Latest news with #OntheRecord
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
On the Record: Trucking industry surges as tariffs threaten holiday season
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — As uncertainty over tariffs persist, trucking companies are hustling to move goods as fast as possible to store shelves. Don Schaefer, who heads the Midwest Truckers Association, joined 'On the Record' for a snapshot of what's happening here in Central Illinois. He said the transportation, distribution and logistics industries, which represent about one in 10 jobs in the Midwest, are feeling the pressure. 'We're seeing a mad dash to get products into the country, especially from places like China and Hong Kong,' he said. 'This is the trucking industry's Christmas. Everything that hits store shelves for the holidays has to be stateside by Labor Day.' Many products, especially toys and electronics, come from overseas. Schaefer says the journey can take up to two months, starting by boat, then train, and finally by truck. 'Right now, it's all over the board because everyone's kind of up in the air about, what the tariffs mean, and how quick things are going to move, what's going to come over and what is not going to come over,' he said. Schaefer says truck shipments are up 70% compared to this time last year, a sign that companies are racing to beat potential tariffs. 'Trucks are full right now,' he said. 'The uncertainty about tariffs is why there's this pressure.' That concern stretches beyond consumer goods. Central Illinois farmers are watching closely too, especially those exporting soybeans and corn. Much of their product is trucked to river terminals along the Illinois River before being shipped abroad. With harvest season approaching, Schaefer said timing is critical. 'The export of that is critical, especially right now, because what the farmers want to do is make sure they get their grain beans cleared up before harvest time comes in the fall. So it's a very tight timetable,' he said. So what does this mean for you at the store? Schaefer says companies are doing what they can to avoid raising prices, even if tariffs go into effect. 'If a tariff is imposed, the goal is to keep price hikes minimal. But much depends on ongoing trade negotiations,' he said. 'The administration wants fair agreements, so we could see more deals struck in the months ahead.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
On the Record: Impact of tariffs on shipping ports in Central Illinois
Editor's note: Since this story aired on Saturday May 24, 2025, a federal court this week blocked the White House efforts to place tariffs on a wide range of goods coming into the nation. The ruling from a three-judge panel at the New York-based U.S. Court of International Trade came after several lawsuits arguing Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs exceeded his authority. Not all the tariffs were blocked. Here's a list of some that weren't. Below is our story from last week. _________________________________________________________________ PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — As global trade policies continue to shift, the impact is being felt far beyond international borders, including right here in Central Illinois. On this edition of 'On the Record,' we're exploring how tariffs are affecting shipping ports, and what this means for Central Illinois farmers. We sat down with Robert Sinkler, executive director of the Corn Belt Ports, to break down the ripple effects and the strategic importance of the Peoria Lock and Dam. 'Over half the goods that pass through the Peoria Lock and Dam are agricultural products,' he said. 'Illinois is the largest agricultural exporter in the Midwest, and more than 60% of our products move through here, down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and out through ports in Louisiana to global markets.' Shipping ports across the country are experiencing a slowdown due to trade uncertainties. For instance, the Port of Los Angeles reported a more than 30% drop in volume during the first week of May. The port's executive director said inventory is not rebounding despite the Trump administration's 90 day deal to lower tariffs on China from 145% to 30%. Farmers also have to deal with reciprocal tariffs to sell their goods to China. China is the world's largest importer of soybeans. It's also a major importer of corn and pork. While Central Illinois hasn't yet seen a massive decline, Sinkler pointed to the 2018 trade war as a warning sign. 'We lost nearly 20% of our market share to China for ag products,' he said. 'We just don't want to see that repeated.' Export levels haven't fully rebounded since 2018, and Sinkler said that's causing concern for farmers and local businesses alike. 'The Midwest isn't going anywhere, and neither is the Corn Belt,' said Sinkler. 'Our infrastructure is solid, but businesses and farmers don't like uncertainty. It affects planning, investment, and long-term growth. 'The sooner we get past these trade uncertainties, the better it will be for everyone. Reducing that uncertainty is critical for the businesses and farmers who rely on waterborne commerce.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mass. lags behind other states on student cellphone use restrictions
