Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Reader scrutiny of Epstein file release, Hoosiers face tighter SNAP rules and rising uncertainty and MA retailers seek federal guidance as U.S. Mint stops penny production.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast for Monday, December 22, 2025.

I'm Joe Ulori.

The Justice Department is under scrutiny after pulling documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein from its website.

The Associated Press reports at least 16 files disappeared within a day of being posted, including material involving high-profile figures.

The department says it removed the records to review them for additional redactions, citing legal and privacy concerns.

But lawmakers from both parties say the move raises transparency questions and could violate a new law requiring public release of Epstein-related files.

Officials have not said when the documents will return.

A new federal aid package announced last week is being met with skepticism from farm leaders in Missouri and nationwide who say the $12 billion in one-time bridge payments won't make up for losses driven by trade disruptions and rising input costs.

Crystal Blair has more.

Missouri is home to roughly 95,000 farms and about 28 million acres of farmland.

Agriculture contributes more than $90 billion a year to the state's economy.

Missouri farmer Joe Maxwell leads the Watchdog Group Farm Action Fund and says the A-False short of what farmers have lost.

This bailout is just a drop in the bucket to the financial losses that farmers had due to President Trump's tariffs and trade war.

Federal officials say the 12 billion dollar package is intended as short-term relief with payments expected to be released by late February.

They note longer term farm bill provisions and related trade policy changes are set to take effect later.

Thousands of Hoosiers who rely on SNAP food assistance could soon face tighter rules, lost benefits, and growing uncertainty.

Nearly 9 percent of the state receives SNAP support, including families with children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Federal budget reconciliation changes now underway are reshaping how the program works and who qualifies.

Emily Weichert Bryant is executive director of Feeding Indiana's hungry, the statewide Association of Food Banks.

She says the scale of SNAP in Indiana often surprises people.

There were a total of one and a half billion dollars in benefits that were redeemed.

It's a program that's serving a lot of folks who are vulnerable.

Our member food banks are still seeing the lingering effect of the government shutdown before we get to folks losing access to benefits.

Supporters say SNAP helps stabilize families and local economies.

Critics argue states need more flexibility and tighter oversight of federal aid.

Those debates now collide with real-world impacts as changes roll out.

This is Public News Service.

Arkansas lawmakers passed a law earlier this year to address the sale of illegal vape products.

Freda Ross has more.

Act 590 targets single-use disposal and e-liquid products that contain nicotine.

Under the law, vendors can only sell products on a registry approved by Arkansas Tobacco Control.

Retired ATF assistant director Rich Mariano's says the FDA is cracking down on vaping products entering the country from China in the last five years, over 1000 percent increase in young adults using these vapes because of the social media and the marketing law also prohibits retailers from marketing vape products in ways that target children.

A survey of the FDA found that A survey from Communities United for Smart Policy shows 73 percent of parents agree that stores selling illegal vapes pose safety concerns in their communities.

The holiday season is seen as a time for socializing with family and friends, but the stress, loneliness and financial worries that accompany the holidays can trigger a relapse for some Tennesseans with substance addictions.

According to 2023 analysis from America's health rankings, about 15 percent of Tennessee adults report binge drinking.

Cooper Zelnick is the CEO of Groups Recover Together, a national provider of outpatient addiction treatment.

He says the holidays can be either a time of increased risk or a turning point toward recovery.

This is a disease of isolation.

The disease makes you think and feel that you're the only person who's ever had this experience, you're not.

So reaching out, being honest about what you're going through and asking for help is the best suggestion for folks who are struggling.

Tennessee provides the Red Line, a 24-hour toll-free hotline that connects residents with treatment and recovery resources for alcohol and drug addiction.

Massachusetts retailers are asking for federal guidance regarding cash transactions following the Trump administration's move to end penny production.

While the penny remains legal tender, business owners have reported a recent shortage in circulation, forcing them to create their own price rounding practices.

Bill Rennie with the Retailers Association of Massachusetts says it's been especially challenging for small business owners.

"If we had one standard, consistent policy that consumers and retailers know and can follow, it would be a pretty seamless adoption."

A recent survey found a majority of the nation's largest retailers face significant coin shortages, while two-thirds say they're rounding transactions to the benefit of customers.

The Trump administration moved to end penny production in February, citing the high cost, but calls for direction have gone unanswered so far.

I'm Katherine Carley.

This is Joe Ulori for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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