News from around the nation.

Former US Army sergeant released from prison after Texas Gov. Abbott pardons him for 2020 fatal Black Lives Matter protest shooting; Ohio gears up for legal marijuana sales for adult use; Winnebago Tribe apprenticeships prepare students, build workforce; New FERC rule helps Virginia upgrade transmission infrastructure.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Delaware Newscast, May 17, 2024.

I'm Mike Pizzoli.

Daniel Perry, a former U.S. Army Sergeant who was convicted of murdering a protester at a Black Lives Matter rally in 2020, was released from prison Thursday after he was pardoned by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

That from Sienna.

They report Abbott's decision comes after the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted unanimously Thursday to recommend a full pardon and restoration of firearms rights for Perry, who was sentenced last year to 25 years in prison.

And this week, Ohio approved adult-use marijuana sales as part of a 2023 ballot measure, with sales anticipated to start in mid-June.

Ohioans age 21 and over can now legally purchase marijuana across the state.

In December, a law was enacted allowing people to grow and possess marijuana, but with no legal avenues to purchase it.

Governor Mike DeWine and some Republicans sought swift action to prevent black market sales.

Jim Canapa oversees the Division of Cannabis Control in the Ohio Department of Commerce.

He says after years of experience in liquor control, his role is to fairly and responsibly permit folks who grow, possess, sell and test cannabis.

My focus right now is really on coming up with the rules that are required and set forth and the timeline set forth in the initiated statute.

After June 7th, to have the applications ready, and September 7th to start issuing permits.

The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review approved the rules without objection, enabling a dual licensing program for existing medical marijuana dispensaries to also sell non-medical cannabis products.

Farah Siddiqui reporting.

The new legislation allows for people age 21 and older to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis or 15 grams of cannabis extract.

It also allows for the home cultivation of up to six plants for personal use.

And workforce watchers project the country could face critical worker shortages in many of these skilled trades in the coming years.

The Nebraska Winnebago Tribe is taking a proactive approach to the issue, as Deborah Fanfleet explains.

Its apprenticeship program helps high school juniors and seniors learn skills while helping the community build its skilled workforce.

It's a collaboration between Ho-Chunk Inc., Winnebago High School, the Winnebago Tribe Education Department, and local businesses.

Willie Bass with Ho-Chunk Inc. says tribal leaders realized they needed programs for their youth who might not pursue higher education.

This program was intended to get students interested in a foot in the door in the fields of construction, IT, nursing, education, etc.

Any of those sort of technical related careers.

Bass explains the students earn credits for spending two hours at their work site four days a week.

Winnebago's population has increased 30 percent in the past eight years.

This is Public News Service.

Next to Virginia, where a new rule from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could improve the state's electric grid transmission capacity.

It requires utilities and grid operators to plan 20 years ahead to accommodate expected changes in energy production.

The rule is designed to help Virginia meet the high energy demands of the growing data center market and prevent service disruptions in extreme weather.

Nick Guidi with the Southern Environmental Law Center says this rule will help the state reach its climate goals.

For the first time really in a lot of these states, the transmission planning process will have to explicitly take into account state goals and corporate clean energy goals.

That hasn't really happened before.

He adds the current process holds back state activity.

The rule faces sharp criticism from FERC Commissioner Mark Christie.

He characterizes it as a way to enact policies never passed by Congress and calls it a blatant violation of the major questions doctrine.

Guidi thinks this could lead to legal challenges.

I'm Edwin J. Vieira.

And surrounded by states that ban newly all abortions, its legalization in New Mexico has made the state a top place to travel for the procedure.

Results from a coalition of civil rights groups finds that women of color say politicians who want to earn their vote need to focus on reproductive justice, plus the issues of affordable health care, gun violence prevention and racism.

Lupe Rodriguez leads the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

With Latinas and other women of color, we've seen their power as a voting bloc on this issue in recent elections.

And voters of color and including Latinos are rejecting abortion bans and attacks on their freedom.

While nearly nine in 10 women of color say voting in the 2024 election is extremely or very important.

I'm Roz Brown.

Over a 15-month period ending in June 2023, the Institute found the number of abortions in New Mexico increased by 220 percent, with many patients coming from Texas, where it's mostly banned.

And finally, more than a million people in North Carolina are diabetic.

They have become increasingly worried about the national shortage of insulin.

Jessica Lynn Lato of Charlotte was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 28 during pregnancy.

She has seen firsthand the challenges the insulin shortage created.

We typically are prescribed 10 milliliter vials.

Some people were being prescribed three, three milliliter vials.

Other people were being prescribed insulin pens or altogether having the type of insulin they use changed to a different brand.

Advocates emphasize the urgent need for transparency about the causes of the current insulin shortage.

This is Mike Clifford, and thank you for wrapping up your week with Public News Service.

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