News from around the nation.

National Weather Service defends its flood warnings amid fresh scrutiny of Trump staff cuts; Poll: Majority of West Virginians support renewable energy policies; MI fellowship trains justice-involved youth as community leaders; Measles outbreak hits central Kentucky.

Transcript

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

Fatal floods in Texas that left thousands scrambling for safety and little warning have sparked a fresh round of scrutiny of the Trump administration cuts to the National Weather Service, that from NBC News.

They report at least 81 people were dead and many others missing Sunday evening after floodwaters surged through Texas Hill Country, an area known as Flash Flood Alley.

Within hours of the deluge Friday, some Texas officials were critical of the National Weather Service saying forecast underestimated the rainfall.

Sunday, Trump rejected the idea of investigating whether NWS cuts had left key vacancies.

And the White House said claims the Weather Service cuts had anything to do with the tragedy were "disgusting."

Meantime, as Trump's big bill rolls back funding to fight climate change, a new poll finds 84 percent of West Virginians support policies that help reduce utility bills through renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The data also shows widespread frustration with the state's energy regulators. 65 percent of voters disapprove of the West Virginia Public Service Commission's actions, and only 30 percent believe the state is headed in the right direction.

The results highlight a growing frustration with energy costs, says Courtney McDonald with West Virginians for Energy Freedom.

No matter who you are in West Virginia, folks are really putting an emphasis on the struggle that they're experiencing with their energy bills and with the heightened costs of energy."

MacDonald says the poll also revealed nearly half of voters believe solar is more expensive than coal, despite evidence showing solar is more affordable.

Nadia Ramligan reporting.

"And a new statewide fellowship is giving young people a say in how Michigan's juvenile justice system should work."

The Voices of Justice Youth Fellowship, run by the Michigan Center for Youth Justice or MCYJ is open to young people between ages 16 and 21 who've been involved in the justice legal system.

They receive training in leadership, community advocacy, and public policy.

Program coordinator Donita Dorsey explains why it's crucial to invest in youth who have first-hand experience in the justice system.

Because they are the credible messengers.

They have the lived experience.

They know exactly what needs to change and so we need their voices is centered and at the forefront of juvenile justice reform.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Kentucky health officials say a measles outbreak that started in Woodford County has spread to Fayette County and they're working to identify people who may have been exposed.

Dr. Stephen Stack, Secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services says vaccinations play a key role in preventing outbreaks.

All of them are unvaccinated and one of the individuals traveled internationally where we suspect the infection was acquired.

There's another individual in a different community not related to these four who has measles and that's still under investigation.

As of July 1, more than 1,200 confirmed measles cases have been reported in 38 states, according to the CDC.

This is Public News Service.

The nation's largest advocacy group for people age 50 and older is investing more than $4.2 million, including $75,000 in Colorado, to help make communities more livable for people of all ages.

AARP Colorado Associate State Director Marisa Volpe says the city of Fort Collins won a $20,000 AARP grant to host a series of hands-on workshops in both English and Spanish to make it easier for low-income residents to remain in their homes as they get older.

This is gonna focus on plumbing 101, water conservation for mobile homes and senior apartments.

And the event aims to really build do-it-yourself skills, reduce maintenance costs and support aging in place.

AARP's Livable Communities Initiative has invested more than $24 million in some 1,700 projects since 2017, including 40 in Colorado.

The program funds innovative projects meant to inspire change in public spaces, housing, transportation, and more.

I'm Eric Galatas.

And now that President Trump's big budget bill has been signed into law, Arkansas nonprofits that rely on federal funding to help people in need or trying to figure out how they'll continue to serve their clients.

The legislation calls for cutting billions of dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.

Lance Whitney with Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance says it would cost food banks across the state almost $46 million a year to continue to help those who face food insecurity.

That does not include the cost of increased capacity needed to serve those individuals, like in warehouse space, the vehicles, the staffing to hand out that, the refrigeration.

With those included, we're ramping up to an additional probably 10 million.

Arkansas has the highest food insecurity rate in the nation.

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

Finally, women who recently graduated from college are earning significantly less than their male counterparts.

A new study reveals that women from Pennsylvania and other states who earned bachelor's degrees within the past seven years, earn an average of 18 percent less than similarly educated men.

Research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers finds that segregated work environments are the main reason for the disparity.

Mary Gata, a policy researcher and co-author of the report, says the problem is so prevalent that job analysts gave it a formal title.

Some of that, as we see in our survey, is attributed to men and women working in different industries and different types of work.

So we call this occupational sex segregation.

The Early Career Talent Survey interviewed 1400 professionals who graduated between 2017 and 2023, including about 500 men and 900 women.

Farrah Siddiqui reporting.

This is Mike Clifford, and thank you for starting your week with Public News Service.

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