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We've Had Terrible Fires. Why Haven't More Homes Burned?

Sharon McNary

October 31, 2019 |

LAist |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In and around Los Angeles, firefighters have been able to better respond to wildfires because of better equipment and more personnel. With more off-road trucks, fire helicopters, fire engines, and a new supercomputer system, the fires of 2019 have had less of an impact than in past years. But without a formal analysis – including one that takes into consideration external factors like socioeconomic status – it’s hard to concretely understand why there’s been less damage.

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The Navajo Nation is getting addresses, thanks to an open-source mapping program used in urban India

Zak Podmore

October 24, 2019 |

The Salt Lake Tribune |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Navajo Nation, Utah

The Navajo Nation will have the option of having physical addresses with the help of the Rural Utah Project which partnered with Google to implement open-source mapping technology. The technology was successfully implemented in India, where some residents who have never had home addresses were finally able to access government services, create bank accounts and receive mail for the first time. Navajo Nation members approached Google after hearing about the possibility at a conference where the technology was being hailed a success in refugee camps and slums across the world.

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What Baltimore Gets Right about Urban Trees

Christine McLaren

October 17, 2019 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore has become a leader in maintaining and growing the city’s trees by monitoring their health more closely. Using a new mapping technique, city officials can analyze its current tree canopy and see how it affects other city data like temperature, health, and crime. While growing the green space has been slow and revealed areas of income inequality, their successes could be a model for other communities that want to grow their urban forests.

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Building for Real With Digital Blocks

Tina Rosenberg

October 15, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Sweden

To get input on city design plans from citizens without any technical knowledge, some city planners are turning to Minecraft, an easy-to-use computer game that allows users to build in a three dimensional environment. Useful for planning public spaces (rather than designing a building), Minecraft has been adopted by UN Habitat to plan everything from soccer fields in Nairobi to a riverbank in Kosovo.

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How a Silicon Valley Start-up Is Helping Police Get Smarter About Solving Gun Crimes

Alain Stephens

October 15, 2019 |

The Trace |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Forensic Logic, a Silicon Valley startup, has developed a database called the Law Enforcement Analysis Portal (LEAP) that collects, streamlines, and analyzes police data in one, centralized digital portal. With forensic and other law enforcement data often being fragmented and siloed, LEAP gives access to information otherwise unavailable to thousands of police departments.

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Pinterest says AI reduced reported self-harm content by 88%

Kyle Wiggers

October 10, 2019 |

VentureBeat |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Using artificial intelligence, social media companies can quickly identify and reach out to those at risk for self-harm. Pinterest, a San Francisco-based social media company, is employing AI to support its user’s emotional well-being. Those who search for content related to self-harm receive links to support resources thanks to the help of collaborations with groups like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Vibrant Emotional Health. The effort has significantly reduced content related to self-harm on the platform.

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Want To Reduce Suicides? Follow The Data — To Medical Offices, Motels And Even Animal Shelters

Maureen O’Hagan

September 23, 2019 |

Kaiser Health News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Hillsboro, Oregon

To reduce the rate of suicides in Oregon, a Washington County epidemiologist formed an unlikely collaboration with the county's death investigators in order to build a comprehensive pool of data about where and why suicides were taking place. The outcome was a better understanding of prevention tactics that included partnering with "motel clerks and housekeepers, animal shelter workers, pain clinic staffers and more" to teach warning signs and ways to respond.

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How Singapore is reshaping the civil service with robots

Medha Basu

September 04, 2019 |

GovInsider |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Singapore

Automating repetitive tasks allows civil servants to manage often tedious and high-volume workloads. By introducing forms of automated technology that are already common in the public sector, Singapore has updated its government agencies, allowing civil servants to focus on higher-order tasks. Bots help with services such as payroll, emails, and reconciling budgets.

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Upcoming Philadelphia Based App Connects LGBTQ Folks with Informed Affordable Health Care

Laura Smythe

September 04, 2019 |

Philadelphia Gay News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When you're new to a city, finding health practitioners that you trust can be difficult, and it's made even more challenging if you identify as LGBTQ and are looking for queer-competent providers. A new app launching in Philadelphia changes that thought, by acting as a "queer health care 'Yelp.'”

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Tech giants and 2-year colleges are teaming up to teach in-demand skills

Kelly Field

September 04, 2019 |

Education Dive |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

Amazon has developed a cloud computing certificate. It is one of a growing number of technology companies partnering with community colleges and increasingly four year colleges to offer vendor-specific curriculum. But critics don't believe colleges will be able to change coursework as fast as the quickly evolving industry requires and argue that such as an approach is an imposition on academic freedom.

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