NPR News: 05-17-2025 5AM EDT

Summary

NPR News: May 17, 2025, 5AM EDT – Comprehensive Summary

Released on May 17, 2025

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Severe Storms and Tornadoes Devastate Kentucky and the Midwest

Kentucky's Tragic Losses

In the early hours of May 17, severe storms swept through Kentucky, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming at least 14 lives. The storms brought high winds, torrential rain, golf ball-sized hail, and multiple tornadoes to the region. Giles Snyder reported from Washington, highlighting the gravity of the situation:

"The mayor of London, Kentucky, says he believes there are at least 14 fatalities in his community from last night's severe storms." [00:17]

Eyewitness Accounts in Somerset

Karen Zarr provided on-the-ground coverage from Somerset, where confirmed tornado warnings were issued. Shawn Likens and his son Garrett captured the terrifying sight of a funnel cloud illuminated by lightning:

"It's a rope. It's right there." [01:02]

The urgency of the situation was palpable as Garrett urgently urged his father to seek shelter:

"Dad, we gotta go." [01:08]

Widespread Power Outages and Rising Flood Concerns

The tumultuous weather left thousands of Kentuckians without power, with outages extending from Missouri to Ohio and North Carolina. According to Poweroutage US, over 140,000 customers in Kentucky alone were affected. The situation was dire, with flooding emerging as a significant concern in various parts of the state.

Giles Snyder emphasized the extensive impact:

"More than 140,000 customers are without power in Kentucky, and outages stretch from Missouri to Ohio and North Carolina." [01:20]

Political Turmoil: President Trump's Budget Proposal Faces Hurdles

The Big Beautiful Bill Stalls

President Trump returned from his Middle East trip to a battleground at the White House, where Republicans in the House Budget Committee aimed to advance his ambitious budget package, dubbed the "Big Beautiful Bill." However, the bill encountered resistance within the committee.

NPR's Tamara Keith relayed information from the White House:

"Fiscal conservatives on this key committee are balking at the bill, but this isn't the end of the story." [02:26]

White House's Strategic Push

Press Secretary Caroline Levitt outlined the White House's strategy to secure support:

"The White House will continue to have conversations over the weekend to strongly urge House Republicans to support the bill, describing it as a generational opportunity." [02:26]

The bill is central to Trump's agenda, proposing significant tax cuts and reductions in spending on programs such as Medicaid and food assistance for the poor. In a fervent plea for unity, Trump stated on social media:

"We don't need grandstanders in the Republican Party." [02:26]

Former FBI Director James Comey Under Investigation

In a surprising development, former FBI Director James Comey became the subject of a Secret Service investigation. The Homeland Security Department inquired about a social media post critics allege was intended to incite violence against President Trump.

Comey's contentious post featured a photo of seashells arranged to form the numbers "86" and "47," the latter being a reference to Trump as the 47th president:

"On Thursday, Comey posted a photo of seashells arranged to form the numbers 86, 47, a slang term that could be taken to mean to kill." [03:11]

Prison Escape in Louisiana Heightens Security Concerns

Authorities in Louisiana are intensifying their search for seven inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail. Initially, ten inmates broke out yesterday, but three have been apprehended so far. The incident has raised alarms about prison security and the safety of the surrounding communities.

Giles Snyder reported:

"Authorities in Louisiana searching for the seven inmates who remain on the loose after escaping from a New Orleans jail." [03:11]

Progress and Challenges in Maternal Mental Health Care

A new report by the Policy Center on Maternal Mental Health highlights both advancements and ongoing struggles in addressing mental health needs among pregnant and postpartum women across the United States.

State-wise Progress

The report card graded states based on their access to mental health care for pregnant women and new mothers. Five states—California, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Washington—achieved a top grade of B for the first time. Michigan notably improved its grade from a D to a B by implementing several initiatives to enhance care for maternal mental health conditions.

However, challenges persist as two states, Alabama and Mississippi, received failing grades, indicating insufficient progress in supporting maternal mental health.

