Latest news with #EAB
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Emerald Ash Borer confirmed in Milbank
SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — Emerald Ash Borer has been confirmed in Milbank, a news release from the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources said. DANR has expanded the existing State Plant Pest Quarantine to include Grant County. The updated quarantine area includes all of Brookings, Minnehaha, Lincoln, Turner, Union and now Grant County. Sioux Falls Humane Society calls for help The pest has also been identified in 13 communities including Baltic, Brookings, Brandon, Canton, Crooks, Dakota Dunes, Hartford, Humboldt, Lennox, Sioux Falls, Tea. Worthing and now Milbank, a news release said. The Department has established an external embargo on untreated firewood entering South Dakota from all states east of the eastern border of South Dakota and all counties where EAB is known to exist in other states. Treatments made early in the season can kill the young larvae before they are able to injure the tree. Property owners within a 15-mile radius of Milbank wanting to save their ash trees should contact a commercial applicator as soon as possible, the DANR said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Social Security commissioner admits anger at Maine governor over Trump clash was behind change to newborn policy
In an extraordinary admission, Social Security Administration acting Commissioner Lee Dudek told the New York Times that his decision to require parents of newborns in Maine to apply in person for a Social Security number in an office rather than by simply filling out a form at the hospital came about because he "was ticked" at the state's governor, Janet Mills. 'I was ticked at the governor of Maine for not being real cordial to the president,' Dudek told the paper in reference to a testy White House exchange between Mills and President Trump over his executive order banning transgender women from competing in women's sports. 'I screwed up. I'll admit I screwed up.' On March 5, Maine's Department of Health and Human Services sent out an email notifying hospitals and birth centers that 'effective immediately, the option for parents to participate in the enumeration at birth process will be suspended,' the Portland Press Herald reported, adding that the agency was following guidance given to it by the Social Security Administration. The suspension of the program in Maine drew swift rebukes from health care providers in the state. 'It makes absolutely no sense to me at all to do this,' Dr. Joe Anderson, advocacy chair of the Maine chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, told the Press Herald. 'I see no logical explanation for forcing parents and newborns — with 11,000 babies born in Maine every year — to sit in a crowded waiting room, when we have done this easily, securely and efficiently for decades.' On March 7, Dudek reversed his decision to suspend the decades-old policy that is in place in all 50 states, calling it a mistake. 'I recently directed Social Security employees to end two contracts which affected the good people of the state of Maine. The two contracts are Enumeration at Birth (EAB), which helps new parents quickly request a Social Security number and card for their newborn before leaving the hospital, and Electronic Death Registry (EDR) which shares recorded deaths with Social Security,' Dudek said in the statement posted to the Social Security website. 'In retrospect, I realize that ending these contracts created an undue burden on the people of Maine, which was not the intent. For that, I apologize and have directed that both contracts be immediately reinstated. EAB and EDR continue in place for every state and were not affected. As a leader, I will admit my mistakes and make them right.' On Saturday, Trump demanded that Mills offer him a "full-throated apology" for challenging the legality of his executive order on trans athletes. "While the State of Maine has apologized for their Governor's strong, but totally incorrect, statement about men playing in women's sports while at the White House House Governor's Conference, we have not heard from the Governor herself, and she is the one that matters in such cases," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Saturday morning. Mills responded to Trump's demand on Monday at an event in Bangor. "If the current occupant of the White House wants to protect women and girls, he should start by protecting the women and teenage girls who are suffering miscarriages and dying because they can't get basic, lifesaving health care in states across this country," Mills said. "If he truly cares about women and girls and people of this country, let's see the economic plan. Let's see the health care plan. Let's see the education plan." For now, the enumeration at birth procedure remains in place in Maine. On its website, the Social Security Administration describes the process as one of convenience. 'The Enumeration at Birth (EAB) program eliminates the need for a parent to gather the necessary documents, complete an Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5), and take or mail original documents to a local Social Security office for processing,' SSA states. Citing his missteps as commissioner and Trump's current pick to head the SSA, Dudek told the Times that he did not expect his tenure at Social Security to last very long. 'I can't imagine the nominee would want to keep me after the way I've been doing things here,' Dudek said.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Social Security commissioner admits anger at Maine governor over Trump clash was behind change to newborn policy
In an extraordinary admission, Social Security Administration acting Commissioner Lee Dudek told the New York Times that his decision to require parents of newborns in Maine to apply in person for a Social Security number in an office rather than by simply filling out a form at the hospital came about because he "was ticked" at the state's governor, Janet Mills. 'I was ticked at the governor of Maine for not being real cordial to the president,' Dudek told the paper in reference to a testy White House exchange between Mills and President Trump over his executive order banning transgender women from competing in women's sports. 'I screwed up. I'll admit I screwed up.' On March 5, Maine's Department of Health and Human Services sent out an email notifying hospitals and birth centers that 'effective immediately, the option for parents to participate in the enumeration at birth process will be suspended,' the Portland Press Herald reported, adding that the agency was following guidance given to it by the Social Security Administration. The suspension of the program in Maine drew swift rebukes from health care providers in the state. 'It makes absolutely no sense to me at all to do this,' Dr. Joe Anderson, advocacy chair of the Maine chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, told the Press Herald. 'I see no logical explanation for forcing parents and newborns — with 11,000 babies born in Maine every year — to sit in a crowded waiting room, when we have done this easily, securely and efficiently for decades.' On March 7, Dudek reversed his decision to suspend the decades-old policy that is in place in all 50 states, calling it a mistake. 'I recently directed Social Security employees to end two contracts which affected the good people of the state of Maine. The two contracts are Enumeration at Birth (EAB), which helps new parents quickly request a Social Security number and card for their newborn before leaving the hospital, and Electronic Death Registry (EDR) which shares recorded deaths with Social Security,' Dudek said in the statement posted to the Social Security website. 'In retrospect, I realize that ending these contracts created an undue burden on the people of Maine, which was not the intent. For that, I apologize and have directed that both contracts be immediately reinstated. EAB and EDR continue in place for every state and were not affected. As a leader, I will admit my mistakes and make them right.' On Saturday, Trump demanded that Mills offer him a "full-throated apology" for challenging the legality of his executive order on trans athletes. "While the State of Maine has apologized for their Governor's strong, but totally incorrect, statement about men playing in women's sports while at the White House House Governor's Conference, we have not heard from the Governor herself, and she is the one that matters in such cases," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Saturday morning. Mills responded to Trump's demand on Monday at an event in Bangor. "If the current occupant of the White House wants to protect women and girls, he should start by protecting the women and teenage girls who are suffering miscarriages and dying because they can't get basic, lifesaving health care in states across this country," Mills said. "If he truly cares about women and girls and people of this country, let's see the economic plan. Let's see the health care plan. Let's see the education plan." For now, the enumeration at birth procedure remains in place in Maine. On its website, the Social Security Administration describes the process as one of convenience. 'The Enumeration at Birth (EAB) program eliminates the need for a parent to gather the necessary documents, complete an Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5), and take or mail original documents to a local Social Security office for processing,' SSA states. Citing his missteps as commissioner and Trump's current pick to head the SSA, Dudek told the Times that he did not expect his tenure at Social Security to last very long. 'I can't imagine the nominee would want to keep me after the way I've been doing things here,' Dudek said.
