Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by John Ruch

Cleveland Scene @clevelandscene.bsky.social · 8d

Today was National College Radio Day

Cleveland State University celebrated by killing WCSB, its college radio station, and transferring the license to Ideastream to broadcast smooth jazz.
www.clevescene.com/news/clevela...

Cleveland State University Kills WCSB, Transfers License to Ideastream to Broadcast Smooth Jazz - Cleveland Scene

CSU president Laura Bloomberg claimed the move, which drew immediate criticism, wasn't to cut costs but to increase opportunities for students as Ideastream takes the reins of WCSB.

www.clevescene.com

5 10 15

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 2d

'Sandy Springs officer resigns amid Flock misuse investigation'
www.appenmedia.com/news/sandy-s...

Sandy Springs officer resigns amid Flock misuse investigation

A Sandy Springs police officer has resigned after allegedly using the city's Flock camera network to help develop a surveillance product for a company where he works, according to interviews

www.appenmedia.com

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 3d

The Atlanta Way school of art atlanta.capitalbnews.org/atlanta-comm...

Atlanta Community Frustrated over Race Massacre Mural - Capital B News - Atlanta

South Atlanta neighbors voiced concern over violent imagery, historical inaccuracy, and lack of community input with the mural.

atlanta.capitalbnews.org

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 4d

The new War on Drugs podcast finds a natural starting point in Atlanta Police abuses

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 4d

The first episode of Collateral Damage, my reported podcast with The Intercept, went up today.

Hope you’ll check it out and, if you enjoy it, give it a favorable rating or review.

Eternal thanks to my producers @lauraflynn.bsky.social and Andrew Stelzer for making it happen.

Ep. 1 Dirty Business: The Atlanta Narcotics Unit’s Deadly Raid on 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston.

Podcast Episode · Collateral Damage from The Intercept · 10/08/2025 · 55m

podcasts.apple.com

1

Reposted by John Ruch

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 5d

NEW: In May, a Texas police department said they used the powerful Flock surveillance network against a woman who had an abortion "for her safety"

Newly obtained court records show it was a 'death investigation,' and they considered charging her with a crime

www.404media.co/police-said-...

Police Said They Surveilled Woman Who Had an Abortion for Her 'Safety.' Court Records Show They Considered Charging Her With a Crime

Court records show that the narrative Flock and a Texas Sheriff's Office has told the public isn't the whole story, and that police were conducting a 'death investigation' into the abortion.

www.404media.co

30 760 1.4K

Reposted by John Ruch

Andrew Quemere @andrewqmr.bsky.social · 7d

ICE and CBP agents seized the phone of an immigration lawyer at Logan Airport while he was returning from vacation even though—let's face it, probably *because*—the phone contains privileged information about his clients.

Regime grabs immigration lawyer's phone at Logan

A federal judge today ordered Customs and Homeland Security to keep their mitts off a phone their agents grabbed last week from an immigration lawyer returning to Logan Airport from a trip to Aruba, a...

www.universalhub.com

7 62 120

Reposted by John Ruch

Brian Bannon @sobsax.bsky.social · 12d

"If the role of artists now is to be more subversive, that mission will be fundamentally at odds with much of Atlanta’s existing creative infrastructure. And of 'The Atlanta Way' itself."
#atl
#gapol

brianpbannon.medium.com/the-cancella...

The Cancellation of The City Lights Collective and the Call for Subversive Art

The final episode of The City Lights Collective, WABE’s daily arts program, aired last Thursday and included an interview with the band…

brianpbannon.medium.com

2 4

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 10d

RIP Matthew. 'A fitting epitaph is the whining of the many politicians he forced to obey their own transparency laws.'

Atlanta Community Press Collective @atlpresscollective.com · 10d

It’s with sadness that we commemorate the passing of Matthew Cardinale, 1981-2025, the founder and editor of Atlanta Progressive News.

Cardinale fought constantly for government transparency and accountability through local news publishing.

Matthew Cardinale, 1981-2025, ¡PRESENTE! Obituary

Matthew Charles Cardinale, 44 was the founder and news editor of Atlanta Progressive News and a vocal advocate for transparency.

atlpresscollective.com

2

Reposted by John Ruch

Nora Benavidez @attorneynora.bsky.social · 11d

Writers inspire us to be better. Right now, that is the very thing our government needs. This letter of more than 100 writers is a tremendous showing for freedom, reporting, and justice in the U.S.

Honored to have been involved. @penamerica.bsky.social @pressfreedom.bsky.social

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 11d

More than 100 writers, journalists, and scholars call for the immediate release of Mario Guevara in a letter from @penamerica.bsky.social, @pressfreedom.bsky.social & Free Press.

His detention is a direct attack on press freedom. #FreeMario @attorneynora.bsky.social

SHARE: pen.org/press-releas...

1 39 110

Reposted by John Ruch

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 11d

The Xylom has joined a coalition of press freedom groups, civil and human rights, First Amendment, and other advocacy groups, led by @pressfreedom.bsky.social @freepress.bsky.social, to call for the immediate release of journalist Mario Guevara from ICE custody.