BOSTON (SHNS) – As other states race ahead with new restrictions, Gov. Maura Healey is citing mental health concerns in calling for student cellphone use in Massachusetts schools to be restricted and Senate President Karen Spilka says it's time for the Legislature to 'take action.' 'I think we need to rein in the use of cellphones during the school day,' Healey told reporters during a scrum on May 7. 'I think it has a really negative effect on kids' mental health. It's distracting and it takes away from the important learning process and actual socialization process.' As of April, 21 states had enacted laws limiting student use of cellphones in classrooms, according to Ballotpedia, and Healey said she's been talking to governors about actions they're taking in their states. Three states advanced cellphone restrictions just in the past week. New York implemented a bell-to-bell ban for the 2025-2026 school year. The Alabama Legislature passed a bell-to-bell ban, and Gov. Kay Ivey supports the bill. And in Oklahoma last week, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a law requiring a one-year ban on student cellphone use in public schools during the 2025-2026 school year. Bell-to-bell bans prohibit students from using cellphones at all during the school day, from walking in the doors until they leave. 'Bell-to-bell bans, for example, doesn't mean that your parents won't have a way to reach their children — that's important. Parents got to be able to reach their kids throughout the day. But it's also the case that I think we need to rein in the use of cellphones during the school day,' Healey said. New York included $13.5 million in its fiscal year 2026 budget to help districts purchase supplies to help implement the cellphone ban, such as small, lockable pouches that kids could be required to put their phones in. It'll be up to the districts to decide how they want to implement the bell-to-bell restriction. 'Our kids are overwhelmed by the addiction, the addictive algorithms and endless distractions,' New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a press conference last week, the New York Focus reported. 'Ninety-five percent of teenagers have smartphones. They receive 250 notifications a day on average. They can't possibly focus on anything else. They're so afraid of missing something.' Spilka last week indicated that she supports making Massachusetts classrooms cellphone-free in an effort to eliminate distractions. She seemed to step up her rhetoric when asked about the issue on WCVB's 'On the Record,' which aired Sunday. 'My son is a public school teacher, 11th grade, so the kids are a little older. Half of his classroom time is spent saying, 'Put your phones down, put your phones away.' And it's a struggle,' Spilka said on the program. 'Cellphones are not only a distraction — they're detrimental to the student's health. There is an increased chance of cheating and cyberbullying, and there's really no reason for students to have a cellphone.' Ed Harding, host of 'On the Record,' interjected, 'Except parents want to get a hold of their child.' One of the main concerns with phone restrictions is that parents may not be able to communicate as easily with their children throughout the school day, especially in case of emergency either at home or at the school. A survey from the National Parents Union found that 78% of parents polled wanted their child to have cellphone access during the school day in case of an emergency, K-12 Dive reported in September. Spilka responded to Harding, 'So what we will do, like any other bill — there are several bills that have been filed on this topic — we'll have hearings. We'll meet with parent groups. We'll meet with advocates. This is part of the legislative process. We'll look at what other states have done. We'll figure out something.' Attorney General Andrea Campbell filed a bill (S 335 / H 666) with Sen. Julian Cyr and Reps. Alice Peisch and Kate Lipper-Garabedian that would ban cellphones and other personal electronic devices, like smartwatches, from when a student arrives at school until the end of the school day. That bill is before the Joint Committee on Education, and has not yet been scheduled for a hearing. Rep. Carole Fiola also has a bill (H 574) to ban cellphones and smartwatches during the school day; and Sen. John Velis filed a bill (S 463) by request for a constituent, Kirstin Beatty, that would put time limits on screen time for each grade. Both are before the Education Committee, and have not yet received a hearing. Campbell's office earlier this year also released a 'toolkit' to districts with guidance on regulating student phone use in the classroom. Some Board of Elementary and Secondary Education members have raised concerns over a top-down ban coming from the state, worrying that it would be an overreach of local control. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mass. Rep. McGovern: The nation's ‘constitutional crisis' is here
