Cultural Resources / Public News Service

Shoppers in Wyoming's historic downtowns can have cookies at Santa's Saloon and kids can deliver letters to Santa via Pony Express. (Visit Cheyenne)

Historic Downtowns Offer Gifts Immune to COVID Supply Chain

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming shoppers choosing to buy gifts at local mom-and-pop stores this holiday season can sample cookies with Mrs. Claus and refuel …

Retired U.S. Navy hospital corpsman Donald "Doc" Ballard hails from Missouri and is among the 66 still-living Medal of Honor recipients. (Wikimedia Commons)

MO Medal of Honor Recipient Spotlights New Museum

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Americans from former presidents to friends and family of military service members are marking today's Veterans Day holiday by …

Veterans Day, a federal holiday in the United States, is observed annually on Nov. 11. (Adi_Schnadi/Pixabay)

Texas Museum Will Honor Veterans' Stories

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Today the country takes time to acknowledge those who served in the U.S. military, and by next Veterans Day may see a museum …

Medal of Honor recipient Jack H. Jacobs spends time with Cadets from the U.S. Military Academy during the 113th Army vs. Navy football game Dec. 8, 2012, in Philadelphia. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade/Released)

Medal of Honor Museum to Tell Stories of Military's Highest Award Recipients

NEW YORK -- On this Veterans Day, Americans who honor those who served in the military also can celebrate the news of the National Medal of Honor …

Marines carry personal items to the top of a hillside near Camp Pendleton in California, contributing to the living memorial. (Katrina Finkelstein)<br /> — Marines carry personal items to the top of a hillside near Camp Pendleton in California, contributing to the living memorial. (Katrina Finkelstein)

Veterans Day: How Crosses, Mementos Help Marines Remember Fallen Comrades

By Katrina Finkelstein and Derek H. Alderman for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Tennessee News Service. On Veterans Day…

Retired Army Col. Lewis Millett, who died in 2009, hailed from Maine and fought during three wars, earning his Medal of Honor during the Korean War. (U.S. National Archives)

Museum to Pay Tribute to Recipients of Military's Highest Honor

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Americans from former presidents to friends and family of military service members are marking this Thursday's Veterans Day holiday …

Retired Navy Capt. Thomas G. Kelley hails from Boston and is among the 66 still living Medal of Honor recipients. (Wikimedia Commons)

Medal of Honor Museum to Pay Tribute to Recipients, Including 66 Still Living

BOSTON -- Americans from former presidents to friends and family of military service members are marking Thursday's Veterans Day holiday by spotlighti…

Former U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan M. Pitts was awarded the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony in 2014. (US Army)<br /><br /> — Former U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan M. Pitts was awarded the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony in 2014. (US Army)

Museum, Monuments Planned to Salute Medal of Honor Recipients

SALT LAKE CITY -- As the nation prepares to mark Veterans Day, former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton joined forces in a …

Urgency for the U.S. Congress to designate the Gila River as a Wild and Scenic River follows one of the worst years ever recorded for water levels on the Colorado River. (state.nm.us)

Heinrich, Lujan Reintroduce NM Gila River Protection Bill

SILVER CITY, N.M. -- New Mexico's U.S. senators are making another attempt to protect the last remaining free-flowing rivers and tributary systems to …

Native American leaders say school mascots depicting their culture make Indigenous students feel less included in their learning environment. (Adobe Stock)

Push Continues in Iowa to Remove Native American Mascots in Schools

MASON CITY, Iowa -- The Atlanta Braves are part of this year's World Series, and their name, imagery and chant face growing backlash to be replaced …

The town of Simsbury plans to preserve the remaining tobacco barns on the Meadowood farmland, some of which have been lost to solar-farm development. (Kesha Lambert)

Town Purchases, Preserves CT Tobacco Farm Where MLK Jr. Worked

SIMSBURY, Conn. - A northern Connecticut town now owns a former tobacco farm where Martin Luther King Jr. spent some of his teenage years. More …

Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the country for total COVID vaccination doses administered. (Adobe Stock)

