Six minutes of news from around the nation.

National Archives location closures could limit access to Tribal enrollment information; a new report raises questions about how PA students learn about plastics; childcare advocates are looking for new guidance; Wisconsin’s gubernatorial election will determine future energy costs for the state.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast for Tuesday, October 13, 2026.

I'm Edwin J. Viera.

Tribal leaders and historians warn the planned closure of three National Archives locations will limit the public's access to tribal enrollment information and documents revealing the atrocities committed at federal Indian boarding schools.

Catherine Carley reports.

Facilities in Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle are slated to close, but it remains unclear where hundreds of thousands of non-digitized records will be relocated or when they'll be available again.

Jean-Luc Pirit with the North American Indian Center of Boston says the descendants of boarding school students rely on the archives to help piece together their ancestry.

For people that are looking to get some closure to something that has happened within their family that has caused a lot of intergenerational trauma, those records are not going to be accessible.

He notes Historic census records of the Stockbridge Muncie tribe, which faced multiple forced relocations from New England, are stored in Chicago and could also be lost.

The National Archives says the closures are needed to improve efficiency and cut down on costs.

A new report is raising questions about how Pennsylvania students learn about plastics and whether industry-funded classroom curriculum tells the whole story.

More from Danielle Smith.

The report Plastic Expelled from the Plastic Pollutions Coalition examines how plastic, chemical and fossil fuel companies fund educational materials and programs in public schools.

Madison Dennis, who works with the coalition, says the industry is devising strategies that can allow them to endure and stay profitable.

A key avenue is the recruitment of students as future consumers and employees, particularly in communities near plastic facilities.

One Pennsylvania example centers on Shell Polymer Monaca, the petrochemical complex in Beaver County.

Shell had launched the Caring for Our Neighbors program, and part of that program was to grant $225,000 to start plastics recycling programs at six elementary schools near its petrochemical complex.

Advocates for comprehensive child care are looking to New Mexico for guidance after the state became the first ever to offer a no-cost universal program for all resident families regardless of income.

Roz Brown has that story.

The state aims to add 12,000 more child care spaces, targeting 1,000 or more registered child care homes, 120 more licensed homes and 55 new licensed centers.

Elizabeth Grudzinski with the state's Early Childhood Education and Care Department says progress is notable.

We have had 400 new providers come into the system, but we've also had providers leave.

So our net gain of new providers is 251.

Grudzinski says her office recently met with policymakers, advocates, and early childhood researchers from California eager to establish a similar program there.

This is Public News Service.

Wisconsin voters could face a major difference in household energy costs depending on who wins the governor's race and the energy policies they pursue.

Judith Ruiz Branch reports.

That's according to a new analysis from Greenline Insights.

Between 2027 and 2040, it projects a roughly $4,000 gap in average household costs among the agendas of Democratic candidate David Crowley and Republican candidate Tom Tiffany.

Jonah Faberman, founder and CEO of Greenline Insights, estimates Crowley's proposed investments would save households money, while Tiffany's approach would increase costs.

No one has a crystal ball, but we know the general directions here.

So the specific dollars to the cents may not matter as much as which one is going to save you thousands of dollars and which one is going to lose you thousands of dollars.

According to the analysis, the biggest driver of the gap is based on investment or disinvestment in Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program, which aims to help households reduce energy use through efficiency upgrades and home weatherization.

Ohio voters have an election protection hotline to use when voting in the upcoming November midterm.

Nadia Ramlagan has that story.

Voters can call 866-HOUR-VOTE for a free nonpartisan hotline staffed by trained volunteers who can answer questions and solve in-the-moment problems.

Elizabeth Warner with the League of Women Voters of Ohio says specialists can help you figure out where your polling place is, clarify early voting hours, and tell you what you need to know about absentee ballots.

Or if they see that the line seems kind of long, They might call the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline to report that the line seems long and that that feels like that might be a problem for voters.

The hotline operates from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

If calls are made during off hours, Warner adds that you can leave a voicemail and your call will be returned as quickly as possible.

Early voting is available now until November 1st.

Public comments are being taken through November 2nd on a proposal tied to federal efforts to scrap EPA standards for power plant emissions.

Minnesota officials say the state will remain vigilant in pursuing cleaner air.

Mike Moen has that story.

The Trump administration recently announced a final rule change to eliminate most standards imposed in 2024.

The pending proposal seeks to block remaining and future restrictions.

Minnesota has a law that requires all electricity generated here to be carbon-free by 2040.

Frank Kolash, an assistant commissioner with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, says that mandate will protect the state, but Minnesota will still import energy from areas without such laws.

While we can control what we generate within our borders, we do rely on other states and the federal government to take appropriate action.

Also, some local utilities want to build new natural gas plants ahead of 2040 to meet growing electricity demand.

Holash says these emerging factors need heightened state regulatory scrutiny.

I'm Edwin J. Viera for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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