News from around the nation.

Weapon believed to have been used in Charlie Kirk's shooting has been found, official says; Georgia faces steep risks from proposed EPA budget cuts; Congress looks at line speed pace for meatpacking plants; Texas abortion pill legislation faces legal challenge.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

First from CNN, officials believe they've recovered the firearm used to shoot Charlie Kirk Wednesday during an event at a Utah college campus.

Robert Ball, special agent in charge of the FBI's Salt Lake City field office, described the weapon as a high-powered bolt-action rifle that was recovered in a wooded area.

And for the New York Times, investigators have determined the government who killed Kirk arrived near Utah Valley University campus around 1152 morning, about a half hour before the attack.

Authorities say they have good video of the college-aged male suspect, and will use facial recognition to try to identify him.

Bo Mason, the commissioner of Utah's Department of Public Safety, size it up this way, "Instead of honoring the victims "of the September 11 terrorist attacks, "as law enforcement usually does on this date, "we find ourselves hunting a murderer."

Meantime, key protections for Georgia's air and drinking water could be in jeopardy under the proposed federal budget.

In Georgia, that would mean an 87 percent reduction in the drinking water state revolving fund, a loss of more than $25 million in low interest loans and financial support for public water systems.

Daniel Blackman, former regional administrator for EPA Region 4, says those cuts could leave communities open to problems such as lead contamination.

I think there's 11.2 or 11.4 million Georgians.

Almost 2 million of that number lives at or below the poverty line.

Blackman explains that losing this funding would hit vulnerable communities hardest, especially children, seniors and families already facing economic challenges.

Shantia Hudson reporting.

And worker safety at U.S. meatpacking plants is at the forefront again with a congressional plan to permanently increase line speeds for processing pork and poultry.

Our Mike Moen reports supporters say companies need certainty but South Dakota labor voices worry about injuries.

Adjustments to line speed rules are often the result of USDA actions depending on who's in the White House.

Both Trump administrations have prioritized faster speeds.

The GOP-led bill in Congress would create a permanent framework to ensure plants can maintain full operational capacity.

BJ Motley leads the union representing workers at South Dakota's Smithfield Foods plant.

He's skeptical of the idea saying conditions are already taxing.

So you know, with a little break here, a little break there, but it's continuously running now.

He says the timing is also bad with increased immigration enforcement affecting staffing.

And Texas could soon have another law in the books aimed at strengthening its strict abortion ban.

Legislative counsel for Aval, Texas, Blake Rochap says the bill doesn't target expectant mothers.

The bill does not allow a pregnant person themselves to be sued.

People in Texas will still be able to see a doctor in another state.

Hospital 7 passed by the legislature gives private citizens the right to sue anyone who distributes manufacturers of males abortion medication into the state.

This is public news service.

More than 60 organizations across Washington state have signed a letter demanding increased protections for immigrants from detention and the dropping of federal charges against ICE protesters.

Immigrant rights advocates say tactics by police and federal immigration officers are escalating after 37 people were arrested at a June protest in Spokane.

A month later, nine more activists were arrested from their homes and cars and hit with federal conspiracy charges.

Liz Moore of the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane calls the arrests an abuse of federal power.

Both our neighbors are being terribly targeted because of the color of their skin or because of their status as immigrants.

And that targeting is expanding to include people who are showing up for our neighbors using our first amendment right.

The letter includes a call to use tax dollars to fund emergency aid for immigrant communities that are impacted by increased ICE activity in the state.

The Trump administration says it is following through with its promise to carry out the largest mass deportation in US history.

I'm Isabel Charlay.

And as cryptocurrency continues to rise in popularity, so do scams associated with the loosely regulated digital currency.

Cryptocurrency ATMs or BTMs allow people to buy digital currency using cash or a debit card.

Fraud complaints about them increased by 99 percent in 2024, according to FinCEN.

There are hundreds of them across the state, which are often referred to as federal safety locks by scammers.

Courtney Ann Clam with AARP Wisconsin emphasizes anyone can fall victim, and more often than not, those who do are losing thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.

You might get contacted saying that there was suspicious activity on your bank account.

You need to take all of your money out of your bank account because it's been compromised.

Put it in this machine, send it here, and then it will be protected.

And Clam says to bring more awareness to the issue, AARP Wisconsin is hosting two free fraud prevention events in Madison and Green Bay.

Registration is available online.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch Reporting.

Finally, with the official end of summer less than two weeks away, medical experts encourage Coloradans to keep drinking water, not just to beat the heat, but to safeguard their heart health.

Dr. Manisha Kochar is a cardiologist with National Jewish Health in Denver.

She says the water you drink makes its way into your blood, and when you're dehydrated, your blood actually becomes thicker.

And if you don't have adequate blood volume, your heart has to work a lot harder to pump blood, and by pumping harder, it increases the demand for oxygen and put some more stress on your heart.

The amount of water needed to stay hydrated varies between people, but on average, aim to drink around eight cups per day.

I'm Eric Galatas.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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