News from around the nation.

Pope Leo sounds off on the church’s opposition to war in a world ravaged by ‘tyrants’; Police say Former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax killed his wife and then himself; PA leader explores zoning codes to address data center expansion; California unions plead with lawmakers to fund education budget fully; Texas lawmakers study annexation of three oil-rich New Mexico counties.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Pope Leo sent the Trump administration a simple message, blessed are the peacemakers.

While Trump and Vance have maintained the U.S. military in the war in Iran are backed by the will of God and Jesus Christ, the Pope is not backing down.

In Cameroon Thursday, the Pope said, Woe to those who manipulate religion in the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.

And from CNN, former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, whose tenure was marred by sexual assault allegations, shot and killed his wife, Serena Fairfax, inside their home and then killed himself, police said.

And as the data center boom continues across Pennsylvania, local leaders are rushing to manage the growth and protect their communities.

A mapping tool shows Pennsylvania has 108 existing data centers and 66 proposed projects.

In Mannheim Township, Commissioner Jeremy Zimmerman is among those taking a creative approach.

Rather than considering a ban on data centers, he's working on new zoning definitions to help towns steer the construction of these massive facilities.

What we're really taking the time to work on right now is being careful and deliberate about how we define a data center, because that's really going to be the key on how these end up getting regulated at the local level.

Meanwhile, this week, the Pennsylvania House approved two data center bills.

Both bills moved to the state Senate.

Danielle Smith reporting.

Next calls for succession typically stem from frustration with state politics and Texas' priming the pump in southeastern New Mexico.

The Texas House Speaker recently directed a state legislative committee to study the feasibility of annexing Eddie, Lee, and Roosevelt counties.

But an expert on succession says it's unlikely to happen.

Benjamin Cohen is a former University of California professor.

There's nothing in the Constitution to prevent secession of a county or a region to join up with another state.

Could it be accomplished?

Almost impossible.

The action comes in the heels of a now-defunct resolution introduced in this year's New Mexico legislative session.

It would allow voters in select Mexico counties to petition for joining Texas.

And in California, education advocates met with lawmakers in Sacramento Wednesday, asking them to fully fund state preschools, K-12 education, and community colleges in next year's budget.

Proposition 98 requires a minimum level of funding, but in January, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed to hold back $5.6 billion of the money until the final revenue numbers are in.

Jeff Freitas, president of the California Federation of Teachers, says students would lose out if schools don't get the full amount.

That's about $900 per student in our K-12 and about $500 per student in our community colleges.

And so we're saying fully protect education.

The State Assembly's budget analyst is projecting a small surplus this year.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

This is Public News Service.

Several Idaho colleges are using grant money to make it easier for students to pursue a four-year degree.

Under the new system, students who apply to the College of Eastern Idaho or the College of Southern Idaho will gain automatic acceptance into Idaho State University.

It's meant to make the path from community college to a four-year university simpler and more refined.

Jeremy Green, a campus coordinator with ISU, says students no longer have to apply, send transcripts, and complete financial aid paperwork twice.

Students can make one good decision to go to college, and then they have on-ramps and off-ramps all the way from a community college degree to the completion of a bachelor's and then perhaps even into graduate programs at Adams State.

Green says students will also know up front which community college classes they'll need to transfer to ISU.

I'm Laura Hatch reporting.

Support for this reporting provided by the Illumina Foundation.

And Minnesota has nearly 125 wind farms.

For people curious or skeptical about this long-standing renewable energy source, local leaders are engaging with residents, including a session tonight in the state's Wind Belt region.

Clean Grid Alliance is hosting a public education event in Redwood Falls to paint a picture of how wind energy works not only for the grid, but surrounding towns.

Direct payments go to landowners hosting turbines, and local governments see annual financial perks from a production tax on all wind generated.

Over in Nobles County, Commissioner Gene Metz says last year they received $2.4 million in revenue from the tax.

He says they're cautious not to put all of it in their general fund for quick spending, but the extra dollars do help.

We don't have a chance to bring in other businesses, and wind is one that will coexist with agriculture.

Skeptics say wind energy gobbles up prime farmland, but a recent USDA study claims the footprint is minimal.

I'm Mike Moen.

Finally, to the Sunshine State, where the Suwannee River is now listed as America's 10th most endangered river.

A new report from American Rivers warns that rising nitrate pollution from farming and wastewater, combined with groundwater overpumping, is causing vital springs to dry up while fueling harmful algae blooms.

Peter Robb, Southeast Regional Director for American Rivers, says existing protections are not being followed.

Really following the river management plans that are in place to making sure that those pollution loads are not exceeded because Florida is already designated the Suwannee as one of the outstanding rivers in the state and those protections are not necessarily always followed.

The Suwannee River Valley sits over an unconfined aquifer, meaning pollutants like fertilizer nitrates have a direct path into the groundwater.

Measurements in some springs show nitrate levels more than 10 times the state's recommended limit.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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