Kansas commission adds LGBT nondiscrimination protections
The commission that enforces Kansas’ nondiscrimination laws will begin hearing claims from people who allege they are being mistreated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
North & Central America
This archive covers progress stories from North and Central America, spanning the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the nations of Central America. Readers will find reporting on health, environment, community resilience, and policy advances across the region.
Anchorage Assembly passes ban on conversion therapy
The Assembly ultimately passed the ban 9 to 2. The ordinance prevents licensed professionals such as therapists or school counselors from engaging in efforts to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity
Global hop supplier installs largest solar array in Washington state
Yakima Chief Hops (YCH), a 100% farmer owned hop supplier for the brewing industry, has announced their latest solar panel installation for a total of 3,706 solar panels, the largest rooftop solar array in Washington state.
Washington University develops COVID-19 test that is faster and simpler than current swab tests
The new test does not rely on the extraction of viral RNA to detect the virus – a time-consuming and expensive process – and could be scaled up easily, in part because people can collect their own saliva samples.
A merger creates the world’s first Black-owned bank with more than $1 billion in assets
The first Black-owned bank to reach $1 billion in assets has been created, due to the merger of City First Bank of D.C. in Washington and Los Angeles-based Broadway Federal Bank. The newly created lender will focus on housing, small businesses, and nonprofits.
Sales of plant-based foods grew 29% over the past two years in the U.S.
Plant-based foods are a booming business. New SPINS retail sales data released March 3, 2020, shows that grocery sales of plant-based foods that directly replace animal products have grown 29% in the past two years to $5 billion.
The Dow Jones just dropped its oldest member: Exxon Mobil
Exxon Mobil is an iconic blue-chip stock and the longest-tenured member of the index. Exxon’s exclusion represents a big drop from the days where oil companies were kings of the stock market.
NBA, WNBA, and MLB games called off as players boycott in response to police shooting of Jacob Blake
All three NBA playoff games scheduled for Wednesday have been postponed, with players around the league choosing to boycott in their strongest statement yet against racial injustice.
Mexico to phase out use of herbicide glyphosate by 2024
Mexico will gradually phase out use of the herbicide glyphosate by the time the current administration ends in late 2024, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday, following a ministerial spat over the product.
Android phones to become the world’s biggest earthquake detection grid
Google has started using the vast number of Android smartphones across the planet to help detect and warn people about seismic events. Your phone will begin transmitting accelerometer data if it detects something similar to an earthquake.