Minnesota is preparing for a state government described as a "pro-choice" trifecta. Those supporting abortion access say having Democrats in control creates opportunities. The midterm election saw the DFL maintain control of offices for governor and attorney general, while adding power within the Legislature, and party leaders say they re ready to go on offense when it comes to reproductive rights. .
Voters in five Nebraska towns approved local ordinances banning abortion care in this week s midterm elections, but reproductive health care advocates said more significant threats are likely to come in the new legislative session. Scout Richters, senior legal and policy counsel for the ACLU of Nebraska, said the measures are not enforceable because abortion remains legal at the state level, but she worries they will create a chilling effect. "They harm Nebraskans by stigmatizing abortion care," Richters contended. " .
Johnson County, Iowa, is on a fact-finding mission - to determine what its residents need most for a good community health program. The county is receiving a $125,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to look at barriers that prevent people from getting the health care they need. It might be a lack of transportation, high costs, lifestyle choices, or limited access to medical care. .
New York s largest nurses union has affiliated with the largest nurses union nationwide. The New York State Nurses Association voted to affiliate with National Nurses United to help numerous nurses gain better working conditions in their respective hospitals. This comes amid growing union efforts among nurses and other medical staffers, mostly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. .
Three dozen wild horses have been shot and killed in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, and an Arizona group is advocating for protection for wild horses in the area near Alpine. Another 15 to 20 horses are missing. Simone Netherlands, president and founder of the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, is convinced the total number of horse killings will increase as the group continues to search the vast 500,000-acre forest. .