New COVID Vaccine Grant Supports PA Orgs Tackling Hesitancy

PHILADELPHIA - Pennsylvania hit a milestone last week with 70% of adults fully vaccinated - but there's still work to be done. A new grant program …

Spirit Mountain is sacred to more than a half-dozen Native American tribes. (Alan O'Neill)

On Indigenous Peoples Day, Groups Call for New Nat'l. Monument

SEARCHLIGHT, Nev. - In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day today, many in Nevada's Native community are calling for the establishment of a new national …

Representatives from Indigenous groups that worked with acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey to establish Indigenous Peoples Day in the city joined her for the declaration signing. (City of Boston)

Communities Urge Recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day Across MA

BOSTON -- The city of Boston has declared today Indigenous Peoples' Day for the first time, and a bill before the General Assembly would make that …

Indigenous early-childhood education programs at tribal colleges and universities aim to improve students' educational attainment by revising school curriculums to be more culturally relevant. (Adobe Stock)

American Indian College Fund to Strengthen Native Teacher Pipeline

OMAHA, Neb. -- Tribal colleges and universities in Nebraska and across the nation are teaching the next generation of pre-K and elementary-school …

Native American students, most of them barefoot, sit for lessons in a crowded classroom inside the Walapai Indian School in Kingman, Ariz., circa 1900. (Wikimedia Commons)

Grant Aims to Boost Early-Childhood Education for Native Americans

TUCSON, Ariz. - Tribal colleges and universities in Arizona and across the nation are teaching the next generation of pre-K and elementary-school …

College student Jasmine Neosh, a member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, is pursuing several areas as part of her academic career, including environmental justice. (Photo courtesy of Neosh)

'Indigibration' Part of Effort to Help Tribal College Students Feel Seen

SHAWANO, Wis. -- Ahead of Indigenous Peoples' Day on Monday, a campaign is being launched to elevate the voices of tribal college students, with a …

The most recent major renovations to Cheyenne's Union Pacific Depot were completed in 2006. The building now ishome to the Cheyenne Depot Museum. (Adobe Stock)

Saving More of Wyoming’s Older Buildings Could Boost Local Economies

RIVERTON, Wyo. - Community and economic-development leaders are gathering in Riverton this week for the 2021 Wyoming Working Together Conference…

An international conference this week featuring linguists, educators, and practitioners will address ways to preserve indigenous languages. (marxelocinema/Pixabay)

Protecting the Future by Restoring Indigenous Languages

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- In anticipation of a new, decade-long focus on preserving indigenous languages, the first-ever conference on "Restoring and …

Wisconsin has a Hmong population of nearly 50,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (Adobe Stock)

Afghan Refugee Effort Prompts Reminders of Hmong Experience

MADISON, Wis. - A Wisconsin military base remains the temporary home of nearly 8,000 Afghan refugees, and it isn't the first time the state has seen …

According to The Pew Research Center, liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans are more likely to have heard about "cancel culture" than their more moderate peers. (Adobe Stock)

MA College Course Explores Holding People Accountable with Respect

By Sonali Kolhatkar for Yes! Media. Broadcast version by Lily Bohlke for Commonwealth News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

About 14% of Idaho's electricity was generated from wind in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (knowlesgallery/Adobe Stock)

ID Wind Project Stirs Concerns for Impact on National Parks, Wildlife

TWIN FALLS, Idaho -- The public has an opportunity to weigh in on a large wind-energy project proposed in Idaho. The Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project …

A new study about how parents talk with their kids about racial violence will focus in part on Missouri, where Black families still deal with the impacts of the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)

Study to Probe How Black Parents, Kids in MO Discuss Racial Violence

ST. LOUIS -- More than a year after the police killing of George Floyd that sparked nationwide protests, a professor in St. Louis is taking on a …

Ten artists from across the country are coming together to draw 40 chalk portraits of passengers and crew members of United Flight 93. (Rosemarie/Adobe Stock)

Chicago Artist Among Those Drawing Chalk Portraits of Flight 93 'Heroes'

BARRINGTON, Ill. -- Many have called United Flight 93, one of the four hijacked planes on Sep. 11, 2001, the first battle in the war on terror…

