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Miami-Dade commissioners discuss long-delayed mental health facility, but still not on agenda for a vote
More than two decades after voters approved funding for a mental health facility, Miami-Dade County leaders are still debating when — or how — it will finally open.
Deschutes County Commission races bring in over $1M in fundraising
Candidates raise over $1 million in bid for four Deschutes County commission seats after voters expanded the board in 2024.
Allegheny County Board of Health to vote on paid parental leave
Hundreds of thousands of workers in Allegheny County may soon be eligible for paid parental leave — depending on a vote Wednesday evening at the...
Family-run business to hold grand reopening at former Bon-Ton location
A new tenant will soon breathe new life into a former department store in upper Bucks County.
World-famous Los Angeles Thai restaurant temporarily closed by health department
A Los Angeles Thai restaurant honored in the Michelin Guide and frequented by celebrities temporarily closed its doors after county health inspectors cited it for health code violations. Jitlada, a…
3 new cases of measles reported in Lancaster County
Lancaster County has three new cases of measles, the state Department of Health announced today. Additionally, the department reported a new measles case in Berks County – the first for
Bomb threat under investigation at Augusta Health
The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a bomb threat at Augusta Health on Wednesday. This comes after ACSO’s response to a bomb threat investigation at Buffalo Gap High School earlier Wednesday afternoon.
Albany County Legislature approves tax on short-term rentals
Legislators approved a new “AirBnb Tax” this week.
Oklahoma breaks ground on $1B-plus entertainment district, new arena
Leaders from OU, Norman and Cleveland County on Tuesday broke ground on the Rock Creek Entertainment District, a more than $1B planned development in North Norman that includes a new arena for the Univ. of Oklahoma men’s and women’s basketball and women’s gymnastics.
Exclusive: First look inside Loudoun’s new Pinstack entertainment center
A huge new entertainment venue with bowling, video games, bumper cars, laser tag and more is getting ready to open in Loudoun County and The Burn got a sneak preview tour of the facility. We're, of course, talking about Pinstack which is in the final phases of construction at the Kincora center off Russell Branch
DOH-Orange Observes National Stroke Awareness Month - Florida Department of Health in Orange County
Orlando, Fla.— The Florida Department of Health in Orange County (DOH-Orange) recognizes National Stroke Awareness Month, an observance that highlights the
Clackamas County Launches New Tourism Business Grant Program
Clackamas County is investing in its tourism economy by launching a new, one-time Tourism Business Grant Program. Applications are open May 14 through June 18.
Leon County minority business program faces end under anti-DEI law
Leon County commissioners are forced to dismantle their minority business program due to a new state anti-DEI law.
Pipe replaced, more businesses reopen after massive Oakland County water main break
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Tourism saw growth in ’25 despite tariff, immigration concerns; farmers fear fertilizer, fuel hikes as growing season kicks off
A fifth consecutive year of growth for area tourism and the impact of the war in Iran on Santa Cruz County agriculture lead off Jessica M. Pasko's weekly survey of local business.
9 events in Lancaster County this weekend, from ArtWalk to the Mountville Days Carnival
Whether the perfect weekend looks like trying samples of beer from local breweries or enjoying a rhubarb-themed festival, there's plenty of options in Lancaster County this weekend.
Oakland County businesses working to move forward amid water main break repairs
Being a small business owner comes with its own challenges, and when you add a pipe burst to the mix, Lake Orion Coffee Shop owner Charlie McClenaghan says you never really know how to prepare.
Oakland County business moving forward amid water main break repairs
Angry crowd demands County Council president's resignation
A week before facing voters in a contested Democratic primary for a state House seat, Allegheny County Council President Patrick Catena is confronting...
Decades after voter approval, Miami mental health center still not open
It has been more than 20 years since Miami-Dade County voters approved funding for a facility intended to help people living with mental illness. Yet today, the $51 million Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery remains unopened despite being fully constructed and ready for use.
County health officials urge complete JYNNEOS vaccine series for Mpox protection
San Diego County public health officials Tuesday urged people at greater risk for mpox to get both doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine as cases rise statewide, including reports of the more severe Clade I strain.
OU, city officials break ground on Rock Creek Entertainment District
OU, Norman and county officials broke ground Tuesday at the future site of the Rock Creek Entertainment District in University North Park.
South County Senior Expo offers resources and entertainment for ages 50+ on May 13
Santa Cruz County business filings: Week of May 12
Businesses operating in Santa Cruz County must register with the county clerk. Lookout Santa Cruz reviews the public filings from local businesses to report on new businesses starting in the area.
