Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 4h

This is a nightmare

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4h

Trump ignores a question from a woman reporter but says, "I just like to watch her talk. Good job. Thank you darling."

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 5h

Edit: That story was actually published two weeks ago, not last week. Time flies. But the point still stands.

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 5h

Here's my story about how data the Arizona Department of Health Services collects from hospitals on heat-related emergency visits could be a lot more useful toward addressing the increasing health impacts of extreme heat than the department has bothered to make it:
www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

While awareness about heat death rates grows, attention to underlying causes of heat-related hospital visits lags, experts say, as temperatures rise.

www.azcentral.com

1 1 1

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 5h

On June 9, I filed a public records request with the Arizona Dept of Health Services. I was promised a reply in 10 business days...but got nothing.

Last week I published a story about how ADHS has fumbled their own data on heat-related hospital visits and won't share it.

Today I got this email.

1 1 1

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 5d

It seems there are two main reasons things haven’t gone completely to shit in the US: 1. Lawyers and the courts; 2. Journalists and the media. Most of us can’t do anything about the first, but we can support journalism. Stop complaining about paywalls and subscribe to news & donate to public media.

26 110 520

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 5d

NEW An EPA report found that PFNA, a chemical in the drinking water of some 26M people, interferes with development and likely causes liver problems & male reproductive harms. The report was done in April, scientists told me. But the agency hasn't released it

www.propublica.org/article/epa-...

Scientists Completed a Toxicity Report on This Forever Chemical. The EPA Hasn’t Released It.

Agency scientists found that PFNA could cause developmental, liver and reproductive harms. Their final report was ready in mid-April, according to an internal document reviewed by ProPublica, but the ...

www.propublica.org

15 310 520

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 14d

Today we published the 2nd in my extreme heat series, looking at Arizona's progress since its statewide plan.

This time, it's all about whether Arizona's Chief Heat Officer has made a difference, or just made busy work for experts already leading heat responses: www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

1 3

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 15d

Check back tomorrow for the second in the series

2

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 15d

@azcentral.com @sejorg.bsky.social @ejtodaynews.bsky.social @coveringclimatenow.org @asuhealthsolutions.bsky.social @uarizona.bsky.social @willhumble.bsky.social

1 1

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 15d

Big story out today launching a 3-part series I’ve been working on most of the year — looking at where Arizona’s extreme heat responses have improved since Gov. Hobbs’ plan…and where they have not.

First up: Is Arizona doing enough with heat-related hospital data?👇🏼
www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

While awareness about heat death rates grows, attention to underlying causes of heat-related hospital visits lags, experts say, as temperatures rise.

www.azcentral.com

1 1 12

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

Emily Atkin @emorwee.bsky.social · 22d

An article from a site called "Clean Tech Times" about Charlie Kirk and Big Oil money is trending in r/energy on Reddit

It's a completely plagiarized, unauthorized, unlinked version of an article I published the day before

I have no idea what to do about it except complain. It's so fucked up.

From the energy community on Reddit: Big oil’s shadow network pumped millions into Charlie Kirk’s culture war machine

Explore this post and more from the energy community

www.reddit.com

18 140 440

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 22d

Love when my climate stories feature propane ads...

1 4

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 22d

Note: If you were at the @sejorg.bsky.social conference in Tempe in April...this is what was going on when my lunch plenary with Crow got cancelled last minute. I couldn't disclose then, but a delay of this announcement forced us to pivot to a panel on challenges for journalists in the Trump era.

1 5

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 22d

🚨BREAKING: Arizona State Univ. just announced a $115 million donation, its largest ever, from former Walmart chairman Rob Walton. They're launching a new School of Conservation Futures.

My story, publ. as ASU Pres. Crow shares news at #ClimateWeekNYC, has details: www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

ASU launches new School of Conservation Futures with record-setting $115 million donation

Arizona State University will also rename its College of Global Futures to honor donor Rob Walton, the former Walmart chairman.

www.azcentral.com

1 4 10

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

ProPublica @propublica.org · 23d

📽️ WATCH: Epidemiologist Erin McCanlies spent much of the past 20 years studying how parents’ exposure to toxic chemicals affects the chances that they will have an autistic child.

