Cultural Resources / Public News Service

One of the requirements to be a vendor at Hudson's annual Latinx Festival is having someone on staff who is bilingual in English and Spanish. (Tony Ramirez/Columbia County Sanctuary Movement)

Friday, September 13, 2024

Hudson, NY, holds its 4th Annual Latinx Festival

Hudson, New York will hold its fourth annual Latinx Festival on Sunday. The festival celebrates a wide range of cultures through food, dancing and …

The last operational one-room schoolhouse in Sheridan County, Wyoming, the Slack School, was built in the 1880s, burned down in the 1920s and rebuilt in the 1930s. (Ashlee Gorham, Slack School)

School year begins in WY’s few remaining one-room schoolhouses

It is back-to-school season and for 11 students in Sheridan County, Wyoming, it means returning to a one-room schoolhouse. The Slack School was …

Many Latinos consider the Mississippi River a vital part of their cultural identity. More than half of Latinos live within 10 miles of the river and a significant portion frequently visit nearby parks and trails for recreational activities. (EWY Media/Adobe Stock)

MS Latinos call for cleaner environment along Mississippi River

The latest survey of Latino voters in Mississippi and nine other states reveals overwhelming support for environmental initiatives, with 87% favoring …

According to Every Library Institute, Project 2025 aims to reduce federal oversight protections and spending as well as reallocating responsibilities to states and localities. (Tyler Olson/Adobe Stock)

Report warns of Project 2025 effect on AR libraries

Changes could be coming for libraries and the people who work there if Project 2025 goes into effect. The 900 page document outlines how agencies …

Despite segregation, Howard Street, once Akron's thriving music hub known as

Akron to honor role in jazz from past to present

By Rose Vance-Grom for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Col…

The BLM's Rock Springs planning area in southwest Wyoming is one of the largest in the lower 48 states and is part of the world's longest recorded mule deer migration. (Adobe Stock)

BLM's Rock Springs management plan has some wins for conservation

The Bureau of Land Management proposed a new plan for public lands in southwest Wyoming, that makes some headway for conservation. The BLM's new …

Iowa policymakers recently considered legislation to allow municipalities to opt out of mandatory library taxes for residents. (Adobe Stock)

Libraries push back on Project 2025

The latest report from the EveryLibrary Institute showed the Republican Party's agenda, as outlined in the document known as Project 2025, takes aim …

The Sage Creek Community Club could soon be on the National Register of Historic Places. (Alliance for Historic Wyoming)

Bighorn Basin community halls tour to promote preservation efforts

The Sage Creek Community Club is 100 years old this year and is one stop on a tour this weekend of similar buildings in the region. The small…

A sit-in is shown at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Tallahassee, Fla., in 1960. (Florida Memory Project RC03283)

FL Freedom Schools to empower students with African American history courses

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History is bringing its "Freedom Schools" initiative to Florida as part of a national effor…

The Biden administration's recent $15 million commitment to its Investing in America agenda is expected to grow Indian Youth Services Corps partnerships by 30%, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Indigenous-led public service program in SD secures more funding

The Department of the Interior is disbursing $7 million to offices throughout the country for Indigenous-led conservation projects. The Indian …

More than 300,000 whales and dolphins die annually due to entanglement in fishing gear, with additional unknown numbers also entangled in marine debris, according to the International Whaling Commission. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

MA scientists tackle marine debris harming historic sites, critical habitats

Scientists in Massachusetts are working to protect historic shipwrecks and the habitats they provide from dangerous marine debris. There's more …

The most severe tornado this year occurred on March 14 in Logan County, where an EF-3 tornado resulted in three fatalities. (Nick Fox/Adobe Stock)

Record-breaking tornado number 66 hits Ohio

Ohio is experiencing an unprecedented year for tornadoes, with the latest confirmed touchdown occurring on Wednesday. In 2024, Ohio has seen its 66…

Nearly half of all Montanans (482,214) have a library card, according to the state. (Adobe Stock)

Libraries sound alarm about ultra-conservative agenda

The Every Library Institute has just released a report contending the Republican Party's conservative agenda outlined in the Heritage Foundation's Pro…

Kids are invited to paint skateboards during the festival, one of many events at RedCan that complements the murals painted by visiting artists. (Cheyenne River Youth Project)

Youth 'Graffiti Jam' hits 10th year on Cheyenne River Reservation

By Kate Mothes for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Greater Dakota News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Servi…

Museum staff members and a guest educator will teach the weekly sessions about African American history. (Daniel Ernst/Adobe Stock)

Dallas African American Museum offers African American history classes

The African American Museum in Dallas is offering a series of classes on African American history. The classes are part of a national program …

The story of the Blackwell School is one of

National Park Service to preserve painful history in Texas

A schoolhouse in far West Texas has been designated as a unit of the U.S. National Park System. The Blackwell School is a former de facto segregated …

