News from around the nation.

Boeing 787 crash brings fresh scrutiny to plane maker's safety record; Tips for NC potential buyers during Homeownership Month; CT residents pushing back on compressor station expansion; MA groups call for statewide litter prevention task force.

Transcript

The public news service Thursday afternoon update, I'm Mike Clifford.

The crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger jet in western India Thursday is renewing scrutiny of the company's safety record after a years-long quality crisis.

That from the New York Times.

They report, "An Air India jet carrying 242 passengers and crew members that was headed to London crashed in western India Thursday.

The airline said on social media the majority of passengers were from India and the UK.

There was no immediate information about survivors."

Boeing 787 Dreamliners have experienced operational problems in the past with passengers on board resulting in injuries but there has not been a fatality recorded in previous incidents.

The Times notes the accident happened just weeks after the company cut a deal with the U.S. government to avoid taking criminal responsibility for a pair of deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.

Next June is National Home Ownership Month.

A few tips could help prospective buyers navigate the real estate market.

The average price of a home in North Carolina has increased from about $220,000 to more than $336,000 in the past five years, according to Zillow.

Louis Giamma with the Real Estate Operations of North Carolina-based Coastal Credit Union says potential homebuyers often believe they'll wait and save money, but it's difficult for renters to keep up with the growing price of real estate.

"A housing expense for a typical tenant could be 60 percent of their income.

So it makes it very difficult for them to really set aside any meaningful amount of money that will justify delaying getting into a home."

I'm Eric Tegethoff reporting.

Now to Connecticut, where Brookfield residents are pushing back on a proposed expansion of a local compressor station.

Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is reviewing a final air permit before construction can start.

The state is slated to cut greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent by 2030, but longtime Brookfield resident Pam Krause says the government isn't listening to community concerns.

"We haven't really had any direct dialogue with the issuing agency, DEEP, or the governor's office.

We have contracted our state representative, our state senator, whom are both against this."

She adds this is a bipartisan issue since no one in town wants this expansion built.

Another major concern is the proximity of the compressor station to Wisconeer Middle School.

Krause and others feel the expansion isn't necessary since the gas is going to New York, which banned using gas in new construction in 2023.

I'm Edwin J. Viera.

And community groups across Massachusetts are calling on state lawmakers there to create a Litter Prevention and Cleanup Task Force.

Neil Rhein with the group Keep Massachusetts Beautiful says it's time the state prioritizes its appearance and environmental health.

"If we had some top-down help to meet the grassroots volunteers, I think combined we could do a lot more."

Last year, residents collected and removed more than 150 tons of litter and debris from roadsides and public spaces from Cape Cod to the Berkshires.

This is Public News Service.

As the Congress considers defunding the low-income home energy assistance program known as LIHEAP, advocates in Alabama are sounding the alarm.

They say rural families, seniors and people with chronic illnesses could be hit hardest if this critical support disappears.

John Dodd with Energy Alabama says the program served more than 153,000 households in the state last year alone.

Many of them are home to people who are medically vulnerable or living below the poverty line.

"Last year alone, in fiscal year '24, Alabama was allocated over $53 million from the LIHEAP program in just one year."

He says more than 70 percent of those households include seniors, children or people with chronic health conditions.

And in a state where rural communities already face higher poverty rates and fewer safety nets, losing LIHEAP would only make things worse.

Shantia Hudson reporting.

Next, the 2025 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its findings for Minnesota.

The report examines results for children in four categories, education, health, economic well-being and family and community. 69 percent of Minnesota fourth graders are not proficient in reading and 66 percent of eighth graders lack acceptable math skills.

Children's Defense Fund Minnesota State Director Alicia Porter says while the state has ranked fifth nationally for the past three years due to the state's good investments in child well-being, there is room for improvement.

"I think in the area of child poverty rates, I'd like to just highlight in Minnesota, 10 percent of all children live in poverty with black and Hispanic children experiencing disproportionately higher rates compared to white children."

Porter notes another disparity, low birth rates.

The report indicates that although 7 percent of all babies born with low birth weight, black babies faced significantly higher numbers compared to white babies.

And children and teens' death rates and obesity numbers increased.

I'm Terry D. reporting.

Finally, June is Pride Month.

Washington's Lavender Rights Project is celebrating with a Black Trans Comedy Showcase.

This is the largest fundraiser of the year for the nonprofit, which provides legal and social services for black trans people.

Angel Patterson of Lavender Rights says in the wake of increased attacks on trans rights across the country, the showcase prioritizes the community's health, safety and joy.

We are your family too.

We are your mothers, your brothers, your sisters, your aunties, uncles, cousins, friends, bosses, co-workers.

We're all paying parking tickets and taxes the same as everyone else.

He says the showcase will be on June 14th in Seattle and will feature performers from Washington and across the country, including T.S. Madison and Mick Stalia-Bell.

I'm Isabel Charlet.

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

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