Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Russ McNamara

@mcnamarawdet.bsky.social

1.8K followers 3.1K following 780 posts

wdet.org

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Russ McNamara @mcnamarawdet.bsky.social · Jul 22

Did a short feature on Canada / U.S. tourism for @marketplace.org that aired today. Check it out:

Canadians are still traveling this summer, just not to the U.S.

As trade talks continue, crossings are down between the two countries. That could lead to a multi-billion-dollar hit to the U.S. tourism industry.

www.marketplace.org

1 3 10

Russ McNamara @mcnamarawdet.bsky.social · 3h

What is there to be done with this? This cannot be reformed.

Lynn Becker @cmgiulini.bsky.social · 4h

After spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, evidence hidden by the prosecution reversed his conviction. Rather than finally enjoying freedom, ICE abducted him for deportation

Depraved.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him

Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.

www.miamiherald.com

1 5 17

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 10h

Per CDC source: At internal leadership meeting this afternoon, it was shared that 1,257 people were RIF'd at CDC. Number may not be final. Apparently, chief of staff was unaware that RIFs were going to occur so not clear who is making decisions. (Short 🧵)

81 1.4K 2.9K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 11h

Manly men brutalize, terrorize a teen girl

Redsky @redsky.pirhoo.com · 13h

Northwest Chicago Suburb: ICE Agents Rip 15-Year-Old Girl from Car, Slam Her to Ground She Screams Im 15! as Man Kneels on Her Neck

Link | Subreddit

Northwest Chicago Suburb: ICE Agents Rip 15-Year-Old Girl from Car, Slam Her to Ground She Screams Im 15! as Man Kneels on Her Neck

www.reddit.com

38 500 1.3K

Russ McNamara @mcnamarawdet.bsky.social · 15h

www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/aaa...

“AAAGGGHHH!!!” A Memo from Animal, Your New Editor-in-Chief

“[Editor-in-chief of CBS News] Bari Weiss told network staffers in a morning editorial call that she wants to ‘win’ before delivering a rallying cr...

www.mcsweeneys.net

Russ McNamara @mcnamarawdet.bsky.social · 15h

Sage advice from Animal, if the Muppet percussionist were to be put in charge of CBS News.

REMEMBER: WE NOT BREAK NEWS. WE POUND NEWS LIKE BONGOS UNTIL NEWS BREAK ITSELF.

1 1 1

Reposted by Russ McNamara

E.A.R. @primateyell.bsky.social · 17h

I actually gasped. As a former public health reporter the MMWR is a big deal

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 1d

The editors of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) were apparently fired today.

The precursor to MMWR began in 1878 to address emerging public health threats rapidly.

We are not “great” without it. We are vulnerable to threats from sporadic foodborne illness to bioterrorism.

5 83 260

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Lena Sun @lenasun.bsky.social · 17h

NEW: @CDCgov hit hard by massive firings that several staff describe to me as a “bloodbath.”
Among those RIFd:
—leadership of the center for immunization and respiratory diseases;
—leadership of global health center
—leadership of the measles outbreak response; 1/4

70 1.1K 2.1K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 1d

Is it cancel culture when they threaten to kill you?

www.nj.com/news/2025/10...

Sold-out Ta-Nehisi Coates speaker appearance in N.J. canceled over security reasons

Organizers canceled a sold-out Ta-Nehisi Coates event in Montclair citing undisclosed security concerns.

www.nj.com

53 950 3.4K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Heartland Signal @heartlandsignal.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: Masked Border Patrol agents aggressively arrested WGN video producer Debbie Brockman in Lincoln Square Friday morning, supposedly for "obstructing justice." (Video via Josh Thomas on Facebook)

Follow @heartlandsignal for more.

1.4K 8.4K 15K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Jocelyn Leitzinger @jocelynl.bsky.social · 1d

There's a real disconnect between what we hear from @govpritzker.illinois.gov & other elected leaders about how we won't stand for ICE abducting people & Trump's delpoyment of the National Guard

&

what we see from local and state police as their treatment of protestors looks increasingly like ICE

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 1d

Troopers with batons aggressively shoving crowd back.

Just saw two demonstrators arrested.

1 7 7

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Jim Daley @jimdaleywrites.bsky.social · 1d

I'm at the scene where ICE abducted multiple people from Lincoln and Foster this morning.

