News from around the nation.

EPA allows CA to implement strict clean-car rules; Bernie Sanders blasts 'President Elon Musk' for derailing spending deal; protections; An Eau Claire small business braces for Trump tariffs; Maine voters who backed Trump still want EPA.

Transcript

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The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Groups that fight for environmental justice are praising the Biden administration's decision to grant California a waiver so it can implement clean-car rules that exceed federal standards.

California's rules would ban the sale of new gas-powered cars after 2035 and require trucks to further clean up their exhaust.

Andrea Marpiero-Colomina, with the nonprofit Green Latinos, says the new standards will help clean up the air in low-income areas overburdened by truck traffic.

Letting all communities are more likely to be located near highways, near shipping centers, near trade distribution centers, and, therefore, they're more susceptible to air pollution from vehicles.

This fight has been going on for many years.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

Meantime, Senator Bernie Sanders took aim at tech mogul Elon Musk for saying that any lawmakers supporting the continuing resolution for the newly unveiled end-of-the-year funding deal should be voted out of office.

That's from The Hill.

They quote a post on X where Sanders said, "Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government.

The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn't like it.

Will Republicans kiss the ring?"

The Hill notes the comment from Sanders comes after Musk made posts calling for lawmakers who support the legislation to be voted out of office.

And as the new year quickly approaches, Wisconsin business owners and shoppers alike are bracing for the prospect of tariffs from a new administration that could affect both their livelihoods and families.

Eau Claire Outdoors is a shop that sells gear for camping and backwoods experiences.

Owner Kate Felton says she carries products manufactured both in the U.S. and elsewhere.

She worries about shoppers being able to afford the brand she stocks if U.S. manufacturers increase prices as a result of tariff backlash.

The Trump tariffs really couldn't come at a worse time for small businesses.

Certainly, there's no good time for this to come, but this moment in particular is just a very dangerous moment for prices to increase on small businesses.

Eau Claire small businesses saw record low sales this past year, she adds, including the lowest turnout for small business Saturday in over a decade.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

And a majority of Republicans and Democrats oppose attempts to weaken the regulatory power of the Environmental Protection Agency.

That's according to a new poll.

The Environmental Protection Network finds 76 percent of Trump voters and 86 percent of all voters want legislation like the Clean Air Act to remain in place.

Matt George is with the communications firm Seven Letter.

The majority of voters really do recognize the value of regulations that keep our air and water clean and keep us healthy, and they want to maintain those regulations.

He says the data was collected before President-elect Donald Trump chose former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the agency.

This is Public News Service.

The issue of child labor in hazardous industries like agriculture continues to draw attention in states like Florida.

Advocates say systemic gaps in enforcement and outdated labor laws are exposing vulnerable children to dangerous conditions.

Reed Mackey with the Child Labor Coalition emphasizes the urgency of addressing exemptions that allow children to work in risky agricultural jobs.

It doesn't make sense to us, you know, if a job is hazardous, if it's dangerous, and a kid should wait until they're 18, until they're an adult, then why would you make this exemption in agriculture?

And we know that agriculture has very high injury and fatality rates for, you know, compared to other sectors.

Florida's agricultural industry, one of the largest in the nation, faced criticism from farmworker advocates following the passage of House Bill 49.

The legislation signed into law by the governor loosened child labor restrictions permitting 16- and 17-year-olds to work more than eight hours a day and more than 30 hours a week during the school year.

This story is based on original reporting by Don Ottride at Sentient.

I'm Trammell Gomes.

Meantime, construction will begin early next year on new affordable housing dedicated to low-income Oregon farmers.

This project is the latest by the Farmworker Housing Development Corporation, a nonprofit that is partnering with Energy Trust of Oregon to make their housing more energy efficient.

This year, the FHDC hosted workshops teaching more than 200 families how to save energy at home.

Ramon Martinez with the corporation says the payoffs are significant.

Along with receiving more than $20,000 in incentives to help reduce energy use across their properties, he says residents' bills are down.

During the cold months, some people are afraid to turn on the heater, right?

But it's been great because I've heard successful stories about residents seeing $200, $300 bills, lowering it down to the $100 range.

Research shows that most farmworkers in Oregon do not have access to affordable housing.

I'm Isabel Charlay.

Finally, holiday family gatherings are times for laughter and reminiscing, but Terry D reports the scenario can panic and confuse Alzheimer's patients.

The disease causes brain cell deterioration, and the ability to rapidly process information diminishes daily.

The Alzheimer's Association Greater Indiana Chapter reports nearly 11 percent of Hoosiers 65 and older have the disease.

Licensed social worker and gerontologist Macy P. Smith researches the behavior of the older population.

And if you're gonna have a small intimate gathering, I also recommend doing name tags.

Go ahead and put the person's name and the relationship to the person on the shirt, so that way they won't have to guess and wonder and try to figure out who this person is.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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