Giant sequoia and other conifers were incinerated in the 2020 Castle

Report: CA giant sequoia groves in peril after megafires

Two new studies find that without sustained intervention, California may permanently lose big sections of old-growth giant sequoia groves. The …

The Black Swamp Conservancy has grown to protect more than 175 properties since 1997, covering more than 21,000 acres. (Linda/Adobe Stock)

Grants boost environmental education and restoration in Ohio

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $271,000 in grants for environmental education projects across the state. The programs will …

In 2015, the Supreme Court extended marriage equality to all 50 states in Obergefell v. Hodges. A new survey reveals the vast majority of same-sex couples married for love while 75% said they also married for legal protections. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Majority of married same-sex couples say marriage equality threatened

Twenty years after Massachusetts became the first state to permit marriage equality, a majority of same-sex married couples say it had a profound …

In North Dakota and elsewhere, various nonprofits are trying to take block parties and similar events to another level with activities that emphasize physical movement and other forms of engagement, so that all community members have access to a healthier lifestyle. (Adobe Stock)

Not your average block party: ND project aims to inspire 'active' city planning

Community developers are tasked with balancing infrastructure needs - like roads, with amenities for the public to enjoy. Organizers behind an …

The mural on Main Street in Vermillion, South Dakota, is a collaboration between Mural OTW and the high school's Gender and Sexuality Alliance group. (Wes Eisenhauer/Mural OTW)

SD artist duo makes murals by, for and with communities

By Rebecca Froehlich for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Greater Dakota News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News…

The Pilot Butte Wild Horse scenic loop runs between Rock Springs and Green River and through the White Mountain Herd Management Area, which encompasses over 390,000 acres. (Gates Frontiers Fund Wyoming Collection/Carol M. Highsmith Archive/Library of Congress)

BLM announces WY wild horse roundup to start in August

The Bureau of Land Management says it will start a wild horse roundup in Wyoming's White Mountain area, but wildlife advocates say the plan exceeds …

There were 165 wildlife-vehicle collisions in Teton County between May 2020 and April 2021, according to the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, the lowest number since data collection started in 2011. (Adobe Stock)

Park visitors cautioned to respect wildlife

July is one of the busiest months for national parks and wildlife advocates have tips for reducing conflicts with animals. Grand Teton and …

Wild animals can be aggressive if people don't respect their space, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

After 83-year-old gored in Yellowstone, wildlife experts warn bison 'not in a zoo'

Wildlife experts are warning people not to get too close to the animals in national parks as the summer travel season heats up. Overeager tourists …

The union representing Minneapolis park keepers says since 1984, the department's superintendent's salary has increased by 229%, but in contrast, frontline workers' wages have fallen behind when factoring in inflation. (Adobe Stock)

Mpls. labor dispute highlights park workers' job challenges

With the July 4 holiday approaching, families are likely to spend time at municipal parks to celebrate and Parks Department staff in Minneapolis hope …

About 1,500 juveniles are confined in Georgia, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Youth diversion programs could improve Georgia juvenile justice

Juvenile justice advocates say more diversion programs could be key to keeping Georgia's young offenders out of the criminal justice system. A …

The Gettysburg-Whitlock Bay Development Corporation, a grant recipient, will help gardeners make use of an empty lot. (Adobe Stock)

Five SD communities receive Community Challenge grants

AARP has announced its 2024 Community Challenge grant recipients this week, including several in South Dakota. Nearly $4 million is going to about 35…

Since they began resettling in the Midwest after the Vietnam War, Hmong farmers have been credited for revitalizing farmers markets in states like Wisconsin and Minnesota. (Adobe Stock)

Preparing the next generation of Hmong farmers

Visit a Wisconsin farmers market, and chances are there are products grown by Hmong producers. But like other agricultural groups, the population is …

Otherworld in Columbus features 54 projectors and 190,000 LEDs. (Nicholas J. Klein/Adobe Stock)

A trip to Ohio transports visitors to another world

By Linda Lee Baird for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Co…

Oso Outdoors offers winter and summer programs, including mountain biking, which aim to help bring more diversity to outdoor recreation in Summit County. (Adobe Stock)

Conservationists want free national park access for newest U.S. citizens

Conservation groups are asking federal agencies to give newly naturalized U.S. citizens a free America the Beautiful National Parks pass. Javier …

More than 30 tribal nations are represented at the University of South Dakota, according to the institution. (Wikimedia Commons)

USD threats to fire staff part of larger trend

The University of South Dakota threatened to fire staff members in what some see as an ongoing attack on academic freedom, according to reporting in …

Of the 17 states that have enacted music therapy legislation, 11 have placed the law in its own statute chapter, and others have grouped it with other forms of therapy. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Group aims to get music therapy licensure in Wyoming

Advocates in Wyoming trying to get music therapy licensure recognized in the state are hitting roadblocks. Members of the Wyoming Music Therapy …

