ISSUE 152 | April 13, 2022

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From Around the Region and the State Economic and Policy News

White supremacist hate group is recruiting in PA  The number of Pennsylvania residents who are members of the Patriot Front is larger than the share in nearly all other states (second only to Texas). Federal law enforcement reports that their recruiting focuses on patriotism, but actions are indicative of neo-Nazi extremism, racism, and anti-Semitism. They are most active in the southeast region of the state, and responsible for vandalizing a ‘No place for hate’ mural in Boyertown.  Click here to read the full article Telehealth options boost attendance of follow-up appointments  Research from the University of Pennsylvania has concluded that the availability of telemedicine helps reduce racial inequities in care. According to the authors, Black Philadelphians were “much more likely to attend follow up appointments after hospitalization when telehealth was available.” The study found that visits increased by 18 percentage points – to 70 percent from 52 percent during a six-month period in 2020.   Click here to read the full article Racial diversity heightens opportunity and economic impact  According to a PEW Research Center report, Pennsylvania Black population grew 156 percent from 2000 to 2019. The rate is 121 percent in Philadelphia alone, and Pew estimates that this population cohort will double in the US by 2060. Immigrants from Liberia are most dominant, following family members who moved here in earlier decades. Individuals from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, and a number of Caribbean countries (Jamaica and Haiti) comprise the remainder.  Click here to read the full article

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From Around the Nation and the Globe Economic and Policy News

Colorado Springs launches open-access internet  Inequities related to internet access took center stage when the pandemic forced closure of schools and workplaces. Leadership in Colorado Springs addressed this issue by introducing an open-access fiber internet network throughout the city. Fiber lines enable multiple providers to offer services at minimal cost and varied price points for consumers. Click here to read the full article Homelessness in one NJ county reaches functional zero The concept of functional zero pertains to a given area’s ability to quickly house a high-priority population. Bergen County, New Jersey has achieved this status, with just 42 chronically homeless individuals as of the 2021 count. Community Solutions, a national nonprofit, is working to catalogue the data and apply metrics for informed decision-making and effective collaboration. Click here to read the full article Legal drug use site operates in the open in NYC Multiple sites in New York City now enable the safe consumption of illegal substances. These sites are privately funded, and function for the purpose of reducing overdose deaths.  Nonprofit OnPoint NYC operates the facilities, and provides clean needles and other supplies. Click here to read the full article

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