NPR News: 08-28-2025 9AM EDT

Summary

---

NPR News Now: 08-28-2025 9AM EDT

Date: August 28, 2025
Host: Windsor Johnston
Duration: ~5 minutes

---

Episode Overview

This edition of NPR News Now delivers a concise roundup of major national stories, focusing on:

• Reactions to a tragic church shooting in Minneapolis
• Leadership turmoil at the CDC
• Louisiana’s reversal on defending its congressional map and its implications for the Voting Rights Act
• Congressional outreach during the August recess
• Amtrak’s new high-speed trains in the Northeast

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Minneapolis Church Shooting and Call for Gun Control

[00:16–01:11]

• Incident: Two children were killed and 17 others injured (14 of them children) during a shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and school in Minneapolis.
• Shooter: A 23-year-old male, who died by suicide after the attack.
• Authorities: The FBI is investigating the shooting as domestic terrorism and a hate crime.
• Political Response:
  • Mayor Jacob Fry appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition, emphasizing that condolences are necessary but insufficient.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “These kids were literally praying in church and it is on us right now not just to sit back, it's on all of us to take the necessary action so that this kind of thing doesn't happen again.”
      – Mayor Jacob Fry [00:37]
  • Mayor Fry is urging for tougher gun control laws.

---

2. CDC Turmoil and Leadership Tensions

[01:11–02:13]

• Situation: CDC director Susan Menaros refuses to step down after her firing was announced on social media.
• Context:
  • Menaros managed the agency through significant budget and staff cuts.
  • Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had been critical of CDC staff and dismissed a panel of vaccine experts, moving forward on policies without CDC input.
  • A meeting between Menaros and HHS leadership reportedly “went very badly.”
• Impact:
  • Resignations of several high-profile CDC leaders followed the announcement.
• Notable Moment:
  • The tension highlights deep divisions within federal public health leadership amid ongoing political pressures.

---

3. Louisiana’s Congressional Map and Voting Rights Act Challenge

[02:13–03:11]

• Background:
  • Louisiana told the Supreme Court it will no longer defend its congressional map, which was designed to comply with the Voting Rights Act (VRA).
• Legal Details:
  • A federal court had previously required Louisiana to draw two out of six districts favoring Black voters, based on demographic data.
  • State officials now argue that any use of race in redistricting is unconstitutional.
• Implications:
  • The Supreme Court will hold a rare second round of oral arguments in October.
  • Advocates fear this could set the stage for a ruling that would end long-standing VRA protections against racial discrimination in redistricting.
• Notable Quote:
  • “A series of rulings by the court's conservative majority have already weakened the landmark law.”
    – Hansi Lo Wang [02:51]

---

4. Congressional August Recess: GOP Town Halls in Missouri

[03:11–04:20]

• Trend:
  • Most Republican lawmakers are not holding town halls during the August recess.
  • Missouri Congressman Mark Alford is an exception, holding a 15-stop town hall tour in four days.
• Constituent Concerns:
  • Residents worry about National Guard deployments following the precedent of President Trump sending Missouri troops to other cities.
• Alford’s Position:
  • Supports deployments for safety, but questions sending National Guard to additional cities, citing local authority.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “I'm a big believer in states rights and local control and local authority, but I'm also a believer in making America safe again.”
      – Rep. Mark Alford [03:57]
• Political Context:
  • Alford’s seat is safely Republican but future redistricting could threaten the GOP’s dominance.

---

5. Amtrak's New High-Speed Trains on the Northeast Corridor

[04:20–04:55]

• Update:
  • Amtrak debuts the next-generation Acela trains on the Northeast Corridor.
  • Specs:
    • Top speed: 160 mph (10 mph faster than before)
    • Larger, lighter, and with 27% more seating
  • Context:
    • These speeds still fall short of the world's fastest trains in Europe and Asia (which exceed 200 mph).

