News from around the nation.

White House fires CDC director who says RFK Jr. is 'weaponizing public health'; VA teachers' union celebrates court decision blocking anti-DEI policy; OH advocates warn repeal of clean energy credits driving up utility bills; Group urges passage of child care bill to help Illinois families.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Lawyers for Centers for Disease and Control Prevention Director Susan Monterrez says late Wednesday she remains in the role because only President Trump can fire her, that from CNBC.

Her lawyer, Mark Zed, said in a post, Monterrez refused to rubber stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts and that she is choosing protecting the public over serving a political agenda.

CNBC notes Kennedy, a prominent vaccine skeptic, has taken several steps to change immunization policy in the U.S.

At least four other top health officials announced Wednesday they were quitting the agency shortly after the Health and Human Services Department said Monterrez was no longer CDC director in a post on X.

Meantime, as parents send their kids back to school, a U.S. district court ruled that the Department of Education's threats against schools that violate its anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion policy is unconstitutional.

In February, the Department of Education sent a Dear Colleague letter that threatened to withhold federal funding from schools that continued race-based programs or DEI initiatives.

The American Federation of Teachers challenged the letter, citing violations of the First Amendment.

Emily Vanderhoff with the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers says the ruling gives teachers the freedom as professionals to build curriculum that is appropriate for students.

Attempts to control what can and cannot be taught in the classroom is just to restrict the professionalism of educators.

They're trained in child development.

They're trained in curriculum.

The Trump administration claims DEI initiatives indoctrinate students with liberal ideologies.

I'm Simone Perez.

And folks in Ohio are facing rising electric bills amid a rollback of federal clean energy tax credits that once provided relief.

Advocates say the cuts are stalling renewable energy projects and leaving the state unprepared for surging demand from new industries.

Karen Nordstrom, energy attorney at the Ohio Environmental Council, says repealing clean energy tax credits for both residential consumers and large developers has reversed progress on energy affordability and investment.

Rolling back huge opportunities for investment in Ohio and opportunities for Ohioans to reduce their utility bills.

Supporters of the repeal argue the tax credits were costly and unfairly benefited wealthy households and corporations.

Farrah Siddiqui reporting.

Next, advocates for working families are asking Congress to pass a bill to lower the cost of childcare in Illinois and across the US.

The median family income in Illinois is about $80,000 a year.

Amber Knight with the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children says, "Currently, most families are priced out of the childcare market."

This act is going to help working families.

It's going to provide security and being able to have children attend early childhood education settings without having the burden be solely placed on families.

The Child Care for Working Families Act is stalled in the GOP-controlled Congress.

The measure would increase federal funding so childcare would cost no more than 7 percent of annual income.

This is Public News Service.

Next to Indiana where politics turned toward redistricting Tuesday as hundreds voted outside the state house in Indianapolis.

Our Joe Ulori explains.

Democratic leaders joined the group Mad Voters to protest potential new congressional maps.

Congressman Andre Carson of Indianapolis told the crowd why he sees the issue as critical.

I think what we're seeing is an assault on our democracy.

My hope is that my Republican friends, most of them don't want this.

Democrats argue Hoosiers deserve transparency in the process, but Indiana Republicans say they have strong reasons to support redistricting.

Attorney General Todd Rokita claimed the last census inflated numbers in other states, reducing Indiana's political power.

And advocates for working families the Congress to do more to lower the cost of child care in Arizona and across the U.S.

The Child Care for Working Families Act is stalled in the GOP-controlled Congress.

Introduced in April, the bill would increase federal funding to ensure that child care would cost no more than $15 a day for families earning the median income, which in Arizona is about $78,000 a year.

Casey Peaks with the Center for American Progress says the bill would also make child care free for extremely low income families.

It's not just tackling the cost of child care, but also the supply.

So looking at facilities and the workforce, it also has a provision around universal preschool for three and four year olds.

Republican opposition centers around cost.

The bill hasn't been given a score by the Congressional Budget Office, but the two biggest programs, the Child Care and Development Fund and Head Start, each got about $12 billion this fiscal year.

The bill would also fund grants to open new child care centers and guarantee higher wages for providers in order to stabilize and grow the workforce.

I'm Tramell Gomes.

Finally, this year has been a banner year for red wolf recovery in North Carolina.

Despite shifts at the federal level, four litters were born for the last surviving population of red wolves in the U.S. located in eastern North Carolina.

Southeast Outreach Representative for Defenders of Wildlife Heather Clarkson says the Red Wolf Recovery program has been a major success, especially considering that the population was only seven wild wolves five years ago.

News of the new litters is a major accomplishment, she says.

While 20 to 30 now seems low when you compare to where we were just a few years ago, this is actually pretty incredible.

While there has been downsizing at the federal level, Clarkson says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has continued to be a good partner in Red Wolf recovery.

She says the success can also be attributed to groups such as the Red Wolf Coalition, North Carolina Wildlife Federation.

I'm Eric Tegethoff reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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