In today’s edition of Squirrel News, we’re talking about Montana’s decision to make its mobile mental health response pilot permanent, a prison in North Carolina that rejects traditional approaches to confinement, and how Sweden is taking back parking spots in order to improve public spaces for pedestrians and cyclists.
A mobile mental health service is helping to de-escalate emergencies in Montana
Missoula’s Mobile Support Team – a collaboration between the fire department and Partnership Health Center – began as a pilot programme in 2020, and is now a permanent crisis response fixture.
Prison with no fence helps women readjust to life in the community before their release
The Center for Women in North Carolina serves up to 30 incarcerated women at a time, using a trust-based work-release programme to prepare inmates for success outside the prison.
How Sweden is taking back parking spaces to improve urban living
An experiment with the “one-minute city” gives priority to pedestrians and cyclists as part of a government project called Street Moves, which aims to investigate what happens when cars are displaced.
US tech startup plans electric vehicle battery swapping service
Ample hopes to address some of the sustainability concerns regarding battery longevity in electric cars, with a focus on taxis and ride-sharing vehicles.
With a growing number of multi-family living spaces being built in recent years, noise is becoming an increasingly prominent problem – but a new Swedish-designed screw might be able to help.
Tempe’s police de-escalation class is changing officer behaviour for the better
A study conducted by Arizona State University stated that the new training methods resulted in changes in body language, rapport, and even how often tickets were issued.
Sri Lanka establishes a managed elephant reserve to reduce human-animal conflict
The protected area in the southern district of Hambantota aims to keep humans and elephants out of each other’s way, following protests led by villagers.
