By Laura Smith, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski described efforts to provide nation-wide broadband as a major infrastructure challenge and outlined some of the economic benefits the plan could provide.

“If you want to find a job in any Fortune 500 companies in this country, you have to go online. Well what does that mean for the country right now in this economic community? We need to find ways to get everyone online,” Genachowski said Tuesday during remarks made at an event for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

Genachowski added that in addition to the role broadband can play in increasing opportunity for employers, broadband can also aid in reducing government costs by encouraging agencies to place more of its services online.

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Today in a press conference Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) thanked actor Brad Pitt for his work and dedication to the people of New Orleans with his “Make it Right”foundation. The foundation’s mission is: “it is to be a catalyst for redevelopment of the Lower 9th Ward, by building a neighborhood comprised of safe and healthy homes that are inspired by Cradle to Cradle thinking, with an emphasis on a high quality of design, while preserving the spirit of the community’s culture. The goal is to accomplish this quickly, so that the first residents can begin returning to their homes as soon as possible.”

During his speech to the World Bank about “Building Better Cities,” New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg answers a question about how the police force in New York City has been so successful at reducing crime. We have tried to allocate the police department to problem places with problem people, he says, instead of putting them “where people scream the loudest.” He says that the police department reflects the community in respect to demographics. That is “key,” because it is critically important that people feel “the police officer understands you.” It’s a two way dialogue, he says, and without that, crime fighting is not effective. (1:30)

 

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