Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Responding to Trump slights, the European Union offers Canada an associate membership, Coloradans push climate into the November election debate, the affordability crisis is changing voters’ views on women's issues.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service, Daily Newscast, September the 17th, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

In hundreds, if not thousands, of social media posts, President Donald Trump set out to make Canada our 51st state.

The New York Times notes Trump has driven Canada into the arms of the European Union, that after antagonizing the Canadians for months, taunting the country's prime minister, and waging a relentless trade war.

The invitation by the European Union on Wednesday for Canada to become an associate member is a sign of the knock-on effects of Trump's brand of diplomacy, which often involves threatening countries that once were considered America's closest friends.

Meantime, some political strategists and think tanks have urged candidates to emphasize affordability over climate change in their November election campaigns.

But advocates warned going silent on an issue that 65 percent of Americans say they're worried about could leave critical votes on the table.

Paloma Greenwald is a public health nurse in Jefferson County and a member of the group Elders Climate Action.

She says voters across party lines need to hear how candidates plan to tackle common sense environmental concerns.

I believe there's consensus by and large across the country, across political divides.

People want clean air, soil and water.

We need our representatives to fully grasp that climate change is happening now.

Greenwald says Coloradans are already seeing the impacts of a warming planet firsthand.

Decades of drought have set the stage for bigger and more frequent wildfires, reduced Colorado river flows and bare mountaintops during ski season.

A recent poll found that more than 60 percent of American voters believe that extreme weather events like hurricanes, flash floods, droughts and heat waves have become more frequent over the past five years.

I'm Eric Galatas.

And matters related to child care, elder care and equal pay have long been considered women's issues.

But a new poll finds a majority of voters now see them as solutions to today's affordability crisis.

The Equal Rights Access Fund surveyed 1,000 likely midterm voters nationwide, and nearly 60 percent said today's economy is not working for them.

More than 80 percent report making difficult financial choices like reducing purchases, dipping into savings, or carrying a credit card balance to cover rising costs.

The fund's president and CEO, Noreen Farrell, says voters increasingly see women's economic security as key to their own family's financial well-being.

It's not just about the cost of living, it's about what puts money in your pocket.

And that's resonating across genders and parties in this poll.

The poll finds more than 70% of voters want state and federal leaders to not just make America more affordable, but to make progress within the next two years on specific policies, like ensuring up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave.

I'm Katherine Carley.

This is Public News Service.

I'm Katherine Carley.

A non-profit in Oregon is helping to make sure people in small communities in eastern Oregon are able to access the same money and energy-saving home upgrades and incentives as their urban neighbors.

Research from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy finds rural residents spend 40% more than city dwellers on their energy bills relative to income.

Dawson Larman is with Wallowa Resources, which offers free home energy assessments in Baker, Union, and Wallowa counties.

He says doing home improvement projects and navigating which incentives are available can be complicated.

We try to take that burden off of those homeowners by scheduling times with contractors, working with Energy Trust to see what the incentive may be, and just take a proactive role to assist wherever we can.

Larman says Wallowa Resources can help with a range of projects, like adding more insulation to an attic or retrofitting a heating system.

He adds the program is not just for homes.

People can also get their farms and businesses assessed for efficiency.

I'm Isobel Charle.

And it's pretty aggravating to have to call a half dozen doctors just to find one that takes your insurance.

A new bill on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk aims to solve that problem.

Assembly Bill 280 creates a centralized database that insurers must use to keep their in-network listing up to date.

Jennifer Robles with Health Access California says right now people routinely encounter providers who are no longer in network aren't accepting new patients, have incorrect contact information, or are otherwise unavailable.

Some provider directories can be about 80% inaccurate, others 20 to 30% error rate, and that really delays a consumer's access to care.

Insurers have been required to maintain accurate directories for a decade, but stubborn errors have persisted.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

According to the legislative analysis, the bill faces opposition from California Association of Health Plans and the Association of California Life and Health Insurance Companies.

Finally, folks in Minnesota have until September 30th to make use of a digital tool that helps households navigate new Medicaid work requirements.

The U.S. Census Bureau has released its annual summary of household income, poverty, and health coverage.

Median incomes last year topped $87,000, a highest on record, but the holistic poverty rate was unchanged.

And Stephen Durloff of the Stone Center for Research on Wealth and Equality and Mobility says 2025's tax and policy bill, H.R. 1, isn't showing up yet in the numbers.

These data do not fully capture the ways in which Medicaid and SNAP have been reduced, so I expect those numbers to get worse next year.

The new Medicaid work requirements begin January 1st.

I'm Mike Moen.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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