Melanie Sill
@melaniesill.bsky.social
Board chair, @NCLocal nonpartisan local news hub. Former top editor News & Observer, SacBee, KPCC/LAist. Posting on journalism and stuff people in NC might want to know about, look for #HeadsUpNC tag.
Terrific reporting, and incredibly troubling. Who looks out for people when immigration agents have unchecked power?
Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents.
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.
The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...
www.propublica.org
December 5, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Terrific reporting, and incredibly troubling. Who looks out for people when immigration agents have unchecked power?
The New York Times is doing some of the best journalism and some of the most misguided: This weak tea illustrates the need for an independent public editor or real media criticism — including voices from the many kinds of stakeholders for the NYT doing things right www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/u...
Your Questions, Complaints and Feedback for Our Editor, Joe Kahn
www.nytimes.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:11 PM
The New York Times is doing some of the best journalism and some of the most misguided: This weak tea illustrates the need for an independent public editor or real media criticism — including voices from the many kinds of stakeholders for the NYT doing things right www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/u...
North Carolina as of today has implemented a draconian law that makes it more difficult for people to be released pretrial. It eliminates entirely pretrial release with a written notice to appear, which is, quite frankly, the most retrograde thing I've seen.
nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu/2025/11/04/i...
nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu/2025/11/04/i...
Iryna’s Law and Pretrial Release – North Carolina Criminal Law
nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu
December 1, 2025 at 3:18 PM
It would be great if the story were framed and reported in light of the stakes @ddiamond.bsky.social mentions in this post and not in terms of what it means for political parties, per headline and story emphasis
Another week, another series of big questions about soon-to-expire ACA subsidies.
Trump and his allies still haven't agreed on a plan for what to do.
The stakes: About 24 million Americans rely on the ACA marketplaces to buy insurance.
with @rbeggin.bsky.social @jacobbogage.bsky.social
Trump and his allies still haven't agreed on a plan for what to do.
The stakes: About 24 million Americans rely on the ACA marketplaces to buy insurance.
with @rbeggin.bsky.social @jacobbogage.bsky.social
GOP faces a familiar dilemma: What to do about Obamacare?
Republicans are racing to craft health-care plans ahead of a planned vote, as the deadline looms to act on soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act subsidies.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:01 PM
It would be great if the story were framed and reported in light of the stakes @ddiamond.bsky.social mentions in this post and not in terms of what it means for political parties, per headline and story emphasis
Professional sports leagues and gambling ops have taken over what used to be universities. News outlets should recast coverage as such: this has nothing to do with college.
Lane Kiffin, the most-coveted name in this year’s coaching cycle, ended weeks of speculation by announcing he will leave Ole Miss for LSU.
College Football’s Worst-Kept Secret Confirmed: Lane Kiffin Will Coach LSU
The most-coveted name in this year’s coaching cycle ended weeks of speculation by announcing he will leave Ole Miss for Baton Rouge.
on.wsj.com
November 30, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Professional sports leagues and gambling ops have taken over what used to be universities. News outlets should recast coverage as such: this has nothing to do with college.
Reposted by Melanie Sill
"Never spread the lie in the headline" should be a hard rule of 21st century journalism.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
News media has to do better with headlines that present false and unverified public health claims.
November 30, 2025 at 1:10 AM
"Never spread the lie in the headline" should be a hard rule of 21st century journalism.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
Reposted by Melanie Sill
This CBS story is just remarkable. It states that Trump insulted their reporter, and also notes the same thing happened to reporters from Bloomberg and NYT.
Both of those organizations are quoted defending their journalists.
But Bari Weiss and CBS don't lift a finger to defend their own reporter.
Both of those organizations are quoted defending their journalists.
But Bari Weiss and CBS don't lift a finger to defend their own reporter.
Not a peep from CBS News boss Bari Weiss after Trump called CBS reporter Nancy Cordes 'stupid' at a Thurs n/c. CBS mentions the incident in this piece about Trump's repeated attacks on female reporters but Bari's MIA when it comes to standing up for Cordes.
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-c...
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-c...
Trump lashes out at female reporters, calling them "ugly," "stupid" and "piggy"
President Trump has lashed out at several female reporters who have asked him questions or written critically of him in recent weeks, calling them "ugly," "stupid," and "piggy."
www.cbsnews.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:52 PM
This CBS story is just remarkable. It states that Trump insulted their reporter, and also notes the same thing happened to reporters from Bloomberg and NYT.
Both of those organizations are quoted defending their journalists.
But Bari Weiss and CBS don't lift a finger to defend their own reporter.
Both of those organizations are quoted defending their journalists.
But Bari Weiss and CBS don't lift a finger to defend their own reporter.
Kudos to @wsj.com: to understand Trump's strategy and why Russia is getting so much attention, it helps to know what's really afoot. (gift) www.wsj.com/world/russia...
