Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 9h

MMWR was my weekly reading during my time at what was then known as TDH

Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 9h

I was also told that RIF’d editors of the CDC’s flagship scientific journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report have all been recalled, as well as leaders and staffers in several other centers and divisions.

Jeremy Faust, MD @jeremyfaust.bsky.social · 9h

Some GOOD NEWS we are breaking on Inside Medicine on a Saturday night.

insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-n...

Breaking News: RIFs in reverse. Some CDC workers have been brought back, in latest whiplash.

This is breaking news.

insidemedicine.substack.com

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 10h

theonion.com/ice-raids-my...

MYTH: ICE agents lack proper training.

FACT: Most have been racists their entire lives.

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 12h

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Jason Wilson @jasonaw.bsky.social · 10h

We’re in this weird period in which everyone is afraid of people that almost everyone despises

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15h

Witkoff tries to praise Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, but has a hard time finishing his thought because of booing

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Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 11h

You'll be happy to know @aneelee.bsky.social that the WNBA is much more popular than golf and Trump. The lagniappe is that the First Felon's birthday entertainment is even more unpopular than he is. www.howtoreadthisch.art/the-glorious...

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Joshua Reed Eakle 🗽 @joshuaeakle.com · 15h

In Chicago, four vehicles descended and eight ICE agents moved in to kidnap a child.

She screams, “I’m 15,” as ICE yanks her from the car and kneels on her neck.

This is not about immigration enforcement.

It's about terrorizing Americans.

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Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 12h

CDC RIF total is 1,257 people.

Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 1d

RIFs are happening at CDC.

Reposted by Ray Collins

Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 16h

For more information about the Friday night massacre at CDC, I wrote up an analysis of who got terminated and what that means for public health.

Grateful to @saveamericamvmt.bsky.social for supporting and amplifying. We are in really terrible trouble.

rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-death-...

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Amy Maxmen, PhD @amymaxmen.bsky.social · 17h

I'd love to hear from anyone who has been at agencies protecting public health this year (eg CDC, HHS, HRSA, HUD, NIH, OSHA). Privacy respected. Signal is AmyMaxmen.25

🧵Here's a thread of some of my stories this year on the impact of the Trump administration on America's public health.

Amy Maxmen, PhD @amymaxmen.bsky.social · Nov 10

Hi! I'm a public health reporter moving from THERE to here. Give me a follow if you're interested in my writing & take:

Public health isn't only about outbreaks & vaccines. It's about making society healthier outside of clinics. It requires systemic change, equity, a belief in the common good.

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Rocky Rex @rockyrex.bsky.social · 18h

This is Australia, but you could apply it anywhere.

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Kyle Sparks @kyleksparks.bsky.social · 19h

Oblig.

Journalism 101: "If someone says it's raining & another person says it's dry, it's not your job to quote them both. Your job is to look out the fucking window and find out which is true."

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 1d

To avoid swearing in a duly elected Democratic House member who will force a vote to release the Epstein files, the House is in recess indefinitely

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Jeremy Faust, MD @jeremyfaust.bsky.social · 1d

We have breaking news in Inside Medicine.

We had heard rumors of RIFs to CDC.

But this is the first visual confirmation that it has occurred tonight, and at high levels in the agency.

Here is what we know...and then some well-sourced rumors (but rumors, nonetheless, not confirmed) 🧵...

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Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 22h

Legal scholar David Noll noted that it’s “interesting that if you say the [C]onstitution creates a separation of powers systems in which there are no kings, they think you hate [A]merica.”

Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR) @hcrichardson.bsky.social · 1d

October 10, 2025

All of President Donald J.

heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

Reposted by Ray Collins

Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 1d

Reduction in force (RIF, I.e. firing) email and page 1 of the RIF memo.

CDC, this is absolutely illegal and our union (AFGE) will be suing.

afge2883ga.org

The union is asking that you send your RIF notice to: [email protected] with

Name
CIO/division/branch
FTE status & tenure

Dear [name redacted],

I regret to inform you that you are being affected by a reduction in force (RIF) action. Please find attached a notice memorandum explaining the RIF and next steps. This RIF action does not reflect directly on your service, performance, or conduct. It is being taken solely for the reasons stated in the memorandum.

