In today’s edition of Squirrel News, a bill to preserve the character of communities gives locals in England first dibs to buy important spots like pubs and shops, cities are leading the charge on climate action ahead of nations, and a school counsellor in Maine offers the choice of a rigorous nature hike to kids with detention.
Communities in England get right of first refusal on community assets
Under the new English Devolution Bill, community groups will have more power to purchase assets of local value like pubs, shops, and social hubs. The bill is intended to support local economies, give locals more of a voice in what is important to them, and preserve local businesses that would be vulnerable to developers.
More so than nations, cities are taking the lead in climate action, says report
A global network of nearly 100 mayors prioritising climate has published a report showing that cities and local governments are going above and beyond nations in fighting the climate crisis. From electrifying public transport and making communities more walkable and bikeable to tree planting and urban gardening, cities around the world are creating solutions.
“Dutch-style” safer intersections protect US cyclists and pedestrians
Intersections can be particularly dangerous spots for bicycle riders and pedestrians. More and more US cities have been converting accident-prone crossings to a type of intersection in common use in the Netherlands, one with unique features that make cyclists and pedestrians more protected and visible and that make the crossing safer for everybody.
Study shows emergency vaccines cut deaths in developing countries by 60%
Funded by vaccine alliance Gavi, and published in the British Medical Journal, the study looked at the impact of vaccine rollouts in response to disease outbreaks in 210 low- and middle-income countries. Five major diseases were included: measles, yellow fever, Ebola, meningococcal meningitis, and cholera.
New IVF 3-person technique prevents genetic diseases that run in families
Newcastle University scientists report having saved eight families from passing on devastating genetic diseases via a new in vitro fertilisation method where the nucleus and extracted pieces of the mother’s egg, as well as the nucleus of the father’s sperm, are transplanted into an anonymous donor egg from a third person.
New ways to reanimate hearts for transplant could make more available
Two new strategies have been developed to reanimate heart tissue that could both preserve the heart and avoid ethical controversy. If approved, they would greatly expand the number of hearts available for transplant.
Illinois keeps LGBTQ+ suicide 988 lifeline and opens it for everyone
In 2022, the national suicide crisis hotline added an option providing mental health crisis counselling for members of the wider queer community. As that programme loses federal funding, Illinois has vowed to keep it going, expanding it even, with measures like training LGBTQ+ counsellors. The state invites anyone who needs it to use their crisis line.
1,000 dogs volunteer to sniff out invasive species in ‘canine-citizen’ study
Virginia Tech conducted a first-of-its-kind experiment to see if citizen dog-handler teams could rank with professional conservation dogs in successfully detecting the hard-to-find eggs of the destructive and invasive spotted lanternfly. The dogs performed extremely well in controlled settings and still considerably better than humans in the field.
Nonprofit brings people together to share stories across deep divides
At a time of intense political division, when Americans report trusting their neighbours less, Civity is providing workshops for people to meet and build trust by sharing their personal stories. PBS’s Judy Woodruff visits one offered by a Rhode Island leadership group.
Instead of detention, kids at one Maine school can opt to take a hike
At Morse High School in Bath, ME, a counsellor offers the option of an hours-long nature hike to kids who have been assigned to detention. She brings along her skills as a listener if any want to open up about their problems. Expending that energy outdoors can feel like the lesser punishment, but it takes work and time, and some students report it helps their mental health.
