking with the Police, a program developed by the Monterey Park (CA) Police Department, is designed to help non-native English speakers improve their English skills, learn about the American law enforcement system, and overcome their fear of police. More from The Police Chief.

The 50 Cleanest (and Dirtiest) Cities in America (June 21)
What’s the cleanest big city in the U.S.? How about the dirtiest? Reader’s Digest ranks the 50 largest metro areas in America and how they compare. More from Reader’s Dirgest

Unfunded Mandates Drain Local Coffers (June 21)
The Washington-based U.S. Conference of Mayors and other local associations are drafting new legislation that could potentially give state and local governments greater protection from the long arm of federal law. More from American City & County.

Fresh Approaches to Fund Programs for Children and Youth (June 21)
Many municipalities are scrambling to allocate resources to vital services, including those that impact children and youth. More from Nation’s Cities Weekly.

Smart City – What Makes a City Healthy? (June 21)
This week’s guests on Smart City™ talk about how we improve the economic and physical health of our cities. More from Smart City.

Slow Adoption Restricting Federal eGovernment's Future (June 21)
Citizen adoption of e-government is low and progress has slowed as agency heads, CIOs, and program managers are faced with increasing obstacles to widespread adoption of the Web for government initiatives. More from Government Technology.

Nursing Budgets over Case of High Fuel Cost (June 21)
Many cities and counties budgeted for higher fuel prices this year. Little did they know the average increase would be 42 percent for gasoline and 57 percent for diesel fuel. More from American City & County.

King County Library System Receives Award of Excellence (June 21)
A winning public relations program gave the King County Library System an edge over its challengers in this year's prestigious Silver Anvil Award competition, sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America. More from Government Technology.

State, Local Governments Warm to Open-Source Code (June 21)
State and local governments are giving more consideration to use of open-source code as another way to help relieve continuing budget pressures. More from Government Computer News.

Most Unwired Cities Survey (June 15)
Intel's 3rd Annual "Most Unwired Cities" survey ranks the top 100 U.S. cities and regions for the greatest wireless Internet accessibility. Guess who’s number 1? More from Intel.

Web Sightings - Smart Growth (June 15)
Have you heard about Smart Growth and want to know more? Find out with these links:

• Smart Growth Online - Extensive Web site addressing smart growth news, issues, resources, and principles
• Smart Communities Network - US Department of Energy - Includes menu of information and services on how communities can adopt sustainable development as a strategy for well-being
• Smart Growth - Environmental Protection Agency - Comprehensive site with information by topic, publications, policies, etc.
• Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities - Resource to assist funders and organizations interested in advancing more livable communities through smart growth policies
• Smart Growth/Sprawl - National Resources Defense Council
• What is Smart Growth? - Urban Land Institute
• Smart Growth - Puget Sound Online - Puget Sound Action Team - Useful set of local and national links
• Smart Growth America - Nationwide coalition working towards better choices for communities
• Smart Growth Leadership Institute
• Smart Growth - Washington State Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development - Brochure, discussion papers, and links

The Next Great Urban Crisis (June 15)
If you like disaster stories, then we have a doozy for you. It's a problem so great that Fortune magazine recently described it as "a time bomb quietly ticking away in the netherlands of state and local government." More from Civic Strategies.

Curbing Parking (June 15)
Local zoning laws mandate parking spaces as if empty lots were a virtue. More from Governing.

Affordable Housing - Examples Database (June 15)
In times of economic stress, providing affordable housing becomes both more necessary and more challenging. City leaders have met that challenge by creatively leveraging state, federal, and private funding sources to make the most of community housing resources. More from Nation’s Cities Weekly.

Volunteerism: Leveraging Resources to Enhance Public Safety (June 15)
Facing an increased workload in a resource constrained environment, many law enforcement agencies are turning to volunteers to provide support for and enhancement of their efforts. More from The Police Chief.

New Standards for Voting Equipment in Development (June 15)
When President George W. Bush signed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in October 2002, county officials greeted the new law with a combination of relief and consternation. More from NACo’s County News.

