Overview of NPR News: 09-27-2026 10AM EDT
This NPR News update covered severe weather across the U.S. and Pacific, new gun-safety legislation in California, Pope Leo’s message on clergy abuse at Lourdes, Democrats’ efforts to make faith a political issue ahead of the midterms, and allegations of rushed renovations at the Kennedy Center. The bulletin also highlighted ongoing disruptions from hurricanes and coastal storm impacts, plus a federal court ruling related to the Kennedy Center naming dispute.
Weather and Storm Impacts
Nor’easter battering the Northeast
- A stalled nor’easter is bringing high winds, heavy rain, flooding, and power outages to the coast.
- National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira said the system is sitting offshore near the New Jersey and Long Island coasts and is expected to keep affecting the Mid-Atlantic through New England for the rest of the weekend.
Pacific hurricanes affecting travel and Mexico
- In Hawaii, Hurricane Nolo is moving away from the islands, but it has already caused travel disruptions.
- One traveler on the Big Island described being forced to reroute due to a Southwest shutdown.
- Farther east, Hurricane Polo is heading toward Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula and is expected to make landfall Monday as a weaker storm.
California’s New Gun Safety Laws
- California Governor Gavin Newsom signed 10 new gun-safety laws.
- The package includes:
- Funding for violence intervention programs
- A law requiring 3D printers sold in California to block attempts to produce ghost guns
- Creation of a statewide office of violence prevention
- Mike McLively of the Giffords Center for Violence Intervention said the laws build out state infrastructure to support local violence-prevention work.
- The California Rifle and Pistol Association criticized the 3D-printer law as costly, impractical, and unconstitutional.
Pope Leo on Clergy Abuse
- At the Shrine of Lourdes in France, Pope Leo told a large crowd that the Catholic Church must confront the deep wounds caused by clergy abuse.
- The site is especially significant because it draws millions of pilgrims annually, but it is also tied to an abuse scandal involving a prominent religious artist whose mosaics were covered for the pope’s visit.
- NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley noted that Pope Leo has previously apologized for abuse scandals and urged bishops to listen to survivors and offer reparations.
Faith and the Midterm Elections
- With the midterms about a month away, some Democrats are trying to use faith as a campaign issue.
- NPR’s Jason DeRose reported that several Democratic candidates are clergy or seminary-trained, including:
- Frederick Haynes in Texas
- James Tallarico in Texas
- A Methodist pastor in Kansas
- A Lutheran pastor and a Presbyterian chaplain in Iowa
- The strategy appears to be having some effect, with Cook Political Report shifting some races toward toss-up status.
Kennedy Center Renovation Concerns
- A whistleblower alleged that renovations at the Kennedy Center were rushed and in some cases poorly executed.
- Reported problems include rusting steel columns and a bathroom floor replaced because President Trump disliked its color.
- The center is currently closed for a larger renovation amid a separate dispute over Trump’s effort to put his name on the building.
- A federal judge has blocked the naming change, saying it would require congressional approval.
- The judge also ordered the Kennedy Center to give 30 days’ notice before major structural changes.
Key Takeaways
- Severe weather remains the biggest immediate public-safety story, with multiple storms affecting the U.S. and Pacific.
- California continues to push aggressive gun-violence prevention policy, including new restrictions on 3D-printed ghost guns.
- Pope Leo used his France trip to emphasize accountability for church abuse scandals.
- Democrats are testing whether religious identity and faith messaging can help them in competitive races.
- The Kennedy Center is facing both renovation criticism and a legal fight over its name and structural changes.