Author: Cecil Larson

A Husker conference co-sponsored with NASA launched the effort to create multi-institutional partnerships to help the Midwest address climate-related concerns such as drought, extreme wind events and flooding. Scientists from several states and NASA met at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the Feb. 26-28 Harnessing the Heartland conference to hear from a range of Midwest stakeholders about their climate concerns. Attendees then discussed ways universities, NASA, and the private sector can work together to advance climate sustainability in the region. The meetings continued with sessions at the University of Nebraska Medical Center to develop ideas for addressing climate-related environmental health…

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USDA selects MSU Center for Regional Food Systems to create Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center CRFS will receive $20 million to launch this Regional Food Center with key partners in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. This includes the Menominee Indian Tribe's Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, which will provide tribal coordination. Photo Credit: MSU Center for Regional Food Systems Contact: M. Jahi Johnson-Chappell, Director of Michigan State University's Center for Regional Food Systems; chappe17@msu.edu Colleen Matts, Director, Farm to Institution Programs, Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, matts@msu.edu East Lansing, MI, May 10, 2023 -…

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The Midwest Theater in downtown Scottsbluff will be a busy place in the coming days as it's set to host an array of live music, stand-up comedy and movies. Things kick off on Friday night with comedian Lucas Bohn, described as the perfect combination of schoolboy charm and bad boy charisma. Friday night showtime is 7 p.m. with tickets ranging from $20 to $30. On Saturday and Sunday, Oscar nominee for best animated film “The Boy and the Heron” will be shown on the big screen. On Tuesday night, the “Dave Matthews Tribute Band” will play hits like…

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Local governments in Ohio and Illinois are using money from the American Rescue Plan Act to relieve residents struggling with medical debt by partnering with an organization that buys debt and cleans up debtors. It's a strategy supporters say could be replicated across the country to help erase a multibillion-dollar problem. On November 9, the city council of Toledo, Ohio, passed a measure to eliminate the medical debt of eligible residents using $800,000 made available to the city through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a federal law signed by President Joe Biden in March 2021 aimed at helping the…

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Regional natural gas prices rose for a second straight week and averaged $3.29 per gallon of regular fuel on Monday, from last week's price of $3.27 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration .The average price of gas in the Midwest has risen about 24 cents since last month. According to the EIA, natural gas prices across the region in the last year were as low as $2.77 on January 8, 2024 and as high as $3.77 on August 14, 2023.A year ago, the average Midwest gas price was 1% higher at $3.31 a gallon.>> INTERACTIVE: See how…

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Paul Egan and Molly Beck | USA TODAY NETWORKGov. Tony Evers has reached an agreement with six other Midwest governors to coordinate plans to reopen their economies.Evers and governors in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky are putting together a plan to lift restrictions based on achieving the following goals, according to statements by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer:Continuous control of the rate of new infections and hospitalizations.Improved testing and detection capability.Adequate health care capacity to deal with resurgence.Best practices for social distancing in the workplace.The coordinated approach among seven Midwest governors does not mean…

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7:40 p.m. — Several more warm weather records were set, including in Cleveland, Detroit and Buffalo.As expected, several record highs were set Monday afternoon from the Midwest to the Great Lakes. Here are some of the notable ones:Buffalo hit 72 points, surpassing the previous high of 63.Detroit reached 74 points, surpassing the previous high of 69.Cleveland reached 77 points, surpassing the previous high of 76.Somewhat cool weather is forecast for much of the Great Lakes region on Tuesday, but record highs could again be challenged in western New York, while a second pocket of record heat is possible between Dallas…

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This article is over 3 years old. practice for the Chicago Bulls on April 27, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)Getty Images Two of the Midwest's largest hospital operators — Advocate Aurora Health and Beaumont Health — are “exploring a potential partnership” that could lead to a merger, the companies disclosed Wednesday. “Following approval last week by the boards, both organizations signed a non-binding letter of intent that paves the way for deeper discussions to create a premier health care system that will span across Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois ”, Beaumont and Advocate Aurora. Hygeia says in…

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By Amanda Foust Berju Jenny Berju of Creekside Middle School was named SHAPE America's Midwest District Health Education Teacher of the Year and nominated for the National Health Education Teacher of the Year award. SHAPE America is the nation's largest membership organization of health and physical education professionals. The award recognizes outstanding performance in teaching health and motivating students to choose healthy living for life. “I'm a passionate teacher who loves what I do and couldn't imagine doing anything else,” Berju said. With an emphasis on healthy eating and an active lifestyle, Berju strives to create a teaching environment that…

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As planting season approaches for farmers across the Midwest, large parts of many states are still in drought.The latest update from the US Drought Watch shows that the upper Mississippi River from Minnesota to Missouri is in moderate to severe drought, with a portion of northeast Iowa in extreme drought. Some areas of the Midwest have been experiencing drought since mid-2020.Although winter rains have improved conditions in some parts of the region, the outlook remains challenging for Midwest farmers. While warm temperatures made it easier for the soil to absorb water, it also made it easier for water to evaporate…

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