Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Top democrats mark 100 days to the midterm elections; Postal workers in Michigan join national push to protect mail service; Debt lawsuits surge as Alabama families struggle; New Mexico officials implore Interior Department not to drill in Chaco.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, July 27, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Pennsylvania is one of several states which will likely decide the outcome of the November midterm elections.

House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries Sunday kicked off 100 days until the midterms.

The AP notes in Pennsylvania's 7th District in Lehigh Valley.

Jeffries and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, rallied support at a Steelworkers Union Hall for Bob Brooks, a retired firefighter trying to unseat the incumbent Republican congressman as Democrats reach for the House majority.

Meantime, postal workers and their supporters in Michigan are joining a nationwide campaign to protect the U.S. Postal Service.

The American Postal Workers Union is calling for congressional action to stabilize the agency's finances, safeguard voting by mail, and prevent privatization.

The Protect Our Public Post Office Rally, which is part of National Day of Action, will be held tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the downtown Pontiac Post Office.

Steve Wood is president of the union's 484-81 area local.

We're holding this rally to educate the American people and to squash the rumors why the post office is in this decline.

The Postal Service reported a $2 billion second quarter loss, though smaller than last year.

Postmaster General David Steiner says the cash crisis requires congressional action to expand the agency's borrowing authority and ease outdated financial constraints.

Crystal Blair reporting.

In addition to military members, Wood says mail voting is especially important for older adults and people who don't have easy access to a polling place.

We head next to Alabama, where families are facing a record number of debt collection lawsuits as the cost of everyday life continues to climb.

More than 108,000 debt collection lawsuits were filed in the state last year, a record high since at least 2010.

Dev Wakely is a worker policy advocate for Alabama Arise.

He says this compounds economic stress as families are forced to make impossible choices to cover daily expenses.

We have historically been a low wage state and we've operated in this state with very little room to spare. when you're talking about the difference between making it day-to-day, week-to-week, and total destitution.

A study by Pew Charitable Trust found that Alabama had the fourth highest increase in debt collection suits among eight states studied.

The litigation now accounts for 38% of all civil cases filed in Alabama, up from 25% just a few years ago.

Many are for medical bills and credit card debt.

A trade group representing debt collectors says the rise is due to a breakdown in communication between creditors and consumers.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

This is Public News Service.

And the Trump administration is considering a complete or partial reversal of a 20-year federal mineral ban on New Orleans gas leases that protect New Mexico's greater Chaco region.

And the time for public comment is running out.

The Department of the Interior says revoking protections on a lands that holds cultural importance for indigenous people could boost oil production by more than 20 million barrels over the next 20 years.

The New Mexico Wildlife Federation's Jesse Dubell says despite the importance of oil and gas to New Mexicans' livelihood and the state's economy, some things are priceless.

It's really important to understand that there are some places where it is absolutely inappropriate to risk destruction of sacred sites for the idea that there might be some amount of oil and gas underneath that mineral estate.

The public has until this Wednesday to comment online through the Bureau of Land Management's NEPA webpage.

I'm Roz Brown.

Nebraska's two largest cities are making it easier for homeowners to add accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, to their properties.

Often called mother-in-law suites or backyard cottages, ADUs are independent living spaces with their own entrance, bathroom, and cooking area.

The units allow older adults to live near family while maintaining their independence.

AARP Nebraska State Director Todd Steubendek says modern zoning has largely pushed these units out of existence or made them too difficult to build.

So his organization began supporting solutions.

In 2024, we supported efforts in Omaha and Lincoln has followed suit here this year to ease those zoning restrictions and make it easier for folks to build those.

The units remain limited to one bedroom and no more than 800 square feet or 40 percent of the primary home, whichever is smaller.

Under Lincoln's rules, ADUs must also share utilities with the main home and require an additional parking space.

The property owner must live on site and D restrictions may apply.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Finally, California is home to nine national parks.

Our new poll finds Americans are united on protecting wildlife in these settings.

Park advocates say the Trump administration's management strategy run counter to public opinion. conservationists say there's plenty of common ground between Americans and hunters in safeguarding public lands.

Bart Melton is with the National Parks Conservation Association, which commissioned the poll.

He says the results show broad agreement.

Across five major national park wildlife issues involving hunting, energy development, endangered species recovery, there is broad bipartisan public support for national park wildlife.

Honestly, at a time when we were told we were divided, it's great to see just how united we are.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

This is Mike Clifford.

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