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Today marks the beginning of a holiday celebration with African roots. The annual nonreligious observance of Kwanzaa means "first fruits of the harvest." Maulana "Ron" Karenga, professor of Africana Studies at California State University-Long Beach and an activist, created Kwanzaa to address economic and racial unrest in America in the 1960s, and groups in Indiana have held community-focused Kwanzaa events for almost 45 years. Nichelle Hayes, committee member for Indianapolis Kwanzaa, explained the observance is a chance to think about the entire year, not a year-end summary. . ....
Advocates are applauding the Washington, D.C., Public Service Commission s decision to pause a Washington Gas infrastructure rebuild known as Project Pipes. The project began in 2014 as a 40-year plan to replace all the District s aging natural gas infrastructure, at a projected cost to ratepayers of $4.5 billion. The project is nearing the end of Phase 2 but last Tuesday the commission voted to put a Washington Gas request for a $57 million extension of the phase on hold. . ....
A high-stakes global climate conference wrapped up this week, with a new agreement concerning fossil fuels in place. But it wasn t just elected leaders having talks - environmental justice advocates from Minnesota are reflecting on their participation. At the two-week-long Conference of the Parties (COP) 28 summit, some 200 countries agreed to a more aggressive push in phasing out energy sources like coal. . ....
Progress Iowa has released new information showing how billions of dollars of federal infrastructure investments have made a crucial difference in the state, especially in rural areas. A group of advocates met last week to discuss the investments. From farm programs to health-care access, and transportation infrastructure to broadband, the federal government has invested $7.8 billion in Iowa programs statewide. . ....
With the annual winter shopping season now in full swing, Wyoming s old town centers are seeing an uptick in visitors drawn to colorful light displays, roasted chestnut and hot chocolate carts, free horse-drawn carriage rides and one-of-a-kind gift options offered by local merchants. Jessica Seders, executive director of Gillette Main Street, said Wyoming s historic downtowns are a great way to get even the most committed Scrooges into the holiday spirit. "Gillette s downtown is full of historic buildings that could be found in an old western town," Seders explained. " . ....