News from around the nation.

US and Russian officials push to restart Ukraine peace talks, South Dakota voters weigh a Medicaid expansion amendment, and rising costs make it harder for older Oregonians to stay in their homes.

Transcript

The Public News Service Wednesday Afternoon Update.

I'm Joe Ulori.

U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg today, pressing Russia to resume direct three-way talks with Ukraine and the United States.

Russia also released American Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher, held for more than four years.

Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky says he supports a ceasefire and trilateral negotiations.

Opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment on South Dakota's ballot on Medicaid expansion says it would harm rural areas.

Our Laura Hatch has the story.

Amendment I would let the state legislature repeal Medicaid expansion if the federal government cuts funding for the program below 90 percent.

Deb Fisher-Clemons with vote no on I says if it passes, more than 30,000 South Dakotans could lose their health care coverage.

South Dakota's attorney General agrees, saying as written, the amendment would automatically end Medicaid expansion if federal funding is cut.

There are some legislators who believe that that is not the case and that they would have the authority to deal with this, but I'm going to take the word of the Attorney General on how this would work.

South Dakota voters passed Medicaid expansion in 2022, raising eligibility to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

A new survey finds rising costs making it harder for folks to stay in their homes as they age in Oregon.

AARP Oregon says more than 9 in 10 respondents worry about paying for groceries and other necessities as well as having enough money for retirement.

Kimberly Steele with Changing Places says planning ahead can help people keep more control over their choices.

Planning is exceptionally important so that your wishes are known because it just takes a change of health or a change of heart and something is going to be different. and having to manage in crisis means that your choices are no longer yours.

Faculty and staff members at Mississippi State University are working with sheep and goat farmers across the state to help them identify and treat worms in their livestock.

They're using the FAMACHA system that identifies anemia in sheep and goats.

Animals receive a ranking of 1 to 5 on a scorecard.

A 5 indicates pale coloring in the animal's lower eyelid, which is a strong signal of anemia.

Leila Rio says the system can help farmers avoid deworming their livestock when it's not necessary.

We are helping farmers to make their drugs efficient for longer time.

You're saving in drug use and also you're saving in possibilities of increasing the resistance of the parasites to these drugs.

She says they're teaching the farmers how to use the FAMACHA scoring system so they can properly deworm their animals.

The science-based parasite control method also includes grazing management and selective treatment to improve the overall health of the herd.

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

This is Public News Service.

Conservationists are celebrating the permanent protection secured for more than 27,000 acres of forest in western Maine.

Our Catherine Carley reports.

The land serves as an important corridor for wildlife to northern forests and will continue to provide year-round recreational access to a connected trail network.

Tom Duffes, vice president of the Conservation Fund, says various land trusts and multiple public and private funders worked for years to ensure the area remains free of development.

Here in the state of Maine, our tradition and our culture is that we help our neighbor and we work with each other to get bigger things done, and that's exactly what has happened here.

Year-round outdoor recreation has grown increasingly important to Maine's economy, contributing nearly $4 billion in 2024 while supporting more than 32,000 jobs.

President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance have launched a $25 million federal fraud whistleblower program.

Tipsters whose information leads to a conviction could receive 1% of the recovered money, Trump says he'll decide who qualifies for a payout.

California Children's Services helps more than 185,000 children and young adults with serious medical conditions.

A new law will keep families involved in shaping the program for another decade.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2486, extending the program's advisory group for 10 years.

Nancy Netherland with Family Voices says that kind of access helped when her daughter was denied a life-saving drug costing more than $30,000 a month.

Because of things like this advisory, there are really nice pathways for us to figure out how to solve problems.

So we don't have to file grievances.

You know, we can share what works well.

The group advises the State Department of Healthcare Services.

The new law also expands membership to include bereaved parents, families with children aging out of the program, and people outside managed care plans.

A new report examines how scammers steal billions from consumers in Connecticut and nationwide.

The Better Business Bureau's blueprint of a scam report finds half of Americans encounter scams every day, either via a text or phone call.

While there are certain red flags around scams in the past, artificial intelligence has obscured many of the obvious signs.

Kristen Johnson with the Better Business Bureau serving Connecticut says certain regulatory issues are also driving up scam activity.

In 2015, U.S. Telecom, which is the Telecommunications Industry Association, created what's called the Industry Traceback Group.

And members agreed to certain guidelines, which should allow the organization to cut down on unlawful traffic.

But the problem is it's voluntary.

The report suggests removing the $50,000 loss requirement on private lawsuits so more people are incentivized to pursue remedies.

It also recommends broadening Know Your Customer rules to monitor who's using services so there's a record for future investigations.

I'm Edwin J. Viera.

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

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