Groups call for new citizens to have greater access to federal lands, waters

June is National Immigrant Heritage Month, and advocates in Utah want to see a pathway to U.S. citizenship include easier access to public lands and …

The U.S. government recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. The Black Hills Forest Reserve was established in 1897 and transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905. (R. Blauert, Wikimedia Commons)

Black Hills Visitor Center under new joint tribal, federal oversight

The Black Hills National Forest is one of the latest federal lands to enter a co-stewardship agreement with local tribal nations-a management model en…

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says ground within 100 feet of a burial ground may not be disturbed for erecting, altering or repairing any structure that would impact the location without approval from the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. (Adobe Stock)

Juneteenth honors freedom amid possible IN graveyard extinction

Today is Juneteenth, the federal holiday recognizing this date in 1865 when slaves in Texas were told they were free, more than two years after the …

Around 67% of LGBTQ+ people reported needing a mental health service over the past two years, compared with 39% of non-LGBTQ+ people, according to KFF. (Chris Allan/Adobe Stock)

WY theater company talks health care on stage

As Pride Month winds down, health advocates want members of the LGBTQ+ community to know about health care options, despite any challenges to …

Environmental groups are working to attract more Latino families to enjoy the great outdoors on public lands such as the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area in southern Inyo County. (Louis Medina)

Latino environmental groups push for greater access to public lands

Conservation groups are circulating a petition asking the feds to give "America the Beautiful National Parks and Recreation Lands" passes to new citiz…

A new Colorado law provides local and tribal governments with science-based resources for siting and permitting new renewable-energy projects, including maps identifying sensitive wildlife habitat. (Adobe Stock)

New resources available to site CO clean-energy projects, protect wildlife

To reach 100% clean energy by 2040 - a move seen as critical for averting the worst impacts of climate change - Colorado must generate five times more…

Ohio artist Kenia Lamarr created a mural for the rusty-patched bumblebee, the first native bee on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list. (Kenia Lamarr)

Pollinator festival, mural highlight rusty-patched bumblebee in Ohio

An upcoming festival in Columbus, Ohio, aims to raise awareness about the plight of pollinators and ongoing conservation efforts. According to the U.…

The group says the United States should work with partner countries willing and able to enforce strict terms or face sanctions. (Anastasiia/Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups want say in Critical Mineral Agreements

A group of environmental and civil society organizations is fighting for better working conditions for people in countries that supply critical minera…

According to a MarketWatch report, during the pandemic, unused credit lines posed a major risk to banks. To manage this risk, many banks reduced people's credit limits if they thought a cardholder's ability to repay might be at risk. (eliosdnepr/Adobe Stock)

Credit limit cuts signal financial woes for some Ohioans

In an analysis of 100 cities across the United States, Cincinnati ranks 22nd for decreasing credit limits - not for the city itself, but for its …

Some MO credit-card users see shifts in credit limits

Missouri's two major metro areas are part of a WalletHub analysis of credit-limit decreases among 100 U.S. cities. The WalletHub research looks at …

When it was adopted last year, Minnesota's Driver's Licenses for All law was forecast to allow more than 80,000 undocumented individuals to begin the process to secure a license. (Adobe Stock)

Several months in, Latino advocates assess MN's Driver's Licenses for All

Events are scheduled this month to inform more people about Minnesota's new law eliminating the need for proof of legal residence to get a driver's li…

People in prison in Maryland will be able to take higher education courses offered in Fall, Spring and Summer sessions. (Adobe Stock/AI)

MD expands prison educational access to all 12 state universities

In a new arrangement, people in prison in Maryland will have access to programs at all the state's public universities. The Maryland Department of …

Of the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 8 states, Wyoming produces the most nitrogen oxides annually, at nearly 38,000 tons. (Adobe Stock)

WY awaits EPA decision on updated haze plan

Wyoming is one of several states currently updating its plan to address regional haze, but local environmental groups say its plan isn't enough…

Ohio's Area Agency on Aging District 5 helps older adults by providing clients with transportation, helping them get caregivers and encouraging them to get out of the house more often. (Nattakorn/Adobe Stock)

Experts say Ohio’s older adults need mental health support

By Mara O'Malley for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. …

Studies show volunteering can significantly improve mental and physical health, life satisfaction and self-esteem and decrease depressive symptoms. (Adobe Stock)

Andrus Award honors older volunteers enriching ME communities

AARP Maine is seeking nominations for its 2024 Andrus Award for Community Service. The award honors individuals or couples over age fifty, who …

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in Las Vegas, New Mexico, on Wednesday for the community's new Rural Minority Business Center. (Photo courtesy NMRMBC)

Rural NM community hit hard by 2022 wildfire opens new business center

A small New Mexico community working to get back on its feet following a devastating wildfire has opened a new rural business center. Two years ago…

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 13, 2024

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