The Center for American Progress and National Journal recently released news of a new collaboration between both groups entitled The Next America, an initiative that seeks to explore the political, economic and social impacts of racial and cultural change. From this initiative both groups hope to produce polls, feature national and local events, publish magazine supplements, and a create a website. Already up and working, their website has published several articles on topics ranging from current political news to opinion pieces from guest voices. To explore The Next America and read the articles, click here.    

 

California Watch is featuring a series of maps looking at 4 unincorporated communities throughout the state of California, including Parklawn, Lanare, Matheny Tract, and Thermal. These communities are largely inhabited by Latinos and often lack the public services incorporated cities often take for granted, such as clean drinking water and streetlights. The maps outline unincorporated areas, and compare the communities' median household income to their respective counties. To see the maps and see the surprising income gaps, click here.    

 

The MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics found in a study that large numbers of young people are becoming more engaged in politics but seek help in navigating the multitude of sources available online. The study draws base from a national survey that questioned 3,000 people ages 15 to 25 from in early 2011 on how they use the Internet and social media and how they engage in politics. What they found was that a significant portion of the nation's youth population is taking part in "participatory politics" which can include activities like starting a political group online or forwarding political videos to friends. What was most surprising was that 84 percent of those surveyed believe they and their friends would benefit from learning more about how to tell if online information was trustworthy. To read more about the study and its implications, click here.

 

A Spare the Air Alert has been in effect as of Wednesday, July 11th for the Bay Area. During the summer months, the Air District issues Spare the Air alerts for days on which air quality reaches unhealthy levels.  During this time, residents are asked to cut back on any activities that cause pollution, and people who are sensitive to unhealthy air should limit their time outside. For the Bay Area, Spare the Air season generally runs from May through mid-October when several conditions combine to create a smoggy environment. To learn more about this alert and how to take action, click here.