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A new study shows health disparities cost Texas billions of dollars; Senate rejects impeachment articles against Mayorkas, ending trial against Cabinet secretary; Iowa cuts historical rural school groups.

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The Senate dismisses the Mayorkas impeachment. Maryland Lawmakers fail to increase voting access. Texas Democrats call for better Black maternal health. And polling confirms strong support for access to reproductive care, including abortion.

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Rural Wyoming needs more vocational teachers to sustain its workforce pipeline, Ohio environmental advocates fear harm from a proposal to open 40-thousand forest acres to fracking and rural communities build bike trail systems to promote nature, boost the economy.

MN Traffic Fatalities Up with 100 Deadly Days Underway

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Monday, June 1, 2015   

ST. PAUL, Minn. – After trending down for years, traffic deaths in Minnesota are on the rise, and that has motorists being reminded to keep safety top of mind during the busy summer travel season.

There have already been 131 people killed in car crashes in the state this year, a nearly 20 percent increase compared to this time last year.

Minnesota State Patrol Capt. Jeff Westrum says key to reducing that trend is to make sure everyone wears seat belts.

"If we could get everybody to buckle up, that by itself will reduce the number of crashes that result in a fatality or a serious injury by a good third to a half, simply because historically, about half of everybody killed in a car crash is not belted," he points out.

Westrum adds the other main factors in fatal crashes in Minnesota are speeding, drunk drinking and distractions.

He notes that despite the very real dangers of distracted driving – with one-in-four crashes involving cell phone use – there are many drivers who still don't heed the warnings.

"Anybody can drive around and pull up to a stoplight and look around and half the people are looking down at their phones and catching up on text messages or checking in on their Facebook, or whatever, and that's a significant problem," he stresses.

The increase in car crash deaths in Minnesota is also happening nationwide, with U.S. traffic fatalities up 11 percent during the past three months.

The National Safety Council points to an improving economy. It maintains lower gas prices and lower unemployment rates mean more people can afford to drive, and travel long distances and take vacations.






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