Riot squads clear Wall Street protests in 2 cities
The Associated Press via Google News
Police in riot gear clashed with anti-Wall Street protesters overnight, firing tear gas and beanbag rounds at hundreds of demonstrators in Oakland and forcibly evicting and arresting more than 50 others in Atlanta. The moves come as business owners, residents and officials in cities where encampments have sprouted up since the movement began last month are increasingly complaining about crime, sanitation problems and disruptions to business.More

Cincinnati to pay for police audit
Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati will pay a Massachusetts-based consulting firm $61,000 for a top-to-bottom audit of the Cincinnati Police Department over the next three months. Principal consultant Robert Wasserman of Strategic Policy Partnership arrived in town recently after Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney waived an administrative rule earlier this month to allow Cincinnati to hire the firm without a competitive bidding process.More

Oklahoma state representative says all day care centers in state should have liability insurance
The Oklahoman via The Republic
An exemption that allows some day care operators not to carry liability insurance coverage should be removed, a state lawmaker told a legislative panel. More than 1,500 home-based day care operators and nearly 140 day care centers in the state don't carry liability insurance because of an exemption included in a law passed three years ago, Rep. Mike Shelton told members of the House's Human Services Committee during a recent meeting.More

No more residency waivers for city employees
The Associated Press via Chicago Tribune
The Emanuel administration says it will no longer grant exceptions to the city's residency requirement. City officials announced their intent after the city's inspector general ruled such "waivers" are illegal. Chicago's Department of Human Resources has granted about 10 waivers a year that allow employees to live outside the city.More

Red-light camera law upheld again in Missouri
Courthouse News Service
A Missouri state appeals court upheld a city's red-light camera law, under which motorists are ticketed and fined for being snapped by cameras at intersections. Mary Nottebrok received a $100 ticket for violating the City of Creve Coeur's red-light ordinance in August 2009. She challenged the law, claiming it violated due process because it imposes liability on the vehicle owner, not the driver.More

City shifts $1 million to deal with insurance dilemma
The Topeka Capital-Journal
The Topeka City Council unanimously voted recently to make an emergency infusion of $1 million into the city employee health care plan to mitigate massive cost increases. A large audience consisting primarily of city employees broke into applause after the council voted 8-0, with Councilman John Alcala being absent, to approve a resolution proposed by Councilman Bob Archer.More

Chicago residents could be ticketed for unlicensed pets
Governing
The Windy City is preparing to crack down on dog owners who are skirting the city's license requirement, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Chicago sold about 28,000 dog licenses last year, less than 5 percent of the city's estimated canine population. The city will hold a 90-day education campaign to make dog owners aware of the new policy before it begins to issue tickets, according to the Sun-Times.More