Public News Service

The Rein in Response Kickoff event will take place at 44 E. 130 N in La Verkin. (Adobe Stock)

UT program aims to help first responders through horsemanship

A new program in Utah wants to help first responders learn to recognize and work through their traumatic life events through horsemanship. This …

A Voice for Utah Children report showed how effective federal stabilization funding has been for Utah's child-care system, which has grown licensed child-care capacity by 31% since 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Report examines UT child-care crisis

A new report found licensed child care programs in Utah are only able to serve about 36% of all children younger than 6 whose parents are working…

The survey also found 83% of parents say they have concerns about their young children's behavior related to sleeping habits, aggression and separation anxiety. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Social Emotional Development a Top Priority for Parents

A new survey finds a majority of parents of children younger than six in Utah and across the country rated social emotional development the most impor…

Utah's average cost of center-based child care for toddlers was $9,003 per year, 9% of the median income of a married couple. (Adobe Stock)

UT Excels in Child Well-Being, But Parents Struggle with Child Care Costs

Utah ranks second in the country for overall child well-being, moving up from last year's fourth-place ranking in the annual Kids Count Data Book…

According to the Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support, between 2017 and 2021, more than 5 million children nationally experienced the death of a parent. (Adobe Stock)

UT Pilot Program Aims to Support Grieving Kids

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox joined the Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support last week to announce a pilot program in the state designed to …

According to an Annie E. Casey Foundation report, Utah saw a 9% increase in child population from 2010 to 2020. (Robert Kneschke / Adobe Stock)

Report: UT Sees Child Population Increase Despite National Decline

A new report found the population of children recorded in 2020 was 1.1 million fewer than in 2010. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

The National Bureau of Economic Research estimates the benefits of a restored Child Tax Credit to low-income children would outweigh the program's costs by a factor of 10-to-1. (Jenko Ataman/Adobe Stock)

UT Group Urges Congress to Reinstate Child Tax Credit Payments

When families began receiving expanded Child Tax Credit payments during the pandemic, the extra family income lifted almost four-million children out …

The Indian Child Welfare Act establishes a preference for native children removed from their families to be placed with extended family members or in native foster homes to preserve their culture and heritage. (PxHere)

SCOTUS to Hear Constitutional Challenge to Indian Child Welfare Act

A case before the U.S. Supreme Court has Native Americans in Utah and other states concerned the outcome could revive the centuries-old practice of …

Research shows low-income families spend a much higher percentage of their income on food than families with a higher income. (Adobe Stock)

Ogden Legislator Leads Push to Eliminate Utah's Food Tax

OGDEN, Utah - Utah is one of only a handful of states that taxes food, but one state legislator says taxing groceries should become a thing of the …

Parents without access to paid leave must often decide between staying home with a sick child or going to work and getting paid. (pixel-shot/Adobe Stock)

Infrastructure Plan to Include Paid Family Leave for Utah, U.S.

SALT LAKE CITY - President Joe Biden says he will include a federal paid leave program as part of his multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure plan to reb…

The COVID-19 pandemic is severely disrupting the lives of Utah's children, according to a new study from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Philip Steury/Adobe Stock)

COVID Pandemic Brings Stress, Health Issues to Utah Kids, Families

PROVO, Utah -- The COVID-19 pandemic and its side-effects - job loss, poverty, hunger and the threat of homelessness - have hit Americans hard in 2020…

Joseph F. Smith (center), an early leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is shown in 1904 with his polygamous family, including his sons and daughters, their spouses and children. (Wikimedia Commons)

Pushback for Bill to Decriminalize Polygamy in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY -- Efforts to decriminalize polygamy in Utah are getting international attention, but opponents say it could make life worse for …

A new report says more children who are put in foster care are being placed with families rather than in group homes or institutions. (inaposhkina/Twenty20)

Utah Places More Foster Kids with Relatives, Families

SALT LAKE CITY – The lives of foster children are improving in Utah and other states, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey …

A report commissioned by the Utah Legislature finds that simple steps such as trigger locks could prevent many of the state�s firearm suicides. (Wikimedia Commons)<br /><br />

Utah Lawmakers Seek to Slow Growing Rate of Firearm Suicides

SALT LAKE CITY — A new study finds that 85 percent of deaths involving firearms in Utah are suicides. And state officials hope to use that data …

As of 2016, nearly 3,000 children were in foster care in Utah out of about 400,000 nationwide.<br />(Donnie Ray Jones/Flickr)

Demand for Foster Care Rises, Extended Families Step In

SALT LAKE CITY – As the opioid crisis has grown in recent years, so has the number of children no longer able to safely live with their parents…

The average student debt load in 2017 was more than $39,000. Nearly 44 million Americans currently owe nearly $1.5 trillion in student loans. (Pixabay)

Survey: Most Teens Unprepared for College Costs

SALT LAKE CITY – As another school year draws to a close, a new survey shows a majority of high school juniors and nearly 40 percent of seniors …

More than 17 million people live within a mile of an active oil or gas well, including more than 2 million children and older adults. (Getty Images)

