News from around the nation.

The FBI can now vet Trump's White House picks. But he can ignore whatever the bureau digs up; Simi Valley free clinic gets rooftop solar through Power for Health Initiative; Pronghorn deaths in Eastern Colorado a warning to motorists; Miami University contract talks drag on for more than 460 days.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

First, after weeks of delay, Donald Trump has finally agreed to let the FBI vet his cabinet nominees, but as president, Trump could give anyone a security clearance regardless of what the FBI turns up.

That from Politico.

They report security clearance experts say Trump might have no choice but to just do that, given that many of his picks for cabinet posts and other high-level jobs have what the FBI would consider red flags in their personal backgrounds, or professional records.

A newly installed rooftop solar power system will help the free clinic of Simi Valley keep its doors open and the lights on for the area's disadvantaged patients.

The Ventura County facility annually serves more than 10,000 uninsured or underinsured residents.

Funding for the project was provided through a grant from the global nonprofit humanitarian aid organization, Direct Relief.

Clinic director Fred Bauermeister says being mostly off the power grid allows them to fund other priorities.

Despite the fact that we got this building donated, we still have to pay $3,000 a month in electricity, which from a nonprofit point of view is hard money to raise.

He says the solar array combined with a soon-to-be-completed battery backup will provide 53 kilowatts of power, enough to make the clinic officially net zero in terms of carbon emissions.

I'm Mark Richardson.

And pronghorn, which can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, are the second fastest mammal on Earth, but the speed is no match for cars and trucks.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife recently released video showing more than 100 pronghorn killed along Eastern Colorado roads after heavy snowfall blocked their escape routes.

Liz Rose with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership says, "Unfortunately, these numbers are not unusual."

Every year, 4,000 wildlife vehicle collisions are reported across the state.

But those are just the reported incidents.

The actual collision rate is thought to be more than 14,000 wildlife vehicle collisions each year in Colorado.

Colorado is home to herds of bighorn sheep, deer, elk, and pronghorn, and all must travel between winter and summer habitat for food and shelter.

Eric Galatis reporting.

Next, after a new union at Miami University was certified by the state in June of 2023, its members are still waiting for an initial contract.

The Faculty Alliance of Miami represents tenured and tenure-track faculty and librarians at the university in Oxford.

Today marks 463 days the union's been without a contract.

Librarian and negotiating team member Rachel Makarowski says the annual cost of living raises the university is offering would make living in Oxford untenable.

We are really feeling that kind of tight pressure on our wallet, as well as the fact that they're devaluing us and our labor that is what makes the university work.

Negotiators say they're focused primarily on job security, academic freedom for librarians, and fair compensation.

This is public news service.

A Detroit suburb is undergoing a transformation with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Canton Charter Township is 31 miles west of Detroit with more than 98,000 residents.

It's investing in downtown revitalization, infrastructure upgrades, and future industry, such as EVs and clean energy.

Canton supervisor Anne Marie Graham Hudak highlights the energy efficient projects, which include buildings following energy policy.

We also are building a fourth fire station.

We're gonna utilize geothermal and solar.

We are gonna be the first in Michigan headed for zero energy, hopefully, carbon emissions, that's one of our goals.

For three years, Canton has earned Michigan's Green Community Gold status, a prestigious award that recognizes communities for their significant efforts in environmental sustainability.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Meantime, some experts contend part of the reason that Vice President Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election was because of the intersection of sexism and racism.

Back in 2016, Nevadans supported making Hillary Clinton the first woman president.

In 2020, the Silver State backed Joe Biden and Harris, the first woman vice president.

But just last month, Nevada was won by now President-elect Donald Trump, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund.

Latasha Brown says despite the loss and Trump's relentless personal attacks on Harris, millions of Americans did vote for her because of what she embodied.

We cannot also accept this idea that because she was a woman and she was black, that that in fact was a scarlet letter for her.

In fact, part of the reason why he attacked it, because it was a superpower as well.

Brown argues that while Trump made a conscious effort to weaponize gender and race, it also was what made Harris so attractive to many others.

I'm Alex Gonzalez reporting.

And the final federal plans for greater sage-grouse habitat in Wyoming and other Western states were met with criticism last month.

But some say the overdue plans need to be passed.

The final environmental impact statement from the US Department of the Interior revises policies on nearly half of sage-grouse habitat across 10 states.

Some environmental advocates say the plans aren't protective enough for the birds, whose populations have declined about 80 percent across their range since the mid-1960s.

But Allison Holleran with Audubon Rockies says work needs to be able to happen on the ground now.

We have wasted 10 years.

We have serious issues with climate and drought, an invasive species, wildfire eating up our sagebrush.

These plans have an ability to put our words into action.

Finally.

I'm Kathleen Shannon.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

Member and listener supported.

Hear us on radio stations, big and small, your favorite podcast platform, find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.