---

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Mayor Jacob Fry on the urgency of gun reform:
  “It is on us right now not just to sit back, it's on all of us to take the necessary action so that this kind of thing doesn't happen again.” [00:37]
• Rep. Mark Alford on Guard deployments and state rights:
  “I'm a big believer in states rights and local control and local authority, but I'm also a believer in making America safe again.” [03:57]
• Hansi Lo Wang’s summary of Supreme Court trajectory on voting rights:
  “A series of rulings by the court's conservative majority have already weakened the landmark law.” [02:51]

---

Timestamps for Key Stories

• Minneapolis shooting & gun control: [00:16–01:11]
• CDC leadership turmoil: [01:11–02:13]
• Louisiana’s redistricting and Voting Rights Act: [02:13–03:11]
• Missouri GOP town halls and National Guard concerns: [03:11–04:20]
• Amtrak’s new Acela trains: [04:20–04:55]

---

This episode reflects a week marked by both tragedy and political tension, with urgent calls for reform, leadership battles, and the evolving landscape of both civil rights and public infrastructure.

Transcript

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

This message comes from Progressive Insurance and the name your price tool. It helps you find car insurance options in your budget. Try it [e-mail], progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law, not available in all states.

[Windsor Johnston]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The mayor of Minneapolis is demanding stricter gun control measures a day after two children were killed during Mass at a Catholic church and school. Mayor Jacob Fry tells NPR's Morning Edition that thoughts and prayers are welcome but are not enough.

[Mayor Jacob Fry]

These kids were literally praying in church and it is on us right now not just to sit back, it's on all of us to take the necessary action so that this kind of thing doesn't happen again.

[Windsor Johnston]

17 other people, including 14 children were injured when shots were fired through the windows of the Annunciation Catholic Church and school. Authorities say the 23 year old shooter later died from a self infliction inflicted gunshot wound. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is refusing to step down after she was fired on social media. NPR's Selena Simmons Duffin reports. The decision was announced by the Department of Health and Human Services on X.

[Selena Simmons Duffin]

Susan Menaros had a difficult tightrope to walk in leading cdc. She's a career scientist who was trying to lead a public health agency suffering significant staff and budget cuts. Manars boss, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Was among those verbally denigrating CDC staff, firing a panel of outside vaccine experts and pursuing policies without the input of CDC experts. A senior CDC official tells NPR that a meeting between Manaras and HHS leadership went very badly last week and an all staff meeting scheduled for Monday had been canceled after HHS announced on social media that Manara's was out. Several high profile leaders announced their resignations as well. Selena Simmons Duffin, NPR News, Washington.

[Windsor Johnston]

Louisiana has told the Supreme Court that it will no longer defend a congressional election map that state lawmakers drew last year to get in line with the federal voting rights act. NPR's Hansi Lo Wang reports the court could determine the future of the landmark law.

[Hansi Lo Wang]

Citing the Voting Rights Act. A lower federal court had ordered Louisiana to draw a map with two out of six districts where black voters have a realistic opportunity of electing their preferred candidates because of Louisiana's census results and pattern of racially polarized voting. But in a legal brief, Republican state officials in Louisiana now argue using race in any form when redistricting is unconstitutional. Many advocates of the Voting Rights act fear that the rare second round of oral arguments that the court has ordered for this congressional redistricting case in October called could be setting up a ruling that ends the Voting Rights Act's protections against racial discrimination and redistricting. A series of rulings by the court's conservative majority have already weakened the landmark law. Han Zi Loong, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

This is NPR News. In Washington. August is a time when members of Congress trade Washington, D.C. for time back in their districts to connect with constituents. While many Republican lawmakers aren't holding town halls, NPR's Barbers Front reports on one GOP member who's bucking the trend.

[Barbara Sprent]

Missouri Congressman Mark Alford isn't just holding one town hall. He's doing a full tour, 15 stops in four days. Constituents expressed concern President Trump may deploy Missouri's National Guard to other Democratic led cities in the wake of being sent to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. alford said he supported those deployments but questioned sending them to other cities.

[Mark Alford]

I'm a big believer in states rights and local control and local authority, but I'm also a believer in making America safe again.

[Barbara Sprent]

Alford's district is considered a safe Republican seat, but if the state's governor decides to pursue mid decade redistricting to Favor Republicans, the GOP's strength in Alford's district could be diminished. Barbara Sprent, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

A faster fleet of Amtrak trains are running along the Northeast Corridor today. The rail company says the next gen Acela trains can reach speeds of up to 160 miles per hour, 10 miles per hour faster than the current trains. They're also lighter and larger and have 27% more seats. The new fleet still lags far behind the fastest bullet trains in the world, which can top 200 miles per hour in Europe and Asia. I'm Windsor Johnston and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

[NPR News Announcer]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.