News from around the nation.

Progressive Nithya Raman grabbed the number two slot to face Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in November; two airmen recused after a US Apache helicopter was downed near the Straight of Hormuz; A national helpline's success could provide a framework for California; researchers in Iowa are launching environmental testing programs; Montana farmers showcase soil-to-soil agriculture.

Transcript

The Public News Service Tuesday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Progressive City Councilmember Nitya Rahman edged out Republican Spencer Pratt for the number two slot.

Rahman will now face incumbent mayor Karen Bass in November.

The AP notes the outcome means Pratt, a Republican and former reality TV personality, is out of the running.

His candidacy had drawn national attention because of his celebrity and willingness to challenge liberal governance in a city dominated by Democrats.

And two crew members from an Army Apache helicopter were rescued after their chopper went down Monday near the coast of Oman.

Authorities say it took about two hours for an unmanned boat to rescue the airmen, and both are now receiving medical treatment.

Next, a new study takes a look at the success of the National Parents Anonymous Parent and Youth Helpline, asking how other holidays can make a real connection with California families.

Researchers from Arizona State University and the University of Cincinnati are presenting the results today at a sociology conference in Scotland.

Study co-author Dr. Elizabeth Harris says the data show the helpline makes a measurable difference for callers.

We have established very clearly that people who call that helpline do end the call feeling more solution-oriented, feeling more positive than they started out.

And it's a 30-minute intervention.

The study finds that it makes a big difference when counselors with master's degrees answer the phones.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

And scientists at the University of Iowa have announced a new research initiative designed to measure the health impacts of environmental toxin exposure.

The INSIDE initiative will closely look at the link between environmental toxins like pesticides, heavy metals, or air pollutants, and cancer.

Iowa has the second highest number of new cancer cases in the nation.

While some research has suggested that cancer is linked to manure runoff and air pollution from large-scale ag operations, there hasn't been direct evidence.

University of Iowa environmental researcher Larry Weber says the INSIGHT program seeks to change that.

We're taking this from not just environmental monitoring, but then connecting it to the epidemiological studies that say this type of exposure has led to this health effect.

The research comes as pesticide maker Bayer fights for immunity from cancer lawsuits at the federal level, arguing its Roundup product isn't carcinogenic.

I'm Mark Moran.

Meantime, for folks in Montana who want to be more eco-friendly about food production and consumption, an event tomorrow in Columbia Falls could be for you.

Montana Case with the Montana Farmers Union says the goal is to highlight a cyclical way of growing and consuming food.

A lot of today's production systems, agricultural production systems, are very linear in nature, and it's just not a good way to manage the resources at our disposal.

Soil to Soil, a regenerative agriculture field day, is being hosted by the Regenerative Farming Collaboration through Montana Farmers Union.

This is Public News Service.

As the U.S. Senate considers a proposal for an updated farm bill, South Dakota farmers say it doesn't do nearly enough.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version on April 30th.

Since then, a coalition of farmers and rural residents from Midwestern states traveled to Washington, D.C. to ask legislators to make changes.

That includes Dwayne Carlson, South Dakota farmer and Brooklyn Township chairman.

He says the current bill needs a lot of work after years of inaction and subsidizing the same programs.

It really doesn't do the things that we need to do.

So there needs to be a good hard look at what these dollars are doing and how it's affecting our local farmers.

Like other members of the coalition, Carlson wants the bill to address SNAP benefits, pesticide labeling, mandatory country of origin labeling for beef, and conservation funding.

Congress is supposed to pass a new farm bill every five years, the most recent one passed in 2018.

I'm Laura Hatch reporting.

And voters in Philadelphia have cleared the way for a new push to help workers build retirement savings.

Philly Saves will automatically sign up eligible workers for a payroll deduction individual retirement account, helping over 200,000 employees who lack retirement options at work.

Jessica Ekman with AARP says research shows people are much more likely to save when it's simple and automatic.

She adds that the program will help workers begin to build financial security for the future.

What's important to know, it's easy, it's low cost for these workers.

They can change their investments, their contribution levels.

They can opt out at any time.

It's completely voluntary for workers.

Philly says follows a growing national trend as similar auto IRA programs are established in 17 states.

Danielle Smith reporting.

Finally, summer vacation is here, but career learning isn't stopping in Central Florida.

Yeshira Valentin Feliciano is program manager for Hispanic Access Foundation.

She says the effort gives families access to opportunities that might not have been on their radar.

It's giving access to communities that otherwise probably wouldn't have seen career pathways that even myself I hadn't heard about.

For example, if you're in a hospital, there are people sterilizing the equipment before surgery.

The initiative brings professionals like engineers from the space technology company Blue Origin and a rheumatologist to community events, including a talk this Monday where students created rockets, asked questions, and learned directly from experts.

Events are free and open to all.

Families can track the upcoming schedule by following Hispanic Access Foundation on social media.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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