Thursday, March 23, 2023

PNS Daily Newscast - March 23, 2023
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A proposed flavored tobacco ban is back on the table in Minnesota, Trump attorney Evan Corcoran must testify in the documents probe, and a "clean slate" bill in Missouri would make "expungement" automatic.

2023Talks - March 23, 2023
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The Fed raises interest rates and reassures the banking system is sound, Norfolk Southern reaffirms a commitment to the people of East Palestine, and TikTok creators gather at the Capitol to support free expression.

The Yonder Report - March 23, 2023
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Finding childcare is a struggle everywhere, prompting North Carolina's Transylvania County to try a new approach. Maine is slowly building-out broadband access, but disagreements remain over whether local versus national companies should get the contracts, and specialty apps like "Farmers Dating" help those in small communities connect online.

Edwin J. Viera

Producer

Edwin J. Viera is a reporter and producer in North Tonawanda, New York. He's previously reported for the Niagara Gazette and the Ithaca Times. Edwin got an early start in radio interning for WBFO-88.7FM, NPR's Buffalo affiliate. In 2018, he graduated from SUNY Buffalo State College with a B.A. in Journalism, and in 2022, graduated from Syracuse University with an M.S. in Communications.


Languages Spoken: English

Topic Expertise: Community Issues, Education, Local and Statewide Government, Small Business, Construction & Development, and Transportation.

Local Expertise: Western, Central, and Southern New York.

Location: North Tonawanda, NY

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Latest Work

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has identified several locations across the state as having forever chemicals at their sites. Some are Fentress Air Base, Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, DuPont Spruance Manufacturing in Richmond. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Issues New Guidance on ‘Forever Chemicals’

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is implementing new rules on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as forever chemicals. The new …

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, adopting new standards for soot can help prevent up to 4,200 premature deaths per year and 270,000 lost workdays per year. It can also yield as much as $43 billion in net health benefits in 2032. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Soot Proposal Not Enough, NY Environmentalists Say

A New York environmental group feels the Environmental Protection Agency's latest regulations on soot in the air do not go far enough. The new …

In recent years, Norfolk Southern has kept accidents on a downward trend, according to Federal Railroad Authority data. Since the derailment of freight cars carrying hazardous materials in East Palestine, Ohio, the company has been under a great deal of scrutiny. (Adobe Stock)

VA Environmentalists Disagree with DEQ’s Norfolk Southern Fine

Virginia environmentalists are frustrated by the state Department of Environmental Quality's $27,000 fine of Norfolk Southern for a 2020 train derailm…

At a rally in Harlem, members of Citizen Action of New York call for a bevy of changes to public money in Albany. They want taxes raised on the wealthiest New Yorkers, to increase the state's minimum wage, and to end 'pay-for-play' by reducing state subsidies for corporations. (Citizen Action New York)

NYC Group Calls for Significant Community Investments

Community leaders in Harlem are calling on local and state elected officials to make significant community investments. As part of their 2023 …

According to a report from Connecticut Voices for Children, Connecticut households are more likely to face housing-cost burdens than households across the United States as a whole. Data on evictions shows the high cost of rent relative to income is directly linked to the eviction filing rate in Connecticut towns. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Policy Options to Alleviate CT’s Eviction Crisis

A recent report examines Connecticut's eviction crisis and addresses some solutions to it. The report from Connecticut Voices for Children finds 39% …

According to a report from the Rainforest Action Network, 60 of the largest banks funneled a little over $185 Billion into 100 companies doing the most to expand fossil fuels like ExxonMobil and Saudi Aramco. (Adobe Stock)

NY Environmentalists Protest Banks Invested in Fossil Fuels

New York environmentalists are protesting banks heavily invested in the fossil fuel industry as part of a national day of action today (Tuesday)…

Según datos de 2022 de la Oficina de Estadísticas Laborales de EE.UU., el 21.3% de las personas con discapacidad tenían empleo, cifra que ha aumentado desde 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Defensores de NY piden eliminar límite de edad para Medicaid Buy-In

Los defensores de los derechos de los discapacitados de Nueva York están pidiendo que se aumente o elimine el límite de edad del programa es…

According to 2022 data from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21.3% of people with a disability were employed, which has increased from 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Urge Age Cap Removal on NY Medicaid Buy-In Program

New York disability-rights advocates are calling for the age cap on the state's Medicaid Buy In Program to be raised or eliminated. The program is …

A report from the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation found children and young adults will be disproportionately affected by the loss of pandemic-era Medicaid coverage protections. About 4.6 million of those who could lose coverage are Latino. (Adobe Stock)

CT Hispanic Population Faces Risk of Medicaid Coverage Loss

When the pandemic ends this spring, Medicaid's "continuous coverage" requirement will end with it. In Connecticut, the state will start checking …

Some products to come under the purview of a new bill to create transparency with companies contracting with New York State include timber, pulp, paper, palm oil, soy and livestock. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed NYS Legislation Creates Supply-Chain Transparency

New York's State Legislature is considering a bill to ensure that companies contracting with the state don't contribute to tropical deforestation…

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