News from around the nation.

A scion of Democratic politics defeats the upstarts in an Arizona Primary; Utility disconnections in extreme heat put KY households at risk; Good news accompanies NM's 80th anniversary of Trinity atomic bomb test; AARP CT accepting 'Livable Communities' grant applications.

Transcript

The Public News Service Wednesday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

The Mondami momentum withered in the deserts of southern Arizona on Tuesday night.

That's the take from the New York Times.

They report in a Democratic primary election that pitted continuity and experience against generational change, voters decided to stick with what they knew, nominating Adelita Gravala, the oldest daughter of Representative Raul Gravala, to fill the House seat of her father, who held it for more than 20 years until his death in March.

The Times reports Deja Fox, a Gen Z activist who tried to recreate the youthful magic of Zoran Mandami's campaign for New York City Mayor, attracted millions of fans on social media, but with about 20 percent of votes, the 25-year-old was not able to translate viral support into victory at the polls.

Meantime, protections from having your utilities disconnected could help plenty of Kentucky households during the summer's extreme heat wave but state lawmakers have yet to pass legislation that would restrict when companies can pull the plug.

Extreme heat is detrimental to people's health especially older adults and young children says Sarah Pierce with the Metropolitan Housing Coalition.

It is going to cause heat stress, heat illness, people will not have enough ventilation, it can affect not only physically but mentally as well.

She adds when people lose access to electricity, they can fall behind at work or rack up medical bills.

House Bill 326, which would have created both winter and summer temperature standards for disconnections, stalled in the legislature earlier this year.

And today marks the 80th anniversary of the Trinity nuclear bomb test in New Mexico.

It comes after Congress agreed to include the state in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

RECA was established in 1990, but New Mexicans affected by radiation exposure, known as downwinders, were excluded, while others Nevada, Utah and Arizona benefited.

Tina Cordova with the Tula-Rosa Basin Downwinders Consortium says the recent action was only a partial victory because those who qualify must apply and be approved for compensation by the end of 2028.

We're going to continue to fight for the communities that were left out.

We're going to continue to fight for a longer extension, more time, because we firmly believe that two years is not going to be enough for the people of New Mexico that have been waiting 80 years.

I'm Roz Brown.

Next to Connecticut where AARP is accepting applications for this year's Livable Communities Grant Program.

The grants are designed for projects costing up to $5,000 that improve communities for people of all ages.

Past projects include the West Haven Senior Center's new Internet Cafe, shade sales at Thrive 55's Active Learning Center, and outdoor benches for the Flanders Nature Center.

Nora Duncan with AARP Connecticut says there are several things people should consider when applying for a grant.

How does this project make something that was maybe previously unaccessible, accessible?

What problem are you trying to solve for in your community?

Think about it in terms of big problems, little problems, but also what makes your community unique?

I'm Edwin J. Vieira.

This is Public News Service.

A new West Virginia law, in effect this month, increases penalties for people convicted of child abuse.

"There's an instinct to act when children are being hurt, but tougher penalties come after the fact, says Jim McKay with the group Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia.

He says innovative programs need more funding to help families at risk, from avoiding low birth weight during pregnancy to home visitation programs aimed at educating caregivers about the importance of safe sleep for infants and how to prevent abusive head trauma, also called shaken baby syndrome.

West Virginia actually has more child abuse reports than any other state.

It's about one in seven children are reported to CPS each year, which tells us that a lot of families in West Virginia are under serious stress.

The new law increases prison time, which was one to five years, to two to ten years for any parent, guardian, or caregiver convicted of inflicting bodily harm on a child.

This is Nadia Ramligan for West Virginia News Service.

And an

An environmental coalition says a sacred indigenous site in Michigan was quietly paved over to support construction of Enbridge's proposed Line 5 tunnel beneath the Great Lakes.

Oil and water don't mix.

A nonprofit coalition opposing the project says the Emmett County site was scheduled for additional archeological surveys because of its historical significance.

The coalition's coordinator, Sean McBrady, contends Enbridge did not do the right thing when they didn't report the site before any work began.

Enbridge quietly transferred ownership to Emmett County in exchange for other lands and paid Emmett County to turn it into a parking lot so that this wouldn't disrupt their oil tunnel scheme.

An Enbridge spokesperson said in a statement that the 2022 land swap with Emmett County is unrelated to the tunnel project and was intended to improve land access for both parties.

The company also questions claims that the site is sacred, Crystal Blair reporting.

Next to Texas, one of the 12 states in a new national program to increase the number of Americans who have a college degree or a short-term workforce credential.

The Texas Association of Community Colleges is working with Lumina Foundation on its Future Ready States initiative.

TACC's Ray Martinez says the program works well with House Bill 8, passed by the Texas legislature, that funds workforce training programs at junior colleges.

Focusing on ways to include short-term credentials and workforce programs in this sort of outcomes-based funding model.

And it recognizes the critical role that obviously that these short-term credentials play in economic mobility.

HB 8 also allows high school students to receive dual credit towards higher ed credentials.

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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