News from around the nation.

Stephen Miller asserts U.S. has right to take Greenland; Budget cuts loom as Kentucky general assembly session begins; Filling Colorado's labor gap through non degree credentials; New year, new minimum wage for Missouri workers.

Transcript

The Public News Service Tuesday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Stephen Miller, a top aide to President Trump, asserted Monday that Greenland rightfully belonged to the United States and that the Trump administration could seize the semi-autonomous Dutch territory if it wanted.

That from the New York Times.

They quote Miller, telling CNN, nobody's going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.

CNN notes the remarks, part of a vocal push by Miller along a powerful behind-the-scenes player in the Trump administration's policy to justify American imperialism and a vision for a new world order in which the U.S. could freely overthrow national governments and take foreign territory and resources, so long as it was in the national interest.

Next to Kentucky, where state lawmakers convened in Frankfurt today for the start of the legislative session, where they will craft the next two-year state budget, our Nadia Ramligan reports.

Jason Bailey with the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy says families are stretched thin and funding for some services, like the popular Meals on Wheels program, was only restored after public backlash.

What is decided for the budget is very consequential for services that Kentuckians rely on and things they care about.

After years of surplus state revenue, Kentucky is expected to see a shortfall of around $156 million, according to Consensus Forecasting Group.

Reports authors say restoring a graduated income tax could help pull the state out of the red.

And creating new opportunities for black communities that have historically faced barriers to economic mobility can help high growth industries find and keep skilled workers according to a new report.

Previous federal investments like the CHIPS Act and bipartisan infrastructure law were meant to stimulate the economy, but they didn't address core issues surrounding unemployment.

In Colorado, there are currently two job openings for every unemployed worker.

Kayla Elliott with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies says, "Connecting black students "with professionally recognized certificate and credential programs can be a fast route to good paying jobs.

That might be an apprenticeship, that might be a micro-credential that you really only get in about six weeks or so, a certificate, typically programs that don't take the full two to four years.

In 2020, black workers with certifications earn nearly 30 percent more than those with a high school diploma.

I'm Eric Galatas.

And Missouri workers are starting 2026 with a higher minimum wage as voter approved Proposition goes into effect.

Clyde McQueen, who leads the Full Employment Council in Kansas City, says the change could help Missouri retain workers and attract others from outside the state.

When you have the cost of housing, the cost of transportation, the cost of child care, it is not a static cost, it increases.

We have to make sure that when people go to work they can afford those type of expenses after from their net income.

The state's minimum wage is now $15 an hour that's up from 1375 last year.

This is public news service.

As more immigrants are detained in Massachusetts, a growing number of protesters are holding weekly vigils to bear witness and show their support for immigrant rights.

Activists attend multiple weekly gatherings outside the ice processing facility in Burlington, which has been described by former detainees as overcrowded and inhumane.

Todd Palmer with the Greater Assabit Indivisible Network says people are sleeping on concrete floors in windowless rooms where the lights are always on.

This is a violation of the Eighth Amendment against cruel and unusual punishments.

And that really was part of what drew me out there to think that such thing was happening in Massachusetts.

Nearly 9000 people across New England were detained by ice last year.

Many were processed through the Burlington facility.

Palmer says the vigils are peaceful, often joyful and show immigrant families they are not alone.

I'm Katherine Carley.

And proposed changes to the U.S. Postal Service's processing network could delay mail delivery and alter postmarked dates.

Michael Shemitis of the Rural Democracy Initiative says the plan to consolidate regional facilities and eliminate evening pickups at some rural post offices will mostly impact rural communities.

The postal leadership wants to wait until they transport my mail from the post office to a separate regional facility, which will mean the postmark will likely have a different day than when I actually mail it.

The changes part of the Postal Service's Delivering for America plan are intended to modernize operations but have drawn criticism for potentially slowing mail and creating confusion around election deadlines.

Chimides warns that voters who submit ballots on time could still have them rejected due to incorrect postmarks.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

Finally, a leading watchdog group says that Governor Tim Walz's ending his re-election bid should not distract from conversations around fraud reform in Minnesota.

Walz announced Monday he's no longer seeking a third term as the state garners scrutiny over claims it didn't do enough to shield social service programs from fraudsters.

Anastasia Beledona-Carrera with Common Cause Minnesota says discussions on fraud reform, no matter which elected official or candidate is involved, has to be more than symbolic.

Minnesotans are getting a bit saturated with the party line narratives and are more hungry for fact-based outcomes.

The state legislature and the governor's office have each touted steps they've taken in response to high-profile investigations on both the state and federal level.

But Bella Donna Carretta feels the public's voice is being left out too much.

She points to hearings on fraud and other key issues that were held in the middle of the day when most people are at work.

I'm Mike Moen.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

We are a member and listener supported.

You can find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.