Six minutes of news from around the nation.

President Biden set to issue a pardon of his son Hunter Biden; 1,000+ organizations demand CA governor prioritize kids in budget; Montanans threaten rent strike' over black mold, safety issues; Florida apprenticeship programs transform lives, build futures.

Transcript

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The Public News Service Daily Newscast for December the 2nd, 2024.

I'm Mike Clifford.

President Joe Biden has decided to issue a pardon for his son Hunter, that from NBC News.

They report the decision marks a reversal for the president, who has repeatedly said he would not use his executive authority to pardon his son or commute his sentence.

The pardon comes ahead of Hunter Biden's December 12 sentencing for his conviction on federal gun charges.

Hunter Biden also set to be sentenced in a separate criminal case December 16, after pleading guilty in September on federal tax evasion charges.

NBC knows the pardon expected to cover both Hunter Biden's gun charges, conviction, and guilty plea.

Next, more than 1,000 advocacy organizations just sent a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom, asking that children's programs be shielded from cuts in the 2025-2026 budget.

The coalition, called the Children's Movement, successfully lobbied to beat back cuts last year, despite a $55 billion budget deficit.

Ted Lempert, with the nonprofit Children Now!, says policymakers face competing pressures this year.

There could be extra pressures on the budget due to actions with the new administration and Congress.

That said, the projected deficit is far lower than last year.

The new fiscal outlook from the California Legislative Analyst's Office projects a relatively small budget deficit of $2 billion for the next year, but cautions against any spending increases.

The governor usually submits his initial budget proposal in mid-January, which is a jumping-off point for negotiations in the legislature.

California lawmakers are required to pass a balanced budget each year by June 15th.

Lempert says children's programs are chronically underfunded in California.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

Next to Montana, where more than a dozen members of the tenants' union in Bozeman are threatening a rent strike if their landlord does not address maintenance and other safety issues at their apartment complex.

Residents of the Bridger Heights apartments say their landlords ignoring complaints over untreated black mold, radon, plumbing issues, and what they term "unreasonable apartment inspections."

Montana Fair Housing Executive Director Pam Bean says low-income tenants who have access to income-based housing like Bridger Heights are often people of color.

Are people with disabilities, are the elderly, are often single parents, particularly single moms?

Bean says if the residents of Bridger Heights and other income-based housing are treated differently than renters in other places, that could violate nondiscrimination laws and/or the Montana Landlord-Tenant Act.

The Bridger Heights landlord, a building owned by the real estate investment firm Eleven Capital, has called the tenants' complaints "stupid."

Eleven Capital did not respond to a request for comment.

I'm Mark Moran.

This is Public News Service.

We head next to the Sunshine State, where, for some, apprenticeships provide more than just a job.

They offer a career path.

Industry leaders are working around the clock, not only on their day jobs, but also to recruit the next generation seeking an alternative path to traditional college.

Jason Strickland is a business manager for UALocal 803, representing plumbing, pipe fitting, and HVAC professionals in Central Florida.

He stepped out of his job fair to share how the program changed his life.

I come from a family where there would be days I would come home and the power people would cut the power off or the locks would get put on the water because my folks couldn't pay all the bills all the time.

And now I don't have those same worries and my kids don't have those same worries because I got benefits, I got retirement, I got good training.

Strickland emphasizes that apprenticeship programs are essential for meeting the growing demand for skilled labor in the Sunshine State.

He notes they are using social media to connect with younger generations and share opportunities in the trades.

National Apprenticeship Week marked its 10th anniversary last week.

I'm Trammell Gomes.

And Medicaid renewals and steps the state is taking to improve mental health are all topics experts will cover at the upcoming Kentucky Voices for Health annual meeting in Lexington.

Emily Beauregard with Kentucky Voices for Health says UK's pharmacy team will be on site with a pop-up vaccine clinic for attendees and the general public.

Everyone is welcome to come.

It's going to be really convenient to have it right there.

People can swing by for their seasonal boosters.

Attendees will also get the latest on initiatives to improve access to health care for students, incarcerated residents, and individuals living with serious mental illness or substance use disorder.

More information is on the Kentucky Voices for Health website.

Nadia Ramlagon reporting.

And finally, you might be surprised to learn that surplus chocolate candy and other treats often find a new home on industrial farms.

Our Daniel Smith has more in the sentiment, Keystone State News Service collaboration.

In Pennsylvania since 2011, Hershey has been selling its candy waste to meat producer Cargill, which transforms it into feed for cows, pigs, and other animals.

Economic professor Katherine Bender at the University of Delaware says food waste is a significant issue, and companies are trying to minimize the amount that ends up in landfills and produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

This is one of those programs where they are taking excess candy and breaking it down and then feeding it to cattle.

And so it is, in fact, a great energy source for cattle.

It has to be mixed with other things and/or added with other nutrients to make it a balanced grain for these cattle.

This is Mike Clifford.

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