Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Vought: Mass firings will begin 'in a day or two'; ID gun suicide rates for 70+ among highest in nation; WV teachers unions merge with new focus on school consolidation; Adolescent brain science informs programs to help teens thrive.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, October the 2nd, 2025.

I'm Mike Clifford.

The OMB chief, Russ Vogt, told House Republicans on a private call Wednesday, "The administration will start mass reduction in force moves or firings of federal workers in a day or two."

That is a take from Politico.

They report Vogt and President Trump have both threatened to inflict maximum pain on Democrats during the shutdown, as Senate Republicans hope to peel off additional Democrats to vote for the GOP's stopgap to end the standoff.

A bipartisan group of senators also discussed several early off-ramp ideas on the floor earlier on Wednesday.

We head next to Idaho, a state that has one of the highest rates of gun suicides for older Americans in the country.

Data compiled by the Gun Violence Data Hub finds Idaho's gun suicide rate for people age 70 and older was more than 22 per 100,000 residents between 2009 and 2023. is the fourth highest rate in the nation.

The research also finds that gun suicides among this population has increased dramatically between 2003 and 2023.

Aaron Mendelson with the Gun Violence Data Hub and a data journalist for The Trace says the research shows a clear geography for this issue.

It's quite often in Western states, places like Idaho, rural Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, that see the highest rates of this.

And some of my sources said there is kind of the frontier mentality to pick yourself up by your bootstraps, take on everything by yourself.

The research shows rural areas have the highest gun suicide rates for older Americans, and people over the age of 70 have the highest rate of any age group.

Gun suicide kills more men 70 and older than car crashes.

White men over 70 are far more likely to die by gun suicide than any other group, with rates three times higher than Latino or black men, and 15 times higher than white women.

I'm Eric Tegethoff reporting.

And West Virginia's two teachers unions have officially merged, forming a new labor union called Education West Virginia.

Federal funding cuts, school consolidation, and ongoing teacher shortages have spurred more workplace challenges for educators.

Education West Virginia Co-President Christy Skidmore says the merger will enable the new union to better address members' concerns, including benefits and pay.

She adds juggling bigger classrooms resulting from school consolidations is a major issue.

We're looking at these school closures and consolidations around the state for lack of funds. that leads to shortages and that impacts the daily work that happens within the school system.

Teacher pay in the Mountain State is among the lowest in the nation, ranging from around $34,000 to $48,000 annually.

This is Nadia Ramlagon for West Virginia News Service.

Earlier this year, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey signed a bill creating a statewide Troops to Teachers program offering pathways to help veterans gain classroom experience while they complete certification requirements to become educators.

This is Public News Service.

Research on brain science shows that young people's judgment, impulse control and planning don't fully develop until age 24 or 25.

Now programs to help adolescents thrive are building on new insights.

Studies suggest that young people between the ages of 14 and 24 tend to be more successful if programs are clear and structured around a series of rewards rather than revolving around long lists of rules and punishments.

Annie E. Casey Foundation President Lisa Lawson has just written a book on the subject called "Thrive."

So there's a huge opportunity for not just education systems, but also employers and nonprofits to learn more about how young people are motivated, what we can reasonably expect of them during this time period, and how to help them be most successful.

Lawson says research and conversations with young people show that teens require five essentials to thrive.

Basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare, a caring adult who will stick with them, a good education, career opportunities, and an outlet to show leadership.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

And many funding and service questions arose this week when the federal government went into shutdown mode.

For nutrition aid, public health officials in North Dakota have guidance.

Policy analysts say for now, services like the Supplemental Nutritional Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, should carry on without disruption.

Erin Arata leads Western Plains Public Health, which administers WIC benefits in five counties.

She says according to state officials, it's business as usual and those eligible can still use their cards at grocery stores.

We do serve a pretty large region with our WIC program and we do have steady participants and busy days with many appointments scheduled.

The National WIC Association agrees existing federal funds should keep things running temporarily.

I'm Mike Moen.

Finally, five years after the Alameda fire destroyed more than 3,000 homes and businesses in southern Oregon, the cities of Talent and Phoenix are prioritizing energy efficiency, affordability, and wildfire resilience as they rebuild.

Phoenix worked with Energy Trust of Oregon to build a new energy-efficient public safety building to replace facilities lost in the 2020 wildfire.

The 20,000 square foot hub houses city offices, police and fire services.

Phoenix City Manager Eric Swanson says with the help of local, state and federal partners, the city has been able to make the best out of a tragic situation.

We've been able to take advantage of a lot of energy efficiency initiatives in our building, which I think has really set us up well for the future.

We're planning for the worst, hoping for the best.

The building's energy efficiency measures including efficient lighting, HVAC systems and stormwater management are expected to save thousands of dollars annually.

I'm Isabel Charlet.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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