After you receive this notice, you will be placed on administrative leave and will no longer have building access beginning Friday, October 10, unless directed otherwise by your leadership. Additionally, please save this email and its attachments, or forward them to a personal email address, for your records.

Leadership at HHS appreciates your service.

Sincerely,
Tom Nagy

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is executing this Reduction in Force (RIF) to maximize efficiency and funding priorities. This memorandum constitutes a specific notice of a RIF.

I regret to inform you that you are being affected by a RIF action. This RIF is necessary to reshape the workforce of HHS.

This is your specific notice of the RIF. In accordance with the RIF procedures specified in Chapter 35 of Title 5 of the United States Code and Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 351, and HHS policy, you are being released from your competitive level based on your retention standing. Consequently, you will be separated from the Federal service effective December 8, 2025. In the event you are qualified and have assignment rights to a position that becomes available during the notice period, you will be informed via a specific, subsequent notice. Should the circumstances of the RIF notice change, this notice will be updated.

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Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 1d

RIFs are happening at CDC.

Reposted by Ray Collins

Susan (George) Schorn @susanschorn.bsky.social · 1d

Please tell everyone you know about the power of serving on a grand jury; also tell them a jury can find someone Not Guilty if they think the law in question is unjust, and tell them that there is daily evidence of cops lying. Like, tell people next to you on the bus. Tell tell tell everyone.

❀°。Der Siebenschläfer *.ﾟ✿ ⋆ @sababausa.bsky.social · 1d

Whoa, Judge Perry says the Feds’ declarations about unrest at ICE facilities are not credible because some of the incidents they cite in their declarations were separately no-billed by grand juries

The Court therefore must make a credibility assessment as to which version of the facts
should be believed. While the Court does not doubt that there have been acts of vandalism, civil
disobedience, and even assaults on federal agents, the Court cannot conclude that Defendants' declarations are reliable. Two of Defendants' declarations refer to arrests made on September 27,
2025 of individuals who were carrying weapons and assaulting federal agents. See Doc. 62-2 at
19; Doc. 62-4 at 5. But neither declaration discloses that federal grand juries have refused to
return an indictment against at least three of those individuals, which equates to a finding of a lack of probable cause that any crime occurred. See United States v. Ray Collins and Jocelyne Robledo, 25-cr-608, Doc. 26 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 7, 2025); United States v. Paul Ivery, 25-cr-609

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Ken Martin @bulldogken.bsky.social · 1d

Appraisal district targeting aircraft taxes
Pilot test pinpointed six aircraft that eluded property taxes for years

For aircraft based in Travis County, dodging taxation going forward is going to be more difficult.
theaustinbulldog.org/appraisal-di...

Appraisal district targeting aircraft taxes - The Austin Bulldog

Aircraft owners have used numerous evasive tactics to avoid their legal obligation to pay Texas property taxes when planes are used for business purposes. For example, owners may register their aircra...

theaustinbulldog.org

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Sara Mitchell @sbmitche.bsky.social · 1d

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Reposted by Ray Collins

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 1d

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Matthew Wasserbach, brokerage manager of Express Customs Clearance, said of the UPS backlog. “It’s totally unprecedented.”

@cnbc.com $UPS
www.nbcnews.com/business/bus...

UPS is 'disposing of' U.S.-bound packages over customs paperwork problems

Shifting Trump tariffs have created a nightmare for UPS, as thousands of packages from overseas pile up at its hubs while they await customs clearance.

www.nbcnews.com

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Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 1d

But there is one thing that I believe almost all economists (including me) overlooked —the possible role of tax avoidance/evasion in limiting tariffs’ impact. (Avoidance is when it’s legal, even if it shouldn’t be; evasion is when it isn’t.) paulkrugman.substack.com/p/leprechaun...

Leprechauns, Effective Tariffs and Inflation

Yes, tariffs are hurting us. No, Trump wasn’t right.

paulkrugman.substack.com

Ray Collins @eraycollins.bsky.social · 1d

The Department of Justice is supposed to be nonpartisan, and it certainly is not supposed to be an arm of presidential lawfare. Nonetheless, Trump has been perverting it to protect his loyalists and persecute his perceived enemies.

Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR) @hcrichardson.bsky.social · 2d

October 9, 2025

Today Trump appointee Lindsey Halligan did what President Donald J.

heathercoxrichardson.substack.com