Six minutes of news from around the nation.

US attacks on Iran reach a dozen in a row; Black organizers in PA build community through reproductive justice; California private security officers call current training 'insufficient'; America at 250: Minnesota events foster respectful, curious tone.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service daily newscast for July the 23rd, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Wednesday marked the 12th night in a row of strikes against Iran as both sides increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure.

The AP notes U.S. Central Command said the attacks were designed to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters.

Trump warned earlier Wednesday that the U.S. will destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran shoots at a ship in the street.

Meantime, some black adults in Pennsylvania are bringing a new lens to community organizing by educating leaders on reproductive justice.

The Defend Our Kin cohort by New Voices for Reproductive Justice equips emerging leaders with the language, tools and connections to elevate their work.

Aniyah Jackson, a Philadelphia college student and mother, says her group creates care packages with essential items for unexpected challenges.

They're basically hygiene, first aid, band-aids and stuff in there.

Some people go around and not having like menstrual products.

So like we have them for different genders.

We even made some for trans and then we did gender neutral ones.

The Defend Our Kin cohort trains leaders from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland, Ohio.

Adding to their work, Governor Josh Shapiro's new budget includes $3 million for free period products in schools.

Danielle Smith reporting.

Next up, security officers at California schools, hospitals, and private companies are only required to get eight hours of training, and many say it's not enough.

More than 100 security officers rallied in Sacramento last month in favor of Senate Bill 1203, which would require 42 hours of training, including several hours focused on de-escalating confrontations.

The bill passed the state Senate and is currently before the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Alexander Nunez, a Los Angeles-based security officer, says the job involves a lot more than just watching for threats.

We have extreme client interactions.

Sometimes we have individuals who are having repeated mental health episodes, and a lot of us have to deal with that on a daily basis, and that's not covered in our specific training.

It also requires the state to set a minimum wage for security officers by July 1st of next year.

A recent study from UC Berkeley found that security guards earn a median wage of about $20 an hour.

The California Association of Licensed Security Agencies, Guards and Associates opposes the bill, saying it will impose $2 billion in costs on the industry and create bottlenecks in hiring.

That same study finds that California's 186,000 security workers are almost 80% male, with a median age of 35.

For California News Service, I'm Suzanne Potter.

This is Public News Service.

The 4th of July, of course, has come and gone, but Minnesota events are still happening.

To observe America's 250th anniversary, there are community discussions that blend a deep look into our nation's founding with the shared values of residents.

The Minnesota Humanities Center and partner organizations are crisscrossing the state with the Declaration of Independence and Liberty Then and Now initiative.

The center's Kevin Lindsay says that conversations involve a full reading of the document and comparing it with the Constitution.

He says that helps attendees gain perspective on the U.S. living up to its principles, even during turbulent times.

This reminder of the difficulty of really grabbing hold of the American experiment and really breathing life into it does take work.

Organizers say the talks are grounded in curiosity and respect.

The last event for this free summer series will be held on the evening of August 13th in Moorhead.

I'm Mike Moen.

And tick-related illness is on the rise in states like Rhode Island.

The state's top tick expert says education is the best defense.

Black-legged ticks which cause Lyme disease represent about 25% of the ticks people encounter.

But Lone Star ticks, which can trigger a red meat allergy known as Alpha-Gal syndrome, are spiking in the Ocean State, southeastern Massachusetts, and the islands.

Dr. Thomas Mather directs the Tick Encounter Resource Center at the University of Rhode Island.

He explains that getting to know each tick's identifying features will determine which protective measures to take.

I've learned that when people really accept that, they say, well, I used to be freaked out or fearful or whatever, and now at least I know.

Mather says while a professional can help people assess the risks in their own backyard, DIY training is possible through the university's online resources.

He says the information can be helpful in choosing between a natural or synthetic spray or which areas to avoid.

I'm Katherine Carley.

And a small Ohio village of Hamden made national headlines last month after 16 children were found suffering from severe psychological and physical neglect inside a crowded home.

Gut instinct may tell a neighbor something isn't right, but a fear of overreaction to an innocent situation may cause hesitancy in filing a report.

Public Children's Services Organization of Ohio believes offering support to families and reporting maltreatment concerns is one form of intervention.

Practice advisor Laura LaRoche says strong interconnected communities are the most successful at preventing these kinds of crimes.

So as a community, as much as we can be a part of the solution through connection of our neighbors, of those that are in our close proximity, really being in relationship as much as possible.

I'm Terry Dee reporting.

This is by Clifford for Public News Service.

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