Seattle Fourth in Sustainable U.S. City Rankings (June 15)
Seattle is one of the country’s top ten sustainable cities according to SustainLane’s comprehensive study of sustainable practices in U.S. Cities. More from SustainLane.

State Site Launched to Attract Business (June 15)
The state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development has launched a new Web site, ChooseWashington.com, designed to attract businesses to Washington.

Brownfields - From Polluted Shore to Public Trail (June 15)
So often the murkiness and complexity of contaminated sites make it hard to imagine a happy ending for them, but that’s just what’s happening with a former concrete plant located in Kitsap County. More from Building on Brownfields.

Homeland Security - Homing In (June 15)
Now that local governments have millions of homeland security dollars, they are moving beyond purchasing safety and communications equipment. More from American City & County.

Fleet Management - Fuel for Thought (June 15)
Cost of operation will be the deciding factor when local fleets choose between diesel and alternative fuels. More from American City & County.

Smart City - What's Being Built, Where and Why (June 07)
This week's guests on Smart City™ talk about the latest real estate trends, including what's being built, where and why.

Seattle Telecommunications Taskforce Recommends a Wired Network (June 07)
Seattle's Telecommunications Innovation Task Force recently released a report on how the city can become a "broadband city" by building a citywide fiber optic network. More from the City of Seattle.

King County Takes First Step to Purchase Rail Corridor (June 07)
King County took action recently to secure earnest money for purchasing the 47 mile Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) eastside rail corridor. The County has signed an exclusive agreement with BNSF to negotiate for four months acquisition of the rail corridor. More from King County.

New Emission Standards for County Fleets will Fuel Budget Increases (June 07)
Is your county prepared for the next generation of emission standards? Polk County, Fla. fleet manager gives you the inside scoop. More from NACo's County News.

Bond Measures - Spreading the Word (June 07)
To break through the political advertising clutter and build support for a bond program, cities and counties should consider a grassroots campaign that focuses on how the program will affect residents. More from American City & County.

Snohomish County Set to Canvass for Unlicensed Pets (June 07)
Beginning in mid-June, teams of college students will fan out across the suburbs of unincorporated Snohomish County to conduct a pet ownership and licensing canvass. More from Snohomish County (20kb).

NLC City Showcase Features Programs that Save Money (June 07)
The 2004 City Showcase at The National League of Cities' (NLC) Congress of Cities featured a number of programs that highlighted how cities and towns are streamlining municipal services, improving the exchange of information and saving money. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Public Works - The Invisible Problem (June 07)
The problems may be hidden underground, but sooner or later they will surface. America's water and wastewater systems are crumbling, and there is not enough money to repair them. More from American City & County.

Transportation - Survivor’s Guide (June 07)
It’s federal, state and local governments — not individuals or even companies — that determine if a transportation idea sinks or swims. More from Governing.

Economic Development - The Stimulator (June 07)
President Bush’s proposal to change the way urban grants work raises questions about local economic development that have been ignored for too long. More from Governing.

Cities and Counties in the News (June)
Here are the latest news clippings from around the state highlighting current events, trends and other news affecting Washington city and county governments:

