Donna LeSchander
@donnaleschander.bsky.social
News junkie, bleed-blue Dem, rural newspaper reporter covering Tioga and Potter counties, Pa., loves animals, happy to be the second-smartest person in any room.
At A Hands Off event in rural small town PA, 115 showed up. A Trump Train of four vehicles encircled the town square repeatedly. One was the county Republican chairman. Someone yelled at him, "How's your IRA doing?" and he yelled, "Great!" Another person called, "That's because you can't read it1"
April 5, 2025 at 11:22 PM
At A Hands Off event in rural small town PA, 115 showed up. A Trump Train of four vehicles encircled the town square repeatedly. One was the county Republican chairman. Someone yelled at him, "How's your IRA doing?" and he yelled, "Great!" Another person called, "That's because you can't read it1"
In my small town police report today I wrote up an account of a woman who picked up a dude, invited him home and woke up the next morning to find both the guy and her truck gone — his mom turned him in when she was like "Where the hell you get this truck?"
April 2, 2025 at 10:20 PM
In my small town police report today I wrote up an account of a woman who picked up a dude, invited him home and woke up the next morning to find both the guy and her truck gone — his mom turned him in when she was like "Where the hell you get this truck?"
A lumber mill just shut down up here in rural north central PA. One of my former-employee contacts told me that he had to turn his phone off Thursday night because "so many grown men were calling him crying" and he was too heartbroken to listen
March 31, 2025 at 8:14 PM
A lumber mill just shut down up here in rural north central PA. One of my former-employee contacts told me that he had to turn his phone off Thursday night because "so many grown men were calling him crying" and he was too heartbroken to listen
A local school board director posted this today: Tha mansfeild collage has a play. The Hunch Back of noterdame. Complete with homosexuality and drag queen content . If your school plants on kids seeing it be sure of what they are watching. (He means Comm U-Mansfield) Good God.
March 7, 2025 at 8:21 PM
A local school board director posted this today: Tha mansfeild collage has a play. The Hunch Back of noterdame. Complete with homosexuality and drag queen content . If your school plants on kids seeing it be sure of what they are watching. (He means Comm U-Mansfield) Good God.
Write two pieces about jail reform and everyone starts contacting you from the pen. Today I got a letter from Tioga County Jail that included a correspondence with the judge where the inmate began: "Dear Judge: I can't get justice in your kangaroo court. Thanks for giving me a drunk for a lawyer."
March 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Write two pieces about jail reform and everyone starts contacting you from the pen. Today I got a letter from Tioga County Jail that included a correspondence with the judge where the inmate began: "Dear Judge: I can't get justice in your kangaroo court. Thanks for giving me a drunk for a lawyer."
Laughing: a local reactionary Facebook page referred to county commissioners today as "evil." Inexperienced? Yeah, they've all been there 18 months with no prior relevant experience. Cleaning up the mess that 25+ year tenured commissioners put in place? Perhaps. "Evil"? Way to hyperbolize, folks.
March 4, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Laughing: a local reactionary Facebook page referred to county commissioners today as "evil." Inexperienced? Yeah, they've all been there 18 months with no prior relevant experience. Cleaning up the mess that 25+ year tenured commissioners put in place? Perhaps. "Evil"? Way to hyperbolize, folks.
Our small rural PA town had an absolutely wonderful drag show in a local theater the other night, attended by families, people of all ages — standing room only. The theme was Disney; much fun was had by all. I want to be able to say you wouldn't believe the online hate today, but I bet you would.
February 14, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Our small rural PA town had an absolutely wonderful drag show in a local theater the other night, attended by families, people of all ages — standing room only. The theme was Disney; much fun was had by all. I want to be able to say you wouldn't believe the online hate today, but I bet you would.
Pointed to my 37-year-old co-worker when I needed help with a non-work-related online holiday purchase and said, "You're a young person!" and I've become the person who thinks 37 is young
February 11, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Pointed to my 37-year-old co-worker when I needed help with a non-work-related online holiday purchase and said, "You're a young person!" and I've become the person who thinks 37 is young
Reposted by Donna LeSchander
Of course they think they're the real victims here.
Trump's Plan To 'Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias' Is Straight Of The Christian Nationalism Handbook
Because they're the real victims 🙄
www.comicsands.com
February 7, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Of course they think they're the real victims here.
We went to a small town drag show tonight and was given bubble wands and instantly thought 'yay someone gave me cat toys'
February 8, 2025 at 2:36 AM
We went to a small town drag show tonight and was given bubble wands and instantly thought 'yay someone gave me cat toys'
Reposted by Donna LeSchander
Elon Musk’s staffers have gained unauthorized access to sensitive government employee data by installing a server at the OPM. They now have access to USAJOBS, the federal hiring portal where applicants submit personal details such as Social Security numbers, home addresses, and employment histories.
February 3, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Elon Musk’s staffers have gained unauthorized access to sensitive government employee data by installing a server at the OPM. They now have access to USAJOBS, the federal hiring portal where applicants submit personal details such as Social Security numbers, home addresses, and employment histories.
Reposted by Donna LeSchander
Members of Elon Musk’s secretive team, tasked with reviewing federal agencies for potential cuts, are refusing to reveal their full names to civil servants. Musk’s representatives declined to provide their surnames and refused to answer any questions.
February 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Members of Elon Musk’s secretive team, tasked with reviewing federal agencies for potential cuts, are refusing to reveal their full names to civil servants. Musk’s representatives declined to provide their surnames and refused to answer any questions.
