Jobs: Baby boomers, older workers may block millennials' careers

There’s a multigenerational traffic jam on the upper rungs of America’s career ladder.

As more baby boomers put off retirement, millennials and Gen Xers are finding it harder to move up into middle- and higher-level jobs, according to a USA TODAY/LinkedIn survey and interviews with recruiters.

Partly as a result, many younger workers are job-hopping as they seek bigger titles and higher pay. That’s making it tougher for companies to hold onto promising employees and hurting their businesses in some cases, the survey shows.

“This is the first time ever that five different generations are in America’s workforce at the same time, from Gen Zers up to baby boomers,” says LinkedIn career expert Blair Decembrele. “It’s no surprise that there are some growing pains.”

To be sure, boomers (age 54-74) bring knowledge and experienceto the workplace, and many companies are trying to coax them into staying on as they struggle to find workers amid unemployment that’s at a 50-year low. Yet their prevalence in the labor force is tamping down the economy’s overall productivity, according to a study by Moody's Analytics. That's likely because of their reluctance to adopt new technology, the study says. .

Forty-one percent of millennials – and 30% of all adults – said they’ve found it difficult to move up in their fields because boomers are waiting longer to retire, according to a USA TODAY/LinkedIn survey of 1,019 working professionals in September.

“That’s what I’m hearing a lot,” says Jeanne Branthover, co-head and managing partner of executive search firm DHR International’s New York office. Job seekers “are happy with the company but they’re being blocked by the person above them."

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Nearly a quarter of workers surveyed by USA TODAY/LinkedIn changed jobs in the last 12 months and 30% are planning to do so in the next year. A survey by Jobvite, a recruiting site, found that 61% of employees rank career growth opportunities as the top factor when seeking a new job.

Lauren Jablonski, 36, of Franklin Square, New York, worked as a substitute teacher and teacher’s aide at a Long Island elementary school for a couple of years. Although she has a Master’s in education, she couldn’t get promoted because teachers in their 50s with tenure had no plans to retire.

“It was extremely frustrating when you get to work every day and you’re giving it your all and you still can’t get to that next level,” Jablonski says. She left teaching several years ago and since has worked as a marketing manager, editor and martial arts instructor.

Silvia Fabela, 35, who lives in Washington D.C., loved her two jobs promoting workers’ rights at unions for nine years. She left to work at a nonprofit a couple of years ago to broaden her experience, but also because there was limited opportunity for a promotion at the unions over the longer term, though she’s open to returning to the field at some point. The median age of workers at labor union offices is 51.4, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Noting that millennials (ages 24-38) get blamed for not spending more to bolster the economy, she says, “We’re not getting promoted and not making enough money.”

Boomers living, working longer

Workers age 55 and over have comprised an eye-popping 56% of all job gains so far this year, with those 65 and over making up the lion’s share of that figure, according to BLS. In November, 20.6% of Americans 65 and older were working or looking for jobs, up from 12.4% in November 1999 and the largest portion in that month since 1960. While some of those were returning to the workforce after hanging it up, many simply have put off retirement, says Susan Weinstock, vice president of financial resiliency for AARP, a nonprofit that lobbies for the interests of middle-aged and elderly people.

More than half of all U.S. workers plan to work past 65 or not retire at all, according to a survey last year by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.

Boomers can toil longer because they’re healthier and need to finance longer lifespans, Weinstock says. Many saw their 401(k) investments hammered by the Great Recession of 2007-09 or had to take lower-paying jobs after getting laid off.

Millennials, meanwhile, “have very high expectations” for how quickly they’ll get promoted," says Brad Harrington, head of the Boston College Center for Work and Family. “Those two things are colliding – a short time horizon for millennials and long lives for baby boomers."

Marc LeVine, 63, of Freehold, New Jersey, depleted his savings and 401(k) accounts when sales at his staffing business plummeted during the recession. When he finally got a full-time job in 2014, the salary was 36% lower than his prior income.

Besides replenishing his nest egg, “I enjoy what I do. I don’t know what I would do being retired,” says LeVine, who is now a recruiter for Thermo Systems, a company that makes industrial control systems.

LeVine says he plans to work well into his 70s and doesn’t feel guilty about taking up a spot that might otherwise be filled by a millennial or Gen Xer (ages 39-53). “We all have to make a living,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “Want our jobs? You’ll have to beat us at our game!”

Companies such as Brooks Brothers value long-serving employees and are accommodating them with flexible schedules as they struggle to find qualified job candidates.

“Older workers have wisdom to bring to the table,” says Steve Hatfield, global future of work leader for consulting firm Deloitte.

And Weinstock of AARP says boomers have the “soft skills” employers are seeking. “They’re calm under pressure. They’re problem solvers. They listen better.”

Are boomers hurting the economy?

Yet a Moody’s study this year found that older workers are broadly hurting productivity, or output per labor hour, and thus the economy. Based on data from payroll processor ADP, Moody’s found that from 2013 to 2016, the greater a company’s share of workers 65 and older, the lower its wages and wage growth. Since pay increases are closely correlated with productivity growth, Moody’s concluded that older workforces curtail productivity increases. That’s likely because boomers are more resistant to productivity-enhancing technology, the report said.

Such technology includes Slack, the work collaboration tool, artificial intelligence and accounting software, says Ian Siegel, CEO of ZipRecruiter, a top job site. The effects may be more pronounced if older workers are managers in charge of ordering technology, says Moody’s Chief Economist Mark Zandi.

A study by Upwork, the online freelancing platform, found that millennial and Gen Z managers are more than twice as likely as boomers to invest in technology to support a remote workforce.

“Boomers are limiting the ability of millennials and Gen Xers to achieve their (and the economy’s) potential,” Zandi says. Noting that productivity has increased an average 1% a year since the recession, down from 2% the prior decade, Zandi estimates the aging workforce can be blamed for about half the decline.

Some experts are skeptical that boomers are blocking the ascent of millennials. A Stanford University study found that increasing the number of older workers doesn’t hurt the employment or wages of younger people. Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist of Glassdoor, says younger workers may be stymied by boomers at their offices but can find opportunities at other firms. And Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the Wharton School, says only about a third of openings are filled internally anyway, down from about 90% in the 1970s.

Boomers, millennials, side by side

Experts say a multigenerational workforce can boost productivity if properly leveraged. Some companies are splitting C-suite jobs in two, giving younger employees some of the duties in a sort of half-step promotion so they won't leave, Branthover says.

Others have started mentoring programs that encourage boomers to impart their knowledge to younger workers while millennials show older workers how to use new technology, says Julia Kennedy, executive vice president of the Center for Talent Innovation. Millennials who learn skills from higher-level boomers that enhance their value and help them eventually get promoted are “less likely to resent that person” and more willing to stay on, Kennedy says.

A growing number of firms are also jettisoning or minimizing traditional corporate hierarchies in favor of horizontal tracks that encourage employees to work in teams and rotate through different roles, says Hatfield of Deloitte. Eventually, those workers, armed with more diverse skills, can choose among various career ladders.

Virginia-based Newport News Shipbuilding, which makes nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the Navy, is using both strategies to get the most out of a workforce of 25,000, 42% of whom are millennials; 25%, boomers; and 24% Gen Xers. A couple of years ago, the company switched from paper blueprints to digital ones on tablets. Some boomers struggled with the new system and started pairing up with tech-savvy millennials.

The company, a unit of Huntington Ingalls Industries, formalized the mentoring program and encouraged boomers to pass along their decades of knowledge to younger colleagues.

“Older workers have been reinvigorated,” says Susan Jacobs, company vice president of human resources. “And the young people are learning faster.”

The shipbuilder also plucks some veteran managers from front-line positions to chronicle their know-how for less experienced workers through videos or papers, opening up those jobs for millennials and Gen Xers. And it allows white-collar workers to rotate among departments such as accounting, design and human resources, preparing them for higher-level spots.

The share of workers leaving the company has fallen from 9.1% in 2018 to an annual rate of 6.3% so far this year.

“We’re going to need (younger workers) to move into leadership roles,” Jacobs says.

USA TODAY and LinkedIn have collaborated on a survey that has uncovered trends in hiring, managing and promoting U.S. employees. This story is the second in a series. The first published on Oct. 20.

Police spending: What the biggest US cities spend on law enforcement

Carl Sullivan and Carla Baranauckas

24/7 Wall Street

Protesters have taken to the streets across the country in the last month demanding that cities “defund the police” and re-examine use-of-force policies.

The demonstrations, most of them peaceful, were sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for eight minutes 46 seconds as the African American man pleaded, “I can’t breathe.”

The protests also invoked the names of other Black people who have been killed by police, among them:

Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician who was at home asleep when police carried out a “no knock” warrant and shot her eight times. Atatiana Jefferson, a pre-med graduate student who was shot as she was babysitting her 8-year-old nephew in her mother’s home. Botham Jean, an accountant who was fatally shot as he was eating ice cream in his apartment by an off-duty police officer who said she mistakenly thought it was her apartment. Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy who was fatally shot in a park after someone reported that he had a gun. It was a BB gun. Eric Garner, a Staten Island man who died after a police officer put him in a chokehold. Garner repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe.”

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As discussions and debates center on how much money should be allocated for police departments, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed law-enforcement spending in the 50 most populous U.S. cities.

Total police budgets range from just over $100 million a year (Virginia Beach, Virginia) to $5 billion a year (New York City).

Police department appropriations generally account for the largest share of the budget in 35 of the 50 largest cities. But it’s difficult to draw meaningful comparisons between cities because they use wildly different budgeting mechanisms. For example, the huge Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department budget, $656 million, is funded not only by the city of Las Vegas. Clark County also puts in a significant amount. And there’s an allocated property tax exclusively for funding cops.

In other cities, police departments are funded entirely by the city government. But when comparing the breakdown of city budgets, it’s important to remember that some city governments fund big budget items, like education and health services. In other jurisdictions, those line items are funded outside of the city budget.

In many cities, the largest portion of the police budget is used to cover salaries, benefits, and overtime for officers and civilian employees. Yet police chiefs and city officials often say police pay is inadequate. In 2019, the median pay for a police officer in the United States was $65,170, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Officials’ response to the protests demanding cuts in police spending have varied. In Tucson, Arizona, the city council has delayed a vote on the 2021 budget so more residents can be heard. In Virginia Beach, Mayor Bobby Dyer wrote an Op-Ed article in The Virginian-Pilot saying: “Defund the police? No way.”

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the mayor has announced that the city will create a new community safety department that will use unarmed social workers, housing and homelessness specialists, and violence prevention coordinators to respond to nonemergency situations.

And in some cities, like Philadelphia, Dallas, and Long Beach, California, police cutbacks are coming in any case because of budget shortfalls related to the coronavirus pandemic.

To identify the police departments with the largest budgets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the approved police department budgets in each of the 50 most populous cities in the United States for the latest fiscal year that was available. To compare cities, we ranked each city's police budget as a percentage of its total operating budget. In some cities, like New York and Chicago, the public school system is included in the city budget. In others, like Los Angeles, it is not.

We excluded capital budgets.

Police spending in largest US cities

New Orleans, Louisiana

• Population, 2018: 391,006

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 17.1% (22nd largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $194 million (13th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.13 billion (11th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 373 (31st highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1457 (1,209 officers, 248 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,163 (24th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Protesters have called for defunding the police department but that would be particularly complicated in New Orleans. In 2013, the New Orleans Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice entered into a consent decree after an investigation into an alleged pattern of civil rights violations found unconstitutional conduct by the New Orleans Police Department. Operating under a federal monitor, the consent decree forced the police department to do what it was unable to do under local oversight.

The police department gets the biggest chunk of the city budget – $194 million compared with $56 million for community development. Once ranked the most corrupt in the nation, the NOPD "has, against all odds, become a pioneer in humanistic policing," The Christian Science Monitor wrote last year. The department's Ethical Policing Is Courageous (EPIC) peer intervention program has won praise. It allows lower ranking officers to confront high ranking ones about their actions without fear of retaliation.

Tampa, Florida

• Population, 2018: 392,905

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 15.6% (24th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $163 million (9th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.04 billion (7th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 307 (78th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,206 (946 officers, 260 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 407 (239th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Tampa recently put a hold on a plan to buy body cameras for all of Tampa's uniformed police officers up to the rank of corporal because of financial constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the city is refinancing bond obligations and will use a portion of the proceeds to purchase 650 cameras. The aim of the body camera program is to enhance transparency and trust, Mayor Jane Castor said, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Arlington, Texas

• Population, 2018: 398,122

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 21.4% (10th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $118 million (3rd smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $552.06 million (the smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 219 (210th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 871 (673 officers, 198 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 445 (214th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The Arlington Police Department is one of 15 police departments in the country the U.S. Department of Justice recognized for building trust and working with the community. Even in a community where the community-police relations are supposedly good, large protests formed in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. In one instance, the Arlington Police Department was damaged and several stores reported break ins. The chaos in the streets was followed by a gathering of the Arlington Clergy and Police Partnership, where prayers were offered for protesters, police officers, and the family of George Floyd.

The city is conducting a national search for a new chief of police. Former Chief Will Johnson announced his retirement in April, effective in June. He was on the police force for 23 years, seven of them as chief.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

• Population, 2018: 401,112

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 14.8% (21st smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $123 million (4th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $828.50 million (5th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 246 (161st highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 987 (807 officers, 180 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,065 (31st highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The Tulsa City Council approved an $876,000 increase in the police budget for 2021, even though the overall city budget is being cut by about 3%. About two dozen members of the public commented about the police budget, with two-thirds urging cuts and one-third favoring an increase, The Tulsa World reported. "Industry and the economy have been crippled by a pandemic while society continues to struggle against racism," Council Chair Ben Kimbro said, according to local TV station KOTV. "But the budget is not just a seasonal effort, it requires hard work and diligence throughout the year." No money was allocated to run a city agency to monitor Police Department activities and policies. Last year, the city budgeted $246,000 for an Office of the Independent Monitor but never spent it.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Population, 2018: 425,395

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 12.6% (15th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $193 million (12th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.54 billion (20th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 244 (163rd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,037 (849 officers, 188 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 793 (77th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer has put the City of Lakes at the center of the nationwide debate on disbanding or defunding police departments. Nine out of 13 Minneapolis City Council members, a veto-proof majority, have voiced support for dismantling the police department. How that would be implemented has yet to be decided. But the debate on police funding was going on long before the Floyd killing. In November, Mayor Jacob Frey's proposal to add 14 police officers to the force was met with resistance from some council members who wanted the money to be directed to other areas of public safety. Other council members contended that the police force needed to add more officers.

Oakland, California

• Population, 2018: 429,114

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 20.0% (13th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $330 million (22nd largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.65 billion (24th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 235 (176th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,010 (731 officers, 279 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,274 (19th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

City Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas has called for the diversion of $25 million from the $330 million police budget to community programs, like jobs and housing, local news outlet KRON television reported. In a tweet last week she said: "In the past week, Alameda, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and other cities have proposed or pledged to reduce police resources and invest more in community. It's time, Oakland."

Interim Police Chief Susan Manheimer has responded that the department gets 28,000 calls a month and asked where the cuts would be made. She added that many civilian employees who respond to such things as mental health calls will not go to the scene without a police escort.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

• Population, 2018: 450,189

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 8.7% (5th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $107 million (the smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.23 billion (16th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 212 (237th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 953 (778 officers, 175 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 117 (482nd highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Virginia Beach spends some 8.7% of its budget on police funds. Following the recent calls for defunding the police, Mayor Bobby Dyer argued in an Op-Ed article in The Virginian-Pilot that, instead of cutting, he'd rather increase police budget to raise officers' pay, fund body cameras, and increase training. He also noted that the city was the site of a mass shooting at the municipal center in which 12 people were killed. Many residents want the city to rethink the role of the police. The Virginia Beach Interdenominational Ministers Conference has been pushing since 2016 for more racial diversity on the police force and for a racially diverse volunteer Citizens Review Board to examine complaints.

Long Beach, California

• Population, 2018: 467,353

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 9.4% (8th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $264 million (21st smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $2.80 billion (15th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 249 (156th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,164 (824 officers, 340 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 698 (106th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Over the last decade, the budget for the Long Beach Police Department has increased by more than 30%, according to budget documents on the city's website. In the current fiscal year, police department spending accounts for more than 43% of the city's discretionary spending, according to The Long Beach Business Journal. The majority of the police department's budget goes to salaries, benefits, and overtime of about 800 officers and 400 civilians, the Journal said.

The city's fiscal year begins in October, and protesters have called for cutting police spending in the next budget. City officials say budget cuts are coming – the reason is the coronavirus pandemic – and cuts will not be even across departments. City Manager Tom Modica has asked public safety departments for cuts of 0% to 3.5%, while other departments have been asked for cuts up to 12%, the Long Island Business Journal said.

Omaha, Nebraska

• Population, 2018: 468,267

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 14.3% (19th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $160 million (8th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.12 billion (10th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 217 (221st highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,016 (879 officers, 137 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 560 (153rd highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Omaha city officials say they have been inundated with thousands of emails urging them to divert money from the police department "to departments which directly benefit the people of Omaha," as one message puts it. Councilwoman Aimee Melton told local television station KETV that she had received thousands of emails with the same wording. Councilmember Ben Gray and Anthony Conner, president of the Omaha Police Officers Association, say defunding is unnecessary. Gray pointed to 2019, when the only time officers fired their guns was on Dec. 31, killing a man. Conner told local news outlet KMTV that he and the police chief were already discussing limiting chokeholds.

Raleigh, North Carolina

• Population, 2018: 470,509

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 11.1% (11th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $112 million (2nd smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.01 billion (6th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 182 (321st highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 855 (732 officers, 123 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: No data

Before the Raleigh City Council approved the 2021 budget, a request was made to increase the proposed appropriation for the police department by $2.8 million. The money would have paid for 28 additional employees in the police department. The request was not approved, although the police budget was not cut. City Councilman Patrick Buffkin said an opportunity had been missed. "I think it would improve policing by hiring social workers and homeless support specialists, along with animal control units," Buffkin said, according to local news outlet WRAL.

Miami, Florida

• Population, 2018: 470,911

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 23.4% (7th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $266 million (22nd smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.14 billion (12th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 370 (36th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,741 (1,309 officers, 432 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 630 (126th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The coronavirus pandemic had already put a strain on most governmental budgets across the country. Then nationwide protests against police brutality following George Floyd's killing by a Minneapolis police officer required local police departments to spend additional money on overtime. The Miami Police Department has spent more than $1.8 million on police overtime because of the protests, a spokesperson tells Axios. Meanwhile, protesters are encouraging county officials to redirect money from the police department to social services.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

• Population, 2018: 472,666

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 20.6% (12th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $141 million (5th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $682.07 million (2nd smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 211 (243rd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 995 (702 officers, 293 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 555 (155th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Mayor John Suthers set a goal of hiring 120 additional police officers by 2022 when the 2020 budget was proposed in October 2019. Economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the city to implement a hiring freeze and cut $20 million from its capital budget. Across-the-board wage cuts may also be a possibility. Despite calls from protesters to "defund the police" and the financial challenges, the mayor said, "I'm still trying pursuant to our goal of adding 120 police officers, 32 firefighters by 2022. I still have every hope in the world of doing that."

Kansas City, Missouri

• Population, 2018: 491,809

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 15.4% (25th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $273 million (24th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.77 billion (25th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 370 (34th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,819 (1,299 officers, 520 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,590 (7th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Kansas City officials have asked the police department to cut $10 million from its budget, local news outlet KCTV reports. Acting City Manager Earnest Rouse said in a letter to all city department heads that budget cuts of about 4.5% would be needed from every department because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect reducing city revenue. A $10 million budget cut could result in the loss of 212 positions, the police department said. Meanwhile, protesters in Kansas City have called for defunding the police, saying that money would be better spent on education, safety, and health.

Atlanta, Georgia

• Population, 2018: 498,073

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 9.3% (7th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $205 million (16th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $2.20 billion (20th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 399 (22nd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,987 (1,535 officers, 452 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 769 (80th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

As city officials consider the budget for fiscal year 2021, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says she will not defund the police department. Instead, she said, she will divert money from the Department of Corrections to social services. The mayor intends to reduce the $19 million proposed corrections budget to $4 million, according to local news outlet WABE. The money cut will be redirected to the Office of Constituent Services.

Sacramento, California

• Population, 2018: 508,517

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 13.6% (16th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $158 million (6th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.16 billion (13th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 186 (302nd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 948 (651 officers, 297 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 657 (117th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Debate on police funding in Sacramento centers on how proceeds from the Measure U sales tax are being used. The city's 1-cent sales tax, which took effect on April 1, 2019, was approved in a ballot measure in 2018. Legally, the money can be used for any core city service, but the sales tax was presented to voters as a means to support "inclusive economic development projects" and to uplift underserved neighborhoods, according to The Sacramento Bee. Now, because of economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, $45.7 million from the sales tax is slated to go to the police department. Some community activists say the police department's budget should be cut by up to $50 million.

Mesa, Arizona

• Population, 2018: 508,979

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 10.6% (10th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $202 million (15th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.91 billion (23rd largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 236 (174th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,202 (779 officers, 423 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 364 (282nd highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The Mesa City Council adopted a 2021 budget in May that raises police spending by $8.5 million, according to budget documents. In June, hundreds of demonstrators marched to police headquarters, demanding de-escalation training and a smaller police budget. Among the protesters was Laney Sweet, the widow of Daniel Shaver, who in 2016 was fatally shot by police while on a business trip to Mesa. His last words were reportedly: "Please, don't shoot me. Yes, sir." Both Shaver and Police Officer Philip Brailsford were white. Brailsford was fired, later reinstated then retired with a $31,000 a year pension. The incident was not the only one in recent years where the Mesa police use of force had been questioned, and the FBI had launched an investigation into these incidents in 2018.

Fresno, California

• Population, 2018: 530,073

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 17.0% (23rd largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $202 million (14th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.19 billion (14th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 201 (275th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,063 (811 officers, 252 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 555 (156th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The Fresno City Council's budget hearing, held via Zoom, had more than 100 members of the public commenting on the police budget, the Fresno Bee reported. Almost everyone urged the council to cut police spending and redirect money to other city services. Many people asked why the police respond to every 911 call, even ones that do not involve crime. Questions were raised about whether social workers would be more appropriate responders for situations involving people who are homeless or mentally ill. Police Chief Andy Hall said his department receives 1,200 emergency calls per day and 1,500 to 1,700 for non-emergencies.

Tucson, Arizona

• Population, 2018: 545,987

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 12.4% (14th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $193 million (11th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.56 billion (22nd smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 186 (303rd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,015 (807 officers, 208 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 737 (92nd highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The Tucson City Council has delayed action on its 2021 budget so it can hear more comments from members of the community, particularly related to the proposed police budget, The Arizona Republic reported. Protests in Tucson after the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis have raised questions about police policies and tactics. The use of full riot gear and tear gas by Tucson police during protests has sparked criticism among residents. The council has been urged to move money from the police department to social services.

"It's vital right now for you all, as our representatives, to reflect on the extent to which the militarized and violent culture of law enforcement is directly tied to the exorbitant amount of funding that they receive from bodies like our City Council," Paco Cantu, a former U.S. Border Patrol agent, said at a recent live-streamed meeting, according to the newspaper.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Population, 2018: 560,234

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 18.9% (15th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $210 million (17th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.11 billion (9th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: N/A

• Total law enforcement employees: N/A

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,365 (14th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller announced in June that the city is creating a new public safety department that will respond to nonemergency calls, like inebriation, homelessness, addiction, and mental health, The Washington Post reported. The department, called Albuquerque Community Safety, will employ unarmed social workers, housing and homelessness specialists, and violence prevention coordinators.

Albuquerque spends more than $300 million on public safety, two-thirds of which goes to the police department, The Post said. Police Chief Mike Geier said officers were "relieved" that some of their calls would become the responsibility of the new department. A federal monitor has been reviewing police operations since 2014 because of what the Department of Justice called "a culture of aggression."

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Population, 2018: 592,002

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 18.5% (17th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $297 million (24th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.61 billion (23rd smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 389 (25th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,305 (1,851 officers, 454 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,413 (11th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The Milwaukee Common Council is looking into a 10% reduction in the police budget, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Eleven of the council's 15 members have signed on to legislation directing the city's budget director to create a draft budget for 2021 with the 10% cut. The lead sponsor of the measure, Alderman José Pérez, said the proposal was a response to protesters who have demanded change in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing by a Minneapolis police officer. The 2020 police budget of $297.4 million is by far the largest departmental budget in the city.

Baltimore, Maryland

• Population, 2018: 602,495

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 18.3% (18th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $536 million (11th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $2.93 billion (14th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 487 (8th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,935 (2,488 officers, 447 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,833 (4th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The Baltimore City Council voted to cut $22 million from the police budget in 2021, The Baltimore Sun reported. The mounted unit and the marine unit will be eliminated. The plan also calls for cutting the 2020 overtime spending of $40 million to $26 million in 2021. The police department had proposed a $7 million cut in overtime, but the council increased that to $14 million. Even with the cuts, Baltimore's police budget will be about half a billion dollars.

Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), Kentucky

• Population, 2018: 620,149

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 25.2% (6th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $190 million (10th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $752.48 million (4th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 248 (157th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,538 (1,246 officers, 292 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: No data

The Louisville Metro Police Department has been the focus of protests calling for officials to defund the police because of the killing of Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician who was shot eight times in her apartment as the police carried out a "no knock" warrant. Government officials, however, said they will not significantly decrease the amount of money spent on law enforcement, the Louisville Courier Journal reported.

Las Vegas, Nevada

• Population, 2018: 644,664

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 44.9% (the largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $656 million (8th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.46 billion (17th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: N/A

• Total law enforcement employees: N/A

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: No data

Confronting a potential $147 million budget shortfall over the next 16 months, Las Vegas recently cut its general fund budget for the next fiscal year by $124 million. To save money, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department laid off some part-time workers and its mounted patrol unit. The department's long-term goal of providing two officers per every 1,000 residents could be in jeopardy due to the budget crunch.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

• Population, 2018: 649,410

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 13.6% (17th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $226 million (18th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.66 billion (25th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 213 (236th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,382 (1,102 officers, 280 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 867 (60th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

In a tale of two cities, Oklahoma City and neighboring Norman responded differently to calls for defunding the police. While smaller Norman voted to cut $865,000 from its police budget in the next fiscal year, Oklahoma City Council approved its new budget without any cuts to police. Still, to save costs in a time of declining revenues, the budget reflects that 34 vacant police positions will go unfilled.

Memphis, Tennessee

• Population, 2018: 650,632

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 38.3% (2nd largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $273 million (23rd smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $711.56 million (3rd smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 400 (21st highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,605 (1,995 officers, 610 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,943 (2nd highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland supports expansion of education and community programs, but not at the expense of the police department. He recently said law enforcement needs more officers who are better paid and better trained. In mid-June, a group of protesters camped out in front of City Hall. They pushed for the reallocation of some police funds and for the adoption of the "8 Can't Wait" policies, which include de-escalation techniques and comprehensive reporting.

Portland, Oregon

• Population, 2018: 652,573

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 4.4% (2nd smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $245 million (19th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $5.52 billion (7th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 180 (329th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,177 (922 officers, 255 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 520 (170th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The city of Portland's new budget slashes its police budget by $15 million, which will result in the loss of about 84 positions. Some activists had been demanding a cut of $50 million. Before protests erupted after the killing of George Floyd, the city's budget had called for a $3 million increase in police funding. Prior to voting on the budget, the city council heard from hundreds of citizens pushing for reallocating some law enforcement funds.

Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), Tennessee

• Population, 2018: 665,498

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 11.8% (13th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $289 million (25th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $2.45 billion (18th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 264 (120th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,757 (1,435 officers, 322 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,113 (27th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Taking effect July 1, Nashville's new budget increases police spending by about $2.6 million. The additional funds will be used to hire 48 new recruits. One city council member's proposal to slash the police budget in half did not get much support. This year's budget includes $2.1 million to buy body cameras for all officers. Advocates say cameras are an essential tool for monitoring police behavior.

Detroit, Michigan

• Population, 2018: 672,681

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 15.1% (23rd smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $317 million (23rd largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $2.10 billion (21st largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 449 (13th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 3,019 (2,398 officers, 621 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 2,008 (the highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

While Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer does not support "defunding" the state's police departments, she would like to see more investments in health care, schools, and transportation. In Detroit, Police Chief James Craig is supportive of this idea but not at the expense of cops. He pointed out that his department struggled to do its job during the city's bankruptcy period of 2013-2014 that forced budget cuts.

El Paso, Texas

• Population, 2018: 682,686

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 15.1% (22nd smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $158 million (7th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.05 billion (8th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 196 (280th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,341 (1,103 officers, 238 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 371 (275th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

El Paso police faced criticism after using tear gas and non-lethal rounds to disperse protesters on May 31. The police said they reacted after some members of the crowd became unruly and threw bottles at officers. A state senator urged the El Paso City Council to conduct an independent investigation into the incident. The city manager has now been tasked with exploring the idea of a civilian review board.

The police department is the largest line item in El Paso's budget, followed by the fire department and mass transit.

Boston, Massachusetts

• Population, 2018: 695,926

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 10.3% (9th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $375 million (19th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $3.65 billion (11th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 390 (24th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,715 (2,122 officers, 593 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 622 (130th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Boston is moving forward with plans to cut a specific part of the police department's budget – overtime. The pay of officers working overtime can amount to significant amounts at departments across the country. City officials are looking at a 20% cut (about $12 million). The funds would be diverted to health, addressing homelessness, and business development.

Washington, District of Columbia

• Population, 2018: 702,455

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 3.3% (the smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $544 million (10th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $16.70 billion (2nd largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 643 (2nd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 4,520 (3,841 officers, 679 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 941 (49th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

As the home to the federal government, Washington D.C. has been one of the epicenters of the Black Lives Matter movement. Mayor Muriel Bowser has publicly feuded with President Donald Trump over activities by federal law enforcement in the city. Still, Bowser has confidence that the local Metropolitan Police Department has mostly good relationships with the community. According to police Chief Peter Newsham, his department has been actively reforming its policies since 2002. In recent years, the city has increased the use of officers on foot and bikes, and invested in a neighborhood engagement program.

Denver, Colorado

• Population, 2018: 716,492

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 28.6% (4th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $426 million (16th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.49 billion (18th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 255 (138th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,824 (1,517 officers, 307 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 730 (97th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock says his city had changed its use-of-force policies before the current protests. According to 5280 magazine, Denver already meets the "8 Can't Wait" measures suggested by a national reform campaign. He acknowledged, though, that more needs to be done. Hancock endorses the police department's program that sometimes deploys social workers along with officers on calls. At least two city council members have said they favor reallocating some law enforcement dollars to social programs.

Seattle, Washington

• Population, 2018: 744,949

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 27.2% (5th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $409 million (17th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.50 billion (19th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 262 (123rd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,954 (1,420 officers, 534 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 680 (111th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Seattle has become a hotspot in the national debate over police tactics as activists established the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). The small so-called "police free" area has attracted a great deal of media attention. Some city council members are proposing a 50% reduction in police spending and diverting those funds to community programs. The mayor has opposed such a drastic hit but has pledged to find at least $100 million for new social initiatives.

Indianapolis, Indiana

• Population, 2018: 864,131

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 20.9% (11th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $254 million (20th smallest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.21 billion (15th smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 365 (38th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 3,153 (2,616 officers, 537 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,273 (20th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

The ACLU is among the organizations lobbying Indianapolis to reduce police spending in its budget. The mayor will present a new financial outline for the city in August. In the meantime, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is revising its use-of-force policy. The city may also create a review board to review allegations of police misconduct.

Last year's budget included funding for policy body cameras, and the department says those will be introduced this summer.

Charlotte, North Carolina

• Population, 2018: 872,506

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 11.4% (12th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $290 million (25th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $2.55 billion (17th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 268 (112th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,342 (1,817 officers, 525 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 00 (536th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Police departments in many cities have faced scrutiny over the use of chemical agents to disperse crowds, and Charlotte is no exception. After the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department used tear gas in June, the city council voted to ban the purchase of such substances going forward. The council also instructed the city manager to oversee an effort to align police policies with the "8 Can't Wait" movement, which calls for eight concrete police reforms, including banning chokeholds and shooting from moving vehicles as well as comprehensive reporting.

San Francisco, California

• Population, 2018: 883,305

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 5.8% (3rd smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $696 million (7th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $12.00 billion (3rd largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 330 (62nd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,913 (2,306 officers, 607 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 691 (108th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

San Francisco Mayor London Breed has consistently supported increases for her city's police department. Now she is proposing major reforms, including a new class of unarmed officers who would respond to non-criminal complaints such as neighborhood disputes and school interventions. The city mayor wants to ban its police department from using military-grade weapons against unarmed civilians, including tear gas, bayonets and tanks.

The latest projections show San Francisco could see a $1.7 billion budget shortfall during the next two years.

Columbus, Ohio

• Population, 2018: 895,877

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 19.8% (14th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $360 million (20th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.82 billion (24th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 252 (145th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,255 (1,870 officers, 385 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 495 (185th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Critics say Columbus spends far more on police than other Ohio cities, such as Cleveland and Cincinnati. And following the movement that erupted after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis with calls to action on police reform, the city is now responding. In mid-June, Mayor Andrew Ginther said Columbus would adopt the "8 Can't Wait" police reform proposals that center on de-escalation techniques that are being pushed nationwide.

Fort Worth, Texas

• Population, 2018: 898,919

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 18.5% (16th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $355 million (21st largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $1.92 billion (22nd largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 237 (173rd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,132 (1,694 officers, 438 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 501 (180th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Voters in Fort Worth will have a unique opportunity in July to directly weigh in on the "defund the police" issue. They will be voting on whether to renew the special police fund that has been around since 1995. Raised through a half-cent sales tax, the fund is designed to supplement the city's budget for police. It was expected to bring in $88 million this year. Excluding this special fund, Fort Worth still has a sizable police budget, at $355 million.

Jacksonville, Florida

• Population, 2018: 903,896

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 17.6% (20th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $482 million (13th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $2.74 billion (16th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 335 (55th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 3,032 (1,724 officers, 1308 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 596 (139th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Incoming City Council President Tommy Hazouri says Black Lives Matter protesters' voices are being heard. He has formed a new social justice committee to look at policing and economic development in poor neighborhoods. Meanwhile, Sheriff Mike Williams is arguing against any cuts to his department. He argues that communities of color would be disproportionately affected if his budget is reduced.

Austin, Texas

• Population, 2018: 964,243

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 8.9% (6th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $376 million (18th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $4.20 billion (9th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 251 (146th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,422 (1,851 officers, 571 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 382 (261st highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Activists in Austin are pushing for a $100 million cut to the city's police department for the next fiscal year, but Mayor Steve Adler is not yet on board. The city manager is proposing a reallocation of some public safety funds and the creation of advisory working groups that would explore how the city might change its funding priorities. Right now, the Austin police department budget is twice as large as the city's fire department's budget.

San Jose, California

• Population, 2018: 1,030,119

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 14.5% (20th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $449 million (15th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $3.09 billion (13th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 150 (418th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 1,550 (1,113 officers, 437 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 424 (229th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

In approving a new budget in mid-June, the city council voted to create a new Office of Racial Equality. That office will have a budget of $1.5 million. In another small move, the city allocated $15,000 for updating the police auditor's website. The budgeted upgrade should allow citizens to upload photos and videos to the website when they file complaints against the police.

As San Jose finalizes its budget for the next fiscal year, the police department could see a minimal cut, $10 million, due to a revenue crunch caused by COVID-19.

Dallas, Texas

• Population, 2018: 1,345,076

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 13.6% (18th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $517 million (12th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $3.79 billion (10th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 266 (118th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 3,581 (3,007 officers, 574 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 765 (82nd highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Facing a coronavirus-related budget shortfall of up to $100 million for the next fiscal year, Dallas has some hard choices to make. And the national debate about public safety funding is playing into that. Scheduled to present the next budget in August, the city manager is weighing multiple scenarios. In the end, many city departments, including the police, could see cuts. Public safety (including fire and police) is by far the largest expenditure for the city.

San Diego, California

• Population, 2018: 1,425,999

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 36.8% (3rd largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $566 million (9th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $1.54 billion (21st smallest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 164 (379th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,332 (1,731 officers, 601 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 373 (272nd highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Over 4,400 city residents called and emailed the San Diego City Council in June, asking that the city divert police funding to rent relief, mental health services, and more. Instead, the council voted to increase the police budget to fund already-approved pay raises for the police as well as expenses related to COVID-19. The council, however, did agree to create a new $3.8 million Office on Race and Equity, and the city recently banned the use of chokeholds by police.

The police department is the largest expense for the city's general fund, followed by fire/rescue.

San Antonio, Texas

• Population, 2018: 1,532,212

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 21.6% (9th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $479 million (14th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $2.22 billion (19th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 195 (283rd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 2,991 (2,352 officers, 639 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 627 (127th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

A familiar scenario is playing out in San Antonio, with some local residents calling for cuts to the police department, and the police chief pushing back. Protesters recently filled San Antonio City Council chambers demanding change, but in the end, the SAPD saw only a small cut of $4.4 million during a mid-year budget adjustment. A new city budget, to be voted on in August, could include additional cuts. The city manager is proposing the elimination of nearly 100 police positions.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Population, 2018: 1,584,138

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 15.2% (24th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $760 million (5th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $5.00 billion (8th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 465 (12th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 7,366 (6,577 officers, 789 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 909 (55th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Protesters' calls to "defund the police" come at a time of huge budget shortfalls due to the coronavirus pandemic, and some cities may be forced to cut police budgets even if they did not intend to. In Philadelphia, tax receipts have plummeted in the wake of the COVID-19 economic fallout, and now the city is facing a $749 million budget deficit this year.

A preliminary Philadelphia city budget in June cut $33 million from the police department (about 4% of the police budget and less than 1% of the total city budget). The budget also calls for several reform measures, including body cameras and anti-bias training. In the 2021 budget, the police and pensions are the largest expenditures for Philly.

Phoenix, Arizona

• Population, 2018: 1,660,272

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 22.0% (8th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $721 million (6th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $3.27 billion (12th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 235 (177th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 3,902 (2,919 officers, 983 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 733 (94th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

In approving its new budget, the Phoenix City Council authorized $3 million for a new police oversight budget. The council narrowly rejected requests to cut the overall police budget, which is currently budgeted at $745 million for the new year. Critics have been pushing for changes after the city saw a record number of police shootings in 2018. Phoenix spends more on police than any other department. The fire department comes in second (about $350 million), followed by parks and recreation (about $100 million).

Houston, Texas

• Population, 2018: 2,326,090

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 17.3% (21st largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $965 million (4th largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $5.56 billion (6th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 269 (110th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 6,258 (5,229 officers, 1029 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,026 (37th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Amid calls to reallocate police resources, Houston leaders raised their police budget from $945 million last year to $965 million this year. The mayor's office said the increase was due to fixed costs such as salaries and pensions. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo recently testified before the U.S. Congress that cutting police budgets is not the best way to address police brutality. The police department is the largest line item in the city's budget, with the fire department budget half as large.

Chicago, Illinois

• Population, 2018: 2,705,988

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 15.3% (25th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2020: $2 billion (3rd largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2020: $11.65 billion (4th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 521 (7th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 14,086 (13,138 officers, 948 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 1,006 (39th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

Of all of America's big cities, Chicago has had among the worst problems with gun violence, largely concentrated in poor neighborhoods.

A 2016 task force found systemic racism within the city's police department. The report led to a series of reforms, including new policies on the use of force and equipping all officers with tasers. In June, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a new committee to review the police department's use of force policies. Public safety, which includes police and fire departments, is the largest expenditure for the city. Of the 85,663 arrests Chicago police made in 2018, 62,901 or about three quarters were of Black residents. Black Chicagoans make up about 30% of the city's population.

Los Angeles, California

• Population, 2018: 3,990,469

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 17.6% (19th largest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $2 billion (2nd largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $10.53 billion (5th largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 326 (66th highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 13,010 (9,974 officers, 3,036 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 748 (86th highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

America's second largest city spends 17.6% of its annual budget on policing, the second largest budget expenditure after retirement and pension funds. Responding to protesters against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's killing by Minneapolis police, a city council committee voted in June to cut $150 million from the police budget. As the city's budget is still being negotiated, the Board of Police Commissioners has committed to identifying up to $150 million in cuts.

New York, New York

• Population, 2018: 8,398,748

• Police dept. funding as % of total budget, fiscal year 2020: 5.9% (4th smallest out of 50 largest cities)

• Total police budget for fiscal 2021: $6 billion (the largest)

• Total city budget for fiscal 2021: $95.30 billion (the largest)

• Law enforcement employees per 100K: 622 (3rd highest out of 634 cities with 65K +)

• Total law enforcement employees: 52,278 (36,134 officers, 16,144 civilian employees)

• Violent crimes reported per 100K in 2018: 541 (162nd highest out of 634 cities of 65K +)

America's largest city has a police budget of over $5.5 billion. Percentage-wise, however, New York City police spending is not that high, at nearly 6% of the city's total budget. The city spends much more on education and social services. Still the "defund police" movement has traction with the New York City Council, which is backing a proposal to cut $1 billion from the police budget. And Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a new law that requires all police agencies to "reform themselves" in order to qualify for state funding. While New York City spends more on policing than any other U.S. city, it should also be noted that the Big Apple faces a unique challenge: the city is a potential target for terrorists. Last year, the NYPD spent $187 million on counterterrorism and intelligence activities.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Two years later, remote work has changed millions of careers - CNN

The pandemic thrust the working world into a new reality in March 2020 as offices closed and millions of people were forced to learn how to do their jobs from home.

Two years later, employers and workers are still adapting to a new normal and trying to figure out what the future of work might look like.

Some companies are determined to return to the way things wereand get everyone back into the office . And some have embraced remote work, allowing employees to work from home full time or part of the time.

But many workers are deciding to chart their own course. Some have found that they love working from home and never want to step foot in an office again. Others are itching to go back -- missing the in-person collaboration and socializing with peers. And some want a little bit of both worlds.

That has prompted many workers to rethink or even switch careers and make some other big changes. Here's a look at how the pandemic reshaped people's careers in ways they never expected:

Moving cross country to start a new life

After her job went fully remote, Chelsea Pruitt decided to move from California to Alabama.

Chelsea Pruitt, 31, has lived in California for nearly her entire life. Now, she's headed to Alabama.

Prior to the pandemic, Pruitt had thought about moving, but it wasn't until she started working remotely that the decision became a lot easier to make.

"I feel like my chapter in life in San Francisco is changing," she said. "My perspective on things is changing. The things I want out of life are changing."

Pruitt started working for long-term housing rental company Zeus Living in January 2020, right before the pandemic hit the US. At the time, she was going into the office five days a week. But once the pandemic began to shut things down in March, she started working remotely full time.

That was just what Pruitt needed to make her decision. She had visited a co-worker in Birmingham, Alabama, a few times and decided that was the place she wanted to live.

"I love the vibe of the city, the change, and I loved [that] it's more leisurely, slow and less stressful and obviously a lot more affordable [than San Francisco], which I am really excited about."

The high cost of living in San Francisco meant she always had to have roommates. "In San Francisco, I don't see myself being able to own a home unless I am married and have a dual income," she said.

But since her pay will remain the same after the move to Birmingham and the cost of living will be significantly less, she'll be able to save more, and hopefully buy a home of her own and pay down her student loans.

"I am looking forward to that mental relief knowing that my cost of living is lower and I can save more," she said.

Finally taking the leap

Carlos Ortiz started his own consulting business during the pandemic.

Carlos Ortiz had been working as an inspector with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for 19 years before the pandemic hit. He had been considering leaving his job for a few years, but was nervous about making such a big change.

A lot of my friends are entrepreneurs and business people and I've never worked in the private industry ... so I decided, let me give it a shot" Carlos Ortiz

"I started re-evaluating life and opportunities," Ortiz, 48, said of that time. "[But] I was very comfortable getting a paycheck every two weeks."

But in April 2020, when businesses were shutting their offices down across the country, he realized he wanted more control over his life -- especially when it came to his work. So he began planning the launch of his own business.

"A lot of my friends are entrepreneurs and business people and I've never worked in the private industry ... so I decided, let me give it a shot," he said.

At the start of 2021, he quit his full-time job and launched a consulting business to advise companies on how to comply with government regulations.

To help provide some financial cushion as he launched the new venture, Ortiz had been saving up unused leave, which he got paid out for when he left his job.

At first, "it was very scary," he said. Now, he's making slightly less than he was at his old job, but he's only working 20 hours a week.

Ortiz said he also has more control over his schedule, and since most of his business is done over the phone and on video calls, he's been able to work from anywhere. So far, he's worked from Geneva, Switzerland, San Antonio and Anchorage, Alaska.

"I am getting back into my art and reading a lot more ... and exercising a lot more. And I am doing my chores as I've always done, but now I am just not exhausted."

Enjoying the hybrid life

After working from home for two years, John Pearson missed the collaboration and socialization that happens in the office.

John Pearson used to have a hard deadline of 6:00 a.m. in order to be out of his driveway and on his way to work each morning.

"Otherwise, the commute goes from an hour to something much worse," said Pearson, 55, who is a senior vice president at PTC, an industrial software company in Boston.

But for the past two years, his commute has been a quick walk down the hall to his home office.

I can get through more complex problem solving much faster in a room with two or three people and a whiteboard than I can through Zoom" John Pearson

At first, he said he was more productive and less distracted when working from home. But now that he has periodically started going into the office, he realizes there are some advantages to in-person work.

"I can get through more complex problem solving much faster in a room with two or three people and a whiteboard than I can through Zoom," he said.

He also realized he missed talking to people in the office about simple things, like their kids or what they've been watching on TV. "When you are jumping from 30-minute call to 30-minute call on video, you just don't do that as much."

