Free Republic

(NEXSTAR) – As people continue to shift back to pre-pandemic social and recreational activities — even if they are still working remotely — a new study has broken down the best U.S. cities in which to work, learn, hang out and generally enjoy oneself in 2023. Niche, a data analysis company, used Census data, surveys and other info sources to break down the best cities in the U.S., taking into account the cost of living, safety, school quality, nightlife, walkability, outdoor activities and more.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate moved closer on Wednesday to making the concept of "livable communities" a part of national law that would provide federal grants to help local governments implement comprehensive city planning. Almost a year after Sen. Chris Dodd, the Banking Committee chairman from Connecticut, introduced a bill, the committee held its first hearing. The bill proposes giving livability grants to metropolitan organizations and creating an interagency office on sustainable communities within the executive branch. The grant amounts would depend on the size of the city and the use of the money. The bill would authorize $100 million...

Senator Christopher Dodd, who has decided not to seek reelection in Connecticut due to low poll scores and involvement in a number of questionable financial scandals has introduced his “Livable Communities Act” (S-1619). This bill, according to Lamb, will establish two new bureaucracies: “The Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities” within the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the “Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities.”

New Hampshire is once again the nation’s “Most Livable State,” according to a Kansas research firm’s annual study of American living conditions. It’s the third straight year Morgan Quitno Press has given the designation to the Granite State. Its rankings are based on dozens of factors, from economic performance to infrastructure. Word of the Granite State’s first-place finish had officials talking up the “three-peat.” “This report affirms what citizens of our state already know: New Hampshire is a great place to live and work,” Gov. John Lynch said in a written statement. This year, according to Morgan Quitno and state...