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John C. Shepard, AICP

@jcshepard.com
162 followers 142 following 748 posts

Trusted source for actionable insights and visionary perspectives on community planning, economic development, & rural resilience. VC-Communications at APA Small Town & Rural Planning Division.

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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Kyle Clark @kylec.bsky.social · 12h
NEW: Dem Gov nominee Phil Weiser rolls out endorsements from current/former Colorado GOP officials. Noteworthy are fmr US Rep/Colorado GOP Chair Ken Buck, fmr AG Cynthia Coffman, and fmr House Speaker Russ George (big name on Western Slope)
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 18h
A wind turbine on the horizon is a land use decision on somebody's private property. Wind energy, wildlife, and rural zoning are interconnected concerns. I wrote about this last year... and this year... and last week.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Hansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
NEW: The Census Bureau says it plans to release new one-year estimates from the American Community Survey on Oct. 29. The release was delayed after the Trump administration’s banning of a data privacy protection technique that the bureau used for decades www.census.gov/newsroom/pre...
census.gov
Census Bureau Announces Release Dates, Webinars, and Embargo of 2025 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
The Census Bureau announces two webinars and the release date of the 2025 ACS 1-year estimates.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Flatwater Free Press @flatwaterfreep.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
New at Flatwater: As Medicaid reimbursement rates in Nebraska fail to match the rising costs of healthcare, it has put a squeeze on facilities that rely on the program. Two senior living centers are now closing, sending almost 100 people scrambling for a place to live. Read more 🔗 buff.ly/yOjWgrQ
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 19h
"A North Dakota judge ruled Friday that state rules on where infrastructure, such as pipelines, can be built do not automatically trump local zoning ordinances." Not a fan of state pre-emption of local #zoning. Also means we need to do better with local planning. www.agriculture.com/partners-sum...
agriculture.com
Summit Pipeline Ruling in North Dakota Called a Win for Local Control
A North Dakota judge ruled Friday that state rules on where infrastructure, such as pipelines, can be built do not automatically trump local zoning ordinances.
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 11/10/2026
The grocery store is six blocks away. But without a car, the sidewalk ends two blocks from home and the highway crossing has no safe place to wait. Nearby isn't the same as within reach. Part 2 of my October series on transportation and the comprehensive plan.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 11/10/2026
Serving in public office in the U.S. is dangerous. A new normal of violent threats is making it worse, dozens of elected officials told the New York Times. nyti.ms/4ydVlgU
A text card with the headline: "TIMES INVESTIGATION: Threats of Political Violence Have America's Elected Officials Living in Fear"
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 09/10/2026
#Rachel is expected to approach the coast of the northern Baja CA Peninsula and extreme Southern CA at tropical storm strength Saturday night. Tropical storm conditions are expected over portions of western Baja California, Mexico where Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect.
National Hurricane Center forecast for Tropical Storm Rachel, issued October 9, 2026, at 2 PM PDT. Rachel has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and is moving northeast at 7 mph. The storm is forecast to move northeast toward the Baja California Peninsula, then weaken while approaching southern California and Nevada over the weekend. Tropical storm warnings are indicated along portions of Baja California, with tropical storm watches along nearby coastal areas. The forecast cone represents the probable path of the storm's center, and hazardous conditions can occur outside the cone.Weather Prediction Center map showing flash flood risk across the Southwest. A Moderate Risk (red) covers portions of southeastern California near the Arizona border, south of Las Vegas. A broader Slight Risk (yellow) extends from southern California into southern Nevada, surrounded by a Marginal Risk (green) covering portions of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.Weather Prediction Center map showing an expanded flash flood risk across the Southwest. A Moderate Risk (red) stretches from southeastern California through southern Nevada, including Las Vegas. A broad Slight Risk (yellow) covers portions of southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, with a surrounding Marginal Risk (green) extending farther north and east.
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National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 09/10/2026
#Isaias 4pm CT update: A life-threatening storm surge is expected from the Mouth of the Mississippi River to Suwannee, Florida. Residents under evacuation orders should leave immediately and follow advice from local officials.
National Hurricane Center forecast for Hurricane Isaias, issued October 9, 2026, at 4 PM CDT. Isaias is a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, moving north at 17 mph. The storm is approaching the northern Gulf Coast, with landfall expected Friday evening near the Alabama-Florida border. Hurricane warnings cover portions of the northern Gulf Coast, while tropical storm warnings extend inland across Alabama and surrounding areas. The storm is forecast to weaken while moving north through Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky over the weekend. Hazardous conditions can occur outside the forecast cone.National Hurricane Center peak storm surge forecast for Hurricane Isaias, issued October 9, 2026. The highest surge of 6–9 feet above ground level is forecast along the Alabama and western Florida Panhandle coastline near Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Surge of 4–7 feet is forecast near Dauphin Island and eastward toward Indian Pass, Florida. Other coastal areas could experience 3–5 feet in southeastern Louisiana, 4–6 feet along portions of Florida's Big Bend, and 1–3 feet farther from the storm's center. Values represent potential water heights above normally dry ground.Weather Prediction Center map showing the greatest flash flood risk over the next three days from Hurricane Isaias, issued October 9, 2026. A Moderate Risk (at least 40%) extends along portions of the northern Gulf Coast from southern Alabama through the Florida Panhandle, with another Moderate Risk area extending from northern Georgia toward southeastern Tennessee. A broader Slight Risk (at least 15%) covers much of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and portions of northern Florida. Marginal Risk areas extend into surrounding states. Three smaller maps show the daily progression of flash flood risks through Monday morning.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 09/10/2026
