Check out the latest news, features, opinions, and more from Appalachia, the Midwest, and other Postindustrial Communities.
ASHEVILLE
North Carolina hemp ban bill stalls, giving dispensaries a temporary victory
Asheville Citizen-Times: H.B. 328 was expected to be up for a vote in the N.C. House Aug. 4, but no vote occurred. Attorney Rod Kight, who specializes in hemp, said the bill is stalled unless the N.C. House takes it up in a later session. Kight said that if the bill comes up again, it may be in a different form.
ATLANTA
Georgia Recorder: The program, known as Head Start, provides early childhood education, nutritious meals, health screenings and other services to more than 23,000 children and their families across Georgia, according to the Georgia Head Start Association.
BALTIMORE
Catholic Church deacon in Maryland arrested and charged with sex crimes
CBS Baltimore: A deacon for the Catholic Church in Maryland’s Harford County has been arrested and charged with two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor, the sheriff’s department announced.
ICE threatens criminal charges against Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart for not turning over inmates
Chicago Sun-Times: Federal immigration enforcement officials threatened to file criminal charges against Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart if he failed to comply with subpoenas asking his office to turn over detainees being held at Cook County Jail.
CINCINNATI
Local Islamic center works to rebuild trust after break-in, vandalism with hate message
Loca 12 Cincinnati: An Islamic center in Westwood is working to rebuild trust after burglars broke in and vandalized its main hall with a hateful message, even as leaders say the center’s mission to serve the neighborhood will continue.
CLEVELAND
What we learned about Flock license plate reader costs in three Cuyahoga County cities
Cleveland.com: Cleveland, Shaker Heights and Strongsville have authorized Flock Safety agreements ranging from $125,000 for six months to a five-year maximum of $204,550.
COLUMBUS
Meet five Ohio farmers surviving in a landscape of climbing costs
Ohio State Public Media: A bipartisan group of agricultural leaders are warning Congress of a deepening crisis on America’s farms. The cost of fertilizer has more than doubled since 2020. Fuel costs surged following the war in Iran. And U.S. agricultural exports are at their lowest levels in years.
DETROIT
English literacy center serves Detroit immigrants despite climate of fear
Michigan Advance: At a historic Lithuanian church in Detroit’s Mexicantown neighborhood, All Saints Literacy Center is working to open doors for community members who are not literate in English — whether that be parents who need to meet with their child’s teachers, workers looking to advance in their careers, or someone who needs to understand what a doctor is saying at an appointment.
INDIANAPOLIS
Indiana AG, bipartisan group urge Congress not to delay intoxicating hemp restrictions
Indianapolis Public Media: Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is co-leading a bipartisan group of state attorneys general urging Congress not to delay new federal restrictions on intoxicating hemp products.
LOUISVILLE
Mitch McConnell says he is discharged from rehab center to recover at home
Louisville Public Media: Longtime Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell said he will return home after a lengthy stay in the hospital and then rehabilitation center. The 84 year old entered the hospital on June 14 after a fall and said his stay was prolonged due to a bout of pneumonia.
MILWAUKEE
County in northern Wisconsin experiencing cyberattack
Wisconsin Public Radio: Washburn County officials say they’re currently experiencing a cyberattack. The county is working with the Wisconsin Department of Justice to investigate the attack and assess its impacts.
MORGANTOWN
Huntington community organizers start ballot initiative to prohibit Flock cameras
West Virginia Watch: Weeks after Huntington City Council voted to move forward with the purchase of a $2.1 million Flock surveillance system, organizers against the proposal are starting an effort that, if successful, would prohibit the devices in the city.
NASHVILLE
State Rep. Garrett prevails in Republican primary for Tennessee’s 6th District
Tennessee Lookout: State Rep. Johnny Garrett of Sumner County won the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District and will advance to November’s general election.
PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia City Council examines police crowd control tactics after Pride festival
Philadelphia Public Radio: Two months after Philadelphia’s Pride celebration ended with arrests and allegations of “overly aggressive tactics,” City Council convened a hearing that brought police leaders, LGBTQ+ advocates and residents together to examine what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again.
PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh researcher warns untreated fevers in pregnancy may raise birth defect risk
WESA Pittsburgh: A study from Allegheny Health Network published this year in the Birth Defects Research journal found that maternal fevers can be dangerous for developing babies.
WHEELING
Gov. Morrisey announces disaster unemployment assistance for West Virginia residents
WTRF.com: The Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits are now available for qualifying individuals who live or work in Lewis and Upshur counties and were impacted by the severe weather that began on July 21.
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown’s Mill Creek Park makes headway with storm damage
WKBN 27 Youngstown: Mill Creek MetroParks released some pictures showing the extent of the park’s damage that remains one month after the July 5 storms. Among the pictures were those showing stacks of large logs lined up in rows in the golf course parking lot.