His company plans to offer a flexible model to its employees -- something Pearson prefers. His goal is to be in the office two to three days a week.

And as much as he didn't like the commute, he started to realize the role it played. "It really is a firm break in which you walk away and you close your laptop."

The WFH convert

Rashmi Bhankhede used to prefer being in the office five days a week. Now she hopes to work remotely full-time.

Rashmi Bhankhede never really liked the idea of working from home.

"Before the pandemic...I definitely preferred working face-to-face in this open-office environment," she said. "I thought it was the most productive way for everyone."

As a senior manager of software engineering at Capital One, she manages two teams. She used to want her teams to come into the office to collaborate, discuss projects, hold feedback sessions and interact on a more social level. But the pandemic has changed her approach.

It doesn't matter where you are. If you have good processes to connect with your peers and [direct] reports, working remote can be very productive" Rashmi Bhankhede

After two years of working from home, she's hoping to make remote work permanent. Capital One has said it will be on a hybrid schedule when it reopens its offices.

"It doesn't matter where you are. If you have good processes to connect with your peers and [direct] reports, working remote can be very productive," said Bhankhede, 43.

She added that the flexibility helps her manage her time better and that her team has become closer -- even though they haven't seen each other in person for two years.

To better define the boundary between work and her personal life, Bhankhede gets dressed in her work clothes every morning and changes at the end of the day, followed by a relaxing activity like a walk.

Working from home has also meant spending more time with her two sons and learning new hobbies since she no longer has to commute.

"I started growing peppers and tomatoes and cucumbers ... and got back into sewing," she said. "I am still not good at it."

Turning a hobby into a new career

Cody Irion went back to school and switched careers during the pandemic.

The pandemic hit right as Cody Irion's busy season was about to start.

In 2020, he owned a horse transportation business in North Carolina. Typically, April through August were his most lucrative months, but when stay-at-home orders started sweeping the US, he quickly decided to close his business, sell the equipment and go back to school to get a degree in computer science.

"I had the choice of going into a massive amount of debt to keep going or change careers," said Irion, 35. "I had started learning software development as a hobby and I really enjoyed it, so I didn't hesitate."

He enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and since the majority of his classes have been virtual, he didn't have to move closer to campus until his final year, saving him a lot of money.

He also believes he had more internship opportunities last summer since so many companies were still operating remotely.

Irion is set to graduate this May and already has a job lined up at a financial services company.

"I had never even considered software engineering before I started it as a hobby because I grew up in Southern Illinois with race horses," he said. "I knew nothing about the industry other than I liked computers and I started learning it and realized I was pretty good at it."

Turning a side business into a full-time job

Mabel Frias (pictured on the left with her sister) left her full-time job during the pandemic to fully commit to her side business, Luna Magic.

Mabel Frias had been juggling two jobs at the beginning of the pandemic, but eventually had to make a decision: stay with the security and safety of her full-time job or pursue a riskier life as an entrepreneur.

In March 2020, Frias was a little more than a year into working what she described as her "dream job" as director of digital merchandising at lingerie brand, Savage X Fenty. Meanwhile, she was also trying to grow Luna Magic, a beauty brand she launched with her sister in 2019.

But as the pandemic forced many workers to do their jobs remotely, Luna Magic started gaining more traction and demanding more of her time.

"Because we were in a Zoom culture, people still wanted from the face up to look good. You still wanted to have a level of presentation while you are on the screen," Frias, 35, said.

While working two jobs meant long hours during the week and weekends, Frias was nervous about leaving her full-time job and the financial security it brought. So she set certain benchmarks for Luna Magic to hit, including partnerships and business opportunities, before she could feel comfortable walking away.

"Part of the challenges a lot of entrepreneurs have is they jump to soon," she said. "I don't like to have economic anxiety. I am also a mother and practical about these things."

Soon enough, the company was meeting her goals. In 2020, Walmart.com started selling the company's products, which includes makeup and other cosmetics. And in 2021, Walmart and Target started carrying products in some stores, as well as online.

"I had to trust myself. I liked the idea of growing something from scratch," she said.

In 2020, Frias applied to be on ABC's Shark Tank and was accepted. The show, which features entrepreneurs pitching their businesses to a panel of investors, aired in January 2021 -- the same day Frias quit her job.

"I love the magic of creating something out of nothing. I saw our company as we get to bring even more beauty into the world at a moment when people are looking for it," Frias said.

Just graduated and can't wait to work in person

Rachel Zipfel started her new job working fully remote, but hopes to eventually be in the office five days a week.

Rachel Zipfel finished her college courses in the same place she started her first full-time job: in a room at her parents' house.

Zipfel, 23, graduated from the University of Missouri, St. Louis in August 2021 with a degree in marketing. But because of the pandemic, her classes were remote for nearly her last two years of college.

She's now working remotely for a digital marketing agency and has met her colleagues roughly five times in person. She feels like working from home has made it harder to get acclimated to the working world.

When she first started, she found it challenging to learn the ropes.

"If you are trying to ask someone a question, you don't know what they are doing on the other side of the computer, so what could be a five-minute question in person [could turn] into maybe two hours of waiting for an answer," she said.

Zipfel started going into the office about once a week in January, and said she feels more productive. She hopes to eventually be there five days a week.

"I've noticed a world of difference," she said. "There are none of the distractions that are at home. It's so much easier to get work done. If the person is there that I need to talk to I can get my question answered in five seconds versus two hours. I love being in the office and I cant wait for it to be back open again."

Quit a job that wanted him back in the office

When Ryan Bernsten found out his employer wanted him to come back into the office, he found a new job.

Ryan Bernsten had only been working at his new job as a copywriter for a few weeks in March 2020 when he was sent home to work remotely.

At the time, he was worried about how it would work. "Work from home? What would that even look like? I am going to miss out on all the social interaction -- I am new here," he recalled.

If they aren't going to validate that I enjoy working from home, that I am better at home, and I enjoy my lifestyle at home, I need to find a job that will," Ryan Bernsten

But eventually he adapted. Now two years later, he prefers remote work.

Working from home, he said, enables him to be more productive and have a better work-life balance. So when he learned he was going to be required to return to the office a few days a week, he started looking for a new job that allowed him to stay remote.

"If they aren't going to validate that I enjoy working from home, that I am better at home, and I enjoy my lifestyle at home, I need to find a job that will," he said.

It took him less than a month to get a new, fully remote job.

"I never ever have to go back to the office," Bernsten, 29, said. "You get to see people at their best. If we fly to San Francisco for a meeting, the adrenaline is there, we are excited to see people, we're going to make it count. But you don't have to see people every day ... when they have a cold, are in a bad mood or in a fight with their partner."

And not only did he get added flexibility, he also got a higher salary.

"I don't believe everyone needs to work from home," he said. "But some people work better from home. I never wake up dreading work because I am in the comfort of my home."

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated how long Mabel Frias worked at her previous employer.

Kathryn Vasel
Carlos Ortiz
John Pearson
Rashmi Bhankhede
Ryan Bernsten

Robert Ray and his remarkable life in Iowa, in 10 chapters

Bob Ray was the Iowan we all want to be.

For a generation, Ray embodied the ethos of his native state in a way few public servants can imagine.

He unified the extremes of the Republican Party in a way no one had before or since, bargained compromise with legislatures both friendly and otherwise; he possessed a keen sense for placing the right person in the right job for the benefit of the public, admirers say.

He continued in public service well after he left the governor’s office and remained one of the most beloved leaders in Iowa history.

And it all began in a humble frame house near Drake University in Des Moines.

PROLOGUE: BIRTH OF A LEADER

The year 1928 was a good one for Iowa leaders.

A Republican from West Branch named Herbert Hoover won relatively easy election to the White House — the only Iowa native to become president of the United States.

Hoover’s presidency was a single term, marred by the 1929 stock market crash and the ensuing economic stress known as the Great Depression.

But five weeks before Hoover was elected, another great Iowa leader made his debut.

Robert Dolph Ray was born in Des Moines on Sept. 26, 1928, to accountant Clark Ray and his wife, Mildred. He was the Rays’ second child and only son. The family was of modest means and lived in a frame house on 26th Street near the Drake University campus.

BOB RAY, 1928-2018:

CHAPTER ONE: ICE CREAM AND POLITICS

The future five-term governor of Iowa spent his childhood playing pickup baseball games at Drake Park. He played basketball and tennis while attending Grant, Callanan and Roosevelt schools.

Ray developed a lifelong obsession with ice cream at Reed’s Ice Cream on Forest Avenue, where he often stood in line for nickel ice cream bars several times a day. In high school, he worked part-time at Mrs. Smith Butcher Shop on Cottage Grove.

Ray was not a standout student, his mother and former teachers would say. He was bright and had an unusual ability to remember anything he saw or heard, but seldom studied hard.

“I know in high school, the teachers would talk to me and they’d say, ‘If he’d just open his book and work hard, he’d be an A-plus student,’” Mildred Ray told journalist John Bowermaster for the 1986 book “Governor: An Oral Biography of Robert D. Ray.”

Classmates remembered Ray largely as a loner. He was friendly, they told Bowermaster, but introverted and quiet. Yet his political chops first appeared in seventh grade at Callanan Junior High School.

An early win

Classmate George Lilly, who later owned a Volkswagen dealership in the metro, nominated Ray for seventh-grade class president. Ray made banners and posters and gave speeches. He won the office and the admiration of another Callanan student, a young Marvin Pomerantz.

Pomerantz would grow up to become one of the most successful real estate developers and businessmen in Des Moines. A Republican, he served in Ray's inner circle of advisers throughout the governor's career and was a top fundraiser for Republicans and Ray.

“Even in seventh grade, I remember being amazed by his political skills,” Pomerantz, who died in 2007, told Bowermaster.

Ray’s father and maternal grandfather were staunch Republicans. The two often groused about President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal.

A young Ray listened to the discussions and asked questions of his elders, but Ray was seldom impressed by their answers. He was a Republican at the time because that’s how he was raised, but he could have easily swayed Democrat or independent.

The love of his life

Ray made another important connection while in high school. The Rays attended University Christian Church, now known as First Christian Church, at 25th Street and University Avenue. So did the Hornberger family.

Ray took an interest in their daughter, Billie Lee, during a summer church camp, where the two met and began courting. She was named queen of the camp and Ray was named king.

Ray graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1946 at age 17. With the permission of his parents, he joined the U.S. Army and spent two years in Japan as part of the first wave of relief troops after World War II.

Ray enjoyed his service to his country, but was awestruck and saddened by the destruction that World War II had brought to Japan. He struggled with seasickness on the long boat trip to Japan, and, while there, homesickness for Iowa. But his experiences there began a lifelong fascination with Japan and Southeast Asia that would later influence the creation of the Iowa Sister States program and other humanitarian efforts.

He returned to Des Moines and enrolled at Drake with the help of the GI Bill. He started a restaurant with his future brother-in-law in downtown Des Moines. Neither really knew what they were doing and sold it before it drove them into debt.

Ray worked as a meat cutter at a Cottage Grove butcher shop to help pay for school. He studied business administration and teaching but did not student teach. He considered becoming a coach. He also worked as a reading clerk in the Iowa Senate, which gave him his first exposure to state politics and how bills are made into laws.

Again, Ray proved popular among classmates. He pledged the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was elected student body president at the same time that famed running back Johnny Bright was blazing up and down the turf at Drake Stadium.

Ray worked as a newspaper carrier for The Des Moines Register and rose to district circulation manager while attending Drake Law School. He was offered a job in the Register’s circulation department but turned it down to begin practicing law.

Ray continued to date Billie Lee Hornberger, and the couple married in 1951 while he was still a law student.

After he finished law school, the Rays joined another couple and spent four and a half months touring Europe.

While on the trip, Ray developed what became his lifelong interest in photography, which 28 years later would provide Ray and Iowans powerful insights into the suffering of Southeast Asian refugees.

CHAPTER TWO: PRACTICING LAW, EARLY LOSSES

The Rays returned from Europe nearly broke. Billie Ray went back to teaching school.

Bob Ray shopped around for a job practicing law at firms in Des Moines and elsewhere.

He eventually landed in the offices of Verne and James Lawyer, two high-profile trial lawyers in downtown Des Moines.

Verne Lawyer, who hired Ray, was a colorful character in Des Moines, with wide-ranging connections. He owned a private plane and jetted around the country. Lawyer once arranged for his friend, famed trial lawyer F. Lee Bailey, to marry an airline stewardess at a club on Fleur Drive. Bob and Billie Ray were witnesses.

Lawyer immediately saw Ray had political potential and would prove a powerful early ally.

Ray defended criminal cases. He once won a sodomy case, which led to him defending more sodomy suspects.

“Once you get a reputation for winning a case like that, they keep coming back to you, even if you don’t want them to,” Ray told Bowermaster.

Though Ray was a talented and fast-learning lawyer, the lure of politics soon enveloped him. He ran for Polk County attorney in 1956 at age 27. Polk County, then as now, leaned heavily Democratic, and Republicans were little more than sacrificial lambs in the county attorney’s race.

He lost by 10,000 votes. Still, he showed early flair. Billie Ray sewed costumes for several women she and Bob Ray had known at Drake or around town, and they wore the outfits in public appearances for Ray, including the Iowa State Fair parade that fall. They became known as the Ray Girls and would be a feature of Ray campaigns for the rest of his career.

Ray also eschewed the traditional red, white and blue color scheme favored by political candidates in favor of cardinal and gold, reminiscent of Iowa State University’s colors.

“It wasn’t that he particularly favored Iowa State, but he wanted something to be different and stand out,” said David Oman, a former Ray chief of staff. “They became his signature colors.”

Ray made his second run at public office in 1958, this time, aimed at the Iowa House. This bid, too, ended in defeat.

Again, Ray learned. He ran his first television ads, which most candidates at the time were not doing. In one spot, a union electrician explained why he favored Ray.

The Iowa Republican Party was disorganized in the 1958 campaign. To revitalize the party, Ray worked with Leo Oxberger, one of Ray’s law school classmates, whom Ray would appoint as a judge in the Iowa Court of Appeals in 1976.

They joined social clubs and community charitable organizations: the March of Dimes, Rotary, Eagles, Moose Lodges. The idea was to spread the word about Republicans wherever possible.

Ray said he was doing it to help build his law practice, but he also built a network of contacts that would become the backbone of his statewide campaigns for years to come. Through those clubs and early contacts, he cultivated dedicated local campaign leaders who supported him in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.

Defeated in his bids for elective office, Ray ascended the rungs of internal party leadership. He became head of the Polk County Republican Party in 1962. The following year, at age 35, Ray became the youngest man in 100 years to be elected state chairman of the Iowa Republicans.

The party struggled with its identity. Conservatives and moderates battled for control of the party both in Iowa and nationally.

The national GOP convention selected conservative Barry Goldwater to challenge President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1964 election. Johnson, riding on the nation’s sympathies after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy a year earlier and pursuing an aggressive domestic agenda, cruised to a landslide victory. Democrats widened their majorities in the U.S. Senate and House.

In Iowa, popular incumbent Gov. Harold Hughes, a Democrat, easily won re-election to his second two-year term, and Democrats took five of Iowa’s six seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats carried heavy majorities in both houses of the Iowa Legislature.

Ray had planned to go back to his law practice with the Lawyer brothers after the 1964 elections. But the trouncing was so bad, Ray believed he needed to stay on as party chairman.

CHAPTER THREE: GRITTY CAMPAIGNER

In 1965, Ray took on more executive responsibilities as state GOP chair. He hired more full-time staff. He held schools for candidates to educate them on the issues and drill them so they could defend their positions when questioned by the press, public or opponents.

Under Ray’s guidance, Republicans hosted $1 fundraisers called Buck Nights statewide. The cheap events brought in farmers, business people and everyday Iowans who rallied around a cheery new slogan: “It’s fun to be a Republican!”

Ray ordered tighter controls on how candidates could spend Republican Central Committee money and increased television advertising.

The results in 1966 were better-coordinated campaigns and huge gains for Republicans in the Legislature. The GOP won three of the state's then-six congressional seats from Democrats and seated 88 new Republicans in the Iowa Legislature.

Hughes again won re-election as governor that year. He also befriended Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, the younger brother of President Kennedy and a former U.S. attorney general. The younger Kennedy convinced Hughes to run for U.S. Senate, clearing the way for a wide-open governor’s race in 1968.

Ray decided to run for office again, this time for governor.

Conservative opponents

Ray faced a three-man race for the Republican nomination, squaring off against Donald Johnson of West Branch, a former national commander of the American Legion, and newspaper publisher Robert Beck of Centerville. Johnson and Beck were more conservative than Ray.

Among other moderate stances, Ray opposed the death penalty. “No man has a right to play God,” Ray said in a campaign appearance.

Ray also favored limited abortion rights for women in cases of rape, incest or a threat to the mother’s health. He also opposed a proposal circulating in the Legislature that would have denied state welfare benefits to women with more than one child out of wedlock.

“Heaven help us when we don’t have enough compassion to help those who need us,” Ray said in October 1968.

Ray’s views would be considered liberal by GOP standards now, the late Arthur Neu, a former Republican lawmaker and lieutenant governor under Ray, said in a 2012 interview.

“He would be cut to pieces in a primary today,” Neu said.

Ray was supported by the Republican inner circle, but he was considered a city man and wasn’t well-known outside Polk County. Residents of smaller cities and rural communities viewed Des Moines, considered the big city, with skepticism.

In one campaign appearance, a Republican candidate for the U.S. House introduced Ray as “Bob Day.”

Boosted by plane crash

It took a nearly fatal plane crash to make Ray a statewide name.

On April 22, 1968, Ray was flying in a small plane with a pilot and campaign staffer when the plane went down near Clear Lake.

All aboard survived but were badly injured. Ray suffered a broken ankle and leg, which left him laid up in a Mason City hospital. But the campaign marched on.

Before he ran for governor, Billie Ray made her husband promise she would not have to make speeches on the campaign trail. She would be there with him, but she didn’t want to be out front.

With her husband injured, the campaign collected Billie Ray from Des Moines. She appeared before crowds and gave an update on her husband’s health. She never talked policy, but Iowans took a liking to the loyal wife and schoolteacher.

“Mrs. Ray was always fantastic with Iowans,” said Oman, the Ray adviser. “She was natural and real. People responded to her like she was one of them, just like they did with Governor Ray.”

When Ray returned to the campaign trail on crutches, his grit resonated with Iowans. He won the primary, then took on Democrat Paul Franzenburg, the state treasurer, in the general election.

The tumultuous 1968 presidential campaign is remembered for the assassination of Robert Kennedy, violence at the Democratic convention in Chicago and the increasing unpopularity of the Vietnam War. It culminated with the landslide election of Republican Richard M. Nixon to the White House.

And in Iowa, 40-year-old Robert Ray became governor.

CHAPTER FOUR: FRESHMAN GOVERNOR

The love affair between Iowans and Ray as their governor did not begin immediately. His first year was marked by a steep learning curve.

Hughes, who had been elected to the U.S. Senate in 1968, left office early to begin his transition to Washington, D.C. Lt. Gov. Robert Fulton, a Democrat, assumed the governor’s chair for 16 days to finish out Hughes’ term, but there was little focus on the transition to the new governor.

Ray came into an empty office without even a pad of paper, he said later, and was immediately confronted with the troubles of the day.

Under Hughes in the previous session, lawmakers raised taxes statewide. Farmers, in particular, were struggling with a new formula that taxed more of their land at a higher rate. Agriculture industries suffered, too. Hog prices plummeted.

Republicans controlled both houses of the Legislature, which in theory could have translated into smooth working relationships between the governor and lawmakers.

In reality, Republicans in the Legislature were more conservative than Ray, and they often found themselves at odds.

Leaders in the Iowa House privately groused that the new governor didn’t understand the legislative process.

Ray stood his ground. He vetoed a bill that would have expanded the government’s powers to wiretap citizens. He supported the distribution of birth control pills in mental health institutions. And he fought off an effort to reinstate the state’s death penalty.

“They thought they were going to be able to tell me what to do,” Ray told Bowermaster, his biographer. “They were wrong.”

Calm amid strife

His first term also was marked by social strife. Students loudly and sometimes violently protested the Vietnam War, racial inequities and other issues on the state’s three university campuses.

Bombs exploded at Drake, a private college, and Iowa State University and the University of Iowa in 1970. There were no fatalities, but tensions ran high.

Students held sit-ins and confronted campus administrators. In one incident at the University of Iowa, several students used profanity in a protest with a university official present. Some lawmakers thought the campuses were out of control and wanted Ray to enforce strict discipline.

Ray refused.

“We’re living in a time when young people are restless and do things older people don’t like,” Ray told the Register in 1970. “But I’m not willing to condemn all for a few who do things out of the ordinary to seek attention.”

In other states, governors used the National Guard to quell student unrest. This proved deadly on the campus of Kent State in Ohio, where in May 1970 troops opened fire on a group of unarmed students, killing four and wounding nine others.

One night in 1970, a group of University of Iowa students decided to block Interstate Highway 80 by lying across the road. Ray had the National Guard, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa State Patrol at his disposal.

Ray quietly sent in state troopers to escort the students off the interstate. The situation was defused without serious incident.

“That was a moment where Ray’s touch was just perfect,” said David Yepsen, a longtime Register political reporter who was then a UI student. “At the time, the Iowa State Patrol was second only to God in the respect of Iowans. Sending them in, instead of the Guard, really calmed things down. It was a classic Bob Ray moment.”

In the summer of 1970, a Chicago concert promotion company rented ground near Wadena in northeast Iowa. The plan was to host a Woodstock-style concert for as many as 30,000 people. Seven out of 10 people surveyed by the Register’s Iowa Poll thought the event should be stopped. A similar concert near Chicago ended in a riot.

Ray decided to visit the rock festival himself. He spoke to the crowd of about 25,000.

“Look, I don’t want what happened in Chicago last night to happen here,” Ray told the crowd on a 100-degree late July day. “You’re here to have a good time, so please, have a good time, but we want you all to leave here knowing you had a good time. Try to stay off the stuff, OK?”

About a dozen people were arrested. There was no violence or riot.

“There was something very simple and honest about what Ray did there that resonated with even young people,” Yepsen said. “He wasn’t pretending to be one of them. He just wanted people to be peaceful. It worked.”

CHAPTER FIVE: TOUGH IN TOUGH TIMES

Ray survived a tough re-election challenge in the fall of 1970 from Robert Fulton, the former lieutenant governor, who had helped engineer Hughes’ successful U.S. Senate campaign.

Farmers still leaned against Ray because of their property tax burdens. Ray won by 34,000 votes, the narrowest victory in his career.

“Bob Ray had not become Bob Ray yet,” Yepsen said. “He wasn’t always viewed as saintly as he is today.”

In 1971, the national economy struggled through a recession. The state budget surplus was exhausted, and Iowans of all stripes begged for tax relief.

Ray’s approval rating dipped to an all-time low: 41 percent.

Ray dug in on tax policy. He pushed for a plan that shifted the state’s revenue stream from property taxes to income taxes. He worked with lawmakers to create an education funding plan that equalized per-pupil funding, putting schools in poorer regions of the state on more equal financial footing with those in better-off areas.

The school plan shifted much of the burden of paying for schools to the state. This eased local property taxes, which lessened the burden on farmers and improved funding for schools, which pleased many voters statewide.

“School funding was one of the most important pieces of legislation we worked on,” said Neu, the former lawmaker. “It set Iowa schools on the path to being the best in the nation. It’s a plan a lot of other states copied.”

‘For the little guy’

Ray seemingly sought to have a personal relationship with every Iowan with whom he had contact. He sent handwritten notes to every person who assisted him during his trips around the state, even if they only greeted him or hung up his coat. He also tried to read every letter that came to his office, and took pleasure in surprising constituents late in the evening by phoning them to respond to their questions or complaints.

"People often thought they received a crank call, hang up and Governor Ray would have to call back," Oman said.

But the moment that many believe cemented Ray in the hearts and minds of Iowans came in spring 1972.

On March 5, 1968, a Wisconsin Air Guard plane had crashed into the home of Emma McCarville of Cresco. Her home was destroyed. On Dec. 9 of that same year, an Iowa Air National Guard plane wrecked the farm home of Peter and Marie Tjernagel, near Story City.

Peter Tjernagel died 52 days after the crash, which Marie Tjernagel believed was related to the financial stress brought onto the family.

Then for years, the Iowa attorney general and the U.S. Air Force wrangled over who should pay the families for their losses. The Air Force wanted Iowa to pay; Iowa officials believed it was the federal government’s responsibility.

Des Moines Register reporter Nick Lamberto wrote about the families’ struggles, which came as news to Ray. When President Nixon visited Rathbun Lake for its dedication in early 1972, Ray asked him about the problem. Nixon referred it to a subordinate.

Ray wrote a letter to the Nixon aide and also had it published in the Register. A school class in Story City gathered a 15,000-signature petition urging the federal government to settle.

In April 1972, Ray, as commander in chief of the Iowa Air National Guard, took dramatic action. He grounded all Air Guard planes until the two families were made whole.

The federal government was furious, but eventually paid the families.

“That was the moment people began to see Bob Ray as somebody who stood up for the little guy,” Yepsen said. “He took on the whole federal government for two Iowans. That was when they knew how tough he was.”

Challenge from right

When Ray decided to seek a third term in 1972, he faced a Republican challenger: Lt. Gov. Roger Jepsen.

Before a 1988 amendment to the Iowa Constitution, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected separately rather than as a single ticket.

Jepsen, who represented the Iowa GOP’s conservative wing, believed it was his time to run the state’s highest office. Many in the Republican legislative caucus supported Jepsen, who had been a legislative colleague in the Iowa Senate before winning the lieutenant governor’s office in 1968.

Ray girded for the challenge by building what supporters called the most impressive campaign effort of his career.

He again used the political machinery he built in the early 1960s, tapping GOP county chairmen and all those friends he had made rebuilding the party, to build a substantial lead in money and support. Ultimately, Jepsen dropped out of the race before the primary.

Meanwhile, Ray continued to be an innovative campaigner. He introduced telephone solicitations and computerized mass mailings. That fall, Ray ran against Franzenburg again, cruising to victory with 58.6 percent of the vote.

CHAPTER SIX: ‘GOVERNORRAY’

The old saw about Ray goes that by the time he left office in 1983, he had served as governor so long that a generation of schoolchildren thought Governor Ray was one word. Children would ask their teachers who the “Governorray” was of neighboring states.

Though possibly apocryphal, the story is emblematic of Ray’s widespread popularity in Iowa. By the middle 1970s, he polled at a career-high 82 percent approval. Even farmers, who previously believed the governor didn’t understand the relationship of agriculture to the state’s finances, polled 61 percent in favor of Ray.

Ray led trade missions to Asia, including promoting Iowa beef in Japan, and he was among the first U.S. governors to visit China after Nixon's historic visit in 1972. Those missions helped farmers, but it also brought the likable Ray and his staff close to the Iowans over the long trips, Oman said.

"You can't overestimate his likability," Oman said. "You have to like a person to vote for him and he got to know so many Iowans on a first-name basis through these trips."

Jepsen, the combative lieutenant governor, left politics for a time and returned to the insurance business. Neu, the newly elected lieutenant governor, had a more collegial relationship with Ray and the Legislature.

The state and national economy improved in Ray’s third term, and Ray and the Legislature began restructuring state government. Together, they created the Iowa Department of Transportation, which merged half-a-dozen separate departments under one umbrella.

The new agency issued driver’s licenses with photographs. The renewal date for vehicle registrations was matched with the vehicle owner’s birthday rather than having all licenses expire at the end of the year, which had created jams at renewal stations.

Ray signed a Democratic-backed bill to remove sales tax from groceries and prescription drugs, which cost the state about $29 million in revenue. He also signed into law a bill that gave public employees collective bargaining rights.

The governor’s agenda drew criticism from Republicans Terry Branstad and Chuck Grassley, who were both state lawmakers at the time, before Branstad’s promotion to governor and Grassley’s to Congress.

But Ray was so popular, it was difficult for legislators in either party to oppose him.

“One of the reasons legislators felt more inclined to oppose him in 1969 and 1970, even in 1971 and ’72, was because his popularity was in the 50 to 60 percent range,” Grassley told Bowermaster. “By 1974, it was between 70 to 85. So it wasn’t bad for a legislator to be lined up with him.”

Nixon had resigned in disgrace after the Watergate scandal destroyed his administration, and Vice President Gerald Ford succeeded him. Ray became chairman of the National Governors Association in 1975.

Ford twice offered Ray the cabinet position of secretary of the interior, but Ray chose to stay home.

Meanwhile, a change in the Iowa Constitution had extended the governor’s term from two years to four. In 1974, Ray easily won re-election against James Schaben to secure the four-year term.

CHAPTER SEVEN: WELCOMING REFUGEES

In the early 1970s, Ray was greeted outside his office in the Capitol by a woman wearing the traditional garb of the Yankton Sioux tribe.

The woman’s name was Maria Pearson, also known as Running Moccasins. She had come to Ray to protest the treatment of Native American graves uncovered during a road construction project in Glenwood. Twenty-six graves had been unearthed during the project. Most were reburied, but the remains of a mother and child were sent to a state lab for study.

Ray asked what he could do to help.

“You can give me back my people’s bones and you can quit digging them up,” Pearson recalled in her 2000 book, “Give Me Back My People’s Bones: Repatriation and Reburial of American Indian Skeletal Remains in Iowa.”

Ray saw to the return of the remains, and he worked with the Legislature to ensure more care was taken with Native American burial grounds.

The result was the Iowa Burials Protection Act of 1976, long before the 1990 federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

As another term unfolded, Ray’s humanitarianism stretched well beyond the borders of Iowa.

The U.S. failures in Vietnam left deep scars on the American psyche. The nation that had helped defeat Hitler and the Axis in World War II and kept advancing communist forces at bay in Korea had failed in its mission in Southeast Asia.

In 1975, not long after Ray’s fourth inauguration, 130,000 South Vietnamese refugees fled the country after Saigon fell. Laos, on the border of Vietnam, fell to communist troops later that year.

In July, Ford appealed to the nation’s governors to help resettle Southeast Asians. He offered $500 to help with the costs for each refugee. Only one governor responded: Ray.

“I didn’t think we could just sit here idly and say, ‘Let those people die,’” Ray told Iowa Public Television for a documentary on refugee resettlement in Iowa.

Ray formed the Governor’s Task Force for Indochinese Development. The governor’s office received a specific appeal from the Tai Dam, an ethnic group from Vietnam.

The Tai Dam were a closely knit group of about 3,500 people. They hoped to keep their community and culture intact, and wanted to resettle in one place together.

The U.S. State Department resisted settling a large group in one location. Ray pressured federal officials, including Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, to change their minds. They relented. The Tai Dam refugees started arriving in Iowa in October.

Opening state’s door again

Accompanying the refugees was a State Department official named Ken Quinn, a native of the Bronx, N.Y., who had grown up in Dubuque.

While Quinn was assigned to the Vietnam-Cambodia border, he had been the first State Department official to report on the massacres of the Khmer Rouge regime of Cambodian dictator Pol Pot.

Quinn, better than most, knew the terrible conditions faced by refugees. He came to Iowa to give a speech thanking the state for accepting the Tai Dam people.

“After I spoke, I sat down next to Governor Ray, and he tapped me on the leg and said, ‘You would be a good person to have around,’” Quinn said.

Just more than a year later, Quinn returned to Iowa on special assignment to assist Ray’s administration with resettlement efforts.

In 1979, Ray watched a “60 Minutes” report about the plight of other Southeast Asian refugees from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. They were called “boat people” because they fled persecution on boats made of oil drums. Many drowned. Others starved to death or died of disease in refugee camps.

Ray ordered Quinn to use his contacts to see if the governor could again open Iowa’s borders, this time to 1,500 refugees. Quinn worked the system.

The move was controversial. A September 1979 Register Iowa Poll showed 51 percent opposed resettling more refugees. Ray’s office was flooded with mail.

“It was split right down the middle,” Quinn said. “About half supported it, and half opposed.”

The letters that irked Ray most came from those who said refugees would take jobs away from needy Iowans. Ray replied to some of those letters with phone calls in the late evening.

“Ray had an aide count up all the help-wanted ads in an edition of the Sunday Register,” Quinn said. “He would call these people at 9:30 or 10 o’clock at night and say, ‘Just go get one of those jobs before they arrive, and everything will be fine.’”

Photos of suffering

In October 1979, Ray and the governors of Michigan and New Jersey took a trip to visit refugee camps in Thailand. Quinn accompanied the group.

The delegation witnessed suffering, starvation and death, and Ray took photos along the way. The conditions left him and the others badly shaken.

At one point, Tai Dam refugees took Ray into a hut. On the wall was a map of Iowa filled with pins where Tai Dam people had resettled in the state. Ray, Quinn recalled, choked back tears.

Ray and Quinn returned to Iowa and were met at the Des Moines airport by Yepsen, the Register political reporter.

Yepsen wanted the scoop on what the conditions were like in the refugee camps.

“I saw people die,” Ray told Yepsen, which became the headline of the next morning’s Register. Accompanying the article were Ray’s photos, which Yepsen had convinced the governor to let the Register develop and publish.

“There was no politics in his feelings about that issue,” Yepsen said. “He truly believed it was the right thing to do to help them, and he went about convincing the people of Iowa it was right, too.”

He met opposition. Some in the governing body of the Disciples of Christ Church, of which Ray was a member, believed they should not get involved with the politically sensitive issue.

Ray traveled to St. Louis to speak to the church’s national convention. He delivered what Register religion reporter Bill Simbro described as more of a sermon than a political speech. Ray noted that Missouri’s motto is the “Show Me State.” Ray believed there was a moral imperative in the slogan.

“Don’t tell me of your concerns for human rights, show me,” Ray said. “Don’t tell me of your concerns for these people when you have a chance to save their lives, show me. Don’t tell me how Christian you are. Show me.”

The speech turned the tide at the convention, and the church supported aid to the refugees.

Back in Iowa, Ray teamed with the Register’s editorial pages for a statewide fundraising campaign that became known as Iowa SHARES. Donations poured in — more than $2.1 million in today’s money — to aid the refugees. The charity sent doctors, nurses, food and supplies to help.

“Governor Ray was a deeply moral man,” Quinn said. “He believed it was our moral duty to help those people. He could not just let them die.”

CHAPTER EIGHT: TERRACE HILL, BOTTLE BILL

Democrats couldn’t move Ray out of the governor’s chair, but he did make a move in 1976 — to Terrace Hill.

Terrace Hill is a mansion built by millionaire businessman Benjamin Franklin Allen between 1866 and 1869 on land that overlooks downtown Des Moines. After Allen went broke, he sold the mansion to real estate magnate Frederick Hubbell, whose descendants gave the mansion to the state in 1971.

Billie Ray led a massive project starting in 1974 to remodel the mansion into a governor’s residence and a reception hall for visiting dignitaries.

In 1976, Bob and Billie Ray and their three daughters moved in, leaving a colonial house at 2900 Grand Ave., which had been the Iowa governor’s official residence since 1947.

His favorite legislation

The move to the gilded hallways of Terrace Hill was symbolic of Ray’s stature in Iowa. In the middle of his fourth term, he was a confident governor who commanded the executive branch with a calm demeanor admired even by his opponents.

Times were good in Iowa during the middle ’70s. Farm prices were strong, and unemployment was below 3 percent, half the national average.

In 1976, Ray’s approval rating stood at 82 percent, according to the Register’s Iowa Poll. Through the remainder of his governorship, it never dipped below 71 percent.

Ray was considered a vice presidential candidate in 1976, but Ford picked Bob Dole, a U.S. senator from Kansas who had more international experience. Ford lost the White House to Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter.

The stable times allowed Ray to pursue a pet project, one that he would later say was his favorite piece of legislation during his 14 years as governor.

Ray was distressed by the amount of litter along Iowa roads. He pushed for a nickel deposit on beverage cans and bottles sold in Iowa. His aides studied similar bills in Oregon and Vermont. They concluded the bill would not only reduce litter but also increase recycling and ease the burden on landfills.

The bottle bill, as it came to be known (although it covers cans as well), met opposition from unions, who believed the bill would cost jobs; aluminum manufacturers, who worried about rising costs; and grocers, who would be burdened by collecting and refunding the deposit.

Ray, however, refused to bow.

Special interests put out “unbelievable” propaganda, Ray told Bowermaster, his biographer.

Still, Ray had the upper hand. Environmental groups such as the Sierra Club joined with the Boy Scouts of America and the powerful Farm Bureau to support the bill. A Register Iowa Poll showed 71 percent of the public favored it.

It passed both houses, and more than 200 people attended the signing at the Capitol rotunda.

“It was a perfect, if not the perfect, Bob Ray legislation,” Bowermaster wrote. “It wasn’t very sexy, though energy conservation was a hot topic during the 1970s, but it had good, strong public support.”

CHAPTER NINE: THE FINAL TERM

In 1978, Ray cruised to another easy victory, this time against a three-term legislator, Jerry Fitzgerald, 37, to earn a then-record fifth and ultimately final term.

His final four years in office would prove memorable. Ray received Pope John Paul II during his historic 1979 visit to Iowa at Living History Farms in front of nearly 300,000 people. Ray took a photograph from the helicopter he rode to the event, which was published in the Register the following morning.

He greeted Iowa native Kathryn Koob, one of the hostages held by Iran, who was released in early 1981.

Many believed Ray would use the term to position himself as a candidate for national office, either as a vice presidential nominee or a potential presidential candidate.

As the 1980 Iowa caucuses approached, political campaigns courted him heavily for an endorsement in the first-in-the-nation contest.

“Every day there was either a candidate or somebody from a campaign wanting time with the governor to discuss an endorsement,” said Oman, Ray’s chief of staff. “He listened to them all, and he considered some of them.”

Ray no longer had the perceived weakness in foreign affairs that led Ford to pass him over for Dole for the vice presidential nod in 1976.

Ray’s work with refugees had made him a national spokesman on the issue, and he had traveled extensively abroad to promote Iowa exports, including stops in China and the Soviet Union in the summer of 1979.

While Ray never openly ruled out a White House run, he also never said he wanted national office. And when the 1980 caucuses arrived, he remained neutral, refusing to endorse anyone before the voting.

After the caucuses, Ray endorsed U.S. Senate leader Howard Baker, a moderate Republican from Tennessee with a reputation for compromise so renowned that he was known as the “Great Conciliator.”

George H.W. Bush won the Republican Iowa caucuses and ultimately became the vice presidential running mate of future President Ronald Reagan.

“Some people believe Ray could have been Bush’s vice presidential nominee, but I think Bob Ray just liked being governor of Iowa,” said Yepsen, the political reporter. “He was comfortable in that job. He was good at it.”

Budget troubles

Ray convinced the Legislature to refund a $50 million surplus to taxpayers, giving back as much as $250 per person. The refund came at a precarious time for state finances. Revenues were leveling off and dropping.

Advisers suggested using the surplus for a one-time expenditure, such as a prison, but Ray was adamant. His fellow Republicans had rebuffed an idea to repeal the state sales tax on utilities, a move that was popular in other states.

Repealing the utility tax would have been similar to his support for repealing sales taxes on groceries and prescription drugs. Ray believed it was pure tax relief, but he found no support. So instead of letting the Legislature find a way to spend the surplus, Ray pushed for the refund.

That move would prove costly in 1980 when state revenues plummeted. The state’s cattle industry struggled. Interest rates and inflation climbed to as much as 20 percent. A recession loomed, and Ray found himself needing to cut spending in a hurry.

In 1980, Ray cut the budget three times for a total of $172 million, almost 10 percent of the state’s total budget. The recession continued through 1981. Ray resisted lawmakers’ pleas for income and sales tax increases, instead lurching forward with minimal budgets.

It “was a tough year,” Ray said. “Nobody could have predicted the recession would be as deep or as long-lasting as it was.”

Private sector beckons

On Feb. 18, 1982, Ray announced he would not seek a sixth term as governor. He would turn 54 later that year.

As governor, Ray earned $55,000 a year. Privately, he worried that his prime earning years might be behind him. Turning down federal posts had cost him a higher salary. He doubted he could return to trial law, having been away from the courtroom for nearly 20 years.

Lt. Gov. Terry Branstad won the 1982 governor’s race. Branstad, a former Iowa House member from Leland, was more conservative than Ray. At 36, he was the youngest man ever elected to the state’s highest office — four years younger than Ray when he had taken the oath the first time.

Though never as popular as Ray as measured by Iowa Polls, Branstad won four consecutive four-year terms, serving 16 years, two more than Ray. After a stint out of public life, Branstad was re-elected governor again in 2010 and 2014, becoming the longest-serving governor in U.S. history.

Ray spent the summer of 1983 as part of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations, a position helped by a nod from then-Vice President George H.W. Bush.

Three months after he left office, Ray joined the Cedar Rapids insurance firm Life Investors Inc., now known as AEGON. His salary was reported at $300,000, with bonuses and stock options. The couple kept their home in Des Moines but lived in Cedar Rapids.

“It was a conscious decision on his part to leave Des Moines for a while,” said Oman, Ray’s former chief of staff. “Governor Branstad was new, and it wouldn’t be fair for him to be hanging around looming. The Rays loved their time in Cedar Rapids.”

He served nearly seven years at Life Investors, then in 1989 took the helm at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. There, Ray oversaw the mergers of IASD Health Service Corp. and Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Dakota, setting the stage for the company to become Wellmark, Iowa’s largest insurer.

Ray, no longer the politician, was a successful businessman. But he was not done being a public leader.

CHAPTER 10: LIFELONG LEADER

In April 1997, popular Des Moines Mayor A. Arthur Davis resigned when his five-year battle with colon cancer made him too weak to continue.

City officials set a November election to finish Davis’ term, but needed someone in the interim to officiate over everything from the relocation of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to tax assessment complaints.

They turned to Ray.

Ray, then 68, had recently retired as president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa and appeared headed off to the sunset. He accepted on the condition he not be asked to run for the office on a permanent basis.

“When I was governor, I used to say there is no more difficult job than being mayor of a city,” Ray told the Register in 1997. “You can’t do much of anything without somebody disagreeing with you, and then you’re right there, looking one another in the eye. It’s day-in-and-day-out activity on the street level. So why would I want to do it? Because I might be able to do some good.”

Ray held the mayor’s chair until City Councilman Preston Daniels was elected to the job at the end of the year.

Also in 1997, as a legacy of the 1996 Iowa Sesquicentennial, which Ray chaired, he helped found the Institute for Character Development at Drake University (Character Counts In Iowa), which has blossomed into The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake. The Character Counts program has served over 500,000 Iowa school-age youth. The center also assists Iowans from preschoolers to corporate and community leaders as a state and global resource in the areas of leadership, ethics and civility.

Helping his alma mater

Then another voice from Ray’s past came calling: his alma mater, Drake University.

In 1998, Drake President Michael Ferrari, who had presided over the school’s financial and academic resurgence in the 1980s and 1990s, had resigned to take the top post at Texas Christian University.

Drake was in the middle of a $100 million fundraising campaign. It would take at least a year to find a new president.

School leaders turned to Ray, one of the school’s most prestigious alumni and a longtime member of Drake’s board of trustees.

Ray accepted, but with one condition: He did not want to be an interim president. He wanted the full title and responsibility.

“Governor Ray did not believe he could be as effective as he wanted to be if labeled an interim president,” said Don Adams, a longtime Drake vice president who served as Ray’s chief of staff during his yearlong presidency at Drake.

Ray became an active leader on campus and beyond. Some faculty members were skeptical about the selection of a trustee to run the school. Ray solved the problem by inviting the president of the faculty senate to join his Cabinet.

“Bob Ray wanted total transparency,” Adams said. “He didn’t want anyone to think he was there on somebody else’s agenda.”

Ray held the post until the hiring of David Maxwell, an experienced administrator who was head of the National Foreign Language Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Maxwell met privately with Ray as they prepared for the leadership change. Ray planned to return to the board of trustees, but he wanted to make sure Maxwell was comfortable with that.

Ray “didn’t want me to feel like he was going to be second-guessing me from the board,” Maxwell recalled. “I said to him, ‘The very fact that you would ask that question tells me we’re going to have a good relationship.’ He was always very generous in that way.”

Ray continued his service to Iowa through work on dozens of boards and commissions. A speaker and course program for lifelong learners age 50 and above at Drake, called the Ray Society, is named in his and Billie Ray’s honor.

EPILOGUE: LEGACY

Bob Ray was Iowa’s most popular politician of the 20th century. The late Washington Post political columnist David Broder once wrote that “among governors of both parties, few men enjoyed greater respect than Ray.”

He was not without critics. Some called him timid, lukewarm and uninspiring. “A man whose personality had all the zing of his favorite treat — a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream,” noted a 1997 Register profile of Ray.

Yet retired Register columnist John Carlson perhaps best assessed Ray’s hold on Iowa:

“Ray’s greatest talent seemed to be correctly assessing the mood of Iowans and having an uncanny sense of what they would and wouldn’t tolerate,” Carlson wrote. “He always, always remembered that Iowans are moderate by nature and never, ever are they extreme.”

One of the last formal honors Ray received was the Hoover Presidential Library Uncommon Iowan Award, in October 2015.

Ray was too ill to attend the ceremony, and Quinn, who worked on refugee issues with Ray while on loan from the State Department, accepted the award on Ray's behalf.

Quinn recounted that Ray was the first governing leader anywhere in the world to offer to accept the Vietnamese boat people, who were drowning at sea. Ray’s Iowa SHARES campaign rushed doctors and nurses, food and medicine to starving Cambodian survivors of the genocidal Khmer Rouge. And he welcomed the Tai Dam people of Laos to be resettled in Iowa together, allowing them to keep their cultural heritage intact.

“Governor Bob Ray displayed the global moral leadership that thrust Iowa to center stage of international humanitarian diplomacy,” Quinn said, “and placed himself in the pantheon of Iowa's greatest historic figures.”