Health department reminds of kratom risks following Marquette County overdose death
Marquette County has recently experienced an overdose death associated with the use of kratom derivative products that are available for legal retail sale.
Chicago firm pays $91M for Kane County apartments in latest high-dollar deal
The deal is one of the largest in the suburbs so far this year following a $102 million sale in Orland Ridge and a $110 million deal in Crest Hill.
Growing group of Sonoma County small businesses hit by website-based discrimination claims
One plaintiff is linked to hundreds of lawsuits against Bay Area companies claiming their websites discriminate against him as a visually impaired person. The cases filed on his behalf share in common a Southern California law firm behind…
Gov. Bill Lee
Had a great time meeting with business & community leaders at the Cocke County Courthouse & Newport Printing on our America 250 tour. 🇺🇸
Scientists discover a weak spot shared by polio and common cold viruses
Scientists at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, have uncovered a crucial trick used by enteroviruses—the group behind diseases like polio, myocarditis, encephalitis, and even the common cold—to reproduce inside human cells. The team captured, in unprecedented detail, how viral RNA recruits both viral and human proteins to assemble the machinery needed for replication, acting almost like a molecular “on-off switch” that controls whether the virus copies itself or makes proteins.
Rats, other vermin spark notable restaurant closures by L.A. health department
A review of L.A. County records by The Times tallied more than 120 vermin citations issued to food facilities in the region in 2026, with 67 — the majority — of these occurring in April alone.
UToledo Health Hosts Annual ‘Click it or Ticket’ Kickoff for Lucas County
UTMC staff joined Ohio Highway Patrol and elected officials to kick off the 2026 road safety campaign.
Oakland County water main break causes business closures
Most people could understand restaurants that require water for cooking and cleaning needed to be closed – but it was harder to understand why retail stores, and a music shop would have to be closed.
Polis meets with Mesa County business leaders on economic development
Governor discusses federal opportunity zone program during Grand Junction visit
Wake County Public Health to offer back-to-school vaccine clinics this summer
While the current school year is winding down, Wake County Public Health is already working to make it easy for families to check a critical task off their list for next year – getting their child's required vaccinations. The County is hosting monthly vaccine clinics to help students get the immunizations they need as they head back to class in the fall.
Businesses offer events, special deals ahead of Preakness
Anne Arundel County businesses are embracing the Preakness Stakes with themed events and specials as Laurel Park prepares to host the race.
Sacramento County resident may have been exposed to hantavirus on a plane, health official says
A resident from Sacramento County is being monitored at home after being briefly exposed to a person on a plane in South Africa who later died of Andes hantavirus, California’s top public health official said on Monday.
What do you think of political gerrymandering?
The redistricting of Tennessee carves out the northwest corner of Montgomery County and puts it in the same District 5 as Memphis. What do you think?
New community mental health center planned for Montpelier
Washington County Mental Health Services plans to consolidate services, offering crisis care, intensive treatment and outpatient therapy.
Water main break forces Oakland County businesses to close during busy weekend
A water main break forced businesses along South Broadway in Lake Orion Township to close during one of their busiest weekends, costing some owners thousands of dollars in lost sales and canceled reservations.
Several Local Businesses Named the 2026 Crowns of Enterprise Winners
The Crowns of Enterprise Awards honor the hard work of small businesses and their economic impact for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. 2026 marks the 15th year of the Crowns of Enterprise Awards, which are presented annually by the the City of Charlotte’s Charlotte Business INClusion program and Mecklenburg County Office of Economic Development’s Business Diversity and Inclusion division.
Seattle small business owners devastated by break-ins as commercial burglary cases flood King County courts
Several defendants faced arraignment in King County court Monday on commercial burglary charges, cases that prosecutors said illustrate an ongoing problem devastating small business owners.
Music festival to benefit community action groups
The Bad Beaver Music Festival will take place at Bad Beaver Farm in Ellsworth on Saturday, May 23, from 4-8 p.m. The festival benefits Acadia Action and Hancock County Activists.
Jefferson County health officials report troubling rise in drug overdose deaths in 2026
A sharp rise in drug-related overdose deaths in Jefferson County has health officials urging residents to take precautions and seek help, as the county’s 2026 t
UNC Health plans new community hospital in Wilmington
UNC Health announced plans to build a new community hospital in New Hanover County, pending state regulatory approval.