Doctors Confirm Health Risks Posed by Fracking

SALT LAKE CITY – Physicians' groups are sounding the alarm about the health risks posed by hydraulic fracturing, and have published a …

A new AARP website scores livability using more than 60 factors, including safe streets and walkability. (Pixabay)

New Web Tool Calculates Community "Livability" Score

SALT LAKE CITY – How livable is your community compared with others? How well does your community meet your needs, regardless of age or income? …

In most cases, law enforcement is prohibited from entering a family home unless the family consents or agents have a warrant. (Getty Images)

ACLU Sues Over "SWAT-Style" ICE Raids on Utah Family

SALT LAKE CITY – The American Civil Liberties Union is pushing back against what it claims is increasingly heavy handed actions by U.S…

In Utah, 62 percent of women live in a county without an abortion provider. (Pixabay)

Utah Gets Failing Grade for Reproductive Health Care

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah is one of 18 states to get a failing grade in the Population Institute's new national report card on reproductive health a…

Kids spend an average of nine hours a day in front of a digital or media device. (Pixabay)

Campaign to Protect Kids from Tech Picks Up Steam

SALT LAKE CITY – A campaign has launched to protect kids' brains from the manipulative and addictive power of technology. Known as the Truth …

About 20,000 Utah children depend on the CHIP program for medical coverage, but its federal funding could run out in March. (Children's Action Alliance)

Children’s Health Groups: CHIP Isn't a Bargaining Chip

SALT LAKE CITY — Groups that advocate for children's health are pleading with Congress to stop using the Children's Health Insurance Program as …

Utahns Seek Ballot Initiative to Expand Medicaid Coverage

SALT LAKE CITY – Proponents of a new statewide ballot initiative are in the signature-collecting phase, and say they hope to bring local …

SNAP benefits help millions of low-income Americans put food on the table each month. (Martin Maddock/Wikimedia Commons)

Food Stamps Could be Targeted by Congress in Farm Bill

SALT LAKE CITY – Congress is expected to begin work soon on the $140 billion farm bill, but there are concerns that some conservatives are …

Eighty-eight percent of children in immigrant families are U.S. citizens, and just six percent under age 18 are not authorized to be in the country. (Pixabay)

Opportunity Gap Persists for Utah Kids of Color

SALT LAKE CITY – Even after the recession, Utah's children of color and those living in immigrant families face persistent challenges that make …

Car manufacturers are required to have at least three anchors for straps that hold child car seats. (Getty Images)

Campaign Urges Parents to "Take Time to Tether"

SALT LAKE CITY -- The majority of forward-facing car seats aren't being used properly, despite the strong emphasis on education on the topic…

Unpaid family caregivers in Utah provide $4.2 billion worth of care a year. (Getty Images)

Utah Faces Significant Challenges Providing Long-Term Care

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah ranks 24th nationally when it comes to meeting the long-term care needs of older residents and people with disabilities…

More than 95 percent of children now have health-care coverage because of expansions of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program under the Affordable Care Act. (Getty Images)

Utah Ranks in Top 10 Nationally for Child Well-Being

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah has made gains on nearly every key indicator of children's well-being, and the state ranks seventh nationally overall in …

A new report says Congress' attempt to ease regulations on the financial industry would have harmful side effects for the nation's military families. (Getty Images)

Watchdog: Military Families Could Take Hit with Dodd-Frank Deregulation

SALT LAKE CITY – The Financial CHOICE Act aims to ease restrictions on the financial industry put in place through the Dodd-Frank Act in 2010…

Activists planted more than 300 paper flowers outside the offices of Utah's congressional delegation yesterday, each with a testimonial from a resident concerned about the American Health Care Act. (Courtney Henderson Marden)

Mother's Day Health "Garden" Planted Opposing Health Bill

SALT LAKE CITY – In honor of Mother's Day, activists with the group, Utah Indivisible, concerned about the impacts of the American Health Care …

Women earn 80 cents for every dollar a man makes, a loss of more than $415,000 over a 40-year career, according to the National Women's Law Center. (Getty Images)

Closing Gender Pay Gap Would Lower Utah Poverty Rate, Study Shows

SSALT LAKE CITY – How many moms asked for equal pay for Mother's Day? Women are now the sole or co-breadwinner in half of American families wi…

Proposed cuts to Medicaid could impact nearly 400,000 Utahns covered by the program, including children, seniors and people with disabilities. (Pixabay)

GOP Health-Care Proposal Could Cost Utah Health Centers

SALT LAKE CITY – As the GOP-led Congress works to make good on promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, Utah health-policy …

As Utah communities demonstrate support for immigrants, a report summarizing four decades of research concludes that immigrants do not increase crime. (Pixabay)

Study: Cities with Higher Immigrant Populations Have Lower Crime Rates

SALT LAKE CITY – As some immigrants in Utah face the prospect of deportation – including a Centerville mother who overstayed her visa but …

