Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

A new study by University of Utah shows that there are multiple barriers to preventing suicides among military veterans, report @utahnewsdispatch.com and @statesnewsroom.com

What can Utah do better to prevent veteran suicide? • Utah News Dispatch

Suicide is a leading cause of death in Utah and across the U.S., and veterans are at higher risk of suicide-related death.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

Employment data for Washington state won’t be published until after the federal government reopens, the state Employment Security Department confirmed this week, report @washingtonstatestandard.com and @statesnewsroom.com
washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/feder...

Federal shutdown delays release of WA employment data • Washington State Standard

Employment data for Washington state won’t be published until after the federal government reopens, the state Employment Security Department confirmed this week.

washingtonstatestandard.com

Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

The Alaska Legislature has filed a legal challenge to Gov. Mike Dunleavy in a case that could decide the limits of executive power in Alaska, report @alaskabeacon.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Alaska Legislature files lawsuit challenging Gov. Dunleavy’s executive order authority | Alaska Beacon

The question that could be decided in court is whether issuing an order in a special session is legal — and can one be issued twice?

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

An administration plan to push civics education in a more patriotic direction is raising alarms for some traditional civics and education groups that were not included in the initiative, reports @stateline.org via @statesnewsroom.com and @oregoncapitalchronicle.com

Trump undertakes a MAGA-centric makeover of US civics education • Oregon Capital Chronicle

WASHINGTON — A slew of conservative groups will lead a new coalition to spur civics education and push the subject in a more patriotic direction, the U.S. Education Department announced last month,…

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

A plan by Elon Musk’s Boring Company to maximize its Las Vegas investment while digging an at least 68-mile long labyrinth of tunnels beneath the tourism corridor won approval Thursday from the Nevada Transportation Authority, report @nevadacurrent.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Vegas Loop gets approval to bring Teslas up for air • Nevada Current

A plan by Elon Musk’s Boring Company to maximize its Las Vegas investment while digging an at least 68-mile long labyrinth of tunnels beneath the tourism corridor won approval Thursday from the…

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

Part of the Big Hole River closed to anglers due to low streamflows has been reopened by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, report @dailymontanan.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Part of Big Hole river reopens for fishing

Improved streamflows allows for anglers to get back on the river, FWP says, as part of Big Hole also seasonally closed.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

With open enrollment on Idaho’s health insurance exchange starting next week, the Idaho State Senate Minority Leader called on Congress to extend health insurance tax credits and end the shutdown of the U.S. government, reports @idahocapitalsun.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Democratic Idaho legislator calls on Congress to extend health insurance tax credits • Idaho Capital Sun

Open enrollment on the Your Health Idaho health insurance exchange opens on Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 15.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

The Trump administration announced Friday it had begun mass layoffs of federal employees, a step not taken during previous government shutdowns and one that could significantly reshape the size and scope of the government, reports @statesnewsroom.com via @azmirror.com

Trump follows through on threat with 'substantial' federal employee layoffs amid shutdown | Arizona Mirror

Trump administration begins mass federal employee layoffs government shutdown as Congress remains deadlocked

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

After hitting a roadblock last year, a planned highway crossing through conservation land near St. George has made its way back to the desks of federal land managers, report @utahnewsdispatch.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Feds take a new look at stalled St. George highway plan • Utah News Dispatch

The Bureau of Land Management is reconsidering a plan for a Northern Corridor highway through conservation land in Washington County.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

Washington mothers and their babies will have access to food benefits through the end of the month, even though the federal government remains shut down, report @washingtonstatestandard.com and @statesnewsroom.com

WA’s food aid program for infants and mothers now funded through October • Washington State Standard

Washington mothers and their babies have access to food benefits through the end of October, even though the government remains shut down.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a bill that would allow Alaska Natives to continue sales of traditional ivory art in states that have passed laws banning the ivory trade, report @alaskabeacon.com and @statesewsroom.com

U.S. Senate passes bill intended to shield Alaska Native artists from states’ ivory bans | Alaska Beacon

State-level ivory bans, intended to help elephants, are deterring tourists from buying walrus ivory products from Alaskans.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

Oregon’s congressional Democrats are pressing federal officials on the treatment of immigrants and protestors at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility south of downtown Portland, report @oregoncapitalchronicle.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Oregon’s congressional Democrats press feds on treatment of immigrants, protestors at ICE facility • Oregon Capital Chronicle

Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation raised concerns in letters following a visit to the Portland ICE processing facility that’s been a lighting rod for Trump officials.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

More than six weeks after the state government announced it had been breached by cyberattackers, Nevadans are still in the dark about the scope of the damage done, or whether the state has paid a ransom, report @nevadacurrent.com and @statesnewsroom.com

State still mum on whether it paid ransom to cyber attackers • Nevada Current

More than six weeks have passed since Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office announced the State of Nevada had been breached by cyberattackers and Nevadans are still in the dark about the scope of the damage…