UNC Health plans Wilmington hospital
UNC Health plans to create a community hospital on a 62-acre proposed site in New Hanover County, pending regulatory approvals, according to an announcement Monday morning. “Planned for the southeast corner of South 17th Street and Shipyard Boulevard, the site was selected for its accessibility and its geographic infill capacity in serving a rapidly growing region,” according to the release. “This project marks a significant step forward in UNC Health’s commitment to improving access to primary care and specialty care closer to home.” Officials said the proposed hospital would offer a range of specialties, including emergency care, cardiology, oncology, OBGYN and more. While the not-for-profit, state-owned health system’s officials are planning the hospital, the proposal still requires state approval through North Carolina’s certificate of need (CON) process before it can become a reality. UNC Health is targeting an opening date of 2030, the release stated, and “will continue to engage openly with local community leaders and residents and share updates as plans evolve and progress is made towards achieving CON approval.” The state’s CON law requires healthcare providers to obtain a CON from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services before developing or offering what the department’s website dubs “a new institutional health service.” The term encompasses a wide range of facilities, including hospitals. The news of UNC Health’s Wilmington plans follows the recent addition of Ernie Bovio to UNC Health. Bovio, who had served as president of the Novant Health Coastal Region since 2024, became regional president of UNC Health’s Southeast Coastal Region in April. “This is an important first step in our commitment to ensuring that families in Wilmington and the surrounding areas have access to the high-quality, compassionate care they deserve – right here at home,” Bovio stated in the release. “As I’ve listened to my own neighbors and community members across the region, I’ve heard a clear message: Wilmington is ready for more choice in healthcare – and UNC Health is ready to deliver it.” According to the release, Wilmington Health – one of the largest independent, physician-owned practices in Southeastern North Carolina – also supports the project, and its providers are expected to participate on the medical staff of the new facility. “Wilmington Health has served this community for more than 50 years, and we know firsthand that our patients are interested in choice,” stated Jeff James, CEO of Wilmington Health, in the release. “We strongly support UNC Health’s plan to bring a new community hospital to our region – closing critical gaps in specialty care and ensuring families across our region have options to access the services they need, right here at home.”
Bar, motel, farmland, towers: See 30 latest business, apartment, land sales ($151 to $39.8M)
See a list of property sales in Onondaga County other than residential homes.
Shelby County was split into 3 Congressional districts. How we got here
With the redistricting, state Sen. Brent Taylor, a Republican, announced he would run for the new District 9 seat.
Monroe County CTC health science students respond to mock tornado
Monroe County Career and Technical Center health science students collaborated with first responders April 30 through a mock disaster drill involving a tornado, giving them real-world experience for future careers.
New Haven County business openings add retail and restaurants
New Haven County business openings include new clothing stores and two Cheshire restaurants.
Family-Owned Business Awards 2026 - Orange County Business Journal
Join us in celebrating the strength, resilience, and legacy of 50 local family-owned businesses at the 26th Annual Family-Owned Business Awards.
Drilling error costs Mille Lacs County company its business
A small-town bar in Bock has closed after its owners said a drilling project damaged its sewer pipes, and no one has taken responsibility.
Sen. Joni Ernst presents Small Business Award to Boone River Financial Friday
In celebration of National Small Business Week, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, presented an official document on Friday to Webster City’s Boone River Financial. Owned by Andy Hejlik and his wife Tami, the document recognized their business as Hamilton County’s Small Business of the Week. “This is an official document of the United States Senate,” […]
Lake Orion businesses face financial strain from Oakland County water main break
Oakland County businesses scramble to adjust amid water main break
Gwinnett County sheriff's office hosts mental health awareness fair to connect residents with local resources
The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office held its 5th annual Community Mental Health Awareness Fair in Lawrenceville, bringing together dozens of organizations focused on counseling, housing, wellness and crisis support services.
Geek Out Napa Valley returns to celebrate ‘creativity and fandom’
Whether it be Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, DC, music, crafts, “Dungeons & Dragons” or something else entirely, the Napa County Library can help people celebrate. Geek Out Napa Valley is simply an extension of what the library has to offer.
MN politics: HCMC funding still in question as legislative session winds down | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
With only a week left in the Minnesota legislative session, congressional candidates are securing endorsements ahead of the elections in November. But the issue of funding Hennepin County Medical Center still remains, with the House and Senate offering very different solutions. Political analyst Blois Olson spoke to FOX 9's Leah Beno on the details.
