News from around the nation.

Rescue efforts underway after devastating flooding in Nepal and Tibet; CIA chief Racliff warns Russia against taking action against NATO allies; ICE trauma still on the minds of Minnesota schools; California bill to crack down on copper theft goes to governor's desk; Growing data center opposition meets North Dakota transparency debate; U.S. food safety system under scrutiny after outbreaks in Colorado.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Rescue teams are using helicopters to locate and rescue hundreds of missing people along the Nepal-China border after a glacier partially collapsed and sent water up to 30 feet high, leaving at least 1,300 people missing.

The head of Nepal's tourism board told CBS News Thursday that 65 U.S. nationals were among those missing in the wake of the disaster. videos show people running before the floodwaters swallowed them up and washed out buildings and bridges.

And from Politico, three sources are saying that CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials in Moscow this week not to escalate conflict with America's NATO allies.

He also used the rare unannounced trip to the Russian capital Tuesday to press Russia to reduce military and economic support for Iran.

Meantime, a pair of Minnesota school districts this month revived legal activities in their push to keep ICE officers away from schools.

The immigration crackdown in Minnesota drew condemnation for disrupting day-to-day school activities last year.

The Fridley and Duluth districts recently filed a court motion seeking to overturn a Department of Homeland Security policy that no longer considers schools as sensitive locations.

During an August school board meeting, Ridley Superintendent Brenda Lewis remarked how colleagues around the U.S. are monitoring issues like these and how area districts respond.

People know our district and how our community pulled together to protect our children.

And then they're like, well, if that can work with you, it can work anywhere.

I'm Mike Moen.

And this week, lawmakers in Sacramento passed a bill to help authorities fight organized copper theft rings.

Assembly Bill 1941 is now headed to Governor Gavin Newsom's desk.

Copper theft caused thousands of phone and internet service outages in California last year, so AT&T is taking a proactive approach by triple-bolting manholes and adding sensors to phone wires.

The company is also offering a $20,000 reward for tips that lead to a copper theft-related conviction.

Radice Alcutt, a lead investigator for AT&T in Los Angeles, says the thefts aren't just an inconvenience, they're a matter of health and public safety. 9-1-1 and emergency services.

Dispatch systems are being knocked down to where they can't receive the calls.

The effect of it, it's massive.

People need to not only treat it as a property crime, but it's something a lot more serious.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

And Tennessee child advocates sounding the alarm over efforts by the Trump administration to cut regulations for the federal Head Start program.

Michelle Johnson with the Tennessee Justice Center says the changes would eliminate key protections, including staff-to-child ratios, teacher credential requirements, disability guidance, and more.

The federal government's accepting a public comment.

And so if you've benefited from Head Start, or you know somebody who's benefited from Head Start, your voice matters.

You should make a federal comment.

Johnson's group is urging Tennesseans to submit public feedback before the October 6 deadline.

Head Start serves over 700,000 kids across the country, including more than 16,000 in Tennessee.

This is Public News Service.

There's been a big increase in the number of people contracting foodborne illnesses in 2026, and many in Colorado are wondering whether it's safe to eat foods purchased at grocery stores or restaurants.

So far, 431 Coloradans have gotten sick after eating salmonella-tainted jalapeno peppers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Teresa Murray is the Consumer Watchdog Director for the U.S.

Public Interest Research Group Education Fund.

She says Colorado trails only Minnesota in the total number of people getting sick from contaminated foods.

Colorado has been hit hard by the jalapeno peppers, either from restaurants or in salsas or in guacamole.

But even as recently as last weekend, more products were getting added.

Colorado is also one of 47 states, along with Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, to be impacted by seven cyclospora outbreaks since May.

I'm Eric Galatas.

And nurses and their allies are rallying for a fair contract today, following what the union calls devastating cuts to mental health and emergency services at Hillsborough Medical Center.

The closures coming in September will leave the state with only two remaining inpatient programs that provide care to older adults experiencing mental health crises.

Cody Alexander is an ER nurse and a member of Oregon Nurses Association, which is in the middle of bargaining their latest contract.

He says the units that are closing are vital to the hospital's functioning.

We have one of the highest growing populations in the state of Oregon.

However, our management seems to be reducing the amount of resources.

We have a lot of staff who are very uncomfortable because they feel we're doing our community a disservice.

In a statement, hospital leaders said staffing shortages and low patient volume forced them to close the units.

I'm Isobel Charle.

Finally, as North Dakota lawmakers prepare to take up the issue of transparency surrounding data centers, A recent poll shows public opposition to the facilities is growing nationwide.

A new heat map news survey shows 75 percent of Americans somewhat or strongly oppose having a data center built in their community.

Retiree and Morton Grove resident Holly Birch is one of them.

While some landowners are willing to sell their property for these projects, she says data center developers often target retired or absentee landowners in areas where they think nobody will be paying attention.

There's a lot that seems to be done with non-disclosure agreements.

All of a sudden, someone's neighbor is getting this massive multi-million dollar check, and you've got earthmovers coming in and tearing up the property across the road.

I know some families this is happening to right now.

Morton County is among several across the state with moratoriums on new data center applications and ordinances for future projects.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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