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Kudos to @wsj.com: to understand Trump's strategy and why Russia is getting so much attention, it helps to know what's really afoot. (gift) www.wsj.com/world/russia...
I appreciate local reporting on these decisions, bringing more people into the loop. It'd be a great service to explain what is behind big numbers — $16B, $6.2B — What costs? (not land, or construction, even equipment?) Who gets the money. The numbers imply benefit and spend, but whose? #NCPol
Energy Storage Solutions has appealed to make an Eastern North Carolina town permit its proposal for a $6.2 billion facility.
The developer behind NC’s most ambitious data center sites is ready for a fight
Energy Storage Solutions has appealed to make an Eastern North Carolina town permit its proposal for a $6.2 billion facility.
bit.ly
November 29, 2025 at 2:16 PM
I appreciate local reporting on these decisions, bringing more people into the loop. It'd be a great service to explain what is behind big numbers — $16B, $6.2B — What costs? (not land, or construction, even equipment?) Who gets the money. The numbers imply benefit and spend, but whose? #NCPol
Reposted by Melanie Sill
“I have watched with dismay and increasing horror as my nephew, an educated man who is well aware of his heritage, has become the architect of immigration policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country.”
Stephen Miller Is an Immigration Hypocrite. I Know Because I’m His Uncle.
If my nephew’s ideas on immigration had been in force a century ago, our family would have been wiped out.
www.politico.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:47 PM
“I have watched with dismay and increasing horror as my nephew, an educated man who is well aware of his heritage, has become the architect of immigration policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country.”
Reposted by Melanie Sill
This is just gutter racism and it’s a standard that would never be applied to say, the descendants of Italian immigrants who fled the lawlessness of Southern italy post unification and now staff this fascist administration bsky.app/profile/publ...
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 1:21 PM
This is just gutter racism and it’s a standard that would never be applied to say, the descendants of Italian immigrants who fled the lawlessness of Southern italy post unification and now staff this fascist administration bsky.app/profile/publ...
Reposted by Melanie Sill
very odd that the Post would write up someone’s speciation as if it’s news. What are we doing here
November 26, 2025 at 11:34 PM
very odd that the Post would write up someone’s speciation as if it’s news. What are we doing here
If you're trying to give people accurate, reliable information on the #NationalGuard shootings, you don't quote Laura Loomer. Shame on the Washington Post. What happened to verification?
November 26, 2025 at 11:33 PM
If you're trying to give people accurate, reliable information on the #NationalGuard shootings, you don't quote Laura Loomer. Shame on the Washington Post. What happened to verification?
Reposted by Melanie Sill
DHS claimed immigration authorities arrested “the worst of the worst” during recent NC detention operations.
Evidence shows that wasn’t always the case and federal officials arrested people with no criminal records.
my latest for @newsobserver.com
www.newsobserver.com/news/state/n...
Evidence shows that wasn’t always the case and federal officials arrested people with no criminal records.
my latest for @newsobserver.com
www.newsobserver.com/news/state/n...
Evidence shows DHS didn’t arrest only ‘worst of the worst’ in NC detention surge
DHS alleged it focused on dangerous criminals during operations in NC but has not released proof. Very few names have been made public among hundreds of people seized this month.
www.newsobserver.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
DHS claimed immigration authorities arrested “the worst of the worst” during recent NC detention operations.
Evidence shows that wasn’t always the case and federal officials arrested people with no criminal records.
my latest for @newsobserver.com
www.newsobserver.com/news/state/n...
Evidence shows that wasn’t always the case and federal officials arrested people with no criminal records.
my latest for @newsobserver.com
www.newsobserver.com/news/state/n...
The student-run Daily Tar Heel is doing stellar reporting on deep struggles over #UNC's School of Civic Life and Leadership, created by the legislature, here's the latest from reporter Aidan Lockhart: www.dailytarheel.com/article/inve...
'Dictatorial powers': SCiLL dean ignored vote of the School's advisory board
New evidence obtained by The Daily Tar Heel gives weight to claims made by professors who resigned from the School of Civic Life and Leadership.
www.dailytarheel.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:04 PM
The student-run Daily Tar Heel is doing stellar reporting on deep struggles over #UNC's School of Civic Life and Leadership, created by the legislature, here's the latest from reporter Aidan Lockhart: www.dailytarheel.com/article/inve...
The @nytimes could be a great source of civic education but it never takes the opportunity --
Utterly ludicrous framing from @nytimes.com here, treating Pete Hegseth's arguments as if they're legitimate. The casual reader will be left with no inkling whatsoever of how unusual and corrupt an abuse of the process this truly is:
November 24, 2025 at 10:14 PM
The @nytimes could be a great source of civic education but it never takes the opportunity --
Ezra Klein's NYT take today on housing overlooks a reality Patti Smith pointed out to him last week: building more units won't bring down costs jacked up by greed: investors snapping up bigger share of homes, for instance www.mpamag.com/us/mortgage-... @nytopinion.nytimes.com @ezraklein.bsky.social
www.mpamag.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Ezra Klein's NYT take today on housing overlooks a reality Patti Smith pointed out to him last week: building more units won't bring down costs jacked up by greed: investors snapping up bigger share of homes, for instance www.mpamag.com/us/mortgage-... @nytopinion.nytimes.com @ezraklein.bsky.social
This was the scene at "Chapel Thrill" on the UNC campus early afternoon when I strolled through with a visiting relative. Stadium a stone's throw away and game against Duke a few just a few hours away, band playing but no one around.