Ritu Chatterjee elaborated:

"Researchers found that while overall the country is still failing to adequately address maternal mental health needs, there were incremental improvements since the year before." [04:11]

Treatment Gaps

Despite progress, the report underscores that approximately three-quarters of women suffering from maternal mental health conditions like postpartum depression do not receive necessary treatment, highlighting a critical area needing attention.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the NPR News episode released on May 17, 2025. From the devastating storms in Kentucky and political maneuvers in Washington to pressing issues like maternal mental health, the episode provided listeners with a detailed overview of significant national events and developments.

Transcript

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[Giles Snyder]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. The mayor of London, Kentucky, says he believes there are at least 14 fatalities in his community from last night's severe storms that brought high winds, torrential rain, golf ball hail and tornadoes. Karen Zara is with member station WUKY in Lexington. She reports on what state residents faced.

[Karen Zarr]

Confirmed tornado warnings were issued in parts of Kentucky Friday night, meaning a tornado was sighted or indicated by weather radar. In Somerset, Shawn Likens and his son Garrett captured what appeared to be a funnel cloud illuminated in the darkness by flashes of lightning.

[Giles Snyder]

It's right there. It's right there.

[Sponsor Announcer]

It's a rope.

[Giles Snyder]

It's a rope. It's right there.

[Karen Zarr]

Less than a minute and a half later, Garrett pleaded for his father to come inside.

[Ritu Chatterjee]

Dad, we gotta go.

[Karen Zarr]

Thousands of Kentuckians are without power, and flooding is now a concern for parts of the state. For NPR News, I'm Karen Zarr in Lexington.

[Giles Snyder]

According to the tracking website Poweroutage US, more than 140,000 customers are without power in Kentucky, and outages stretch from Missouri to Ohio and North Carolina. More than 168,000 customers remain without electricity from Thursday night storms in Michigan, where two tornadoes have been confirmed, St. Louis searchers have been going building to building looking for people who've been trapped or hurt following severe storms that included at least one tornado. Dennis Jenkerson is the fire chief in St. Louis. We have at this time mapped the path of the tornado. We've got a very good idea of the path it took and the destruction that came after. St. Louis officials say more than 5,000 homes were damaged by a powerful tornado that ripped through the city during the afternoon rush hour yesterday. President Trump back at the White House from his trip to the Middle East. He returned last night as Republicans on the House Budget Committee plan to try again tomorrow night to advance his budget package called the Big Beautiful Bill. That bill hit a roadblock in the budget committee yesterday. NPR's Tamara Keith has reaction from the White House.

[Caroline Levitt]

Fiscal conservatives on this key committee are balking at the bill, but this isn't the end of the story. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said the White House will continue to have conversations over the weekend to strongly urge House Republicans to support the bill, describing it as a generational opportunity. Levitt added that the White House expects all Republicans to vote for this bill. This bill is the main legislative vehicle for President Trump's agenda, including big tax cuts and cuts to spending on programs including Medicaid and food assistance for the poor. In an earlier social media post, Trump demanded unity and said, quote, we don't need grandstanders in the Republican Party. Tamara Keith, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

And from Washington, you're listening to NPR News. Former FBI Director James Comey is being investigated by the Secret Service. The Homeland Security Department says Comey has been interviewed about a social media post that Republicans say was meant to incite violence against President Trump. On Thursday, Comey posted a photo of seashells arranged to form the numbers 86, 47, 86, a slang term that could be taken to mean to kill. And Trump is the 47th president. Authorities in Louisiana searching for the seven inmates who remain on the loose after escaping from a New Orleans jail. Ten initially broke out yesterday. Three have been caught so far. A new report finds that states across the country have made some progress in addressing the mental health needs of pregnant and postpartum women. Maternal mental health conditions like postpartum depression affect about one in five U.S. mothers every year. And NPR's Ritu Chatterjee reports about three quarters never get treatment.

[Ritu Chatterjee]

Researchers at the the Policy center on Maternal Mental Health put out a report card that graded states for their level of access to care for mental health problems in pregnant women and new moms. They found that while overall the country is still failing to adequately address maternal mental health needs, there were incremental improvements since the year before. Five states, California, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington, got the top grade of B for the very first time. Michigan had the biggest jump in grade from a D to a B by taking several steps to improve care for maternal mental health conditions. Two states, Alabama and Mississippi, received failing grades. RITU Chatterjee, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

And I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.

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