Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Trump lashes out after a negative report on his deployment of the National Guard in District of Columbia and other American cities; Failed Farm Bill negotiations leave North Dakota farmers exasperated; Group calls for more renewable energy to secure the U.S and Maine power grid; South Dakota vaccine campaign: 'Let's Just Talk About It.’

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, August the 12th, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

President Donald Trump lashed out after a negative report on crime in American cities.

The Independent notes Trump chastised everyone from Apple and Google to T-Mobile at Toyota and Walmart.

The President's extended rant on Truth Social appeared to be triggered by a C-SPAN interview with Chandler Hall of the Center for American Progress, whose new report concludes that Trump's decision to use the National Guard and law enforcement missions in Washington, D.C. and other cities ultimately proved ineffective, despite costing $1.7 billion.

Meantime, allies for North Dakota Farmers are agitated that lawmakers can't seem to come together to pass a long-awaited farm bill.

The Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance the legislation last week.

Matt Perdue with the North Dakota Farmers Union says the current draft isn't likely to meet all of the challenges farmers may face in the years ahead.

However, he notes several areas of progress, like efforts to address consolidation in the fertilizer market, advancing mandatory country of origin labeling, and expanding year-round E15 fuel access.

But the bottom line is we need to have bipartisan support to get this across the finish line.

We have been working on this bill for three years.

In those three years, conditions in the farm economy have eroded.

And so, yes, we're frustrated.

Disagreements over a provision that would require states to pay for the SNAP program remain the biggest obstacle.

Purdue notes changes made in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are likely to create challenges for states and people who rely on food assistance benefits.

Lawmakers are expected to vote again on the farm bill package in September.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

And a group of former elected officials and energy advocates argues that America's energy security depends on renewable energy sources, climate resilience, and environmental protections, rather than an expanded reliance on fossil fuels.

The leaders of the group elected officials to protect America say fossil fuel dependence is a source of vulnerability, while clean energy is more secure.

Alex Cornell-Duhout, president and co-founder of the organization, said in a news conference this week that the current system of centralized carbon-driven power makes the country weaker overall.

Imagine the freedom we would have if we didn't depend on transporting 40% of our trade and having to go through two choke points that take up half global energy.

This is why clean distributed energy is a solution that democratizes energy and empowers our country.

Cornel DeHue points out that even war-torn Ukraine is successfully developing a rapid clean energy economy through solar, wind, and battery storage.

He says it proves that clean energy can be deployed quickly, strengthen reliability, attract capital, and contribute to wartime and post-war economic resilience.

I'm Mark Richardson.

This is Public News Service.

As families prepare for the new school year, South Dakota health groups are encouraging parents to talk with health care providers about vaccines.

As part of National Immunization Awareness Month, the nonprofit Immunize South Dakota and the state's American Academy of Pediatrics chapter have launched a campaign called Let's Just Talk About It.

The group's Dani Gulickson says it's about starting conversations and building relationships between parents, patients, and caregivers and their health care team.

This campaign is really there to help connect families with their trusted medical professionals who can answer questions based on the child's individual health needs and evidence-based information.

Immunization rates in South Dakota have declined in recent years.

The state's health department reported the measles vaccination rate was just under 90 percent last year, a 5 percent decline since 2020.

Measles cases are increasing, with 11 cases so far this year.

South Dakota had 16 cases for all of last year.

I'm Laura Hatch reporting.

Next, data centers are multiplying across Florida, fueled by the global AI race and the state's abundant land and water.

But a recent UNF poll found 68% of likely Florida voters oppose building an AI data center in their local area, and dozens of counties have passed moratoriums or bans.

Jonathan Alingu is co-executive director of Central Florida Jobs with Justice, a coalition monitoring data center development.

He says these projects come at a steep cost to residents.

It requires a lot of utility services.

It requires a lot of water, so much so that it takes away from residents that need both of those services.

And the result is it drives up the prices on both areas.

At least a dozen Florida counties and cities, including Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Sarasota, Clay, and Nassau, have adopted moratoriums.

This story was produced with original reporting from Josh Israel for the Florida Independent.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

Finally, folks living in New Mexico will have one of the clearest views of this week's per se meteor showers.

Some say it's one of nature's most awe-inspiring sights.

A new study from the Action Network ranks New Mexico among the top ten states for viewing.

And this year, a moonless new moon will enhance the show.

Robert Lunsford with the American Meteor Society says most meteors are the size of a pea, and they're not very bright.

But he adds sometimes to the size of a tennis ball, known as a fireball.

Every now and then you get one even larger, the size of a volleyball or a basketball, and those will be brighter than the full moon.

And they quite often leave persistent trains in the sky that look like smoke trails that last a minute or two.

I'm Roz Brown.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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