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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

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White House says Elon Musk isn't in charge at DOGE, but 'advising' the president; CA schools brace for harmful cuts to Medi-Cal; Report says AR students still struggle with COVID-19 learning loss; and UT enacts controversial labor union law.

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The SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship to vote, is moving in the U.S. House. Environmental groups want the U.S. Senate to kill a bill they say falsely claims to slow climate change, and the agriculture industry is concerned about mass migrant deportations.

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Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

Budget Policy & Priorities

Last year, Ohio's food bank networks provided more than 244 million meals to households representing nearly 16 million people -- including over 4.8 million children and 3.2 million seniors -- a number expected to rise if federal SNAP benefits are reduced. (HASPhotos/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

OH food banks face fed funding uncertainty, DeWine budget cuts

Recent federal executive orders have left many organizations in Ohio navigating uncertainty, particularly when it comes to funding for essential …

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Meatpacking is a concentrated industry, with the four largest firms handling 85% of all steer and heifer purchases and 67% of all hog purchases, according to USDA data.(Adobe Stock)<br />

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Meat processing tax exemption bill could help WV farmers

Some West Virginia lawmakers want to remove consumer sales taxes on the processing of beef, pork and lamb at slaughterhouses. House Bill 2146 would …

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The Trump administration has halted all pending environmental litigation in the U.S. Department of Justice. (Pixabay)

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Closure of EPA branch predicted to affect MS environment

The Trump administration has begun to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency's office dealing with reducing environmental harms to minority and…

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Research shows hands-only CPR can be just as effective in the first few minutes as conventional CPR for heart attacks. (Platoo Studio/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

New bill would bring cardiac emergency plans to OR schools

New legislation backed by the American Heart Association would require all Oregon schools to have cardiac emergency response plans in place. …

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Research from the New Economy Project finds New Yorkers paid $1.7 billion in overdraft fees during the early years of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

NYers brace for effects of higher bank fees, dismantling CFPB

Some New York members of Congress are trying to repeal bank overdraft fee regulations. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created a rule …

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ALICE data from the United Way found between 2019-2022, the median hourly wage for teaching assistants  in Connecticut was $23.38. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

CT paraeducators organize to get a living wage

Connecticut union organizers are working to get pension plans for paraeducators. In recent years, they have won a flurry of benefits from organizing …

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By 2050, the number of people in Washington state who are 75 and older will nearly double. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Affordable health insurance could ease WA caregiver shortage

Worker's rights advocates and nursing home providers say Washington has a long-term care workforce crisis, and that inadequate benefits in the …

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The Fight for Our Health coalition has sent letters to congressional leaders and California's representatives in Congress urging them to protect Medi-Cal in upcoming budget negotiations. (Health Access CA)

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Statewide coalition launches to fight proposed health care cuts

Town hall meetings start tonight across California, pushing back against congressional Republicans' proposal to cut hundreds of billions of dollars …

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The scene from outside Minnesota's State Capitol on Monday as another round of national protests was held in response to controversial actions of President Donald Trump's administration. (Courtesy of u/Buck_Thorn/Reddit)

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Protesters: Trump administration actions 'cast aside democracy'

In many U.S. cities, President's Day was used to sound the alarm over actions by the Trump administration. Minnesota protesters braved subzero …

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More than 48% of Wyoming is public land, owned and managed by the federal government on behalf of U.S. residents. Several state bills this session were written to try to decrease the percentage. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 17, 2025

WY bills seek to limit federal ownership of state's public lands

Wyoming is one of several Western states where some lawmakers arguing states should have more control of the federally managed public lands within the…

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About 12,000 acres of former mining sites in Kentucky could be reclaimed to reduce environmental and safety hazards, according to a 2024 report by the Appalachian Citizen's Law Center. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 17, 2025

Abandoned Mine Land program frozen as Appalachia faces severe flooding

The Trump administration has frozen funds used for abandoned mine land cleanup. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress invested around $…

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Supporters say the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act, now in the Arkansas Legislature, would improve pregnancy outcomes by empowering community health workers and ensuring Medicaid coverage for expectant mothers. (yavdat/Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 17, 2025

Bill to improve maternal care for AR families

A new bill before Arkansas lawmakers is designed to improve maternal care for low-income families. If passed the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act …

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