CBS News
21-03-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Emerald ash borer, now confirmed in Aitkin County, continues to spread in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has confirmed emerald ash borer has spread to three new locations in Minnesota, including in Aitkin County for the first time. Emerald ash borer – or EAB – is an invasive tree pest that kills trees by tunneling underneath the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. A telltale sign of EAB is woodpecker holes, as they like to feed on the EAB larvae. If advanced enough, the tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing an S-shaped pattern underneath. The MDA now says there are 54 counties in the state with EAB. Due to continued spread, the department has extended quarantine areas in Pine and St. Louis counties, as well as in Mille Lacs County, due to the proximity to the Aiktin county find. According to their website , MDA has also enacted a quarantine to limit the movement of firewood and ash material into Minnesota, and out of infested counties. Residents can attend a virtual informational meeting with tree care professionals on Wednesday, March 26 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. to learn more about how to prevent the spread of emerald ash borer. To attend, register here .
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill on public sector union lists clears Senate
The Iowa Capitol on Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa Senate approved legislation Monday allowing Iowa residents to seek district court action during a public sector union's recertification process. Senate File 472, which passed in a 32-15 vote, would allow Iowans to petition a district court to order public employers to provide lists of their employees to the state as part of the union bargaining process. Under the the state's 2017 collective bargaining law, government employers are required to submit a list of their employees to the Employment Appeal Board (EAB) before recertification votes in which workers are asked if they want to continue being represented by their union before the next contract negotiation period. If a list is not submitted to the EAB, the recertification election will not occur, and contract negotiations occur with the existing union representation. The bill would make failure to submit a list of employees illegal. It would allow Iowa residents to petition a district court for a writ of mandamus compelling the public employer to provide a list to EAB within 10 days of receiving notice of intent to conduct an election from the EAB. The bill limits the timeframe for petitioning the court in these cases to 60 days. Supporters of the legislation said in earlier meetings the measure was necessary as some public unions were purposefully not submitting lists of employees so existing union representation would retain control over contract negotiations. Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, highlighted the subject as a 'teacher union issue,' claiming that school administrators were choosing not to submit employee lists because of their loyalty to the teachers' union. During floor debate, Sen. Adrian Dickey, R-Packwood, said statistics from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing found that from 2020-2023, nearly half of the recertification elections that were called to take place did not occur because employers did not submit lists. He argued the measure would not create any issues for public employers that are abiding by current Iowa law, but would ensure public sector employees' voices are heard through the recertification process. Sen. Molly Donahue, D-Cedar Rapids, said the bill 'creates an unnecessary financial burden on our school districts, because sometimes they choose not to turn in that list — not because they sympathize with educators or with the union — but because they know that this is a redundant process and it's costing money.' Donahue said that the EAB recertification process overall was 'unnecessary' and a waste of resources and time for the state, noting that in more than 98%, of cases, public sector workers have voluntarily kept their union representation. 'If we truly care about the efficiency and cutting wasteful spending, the logical solution isn't to add more hurdles, it is to eliminate the entire system of (EAB) recertification,' she said. 'Teachers and public employees already have a choice, and they get to use their voice every single year … by choosing whether or not to join the union, or if they're already a member, whether or not to stay a member. No one forces anybody into a union. They've made that decision already. The current system is nothing more than an expensive and redundant exercise in bureaucracy. So let's start focusing on some real solutions that empower our educators, strengthen our schools and use taxpayer dollars wisely.' Donahue argued the bill was not supported by any educators, public sector workers or groups representing them, but was a measure pushed by conservative organizations that serves 'no real public benefit other than to try to get school districts to lose their rights to be represented by a union.' Dickey said the measure was not a 'union-busting bill' but a 'pro-worker bill.' 'The fact is, this legislation has just as much opportunity for a union to be formed as dissolved,' Dickey said. 'For opponents of this legislation to complain that it's too expensive for public sector unions or public sector employers, then all they need to do is follow the law, and no cost will be placed upon them.' The measure moves to the Iowa House for further consideration.
