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This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, October 20th, 2021.
Later in the program, Big Talk Producer Michael Glab speaks with music writer and author Stephen Deusner who recently wrote a book about the alternative Southern rock band, The Drive By Truckers.
Also coming up in the next half hour, we have Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on WFHB.
But first, your environmental news brief:
Indiana University has recently joined the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center which is an organization of universities and natural resource agencies that is focused on supporting scientific discoveries that will help Midwestern states respond to the climate crisis. The Midwest CASC will fund individual research projects that will center on this adaptation to climate, and particularly how it will affect the tribal communities of the Midwest. The program hopes to share the knowledge learned to rural areas throughout the Midwest to help those areas become more prepared for the effects of climate change.
Last week, President Biden appointed Debra Shore, a wastewater treatment official from the Chicago area, as the new director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Midwest office, which encompasses Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The Midwest office coordinates work between the states and promotes efforts to clean and protect shared areas of the Midwest, such as the rivers and the Great Lakes. Recently, the focus of the organization has been on dealing with wastewater pollution and contamination of drinking water. This appointment represents President Biden’s bold plan to address environmental issues through an approach of reinforcing the power of governmental organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency.
One of the key environmental policies in President Biden’s “Build Back Better” reconciliation package is likely to be cut due to opposition from West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin. The main environmental policy is called the Clean Electricity Performance Program which would offer $150 billion dollars total to energy suppliers who make the switch away from fossil fuels and to renewable energy sources. Climate experts have cited this program as being one of the most significant policies that could prevent global temperatures from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius, which is a threshold that when crossed will result in the most dangerous effects of climate change. It is important to note that Senator Joe Manchin benefits financially from the coal industry, so left-leaning Democratic politicians believe this to be the root of his opposition. These politicians are planning to protest Manchin’s decision.
Local Officials Provide Covid-19 Update at Joint Press Conference
At the Covid-19 Press Conference on October 15th, Health director Penny Caudill shared the Board of Health’s recommendations for Halloween and the holidays with friends and family. She said it is important to get vaccinated now so that the vaccine can be effective in time for festivities.
President of IU Health Brian Shockney said that getting the seasonal flu shot in addition to the Covid-19 vaccine, helps make the holiday season more safe.
Shockney added that the hospital is still struggling to schedule the surgeries that had to be postponed due to the latest surge. He said that this surge has been more aggressive than the others, and resulted in more individuals being hospitalized.
The next Covid-19 Press Conference will be held on October 22nd.
Now it’s time for your feature reports:
Author and music writer Stephen Deusner listened to the Drive-By Truckers on his headphones as he walked, daily, to the local coffeehouse in Birmingham, England. The band’s songs and lyrics made him think of his own hometown in the American South. So Deusner decided to write a book about the alternative Southern rock band.
The book, Where the Devil Don’t Stay: Traveling the South with the Drive-By Truckers, is about much more than a musical act; it’s about the American South: what it was, what it is, and how we perceive it. Click here to listen to the full interview.
Now it’s time for Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on WFHB Community Radio. We turn to host and producer Richard Fish for more.
Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Nathaniel Weinzapfel and Noelle Herhusky Schneider, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Michael Glab
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.