President Donald Trump's attacks on higher education, law firms and other institutions, abetted by Republicans on Capitol Hill, have thrust the nation into a constitutional crisis, a senior Massachusetts lawmaker said Sunday. "I believe we're at a constitutional crisis,' McGovern said. 'I'm not sure we have a full consensus on that yet, but we're getting there. I mean, this president is ignoring the Constitution,' U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-2nd District, told WCVB-TV'S 'On the Record' program. Trump is 'denying people due process and doesn't seem to believe that Congress matters,' McGovern continued. I mean, he's behaving more like a king than like a president, so people should be worried.' McGovern, who represents Worcester and other central Massachusetts communities, said it's up to Republicans who control the U.S. House and Senate to stand up to the White House. Read More: Mass Gov. Healey: Trump's funding cuts, attacks on Harvard are 'bad for science' 'I'm not even sure Trump can spell 'constitution,'' McGovern, the ranking Democrat on the House Rules Committee, said. 'But the bottom line is that he's behaving in a way that is eroding [the] checks and balances in this country, and moving in a direction that I think smacks of authoritarianism.' McGovern pronounced himself 'horrified' by the administration's hardline on illegal immigrants, including a case involving a Tufts University graduate student. 'This is stuff you would expect to see in Russia or China or North Korea with a police state,' he said. 'With the United States of America, people are entitled to due process. I mean, there's a report today that ice picked up a US citizen who had a birth certificate to prove that he was a US citizen,' McGovern continued, apparently referring to a Massachusetts lawyer and his wife who said they were detained at the Canadian border last week. 'People are fighting what's happening on college campuses where students who are here legally are having their visas revoked without any explanation,' McGovern said. 'I mean, it is chilling. And again, I think this is a moment when we all have to push back, not just politicians but average citizens.' McGovern said he 'applauded' Harvard University's decistion to not accept a series of demands set forward by the Trump administration, putting $9 billion in federal funding at risk. 'To give in is to basically say that there no longer will be academic freedom in this country, that Donald Trump and his administration will dictate what you can teach, who can teach, what students can go there. I mean, come on,' McGovern said. 'And by the way, all colleges and universities ought to stand with Harvard. We need a united front. That's the only way you're going to stop this unjust and unjustified encroachment on academic freedom. Republicans used to think freedom was a good thing. I don't know what the hell's happened over the last few years,' he said. Mass Gov. Healey: Trump's funding cuts, attacks on Harvard are 'bad for science' Trump administration plotting additional $1B cut at Harvard amid ongoing battle Mass. gave the U.S. its Constitution. Why it matters more than ever| Bay State Briefing Federal agency cancels $117,000 grant set to go to Western Mass. museum Harvard donations spike after taking stance against Trump demands
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mass. House Dem leaders giving Cape Cod rep facing charges ‘room to look in the mirror'
Calls for Dennis Democratic Rep. Chris Flanagan's resignation have streamed out of Beacon Hill since he was arrested on federal fraud charges Friday morning — from nearly every office except those of his House higher-ups. Flanagan pleaded not guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records at Boston's Moakley Courthouse on Friday afternoon. Prosecutors allege that Flanagan defrauded his former employer, the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Cape Cod, to pay for personal and political expenses and then falsified campaign finance records. The calls for Flanagan to resign are bipartisan, but they have not come from House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano, D-3rd Norfolk, the Democratic leader whose voice could carry significant influence among the noise. Mariano said Friday that the House 'will continue to monitor the legal process as it plays out, and will take the appropriate steps if necessary to ensure accountability.' One of his closest deputies, House Ways and Means Chairperson Aaron Michlewitz, doubled down on Mariano's wait-and-see approach in an interview that aired this weekend. 'Certainly this is very troubling, very concerning. It erodes the public's trust even further, which I think is always a concern of ours,' Michlewitz, D-3rd Suffolk, told 'On the Record' hosts during an interview taped Friday morning that aired Sunday on WCVB-TV. Read More: Mass. GOP calls for resignation of state rep. arrested on fraud charges Friday Late last week, calls for Flanagan's resignation came from fellow Democrats in the Cape and Islands delegation, Sens. Julian Cyr, D-Cape and Islands, and Dylan Fernandes, D-Plymouth/Barnstable. Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the same, adding that the allegations 'cast doubt on his ability to faithfully serve his constituents.' On the other side of the aisle, House Minority Leader Brad Jones, R-20th Middlesex, and the MassGOP have urged House Democrats and Mariano to push Flanagan to resign, or act to remove him from office. So far, House leadership is leaving that decision in the Dennis Democrat's hands. 'He's the one that was elected and so he has to make a determination of whether he can stay in that seat,' Michlewitz said. 'But he certainly has to take a look in the mirror and realize what is best for his constituents." The U.S. has a political violence problem. Can we solve it before it's too late? | John L. Micek U.S. Rep. McGovern demands Trump officials give answers on visa revocations Mass. Gov. Healey has a GOP challenger. 3 big questions we're asking | Bay State Briefing SNL spoofs Trump administration, family and 'The White Lotus' in new skit Trump administration says it will exclude some electronics from reciprocal tariffs