But Quinn also described a scene that offers perhaps a greater tribute than any award. Thirty-five years after the end of the Vietnam War, Ray was walking through a grocery store in Des Moines with his wife, Billie, when they encountered an Asian man pushing a shopping cart. The man recognized the governor, walked over from his cart and extended his hand. He told Ray, “You saved my life. I just want to say, ‘Thank you.’”

BOB RAY TIMELINE

1928: Robert Dolph Ray is born on Sept. 26 to accountant Clark Ray and his wife, Mildred.

1940: Ray wins his first election, as president of his Callanan Junior High School seventh-grade class.

1944: Ray meets Billie Lee Hornberger while attending a youth camp sponsored by University Christian Church.

1946: Ray graduates from Roosevelt High School in Des Moines at age 17. He joins the U.S. Army and spends two years in Japan as part of the first wave of relief troops.

1948: Ray returns to Des Moines and studies business administration and teaching at Drake University.

1951: Ray and Billie Lee Hornberger marry. The couple spends four months traveling Europe as part of an extended honeymoon.

1954: Ray graduates from Drake Law School and eventually joins the firm of Verne and James Lawyer in downtown Des Moines.

1956: Ray runs as a Republican for Polk County attorney. He loses by 10,000 votes in the heavily Democratic county.

1958: Ray runs for the Iowa House and loses, but becomes one of the first Iowa candidates to use television advertising.

1963: Ray, at 35, becomes chairman of the Iowa Republican Party.

1964: In Ray’s first election cycle as chairman, Republicans suffer major state and national defeats as part of the Democratic landslide led by President Lyndon Johnson. In Iowa, popular incumbent Gov. Harold Hughes, a Democrat, wins re-election. Republicans lose all but one of the state’s six seats in the U.S. House. Democrats carry large majorities in both houses of the Iowa Legislature.

1965: Ray orders tighter controls on how Republican committee money is spent.

1966: GOP campaigns are generally better organized, and the party sees substantial gains.

1968: Ray decides to run for governor, facing a three-man primary.

1968: Ray survives an April 22 plane crash, breaking his leg and ankle. He is on crutches for much of the campaign, but his grit impresses voters.

1968: Ray is elected 38th governor of Iowa at age 40.

1970: Ray uses the Iowa State Patrol, rather than the Iowa National Guard, to break up a student protest designed to block traffic on Interstate Highway 80. The use of state troopers is credited with reducing violence.

1970: Ray visits a summer concert attended by nearly 30,000 near Wadena. Hoping to avoid violence, he tells the crowd, “we want you all to leave here knowing you had a good time. Try to stay off the stuff, OK?”

1970: In November, Ray wins his second term as Iowa governor.

1971: Faced with a recession and a tax code that relied heavily on property taxes, Ray’s approval rating dips to a career-low 41 percent, according to a Des Moines Register Iowa Poll.

1972: Ray grounds all Iowa National Guard flights until the federal government pays for the losses of two Iowa families whose homes were wrecked by military airplane crashes.

1972: In November, Ray wins his third term after fending off a possible primary challenge by then-Lt. Gov. Roger Jepsen.

1972: An amendment to the Iowa Constitution changes the term of the governor from two years to four years.

1974: Ray wins his fourth term as governor and first four-year term, despite heavy losses for Republicans nationwide in the wake of the scandals enveloping the administration of President Richard Nixon, in a year when nine other incumbent Republican governors lost nationwide.

1975: Ray opens Iowa’s borders to the first of about 3,500 Tai Dam refugees, an ethnic group who had fled persecution in Vietnam after the end of the war there.

1976: At Ray’s urging, the Iowa Legislature passes the Iowa Burials Protection Act, which protects burial grounds of Native Americans and others.

1976: Ray is considered by President Gerald R. Ford as a potential running mate, but Ford chooses Kansas U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.

1976: Ray becomes the first Iowa governor to occupy Terrace Hill, an 1869 mansion still used as the governor’s residence.

1976: Ray’s approval rating hits a career-high 82 percent, according to the Iowa Poll.

1978: Ray wins his fifth and final term as governor.

1978: Ray signs into law his favorite piece of legislation, the bottle bill, requiring a refundable 5-cent deposit charged on cans and bottles, an effort to reduce roadside litter.

1979: Ray receives Pope John II in Iowa on Oct. 4, 1979.

1979: Despite public opinion polls that oppose accepting more Southeast Asians, Ray successfully argues to reopen the state’s borders to refugee resettlement.

1979: In October, Ray visits Southeast Asia with a group of governors. After seeing the suffering in refugee camps, Ray helps organize Iowa Shares, a massive charity effort that raises nearly $2.1 million in today’s money to aid refugees.

1980: Though heavily courted by many campaigns, Ray remains neutral in the Iowa caucuses, which are eventually won by George H.W. Bush.

1982: Ray announces he will not seek a sixth term.

1983: Three months after leaving office, Ray becomes CEO of Life Investors Inc., a Cedar Rapids insurance firm.

1989: Ray joins IASD Health Service Corp. and oversees the merger into Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, now known as Wellmark.

1997: Ray, 68, who had recently retired, is asked to serve as interim mayor of Des Moines after Mayor A. Arthur Davis resigns while facing terminal cancer.

1997: Ray helps found the Iowa Institute for Character Development.

1998: Ray is chosen to serve as president of Drake University, his alma mater, while the school searches for a new president after the departure of Michael Ferrari.

2005: Ray receives the Iowa Award, the highest civilian honor given by the state.

2013: Ray and his wife, Billie, move from their home to Wesley Acres along Grand Avenue in Des Moines, 10 blocks west of Terrace Hill.

2014: Drake University announces plan for new science, technology and math building that will house the Ray Center, an institute dedicated to promoting civility in public discourse.

2018: Ray dies July 8 at age 89.

Coronavirus in Vermont: Latest news and impact

Free Press Staff

As the situation surrounding the COVID-19 caused by the new coronavirus continues to evolve in Vermont, here are updates and information. The latest news is at the top.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, cough and breathing trouble. Most develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial outlook for the Burlington International Airport is stable, the airport announced Tuesday.

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the airport's Baa2 credit rating with the stable outlook earlier this month. The rating, according to Moody's, means the airport's obligations are medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk, but that it has a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

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Property taxes for Williston residents will be a bit higher than expected this year due to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic delayed construction in the town, which impacted property values, the town stated in a news release. As a result, grand list increases were less than initially estimated.

The new rate is set to $0.2750, meaning that for every $100,000 in property value, municipal taxes will be $275, the town said. The deadline for the first property tax payment has been postponed from Aug. 15 until Sept 15. The other two deadlines will remain the same.

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Monday, July 20, 2020

Three full-time staff were laid off at Colchester Parks and Recreation due to diminished demand for camps and recreation programs during the pandemic, Town Manager Aaron Frank announced last week.

"Please do what you can to help towards positive changes in COVID outcomes that will allow us to bring back these valuable programs and staff that help make Colchester a great place to live, work and play," Frank wrote in a newsletter.

On a more upbeat note, the town announced that rehabilitation work on the Colchester Causeway is moving along ahead of schedule. If the trend holds, the breathtaking walk/bike trail across a portion of Lake Champlain will re-open by early September.

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Ten new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the state's health department Monday morning, bringing the cumulative state total to 1,360.

Three people are currently hospitalized with the virus, the same number as yesterday. Nineteen other hospitalizations are being investigated.

Deaths have remained at 56 since June 18.

Total people recovered are 1,139 and a total of 83,868 people have been tested.

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The lakefront ECHO nature and science center in Burlington has waived its entrance fees to the public through Sept. 14, thanks to a fundraising effort by its members.

Although there is no cost for admission, tickets — available online — are required, the center reported in a news release.

ECHO is open 10 a.m. - noon, and 1-3 p.m., Friday - Monday.

Beginning July 24, the center will reserve the 10 a.m. - noon slot as a "member-preferred" time for visits.

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A new drop-off center for recycling and trash will open in Hinesburg on Saturday, according to an update posted today by Chittenden Solid Waste District.

The new facility at 907 Beecher Hill Road features a more efficient layout and up-to-date compactors that will help reduce truck traffic, wrote CSWD spokesperson Alise Certa.

Hours: 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Saturdays only for now.

Safety: All customers must wear masks and stay six feet apart.

Restrictions: No bulky items (mattresses, furniture, construction material) at this time.

Check CSWD's website for a locator map, and more guidelines.

The district's drop-off centers in Richmond and Burlington remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Sunday, July 19, 2020

An gathering to paint a Black Lives Matter mural on Burlington's Main Street between St. Paul Street and South Winooski Avenue was planned from 2-3 p.m. Sunday. The mural was approved by city councilors and multiple city departments took part in organizing and undertaking the event.

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Twelve new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the health department, bringing the cumulative state total to 1,350. Three people are currently hospitalized with the virus, one less than the previous day.

21 other hospitalizations are being investigated.

Deaths remained at 56.

Total people recovered are 1,137 and a total of 82,500 people have been tested.

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The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday for the Burlington area, with high humidity and temperatures soaring near 100 degrees.

The forecast calls for a high of 98 degrees, with the heat index — a measure of the combined affect of heat and humidity — topping out at 101.

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Three new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the health department, bringing the cumulative state total to 1,338. Four people are currently hospitalized with the virus, one less than the previous day.

21 other hospitalizations are being investigated.

Deaths remained at 56.

Total people recovered are 1,125 and a total of 80,446 people have been tested.

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Friday, July 17, 2020

Nine new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the Health Department. The recovery total is 1,121.

The cumulative state total of cases is now at 1,334.

The deaths remain at 56, and the number currently hospitalized is 4.

88,246 people have been tested.

The state listed the following updates on its dashboard:

"July 17 The number of people tested is incorrect and will be updated later this afternoon. July 16 The number of people tested displayed in the dashboard dropped by less than 300 people due to a new method being used that improves the quality of the demographic information about people tested and removes duplicates. The change also affects the numbers in the 'Total People Tested' graph and 'People Tested by Day' graph. A new map on the dashboard, 'Percent of Population Tested by County,' shows the percent of residents by county that have been tested."

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Takeaways from Gov. Scott's Friday news conference include the following:

Vermont's Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine gave an update on the Manchester situation (with 59 people who had positive antigen tests): 17 had PCR tests, "which is recommended to confirm the positive antigen result." Of this group, two tested positive .

School re-openings: Scott said he expects Vermont will use a hybrid model featuring remote and in-person learning. Dr. William Raszka with the UVM Health Network noted children seem less likely to transmit the virus that causes COVID-19. State Epidemiologist Dr. Patsy Kelso named strategies like: daily screenings; testing symptomatic people; contact tracing; using physical distancing and facial coverings.

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The Fletcher Free Library announced updated services in a July 16 news release.

These include allowing scheduled computer time, "brief visits to collect materials and receive library support" and outdoor seating ("when staffing allows").

The library has a Kids' Open Air Hours service that will allow youth to pick and chat about books.

"Weather permitting, the FFL Youth Department will staff a table on the library lawn in front of the historic Carnegie building at 235 College Street on Saturdays from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and Wednesdays from 1 to 3 pm," the news release stated. "FFL requests that participants wear masks and maintain social distance."

The library also has mystery bags with youth books.

"The bags are available at Open Air Hours and at the front desk and the list of themes is on the Kids’ webpage at fletcherfree.org," the news release stated. "There is no bag limit."

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Thursday, July 16, 2020

Nine new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the Health Department. Seven people have recovered, bringing the cumulative recovery total to 1,111.

The cumulative state total of cases is now at 1,325.

The deaths remain at 56, and the number currently hospitalized remains at 5.

79,040 have been tested.

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Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Thirteen new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the health department, bringing the cumulative state total to 1,318. Five people are currently hospitalized with the virus, three more than the previous day.

Fourteen other hospitalizations are being investigated.

Deaths remained at 56.

Total people recovered are 1,104 and a total of 78,358 people have been tested.

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Those who file a new initial claim for unemployment insurance may receive a call from the Department of Labor to confirm their identity and intent to file.

"This extra step is being taken to protect Vermonters against fraudulent filers using their personal information," a news release from the Department of Labor said. Imposter fraud has been on the rise across the country, according to the labor department.

"Individuals may ask the Department’s call center representative to provide further information to identify themselves, or if they do not feel comfortable providing information to the representative, the claimant can call the trusted Claimant Assistance Line at 877-214-3332 and select ‘Identity Confirmation’ from the menu options to connect with a call center representative," the release states.

Those who do not validate their identity when contacted may see a delay in payments.

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The Burlington city building at 625 Pine St. is open for limited, in-person services.

Burlington residents can do business with Public Works, Permitting & Inspections and Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visitors are required to wear masks, not to exceed four customers in the lobby and sign a log book.

"While the City still encourages the public to conduct as much business over the phone or internet as possible in the interest of public health, we also recognize the value of serving the public directly," the news release says.

How to contact (online, email and phone):

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Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Gov. Phil Scott announced Tuesday that Vermont's Health Care Provider Stabilization Grant Program will launch on Friday, July 17. The program utilizes up to $275 million from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund to provide direct cash grants to eligible health care and human service providers who have lost revenue or incurred increased expenses because of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Agency of Human Services and the Department of Vermont Health Access will host a webinar on Monday, July 20, to explain the grant application process, eligibility requirements and the documents providers should plan to submit when applying for a grant. Sign up here to receive an email when the application is open.

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Four new cases of COVID-19 were reported Tuesday morning by the Vermont Department of Health, bringing the cumulative total for the state to 1,305.

Two people were hospitalized with the virus — the same number as the previous day. Eight hospitalizations are under investigation. Deaths remain at 56.

The health department is reporting 1,099 Vermonters who have recovered from the disease, with a total of 77,624 people have been tested.

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A preliminary outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Windham County was announced by state officials Tuesday during Gov. Phil Scott's weekly news conference.

Over 30 "presumptively positive" cases have been reported by Manchester Medical Center, said Health Commissioner Mark Levine, after the center's urgent care conducted a series of antigen tests to regional residents.

Those that test positive on antigen tests, which differ from PCR tests, are "not considered to be a lab-confirmed test" said Levine. Antigen tests tend to not be included in Vermont's number of cases, and those that were either confirmed positive or "false negatives" would need to be tested by the Health Department.

Levine stated that the Health Department has already set up a pop-up site in Londonderry for July 15, and he encouraged those that tested positive, as well as others in the region to attend it.

In regards to the outbreak, Mike Smith, secretary of the state's Agency of Human Services, cautioned Vermonters against failing to quarantine after traveling to "hotspots" outside of the state's designated safe areas. He further went on to recommend residents should not attend social events or gatherings following those trips where they know they are "bound to have close contacts" with other people.

"It is a pattern that I'm starting to get a little concerned about," said Smith.

"We all need to do our part. Risky behavior can lead to outbreaks."

Both Levine and Smith were hesitant to call it "the Manchester outbreak", citing that where people were getting tested did not reflect where they had contracted the virus.

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Gov. Phil Scott announced Tuesday that he would be extending Vermont's state of emergency through August 15. The action will not roll back opening-up procedures, Scott said — but will provide a mechanism through which the administration can update guidelines as necessary.

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Two statewide grant programs — aimed at providing relief to Vermont's dairy industry and health care system — were announced Tuesday.

The Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program will be offering a total of $25 million in federal funding to dairy producer and processors stating Friday, July 17.

Those eligible include dairy farmers and processors who were operating as of March 1 and were subsequently impacted by the pandemic, either through income loss, additional expenses or market disruption of dairy prices.

An estimated 25 Vermont dairies have closed operations since March 1, according to Anson Tebbetts, secretary of the sate's Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, during the governor's news conference. Prior to the pandemic, the state saw a loss of 1.5 farms per month.

"This has been a direct result of what happened when the markets went away for our dairy farmers," Tebbetts said.

Applications are available via the Agency's website, and must be completed by Oct. 1.

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The Health Care Stabilization Grant Program is additionally set to launch this Friday, intended to give $275 million of financial assistance to Vermont health care providers.

Applications must be completed by August 15, and will be evaluated and distributed based on "demonstrated need", as opposed to a first come, first serve basis.

The program is intended to cover a wide variety of providers, organizations and small-scale practices including health centers, dentists, mental health and substance abuse treatment providers, physical therapists, and emergency medical service providers.

"We want to continue to meet the needs of providers during and after this time of crisis," said Mike Smith, secretary of the state's Agency of Human Services. "If providers are not certain if they are eligible, we want them to apply anyway."

Cash grants for the first round of this program will cover expenses between March 1 and June 15. The second round is expected to launch in October, and will cover between June 16 to Sept. 30.

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Burlington School District will host a series of town hall meetings this week, inviting community members to learn about and participate in the district's plans to reopen schools this fall.

The meetings will be conducted virtually via Zoom and split between two days to allow both families and staff the opportunity to ask questions and hear from school administrators about the reopening.

The town hall meeting for families will meet 7 p.m. on July 15, whereas a meeting for staff will be conducted the following day, at 7 p.m. on July 16.

“This is a key moment in our planning process," said Tom Flanagan, the new superintendent for Burlington School District when began his tenure on July 1st.

"We need to hear from the community in order to finalize our plans and inform our families so they can start planning their lives."

For more information, those interested can visit the district's website via this link. The meeting will also be aired live through the district's YouTube and Facebook pages. Interpreters will be available to translate the meeting.

Monday, July 13, 2020

Six new cases of COVID-19 were reported Monday by the Vermont Department of Health, which brings the cumulative total for the state to 1,301.

Two people were hospitalized with the virus — the same number as the previous day. Eight hospitalizations are under investigation.

Deaths remained the same at 56. There has not been a COVID-related death in Vermont since June 18.

The health department is reporting 1,096 Vermonters who have recovered from the disease.

76,581 people have been tested for the virus.

NOTE: The Free Press noticed the numbers regarding new and total case counts didn't align from July 11 to July 13 and subsequently reached out to the Health Department. Ben Truman with the department said in an email that this is why there is a notice that this data is preliminary. He provided an example: A person who tested positive might no longer get counted if it is learned that they don't live in Vermont.

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Sunday, July 12, 2020

Fourteen new cases of COVID-19 were reported Sunday by the Vermont Department of Health, which brings the cumulative total for the state to 1,296.

Two people were hospitalized with the virus — the same number as the previous day. Fifteen hospitalizations are under investigation.

Deaths remained the same at 56. There has not been a COVID-related death in Vermont since June 18.

The health department is reporting 1,089 Vermonters who have recovered from the disease.

75,851 people have been tested for the virus.

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Saturday, July 11, 2020

Six new cases of COVID-19 were reported Saturday by the Vermont Department of Health, which brings the cumulative total for the state to 1,283.

Two people were hospitalized with the virus — the same as yesterday. Sixteen hospitalizations are under investigation.

Deaths remained the same at 56. There has not been a COVID-related death in Vermont since June 18.

The health department is reporting 1,066 Vermonters who have recovered from the disease.

75,032 people have been tested for the virus.

Friday, July 10, 2020

The Governor announced $30 million in housing assistance for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money would be allocated Federal CARES Act funding: $25 million for renters and landlords and $5 million for homeowners behind on making payments. Those interested in receiving assistance can begin applying online starting Monday July 13 for the rental assistance program or mortgage assistance program.

Renters' assistance money could be used for rent or security deposits as well as make up for landlord losses from the period starting March 1, 2020. Funding can be re-applied for and is given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Proof of payment delinquency will be required.

The mortgage assistance program prioritizes the lowest income, highest risk of foreclosure homeowners who have missed at least two payments. Homeowners could apply for up to three missed mortgage payments; funds will be paid directly to the mortgage lender.

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Kinney Drugs and a Walgreens in Essex will soon begin COVID-19 testing at their pharmacies.

Gov. Phil Scott asked other local companies to join the effort. Health Commissioner Mark Levine said having testing locations at local pharmacies takes some of the burden off the health department so they can focus on outbreaks and vulnerable populations.

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Five new cases of COVID-19 were reported Friday by the Vermont Department of Health, which brings the cumulative total for the state to 1,277.

Two people were hospitalized with the virus — down one from yesterday. Nine hospitalizations are under investigation.

Deaths remained the same at 56. There has not been a COVID-related death in Vermont since June 18.

The health department is reporting 1,066 Vermonters who have recovered from the disease.

74,098 people have been tested for the virus.

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The ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain will be regularly open starting July 10, Fridays through Mondays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Timed tickets are required for two different time slots, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.

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In a news conference Friday afternoon, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said Vermont is doing well combatting the coronavirus, but emphasized that we are only in the second inning of a nine inning game, using a baseball analogy to make the point that there’s a long way to go before the crisis is over.

Weinberger echoed the same point made during the call by Dr. Stephen Leffler, president and chief operating officer of University of Vermont Medical Center, who said, “There’s a lot of coronavirus in front of us.” Leffler said he understands that people are fatigued by the effort to deal with the virus, but “we have to be in this for the long term.”

Leffler used a different spots analogy, saying we just finished the first quarter of the effort to fight the disease.

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Airport Director Gene Richards also joined the mayor’s call to give an update on measures being taken Burlington International Airport against COVID-19. The airport has added thermal imaging that can pick up abnormally high body temperatures, indicating a fever, in groups of up to 20 people. Richards said if someone is “running warm” a red square shows up on her image rather than a green square.

Richards explained that a person who possibly has a fever is notified and advised to check with a physician, but no further steps are taken. “We don’t want to get into people’s personal business at this point,” Richards said. “It’s very voluntary.”

Richards said about 4,000 people are passing through the airport weekly, up from a low of 800 at the start of the pandemic. Normally, Burlington International Airport would be seeing as many as 17,000 people passing through weekly at this time of year, before the coronavirus struck the nation.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

The Vermont Cheesemakers Festival announced it is canceling the 12th annual event planned for Sunday, Aug. 9 at Shelburne Farms.

"We have been pondering what to do – postpone the festival, offer alternative events, etc. – and found is that there really is no alternative to the festival given the current conditions and our interest in keeping both our vendors’ and attendees’ safety prioritized," reads a note on the festival's website.

The Vermont Cheese Council, which plans the event, has had to focus in recent months "trying to help cheesemakers keep their doors open, helping them find grant and other emergency funds, redirecting and identifying new sales strategies to try to make up for the 25-75% losses most of them have experienced, helping them navigate the changing regulations related to operating within our industry at this time, and marketing their products as widely as possible," according to the website.

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Vermont Humanities and the Vermont Arts Council have wrapped up their Cultural Relief Grant Program that distributed nearly $750,000 in emergency relief grants to 122 Vermont cultural organizations, including museums, libraries, performing-arts venues and other cultural centers, the council announced in a news release.

The program, which concluded May 31, supported humanities and arts organizations struggling to survive through resulting economic fallout from the pandemic. The grants are for general operating expenses of $5,000 to $10,000 depending on organization size.

The program was seeded by more than $700,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020.

The Opera Company of Middlebury canceled its planned June production of Tchaikovkiy's "Maid of Orleans," causing nearly 60 Vermont singers, musicians and staff members to go without a paycheck.

“This grant supports our plan to produce an innovative, socially-distanced video production this fall, putting these talented people back to work, and bringing opera once again to the Vermont audience,” artistic director Douglas Anderson said in a news release.

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The Shelburne Museum will re-open to the public July 30.

Free admission will be offered to patrons visiting by September 6. Online ticket reservations will be required and can be can be obtained at shelburnemuseum.org.

The museum will be open four days a week — Thursday through Sunday — from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Occupancy limits will be imposed on both outdoor and indoor spaces. Three exhibit buildings will be open to the public. Masks will be required for those ages 5 and up.

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Efficiency Vermont is offering grants to schools updating their ventilation systems to lessen airborne viral transmission.

The School Indoor Air Quality Grant Program was created by the Vermont Legislature and uses federal coronavirus relief funds to help schools improve their indoor air quality in response to national guideline recommendations.

"The goal is to complete as much work as possible before schools open in September, and all projects must be completed by the end of the year," a news release from Efficiency Vermont reads.

The initiative is seeking contractors, HVAC technicians and other specialists who can help perform the work schools are requesting.

More info at efficiencyvermont.com/schools.

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Sixteen new cases of COVID-19 were reported Thursday by the Vermont Department of Health, bringing the cumulative total for the state to 1,272.

Three people were hospitalized with the virus — up one from Wednesday. Twelve hospitalizations are under investigation.

Deaths remained the same at 56.

The health department is reporting 1,054 Vermonters have recovered from the disease.

The total number of tests performed so far were 72,749 (just shy of 1,000 additional tests in the past 24 hours).

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Wednesday, July 8, 2020

The City of Burlington is moving the deadline for property tax payments due to delays in other tax deadlines that occurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deadline for property tax bills will now be Sept. 14, according to Burlington Chief Administrative Officer Katherine Schad. The original deadline was Aug. 12.

The city will not penalize residents who wait until the new deadline to pay their bill, Schad said.

Taxpayers who have automatic payments set up through their bank should notify their bank of the change, according to Schad. Taxpayers enrolled in the city's direct debit program do not have to take any action.

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The City of Burlington is supporting a move by Gov. Phil Scott this week to write letters to bar owners in the state to remind them of COVID-19 compliance rules.

This comes after four Burlington bars received written warnings accusing them of breaking rules put in place through an executive order signed by Scott. These rules were set to ensure health and safety within bars during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scott's letter also informs bar owners that the Department of Liquor and Lottery would be conducting compliance checks to ensure they are following the rules, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said during a news conference Wednesday.

Weinberger has expressed concern about these violations, saying that COVID-19 transmission can easily occur in bars. He said the guidelines are restrictive, but they must be followed to ensure patrons' safety.

"I want to be clear: these are important businesses for Burlington," Weinberger said. "They've been an important part of Burlington's economic successes, they're a part of the vibrancy of Burlington. I take no joy at all in having to have this tougher posture."

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Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont on Wednesday in today's update from the Department of Health.

There were no new deaths related to COVID-19 reported, keeping the total number of deaths in the state at 56.

Two people remain hospitalized with the disease (the same as Tuesday) and 12 are hospitalized with their diagnosis still under investigation.

The Health Department says 1,049 Vermonters have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 10 over Tuesday.

The state reported 643 more people were tested yesterday, bringing the total number of individuals tested to 71,756.

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A major lacrosse tournament scheduled for July in Stowe has been cancelled, organizers announced on the Bitter Lacrosse website Wednesday.

The Stowe LAX Classic for high school boys and girls was to have taken place July 18 - 19 and July 25-26.

Local concerns about the potential spread of COVID-19 prompted the cancellation, according to a story posted Tuesday by VT Digger.

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Tuesday, July 7, 2020

There were 3 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Vermont on Tuesday. There were no new deaths related to COVID-19 reported, keeping the total number of deaths in the state at 56.

Two people are hospitalized with the virus and 11 are hospitalized under investigation. The health department says 1,039 Vermonters have recovered from COVID-19.

The state reported 760 new tests, bringing the total number of individuals tested to 71,113.

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Vermont colleges and universities will be required to adopt strict health and safety protocols moving into the fall 2020 semester in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, according to an announcement Tuesday.

Richard Schneider, former president of Norwich University and a member of Gov. Phil Scott's Re-Start committee, outlined guidance for colleges and universities during a news conference:

Mandatory quarantine

Health screening required for all students, staff and faculty

Limiting visitors (the same 14-day quarantine restrictions apply)

All students must sign a health-safety contract, to establish personal accountability. There would be ramifications if they threaten the health of others.

Testing of students at least once per year

Modifying calendars – everybody home by Thanksgiving; not returning before Christmas.

Restricting travel (specifically, college-funded travel).

Reducing density in dining halls, and in classes.

More:New guidelines: College students will face a COVID-transformed semester in Vermont

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Free COVID-19 testing will be available at select locations in Burlington and Winooski this week.

Pop-up sites will be running at various hours on these days:

Champlain Elementary School , 800 Pine St., Burlington: (Wednesday, July 8 & Thursday, July 9 between 1 to 7 p.m. , and Friday July 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

, 800 Pine St., Burlington: O'Brien Community Center , 32 Malletts Bay Ave., Winooski: (Tuesday, July 7 between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

, 32 Malletts Bay Ave., Winooski: Riverside, 666 Riverside Ave., Burlington: (Wednesday, July 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

Walk-ins are welcome, although pre-registration is encouraged. Interpreters are available upon request. To register, individuals can call (802) 828-2828 visit humanresources.vermont.gov/burlington or humanresources.vermont.gov/winooski.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Vermont businesses can now apply for an economic-recovery grant through the state of Vermont via federal Coronavirus Relief Funds.

The grants are intended for businesses that can demonstrate revenue loss in any one-month period from March 1-Aug. 31, 2020, when compared with the same month in 2019.

The state Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) and Vermont Department of Taxes will work together to administer the more than $150 million available. Businesses that pay rooms and meals or sales and use taxes will go through the Department of Taxes. All others will go through ACCD.

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The COVID-19 pandemic means no drivers education this summer for students at South Burlington High School this summer, Principal Patrick Burke tweeted.

The school district does not have an approved budget for 2020-21, Burke noted. "COVID relief funds have not been approved to provide summer drivers-education 'make-up' hours for students for whom DE was cut short last semester," Burke tweeted. "As a result, there will be no SBHS summer drivers' education services this summer."

Making up the hours for students enrolled in drivers education last spring "will be a priority as we reopen the school in late August," according to Burke.

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There were 2 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Vermont on Monday. There were no new deaths related to COVID-19 reported, keeping the total number of deaths in the state at 56.

One person is hospitalized with the virus and 23 are hospitalized under investigation. The health department says 1,022 Vermonters have recovered from COVID-19.

The state reported 329 new tests, bringing the total number of individuals tested to 70,353.

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Sunday, July 5, 2020

There were 11 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Vermont on Sunday. There were no new deaths related to COVID-19 reported, keeping the total number of deaths in the state at 56.

One person is hospitalized with the virus and 14 are hospitalized under investigation. The health department says 1,007 Vermonters have recovered from COVID-19.

The state reported 627 new tests, bringing the total number of individuals tested to 70,024.

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Saturday, July 4, 2020

Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont on Saturday, one in Chittenden County and another in Lamoille County. There were no new deaths related to COVID-19 reported, keeping the total number of deaths in the state at 56.

There was no change from yesterday when it came to hospitalizations: 1 person is hospitalized with the virus and 15 are hospitalized under investigation. The health department says 999 Vermonters have recovered from COVID-19, a number that jumped by 32 since yesterday.

The state reported 995 new tests, bringing the total number of individuals tested to 69,397.

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Friday, July 3, 2020

Vermont State Historic Sites are re-opening for the season this week, according to an announcement from the Division for Historic Preservation.

Guests will be required to wear face coverings inside of buildings at historic sites, and outside when in proximity to others. Some spaces will be closed to encourage social distancing.

Some sites, including the President Chester A. Arthur Historic Site, Kents Corner Historic Site, and Eureka Schoolhouse Historic Site will remain closed for the 2020 season. Read more here about which sites are now open: https://historicsites.vermont.gov

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Nine new cases of COVID-19 — five of them in Chittenden County — were reported in Vermont as of Friday morning.

The total number of positive cases thus far in the pandemic is 1,236, according to data from the state's health department.

There were no new deaths related to COVID-19 reported; that total remains at 56.

One person is currently hospitalized with the coronavirus, while 15 people are hospitalized under investigation for COVID-19. The Health Department reports that 967 Vermonters have recovered from the disease, seven more people since yesterday.

A total of 68,395 people have been tested for the virus.

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The Vermont Foodbank Farmers to Families Food box program will continue through July and August.

The program provides boxes of fresh produce, dairy and chicken, and there are several distribution locations and times each day. To reduce wait times, reservations will be required.

For information on reservations and the program, read here: https://www.vtfoodbank.org/coronavirus-services-for-individuals

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Thursday, July 2, 2020

ECHO, the Burlington science and nature museum, will be reopening to the public this weekend. There will be timed tickets to limit capacity in the building.

For more information, read here: https://www.echovermont.org/plan-your-visit/reopening-information/

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The 17 new cases reported today are not related to any one outbreak, nor are they unexpected, Public Health Communication Officer Ben Truman said Thursday.

The new cases are spread out across six counties. Chittenden County leads with eight new cases.

Truman said that one case is related to an outbreak that began in Winooski, and some of them are related to travel.

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An "intermission" in performances for the foreseeable future has been announced by Burlington-based Off Center for the Performing Arts.

The group, which had been planning to throw a celebration of its 10th year, will store its stage, lighting and other equipment and "wait patiently offstage for the cue to start our next act," according to an update posted Wednesday by Laura Roald, its board president.

Meanwhile, Roald adds, the nonprofit will continue its search for a permanent performance space. She encourages anyone wishing to help in that quest, or just to help with the move to a storage space, to contact he group at theoffcenter@gmail.com.

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Seventeen new cases of COVID-19 — eight of them in Chittenden County — were reported in Vermont as of Thursday morning.

The total number of positive cases thus far in the pandemic is 1,227, according to data from the state's health department.

There were no new deaths related to COVID-19 reported; that total remains at 56.

Two people are hospitalized with the new coronavirus, while 19 people are hospitalized and under investigation for COVID-19. The Health Department reports that 960 Vermonters have recovered from the disease.

A total of 67,341 people have been tested for the virus.

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Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Vermont's Economic Recovery Grant Program is set to begin July 6, Gov. Phil Scott announced Wednesday.

The effort is the product of from a proposal by Scott's administration and amendments from the state legislature. It will disburse funds from the federal CARES Act in the form of cash grants to Vermont businesses that have lost revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release.

“Helping these businesses survive is essential to the future of our state," Scott said in a statement. "These economic recovery grants are a first step to ensuring our economy survives this period, so we can look to thrive in the wake of this pandemic.”

The first boost of funds will be $50 million for businesses who pay rooms and meals or sales and use tax, to be administered through the Department of Tax.

Another $20 million will be available to all other private businesses and non-profits through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. The grants will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For further information, visit: https://accd.vermont.gov/content/emergency-recovery-grants-overview-webinar.

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Early voting has begun for the Aug. 11 state primary, and Burlington city officials are encouraging residents to vote via mail to avoid unnecessary contact with others at polling stations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city has sent postcards to city residents who are registered voters informing them of the vote by mail option. Those postcards have detachable absentee ballot request forms, said Amy Bovee, an assistant city clerk. The request form can be mailed back to the city with postage the city has already paid. Ballots can also be obtained by calling the Burlington City Clerk’s Office at 802-865-7000 or by visiting mvp.vermont.gov.

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Burlington’s Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department is working to make food trucks available to residents in a safe and socially distant way with its “Grazin’ on the Greenway” program this summer.

The COVID-19 pandemic has canceled traditional food truck events like the Leddy Beach Bites program and the ArtsRiot Truck Stop due to health and safety concerns. Through the new program, food trucks will be available at four city parks — Leddy Park, Water Works Park, Waterfront Park, and Oakledge Park — on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., said Cindi Wight, director of Parks, Recreation and Waterfront. This program begins July 2.

During the program, guidelines for health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic will apply. Visitors must wear facial coverings, stay 6 feet apart, wash their hands frequently, and should not attend if they are sick.

Wight said the department is looking for more food truck owners to participate in the program. She encouraged them to reach out to the department.

Parks officials are also hoping to do something similar in various city neighborhoods, but details on that plan had not been finalized as of Wednesday.

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The Intervale Center announced Wednesday that it will host a "Spirit of Summervale" digital event series this summer to take the place of its popular annual food and music festival.

The new format will take place each Thursday from July 9 through Aug. 27. The weekly concerts will be broadcast at 6:30 p.m. on the Intervale Center's Facebook and Instagram pages.

The revamped version of Summervale will support local businesses via weekly giveaways announced during the set break each week. Participants will have an opportunity to win a $100 gift card from their favorite Summervale vendors by getting takeout at select locations and sharing on social media.

The 2020 music lineup will feature Mister Chris & Friends, Zach Nugent, Pete’s Posse, Collin Cope & Friends, Ryan Montbleu, Joe Adler & the Rangers of Danger and Swimmer, according to a news release. Viewers will also have the opportunity to hear words from long-time event partners and guest nonprofit organizations working in climate, food, and social justice.

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City Market employees will continue to receive hazard pay through Aug. 15 after a five-hour negotiation on Tuesday night, according to the workers' union, UE Local 203.

The amount of the funds, called an "appreciation bonus," will be smaller but union members will continue to earn at least $15 an hour during the pandemic. The union's agreement with store management is scheduled to revisit the situation and possibly bargain further on Aug. 17.

Per the extended agreement, employees will earn an extra $75 per 40-hour work week, prorated

""For the pay periods of June 28 through August 15, 2020 the Appreciation Bonus is $75 per employee per pay period based on a 40-hour work week, prorated to the number of hours the employee worked.

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Two new cases of COVID-19 have been reported, bringing the total of cumulative cases in the state to 1,210.

One person with the virus remains hospitalized, while 16 others hospitalized are under investigation.

Deaths remained 56. So far, 961 people have recovered and 66, 292 people have been tested.

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The Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival has been postponed until 2021.

Competitors have an extra year to perfect their trebuchet and guests can look forward to attending the 12th annual event at the Stoweflake Resort and Spa in Stowe on September 26, 2021.

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Free Wi-Fi is being offered to the general public on the campuses of Northern Vermont University, Castleton University and Vermont Technical College.

The Vermont State Colleges System is providing the space and the Vermont Electric Power Company provided and installed equipment to expand the number of people who could log on at a time.

Designated hot spot spaces will be available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for 20 to 30 socially-distanced users at a time; locations can be found on the state's public Wi-Fi map.

The initiative was developed to help remote workers and learners in areas underserved by internet access.

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The Montshire Museum will reopen to the public July 8 with outdoor exhibits and programs.

The Norwich science museum has created two new outdoor experiences on their forest nature trail land: "Prehistoric Giants," sculptures of animal ancestors visitors can stroll past and observe, and "The Play Grove," a play area with structures and informal science exploration.

In addition, a bubble exhibit has moved outdoors, where science programming will also take place.

Indoor exhibits will remain closed, however, restrooms will be available. Hours have changed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Visitors must reserve a morning arrival or afternoon arrival ticket in advance up to three days prior (though visitors can stay until closing).

Guests aged three and older are required to wear a mask indoors and when interacting with staff or the public, and are encouraged to wear them outdoors. Some one-way directional traffic patterns will be imposed.

More information is available at the Montshire Museum of Science website.

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Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Zero new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont as of Tuesday morning, keeping the total number of positive cases at 1,208, according to data from the state's health department.

Two people are hospitalized with the new coronavirus, while 14 people are hospitalized under investigation for COVID-19. The Health Department reports that 953 Vermonters have recovered.

The number of deaths related to COVID-19 remains 56. A total of 65,764 people have been tested for the virus.

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Vermont will open up to more states for people who want to visit without quarantining.

“Effective July 1, people from low-risk counties in additional states can travel to Vermont without having to quarantine,” the Health Department wrote in a daily update Tuesday.

This includes:

Delaware.

Maryland.

New Jersey.

Ohio.

Pennsylvania.

Virginia.

West Virginia.

This update also includes the District of Columbia.

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Monday, June 29, 2020

Six new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont as of Monday morning, bringing the total number of positive cases to 1,208, according to data from the state's Health Department.

Two people are hospitalized with the new coronavirus, while 11 people are hospitalized under investigation for COVID-19. The Health Department reports that 949 Vermonters have recovered.

The number of deaths related to COVID-19 remains at 56. A total of 64,993 people have been tested for the virus.

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Free COVID-19 testing will be available at select locations in Burlington and Winooski this week.

Pop-up sites will be running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on these days:

Champlain Elementary School , 800 Pine St., Burlington: (Tues. 6/30, Weds. 7/1, and Thurs. 7/2)

, 800 Pine St., Burlington: O'Brien Community Center , 32 Malletts Bay Ave., Winooski: (Mon. 6/29, Tues. 6/30)

, 32 Malletts Bay Ave., Winooski: VT Department of Health, 108 Cherry St., Burlington: (Tues. 6/30)

Pre-registration is required for the Health Department location, otherwise, it is not required. Interpreters are available upon request. To register, individuals can call (802) 828-2828 visit humanresources.vermont.gov/burlington or humanresources.vermont.gov/winooski.

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All patients, visitors and staff at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin will now have their body temperature scanned by a thermal imaging camera prior to entering the hospital.

Prior to the announcement, since March 21, any person entering the facility was required to pass a individual temperature screening to monitor symptoms of COVID-19. The hospital said those methods were " time consuming" and involved a sizeable number of staff members to screen patients, proving inefficient as they returned to normal patient capacity.

“This technology greatly improves the experience and increases the speed and safety of the screening process,” said Robert Patterson, Vice President of Human Resources and Clinical Operations for Central Vermont Medical Center.

“Once people answer a few questions about their health, they simply walk into the facility and their temperature is automatically taken. It greatly decreases the time it takes for them to enter, eliminates the need to remove their mask, and decreases the time they spend in close proximity to our staff, which keeps everyone safer.”

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Vermont Law School will conduct all of its fall 2020 classes online, according to a news release Monday.

No on-campus residential courses will offered during the semester, and all on-campus classes will be held virtually in a series of live sessions.

"We strive to provide a consistent educational experience for all of our students while being sensitive to our community's safety and security," said Thomas McHenry, president and dean of Vermont Law School.

"We want to provide as much notice to our students, facility, and staff, in order to plan appropriately and deliver the high-quality course content and access to faculty that VLS is known for."

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Sunday, June 28, 2020

Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont as of noon on Sunday, bringing the total number of positive cases to 1,202, according to Health Department data.

Two people are hospitalized with COVID-19, while 13 people are hospitalized and under investigation for the virus. The Department of Health is reporting that 946 people in Vermont have recovered, the same number as yesterday, Saturday June 27.

The number of COVID-19-attributed deaths is still 56. A total of 63,865 people have been tested for the virus.

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Saturday, June 27, 2020

Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont on Saturday, bringing the total number of positive cases to 1,200, according to Health Department data.

Two people are hospitalized with COVID-19, while 12 people are hospitalized and under investigation for the virus. The state is reporting that 946 people in Vermont have recovered.

The number of COVID-19-attributed deaths remained at 56. A total of62,723 people have been tested for the virus.

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As anticipated, sports competitions between Vermont-based teams may resume July 1, according to Friday's updated guidance from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. Only no- or low-contact sports (such as tennis) or short-duration sports (such as soccer, softball, baseball, lacrosse, volleyball, hockey) are allowed to play games. High-contact sports remain limited to conditioning and skill-building drills.

More:Independent league to replace American Legion baseball in Vermont this summer

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Play structures or playgrounds are now open for use to the public, Gov. Phil Scott said in his Friday news conference. Proper signage must be displayed, saying users or anyone in their household cannot be ill. Users must also wash hands before and after use. Organizations responsible for the play structures are encouraged to provide hand sanitizers, according to updated guidance from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.

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Friday, June 26, 2020

Seven new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont on Friday, bringing the total number of positive cases to 1,198, according to Health Department data.

Four people are hospitalized with COVID-19, while 10 people are hospitalized and under investigation for the virus. The state is reporting that 941 people in Vermont have recovered.

The number of COVID-19-attributed deaths remained at 56. A total of 61,589 people have been tested for the virus.

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Mayor Miro Weinberger offered updates on the city's budget, which he said must be passed next week, as well as COVID-19 during his briefing Friday. Some takeaways include:

An emergency budget that doesn't implement new voter-approved taxes.

The Fiscal Year 2021 budget including: A $1 million fund for racial justice. A $250,000 Public Safety Transformation Fund.

Burlington is kicking off its "Open Streets" initiative Saturday, temporarily restricting traffic flow downtown for businesses and foot traffic.

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Starting July 1, Vermont will allow travel without quarantine from certain counties in six new states and from the District of Columbia, Gov. Phil Scott announced at a press conference Friday. Individuals from counties in these states that have less than 400 cases per million people can travel to Vermont without the 14 day quarantine mandate required of other travelers.

These states are:

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Delaware

Maryland

West Virginia

Virginia

The District of Columbia

This accounts for about 19 million people across 216 counties, a population which Scott hopes will support the struggling hospitality industry in the state. Travelers must travel by personal vehicle, and cannot fly or take a bus or train.

Vermont has already allowed travel without quarantine from low-risk counties in New York, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

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Thursday, June 25, 2020

Seven new cases of COVID-19 reported in Vermont on Thursday brought the total number of positive cases to 1,191, according to Health Department data.

Three people are hospitalized with COVID-19, while 12 people are hospitalized and under investigation for the virus. The state said that 938 people across the state have recovered.

The number of deaths attributable to COVID-19 remained at 56. A total of 60,709 people have been tested for the virus.

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The Chittenden Solid Waste District's drop-off center in South Burlington will be reopening on Saturday, June 27 after being temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Customers will be required to wear facial coverings and vehicles will be metered into the facility, according to the organization's website. The facility will be open on Monday, Friday and Saturday between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

The facility is currently not accepting large bulky items such as mattresses, furniture, or construction material. Items that will be accepted and their fees can be found on the Chittenden Solid Waste District's website at cswd.net/facility-locations/south-burlington-drop-center.

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Wednesday, June 24, 2020

During the Governor's meeting Wednesday, Health Commissioner Mark Levine gave updates on outbreaks and clusters of COVID-19 across the state.

Winooski outbreak: The total cases are 114 so far with its peak in early June. According to Levine we are "clearly on a downward and stable slope." He said it takes time for numbers to peter out because of the 7 to 14 day incubation perid.

Rutland County cluster: A Rutland County employer in the Fair Haven area has 12 cases within its population. Testing is being performed on employees and community wide testing is expected to be announced soon. Levine would not identify the business but said it was not of the type where consumers would be coming in and out.

Windham County family cluster: one family in Windham County has multiple cases. Testing is being performed today in Brattleboro. Levine said the number of cases there is less than 10 but would not give an exact number as to not inadvertently identify the family.

Levine said a cluster is when cases are confined to one main source such as a family, household or business and not distributed across the population. The term outbreak is used when transmission is beyond one particular source, he said.

