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Supreme Court rules on controversial Alaska waters case

Michelle R. Matisons Recreation & Leisure

After 12 years of legal battling, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled in a controversial Alaska public lands case. Sturgeon v. Frost is resolved for now, but this does not mean that the issues of federal vs. state regulations concerning Alaska's public lands, including navigable waterways, are settled. In 2007, the National Park Service confronted moose hunter John Sturgeon for hover-crafting on Alaska’s Nation River. This activity is not allowed by the NPS because of its impact on waterways, and Sturgeon reacted that he had the right to hovercraft there since the waterway is regulated by the state, not the NPS.

Career advice from 8 successful women

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Women's History Month, celebrated every March, recognizes the remarkable achievements and contributions of women. However, it's also an opportunity to inspire and educate other women. So, we asked eight very successful women in various occupations and industries to share their tips and advice with fellow women.

Is paid parental leave worth it for your business?

Mashaal Ryan Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Most Americans would agree that both women and men should have paid parental leave after the birth of a child. About 8 in 10 (82 percent) say mothers should have paid maternity leave, and 69 percent agree about paid paternity leave. But businesses, especially small ones, struggle with the costs of it. Of course, it's all dependent on you and your resources. How would it work? What's the best way that your company can offer this for employees without it cutting into your profit margin?

Trauma training is imperative for K-12 students, employees

Bambi Majumdar Education

A report released by the Lastinger Center for Learning at the University of Florida shows glaring disparities in trauma training for K-12 students and school employees across various districts in Florida. In-depth analysis and mapping patterns of adolescent trauma show how the lack of trauma support can be detrimental for students, families, and districts as a whole. In the 29 districts surveyed, the researchers found that there was no uniform curriculum or training method for district personnel to help children who have experienced trauma.

Healthcare groups: Payers are lagging with prior authorization reform

Scott E. Rupp Healthcare Administration

Prior authorization requirements over the past half-decade have increased and an overwhelming number of physicians say that the practice of seeking them interferes with continuity of care. In fact, more than 85 percent of the physicians asked said the practice impacts them, according to a new survey from the American Medical Association. The survey connected with 1,000 physicians, which found that more than "two-thirds said it's difficult for them to determine whether a prescription or service needs prior authorization."

America may need to rethink how it handles recycling

Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & Environmental

Years of educational programs and campaigns to drive awareness about recycling in the U.S. may be headed for the trash. As it turns out, the waste produced by consumption is overwhelming to the point that recycled materials no longer have a marketplace. According to The Atlantic, much of the recycled material is ending up in the trash. Where was the recycled trash going? China. Tons and tons of it were sent over on ships, with the materials remade into shoes and bags and new plastic products. But that’s changed.

Top US manufacturing cities in surprising locales but still vulnerable

Michelle R. Matisons Manufacturing

What do Wichita, Kansas; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Battle Creek, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; and even Portland, Oregon, all have in common? A new report on U.S. manufacturing jobs by Chicago's Digital Third Coast can answer that. They are all part of a manufacturing shift towards smaller U.S. cities. The report, culled from Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, analyzes 236 cities in four general categories: total manufacturing jobs per 100,000 people; year-over-year growth; median income for the manufacturing industry; and median housing cost. Wichita, Kansas, tops this list.

Has the Department of Education given up on poor kids?

Patrick Gleeson Education

It's no secret that the current administration's highest funding priorities don't include the Department of Education. President Trump signaled as much in choosing Betsy DeVos to head the department. Her views on public schools were well-known long before her appointment and are summarized in her 2015 comment that public schools are "a dead end." For those who feel public schools are worth saving, the department's announcement earlier in March that it was further slashing the education budget after two years of earlier cuts was troubling. The department proposed eliminating 29 programs, by far the largest being the 21st Century Learning Centers that operate in high-poverty areas.

Credit this: Big banks step up loan approvals to small business owners

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Big banks, those with assets of $10 billion or more, are feeling the love for small businesses. Loan approval rates with large banks rose in February versus January, according to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index. "Overall, the cost of capital is relatively low," said Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora, in a statement. "Small businesses are looking to secure funding, and for many companies, recent financial performances have made them creditworthy borrowers." Biz2Credit's monthly research comes from over 1,000 small business credit applications on the firm's online lending platform.

A look at new AI tools being used to fight crime

Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

As crime gets more sophisticated, complex crime-fighting technology is picking up the pace as well. Machine and AI tools are quickly being incorporated into the mix as new weapons in the fight against crime. For example, scientists at the University of Leon in northwest Spain are working with INCIBE, the Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute, to develop a new AI tool for law enforcement work. The new evidence-recognizing tool uses artificial intelligence to identify objects in photographs taken by forensic teams and also searches for links with other crimes.

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