News from around the nation.

Trump is pausing federal loans and grants as his administration reviews spending; IL research shows high greenhouse gas levels in farm streams; Southern nonprofit supports Mississippi organizations led by women of color; Study reveals market failures in Ohio electricity.

Transcript

The White House is pausing federal grants and loans starting on Tuesday as President Donald Trump's administration begins an across-the-board ideological review of its spending.

That's from the Associated Press.

They report the decision by the Republican administration could affect trillions of dollars and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs, and other initiatives.

A memo from the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget stated, "The use of federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and Green New Deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve."

Next, when people talk about reducing greenhouse gas emissions on farms, they usually focus on soil.

But new research shows nearby waterways also need a closer look.

We get more in this sentiment, Illinois News Connection collaboration.

The joint study by researchers at the Universities of Illinois and Minnesota found more than one-third of regional nitrous oxide emissions in the Corn Belt are measured in the streams that run alongside farms.

Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas.

U of Illinois hydrologist John Ji-Yu says runoff from farming operations is the culprit.

"So what we basically found is, okay, there is other pathways and this stream emission could be important."

Factory farms produce large amounts of nitrogen waste from the nitrogen-based fertilizers and manure applied to the soil.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

And as many non-profit organizations see a decrease in funding and donations, one charity is stepping up to ensure organizations run by women of color don't suffer unequally.

Women's Foundation of the South raises funds and awards grants to program services and resources for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian women and girls.

Founder Carmen James Randolph says they created the charity to address the funding gap.

"We receive the least amount of philanthropic investment as well as the smallest share of investment capital to support our businesses.

So we exist to shift this trend of under-investment."

She says they are helping 120 organizations in Mississippi and four other southern states.

I'm Tramell Gomes.

And folks in Ohio have long had the ability to choose their electricity providers.

A recent study examines how competitive retail electricity service, known as CRES, options stack up against standard utility rates.

Associate Professor Noah Dormady of Ohio State University is lead author of the study.

"Consumers in these markets are oftentimes unaware of the options available to them and they're oftentimes unaware that most competitive offers have prices far exceeding the default standard service offer rate historically."

Approximately three quarters of CRES offers were more expensive than the utility's default service rate.

This is Public News Service.

Next up, changes could be coming for folks in Arkansas who are on Medicaid.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is proposing to add work requirements for some Medicaid recipients.

Similar rules were imposed in the state in 2018, but later struck down by the Biden administration.

Neil Seeley with Arkansas Community Organizations says more than 18,000 people lost coverage seven years ago, although they were working or had been granted exemptions.

We reached out to people to speak with them about their experience.

There was a reporting requirement and if after three months you had not reported, then you would be taken off.

He says some recipients weren't aware they didn't have coverage until they tried to go to the doctor.

Sanders is hopeful the requirements will remain in place under the new Trump administration.

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

And the National Press Forward Coalition is helping fund local news, including an online outlet in rural Colorado.

With rural newsrooms struggling nationwide, Press Forward, a coalition of national funders, is investing more than half a billion dollars in local newsrooms they see as vital for fighting misinformation, government accountability, and civic engagement.

The Alamosa Citizen is one of nine newsrooms in Colorado to receive funding.

Founder Chris Lopez says he wanted to create an alternative to the one newspaper serving the San Luis Valley.

We felt that there was an opportunity in the market for something more regular, more robust, and told a different type of story.

According to the State of Local News Report for 2024, three-quarters of news deserts are located in the nation's rural communities.

Press Forward was launched with major support from the Knight and MacArthur foundations, but it's also working to get more regional funders to support fact-based local news.

This story was produced with original reporting from Ilana Newman for the Daily Yonder.

I'm Eric Galatas.

Finally, the Chiefs are back in this year's Super Bowl, but first, the chefs are back at Albuquerque's annual Super Bowl.

Roadrunner Food Bank will open its warehouse this Saturday to host dozens of local restaurants and bakeries competing for top honors in the best soup and dessert categories.

Roadrunner's Diana Sanchez says the eateries helped the food relief organization raise funds and awareness about the state's hunger issues.

We raised money by selling tickets to this event.

There's live music.

People get to taste all of these offerings.

We have People's Choice Award, and we also have Critics' Choice Award.

I'm Roz Brown.

Feeding America estimates one in five kids and one in seven adults are at risk of hunger in New Mexico.

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

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