"Those guys who whack old ladies in the back of the head with a baseball bat, these guys who whip out a gun and shoot you for no reason at all..." 3:59 p.m., Feb. 4. Go eat a freedom fry and take a deep breath, you idiot.
February 4, 2025 at 8:57 PM
"Those guys who whack old ladies in the back of the head with a baseball bat, these guys who whip out a gun and shoot you for no reason at all..." 3:59 p.m., Feb. 4. Go eat a freedom fry and take a deep breath, you idiot.
A lighter note from rural reporting in PA: spoke with a manager from the Area Agency on Aging today. Was concerned about budget cuts (some senior centers have closed). She mentioned two 80-somethings who met, courted and married at the senior center in front of friends and didn't (!) invite family.
February 1, 2025 at 12:55 AM
A lighter note from rural reporting in PA: spoke with a manager from the Area Agency on Aging today. Was concerned about budget cuts (some senior centers have closed). She mentioned two 80-somethings who met, courted and married at the senior center in front of friends and didn't (!) invite family.
Reposted by Donna LeSchander
This is what the government did with 120K+ Japanese Americans in 1942.
I know. I was there in those camps.
I know. I was there in those camps.
January 31, 2025 at 7:11 PM
This is what the government did with 120K+ Japanese Americans in 1942.
I know. I was there in those camps.
I know. I was there in those camps.
A factory is likely to go out of business here in NE Pa, and is seeking a buyer within the year. People are asking the county commissioners (!) to stop this, are asking people in the community to protest, etc. 80% voted for Trump. It's capitalism, dudes. They don't understand how any of this works.
January 31, 2025 at 12:03 AM
A factory is likely to go out of business here in NE Pa, and is seeking a buyer within the year. People are asking the county commissioners (!) to stop this, are asking people in the community to protest, etc. 80% voted for Trump. It's capitalism, dudes. They don't understand how any of this works.
I am sitting here in rural PA watching MAGA bleed-red-Trumpers turn on each other and it's like two weeks in. Delightful.
January 30, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I am sitting here in rural PA watching MAGA bleed-red-Trumpers turn on each other and it's like two weeks in. Delightful.
Had to cover a little event in a preschool today and two things happened: I got to play pretend kitchen while waiting for a guest reader and a little boy looked at me and said, "You look like my grammy."
January 24, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Had to cover a little event in a preschool today and two things happened: I got to play pretend kitchen while waiting for a guest reader and a little boy looked at me and said, "You look like my grammy."
I'm not usually one to go in this direction, but the way Trump says "Elon" is...downright unsavory. The name kind of lingers in his mouth. I bet his sons are SUPER jealous.
January 23, 2025 at 9:05 PM
I'm not usually one to go in this direction, but the way Trump says "Elon" is...downright unsavory. The name kind of lingers in his mouth. I bet his sons are SUPER jealous.
The scourge of our newsroom: politically-motivated conservative very local Facebook groups that believe the schools are turning kids trans, local government is lining their own pockets and that cell phone towers are burning our brains. Just the tip of the iceberg. Every week it's something nuttier.
January 23, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The scourge of our newsroom: politically-motivated conservative very local Facebook groups that believe the schools are turning kids trans, local government is lining their own pockets and that cell phone towers are burning our brains. Just the tip of the iceberg. Every week it's something nuttier.
Filling a rural newspaper is a strange thing. We got a pitch from a retired male professor about a feature about his self-published post-apocalyptic sex-filled, left-leaning novel set in Potter County. My editor skimmed it, pronounced it garbage and said, "Well, we're a little light this week."
January 22, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Filling a rural newspaper is a strange thing. We got a pitch from a retired male professor about a feature about his self-published post-apocalyptic sex-filled, left-leaning novel set in Potter County. My editor skimmed it, pronounced it garbage and said, "Well, we're a little light this week."
8 p.m. on inauguration eve and Trump is signing fake-ish declarations and making odd and sleepy comments. These reporters have formed an impromptu union of sorts and are slowly, politely and collectively grilling and stretching out his evening, which includes a gala later. Well done, press pals.
January 21, 2025 at 12:59 AM
8 p.m. on inauguration eve and Trump is signing fake-ish declarations and making odd and sleepy comments. These reporters have formed an impromptu union of sorts and are slowly, politely and collectively grilling and stretching out his evening, which includes a gala later. Well done, press pals.
Excellent piece. Let's flip it. newrepublic.com/post/190337/...
Shove the Presidency Down Trump’s Throat
Liberals spent the president-elect’s first term trying and failing to kick him out of office. This time out, they need to turn the White House into a prison.
newrepublic.com
January 21, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Excellent piece. Let's flip it. newrepublic.com/post/190337/...
Spent today working on a piece about small-town rural Door Dash drivers. A nicer group of people don't exist, but they are so exploited, and they know it. Pretty depressing.
January 17, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Spent today working on a piece about small-town rural Door Dash drivers. A nicer group of people don't exist, but they are so exploited, and they know it. Pretty depressing.
Was so excited when my phone rang at 2pm and it was my 27-year-old telling me that she & her wonderful partner got a Domestic Partnership license at Philadelphia City Hall this morning. Both families happy!
January 15, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Was so excited when my phone rang at 2pm and it was my 27-year-old telling me that she & her wonderful partner got a Domestic Partnership license at Philadelphia City Hall this morning. Both families happy!