News from around the nation.

Hot stuff in the Labor Day forecast as a late-summer heat wave intensifies across the central and southern United States, a new panel finds recent NYC heat wave uncovers economic and health inequality in New York, and a Kentucky jobs initiative aims to boost second-chance employment.

Transcript

The Public News Service Friday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

It'll be a hot Labor Day for many Americans.

As a late summer heat wave is intensifying across parts of the central and southern U.S., the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center says that an unrelenting and intense heat wave will continue from the central and southern plains into the mid and lower Mississippi Valley through the weekend and in the next week.

USA Today notes temperatures are expected to climb into the 90s and low 100s, while humidity makes conditions feel even hotter.

The heat will build across parts of Ohio and Tennessee valleys and the Mid-Atlantic through Saturday.

Meantime, New York's latest heat wave did more than just send temperatures soaring.

It exposed how dangerous and unequal summer heat has become across the region.

At a recent Waterfront Alliance news conference, climate and public health advocates warned the extreme heat is now New York City's deadliest climate threat.

Caleb Smith of We Act for Environmental Justice says excessive heat raises utility bills.

Orson's asthma, diabetes, and heart disease disrupts sleep and strains systems not built for longer, hotter summers.

Heat is a threat multiplier.

What that looks like is the more marginalized you are, the more likely you are to face higher heat risk.

And on a larger macro level, when systems are not prepared, the consequences are multidimensional.

Last year's event hospitalized 341 people, and officials say it caused 19 health stress deaths.

I'm Mark Richardson.

And at the start of this long Labor Day weekend, a bill to regulate the temporary staffing industry has been shelved, but factors say they're not giving up.

More now from our Suzanne Potter.

The SAFE Act passed the state Senate but stalled in the State Assembly Appropriations Committee over cost concerns.

Robert Reed is with POWER, the Partnership Organization for Workplace Ethics and Reform.

He says the bill will be back next year and believes there's a persistent need for it because the staffing industry employs millions in the Golden State.

Close to 10 percent of the workers in California work through temporary staffing agencies, and regulation and the enforcement and the oversight has not kept pace with that rapid growth.

The bill would have required staffing agencies to prove they have workers' compensation insurance and register with the state.

Next, the Kentucky Comeback Initiative is opening doors for second-chance employment in the Commonwealth.

Ryan Bowman, who works with a local chamber, says businesses have expressed continued frustration with finding employees statewide.

He believes giving opportunities for those who have struggled with long-term unemployment can help fill the gap.

Where we want to get more people from the sidelines that are willing and able to work, that are qualified to work, that do have some barriers to employment, give them the opportunity by showing businesses tools and resources that they have available to them.

Over the past decade, workforce participation rates in Kentucky have ranked among the lowest in the nation.

In response, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation launched the Kentucky Comeback Initiative in 2020.

This is Public News Service.

A federal judge has struck down New York's 2024 Climate Change Superfund law.

It would fine the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2018, specifically those responsible for more than 1 billion tons of global greenhouse gas emissions.

U.S. District Judge Brenda Sain's ruling says the legislation is beyond the limit of state law and is preempted by the Federal Clean Air Act.

Dror Ladine with Earth Justice says the court got it wrong.

The court basically felt that it was bound to follow this decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that addressed a very different issue.

It addressed the question of whether the city of New York could sue fossil fuel companies under what's called a tort action for the harms their products were causing in New York.

He adds the Second Circuit ruled that kind of lawsuit can't be brought in courts since it asks a series of environmental questions judges aren't able to rule on.

Ledeen notes this could impede New York State's ability to pass laws addressing the harms of out-of-state greenhouse gas emissions.

While Governor Kathy Hochul says this will appeal the decision, this is one of many cases brought against New York's law and a similar law in Vermont.

I'm Edwin J. Viera.

And health care affordability remains a growing concern for folks in Wisconsin, and new data gives a more exact picture of how federal cuts have reshaped the insurance landscape over the last year.

Research from Protect Our Care shows nearly 20,000 Wisconsinites have lost their Medicaid or CHIP coverage since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed last summer.

Another 45,000 dropped to marketplace coverage after their premium skyrocketed.

State Representative Tara Johnson says Wisconsin is looking at ways to fill in gaps left by federal measures, including expanding BadgerCare income requirements.

So double the poverty level and somewhere between.

The proposal could also create a state-run marketplace for small businesses and employee groups.

I'm Judith Ruiz-Branch reporting.

Finally, as hospitals in the U.S. work to lower maternal mortality rates, our partners at KFF Health News find some North Carolina hospitals are turning to a small yet impactful tool, wristbands.

Launched by ECU Health, nearly 50 hospitals in the state health department distribute wristbands with the statement, I gave birth.

It's an effort to give mothers and care providers a visual reminder of postpartum risks.

Jessica Noble with ECU Health says information gaps can lead to maternal deaths outside of a hospital or medical facility in the days and weeks that follow a birthing event.

Within that gap, we noted that many of our wonderful emergency medical technicians and paramedics have wonderful training about asking if they are pregnant.

What might go on in the postpartum period was sometimes bewildering to them as well as their families and even patients.

Nearly 70% of pregnancy-related deaths occur after the day of delivery, with 40% happening after the six-week mark.

I'm Zamone Perez.

Credit goes to Andrew Jones for KFF Health News.

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

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