Check out the latest news, features, opinions, and more from Appalachia, the Midwest, and other Postindustrial Communities.
ASHEVILLE
North Carolina legislature votes to drop gas tax until Nov. 30
Blue Ridge Public Radio: State lawmakers voted nearly unanimously to pause North Carolina’s gas tax in the midst of high prices caused by the war in Iran.
ATLANTA
How Trump’s gutting of the Endangered Species Act could hurt three iconic Georgia species
Georgia Recorder: The Supreme Court once billed the Endangered Species Act “the most comprehensive legislation for the preservation of endangered species ever enacted by any nation.” Federal protections have been key to saving nearly 300 U.S. species — including the bald eagle, American alligator, and grizzly bear — from extinction.
BALTIMORE
Campus groups urging Maryland students to register to vote before looming deadline
Maryland Matters: With Maryland’s advance voter registration deadline approaching, student organizations on college campuses across the state are working to get more young people registered and prepared to cast their ballots.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Rainbow PUSH celebrate Rev. Jesse Jackson’s birthday with youth conference
Chicago Sun-Times: Held during Jackson’s birthday weekend, organizers said the programming reflected the values Jackson championed throughout his life and his deep ties to Omega Psi Phi, the fraternity he joined in 1960 and served in district and international leadership roles.
CINCINNATI
Ohio US Senate race: Tight race forces GOP to surge in resources
Ohio State Public Media: With less than four weeks until Election Day, the race between GOP incumbent Sen. Jon Husted and Democrat former Sen. Sherrod Brown is still among the ones likely to determine who holds the majority in the U.S. Senate.
CLEVELND
What we learned about Cleveland’s solar contracts and financing plan
Cleveland.com: Cleveland approved nearly $17.9 million in design-build contracts for two solar installations on former landfills, with financing planned around a federal subgrant and anticipated clean-energy tax credits.
COLUMBUS
Trump, Vance blitz Ohio as Democrats look to flip governor’s mansion
The Hill: The red-leaning Buckeye State governor’s mansion could flip for the first time in two decades as Democrat Amy Acton narrowly leads Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in recent polls of their bitter midterm battle.
DETROIT
Madison Heights to disconnect city-run Flock license plate reader cameras
CBS Detroit: Officials in Madison Heights, Michigan, say the city will disconnect the Flock cameras it runs and will not renew its contract with the company when it expires.
INDIANAPOLIS
All nine Indiana congressional seats are contested. Here’s who’s running.
Indiana Capital Chronicle: All nine Indiana members of the U.S. House are defending their seats this fall, with challengers offering competing plans for healthcare, household costs and federal spending as voters help decide control of Congress.
LOUISVILLE
Former Kentucky lawyer, GOP donor says Kimberly Guilfoyle solicited funds for access
Louisville Public Media: Remember Eric Deters? He’s the suspended northern Kentucky lawyer who ran for governor in the Republican primary in 2023 and then again for Congress in 2024. He also runs the conservative pro-Trump Patriots Day Freedom Fest, which he cancelled this year due to low VIP ticket sales, and hosts a conservative Youtube show.
MILWAUKEE
In Wisconsin communities affected by measles, opinions on vaccines remain mixed
Wisconsin Public Radio: As measles continues to spread, some residents want to see more of their neighbors get the shot. Others question what they see as a lengthy list of childhood shots.
MEMPHIS
Trump touts Memphis law enforcement surge in Tennessee rally meant to shore up midterm support
Tennessee Lookout: The rainy remnants of Hurricane Isaias didn’t deter Tennessee Republicans from turning out over the weekend to hear Trump decry state Democrats as “communists” and “socialists,” and praise Tennessee’s federal delegation and the success of the Memphis Safe Task Force.
MORGANTOWN
More West Virginia residents approved for federal help after summer storms, flooding
West Virginia Watch: The federal government this week approved additional assistance for some West Virginia residents affected by severe storms and flooding this summer. It reaffirmed its denial for others.
PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia Public Radio: The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s comprehensive retrospective “Marcel Duchamp” presents the artist’s work in a chronological timeline.
PITTSBURGH
Trump urges Sen. Fetterman to switch parties, become a Republican
Associated Press: “I’d love to see him as a Republican,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews over the weekend as he returned to Washington from a rally in Tennessee. “He does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.”
WHEELING
Wheeling Island casino hosts third annual Eats and Beats festival in West Virginia
WTOV 9 Wheeling: Families and friends gathered in Wheeling for an afternoon and evening of food, music and activities during the Wheeling Island Hotel Casino Racetrack’s third annual Eats and Beats Festival.
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown community celebrates creativity at YMCA showcase
WFMJ 21 Youngstown: “So many people say ‘I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like,’ so those are our judges,” Suzanne Gray, arts and humanities director at Davis Family YMCA, said.
