Assateague Island has no lifeguards this summer amid Trump cuts
Why it matters: It's the height of summer tourist season, and Assateague — which has seen a record number of visitors in recent years — is a popular weekend escape for many Washingtonians.
Plus, the 100th annual nearby Chincoteague pony swim on July 30 is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to the area.
The big picture: The National Park Service (NPS) — which operates federal beaches like Assateague — is scrambling to keep parks running amid a national staffing shortage due to President Trump's cuts to the federal workforce, public parks advocates warn.
NPS has seen a 24% drop in its permanent staff since January, according to the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).
Hiring for seasonal roles like lifeguards is down, too, with only about 4,500 roles filled of the almost 8,000 committed to by the administration.
This means delayed emergency response times and fewer resources to protect visitors, per NPCA.
State of play: The six lifeguard positions on each of Assateague 's Virginia and Maryland sides are unfilled, as is the chief lifeguard position.
There were recently life-threatening situations during which "good Samaritans" had to help until emergency services could arrive, Chincoteague Mayor Denise Bowden told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
By the numbers: Assateague lifeguards completed 24 rescues last year, and oversaw at least 21 incidents that would have otherwise been handled by local emergency medical services — which often take longer to reach the scene and aren't properly trained in ocean rescue.
What they're saying: "You can't put a price on somebody's life," Bowden told the Times-Dispatch. "You can't put a budget cut on somebody's life."
"The lack of lifeguards will undoubtedly result in death and injury that would otherwise be prevented," B. Chris Brewster, chair of the National Certification Committee at the United States Lifesaving Association, told the Washington Post of the national shortage.
The other side: "Visitors have always had access to unguarded beaches and guarded beaches even after lifeguards leave for the day. Lifeguard shortages are a nationwide concern even outside of our public lands," a NPS spokesperson told Axios. "We appreciate the public's understanding and cooperation as we work to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all."
The NPS spokesperson recommended that visitors learn to identify riptides, stay alert for strong ocean currents, and never turn their backs to the ocean.
Zoom in: NPS never posted listings for the Assateague lifeguard positions, Ed Stierli, a regional director at the NPCA, told the Times-Dispatch.
The administration's initial federal hiring freeze came as NPS was recruiting seasonal workers. It later lifted this freeze, but local officials speculate it was too late by then for hiring.
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Boys & Girls Club programs threatened by Trump grant freeze serve thousands of families
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The money for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers is among more than $6 billion in federal education grants Trump's Republican administration has withheld, saying it wants to ensure recipients' programs align with the president's priorities. After-school programs for the fall are in jeopardy In Rhode Island, the state stepped in with funding to keep the summer programs running, according to the Boys & Girls Club of East Providence. Other Boys & Girls Clubs supported by the grants have found ways to keep open their summer programs, said Sara Leutzinger, vice president for communications for the Boys & Girls Club of America. But there isn't the same hope for the after-school programming for the fall. Some of the 926 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide that run 21st Century Community Learning summer and after-school programs stand to close if the Trump administration doesn't release the money in the next three to five weeks, Leutzinger said. The YMCA and Save the Children say many of the centers they run are also at risk of shuttering. 'Time is of the essence,' said Christy Gleason, executive director of Save the Children Action Network, which provides after-school programming for 41 schools in rural areas in Washington state and across the South, where school will begin as soon as August. 'It's not too late to make a decision so the kids who really need this still have it.' Schools in Republican-led areas are particularly affected by the freeze in federal education grants. Ninety-one of the 100 school districts that receive the most money from four frozen grant programs are in Republican congressional districts, according to an analysis from New America, a left-leaning think tank. Of those top 100 school districts, half are in four states: California, West Virginia, Florida and Georgia. New America's analysis used funding levels reported in 2022 in 46 states. Republican officials have been among the educators criticizing the grant freeze. 'I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility, which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies, but also means being responsible — releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump," said Georgia schools superintendent Richard Woods, an elected Republican. 'In Georgia, we're getting ready to start the school year, so I call on federal funds to be released so we can ensure the success of our students.' The Office of Management and Budget said some grants supported left-wing causes, pointing to services for immigrants in the country illegally or LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts. Summer clubs provide instruction for children At the East Providence summer camp, Aiden, a rising third grader, played tag, built structures with magnetic tiles, played a fast-paced game with the other kids to review addition and subtraction, learned about pollination, watched a nature video and ate club-provided chicken nuggets. Veteran teachers from his school corrected him when he spoke without raising his hand and offered common-sense advice when a boy in his group said something inappropriate. 'When someone says something inappropriate, you don't repeat it,' teacher Kayla Creighton told the boys between answering their questions about horseflies and honeybees. Indeed, it's hard to find a more middle-of-the road organization in this country than the Boys & Girls Club. Just last month, a Republican and a Democrat sponsored a resolution in the U.S. House celebrating the 165-year-old organization as a 'beacon of hope and opportunity.' The Defense Department awarded the club $3 million in 1991 to support children left behind when their parents deployed for the Persian Gulf. And ever since, the Boys & Girls Club has created clubs on military installations to support the children of service members. Military families can sign up their kids for free. 'I suspect they will realize that most of those grants are fine and will release them,' said Mike Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative education policy think tank, speaking of the Trump administration's review of the 21st Century Community Learning Center grants. But not everyone is so sure. Families see few affordable child care alternatives Aiden's mother has started looking into afternoon child care for September when kids return to school in Rhode Island. 'It costs $220 a week,' Reyes said, her eyes expanding. 'I can't afford that.' 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If her boss approves, she'd likely have to pick up her children from school and take them to the rehabilitation center where she oversees a team of nurses. The children would have to stay until her work day ends. 'It's hard to imagine,' she said. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
