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Bowling Green City Commission Preliminarily Approves Unchanged Property Tax Rate and New Public Safety Ordinance

Bowling Green City Commission Preliminarily Approves Unchanged Property Tax Rate and New Public Safety Ordinance

The Bowling Green City Commission has given preliminary approval to an unchanged property tax rate of $0.203 per $100 of assessed value for 2026, maintaining the rate from the previous year. City Manager Jeff Meisel stated that this rate does not increase the tax burden. For a property valued at $100,000, the owner would pay $203 in taxes. Property values are assessed by the Warren County Property Valuation Administrator's office. Additionally, the commissioners granted early approval to a new public safety ordinance that prohibits remaining stationary on city-owned rights-of-way not intended for pedestrian use. This ordinance, sponsored by Commissioner Sue Parrigin, aims to enhance safety on heavily-trafficked roads and requires permits for gatherings in these areas, along with safety equipment like cones or high-visibility vests. An amendment was approved to remove a $20 permit fee, and another amendment clarified that the ordinance would not apply to property owners along major roads.
AP News AP News
Billionaire Leon Black skips Epstein deposition and sues House committee over subpoenas

Billionaire Leon Black skips Epstein deposition and sues House committee over subpoenas

Billionaire investor Leon Black is refusing to appear for a sworn deposition before Congress relating to its investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein
Reuters Reuters
Billionaire Leon Black sues US House committee over Epstein investigation

Billionaire Leon Black sues US House committee over Epstein investigation

By Isla Binnie and Pritam Biswas NEW YORK, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Wall Street billionaire Leon Black on Thursday sued a congressional committee that had ordered him to provide lawmakers with copies of non-disclosure agreements as part of a probe into the activities of the late convicted sex offender
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City of Mobile Ends Private Banner Program Following Competing Ideological Displays

City of Mobile Ends Private Banner Program Following Competing Ideological Displays

The City of Mobile, Alabama, has announced the termination of its private banner program, effective after September. This decision comes after months of controversy stemming from competing messages displayed on city-owned poles downtown. The latest privately funded banners, reading 'National Child Awareness Month - Protect Our Children From Gender Ideology,' were installed along Government Street. These banners were requested by Pathway Church pastor Travis Johnson, following a dispute earlier in the summer over privately funded Pride banners displayed in June. City officials stated that while they are not taking a position on either viewpoint, allowing private groups to use the banner program has become a 'distraction for staff' and diverts focus from their core mission. The 'Protect Our Children From Gender Ideology' banners will remain through September, after which the poles will be exclusively used for official City of Mobile programs, events, and initiatives. The city's media relations manager, Dale ...
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Gates Town Supervisor Addresses Waste Management Service Complaints, Threatens License Revocation

Gates Town Supervisor Addresses Waste Management Service Complaints, Threatens License Revocation

Gates Town Supervisor Cosmo Giunta has addressed numerous complaints from residents regarding Waste Management's trash and recycling collection services. Over the summer, Giunta received multiple calls daily and was tagged on social media by residents reporting missed pickups and accumulating garbage. In response, Giunta met with Waste Management representatives, who attributed the issues to staffing shortages and a six-to-eight-week training period for new hires. While the number of complaints has decreased in recent weeks, some problems, particularly with bulk pickups of items like mattresses and couches, persist. Residents like Marian Sullivan reported going weeks without service and facing difficulties reaching customer service. The Town of Gates and Waste Management have since launched an online portal for reporting missed pickups and scheduling bulk collections. However, Giunta expressed concern over reports that Waste Management is charging customers a $75 cancellation fee, stating that residents sh...
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Battle Creek City Commission to Transition to Four-Year Terms for Mayor and Commissioners by November 2026 Election

Battle Creek City Commission to Transition to Four-Year Terms for Mayor and Commissioners by November 2026 Election

The Battle Creek City Commission is set to undergo a significant change in its electoral structure. As of the November 2026 election, the terms for both the Mayor and City Commissioners will transition from two years to four years. This change is a direct result of a charter amendment that was passed in May 2026. The City Commission, which serves as the legislative body for Battle Creek, is composed of nine elected officials. These include five ward commissioners representing specific geographic districts, three at-large commissioners serving the entire city, and the Mayor, who is elected citywide. Since 2020, voters have elected the Mayor as a separate office. Following each election, commissioners select a Vice Mayor from among themselves to serve a two-year term. The current 2024-2026 Battle Creek City Commission is seated in chambers, with Mayor Mark Behnke leading the body.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Republican Terry Hill will serve as Knox County Commission chair