Hurricane #Isaias is expected to make landfall on the Central Gulf Coast later today, bringing a threat of heavy rainfall and flash flooding to the region. Numerous instances of flash flooding are likely, some of which will be significant.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Wes Marshall @wesmars.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
In honor of #BannedBooksWeek, I'm happy to report that many state DOTs have refused to add my book to their own libraries (and happier to report that many of the same state DOTs have held secret book clubs with my book)
Cover of Killed by a Traffic Engineer with a BANNED stamp over it
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 08/10/2026
The sign says you're in town. The road says keep going. Roads connect places; streets serve them. Ask one piece of pavement to do both and you get a stroad: too fast to be a good street, too many driveways to be a good road.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Jay Hobgood @jayhobgood.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Former Tropical Storm Isaias strengthens to hurricane; max wind speed 80 mph (130 km/h); moving toward east-northeast at 9 mph (15 km/h); Hurricane Warning in effect for portion of coast from Ocean Springs, Mississippi to Bay County/Gulf County line in Florida.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 07/10/2026
Isaias is forecast to begin impacting the northern Gulf Coast by Friday afternoon with damaging winds, flooding rains, and deadly storm surge. TODAY is the time to make your preparations. www.noaa.gov/isaias
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 07/10/2026
When I worked in Pagosa Springs, for Archuleta County, Colorado, the night sky was one of the community's most valued assets, and it stays dark on purpose. My new short read for Small Towns, Real Ideas newsletter looks at dark-sky lighting as a planning tool for small towns.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
The Durango Herald @durangoherald.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
A natural gas pipeline exploded Tuesday afternoon sending 100-foot flames into the air in San Juan County, N.M., near the Colorado border.
bit.ly
Pipeline explodes, leads to wildfire near Colorado-New Mexico border
Los Pinos fire responds offering mutual aid to San Juan County, N.M.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
The Christian Science Monitor @csmonitor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
As tourism waned along Route 66, many motels closed. A New Mexico investor is renovating some of the old structures into apartments that can increase housing stock. #route66 #housing #tourism www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/...
csmonitor.com
In New Mexico, housing shortage finds a fix on Route 66: Renovated motels
As tourism waned along Route 66, many motels closed. A New Mexico investor is renovating some of the old structures into apartments that can increase hous…
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 06/10/2026
Wayne, Nebraska, adopts Streetscape Master Plan, facilitated by JEO Consulting, to overhaul Main Street, fix sidewalks, and elevate the area's overall aesthetics. The plan calls for adding placemaking features to make the downtown core more welcoming for visitors and residents.
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 04/10/2026
A highway can cross the city-limit line without ever becoming a town street. When the speed limit drops but the pavement still says “65 mph,” drivers keep moving. That affects safety, local businesses, walkability, & the first impression a community makes.
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 04/10/2026
A comprehensive plan is supposed to answer the hard questions before a development application arrives: * Where does growth belong? * What land and infrastructure should be protected? * Does zoning match the plan? * What will approval cost over time?
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
The Associated Press @apnews.com · 03/10/2026
U.S. employers added a disappointing 29,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked up last month, the government reported Friday.
bit.ly
America In Focus: Unemployment rate climbs, mortgage rate hits nearly 3 year high
U.S. employers added a disappointing 29,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked up last month, the government reported Friday.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Brad Holkesvig @bradjholk.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I enjoy walking along the trails above Barcelona and look down towards the city and Mediterranean Sea. #landscapes #barcelona #woods #trails #hiking #mediterraneansea #photography
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 02/10/2026
Growth is not the problem. The question is whether a community has considered the full public cost of the growth pattern it is approving. Last weekend we asked an uncomfortable question: Who Pays When Development Sprawls? The answer isn't just to say "NO!"
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 02/10/2026
Fuel Prices Move Fast—Transportation Systems Do Not. A preview of our October theme of Transportation & your Comprehensive Plan, and a bit of a rant on the price of fuel and prolonged uncertainty in planning. The real question here: Can vehicles, infrastructure, and access develop together?
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Hansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
NEW: The U.S. Postal Service's "extraordinary measures" starting Oct. 24 for mail-in ballots for the midterm general election include: - creating "Ballot Postmark ONLY" lines & drive-through ballot mail options at some post offices - extending opening/closing times by 30 minutes at some post offices
about.usps.com
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 01/10/2026
Authenticity is the Key to Building Better Community. What makes the place you live different from every other place out there? Hint: It's not the Taco John's out on the strip. Short-read here: medium.com/small-towns-... #CommunityDevelopment #planning #econdev
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
High Country News @highcountrynews.org · 01/10/2026
Some stories refuse to stay in the past. Our October issue is out and we’re resurrecting 3️⃣ stories from the archives that offer some surprising context for the West we’re living in now. buff.ly/9H0SmkF
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Alerts from NWS Omaha/Valley NE (UNOFFICIAL) @oax.nws-bot.us · 01/10/2026
🚨 Flood Warning issued October 1 at 9:42AM CDT until October 4 at 3:10AM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE 🚨 Additional Details Here.
...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in
Nebraska...Missouri...