RFK Jr. cut her entire division — yet promises to identify the causes of autism by September: https://propub.li/4nhXQua

96 1.6K 3K

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 25d

Yeah it went well! Some of the trail is moderately technical and it handled fine, maybe partly bc the handlebars are crazy wide. That’s nice when you have a tent on them though. I hit my panniers on a few rocks squeezing thru techy spots, but that’ll get better once I get used to my new proportions.

1

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 25d

Thank you, I’m so glad I got to work with you on this!

1

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 26d

💕

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 26d

Thank you @coveringclimatenow.org for the "#Climate in every beat" award! I'm happy to see this collab btw @azcentral.com & @19thnews.org on the intersection of climate concerns + abortion access get recognized.

Award: coveringclimatenow.org/projects/the...
Story: www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

1 6 30

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

Siri Carpenter @siricarpenter.bsky.social · 29d

If you're an early-career journalist, consider applying for @theopennotebook.bsky.social's paid, mentored fellowship and follow in the footsteps of @katherinejwu.com, @janehu.bsky.social, @sciwriabdul.bsky.social, @1juliarosen.bsky.social, @celiaford.bsky.social and many more! Deadline: 10/31.

The Open Notebook @theopennotebook.bsky.social · 29d

Applications are OPEN for our early-career fellowship program supported by the @bwfund.bsky.social!

Work with a mentor to plan, report, and write articles for The Open Notebook and become part of the TON team. 🧵

Early-Career Fellowship Program - The Open Notebook

Every year, The Open Notebook offers a paid, part-time fellowship program for early-career science journalists. This ten-month program offers fellows the opportunity to explore their career interests ...

www.theopennotebook.com

23 18

Joan Meiners, PhD @joanmeiners.bsky.social · 29d

I have a custom frame bag on order, but this is the basic setup on my Salsa Timberjack, @davidho.bsky.social. :)

1 1

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

Press at Moms Clean Air Force @moms-press.bsky.social · Sep 12

"I started working on [climate] 60 years ago. And I will be working on it until my last breath, whenever that is," former Moms Arizona organizer Hazel Chandler tells @azcentral.com from hospice.

Read about Hazel's life in a feature by @joanmeiners.bsky.social: www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

2 2

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

Dara Lind @daralind.bsky.social · Sep 9

This isn’t at all surprising, given that it’s essentially been publicly reported that Stephen Miller ordered ICE to arrest first and ask questions later, but it’s still worth noting. www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...

They are not even pretending that they know anything about someone before arrest.

Under Trump administration, ICE scraps paperwork officers once had to do before immigration arrests

For years, officers were required to fill out "homework” before operations. But, one source noted, “it’s hard to fill out a worksheet that just says, ‘Meet in the Home Depot parking lot.’”

www.nbcnews.com

23 330 680

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

Jacquelyn Gill @jacquelyngill.bsky.social · Sep 9

A student told her professor “President Trump’s laws state that there are two genders,” and that the lesson was “illegal” for contradicting that. It’s not. Executive orders are not laws.

Compliance with authoritarianism will not protect universities. Either we stand up for our missions or we fall.

Dan Hirschman @asociologist.bsky.social · Sep 9

Texas A&M’s President just removed a dean and department head from their positions after they supported a professor whose lesson on gender was challenged by a student. www.kbtx.com/2025/09/09/a...

A&M Dean removed following student complaints over curriculum

The Department of Justice has also acknowledged the situation and said it would be investigating.

www.kbtx.com

54 400 1.2K

Reposted by Joan Meiners, PhD

19thnews @19thnews.org · Sep 9

Jane Clougherty spent years studying how extreme weather affects kids’ health. Trump’s EPA cancelled her work as climate threats continue to rise.

In a single email, the EPA ended her research into how climate change endangers children

Jane Clougherty spent years studying how extreme weather affects kids’ health, but as climate threats continue to rise, the Trump administration cancelled her work.

19thnews.org

1 25 39