News from around the nation.

Voters head to the polls today in four states and District of Columbia; The FBI says it foiled an attack on this weekend’s White House event; Food access challenges push partnerships in a Pennsylvania nutrition summit; AARP Nevada calls on Congress to rescue Social Security; and Colorado’s ‘elk hunting capital is now open for drilling.

Transcript

The Public News Service Tuesday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

It's another big primary day.

Voters heading to the polls in Alabama, California, Oklahoma, Georgia and Washington, D.C. today.

Several races will be yet another test of the power of the Trump endorsement.

And FBI Director Cash Mattel posted on social media the FBI disrupted an alleged attempt to target Sunday's UFC America 250 event at the White House.

Law enforcement tells CBS News five people are in custody.

The alleged plot involved using high-explosive-laden drones to strike buildings in the area and snipers to attack the crowd as they fled.

Meantime, improving school meals while supporting farmers is the focus of the Pennsylvania Farm to Child Nutrition Summit tomorrow.

Organizers say schools and food producers are facing mounting challenges, including budget constraints, staffing shortages, and supply chain issues.

Elaine McDonald with Project PA says the One Day Summit brings together child nutrition leaders, educators, food service providers, and community partners to exchange ideas, built connections, and share strategies that can be applied locally.

One of the ways to best meet those challenges is partnerships, collaborations, relying on established relationships that we have that can advance common goals.

Over 2,000 schools participate in the Farm to School program, and it reaches more than a million students in Pennsylvania.

Danielle Smith reporting.

At eight years from now, the combined Social Security Trust Fund's reserves will be depleted, forcing automatic cuts to benefits if nothing changes, according to a new report from the Social Security Trustees.

The program isn't going broke, but it will only be able to pay 83% of current benefits starting in late 2034.

Todd Story with AARP Nevada says half a million older Nevadans would see their payments cut by about $300 per month.

It's $300 that Nevadans simply cannot afford to lose, and so Congress is going to have to act in order to preserve this program that people have earned over a lifetime of work and contributed to.

In 1983, Congress raised Social Security payroll taxes and increased the eligibility age for benefits to 66 or 67, depending on when the person was born.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

Next, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is making good on President Trump's promise to open up more public lands for drilling.

But the 156,000-acre lease sale taking place in Lakewood today includes more than 100 parcels that provide key migration corridors for elk and other big game.

Nick Jivak with the Sierra Club says oil and gas activities on elk habitat will lead to reduced herd numbers.

That's going to result in less public hunting opportunity.

And it's not just elk either.

There are pronghorn antelope there, mule deer, and all kinds of non-game species.

Many of the parcels are in Moffitt County, also known as the elk hunting capital of the world, where outdoor recreation is a big part of the local economy.

This is Public News Service.

A wildlife group is urging Hoosiers to weigh in on a proposal that would expand Indiana's bobcat season.

State regulators are considering increasing the harvest quota from 250 to 400 animals in adding hunting to the existing trapping season.

Humane World for Animals Indiana State Director Samantha Chapman says her organization wants more scientific evidence before the state expands the harvest.

We're asking for more data and more scientific justification for understanding how many bobcats actually live in the state, and so we don't make the same mistake that we did in the 50s by completely eliminating them in the state of Indiana.

Supporters of the proposal argue Indiana's bobcat population has recovered and say a larger quota would help manage wildlife populations and address concerns about conflicts with livestock or other animals.

Chapman disagrees and says state officials have not shown enough evidence to justify the larger quota.

I'm Joe Ulory, Public News Service.

A second public comment period is expected.

State officials have not announced when it will begin.

Supporters of a proposed Michigan ballot initiative say voters not corporate money should drive decisions affecting rural communities and the entire state.

The proposal would place new limits on campaign contributions from utilities and major government contractors while expanding political advertising disclosure requirements.

Kelvin Carter, director of Up North Advocacy, says this is a pressing issue that crosses party lines.

In this time of hyper-partisanship and the political divide that exists, I've not seen another issue that brings people together like the idea of getting money out of politics.

Those backing the measure say it would prohibit campaign contributions from electric and gas utilities, as well as contractors receiving more than $250,000 annually in government contracts and certain affiliated individuals and organizations.

DTE Energy says its political contributions comply with state and federal laws and support the company's objectives.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Finally, new faculty members at the University of Washington have a special way to prepare for the new school year.

This week, they'll be busing around the state alongside the university's president to learn about where their students come from.

Ed Taylor, UW's vice provost, says in order to be the best teachers, faculty need to understand what matters to people in the state.

It doesn't matter where they are politically.

It doesn't matter where they live.

We need to find a way to talk to one another and model what it means to talk to each other. 28 faculty members are on the tour, which started in Seattle yesterday and will take four days to loop around the state.

He says faculty will also meet with leaders from other colleges and universities along the way.

I'm Isobel Charle.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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