Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Pennsylvania grant funding used at Carnegie Mellon to fight food insecurity; pushback continues as Detroit airport considers adding a cigar lounge; Congress pressed to fund wildlife crossings as Florida panther deaths rise; youth program in Maine encourages skills through travel; and Indiana's governor refuses to sign syringe program bill.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast for Thursday, March 19, 2026.

I'm Joe Ulory.

The United States knew in advance about Israel's strike on Iran's South Par's natural gas field, but did not take part.

That, according to a person familiar with the matter.

And the source said the U.S. received notice, but would not say whether officials supported the attack.

The strike hit a key piece of global energy infrastructure.

Oil prices rose quickly on fears of retaliation.

Hours later, a ballistic missile struck a major natural gas site in Qatar, causing extensive damage.

The Associated Press reports tensions are now rising across the region.

Tariff rebates would become available to Indiana residents under a proposed federal bill.

The Supreme Court ruled last month that certain tariffs ordered in 2025 by President Donald Trump were illegal.

In response to the decision, Trump has introduced temporary 15 percent global tariffs using a different legal authority.

Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro, the bill's sponsor, says these refunds are needed by everyday Americans.

The bill prohibits companies receiving refunds from paying out dividends or conducting stock buybacks until they have provided relief to consumers.

My view is that consumers and small businesses need to come before the wealthy shareholders.

In an interview with WFIU Public Radio, Michael Hicks, professor of economics at Ball State University, said the average Hoosier family paid between $2,000 to $2,500 in tariff damages last year.

I'm Terry Dee reporting.

In Pennsylvania, a mother and her son are already feeling the ripple effects of cuts to Medicaid under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Ten-year-old Cole Sciano lives with mitochondrial disease and depends on medical support, including an IV, feeding tubes, and blood sugar monitors, along with 20 hours a day of skilled nursing.

His mother, Victoria, says Cole qualifies for Pennsylvania's PH95 Medicaid for Children with Special Needs Program, which helps families pay for essential care.

He also sees a total of 36 doctors at two different children's hospitals in the Philadelphia area.

His mother already seeing the fallout from some of the cuts.

We've seen a lot of health care systems in our area having to close because of that.

We're seeing changes at the schools.

Some of the services that he would typically qualify for for extended school year are not going to be available this year.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump last summer, trims about a trillion dollars in federal Medicaid spending over the next decade.

The money currently helps cover health care for one in five Americans, roughly 70 million people.

This is Public News Service.

After a tumultuous few days, Connecticut's first offshore wind farm began operation.

Edwin J. Viera has the story.

Revolution Wind is expected to provide more than 700 megawatts of electricity to power 350,000 homes across Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The project was slightly delayed due to several stop work orders issued by the Trump administration.

Samantha Dynowski with the Sierra Club Connecticut chapter says feedback on Revolution Wind is positive so far.

We need offshore wind and other renewable resources.

It comes as the state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection considers final approval for a pipeline compressor station expansion.

Brookfield town officials and other local groups sued to block the project, arguing it increases environmental harm.

But the judge dismissed the suit, saying residents can appeal after the agency makes its decision.

Spring storm season is here, and for local officials who prepare for emergency responses after a natural disaster, they say it's a hard time to get plans together.

That includes a manager from one of North Dakota's rural counties.

Emergency management directors have long dealt with resource challenges, but a new report from ProPublica outlines the growing uncertainty for this line of work.

The report points to FEMA overhauls sought by the Trump administration, including staffing cuts, grant cancellations, and disruptions, outlining how those changes impact local partners.

Angela Herda is the emergency manager for Nelson County and says government shutdowns haven't helped either.

We get trained through FEMA, and so if they're not being funded, they can't send out their people to train us.

Curtis says rural counties lean heavily on grants to maintain emergency response planning.

Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill that would raise funds for the construction of wildlife crossings and other safety measures that reduce wildlife vehicle collisions where roads and highways meet migration corridors.

If passed, motorists can pay an optional $5 fee when they register their vehicle.

Suzanne O'Neill with the Colorado Wildlife Federation says Colorado has the highest annual collision costs of any western state.

Each year, the cost of lost wildlife, emergency response, injuries, and vehicle repairs is over $320 million.

From 2010 to 2024, almost 55,000 crashes occurred between motorists and wildlife.

O'Neill says wildlife crossings, which can be underpasses or overpasses, have reduced wildlife vehicle collisions by 90 percent on average.

They also allow animals to safely reach critical habitat during migration.

The recently completed I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass between Denver and Colorado Springs, the largest crossing over a major roadway in North America, connects 39,000 acres of habitat.

I'm Eric Galatas.

This is Joe Ulory for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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