Maine’s Governor Wants Inmates to Fill Jobs, Not Prison Beds

– The New York Times 

Last week, Maine Gov. LePage conditionally commuted the state prison sentences of 17 male inmates, and is soon expected to commute the sentences of some female inmates as well. His push for commutations was not a sudden shift in his views on the criminal justice system. Instead, he said, he is trying to solve the aging state’s mounting labor problem. The released offenders will be required to find jobs or job training. “The tourist industry is struggling, can’t find enough workers,” Mr. LePage, a Republican who has been in office for six years. “We are looking at every corner of the state to try to put people back to work. That’s what the commutation program’s all about.”

 

Fast-Food Chains, Upscale Restaurants Want to Bring You Lunch

– The Wall Street Journal 

Restaurants are no longer treating lunchtime delivery as an afterthought. With online-ordering apps proliferating and many customers cutting down on eating out for lunch, the industry — from fast-food chains to upscale restaurateurs — is looking for ways to bring food to patrons without compromising their eating experience. But enticing customers to order in at lunch, which has been a tough spot for burger chains in particular, remains difficult.

 

Micro-Unions Are Target of Reintroduced GOP Legislation

– Bloomberg BNA

Congressional Republicans are once again pushing legislation to reverse an NLRB rule allowing employees to form micro-unions, which represent a portion of a company’s workforce. Republicans have been trying to reverse what they describe as overreach by the NLRB during the Obama administration. Along with micro-unions, that agenda includes reversing the board’s decisions expanding joint-employer liability and a rule that speeds up union representation elections.

 

New Study Identifies the Best Cities for Good Government

– Governing 

For the first time ever, the nonprofit Living Cities partnered with Governing to study how cities measure up to their definition of a high-performing government. The report defines a city as high-performing if it’s dynamically planned, broadly partnered, resident-involved, race-informed, smartly resourced, employee-engaged and data-driven. The report sheds light on what local officials think their organizations do well and where they believe they need to improve.