Homeless tent ban, shelter dogs, and best places to work.

Happy Saturday! Today’s edition is 847 words, a 3 minute read.

We will be observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday. The Neutral will be back in your inbox on Tuesday. Enjoy the long weekend!

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Today’s Big Story

Supreme Court to decide if cities can ban homeless people from sleeping on public land

The Supreme Court is looking into rules that make it difficult for western U.S. cities to stop people from sleeping on the streets when homeless shelters are full.

• The city of Grants Pass, Oregon, is challenging a lower court's decision that restricts the city from enforcing anti-camping ordinances on homeless people sleeping outside in makeshift shelters for protection from weather. The city argues that allowing the decision to stand comes with many consequences, including crime, fires, environmental harm, and the spread of disease.

• The city feels that the decisions by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals are legally flawed and prevent local governments from addressing the urgent homelessness crisis. The ruling under review was issued by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2022 and applies to nine states within its jurisdiction. San Francisco and Phoenix officials, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and 20 Republican state attorneys general all support the review.

• At the core of the case is the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishments. Advocates for homeless people argue that criminalizing sleeping outdoors on public property when there's no alternative indoor option goes against the Constitution. They also criticized political leaders for tolerating encampments without addressing the housing shortage. The announcement follows a recent 9th Circuit decision that prohibits San Francisco from removing homeless individuals from the streets without first providing shelter.

Saturday’s Quick Hits

• Kalen DeBoer has agreed to be the next head coach at Alabama after leading Washington to a Pac-12 championship and the College Football Playoff National Championship game. DeBoer will take on the tall task of succeeding Nick Saban, who retired Wednesday. Saban won nine SEC titles and six national championships in 17 seasons at Alabama. (More)

• The U.S. and British militaries launched a retaliatory strike against Houthi sites in Yemen, using Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets. Over 60 targets across 16 locations were hit, including command centers, munitions depots, and radar systems. President Biden said the strikes were meant to show that the U.S. and its allies won’t allow Houthi attacks on the Red Sea. He also said the attacks were a final resort after diplomatic efforts failed. (More)

• Israel and Hamas reached an agreement for the transfer of critically needed medicine to hostages in Gaza. It will be the first time since the Oct. 7 attack that Hamas will allow Israel to send medicine to the hostages. Israel had been urging Qatar and Egyptian mediators for three months to press Hamas for the transfer, facing initial refusals and "unrealistic demands" from the militant group. (More)

• A Florida school district is removing 1,600 books, including dictionaries and encyclopedias, to comply with a new state law that prohibits schools from having books describing sexual content. The move by the Escambia County School District is part of a larger state-wide issue — Florida has already faced criticism for banning certain titles in prisons and classrooms. (More)

• CVS Health is set to close several pharmacies located inside Target stores starting in February and concluding by early April. The move is part of an effort to reduce store and pharmacy density, following a restructuring plan last year that involved cutting 5,000 positions. (More)

Weekly Dose of Positive

• Scientists have developed a new blood test that can identify 18 types of cancer in their early stages, which is crucial for improving survival rates. The test, conducted by Novelna on 440 participants, showed promising results, detecting 93% of stage one cancers in men and 84% in women. (More)

• African elephant populations in southern Africa have stabilized after significant losses in the last century. A new study suggests that connected protected areas are better at maintaining stable elephant populations, allowing them to move freely between regions. However, careful planning is necessary to minimize conflicts with people living in these areas. (More)

• A Krakow animal shelter, facing a cold front, asked its community to help by adopting dogs for the weekend. The response was overwhelming, with lines of people adopting dogs temporarily to provide shelter from the extreme cold. Over 100 dogs found temporary or permanent homes over the weekend. (More)

• Mobile Loaves & Fishes charity created a village of tiny homes outside Austin called Community First! Village. It was started in 2019 to house formerly homeless people. The village has RVs, micro-houses, gardens, and workspaces. Residents pay $200 to $430 per month — many earn the rent money through jobs in the village. It's expanding to accommodate almost 500 people, helping a significant portion of Austin's homeless population. (More)

Bonus Material

America’s worst drivers by car brand.

The best places to work in 2024, according to employees.

Mark Zuckerberg is raising cattle on beer and nuts.

The shortlist for 2023’s best wildlife photographer.