Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Now it is Canada’s turn to levy new tariffs on the United States; Measles concerns are amplified in Pennsylvania following two deaths; Hoosier energy costs and efficiency sidestep company profits; a Water violations lawsuit continues in a West Virginia county.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service daily newscast for August 26, 2026.

I’m Mike Clifford.

The U.S.-Canada trade war escalated by another notch.

Canada struck back at the U.S., announcing new tariffs of up to 50% on hundreds of American goods and deepening a trade war between the two longtime allies, which has been simmering since President Trump returned to the White House last year.

The Washington Post notes beginning on September the 8th, Canada will double their tariffs on American steel and aluminum from 25 to 50 percent.

It will impose tariffs ranging from 15 to 50 percent on about 700 other products.

Meantime, with measles on the rise, Pennsylvania children's advocates remind parents of the importance of vaccine checkups for their kids in hopes of keeping them healthy in and out of the classroom.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says measles cases in Pennsylvania and nationwide are at their highest level in more than three decades.

Carrie King of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children says their new fact sheet provides guidance for families.

She says back to school time is ideal to make sure children are up to date on their shots.

But King notes that measles vaccination rates have been slipping, including Pennsylvania's kindergarten immunization rate, leaving more kids vulnerable.

So the measles, mumps, rubella, the vaccination rate stands at 93.2%.

Typically in the medical community, we look to 95% for what we refer to as the community protection goal.

So really like looking to build up kind of that herd immunity.

Pennsylvania health officials reported Tuesday that two unvaccinated people in Lancaster County have died from measles.

Danielle Smith reporting.

And energy production is big business and companies are earning major profits no matter which market they're in.

The Solar Energy Industries Association says Indiana has installed solar power sources in nearly 851,000 homes.

Coal production in the state yields almost 24 million tons of coal, 4% of the nation's total production.

The federal government is primarily backing the coal industry, but Randolph County Assessor George Castor believes solar can coexist alongside it.

Even though those who want coal gone due to environmental concerns and the cost of coal production to create energy, the diversity of solar, wind, and coal combined can make a big impact on our energy costs.

A company should be able to earn a profit, he adds, but with the increased need for electricity, failing to seek alternatives is a, quote, draconian path that Hoosiers can't afford to take.

I'm Terry Dee reporting.

Most of the electricity in Indiana comes from above-the-ground service lines.

If companies were to bury the lines, there would be fewer outages, even in flood areas.

This is Public News Service.

A graphite manufacturer in Harrison County, West Virginia, is asking a federal court to toss out a lawsuit filed by local environmental groups.

The case involves a company's facility near the Ann Moore Run, a stream within the broader watershed of the upper Monagahela River.

We get more on the story from our Nadia Ramlagan.

Olivia Miller with the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, one of the groups involved in the case, says the lawsuit is asking the court to require Amstead Graphite Materials to comply with its permit, stop Clean Water Act violations, and pay penalties.

She adds that the company has hundreds of violations related to chemical dumping reported from 2023 through 2026 on the books.

When you see repeated exceedances over time, that raises real concerns about whether the treatment system is adequate and whether the company is doing what it is legally required to do.

Amstead Graphite Materials says it's entered into agreements with both the EPA and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to make upgrades to its manufacturing plant and reduce environmental impact.

And health care advocates are taking their message on the road this week as Medicaid changes overshadow political campaigns.

Events are planned in four states, including New York.

The group Protect Our Care's GOP Hot Seat Summer Campaign aims to pressure Republican lawmakers during the August recess over Medicaid cuts and changes to Affordable Care Act tax credits.

But New York Assemblymember Dana Levenberg echoes community leaders and advocates who warn of a health care crisis.

Over 500,000 New Yorkers are losing health care coverage or their premiums are doubling, tripling.

It's just intolerable.

We cannot accept that this is America.

This is happening on the backs of the people who need health care most.

Ahead of the midterms, the GOP is out with its own messaging defending the moves.

Congress passed President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year, which included new work requirements for Medicaid.

I'm Mark Richardson.

Finally, the cost of health care in California keeps rising every year.

And today, the Board of the State Office of Health Care Affordability will look at proposals designed to bend the spending curve.

Over the past two years, the state established cost growth targets for hospitals, as well as both provider and insurance groups.

Chris Noble with the nonprofit Health Access California says the agency is now considering fines for companies that repeatedly overspend.

To actually ensure that that target is enforceable, that will create a real material incentive for these different sections of the health care system to find ways to contain costs and make health care more affordable for all of us.

Noble notes that health care costs typically go up 6% each year, outpacing inflation, wage growth and premium increases.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

Member and listener supported.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.