Over the past eight years, 58 American children were killed by their custodial parent, after a court ignored abuse claims by a protective parent. Source: Center for Judicial Excellence (serggn/iStockphoto)

Report Finds Family Courts Ignored Abuse Claims in Custody Cases

SALT LAKE CITY – Over the past eight years, custodial parents killed 58 American children after a court ignored abuse claims by a protective …

A new study finds every very young children pick up on signals of nonverbal biases among adults. (Pixabay)

Research Shows Kids Pick Up Social Bias from Adults

SALT LAKE CITY – To adults, it's sometimes unclear how much goes over kids' heads and how much they're absorbing. According to research from …

Family gatherings and holiday parties could quickly go downhill this year, as emotions continue to run high post-election. (Pixabay)

Healthy Debate Good for Holiday Gatherings

SALT LAKE CITY – "We respectfully agree to disagree" may be the mantra heard at many office parties and holiday gatherings across the country…

Food collected during the holidays is critical for keeping pantry shelves stocked for families facing hunger through the winter months ahead. (Pixabay)

Holiday Rush to Fill Utah's Food-Bank Shelves

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Food Bank is in the middle of its Holiday Food and Fund Drive, and the need for donations goes beyond helping …

A study has shown foster parents' need for more support and training. (Pixabay)

Report Offers Blueprint for Better Foster Care

SALT LAKE CITY – Child welfare systems need to provide foster parents with more training to care for children who have experienced instability a…

Utah has made progress in lowering the number of uninsured children, a new study shows. (Pixabay)

More Utah Children Have Health Coverage, Study Says

SALT LAKE CITY – The number of uninsured children in Utah declined by 23 percent over two years, according to a report released today by the …

A new study shows increasing rents and relatively flat incomes put many Utah renters a single financial emergency away from eviction. (jitalia17/iStockphoto)

Rising Costs Put the Squeeze on Utah Renters

SALT LAKE CITY - Rapidly rising rents and relatively flat incomes are putting the squeeze on many Utah renters, especially those with moderate or low …

An Annie E. Casey Foundation report says 44,000 Utah children, and 5.1 million nationally, are separated from a parent in childhood due to the adult's incarceration. (AndrejsZendega/iStockphoto)

Incarcerated Parent Can be a Struggle for Children

SALT LAKE CITY - More than 5 million children across the nation, including 44,000 in Utah, experience separation from a parent due to incarceration…

With the income-tax filing deadline just a few weeks away, help is available for Utah residents through the AARP Foundation�s Tax-Aide Program. (alfexe/iStockphoto)

AARP Volunteers Help Utah Taxpayers File Returns

SALT LAKE CITY - The federal income tax filing deadline is just three weeks away, and if you're getting nervous about filing your tax return…

Planned Parenthood of Utah told a panel of judges at the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Gov. Gary Herbert illegally cut the group's funding.

Planned Parenthood of Utah Appeals Cutoff of State Funds

SALT LAKE CITY - Planned Parenthood of Utah is asking a federal appeals court to force Gov. Gary Herbert to stop cutting off funds to the …

A bill that would legalize marijuana for medical use in Utah is making its way through the state legislature. (Wikipedia Commons)

Medical Marijuana Bill Advances in Utah Senate

SALT LAKE CITY - A bill to legalize medical marijuana is set for a final vote this week in the Utah Senate after getting preliminary approval by just …

New regulations in Utah now allow patients entering a hospital to designate a family caregiver that will be the official contact person. (wirelog/morguefile)

New Utah Rules Allow Patients to Designate Caregiver

MIDVALE, Utah - A new rule in Utah gives important new rights to family caregivers when a loved one is in the hospital. The Patient Designated …

A family is part of a recent Gay Pride parade. A Utah legislator wants to give heterosexual families preference over gays in adopting children in the state. (Wikimedia Commons)

Rights Group Opposes Bill to Keep Gays From Adoptions

SALT LAKE CITY - A Utah gay-rights group is fighting with a conservative state representative over proposed legislation that would give heterosexual c…

The Community Action Partnership of Utah says families often miss out on thousands of dollars in tax refunds by not filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit. (KConnors/morguefile)

Many Utah Residents Fail to Claim Lucrative Tax Credit

SALT LAKE CITY - Many Utah residents are potentially leaving thousands of dollars on the table each year when they prepare and file their federal tax …

Planned Parenthood rally in August at the Utah statehouse protesting Gov. Gary Herbert's decision to cut off funding. (Planned Parenthood Association of Utah)

Judge Rules Utah Can Cut Planned Parenthood Funds

SALT LAKE CITY - Women's health advocates are slamming a judge's decision Tuesday to allow the state of Utah to cut off $273,000 a year in federal fun…

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Public News Service (podcast)"
	"Hey Google, play the Public News Service podcast"
	"Alexa, play Public News Service podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Alexa, play 2000 24 Talks podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Alexa, play the Yonder Report podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

PNS Daily Newscast - April 16, 2024

2024Talks - April 16, 2024

The Yonder Report - April 11, 2024

UT: Family/Father Issues