National News

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released its 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 1: Point-in-Time Estimates, an annual snapshot of the number of individuals in shelters, temporary housing, and unsheltered settings. The report found more than 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024, an 18% increase […]

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris Administration announced a series of measures to address homelessness across the country, reaffirming the Administration’s commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to safe, stable housing. This includes updating regulations that streamline the repurposing of surplus federal properties for affordable housing and homelessness services, making resources available to a select number of

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a 10-year partnership with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to accomplish shared goals in managing grassland and upland habitats and promoting workforce development, education and outreach that support mutual conservation goals.   Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the organizations will collectively develop a work

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the award of $225 million in competitive grant funding for 17 awardees with proposed projects across 26 states through the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) program. PRICE is an innovative grant program – providing funding to preserve and

LENEXA, Kan.  – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has marked the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), passed in 1974 to set federal standards for drinking-water quality. President Joe Biden issued a statement commemorating the Safe Drinking Water Act’s 50th anniversary. Since December 16, 1974 — when Congress passed the Safe Drinking Act legislation that

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. Yesterday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposal to list the eastern hellbender as an endangered species throughout its range under the Endangered Species Act. Eastern hellbenders are found in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.   “The

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are proposing to designate critical habitat for four species of endangered freshwater mussels. Habitat for the rayed bean, sheepnose, snuffbox and spectaclecase mussels can be found in 17 states in the central and eastern United States. We are proposing to designate a total of 3,974 river miles

KANSAS CITY — Prices in the Midwest Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), were down 0.1 percent in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The November decrease was driven by a 3.1 percent decline in the energy index, with gasoline prices contributing most to the

BLOOMINGTON, Minn – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing protection for one of the nation’s most beloved species — the monarch butterfly — and is encouraging the public to be part of its recovery. The Service is seeking public input on a proposal to list the species as threatened with species-specific protections and

By Travelers Risk Control The ideal time to get ready for a snowstorm is long before one is in the forecast. Winter storms can bring cold temperatures, icy roads, power failures and a loss of communication services. Such conditions bring safety challenges, so you’ll want to plan ahead. Here are some tips to help prepare