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The short life of Baby Milo · Apple News Today

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  Shumita Basu, Narrating: Good morning. It's Tuesday, May 23rd. I'm Shumita Basu. This is "Apple News Today." On today's show, states make a water conservation deal for the Colorado River, how a murder investigation is wrecking a small town's finances, and the loyal group of people who won't let go of their beepers.
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  But first, we want to start with a story from "The Washington Post" about a baby named Milo. It's a heartbreaking story about pregnancy complications and loss, but it's important to hear because it shows how difficult it can be for families to deal with the legal ambiguity around Florida's new abortion restrictions.
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  Milo had a short life. Just 99 minutes. His mother, Deborah Dorbert, told "The Post" about the moment that Milo entered the world on March 3rd.
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  Deborah Dorbert: When he came out, you could hear him gasping for air like he was really trying to breathe. He was a little bit over four pounds, so he was still a tiny… a tiny, little guy. But he didn't cry when he was born, and he didn't open his eyes at all. But, I mean, he struggled.
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  [END THE WASHINGTON POST ARCHIVAL CLIP]
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  During her pregnancy, Deborah and her husband learned that Milo had Potter syndrome, which is a rare and life-threatening condition. At the time, the state banned abortion after 15 weeks. There are severe penalties, including prison time, for doctors who violate the law. There's an exception for fatal fetal abnormalities, but the Dorberts say doctors refused their request to end the pregnancy because Milo's heart was still beating. The hospital system wouldn't explain that decision to "The Post." Deborah was forced to carry Milo, knowing that he would live for a few hours at most. He was born with no kidneys and underdeveloped lungs.
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  Deborah Dorbert: The baby just went to my chest and just cuddled with him. Dad read him a book called "I'll Love You Forever." So, he cuddled with him. And my parents held him for a little bit. And we just… kinda just gave him all the loving until he passed.
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  Deborah now struggles with anxiety and depression. Alongside the intense grief, she says she's angry that her choice to end her pregnancy was blocked by politicians. Just weeks after Milo's death, Florida's governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, signed a law to restrict abortion in the state even further. It would ban the procedure after six weeks, when many people don't even know they're pregnant. Milo's grandfather tells "The Post" Florida's policies are what he calls "pure torture" for families like theirs. Apart from the emotional trauma, the family also faces thousands of dollars in additional medical bills.
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  Deborah's family says that typically, she's very shy. But she says she decided to tell Milo's story publicly in the hopes that it comforts other families struggling with similar issues. Plus, she says, she's got a four-year-old who needs her.
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  California, Arizona and Nevada now have a deal with the federal government to conserve water and protect the Colorado River from dropping to critically low levels. The river has been shrinking at an alarming rate in recent decades due to climate change and drought, so this conservation agreement is a huge deal. Tens of millions of people rely on the river for water, irrigation and electricity. Seven states, Mexico and dozens of Tribal Nations. Dramatic images of unusually low water levels in the Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirs have underscored the urgency of the problem.
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  In exchange for $1.2 billion in federal money, the three states in the agreement will cut their water use by around 13%. The money will compensate farmers, Native American tribes and cities who agree to conserve water. Ahead of the deal, "Denver Post" environment and politics reporter Conrad Swanson told "CBS" about potential impacts of the cuts.
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  Conrad Swanson: Chances are, it's gonna mean a major hit to the agricultural industry. Depending on where you are, that uses, give or take, 80% of the Colorado River water. It's the lion's share. So if we make cuts, that's gonna mean different vegetables or fewer vegetables. That's across the country. That's global.
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  The Department of the Interior is expected to sign off on the agreement. But this isn't a permanent solution. The current rules on water shortages only go through 2026.
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  The man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students last fall appeared in court yesterday for his arraignment. Bryan Kohberger stood silent, so the judge entered a not guilty plea for him. His trial is set for October. Prosecutors have 60 days to say whether they'll seek the death penalty.
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  This case is taking a toll on the small community of Moscow, Idaho. One of the repercussions is something you might not even think about: the price tag. The expenses of police overtime, evidence analysis, security, data storage and other costs are straining the town's finances. Mayor Art Bettge spoke to "ABC."
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  Art Bettge: The financial impact just meant that there was gonna be less money going off into capital projects at the end of the year.
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  Cities typically have emergency funds for things like floods and fires. But no one in Moscow, Idaho could anticipate this tragedy or the costs that would come with it. The mayor says the ongoing investigation burned through funds that could've been used to improve infrastructure. One local business owner says businesses are hurting too. Customers are staying home, mourning or just scared.
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  Some help is coming. The governor's office is providing additional funds and the county is also taking on more of the financial burden, just to give Moscow some relief.
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  This next story is sort of an age check. If you're under a certain age, you might not know what a pager is. Cartoon super-spy Kim Possible has a beeper. But if you're looking for other pop culture references, you have to wind the clock way back. I'm talking 1989 Sir Mix-a-Lot.
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  "The Wall Street Journal" looks into how some people today, in 2023, just will not let go of their pagers. Now, many of them work in medicine. In the days when cell phones were big and bulky, doctors carried little pagers so they could be reached in an emergency. Nowadays, there are smartphone apps that doctors can use instead. But some of them still hang on to their beepers. A trauma surgeon in Texas said getting a pager felt like a rite of passage. She says having one makes her feel like the doctors in movies she watched growing up. And she's rare, but she's not alone. A leading paging company tells the "Journal" it has 800,000 pagers still in use in America. Though, that is down from 6.6 million in 2004.
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  One orthopedic surgeon tells the "Journal" that he kinda misses the pager he gave up when he switched over to smartphone apps. Now, his work life is all mixed up with his personal life in one device. He used to make fun of the '80s technology. But in a world of constant messages and interruptions and multitasking, there's something to be said for a tiny plastic device that does one thing, and just one thing, perfectly.
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  You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app, including coverage of the NBA playoffs, where the Denver Nuggets swept the L.A. Lakers to earn a spot in the Finals. And if you're already listening in the News app right now, stick around. We have a narrated article coming up next from "Bloomberg Businessweek." It looks at a possible big change for something that might be your lunch later on today: the Sweetgreen salad. The company's experimenting with robotics to see if it can speed up the assembly process. So sit back, enjoy listening to that, and I'll be back with the news tomorrow.
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