ISSUE 149 | March 23, 2022

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From Around the Region and the State Economic and Policy News

Biomanufacturing hub funded with $100 million gift The Richard King Mellon Foundation gifted $100 million to the University of Pittsburgh in support of bioresearch and development. A new facility will include wet labs, technical manufacturing capabilities, and incubation space. The 10-year grant is intended to fuel commercialization and generate a new manufacturing sector in the region.  Click here to read the full article Move PGH recognizes mobility as a service Pittsburgh integrated shared transportation with transitional transportation into a single app. Riders can use this software to pay bus fares, carpool, and rent bikes, scooters, mopeds etc. The pilot is connected to the city’s Universal Basic Mobility program, which provides up to 100 residents with monthly transit subscriptions and access to the last mile of transit services.  Click here to read the full article Suicidality screening remains relatively low despite rising risk Deaths by suicide are increasing across the country. In fact, suicide was the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020. Screening tools can identify the risk and divert people to treatment, but they are not widely used among hospitals and health systems.  Click here to read the full article

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From Around the Nation and the Globe Economic and Policy News

U.S. home-based businesses thrive during pandemic Legislation regarding home-based business has become more flexible throughout the pandemic. These changes have been particularly beneficial to women and people of color. The biggest achievement is perhaps the rise of cottage food businesses – whereby people receive licenses to sell food from their homes.  Click here to read the full article Cities take on sidewalk snow removal  Many business owners and homeowners fail to clean their sidewalks in a timely manner after snowfall, which negatively impacts mobility. Cities such as Syracuse and Boston have responded to this issue by identifying pedestrian-heavy areas in their communities and contracting with private businesses to clean sidewalks. Programs are expanding in both areas and the cities are beginning to levy low fees to cover some of the costs.  Click here to read the full article Educators expanding presence in correctional centers Men represent a majority of the country’s inmate population, so investments in educational programs for incarcerated men have been substantial. Northwestern University has expanded its education program to include women, however. Programs in STEM, writing, sociology, and philosophy are delivered online and in person.  Click here to read the full article

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