Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 18h

Why is vet care getting so expensive? Rich investors have been buying up veterinary practices and then jacking up the price, putting owning a pet out of reach for a larger number of Americans: https://bit.ly/4nUQwF1

Why health care for pets has been surging

The cost of health care for pets has been surging. It has almost doubled over the past five years. What is behind these rising costs?

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 20h

The local food pantry in Grand Canyon Village is gearing up and looking for donors to serve new guests: park rangers and other federal employees who aren't getting paid and who the Trump administration said they might cheat out of back pay: https://bit.ly/4q2sVnc

Grand Canyon food pantry gears up to assist park employees who are missing paychecks

A food pantry inside Grand Canyon National Park is gearing up to again assist park employees missing paychecks due to the federal government shutdown.

www.wgbh.org

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 21h

Dozens of Bob Ross paintings will be auctioned off to support public media. But if you want to learn to make your own, there's a way to do that right here in Massachusetts: https://bit.ly/3WxjbE0

The only Bob Ross teacher in Massachusetts | The Curiosity Desk

YouTube video by GBH News

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 22h

Need help in court but don't know where to get it? Your local library - and its librarians - are a great place to start: https://bit.ly/4nSyeV6

Need help in court? Your local library might have the right resources.

The Public Library Initiative from the Massachusetts Trial Court brings the services and resources of law libraries to more familiar settings.

www.wgbh.org

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 23h

“Worst comes to worst, I’ll drop the classes,” she said. “I’m just trying to figure out this situation.” Yoana has become the breadwinner in her family after her stepfather was detained by ICE. https://bit.ly/3WwvKiV

‘It’s my responsibility’: In the wake of ICE raids, youth support their families

A 22-year-old looks for a third job to support her sisters. A 19-year-old in Malden helps his mom pay the rent. There are many more.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 1d

China introduced new restrictions on exports of rare earthson Thursday, in what is an attempt to boost Beijing’s leverage in trade talks with the United States. https://bit.ly/47g4hrT

China curbs rare earth exports, raising stakes before Trump-Xi talks

Analysts say Thursday's announcement is China's bid to strengthen its leverage in trade talks with the U.S., ahead of a planned leaders' meeting.

www.wgbh.org

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 1d

Credit card debt does not necessarily mean that you are bad with finances, and getting out of debt might be more achievable than you think. https://bit.ly/471lwMv

Why being in credit card debt doesn't mean you're bad with money

Financial educators bust three common myths about credit card debt — and explain why these negative assumptions can hold us back from making smart money decisions.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 1d

MIT to Trump on limiting academic freedom at private universities: Nope. https://bit.ly/476AEIl

MIT president says she 'cannot support' proposal to adopt Trump priorities for funding benefits

MIT is among the first to express forceful views either in favor of or against an agreement the White House billed as providing “multiple positive benefits.”

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 1d

The Trump administration has begun firing federal employees who are on furlough during the shutdown: https://bit.ly/3KHXP4k

Firings of federal workers begin as White House seeks to pressure Democrats in government shutdown

A spokesperson for the budget office, said the reductions are “substantial” but did not offer more immediate details.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 1d

What happens when ICE detains the family breadwinner? Youth take over.
https://bit.ly/3WwvKiV

‘It’s my responsibility’: In the wake of ICE raids, youth support their families

A 22-year-old looks for a third job to support her sisters. A 19-year-old in Malden helps his mom pay the rent. There are many more.

bit.ly

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 1d

How long could you pay your bills if your paychecks suddenly stopped? It's a concern for federal workers, compounded by the news that the Trump administration might cheat them out of back pay: https://bit.ly/3W03C7M

Local federal workers are ‘anxiety-ridden’ this government shutdown

Employees are concerned about not receiving back pay and making ends meet without a paycheck.

www.wgbh.org

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 2d

PSA: It's check-your-smoke-detectors season. https://bit.ly/4o46o7U

Check your smoke detectors: Fire officials urge Mass. residents to replace outdated alarms

40% of fire deaths happen between October and December, they said, and that 60% of those fires break out overnight — when a blaring smoke alarm could save lives.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 2d

Chappell Roan stopped in Kansas City, Mo., over the weekend as a part of her pop-up tour. https://www.wgbh.org/news/national/2025-10-08/chappell-roans-fans-welcome-the-midwest-princess-to-kansas-city

Chappell Roan's fans welcome the 'Midwest Princess' to Kansas City

Photographer Katie Currid captured fans attending Chappell Roan's tour stop in Kansas City. The Missouri native said bringing joy to the Midwest's queer community is deeply meaningful to her.

