The New Republic

President Obama spoke today at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y. and sought to assemble a variety of stimulus and other administration initiatives--community college funding, information technology (IT) initiatives, clean energy investments, advanced vehicle development programs--into a true plan for long-term economic revitalization through innovation. READ MORE >>

Last night marked the debut of a new NBC sitcom, “Community.”  Normally these things come and go in my household—and the rest of the nation—without too much notice (remember “Kath and Kim"?  I didn’t think so).  READ MORE >>

Planetizen released the results of its poll asking for the top 100 urban thinkers this week.  The Avenue’s own Bruce Katz is at 31, but, curiously, Thomas Jefferson is ranked 48th.  READ MORE >>

So it looks like the housing sector will soon start contributing--a little, in some places--to the economic recovery after contributing mightily to national breakdown. READ MORE >>

Some of us here at The Avenue are always poking our heads into each other’s offices and referencing great “metro” songs, ranging from the obligatory anti-sprawl anthem “My City Was Gone” by the Pretenders to PJ Harvey’s romantic “You Said Something” to Art Brut’s witty defense of public transportation in READ MORE >>

“First Fridays” these days find Wall Street investors and Washington policymakers and pundits holding their collective breath. At around 8:30 AM, on the first Friday of each month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the latest round of job and unemployment figures. And then the buying, selling, and spinning begins. READ MORE >>

Judging from the mostly upbeat tone of some news reports, you would think that the jobs picture is brightening. READ MORE >>

Lost in the hubbub about health care last week were some remarkable comments from U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood. While certainly not as weighty as many of the issues Washington is wrestling with now that Congress is back in session, they represent a sea-change in rhetoric about national transportation policy. READ MORE >>

With speeches by White House economic advisor Larry Summers on Friday and President Obama today on Wall Street, the Obama administration is moving from triage as the chief aim of economic policy to recovery.  READ MORE >>

The latest cover of Governing features Mayor AC Wharton of Shelby County, TN--one of the more regionally-minded leaders in the South. READ MORE >>