The dominant national themes today are extreme weather and public health. A major heat dome is driving heat advisories from New England through the Mid-Atlantic, while wildfires are escalating in the West with new evacuations in Oregon, a statewide fire emergency in North Dakota, and a statewide burn ban and 65,000 evacuations in Washington. West Nile virus activity is expanding with new human cases in California, Iowa, and Rhode Island detecting Jamestown Canyon virus. Politically, the 2026 midterm cycle is accelerating with primary results in Tennessee, Arizona and Michigan, court battles over congressional maps in Missouri and Maryland, and economic focus on tax-free holidays in Ohio and South Carolina. Tech accountability also made headlines with New Mexico ordering Meta to pay $567M for teen mental health impacts.
- Alabama: Unemployment rose to 3.2% in June, highest since 2021, with over 1,700 layoffs announced Jan-July 2026, while the University of Alabama System removed LGBTQ+ inclusive language from non-discrimination policies.
- Alaska: Lawmakers are in a third special session with no bill yet on a floor vote over a $54.5B LNG pipeline tax strategy after Gov. Dunleavy rejected a Senate plan.
- Arizona: New AARP poll post-primary shows Gov. Katie Hobbs leading Republican challenger Andy Biggs by 8% among likely voters.
- Arkansas: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders proclaimed Jonesboro as Arkansas’ 20th Capital for a Day on August 7, relocating state government operations to the region.
- California: San Joaquin County reported its first human West Nile case of 2026, with statewide count at 18 cases and 2 fatalities; LA County Fire concluded the 2025 Eaton fire was caused by SCE electrical equipment.
- Colorado: U.S. News named Intermountain Health St. Joseph Hospital in Denver the state’s No. 1 hospital, ending UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital’s 14-year streak.
- Connecticut: National Weather Service heat advisory through 8 p.m. Friday as heat index hits 100°F, covering all but Litchfield County.
- Delaware: Gov. Meyer acted on House Bill 462 on Aug 7, calling on the General Assembly to stop taxing renters at commercial rates.
- Florida: $6M Florida Lotto jackpot sold at 3B’s Sunoco in Lakeland from Aug 5 drawing remains unclaimed; NOAA updated 2026 hurricane forecast to below-average due to El Niño.
- Georgia: State collected $2.57B net tax revenue in July, up 3.1% to start fiscal year; Leesburg Planning Board voted 4-1 to recommend disapproval of draft data center rules.
- Hawaii: Hawaiian Electric Industries to announce Q2 2026 results today, and state rolls out new tourism campaign as high school football season kicks off.
- Idaho: Twin Falls Police released video from Aug 1 In-N-Out mass shooting that killed 3 and injured 10 total, praising armed citizens who intervened.
- Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker scheduled to sign HB4273 and SB714 to require 60-day notice for homeowners rate hikes over 10% and give state authority to block excessive auto rate increases.
- Indiana: Two Carmel police officers shot armed 18-year-old during welfare check Aug 6, under ISP investigation; Gov. Braun extended gas tax pause through August.
- Iowa: Fast-moving squall line tracked across northeast Iowa this evening; Iowa HHS confirmed state’s first West Nile case of 2026 on Aug 5 in eastern Iowa.
- Kansas: Voters rejected constitutional amendment to elect Supreme Court justices 61% to 39% on Aug 5, keeping nominating commission system since 1958.
- Kentucky: More voters registered as Independents in July than Republicans and Democrats combined, with 2,530 new Other registrations per Secretary of State release Aug 7.
- Louisiana: Wildlife and Fisheries to lower Henderson Lake and Chicot Lake to control invasive giant salvinia; SNAP waiver allows hot food purchases through Aug 13 after Tropical Storm Arthur.
- Maine: Former Senate President Troy Jackson won Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate at convention to challenge Sen. Susan Collins, replacing Graham Platner.
- Maryland: Lawmakers to meet in special August session to consider constitutional amendment on future congressional redistricting.
- Massachusetts: Heat advisory from 11 a.m. Aug 6 to 8 p.m. Aug 7 with feels-like 100°F; Worcester opened cooling centers.
- Michigan: Health officials eased lettuce warning as cyclosporiasis outbreak with 12,485 cases and 279 hospitalizations since June declines; Abdul El-Sayed won Democratic Senate primary.
