Undocumented Immigrants Have Big Impact on Idaho Agriculture; ‘City of Denver’ Instagram Identity?
Rexburg, Idaho farm.
Connecting state and local government leaders
Also in our State and Local Daily Digest: Changes to Ohio’s sex offender registry could be coming; San Francisco budget “rebalancing”; don’t feed New York City’s raccoons.
IMMIGRATION | About 43 percent of farm workers in Idaho are believed to be undocumented immigrants. This is leading some people to raise questions about how President-elect Donald Trump’s pledges to deport undocumented immigrants might affect the state’s agricultural sector. “If food prices go up because it can’t get harvested or processed by the existing workforce, then there’s going to be dramatic repercussions,” said a manager for a county-based temp agency for documented agricultural workers. [Idaho Statesman]
SOCIAL MEDIA | As of late last week, the government for the City and County of Denver, as Colorado’s capital city is officially known, remained unsure who was running a “city of Denver” Instagram account, which features images of the city’s skyline, historical photos and other pictures. "We haven’t asked them to give it up, since they had it first and they really do have fabulous content, but we’ve asked them not to use our website and logo," said Jenny Schiavone with the city’s marketing department. [KUSA / 9News]
PUBLIC SAFETY | Ohio lawmakers will consider granting judges more discretion in helping sex offenders get off the state registry, if they’re deemed low-risk for reoffending, as well as letting them live near schools. [The Toledo Blade]
BUDGETS | After city voters shot down a proposed sales tax increase that would have helped cover costs in areas like homeless services and municipal transit, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has pledged to complete a “rebalancing plan” for the city budget in the coming weeks. About 65 percent of voters rejected the tax hike. [San Francisco Examiner]
WILDLIFE | Raccoon watching in Manhattan’s Central Park has become something of a tourist attraction. On a recent night, 22 of the animals were spotted in one location on the southeastern edge of the park, near 59th Street. New York City’s parks department and state environmental conservation officials warn that the animals should not be fed. But people have been spotted giving them snacks like soft pretzels, chips and bagels. [The New York Times]
ELECTIONS | The mayor of Woodruff, South Carolina, Kenneth E. Gist, is formally protesting the results of an election in which he was defeated by 18 votes by challenger Brad Burnett. There were long waits at polling places in Spartanburg County on Election Day, due partly to a shortage of poll workers. Gist is asking that the county grant a new election. [The State]
FIRES | Lakeland, Minnesota’s controversial new city hall, which is still under construction, was razed in an overnight fire that is under investigation. [Star Tribune]
TRANSITIONS | Vice President-elect Mike Pence won’t let the office he’s assuming get in the way of wrapping up his term as Indiana’s governor, though he’ll admittedly be doing a lot of travel, saying: "I believe in finishing what you started.” [WDRB]
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