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There were 20 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state cumulative total to 1,184. Hospitalizations increased to four (from two) and those hospitalized under investigation decreased from 17 to 9 over the last 24 hours.

Deaths remained at 56. Total people being monitored increased by 20 to 1,230.

Those recovered total 930, while 1,296 completed being monitored and 59,860 tests have been performed so far.

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The University of Vermont Medical Center is scaling back some limitations on visitors to the hospital. Every Vermont hospital began restricting visitation in March to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Effective today, UVM Medical Center is allowing one "consistent" family member or support person in inpatient and procedural areas. Outpatient restrictions remain in place, where family and friends are not allowed to accompany patients into their doctors' offices unless patients requires support and assistance to meet with their doctors.

For pediatric patients, one parent or support person is recommended, but both parents may be permitted to visit when "necessary and appropriate," based on unique care needs and circumstances determined by the care team.

Patients arriving in the emergency department or urgent care may also be accompanied by one consistent family member or support person.

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National Life Group in Montpelier announced it cut 53 jobs in Vermont as a result of the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The insurance company also cut 30 jobs in Texas and 12 in "other remote locations," according to a news release.

Mehran Assadi, chairman, president and CEO of National Life, said in a statement the company does not anticipate any further job cuts.

National Life employees have been working remotely since mid-March, with the exception of a few dozen essential workers who continue to report to the office in Montpelier, the news release said. The company is currently planning a phased return to the office, which will not occur before July 20.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2020

One new case of COVID-19 brought the state cumulative total to 1,164. Hospitalizations increased to two (from none) and those hospitalized under investigation increased from 8 to 17 over the last 24 hours.

Deaths remained at 56. Total people being monitored are 1,210.

Those recovered total 927, while 1,270 completed being monitored and 59,328 tests have been performed so far.

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Smugglers' Notch Resort reopens for travelers and locals June 26. Activities such as pools, water parks, guided hiking, disc golf and 20 miles of mountain biking trails are expected to be open. Food and beverage service will be available on-site. Social distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols will be employed.

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Employees of restaurant and retail shops in downtown Burlington can park for free.

Temporary free parking will be available at the Lakeview/College Street garage. Those who haven't done so previously need to sign up for FlexVal and fill out a sign up form.

Employees will receive a printed reusable validation parking pass to use until the end of July. The period could be extended.

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Some Vermonters who apply for unemployment insurance will see an increase to their weekly benefits.

The announcement came from Gov. Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Labor Tuesday, as part of a series of changes to the state's Unemployment Insurance (UI) program.

Beginning the first week of July, maximum weekly UI claims will increase from $513 to $531.

In addition to the benefits increase, Vermont employers will see a lowering of their UI tax rates as of July 1.

“This tax relief will help reduce the burden on employers who’ve had to make difficult decisions to protect the health and safety of their workers and help limit the spread of COVID-19 in Vermont,” said Governor Scott in a news release.

“We know Vermonters made a tremendous economic sacrifice in order to respond to this virus, and we will continue to pull every lever we can to help workers and employers recover from this pandemic.”

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Chittenden Solid Waste District's South Burlington Drop-Off Center will resume its operations starting June 27.

The facility will reopen at limited capacity, with new hours (Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and temporary flat fees while precautions are ongoing for the COVID-19 pandemic.

All customers and visitors will be required to wear facial coverings when entering the Drop-Off Center. Trailers, wood waste, mattresses, and major electronic appliances (air conditioners, dehumidifiers, refrigerators) are not currently allowed.

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Monday, June 22, 2020

Four new cases of COVID-19 were reported Monday by the Vermont Department of Health, bringing the cumulative total to 1,163.

No additional deaths were reported — the total remains at 56.

No people were reported hospitalized for the disease, although eight are under observation in a hospital.

The number of people being monitored for symptoms stands at 1,142 and the number who have completed monitoring is 1,241. These numbers include close contacts of confirmed cases and people traveling to Vermont from out-of-state who have enrolled in the state's Sara Alert program.

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Darn Tough Vermont announced on Monday that it had to lay off nearly 50 employees.

"A few months ago we couldn’t grow fast enough," the company wrote on its social media account. "There are larger problems in the world, and we get that. It’s always about people though, and compassion."

Darn Tough falls under Cabot Hosiery Mills, Inc. President Ric Cabot had 330 employees in February, the Free Press reported.

More:Just socks: How Darn Tough's single-minded focus has fueled growth in good times and bad

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Middlebury College released a list of expected protocols for the fall semester in light of COVID-19. These include:

A 12-week semester beginning Sept. 8, with no October break. The final day for on-campus class will be Nov. 20; Classes will start up again Nov. 30 remotely.

The final day for on-campus class will be Nov. 20; Classes will start up again Nov. 30 remotely. Spacing in classroom settings, though "many classes will be hybrid" incorporating remote and in-person teaching elements. About 175 of approximately 530 courses are expected to be remote.

are expected to be remote. Students needing to quarantine at home for two weeks . If this isn’t possible before they come to campus, they must quarantine in their dorms.

. If this isn’t possible before they come to campus, they must quarantine in their dorms. Only students being permitted to go into residence halls when they move in (though they can be joined by one other person for the move-in process).

when they move in (though they can be joined by one other person for the move-in process). Students testing positive going to the Munford House for isolation. This rule applies to students living on and off campus.

Related:University of Vermont announces coronavirus precautions for safe fall return to campus

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State officials said Monday that recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in other states came after residents started to be lax in their compliance with guidelines for health and safety from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vermont’s Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said 12 states recently set records for the number of new cases in a single day. The demographic with the largest growth in positive cases is people aged 18 to 44.

Levine said the spikes in these states have been widely attributed to “a breakdown in the willingness of the public to adhere to the simple precepts of avoiding mass gatherings, hence an inability to physically distance; and to wear facial coverings.”

Residents must still follow these guidelines despite the hot weather and Vermont’s success so far in lowering the number of new cases per day, Levine said. Guidelines also recommend regular hand-washing and staying home when sick.

“We can’t lose track of the fact that the virus hasn’t gone anywhere,” Levine said.

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An inmate who was being brought into the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington has tested positive for COVID-19.

Agency of Human Services Secretary Mike Smith said officials believe the inmate had contact with some staff members and some other inmates before the test came back positive on Saturday. It is unclear whether the inmate was in contact with others in the general population. Health Department officials are conducting contact tracing.

Corrections officials have been testing inmates for COVID-19 upon intake to facilities throughout the state, Smith said. All inmates and staff in the South Burlington prison will be tested.

Another inmate last week tested positive after being brought into the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland. Smith said that testing over the weekend turned up no other positive cases at the facility. A second mass-test of the Rutland facility will be conducted next week.

In late May and early June, the Department of Corrections had tested all staff and inmates in its facilities and reported no new positive cases. An outbreak in March at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town was the only recorded spread of the virus in a Vermont prison.

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The number of cases associated with an outbreak of COVID-19 in Winooski and Burlington has risen to 110, Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said Monday.

Levine said he believes health officials have been successful in identifying those who could have been affected to try to suppress the outbreak, but the outbreak will not be over until there is no new activity that can be connected back to those involved.

“It’s so common to use the forest fire analogies these days, so I would use the term ‘smoldering,’” Levine said. He added, “We’re doing what we can to contain it, and we’re doing a great job actually, but the bottom line is, to say that it’s fully contained. It’s not quite there yet.”

Levine gave the following breakdown of the cases associated with the Winooski outbreak:

The median age of those affected is 24.

65% of the cases were adults, and 35% were children.

30% of the 110 cases reported having COVID-19 symptoms.

126 people have been contacted by contact tracers. 19 of those contacts have gone on to be positive cases.

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The VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) is re-opening its outpatient therapy clinic in Manchester, the health group reported Monday.

Appointments physical and occupational therapy will be staggered to minimize coronavirus exposure to patients and staff, according to a news release.

Patients who seek appointments are encouraged to contact their health providers, or call the clinic directly at (802) 362-6509.

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Sunday, June 21, 2020

A dozen new cases of COVID-19 were reported Sunday by the Vermont Department of Health, bringing the total cases in Vermont to 1,159. No additional deaths were reported, which keeps the state's total at 56.

There are no people hospitalized with the disease but 11 are currently under investigation. An additional 817 people have been tested statewide, bringing the total to 57,845.

The number of people being monitored for symptoms stands at 1,018 and the number who have completed monitoring is 1,209. These numbers include close contacts of confirmed cases and people traveling to Vermont from out-of-state who have enrolled in the state's Sara Alert program.

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Saturday, June 20, 2020

Three new cases of COVID-19 were reported Saturday by the Vermont Department of Health, bringing the total cases in Vermont to 1,147. No additional deaths were reported, keeping the state's total to 56.

There are no people hospitalized with the disease but nine are currently under investigation . In addition, 1,141 more people were tested statewide, bringing the total to 57,028.

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Friday, June 19, 2020

All inmates and staff at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility will be tested for COVID-19 over the next week, Vermont Department of Corrections announced Friday.

The tests will be conducted on June 20 and 29, following an inmate testing positive for the new coronavirus earlier in the week.

This will be the second round of facility-wide testing at Marble Valley. On May 28, the Vermont Health Department conducted a series of tests on staff and inmates at the Rutland facility, all of which came back negative.

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The city of Burlington will begin its "Open Streets BTV" initiative this summer starting June 27, closing off a select number of downtown streets to cars and opening them up for restaurants and pedestrians.

The announcement came during a press conference held by Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger Friday.

The initiative will occur every Saturday until August 28, and will run from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., depending on the weather.

"It could possible be a game changer for some of our small businesses that are in really dire straits right now," said Kara Alnasrawi, executive director of Church Street Marketplace.

The initiative has received positive feedback from business owners, Alnasrawi said, as downtown establishments have seen fewer customers and sales amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the health and safety measures being undertaken for the "Open Streets" initiative to ensure physical distancing will include reservation-only dining, increased security, and limits on crowding.

Some of the participating restaurants and streets include:

College Street : Pho Son, Stone Soup, Finnigan's Pub, Bento Japanese Restaurant, The Archives, Sweetwaters, Leunig's, Whiskey Room.

: Pho Son, Stone Soup, Finnigan's Pub, Bento Japanese Restaurant, The Archives, Sweetwaters, Leunig's, Whiskey Room. Bank Street : El Cortijo, Ken's Pizza, Captain Tom's Tiki Bar, Farmhouse, Henry's Diner, A Single Pebble.

: El Cortijo, Ken's Pizza, Captain Tom's Tiki Bar, Farmhouse, Henry's Diner, A Single Pebble. Cherry Street : Penny Cluse, Lucky Next Door, New Moon Cafe, Burlington Paint and Sip.

: Penny Cluse, Lucky Next Door, New Moon Cafe, Burlington Paint and Sip. Center Street: Daily Planet, Revolution Kitchen, Swinging Pinwheel.

________

Nine new cases of COVID-19 were reported Friday by the Vermont Department of Health, bringing the total cases in Vermont to 1,144. No additional deaths were reporting, keeping the state's total to 56.

Five new cases of the disease are in Chittenden County. Bennington, Rutland, Lamoille and Orleans counties each have one new case.

One more person has recovered from the disease. In addition, 1,142 more people were tested statewide, bringing the total to 55,887.

________

Vermont's unemployment rate decreased from 16.5% to 12.7% for May, according to a press release from the Vermont Department of Labor.

============

Thursday, June 18, 2020

The state has received a $2 million grant provide support to substance abuse and mental health services during the pandemic. The grant comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. COVID-19 has disrupted many services of support and recovery for Vermonters struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse.

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Starting tomorrow, June 19, Vermont will begin the opening of long-term care facilities, according to the Vermont Department of Health. These facilities can allow two guests per resident per day, so long as those visits occur outside and follow social distancing protocols.

More:Coronavirus: Gov. Scott allows limited visits at Vermont nursing and senior homes

Vermonters over 65 will no longer be required to stay home. The Health Commissioner suggests that those individuals do continue to take safety precautions if they choose to leave their homes.

________

One new death related to COVID-19 was reported Thursday by the Vermont Department of Health. The state's total fatalities related to the coronavirus now stand at 56.

Six new cases of the disease were reported in the department's mid-morning update, for a cumulative total of 1,135. Three of the cases are in Chittenden County. Addison, Bennington and Rutland counties each had one new case.

Statewide, about 917 people have recovered from the virus and 54,745 people have been tested.

Two people are hospitalized for the disease, the department said; nine people are hospitalized and under investigation as possible cases.

________

U.S. and state flags will be lowered to half-staff on Friday at all state facilities as part of a monthly observance of Vermonters who have died due to COVID-19, Governor Phil Scott announced.

Vermont's first fatality from the new coronavirus took place March 19, 2020. A month later, after 35 deaths, Scott ordered flags to be lowered on the eighteenth of every month until the end of the year.

Fifty-six people in Vermont have died from the disease; the most recent death was reported on June 18.

____________

============

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

No new cases have been reported in Vermont, which currently has 1,129 cases, according to the Vermont Department of Health's dashboard Wednesday.

So far, about 915 people have recovered from the virus and 53,663 people have been tested.

One person is in the hospital for COVID-19 and four are hospitalized under investigation.

No additional deaths have been reported — that total remains at 55, according to the data.

_________

The Farmers To Families nutrition assistance program has been extended through August, Vermont's congressional delegation announced Wednesday.

A pair of Vermont-based organizations, Willing Hands and the Abbey Group, secured contracts to continue the food box-delivery program for two more months, according to news release from Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch.

The program will bring an additional $8.5 million in aid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to Vermont and the Upper Valley with New Hampshire, much of which will go toward buying produce and dairy from local farms, the news release stated.

Details on how to sign up to receive food boxes can be found on the Vermont Department of Emergency Management’s website: https://vem.vermont.gov.

_________

The recent decline in new cases of COVID-19 after an oubreak in Winooski and Burlington's Old North End earlier this month is a positive sign, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said during a press briefing Wednesday afternoon.

Particularly for Burlington, Weinberger noted, the low number of new cases in the past week bodes well that an influx of college students moving in on June 1 didn't lead to an additional surge in cases.

“If they were bringing the virus with them and infecting others I think we’d be seeing that now reflected in these numbers," Weinberger said.

Dr. Stephen Leffler, president of the UVM Medical Center, said he was "sure there were asymptomatic people that came" to Burlington during that time period but Vermont's efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus — unlike other states —probably limited the impact.

"Vermont’s still really doing it right," Leffler said. "People are in general all masking, we’re social distancing well. We’re being smart about how we open up our businesses.

“There’s pretty good evidence now that shows each of us wearing a mask helps us prevent spread to someone else," he said. "It’s a relatively small sacrifice that each of us can make and we can keep transmission down."

_________

Also during Wednesday's briefing, Weinberger explained Burlington's plans to allocate resources to "racial equity and police transformation” effforts.

On top of an immediate commitment of $300,000 to the city's Fund for Racial Equity and Police Transformation, paid for via cuts to the police department, Weinberger said he's confident similar savings could expand that amount closer to $1 million during the next fiscal year.

Additionally, the city has another $300,000 in small business relief and rental assistance that it will look into spending "through the lens of racial justice," he said.

And the city will explore using an anticipated $1 million in federal funds marked for community investment next year to serve anti-racism efforts, Weinberger said.

“I think there’s some real opportunity looking at all these funds about how to make progress with racial justice," the mayor said.

_________

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

The Working Lands Enterprise Board, affiliated with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, has announced that 16 businesses will receive over $250,000 in COVID-19 Response Business Development Grants in agriculture and forestry. The awards will focus on business response, shifting marketing strategies, or other activities that may improve business recovery.

One grant recipient, The Royal Butcher of Braintree, intends to respond to the surge in demand for slaughter and meat processing. Current bottlenecks in processing will require urgent need to meet the local demand for this butcher’s services.

“These dollars will allow us to expand our business while helping farmers who need our services during the pandemic,” Justin Sauerwein of The Royal Butcher said in a news release. The Royal Butcher, established in 2003, is a USDA inspected slaughterhouse and meat processor, attending to the needs of local livestock and dairy farms.

_________

The New England Foundation for the Arts announced the launch of the New England Arts Resilience Fund, part of the nationwide United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund, an initiative of the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The New England Arts Resilience Fund is also supported by federal CARES Act funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Fund was created in response to the impact of COVID-19 on the nation’s arts infrastructure and will support New England nonprofit arts and cultural organizations with recovery and planning capital for a post-pandemic future.

The New England Arts Resilience Fund will provide approximately 50 non-matching grants, generally in the range of $10,000-$75,000, with potential for a small number of grants up to $100,000. The fund prioritizes organizations, communities, populations and art forms that have historically had less access to major financial resources for sustainability and seeks in particular to support organizations that are led by and deeply engage communities of color.

_________

Travelers looking to make a trip to Canada or Mexico will have to wait at least another month after the Department of Homeland Security extended border closures with both countries due to the coronavirus pandemic, USA Today reported.

The borders, including Vermont's border with Quebec, will remain closed to nonessential travel until July 21.

"Based on the success of the existing restrictions and the emergence of additional global COVID-19 hotspots, the Department will continue to limit non-essential travel at our land ports of entry with Canada and Mexico," Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of Homeland Security, said in a statement. "This extension protects Americans while keeping essential trade and travel flowing as we reopen the American economy."

“This is a decision that will protect people on both sides of the border as we continue to fight COVID-19,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

_________

Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce announced the launch of the Municipal Emergency Statewide Education Property Tax Borrowing Program to assist municipalities as they manage their finances and cash-flow needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on eligibility, the program will cover interest incurred for short-term borrowing meant to manage the effects of statewide education property-tax delays as a direct result of COVID-19. Eligible “short-term borrowing costs” do not include principal payments, fees, or any interest on borrowings not directly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Municipalities can learn more, and apply, by visiting https://www.vermonttreasurer.gov/content/local-government.

_________

Three additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont, bringing the pandemic total to 1,130, according to Vermont Department of Health data.

At the same time, about 914 people have recovered from the virus, the data showed, and 52,890 people have been tested.

Two people are in the hospital for COVID-19, and 10 are hospitalized under investigation — the same numbers as Sunday.

No additional deaths have been reported — that total remains at 55, according to the data.

Monday, June 15, 2020

Gov. Phil Scott extended a state of emergency through July 15. That action does not roll back opening-up procedures, Scott said — but provides a mechanism by which guidelines can be updated (relaxed or tightened, as needed) in an orderly, methodical way.

_________

Outdoor camping facilities may operate at 100% capacity, beginning today, the governor announced. Campground use had been capped at 50% capacity.

Quarantine guidelines from out-of-state campers will remain in place.

_________

One additional positive case of COVID-19 was reported in Vermont on Sunday, bringing the pandemic total to 1,128, according to Vermont Department of Health data.

At the same time, about 912 people have recovered from the virus, the data shows, and 52,557 people have been tested, the data showed.

Two people are in the hospital for COVID-19, and 14 are hospitalized under investigation — the same numbers as Sunday.

No additional deaths have been reported — that total remains at 55, according to the data.

________

Despite uptick in cases due to a cluster in Winooski in early June, Vermont seems to be back on a reliable path toward containing and tracking the coronavirus (# of cases dipped to just three over the weekend), according to Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine.

Statewide, effective ways of managing outbreaks can take place even as restrictions are relaxed, he said.

Serology tests (that test blood for the presence of, or exposure to, coronavirus) would be of limited utility in Vermont, where the population that has been exposed remains very low by national standards (Levine's best guess is 5%).

Less invasive and more comfortable tests (front-of-nose; saliva) are in development, and will, until a vaccine is developed, make it easier for people to seek out testing, Levine added.. Tests with “real-time” results might conceivably be required for entrance to large sports or entertainment venues.

The “Sara Alert” app used by the Health Department is a tool for communication between Vermonters and the Department of Health – and is not a “tracking app” that reports the user’s location, Levine said. The state has no plans to implement detailed case-tracking software.

_________

Upcoming governor's news conference topics this week:

Wednesday: Long-term health facilities.

Friday: Health guidance on K-12 school re-openings.

============

Sunday, June 14, 2020

Two additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont on Saturday, bringing the pandemic total to 1,127, according to Vermont Department of Health data.

At the same time, 909 people have recovered from the virus and 50,982 people have been tested, the data showed. Two people are in the hospital for COVID-19, and 14 are hospitalized under investigation, 14 more than Friday.

No additional deaths have been reported — that total remains at 55, according to the data.

_________

The vandalism of a Black Lives Matter mural that was painted Saturday on the street in front of Vermont's statehouse is under investigation, police said. The vandalism took place in the early hours of Sunday morning. Read more here.

Saturday, June 13, 2020

Six additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont on Friday, bringing the pandemic total to 1,125, Vermont Department of Health data showed.

At the same time, 908 people have recovered from the virus, while 49,933 people have been tested, the data showed. One person is in the hospital for COVID-19, and 10 are hospitalized under investigation.

No additional deaths have been reported — that total remains at 55, according to the data.

_________

The South Burlington Public Library will resume incremental in-person service beginning Wednesday, June 17.

Here's what the library said it will offer:

Mondays 1-3 p.m.: Curbside pickup. Requests must be in by 10 a.m. by email or phone for same day pickup. Requests are put out for a week before being returned to the shelves.

Curbside pickup. Requests must be in by 10 a.m. by email or phone for same day pickup. Requests are put out for a week before being returned to the shelves. Wednesdays 11-6:30 p.m.: Open to the public. No curbside pickup. Come in to browse or use public computers on a first come, first served basis. We can accommodate 10 members of the public at one time, and ask you to follow social distancing guidelines and use hand sanitizer upon entering. Computers will be limited to 20 minutes. Face coverings are required.

Open to the public. No curbside pickup. Come in to browse or use public computers on a first come, first served basis. We can accommodate 10 members of the public at one time, and ask you to follow social distancing guidelines and use hand sanitizer upon entering. Computers will be limited to 20 minutes. Face coverings are required. Fridays 1-3 p.m.:, Curbside pickup. Requests must be in by 10 a.m. for same day pick up.

In addition, the book drop is now open 24/7 for returns. For more information, call 802-846-4140 or email sbplinfo@southburlingtonvt.gov.

Friday, June 12, 2020

Kat Wright will perform at the Champlain Valley Exposition Sunday, June 21.

"Higher Ground’s new 'Drive-in Experience,' announced Tuesday, provides a space for concerts and community events in an era of social distancing," the Free Press reported. "Up to 250 vehicles can park six feet from each other, with room for attendees to set up a blanket or lawn chairs in front of their vehicles."

Details on adjustments in light of COVID-19, as well as details on purchasing tickets, can be found in the Free Press story.

More:Kat Wright to play Champlain Valley Expo in Higher Ground's 1st concert since coronavirus

_________

The Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival will go virtual this summer. Details on this year's event can be found on the Free Press and Dragonheart Vermont.

_________

No-lab confirmed cases so far have been associated with protest activity, according to a daily update from the Health Department. The department encouraged testing for anyone taking part in public actions.

"We support Vermonters engaging in peaceful protests and other civic activities," the statement read. "We remind everyone that it continues to be important to follow universal precautions when you are out – wear a face covering or mask when near others, maintain 6-foot distance, and f you're sick, find actions to make yourself heard from home."

_________

There are a total of 81 cases associated with a recent outbreak in Chittenden County as of Thursday, according to a daily update from the Health Department. A majority are in Winooski. One individual is hospitalized but no deaths have been associated with this outbreak.

"Only 18% of people associated with the outbreak are reporting symptoms," the update stated. "This indicates that the number of people who were asymptomatic is a contributing factor to the spread of the virus in the community."

_________

Gov. Phil Scott and members of his cabinet announced a proposed $90 million in economic relief on Friday — phase two of a relief package he has proposed to restart the economy following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funds from the first phase are being considered by the Vermont Legislature currently. Scott had proposed $250 million in relief for businesses impacted by the pandemic, but expressed frustration at seeing the Legislature reducing the amount he asked for in his proposal. The Vermont House of Representatives announced Friday that it had fast-tracked a $93 million coronavirus relief package to Scott's desk for his signature.

"They're only including about a third of the money we recommended," Scott said during a news conference Friday. He added, "While this pandemic has impacted everyone in the state, this crippled small businesses — the folks who provide the jobs that families rely on and generate the revenue we need for the services we provide in state government."

The second phase money, which will also be reviewed by the Legislature, provides assistance for long-term economic recovery, housing and community recovery, broadband expansion, and modernizing Vermont's regulatory programs.

The money being put toward relief from the pandemic was granted to the state through the federal CARES Act.

__________

Nine additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in Vermont on Friday, bringing the pandemic total to 1,119, Vermont Department of Health data showed.

At the same time, 907 people have recovered from the virus, while 48,634 people have been tested, the data showed. Two people are in the hospital for COVID-19, and 14 are hospitalized under investigation.

No additional deaths have been reported — that total remains at 55, according to the data.

__________

Burlington City Arts will begin its 2020 summer artist market this weekend on Pine Street.

The arts organization announced a number of health and safety measures that would be in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The market will run each Saturday from June 13 through Oct. 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 339 Pine St. in Burlington.

Precautions being taken include:

Requiring vendors to wear face masks and gloves, and encouraging shoppers to do the same.

Directing shoppers in one direction, with only one entrance and one exit.

Limiting 10 to 15 shoppers in the market at one time, and relying on extra staff to regulate these numbers.

Establishing hand sanitizing stations at booths in addition to the market's entrance and exit.

Limiting the number of vendors to 20 each week, with booths spaced at least 6 feet apart.

Encouraging vendors to display merchandise in a way that limits touch.

Limiting two people per booth at a time.

Offering contactless payment.

A full list of vendors participating in the 2020 markets can be found at burlingtoncityarts.org/artistmarket

__________

Thursday, June 11, 2020

The Vermont National Education Association (NEA) expressed its concerns with the Governor and Agency of Education's announcement to reopen Vermont schools by Labor Day.

Don Tinney, Vermont-NEA president, called the announcement “unfortunate” because the hard work required to plan for a safe reopening has not been completed, according to a press release from the Vermont-NEA.

Some of the issues the organization said need to be resolved before setting an opening date are:

Effective and robust testing and contact tracing in areas with in-person schooling.

Collective pre-opening planning.

Sufficient time to plan and make facility preparations.

Establish protocols for social distancing and use of personal protective equipment, cleaning, how to respond if a student or staff member contracts the virus.

Address learning deficits as a result of remote learning and address student trauma.

Plan for contingency distance learning if schools need to close again.

Establish regular and effective communication between schools and families.

Create protocols for how to deal with students and staff at higher risk of contracting the virus or experiencing life-threatening complications as a result.

State should allocate funding to hire nurses, custodians, bus drivers, mental health counselors and to purchase sufficient amounts of personal protective equipment.

Guidance on special education services.

Protection of vulnerable children if schools close again.

Resources for families who do not benefit consistently from distance learning.

Establish which student groups would return first in a gradual return to school.

Solve the internet access issues some families face.

Standardized testing requirements be waived.

__________

Northern Vermont University will begin its fall semester one week earlier than initially planned to position itself in case there is a resurgence of COVID-19 cases later this year.

The semester will also end early — residential students will return home for Thanksgiving break and will take final exams remotely, the college announced Thursday.

The plan will not affect the number of teaching and learning days, the college said in a statement. The accelerated semester includes no breaks, with instruction on Labor Day and throughout October. Students will leave campus on Friday, November 20, and are planned to be welcomed back when the spring semester begins on January 19, 2021.

“We know this is different from our normal semester,” college President Elaine Collins said. “The health of the entire NVU community is our number one priority as we prepare to return to campus for face-to-face instruction.”

__________

Vermont reported an additional 16 positive cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing its total to 1,110, Health Department statistics show.

According to the data, 905 people have recovered from COVID-19 and 47,209 people have been tested for the virus in Vermont.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus decreased by one on Thursday for a total of three. Nine people are hospitalized under investigation for COVID-19.

No additional deaths due to COVID-19 have occurred — that total remains at 55.

__________

No cases of COVID-19 were found at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield following mass testing of inmates and staff, the Vermont Department of Corrections said.

According to Corrections officials, 336 inmates and 181 staff at the facility were tested June 8. All tests came back negative for the virus.

The Springfield-based prison was the sixth and final facility to undergo mass testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town was the only facility to have inmates test positive for the virus since it was first detected among members of the prison population, the Corrections Department said.

__________

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

A total of 74 cases of COVID-19 are thought to be associated with the recent outbreak that emerged in Winooski, according to Vermont Department of Health data from Tuesday evening.

About 80% of those cases are in Winooski and most of the rest are in Burlington, the Health Department said. Only one in five people associated with the outbreak are reporting symptoms — the number of asymptomatic individuals is thought to be a contributing factor to the spread of the virus in the community.

There have been no deaths associated with the outbreak, the state reported.

__________

Guidance is underway to prepare Vermont schools across the state to tentatively open by Labor Day, announced Gov. Phil Scott in a press briefing Wednesday.

Health and safety measures for school districts are being developed by the state's Agency of Education and the Health Department, in collaboration with other Vermont educational organizations and pediatricians, and will be formally announced by next week.

"it's critical we finalize a plan now so we can reopen in the fall," said Scott.

Among the objectives of the guidance is to decrease the risk of COVID-19 entering school, being transmitted between staff and students, and ensuring students with certain needs are "addressed in a fair and equitable measure".

Provisions could include social distancing on busses, daily temperature screenings at bus stops and school entrances, increased testing and tracing capacity, and mandatory dismissals if students or staff display any symptoms.

"It's likely we'll have to change or amend this guidance in the coming months," said Dan French, secretary of the Agency of Education.

"We're also preparing to improve our ability to provide remote learning as a contingency."

__________

Registration is open for Vermonters seeking meals from distribution sites across the state this month.

Pick up sites are scheduled on these days in these areas , with more sites to be added for the remainder of June:

Middlebury area: June 10

Brattleboro area: June 11

Morristown area: June 12

Lyndon area: June 15

Grand Isle County: June 16

Randolph area: June 17

Dover area: June 18

Chittenden County: June 19

People can register online at humanresources.vermont.gov/food-help or over the phone via 2-1-1. Those who register will receive a time window to pick up meals at their designated site, upon which they can receive a

__________

Four people are now hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the Vermont Department of Health, double the total from 24 hours earlier.

The state recorded 11 new cases of the virus, increasing the total to 1,095 since the start of the pandemic. Fifty-seven people are being monitored for the virus. The number of deaths remains 55.

The total of tests for COVID-19 continues to jump in light of an outbreak in Winooski that has since spread to Burlington. The Health Department reports 45,742 people have been tested, up roughly 1,500 from the previous day's total.

__________

Thunder Road Speedbowl announced Tuesday that it would begin its 2020 schedule on June 18, about a month later than originally planned. The event will be held without spectators and will be broadcast pay-per-view on the Northeast Sports Network (www.nsnsports.net).

More:Thunder Road to open 2020 season with pay-per-view race on June 18

__________

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Two people are now hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the Vermont Department of Health, up one from Monday.

The department noted 9 new cases of the virus in the past 24 hours, increasing the total to 1,084 since the pandemic began. The number of deaths remains at 55.

The total of tests for COVID-19 continues to jump in light of an outbreak in Winooski that has since spread to Burlington. The Health Department reports 44,228 people have been tested, up almost 1,500 from the previous day's total.

__________

With new cases of COVID-19 having cropped up in Winooski and Burlington in recent days, the Community Health Centers of Burlington announced several opportunities for testing in those two cities.

Testing in Burlington is from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. daily through June 12 at the O.N.E. Community Center on Allen Street. Testing in Winooski is offered from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., also through June 12, at the O'Brien Community Center on Malletts Bay Avenue except for June 11, when tests will be conducted at the Winooski Senior Center on Barlow Street.

__________

Three new college presidents, Laura Walker (Bennington College), Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande (Champlain College) and Col. Mark Anarumo (Norwich University), took on new positions in the midst of the coronavirus.

More:Coronavirus: New college presidents to lead Champlain, Bennington, Norwich schools, communities

__________

Gov. Scott's new racial equity task force is taking applications for a public member to be appointed. The force intends to consider a few projects, one of which involves looking at support structures for diverse populations. This includes honing in on "racial disparities in health outcomes highlighted by COVID-19."

More:Vermont seeking public member for newly created racial equity task force

__________

Vermont has been awarded over $4.4 million in Emergency Solutions Grants for its population experiencing and at risk of experiencing homelessness, according to a June 9 news release from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

This can go toward a number of uses, like providing hotel vouchers or operating emergency shelters.

“We are proud of the extraordinary efforts being made by our Vermont homeless partners to protect our most vulnerable from the impacts of COVID-19, this funding helps to further their efforts in this fight,” said David Tille, HUD New England Regional Administrator, in the news release.

__________

Monday, June 8, 2020

The total number of positive COVID-19 cases in Vermont rose by 12 to a total of 1,075, according to data released Monday by the Vermont Department of Health. About 895 people were estimated to have recovered while a total of 42,798 people had been tested for the virus.

One person is hospitalized with COVID-19, and 12 people are hospitalized under investigation.

No additional deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in Vermont on

5 Things You May Not Know Are Tax Deductible

Maurie Backman

The Motley Fool

Your goal as a taxpayer should be to hand over as little money as possible to the IRS. And to do that, you need to capitalize on tax deductions.

As a quick primer, a tax deduction exempts a portion of your earnings from taxes. Your actual tax savings are then a result of the tax bracket you fall into, which is based on your income.

Say you're able to claim a $500 tax deduction, and you fall into the 22% tax bracket. That means you're not paying taxes on $500 of your income and are saving yourself $110 as a result. Tax deductions shouldn't be confused with tax credits, which are a dollar-for-dollar reduction of your tax liability.

TAXES 2022: Should you itemize your taxes or take a standard deduction?

With that out of the way, here are five tax deductions you may not have known about.

1. Medical expenses

Some people spend a lot of money on medical bills – even those with decent health insurance. For the 2021 tax year, which is the tax year you're submitting a return for in 2022, you're allowed to deduct unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). This means if your AGI is $50,000 (7.5% of $50,000 is $3,750) and you rack up $5,000 in medical bills, you can deduct $1,250 of that ($5,000-$3,750).

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: The Daily Money delivers our top personal finance stories to your inbox

2. Educator expenses

It's common for teachers to spend their own money on classroom materials. As an educator, you're allowed to deduct up to $250 in classroom supplies. And the best part? This is a deduction you can take even if you don't itemize on your tax return.

3. Self-employment taxes

Though there are benefits to being self-employed, one drawback is you have to pay 15.3% of your income toward Social Security and Medicare taxes. Salaried workers only pay half that amount because they split that 15.3% obligation with their employers. But on the positive side, you can deduct half of your Social Security and Medicare tax bill on your return, so you effectively get some of that money back.

DOING YOUR TAXES WHEN YOU'RE YOUR OWN BOSS: 4 tips for the self-employed

4. Donated goods

You may be aware that if you give money to charity, you can deduct your contributions on your taxes. But you can also claim a deduction for donated goods. All you'll need to do is retain receipts documenting your donations, and deduct the fair market value of those goods – not their original value. If you donate a used furniture piece you bought for $800, that piece may now only be worth $300 due to its age and condition – and so $300 is the write-off you'd take.

5. Home equity loan interest – but only in some cases

You can take out a home equity loan and use your proceeds for any reason. But if you take out a home equity loan that you use for home improvement purposes, you can deduct the interest you pay on that loan on your taxes. To be clear, though, it's just the interest portion of your payments you can claim as a write-off, the same way you can deduct interest on your mortgage but not your total mortgage payments.

Capitalizing on tax deductions could result in big savings. Keep reading up on tax breaks and deductions so you don't end up paying the IRS a penny more than you need to.

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Democratic debate: Read the CNN/Des Moines Register debate ...

Des Moines Register

THIS IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE DEBATE FROM FDCH. THIS COPY MAY BE UPDATED.

WOLF BLITZER: Live from Drake University in Iowa, this is the CNN Democratic presidential debate, in partnership with the Des Moines Register. We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer, along with CNN's Abby Phillip and the Des Moines Register's chief politics reporter Brianne Pfannenstiel.

ABBY PHILLIP: The top six Democratic presidential candidates are in place. This is their final debate before the first votes of the 2020 presidential campaign. The Iowa caucuses are 20 days away.

BRIANNE PFANNENSTIEL: Before we begin, a reminder of the ground rules. You'll each receive 75 seconds to answer questions, 45 seconds for responses and rebuttals and 15 seconds for clarifications. Please refrain from interrupting your fellow candidates, as that will count against your time.

BLITZER: All right, so let's begin right now. Just this month, the United States and Iran were on the brink of war, which has reignited the debate over America's role in the world and which of you is best prepared to be commander-in-chief. So let's have the debate right now.

Sen. Sanders, why are you best prepared — the best prepared person on this stage to be commander-in-chief?

More:What were the tense words exchanged between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders after Tuesday's debate? Now we know.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Yes, I think my record speaks to that, Wolf. In 2002, when the Congress was debating whether or not we go into a war in Iraq, invade Iraq, I got up on the floor of the House and I said that would be a disaster, it would lead to unprecedented levels of chaos in the region. And I not only voted against the war, I helped lead the effort against that war.

Just last year, I helped, for the first time in the modern history of this country, pass a War Powers Act resolution, working with a conservative Republican, Mike Lee of Utah, which said that the war in Yemen, led by Saudi Arabia, was unconstitutional because Congress had not authorized it. We got a majority vote in the Senate. We got a majority vote in the House. Unfortunately, Bush vetoed that and that horrific war continues.

I am able to work with Republicans. I am able to bring people together to try to create a world where we solve conflicts over the negotiating table, not through military efforts.

BLITZER: Vice President Biden, you talk a lot about your experience, but some of your competitors have taken issue with that experience, questioning your judgment in voting to authorize the Iraq war. Why are you the best prepared person on this stage to be commander-in-chief?

JOE BIDEN: I said 13 years ago it was a mistake to give the president the authority to go to war if, in fact, he couldn't get inspectors into Iraq to stop what — thought to be the attempt to get a nuclear weapon. It was a mistake, and I acknowledged that.

But right — the man who also argued against that war, Barack Obama, picked me to be his vice president. And once we — once we were elected president, he turned — and vice president, he turned to me and asked me to end that war.

I know what it's like to send a son or daughter, like our colleague has gone to war in Afghanistan, my son for a year in Iraq, and that's why I do it very, very reluctantly. That's why I led the effort, as you know, Wolf, against surging tens of thousands of troops into Afghanistan. We should not send anyone anywhere unless the overwhelming vital interests of the United States are at stake. They were not at stake there. They were not at stake in Iraq. And it was a mistaken vote.

But I think my record overall on everything we've done has been — I'm — I'm prepared to compare it to anybody on this stage.

Debate guide:

BLITZER: Sen. Sanders, you have been attacking Vice President Biden's vote on the Iraq war, but you recently acknowledged that your vote to authorize the war in Afghanistan was also a mistake. So you both acknowledged mistakes. Why should the American people trust your judgment more?

SANDERS: Well, it's a little bit of a difference. On that particular vote, every single member of the House, including myself, voted for it. Only Barbara Lee voted against it.

But what I understood right away, in terms of the war in Iraq, the difference here is that the war in Iraq turned out to be the worst foreign policy blunder in the modern history of this country. As Joe well knows, we lost 4,500 brave troops. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis died. We have spent trillions of dollars on that endless war, money which should go into health care and education and infrastructure in this country.

Joe and I listened to what Dick Cheney and George Bush and Rumsfeld had to say. I thought they were lying. I didn't believe them for a moment. I took to the floor. I did everything I could to prevent that war. Joe saw it differently.

BLITZER: Vice President Biden?

BIDEN: I was asked to bring 156,000 troops home from that war, which I did. I led that effort. It was a mistake to trust that they weren't going to go to war. They said they were not going to go to war. They said they were just going to get inspectors in.

The world, in fact, voted to send inspectors in and they still went to war. From that point on, I was in the position of making the case that it was a big, big mistake. And from that point on, I've voted to — I moved to bring those troops home.

BLITZER: Sen. Klobuchar, you've publicly questioned Mayor Buttigieg's experience when it comes to being commander-in-chief. Why is your time as a U.S. senator more valuable than his time as a U.S. naval intelligence officer in Afghanistan and as mayor?

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR: Thank you, Wolf. And I have been very clear that I respect the mayor's experience very much in the military. I just have different experience.

I've been in the U.S. Senate for over 12 years. And I think what you want in a president is someone who has dealt with these life-and-death issues and who has made decisions.

I will look at my position on the Iraq war first. I wasn't in the Senate for that vote, but I opposed that war from the very beginning. In my first campaign for Senate, I ran against a Republican who ran ads against me on it, but I stood my ground. When I got to the Senate, I pushed to bring our troops home.

Then I have dealt with every issue, from Afghanistan to keeping our troops with good health care after what we saw with Walter Reed and being part of an effort to improve the situation for our troops in a very big way with our education and with their jobs and also with their health care.

I think right now what we should be talking about, though, Wolf, is what is happening right now with Donald Trump. Donald Trump is taking us pell-mell toward another war. We have a very important resolution. We just found out today that four Republicans are joining Democrats to go to him and say: You must have an authorization of military force if you're going to go to war with Iran.

That is so important, because we have a situation where he got us out of the Iranian nuclear agreement, something I worked on for a significant period of time. As president, I will get us back into that agreement. I will take an oath...

BLITZER: Thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: ... to protect and defend our Constitution.

BLITZER: Thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: And I will mean it.

BLITZER: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar. We're going to continue talking about who's best prepared to be commander-in-chief. Mayor Buttigieg?

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Well, I bring a different perspective. There are enlisted people that I served with barely old enough to remember those votes on the authorization after 9/11, on the war in Iraq. And there are people now old enough to enlist who were not alive for some of those debates.

The next president is going to be confronted with national security challenges different in scope and in kind from anything we've seen before, not just conventional military challenges, not just stateless terrorism, but cybersecurity challenges, climate security challenges, foreign interference in our elections. It's going to take a view to the future, as well as the readiness, to learn from the lessons of the past. And for me, those lessons of the past are personal.

BLITZER: Sen. Warren, in our new CNN/Des Moines Register poll, almost a third of your supporters say your ability to lead the military is more of a weakness than a strength of yours. Why are you best prepared to be commander-in-chief?

More from January's Iowa Poll:

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN: I believe the principal job of the commander-in-chief is to keep America safe. And I think that's about judgment. I think it starts with knowing our military. I sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee. I work with our generals, with our military leaders, with our intelligence, but I also visit our troops. I visit our troops around the world.

I've been to Afghanistan, to Iraq, to Jordan, to South Korea. I've been to lots of places to talk with our troops. And I fight for our troops, to make sure that they get their pay, that they get the housing and medical benefits that they've been promised, that they don't get cheated by giant financial institutions.

You know, I have three brothers who were in the military, and I know how much our military families sacrifice. But I also know that we have to think about our defense in very different ways. We have to think about cyber. We have to think about climate. We also have to think about how we spend money.

We have a problem with a revolving door in Washington between the defense industry and the Department of Defense and the Pentagon. That is corruption, pure and simple. We need to block that revolving door, and we need to cut our defense budget. We need to depend on all of our tools — diplomatic, economic, working with our allies — and not let the defense industry call the shots.

BLITZER: Mr. Steyer, you worked in finance for decades and have never held elected office. Why should voters believe you have the experience or judgment to serve as commander-in-chief?

TOM STEYER: I worked internationally around the world for decades. I traveled, I met with governments, I met with businesses, and I understand how America interacts with other countries.

And you asked what is the reason that the — the experience really counts, and to me, I believe that Sen. Warren made a great point. It isn't so much about experience, it's about judgment.

If you've been listening to this, what we are hearing is 20 years of mistakes by the American government in the Middle East, of failure, of mistakes. So the real question is judgment.

And if you look who had the judgment, it was a state senator from Illinois with no experience named Barack Obama who opposed the war. It is a congresswoman, Barbara Lee from Oakland, California, who stood up against the original vote, who was the only person in Congress.

So I would say to you this: An outside perspective, looking at this and actually dealing with the problems as they are is what we're looking for now. I agree with Sen. Warren. We are spending dramatically too much money on defense. The money that we're spending there, we could spend in the other parts of the budget, and it's time for someone from the outside to have a strategic view about what we're trying to do and how to do it.

►As Tom Steyer's Iowa bus tour ends, some like his outsider resume. Others want more experience.

BLITZER: Sen. Sanders, in the wake of the Iran crisis, Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei has again called for all U.S. troops to be pulled out of the Middle East, something you've called for, as well. Yet when American troops last left Iraq, ISIS emerged and spread terror across the Middle East and, indeed, around the world. How would you prevent that from happening again?

SANDERS: O.K., I'm going to tell you, but before I tell you that, let me tell you something else.

(LAUGHTER)

And that is — and I don't know if my colleagues here will agree with me or not. Maybe they will. But what we have to face as a nation is that the two great foreign policy disasters of our lifetimes were the war in Vietnam and the war in Iraq. Both of those wars were based on lies. And right now, what I fear very much is we have a president who is lying again and could drag us into a war that is even worse than the war in Iraq.

To answer your question, what we need to do is have an international coalition. We cannot keep acting unilaterally. As you know, the nuclear deal with Iran was worked on with a number of our allies. We have got to undo what Trump did, bring that coalition together, and make sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.

BLITZER: Vice President Biden?

BIDEN: I was part of that deal to get the nuclear agreement with Iran, bringing together the rest of the world, including some of the folks who aren't friendly to us. And it was working. It was working. It was being held tightly. There was no movement on the part of the Iranian government to get closer to a nuclear weapon.

And look what's happened. He went ahead — and it was predictable from the day he pulled out of the agreement, Trump, what exactly would happen. We're now isolated. We're in a situation where our allies in Europe are making a comparison between the United States and Iran, saying both ought to stand down, making a moral equivalence.

