Brem Foundation announces new breast cancer screening tool 
October 26, 2023 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in the wake of a recent study showing an increase in the incidence of cancer at younger ages, the Brem Foundation has announced a new online resource to help women assess their cancer risk. The study, published in August in JAMA Network Open, found ... |
RI Takes Action on Medicaid Redeterminations
July 21, 2023 Rhode Island is tackling the yearlong process of redetermining people's Medicaid eligibility. Once the COVID-19 public health declaration expired this spring, Medicaid's continuous renewal policy did, too. In the few months since the redeterminations began, the state has seen a modest increase ... |
South Carolina Part of Multistate Plan to Save 1 Million Acres of Salt Marsh
June 13, 2023 South Carolina is joining forces with neighboring states in an effort to save one of the country's most important ecosystems: salt marshes. The South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative – the new multistate plan – aims to protect 1 million acres of salt-marsh habitat along the Southeast coast. ... |
Mississippi Makes Advances, Despite Low Rankings for Childcare Access
June 14, 2023 Mississippi is ranked third-lowest among the states for the overall well-being of its children, in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. One major finding in the report is families' lack of access to affordable, reliable and high-quality child care. Linda Southward, ... |
Legislation Tackles Nation's Surge in Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
June 9, 2023 Congressional lawmakers have reintroduced the PASTEUR Act, which is designed to ward off people's growing resistance to infections. PASTEUR stands for the "Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscription to End Upsurging Resistance Act." It aims to improve use of antibiotics through investment in ... |
BLM Grants Alaska $5 Million for Wildland Waterway Restoration
June 8, 2023 The Bureau of Land Management has announced a $161 million investment in habitat and wildland restoration projects in 11 western states. Alaska is scheduled to receive $5 million for the Birch Creek and Fortymile Wild and Scenic Rivers, two of the state's most iconic recreational waterways.... |
Mississippi Women's Health Needs Begin in Adolescence
May 30, 2023 The need for Mississippi women to prioritize their health doesn't stop when National Women’s Health Month ends this week. One expert says it's time to remind the women in your life how important their health is, and don't forget the teens. Dr. Donna O'Shea, OB/GYN and chief medical officer ... |
Audit Partners Pessimistic on U.S. Economy, Citing Inflation, Cybersecurity, Regulation
May 24, 2023 A new report released by the Center for Audit Quality revealed audit partners at public companies are increasingly pessimistic about the state of the U.S. economy. According to the center's spring 2023 Audit Partner Pulse Survey, only one in five audit partners holds a hopeful view of the ... |
A Native Hawaiian School System Aims to Restore Indigenous Forests
May 18, 2023 By Jenna Kunze for Native News Online.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Hawaii News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service Collaboration Botanists Reid Loo and Nāmaka Whitehead speak about the Indigenous plants of Hawaiʻi Island as though ... |
Alaska's Rural Advocates Focus on Farm Bill from Afar
May 17, 2023 Just back from the Rural Action Policy Summit, advocates and policymakers want federal lawmakers to take action on what they call top rural policy priorities across the country, including in Alaska, which they say is often overlooked. Savannah Fletcher a member of the Fairbanks-Northstar Borough ... |
Reintroduction of PASTEUR Act Prioritizes Fight Against Superbugs
May 9, 2023 Republicans and Democrats have reintroduced the PASTEUR Act in Congress, which stands for "Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance." It would encourage investment in the development of drugs to address what some have called "the antimicrobial resistance crisis." It also ... |
Vermont Becomes First State to Remove Residency Requirements for Medical Aid in Dying
May 4, 2023 Vermont has become the first state to remove the residency requirement from its medical aid-in-dying law. Advocates for terminally ill adults say the change expands end-of-life care options for people in neighboring states facing difficult choices with limited options. Melissa Stacy, Northeast ... |
Kansas Nonprofit Pools Local Talents to Better Serve Communities