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Photos highlight Boys and Girls Club programs threatened by Trump grant freeze
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Trump administration freeze on education grants has put at risk summer and after-school programs for more than 1 million students. While many clubs kept summer programs running, they warn that after-school offerings this fall may not survive. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
The Hill
9 hours ago
- The Hill
Boys and Girls Club programs threatened by Trump grant freeze serve thousands of families
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — After driving through a downpour to take her son to day camp, Darleen Reyes told camp administrators the rain would have kept her away but her son insisted on going. As she marked her son's name present on a clipboard at the Boys and Girls Club camp, she laughed about braving a flash flood warning to get there. Before kissing his mother goodbye, Aiden Cazares, 8, explained to a reporter, 'I wanted to see my friends and not just sit at home.' Then he ran off to play. Aiden's one of 1.4 million children and teenagers around the country who have been attending after-school and summer programming at a Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA or a public school for free thanks to federal taxpayers. Congress set aside money for the programs to provide academic support, enrichment and child care to mostly low-income families, but President Donald Trump's administration recently froze the funding. The money for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers is among more than $6 billion in federal education grants Trump's Republican administration has withheld, saying it wants to ensure recipients' programs align with the president's priorities. In Rhode Island, the state stepped in with funding to keep the summer programs running, according to the Boys and Girls Club of East Providence. Other Boys and Girls Clubs supported by the grants have found ways to keep open their summer programs, said Sara Leutzinger, vice president for communications for the Boys and Girls Club of America. But there isn't the same hope for the after-school programming for the fall. Some of the 926 Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide that run 21st Century Community Learning summer and after-school programs stand to close if the Trump administration doesn't release the money in the next three to five weeks, Leutzinger said. The YMCA and Save the Children say many of the centers they run are also at risk of shuttering. 'Time is of the essence,' said Christy Gleason, executive director of Save the Children Action Network, which provides after-school programming for 41 schools in rural areas in Washington state and across the South, where school will begin as soon as August. 'It's not too late to make a decision so the kids who really need this still have it.' Schools in Republican-led areas are particularly affected by the freeze in federal education grants. Ninety-one of the 100 school districts that receive the most money from four frozen grant programs are in Republican congressional districts, according to an analysis from New America, a left-leaning think tank. Of those top 100 school districts, half are in four states: California, West Virginia, Florida and Georgia. New America's analysis used funding levels reported in 2022 in 46 states. Republican officials have been among the educators criticizing the grant freeze. 'I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility, which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies, but also means being responsible — releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump,' said Georgia schools superintendent Richard Woods, an elected Republican. 'In Georgia, we're getting ready to start the school year, so I call on federal funds to be released so we can ensure the success of our students.' The Office of Management and Budget said some grants supported left-wing causes, pointing to services for immigrants in the country illegally or LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts. At the East Providence summer camp, Aiden, a rising third grader, played tag, built structures with magnetic tiles, played a fast-paced game with the other kids to review addition and subtraction, learned about pollination, watched a nature video and ate club-provided chicken nuggets. Veteran teachers from his school corrected him when he spoke without raising his hand and offered common-sense advice when a boy in his group said something inappropriate. 'When someone says something inappropriate, you don't repeat it,' teacher Kayla Creighton told the boys between answering their questions about horseflies and honeybees. Indeed, it's hard to find a more middle-of-the road organization in this country than the Boys and Girls Club. Just last month, a Republican and a Democrat sponsored a resolution in the U.S. House celebrating the 165-year-old organization as a 'beacon of hope and opportunity.' The Defense Department awarded the club $3 million in 1991 to support children left behind when their parents deployed for the Persian Gulf. And ever since, the Boys and Girls Club has created clubs on military installations to support the children of service members. Military families can sign up their kids for free. 'I suspect they will realize that most of those grants are fine and will release them,' said Mike Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative education policy think tank, speaking of the Trump administration's review of the 21st Century Community Learning Center grants. But not everyone is so sure. Aiden's mother has started looking into afternoon child care for September when kids return to school in Rhode Island. 'It costs $220 a week,' Reyes said, her eyes expanding. 'I can't afford that.' The single mother and state worker said she'll probably ask her 14-year-old son to stay home and watch Aiden. That will mean he would have to forgo getting a job when he turns 15 in the fall and couldn't play basketball and football. 'I don't have any other option,' she said. At home, Aiden would likely stay inside on a screen. That would be heartbreaking since he's thrived getting tutoring and 'learning about healthy boundaries' from the Boys and Girls Club program, Reyes said. Fernande Berard learned about the funding freeze and possible closure from a reporter after dropping off her three young boys for summer camp. 'I would be really devastated if this goes away,' said the nurse. 'I honestly don't know what I would do.' Her husband drives an Uber much of the day, and picking up the kids early would eat into his earnings. It's money they need to pay the mortgage and everything else. If her boss approves, she'd likely have to pick up her children from school and take them to the rehabilitation center where she oversees a team of nurses. The children would have to stay until her work day ends. 'It's hard to imagine,' she said. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