We have lost our standing in the region. We have lost the support of our allies. The next president has to be able to pull those folks back together, re-establish our alliances, and insist that Iran go back into the agreement, which I believe with the pressure applied as we put on before we can get done.

BLITZER: So just to be clear, Vice President Biden, would you leave troops in the Middle East or would you pull them out?

BIDEN: I would leave troops in the Middle East in terms of patrolling the Gulf, where we have — where we are now, small numbers of troops, and I think it's a mistake to pull out the small number of troops that are there now to deal with ISIS.

What's happened is, now that he's gone ahead, the president, and started this whole process moving, what's happening? ISIS is going to reconstitute itself. We're in a position where we have to pull our forces out. Americans have to leave the entire region. And quite frankly, I think he's flat-out lied about saying the reason he went after — the reason he made the strike was because our embassies were about to be bombed.

BLITZER: Sen. Klobuchar, what's your response?

KLOBUCHAR: I would leave some troops there, but not in the level that Donald Trump is taking us right now. Afghanistan, I have long wanted to bring our troops home. I would do that. Some would remain for counterterrorism and training.

In Syria, I would not have removed the 150 troops from the border with Turkey. I think that was a mistake. I think it made our allies and many others much more vulnerable to ISIS. And then when it comes to Iraq, right now, I would leave our troops there, despite the mess that has been created by Donald Trump.

At the briefing we had last week, I was the only person on this stage that asked a question of both the secretary of defense and the secretary of state. And I asked them about imminent threat, but I also asked them what their alternatives were. And they gave very vague, vague answers.

I asked them, where is the surge of diplomacy that we would be seeing if I was president? And I asked them where they were going to leave the Iraqi people. Time and time again, you see that this president puts his own interests, his private interests, in front of our country's. I would put our country's interests first as commander-in-chief.

BLITZER: Sen. Warren, leave combat troops, at least some combat troops in the Middle East, or bring them home?

WARREN: No, I think we need to get our combat troops out. You know, we have to stop this mindset that we can do everything with combat troops. Our military is the finest military on Earth and they will take any sacrifice we ask them to take. But we should stop asking our military to solve problems that cannot be solved militarily.

Our keeping combat troops there is not helping. We need to work with our allies. We need to use our economic tools. We need to use our diplomatic tools.

Now, look, I understand, there are people on this stage, when it comes to Afghanistan, for example, who talk about 5 more years, 10 more years. Shoot, Lindsey Graham talks about leaving troops there for a hundred more years. No one has a solution and an endpoint. We need to get our combat troops out. They are not helping create more safety for the United States or the region.

BLITZER: Vice President Biden, is Sen. Warren right?

BIDEN: Well, I tell you what, there's a difference between combat troops and leaving special forces in a position. I was part of the coalition to put together 68 countries to deal with stateless terror as well as failed states. Not us alone, 68 other countries.

That's how we were able to defeat and end the caliphate for ISIS. They'll come back if we do not deal with them and we do not have someone who can bring together the rest of the world to go with us, with small numbers of special forces we have, to organize the effort to take them down.

BLITZER: Mayor Buttigieg, you served in Afghanistan. Who's right?

BUTTIGIEG: We can continue to remain engaged without having an endless commitment of ground troops. But what's going on right now is the president's actually sending more. The very president who said he was going to end endless war, who pretended to have been against the war in Iraq all along — although we know that's not true — now has more troops going to the Middle East.

►In Iowa, Pete Buttigieg criticizes Joe Biden's 2002 Iraq War vote, calling it the 'worst foreign policy decision' of his lifetime

And whenever I see that happen, I think about the day we shipped out and the time that was set aside for saying goodbye to family members. I remember walking with a friend of mine, another lieutenant I trained with, as we walked away, and his one-and-a-half-year-old boy was toddling after him, not understanding why his father wasn't turning back to scoop him up. And it took all the strength he had not to turn around and look at his boy one more time.

That is happening by the thousands right now, as we see so many more troops sent into harm's way. And my perspective is to ensure that that will never happen when there is an alternative as commander-in-chief.

BLITZER: Sen. Sanders?

SANDERS: Wolf, in America today, our infrastructure is crumbling. Half of our people are living paycheck to paycheck. Eighty-seven million people have no health care or are uninsured or underinsured. We got 500,000 people sleeping out on the streets tonight.

The American people are sick and tired of endless wars which have cost us trillions of dollars. Our job is to rebuild the United Nations, rebuild the State Department, make sure that we have the capability of bringing the world together to resolve international conflict diplomatically and stop the endless wars that we have experienced.

BLITZER: We're going to get to everyone, but, Vice President Biden, you criticized President Trump's decision to kill the Iranian general, Soleimani, without first going to Congress. Are there any circumstances, other than a direct attack on the United States, where you would take military action without congressional approval?

BIDEN: I ran the first time as a 29-year-old kid against the war in Vietnam on the grounds that the only way to take a nation to war is with the informed consent of the American people. The informed consent of the American people.

And with regard to this idea that we can walk away and not have any troops anywhere, including special forces, we — there's no way you negotiate or have been able to negotiate with terrorists. You have to be able to form coalitions to be able to defeat them or contain them. If you don't, we end up being the world's policeman again.

They're going to come to us. They've come to us before. They'll come to us again. So it's a fundamental difference than negotiating with other countries. It's fundamentally the requirement that we use our special forces in small numbers to coordinate with other countries to bring together coalitions.

BLITZER: Mr. Vice President, just to be clear, the Obama-Biden administration did not ask Congress for permission multiple times when it took military action. So would the Biden doctrine be different?

BIDEN: No, there was the authorization for the use of military force that was passed by the United States Congress, House, and Senate, and signed by the president. That was the authority. It does not give authority to go into Iran. It gave authority to deal with these other issues.

BLITZER: Mayor Buttigieg?

BUTTIGIEG: That authorization needs to be replaced.

BIDEN: Exactly. And we tried to.

BUTTIGIEG: When we lost troops in Niger, there were members of Congress who admitted they didn't even know we had troops there. And it was all pursuant to an authorization that was passed to deal with Al Qaida and 9/11. And often, Congress has been all too happy to leave aside its role. Now, thanks to Democrats in Congress, that's changing. But the reality is, year after year, Congress didn't want to touch this, either, because it was so politically difficult.

Fundamental truth is, if our troops can summon the courage to go overseas into harm's way, often on deployment after deployment, then we've got to make sure that Congress has the courage to take tough up-or-down votes on whether they ought to be there. And when I am president, anytime — which I hope will never happen — but anytime I am compelled to use force and seek that authorization, we will have a three-year sunset, so that the American people are included ...

BLITZER: Thank you.

BUTTIGIEG: ... not only in the decision about whether to send troops, but whether to continue.

BLITZER: Thank you. Sen. Warren — we're going to get to everyone — but, Sen. Warren, what about you? Are there any circumstances, other than a direct attack on the United States, where you would take military action without congressional approval?

WARREN: Well, imminent threat. But we need an authorization for the use of military force before we take this nation into combat. That is what the Constitution provides and that is what as commander-in-chief I will do.

But I just want to be clear. Everyone on this stage talks about nobody wants endless war. But the question is, when and how do you plan to get out of it?

You know, on the Senate Armed Services Committee, we have one general after another in Afghanistan who comes in and says, you know, we've just turned the corner and now it's all going to be different. And then what happens? It's all the same for another year. Someone new comes in and we've just turned the corner.

We've turned the corner so many times, we're going in circles in these regions. This has got to stop. It's not enough to say some day we're going to get out. No one on the ground, none of our military can describe what the conditions are for getting out. It's time to get our combat troops home.

BLITZER: Mr. Steyer, would a President Steyer use military force as a deterrent? And if not, under what circumstances would you take military action?

STEYER: I would take military action to protect the lives and safety of American citizens. But what we can see in the Middle East and what this conversation shows is that there is no real strategy that we're trying to accomplish in what we're doing in the Middle East.

Obviously, Mr. Trump has no strategy. He is going from crisis to crisis, from escalation to escalation. But if you look further over the last 20 years, including in the war in Afghanistan, we know from the Washington Post that, in fact, there was no strategy. There was just a series of tactical decisions that made no sense.

So we really have to ask ourselves in the Middle East, what are we trying to accomplish? I agree with Vice President Biden. To do it, we should definitely be doing it in coalition with other countries. And I want to point out that, as we do that, we're confronted by this issue which everyone is talking about.

But at the same time, there's a gigantic climate issue in Australia, which also requires the same kind of value-driven coalition-building that we actually should be using in the Middle East. We need to ask ourselves, how are we going to provide a world that is safer for Americans, where we can prosper more? And every single thing we should do should follow into that strategy. And it's just not happening in Washington, D.C.

PHILLIP: Mayor Buttigieg, another critical issue you'd face as president is the threat of nuclear weapons. Last week, President Trump said, quote, "As long as I am president of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon." Would a President Buttigieg make that same promise?

BUTTIGIEG: Ensuring that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons will, of course, be a priority, because it's such an important part of keeping America safe. But unfortunately, President Trump has made it much harder for the next president to achieve that goal.

By gutting the Iran nuclear deal — one that, by the way, the Trump administration itself admitted was working, certified that it was preventing progress toward a nuclear Iran — by gutting that, they have made the region more dangerous and set off the chain of events that we are now dealing with as it escalates even closer to the brink of outright war.

Now — yes?

PHILLIP: Continue.

BUTTIGIEG: In order to get that done, we've got to work with our partners. The Iran nuclear deal, the technical term for it was the JCPOA. That first letter "J" stood for "Joint." We can't do this alone, even less so now after everything that has happened.

Which is why it will be so critically important to engage leaders, including a lot of new leaders emerging around the world, and ensure that we have the alliances we need to meet what I believe is not just an American goal, but a widely shared goal around the world to ensure that Iran does not become a nuclear-armed country.

PHILLIP: Mayor Buttigieg, to be clear, would you allow Iran to become a nuclear power, yes or no?

BUTTIGIEG: No. Our security depends on ensuring that Iran does not become nuclear. And by the way, we've got a lot of other challenges with nuclear proliferation around the world.

Despite this president's coziness with Vladimir Putin, we actually seem to be further away from being able to work with Russia on things like the renewal of START. We've got to move toward less, not more nuclear danger, whether it is from states, from stateless potential terrorist actors, or anywhere else around the world.

PHILLIP: Thank you, Mayor Buttigieg. Thank you, Mayor Buttigieg.

Sen. Klobuchar, if you become president, it's very possible there won't be an Iran nuclear deal for the United States to rejoin. Given that, how would you prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon?

KLOBUCHAR: I would start negotiations again. And I won't take that as a given, given that our European partners are still trying to hold the agreement together. My issue is that, because of the actions of Donald Trump, we are in a situation where they are now starting — Iran is starting to enrich uranium again in violation of the original agreement.

So what I would do is negotiate. I would bring people together, just as President Obama did years ago, and I think that we can get this done. But you have to have a president that sees this as a number-one goal.

And in answer to the original question you asked the mayor, I would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. And then you have to get an agreement in place. I think there are changes you can make to the agreement that are sunset, some changes to the inspections, but overall, that is what we should do.

And I am the one person on this debate stage, on the first night of the very first debate, when we were asked what we saw as the biggest threat to our world, I said China on the economy, but I said Iran, because of Donald Trump. Because I feared that exactly what happened would happen: enrichment of uranium, escalation of tensions, leaving frayed relations with our allies. We can bring them back, understanding this is a terrorist regime that we cannot allow to have a nuclear weapon.

PHILLIP: Vice President Biden, I want to ask you about North Korea. President Trump has met with Kim Jong-un three times. President Obama once said he would meet with North Korea without any preconditions. Would you meet with North Korea without any preconditions?

BIDEN: No, not now. I wouldn't meet with them without any preconditions. Look, what — we gave him everything he's looking for, legitimacy. The president showed up, met with him, gave him legitimacy, weakened the sanctions we have against him.

Need to know ahead of the caucuses:

I would be putting what I did as vice president — I met with Xi Jinping more than anyone else. I would be putting pressure on China to put pressure on Korea, to cease and desist from their nuclear power, make — their efforts to deal with nuclear weapons. I would move forward as we did before — and you reported it extensively, Wolf — about moving forward the whole notion of defense against nuclear weapons, that we would — and when China said to me, when Xi Jinping said to me, that's a threat to us, I said, we're going to move and protect our interests unless you get involved and protect it.

I would reignite the relationship between Japan and South Korea, and I would put enormous pressure, enormous pressure on China, because that's also in their interests for them to put pressure on North Korea to cease and desist.

But I would not, I would not meet with — absent preconditions, I would not meet with the, quote, "Supreme Leader," who said Joe Biden is a rabid dog, he should be beaten to death with a stick. I count that ...

SANDERS: Other than that, you like him?

BIDEN: Other than that, I like him, and he — he ...

(LAUGHTER)

And he got a love letter from Trump right after that.

PHILLIP: Mr. Steyer, would you meet with North Korea without any preconditions?

STEYER: No. It's very clear that if we're going to do something with North Korea, we're going to have to do it in concert with our allies, that meeting with him without preconditions is not going anywhere, that the staff can meet to try and see how far we can get.

But this is a classic situation where the United States' idea of going it alone makes no sense. And when you are talking about Iran, let's face it. Iran is under great pressure economically. So every single discussion we've had about Iran has had to do with military power and America versus Iran, whereas, in fact, what worked with President Obama was an alliance of our allies and us putting economic pressure on them for them to give up their military tactic. That, to me, is called strategy. Having a goal to make America safer, by looking more broadly...

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you.

STEYER: ... than just us, as the policeman of the world spending money.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Mr. Steyer. Let's stay with the theme of America's role in the world and talk about trade. Tomorrow, President Trump is expected to sign phase one of a trade agreement with China. And the Senate will likely soon approve a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada, Iowa's largest trading partners.

►Iowans applaud deal that clears a path for U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement

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Sen. Sanders, you have said that new deal, the USMCA, quote, "makes some modest improvements," yet you are going to vote against it. Aren't modest improvements better than no improvements...

SANDERS: No, we can do much ...

PFANNENSTIEL: ... for the farmers and manufacturers who have been devastated here in Iowa?

SANDERS: The answer is we could do much better than a Trump-led trade deal. This deal — and I think the proponents of it acknowledge — will result in the continuation of the loss of hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs as a result of outsourcing.

The heart and soul of our disastrous trade agreements — and I'm the guy who voted against NAFTA and against permanent normal trade relations with China — is that we have forced American workers to compete against people in Mexico, in China, elsewhere, who earn starvation wages, $1 or $2 an hour.

Second of all, every major environmental organization has said no to this new trade agreement because it does not even have the phrase "climate change" in it. And given the fact that climate change is right now the greatest threat facing this planet, I will not vote for a trade agreement that does not incorporate very, very strong principles to significantly lower fossil fuel emissions in the world.

PFANNENSTIEL: But, Sen. Sanders, to be clear, the AFL-CIO supports this deal. Are you unwilling to compromise?

SANDERS: The AFL-CIO does. The Machinists Union does not. And every environmental organization in this country, including the Sunrise Organization, who are supporting my candidacy, opposes it.

So I happen to believe — and I hope we will talk about climate change in a moment — if we do not get our act together in terms of climate change, the planet that we're going to be leaving our kids and our children — and our grandchildren will be increasingly unlivable and uninhabitable.

►2020 candidates on agriculture: In Iowa, six Democratic presidential candidates vow to help farmers, battered by low prices, trade disputes

PFANNENSTIEL: We're going to get to climate change, but I'd like to stay on trade. Sen. Warren ...

SANDERS: Well, they are the same in this issue.

PFANNENSTIEL: Sen. Warren, you support the USMCA. Why is Sen. Sanders wrong?

WARREN: I do. I wasn't here. I haven't been in Congress long enough to have voted against NAFTA, but I led the fight against the trade deal with Asia and the trade deal with Europe, because I didn't think it was in the interests of the American people, the American workers, or environmental interests.

But we have farmers here in Iowa who are hurting. And they are hurting because of Donald Trump's initiated trade wars. We have workers who are hurting because the agreements that have already been cut really don't have enforcement on workers' rights.

This new trade deal is a modest improvement. Sen. Sanders himself has said so. It will give some relief to our farmers. It will give some relief to our workers. I believe we accept that relief, we try to help the people who need help, and we get up the next day and fight for a better trade deal.

We need a coherent trade policy. We need a policy that actually helps our workers, our farmers. We need them at the table, not just to trade policy written for big, international companies. I'm ready to have that fight, but let's help the people who need help right now.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you. Sen. Sanders, can you please respond to Sen. Warren?

SANDERS: Well, I think that it is not so easy to put together new trade legislation. If this is passed, I think it will set us back a number of years.

Sen. Warren is right in saying we need to bring the stakeholders to the table, that — it is the family farmers here in Iowa and in Vermont and around the country. That is the environmental community. That is the workers. Bottom line here is, I am sick and tired of trade agreements negotiated by the CEOs of large corporations behind doors.

PFANNENSTIEL: Sen. Klobuchar, I'd like to bring you in here.

KLOBUCHAR: Brianne, I want to hit reality here. I serve on the Agriculture Committee, and I will never forget going to Crawfordsville here in Iowa — and thank you for bringing up Iowa, Brianne, since that is where we are — and I went to this plant and there was one worker left in that plant. That plant had been shut down because of Donald Trump's trade policies and because of what he had done to those workers with giving secret waivers to oil companies and ruining the renewable fuel standard. That worker brought out a coat rack of uniforms and he said, these are my friends, they don't work anymore. And their names were embroidered on those uniforms, Derek, Mark, Salvador. And that guy started to cry.

These are real people hurt by Donald Trump's trade war. So what we should do, and I support the USMCA, I am glad that these improvements were made that are supported by people like Richard Trumka and Sherrod Brown on labor and environment and on pharma, the sweetheart deal...

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: ... because I think we need a big trading block...

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: ... with North America to take on China. And the way you are stronger...

PFANNENSTIEL: Sen. Klobuchar, your time is up.

KLOBUCHAR: ... China is with our allies.

PFANNENSTIEL: Mayor Buttigieg, do you support the USMCA, yes or no?

BUTTIGIEG: Yes, it has been improved, it is not perfect. But when you sit down with the people who are most impacted, they share just how much harm has been done to them by things like the trade war and just how much we can benefit, American consumers and workers and farmers, by making sure we have the right kind of labor and enforceability, as Democrats ensured we got in this USMCA.

But let's acknowledge why there is such fear and frustration. You know, my part of the country, in the industrial Midwest, I remember when they came around in the '90s, selling trade deals, telling us, don't worry about your slice of the pie, the pie will get so much bigger that everyone will be better off. And that promise was broken.

The part about the pie getting bigger happened. It's just that the part about it getting to most people where I live did not. That is why there is such frustration, the sense that these decisions in boardrooms...

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you.

BUTTIGIEG: ... and in committee rooms in Washington are being made not based on what's best for us...

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Mayor Buttigieg.

BUTTIGIEG: ... but based on their own gain.

PFANNENSTIEL: Vice President Biden, Sen. Sanders has said that Donald Trump will, quote, “eat your lunch” for voting yes on what he calls terrible trade agreements. When it comes to trade, why are you the best candidate to take on President Trump?

BIDEN: There will be no trade agreements signed in my administration without environmentalists and labor at the table. And there will be no trade agreement until we invest more in American workers. We should be putting our money and our effort and our time in preparing American workers to compete in the 21st Century on the high-tech side, dealing with all artificial intelligence. We should be focusing on equipping American workers to do that.

And by the way, the idea — I don't know that there's any trade agreement that the senator would ever think made any sense, but the problem is that 95 percent of the customers are out there. So we better figure out how we begin to write the rules of the road, not China.

PFANNENSTIEL: Sen. Sanders?

SANDERS: Joe and I have a fundamental disagreement here, in case you haven't noticed. And that is NAFTA, PNTR with China, other trade agreements were written for one reason alone. And that is to increase the profits of large multi-national corporations. And the end result of those two, just PNTR with China, Joe, and NAFTA, cost us some 4 million jobs, as part of the race to the bottom.

I am sick and tired and will not tolerate, and we will use the power of the federal contracting system. If a corporation in America wants to shut down in Iowa or Vermont or any place else, and then they think they're going to get on line for our generous federal contract, they've got another thing going.

We need some corporate responsibility here and we need to protect good-paying jobs in America, not see them go to China, Mexico, Vietnam, and all these other countries.

PFANNENSTIEL: Mr. Vice president, what's your response?

BIDEN: We need corporate responsibility and I agree with that completely. But we also need to have enforcement mechanisms in the agreements we make. Enforceable agreements. That's one of the things that has been improved with the trade agreement with Mexico. And that's what we should be doing in any agreement we have.

But let's get back to the basics here. If we don't set the rules of the road by going out to our partners, instead of poking our eye — excuse me, poking our finger in the eye of all of our friends and allies, we make up 25 percent of the world's economy. We've got to bring the other 25 percent of our allies along with us to set the rules of the road so China cannot continue to abuse their power by stealing our intellectual property and doing all the other things, using their corporate state system to our significant disadvantage.

PFANNENSTIEL: Sen. Warren?

WARREN: You know, our problem is not just that we need corporate responsibility. It has been the structure of how these trade deals have been negotiated. The United States has had this strategy for decades. And that strategy has been to have government trade negotiators, a small number, and then surround them with giant multi-national corporation lobbyists and corporate executives, who whisper in the ears of our negotiators and then get deals cut that are great for the giant multi-national corporations, not good for America, not good for American workers, not good for the environment.

We need a different approach to trade and it starts by calling out the corruption of these giant corporations that have cut our trade deals. Everybody wants to get to the American market. And we need to put some standards in place. You want to be able to sell your goods here, then you've got to meet some environmental standards. You've got to meet labor standards.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Sen. Warren.

WARREN: We need a...

(CROSSTALK)

WARREN: ... approach.

PFANNENSTIEL: I would like to bring in Mr. Steyer here.

Mr. Steyer, even though farmers and manufacturers here in Iowa and around the country could see some relief from the China deal, they've been crushed by the current administration's trade war. What will you do as president to help them get back on their feet?

STEYER: Look, on the first day, I would undo Mr. Trump's tariffs. On the first day, I would get rid of his waivers that Sen. Klobuchar was referring to, to oil refiners, so that not having to use corn-based ethanol.

In fact, these trade deals have been exactly what Sen. Sanders and Warren have been saying, which is that they've been designed to grow the American GDP for the corporations of America, not for the working people of America, and not to protect the climate.

So let me say this. I'm the only person on this stage who says climate is my number one priority. I would not sign this deal, because if climate is your number one priority, you can't sign a deal, even if it's marginally better for working people until climate is also taken into consideration.

►What a difference one degree makes: Iowa is getting hotter, bringing more frequent and intense storms

Look, I've got four kids between the ages of 26 and 31. I cannot allow this country to go down the path of climate destruction. Everybody in their generation knows it. Frankly, Mayor Buttigieg, you're their generation. I think you would be standing up more — look, that's why I'm standing up for it.

We cannot put climate on the backseat all the time and say we're going to sign this one more deal, we're going to do one more thing without putting climate first. That's why it's my number one priority. We can do it in a way that makes us richer, but we have to do it.

PFANNENSTIEL: Mayor Buttigieg, your response?

BUTTIGIEG: Well, that's right. This issue is personal for me. It's why we're going to tackle climate from day one. It's why we've got to make sure that we have better answers than we do today. Now, what I've noticed is, pretty much all of us propose that we move on from fossil fuels by the middle of the century, starting with actions that we take right now.

The question is, how are we going to make sure any of this actually gets done? Because people have been saying the right things in these debates for literally decades. The other day in Winterset, there was a kid at one of my events, raised his hand and he pointed out that he expects to be here in his 90s in the year 2100.

He will sit in judgment over what we do, not just what we on this stage do, anyone old enough to vote right now, whether we actually put together the national project it will require to meet our climate goals, to act aggressively, not just re-joining the Paris Climate Accord, that's table stakes, but to actually move on from the fossil-dependent economy we live in today.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIP: Let's now turn to — let's now turn to an issue that's come up in the last 48 hours. Sen. Sanders, CNN reported yesterday that — and Sen. Sanders, Sen. Warren confirmed in a statement, that in 2018 you told her that you did not believe that a woman could win the election. Why did you say that?

SANDERS: Well, as a matter of fact, I didn't say it. And I don't want to waste a whole lot of time on this, because this is what Donald Trump and maybe some of the media want. Anybody knows me knows that it's incomprehensible that I would think that a woman cannot be president of the United States.

Go to YouTube today. There's a video of me 30 years ago talking about how a woman could become president of the United States. In 2015, I deferred, in fact, to Sen. Warren. There was a movement to draft Sen. Warren to run for president. And you know what, I said — stayed back. Sen. Warren decided not to run, and I then — I did run afterwards.

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 3 million votes. How could anybody in a million years not believe that a woman could become president of the United States? And let me be very clear. If any of the women on this stage or any of the men on this stage win the nomination, I hope that's not the case, I hope it's me.

(LAUGHTER)

But if they do, I will do everything in my power to make sure that they are elected in order to defeat the most dangerous president in the history of our country.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIP: So Sen. Sanders — Sen. Sanders, I do want to be clear here, you're saying that you never told Sen. Warren that a woman could not win the election?

SANDERS: That is correct.

PHILLIP: Sen. Warren, what did you think when Sen. Sanders told you a woman could not win the election?

(LAUGHTER)

WARREN: I disagreed. Bernie is my friend, and I am not here to try to fight with Bernie. But, look, this question about whether or not a woman can be president has been raised, and it's time for us to attack it head-on.

And I think the best way to talk about who can win is by looking at people's winning record. So, can a woman beat Donald Trump?

Look at the men on this stage. Collectively, they have lost 10 elections.

(LAUGHTER)

The only people on this stage who have won every single election that they've been in are the women...

(APPLAUSE)

... Amy and me.

KLOBUCHAR: So true.

(APPLAUSE)

So true.

(APPLAUSE)

WARREN: And the only person on this stage who has beaten an incumbent Republican any time in the past 30 years is me.

And here's what I know. The real danger that we face as Democrats is picking a candidate who can't pull our party together or someone who takes for granted big parts of the Democratic constituency.

We need a candidate who will excite all parts of the Democratic Party, bring everyone in and give everyone a Democrat to believe in. That's my plan and that is why I'm going to win.

PHILLIP: Sen. Klobuchar...

(APPLAUSE)

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you.

PHILLIP: Sen. Klobuchar, what do you say to people who don't...

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you, Elizabeth.

PHILLIP: Sen. Klobuchar, what do you say...

KLOBUCHAR: I would like to point out...

PHILLIP: Sen. Klobuchar, let me finish my question.

KLOBUCHAR: Oh, OK.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIP: What do you say to people who...

KLOBUCHAR: I thought it was such an open-end — I wasn't at the meeting, so I can't comment, but I was going to say...

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIP: What do you say to people who say that a woman can't win this election?

KLOBUCHAR: I hear that. People have said it. That's why I've addressed it from this stage. I point out that you don't have to be the tallest person in the room. James Madison was 5'4". You don't have to be the skinniest person in the room. You don't have to be the loudest person. You have to be competent.

And when you look at the facts, Michigan has a woman governor right now and she beat a Republican, Gretchen Whitmer. Kansas has a woman governor right now and she beat Kris Kobach. And her name is — I'm very proud to know her, and her name is Governor Kelly. Thank you.

Third, I would add to this, you have to be competent to win and you have to know what you're doing. And when you look at what I have done, I have won every race, every place, every time. I have won in the reddest of districts. I have won in the suburban areas, in the rural areas. I have brought people with me.

That is why I have the most endorsements of current Iowa legislators and former Iowa legislators in this race.

PHILLIP: Thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: Because they know I bring people with me.

And finally, every single person...

PHILLIP: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: ... that I have beaten, my Republican opponents, have gotten out of politics for good.

(LAUGHTER)

And I think — I think that sounds pretty good. I think that sounds pretty good with the guy we have in the White House right now.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIP: Sen. Sanders, you can respond.

SANDERS: Well, just to set the record straight, I defeated an incumbent Republican running for Congress.

WARREN: When?

SANDERS: Nineteen-ninety.

That's how I won, beat a republican congressman.

(LAUGHTER)

Number two...

WARREN: Thirty years ago.

SANDERS: ... of course, I don't think there's any debate up here...

WARREN: Wasn't it 30 years ago?

SANDERS: I beat an incumbent Republican congressman.

WARREN: And I said I was the only one who's beaten an incumbent Republican in 30 years.

(LAUGHTER)

SANDERS: Well, 30 years ago is 1990, as a matter of fact.

(LAUGHTER)

But I don't know that that's the major issue of the day. I think what the major issue of the day is — let's — does anybody in their right mind think that a woman cannot be elected president?

That's — nobody believes that. Of — Hillary Clinton got 3 million votes, more votes than Trump. So who believes that a woman can't win? Of course, a woman can win.

But the real question is, how do we beat Trump?

►Bernie Sanders says Donald Trump is 'smart fraud' who will be tough to beat, but Sanders claims he can do it

And the only way we beat Trump is by a campaign of energy and excitement and a campaign that has, by far, the largest voter turnout in the history of this country. And I believe that our campaign has the strongest grassroots movement...

PHILLIP: Thank you.

SANDERS: We have been endorsed by many grassroots organizations...

PHILLIP: Sen. Warren —

SANDERS: That's why...

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIP: Sen. Warren, I want to give you the final word.

WARREN: So I do think it's the right question, "How do we beat Trump?"

And here's the thing. Since Donald Trump was elected, women candidates have out-performed men candidates in competitive races. And in 2018, we took back the House; we took back statehouses, because of women candidates and women voters.

Look, don't deny that the question is there. Back in the 1960s, people asked, "Could a Catholic win?"

Back in 2008, people asked if an African-American could win.

In both times the Democratic Party stepped up and said yes, got behind their candidate and we changed America. That's who we are.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIP: Vice President Biden?

Vice President Biden, go ahead.

BIDEN: I agree women can win. And I have went in and campaigned for 27 of them this last — in 2018, the best group I've ever campaigned for, in terms of competence

But the real issue is who can bring the whole party together, represents all elements of the party, African-American, brown, black, women, men, gay, straight. The fact of the matter is that — I would argue that, in terms of endorsements around the country, endorsements wherever we go, I am the one who has the broadest coalition of anyone running up here in this race.

PHILLIP: All right. We're going to take a short break now. The CNN Democratic presidential debate, live from Drake University, will be back right after this.

(APPLAUSE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(APPLAUSE)

BLITZER: Welcome back to the CNN Democratic presidential debate, live from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIP: Let's turn to health care, the top issue for Iowa Democrats.

Donald Trump is trying to repeal Obamacare, including the protections for pre-existing conditions. We all know that each of you vigorously opposes that. Still, there are some questions about what each of you would do.

Sen. Sanders, you have consistently refused to say exactly how much your Medicare For All plan is going to cost. Don't voters deserve to see the price tag before you send them a bill that could cost tens of trillions of dollars?

SANDERS: Well, what I will tell you is Medicare For All, which will guarantee comprehensive health care to every man, woman and child, will cost substantially less than the status quo.

Medicare For All will end the absurdity of the United States paying by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and health care in general, while we have 87 million uninsured — uninsured and underinsured, and while 30,000 people die each year.

►In Iowa, Bernie Sanders calls Pete Buttigieg's health care plan 'a failed idea'

Under Medicare For All, one of the provisions we have to pay for it is a 4 percent tax on income, exempting the first $29,000. So the average family in America that today makes $60,000 would pay $1,200 a year, compared to that family paying $12,000 a year.

We save money, comprehensive health care, because we take on the greed and the profiteering and the administrative nightmare that currently exists in our dysfunctional system.

PHILLIP: Vice President Biden, does Sen. Sanders owe voters a price tag on his health care plan?

BIDEN: I think we need to be candid with voters. I think we have to tell them what we're going to do and what it's going to cost. And a 4 percent tax on income over $24,000 doesn't even come close to paying for between $30 trillion, and some estimates as high as $40 trillion over 10 years.

That's doubling the entire federal budget per year. There's a way to do that. The way to do that is to take Obamacare, reinstate — rebuild it, provide a public option, allow Medicare for those folks who want it, and in fact make sure that we, in the process, reduce the cost of — of drug prices, reduce the cost of being able to buy into the — subsidize it further, and make it everybody — available to everyone.

Here's the deal. That costs a lot of money. That costs $740 billion over 10 years. I lay out how I'd pay for that.

PHILLIP: Sen. Sanders?

SANDERS: Well, first of all, what Joe forgets to say is, when you leave the current system as it is, what you are talking about are workers paying on average 20 percent of their incomes for health care. That is insane.

You've got 500,000 people going bankrupt because they cannot pay their medical bills. We're spending twice as much per capita on health care as do the people of any other country.

Look, we have talked about health care for all — in this country — for over 100 years. Now is the time to take on the greed and corruption of the health care industry, of the drug companies, and finally provide health care to all through a Medicare For All single-payer program.

It won't be easy, but that is what we have to do.

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: You can do it without that. You can do it without Medicare For All. You can get the same place.

SANDERS: No, you can't.

PHILLIP: Sen. Klobuchar, your response?

KLOBUCHAR: Yeah. Sen. Sanders and I have worked together on pharmaceuticals for a long, long time. And we agree on this. But what I don't agree with is that we — his position on health care.

This debate isn't real. I was in Vegas the other day and someone said "Don't put your chips on a number on the wheel that isn't even on the wheel."

That's the problem. Over two-thirds of the Democrats in the U.S. Senate are not on the bill that you and Sen. Warren on on. You have numerous governors that are Democratic that don't support this. You have numerous House members that put Nancy Pelosi in as speaker.

The answer is a non-profit public option. The answer is — the real debate we should be having is how do we make it easier for people to get coverage for addiction and mental health. I have a plan for that.

And then, finally, what should we do about long-term care? The elephant that doesn't even fit in this room. We need to make it easier for people to get long-term care insurance. We need to make it easier for them to pay for their premiums.

My own dad, I know when his long-term care insurance ends, and then we have some savings for him. He's in assisted living. He got married three times — whole other story — so there isn't much there.

(LAUGHTER)

But then we go to Medicaid, and I've already talked to Catholic Elder Care.

PHILLIP: Thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: They're willing to take him in. Our story is better than so many other families. We have to make it easier for long-term care.

PHILLIP: Thank you. Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: It's not just for seniors. It's also for the sandwich generation.

PHILLIP: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: People trying to help their parents.

PHILLIP: Sen. Warren?

WARREN: So we need to start with what's happening in America. People are suffering. I'll just pick one: 36 million people last year went to the doctor, got a prescription, this is what they needed to get well, and they couldn't afford to have the prescription filled. They looked at it and said it's either groceries or this prescription.

My approach to this is we've got to get as much as help to as many people as quickly as possible. I have worked out a plan where we can do that without raising taxes on middle-class families by one thin dime.

What I can do are the things I can do as president on the first day. We can cut the cost of prescription drugs. I'll use the power that's already given to the president to reduce the cost of insulin and EpiPens and HIV-AIDS drugs. Let's get some relief to those families. And I will defend the Affordable Care Act.

I've got a plan to expand health care, but let's keep in mind, when we come to a general election, we Democrats may argue among each other about the best way to do health care, but we're going to be up against a Republican incumbent who has cut health care for millions of people and is still trying to do that. I'll take our side of the argument any day. We're going to beat him on this.

PHILLIP: Thank you. Thank you, Sen. Warren. Vice President Biden?

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: The proposal I lay out does, in fact, limit drug cost. It sets up — it allows all the drug companies — excuse me, it allows you to — Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for the price. It sets a system whereby you cannot raise the price of a drug beyond the cost of medical inflation. And by the way, there's mental health parity that I call for in the Obamacare expanded with the Biden option.

PHILLIP: Mr. Steyer?

STEYER: Look, we've had this conversation on this stage so many times. Everybody on this stage believes that affordable health care is a right for every single American. Everybody on this stage knows that Americans are paying twice as much for health care as any other advanced country in the world. And it makes no sense and the government has to step in.

I do happen to agree with Vice President Biden that we should move and develop the Affordable Care Act with a public option. But the real question is this. This is not a new problem. Why do we keep having this conversation? We have a broken government. It has been bought by corporations that include the drug companies, the insurance companies, and the private hospitals.

That's what I'm talking about. How do we get back government of, by, and for the people? How do we actually break...

PHILLIP: Thank you.

STEYER: ... the corporate stranglehold on our government so that we can get any of these things passed?

PHILLIP: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Steyer. Thank you, Mr. Steyer.

Sen. Sanders, your campaign proposals would double federal spending over the next decade, an unprecedented level of spending not seen since World War II. How would you keep your plans from bankrupting the country?

SANDERS: No, our plan wouldn't bankrupt the country. And, in fact, it would much improve the well-being of working-class families and the middle class.

Let us be clear what Medicare for all does. It ends all premiums. It ends all copayments. It ends the absurdity of deductibles. It ends out-of-pocket expenses. It takes on the pharmaceutical industry, which in some cases charges us 10 times more for the same prescription drugs sold abroad as sold here.

What we will do through a Medicare for all single-payer program is substantially lower the cost of health care for employers and workers, because we end the $100 billion a year that the health care industry makes and the $500 billion a year we spend in administrative — the administrative nightmare of dealing with thousands of separate insurance plans.

Health care is a human right. Every other major country on Earth is guaranteeing health care for all. The time is long overdue for us to do the same.

PHILLIP: Sen. Klobuchar?

KLOBUCHAR: Again, I think it is much better to build on the Affordable Care Act. And if you want to be practical and progressive at the same time and have a plan and not a pipedream, you have to show how you're going to pay for it.

And I would also note practically that the Affordable Care Act right now is 10 points more popular than the president of the United States. So I think the answer is to build on it.

And, yes, I think you should show how you're going to pay for things, Bernie. I do. This president is treating people out there like poker chips in one of his bankrupt casinos the way he is adding to our debt.

I am the one person up here who has on her website in her plan a plan to actually start taking on the deficit, by taking part of that money from that corporate tax cut that they put in there and putting it in a fund to pay back the deficit.

►From November's Iowa Poll: Majority of likely Democratic caucusgoers shy away from 'Medicare for All'

PHILLIP: Thank you. Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: And I have shown how I'm going to pay for every single plan...

PHILLIP: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: ... capital gains tax going to the personal level, getting rid of oil giveaways.

PHILLIP: Let's move on.

KLOBUCHAR: Doing something about the hedge fund loophole. You can go through...

PHILLIP: Sen. Klobuchar, your time is up. Let's move on to the next question.

KLOBUCHAR: ... and we can get the money to pay for things.

PHILLIP: Mayor Buttigieg, you're selling your plan as Medicare for all who want it, yet your plan would automatically enroll uninsured Americans into a public option, even if they don't want it, and force them to pay for it. How is that truth in advertising?

BUTTIGIEG: Well, it's making sure that there is no such thing as an uninsured American. Look, the individual mandate was an important part of the ACA because the system doesn't work if there are free riders.

What I'm offering is a choice. You don't have to be in my plan if there's another plan that you would rather keep. And there's no need to kick Americans off the plans that they want in order to deliver health care for all.

And my plan is paid for. Look, our party should no longer hesitate to talk about the issue of the debt and the deficit. Now, we've got a dramatically better track record on it than Republicans do. In my lifetime, it's almost invariably Republican presidents who have added to the deficit, a trillion dollars under this president. And it's why everything I've put forward — from Medicare for all who want it to the historic investments we're going to make in infrastructure to dealing with climate change — is fully paid for.

When it comes to health care, you can do it in two moves. Of course, my plan costs $1.5 trillion over a decade. No small sum. But not the $20 trillion, $30 trillion, $40 trillion that we're hearing about from the others. All you've got to do is two things, both of them are commonsense. Allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and roll back the Trump corporate tax cuts that went to corporations and the wealthy that didn't even need it.

PHILLIP: Sen. Warren?

WARREN: So I started this by talking about 36 million Americans, including Americans with insurance, who just can't even afford to have a prescription filled. We all talk about plans, health care plans that we have, and these plans are paid for.

The problem is that plans like the mayor's and like the vice president's is that they are an improvement. They are an improvement over where we are right now. But they're a small improvement. And that's why it is that they cost so much less, because by themselves, they're not going to be enough to cover prescriptions for 36 million people who can't afford to get them filled.

What we need to do is make the commitment that we know where the money comes from. We can ask those at the very top, the top 1 percent, to pay a little more. Those giant corporations like Chevron and Amazon who paid nothing in taxes, we can have them pay. And we can go after the corporate tax cheats. And when we do that, we have enough money to provide health care for all our people.

Yes, we build on the Affordable Care Act, but where we end up is we offer health care to all of our people. And we can offer it at no cost or low cost to all of them.

PHILLIP: Mayor Buttigieg?

BUTTIGIEG: It's just not true that the plan I'm proposing is small. We've got to move past a Washington mentality that suggests that the bigness of plans only consists of how many trillions of dollars they put through the Treasury, that the boldness of a plan only consists of how many Americans it can alienate.

This would be a game-changer. This would be the biggest thing we've done to American health care in a half-century. Let's measure the effects of our plans based on what they would do in our everyday lives.

And, yes, we're taking on cost. On prescription drugs, we'll have an out-of-pocket cap, even if you don't get the subsidies that would make it free, a $250 monthly cap. And here's why it's got to be monthly. You ever been in that situation or known somebody who finds that they've got to defer a procedure or delay filling a prescription to try to have it happen in the right month because of when your out-of-pocket cap hits?

It makes no sense medically because most of us don't experience the economy on an annual basis. Our bills don't come in every year. They come in every month. Same with our paychecks, biweekly or monthly.

PHILLIP: Thank you.

BUTTIGIEG: That's why we set this up in a way to solve the problem without running up $20 trillion, $30 trillion, $40 trillion bills.

PHILLIP: Thank you, Mayor Buttigieg. Sen. Warren, your response?

WARREN: Look, the numbers that the mayor is offering just don't add up. The average family in America last year paid $12,000 in some combination of deductibles and co-pays and uncovered expenses and fees. You can't cover that with the kind of money that the mayor is talking about.

The way we have to approach this is we've got to build this and we've got to build the alliances to make this happen. I can bring down the cost of prescription drugs like insulin and take hundreds of millions of dollars out of the system immediately in costs. We can get help to families.

But we have to be willing to work together. We can let people experience what health care is like when it's you and your doctor, your mental health professional, your nurse practitioner, with no insurance company standing in the middle.

PHILLIP: Thank you. Thank you, Sen. Warren.

WARREN: When people try it and use it, then...

PHILLIP: Sen. Klobuchar?

KLOBUCHAR: Sen. Warren, you acknowledged that Medicare for all — that you couldn't get there right away. You got on the bill that said on page eight, which is why I didn't get on it, that you would kick 149 million Americans off their current health insurance. Then, a few months ago, you said, no, you're going to wait a while to get there.

And I think that was some acknowledgment that maybe what we're talking about is true. And I don't buy that it's not enough. It is a big, big step to say to people making $100,000 that your premiums will be cut in half, which is what the nonprofit public option will do.

And as you talk, Mayor Buttigieg, about Medicare and having negotiation, I actually have led that bill for years. I have 34 cosponsors. As president, I can get it done. That would allow Medicare to finally negotiate and lift the ban that big pharma got into law that says they can't negotiate for better prices for our seniors.

PHILLIP: Senator...

KLOBUCHAR: I will get it done.

PHILLIP: Sen. Sanders, coming to you now. CNN reached out to Iowa Democratic voters for their most pressing questions. Edward from here in Des Moines writes, "Des Moines is an insurance town. What happens to all the insurance industry — the health insurance industry here if there is Medicare for all? What happens to all the jobs and the livelihoods of the people that live in insurance towns like Des Moines?"

SANDERS: We build in to our Medicare for all program a transition fund of many, many billions of dollars that will provide for up to five years income and health care and job training for those people.

But here is the issue. Tom Steyer made the point a moment ago. We are now spending twice as much per person on health care as do the people of any other country. That is insane. In some cases, 10 times more for prescription drugs. Why is that? Why is that? And the answer is: the greed and corruption of the drug companies and the insurance companies.

And if we want to do what every other major country on Earth does and guarantee people health care is a human right, not a privilege, you know what we have to do? We are finally going to have to stand up to the health care industry...

STEYER: Can I respond to this?

SANDERS: ... and end hundreds of billions of dollars of waste and profiteering.

PHILLIP: Mr. Steyer?

STEYER: I just want to emphasize what Sen. Sanders said. This is not a complicated problem. Between what Sen. Warren and Sen. Sanders said, it's clear. There are two problems. We're spending way too much because corporations own the system and we're not negotiating against those corporations.

And we've given tax cuts to the richest Americans and the biggest corporations for decades. That's all this is. We have corporations who are having their way with the American people and people are suffering.

Sen. Warren is right. This is cruelty for money. In order to break this, we're going to have to break the corporate stranglehold and solve both the tax and the negotiating problem. That's why I'm for term limits. We need to redo Washington, D.C., and...

PHILLIP: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Steyer.

STEYER: ... actually take back the government from the corporations who've bought it.

PHILLIP: Thank you, Mr. Steyer. Vice President Biden?

BIDEN: I would argue that the biggest breakthrough in recent time was us being able to do in our administration what five — five Democratic presidents couldn't get done, and that is pass Obamacare. It was a big deal.

Secondly, I would argue that the way you control drug prices is you limit what they can charge for those prices. You don't have to pay the price. Limit what they can charge. If, in fact, they charge more than we set the price for, they can — they can, in fact — we can — people can import from abroad, assuming that it is — it is — it is safe.

We, in fact — it's only yellow, Wolf, OK? And we can, in fact, do all of this and still provide people the option to stay — the roughly 150 to 160 million Americans who like the negotiated plan they have with their employers. If they don't like it, or the employer gets rid of it, they can buy into a Medicare plan in the Biden plan.