• City wants 'vibrant night life' -- without loud, bad vibes (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 30, 2005)
• Proposal to ban cardrooms fails by a single vote (King County Journal, June 29, 2005)
• Recycling site gets the OK (Skagit Valley Herald, June 29, 2005)
• It's the latest fashion for city's firefighters (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 29, 2005)
• Eyman initiative on audits heads to vote (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 29, 2005)
• Police oversight passes - Tacoma council OKs citizen committee (Tacoma News Tribune, June 29, 2005)
• Thurston joins vote-by-mail club (Tacoma News Tribune, June 29, 2005)
• Equal Housing Laws (Yakima Herald Republic, June 29, 2005)
• Police, court eye new shared facility (Bainbridge Island Review, June 25, 2005)
• Take ’em with you in Auburn - City set to make it illegal to leave children in car with keys in ignition (Tacoma News Tribune, June 20, 2005)
• Tacoma Web site tries to shame derelict-building owners (Tacoma News Tribune, June 20, 2005)
• Got fluoride? Group to ask county commissioners to place it in area water (Skagit Valley Herald, June 20, 2005)
• Lacey officials seek less-dense housing - Proposal requires bigger lots in some zones (The Olympian, June 20, 2005)
• Olympia considers bond for fire station (The Olympian, June 20, 2005)
• Special courts could cut DUI toll, say advocates (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 20, 2005)
Spokane has dubious honor: highest crime rate among state's big cities (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 20, 2005)
• King County seeks volunteers to patrol parks as vandalism becomes frequent (Seattle Times, June 18, 2005)
• Dogs are in line for off-the-leash park (Federal Way Mirror, June 18, 2005)
• Fircrest might get a big-box retail store (Tacoma News Tribune, June 14, 2005)
• Broadway gets OK to hit new heights - Council votes to allow six-story buildings (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 14, 2005)
• Pasco police buy new command center (Tri-City Herald, June 14, 2005)
• Cost increase stalls recycling program (Tacoma News Tribune, June 13, 2005)
• Not in our downtown - Surprise action bans certain businesses (Federal Way Mirror, June 11, 2005)
• Have a latte, build a park (Tacoma News Tribune, June 9, 2005)
• Kirkland kids give input for the perfect playground (Seattle Times, June 8, 2005)
• Program preserves farmland (Seattle Times, June 8, 2005)
• New technology hits street with officers (Seattle Times, June 8, 2005)
• Police taser use issues remain unresolved, report says (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 8, 2005)
• Bill would make it tougher for Wal-Mart in Oregon (Seattle Times, June 3, 2005)
• Public can weigh in on services (The Olympian, June 3, 2005)
• Tax increase should fund law enforcement, AG says (Yakima Herald Republic, June 3, 2005)
• Snohomish County to reorganize departments (Seattle Times, June 2, 2005)
• Land excise-tax fund would pay for trail (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 2, 2005)
• As county grows, mobile homes may have to go (Seattle Times, June 1, 2005)
Council gets pressure to OK more urban land (Seattle Times, June 1, 2005)
• Seattle City Council targets pesticides (Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 1, 2005)

For the Record (June 01)
As governments increasingly rely on electronic information systems, the ability to produce digital records has far outstripped their ability to manage and preserve them, raising difficult new questions about how to maintain a complete account of government activities. More from Government Technology.

Opening the Mail (June 01)
When is an e-mail like a phone call — and when is it a public record or a secret meeting? More from Governing.

The Effectiveness of Urban Containment Regimes (June 01)
More than 100 metropolitan areas across the US attempt to control sprawl through various forms of urban containment. Is it working? Read the full paper (51kb) from the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech.

Law of the Land (June 01)
Voters' challenge to Oregon's stringent land use controls may signal a major shift in the property rights debate nationwide. More from Governing (41kb).

Smart City - Keys to Economic Competitiveness (June 01)
Everybody knows our economy is changing. But what are the real keys today to economic competitiveness? This week's guests on Smart City™ talk about how cities and organizations can succeed economically.

The Manchurian Main Street (June 01)
Are shopping districts inspired by New Urbanism a form of cultural brainwashing? More from Metropolis Magazine.

Does Parole Work? (June 01)
A groundbreaking study shows that parole, a cornerstone of the criminal justice system, does little to dampen rearrest rates. More from the Urban Institute.

Innovative County Ordinances Save Money and Wetlands (June 01)
The nation’s wetlands are disappearing at the alarming rate of 58,500 acres per year. However, counties across the country are taking the lead in protecting these vital resources. More from NACo's County News.

Information Technology - Performance Anxiety (June 01)
When it comes to information technology, states and localities have 21st-century visions but only 20th-century performance practices. More from Governing.

Emergency Preparedness Planning Application for First Responders (June 01)
The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released the Emergency Preparedness Resource Inventory, a new Web-based application to help local, regional and state planners compile customized inventories of health care and emergency resources. More from Government Computer News.