Tuesday, February 7, 2023

PNS Daily Newscast - February 7, 2023
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Bill to expand tax credits draws on children's health data, Alaskans file petition opposing giant grocery merger, and a revised Colorado water plan prioritizes conservation.

2023Talks - February 7, 2023
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President Biden is set to give the State of the Union address, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy calls the national debt limit the United States' greatest threat, and Kamala Harris announces new pledges to offer more economic stability in Central America.

The Yonder Report - February 2, 2023
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Is bird flu, inflation or price gouging to blame for astronomical egg prices? Pregnancy can be life-changing or life-ending depending on where you live, and nine tribal schools are transforming their outdoor spaces into community gathering areas.

Iowa

On average, people spend an average of 52 hours per year volunteering their time, according to Nonprofits Source. (Adobe Stock)
Iowans Rank High on "Informal" Volunteering

New data on volunteering in the United States from the independent government agency AmeriCorps shows the pandemic cut deeply into the amount of time …

Americans spend more than $1 billion per year to import organic food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)
Organic Growers Support New USDA Fraud Rules

New U.S. Department of Agriculture rules will target fraud and increase oversight of the $64 billion-a-year organic food industry. In Iowa, the …

Nitrate levels in water resources have increased in many areas of the world, largely due to applications of inorganic fertilizer and animal manure in agricultural areas, according to the National Institutes of Health. (Adobe Stock)
Des Moines Weighs $50 Million Water-Quality Improvement

City water leaders in Des Moines are considering a $50 million plan to use Mother Nature as a giant water filter to remove nitrates from the city's dr…

More than 1.2 million Iowans voted in the November 2022 General Election, the second-highest turnout in state history for a midterm, according to the Iowa Secretary of State's office. (Adobe Stock)
Critics: IA Proposal Would 'Politicize' Attorney General's Office

Critics of a proposal in the Iowa Legislature to broaden the Iowa Attorney General's authority say it could inject politics into the historically nonp…

Wind power is the most productive renewable energy source in the U.S., generating nearly half of America's renewable energy, according to the World Economic Forum. (Adobe Stock)
IA Regulators Require Release of MidAmerican Wind Energy Studies

Environmental groups are pleased with an Iowa Utilities Board ruling that requires MidAmerican Energy to make planning studies public for its Iowa Win…

From February 2020 to November 2021, the number of workers in nursing homes and other care facilities dropped by 410,000 nationally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Adobe Stock)
Critical Number of Rural IA Nursing Homes Close

Health-care professionals say low pay and a worker shortage have led a dramatic number of nursing homes in rural Iowa to close their doors. They hope …

About 400 fatal crashes happen each year as a direct result of texting and driving nationally, according to Sensiblemotive. (Adobe Stock)
Iowa Lawmakers Push for Drivers' Hands-Free Cellphone Use

Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill which would dramatically reduce the use of cellphones in vehicles. Right now, it is illegal in Iowa to send or …

More than 58 million chickens in 47 states have been affected by the most recent avian flu outbreak, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)
Farm Group Asks FTC to Investigate Egg 'Price Collusion'

A national farmers' advocacy group is asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the possibility of price collusion between major egg producer…

In 2021, the total cost of the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was around $113 billion. The significant increase from the previous year's total of $79 billion was in large part the result of extra pandemic-related benefits. (Adobe Stock)
IA Lawmakers Propose Severe Restrictions for Food Assistance

A Republican-backed bill in the Iowa Legislature seeks to put strict new limits on which foods people could buy at the grocery store using public-assi…

There are about 3.2 million public school teachers in the United States. Some 74.3% are female, while 25.7% are male. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Poll: Voters Reject Tuition Vouchers, Voice Public School Support

A new poll commissioned by the American Federation of Teachers finds most voters strongly oppose private school vouchers, which allow families to …

U.S. solar power capacity stands at an estimated 97.2 gigawatts. This is enough to power the equivalent of 18 million average American homes, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.<br />(Adobe Stock)
Asking IA Lawmakers to Prioritize Water Quality, Renewable Energy

The Center for Rural Affairs wants the Iowa Legislature to prioritize water quality and renewable energy in the new session. One priority is more …

There are 1,168 businesses designated as Tractors and Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing businesses in the U.S. as of 2023, a slight increase over last year. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Farm Mechanics Win 'Right to Repair'

Tractor maker Deere and Company has reached a deal with the American Farm Bureau Federation to allow independent mechanics to work on John Deere brand…

 

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