BLITZER: Let's talk a little bit more about prescription drugs right now. Prescription drug prices in 2018, Americans spent $335 billion on prescription drugs alone. That's about $60 billion more than they paid a decade ago.

Sen. Warren, you've called for the creation of a government-run drug manufacturer that would step in if there is a drug shortage or a price spike. Why does it make sense for the government — for the government to manufacture drugs, especially when public trust in government is near historic lows?

WARREN: So, let's do this both ways. What I also have said is, I'm just going to use the power that is available and I will do what a president can do all by herself on the very first day, and that is lower the prices of certain prescription drugs. I will lower the price of insulin.

We already have the legal authority with the president to do that. The president just hasn't picked up and used it. I will lower the price of EpiPens, of HIV-AIDS drugs. That's going to bring a lot of relief to a lot of families immediately.

But, you know, there are a whole lot of drugs, about 90 percent of drugs, that are not under patent. They're generic drugs. But the drug industry has figured out how to manipulate this industry to keep jerking the prices up and up and up.

So my view is, let's give them a little competition. The government lets contracts for all kind of things. They let contracts to build buildings. They let contracts to build military weapons. Let's let the contracts out. Put the contracts out so that we can put more generic drugs out there and drive down those prices.

This is a way to make markets work, not to try to move away from the market. You don't have to even use price controls. The whole idea behind it is get some competition out there so the price of these drugs that are no longer under patent drops where it should be.

BLITZER: Sen. Klobuchar, do you believe the government should be manufacturing drugs?

KLOBUCHAR: I am open to looking at it, but I would try these things first. Number one, I mention the Medicare negotiation. Number two, I have a plan, 137 things I've found that a president can do herself in the first 100 days without Congress — that are legal.

(LAUGHTER)

And one of those things is that you can start bringing in less expensive drugs from other countries. Bernie and I had an amendment on this. We got 14 Republican votes on it. It was at midnight. They might have not known what they were voting for. But we got that.

(LAUGHTER)

I now have an actual bill with Sen. Grassley that does that. And I have a bill to get at what Elizabeth was talking about, which is to stop generics from taking money from big pharmaceuticals to keep their products off the market.

The issue here is that there are two pharma lobbyists for every member of the Congress.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Senator.

KLOBUCHAR: They think they own Washington. They don't own me.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: And as president, I will get this done.

PFANNENSTIEL: We're going to turn now to childcare, a huge expense for many new families and a problem that's especially acute in rural Iowa. We have another question for an Iowa Democratic voter.

Mayor Buttigieg, this is for you. Tiffany from Clive writes, as a young mom, I had to quit a job I love because childcare costs were taking up two-thirds of my income. Many families don't have the option of quitting a job because that little bit of income is needed. That leads to families using whatever care they can find, and sometimes the results are deadly, as we've seen in Iowa over the last few years. How will you prioritize accessing quality, affordable child care in your first 100 days in office?

Child care in Iowa: Iowa's child care crisis worsens its workforce crisis, business leaders say, and they're digging in to help

BUTTIGIEG: It makes no sense for childcare to cost two-thirds of somebody's income. We've to drive it to 7 percent or below, and zero for those families who are living in poverty.

But this is happening to folks at every level of the income spectrum. I meet professionals who sometimes say that they're working in order to be able to afford childcare in order to be able to be working. It makes no sense, and it must change, and we shouldn't be afraid to put federal dollars into making that a reality.

Subsidizing childcare and making sure that we are building up a workforce of people who are paid at a decent level to offer early childhood education, as well as childcare writ large. We can do that.

And until we do, this will be one of the biggest drivers of the gender pay gap. Because when somebody like the voter asking the question has to step out of the workforce because of that reason, she is at a disadvantage when she comes back in, and that can affect her pay for the rest of her career.

PFANNENSTIEL: Sen. Warren, your education plan includes tuition-free public college for all, but you impose an income limit for free childcare. Why do your plans cover everyone for public college, but not childcare and early learning?

WARREN: No, actually, my plan is universal childcare for everyone. It just has some people adding a small payment.

But understand this about the plan. I've been there. You know, I remember when I was a young mom. I had two little kids, and I had my first real university teaching job. It was hard work. I was excited. But it was childcare that nearly brought me down. We went through one childcare after another, and it just didn't work.

If I hadn't been saved by my Aunt Bee — I was ready to quit my job. And I think about how many women of my generation just got knocked off the track and never got back on, how many of my daughter's generation get knocked off the track and don't get back on, how many mamas and daddies today are getting knocked off the track and never get back on.

I have a two cent wealth tax so that we can cover childcare for all of our children, and provide universal pre-K for every 3-year-old and 4-year-old in America, and stop exploiting the people who do this valuable work, largely black and brown women. We can raise the wages of every childcare worker and preschool teacher in America. That's an investment in our babies. That's an investment in their mamas and their daddies. And it's an investment in our teachers and in our economy.

PFANNENSTIEL: Sen. Sanders, will your...

(APPLAUSE)

WARREN: It's what we need to do.

PFANNENSTIEL: ... universal childcare program be free for everyone regardless of income?

SANDERS: Yeah. Let me pick up on this childcare thing. Every psychologist in the world knows zero through 4 are the most important years of human life, intellectually and emotionally. And yet our current childcare system is an embarrassment, it is unaffordable. Childcare workers are making wages lower than McDonald's workers.

We need to fundamentally change priorities in America. We should not be one of a few countries that does not have universal high-quality affordable childcare. We should not be one of the only major countries not to guarantee health care to all people as a human right. We should not be spending more than the 10 next countries on the military, hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, tax breaks for billionaires, and then tell the moms and dads in this country we cannot have high-quality affordable childcare.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Senator. Vice President Biden, I'm coming to you now.

SANDERS: That is wrong.

PFANNENSTIEL: Vice President Biden, infant care is more expensive than in-state public college tuition in more than half the country. Do you support free universal infant care?

BIDEN: There should be free universal infant care, but here's the deal. You know, I was a single parent, too. When my wife and daughter were killed, my two boys I had to raise. I was a senator, a young senator. I just hadn't been sworn in yet. And I was making $42,000 a year.

I commuted every single solitary day to Wilmington, Delaware, over 500 miles a day — excuse me, 250 miles a day, because I could not afford but for my family childcare. It was beyond my reach to be able to do it.

And that's why there are several things we do. When I triple the amount of money for Title I schools, every child, 3, 4, and 5 years old, will, in fact, have full schooling. They'll go to school and after-school programs, which will release some of the burden.

Secondly, I think we should have an $8,000 tax credit which would put 7 million women back to work that could afford to go to work and still care for their children as an $8,000 tax credit. I also believe that we should, in fact, for people who, in fact, are not able to afford any of the infant care to be able to get that care.

But Bernie's right. We have to raise the salaries of the people who are doing the care. And I provide for that, as well. My time is up, I know, but I'm not going to go over like everybody.

(LAUGHTER)

PFANNENSTIEL: Mayor Buttigieg — Mayor Buttigieg, higher education is another huge expense for families. You oppose free public college for all because you don't want to make it, quote, "free for the kids of millionaires." But lots of public services are available to the kids of rich people, like libraries and public schools. Why do you draw the line at public colleges and universities?

BUTTIGIEG: Well, it's simple. We expect and hope for everyone to get through 12th grade. It's not the same for college. Now, again, I don't want cost ever to be a barrier to somebody seeking to attend college. And under my plan, it won't be.

As a matter of fact, for the first 80 percent of Americans by income, it is free at public colleges. But if you're in that top income bracket, don't get me wrong, I still wish you well. I hope you succeed when you go to college. I just need you to go ahead and pay that tuition, because we could be using those dollars for something else.

There is a very real choice about what we do with every single taxpayer dollar that we raise, and we need to be using that to support everybody, whether you go to college or not, making sure that Americans can thrive, investing in infrastructure, and something that hasn't come up very much tonight but deserves a lot of attention, poverty.

You know, the Poor People's Campaign is marching on Iowa right now calling on us to talk about this issue more. They are driven by their faith. I think because even though in politics we're supposed to talk middle class, they know there's no scripture that says as you've done unto the middle class, so you've done unto me.

We've got to be making sure that we target our tax dollars where they will make the biggest difference. And I don't think subsidizing the children of millionaires and billionaires to pay absolutely zero in tuition at public colleges is the best use of those scarce taxpayer dollars.

PFANNENSTIEL: Sen. Warren?

WARREN: So, look, the way I think we need to do this is we need a wealth tax in America. We need to ask people with fortunes above $50 million to pay more. And that means that the lowliest millionaire that I would tax under this wealth tax would be paying about $19 million in the first year in taxes.

If he wants to send his kid to public university, then I'm OK with that, because what we really need to talk about is the bigger economic picture here. We need to be willing to put a wealth tax in place, to ask those giant corporations that are not paying to pay, because that's how we build an economy and, for those who want to talk about it, bring down the national debt.

You do universal childcare and you've got a lot of mamas who can go to work, a lot of mamas who can finish their education. We make that investment in universal college. We've got a lot of people who...

(CROSSTALK)

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Senator. Sen. Klobuchar?

KLOBUCHAR: Yeah, you know, I appreciate your thoughts, Elizabeth, but I want to step back. I actually think that some of our colleagues who want free college for all aren't actually thinking big enough.

I think what we have to look at is how we connect our education system with our economy. Where are our job openings? And what do we need? We are going to have over a million openings for home health care workers that we don't know how to fill in the next 10 years. We are going to have open 100,000 jobs for nursing assistants. We— as my union friends know — we're going to have over 70,000 openings for electricians.

We're not going to have a shortage of MBAs. We're going to have a shortage of plumbers. So when we look at that, then we step back. Where should our money go? It should go into K through 12. It should go into free one- and two-year degrees, like my dad got, like my sister got.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: And then we should double the Pell grants, because we're going to need four-year degrees...

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar. Mr. Steyer...

KLOBUCHAR: ... so the money goes where it should go, instead of to rich kids going to college.

PFANNENSTIEL: Mr. Steyer, as a billionaire, should your children have been entitled to free public college?

STEYER: No. And let me say this. I was one of the people who talked about a wealth tax almost a year-and-a-half ago. I believe that the income inequality in this country is unbearable, unjust, and unsupportable, and the redistribution of wealth to the richest Americans from everyone else has to end. And I proposed a wealth tax almost a year-and-a-half ago to start to address it and to raise some of the money that we need.

But I want to go beyond this and go back to this question about education, because we're talking a lot about college. But, in fact, if you talk about the Poor People's Campaign, you have to realize that for the youngest kids, they are getting an education that's relative to the taxes in their neighborhoods. We need to redistribute money so every kid has a chance, so we're not legislating inequality for the next generation, and so we actually invest in every single kid, specifically poor kids, specifically black kids, specifically brown kids. We need to start using the money dramatically more for that.

BLITZER: We'll be back with more from CNN's Democratic presidential debate, live from Des Moines, Iowa. Stay right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN's Democratic presidential debate. We're live in Des Moines, Iowa.

Tomorrow, the speaker, Nancy Pelosi, will send articles of impeachment against President Trump to the United States Senate, launching the third trial of a U.S. president. The Republican-led Senate has signaled that it is likely to acquit him.

Vice President Biden, if you're the nominee, is it going to be harder to run against President Trump if he's been acquitted and able to claim vindication, especially after what he's said about your family?

BIDEN: It's irrelevant. There's no — there's no choice but to — for Nancy Pelosi and the House to move. He has, in fact, committed impeachable offenses. Whether the Senate makes that judgment or not, it's for them to decide.

►Iowa Poll: Iowa voters are split on impeachment

But — and, by the way, I'm told that, you know, we — that I don't — I say we have to unite the country and it's going to be harder after this trial. It may be. But, look, you know, I understand how these guys are, this Republican Party. They've got gone after — savaged my surviving son, gone after me, told lies that your networks and others won't even carry on television because they're flat-out lies.

And I did my job. The question is whether or not he did his job. And he hasn't done his job. And so it doesn't really matter whether or not he's gone after me. I've got to be in a position that I think of the American people. I can't hold a grudge. I have to be able to not only fight, but also heal.

And as president of the United States, that's what I will attempt to do, notwithstanding that — we're going to be more division after he's defeated by me this next time.

BLITZER: Sen. Klobuchar, you're going to be a juror in the trial in the Senate that's about to start. Do you worry President Trump will be emboldened by acquittal?

KLOBUCHAR: No. We have a constitutional duty to do — to perform here. And when I look at what the issue is, it's whether or not we're going to be able to have witnesses. We've asked for only four people as witnesses. And if our Republican colleagues won't allow those witnesses, they may as well give the president a crown and a scepter. They may as well make him king. And last time I checked, our country was founded on this idea that we didn't want to be ruled by a king.

And I think the best way to think about this is trial and what we're facing in this election is a story of a man from Primghar, Iowa. His name was Joseph Welch. He came from humble beginnings, a son of immigrants. He became the Army counsel. And he was the one that went to the Joseph McCarthy hearings. And when McCarthy was blacklisting people and going after people because of their political beliefs or supposed political beliefs, there was only one man.

Everyone that was afraid, they were afraid of being blacklisted, Joseph Welch, he stood up and looked at McCarthy and said, have you no sense of decency, sir? Have you no sense of decency. This is a decency check on our government. This is a patriotism check. Not only is this trial that...

BLITZER: Thank you.

KLOBUCHAR: ... but also this election. And no matter if you agree with everyone here on the stage, I say this...

BLITZER: Thank you, Sen. Klobuchar.

KLOBUCHAR: ... to Americans, you know this is a decency check on this president.

BLITZER: Mr. Steyer, you have spent millions and millions of dollars telling the American people that President Trump deserves to be impeached. Will it have been worth if it he has been impeached but not removed from office?

►Who's spending the most on political ads in Iowa? Tom Steyer leads the pack.

STEYER: Well, Wolf, actually what I have done is to organize a petition drive of 8.5 million Americans to sign and say this president deserves to be impeached and removed from office. And those 8.5 million people have called their congresspeople, have emailed their congresspeople, and have actually dragged Washington, D.C., to see that in fact this is a question of right and wrong and not of political expediency.

So if you ask me whether standing up for what's right in America, standing up for the American people and our safety, standing up for the Constitution, whether doing that and trying to bring the truth in front of the American people in televised hearings so we can decide what the truth is for ourselves, if you think that that isn't worth it, then you don't share the idea that I do about what America is about.

Standing up for what's right is always worth it, Wolf. And I will never back down from that.

(APPLAUSE)

BLITZER: Sen. Warren, a Senate trial is expected to keep you in Washington in the weeks leading up to the Iowa Caucuses here. How big of a problem is that for you as you're making your closing pitch to voters here?

WARREN: Look, some things are more important than politics. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. It says that no one is above the law. That includes the president of the United States. We have an impeachment trial. I will be there because it is my responsibility.

But understand this, what that impeachment trial is going to show once again to the American people, and something we should all be talking about, is the corruption of this administration. That is what lies at heart of it. It is about Donald Trump putting Donald Trump first. Not the American people. Not the interests of the United States of America. Not even helping Ukraine defend against Russia.

It is about him helping himself. That is what we need to do to win this election. We need to draw that distinction and show that as Democrats we're not going to be the people who are just out for the big corporations, people who want to help themselves, that we are going to be the party that is willing to fight on the side of the people. That's why we're here.

PFANNENSTIEL: Let's turn now to the climate crisis. Here in Iowa parts of the state remain under water after record-breaking flooding began last spring, racking up an estimated $2 billion in damages. Today many Iowans are still displaced from their homes.

Mayor Buttigieg, you have talked about helping people move from areas at high risk of flooding. But what do you do about farms and factories that simply can't be moved?

BUTTIGIEG: That's why we have to fight climate change with such urgency. Climate change has come to America from coast to coast. Seeing it in Iowa. We have seen it in historic floods in my community. I had to activate our emergency operation center for a once-in-a-millennium flood. Then two years later had to do the same thing.

In Australia there are literally tornadoes made of fire taking place. This is no longer theoretical and this is no longer off in the future. We have got to act, yes, to adapt, to make sure communities are more resilient, to make sure our economy is ready for the consequences that are going to happen one way or the other.

But we also have to ensure that we don't allow this to get any worse. And if we get right, farmers will be a huge part of the solution. We need to reach out to the very people who have sometimes been made to feel that accepting climate science would be a defeat for them, whether we're talking about farmers or industrial workers in my community, and make clear that we need to enlist them...

PFANNENSTIEL: But, Mayor Buttigieg...

BUTTIGIEG: ... in the national project to do something about it.

PFANNENSTIEL: ... to clarify, what do you do about farms and factories that cannot be relocated?

BUTTIGIEG: We are going to have to use federal funds to make sure that we are supporting those whose lives will inevitably be impacted further by the increased severity and the increased frequency. And by the way, that is happening to farms, that is happening to factories, and that disproportionately happens to black and brown Americans, which is why equity and environmental justice have to be at the core of our climate plan going forward.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Mayor Buttigieg.

Mr. Steyer, what's your response?

STEYER: Look, what you're talking about is what's called managed retreat. It's basically saying we're going to have to move things because this crisis is out of control. And it's unbelievably expensive. And of course we'll come to the rescue of Americans who are in trouble.

But this is why climate is my number one priority. And I'm still shocked that I'm the only person on this stage who will say this. I would declare a state of emergency on day one on climate.

(APPLAUSE)

I would do it from the standpoint of environmental justice and make sure we go to the black and brown communities where you can't breathe the air or drink the water that comes out of the tap safely. But I also know this, we're going to create millions of good-paying union jobs across this country. It's going to be the biggest job program in American history.

So I know we have to do it. I know we can do it. And I know that we can do it in a way that makes us healthier, that makes us better paid, and is more just. But the truth of the matter is, we're going to have to do it and we're going to have to make the whole world come along with us. And it's going to have to be...

PFANNENSTIEL: Mr. Steyer...

STEYER: ... priority one.

PFANNENSTIEL: Mr. Steyer, to clarify, you say you're the climate change candidate, but you made your $1.6 billion in part by investing in coal, oil, and gas. So are you the right messenger on this topic?

STEYER: I absolutely am. Look, we invested in every part of the economy. And over 10 years ago I realized that there was something going on that had to do with fossil fuels, that we had to change. So I divested from fossil fuels. I took the Giving Pledge to give most of my money away while I'm alive. And for 12 years I have been fighting the climate crisis.

I have beat oil companies in terms of clean air laws. I have stopped fossil fuel plants in Oxnard, California. I fought the Keystone pipeline. I have a history of over a decade of leading the climate fight successfully.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Mr. Steyer.

STEYER: So actually, yes, I am the person here who has the chops and the history that says, I'll make it priority one, because I have been doing it for a long time.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Mr. Steyer.

Sen. Warren, President Trump is rolling back major environmental rules to allow pipeline and other major infrastructure projects to be built without strict environmental review. Will you restore those protections and in a way that the next president can't overturn?

WARREN: Yes. Climate change threatens every living thing on this planet. And the urgency of the moment cannot be overstated. I will do everything a president can do all by herself on the first day. I will roll back the environmental changes that Donald Trump is putting in place. I will stop all new drilling and mining on federal lands, and offshore drilling. That will help us get in the right directions. I'll bring in the farmers. Farmers can be part of the climate solution.

We should see this for the problem it is. Mr. Steyer talks about it being problem number one. Understand this, we have known about this climate crisis for decades. Back in the 1990s we were calling it global warming, but we knew what it was. Democrats and Republicans back then were working together because no one wanted a problem.

But you know what happened? The industry came in and said, we can make big money if we keep them divided and make no change. Priority number one has to be taking back our government from the corruption. That is the only way we will make progress on climate, on gun safety, on health care, on all of the issues that matter to us.

PFANNENSTIEL: Thank you, Sen. Warren.

Sen. Klobuchar, some of your competitors on this stage have called for an all-out ban on fracking. You haven't. Why not?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, first of all, I would note that I have 100 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters. And that is because I have stood tall on every issue that we have talked about up here when it comes to this administration, this Trump administration, trying to reverse environmental protections. I think it is going to lead to so many problems.

And one thing that hasn't been raised, by the way, is the rules on methane, which is actually one of the most environmentally dangerous hazards that they have recently embarked on. And I would bring those rules back as well as a number of other ones.

When it comes to the issue of fracking,

Nuns donate home, canines in court: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Florence: Archaeologists are analyzing pieces of pottery, nails and glass found at Pope’s Tavern, an inn and stagecoach stop for travelers dating back to the early 1800s before Alabama achieved statehood. A state team funded by a grant recently conducted a dig at the northwest Alabama site, which has a museum that focuses on the history of the city of Florence. Museum curator Brian Murphy told the TimesDaily pottery was the most common item discovered during the work. “They pulled out a bunch of artifacts that are being cleaned and processed right now,” Murphy said. “They will give us a really good image of the types of materials and type of utensils used, and really a glimpse into the daily life of the people who lived there and used that space.” The crew also found the brick remains of an old structure that could have been a hearth or outbuilding, he said. “They are seeing what type of materials are associated with that, using flotation, which brings up microscopic material to a level that can be processed. After they do that, they’re going to get back to us with the larger picture of what it all means and what might be under there still that could be the source of a future excavation,” he said. Pope’s Tavern was built in the the 1830s, he said, and artifacts found on the grounds dated to the 1820s and ’30s.

Alaska

Juneau: Officials are aiming to make the first wave of dividend payments to state residents the week of Oct. 11, a Department of Revenue spokesperson said. Genevieve Wojtusik, the department’s legislative liaison, said in an email Wednesday that the first wave would include those who filed for dividends electronically. She said the second mass payments, which would include those who filed paper applications, would go out about two weeks later. The Legislature last week approved $730.5 million for dividends this year of about $1,100 and for administrative and other related costs. Wojtusik said the final check amount is being calculated and is expected to be announced by Oct. 1. Dividends typically are paid in the early fall, but this year’s payout wasn’t finalized until the third special session of the year, which ended last week. Lawmakers earlier this year proposed a roughly $1,100 dividend, using money from various sources, but failed to win sufficient support for use of some of the funds. What was left at that time was a dividend estimated to be $525, which Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed.

Arizona

Phoenix: This year’s wet monsoon is contributing to a record-high season for the West Nile virus, which is spread through mosquito bites, health officials said. Arizona had 123 cases and four deaths through late last week, the state Department of Health Services said Tuesday. Nearly all of the cases were reported in Maricopa County, where the virus has been detected in record numbers of mosquitos studied, the department said. While most people infected with West Nile don’t get symptoms, older people and those with weakened immune systems are more prone to diseases that be fatal. Health officials recommend wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to help prevent mosquito bites on arms and legs and eliminating standing water where mosquitos lay their eggs.

Arkansas

Little Rock: Two men have been convicted of conspiring to kill a federal witness in 2016. A federal jury deliberated for about 61/ 2 hours before delivering the verdicts Tuesday against Donald Smith, 37, of Malvern, and Samuel Sherman, 38, of Batesville, in the shooting death of 44-year-old Suzen Cooper, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. Prosecutors alleged Smith, Sherman and Suzen Cooper’s former sister-in-law, Racheal Cooper, conspired to sell methamphetamine and cocaine, and Cooper was a confidential informant who had purchased meth from Sherman. Racheal Cooper was originally charged with capital murder in Hot Spring County but later pleaded guilty to a charge of hindering apprehension, for which she served five years of a 25-year sentence. Smith and Sherman face up to life in prison after being convicted of federal charges of witness tampering resulting in death, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and aiding and abetting the use, carry and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Porter led the police to the grave site, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Gardner said. “Suzen Cooper’s body was exactly where Jimmy Porter said it would be,” Gardner said.

California

Sacramento: Residents failed to significantly cut back their water consumption in July, state officials announced Tuesday, foreshadowing some difficult decisions for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration as a historic drought lingers into the fall. Newsom had asked people in July to voluntarily cut back their water consumption by 15% to help address a severe drought that has left some of the state’s reservoirs at dangerously low levels. But in the three weeks after Newsom’s announcement, residents reduced their water consumption just 1.8%, according to new data released Tuesday and reported by the Sacramento Bee. “On conservation, we’re going to be needing to do more,” board chair Joaquin Esquivel said. Still, Esquivel was hopeful the state’s conservation numbers will improve. Newsom declared a drought emergency in the Russian River watershed along the state’s north coast in April. Data from that region shows people reduced their water consumption by 17% in July compared to 2020. “We see that it takes time for conservation to boot up,” Esquivel said, adding that the 17% figure “shows the responsiveness of communities” to appeals for conservation. Dave Eggerton, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies, said the numbers “represent a promising start in reducing water use.”

Colorado

Denver: Criminal charges have been dropped in connection with the death of a spiritual leader whose mummified body was found in what appeared to be a shrine in a southern Colorado home, according to court officials. The body of Amy Carlson, 45, leader of the Love Has Won group, was found decorated with Christmas lights and glitter in the tiny, rural town of Moffat in April, according to previously released arrest affidavits. Seven people were charged with tampering with or abusing her corpse as well as child abuse, presumably because there were two children living in the home. Charges against six people were dropped during court proceedings, the Saguache County court clerk’s office said in an email Tuesday. It said no case existed for a seventh person who was among those charged with the others in May, though the office did not explain what happened in that case. It’s not known why the charges were dropped. Assistant District Attorney Alex Raines asked a judge to dismiss all the charges during a Sept. 14 hearing, the Valley Courier reports. Defense lawyers also requested that records be sealed, which was approved, it said. A telephone message left for Raines was not returned.

Connecticut

Hartford: Hundreds of unionized group home workers are threatening to walk off the job next month if settlements aren’t reached on new labor contracts. The New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, SEIU, delivered strike notices Tuesday to two private agencies – Whole Life Inc. and Network Inc. – that have about 70 locations across the state that could be affected. The union’s deadline for an agreement is Oct. 5. The threat of a strike, which would involve over 500 workers at group homes and day programs for people with developmental disabilities, comes more than three months after state officials authorized $184 million to increase wages and benefits for group home workers. The union said these remaining two operators have failed to settle on new agreements, despite the added funding. In July, a threatened strike by over 2,100 group home workers at 200 homes was called off after a late-night agreement for higher wages and improved benefits was reached with the Lamont administration’s help. “The State of Connecticut stepped up and provided funding that was adequate,” Rob Baril, the union president, said in a statement. “Now it’s time for these agencies to do the same: to provide people with pensions, affordable health insurance and enough wages that people can take care of their families.”

Delaware

Wilmington: A new law is expected to make it simpler for residents to use solar energy to power their homes through a community-centered program scheduled to start next year. To participate, customers can get credit on their electric bills by subscribing to a centrally located local community solar project, which can be cheaper than paying to install solar panels on their own roofs. Community-owned solar generation facilities have been legal in Delaware since 2010 but included some legal barriers such as requiring the facility to identify all its customers before being built. The bill by Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, removed some of those barriers to make it easier for people to take advantage of the fast-growing industry. Delaware hasn’t had the facilities in the past because the laws weren’t set up to accommodate them, Hansen said. The bill specifically changes regulations for solar facilities that will connect through Delmarva Power, the most prominent energy company in the state. Once facility owners get the green light, Delaware can expect to see the solar panel facilities popping up in open lands like Brownfield sites, undeveloped fields, or on top of parking lots or landfills, according to Hansen.

District of Columbia

Washington: Artifacts from the racial injustice protests that erupted last year in the wake of George Floyd’s death are being preserved, and their protectors are hoping to find new homes for some of the mementos, WUSA-TV reports. As pro-Trump demonstrators repeatedly targeted a makeshift memorial at the barrier that separated Black Lives Matter Plaza from the White House, “fence guardians” sought to protect artifacts of the movement that shone a spotlight on police brutality against Black people. The Biden administration dismantled the fence earlier this year, but not before Nadine Seiler saved more than 700 mementos. “We were lucky that the Library of Congress took some pieces, and Howard University took some pieces,” Seiler said. “But the vast majority of the collection remained with us.” Hundreds of signs, photographs and pieces of artwork remain in her D.C. storage space. Seiler and fellow “fence guardian Karen Irwin are now finding homes for each item, asking interested businesses, nonprofits and organizations to contact them via Facebook. “Ideally, the Black Lives Matter community would like the pieces to stay in the hands of Black organizations,” Seiler said. “But personally, any organization that would give these treasures a safe home and recognize their value, they should reach out as well.”

Florida

Tallahassee: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis named a UCLA doctor and health policy researcher who shares his approach to managing the coronavirus pandemic to serve as the state’s surgeon general Tuesday. Like DeSantis, Dr. Joseph Ladapo said he doesn’t believe in school closures, lockdowns or vaccine mandates. “Florida will completely reject fear as a way of making policies in public health,” Ladapo said. DeSantis said there’s been misinformation spread about COVID-19 to control personal behavior and mentioned monoclonal antibody treatment, claiming that while he’s been advocating it for months, others haven’t been pushing it as vocally. Doctors agree with DeSantis that the treatment, when delivered soon after infection, is effective. Lapado said vaccines aren’t the only way to combat COVID-19. “There’s nothing special about them compared to any other preventive measure,” he said, adding that people should be encouraged to lose weight, exercise more and eat healthier. And Lapado spoke out against lockdowns, saying that “after lockdowns, overall mortality increased ... lots of reasons why they’re bad.” On Wednesday, Ladapo signed new protocols allowing parents to decide whether their children should quarantine or stay in school if they are asymptomatic after being exposed to someone with COVID-19. His new guidelines also tweaked the state’s prohibition against school mask mandates, prompting an administrative law judge to dismiss a lawsuit against the old rule that had been filed by various school boards.

Georgia

Athens: Some of the people living in a homeless camp known as Cooterville say they’re skeptical of a new, government-sanctioned homeless camp planned for the community. The Cooterville encampment under CSX railroad tracks is set to be cleared by Nov. 12, with city leaders trying to time the ejections with the opening of the new camp where homeless will be allowed to stay legally. City officials are looking for an organization to head the government-sanctioned encampment, which will determine what it eventually looks like. The Athens-Clarke County Commission this summer selected a site for it at the North Athens School. Opponents have said they’re concerned it will attract more homeless people to Athens. But supporters say the new camp will come with services aimed at helping homeless people make the transition to permanent housing. In the Cooterville camp, some have expressed feeling left in the dark about the process are are unsure whether they will be secured a spot in the new camp. Oscar Sutton, who’s lived in Cooterville a couple of months, said he has no plans to move to the government-sanctioned encampment and worries about placing so many random people from the homeless community together. “It’s going to be chaos,” he said. “If I have to stay out here, I’ll just find somewhere to stay.”

Hawaii

Honolulu: A man who helped organize a group that opposes COVID-19 vaccines and mandates says he contracted the disease and now has regrets. Chris Wikoff told Hawaii News Now he helped start the Aloha Freedom Coalition last October, believing government shutdowns and mandates were threatening liberties and harming businesses. “They were talking about vaccine passports and vaccine mandates, and it seemed like it was over-the top totalitarianism and control,” Wikoff said. But then he and his wife contracted COVID-19. “We were told the COVID virus was not that deadly. It was nothing more than a little flu. I can tell you it’s more than a little flu,” he said. Wikoff was sent to a hospital on the west side of Oahu but transferred to a facility in Honolulu because hospitals were at or near capacity. “I was in a bed. I can’t move; I can’t breathe,” he recalled. “I was afraid I was going to die.” Wikoff is now considering getting vaccinated because his family and doctors recommend it. “Probably getting COVID again would be more dangerous than getting the reaction from the vaccines,” he said. Wikoff said he asked the Aloha Freedom Coalition to remove his name as a member on state business registration and is warning people not to attend large protests like the ones the group staged in front of Lt. Gov. Josh Green’s home. “Before I thought Josh Green was exaggerating the situation, and after my experience he sounds very rational to me,” he said.

Idaho

Boise: Health care workers are exhausted and angry. COVID-19 vaccines are expiring because they have sat unused for so long. And coronavirus case numbers and deaths continue to climb, putting the state among the worst in the nation for the rate of new diagnoses. Idaho’s public health leaders painted a grim picture – again – during a weekly briefing Tuesday. The state continues to set records with 686 hospitalized COVID-19 patients as of Saturday, 180 of them in intensive care beds and 112 on ventilators, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Dave Jeppesen said. At the moment, there is no end in sight to the surge. The entire state entered “crisis standards of care” last week, officially allowing hospitals to ration health care as needed so that scarce resources can be directed to the patients most in need and most likely to survive. Urgent surgeries have been placed on hold, some patients are being treated in lobbies or field hospitals, and hospital administrators and doctors are desperately trying to shuffle the sickest patients to any facility that has enough open beds or ventilators to treat them. Over the weekend, physicians at one hospital nearly had to face “de-allocation,” in which one patient is taken out of an ICU bed to give it to someone with a greater chance of survival, said Dr. Jim Souza with St. Luke’s Health System.

Illinois

Beecher: A fire destroyed a historic church in Chicago’s far southern suburbs that had appeared in the 2002 film “Road to Perdition.” Officials said nearly a dozen fire departments responded, but by the time the flames were doused, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church was in ruins. No one was injured, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Flames swept the church Sunday afternoon as members of the congregation were enjoying an Oktoberfest celebration in the parking lot. The building dates to 1865. “Yeah, it is devastating: The 150 years of the weddings and the funerals and the baptisms and all of that are gone. But the church still stands, the people; we still have our folk and our faith,” said the Rev. Michael Stein. The closest fire hydrant was approximately a mile away, prompting an effort to shuttle roughly 91,000 gallons of water to the rural location to extinguish the flames, officials said. The church appeared in Tom Hanks’s 2002 film “Road to Perdition,” WGN-TV reports. “My grandparents are buried there. It’s really sad seeing the church like this,” Beecher resident Zachery Wehling told the station. Stein said it’s an opportunity to rebuild. “It is a dark chapter, and a sad one, and we mourn it, and we grieve it … but we still look to Christ, and we find that hope to go on,” he said.

Indiana

West Lafayette: Purdue University said it has nearly 50,000 students this fall, a record fueled by a freshman class of about 10,200. Purdue said it was surprised by an increase in out-of-state students accepted for admission. Families and students told Purdue they were impressed by the school’s response to COVID-19. “Our focuses have been encouraging everyone to be vaccinated,” said Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity. “We’re up over 83% of the campus (vaccinated). And then if you’re not, get tested,” he said. “And then students have been great about masking inside. … Just as they did last year, students have been very good about following that protocol.” Purdue was expecting 8,450 freshmen but greatly exceeded that number. Total enrollment is pegged at 49,639.

Iowa

Fort Dodge: Experts say a cyberattack on a northwest Iowa grain cooperative could signal Russian-linked groups are beginning to target smaller farm businesses in rural America as bigger companies tighten their security. The cyberattack on New Cooperative, a farm services business with headquarters in Fort Dodge, comes on the heels of a ransomware attack on the giant meatpacking company JBS in late May. JBS closed at least one Iowa pork processing plant as well as all nine of its U.S. beef plants before paying hackers $11 million in ransom. Cybersecurity experts say Russian-backed ransomware group BlackMatter is demanding a $5.9 million ransom from New Cooperative. New Cooperative acknowledged Monday that it had experienced “a cybersecurity incident” affecting some of the company’s “devices and systems.” The member-owned business said it’s using “every available tool and resource to quickly restore our systems.” The cooperative said it had notified law enforcement and was working with data security experts to “investigate and remediate the situation.” New Cooperative declined to say more about the attack Tuesday. Chad Hart, an Iowa State University agriculture economist, said “size really doesn’t matter” to hackers, who “are looking for any target that they think could be valuable.”

Kansas

Kansas City: An organization run by rapper Jay-Z has filed a petition seeking records from the city’s police department related to what it calls a history of officer misconduct within the agency. The request was filed Monday in Wyandotte County District Court by Team Roc, the criminal justice division of Jay-Z’s entertainment organization, Roc Nation. The filing said the department has failed for decades to hold officers accountable for misconduct, including planting evidence, fabricating witnesses, and soliciting sex from victims and witnesses, The Kansas City Star reports. “And, thanks to the blue veil of silence and apparent failure to investigate serious allegations, little of it has come to light,” according to the petition. It alleges department officials refused to provide Team Roc with complaints filed against the department’s investigative division, reports or internal investigations against an officer who has a history of abuse allegations and policies relating to supervising detectives. The department responded in a statement that it has given hundreds of pages of documents to Team Roc but that the Kansas Open Records Act does not require the release of personnel records and criminal investigation files.

Kentucky

Louisville: A drive-by shooting at a school bus stop Wednesday morning left a 16-year-old student dead and another hospitalized, police said. A third child was injured by unknown means as the youths waited at the bus stop just west of downtown Louisville, authorities said. A person in a car drove by and shot at the waiting students, some of whom were not injured, Louisville Metro Police Maj. Shannon Lauder said during a news conference. No suspects were in custody Wednesday afternoon. Police put a photo of a dark gray Jeep SUV on social media and asked for the public’s help in finding it. The vehicle had Illinois license tags, with the plate number BD91644. Mayor Greg Fischer said the shooting – the city’s 145th homicide this year – violated a “sacred space.” Police were working with the FBI and other agencies in investigating the shooting, Chief Erika Shields said Wednesday morning. The chief suggested the shooting could be gang-related, but she said she did not believe the victim was involved with gangs. The bus stop near the city’s downtown was for students of Eastern High School. Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio called the incident “one of the most difficult mornings of my career.” He said support is being provided to students and teachers at the school.

Louisiana

New Orleans: Smoke and flames shot up the side of the Superdome’s roof Tuesday after a pressure washer being used to clean the roof of the sports and entertainment arena caught fire. The New Orleans Fire Department confirmed firefighters responded to flames on the building’s roof shortly after 12:30 p.m. The fire appeared under control a short time later. New Orleans Emergency Management Services said on Twitter that it was transporting one person to the hospital for “minor burns.” Emergency officials called on people to stay away from the area. Crews were power-washing the roof to prepare it to be painted, officials said. “The fire was contained to the exterior gutter system surrounding (the) Superdome, and only a small area of the roof suffered minimal damage,” said a statement from the Louisiana Stadium and Expedition District, a state board that governs the dome, and ASM Global, which manages the Superdome. “Initial assessments suggest that damage is superficial and there appears to be no structural damage or impact to the integrity of the roof’s exterior skin. The building’s outer skin and roof remain watertight.” A photo posted on the city’s emergency management Twitter feed showed firefighters in the trench that separates the Superdome roof from an outer wall as they sprayed down the fire-blackened walls.

Maine

Lebanon: Residents will vote on whether to recall several town leaders in a flap that grew out of the select board chairman’s decision to take a farmer’s pot plants. Farmer Eric Kelley accused Select Board Chairman Charles Russell Jr. and board member Ernest “Butch” Lizotte Jr. of swiping $100,000 worth of plants, knowing that the farmer was in jail. In addition, local animal control officers took his livestock. District Attorney Kathryn Slattery confirmed there was an investigation that focused on possible theft. But there was not enough evidence to prove the charges “beyond a reasonable doubt,” she said. Anger over the marijuana episode apparently served as a tipping point for a recall effort targeting Russell, Lizotte and another person who went to the farm that night. The recall also targets a third selectman who’s accused of missing half of this year’s meetings. Russell, who grows medicinal marijuana for household use, consulted for a local pot business and helped draft town marijuana ordinances, acknowledged to the Boston Globe that he pilfered Kelley’s marijuana plants. But he said he did it because he didn’t want the plants getting “into the hands of the wrong people” while Kelley was in jail. He called it a “public safety” matter.

Maryland

College Park: National Public Radio can air audio recordings from the trial of the gunman who killed five Capital Gazette newspaper employees in 2018, a federal judge has ruled in a case challenging the state’s ban on broadcasting court proceedings. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Bennett on Tuesday permanently barred the state of Maryland from enforcing its “broadcast ban” against NPR, which intends to use audio from the trial of Capital Gazette newsroom shooter Jarrod Ramos in an upcoming episode of its “Embedded” podcast. Bennett ruled it would be unconstitutional for Maryland to ban NPR from broadcasting recordings of the jury trial for Ramos’ criminal case. NPR’s challenge to the broadcast ban was limited to its use of recordings of Ramos’ court proceedings. In July, a jury rejected defense attorneys’ mental illness arguments and found Ramos criminally responsible for killing five people at the newspaper’s office in Annapolis. Prosecutors are seeking five life sentences without the possibility of parole when Ramos is sentenced. The judge already had ruled in NPR’s favor after a hearing Sept. 13, issuing a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocked the law’s enforcement against the radio network. Tuesday’s ruling granted NPR’s request for a permanent injunction.

Massachusetts

Boston: A group of high school students had to ride on a party bus complete with a stripper pole and neon lights during a recent field trip – an experience their teacher said highlights problems with the education system. Jim Mayers, an 11th grade Advanced Placement language and composition teacher at the Brooke Charter School in Boston, said in a since-deleted tweet that the original charter bus had fallen through, Masslive.com reports. “It is a funny story, but there actually is a real bus shortage, and it speaks to major flaws in our education system,” he said, adding that the field trip was a success. He is now using the attention he’s getting because of the original tweet to urge people to better understand educational inequities and other problems facing the nation’s schools. “I’m worried that there is too much attention being paid to the tweet itself, or simply the fact that it went viral, instead of attending to the many systemic issues that are facing not just my students, but students all across the country,” he wrote in a follow-up tweet. For example, districts across the nation are struggling to hire enough drivers to shuttle kids to school, and some states have become creative, including Massachusetts, which is enlisting National Guard members to drive school transport vans.

Michigan

Pontiac: Plans are underway for the state to construct a first-in-the-nation segment of road that will charge electric vehicles while they’re driving, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Tuesday at the Motor Bella auto show in Pontiac. Michigan’s Department of Transportation and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification are partnering to make a 1-mile stretch of state roadway in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties to allow public transportation and private vehicles to charge while traveling as a part of the Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot, according to a news release. “Michigan was home to the first mile of paved road, and now we’re paving the way for the roads of tomorrow with innovative infrastructure that will support the economy and the environment, helping us achieve our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050,” Whitmer said in the release. As electric vehicles advance, charging infrastructure has become a priority for Michigan cities that want to draw residents. The city of Saginaw got its first charging stations in September in the hope that those traveling in the east side of the state toward tourist areas in northern Michigan will stop because there is little electric vehicle infrastructure available at most destinations.

Minnesota

St. Joseph: A small crowd of local business owners and community members gathered around a gray house near downtown Tuesday morning to kick off a project that would give a house used by the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict a new life. Armed with sledgehammers, Sisters Dorothy Manuel and Karen Streveler posed for photographs outside the house as Habitat for Humanity volunteers in blue hard hats walked around the inside, ready to begin renovating the home that the sisters donated to the organization in December. Next summer a local family will move into the house, addressing a need for affordable housing in the area. “As volunteers and family members begin the kicking out the old to make room for the new and improved, we pray for the safety of all who participate in the renovation project and that everything gets accomplished in a timely manner,” Manuel said as she led a prayer in front of the home. “May this house truly become a home for the family and a blessing for their lives.” The Genesis House was built in 1926 and purchased by the sisters in 1950. It was used to accommodate lay staff from the College of St. Benedict in the past and later to house chaplains, Streveler said. Most recently, some of the sisters lived there for the past seven years.

Mississippi

Jackson: The authors of the state’s 1890 constitution had racist intent when they stripped voting rights from people convicted of some felonies because they chose crimes they thought were more likely to be committed by Black people, an attorney argued Wednesday in a federal appeals court. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should overturn most of Mississippi’s felon disenfranchisement plan, attorney Donald B. Verrilli Jr. argued on behalf of people with felony convictions. The case could affect thousands who have lost voting rights. “Because the 1890 provisions were unconstitutional, they were invalid from the moment that they’re enacted,” Verrilli said. Attorneys representing the state said Mississippi dropped burglary from the list of disenfranchising crimes in 1950 and added murder and rape to the list in 1968. They said in written arguments that those changes “cured any discriminatory taint on the original provision.” The Mississippi Constitution strips voting rights from people convicted of 10 felonies, including forgery, arson and bigamy. The state attorney general issued an opinion in 2009 that expanded the list to 22 crimes, including timber larceny, carjacking, felony-level shoplifting and felony-level bad check writing.

Missouri

St. Louis: The city’s police used force against Black people more than three times as often as on white people, according to a newly released study. The California-based, nonprofit research group Center for Policing Equity examined police report data from 2012 to 2019 and also found that in 9 out of 10 instances in which police pulled out a gun, it was at a Black civilian, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Even as the overall use of force dropped by 18%, police still used it more often against Black people, the report said. “What we typically hear from police officers is that use of force happens predominantly in areas with high crime,” said Hans Menos, vice president of law enforcement initiatives at the center. “So we try to control using neighborhood-level demographics, and even after controlling for that, the number (of Black people who have force used against them) is still higher.” Mayor Tishaura Jones said eliminating racial disparities in policing is key to making St. Louis safer for all of its residents. Outgoing Police Chief John Hayden said this kind of research can bring about scrutiny and questions about policing practices. “However, we embrace the challenge to do better and consider all suggestions from professionals, community stakeholders, and citizens,” Hayden said.

Montana

Helena: National Guard soldiers will assist hospitals with their COVID-19 response as the state struggles with a surge in infections, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Tuesday. A total of 70 soldiers will assist six different hospitals in Helena, Billings, Butte, Missoula and Bozeman. They will begin helping the hospitals either this weekend or next weekend, according to an announcement from the governor’s office. The Guardsmen will support staffing with nonmedical intensive care assistance, environmental services, patient data entry and coronavirus testing. Gianforte has stopped short of issuing any statewide mask or vaccine requirements even as some communities face record-high COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. “While we will not mandate them, vaccines are safe, they work, and they can save your life,” Gianforte said in a statement. The decision to mobilize the National Guard comes after Gianforte announced last week that 10 Guardsmen would begin assisting Billings Clinic, and seven additional Guardsmen would assist in the state lab. The state anticipates additional requests for Guard resources from several other hospitals, according to the governor’s office.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Lawmakers remained at a stalemate Wednesday over how to draw new congressional and legislative maps despite a looming deadline that could force them to postpone the decision until next year and delay the May primary election. Lawmakers have until Saturday to advance both measures, or else Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers has promised to end their special session, forcing them to resume the debate during their next regular session in January. Delaying the new maps until next year would force state officials to reschedule the primary and create major hassles for county election officials and candidates. At issue with the maps are accusations that Republicans and Democrats are trying to draw political boundaries in ways that benefit their party. Republicans enjoy a majority in the officially nonpartisan, one-house Legislature, but they don’t have enough votes to overcome a filibuster led by Democrats and some moderate Republicans, preventing them from forcing through their preferred map. Hilgers said lawmakers have made good progress toward an agreement, and he hoped to pin down specific concerns about the maps to try to reach a compromise so that lawmakers aren’t “just talking past each other.”

