News from around the nation.

Over 40,000 Moroccan migrants pour into the Spanish territory of Ceuta; North Carolina corrections officers get big raise, but some say it's not enough; California-based trans org sees an erosion of support, spurred by federal shift under Trump; Eastern Kentucky program aims to boost regional healthcare workforce.

Transcript

The Public News Service Friday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Spain is dealing with a migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Souta.

That after more than 40,000 migrants entered the tiny territory from Morocco in a matter of hours.

The Guardian notes the large influx of people arriving in Souta by swimming across neighboring Morocco or scaling the high border fence has caught the city of 85,000 off guard.

And for the White House, President Donald Trump said yesterday that a deal has been reached for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza.

But the AP points out many hurdles, conditions, and long timelines remain to wind down the war in the Palestinian territory.

Meantime, advocacy groups for incarcerated people say new funding for the Department of Adult Corrections following North Carolina's budget impasse doesn't go far enough.

The budget allocates more than $2 billion to the agency, providing 15% pay raises for corrections staff, along with regular raises.

North Carolina correctional officers have long been some of the worst compensated in the country, and more than a third of positions remain unfilled across the agency.

Kayla Dillard with NC Care says correctional facility employees have taken on intense workloads.

That, along with low wages, led to many vacancies across the agency.

There's 1,500 men or women at a facility, and you have five case managers that are supposed to be staffed there, and you only have two.

It means those two case managers now have twice, if not three times the load, but they're still expected to do the same quality of job and take care of everybody the way they're supposed to.

I'm Zamone Perez.

An advocate with prominent organizations for trans rights based in Los Angeles say federal funding and even philanthropic donations have plunged during President Trump's second term.

Trans Can Work helps trans and non-binary people get job-related training and connects them with potential employers.

Board Chair Dr. Tony Newman says last year the nonprofit lost out on a $1.5 million federal grant after Mr. Trump issued an executive order requiring agencies to recognize only two genders.

We don't qualify now for any federal funding or any federal affiliated funding because we are a group that has been put on a list of no funding by the federal government.

TransCanWorks says the anti-trans sentiment has trickled down to the point where even liberal donors have cut back.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

And some community health centers in eastern Kentucky are training and educating potential employees to fill medical workforce gaps.

A few years ago, Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation in Letcher County created the Raise or Reach, Achieve, Inspire, Support and Employee program after struggling to fill open positions.

Teresa Dotson is Chief Operating Officer and Director of Administrative Affairs for MCHC.

We have clinical, administrative, and behavioral pathways.

You can go all the way up administratively to a master's degree.

Now Ray's graduates are working as certified assistants, nurse practitioners, and other critical health care jobs at the organization.

This is Public News Service.

As Wisconsinites prepare for the high-stakes August primary, sustainable farmers are highlighting urgent rural and agricultural issues.

They say federal policies have contributed to an economic downturn, but East Troy farmer Jim Studi believes state programs can help strengthen farms.

He supports increased investment in conservation efforts, such as producer-led watershed groups, which he says can multiply the impact of state funding.

Studi notes the state program supporting these groups incentivizes practices that benefit farms, natural resources, and the local economy.

This program is wildly successful and we have a lot of groups and the funding level has remained constant.

So we have more groups chasing the same amount of money and the result is less money to each group.

So we really need to see an increase in funding.

Studi says farmers are under pressure to conserve farmland while maintaining productivity to meet demand.

And as growers are currently facing a drought, he says it's never been more important to ensure soil can withstand the assault from severe weather.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

Next to Nebraska, where students will soon return to the classroom and doctors say a healthy start can make a difference in how they learn and perform.

Nebraska state law requires physical exams for children entering kindergarten and seventh grade, along with students transferring from another state.

Dr. Rachel Johnson, a pediatrician with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, reminds parents that medical checkups can address other concerns too.

Any learning concerns that a family might have for a kiddo, I think sometimes people forget that we as pediatricians and family doctors can often help families navigate some of those challenges because I think at the end of the day we want kids to succeed in school.

Johnson says doctors can also help families identify nutrition, sleep, or developmental concerns that could make it harder for a child to thrive in school.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Finally, families across South Carolina can still make the most of summer camping trips, fishing days, and backyard evenings, while public health officials say they should take a few simple steps before heading outside.

Experts warn that bites from ticks in South Carolina can carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or other serious infections.

Dr. Amy Sciai, a public health physician at the South Carolina Department of Public Health, says ticks are a major concern because the state's warm winters can keep them alive all year.

Ticks and tick-borne diseases in South Carolina, it's actually year-round.

And that's due to our mild winters, as well as we have different types of ticks, and they have overlapping life cycles.

So we see the most tick activity April through September.

The A says mosquito bites are also dangerous and can cause a variety of serious illnesses.

I'm Mark Richardson.

This is Mike Clifford and thank you for wrapping up your week with Public News Service.

Member and listener supported.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org