NPR News Now: September 28, 2025 – 9PM EDT

Host: Jeanine Herbst
Date: September 29, 2025
Duration: 5 minutes

Overview

This episode of NPR News Now delivers a succinct roundup of major U.S. news stories. The key topics include a tragic mass shooting at a Michigan church, President Trump’s escalating political prosecutions, the potential delay in crucial economic data due to a looming government shutdown, Mississippi’s infant mortality crisis, and the latest in U.S. box office rankings.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Michigan Church Mass Shooting

Reported by Jeanine Herbst with on-the-ground comment from Grand Blank Police Chief William Rennie
Timestamps: 00:20–01:21

• Event Details:

  • Four confirmed dead after a targeted shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Grand Blank, Michigan.
  • Shooter, Thomas Jacob Sanford, drove through the church’s front door with a pickup, opened fire, and set the church on fire with an accelerant.
  • Hundreds were in attendance; authorities are still securing the area, and the death toll could rise.
  • The gunman died in a shootout with police; motive remains unclear.

• Heroism During Crisis:

  "I'd also like to acknowledge the heroism of not only the first responders, but the people who were inside that church at the time. They were shielding the children who are also present within the church, moving them to safety."
  — William Rennie, Grand Blank Police Chief (01:01)

2. Political Retaliation: President Trump’s DOJ Actions

Reporting by Mara Liasson
Timestamps: 01:21–02:20

• Escalating Political Prosecutions:

  • President Trump actively pursuing prosecution of political opponents.
  • Former FBI Director James Comey indicted; similar action threatened toward other Democrats, including Sen. Adam Schiff and NY Attorney General Letitia James.
  • Fani Willis (Fulton County DA who charged Trump) has received a subpoena.
  • Legal experts predict the charges may not hold, but the clear intention is intimidation and career damage.

  "President Trump promised to use the Department of Justice to go after his political enemies, and he's doing it."
  — Mara Liasson (01:38)

  "[Comey's] indictment sends a message to Trump's other adversaries that he can bankrupt them and ruin their careers."
  — Mara Liasson (02:09)

3. Job Report Uncertainty Amidst Budget Stalemate

Reporting by Rafael Nam
Timestamps: 02:20–03:09

• Economic Jitters:

  • US job creation has slowed, prompting concern about the economy’s health.
  • Investors await September’s employment numbers; however, a looming government shutdown may delay their release.
  • Failure of a short-term budget deal means delays for vital economic data.

  "A shutdown would delay the release of fall data by the government, including the jobs numbers, meaning investors may have to wait a little bit longer."
  — Rafael Nam (02:52)

• Market Snapshot:

  • U.S. futures slightly up: Dow futures rise ca. 0.1%.

4. Mississippi’s Infant Mortality Crisis

Reporting by Katie O’Ridd
Timestamps: 03:32–04:05

• Public Health Alert:

  • Mississippi declares a public health crisis over infant mortality rates.
  • Medicaid expansion has not occurred in the state, worsening healthcare access.
  • OB/GYNs like Dr. Lakeisha Richardson see dire, late-stage cases that could have been prevented.

  "They're showing up with severe preeclampsia and they're not stable for transfer. But also they're showing up in in ways or things with preterm labor or complicated medical diagnosis that we could have prevented."
  — Lakeisha Richardson, Obstetrician (03:47)

• Response Efforts:

  • Richardson and a health team are working statewide to curb infant deaths.

5. Box Office Highlights

Reported by Jeanine Herbst
Timestamps: 04:05–04:58

• Debuts and Rankings:

  • One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) earns $22 million in its opening weekend.
  • Described as Paul Thomas Anderson’s "American epic of rebellion and resistance" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, and Sean; budgeted at $130 million.
  • Runner-up: Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie (Universal/Dreamworks) takes in $13 million on a $32 million budget.

• Cultural Relevance:

  • One Battle After Another has been “hailed as a film brimming with many of the political conflicts of today.”

Notable Quotes

• Heroism in Michigan Church:

  "They were shielding the children who are also present within the church, moving them to safety."
  — William Rennie, Grand Blank Police Chief (01:01)

• About Political Retaliation:

  "[Trump’s] indictment sends a message to Trump's other adversaries that he can bankrupt them and ruin their careers."
  — Mara Liasson (02:09)

• Infant Mortality in Mississippi:

  "They're showing up with severe preeclampsia and they're not stable for transfer..."
  — Lakeisha Richardson (03:47)

Timestamps for Reference

• Michigan Church Shooting: 00:20–01:21
• DOJ Political Retaliation: 01:21–02:20
• Jobs Report & Market: 02:20–03:09
• Mississippi Infant Mortality: 03:32–04:05
• Box Office Results: 04:05–04:58

This episode provides a concise yet impactful snapshot of national events, touching on crisis, conflict, and cultural moments, all within NPR’s signature fact-driven reporting style.