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Thursday, December 26, 2024

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3 shot and 1 stabbed at Phoenix airport in apparent family dispute on Christmas night, officials say; CT Student Loan Reimbursement Program begins Jan. 1; WI farmer unfazed by weather due to conservation practices; Government subsidies make meat cost less, but with hidden expenses.

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The authors of Project 2025 say they'll carry out a hard-right agenda, voting rights advocates raise alarm over Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and conservatives aim to cut federal funding for public broadcasting.

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From the unprecedented election season to the latest environmental news, the Yonder Report looks back at stories that topped our weekly 2024 newscasts.

Federal initiative empowers communities with career creation

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Wednesday, May 8, 2024   

A collaboration between the federal government and local communities works to create new career opportunities.

The Flint Environmental Career Worker Apprentice Readiness Training Program is funded by the Biden Administration's Justice40 initiative.

Tony Johnson, a Black single father from Michigan, credits the program with altering his family's future. He started his carpentry apprenticeship in April 2024 and is now on track for a union job in Flint. Johnson said this is the only program he has ever been part of which has created a career opportunity.

"Imagine going to college and after finishing your program, the instructor line you up with jobs and they keep in contact with you," Johnson explained. "They gave us connections and comfort and stability knowing that we're not in this alone."

Johnson stumbled upon the program by chance and thinks it needs promotion in more Michigan communities. It partners with community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities and apprenticeship programs, training more than 13,500 people. It claims a 70% job placement rate.

Johnson noted as a single parent, trying to work in retail or other jobs would not have been as beneficial for his family's future.

"It's hard living on a single income nowadays with a one-parent household," Johnson acknowledged. "Right now I got the funds, the ability to be able to not just provide but to save for their future instead of living check to check."

Johnson added the apprenticeship program is not only stabilizing but creates a pathway to long-term security and the opportunity to retire one day. He sees it as a valuable lesson and encouraged a positive mindset in his children, emphasizing what they can achieve. The opportunity affects his family both mentally and physically, shaping their outlook on opportunities and possibilities.


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A 2023 report from Michigan Traffic Crash Facts showed 62 snowmobiles were involved in crashes on public roadways, resulting in two fatalities and 41 injuries. (gentho/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

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Winter conditions across Michigan are fickle and The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is urging everyone to prioritize safety while enjoying t…


Environment

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A diverse group of Southwest Wisconsin farmers are using federally funded conservation programs to help improve their farms' soil health and resilienc…

Social Issues

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Mainers are encouraged to be on the lookout for increasingly sophisticated scams during the holiday season. Fake emails appearing to be from …


According to the March of Dimes, 15.4% of Wyoming women did not have a birthing hospital within 30 minutes of home last year, compared to a U.S. average of 9.7%. (MANUEL/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

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Evanston Regional Hospital is discontinuing its labor and delivery services next week, citing a "steady decline of demand." It is the fourth Wyoming …

Environment

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By Leilani Marie Labong for FoodPrint.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the FoodPrint-Public News Service …

Education Data reported there are 507,200 student loan borrowers in Connecticut, with an average debt amount of $36,672. (Adobe Stock)

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Connecticut is launching its Student Loan Reimbursement Program Jan. 1. The program was created through legislation passed by the state's General …

Social Issues

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This week, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 people with federal death row convictions to life sentences without parole. Groups …

Health and Wellness

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A new federal rule aims to close a loophole allowing coal companies to walk away from their obligations to pay disability benefits and health insuranc…

 

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