November 22, 2025 at 7:45 PM
This was the scene at "Chapel Thrill" on the UNC campus early afternoon when I strolled through with a visiting relative. Stadium a stone's throw away and game against Duke a few just a few hours away, band playing but no one around.
Reposted by Melanie Sill
The English-language internet is flooded with material from a pro-Kremlin network publishing up to 23,000 articles a day. A firehose of propaganda flooding search sites enabled by AI
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Hundreds of English-language websites link to pro-Kremlin propaganda
Thinktank says internet flooded with disinformation by Russia-aligned Pravda network, which many websites treat as credible
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:22 PM
The English-language internet is flooded with material from a pro-Kremlin network publishing up to 23,000 articles a day. A firehose of propaganda flooding search sites enabled by AI
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Melanie Sill
Thanks to staff of the Harvard Crimson for demonstrating the importance of local, community journalism (and for running a wiser, more informative, and more righteous editorial department than the Washington Post's). www.thecrimson.com/thread/2025/...
Amid Epstein Fallout, Summers Retreats | News | The Harvard Crimson
www.thecrimson.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Thanks to staff of the Harvard Crimson for demonstrating the importance of local, community journalism (and for running a wiser, more informative, and more righteous editorial department than the Washington Post's). www.thecrimson.com/thread/2025/...
Reposted by Melanie Sill
Fox News credulously reports that "the Saudis now say their investment pledge in the US will be increased to $1 trillion." THE ENTIRE GDP OF SAUDI ARABIA IS $1.1 TRILLION, so this is total nonsense.
November 18, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Fox News credulously reports that "the Saudis now say their investment pledge in the US will be increased to $1 trillion." THE ENTIRE GDP OF SAUDI ARABIA IS $1.1 TRILLION, so this is total nonsense.
Love the “at stake” focus —
Repeal Obamacare” has failed. So now what?
— GOP is sprinting to create ACA alternatives (again)
— Economists warn Trump’s plan won’t work
— Democrats say the best, popular path is to just extend expiring ACA subsidies
At stake: millions of people’s health care
w @paigecunningham.bsky.social
— GOP is sprinting to create ACA alternatives (again)
— Economists warn Trump’s plan won’t work
— Democrats say the best, popular path is to just extend expiring ACA subsidies
At stake: millions of people’s health care
w @paigecunningham.bsky.social
GOP plans to replace Obamacare have failed. Here’s what lawmakers propose now.
Lawmakers are racing toward a mid-December deadline, with Republicans hoping to present side-by-side legislation with Democrats’ plan to extend ACA subsidies.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Love the “at stake” focus —
Terrific reporting, though soft pedaled: The president is using his office to help his family business make high-dollar business deals of all kinds. Missing: Why this is possible (lack of law or oversight), and context re past presidents who avoided conflicts. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/15/w...
Trump Organization Is Said to Be in Talks on a Saudi Government Real Estate Deal
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Terrific reporting, though soft pedaled: The president is using his office to help his family business make high-dollar business deals of all kinds. Missing: Why this is possible (lack of law or oversight), and context re past presidents who avoided conflicts. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/15/w...
What constitutes bribery today? www.npr.org/2025/11/14/n...
A Rolex, a gold bar, a trade deal and the ethics of presidential gifts : Consider This from NPR
At a recent gathering of Swiss business executives in the White House, the CEO of Rolex presented President Trump with a gold-plated desk clock.The CEO of a precious-metals company presented the presi...
www.npr.org
November 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
What constitutes bribery today? www.npr.org/2025/11/14/n...
Reposted by Melanie Sill
Some news: tomorrow at 9am, Ted Koppel + CBS Sunday Morning will air a two-part story on the devastating surge of full-time workers being pushed into homelessness.
I'll be interviewed along with two families from There Is No Place for Us. It would mean a lot if you'd watch and help spread the word.
I'll be interviewed along with two families from There Is No Place for Us. It would mean a lot if you'd watch and help spread the word.
November 15, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Some news: tomorrow at 9am, Ted Koppel + CBS Sunday Morning will air a two-part story on the devastating surge of full-time workers being pushed into homelessness.
I'll be interviewed along with two families from There Is No Place for Us. It would mean a lot if you'd watch and help spread the word.
I'll be interviewed along with two families from There Is No Place for Us. It would mean a lot if you'd watch and help spread the word.