Thousands drop Medi-Cal in Ventura County. Here's what it means
Enrollment in the Medi-Cal insurance program is falling in Ventura County and the decline is expected to continue.
California must stop treating fraud as the cost of doing business
Orange County learned what happens when oversight is weakened.
Laramie County health and food inspections (5/1/26–5/7/26)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department inspects restaurants, bars, convenience stores, delis, grocery stores, bed and breakfasts
Natrona County health and food inspections (5/1/26–5/7/26)
CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper-Natrona County Health Department inspects restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, mobile food units, commissaries and
Chicago Teachers Union wants $8.5 million dues hike to fund politics
“Has your brand become toxic?” This was a pointed question from WGN Political Editor Tahman Bradley, posed to Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates in a recent interview. Her immediate response: “I don’t understand the question.” When pressed, Gates added, “The Chicago Teachers Union is not a political party, it is a labor union.” But internal union documents show CTU leadership is trying to skim $8.5 million more from teacher paychecks explicitly for politics, while trying to silence union members critical of Gates’ leadership. Under the proposed dues hike, Chicago teachers would see up to $800 more per year flow from their paychecks to union coffers. The union already takes in more than $40 million a year, mostly from dues. And it spends less than 18 cents of every dollar on teacher representation. The No. 1 reason for the proposed dues hike? Politics. “We must win a majority of the first 21 person fully elected school board in November,” reads the first point in CTU’s member FAQ document.1 This directly contradicts CTU’s promise to members about how leadership uses dues money. The official CTU handbook tells members that the union does not use dues money for politics, so if they are interested in funding political activity, they should consider voluntary donations to CTU’s political action committee. “Our dues are not used for political purposes,” according to the handbook. “So our PAC relies on extra contributions from our members to support progressive candidates and to impact elected officials at the city, county and state levels.” This kind of double-speak is one reason members are concerned about another constitutional change slipped into the dues hike vote, which will take place on May 20-21: an attempt to stop members from holding the union accountable. A proposed amendment to the union constitution tries to place limits on when members may bring a lawsuit against the union for violating members’ rights.2 This provision is clearly a response to members’ lawsuit against union leadership regarding Gates’ years-long refusal to publish audited financial statements. The judge in that case has repeatedly denied the union’s attempts to dismiss it. Teachers opposed to these changes have been circulating this flier, urging members to vote no. What will CTU members get in return for millions of dollars in additional dues? If the 2024 school board elections are any indication—not much. CTU leadership’s record on school board races may not inspire confidence among members. A Chicago Policy Center analysis of a dozen affiliated PACs found CTU spent nearly $2.9 million on school board races in 2024. Of that spending, more than $2.1 million (75%) went to losing candidates. And while CTU-backed candidates lost six of the nine competitive seats overall, they fared worse in their biggest-spending races, losing five of six contests in which the union and its affiliates put up more than $250,000 for their candidate. The Chicago school board elections take place Nov. 3.3 Is another $8.5 million enough to clean up a toxic reputation? Not likely. Update on federal tax credit scholarship: Last week, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she plans to opt into the federal tax credit scholarship program. If Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker follows suit, Illinois could unlock $1 billion in donor money statewide for both public- and private-school students. If Illinois does not opt in, that money will flow to other states. The Last Ward reported in February on how Illinois Democrats could unlock at least $100 million in new resources for Chicago public-school students by opting in. Update on the investigation into how Chicagoans learned about a meeting to hike their property taxes: The Last Ward reported in January on an absurd, taxpayer-funded investigation into how local media learned of a planned Chicago school board meeting to hike the district’s property tax levy. That investigation is now complete. Lawyers interviewed two dozen witnesses, and found nothing. Update on Illinois’ muni debt crisis: My colleague Joe Tabor last week published a must-read piece in Crain’s Chicago Business about how Illinois recently rejected south suburban Harvey’s request to be designated a “distressed city.” The saga shows why the state must implement a better structure to assist insolvent local governments, including allowing for the option to pursue debt relief via Chapter 9 bankruptcy. The Last Ward reported in October on how Harvey is tipping the first domino in Illinois’ municipal debt crisis. Mincing Rascals: I joined the Mincing Rascals podcast to discuss the SAFE-T Act, the millionaires tax, and more. My “green light” recommendation: Force Majeure (2014). 1 Notably, the No. 2 reason cited is “resources to fund a state-wide millionaires tax campaign in order to fully fund the state’s school funding formula.” The constitutional amendment necessary to implement a progressive income tax in Illinois recently died in the Illinois House, meaning this question would not appear on the ballot until 2028 at the earliest. 2 There is seemingly no single-subject rule for CTU constitutional amendments. So members only get one vote on the full package. One cannot vote “yes” on the dues hike and “no” on the restriction of members’ rights, for example. 3 Illinois law grants far too much power over local government to unelected officials like Gates. State lawmakers should fix that.