Republican Terry Hill will serve as Knox County Commission chair

The commission chair doesn't have extra authority but sets the tone of meetings and controls discussion.
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European Training Seminar in Budapest to Strengthen Municipal Youth Participation

European Training Seminar in Budapest to Strengthen Municipal Youth Participation

The 'Why Municipal Youth Participation?' European Training Seminar 2026 is scheduled to take place in Budapest, Hungary, from November 16 to 21, 2026. Organized by the Council of Europe Youth Department in collaboration with the Democracy Reloading Partnership of Erasmus+ national agencies, this international seminar aims to enhance the capacity of local and regional actors in developing and implementing meaningful youth participation policies. The event will bring together 50 participants, including municipal youth policy officers, locally elected political representatives, youth councils, and youth civil society organizations. A major focus of the seminar will be the new European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life, which was revised during 2024–2025 and adopted in 2026. Participants will learn about Council of Europe standards for local youth participation, explore the Democracy Reloading concept and its tools, and visit local examples of municipal youth participation...
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Texas Sues Fort Worth Councilman's Ministry for Nearly $788K in Disallowed Food Program Expenses

Texas Sues Fort Worth Councilman's Ministry for Nearly $788K in Disallowed Food Program Expenses

The State of Texas is seeking approximately $788,000 from Purpose Driven Ministries, a nonprofit led by Fort Worth City Councilmember Chris Nettles. The lawsuit, filed by the Office of the Attorney General on behalf of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), alleges that the ministry claimed disallowed expenses under a federal child nutrition program. An administrative review by the TDA upheld the determination that $787,872.77 in expenses were disallowed, and the ministry's appeal was denied, making the TDA's decision final. The TDA subsequently referred the debt to the Attorney General's Office for collection after the ministry allegedly failed to repay the demanded amount. Councilmember Nettles signed as the director of Purpose Driven Ministries in October 2018, and the ministry was responsible for complying with state and federal requirements for its food programs, including the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Nettles' campaign website and official city council biography state he has owned and op...
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Newton Reorganizes Sustainability Office, Shifts Focus to Implementation Amid Leadership Change

Newton Reorganizes Sustainability Office, Shifts Focus to Implementation Amid Leadership Change

The city of Newton is reorganizing its climate and sustainability office, integrating it into the Department of Public Works (DPW) and re-evaluating its leadership structure. Mayor Marc Laredo's administration announced that Sustainability Co-Chair Ann Berwick would be 'transitioning' out of her role, though Berwick stated she was 'abruptly fired' without a stated reason or discussion about the city's future sustainability plans. This change marks a shift in the city's approach to sustainability, moving from policy development to active implementation and climate adaptation strategies. Newton Chief Operations Officer Josh Morse explained that the reorganization aims to leverage the DPW's extensive resources and infrastructure capabilities to execute climate action plans more effectively. The city has a long history of environmental leadership, dating back to the 1970s with an 'energy engineer' position, and has since expanded its initiatives to include stormwater resiliency and phosphorus reduction program...
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Cedar Rapids Seeks New Contractor for Stalled Road Construction After Shift Companies Abandon Projects

Cedar Rapids Seeks New Contractor for Stalled Road Construction After Shift Companies Abandon Projects

The City of Cedar Rapids is actively searching for a new contractor to complete two unfinished road construction projects that were part of the Paving for Progress program. The previous contractor, Shift Companies, informed the city last month that it would not be able to finish the work. One of the affected projects is on 34th Street SE, and the other is located on the northeast side of town, specifically in the area of Richard Drive and Nancy Jane Lane. City Engineer Ken DeKeyser has confirmed that sufficient work will be done on 34th Street SE to ensure the road remains open throughout the upcoming winter, addressing concerns raised by local residents. A definitive timeline for the completion of these projects by a new contractor has not yet been established.
Springfield News-Leader Springfield News-Leader
Neighborhood Works+ narrows down Springfield improvement projects

Neighborhood Works+ narrows down Springfield improvement projects

Residents across Springfield submitted more than 560 ideas for neighborhood projects in early 2026. Now, 30 have been identified to move forward.