News from around the nation.

Ohio veterans warn mail-in voting changes could silence military voices; Clock ticking for Congress to renew ACA insurance subsidies and NH struggles with government shutdown, state budget shortfalls.

Transcript

The Public News Service Tuesday afternoon update.

I'm Joe Ulery.

Armed immigration agents stormed a South Shore apartment building in Chicago, targeting a Venezuelan gang.

The Associated Press reports the dramatic raid, captured in a Homeland Security video, showed helicopters, searchlights and agents leading suspects away.

Officials U.S. citizens were detained and homes were damaged.

The White House calls the operation part of a wider crackdown.

Critics say the raids are excessive and fueling fear in immigrant neighborhoods.

Ohio lawmakers are debating new legislation that would shorten the mail-in voting window, requiring absentee ballots to arrive by the time polls close on Election Day.

Farrah Siddiqui has more.

Senate Bill 293, introduced by Senators Teresa Gavirone of Bowling Green and Andrew Brenner of Delaware would require all ballots to be received before polls close.

Some veterans warned the change could make it harder for service members overseas to have their votes counted.

Retired Air Force Tech Sergeant John Matecki says when he served abroad, election officials helped ensure ballots were sent back on time.

From a deployed aspect, yes, I believe it would.

Getting mail sometimes is a little bit tricky and delayed.

It's not a surprise of when the election is, so I don't know if it would be that great of a challenge.

Current law allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received within four days.

Supporters of the bill say the goal is consistency and accuracy.

Gavarone says requiring ballots to be removed by Election Day ensures fairness and removes any ambiguity.

This story was produced in association with media in the public interest and funded in part by the George Gunn Foundation.

This is running out of time to renew Affordable Care Act subsidies known as Enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits that help 24 million Americans, including more than 100,000 in Colorado, afford health insurance.

Open enrollment begins November 1st, and if the tax credits are allowed to expire, Coloradans who don't get coverage through their jobs would see health insurance costs increase by 170 percent on average.

Priya Talang with the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative says the loss of tax credits would impact everyone who pays for health insurance.

It's going to ripple through commercial insurance.

Everyone is going to see their premiums rise as a result of this.

The government shutdown is now in its third week and Democrats have made the expiring tax credits their main demand in the standoff.

Republicans say they were only necessary during COVID and are just too expensive.

Since 2021, the tax credits have helped double the number of people covered under the Affordable Care Act, according to KFF, more than three in four Americans ACA coverage live in states that voted for President Donald Trump.

I'm Eric Galatas.

This is Public News Service.

North Carolinians are speaking up as state Republicans rush to change the congressional voting map and improve their chances in the midterms next year.

Eric Tegethoff has more.

The map largely impacts Congressional District 1, which was the site of the only competitive congressional election in North Carolina in 2024.

The map would decrease black representation in particular.

Tyler Day with Common Cause North Carolina says the proposed map decreases the black voting age population of the district by eight percent.

Representative Don Davis, a Democrat, won Congressional District one by less than two percentage points in twenty twenty four.

The new map was drawn specifically to oust Representative Davis and make it easy for a Republican to win.

Republicans in the General Assembly have made clear why they want to make this change.

It's likely to gain them a seat in the U.S. House, as state Republican Senator Ralph Heiss, who is serving as Senate Deputy President, has stated.

The House Redistricting Committee is scheduled to meet today at 2 p.m.

The General Assembly is accepting comments from the public on the plan.

Advocates for working families in New Hampshire say a prolonged government shutdown could harm the more than 70,000 residents who rely on SNAP benefits.

Federal officials warn the food assistance program will run out of money at the end of the month and have not said whether they'll step in to ensure payments continue.

Lucas Meyer with the nonprofit, our economy, our future says tax cuts for high earners and corporations have left the state with little revenue to shore up public services.

A lot of folks right now are feeling the squeeze, but that has also been the reality for a lot of working people in this state and in this country for a long time.

He says tax cuts for the ultra wealthy have drained more than $1 billion from the state budget over the past decade, leaving communities with inadequate housing, child care and health care.

Two rural health centers in Franconia and Canaan have already announced their closure due to federal Medicaid cuts.

I'm Catherine Carley.

Farm Aid, the annual concert program that raises money to support America's family farms is celebrating its 40th year of great music and benevolence.

One advocacy group, The Missouri Rural Crisis Center has worked with the concert series every step of the way.

The center supports the state's independent family farms and rural communities with programs that help ensure for market, support the environment and preserve the rural lifestyle.

The center's Rhonda Perry says her group was started with a grant from Farm Aid.

Farm Aid has very thoughtfully over the years ensured that the event wasn't just a concert but was an event that has ways for people to engage and take action right there at the concert.

She says Farm Aid cut a $10,000 check to help the center get up and running in the mid-1980s.

This is Joe Ulary for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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