For the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Flight 93 National Memorial hosts several events, including a name-reading ceremony on Saturday at 10:03 a.m., the time of the crash. (Adobe Stock)

Chalk Portraits to Honor 'Heroes' of United Flight 93 on 9/11

STOYSTOWN, Pa. -- Many have called United Flight 93, one of the four hijacked planes on Sep. 11, 2001, the first battle in the war on terror…

At the new Wisconsin 9/11 memorial, a support structure that holds a section of steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center. (wisconsin911memorial.com)

Nearly a Decade in the Making, WI's New 9/11 Memorial Ready

KEWASKUM, Wis. -- Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, and you don't have to visit New York or the Pentagon to pay tribute…

A new program in Waterloo is designed to help marginalized students improve their reading skills with materials centered around Black history. Organizers say it can boost their confidence and academic success. (Adobe Stock)

"1619 Project" Creator Establishes Freedom School in IA

WATERLOO, Iowa -- Disadvantaged students in one of Iowa's largest cities will get the chance to build reading skills through a more robust telling of …

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley of Boston is one of the community leaders featured in the Uncornered Boston Photo Project. (Boston Uncornered)

Exhibit Showcases Ties Between Boston Residents, Historic Mayoral Race

BOSTON -- A new photo exhibit in the Seaport District showcases the surprising ties between a wide swath of Boston residents. The Boston Uncornered …

This year, May 31 was the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, when a white mob killed an estimated 300 Black residents of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Okla. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe Stock)

Graphic Novel Spotlights Black Wealth Before 1921 Tulsa Massacre

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A graphic novel illustrated by a University of Illinois professor aims to serve as a primer for young people to learn about the …

Tara Houska, founder of Giniw Collective, has worked with other tribal activists such as Winona LaDuke in trying to stop the Line 3 oil pipeline project. (Photo courtesy of honortheearth.org)

With Line 3 Nearing Finish Line, Tribal Opponents Continue Speaking Out

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. -- The Line 3 oil pipeline for northern Minnesota could begin operating by as early next month. The latest update comes as …

Even before winning her medals at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Suni Lee had already made history as the first Hmong American to compete in the Olympics. (Adobe Stock)

Suni Lee's Olympic Triumph a Boost for MN Hmong Community

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Over the weekend, local celebrations were held in honor of Minnesota's Suni Lee, who brought home a trio of gymnastics medals from …

Advertising curtains, such as this one inside Kearney Community Hall, are common in community halls as stage backdrops, and were used to raise funds through local businesses paying to have ads. (Andrea Graham/Alliance for Historic Wyoming)

Historic Community Halls Open Doors for Tour, Potlucks, Pie Auctions

BUFFALO, Wyo. -- The doors of five historic community halls across Johnson and Sheridan counties were opened this past weekend for 15 people curious …

Before Mackinaw City, the Red Road to DC Project stopped in Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. (House of Tears Carvers)

'Red Road to DC' Project: Protect Sacred Lands from Resource Extraction

MACKINAW CITY, Mich. -- A group of artisans from Lummi Nation is carrying a 25-foot carved totem pole from Washington state to Washington, D.C.…

Pennsylvania's parks and recreation economy provides an estimated $1.9 billion annually in state and local tax revenue. (Adobe Stock)

PA Mayors Call on Congress to Pass Parks, Jobs & Equity Act

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- A petition signed by 19 mayors from across Pennsylvania urges the state's congressional delegation to pass the Parks, Jobs…

A symbolic 5,000-pound totem pole, hand-carved by Jewell James of the Lummi Nation in Washington state, will be at a blessing ceremony Saturday at Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. (#RedRoadtoDC)

Totem Pole Journey to Support Bears Ears Restoration This Weekend

MONTICELLO, Utah -- The movement to restore the Bears Ears National Monument in southeast Utah gets a major boost this weekend when a hand-carved …

Local groups like the Sal Castro Foundation are pressing for federal recognition of Hazard Park in East Los Angeles, for its role in the 1968 student protests. (Manuel Galaviz)

Report: CA Latino Heritage Sites Need Greater Protection, Recognition

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Sites tied to Latino history and culture are underrepresented on the list of historic places, according to a new report from the …