Nevada

Carson City: In their first public opportunity to voice concerns on a proposal to let tech companies that meet certain requirements create semi-autonomous jurisdictions called Innovation Zones, officials from Storey County dressed down the idea in a line-by-line fashion. They called into question the motives of the company that wants to break away from its control. “While I’m sure many would prefer to have no independent government oversight, we don’t make laws based on what is convenient for just one party,” Storey County Commissioner Clay Mitchell told lawmakers Tuesday. Mitchell and other county representatives oppose a proposal backed by Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak that would allow companies that promise a $1.25 billion investment and possess at least 78 square miles of land to apply to form the Innovation Zones. The zones would be governed by three county commission-like board members – two of whom would at first be nominated by the company. They would operate outside the jurisdiction of preexisting local government and eventually could create court systems, impose taxes and make zoning decisions. The company’s proposal has been met with opposition from skeptics of overly powerful tech companies, environmentalists and local officials.

New Hampshire

Concord: Fall visitors to the Granite State are being asked to keep their tempers in check and their trash off the ground during their leaf peeping trips this year. With interest in outdoor recreation on the rise amid the coronavirus pandemic, state tourism officials last year launched a “Leave No Trace” campaign to remind visitors not to sully the state’s natural resources. This year, they added a new message – “Don’t Take New Hampshire for Granite” – to encourage visitors to be understanding about rules and respectful of other people and property. With foliage season just beginning, officials are again reminding visitors to show courtesy to workers and the environment alike. Fall is New Hampshire’s second-busiest tourism season, and state officials expect 3.2 million visitors to spend $1.4 billion this year, nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. Businesses still are struggling with workforce shortages and supply chain delays, said Mike Somers, president of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association. That, in turn, has led to an increase in rude and abusive customer behavior. “We’re really asking folks to plan ahead and have a little bit of patience and understanding,” he said. “Just call ahead, find out what the hours of operation are, and please don’t get upset if we’re not open until 11 o’clock at night.”

New Jersey

Trenton: Liquor stores, bars and restaurants are all having trouble stocking their shelves with enough wines, beers and spirits, thanks to COVID-19’s impact on supplies, along with heat waves and frosts that damaged crops. “It’s not just one thing that’s causing the liquor shortage,” said Joe Ringwood, manager of Super Cellars, a fine wine and spirits shop in Ridgewood. It’s a shortage of truck drivers, a scarcity of aluminum, a shutdown of factories, a dearth of containers, extreme weather, tariffs or a lack thereof, and even the greater demand by consumers for premium liquor. “Some of it is directly related to the pandemic,” Ringwood said. “But not all of it.” And it’s not just one category of liquor that’s gone missing. What is in short supply seems to change from month to month, if not week to week. Last year, liquor store owners said, they had trouble getting canned beers, amid a shortage of aluminum. Today, bottled beers and top-shelf tequilas are in particularly short supply. “Every week it’s something else,” said Kathy Mahon, bar manager for Park West Tavern in Ridgewood. Paul Santelle, executive director of the New Jersey Liquor Store Alliance and owner of Garden State Discount Liquors in Perth Amboy, said he has begun to ration over a hundred items so more people will be able to enjoy them.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: A coalition of Native American communities has unveiled its proposal for redrawing the state’s political map to boost Indigenous voters’ influence in elections. The proposed changes from New Mexico’s 19 Native American pueblos and the Jicarilla Apache Nation, outlined Monday, would reshape a congressional swing district where Republicans regained control in 2020. They would also bolster Native American majorities among eligible voters in six state House and three Senate districts in northwestern New Mexico. The proposals were submitted to a committee that will provide recommendations to the Legislature at the end of October. The Democrat-led Legislature can draw its own lines. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham must approve the redistricting, and court challenges are possible. New Mexico is home to 23 federally recognized tribes, and the share of New Mexicans who identify themselves as Indigenous by race or by combined ancestry is 12.4%. Four Indigenous tribes have joined together for the first time to form a stronger voting bloc within one Senate district that might unite Acoma, Laguna, Isleta and Zuni pueblos. Other proposed changes would split the Mescalero Apache reservation between two congressional districts, in hopes of expanding that tribe’s voice in Congress.

New York

New York: Four members of Congress from New York demanded the release of inmates and closure of New York City’s troubled Rikers Island jail complex after another inmate was reported dead at the facility. Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jerry Nadler, Jamaal Bowman and Nydia Velazquez called conditions at the jail “deplorable and nothing short of a humanitarian crisis,” in a letter Tuesday to Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Bill de Blasio. The demand followed the 11th death reported at Rikers Island this year. The city’s Department of Correction said an inmate died Sunday at the jail after reporting he did not feel well and was taken to the infirmary. His death came on the heels of both Hochul and de Blasio announcing plans to try to improve conditions at Rikers Island, where long-standing troubles were exacerbated amid the pandemic. The House members said the jail has failed to provide inmates with basic services and protection against the spread of COVID-19, and lawmakers on a recent visit to the facility found conditions that were “life-threatening and horrific.” They reported overflowing toilets and floors covered in dead cockroaches, feces and rotting food. State Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas said inmates told her they felt like they were being treated like slaves and animals.

North Carolina

Raleigh: People attending the 2021 N.C. State Fair won’t be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but it’s strongly encouraged, officials said. Also, those going to the fair, which begins Oct. 14, will be required to use clear plastic bags upon entering, and officials say there will be no indoor concerts at this year’s event – a decision they said has nothing to do with the pandemic. A statement from fair officials said any size or type of clear bag is acceptable. Wristlets, diaper bags and medical equipment bags will be accepted at the fair even if they are not clear, but they will require additional inspection. In addition, officials said there will be no concerts inside Dorton Arena. That room will be reserved for vendors. “Moving the vendors, displays and cheesemakers into Dorton Arena will offer a larger space to include more vendors and provide more space for consumers to sample featured products and shop for their favorites,” state Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a statement.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The head of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is asking a federal agency overseeing the environmental review of the Dakota Access oil pipeline to cut ties with a contractor conducting the analysis, citing a conflict of interest. Chairman Mike Faith and other tribal leaders fighting the pipeline sent a letter Wednesday to a top U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official, taking issue with Environmental Resources Management, the company doing the review, and its ties to the oil industry, the Bismarck Tribune reports. One of the tribes’ concerns is that the London-based company is a member of the American Petroleum Institute, a trade group that lobbies for the oil industry and has submitted court briefs supporting Dakota Access. Meanwhile, the company that operates the Dakota Access pipeline has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse an appellate ruling ordering additional environmental review, saying it puts the line at risk of being shut down. Texas-based Energy Transfer operates the $3.8 billion, 1,172-mile pipeline. Faith said in a statement that the request by the pipeline operator “is part of an ongoing attempt to “evade accountability.” The pipeline began operating in 2017, after being the subject of months of protests during its construction.

Ohio

Dayton: The city plans to demolish the 129-year-old historic building that once was the site of the Wright brothers’ first bike shop because the building has deteriorated to a point where it can no longer be maintained and redeveloped. The shop was first built in 1892 to serve as the Wrights’ first bike shop. Soon thereafter, Gem City Ice Cream Co. bought the property and was housed there until it closed in 1975, when the building was sold to another company, the Dayton Daily News reports. Years after a wide array of owners, the city attempted to sell the rundown property to developers, but it failed inspection tests. The building was deemed structurally damaged and in danger of collapse. City officials also attempted to receive approval to bulldoze the property but did not move forward after hearing community concerns, Daytons Landmark Commission staff report said. But multiple inspections in 2019 concluded the building can’t be saved. City staff and nuisance abatement specialists said the building needs to be removed, the report said. This isn’t the first of the Wright brothers’ bike shops to be torn down in Ohio. Their second and third bike shops were torn down, but the fourth is a national historic site in the Wright Dunbar District, according to the newspaper.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Efforts to control feral swine eating their way across fields might seem as futile as trying to catch a greased pig – the hogs are known to destroy crops and land for farmers, who say the animals aren’t picky eaters and will consume just about anything they find growing. But an influx in federal dollars creating pilot eradication projects across broad areas of the state and a new pesticide introduced this month are making the fight just a little more fair for farmers, ranchers and regulators. The two feral swine control pilot projects, paid for by about $3.6 million in federal dollars allocated through the 2018 Farm Act, have combined tracking efforts with hunting and trapping activities across multiple counties in northern and southwestern Oklahoma to blunt swine activity in those areas. The manufacturer of the new pesticide, called HogStop, claims it can decrease the fertility of male swine and help cut rapid reproduction rates for the animal. It was approved for use by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry this month. Any and all tools to fight the infestation are welcome, as feral swine damage across the state has cost landowners hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Oregon

Salem: A broken power-sharing deal, the lingering possibility of a Republican walkout and a COVID-19 case are adding greater uncertainty to whether legislators will successfully redraw the state’s political districts ahead of a tight deadline. Stakes are high as Oregon gained a new, sixth U.S. House seat following the latest census. Lawmakers were told the House would reconvene Wednesday following news Tuesday that someone in the building had tested positive for the coronavirus. But House Speaker Tina Kotek now says the chamber won’t convene until Saturday to give time for those potentially exposed to the virus to be tested and receive results. Democrats say their entire caucus in the House has been vaccinated. The number of vaccinated Republican lawmakers was not immediately available. When the House reconvenes Saturday, lawmakers will have just two days to vote on and pass new political boundaries. If congressional maps are not passed by Sept. 27, the task will fall to a panel of five retired judges appointed by the Oregon Supreme Court. House Republicans showed signs of a possible walkout this week after Kotek, a Democrat, rescinded a power-sharing deal to redraw political maps that she made with the House GOP as Republicans used delaying tactics to block bills during the 2021 legislative session.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The state Supreme Court is saying yes to canines in the courtroom, under certain conditions. A trial witness may be accompanied by a “comfort dog” if the animal will help yield reliable, complete and truthful testimony, the justices ruled Wednesday in a precedent-setting opinion that established a “balancing test” for Pennsylvania judges confronted with such a request. Ruling unanimously in a murder case, the Supreme Court pointed to other states that allow witnesses to testify with the help of emotional support dogs. The justices said it’s permissible, as long as steps are taken to minimize any potential harm to a defendant. “Trial courts have the discretion to permit a witness to testify with the assistance of a comfort dog,” Chief Justice Max Baer wrote for the court. “In exercising that discretion, courts should balance the degree to which the accommodation will assist the witness in testifying in a truthful manner against any possible prejudice to the defendant’s right to a fair trial.” The defendant, Sheron Purnell, was convicted of third-degree murder and sentenced to up to 47 years in prison. Purnell’s lawyers argued a judge abused his discretion by allowing a comfort dog to accompany a teenage witness who testified against Purnell, with the defense saying that would “generate sympathy” among jurors for the girl.

Rhode Island

Providence: Health officials are allowing a little leeway to a state mandate that requires health care workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 1. State Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott announced Tuesday that unvaccinated workers will be allowed to continue working beyond that date if their absence would jeopardize quality of care at a facility. “If there is a risk to quality of care and an unvaccinated worker must continue to work beyond October 1 to mitigate that risk, the employer has 30 days to ensure that role is fulfilled by a fully vaccinated health care worker,” she said in a statement. The change was made to “safeguard patients, residents, and staff by holding health professionals and facilities accountable to the October 1 vaccination requirement, while also preventing disruptions to care in Rhode Island as health care facilities work toward full compliance,” she said. According to the latest state survey, 87% of health care workers in Rhode Island are vaccinated. Many of the state’s nursing homes had expressed concern about the Oct. 1 deadline, saying it would put additional strain on facilities already struggling with staffing shortages.

South Carolina

Greenville: A tent has been pitched at Prisma Health’s Greer Memorial Hospital to provide additional triage and treatment space, according to a spokesperson for the health system. The 40-by-80-foot tent was erected over the weekend by the South Carolina State Guard but has not yet been activated to provide treatment, according to a statement from a representative of the health system. Prisma spokesperson Sandy Dees said the tent is part of efforts at Prisma emergency departments in the Upstate to “proactively ‘surge up’ and create additional space to treat patients as needed.” Prisma did not respond to a question about the occupancy of its hospital in Greer. “We’re here to take care of our communities and that means taking the necessary steps to ensure we’re ready when and if those additional resources are needed,” Dr. Matthew Bitner, chair of emergency medicine at Prisma Health in the Upstate, said in the statement. “From a traditional ‘all-hazards’ approach, we are preparing not only for COVID patients but also the everyday emergencies such as trauma, heart attack, strokes, illness and injuries.”

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization projects more children will go hungry in South Dakota this year and won’t know where their next meal is coming from. Feeding America said the state’s child food insecurity rate for 2021 will be 16.3%, up from 15.3% in 2019. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as reduced food intake, disruptive eating, and decreased quality and variety in diets. The USDA recently reported a national trend of increasing food insecurity, which rose to 14.8% in 2020. “I think it is really concerning,” said Lisa Davis, senior vice president of the No Kid Hungry campaign, a national initiative to end child hunger. “Children who face hunger generally have worse health impacts on their physical and brain development. … They don’t do well in school, they graduate at lower rates, and those consequences for kids literally last a lifetime.” Before the coronavirus pandemic, food insecurity was at its lowest rate since USDA started tracking it in the late 1990s. But the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on food access to households with young children, households of children headed by single women, and households of color, specifically Black and Hispanic, Davis said.

Tennessee

Nashville: State officials are asking the public to pick their favorite of four redesign options for new license plates that will be available starting in January. Gov. Bill Lee’s office said voting began Monday and runs through Sept. 27 at tn.gov/ratetheplates. The new design will replace the current plate that launched in 2006, with modifications in 2011, 2016 and 2017. State law includes a redesign every eight years if lawmakers approve funding for it. Tennessee law also requires the words “Tennessee,” “Volunteer State” and “TNvacation.com” to be on the plate, and it lets Tennesseans pick an “In God We Trust” option. The winning design of the primarily white and deep-blue options will be announced in the fall.

Texas

Austin: After serving as interim police chief for the capital city since March, Joseph Chacon was named Wednesday as the permanent choice for the top spot. City Manager Spencer Cronk announced the appointment of Chacon, whose career with Austin police has spanned more than 20 years, after a nationwide search for a new chief. Chacon has been interim police chief since the retirement of former Chief Brian Manley amid a reckoning over racial injustice and use of force in law enforcement. Chacon, who served as assistant chief in Austin for almost five years before being named interim chief, said he was “extremely excited and humbled” by the opportunity. Chacon’s appointment must still be confirmed by the City Council, which is set to place an item on the appointment on next week’s agenda. Manley, chosen to lead the department in 2018, had been at the center of ongoing criticism following a fatal police shooting in April 2020 of a man driving away from officers and controversial uses of force by officers during protests over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis in May 2020.

Utah

Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Wednesday that masks will be required inside temples to limit the spread of COVID-19. Church leaders said in a statement that masks will be required temporarily in an effort to keep temples open. The message was the latest in a series of statements from church leaders encouraging masking and vaccination efforts against COVID-19. “As cases of COVID-19 increase in many areas, we want to do everything possible to allow temples to remain open,” the church said in a statement. “Therefore, effective immediately, all temple patrons and workers are asked to wear face masks at all times while in the temple.” In Utah, where the church is based, a summer surge of the coronavirus among unvaccinated residents has continued to grow, while vaccination rates have slightly increased. Data from the Utah Health Department showed that in the past 28 days, state residents who are unvaccinated have been 5.9 times more likely to die from COVID-19 and 7.2 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are vaccinated. About 64% of Utah residents ages 12 and older were fully vaccinated as of Tuesday, state data shows. Utah reported 25 new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 2,829.

Vermont

Montpelier: The Vermont State Police has its first director of mental health programs to help coordinate and oversee the delivery of mental health services to people who come into contact with state police, officials said. Mourning Fox, who was deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department of Mental Health for the past four years and has more than 25 years of experience in the field, was named to the position, the Department of Public Safety and state police announced. “This is a crucial position within the Department of Public Safety and for the Vermont public safety community as we pursue short-, medium- and long-term goals with respect to mental health response and reimagining policing and safety services,” DPS Commissioner Michael Schirling said in a statement. Fox, who joined the department Aug. 30, will work with the state police’s 10 barracks and the Department of Mental Health to complete hiring. He will also ensure that each field station has at least one embedded mental health crisis specialist and that training is consistent, officials said. In the long term, he’ll help the Public Safety Department reimagine how police provide services to people who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis or have other unmet social service needs, officials said.

Virginia

Richmond: A year and a half into the coronavirus pandemic, the Virginia Employment Commission is still swamped with backlogged claims, its call centers are underperforming, and serious staffing problems persist, according to a scathing interim report the state’s legislative watchdog agency presented to lawmakers Monday. The agency’s staff undertook its review after the employment commission came under harsh scrutiny from lawmakers and the public for what by some measures is a worst-in-the-nation response to the surge in jobless claims. Thousands of Virginians have faced lengthy delays while waiting for benefits, and many have been unable to reach anyone for help or information about their case. “While operating in the extremely challenging public health environment created by COVID was understandably difficult … meaningful actions could have been taken sooner to respond to the public’s needs,” said Hal Greer, director of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s secretary of labor, Megan Healy, oversees the employment commission and defended its performance. Although she agreed the agency was not prepared for the pandemic, she argued to lawmakers that the root of the problem was a complicated federal funding formula that has long left the agency starved for resources.

Washington

Seattle: Three new buildings with 165 studio apartments that were supposed to be rented at market rates will instead house people leaving homelessness and people at risk of becoming homeless. The nonprofit Low Income Housing Institute will buy the buildings on Capitol Hill for about $50 million, with city and state housing programs sharing the cost equally, The Seattle Times reports. Seattle is using federal COVID-19 relief funds for its part, Mayor Jenny Durkan said. Two of the buildings will be managed by LIHI for adults. The third will be managed by YouthCare for young adults. Each will have a live-in case worker, said Sharon Lee, LIHI’s executive director. The deals will house people quickly and cheaply, relative to the time and cost required to develop low-income projects from scratch, Durkan said. The three buildings should be occupied by the end of the year, according to the city. “This is the fastest we have ever brought housing online,” Lee said. Tent encampments in parks and greenbelts have grown in Seattle during the coronavirus pandemic partly because the city has lacked shelter and housing spots, Durkan said. LIHI will move people into the buildings from tiny house villages it manages for the city, which should open more of those houses for people living on the streets, Lee said.

West Virginia

Lewisburg: Gov. Jim Justice has withdrawn from consideration as the coach of a boys basketball team at a high school where he already is the girls coach and where he’d already faced rejection for the job. In a letter to the Greenbrier Board of Education on Tuesday, Justice asked that a boys coach be named soon at Greenbrier East High School, with practices for the 2021-22 season starting in a month. Last month the board rejected a motion to hire Justice as boys coach. The board is looking to replace former NBA player Bimbo Coles, who resigned in July. “We need to move forward,” Justice said. “Pick a coach. The kids deserve that, and I wish them all the success.” Justice served as the boys coach from 2010 to 2017, his first year as governor. He has coached the girls team since 2000, winning a state championship in 2012. Justice’s second term as governor runs through 2024.

Wisconsin

Madison: Workers reinstalled two statues Tuesday on the state Capitol grounds that protesters ripped down during a demonstration last year in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Workers reinstalled a 9-foot-6-inch statue of Wisconsin abolitionist Col. Hans Christian Heg as well as a 7-foot statue of a woman symbolizing the state’s “Forward” motto. The statues have no associated racist history, but protesters said they represented a false narrative that Wisconsin supports Black people and racial equity. Demonstrators toppled both statues in June 2020, breaking off Heg’s leg and head. The “Forward” statue was dented and one of its fingers broken off. The demonstration was among several that shook downtown Madison in the days after Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. Floyd, who was Black and handcuffed, died after white police Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Heg, a Norwegian immigrant who became an outspoken abolitionist, served in the 15th Wisconsin Regiment during the Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863. His statue, funded by the Norwegian Society of America, had stood outside the Capitol since 1926. The “Forward” statue was a bronze replica of the one that represented Wisconsin at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park: Rescue crews recovered the body of a 67-year-old man and searched around a lake Tuesday for his half-brother after the pair failed to return from a backcountry canoe trip. A 10-person ground crew was walking the shoreline of Shoshone Lake looking for Kim Crumbo, a 74-year-old former Navy SEAL from Ogden, Utah, Yellowstone officials said. A helicopter from nearby Grand Teton National Park was helping in the effort. Rescuers found the body of Mark O’Neill of Chimacum, Washington, on Monday along the eastern shore, where a canoe, paddle, flotation device and other items were found Sunday. A vacant campsite was found on the south side of the lake. A family member reported the two experienced boaters and former National Park Service employees overdue from their four-night trip Sunday. Shoshone Lake covers 13 square miles and has an average temperature of about 48 degrees Fahrenheit, with survival time estimated to be only 20 to 30 minutes in such cold water, officials said. The lake also can be subject to high winds and sudden storms. Drowning is one of the top causes of death in Yellowstone, behind car and snowmobile accidents and illness, park historian Lee Whittlesey wrote in his book “Death in Yellowstone.”

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

America's 50 Best Cities to Live – 24/7 Wall St.

Samuel Stebbins

24/7 Wall Street

Local governments bear some degree of responsibility for neighborhood safety, economic vitality, the presence and condition of public spaces, and a wide range of other amenities and services that affect the daily lives of local residents. Across the nearly 30,000 cities, towns, villages and unincorporated places in the United States, these and other factors that are closely tied to quality of life vary considerably.

Using over two dozen metrics related to affordability, economy, standard of living, and community, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 best cities to live in in the United States. In order to ensure geographic diversity, we only considered the highest ranking city in each county. Data came from a number of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is important to note that there is no such thing as a perfect city or town, and that many of the attributes one may look for in a community are subjective and not quantifiable. This list favors areas with conditions that have almost universal appeal, however. These include short commute times, walkability, reliable public transit, affordability, job availability, entertainment options, cultural attractions, low crime, and access to places like grocery stores and hospitals.

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While household income was not itself a factor in the index, many of the cities and towns on this list are relatively wealthy. This is likely not a coincidence, however, as income is closely tied to several other measures used to create this list, including low crime and low unemployment. This is the income it takes to be considered rich in every state.

Population growth can be a sign that a given area is attractive to new residents and families, and not surprisingly, the majority of cities on this list are home to more people today than five years ago. Just over half of the cities on this list reported greater population growth than the U.S. as a whole between 2013 and 2018. Here is a list of the fastest growing place in each state.

50. Bismarck, North Dakota

• Population: 71,731

• 5 yr. population change: +13.2%

• Median household income: $63,608

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 1.9%

Substantial population growth is often a sign that a city is a desirable place to live. Bismarck, the second most populous city in North Dakota and also the state capital, has recorded a population increase of more than 13% in the past five years. Steady population growth is often an indication that job opportunities are attracting new residents, and Bismarck's 5-year average unemployment rate of 1.9% is one of the lowest of any U.S. city. The U.S. average unemployment rate over the last five years is 5.9%.

Bismarck is also a very affordable place to live for its residents. Goods and services are on average 12% less expensive in the city compared to nationwide prices, and the typical household in Bismarck has an income slightly higher than the national median.

49. Brewer, Maine

• Population: 9,123

• 5 yr. population change: -3.2%

• Median household income: $58,403

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.6%

Brewer is a small city in Maine across the Penobscot River from Bangor. The city has one of the lower 5-year average unemployment rates in the country, at just 2.6%, compared to a national figure of 5.9%.

Brewer compares favorably in a number of quality of life metrics, with a relatively low poverty rate, and good access to food and health care. Brewer also has an extremely low violent crime rate, equivalent to roughly one-third the national rate.

48. West Fargo, North Dakota

• Population: 34,419

• 5 yr. population change: +27.4%

• Median household income: $81,051

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 1.5%

West Fargo is one of two cities in North Dakota to rank on this list – and one of the fastest growing cities in the country. The number of people living in West Fargo increased by 27.4% in the last five years, well above the 3.6% national population growth. The city is also adding jobs rapidly, with overall employment climbing 17.9% between 2014 and 2018, well above the comparable 6.5% national job growth. The city's five-year average unemployment rate of 1.5% is considerably lower than the 5.9% national rate.

With a strong job market, people in West Fargo are less likely than most Americans to face serious financial hardship. The city's poverty rate of 7.4% is barely half the 14.1% national rate.

47. Rye, New York

• Population: 15,862

• 5 yr. population change: +0.4%

• Median household income: $180,958

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.9%

Rye is a small city in Westchester County, New York, just north of Manhattan. Due to its proximity to New York City, Rye residents have access to a wide range of public transit options, and only about 60% of commuters in the city rely on a personal vehicle, compared to about 90% of commuters nationwide. While the cost of living in Rye is higher than in most of the rest of the country, incomes are also high. The typical household in the city earns $180,958 a year, about three times the national median of $60,293.

Like other high income areas on this list, Rye is one of the safest places in the country. There were only six violent crimes reported in the city in 2018, or 37.4 per 100,000 people, roughly one-tenth the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

46. Plover, Wisconsin

• Population: 12,686

• 5 yr. population change: +4.6%

• Median household income: $60,981

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.6%

Plover is a small village in central Wisconsin about 100 miles north of Madison. Over the last five years the number of people living in Plover climbed by 4.6%, slightly faster than the comparable 3.6% national population growth. The area's affordability likely makes it an attractive option for new residents. Goods and services in the village are about 8.3% less expensive than they are nationwide on average. Housing is especially affordable. The typical home in Plover is worth 2.9 times as much as the city's median household income. Meanwhile, the median home value across the country is 3.4 times higher than the median household income.

Crime is also relatively uncommon in Plover. There were 108.9 violent crimes and 1,361.5 property crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2018, each well below the respective national rates of 380.6 per 100,000 and 2,199.5 per 100,000.

45. San Francisco, California

• Population: 870,044

• 5 yr. population change: +6.4%

• Median household income: $104,552

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.7%

Home to over 870,000 people, San Francisco is the most populous city on this list. Though its cost of living is higher than nearly every other city in the United States, incomes in San Francisco are generally high enough to offset the high prices at least somewhat. The majority of households in the city earn over $100,000 a year while the typical American household earns only about $60,000.

People living in San Francisco have access to a wide range of entertainment, cultural, and recreation venues. The per capita concentration of places like restaurants, bars, gyms, museums, theater companies, and movie theaters is far higher than average.

44. Lowell, Arkansas

• Population: 8,926

• 5 yr. population change: +18.4%

• Median household income: $66,994

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 1.4%

Residents of Lowell, Arkansas benefit from a relatively low cost of living. Goods and services in the city are about 17% cheaper on average than they are nationwide. Not only does a dollar go further in Lowell, but incomes are also relatively high. The typical household in the city earns $66,994 a year, more than $6,000 more than the typical American household. Lowell residents are also less likely than most American workers to be out of work, as the area's five year average unemployment rate of 1.4% is less than one-quarter of the national 5.9% rate.

As is the case in many cities with relatively high wages and low unemployment, Lowell's population is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the city's population increased by 15.1%, more than double the comparable 2.8% national population growth rate over the same period.

43. Sandy, Utah

• Population: 95,420

• 5 yr. population change: +7.6%

• Median household income: $91,836

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.1%

Residents of Sandy, a city less than 20 miles south of Salt Lake City, benefit from a healthy job market. Between 2014 and 2018, the number of people working in the city climbed by 9.2%, well above the national employment growth rate of 6.5%. An average of just 3.1% of the local labor force were unemployed in the last five years, well below the comparable 5.9% national rate.

Like many cities and municipalities on this list, Sandy appears to be an attractive place for new residents and families. In the last five years, the city's population increased by 6.6%, more than double the comparable 2.8% national population growth over the same period.

42. Millbrook, Alabama

• Population: 15,160

• 5 yr. population change: +3%

• Median household income: $59,443

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.7%

Millbrook is the only city in Alabama to rank on this list. Area residents benefit from low effective property rates as the typical homeowner pays just 0.3% of their home value in taxes each year, a fraction of the 1.2% national average. The area also appears to have plenty of opportunities for gainful employment. According to the Census, an average of just 3.7% of Millbrook's labor force were unemployed in the last five years, a far smaller share than the 5.9% national rate.

Violent crimes like murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault are also less common in Millbrook than they are nationwide. The city's violent crime rate of 285.5 incidents per 100,000 residents is well below the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

41. Atoka, Tennessee

• Population: 9,139

• 5 yr. population change: +6.7%

• Median household income: $91,228

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2%

Atoka is a small town in western Tennessee located just north of Memphis. Atoka reported a 6.7% population growth over the last five years. A strong job market may partially explain the influx of new residents. According to the Census, an average of just 2% of Millbrook's labor force were unemployed in the last five years, about one-third the 5.9% national rate. Atoka's economy also provides relatively high paying jobs. The typical Atoka household earns $91,228 a year, well above the $60,293 national median.

Crime rates are low in Atoka. The city's violent crime rate of 96.7 incidents per 100,000 people and property crime rate of 870.5 incidents per 100,000 are each well below the respective national rates of 380.6 per 100,000 and 2,199.5 per 100,000.

40. Lone Tree, Colorado

• Population: 14,209

• 5 yr. population change: +22.5%

• Median household income: $115,746

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.1%

Lone Tree is a small Colorado city located about 20 miles south of downtown Denver. A relatively wealthy area, the typical Lone Tree household earns $115,746 a year, nearly double the national median of $60,293. The high income level is likely due in part to the area's tight labor market. An average of just 3.1% of Lone Tree's labor force was unemployed in the last five years, about one-half the 5.9% national rate.

Like many cities and towns on this list, Lone Tree is growing rapidly. Between 2014 and 2018, the city's population grew by 15.3%, well above the 2.8% national population growth rate.

39. Denver, Colorado

• Population: 693,417

• 5 yr. population change: +12%

• Median household income: $63,793

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4%

With a population of over 690,000, Denver ranks only second behind San Francisco on this list. Denver residents benefit from a higher than typical concentration of cultural attractions and entertainment options like bars, restaurants, museums, movie theaters, and recreation centers.

Many Denver residents also have options when it comes to the daily commute. Some 14.5% of the commuters in the city use transportation other than a personal vehicle, well above the 9.5% share nationwide.

38. Mahomet, Illinois

• Population: 8,327

• 5 yr. population change: +12.3%

• Median household income: $115,619

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.8%

Mahomet is a small village in Illinois, just outside the city of Champaign. Area residents benefit from a healthy job market – between 2014 and 2018, overall employment climbed 24.1% and an average of just 2.8% of the labor force were unemployed in the last five years, compared to the 6.5% national job growth and 5.9% 5-year average unemployment rate nationwide.

The healthy job market has likely contributed to relative financial security for many area residents. Just 2.2% of Mahomet residents live below the poverty line, compared to 14.1% of the U.S. population. Additionally, the median household income in the area of $115,619 is nearly double the national median of $60,293.

37. Palm Beach, Florida

• Population: 8,667

• 5 yr. population change: +1.7%

• Median household income: $133,026

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.3%

Palm Beach is a small town located on a barrier island along Florida's Atlantic coast. A tourist destination, Palm Beach has a higher than average concentration of marinas, golf courses, and movie theaters than most of the country. Palm Beach's amenities and ocean front real estate contribute to high housing prices. The typical home in the town is worth $1.1 million. Nationwide, the median home value is $204,900.

Palm Beach is also a relatively safe place. The town's violent crime rate of 147.1 incidents per 100,000 people and property crime rate of 1,109 incidents per 100,000 are each well below the respective national rates of 380.6 per 100,000 and 2,199.5 per 100,000.

36. Canandaigua, New York

• Population: 10,348

• 5 yr. population change: -1.8%

• Median household income: $49,198

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.4%

Located on the northern end of the New York state Finger Lake with the same name, Canandaigua is a popular regional destination and has a far higher than typical concentration of bars, restaurants, hotels, marinas, golf courses, and museums. Canandaigua is also a relatively safe place. There were just 24 violent crimes committed in the city in 2018, equivalent to 234.1 for every 100,000 people, well below the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

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35. Buda, Texas

• Population: 14,503

• 5 yr. population change: +69.5%

• Median household income: $84,011

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.6%

Buda is a small Texas city located about 15 miles from downtown Austin, the state capital. In commuting distance of a major city, the labor force in Buda has access to a wide range of employment options, and partially as a result, the city's jobless rate is low. An average of just 2.6% of workers in Buda were unemployed in the last five years, less than half the comparable 5.9% national rate.

People living in Buda also benefit from a low cost of living, as goods and services are about 3.1% less expensive in the city than they are nationwide. Not only does a dollar go further in Buda than in much of the rest of the country, but the area is also relatively high-income. The typical household in the city earns $84,011, nearly $24,000 more than the national median.

34. Traverse City, Michigan

• Population: 15,474

• 5 yr. population change: +3.6%

• Median household income: $53,871

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.9%

Traverse City, located in northwestern Michigan on the south end of the Grand Traverse Bay is one of two cities in the state to rank among the best places to live. The city boasts a far higher than typical concentration of entertainment and recreational venues like restaurants, bars, sports centers, and golf courses. Additionally, it is located in Grand Traverse County, where 87.4% of the population have easy access to places for exercise like parks and recreation centers, a larger share than the 84% of Americans nationwide.

City residents also benefit from a slightly lower than average cost of living. Goods and services in Traverse City are 6.5% lower than they are on average nationwide.

33. Kendallville, Indiana

• Population: 9,522

• 5 yr. population change: -5%

• Median household income: $42,278

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 5.3%

Kendallville is a small city in northeastern Indiana. One reason Kendallville ranks among the best places to live is its affordability. Goods and services in the city are about 14.5% less expensive than they are nationwide on average. Housing is especially affordable. The typical home in Kendallville is worth 2.3 times as much as the city's median household income. Meanwhile, the median home value across the country is 3.4 times higher than the median household income.

While Kendalville's median household income of $42,278 is well below the national median of $60,293, area residents are less likely than most Americans to face serious financial hardship. Just 12.1% of Kendallville residents live below the poverty line compared to 14.1% of people nationwide.

32. Beachwood, Ohio

• Population: 11,704

• 5 yr. population change: -1.5%

• Median household income: $89,706

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.7%

Beachwood, a small city about 10 miles east of downtown Cleveland, is one of three cities in Ohio to rank among the best places to live. Beachwood is located in Cuyahoga County, where 97.2% of the population have easy access to places for physical exercise like parks or recreation centers. Beachwood also has a higher than typical concentration of places like bars, restaurants, museums, and movie theaters for residents to enjoy.

Like other Ohio cities on this list, and many other Midwestern cities, Beachwood has a low cost of living. Goods and services are about 8% less expensive in Beachwood than they are nationwide on average.

31. Wyomissing, Pennsylvania

• Population: 10,452

• 5 yr. population change: -0.2%

• Median household income: $82,600

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.7%

Wyomissing is a small borough in eastern Pennsylvania, just across the Schuylkill River from Reading. Like the other Pennsylvania cities on this list, Wyomissing is relatively affordable. Goods and services are about 7% less expensive in the area than they are on average nationwide. Incomes are also relatively high in Wyomissing. The typical Wyomissing household earns $82,600 a year, about $22,000 more than the typical U.S. household.

High incomes are likely due in part to a tight labor market. An average of just 3.7% of the Wyomissing's labor force were unemployed in the last five years, compared to the 5.9% national jobless rate.

30. Dover, Ohio

• Population: 12,811

• 5 yr. population change: -0.1%

• Median household income: $52,875

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.4%

Dover, Ohio is one of the most affordable cities in the country. The typical area home is worth $125,500, well below the national median home value of $204,900 and just 2.4 times more than the $53,875 median household income in the city. By contrast, the median home value across the country is 3.4 times higher than the median household income. On average, goods and services are about 16% less expensive in Dover than they are nationwide.

Dover is also a relatively safe place. The city's violent crime rate of 86.3 incidents per 100,000 people and property crime rate of 760.7 incidents per 100,000 are each well below the respective national rates of 380.6 per 100,000 and 2,199.5 per 100,000.

29. Rochester, Minnesota

• Population: 113,913

• 5 yr. population change: +5.3%

• Median household income: $70,749

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.2%

Rochester is the only city in Minnesota to rank on this list, and with a population of nearly 114,000, it is also one of the most populous cities on this list. A relatively affordable place to live, the median home value in Rochester is just 2.7 times higher than the median household income, well below the comparable 3.4 national ratio. Overall, goods and services are about 5% less expensive in Rochester than they are nationwide on average.

Incomes are relatively high in Rochester. The typical household in the city earns $70,749 a year, over $10,000 more than the typical American household. Adults who have completed college often have access to a broader range of high paying jobs, and in Rochester, 45.7% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to just 31.5% of adults nationwide.

28. Orinda, California

• Population: 19,431

• 5 yr. population change: +7.3%

• Median household income: $210,288

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.6%

Orinda is one of a number of California cities to rank among the best places to live, and like most of the others, Orinda is a high income area. The typical household in the city, which is located about 17 miles from downtown San Francisco, earns $210,288 a year, about 3.5 times as much as the typical American household. While goods and services are more expensive in Orinda, these high incomes are likely enough to offset the high costs. Wealthier areas typically have highly educated populations, and in Orinda, 83.1% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to just 31.5% of adults nationwide.

Orinda residents benefit not only from cultural and entertainment attractions in the nearby cities of San Francisco and Oakland, but also jobs. An average of just 3.6% of Orinda's labor force was unemployed over the last five years, well below the 5.9% national unemployment rate reported by the Census.

27. Hermitage, Pennsylvania

• Population: 15,812

• 5 yr. population change: -2.8%

• Median household income: $53,378

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 5.2%

Hermitage is a small western Pennsylvania city that sits along the Ohio state border. The city ranks on this list partially due to its high concentration of social, recreation, and cultural venues. There are more places like bars, restaurants, libraries, and golf courses on a per capita basis in Hermitage than there are nationwide. Hermitage is also a relatively safe place. There were 19 violent crimes reported in the city in 2018, or 122.3 per 100,000 people, a fraction of the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate.

Hermitage residents also benefit from a low cost of living. Goods and services in the city are 19.5% less expensive than they are nationwide on average.

26. Belgrade, Montana

• Population: 8,345

• 5 yr. population change: +11.4%

• Median household income: $58,146

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.5%

Belgrade, the only city in Montana on this list, ranks among the best places to live partially due to the concentration of entertainment and cultural venues in the city. The city boasts a far larger than typical share of places like bars, restaurants, movie theaters, museums, and golf courses on a per capita basis. The concentration of such businesses may also partially explain the city's low unemployment rate. An average of just 2.5% of Belgrade's labor force were out of work in the last five years, less than half the comparable 5.9% national jobless rate.

Those commuting to work in Belgrade, spend far less time every day getting to and from work than the typical American commuter. The average commute time in the city is just 18.7 minutes. Meanwhile, the average commute time nationwide is 26.6 minutes.

25. New Albany, Ohio

• Population: 10,896

• 5 yr. population change: +33.9%

• Median household income: $203,194

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.9%

New Albany is one of the fastest growing cities in Ohio. In the last five years, the number of people living in New Albany increased by over a third. Located less than 20 miles northeast of Columbus, New Albany residents are in commuting distance to jobs in and around the state capital – and many of those jobs are high paying. The typical New Albany household earns $203,194 a year, more than triple the median income nationwide of $60,293.

Not only are New Albany residents likely to have high incomes, but a dollar also goes further in the city than it does in much of the rest of the country. Goods and services are 13.4% less expensive in New Albany than they are nationwide.

24. Bridgeport, West Virginia

• Population: 8,466

• 5 yr. population change: +2.5%

• Median household income: $80,666

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.6%

Bridgeport is a small city of fewer than 9,000 people located in central West Virginia. A relatively affluent area, Bridgeport's median household income of $80,666 is about $20,000 higher than the median household income nationwide. High incomes are bolstered by a strong job market. An average of just 2.6% of the city's labor force were unemployed in the last five years, well below the comparable 5.9% national unemployment rate.

Bridgeport residents have options when it comes to their leisure time. The city has a far higher than typical concentration of bars, restaurants, recreation centers, and golf courses.

23. Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan

• Population: 11,207

• 5 yr. population change: -2.3%

• Median household income: $112,384

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.3%

Grosse Pointe Park is a small city located only about seven miles from downtown Detroit. Unlike it much larger neighbor, Grosse Pointe Park is a relatively affluent city with a strong job market. The typical household in Grosse Pointe Park earns $112,384 a year, nearly double the national median income. Additionally, an average of just 3.3% of the city's labor force were unemployed in the last five years, well below the comparable 5.9% national jobless rate.

Located along Lake St. Claire, Grosse Pointe Park has two waterfront parks and across the broader county, 93.8% of residents have access to places like recreation centers and parks – a larger share than the 84% of Americans nationwide with similar access.

22. Cambridge, Massachusetts

• Population: 115,665

• 5 yr. population change: +9.4%

• Median household income: $95,404

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.4%

Like several other cities on this list, Cambridge, Massachusetts is in close proximity to a major urban area. Directly across the Charles River from Boston, Cambridge residents have access to jobs and cultural attractions in the Massachusetts state capital and largest city in New England. Partially as a result, an average of just 4.4% of workers Cambridge were unemployed in the last five years, below the comparable 5.9% unemployment rate nationwide.

Home to MIT and Harvard, Cambridge is a college town – and like many college towns, it boasts a high concentration of entertainment and cultural options. The city has a far higher than typical concentration of restaurants, movie theaters, gyms, and museums.

21. Palo Alto, California

• Population: 67,019

• 5 yr. population change: +2.7%

• Median household income: $157,120

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.5%

Palo Alto is a city in California's Silicon Valley – an area home to numerous high paying tech companies. Though the cost of living in the area is relatively high, the typical household in Palo Alto has an income of $157,120, well more than double the national median of $60,293. Palo Alto residents are also far less likely than the typical American to be out of a job. An average of just 3.5% of the area's workforce was out of work over the last five years, well below the national average of 5.9%.

Like many other cities with good job markets and high incomes, Palo Alto is relatively safe. There were just 106.6 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the city in 2018, less than one third the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

20. Perryville, Missouri

• Population: 8,403

• 5 yr. population change: +1.7%

• Median household income: $42,439

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.1%

Perryville is a small city in southeastern Missouri about 80 miles south of St. Louis. Part of the reason Perryville ranks among the best cities to live in is its affordability. Goods and services in the city are about 11.6% less expensive than they are nationwide on average, and housing in particular is relatively affordable. The typical home in Perryville is worth 2.9 times as much as the city's median household income. Meanwhile, the median home value across the country is 3.4 times higher than the median household income.

Perryville residents are also less likely than most Americans to find themselves out of a job. The city's five year average unemployment rate of 2.1% is less than half the comparable national figure of 5.9%.

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19. Ladue, Missouri

• Population: 8,586

• 5 yr. population change: +0.8%

• Median household income: $192,500

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 1.6%

Ladue, a suburb of St. Louis, is one of the wealthiest cities on this list. The typical household in Ladue earns $192,500 a year, more than triple the national median income of $60,293. Ladue residents have easy access not only to entertainment and cultural attractions in nearby St. Louis, and also jobs in the city. An average of just 1.6% of area residents were out of work over the last five years, well below the national average of 5.9%.

High property values can be indicative of an area's desirability. In Ladue, the typical home is worth $835,300, more than four times the national median home value of $204,900.

18. Monterey, California

• Population: 28,512

• 5 yr. population change: +2.1%

• Median household income: $77,562

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.7%

Monterey is a coastal city in central California, located about 2 hours south of San Francisco. A popular tourist destination, Monterey has a high concentration of entertainment and recreation venues like restaurants, golf courses, museums, and movie theaters – as well as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, and Old Fisherman's Wharf.

People who live in work in Monterey have options and when it comes to commuting, and are less likely than the typical American to have to rely on a car. About one in every four commuters in Monterey get to work by means other than a car, like walking or public transit, compared to fewer than 10% of commuters nationwide who use non-car options. The average commute time in Monterey is also about 10 minutes shorter than the national average.

17. Santa Barbara, California

• Population: 91,325

• 5 yr. population change: +2.5%

• Median household income: $74,798

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.1%

Santa Barbara is a mid-sized coastal city in Southern California, situated about 100 miles West of Los Angeles. Like other California cities along the Pacific Coast to rank on this list, Santa Barbara is a popular tourist destination. Partially as a result, Santa Barbara boasts a high concentration of entertainment, recreation, and cultural venues like restaurants, bars, hotels, and museums.

Though Santa Barbara has a slightly higher than average cost of living, incomes are also higher than average in the area. The typical Santa Barbara household earns $74,798 a year, nearly $15,000 more than the median income nationwide.

16. Bellaire, Texas

• Population: 18,733

• 5 yr. population change: +8.8%

• Median household income: $201,629

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.4%

Bellaire is a small Texas suburb, located about 10 miles from downtown Houston. Within commuting distance of Houston, Bellaire residents have access to the attractions and jobs in the nation's fourth most populous city. An average of just 2.4% of Bellaire's labor force were unemployed in the last five years, less than half the comparable 5.9% national unemployment rate. Bellaire is also an affluent city, with the majority of households earning over $200,000 a year.