April 21, 2023 A Kansas nonprofit group is working to change lives and strengthen communities by harnessing the ways people use and share their talents. The Neighboring Movement creates service organizations based on what people are good at and can teach to others. In Kansas, it is filling a child care need.... |
LA’s Atchafalaya River Basin Becomes National Estuarine Research Reserve
April 19, 2023 Louisiana's Atchafalaya River Basin is slated to become the 31st National Estuarine Research Reserve. The National Estuarine Research Reserve is a network of 30 representatives across 24 coastal states and Puerto Rico operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Despite ... |
Study: Louisiana's Methane Waste Could Have Powered New Orleans for a Year
April 18, 2023 In 2019, Louisiana could have powered New Orleans with the amount of wasted methane from venting and flaring for an entire year. Research by Synapse Energy Economics found that the state's oil and gas companies lost more than $82 million worth of gas during that year, squandering valuable resources ... |
Bill Reintroduced to Help States with Wildlife Conservation
April 14, 2023 Kansas wildlife conservation programs would get a huge boost if the renewed effort to pass the Recovering America's Wildlife Act is successful this year. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., who introduced the bill in 2021, has just reintroduced it with Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. ... |
OK Farmers Turn to Resilient Crop in Face of Crippling Drought
March 3, 2023 By Dana Cronin for Civil Eats. Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Oklahoma News Connection, reporting for Solutions Journalism/Public News Service Collaboration. Farmers in areas hit hard by drought are turning to more resilient crops that use less water and have other positive environmental ... |
Alaskans File Petition Opposing Giant Grocery Merger
February 6, 2023 Alaskans opposed to the merger of Fred Meyer and Carrs grocery chains are trying to block the deal, signing a petition to the Federal Trade Commission. The stores' parent companies, Albertsons and Kroger, are in the midst of a controversial merger worth more than $24 billion. Almost 400 ... |
EPA Finalizing Rules for Oil and Gas Methane Emissions
January 30, 2023 The Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of finalizing new rules regulating methane and other hazardous emissions from oil and natural gas wells. Methane is commonly released as a byproduct of oil and gas extraction, but as a greenhouse gas it's at least 25 times more potent than ... |
Report: Number of Uninsured SC Children Declines
December 15, 2022 A recent report showed the number of uninsured kids in South Carolina is on the decline. The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families report found the state's rate of uninsured children is down to 5.3% in 2021, a decrease of 0.5 % from 2019, which was higher than the national ... |
New Oklahoma Database Makes Finding a Buildable Home Lot Much Easier
December 15, 2022 By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Soundbite Services for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaboration People looking to live in rural parts of Oklahoma may have an easier time finding space thanks to a database listing available lots. The new ... |
Oklahoma Leads Nation in Child Insurance Numbers
December 14, 2022 Results of a new Georgetown University study showed Oklahoma saw the most favorable rate of improvement in the country for its number of uninsured children during the pandemic. The rate of kids without health insurance fell from 8.6 % to 7.4 % between 2019 and 2021, as 11,000 children in the ... |
Loss of Federal Funding Could Increase MS Uninsured Rate for Children
December 8, 2022 Federal funding during the COVID-19 public emergency helped to stabilize the number of uninsured children in Mississippi – but as pandemic relief dollars dry up, health-care advocates say children are at risk of losing critical care. More than 6% of children in Mississippi lack health insurance,... |
NJ Children's Health Insurance Coverage Increased During Pandemic
December 8, 2022 New Jersey saw a decrease in the number of uninsured children in 2021. According to a report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, in 2021, 76,000 children in the state had no health insurance, down from about 88,000 kids in 2019. The report showed the improvement ... |
Customers Foot the Bill for Alabama Utility’s Political Surveillance Activities
December 6, 2022 A legal battle between former consultants for Alabama Power has revealed documents showing a critical lack of oversight by the Alabama Public Service Commission in holding the utility accountable for how it spends ratepayers' money. A utility watchdog group said the former Matrix LLC ... |
