City staff are exploring authorizing a "tent city," a move that would make the Beach the first community in the state to sanction a homeless encampment - if the City Council approves the idea.

Mayor Will Sessoms, however, said he doesn't support it.

"I just don't see it happening," Sessoms said. "I could not recommend it because I do not want to encourage homelessness. I want to work to keep people from being homeless."

Andrew Friedman, director of the city's Housing and Neighborhood Preservation Department, said officials are looking into how such an encampment would be operated, including issues involving policing, sanitation and the duration of its existence.

What a difference a few years and an online revolution makes.

Seven years ago the Cedar Falls City Council passed an ordinance requiring lock boxes on commercial buildings and larger apartment complexes. Hardly a soul made a peep about it.

On Monday the council voted 6-1 on a third and final reading to expand the ordinance to include more apartment buildings. In the days leading up to the vote, they received hundreds of phone calls and e-mails from people all over the country from people upset about the issue.

The city turned off the water at the new whale tail fountain over the weekend after someone reportedly defecated in the water.

"People are using the tail as a latrine,'' Evelyn Louziotis said. "It's an $11 million bathroom."

"It's sad,'' City Councilor Michael Buscetto III said during Monday's City Council meeting. "It's two steps forward and three steps backward. There are people in the city who don't care, and they need to be dealt with."

Buscetto said since water started flowing in the whale fountain last month, police and fire officials have been called for people urinating, defecating and washing themselves off in the fountain water. He said some people who have cut themselves have also used the fountain to rinse off blood.

Immigrants, homeless persons and other residents of San Francisco who often encounter difficulty receiving common services were given respite today in the form of citywide identification cards, according to Supervisor Tom Ammiano's office. By a 10-1 vote,

A Washington, D.C., civil rights group is suing the City of Manassas and Manassas City Public Schools, alleging that the city and school system have taken systematic measures to "target, discriminate against and evict the city's Hispanic residents." The l

City officials are trying to wipe Fairbanks’ name from the list of so-called “sanctuary cities,” an Internet-based list of communities that allegedly bar employees from notifying federal authorities when they think illegal aliens have come to town.

Bay County sheriff ’s deputies arrested 10 suspected illegal immigrants Monday at the site of the new county library. According to a Sheriff ’s Office news release, five employees of Harvell Plastering of Navarre and five workers for Astro Interiors C

IRVING, Texas -- City officials targeted by Latino groups who oppose a police program that identifies suspects for possible deportation say they've received hundreds of phone calls and e-mails supporting the policy since about 2,000 protesters marched on

Immigration custom enforcement and the ocean city police department conducted a raid. The three places they went to were the Miyako Sushi and Seafood Restaurant and panda china buffet, and a private residence. Authorities targeted three places looking for

Simi Valley city officials have put a hold on a $40,000 bill sent to a church to cover law enforcement costs for an immigration protest. Several officials including Mayor Paul Miller met yesterday with representatives of the United Church of Christ, which