Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Grand Jury in District of Columbia charges former Olympian over alleged reflecting poll vandalism; On the 1st anniversary, critics slam the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'; Conservation group aims to close partisan gap in VA, America; PA recognizes Martyrs' Day, honoring the nation's history of struggle.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, July the 3rd, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

A former Olympic canoeist on Thursday was indicted for allegedly vandalizing the newly furnished Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The Washington Post notes that 67-year-old David Hearn faces one felony count of malicious destruction of property tied to a June 19th incident in which National Park Service employees say they spotted him trying to rip a new liner that had been installed in the basin.

Hearn's attorneys responded saying he is the latest victim of an outrageous prosecution brought by allies of President Trump.

Meantime, as our nation turns 250 years old tomorrow, the 4th of July also marks the first anniversary of the Trump administration's controversial One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The Republican funding bill lowered taxes for the wealthy and corporations and strewed billions into immigration enforcement.

It also is projected to cut almost a trillion dollars from Medicaid over the next decade.

Matt Herdman with the nonprofit Protect Our Cares says the cuts are already threatening clinics in California and across the country that rely on Medicaid reimbursement.

There's over 350 clinics or hospitals or nursing homes that have already closed just between the passage of the Medicaid cuts and now.

There's another 125 closures already announced and then 97 more places where they've announced cuts.

The new state budget includes $390 million in aid to distressed private and public hospitals.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

And since the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife is using the milestone to remind Americans that protecting wildlife is part of the American story.

The Defenders have launched a year-long public engagement campaign with the message, Out in the Wild, there is no left or right.

Laura Sheehan with the Defenders says their goal is to bring people together over wild places that define the country.

When we talk to everyday people, wildlife is not a divisive issue.

In fact, it's a unifying issue because it's one place that we love to go out into nature and to see wildlife together.

A campaign titled We Are Closer Than You Think seeks to recast wildlife conservation as a shared national value, not a partisan cause. says the anniversary creates a rare opening to connect the country's founding ideals with the landscapes and species that have shaped American identity.

I'm Mark Richardson.

And a dozen cities nationwide are participating in Martyrs Day activities right after the 4th of July.

Gloria J. Brown Marshall is the founder of Martyrs Day and a professor of constitutional law at John Jay College.

It has us celebrate on July 4th, but also bring to mind that those freedoms they're celebrating on July 4th came with a price.

And we need to recommit to the ongoing work of freedom because that work is not completed.

She wishes people to remember those who died fighting for freedom.

This is Public News Service.

Mississippi and other southern states have some of the most restrictive reproductive laws in the nation.

To address gaps in services, students at historically Black colleges and universities are working to improve reproductive health for Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people.

Giovante Bishop with In Our Own Voice National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda says through the organization's Next Generation Leadership Institute, students are identifying campus needs and designing solutions to address critical reproductive justice issues.

Menstrual equity, contraceptive equity, sex education.

And as we know, HBCUs are not a monolith.

So programming at Cougaloo isn't going to look the same as a program at Xavier.

The 2024-2026 class had fellows on 10 HBCU campuses.

Bishop says the Institute is developing the next generation of reproductive advocates.

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

And as folks in Michigan fire up the grill and prepare for 4th of July fireworks celebrations, the Department of Natural Resources is reminding residents that just one stray spark can start a wildfire.

Fire safety experts say a few simple precautions can help keep holiday celebrations safe.

Lori Abel is with the Michigan DNR.

She says anyone enjoying an outdoor fire, including a backyard fire pit, should keep water and a shovel or a rake nearby and never leave until the fire is completely out.

Remember that if a fire is too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave.

So stir it up with that water, use those tools, and make a good old-fashioned mud pie out of it before you leave it.

Recent rainfall has lowered Michigan's overall wildfire risk heading into the holiday weekend, but the DNR says most wildfires are still caused by people.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Finally, residents of the most remote state are navigating a maze of bureaucratic red tape in response to changes in Medicaid rules and service restrictions.

New federal rules set to go into effect in Alaska next year will require recipients to work at least 80 hours a month.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, around 27,000 residents stand to lose services.

Alaska Children's Trust CEO Trevor Storrs says new regulations will compound an already long backlog of people waiting for help.

And what that will do is cause people to wait even longer to be able to receive their benefits.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates nearly 5 million Americans will lose Medicaid as a result of the 2025 federal budget bill.

I'm Mark Moran.

Happy Independence Day weekend.

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

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