Survey: Business Leaders Pessimistic About U.S. Economy
December 5, 2022 A new report finds business experts are not altogether pleased with the U.S. economic outlook. The Audit Partner Pulse Survey showed 51% of audit partners surveyed describe themselves as pessimistic about the economy. Many are also reporting shifts to try to retain current employees after the ... |
Runoff for Louisiana Dist. 3 Public Service Commissioner Could Impact Energy Policies
December 2, 2022 The Dec. 10 Louisiana Democratic runoff for District 3 Public Service commissioner could determine how the five-person panel regulates fossil fuels and clean energy for the state. Incumbent Lambert Boissiere fell 7% short of the 50% needed for re-election, and now faces Davante Lewis, who got ... |
Studies: Alaska Families Could Benefit if Child Tax Credit is Revived
November 3, 2022 Some of Alaska's lower-income families want the expanded Child Tax Credit program to be reinstated, as the cost of living continues to rise. The measure, extended by Congress in 2021, increased the total annual credit for families to receive per children under age six, from $2,000 to $3,600 and $3,... |
More LA Families Face Increased Hunger, Homelessness with Loss of Child Tax Credit
November 2, 2022 The number of Louisiana families with children reporting they sometimes or often did not have enough to eat in the previous week has increased by 48% in the past year, but advocates said there is a proven solution to the crisis. The Child Tax Credit helped more than 880,000 families in the Bayou ... |
Island of Lanai Faces Mental-Health Inequities
November 2, 2022 The Hawaiian island of Lanai is one of many rural communities in the U.S. experiencing health inequities. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Lanai residents had access to an in-person psychiatrist two days a month, and a full-time social worker lived on the island. During the pandemic, psychiatry ... |
Trusted Future Introduces New Platform to Help Parents Keep Kids Safe Online
September 29, 2022 While there has been on-again, off-again talk of tech-focused antitrust legislation coming out of Washington, American parents are more focused on data privacy. Now, Trusted Future is launching a new online resource for parents. With research showing 94% of children ages 8-18 live in a home with ... |
Maglev Backers Aim to Decrease DC-to-NY Travel Times
September 29, 2022 Although Amtrak's Acela cuts travel time to three hours between Washington, D.C., and New York, a proposed high-speed line could reduce it to an hour. Northeast Maglev is a conceptual high-speed rail line using magnetic-levitation technology, which has less air resistance than regular trains. ... |
Week Raises Awareness for Older Oklahomans
September 20, 2022 This week is Falls Prevention Week, and the National Council on Aging is spreading the word to Oklahomans. Statistics show falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among Americans 65 and older, which demonstrates why falls prevention is an important part of healthy aging. It ... |
MS Capital City Without Water, Indefinitely
September 6, 2022 The city of Jackson, Mississippi, has been without water after extreme floods damaged the city's aging water infrastructure. The failure is blamed on decades of neglect and disinvestment from the state. The city had been subjected to "boil water notices" several times in the past year. According ... |
Lawsuit Filed Against VT's Medical Aid-in-Dying Law
August 31, 2022 A nonprofit group is suing the state of Vermont on behalf of a terminally ill Connecticut woman. At issue is Vermont's medical aid-in-dying law, which law stipulates only residents of Vermont are eligible for the services the law allows. One question the lawsuit seeks to answer is what ... |
Challenges to End-of-Life Planning Can Delay the Process
August 26, 2022 August is National Make-a-Will Month, an opportune time for New Jersey residents to begin end-of-life planning. In a Caring.com study, 40% of Americans said the reason they have no will is because they haven't gotten around to it. One way to get started is online, on websites like FreeWill.... |
LA Remains Near Bottom for Child Well-Being; Kids Struggle with Mental Health
August 19, 2022 Louisiana's children are facing unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression - according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report found that mental health is a concern across the country, as kids felt the pressures from COVID-19. Nationally, nearly 12% of ... |
AK Ranks in 'Bottom Ten' in Child Well-Being Report
