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Tuesday, April 23, 2024

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PNS Daily Newscast - April 23, 2024
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Biden administration moves to protect Alaska wilderness; opening statements and first witness in NY trial; SCOTUS hears Starbucks case, with implications for unions on the line; rural North Carolina town gets pathway to home ownership.

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2024Talks - April 23, 2024
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The Supreme Court weighs cities ability to manage a growing homelessness crisis, anti-Israeli protests spread to college campuses nationwide, and more states consider legislation to ban firearms at voting sites and ballot drop boxes.

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The Yonder Report - April 18, 2024

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Wyoming needs more educators who can teach kids trade skills, a proposal to open 40-thousand acres of an Ohio forest to fracking has environmental advocates alarmed and rural communities lure bicyclists with state-of-the-art bike trail systems.

MA: Social Justice

More than six in every 1,000 people in the U.S. are behind bars, the highest incarceration rate in the world, despite the U.S. having lower crime rates than other countries. (Adobe Stock)<br /> <br />

Monday, April 22, 2024

Boston U. Prison Education Program celebrates 50 years of changing lives

Boston University's Prison Education Program is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and is hoping to expand. Students at Massachusetts Correctional …

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The Jan. 6 Committee's final report revealed members of the Oath Keepers and other Trump allies stockpiled weapons near Washington, D.C., as they waited for the former president to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the military for domestic law enforcement. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Social media's 'networked incitement' the latest challenge to democracy

The use of social media to organize the Jan. 6 insurrection marked a turning point in American political protest, according to a leading media and …

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Uninsured people are more likely to support public health insurance programs, but are less likely to vote than people with health insurance. Studies show this trend has contributed to a lack of Medicaid expansion in states that could benefit from it. (Adobe Stock)
Doctors say voting is critical to improving U.S. health care system

Voting is not only good for democracy - it's also good for your health, according to one of the nation's largest medical associations. The American …

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Some 51% of Americans say hidden fees for telecommunications services have caused them to exceed their budget for cable, internet or phone service. Two out of three Americans say they're paying more in hidden fees now than they did five years ago, according to Consumer Reports. (Adobe Stock)<br />
FTC, states propose new rules to target 'junk fees'

Federal and state regulators are cracking down on so-called "junk fees," which companies often use to hike prices on consumer products above what is a…

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There were 45 book challenges in Massachusetts in 2022 affecting 57 titles, however no books have been banned in the state, according to the American Library Association. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />
Legislation aims to classify book bans as federal civil rights violations

New federal legislation would classify discriminatory book bans as violations of federal civil rights law. The Books Save Lives Act would ensure …

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A recent survey by the Anti-Defamation League found nearly three in four Jewish students in the U.S. have experienced or witnessed antisemitism this school year. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights has also opened investigations into alleged Islamophobic incidents at least a half-dozen colleges and universities. (Adobe Stock)
University presidents testify on rise of antisemitism on college campuses

College presidents testified before a congressional committee Tuesday on the rise of antisemitism on college campuses since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led …

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A 2021 poll conducted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst found 65% of residents support same-day voter registration, compared to 28% who oppose it. (Adobe Stock)
MA groups push same-day voter registration to replace provisional ballots

Voting rights groups in Massachusetts say provisional ballot data from the 2022 statewide election highlight the need for same-day voter registration…

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Wages for low- and middle-income workers in Massachusetts have not risen substantially since the late 1970s, while wages for upper-income workers have increased fourfold, making it difficult for<br />people with low incomes to cover basic needs, according to to a study by MassBudget. (Adobe Stock)<br />
MA 'baby bonds,' expanded tax credits aim to end racial wealth divide

Legislation introduced in Massachusetts aims to reduce the racial wealth gap by creating a statewide "Baby Bonds" program. It is a publicly-funded…

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Media experts say to avoid being duped by disinformation, double and even triple check the source of a story, and then try to find this information elsewhere in other reputable places, like mainstream news outlets. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Tech Companies Scale Back Efforts to Control Election Disinformation

Introduced federal legislation aims to counter the growing threat of election disinformation as social media platforms scale back efforts to control i…

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When voters sit down and talk to each other about electoral reform, their support for ranked-choice voting increases to nearly 60%, both for state primary and general elections, according to a poll by Stanford University's Deliberative Democracy Lab. (Adobe Stock)
Boston Joins National Ranked-Choice Voting Movement

The push for ranked-choice voting is gaining momentum in cities across the country, including Boston - where organizers say it will help increase …

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High school graduation rates in Massachusetts increased in the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022, which did not have to pass the MCAS due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Citizens for Public Schools. (Adobe Stock)
Parents, Educators Urge End to MCAS Graduation Requirement

Parents and educators in Massachusetts are joining forces to end the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) high school graduation requi…

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The federal civil rights complaint filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights states that nearly 70% of Harvard's donor-related and legacy applicants are white, and they receive a substantial admissions boost based on their status. (Adobe Stock)
Civil Rights Complaint Challenges Practice of Harvard Legacy Admissions

Following the Supreme Court's decision to end race-based affirmative action, a Boston-based civil rights group is working to end the practice of …

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