Flooding inundates Kentucky communities
Public News Service - April 8, 2025
Frankfort is one of a number of communities across Kentucky grappling with a deluge of flash flooding from torrential rainfall over the past several days. More than a foot of rain in some parts of the state has caused rivers to rise, leading to evacuations along the Kentucky River.
Emergency officials have asked Frankfort residents to keep conserving water while the city works to bounce back.
...(Read More)
Black residents in IL 8 times more likely to be homeless
Public News Service - April 8, 2025
Black residents in Illinois are almost eight times more likely to be homeless than white people, with lack of livable wages and affordable housing among the primary drivers.
Researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago said homelessness is an issue of equity with Blacks disproportionately represented across the state. Rent burdens and economic hardship are both driving factors. ...(Read More)
AZ Latino outlets unite to inform communities amid immigration crackdown
Public News Service - April 8, 2025
Latino media outlets in Arizona are coming together to ensure the Hispanic and Latino communities are informed and educated about their rights amid the current immigration climate.
Laura Madrid, CEO of the radio stations "La Onda" 1190 AM and 99.5 FM, said this sort of initiative is not new to Arizona. She recalled a similar campaign after Arizona enacted its controversial 2010 immigration law Senate Bill 1070, which critics said led to racial profiling.
...(Read More)
Broken prison system leaves many in WV without options post-release
Public News Service - April 8, 2025
April is National Second Chance Month but across West Virginia, resources to help people leaving prison find gainful employment are dwindling.
According to data from the Prison Policy Initiative, out of more than 50,000 people in 2010, 33% found no employment in the four years following release.
Patience Lewis-Walker, deputy executive director of the Center for Employment Opportunities, in the South Mountain Plains Region, said the benefits of employment programs far outweigh the costs.
...(Read More)
Montana map of news shows rural regions lose
Public News Service - April 8, 2025
By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.
Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Big Sky Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaboration
A new study from the LOR Foundation, an organization focused on rural community development, maps local news outlets in Montana to provide a look at demographics and gaps in coverage. Efforts to map local news have become popular in states like Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, and beyond.
Mapping local news provides valuable information about where the coverage is lacking and helps funders identify places most in need of support. ...(Read More)