Concerns about the impact on a nearby butterfly preserve, a judge in Texas finally shutdown private construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

A ruling by Texas District Judge Keno Vasquez, of Hidalgo County, will stop We Build the Wall from continuing on its unpermitted work on a wall on the banks of the Rio Grande.
Vasquez "ruled that the National Butterfly Center, a 100-acre riverfront preserve in Mission, Tex., could face 'imminent and irreparable harm' if We Build the Wall continues with plans to erect a 'water wall' between the nature refuge and a state park," according to an article by Teo Armus.
We Build the Wall, led by former White House staffer Steve Bannon, had been proceeding without any kind of permitting or permission for a planned three-mile stretch of 18-foot steel fencing.
Brian Kolfage, founder of We Build the Wall, is promising to continue construction despite the judge's ruling. In a related controversy, the contractor working construction on the wall is a favorite of President Trump's, as reported in a separate article published in May 2019.
FULL STORY: Right-wing group must stop building private border wall in South Texas, judge says in temporary order

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Massachusetts Budget Helps Close MBTA Budget Gap
The budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey includes $470 million in MBTA funding for the next fiscal year.

Milwaukee Launches Vision Zero Plan
Seven years after the city signed its Complete Streets Policy, the city is doubling down on its efforts to eliminate traffic deaths.

Portland Raises Parking Fees to Pay for Street Maintenance
The city is struggling to bridge a massive budget gap at the Bureau of Transportation, which largely depleted its reserves during the Civd-19 pandemic.
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