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

The EPA has signed off on Montana's effort to abandon a modern way of determining water quality, reverting to an older system that environmentalists say is inadequate to protest the state's waterways, report @dailymontanan.com and @statesnewsroom.com

EPA signs off on Montana's new clean water standards • Daily Montanan

The Environmental Protection Agency has signed off on a decision to allow Montana to revert to 'narrative' standards for water instead of numeric testing and comparison.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

Some of the nation's largest companies employ a significant number of people covered by Idaho's expanded Medicaid program, report @idahocapitalsun.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Where do people on Idaho Medicaid expansion work? A lot of big companies. • Idaho Capital Sun

Hundreds of Idaho employees for major companies, colleges and governments are on Medicaid expansion, new state report shows.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 2d

Arizona cities that have enforcement agreements with ICE are largely resisting pressure from activists to end the cooperation with the immigration crackdown, report @azmirror.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Arizona cities resist efforts to curtail ICE partnerships with local police

As immigration arrests surge to deliver on President Donald Trump’s promise to oversee the largest deportation effort in history, progressive groups in Arizona are appealing to their local city…

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

A new analysis breaks down the implications of three proposed congressional maps that have been submitted to a Utah judge for consideration — one from lawmakers and two from the plaintiffs in the ongoing redistricting lawsuit, report @utahnewsdispatch.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Report analyzes the political impact of 3 Utah congressional maps being weighed by judge • Utah News Dispatch

A new analysis breaks down the political implications of three proposed congressional maps submitted to a Utah judge for consideration.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

A large solar farm proposed in eastern Washington appears on course to clear a critical regulatory hurdle this month, despite opposition from the Yakama Nation, report @washingtonstatestandard.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Major solar farm in eastern Washington on cusp of approval • Washington State Standard

A large solar farm proposed in eastern Washington could clear a critical regulatory hurdle this month. Yakama Nation is opposed.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

A new study concluded that solar power plants are now cost-competitive with diesel for many rural Alaska communities, even if solar is only usable during part of the year, report @alaskabeacon.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Hybrid solar-diesel power is less expensive than diesel alone in parts of rural Alaska, study shows | Alaska Beacon

Diesel prices in remote areas are so high that it’s cheaper to use solar for part of the year, even with the cost of two power plants.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

Three judges will decide “as quickly as possible,” they said, whether to uphold a temporary order barring President Donald Trump from deploying Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, report @oregoncapitalchronicle.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Appeals court to decide ‘as quickly as possible’ on legality of Guard troops to Portland • Oregon Capital Chronicle

Three judges will decide “as quickly as possible,” they said, whether to uphold a temporary order barring President Donald Trump from deploying Oregon National Guard troops to Portland. U.S. Circuit…

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen says it would be “a little naive” to vote for a Republican plan to reopen the government without a commitment that Republicans will extend health insurance subsidies so as to prevent skyrocketing premiums, report @nevadacurrent.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Trusting Trump to negotiate if Dems surrender in shutdown would be 'naive,' Rosen says • Nevada Current

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen said Wednesday it would be “a little naive” to vote for a Republican funding plan to reopen the government without first obtaining firm commitments that Republicans…

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

Kurt Alme was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, following a bitter, partisan fight in Washington, D.C., report @dailymontanan.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Alme confirmed by U.S. Senate as U.S. Attorney for Montana

Confirmation follows long, bitter partisan fight over Trump nominees in D.C. as Democrats sought to block appointments.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

The U.S. Senate failed to advance a resolution designed to curb the president’s power regarding military actions abroad after the Trump administration ordered four strikes on boats in the Caribbean, reports @statesnewsroom.com via @idahocapitalsun.com

US Senate rejects restriction of military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean • Idaho Capital Sun

The U.S. Senate did not advance a resolution designed to curb the president’s power regarding military actions abroad after the Trump administration ordered four strikes on boats in the Caribbean.

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Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

U.S. House Democrats failed again Wednesday to force Speaker Mike Johnson to swear in Arizona's Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva. She is a potential key vote on a resolution to force release of the Epstein files, reports @statesnewsroom.com via @azmirror.com
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US House GOP delays seating Rep.-elect Grijalva, potential deciding vote on Epstein petition | Arizona Mirror

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats failed again Wednesday to force Speaker Mike Johnson to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva. Johnson has said he’s holding off on swearing in Grijalva — an Arizona…

azmirror.com

Sean Scully @seanibus.bsky.social · 3d

The families of two Utah teenagers have dropped their lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on transgender players in girls’ sports after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear similar cases from other states, report @Utahnewsdispatch.com and @statesnewsroom.com

Families drop challenge to Utah trans student sports ban as US Supreme Court takes up similar cases • Utah News Dispatch

Two Utah families dropped their lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on transgender students in girls’ sports.

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