Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 13h

WS/Forsyth considers closing Cook Literacy Model School amid declining enrollment and aging facilities; community members have voiced concern. #WFDD #WinstonSalem #Education #SchoolClosure

Community voices concern over proposed closure of Cook Literacy Model School

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is considering closing Cook due to declining student enrollment and aging facilities.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 15h

UNCG police chief speaks out after a student arrest video sparked outrage; calls for an investigation come from a state legislator and the school's local NAACP. #WFDD #UNCG #investigation #NAACP

UNCG police chief speaks out after student arrest video sparks outrage

The incident has led to calls for an investigation from a state legislator and the school's local NAACP chapter.

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 18h

High Country sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are open for fall foliage, confirmed by citizen volunteers from Virginia to Linville Falls. #WFDD #BlueRidgeParkway #fallfoliage #NorthCarolina

High Country sections of Blue Ridge Parkway reopen for fall foliage season

Citizen volunteers confirmed that the scenic drive is open from Virginia down to Linville Falls without interruption.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 19h

Proposed $100,000 fee per H-1B visa could disrupt rural districts that depend on international teachers. #WFDD #education #ruralschools #immigration

Many rural schools rely on international teachers. Trump's visa changes threaten that

The Trump administration announced a $100,000 fee to accompany each H1-B visa. The fee could wreak havoc on rural school districts that rely on them to bring in teachers.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 20h

A lack of doctors in many rural areas has left space for health conspiracy theories, and physicians report rising patient distrust and occasional hostility. #WFDD #RuralHealth #Misinformation #Healthcare

In rural America, scarce doctors battle misinformation as they practice medicine

Conspiracy theories about health fill a vacuum created by the lack of doctors in many rural communities. Meanwhile, doctors in these areas say patients have become increasingly distrustful and sometimes hostile.

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 20h

WS/FCS received a $400,000 private donation for debt repayment after Forsyth County approved a conditional debt-forgiveness plan tied to private fundraising. #WFDD #Education #SchoolFunding

WS/FCS receives $400,000 private donation for debt repayment

The donation comes shortly after Forsyth County commissioners approved a conditional debt forgiveness plan for the district tied to how much money the school system can raise in private donations.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 21h

Supreme Court review of Louisiana's congressional map could determine the future of Voting Rights Act protections and allow Republicans to draw 19 more House seats. #WFDD #VotingRights #SupremeCourt #Redistricting

A Supreme Court ruling on voting rights could boost Republicans' redistricting efforts

A Supreme Court case over Louisiana's congressional map could determine the future of Voting Rights Act protections against racial discrimination and allow Republicans to draw 19 more House seats.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 1d

Cooper and Whatley trade attacks over hurricane recovery in the 2026 Senate race. #WFDD #SenateRace #HurricaneRecovery #NCPolitics

Cooper, Whatley campaigns both highlight Helene recovery challenges in 2026 U.S. Senate race

Both campaigns have attacked the other for presumed failures in hurricane recovery. Whatley pointed to Cooper's work on Florence and Matthew, Cooper to Whatley's role in Helene recovery.

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 1d

Reynolds High students' mural, winner of the 'Paint the PD' high school competition, was unveiled at the Downtown Bike Patrol Office in Winston-Salem. #WFDD #PublicArt #WinstonSalem

'Paint the PD' high school mural winner unveiled in Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem law enforcement agencies unveiled a new mural at the Downtown Bike Patrol Office. The artists are Reynolds High School students, winners of an annual mural competition.

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 1d

Data centers are booming, bringing energy and environmental risks tied to how companies and officials address local impacts. #WFDD #DataCenters #Energy #Environment

Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks

How tech companies and government officials handle local impacts will shape the industry's future in the U.S.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 1d

D'Angelo, who released three albums including 1995's "Brown Sugar," has died at 51. His family said he had been battling cancer. #WFDD #Dangelo #RAndB

D'Angelo, R&B's reluctant icon, has died at 51

The expressive singer made just three albums, including his 1995 debut, "Brown Sugar," but retreated from the public after each. He had been battling cancer, according to a statement from his family.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 1d

Marc Maron’s final 'WTF' episode features Barack Obama discussing the podcast’s legacy, politics and moving on. #WFDD #podcast #BarackObama #MarcMaron

In Marc Maron's last 'WTF' podcast episode, Obama offers advice on closing chapters

In the final episode, Marc Maron and former President Barack Obama spoke about the legacy of the podcast, politics and moving on.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 1d

Winston-Salem may shorten park hours, ban large bags and prohibit camping in all city parks; some leaders warn of impacts on people experiencing homelessness. #WFDD #WinstonSalem #parks #homelessness

