News from around the nation.

Judge blocks Trump from deploying California National Guard or any Guard troops in Oregon; Farm Bill expires amid federal shutdown affecting AR farmers; ME digital equity advocates regroup following federal funding cut; Report: Nitrate levels toxic to Iowa water.

Transcript

The Public News Service Monday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Hours after California's Governor Gavin Newsom vowed to seek a court order to stop President Trump from deploying 300 of the state's National Guard troops in Oregon, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Sunday night.

That's from the LA Times.

They report officials from California and Oregon sought the restraining order after the president sent California Guard troops to Oregon earlier on Sunday.

Newsom said in a statement, "The rule of law has prevailed and California's National Guard will be heading home.

This ruling is more than a legal victory, it's a victory for American democracy itself."

Newsom added, "Trump tried to turn our soldiers into instruments of his political will, and while our fight continues, tonight the rule of law said, 'Hell no.'"

And while the government shutdown is getting attention, farmers in Arkansas also wonder where things stand with agriculture programs now that the Farm Bill has expired.

The legislation, which hasn't been updated since 2018, expired last week while lawmakers grappled over the national budget.

Michael Happ with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy says Congress should know farmers are operating under a much different model than they were seven years ago.

"Input costs are through the roof.

Corn prices in particular are way down.

And then, yeah, we have the uncertainty from the tariffs."

Soybean farmers in Arkansas have been hit hard by trade wars and tariffs.

China is now buying its soybean supply from Argentina instead of the United States.

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

Next, Maine groups that are working to improve Maine's internet connectivity say their work will continue despite the loss of federal grants.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration canceled some $35 million meant to improve internet access and safety in some of the most rural in remote parts of the state.

Jessica Perez with the Maine Connectivity Authority says advocates for digital equity will gather in Augusta this week to find new ways to serve the seniors, small businesses and veterans most in need.

What do we still want to do in this landscape?

How do we be practical about what is possible?

They're all still committed to this work.

The grants came from the Federal Digital Equity Act, a bipartisan initiative that President Donald Trump has described as racist and illegal.

I'm Catherine Carley.

And new data from the National Library of Medicine shows nitrates in Iowa waterways reached toxic levels earlier than scientists first thought.

Food and Water Watch Iowa organizer Jennifer Breon says their new data shows that nitrates are dangerous to public health in even lower concentrations.

She says Iowa is more susceptible to this kind of pollution than anywhere else in the nation.

We have more factory farms than any other state.

We spread more manure, more fertilizer, and more pesticides on cropland than any other state in the country.

The state's drinking water is routinely contaminated with nitrates in excess of the federal safety threshold of 10 milligrams per liter.

This is public news service.

North America's largest trade deal is now under review.

Critics say it is hurting states like Pennsylvania and their economy.

The U.S. Mexico Canada agreement, which replaced the North American free trade agreement in 2020 covers more than 500 million people and about 30 percent of the global GDP.

Author Stamolis with the Trade Justice Education Fund says the PAC and its predecessor agreement have caused thousands of Pennsylvania jobs and roughly a million jobs across the nation, mostly sending them to Mexico.

Stamolis says his group wants the deal rewritten to protect American jobs and boost wages.

We're asking trade negotiators to prioritize stronger labor and environmental enforcement mechanisms, wage increases for manufacturing workers, and safeguards to ensure that a greater percentage of the goods traded under the deal are actually made in North America rather than in regions around the world with much weaker standards.

Danielle Smith reporting.

And the city of Athens has become the first in Ohio and one of the first ten in the nation to earn the SolSmart Platinum designation, the highest recognition for local governments advancing solar energy.

The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, honors communities making it faster, easier, and more affordable to go solar.

Athens Mayor Steve Patterson says their city has made it possible for residents to apply online for a rooftop or ground-mount solar permit and receive approval within 24 hours.

It was through SolSmart and their guidance that we were able to achieve that here in the city of Athens where I have a population of about 30,000.

We're in the heart of rural Appalachian, Ohio, and really trying to create an atmosphere where we're very forward thinking and environmentally conscious.

To reach platinum status, Athens implemented instant permitting, installed solar on city facilities, and created community partnerships through the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council, or SOPAC.

Farah Siddiqui reporting.

Finally, adults age 70 and older have the highest rate of firearms of any age group according to new data from the trace spanning 15 years.

The study finds over 63,000 older Americans died by gun suicide from 2009 to 2023.

Oregon has one of the country's highest rates of firearm suicide, with nearly 1,400 such deaths.

Data journalist Aaron Mendelson says this trend is driven partly by the nation's growing population of older adults, which has nearly doubled in 20 years.

He warns that without intervention, the problem will continue to worsen.

So we thought looking at the data and just starting from that point would be a good way to approach this subject that is often really challenging to discuss, even though it happens far more than I think many people realize.

I'm Isabel Charlet.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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