Santa Clara Co. resident was aboard cruise ship affected by Andes hantavirus outbreak: officials
A Santa Clara County resident was one of two Californians aboard the cruise ship with the Andes hantavirus outbreak. The county is monitoring and evaluating the person in coordination with the California Department of Public Health and the CDC.
Business fire in Vilas county
Emergency responders found a pile of wood burning behind a building had spread fire to a business.
Harmer and Porter help Essex to parity with Hants
Simon Harmer and Jamie Porter eke out an unlikely first-innings lead for Essex in the County Championship against Hampshire at Chelmsford.
Orange County restaurants shut down by health inspectors (April 30-May 7)
There were seven restaurants and food establishments ordered closed by Orange County inspectors from April 30 to May 7.
Students compete in annual Elementary Science Olympiad
Elementary students across Campbell County put their scientific minds to the test Wednesday.
Colorado Politics Calendar May 11-17
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Turlock's Science Olympians
The Walnut Elementary Green Science Olympiad team took third place at the 28th annual event, sponsored by the Stanislaus County Office of Education and held at the Turlock school site. Hickman Charter took first place and Fremont Open Plan took home second.
These Monroe County businesses were honored for Small Business Week
Three Monroe County honorees were recognized for innovation, growth, and community impact during Small Business Week.
Spring sports scores and highlights: May 7, 2026
Highlights feature the softball game between Petersburg at Pendleton County
Detroit's health woes don't daunt new director: 'We can do hard things'
Mayor Mary Sheffield recruited Ali Abazeed from Dearborn where he restarted the Wayne County community's public health department.
High school students get hands-on look at health care careers through UMA Medical Bootcamp - University of Maine at Augusta
Oxford County high school students learn about UMA’s health care programs during the second annual Medical Bootcamp, a hands-on career exploration event offered in partnership with Community Concepts through a Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities grant. High school students from Oxford County explored the future of health care through UMA’s…
$20.7M land deal forces businesses near Siesta Key out
Longtime businesses near Siesta Key are being forced out after Sarasota County approved a multi-million-dollar waterfront property purchase.
Oneida County State of the County address touches on housing efforts
He said a PILOT agreement will be voted on next week which would include a new tax exemption policy increasing the types of housing that can be incentivized.
Upstate county clerk talks passport revocations for parents owing child support
The U.S. Department of State announced it's strictly enforcing passport revocations for parents who own $2,500 in child support.
Back in business: St. Johns County food truck park reopens after commission vote
A St. Johns County property owner who fought back against a county administrative ruling won, and the food truck vendors who depend on the space are back to work as of Friday.
Austin Public Health confirms first Travis County measles case of 2026
Austin Public Health confirmed a measles case in Travis County, the first since 2025, involving an unvaccinated adult male who contracted the virus while travel
Public Health Nurse Awarded CMS School Nurse of the Year | Mecklenburg County News Releases
Mecklenburg County Public Health Nurse Caitlyn Mathis of Greenway Park Elementary School has been named Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Nurse of the Year for 2026. Nurse Mathis received the award at a surprise ceremony with Public Health leadership and CMS colleagues and students on May 6, National School Nurse Day.
Several in Valley honored for mental health work
Several in the Valley will be honored Friday at Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board’s annual mental health luncheon.
Bangor public health director reflects on HIV outbreak
Penobscot County has now logged 41 known cases of HIV, but there are likely more.
Dutchess County Department of Health Offers Community Drowning Prevention Seminars to Support Summer Swim Safety
With the summer swimming season quickly approaching, the Dutchess County Department of Health (DCDOH) is hosting a series of Drowning Prevention Seminars to raise awareness about how quickly identify a swimmer in distress.
Money for maternal health
The Dallas Foundation will invest $2 million toward improving pediatric and maternal health in underserved parts of Dallas County, the foundation announced this week.
Lancaster County public sales: May 8, 2026
Martin & Rutt Auctioneers LLC, of New Holland, conducted a public auction of real estate April 28 for Sarah Ann Landis at 616 Pearl St., Lancaster. A three-bedroom brick house
New medical center opens in east Collier County ending a health care desert
A new $15 million health center in Orangetree ends eastern Collier County's status as a health care desert for 41,000 residents.