Like many of the best cities to live in, Bellaire is growing relatively rapidly. Over the last five years, the city's population grew by 8.8%, more than double the 3.6% U.S. population growth over the same period.

15. Key Biscayne, Florida

• Population: 13,054

• 5 yr. population change: +3.9%

• Median household income: $133,958

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.4%

Key Biscayne, a small town on a barrier island just south of Miami ranks as the best place to live in Florida and 15th best nationwide. One of the safest communities in the country, Key Biscayne's violent crime rate of 37.6 incidents for every 100,000 people is only about a tenth of the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

While the area has a high cost of living, with especially high housing costs, incomes are also high in the area. The typical Key Biscayne household earns $133,958 per year, more than double the national median household income of $60,293.

14. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

• Population: 14,039

• 5 yr. population change: -0.5%

• Median household income: $117,300

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.1%

Whitefish Bay, a Milwaukee suburb along the shore of Lake Michigan, is one of two Wisconsin cities to rank among the 50 best places to live. The high quality of life in Whitefish Bay is partially the result of a strong job market. The area's average unemployment rate over the last five years stands at just 2.1% – less than half the comparable nationwide rate of 5.9%.

According to the village website, area residents choose to live in the town because of the local school quality, well-maintained public property, and safety. Indeed, Whitefish Bay is one of the safest places in the country. There were 71.8 violent crimes reported in the village for every 100,000 people in 2018, a fraction of the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

13. Hoboken, New Jersey

• Population: 53,211

• 5 yr. population change: +4.5%

• Median household income: $136,402

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.4%

Hoboken, situated directly across the Hudson River from Manhattan, is the only city in New Jersey to rank on this list. Within commuting distance of New York City – one of the largest and most diverse job markets in the country – unemployment in Hoboken is relatively low. An average of just 3.4% of workers in the city were unemployed over the last five years, well below the 5.9% comparable national rate.

While the cost of living in Hoboken is relatively high, incomes are also far higher than average. The typical household in the city earns $136,402 a year, more than double the national median income of $60,293.

12. Lake Oswego, Oregon

• Population: 38,705

• 5 yr. population change: +4.5%

• Median household income: $100,461

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.2%

Lake Oswego is the only city in Oregon to rank on this list. Goods and services in Lake Oswego are about 7.4% more expensive than average. Still, the high cost of living is offset by higher incomes as the majority of households in the city earn over $100,000 a year, well above the national median household income of $60,293. Additionally, just 4.5% of Lake Oswego residents live below the poverty line, less than a third the national 14.1% national poverty rate.

Lake Oswego is also a relatively safe city, with a violent crime rate of 50.6 incidents per 100,000 people, a fraction of the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate.

11. Burlingame, California

• Population: 30,459

• 5 yr. population change: +4.2%

• Median household income: $122,999

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 4.8%

Located less than 20 miles from downtown San Francisco, Burlingame is one of several cities in the Bay Area to rank on this list. A relatively wealthy area, Burlingame's median household income of $122,999 is more than double the national median of $60,293. The city's high incomes correspond with a healthy job market, as an average of just 4.8% of area workers were unemployed in the last five years, well below the 5.9% national unemployment rate.

Area residents have plenty of options for outdoor recreation, as the city boasts 18 separate parks, playgrounds, and sports fields. The city also has a higher than average per capita concentration of restaurants, hotels, gyms, and sports clubs.

10. Greenwood Village, Colorado

• Population: 15,677

• 5 yr. population change: +10.2%

• Median household income: $127,134

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.4%

Greenwood Village is a small Denver suburb about 10 miles south of the city. Like many other municipalities in commuting distance of a major urban area, Greenwood Village residents benefit from easy access to the amenities of the the nearby city, as well as the employment opportunities there. Likely partially as a result, just 3.4% of workers in the Greenwood were unemployed in the last five years, on average, a far lower share than the comparable 5.9% national unemployment rate over that period.

Greenwood Village residents give the city high marks in several measures of quality of life. According to a residential survey conducted in fall 2018, the city's parks, aesthetics, and safety are the primary reasons most residents are very satisfied living in Greenwood Village.

9. Mercer Island, Washington

• Population: 25,492

• 5 yr. population change: +9.4%

• Median household income: $142,413

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.6%

The only city in Washington state to rank on this list, Mercer Island is a municipality on an island in Lake Washington, in between the cities of Seattle and Bellevue. Though the cost of living on the island, particularly housing, is higher than average, area residents also have relatively high incomes. The typical Mercer Island household earns $142,413 a year, more than double the national median household income of $60,293.

The island also boasts a range of cultural and entertainment options, with a far greater than average per capita concentration of places like restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, and museums.

8. Newport Beach, California

• Population: 86,280

• 5 yr. population change: +0.3%

• Median household income: $122,709

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.4%

Newport Beach is a coastal city located about 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Like other coastal California cities on this list, Newport Beach is relatively affluent. The typical household in the city earns $122,709 a year, more than double the national median of $60,293. Newport Beach residents are also relatively healthy in that they are far more likely to exercise regularly and less likely to be obese than the typical American. This is likely due in part to residents' access to exercise opportunities, as 99.1% of residents across Orange County – where Newport Beach is located – have easy access to places for physical activity, like parks, recreation centers, and gyms.

7. Solana Beach, California

• Population: 13,370

• 5 yr. population change: +2.7%

• Median household income: $105,821

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.5%

Solana Beach is a coastal city in southern California. A wealthy area, the majority of households in the city earn over $100,000 a year. Located less than 30 minutes from downtown San Diego, area residents have access to jobs and entertainment located in the major urban area. The city is also home to one of only three train stations in San Diego County, providing commuters more options. For recreation, the city boasts 1.7 miles of beach, and a higher than average per capita concentration of restaurants, gyms, museums, and movie theaters.

Solana Beach is also a relatively safe city. There were 23 violent crimes reported in the city in 2018, or 170.1 for every 100,000 people, less than half the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

6. Paradise Valley, Arizona

• Population: 14,215

• 5 yr. population change: +8.8%

• Median household income: $204,145

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 1.4%

Paradise Valley is a small city located about 15 miles northeast of Phoenix. Area residents benefit from a healthy job market. An average of just 1.4% of the labor force were unemployed over the last five years, compared to the 5.9% national figure. Paradise Valley is also wealthy, with most households earning over $200,000 a year.

Like a number of other cities and towns on this list, Paradise Valley appears to be attracting new residents – the city's population grew by 8.8% in the last five years, more than double the 3.6% national population growth.

5. Piedmont, California

• Population: 11,308

• 5 yr. population change: +4.2%

• Median household income: $210,889

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3%

Located less than 15 miles from San Francisco, Piedmont is one of several Bay Area cities to rank as one of the best places to live. Piedmont is a relatively safe city – there were 21 violent crimes reported in the city limits in 2018, resulting in a violent crime rate of 183 per 100,000 people, well below the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate.

Cities with relatively low crime often tend to be more affluent places where poverty is relatively uncommon – and Piedmont is no exception. The typical household in Piedmont has an income of $210,889 a year, more than triple the national median household income of $60,293. Just 2.7% of the city's population live below the poverty line compared to the 14.1% national poverty rate.

4. Highland Park, Texas

• Population: 9,145

• 5 yr. population change: +5%

• Median household income: $207,019

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.3%

Highland Park, Texas, is one of the wealthiest communities in the United States. The typical household has an income of $207,019 a year, well more than triple the national median household income of $60,293 a year. Just north of downtown Dallas, Highland Park residents have access to employment opportunities in a major city, and just 2.3% of area workers were out of a job in the last five years, on average, well below the 5.9% national rate.

Town residents benefit not only to access to cultural and entertainment options in nearby Dallas. There are also 22 parks in the town, including eight tennis courts, three playgrounds, and a swimming pool.

3. Hanover, New Hampshire

• Population: 8,591

• 5 yr. population change: +0.5%

• Median household income: $103,558

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 3.4%

Hanover, New Hampshire is one of only a few cities in the Northeastern United States to rank on this list, in large part because the cost of living in much of the Northeast is relatively high. While goods and services are more expensive in Hanover than they are nationwide, the high cost of living in the city is largely offset by higher incomes. The majority of households in the city earn over $100,000. The city also has a strong job market, as an annual average of just 3.4% of workers in the city were unemployed over the last five years, well below the comparable national figure of 5.9%.

Hanover residents also benefit from a range of entertainment, cultural, and recreation options. There is a higher than typical per capita concentration of places like restaurants, gyms, golf courses, nature parks, museums, libraries, and movie theaters in Hanover.

2. Winnetka, Illinois

• Population: 12,481

• 5 yr. population change: +1.7%

• Median household income: $220,577

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 2.4%

Winnetka is a small village along the shore of Lake Michigan about 20 miles north of downtown Chicago. Winnetka residents have easy access to the largest city in the Midwest with a commuter line that goes directly downtown. Partially as a result, over a quarter of commuters in the area use public transit to get to work and do not have to rely on a car. As is often the case in municipalities outside major urban areas, unemployment is low in Winnetka. The village's 5-year average jobless rate of 2.4% is less than half the comparable national figure of 5.9%.

The village also boasts a high per capita concentration of restaurants, bars, and theater companies as well as a total of 27 parks than span nearly 250 acres.

1. Manhattan Beach, California

• Population: 35,573

• 5 yr. population change: +0.7%

• Median household income: $150,083

• 5 yr. avg. unemployment: 5.3%

Manhattan Beach is one of several California cities to rank on this list. Located on the Pacific Coast about 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach residents have access to a major urban area and miles of ocean coast. Due in part to its high desirability as a place to live, real estate in Manhattan Beach is expensive, as is the overall cost of living. People living there tend to be relatively affluent, with over half of all area households reporting incomes over $150,000 a year.

As is often the case in wealthy areas, serious crimes are relatively uncommon in Manhattan Beach. The city's violent crime rate of 158.2 incidents per 100,000 people is less than half the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

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Methodology

To identify the best cities to live in, 24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of 25 measures across four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life, and community.

1. The affordability category consists of three measures:

The ratio of median home value to median household income at full weight.

Median property taxes paid as a percentage of median home value at one-fourth weight.

Regional price parity, a measure of cost of living, was included at full weight.

2. The economy category consists of four measures:

Median home value was included at full weight.

Employment growth from 2014 to 2018 was included at one-half weight.

The ratio of the number of employed workers to the total population was included at one-half weight.

The unemployment rate was included at full weight.

3. The quality of life category consists of six measures:

The poverty rate was included at full weight.

The share of the population in urban census tracts at least 1 mile from a grocery store and in rural census tracts at least 10 miles from a grocery store, a measure of poor food access, was included at full weight.

The distance from the city center to the nearest hospital was included at full weight.

The percentage of patients discharged from acute care hospitals who are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days was included at full weight.

The percentage of heart attack, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, pneumonia, and stroke patients who pass away within 30 days of treatment was included at full weight.

The number of drug-related fatalities per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.

4. The community category consists of 12 measures:

The percentage of workers 16 and over commuting by public transit, walking, or other non-car means was included at one-half weight.

The average travel time to work was included at full weight.

The number of hospital admissions for conditions that could be treated in an outpatient setting per 1,000 Medicare enrollees • an indication of poor outpatient care and overuse of hospitals • was included at one-half weight.

The number of violent crimes • homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault • reported per 100,000 residents was included at full weight.

The number of property crimes • burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson • reported per 100,000 residents was included at full weight.

The number of movie theaters per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.

The number of libraries and archives per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.

The number of theater companies and dinner theaters per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.

The number of museums per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.

The number of nature parks and similar institutions per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.

The number of alcoholic drinking places per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.

The number of restaurants and other eating places per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.

Data on population, employment, unemployment, median home value, median household income, median property taxes paid, commuter characteristics, average travel time to work, and poverty came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and are five-year estimates for the period 2014 to 2018. Employment data used to calculate five-year employment growth are five-year estimates for the years 2010 to 2014. Data on cost of living came from real estate analysis company ATTOM Data Solutions and is for the year 2014.

Data on the share of the population in urban census tracts or areas at least one mile from a grocery store and in rural census tracts at least 10 miles from a grocery store, a measure of poor food access, came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2017 update to the Food Access Research Atlas and is at the county level.

Data on hospital locations came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Data on 30-day readmission rates and 30-day mortality rates also came from the CMS and are for the period July 2015 to June 2018. Data was aggregated to the city level for cities with at least one hospital, and was aggregated to the county level for cities with no hospitals. Data on the number of drug related deaths per 100,000 residents per year from the period 2015 to 2017 is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is at the county level. Data on preventable hospitalizations per 1,000 Medicare enrollees came from the 2019 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, and is at the county level.

Data on the number of violent crimes and property crimes reported per 100,000 residents came from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program and are for the year 2018.

Data on the number of movie theaters, libraries and archives, theater companies and dinner theaters, museums, nature parks and other similar institutions, alcoholic beverage drinking places, and restaurants and other eating places came from the Census Bureau’s 2017 County Business Patterns series and is at the county level.

To avoid geographic clustering, we only took the top-ranking city in a given county. Our list includes cities, towns, villages, boroughs, and Census designated places. We did not include places with fewer than 8,000 residents in our analysis. Additionally, any city or town with a poverty rate or unemployment above the national average was not considered.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Grant Suneson, Michael B. Sauter and Samuel Stebbins

24/7 Wall Street

Living in the United States by no means guarantees a good life, but in some parts of the country, a vast portion of residents live a highly prosperous lifestyle.

While quality of life is subject to a range of factors – close relationships and personal health chief among them – the local community, economy, and environment can also have a meaningful impact.

When it comes to choosing a place to call home, everyone has their own priorities and subjective tastes. Still, certain attributes that some communities share are almost universally desirable, including safe streets, a strong economy, affordability, and a range of entertainment options, to name a few.

24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of over two dozen measures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, and other sources to identify the best city to live in. We considered all boroughs, census designated places, cities, towns, and villages with at least 8,000 residents.

The best cities to live in tend to have much in common beyond the index components. For one, these communities are often within commuting distance of a major metropolitan area.

This is no coincidence as close proximity to a major city provides residents with access to more job opportunities, which in turn can help lower unemployment and improve financial security.

Some of the best cities include places just outside of just outside of Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston. These metro areas are highly desirable places to live, but the downside is that they also tend to be very expensive.

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50. Grand Rapids, Minnesota

• Population: 11,099

• 5 yr. population change: +2.2%

• Median household income: $44,514

• Five-year unemployment rate: 0.6%

Grand Rapids, located in northern Minnesota, is one of several cities in the state to rank on this list. With a staggeringly low unemployment rate of just 0.6%, virtually anyone in the city who wants a job can get one. Grand Rapids residents also benefit from a low cost of living, as goods and services in the city are about 8% less expensive on average than they are nationwide.

Quality of life in Grand Rapids is also supported by easy access to a wide range of amenities. The city has a far greater than typical concentration of restaurants, bars, hotels, fitness centers, museums, and movie theaters on a per capita basis.

49. Durango, Colorado

• Population: 17,986

• 5 yr. population change: +6.2%

• Median household income: $60,521

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.4%

Durango, a small city in southwestern Colorado, is the only city in the state to rank among the best places to live. A relatively safe place, Durango's 2017 violent crime rate of 234 incidents per 100,000 people is well below the national rate of 383 per 100,000.

Due to its location, Durango offers easy access to places to ski, hiking, and mountain biking. The city also boasts a number of museums and art galleries and far greater than typical concentration of bars and restaurants.

48. Traverse City, Michigan

• Population: 15,550

• 5 yr. population change: +5.8%

• Median household income: $53,237

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.2%

Incomes in Traverse City, Michigan, are slightly below the national median, but due to the area's relatively low cost of living, and after adjusting for inflation, incomes are roughly in line with the national median household income. Traverse City's poverty rate is also below the national figure.

While Traverse City does not rank as highly as some of the other best U.S. cities to live in several of the economic factors, it has one of the highest concentrations of community facilities and amenities in the country – such as museums, movie theaters, fitness centers, restaurants and more – relative to most American Cities.

47. Wyomissing, Pennsylvania

• Population: 10,452

• 5 yr. population change: -0.4%

• Median household income: $78,792

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.8%

Wyomissing is a small borough just outside of Reading, Pennsylvania, in the eastern part of the state. It is one of the better-educated places in the country, as more than half of the residents over 25 have at least a bachelor's degree. Nationwide, only 30.9% of 25 and older Americans do.

Wyomissing residents have many more options for recreational activities than those in the vast majority of other American cities. The city has a far greater that typical concentration of movie theaters, libraries, recreational centers, and restaurants.

46. South Jordan, Utah

• Population: 65,523

• 5 yr. population change: +28.2%

• Median household income: $99,856

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.5%

South Jordan, located just south of Salt Lake City, is the only Utah city to rank among the 50 best to live in America. The median annual household income in South Jordan of nearly $100,000 is well beyond the U.S. median of $57,652. The city also has a strong job market, with an unemployment rate of just 1.5%, less than half the overall U.S. unemployment rate.

The low unemployment rate and high incomes are likely some of the reasons why people are flocking to South Jordan. The city went from having just over 51,000 residents to more than 65,500 in the last five years, an increase of over 28%.

45. Bozeman, Montana

• Population: 43,132

• 5 yr. population change: +14.7%

• Median household income: $49,217

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.8%

Bozeman's population is on the rise, increasing by 14.7% in the last five years, compared to the U.S. population growth rate of 3.8% over the same period. Bozeman is the only city in the state where the population has increased by more than 10%. Population growth is often tied to job growth in an improving economy. And Bozeman's employment increased by 21.7% over the same period.

For those who work in Bozeman, the average commute to work is one of the shortest in the country, and 14.2% of commuters bike or walk to work every day, compared to 3.3% of all American commuters.

44. Monroe, Wisconsin

• Population: 10,688

• 5 yr. population change: -1.4%

• Median household income: $44,857

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.9%

Monroe, which is known regionally as the "Swiss Cheese Capital of the U.S.A." is a relatively small city of just over 10,000 people located in the southern part of Wisconsin, just north of the Illinois Border. Incomes in Monroe are not particularly high – the typical household income of $44,857 is well below the national figure of $57,652. Even adjusting for the relatively low cost of living in the city, the typical household income is worth less than the national figure. But very few people in the city are out of a job. Over the past five years, Monroe has had one of the lowest average unemployment rates in the country, at 1.9%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

43. Montgomery, Ohio

• Population: 10,587

• 5 yr. population change: +3.6%

• Median household income: $115,489

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.7%

Montgomery, Ohio, is a relatively affordable place to live. Goods and services cost, on average, 15 cents less on the dollar compared to the national average. The typical household earns $115,489 a year, which is well above the national figure of $57,652. Accounting for the low cost of living, those high incomes are worth even more.

Montgomery residents are among the least likely in the country to live in poverty. Just 3.5% of the population lives in poverty, compared to a national poverty rate of 14.6%.

42. North Canton, Ohio

• Population: 17,400

• 5 yr. population change: -0.1%

• Median household income: $57,003

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.2%

North Canton ranks among the best cities to live in part because of how affordable it is. In the Ohio city, goods and services cost about 14% less than they would, on average, nationwide. The city's unemployment rate of 2.2% is nearly half of the nation's jobless rate of 4.1%.

North Canton also ranks as one of the best cities because it is among the safest. The violent crime rate of just 69 incidents per 100,000 residents is a fraction of the U.S. crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

41. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

• Population: 8,917

• 5 yr. population change: -2.6%

• Median household income: $51,332

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.0%

Sturgeon Bay residents are less likely to face serious economic challenges than the typical American. The Wisconsin city has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, below the U.S. rate of 4.1%. It also has a poverty rate of 10.6%, 4 percentage points lower than the national poverty rate.

Sturgeon Bay also ranks among the safest places in the country. The violent crime rate of 68 incidents per 100,000 residents is a fraction of the U.S. rate. Residents also face relatively little property crime, at 1,059 incidents per 100,000 residents – well below the national rate of 2,362 per 100,000.

40. Edgewood, Kentucky

• Population: 8,688

• 5 yr. population change: +0.4%

• Median household income: $93,958

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.5%

The best city to live in in Kentucky, Edgewood, is both wealthy and affordable. The typical household earns $93,958 a year, nearly double the median income of $57,652 across the state as a whole. Additionally, goods and services are about 11% less expensive in Edgewood than they are nationwide, on average.

Edgewood has two large public parks and an easily accessible hospital and medical care center within city limits, factors contributing to quality of life. Located about 7 miles south of Cincinnati across the Ohio River, Edgewood – like many cities on this list – is within commuting distance of a major metropolitan area.

39. Stevens Point, Wisconsin

• Population: 26,526

• 5 yr. population change: -0.6%

• Median household income: $44,333

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.5%

Stevens Point, Wisconsin, located in the central part of the state, is within close proximity to a relatively high number of attractions for a city of its size. The city in particular has an above average concentration of fitness and recreation centers, hotels, bars, and restaurants.

Stevens Point is also one of the safer communities in the country, with a property crime rate well below the national figure and a violent crime rate less than half the national rate. The relatively safe streets may be one reason so many residents choose to walk to work. Nationally, 2.7% of commuters walk to their places of employment, but in Stevens Point, 14% walk to work.

38. Andover, Kansas

• Population: 12,661

• 5 yr. population change: +8.0%

• Median household income: $85,655

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.3%

Andover is the only Kansas city to rank among America's 50 best places to live. It compares better than the majority of U.S. cities in a number of economic indicators. The city's median annual household income of $85,655 is nearly $28,000 higher than the U.S. median. Andover residents are likely better qualified for high-income jobs because of their high educational attainment rate. More than 48% of residents over 25 have at least a bachelor's degree.

Not only are incomes higher in Andover, but also a dollar goes farther in the city than on average nationwide. The cost of living is more than 10% lower than it is nationwide.

37. Riverton, Wyoming

• Population: 11,113

• 5 yr. population change: +4.4%

• Median household income: $51,102

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.1%

Riverton, Wyoming, is one of America's most affordable cities. Goods and services cost, on average, 13.5% less than they do on average nationwide. The city also has a strong job market with an unemployment rate below the national figure and total employment growth of 12.2% in the past five years, double the rate of nationwide growth in the same time period.

Riverton ranks as a good city to live in also because residents generally do not have to deal with long commutes as many Americans do. The average commute time for Riverton residents is less than 15 minutes, about half as long as the average American commute time.

36. North Liberty, Iowa

• Population: 17,721

• 5 yr. population change: +32.9%

• Median household income: $80,426

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.0%

North Liberty is a small city of about 17,700 people located just south of Cedar Rapids. Over half of all residents have a bachelor's degree, well above the national degree attainment rate of 30.9%. The high share of adults with a college degree may be in part due to the city's close proximity to the University of Iowa, which is just to the south of the city. People with a college education are much more likely to have higher incomes and lead healthier, longer lives.

Highly educated adults are more likely to have steady employment, and in North Liberty, virtually the entire workforce is employed. Over the past five years, the unemployment rate has averaged around 1%, compared to a national average unemployment rate of 4.1%.

35. Aberdeen, South Dakota

• Population: 27,925

• 5 yr. population change: +6.7%

• Median household income: $47,506

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.6%

Though the median annual household income in Aberdeen is around $10,000 lower than the U.S. median, goods and services in the town are relatively inexpensive, at around 15% less than average. Accounting for the cost of living, the typical Aberdeen household has roughly as much purchasing power as the median U.S. household.

Aberdeen workers are among the least likely to be out of a job. The city's unemployment rate of just 1.6% is less than half the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.1%.

34. Sartell, Minnesota

• Population: 16,749

• 5 yr. population change: +7.7%

• Median household income: $74,391

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.0%

Sartell is a small city of about 17,000 in the St. Cloud, Minnesota, metro area. Sartell is a safe city. There were just 115 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the city in 2017, less than a third of the national violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000. A number of amenities – including 28 parks, two golf courses, and 48 miles of trail – also improve quality of life for city residents.

Like many of the best cities to live in, Sartell is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the number of people living in the central Minnesota city increased by 7.7%, more than double the national population growth rate over the same period.

33. Mammoth Lakes, California

• Population: 8,092

• 5 yr. population change: -1.1%

• Median household income: $62,308

• Five-year unemployment rate: 0.7%

Mammoth Lakes is a small town located in east-central California. Nearly everyone in the town who wants a job can find one as the unemployment rate is a staggeringly low 0.7%. Jobs in the area tend to be relatively well paying, too, as the typical area household earns $62,308 a year, about $5,000 more than the typical American household.

Getting around town is relatively easy, considering that the majority of commuters either walk, bike, or take public transit to work. Additionally, the average commute time for workers in the area is just 12 minutes, less than half the 26 minute average nationwide.

32. Kirkland, Washington

• Population: 86,772

• 5 yr. population change: +76.8%

• Median household income: $104,319

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.3%

Kirkland, Washington, is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. Over the last five years, the number of people living in the Seattle suburb increased by a staggering 76.8%. Given all that the city has to offer, the population spike is not especially surprising.

Kirkland appears to have a reliable and effective public transit system as over 9% of workers commute using public transit, nearly double the 5.1% national share. The area is also safe. There were just 84 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 city residents in 2017, a fraction of the 383 per 100,000 national violent crime rate. Kirkland also has a higher than typical concentration of restaurants, fitness and recreation centers, and parks.

31. Staunton, Virginia

• Population: 24,273

• 5 yr. population change: +1.5%

• Median household income: $46,435

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.4%

Staunton ranks as the best city to live in Virginia and one of the best places to live in the country. The city has a below average poverty rate and an extremely low food insecurity among area families. Over the past five years, the unemployment rate has been about half the national unemployment figure.

The city also has a relatively high concentration of regional attractions nearby for a city of its size, including restaurants, theater companies, and museums.

30. Williston, North Dakota

• Population: 25,072

• 5 yr. population change: +61.2%

• Median household income: $91,359

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.6%

Willison, North Dakota, is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Over the last five years, the city's population climbed by a staggering 61.2%. Fueled largely by natural gas drilling in the Bakken formation, the city also has a strong job market. Just 1.6% of the area's labor force is unemployed, well below the comparable 4.1% national unemployment rate. Jobs in Williston also tend to be high paying as the typical area household earns over $91,000 a year, nearly $34,000 more than the typical American household.

Area residents also benefit from a greater concentration of bars, restaurants, recreation centers, golf courses, and movie theaters than typical.

29. Lititz, Pennsylvania

• Population: 9,269

• 5 yr. population change: -1.0%

• Median household income: $58,375

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.5%

Lititz is a small town of less than 10,000 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Surrounded by farmland, Lititz has a farmer's market every Thursday evening from the spring through the fall. Residents also benefit from far greater than typical concentration of bars and restaurants.

Supported by a strong job market, city residents tend to be relatively financially secure. Fewer than 5% of area residents live below the poverty line, about one-third the 14.6% national poverty rate. The unemployment rate in the town is just 2.5%, well below the 4.1% national rate.

28. Solana Beach, California

• Population: 13,362

• 5 yr. population change: +3.3%

• Median household income: $103,864

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.4%

Solana Beach is a small coastal city in southern California. It is a wealthy area, with the typical Solana Beach household earns over $100,000 a year. Solana Beach is also safe. There were just 96 violent crimes for every 100,000 city residents in 2017, a fraction of the 383 per 100,000 national violent crime rate.

As is the case in many communities on this list, city residents have easy access to jobs and cultural and entertainment attractions in a major metropolitan area. Solana Beach is just a 30 minute drive from downtown San Diego.

27. St. Marys, Ohio

• Population: 8,143

• 5 yr. population change: -1.2%

• Median household income: $48,661

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.0%

St. Marys is a historic Ohio city that boasts newly renovated walkways along the Erie and Miami Canal in addition to several parks. It is one of several Ohio cities to rank on this list. As in other high ranking Ohio cities, city residents benefit from a low cost of living. Goods and services in the area are about 8% less expensive than they are on average nationwide.

St. Marys is also a safe city. There were just 37 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the city in 2017, a fraction of the 383 per 100,000 national violent crime rate.

26. Johnston, Iowa

• Population: 20,172

• 5 yr. population change: +16.5%

• Median household income: $94,539

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.8%

Johnston is a small city about 10 miles north of downtown Des Moines. The city boasts a high concentration of attractions like bars, movie theatres, and golf courses, and it has a farmers market every Tuesday afternoon from spring through the fall. Johnston is a safe city with a violent crime rate of 147 incidents per 100,000 people, less than half the 383 per 100,000 national violent crime rate.

Like many cities on this list, Johnston is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the number of people living in the city increased by 16.5%, more than quadruple the 3.8% national population growth over the same period.

25. Brandon, South Dakota

• Population: 9,731

• 5 yr. population change: +10.0%

• Median household income: $80,727

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.8%

Brandon, South Dakota, is a small city of less than 10,000 located about 10 miles northeast of downtown Sioux Falls. Not only are incomes high in the area, but also Brandon residents benefit from a low cost of living. The typical area household earns $80,727 a year, about $23,000 more than the national median, and goods and services in the city are about 12% less expensive on average than they are nationwide.

The relatively higher than typical median income is partially because nearly anyone who wants a job in the city can get one. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's unemployment rate stands at just 1.8%, less than half the comparable 4.1% national rate.

24. Carroll, Iowa

• Population: 9,937

• 5 yr. population change: -1.2%

• Median household income: $44,561

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.5%

Carroll, Iowa, is one of the least expensive parts of the country. Goods and services in the area are about 16% less expensive than they are nationwide, on average. The city is also relatively safe. There were just 20 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2017, a fraction of the 383 per 100,000 national violent crime rate.

Carroll residents have plenty of local amenities to take advantage of. The city boasts an 18-hole municipal golf course, a park with tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts, an aquatic center open to the public, a skate park, and a recreational trial connecting two state parks.

23. St. Joseph, Michigan

• Population: 8,301

• 5 yr. population change: -0.7%

• Median household income: $55,975

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.6%

St. Joseph is a small city of just over 8,000 in southwestern Michigan along the shore of Lake Michigan. Area residents have access to a far greater than typical concentration of bars, restaurants, recreation centers, and museums. The area's high quality of life is further supported by the relative scarcity of property and violent crimes and a healthy job market. Just 2.6% of the city's labor force is out of a job, well below the 4.1% national unemployment rate.

For all it has to offer, St. Joseph is also affordable. The typical home in the city is worth about three times the median income. Nationwide, the median home value is 3.4 times greater than the annual median household income.

22. Rochester, Minnesota

• Population: 112,683

• 5 yr. population change: +5.4%

• Median household income: $68,574

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.5%

Following a 5.4% five-year population growth, Rochester, Minnesota, is home to nearly 113,000 people – the largest city on this list. The city covers about 54 square miles and boasts 3,500 acres of park land and over 85 miles of paved trails.

Rochester is also a safe city. There were just 194 reported violent crimes in the city for every 100,000 people in 2017, roughly half the 383 per 100,000 national violent crime rate.

21. Bismarck, North Dakota

• Population: 70,536

• 5 yr. population change: +13.9%

• Median household income: $61,477

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.2%

Over the last five years, people have poured into North Dakota's capital city of Bismarck. The population grew by 13.9%, compared to a 3.8% nationwide population growth during the same period. People commonly move to find work, and Bismarck's population influx is no exception.

Likely fueled in part by North Dakota's oil boom, the number of people employed in the city grew by 12.9% in the last half decade, more than double the U.S. employment growth rate. Bismarck's workers tend to be well compensated, as the city has a median household income of $61,477. Further, goods and services are also relatively inexpensive in the area, costing nearly 13% less than the average nationwide.

20. Jasper, Indiana

• Population: 15,716

• 5 yr. population change: +4.9%

• Median household income: $55,878

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.6%

Jasper is one of the most affordable places to live in the nation. The cost of goods and services is just 83.6% of the average cost nationwide. The low cost of living gives residents a relatively high amount of purchasing power, even though the median household income in Jasper of $55,878 is lower than the U.S. median.

Jasper residents are much less likely to struggle with money than the average American. Nationwide, 14.6% of U.S. residents live in poverty. In Jasper, the poverty rate is 11.0%.

19. New Albany, Ohio

• Population: 10,253

• 5 yr. population change: +28.2%

• Median household income: $187,200

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.0%

New Albany, Ohio, is one of the most affluent cities in the country. The median annual household income of $187,200 is one of the five highest of U.S. cities. Wealthier areas tend to have a number of advantages over low-income cities, including lower crime rates. There were less than 37 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents in New Albany, less than a 10th of the nationwide crime rate.

There are a number of factors that can draw people to certain towns, including jobs, schools, and amenities. New Albany ranks highly in many of these aspects, and its population growth rate reflects that. The town's population grew by more than 28% over the past five years, compared to the national growth rate of just 3.8%.

18. Cody, Wyoming

• Population: 9,826

• 5 yr. population change: +3.1%

• Median household income: $56,356

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.0%

Cody is one of two Wyoming cities to rank among the best places to live in America, and its residents are among the least likely to face serious financial hardship. The city's poverty rate of just 7.7% is well below the U.S. poverty rate of 14.6%.

One of the driving factors behind the low poverty rate is the city's low unemployment rate. Just 1.0% of Cody's labor force is unemployed, less than a quarter of the national unemployment rate.

17. Carmel, Indiana

• Population: 88,595

• 5 yr. population change: +10.7%

• Median household income: $109,201

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.1%

People with a college degree tend to have higher incomes and better health outcomes than those without a degree. In Carmel, Indiana, 71.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree. Nationwide, the college degree attainment rate is 30.9%.

With such a high educational attainment rate, Carmel adults are more likely to be qualified for high-income jobs. This is likely why the city has a six-figure median household income, one of the highest in the country. Carmel also has a 3.7% poverty rate, a fraction of the 14.6% U.S. rate.

16. Bridgeport, West Virginia

• Population: 8,382

• 5 yr. population change: +2.5%

• Median household income: $82,359

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.4%

In Bridgeport, 50.5% of adults 25 and older have graduated from college, compared to 30.9% of American adults in that age group. The high college attainment rate has likely contributed to the town's relatively high median household income of $82,359 a year. Not only is Bridgeport wealthy, but it is also inexpensive. Goods and services are about 15% less expensive than they are nationwide, on average.

When it comes to culture and entertainment, Bridgeport residents have options. The city is home to a far higher concentration of restaurants, bars, recreation centers, golf courses, and movie theatres than is typical nationwide.

15. Bentonville, Arkansas

• Population: 44,601

• 5 yr. population change: +25.2%

• Median household income: $79,259

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.7%

Bentonville, Arkansas, is perhaps best known as the home of Walmart, America's largest private employer. The massive retail chain provides close to 22,000 jobs in Bentonville, both in its stores and at the corporate level, and is likely part of the reason the city's unemployment rate is so low, at 1.7%.

Bentonville's job market has improved dramatically over the last five years. The total number of people with jobs in the city increased by 31.0% from 2012 to 2017 – more than five times the employment growth rate in the U.S. as a whole.

14. Moorhead, Minnesota

• Population: 41,801

• 5 yr. population change: +9.7%

• Median household income: $56,516

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.2%

The population of Moorhead, a city immediately to the east of Fargo, has increased by nearly 10% in the past five years, roughly three times the national population growth over the same period.

A growing population is often a sign of a healthy economy, and Moorhead's five-year average unemployment rate of 2.2% is about half the national unemployment rate over the same period. Employment in the city has increased by about 10% over that period, compared to a national employment growth of 6.1%.

13. Winnetka, Illinois

• Population: 12,504

• 5 yr. population change: +2.4%

• Median household income: $216,875

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.3%

Winnetka is a small village that sits on the shores of Lake Michigan about 15 miles north of downtown Chicago. One of the wealthiest cities in the country, the typical Winnetka household earns $216,875 a year. Winnetka residents working in Chicago have options when it comes to transit, and over one-quarter of commuters use public transportation – an alternative most Americans do not have.

Winnetka boasts several beaches, a boat launch, parks, a tennis center, a golf course, and an ice rink, all open to the public.

12. Paradise Valley, Arizona

• Population: 13,961

• 5 yr. population change: +7.2%

• Median household income: $175,673

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.4%

Most houses in Paradise Valley, Arizona, are worth over $1.4 million, more than seven times the U.S. median home value. Paradise Valley residents are able to afford such expensive houses because of their relatively high incomes. The typical household in the city earns $175,673 a year, one of the highest median household incomes in the country.

Paradise Valley lives up to its name as a popular destination to relax. The town is home to several resorts and a number of golf courses. Located just north of Phoenix and Scottsdale, it is also known for its high-end dining and nightlife.

11. West Fargo, North Dakota

• Population: 33,089

• 5 yr. population change: +28.3%

• Median household income: $76,925

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.2%

West Fargo, which borders North Dakota's largest city of Fargo, provides residents with access to a wide range of jobs in the city, and many of them are high paying. The median annual household income in West Fargo is nearly $77,000, and after factoring in the area's low cost of living, the median income is equivalent to over $88,000.

Like many other North Dakota cities, the number of jobs available to West Fargo residents is skyrocketing. From 2012 to 2017, the employed population grew by 23.5%, as compared to a 6.1% increase nationwide.

10. Le Mars, Iowa

• Population: 9,861

• 5 yr. population change: +1.0%

• Median household income: $58,063

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.0%

Le Mars, Iowa, is among the most affordable cities in the United States. Goods and services in the city cost about 15% less on average than they do nationwide. So although the median household income that is slightly above the comparable U.S. median, Le Mars residents have more purchasing power than those in most other U.S. cities.

The city also has its share of attractions. Home to a Blue Bunny ice cream manufacturing plant, Le Mars churns out more ice cream from a single city than any other company, earning the nickname "The Ice Cream Capital of the World."

9. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

• Population: 14,099

• 5 yr. population change: +0.3%

• Median household income: $111,069

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.5%

Whitefish Bay, a village close to Milwaukee along the shore of Lake Michigan, ranks as the best place to live in Wisconsin. The high quality of life in Whitefish Bay is partially the result of a strong job market. The area's average unemployment rate over the last five years is just 1.5% – less than half the comparable nationwide rate of 4.1%.

Whitefish Bay is also one of the safest communities in the country, with a violent crime rate of just 36 incidents per 100,000 people. For reference, there were 383 violent crimes per 100,000 people nationwide in 2017.

8. Hanover, New Hampshire

• Population: 8,495

• 5 yr. population change: -1.3%

• Median household income: $97,422

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.2%

Hanover has numerous advantages over other places in New Hampshire and the country as a whole. Its median household income of $97,422 is nearly $40,000 higher than the U.S. median. Hanover is also the best educated place in the country as 81.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree.

With a population of 8,495, Hanover is a smaller city. As such, many residents are able to walk to and from work. Walking not only provides numerous health benefits, but it also helps decrease road traffic and reduce pollution. Nearly 38% of Hanover residents commute by walking – one of the highest shares among U.S. cities.

7. Ladue, Missouri

• Population: 8,591

• 5 yr. population change: +0.8%

• Median household income: $203,250

• Five-year unemployment rate: 0.7%

One of the wealthiest cities in Missouri, Ladue's median household income of $203,250 a year is almost quadruple the national median income of $57,652. Not only is Ladue a wealthy city, but it is also inexpensive. Goods and services are 11% cheaper on average in Ladue than they are typically nationwide.

With easy access to jobs in nearby St. Louis, Ladue residents who want a job generally have no trouble finding one. Over the last five years, unemployment stood at just 1.8% in the city, a fraction of the national rate of 4.1%. In addition to cultural attractions and entertainment venues in St. Louis, Ladue residents enjoy a greater than typical concentration of restaurants, fitness and recreation centers, and movie theaters within their own city limits.

6. University Park, Texas

• Population: 24,692

• 5 yr. population change: +6.2%

• Median household income: $211,741

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.8%

University Park is a college town – home to Southern Methodist University – in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Nearly everyone in the city who wants a job can get one, as the city's 1.8% unemployment rate is less than half the comparable 4.1% national rate. University Park is also a safe city with only 44 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people in 2017, compared to the U.S. violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

Like many other American college towns, University Park boasts a wide range of amenities and cultural and entertainment options. There is a greater than typical concentration of restaurants, gyms, and movie theaters per capita in the city.

5. Grove City, Pennsylvania

• Population: 8,123

• 5 yr. population change: -1.9%

• Median household income: $46,792

• Five-year unemployment rate: 0.9%

Grove City, Pennsylvania, is a small borough of roughly 8,100 people in the western part of the state. The borough is one of the most affordable places to live in the country, with goods and services costing about 80% of average prices across the country. Unemployment in the borough is one of the lowest in the country, with a five-year average of 0.9%, compared to the national five-year unemployment rate of 4.1%.

4. Montecito, California

• Population: 8,984

• 5 yr. population change: +5.2%

• Median household income: $146,250

• Five-year unemployment rate: 4.1%

Americans with a college degree tend to lead healthier lives, have higher incomes, and be more steadily employed than their peers with less education. In Montecito, 71.8% of adults have a bachelor's degree, compared to 30.9% of adults nationwide. Montecito, an unincorporated community just east of Santa Barbara, has a median household income nearly triple the national figure and a poverty rate of 8.0%, which is just over half the national rate.

3. Pella, Iowa

• Population: 10,243

• 5 yr. population change: -1.2%

• Median household income: $64,527

• Five-year unemployment rate: 2.4%

Pella which can be found southeast of Des Moines near Lake Red Rock, ranks as the best city to live in Iowa and one of the best in the country. The city has an annual violent crime rate of 186 incidents per 100,000 people, less than half the national violent crime rate of 383 incidents per 100,000 people. The property crime rate in Pella is also low.

The typical household income in Pella is about $6,800 higher than the national median household income, and the cost of living is quite low. Adjusting for the cost of living, the typical household in Pella earns about $20,000 more than the typical American household.

2. Beverly Hills, California

• Population: 34,506

• 5 yr. population change: +0.9%

• Median household income: $103,698

• Five-year unemployment rate: 3.5%

Beverly Hills is synonymous with glitz, glamour, and wealth. It has inspired movies, TV shows, and songs about what a great place it is, so it should come as no surprise the city ranks as the second best place to live in America. The Southern California city is wealthy and highly educated. More than 62% of residents 25 and older have at least a bachelor's degree, and the median annual household income is over $103,000. Nationwide, about half of adults have a bachelor's degree, and the median income is just over $57,000.

The economy of Beverly Hills caters to people with plenty of disposable income. The city has several times more movie theaters, museums, rec centers, hotels, and restaurants per capita than the typical American city.

On the decline:Atlantic City, New Jersey among the US cities losing the most jobs

1. West University Place, Texas

• Population: 15,477

• 5 yr. population change: +4.1%

• Median household income: $243,226

• Five-year unemployment rate: 1.4%

A wealthy suburb of Houston, West University Place ranks as the best city to live in Texas and the United States. A wealthy city, the median household income of over $243,000 a year is over four times the national median. A dollar also goes far in the city as goods and services are about 5% less expensive than they are nationwide on average. In addition to entertainment and culture in nearby Houston, West University Place has a far greater concentration of restaurants, bars, fitness centers, museums and theatre companies than is typical nationwide.

West University is also a safe city with a strong job market. The city's violent crime rate of 64 incidents for every 100,000 people is among the lowest in the nation, as is the five-year average unemployment rate of 2.7%.

Methodology

To identify the best cities to live in, 24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of 25 measures that fall into one of four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life, and community.

In the affordability category, the ratio of the median home value to the median income was given full weight. More affordable cities were ranked higher. Cost of living, as determined by the average cost of goods and services in an area relative to average prices across the nation as a whole, was given a full weight. Property taxes are largely levied at the local level, and cities where residents pay more property taxes as a percentage of their home value were penalized. Property taxes were given a one-quarter weighting.

In the economy category, the unemployment rate was also given a full weight. We used five-year average unemployment due to lack of comparable annual data at local levels. Five-year employment growth and the share of the total working-age population with a job were each given a half weight, favoring areas with greater employment and growing job opportunities.

In the quality of life category, the poverty rate was given a full weight, penalizing cities where poverty is more common. The share of the population that struggles to put food on the table due to distance from a grocery store, known as the food insecurity rate, was given full weight. A city’s mortality rate, calculated as the number of people who died while in hospital care per hospital by city, was also given full weight. In cases where city-level data was not available, mortality rates were imputed from county level data.

The drug overdose mortality rate was given a one-quarter weighting, as was the hospital readmission rate, or the share of those released from the hospital who were readmitted within 30 days. Distance from the center of the city to the nearest hospital was given full weight.

The number of hospitalizations that would have been prevented by regularly-scheduled doctor visits for every 1,000 Medicare enrollees – known as the preventable hospitalization rate – was given half weighting.

Measures used in the community category included the average travel time to work, which was given full weight. The violent crime rate – the total number of rapes, robberies, murders, and aggravated assaults adjusted per 100,000 residents per year– was given full weight. So, too, was the property crime rate, which is the total number of burglaries, larcenies, motor vehicle thefts, and incidents of arson per 100,000 residents per year.

The share of commuters either walking, cycling, or taking public transit to work was given half weight. The total number of restaurants, bars, museums, theater companies, movie theaters, libraries, and parks per capita were each given a one-quarter weighting.

To avoid geographic clustering, we only took the top-ranking city in a given county. Our list includes cities, towns, villages, boroughs, and Census designated places. We did not include places with fewer than 8,000 residents in our analysis.

Median household income, median home value, average travel time to work, poverty rate, population, employment-to-population ratio, median property taxes paid, and average unemployment rate are all five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey for the 2013-2017 period. Overall cost of living is for 2014 and comes from data analysis and aggregation company ATTOM Data Solutions.

The population-adjusted number of entertainment and cultural venues like restaurants and museums comes from the Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns data set, and is for 2016.

Violent and property crime rates are from the FBI’s 2017 Uniform Crime Report. Drug overdose mortality rates are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are for the years 2014 to 2016. Mortality rates and hospital readmission rates are from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and are as of June 2015. Preventable hospitalizations are from the latest release of County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.