www.wgbh.org

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 2d

Sure, they said. Buy the creepy devil sculpture at the flea market, they said. What could go wrong? That and 9 other spooky public radio tales for a shiver of scary delight: https://www.wgbh.org/news/lifestyle/2018/10/30/top-ten-spooky-public-radio-tales

Top Ten Spooky Public Radio Tales

Seasonal frights and shivers — public radio style.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 2d

When Gov. Maura Healey signed this year’s state budget, she vetoed about $130 million in spending. Lawmakers in the Massachusetts House voted Wednesday to add back more than half of that money, calling it “absolutely necessary.” https://bit.ly/430M3Is

Mass. state reps say they can afford to spend more as they override Healey's budget vetoes

Votes Wednesday would restore more than half of what Healey cut from the state's $60 billion budget.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 2d

I’ll bet you or someone you know has carved a pumpkin. But do you know why we carve them? https://bit.ly/3Q9yxLs

Why Do We Carve Pumpkins Into Jack-O'-Lanterns For Halloween?

It's a tale thousands of years in the making.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 2d

A Tufts student accused of assaulting a Boston police officer in connection with a pro-Palestinian demonstration in downtown Boston was ordered held on $10,000 bail Wednesday. https://bit.ly/4oaWuBi

Judge sets $10K bail for pro-Palestinian protester accused of breaking BPD officer’s nose

13 face charges following Tuesday night’s protest that started on Boston Common.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 3d

The Trump administration has started to suggest it will cheat federal workers out of back pay they are owed and by law should be paid once the government shutdown is over: https://bit.ly/46FRL4O

White House floats no back pay for some furloughed federal workers despite 2019 law

A new draft White House memo suggests a 2019 law signed by President Trump that guarantees that federal employees get paid after a shutdown ends would not apply to furloughed workers.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 3d

“As a federal worker, I am here to tell you that every awful thing that would happen in a shutdown — shuttering programs that Americans rely on, damaging our economy, firing federal workers — all of this is already happening." https://bit.ly/3J47UId

Why some federal workers aren't scared by the threat of shutdown layoffs

Some federal workers support the government shutdown, even as President Trump threatens to use this moment to lay off employees and cut funding to programs.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 3d

There's an ICE office that's become a detention center right next to the Burlington Mall. Burlington's town government wants to "investigate and take corrective action." https://bit.ly/46X0jDj

Burlington Town Meeting votes to condemn ICE center

Effort seeks access to inspect the facility and enforce zoning compliance.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 3d

Low-income and students of color in Massachusetts are almost twice as likely to attend schools with unsatisfactory conditions than their white counterparts, according to a new report from the Boston-based nonprofit MassINC. https://bit.ly/472ujh3

Students of color twice as likely to attend substandard schools, new report finds

The report from MassINC highlights the inequities in the educational settings for urban areas compared to suburban areas.

www.wgbh.org

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 3d

“Feeding people in need, supporting farmers, connecting schools for healthy foods — I can’t speak enough wonderful things about her...each time there’s been a clawback — federal grants and stuff — she has managed to find other ways. I think she doesn’t stop.” https://bit.ly/46IqNK0

How Growing Places is keeping Mass. communities fed — even in challenging times

The nonprofit supports farmers and makes fresh produce accesible to families across 27 communities.

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 3d

The government shutdown is now on day with no end in sight. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/4odM588

How flights are impacted by the government shutdown. And, James Comey's arraignment

Air traffic controllers are facing a staffing shortage and the government shutdown is making it worse. And, former FBI Director James Comey appears in court today to face felony charges.

www.wgbh.org

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 4d

Anti-trafficking activists in Massachusetts say that the on-the-ground actions of the Trump administration are hurting, not helping, the most vulnerable victims of sex and labor trafficking.

https://bit.ly/433Ugvt

Local anti-trafficking advocates say federal actions put victims at risk

Funding cuts, layoffs and uncertainty are making the work of getting survivors stable harder, advocates say.

www.wgbh.org

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gbhnews @gbhnews.bsky.social · 4d

The last coal-fired power plant in New England, Merrimack Station, has stopped running.

With the closure of that facility, the region is poised to become the first in the United States without a coal plant on its grid. https://bit.ly/4nxOcna

New England's last coal plant has stopped operating, according to its owners

Merrimack Station has been winding down its operations for years. But in September, they announced they would cease operations of their coal-fired generators.

www.wgbh.org

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