Cole Kelly Named Emerging Business of the Year by Florida SBDC at FGCU
Cole Kelly Named Emerging Business of the Year by Florida SBDC at FGCU
In Dallas County, 17 years of lifespan can be a matter of ZIP code
Health disparities in Dallas County are complex, but the data shows where we must improve.
How did Meeka Owens oust a Hamilton County commissioner?
Hamilton County residents could have a new commissioner next year, in the first upset since Commission President Stephanie Summerow Dumas won in 2018.
2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club to bring "significant economic boost" to Delaware County
Governor Moore Installs Final Rail of the Purple Line, Visits Small Business During “Delivering for Maryland” Tour in Montgomery County
Governor Wes Moore today made the third stop on his statewide “Delivering for Maryland” tour in Montgomery County.
Taxpayers could foot the bill for millions in unpaid bills from insurer, Harris Health says
Harris Health has filed a federal lawsuit alleging one of its contracted insurance providers owes the public hospital system millions of dollars in unpaid medical claims, costs the county says could ultimately fall on taxpayers.
How Disneyland Remade American Politics
America is turning 250, and The Free Press is marking the occasion with a yearlong series of events, conversations, and stories celebrating our country’s history. Today, we’re taking a journey with historian Beverly Gage to Southern California. Beverly traded the archives for the open road for her new book, This Land is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History. We’re proud to publish an excerpt, on the theme park that shaped American politics—and the presidents who loved it. —The Editors On July 17, 1955, Ronald Reagan stood near a mocked-up wood-plank town in Anaheim, California, where a 13-star flag flew incongruously over an “Old West” landscape, and introduced the world to Disneyland. He had been invited by Walt Disney himself to co-host the park’s live ABC broadcast, alongside Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings—three Hollywood actors who seemed to embody a wholesome, all-American ethos. From the imagined past of Frontierland, the show leaped ahead to Tomorrowland, set in the far-off year of 1986, emphasizing the technical marvels yet to come: nuclear energy harnessed for civilian purposes, human beings riding rocket ships into space. Disney foretold great things for a 1980s in which the United States would serve as “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” But even he could not predict the most important political fact of the age: that his genial co-host would become president. Southern California was a strange place to build a park about the past, because the region at the time was all about newness and abundance and growth. For a lot of its history, Orange County had been Southern California’s version of flyover country: a vast agricultural expanse between two desirable places, Los Angeles and San Diego. But Disneyland was changing that. Before long, 50 miles south of deep-blue Hollywood, Orange County would become a region famed for its right-wing politics—but also for its mythmaking skills. Those two things, it turned out, went naturally together. ADVERTISEMENT The two presidents Southern California gave America both understood this instinctively. Richard Nixon and Reagan each built a national career on invoking a version of the American past in which the specificities of historical context mattered less than the big picture. For Nixon, progress meant proclaiming a “New American Revolution” on the eve of America’s bicentennial while dismantling the federal programs that had built the postwar middle class. For Reagan, it meant recapturing a lost optimism and an old-fashioned faith in America as an exceptional nation. Both men were less interested in history as it actually happened than in history as it felt—and Orange County, a place that had built itself almost entirely from scratch, turned out to be exactly where the myth of America’s future was getting made. I’m a historian—and historians tend to be myth-busters. With the country’s 250th birthday on the horizon, I figured it was a good time to step out of the ivory tower and check in with the past as it exists here and now, at the museums and monuments and roadside attractions where Americans go to learn about their history. After all my travels—to Davy Crockett’s Tennessee and Texas, to the real Erie Canal, to the birthplace of the American automobile and the actual Old West—I couldn’t miss out on Disneyland, the single most influential historic attraction in U.S. history.
Southern Door schools to cut teachers, sports after referendum fails
After voters turned down a referendum last month, the Southern Door County School District says it will make cuts.
Visit Fort Wayne forms sports commission to further tourism initiative
The commission will work with organizers across the county to “strengthen the overall tournament and event experience.”
The Politics Hour: D.C. police scandal & tax hikes in MoCo
WAMU's Alex Koma break down the D.C. police scandal over crime data, WAMU's MD reporter Jenny Abamu previews MD-5 Congressional race, and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich on why he wants a tax hike.
Best of Santa Cruz County entertainment, arts & food events this weekend, May 7-10
With the weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County with a recommendation from Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout's BOLO events calendar.