Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Tracy O’Connell Novick

John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 4h

To be clear:

LA County has declared a state of emergency BECAUSE OF the federal government.

The Feds, LA County is (correctly) saying, have CAUSED the emergency.

This is a striking political moment of internal collapse. Local govts feeling compelled to protect their ppl from … their own govt.

Los Angeles County declares state of emergency over immigration raids

Los Angeles County officials voted on Tuesday to declare a state of emergency over ongoing federal immigration raids.

abcnews.go.com

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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 5h

Months before catastrophic floods swept through an Alaska Native village on Sunday, the Trump administration canceled a $20 million grant meant to protect the community from extreme flooding. At the time, the EPA administrator said he was eliminating "wasteful DEI and Environmental Justice grants."

E.P.A. Canceled $20 Million Flood Protection Grant to Alaska, Parts of Which Just Flooded

The remote village of Kipnuk planned to use the money to protect against flooding. On Sunday, it was inundated.

nyti.ms

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 4h

At a press conference today, the mayor of Everett said there was a knife found in the child’s possession but *no* gun. I followed up with ICE and asked if they stand by the screenshot shared yesterday. Spokesperson said DHS was working on a response. Five hours later, still nothing.

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

This is the response I received from ICE when I inquired about the 13-year-old they abducted from Everett, Mass. on Friday:

Good afternoon, Marisa.
Please see the below from DHS on the 13-year-old alien.
Please feel free to direct any questions to them.
Respectfully,
James

Tricia McLaughlin
@TriciaOhio • 6h
S...
Here are the facts: he posed a public safety threat with an extensive rap sheet including violent assault with a dangerous weapon, battery, breaking and entering, destruction of property.
He was in possession of a firearm and 5-7 inch knife when arrested.

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Leah Millis @leahmillis.bsky.social · 6h

Incredible photo from @chicago.suntimes.com ‘s Anthony Vazquez. Pointing what looks to be a teargas launcher at someone’s head at nearly point blank range is incredibly dangerous. This is why I prefer a ballistic helmet in the field.

Feds ram SUV in chase down residential street in Chicago, then tear-gas crowd

The crash happened late Tuesday morning near 105th Street and Avenue N on Chicago's East Side, resulting in dozens of residents showing up to protest the federal immigration agents.

chicago.suntimes.com

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Noah Berlatsky @nberlat.bsky.social · 5h

every ruling out of chicago is like, "federal judge rules ICE agents cannot desecrate graves; must not deploy nuclear weapons against journalists and faith leaders."

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Worcester Regional Research Bureau @wrrbureau.bsky.social · 12h

WRRB releases: Overdue for Civilian Oversight: A Pathway for Lasting Police Reform.

Civilian oversight has been debated in Worcester for 50+ years. Worcester stands as one of few major cities without a civilian review board.

Read the report: www.wrrb.org/reports/2025... #WorcPoli

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 4h

Mayor Wu isn’t afraid of him, and she shows it.
Glad you love it!

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 5h

PS: Boston is safe, is good fun, and has an excellent mayor.

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 5h

Setting aside the complete ridiculousness of this statement, those of us in Massachusetts are honor-bound to note that the World Cup games are actually going to be played in Foxboro.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 11h

Trump on moving World Cup games from Boston: "We could take them away. Your mayor is not good."

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Reposted by Tracy O’Connell Novick

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 5h

Sam Altman: "Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases."

I'd like to know what they've done to mitigate AI-induced psychosis, which I think is far more common that reported here.

Can AI chatbots trigger psychosis? What the science says

Chatbots can reinforce delusional beliefs, and, in rare cases, users have experienced psychotic episodes.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Tracy O’Connell Novick

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 5h

They're trying to prevent the student newspaper from printing news, period. Not just a particular story.

"The Media School directed us to print no news in the paper... nothing but information about homecoming — no other news at all, and particularly no traditional front page news coverage."

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 6h

Indiana University has fired the staff director of the student newspaper, after disputes in which university leadership tried to pressure him to prevent students from publishing news.

IndyStar 2 . Follow
1h:
"All Media School and IU students, faculty and staff
should be scared by this blatant attack on someone
standing up for what's right," student Editors-ln-Chief
Mia Hilkowitz and Andrew Miller said in a statement.
Read more: bit.ly/43ebKW1
IndyStar.
IDS
The original investigative student
newsroom of Indiana University
Barge suspends Bloomingtonr
LITTLE 500
IDS
IDS
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Indiana University fires IDS
adviser amid push to control
student newspaper's content

The director of student media at Indiana University was fired amidst a dispute between university leadership and editors at the Indiana Daily Student over what content gets printed in the student newspaper.

As director of student media, Jim Rodenbush did not directly oversee or have any say over the content published in the IDS, per a charter between the IDS and the university. But he told IndyStar his firing follows a series of meetings with IU Media School leadership in which it grew increasingly apparent they were expecting him to officially prohibit students from publishing news.

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Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · 10h

Unless and until some kind of compelling legal and moral argument is presented as to why this is a legitimate use of deadly force, this is just…mass murder.

Amarnath Amarasingam @amaramarasingam.bsky.social · 10h

The military has now killed 27 people as if they were enemy soldiers in a war zone and not criminal suspects. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/u...