Missouri River At Brownville affecting Nemaha and Atchison
Counties.

Missouri River At Rulo affecting Holt and Richardson Counties.

* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Missouri River at Brownville.

* WHEN...From late tonight to late Saturday night.

* IMPACTS...At 35.0 feet, The parking lot and boat ramp south of
Highway 136 on the Nebraska side are underwater.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 9:15 AM CDT Thursday the stage was 26.8 feet.
- Bankfull stage is 33.0 feet.
- Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage late
tonight to a crest of 36.3 feet early Saturday morning. It will
then fall below flood stage late Saturday evening.
- Flood stage is 34.0 feet.
- Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of 36.3
feet on 07/15/1994.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in
Nebraska...Missouri...

Missouri River At Brownville affecting Nemaha and Atchison
Counties.

Missouri River At Rulo affecting Holt and Richardson Counties.

* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Missouri River at Rulo.

* WHEN...From Friday morning to Sunday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...At 20.0 feet, The Rulo boat ramp begins to flood.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 8:30 AM CDT Thursday the stage was 12.7 feet.
- Bankfull stage is 17.0 feet.
- Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage
tomorrow morning to a crest of 20.1 feet Saturday morning. It
will then fall below flood stage late Sunday morning.
- Flood stage is 17.0 feet.
- Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of 20.0
feet on 01/07/1986.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 01/10/2026
During a flood, water levels and the rate at which the water is flowing can quickly change. Get to higher ground. Do not drive or walk into water. It only takes 6 inches of water to knock you off your feet. Stay informed by monitoring local media and checking weather.gov for the latest updates.
3 Steps for Flash Floods: 1. Get to higher ground (get out of the areas subject to flooding). 2. Do not drive into water (do NOT drive or walk into flooded areas. It only takes 6 inches of water to knock you off your feet). 3. Stay informed: Monitor local radar, television, weather radio, internet or social media for updates. During a flood, water levels and the rate at which the water is flowing can quickly change. Remain aware and monitor local radio and television. WHEN FLOODED TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 30/09/2026
Is land use in your comprehensive plan working to build the place community engagement told us people want for the future? In September, we put four questions to that thesis: Is your land use framework doing the job it was designed to do — or is it just collecting dust?
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Island Press @islandpress.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
A practical framework for urban transportation design. Transportation and the Shape of Cities by @christofspieler.bsky.social, David Copeland Loredo, and Mandi Chapa is now available worldwide! Order yours: buff.ly/ZuNaxV8 #Transportation #Policy #Design #UrbanDesign
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
OSINT Mirror Feed @osint-mirrors.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Source: @osint613 on X Officials have ordered the immediate evacuation of Hatch, New Mexico, amid a flash flood emergency in the Hatch Valley. Evacuations are also underway in nearby Rincon, Salem and Garfield.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Organ Mountain News @organmountainnews.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
BREAKING: Hatch, Placitas, Rincon, Salem and Garfield are now under evacuation orders as flooding worsens across north Doña Ana County. Residents are being urged to leave now.
organmountainnews.com
Evacuation orders expand across north Doña Ana County as flooding worsens
Doña Ana County has issued evacuation orders for Placitas, Hatch, Rincon, Salem and Garfield as flooding closes roads and officials urge residents to leave before conditions worsen.
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 27/09/2026
New rural development can add tax base—but it also creates long-term obligations: road maintenance, bus routes, fire/EMS, snow removal, drainage, eventual replacement costs. This isn’t an argument against growth. It's asking if growth is happening where we can afford to serve continued sprawl.
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AFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 27/09/2026
🇲🇳 Mongolian herders enlist new tech against harsher, drier climate Huge and sparsely populated, Mongolia is disproportionately affected by climate change, but an app is helping the herders navigate the extreme weather that threatens the country's nomadic population and livestock.
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 25/09/2026
Zoning is often treated as if it is land use policy. It is not. The comprehensive plan establishes the community’s direction. The Tool and the Plan. The future land use map tells the community what development pattern the community intends to support over time.
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The Daily Yonder @dailyyonder.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Yonder Radio: Rural Healthcare Affordability, Colorado Tarantula Festival, and ‘What is Rural?,’ Tune in to Yonder Radio to hear conversations about the state of rural journalism, access to abortion in Appalachia, and a Tarantula… dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-episod…
