News from around the nation.

CIA carried out drone strike on port facility on Venezuelan coast; Report: Organic farming most reliable path to profitability; Ohio researchers address hidden concussion risks among police; Pennsylvanians to vote for the state's 2026 River of the Year.

Transcript

The Public News Service Tuesday afternoon update, I'm Mike Clifford.

The CIA carried out a drone strike earlier this month on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela.

Sources familiar with the matter told CNN, marking the first known U.S. attack on a target inside that country.

CNN reports the drone strike targeted a remote dock on the Venezuelan coast that the U.S. government says it believed was being used by a Venezuelan gang to store drugs and move them onto boats for onward shipping.

No one was present at the facility at the time it was struck, so there were no casualties, according to the sources.

And as 2025 comes to an end, just half of farmers in Colorado and across the U.S. are expected to turn a profit.

That's because of a number of issues, including higher costs for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, as well as the Trump administration's efforts to reshape the global economy through tariffs.

But a new report shows how organic farming has quietly become the most reliable path to profitability.

Andrew Smith is the Rodale Institute's chief scientific officer.

He says organic farms are seeing significantly higher margins than conventional farms, and those returns are impacting entire regions.

Counties and actually surrounding counties that have higher numbers of organic farms have increased median incomes and reduced poverty rates.

Last year, organic food sales surpassed $70 billion, and farmers earned between two and three times more for their grains, dairy, and key crops than conventional growers who use petrochemical inputs not allowed in organic operations.

I'm Eric Galatas.

Next to Ohio where researchers say concussions among law enforcement officers are often overlooked, leaving them to return to duty without proper treatment.

Researchers at the Ohio State University began studying head injuries among law enforcement officers after noticing a gap between concussion care and sports and and what officers receive on the job.

Jacqueline Cassis is an associate professor in Ohio State School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and a member of the university's chronic brain injury program.

She says their work now includes on-site evaluations and follow-up care for officers injured in training or on duty.

Although we've made great progress in how we treat concussions on the sports field, that same information hasn't been translated to law enforcement officers. statewide Ohio survey found about 30 percent of officers reported sustaining a concussion on duty.

Farah Siddiqui reporting.

And do you have a favorite river?

Pennsylvanians can vote online for their River of the Year from now until January 16th.

The election is run by the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers and funded by the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Chris Novak with DCNR says that designation comes with some funds that are provided to the nominating organization to hold some outreach and events that interest people.

Three waterways are nominated.

Voting runs through 5 p.m. Friday, January the 16th.

You can vote online at pawatersheds.org.

This story with original reporting by the Pennsylvania Independent.

This is Public News Service.

Adopting a child can be a nerve-wracking and potentially expensive process, but most parents who have successfully adopted say it's a life-enriching experience.

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a group that helps Floridians and others find forever families for children.

It strongly encourages companies to provide support and financial assistance to workers who want to adopt.

Jeremy McKinnon, a guest services director at Hilton Grand Vacations, says it was a big step when he and his partner decided to adopt.

"We're never gonna be fully, fully ready.

We just got to do it and then you make it happen and it comes to fruition and it's the most beautiful blessing in the world."

The Thomas Foundation surveys employers in January to determine the adoption-friendly workplaces, listing the top 100 companies in the U.S. with the most robust adoption and foster care benefits.

Built in Grand Vacations, McKinnon's employer is currently ranked 67th among the best 100.

Mark Richardson reporting.

And a recent Gallup poll found that a majority of rural Gen Z-ers want to leave their hometowns, citing a lack of good jobs and college access.

In Southwest Florida, there's a different trend emerging.

Driven by choice rather than necessity, students from Immokalee are increasingly planning to bring their education and skills back home.

Naomi Perez with the Immokalee Foundation notes a significant shift observed over the past decade.

"We had a high percentage saying that they wanted to come back.

You know, Immokalee is a very faith-based community, but it is very family-oriented as well.

And so you have a lot of them wanting to come back, support not only their families, but community and be a part of growing the community for the next generation.

This deliberate homeward focus is being supported by education programs specifically tailored to the region's economic needs.

A recent multi-million dollar legacy gift from the Donna DeMeo Trust will help expand these programs to more students.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

Finally there is a history in the U.S. of surveillance being used to attack or harm vulnerable communities and today's automated license plate readers raise new concerns.

While decades old, unrestricted readers are now enhanced by artificial intelligence and data integration, which can be used by public law enforcement and private entities.

That's especially concerning to those within New Mexico's LGBTQ community who travel to nearby Texas and Arizona, where discrimination is feared.

Equality New Mexico Executive Director Marshall Martinez says when police run your license plate, it's not just vehicles data they gather.

These license plate readers exist for the purposes of public safety and they have helped folks catch violent criminals, but also they just sweepingly capture data on everybody in a community.

I'm Roz Brown.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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