As part of Latino Conservation Week, July 17-25, sites that embody the architectural, cultural and deep historical roots of the Latino community have been identified for preservation, including the Castner Range in Texas. (digie.org)

Report Identifies 2 Latino Heritage Sites in Texas Needing Protection

EL PASO, Texas -- A group that advocates for environmental issues affecting Latinos is recommending a more inclusive approach in the designation of …

Long celebrated by African Americans, Juneteenth often is viewed as an overlooked moment in U.S. history. But it's now a recognized holiday in North Dakota, and the 12th federal holiday. (Adobe Stock)

'Our Independence Day': Juneteenth Has New Meaning in ND

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakotans will gather in Fargo and Grand Forks tomorrow to celebrate Juneteenth, which recognizes the end of slavery. With the …

President Bill Clinton used the Antiquities Act in 2012 to designate the Carrizo Plain National Monument. (Bureau of Land Management)

Antiquities Act More Relevant Than Ever on Its 115th Anniversary

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. - Some of California's most dramatic landscapes have been protected under the Antiquities Act, which turns 115 …

Castner Range, outside of El Paso, contains petroglyphs, remnants of failed tin-mining operations and small stone structures and pottery, according to the El Paso Community Foundation and Franklin Mountain Wilderness Coalition. (riograndesierraclub.org)

Conservationists Promote TX Castner Range for National Monument Status

AUSTIN, Texas -- West Texans who support the Biden administration's commitment to conserve 30% of the nation's lands, waters and ocean by 2030 want …

Opponents of a bill before Texas lawmakers say it potentially could prohibit school teachers from discussing the Black Lives Matter movement. (education.msu.edu)

TX Educators: State's Future is Diversity, Not Conformity

AUSTIN, Texas -- When Michael Hinojosa was a government teacher, he encouraged students to read and study various sources from multiple perspectives…

Groups want to honor the native people of Montana by renaming three geographic features. (Djembayz/Wikimedia Commons)

Petition Proposes Change for MT Sites Named after Confederate Leader

HELENA, Mont. -- Groups in Montana are petitioning to change the names of three geographic features that now bear the name of Jefferson Davis…

Volunteers help staff a weekly COVID vaccine clinic in Schuyler, a town of 6,284 residents, where some 36 different languages are spoken. (Pixabay)

Nebraska Communities Band Together to Tackle Vaccine Distribution

SCHUYLER, Neb. -- Communities across Nebraska are banding together in response to the COVID-19 health emergency, and volunteers have become critical …

Public library officials touted their facilities have allowed people to apply for jobless benefits, check the status of their stimulus payments, and do other critical tasks during the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

WI Libraries to Benefit from Stimulus Bill

ASHLAND, Wis. -- Public library systems have promoted the services they provide go well beyond books. And now, they're getting extra federal aid to …

In addition to her historic role in President Joe Biden's Cabinet, Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., made history in being one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress in 2018. (House.gov)

Haaland's Confirmation Cheered by SD Tribal Leader

LOWER BRULE, S.D. -- The U.S. government now has its first Native American serving in a Cabinet leadership post. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., was …

In 2017, only 21% of Native American children younger than 18 lived in a household with a parent who completed a bachelor's degree or higher, compared with 52% of white households. (stgo.org)

Native Americans Anticipate Educational Impact with Haaland at Helm

SANTA FE, N.M. -- Native American educators say tribal representation at the highest levels of government will likely encourage more civic engagement …

A new book highlights local Black historical figures 200 years after Missouri became a state in 1821. (Kansas City Black History Partnership)

Kansas City Partnership Highlights Local Black History

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A decade-long partnership in Kansas City is lifting up local stories of Black community-building and struggles for justice and …

Since 2017, AARP has awarded 560 Community Challenge grants to nonprofit organizations and government entities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including dozens in Colorado. (Burim/ Wikimedia Commons)

Age-Friendly Community Grant Applications Now Open

DENVER -- AARP is now accepting applications for its Community Challenge grant program. This year's focus is to increase investments in projects …

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PNS Daily Newscast - December 8, 2021

2021Talks - December 8, 2021

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