- Minnesota: Ramsey County and AG Keith Ellison filed lawsuits to ban rival gangs Muddy and The Ville from Minnesota State Fairgrounds, seeking safety zone designation.
- Mississippi: Federal Operation Muddy Waters arrested 70 statewide for child exploitation; President Trump approved Major Disaster Declaration for Tropical Storm Arthur damage June 18-20.
- Missouri: Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected petition for referendum on Trump-backed Missouri First congressional map, allowing map that targets Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s seat to stand.
- Montana: Several new small wildfires reported including Ten Mile Fire, with federal wildfire management subcommittee meeting scheduled in Hamilton.
- Nebraska: Nonpartisan Senate candidate Dan Osborn submitted signatures and qualified for November ballot to challenge Pete Ricketts.
- Nevada: President Trump announced $180M in grants for mining schools including UNR’s Mackay School of Mines at White House critical minerals meeting.
- New Hampshire: Heat advisory for southeast NH until 8 p.m. Friday with mid-90s feels-like; Seacoast single-family sales hit 4-year high in July with 94 homes sold.
- New Jersey: Civil rights officials opened investigation into Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark after detainee death; severe thunderstorms left 40,000+ without power Aug 7.
- New Mexico: State court ordered Meta to pay $567M into teen mental health fund on Aug 6 for harming children’s wellbeing by designing addictive products.
- New York: Gov. Hochul announced 47% decline in gun violence and signed 6 gun law bills as NYPD reports NYC on pace for record-low murders and shootings in 2026; heat advisory with 100°F feels-like.
- North Carolina: Miss North Carolina USA 2026 Brittany Boltinhouse stripped of title Aug 5; Western NC seeing ongoing ICE operations including 13 arrests in Pisgah National Forest July 26.
- North Dakota: Gov. Kelly Armstrong declared statewide fire emergency Aug 7 and activated Emergency Operations Plan as drought and wildfire risk intensifies.
- Ohio: State Sales Tax Holiday runs Aug 7-9, 12 a.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, limited to back-to-school items per Gov. DeWine.
- Oklahoma: $4B aluminum smelter project in Inola dividing GOP ahead of Aug 25 governor runoff; OKC made downtown streetcar permanently free fare Aug 7.
- Oregon: Three new wildfires spurred evacuations including Hidden Forest Fire near Bend, with 32 active wildfires statewide and $440M spent on suppression.
- Pennsylvania: Gov. Shapiro unveiled new behavioral health action plan Aug 5; Amtrak announced second Pittsburgh to New York train expected later in 2026.
- Rhode Island: DEM and RIDOH confirmed mosquito pool from Aug 1 in Tiverton tested positive for Jamestown Canyon Virus amid routine West Nile testing.
- South Carolina: Tax Free Weekend runs Aug 7-9 for school supplies, computers and clothing; officials report two West Nile cases in Pee Dee region.
- South Dakota: Sturgis Motorcycle Rally runs Aug 7-16, world’s largest; 46-year-old Sioux Falls woman killed in two-motorcycle crash south of Sturgis Thursday afternoon.
- Tennessee: Sen. Marsha Blackburn won Republican gubernatorial primary Aug 6, defeating Rep. John Rose, becoming favorite to be state’s first female governor.
- Texas: Texas Pulse poll released Aug 7 shows Democrat James Talarico leading Republican Ken Paxton 47%-43% in Senate race within margin of error.
- Utah: Helicopter crashed while battling large Utah wildfires Aug 7 with conditions unknown; hybrid-electric aircraft completed historic cross-state flight launching UDOT uFLY program.
- Vermont: Gov. Phil Scott urged Congress to enact comprehensive AI regulations; Canadian premiers to join New England governors in Vermont next week for annual conference.
- Virginia: Gov. Abigail Spanberger said she will intervene in regulatory review of NextEra Energy’s $66.8B merger with Dominion Energy over bill affordability.
- Washington: Spokane-area wildfires that began Aug 1 forced 65,000 evacuations and destroyed hundreds of buildings, prompting Gov. Bob Ferguson statewide emergency and burn ban.
- West Virginia: Gov. Patrick Morrisey awarded $2,128,850.88 in Child Advocacy Center grants across West Virginia on Aug 7.
- Wisconsin: No major statewide breaking news released today; focus remains on heat and ongoing legislative redistricting coverage from earlier in week.
- Wyoming: No major statewide breaking news released today; state monitoring regional wildfire smoke and drought conditions affecting neighboring states.
