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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 25 noveMber 2019
5 states drag feet on creation of panels to promote Census

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — With Also, at the time, the Trump
billions in federal aid and administration was pushing
seats in Congress at stake, to add a citizenship ques-
some states are dragging tion to the form, and some
their feet in carrying out lawmakers didn't want to
one of the Census Bureau's take a stand on the issue
chief recommendations by promoting the census,
for making sure everyone he said. The U.S. Supreme
is counted during the 2020 Court later blocked the
census. question.
Five states — Florida, Loui- Twenty-six state govern-
siana, Nebraska, South ments are appropriating
Dakota and Texas — have nearly $350 million to reach
not set up "complete count people and get them to
committees" that would respond to the census. The
create public awareness amounts range from Cali-
campaigns to encourage fornia's record $187 million
people to fill out the ques- to Montana's $100,000,
tionnaires. according to the National
In some of those states, Conference of State Leg-
politicians argued that islatures. New York City is
a statewide body would committing $40 million.
be unnecessary, since lo- This April 23, 2019, file photo shows the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. States led by Democrats
cal committees, cities and Associated Press have spent more per cap-
nonprofit organizations are ita. Of the 11 states spend-
already working to publi- said this month. "The clock tive," said Albert Fontenot, though the second most ing at least $1 per resident,
cize the census. In others, is ticking, and the time to an associate director at populous state has the all but North Dakota have
state leaders didn't see any join is now." the Census Bureau. "It's in most to gain from the cen- Democratic governors, ac-
urgency to act. Six states — Iowa, Maine, the states' interests in that sus — up to three congres- cording to an Associated
The once-a-decade count Tennessee, Vermont, West they get a funding flow sional seats. Press analysis.
of the U.S. population starts Virginia and Wisconsin — and congressional seats." Some Texas lawmakers California, which stands to
in January in a remote area only got on board in the Of the holdout states, all were worried about los- lose a seat in Congress, is
of Alaska. The rest of the past several weeks. but Louisiana have Repub- ing their seats during re- spending $4.73 per person,
nation takes part starting in Officials say the commit- lican governors. districting if population using the money to target
the spring. tees can separate census In Texas, a measure to cre- surges favoring Democrats certain ethnic communi-
"We are encouraging oth- winners from losers. ate a committee died in were found in urban and ties, provide educational
ers to join in," Census Bureau "Complete count commit- the GOP-dominated Legis- suburban areas, said Luis materials to schools and
Director Steven Dillingham tees are extremely effec- lature earlier this year even Figueroa, legislative and identify community lead-
policy director at the Cen- ers who can personally en-
ter for Public Policy Priorities courage participation in
in Austin. the most populous state.q

Explosion at Dippin' Dots

production facility injures 4

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — Au- terward. Nitrogen is used
thorities say an explosion at to flash-freeze Dippin' Dots
the Dippin' Dots production novelty ice cream.
facility in Kentucky has in- All four people injured were
jured four people. hospitalized. WPSD-TV re-
Dippin' Dots CEO Scott ported that one of the in-
Fischer says the explosion jured workers was released
occurred in a production from the hospital early Sat-
area around 10 p.m. Fri- urday morning.
day evening. Fischer said in At one point employees
a release that it would be were not being allowed
premature to comment on inside the building after
the cause of the blast. the incident because the
"At this moment what is oxygen level was too low,
most important to us is our the power was shut off and
employees, especially our smoke remained inside
four team members who Along with firefighters, per-
were injured last night," sonnel from Atmos Energy,
Fischer said. Jackson Purchase Energy
Paducah city spokeswom- Corporation and Paducah
an Pam Spencer said the Water were at the scene.
plant had a nitrogen leak, Dippin' Dots is headquar-
but it was unclear whether tered in Paducah, a west-
that leak caused the ex- ern Kentucky city near the
plosion or happened af- Illinois state line.q