This Week in Policy & Public Interest News: 13 Stories You Need to See

A roundup of the week's most newsworthy policy and public interest press releases from PR Newswire, including tips for staying safe on the road and in the water this summer.

NEW YORK, May 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the policy and public interest industries stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

1. Driving Impaired Cannot Be an Option This Memorial Day
   The National Safety Council estimates nearly 470 people in America will die in preventable traffic crashes from 6 p.m. on Friday, May 26 to 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 29. "For the safety and wellbeing of yourself, and the people around you, designate a sober driver or arrange alternate transportation, drive distraction-free and slow down," said Mark Chung, executive vice president of roadway practice at NSC.
2. The National Geographic Society Announces 2023 Explorer of the Year
   Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society, said, "Shabana [Basij-Rasikh] is a gifted and accomplished leader who has dedicated her life to educating and uplifting Afghan women and girls. We are inspired by her courage and commitment to building pathways for educational access, equality, and inclusion."
3. Bain & Company predicts concerning macroeconomic environment for higher education, calls pandemic-era financial health an anomaly
   Jeffrey Selingo, report co-author and a higher-education strategist and special advisor at Arizona State University, said, "Institutions will need to do more than tweak around the edges with their strategy. Rather, most will need to set themselves apart as whole institutions by developing distinctive pathways for learners that boost demand, cut costs, and increase revenue."
4. Post-Disaster Contractor Fraud Costs Americans Billions of Dollars Every Year
   To address this growing problem, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is focusing on educating homeowners on how to avoid becoming a victim of deceptive contractors after a natural disaster as part of its third annual Contractor Fraud Awareness Week.
5. Allegiant Pledges $1 Million to Boys & Girls Clubs of America to Develop Aviation Journey
   "The organization provides critical programs in many of the cities we serve, and we hope this partnership complements their efforts in a meaningful way. By connecting children to fulfilling opportunities in aviation, our goal is to inspire them to dream big while hopefully helping to build the necessary workforce of tomorrow," said Allegiant President Greg Anderson.
6. Got Pulled Over? U.S. LawShield® Introduces Traffic Stop Best Practices
   Kirk Evans, president of U.S. LawShield, said, "Educating yourself on what steps to take at every traffic stop helps keep you safe and lets the police officer know you are being compliant. Knowing your rights as well as your responsibilities under the law is incredibly important."
7. Begin Summer with Safety When Riding ATVs, Around Pools and While Grilling
   From riding off-highway vehicles (OHVs), to taking a swim and firing up the grill, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers of the hazards involved and the steps to help protect themselves and their families, especially children.
8. Research reveals how germs can spread in hotels - and how to help protect guests this summer travel season
   Research conducted by Reckitt's Lysol Pro Solutions shows that germs can move around hotels easily and can remain undetected, and that cleaning and disinfecting at the right time and frequency – and with the right combination of products – can help break the chain of infection.
9. UNICEF and Flexport.org Announce Partnership to Provide Global Humanitarian Relief
   The new collaboration will help UNICEF expand access to critical supplies for children and explore opportunities to address logistics bottlenecks for humanitarian response.
10. Education Reform Now Releases Update to Social Mobility Elevator Rankings
    "We think the best colleges in the country are the ones that help lift students to greater prosperity and economic security, not the ones that mainly admit students who already enjoy those benefits," said Education Reform Now's James Murphy, Deputy Director, Higher Ed Policy.
11. Annual Condition of Education Shows Breadth of Changes to Education in United States Since the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic
    "Blending data from over a dozen sources, the 2023 edition of the report contributes to our understanding of the challenges and recovery from the coronavirus pandemic," said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. "These challenges include declines in math and reading scores during the pandemic and greater numbers of students seeking mental health services."
12. The 6 Most Important Ways to Make Water Recreation Safer This Summer
    As summer kicks into high gear on Memorial Day weekend, families converge on aquatic centers, pools, water parks and open bodies of water. Taking proactive steps to ensure everyone's safety is vital.
13. Institutional Capital for Social Impact: New Investment Bank Focused on Bringing Capital to Disinvested Communities
    Momentus Securities seeks to disrupt the mission-driven investing space by addressing the current scale and liquidity limitations in the sector that inhibit the deployment of institutional capital. Momentus Securities intends to facilitate the deployment of $3 billion of social capital by 2026.

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