Check out the latest news, features, opinions, and more from Appalachia, the Midwest, and other Postindustrial Communities.
ASHEVILLE
In the 2026 midterms, here’s how NC politicians do — or don’t — talk about climate change
Blue Ridge Public Radio: It’s been two years since Hurricane Helene, but the storm is still casting a shadow over the midterm elections. More natural disasters are likely to happen because of the changing climate, experts say, yet that issue isn’t always part of the political debate, even though it’s a topic that lurks in a lot of people’s minds.
ATLANTA
Trump says tech companies should pay Georgians thousands to host data centers
Atlanta News First: Trump said local communities should have approval power over booming data center projects and receive significant financial benefits from tech companies to offset their impact.
BALTIMORE
Maryland members of Congress, elections officials targeted by suspicious letters
Maryland Matters: Almost every member of Congress from Maryland, as well as the state’s elections office, received ominous letters filled with what turned out to be a nontoxic powder at one of their offices in the last week.
Is the Magnificent Mile’s long-awaited revival here?
Chicago Sun-Times: The mile-long stretch of North Michigan Avenue has seen a flurry of new store openings, and at least five retailers have announced plans to open locations in the coming months.
CINCINNATI
Handmade brooms bring artistic expression to everyday life in Ohio
Cincinnati Public Radio: Curt Cable is a broom maker who runs Hollow Hand Crafts out of his log cabin workshop in southeast Ohio. For him, broom making is a family tradition: he remembers his parents growing broomcorn on their homestead. They would take it to a local shop for production.
CLEVELAND
Who’s behind Cleveland convention center study? A company owned by its operator
Cleveland.com: The firm hired to study the potential need to expand the county-owned Huntington Convention Center is owned by the same worldwide event and facility management company that handles the day-to-day operations.
COLUMBUS
Ohio State University professor who assaulted a documentarian in February resigns
Ohio State Public Media: The Ohio State University professor who assaulted a cameraman earlier this year resigned on Friday. Luke Perez taught at the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics Culture and Society. A university spokesman confirmed Perez’s resignation.
DETROIT
Abdul El-Sayed, Bernie Sanders rally west Michigan Democrats
Detroit News: The rally at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids is occurring a day after former President Barack Obama rallied Democratic voters in Detroit and hours after President Donald Trump wrapped up a rally with Republican voters in Port Huron, on the opposite side of the state.
INDIANAPOLIS
White House visits, overseas conferences among Indiana officials’ $132,000 in travel expenses
Indiana Capital Chronicle: Gov. Mike Braun topped the tally, followed by Secretary of State Diego Morales and Energy and Natural Resources Secretary Suzanne Jaworowski.
LOUISVILLE
Louisville to mark one year since deadly UPS plane crash with citywide observance
Louisville Public Media: Nov. 4 marks one year since the deadly UPS plane crash that killed 15 people in Louisville. To honor the victims and their families, Mayor Craig Greenberg’s office is inviting the community to come together for a citywide observance.
MEMPHIS
Tennessee paid $1 million for lethal injection drugs; concerns rising about past botched executions
Memphis Public Radio: The state has paid more than a million dollars for lethal injection drugs since 2023, The Tennessean reports. Secrecy laws shield nearly every detail except for the dollar figure. So it’s unclear how many doses were purchased or where corrections officials bought the drugs.
MILWAUKEE
Defense company to buy Wisconsin shipyard with plans to invest $350 million
Wisconsin Public Radio: The owner of a Superior shipyard will sell to a Miami-based defense firm that’s set to invest $350 million there as the Trump administration seeks to increase domestic shipbuilding.
MORGANTOWN
West Virginia Attorney General McCuskey issues subpoenas on environmental groups
West Virginia Watch: The West Virginia Attorney General’s Office subpoenaed at least six environmental groups, asking for records regarding climate change, in a move at least one advocated called a “fishing expedition intended to stifle our collective voice.”
PHILADELPHIA
Who are the future voters of Pennsylvania and what do they want from their legislators?
Philadelphia Public Radio: Maya Izzard, a high school senior from Philadelphia, said young people want to be more involved in politics and civics, but struggle to feel heard by elected officials.
PITTSBURGH
E-bikes now rival motorcycles for speed. State and city laws haven’t caught up.
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: A string of high-profile deaths and injuries involving electric scooters and bikes is spurring states and cities across the country to crack down on them. As technology improves, e-scooters and e-bikes capable of motorcycle-like speeds have become cheaper and more popular.
“Take back our city” Event held to educate, stop completion of data centers in the Ohio Valley
WTRF: The community was invited out to hear more about the data center set to be built in Warwood but also become an educational place to learn more about the data centers as a whole.
YOUNGSTOWN
Puppies take over Boardman Park for spooktacular parade
WKBN 27 Youngstown: Dogs in costumes took over Boardman Park for a puppy parade supporting local veterans over the weekend. The event drew nearly 80 paw-ticipants, with costume contests, raffles, and other activities throughout the day.
