News from around the nation.

Governor Gaven calls Trump “deranged” for his remarks saying Iran could “take out” Los Angelas or San Diego, a new program in North Carolina brings United Methodist ministers into prisons, and Human trafficking awareness training expands in Tennessee schools.

Transcript

The Public News Service Tuesday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

President Trump is drawing outrage after comments he made Monday at a GOP rally in Nebraska.

The New York Times notes the president sought to justify the Iran war as necessary for keeping the world safe.

He then suggested there could be strikes on the United States, including the Democrat-led California city.

Quoting Trump, they could take out a city, he said.

Let them take, let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego.

His comments were met with anger from officials in California, including Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the president deranged and dangerous.

By contrast, the crowd in Grand Island, Nebraska, cheered Trump's remarks about taking out the two highly populated U.S. cities.

Meantime, for more than a year now, United Methodist ministers at rural churches have also worked as part-time chaplains at local correctional facilities.

The Duke Endowment has funded prison chaplains who also guide congregations at rural United Methodist churches in four North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections facilities.

The program helps serve a critical function in facilities across the state, which have historically struggled with chaplain staffing levels as a result of budget woes.

Austin Meadows is the facility chaplain at Green Correctional Institution, and he also pastors Trinity United Methodist Church in nearby Kinston.

He says the program has provided many opportunities and challenges.

It's quite a few people for one person, 20 hours a week.

So it's been tough at times, but it's been an amazing thing to have my feet in both areas and learning from both sides.

I'm Zamone Perez.

Next to Tennessee is a state with a new law that requires K-12 students to receive instruction on child trafficking awareness and prevention.

Supporters say the goal is to help students recognize exploitation, grooming, and to know where to go to get help.

Mary Trapnell, who leads the Nashville Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition, says her group focuses on rescue, restore, recognize, and resource.

She met with lawmakers who introduced the bill, which now applies to all schools in the state.

With a state grant, her group first launched the Education to Recognize program for students in Rutherford County.

The county school board voted and unanimously agreed for NIHT to be the agency that would come in and roll that module out and tackle this in all of the 52 schools representing about 57,000 students and families.

Danielle Smith reporting.

And beginning this month through December, more borderless Kentucky roads will encounter wildlife potentially causing fatal crashes and accidents.

Jess Roberts with the Pew Charitable Trust says this is the time of year that animals are on the move in the bluegrass state, seeking habitat, food sources and mates.

That's why ultimately we're seeing an increase in this movement specifically for white-tailed deer.

They're the number one cause of wildlife vehicle conflict in this area.

Kentucky recorded a seven-year high of more than 3,000 car collisions involving deer in 2025.

The new Pew report says investing in road stream crossings, which are intentionally designed to provide safe passage for wildlife, could be a solution to the problem.

This is Public News Service.

A new proposal in North Dakota would give public school teachers an annual bonus in an effort to keep more educators in the classroom.

The Support Teachers and Youth Succeed or Stay stipend would initially give eligible teachers about $3,400 a year.

Landon Schmeigel, a social studies teacher at Legacy High School in Bismarck, says teachers are struggling to make ends meet.

While he says the proposed bonus isn't life-changing, he thinks it could work toward helping educators like him stay in the profession.

Currently, my daycare expenses are three times the price of my mortgage.

I have a graduate's degree, and I live paycheck to paycheck. $3,500 isn't the lottery, but it's a step in the right direction.

The proposal comes as North Dakota continues to face severe teacher shortages, with state officials announcing a critical scarcity across every subject and grade level this school year.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

And it's time now to consider health insurance options during upcoming open enrollment periods.

Insurance experts suggest taking time and choosing plans that best fit each family's needs.

Open enrollment periods can vary depending on employer, but they typically last for about two weeks and take place sometime in the fall.

Dr. Rhonda Randall with UnitedHealthcare says when it comes to selecting a health plan, it's important to start early.

The most common thing we see is people wait too late and then they feel like they're cramming for a big test to make this very important decision.

And it can be really tempting to just renew what you already have.

But the coverage you currently have might not be the best coverage for you next year.

UnitedHealthcare has published an online guide to help choose the best insurance plan through your employer.

Check with the Human Resources Department to determine when the open enrollment period is.

For those shopping through the federal marketplace, the enrollment period for Affordable Care Act coverage is from November 1st to January 15th.

I'm Mark Moran.

Finally, caregivers, their clients and immigrant rights groups are calling on Washington lawmakers to use emergency funds so thousands of lawfully present refugees and asylees can retain their health care in the face of federal cuts.

About 11,000 immigrants, many of whom are elders and people with disabilities, lost their Apple health insurance on October 1st through H.R. 1, the Trump administration's sweeping tax cut and spending bill.

Li Qi P. Long with Northwest Health Law Advocates says the loss of funding will not just harm immigrants, but will ripple out to everyone in the state.

When people lose medical insurance, their medical needs don't just go away.

More people end up in emergency rooms and on the street.

So far, over 50,000 Washingtonians have lost their Medicaid, CHIP, or ACA coverage, according to Georgetown University, due to cuts and price increases.

The White House argues H.R. 1 protects and strengthens Medicaid while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.

I'm Isobel Charle.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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