News & Notes

Projo 7 to 7 News Blog: Chafee takes first step toward casino study

The study would look, in part, at the impact on Rhode Island’s gambling revenue that from the potential of three privately run casinos in Massachusetts, a possible Wampanoag Indian casino in Southeastern Massachusetts, and the introduction of slots at the Bay State’s tracks.

The consultant would be asked to consider the impact, if any, on Rhode Island on a Shinnecock Indian casino at the eastern end of Long Island.

The study would also look at the potential impact on state revenue of allowing table games at both Twin River and Newport Grand — with and without competition from Massachusetts — and what might happen to state revenue if the Narragansetts were somehow able to buy Twin River.

The New York Times: ‘I Was A Teenage Cyclist,’ or How Anti-Bike-Lane Arguments Echo the Tea Party

If you’re itching to write an anti-bike-lane argument (and, if so, line up, because it’s a burgeoning literary genre), you could do no better than to follow the template laid out yesterday by The New Yorker’s John Cassidy in his blog post, “Battle of the Bike Lanes.”

Cassidy’s post – which has already been called “a seminal document of New York City’s bike lane backlash era” – helpfully includes all the requisite rhetorical tactics, thus providing an excellent blueprint. (You might even say “boilerplate.”) These include:

The City Fix: Latin America’s Bus Rapid Transit Boom Offers Lessons for the U.S.

Bus rapid transit (BRT) is often the most feasible, quickly implemented and cost-effective way to improve mobility in the United States, concluded a distinguished panel of transport experts at this morning’s event at The Brookings Institution, “Latin America’s Bus Rapid Transit Boom-Lessons for Improving U.S. Public Transportation.”

Governing: What Rahm Emanuel’s Election Means for Cities Nationwide

Municipal leaders across the country say Chicago Mayor-Elect Rahm Emanuel will be a major asset to cities nationwide due to his insider knowledge of the federal government and its leaders.

Emanuel, formerly President Obama’s chief of staff, may be the highest ranking federal official to become a mayor.

The Economist: The world is his parking spot

I have to say, I almost feel bad for the New Yorker’s John Cassidy, who is currently being skewered by much of the blogosphere for writing a profoundly wrongheaded blog post bashing New York City’s bike lanes. But it really is a doozy of a misstep. A brief summary: Mr Cassidy is unhappy with the exuberance with which New York has added bike lanes in recent years. He enjoys the use of his car and finds it convenient, and all those bike lanes are occupying space that used to be dedicated to free on-street parking. And that stinks!