Winston-Salem mulls park rule changes after rise in disruptive behavior

The proposed ordinance would shorten park hours, ban large bags and prohibit camping in all 83 city parks. Some city leaders worry the proposal could unfairly impact people experiencing homelessness.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 1d

Master plans would fund multimillion-dollar upgrades at Bryan Soccer Complex and Gillespie Golf Course. #WFDD #Greensboro #sports #parks

Greensboro officials consider multimillion dollar sports facilities upgrades

Master plans for the Bryan Soccer Complex and Gillespie Golf Course propose millions of dollars in improvements for the two sites.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 1d

Tom Bowman is handing in his Pentagon press pass after 28 years, citing the Pentagon's new media policy. #WFDD #Pentagon #PressFreedom #Journalism

Opinion: Why I'm handing in my Pentagon press pass

Tom Bowman has held his Pentagon press pass for 28 years. He says the Pentagon's new media policy makes it impossible to be a journalist, which means finding out what's really going on behind the scenes and not accepting wholesale what any government or administration says.

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 2d

State officials say the program will eliminate more than $6.5 billion in medical debt for over 2.5 million North Carolinians. #WFDD #MedicalDebt #NorthCarolina

North Carolina effort wipes out $6.5B in medical debt for 2.5M people

Officials say a North Carolina government initiative is eliminating over $6.5 billion in medical debt for more than 2.5 million residents. The totals released Monday exceed initial expectations for the effort announced last year.

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 2d

Study: increasing social media use linked to lower reading, memory and cognition scores in adolescents. #WFDD #socialmedia #teens #research

Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows

Data from a large, ongoing study of adolescents shows a link between increasing social media use and lower cognition and memory in teens.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 2d

WS/FCS will hold a public hearing on closing Cook Elementary School. Officials cite declining enrollment and a 75-year-old facility in need of major improvements. #WFDD #Education #WinstonSalem

WS/FCS to hold public hearing on closing Cook elementary school

District officials say enrollment at Cook has been declining over the last five years. The facility is also 75 years old and in need of major improvements.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 2d

North Carolina GOP leaders plan a vote next week to redraw the state's U.S. House map, likely seeking to add a Republican seat. #WFDD #redistricting #NorthCarolina #GOP

North Carolina GOP announce plans to vote on new House map amid nationwide redistricting battle

North Carolina Republican legislative leaders say they will vote next week on redrawing the state’s U.S. House district map, with the likely aim of securing another GOP seat within already right-leaning boundaries.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 2d

LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda died Sunday in an ATV accident; Scott Peyree was named CEO effective immediately. #WFDD #LendingTree #Charlotte

LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda died over the weekend in ATV accident, company says

LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda died Sunday in an ATV accident. The Charlotte-based company announced his death Monday morning. Lebda founded LendingTree in 1996, and it has since grown into one of Charlotte’s most prominent homegrown financial companies. Scott Peyree, who has been LendingTree’s presiden

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 2d

Leandro is 31 years on; court rulings have not produced additional state school funding. Could it assist WS/FCS during its budget crisis? #WFDD #Leandro #SchoolFunding

Carolina Curious: What is the status of Leandro? Could it help WS/FCS amid budget crisis?

Thirty-one years ago, the North Carolina Supreme Court heard a case about education inequities related to school funding, often referred to as “Leandro.” But multiple years and court rulings later, additional money has still not been released to the state’s public schools.

www.wfdd.org

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 2d

Hamas released the final group of living Israeli hostages, and Israel will free nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees under the ceasefire. #WFDD #Israel #Gaza #hostages

In a major milestone, Hamas releases final group of living Israeli hostages

The release by Hamas of living Israeli hostages began an expected swap of hostages for prisoners. In turn, Israel will be releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of the ceasefire agreement.

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 3d

A federal appeals court blocked deployment of federalized National Guard troops to Illinois; Vance says the administration will continue to fight to send them to Chicago. #WFDD #NationalGuard #Chicago

Vance says administration will keep fighting to send National Guard to Chicago

On Saturday, a federal appeals court blocked the Trump administration from deploying federalized National Guard troops in Illinois.

www.wfdd.org

1 1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 3d

Forsyth County backed a grant bid to help lure a CBD cosmetics manufacturer considering a move to Winston-Salem. #WFDD #WinstonSalem #Hemp #CBD

Forsyth backs grant bid for hemp company considering Winston-Salem move

After some hesitation over hemp, commissioners got on board with a plan to help lure a CBD cosmetics manufacturer to the county.

www.wfdd.org

1

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 3d

Preparations ramp up to deliver aid in Gaza as a ceasefire raises hope for an end to the two-year war; releases of hostages and prisoners are underway. #WFDD #Gaza #Ceasefire

Preparations begin to ramp up aid in Gaza as ceasefire brings hope for end to 2-year war

Preparations were also underway Sunday for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

www.wfdd.org