August 15, 2022 Alaska is struggling in measures of child well-being, according to a new report. The annual KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation examines states' progress in four areas: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. This year, it ranks Alaska 41st. ... |
NJ Kids Fare Better Than in Most States for Child Well-Being
August 12, 2022 New Jersey ranks near the top in the nation for overall child well-being, according to the newest Kids Count Data Book, but advocates for families note it isn't all good news. The Annie E. Casey Foundation publishes the report annually and, while New Jersey ranks sixth overall in child ... |
Report: OK Struggling on Indicators of Child Well-Being
August 11, 2022 Oklahoma ranks in the bottom ten of states when it comes to child well-being, according to a new report. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count Data Book looks at four indicators to rank states: economic well-being, education, health and family and community. This year, the Sooner ... |
RI Kids Lacking Mental-Health Resources, Early Education, Report Says
August 11, 2022 A new report finds Rhode Island has improved children's economic well-being, but it is lacking in improving education for children. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book found the number of young children ages 3 and 4 not in school increased to 63%. The report ranked Rhode ... |
Report: Economic Instability to Blame for Drop in Child Well-Being in HI
August 10, 2022 A new report ranks Hawai'i 22nd among states, according to indicators on child well-being. The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its annual KIDS COUNT Data Book, measuring states in four categories: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. It found Hawai'i has ... |
Economic Well-Being a Brighter Spot for Kansas in Child Well-Being
August 10, 2022 Kansas ranks 17th in the nation for promoting children's overall well-being – that's according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book. Jessica Herrera Russell – senior communications manager with Kansas Action for Children – said where the state really shines is economic ... |
Mental-Health Concerns Underscore Child Well-Being Report
August 10, 2022 Children in Delaware and other states are coping with unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression – that's according to the new 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report finds mental health is a concern as kids felt the pressures from COVID-19. Delaware ... |
Bright Spots Amid State's Poor Child Well-Being Ranking
August 9, 2022 The newest childhood well-being report released this week from the Annie E. Casey Foundation showed Mississippi does not fare well in the 50-state ranking, but there is a silver lining. The 2022 Kids Count Data Book measures areas of economic well-being, education, health, and family and ... |
A Silver Lining Behind Alabama's Dismal Child Well-Being Ranking
August 9, 2022 The newest childhood well-being report released this week from the Annie E. Casey Foundation showed Alabama does not fare well in the 50-state ranking, but there is a silver lining. The 2022 Kids Count Data Book measures areas of economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. ... |
Vermont Ranks 5th in Child Well-Being; Mental Health a Critical Issue
August 8, 2022 Children's advocacy groups are sounding the alarm about the mental-health struggles facing Vermont kids. The 2022 Kids Count Data Book released today highlights how children across the nation are struggling with anxiety and depression at unprecedented levels. Sarah Teel, research director of ... |
SC Kids Fare Among Worst in Ongoing Mental-Health Crisis
August 8, 2022 Children in South Carolina are facing unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, according to the 2020 Kids Count Data Book, released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report found mental health is a concern across the country, as children felt pressures from COVID-19. Bett ... |
Data Privacy Advocates: Antitrust Bills May Have Unintended Consequences Post-Roe
July 21, 2022 Since the Dobbs Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, groups are sounding alarm bells about antitrust legislation which could inadvertently chip away at privacy protections. More than a dozen states have banned or mostly banned abortions, and digital evidence such as text messages and ... |
DE Senator Leads Charge for Bipartisan Climate Resilience Bill
July 7, 2022 The Atlantic hurricane season typically runs from June to October, and environmental groups are urging Congress to advance a bill which would require the federal government to implement a National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy. It would also create a position for a chief resilience ... |