U.S. Military Kills Another 6 People in 5th Caribbean Strike, Trump Says

www.nytimes.com

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 5h

PS: Paxton, please redo route 56

Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 5h

There is also a chickenpox outbreak right here in Massachusetts in Westfield, again because there isn't a high enough vaccination rate to prevent that www.masslive.com/westernmass/...

Chickenpox outbreak in Westfield schools underscores declining vaccination rates

“We are definitely seeing a decline in vaccination rates,” said Fawne StPierre, the school district’s health and safety supervisor. “It’s definitely a concern because it’s not just chickenpox we worry...

www.masslive.com

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 5h

hey, don't miss that there's a measles outbreak in SC www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

South Carolina measles outbreak rises as schools with low vaccination see new cases

One charter school in South Carolina's Upstate region had an immunization rate at just 17%, according to state health data.

www.usatoday.com

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 6h

and tonight's thanks go out again to those at MassDOT who repaint the outside white lines on state routes.

This misty dark night, you got me home safely.

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 7h

Can attest that Route 202 from Belchertown to Winchendon is quite lovely this week

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 14h

I believe Ms. Swift should live her life and bless her, but gosh, she really ought to visit Frank.

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 14h

95-year-old Frank Uryasz Jr. identifies as a Swiftie.

It was his 32-year-old occupational therapist who introduced him to Taylor Swift’s music during a therapy session. His favorite Swift song? “Timeless (Taylor’s Version).”

Man, 95, leads a 100-member Taylor Swift fan club in his retirement home

Residents of Omaha’s Remington Heights independent and assisted living community are determined to convince Swift to visit for bingo.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Tracy O’Connell Novick

Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️ @napaaqtuk.bsky.social · 20h

There needs to be more coverage of this in the news. I have read so many stories bout this on Facebook, first hand stories of the terror of that storm, and very little coverage n media.
www.facebook.com/100000960660...

Screenshot of a Facebook post. Photo is an elderly woman holding a child on her ap on a couch with flood water around them. Both are wearing jackets inside. Text says: This was after our 1st drift.. staying put for awhile. Our 3rd and final drift was terrifying. House moving fast then we started spinning in circles. While we were spinning in circles my oldest daughter was just staring at me while I held onto my younger two. Kipnuk doesn't look like kipnuk anymore, like more than 3/4 of the homes displaced, power poles fallen. It smells like stove oil outside. Contaminated

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Reposted by Tracy O’Connell Novick

Sara Luterman @slooterman.bsky.social · 17h

If you’re a parent of a child with a disability, you’re worried about how your family will be impacted by SpecEd Department of Education layoffs and you want to talk to a journalist about it, please DM, email (sluterman at 19thnews dot org) or Signal (slooterman.18).

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 16h

"With their silence, they reveal the left’s ultimate advantage in this period of upheaval. Political triangulation runs dangerously close to inauthenticity"

Rachel Cohen Booth @rcobooth.bsky.social · 16h

"Stardom is not what’s inherently threatening. Combining it with competence is."

A great read on @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/m...

Inside the Improbable, Audacious and (So Far) Unstoppable Rise of Zohran Mamdani

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Tracy O’Connell Novick

Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 16h

NEW: The Supreme Court will not hear a case over a Colorado school district’s alleged actions discouraging disclosure of students’ gender identity to the students’ parents.

The case was a bad vehicle for considering the issue, even Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch note.

Cite as: 607 U. S. _
_ (2025)
1
Statement of ALITO, J.
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
JONATHAN LEE, ET AL. U. POUDRE SCHOOL DISTRICT R-1
ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT
No. 25-89. Decided October 14, 2025
The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied.
Statement of JUSTICE ALITO, with whom JUSTICE THOMAS and JUSTICE GORSUCH join, respecting the denial of certiorari.
I concur in the denial of certiorari because petitioners do not challenge the ground for the ruling below. But I remain concerned that some federal courts are "tempt[ed]" to avoid confronting a "particularly contentious constitutional ques-tion]": whether a school district violates parents' fundamental rights "when, without parental knowledge or con-sent, it encourages a student to transition to a new gender or assists in that process." Parents Protecting Our Chil-dren, UA v. Eau Claire Area School Dist., 604 U. S.
(2024) (ALITO, J., dissenting from denial of certio-rari) (slip op., at 1-2) (citing Troxel v. Granville, 530 U. S. 57, 70 (2000) (plurality opinion)). Petitioners tell us that nearly 6,000 public schools have policies-as respondent allegedly does-that purposefully interfere with parents' access to critical information about their children's gender-identity choices and school personnel's involvement in and influence on those choices. Pet. for Cert. 24. The trou-bling-and tragic-allegations in this case underscore the
"great and growing national importance" of the question that these parent petitioners present. Parents Protecting Our Children, 604 U. S., at _ (slip op., at 1).

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Reposted by Tracy O’Connell Novick

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 18h

I need a montage of famous cops in movies and TV shows flashing their badges and announcing their names, followed by a stream of masked ICE guys refusing to give theirs.

a woman is getting out of a car with the nbc logo on the bottom

ALT: a woman is getting out of a car with the nbc logo on the bottom

media.tenor.com

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Renée Graham 🏳️‍🌈 @rygraham.bsky.social · 19h

When people say, "I don't care about politics," it isn't the flex they think it is. Especially now.

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Tracy O’Connell Novick @tracynovick.bsky.social · 19h

birthday of e e cummings today

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