dailyyonder.com
Yonder Radio: Rural Healthcare Affordability, Colorado Tarantula Festival, and ‘What is Rural?,’
Tune in to Yonder Radio to hear conversations about the state of rural journalism, access to abortion in Appalachia, and a Tarantula Festival in Colorado.
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 23/09/2026
Craft beverages are often discussed as lifestyle amenities-something pleasant to do on a Saturday afternoon. But in many small towns, a winery, brewery, cidery, or distillery can be a piece of rural economic development infrastructure.
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Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICP
Hansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
NEW: The Commerce Department inspector general's office says it observed some workers for the "2026 Census Test" using their personal phones to locate households and not following interview procedures, putting at risk the public's trust in the security of their data and the accuracy of test results
oig.doc.gov
Management Alert: Operational Issues Observed During the 2026 Census Test
Home > Reports > Management Alert: Operational Issues Observed During the 2026 Census Test Date Issued September 21, 2026 Report Number OIG-26-028-I Report Type Audits / Evaluations, Census Reading Ro...
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 23/09/2026
Zoning is not land use policy. It is one tool for carrying land use policy into force, and like any tool it can be sharp, dull, or pointed at the wrong thing. So go ahead and ask the question: Does your zoning code make possible the community your comprehensive plan says you want?
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 20/09/2026
A field outside town can look like the easiest place to put new houses. But a dozen lots can affect much more than forty acres.
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AFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 16/09/2026
US Federal Reserve raises interest rates for the first time in over three years to tackle stubbornly high inflation, defying President Donald Trump's demand for a cut. u.afp.com/SjuT
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 13/09/2026
A field outside town can look like the easiest place to put new houses. But every rural development decision reaches farther than the lot lines—to farm operations, roads, water, emergency services, public costs, and the future of the town itself.
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The Washington Sun @washingtonsun.com · 09/09/2026
For the first time, the federal government wants to stop collecting race and ethnicity information about Americans as part of the nation’s census.
washingtonsun.com
Trump Wants the Census to Stop Collecting Race and Ethnicity Data
The administration wants to stop collecting data widely seen as fundamental to public policy, scientific study, market research and more.
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 10/09/2026
They left town long before they inherited the farm, and a developer offers to buy the west forty for 12 rural home sites on a gravel road 5 miles from town. The planning commission meets in three weeks, and somebody at the counter asks the easiest question in the room: what does the plan say?
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WIRED @wired.com · 09/09/2026
A Census report on noncitizens voting touted by President Trump as proof of electoral fraud in the 2020 presidential race had grave flaws in its analysis and approval process, WIRED found.
wired.com
A US Census Report on Noncitizen Voting Used Bad Data to Reach Faulty Conclusions
Trump has touted a recent Census report. WIRED found grave flaws in its analysis and the process behind it, and confirmed the identity of several of its authors—among them a one-time DOGE affiliate.
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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 10/09/2026
Millions of residents could be excluded from the U.S. census, congressional representation could be reshaped and federal funds could be reallocated across states under changes proposed by the Trump administration. Here’s how:
wapo.st
Trump administration proposes changes to census that could exclude millions
If adopted, the changes could exclude millions of residents from the decennial tally, reshaping congressional representation in the country.
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Census State Data Centers @censussdc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
via @FedRegister Public Inspection: Proposed Rule: Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions... Proposed Rule by the Census Bureau on 09/10/2026 www.federalregister.gov/public-inspe...
federalregister.gov
Public Inspection: Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions
Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 10/09/2026
Nothing good will come of this.
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John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 10/09/2026
Rural Broadband Makes Progress… at a Cost. #Broadband availability has improved significantly, but availability is not the same as practical, affordable, high-quality service, especially for #rural communities. Link: medium.com/small-towns-... #econdev
medium.com
Rural Broadband Makes Progress… at a Cost
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently reported 96.9% of Americans have access to 100/20 Mbps fixed terrestrial broadband…
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