News from around the nation.

White House begins plan for mass firings if there's a government shutdown; Proposed federal cuts threaten Great Lakes, Michigan economy; Alabama could see big coverage losses if tax credits expire; Police union eyes retention, labor rights as November election nears.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update, I'm Mike Clifford.

President Donald Trump's administration instructed federal agencies Wednesday night to prepare for mass layoffs if the government shuts down October 1, after federal funding runs out, that for the Washington Post.

They report the memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget directs agencies to consider firing employees working on any program that is not funded by another law, such as the Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The Post notes the memo says once government funding is reinstated after a shutdown, agencies should revise their plans to keep only the smallest number of employees necessary to legally operate.

Meantime, proposed cuts to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency could ripple across Michigan, threatening the state's economy, public health and Great Lakes protections.

Leaders gathered this week along the Rogue River to urge Congress to reject the proposals.

Bentley Johnson, federal government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, says the agencies provide essential data, allowing collaboration between farmers, industry and communities.

We need to have reliable scientific information that's gathered, forecasts being put out months in advance that farmers can make decisions about.

And what we're seeing with cuts is the potential for weather stations to close.

NOAA and EPA efforts have helped restore polluted rivers and protect drinking water.

Faraz Siddiqui reporting.

And today, groups in Alabama and across the country are marking a national day of action to call for lower health care costs and an extension of enhanced premium tax credits.

Nearly half a million Alabamians could face higher premiums if those credits expire at the end of 2025.

The credits created under the Biden-era American Rescue Plan and later extended in the Inflation Reduction Act have helped keep health coverage affordable for families.

Debbie Smith with Alabama Arises Cover Alabama campaign says letting them expire would put coverage out of reach for many.

We're expecting about 130,000 Alabamians to lose their health coverage if Congress does not extend the tax credits.

She explains that if the credits expire, premiums through Alabama's state health care program would climb by an average of 93 percent.

Shantia Hudson reporting.

And as Virginians vote now, until Election Day, law enforcement advocates are calling on candidates to support policies to increase retention and provide collective bargaining rights for officers.

Rich Gorska is a representative of the Virginia Police Benevolent Association.

State police have a lot of vacancies, Sheriff's Office have a lot of vacancies, everybody's competing for the same applicant, including on the federal level.

So there's competition, especially in Virginia, with all the federal agencies nearby.

In the capital, we're competing in this bigger market for that one candidate to come to whatever agency.

He says the focus of his organization is to stabilize the profession to help recruit and retain talent.

This is Public News Service.

As part of New York City Climate Week, scientists are examining an overlooked idea to fight climate change.

It's called solar geoengineering.

This involves reflecting about one percent of sunlight from the stratosphere back into space to ease some of the worst effects of global warming.

While research has been ongoing for several decades, scientists still don't fully understand solar geoengineering's viability.

But Phil Duffy with Spark Climate Solutions says there's one common idea of how it would work.

The most commonly discussed approach would be to put small, very, very, very small reflected particles in the stratosphere and that could reflect just a little bit more sunlight back into space and have a significant cooling effect.

He notes large volcanic eruptions already put these particles in the stratosphere.

Currently, about 30 percent of the sun's radiation is reflected into space by clouds, sea ice and other particles, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Scientists aren't calling for deployment of solar geoengineering, but rather for more research into it.

I'm Edwin J. Vieira.

Three states have enacted laws banning geoengineering research, while similar bills failed in 30 other states, including New York.

And in just under 100 days, Minnesota's new paid leave law takes effect.

Labor and business groups are getting the word out so employers and employees are prepared.

Starting January 1st, most workers can apply for up to 12 weeks of medical leave or 12 weeks of family leave.

It's managed by the state with a payroll tax evenly split between the employer and employee to cover partial wage replacements for time off.

Maureen Dunaway with the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees says like unemployment insurance, _these new guarantees will serve as a bridge during major life events.

An economy does better when the people that have to participate in that economy have the ability to keep it sustained.

And that financial security reduces stress.

Organizations and law firms representing businesses are busy with tutorials about compliance and key deadlines.

I'm Mike Moen.

Finally, to Illinois, where wildlife experts call this a magical time of year.

Monarch butterflies have begun their migration from their northern breeding grounds to central Mexico for the winter, with peak sightings in Illinois happening in September.

The journey starts in Canada and takes about two and a half months.

The arrival of the monarchs coincides with Dia de los Muertos, a significant Mexican cultural holiday honoring loved ones who have passed.

Alan Lawrence, curator of entomology at the Peggy Notabart Nature Museum in Chicago, says some view monarchs as a symbol of spirits passing through to visit.

And it's just an incredible phenomenon that connects three countries across North America together and the species survival really depends on all of us and it helps remind us of our own mortality, where we came from and who we have to honor.

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

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