News from around the nation.

Offshore wind does more than aid NY, NJ clean energy futures; Vatican says surrogacy and gender theory are 'grave threats' to human dignity; Study: 14 million U.S. freight trucks vulnerable to hackers; Lawsuit over Endangered Species Act follows outrage at wolf torture photo.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service still in newscast April the 9th, 2024.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Despite different outcomes, New York's first offshore wind farm came online and New Jersey had one canceled.

Both states are benefiting from offshore wind.

Job creation and economic growth are predicted as New Jersey's decarbonization efforts could create 20,000 jobs.

The New Jersey wind port being developed in Salem County is expected to create up to 1,500 jobs.

Former Atlantic County Commissioner Karen Fitzpatrick says it's time the area had a viable industry again.

They used to be known for growing asparagus and for harvesting oysters and due to blight and overfishing, those industries went away.

They're starting to come back now, but they're not big enough to support the families that live in this area.

After ocean winds cancellation, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities is moving on.

This year it has approved two projects that would power close to two million homes, create 27,000 jobs, and provide a $3 billion boost to the state's economy.

I'm Edwin J. Vieira.

Now from our colleagues at NPR, the Vatican has released a new document calling poverty, war, and the plight of immigrants threats to human dignity.

At the same time, it calls abortion, surrogacy, and gender theory great threats facing humanity today.

Meantime, Colorado State University researchers have identified a serious cybersecurity gap in the nation's trucking industry.

Eric Gilletis has more.

New worker safety regulations meant to log how many hours truckers are on the road may have inadvertently exposed millions of U.S. 18-wheelers to hackers who could take control of entire fleets of vehicles, according to a new Colorado State University paper.

Co-author Jake Jepson says it's important to create guardrails as the nation's transportation networks, power grids, water systems, and other critical infrastructure move online.

Each year, those systems that never used to be connected to the internet or have any wireless connections, they are becoming more and more connected, and that can introduce vulnerabilities.

CSU researchers found the cybersecurity gaps in electronic logging devices, which track a host of data required for inspections.

The devices are connected to the vehicle's control systems and are not currently required to carry cybersecurity precautions.

In one example, the paper shows how hackers can manipulate trucks wirelessly and force them to pull over.

CSU associate professor Jeremy Daly says students were able to locate the gaps by reverse engineering one of the devices, which are produced by third-party vendors.

He says adding new electronics to trucks that don't go through a typical manufacturer's design process can introduce new vulnerabilities.

When regulators are introducing new requirements, they have to be aware of the cybersecurity implications.

This is Public News Service.

It's happening during a nationwide decline in college enrollment.

Our Joey LaRue reports schools and policy makers are being urged to prioritize student concerns, especially in conservative states like Indiana.

Findings from a new Gallup poll show college students want to be able to talk about different topics and viewpoints rather than limiting what professors can teach.

Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation released the poll jointly with Gallup.

The foundation's Courtney Brown says across various demographics, age groups, genders, and political affiliations, there are some common themes.

What we found across the board is that students want to attend an institution in a state that has more restrictive policies regarding guns on campuses, less restrictive policies on reproductive rights and teaching certain viewpoints or divisive topics.

Brown says it's important for schools to create environments that prioritize safety, inclusivity, and academic freedoms.

And in less than a week, Pennsylvania residents who need assistance in filing their income tax returns can use the AARP Foundation's Tax Aid Program.

More now from Daniel Smith.

You don't have to be an AARP member or senior citizen to get help.

The program's Pennsylvania State Coordinator, Frances Trimmell, says that while tax aid volunteers assist people of all ages, their main focus is on serving individuals with low to moderate incomes.

Last year, over 1.5 million tax aid participants nationwide saved more than $1.1 million in refunds and credits.

I work also at the Indiana office, and we will do 1,200 returns this year, which is a very significant number for individuals that really need the assistance.

Finally, from Maroz Brown, a lawsuit over a federal agency's decision not to boost wolf protections in New Mexico and other Western states has been filed days after videos surfaced showing the torture of a captured wolf.

According to accounts, a Wyoming man ran the wolf down with a snowmobile in late February, disabling it.

He then took it to a local bar and posed for photos before shooting it.

Eric Mulvar with the Western Watersheds Project says federal protections under the Endangered Species Act are essential because there are still those who don't respect wildlife.

That's why wolves were driven extinct in the first place, is because these types of people were the ones who controlled the public policy discussion throughout much of the 20th century when wolves were driven extinct.

In early February, the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service declined to restore protections for gray wolves in Western states.

I'm Maroz Brown.

This is Matt Clifford for Public News Service, member and listener supported here on Great Radio Station's, your favorite podcast platform.

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