A WGN producer was among the people taken, allegedly because she was among a group of bystanders who tried to intervene. ICE agents hit this car while making their getaway.

2.9K 5.5K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Imani Gandy Corn 🎃 @angryblacklady.blacksky.app · 1d

Remember how people lost their minds when I said go to a protest but don't rsvp to one

31 280 1K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Robert McNamara @romcnm.bsky.social · 1d

THIS is a news item that everyone pay attention to.

2 4

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 1d

News: Bari Weiss just sent a memo to staffers at CBS News asking them to produce a memo explaining "how you spend your working hours—and ideally, what you've made (or are making) that you're most proud of."

One CBS News staffer puts it like this to me: "We just got Elon Musked."

340 2K 8.5K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Noah Berlatsky @nberlat.bsky.social · 3d

this is an incredibly evil thing for fetterman to break party ranks on.

like...maybe worse than manchin or sinema?

Jonathan Cohn @jonathancohn.bsky.social · 3d

Trump has been illegally bombing boats off the coast of Venezuela.

Tim Kaine and Adam Schiff forced a vote on reasserting Congress's role over war powers and ending this reckless
warmongering.

It failed 48-51.

Murkowski and Paul voted yes.

Fetterman voted no.

49 230 1.1K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Ollie Connolly @ollieconnolly.bsky.social · 3d

Per sources: Bill Belichick has discussed buyout options with North Carolina’s hierarchy. Belichick has signaled a willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or in media

52 120 680

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · 3d

Incredible.

Jack Posobiec references the earliest version of antifa -- the anti-fascists in the Weimar Republic who were opposed to the Nazi Party -- as the bad guys.

380 2K 6.2K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 3d

My gosh. After the US bombed multiple boats in the middle of the ocean, murdering people on grounds that they were allegedly "carrying drugs," the US Attorney General says "Just like we did with cartels, we're going to take the same approach, President Trump, with Antifa."

300 1.4K 3.5K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · 3d

Everyone can set aside partisanship, psychologizing, pathologizing, whatever, and—I would hope—still see that it’s incredibly dangerous for a political leader to be this disconnected from the real conditions in the country.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d

Trump: "I don't know what could be worse than Portland. You don't even have stores anymore. They don't even put glass up. They put plywood on their windows."

290 1.4K 5.6K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

WDET 101.9 FM @wdet.bsky.social · 3d

Voting has begun in Detroit’s mayoral election. Candidate Rev. Solomon Kinloch spoke with WDET’s @mcnamarawdet.bsky.social about his plans for affordable housing and public safety as he challenges City Council President Mary Sheffield 🎧
wdet.org/2025/10/08/a...

Affordable housing, lowering crime key to Detroit says candidate Kinloch - WDET 101.9 FM

Reverend Solomon Kinloch wants 'a family in every house' to rebuild the city's population, ease housing crisis

wdet.org

2 3

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Philip Bump @pbump.com · 4d

You can’t talk seriously about gun violence in Chicago without talking about where the guns come from. www.pbump.net/o/the-red-st...

25 410 1.3K

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Amanda Mull @amandamull.bsky.social · 4d

This is good but the second post in this series makes it outstanding

Roger Cormier @yayroger.bsky.social · 4d

A gentleman with a "Dump Here 61" shirt caught the Raleigh home run (on a bounce.)

4 17 130

Reposted by Russ McNamara

ghostly gwen howerton @kissphoria.bsky.social · 4d

Man, if you're going to share a screenshot of the story and a screenshot of an X post of someone else sharing the story, just share the fucking link! wacobridge.org/2025/10/06/d...

5 130 490

Russ McNamara @mcnamarawdet.bsky.social · 4d

Getting set to talk with Detroit Mayoral Candidate Rev. Solomon Kinloch on @wdet.bsky.social

Listen: wdet.org/listen

Listen Live - WDET 101.9 FM

Recently Played Songs Download a weekly view of WDET’s updated schedule » Streaming FAQ If...

wdet.org

Reposted by Russ McNamara

Eric Roston @eroston.bsky.social · 5d

Oh:
- The US sold $80 billion in oil and gas abroad through July.
- China exported $120 billion in green technology over the same period.
By @akshatrathi.bsky.social
🎁🔗 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

China Is Beating the US in the Battle for Energy Export Dominance

China’s exports of clean energy technology hit a record in August, with $20 billion shipped globally.

www.bloomberg.com

8 140 280