Six minutes of news from around the nation.

B-52 crash leaves 8 crew members dead; Women of color could make history in New Mexico’s 2026 governor's race; LGBTQ+ youth have hope but not for America's future; Hoosiers urged to weigh in on bobcat plan.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, June the 16th, 2026, signed by Clifford.

A B-52 bomber crash shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base left eight crew members dead Monday morning.

CNN notes the B-52 was on a routine test mission that took off around 11.20 a.m. local time at the remote airbase.

Officials said it's now considered to be a recovery operation.

Emergency crews responded immediately to the crash involving the bomber, which left a towering black plume in its wake.

Meantime, for the third time in the past 20 years, a woman of color is seeking the New Mexico's governor's office and, if elected, could make history.

Already, a record number of Democratic women are running for governor in 2026, including New Mexico's Deb Haaland, a former U.S. Interior Secretary and House of Representatives member.

Should she win against Republican Greg Hull, she'd become the first Native American woman elected governor in U.S. history.

University of New Mexico political science professor Jessica Fizel says the state stands out for getting behind female candidates.

We have a really long history of women in leadership that I think comes from majority minority status, where nearly half of the state population is Latino or Hispanic, and there's another, I think, 11 percent on top of that that are Native American.

New Mexico's current governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, succeeded Republican Susana Martinez, who also served for eight years.

Not all political filing dates have passed, but the number of Democratic women running for governor has hit a new high of 43 compared to 41 in 2018.

I'm Roz Brown.

And as Pride Month events unfold across Florida, a new report finds LGBTQ plus youth are struggling with mental health at higher rates than their peers.

Jack Pitos, with Gen Z for Change, grew up queer in Flagler County, one of the reddest parts of Florida.

He led walkouts against the Don't Say Gay bill and was suspended for passing out pride flags.

He says state attacks on queer youth have real consequences. attacking the most fundamental rights of LGBTQ plus young people, whether it be access to gender-affirming health care or their right to representation in public schools.

And that takes a real toll on the mental health of queer kids.

I know it took a toll on my own personal mental health.

The report finds 61% of LGBTQ plus youth rate their mental health as fair or poor.

Top stressors include family issues and homophobic or transphobic sentiment.

Governor Ron DeSantis says his policies protect children.

But critics say the laws stigmatize queer youth.

Nearly all LGBTQ plus youth in the report can still name a source of hope, including supportive friends and Gen Z activism.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

This is Public News Service.

A wildlife group is urging Hoosiers to weigh in on a proposal that would expand Indiana's bobcat season.

State regulators are considering increasing the harvest quota from 250 to 400 animals and adding hunting to the existing trapping season.

Humane World for Animals Indiana State Director Samantha Chapman says her organization wants more scientific evidence before the state expands the harvest.

We're asking for more data and more scientific justification for understanding how many bobcats actually live in the state.

And so we don't make the same mistake that we did in the 50s by completely eliminating them in the state of Indiana.

Supporters of the proposal argue Indiana's bobcat population has recovered and say a larger quota would help manage wildlife populations and address concerns about conflicts with livestock or other animals.

Chapman disagrees and says state officials have not shown enough evidence to justify the larger quota.

I'm Joe Ulory, Public News Service.

A second public comment period is expected.

State officials have not announced when it will begin.

Supporters of a proposed Michigan ballot initiative say voters, not corporate money, should drive decisions affecting rural communities and the entire state.

The proposal would place new limits on campaign contributions from utilities and major government contractors while expanding political advertising disclosure requirements.

Kelvin Carter, director of Up North Advocacy, says this is a pressing issue that crosses party lines.

In this time of hyper-partisanship and the political divide that exists, I've not seen another issue that brings people together like the idea of getting money out of politics.

Those backing the measure say it would prohibit campaign contributions from electric and gas utilities, as well as contractors receiving more than $250,000 annually in government contracts and certain affiliated individuals and organizations.

DTE Energy says its political contributions comply with state and federal laws and support the company's objectives.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Finally, new faculty members at the University of Washington have a special way to prepare for the new school year.

This week, they'll be busing around the state alongside the university's president to learn about where their students come from.

Ed Taylor, UW's vice provost, says in order to be the best teachers, faculty need to understand what matters to people in the state.

It doesn't matter where they are politically.

It doesn't matter where they live.

We need to find a way to talk to one another and model what it means to talk to each other. 28 faculty members are on the tour, which started in Seattle yesterday and will take four days to loop around the state.

He says faculty will also meet with leaders from other colleges and universities along the way.

I'm Isobel Charle.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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