Page 2 - Eric Tegethoff News Today

Pennsylvania communities could be hit hard by rising financial uncertainty in the countrys biggest electricity market, according to three new reports. PJM Interconnection includes Pennsylvania and a dozen other states. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, private equity and private capital-owned power plants in the PJM face financial struggles that have recently resulted in shutdowns. ...

The Natural State Initiative latest report recommends increasing access to outdoor recreation, which will help grow the states economy. The Natural State is home to 52 state parks. The report recommends expanding activities that include rock climbing and trails for cycling and mountain biking in the parks. ...

By Claire Carlson, John Upton and Kaitlyn Trudeau for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaboration Will and Julie Volpert have led white water rafting trips on Southern Oregon’s Rogue and Klamath rivers for over a decade for their company Indigo Creek Outfitters, out of the small town of Talent, Oregon. The rafting season, which extends from May to September, is a perfect time to be out on the river...

The 100 million Americans currently carrying medical or dental debt could get some relief, after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau took steps to prohibit credit agencies from including that debt on credit reports. As Julia Char Gilbert - Connelly policy advocate with the Colorado Center on Law and Policy - explained, bad credit scores due to medical debt can create big problems. "Families are increasingly facing barriers to accessing rental housing, a credit card, certain form...

Fraud prevention experts are getting the word out in Idaho on how to avoid scams. Events across the state in October aim to help people identify and protect themselves from thieves. Cathy McDougall, director of outreach for AARP Idaho, said if you suspect someone of a con, it is best not to engage with them. ...

Maines new Office of Affordable Health Care holds its first public hearing this week, and people are being strongly encouraged to participate. Health insurance rates are increasing next year, and Mainers - like all Americans - continue to pay some of the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. Ceilidh Shea, policy advocate with the nonprofit Consumers for Affordable Healthcare, said the hearing is a chance for Mainers to help lawmakers better understand their healthcare needs. ....

Little Priest Tribal College in Winnebago says its student body and campus are growing - and so are its options for people to study in STEM fields. Little Priest has always offered some health and science courses, but college Vice President of Finance and Operations Mark Vasina said the two-year school is also creating pathways to higher education for its graduates. It has transfer agreements with several area colleges - in many cases, with free tuition for getting a bachelors degree - inclu...

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and in Montana, Indigenous advocates are working to register people and get out the vote. As part of its civic engagement initiative, Western Native Voice is encouraging Indigenous Americans to register to vote and cast a ballot in the next election ... and they are doing it via a drive-through voter registration effort in Billings. ...

By M. Mitchell Waldrop for the National Academy of Science.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washington News Service reporting for the Pulitzer Center-Public News Service Collaboration. The problem has gone by many names since the 2016 US presidential election first brought it to widespread attention-from "fake news," to "infodemic" during the COVID-19 pandemic, to "misinformation" in a slew of academic studies. ...

As food-sovereignty efforts continue among Native American tribes, a South Dakota organization is bringing together stakeholders for a key brainstorming session. Around the U.S., many tribes are trying to reclaim access to their food systems. Its part of broader movements to revitalize various Indigenous practices and cultures, eroded under the weight of colonization. ...