Read our joint statement:

Dozens of organizations demand release of journalist Mario Guevara
In a healthy democracy, a free press is essential. That freedom is under threat in the United States
today.
An Emmy award-winning journalist has been detained for over 100 days – all because the government
considers his livestream reporting a threat. Mario Guevara was arrested June 14 in metro Atlanta while
covering a protest, then transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, where he
remains.
This is one of the longest periods a journalist has ever been detained in the United States. Guevara is
the only known journalist currently behind bars in the U.S. for his reporting.
The government’s prolonged detention of Guevara sends a chilling message to all journalists, citizens,
and residents who record law enforcement, report on government activities, and seek to report the
truth. This concerns all of us as a blatant attack on the First Amendment and press freedom.
Livestreaming and filming police is not a crime.
We – the undersigned coalition of press freedom, civil and human rights, First Amendment, and
other advocacy groups – call for the immediate release of journalist Mario Guevara from ICE
custody.
Signed,
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Free Press
Amnesty International USA
Asian American Journalists Association
Association of Foreign Press Correspondents
Atlanta Press Club
CASA
Campaign Legal Center
Cicero Independiente
Common Cause Georgia
Dallas Free Press
Defending Rights & Dissent
Enlace Latino NC
First Amendment Coalition
Freedom of the Press Foundation
GALEO & GALEO Impact Fund
Georgia First Amendment Foundation
Global Project Against Hate and Extremism
Institute for Nonprofit News
Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)
Latino Community Fund Georgia (LCF Georgia)
Los Angeles Press Club
Mainline
Media Alliance
Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
National Press Photographers Association
National Writers Union

Additional Information
The federal government has argued that Guevara must remain in custody because his regular
livestreaming and reporting on law enforcement pose a danger to public safety. In fact, a free
press keeps us safe. The First Amendment holds the government accountable to the people,
and that includes immigrants. Under federal, state, and local laws, Guevara has a right to film
the police doing their jobs.
As of September 19, Mario Guevara faces imminent deportation back to his native El Salvador.
The Board of Immigration Appeals has re-opened his 13-year-old immigration case, declining to
release him on bond. Guevara’s lawyers in his habeas petition have argued that the immigration
judge in the 2012 case granted him voluntary departure rather than a deportation order. While
an appeal on that ruling was pending, the government administratively closed the case.
Guevara has had authorization to live and work in the United States since then.
There are no open charges against Guevara, and an immigration judge granted him bond on
July 1, yet he has spent months in detention. Guevara was first detained on June 14, 2025,
while livestreaming a local protest in the metro Atlanta area. While he was held by local
authorities, ICE issued a detainer against him and transferred him into their custody. The federal
government’s arguments rely heavily on coordination from local police. He has been shuffled
between five local and federal detention centers, and spent over two months in isolation. He is
now at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in southeastern Georgia.
For over 20 years, Guevara has resided in metro Atlanta with his family. Originally from El
Salvador, he entered the country legally and continues to have work authorization and a path to
a green card through his son, a U.S. citizen. Like the majority of broadcast and digital
journalists, Guevara frequently publishes livestream video.

21 53

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 11d

Knew Moby Grape but not this and it made my day. Thank you once again.

1

Reposted by John Ruch

John Maguire @johnmaguire.bsky.social · 12d

Master movie poster designer Renato Casaro has died at 89. Here he is a couple of years back explaining to The Guardian what makes a great film poster www.theguardian.com/film/2022/se...

The Michelangelo of the movie poster: Renato Casaro picks his best film art

His windswept, airbrushed canvases have given shape to landmark films for decades, from Solaris to Dances With Wolves. Now 86, the designer looks back at his highlights

www.theguardian.com

2 4

Reposted by John Ruch

Spears & Filipovits, LLC @spearsfilipovits.bsky.social · 12d

"Fulton County facing lawsuits over homestead exemptions" www.wabe.org/fulton-count...

Fulton County facing lawsuits over homestead exemptions

In recent years, Fulton County has come under fire for retroactively revoking homestead exemptions when someone dies, then billing heirs or co-owners for multiple years of back taxes. Two proposed cla...

www.wabe.org

1 1

Reposted by John Ruch

Spears & Filipovits, LLC @spearsfilipovits.bsky.social · 12d

Atlanta News First covers a newly filed lawsuit with representation from Spears & Filipovits: "Mother files lawsuit against medical providers at Bartow, Cherokee jails after son dies" www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/09/24/m...

Mother files lawsuit against medical providers at Bartow, Cherokee jails after son dies

The lawsuit claims Bradley Fullerton died at the Bartow County Jail on Oct. 17, 2023, after having seizure activity for 45 minutes.

www.atlantanewsfirst.com

1 1

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 13d

A good 11th Circuit opinion last week in another scary police shooting case re: Fourth Amendment seizure media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub...

media.ca11.uscourts.gov

1

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 14d

Some background on EA and sportswashing, which of course is beloved by kleptocracy: terminalia.weebly.com/articles/bos...

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 14d

Wall of Sound, always

1

Reposted by John Ruch

Ray Delahanty | CityNerd @nerd4cities.bsky.social · 15d

Your war correspondent on the ground in battle-ravaged inner northeast Portland

200 800 4.1K

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 16d

Evergreen. 🤘

BLABBERMOUTH.NET @blabbermouthnet.bsky.social · 16d

Hear JUDAS PRIEST's 'Charity Version' Of 'War Pigs' Featuring OZZY OSBOURNE

JUDAS PRIEST's "charity" version of the BLACK SABBATH classic "War Pigs", featuring SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne, has just been released and can be streamed below. All profits of Sony Music Entertai...

blabbermouth.net

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 19d

America obviously never recovered from GWAR normalizing the Cuttlefish of Cthulhu www.thefileroom.org/documents/dy...

FileRoom.org - GWAR Show in Georgia

GWAR Show in Georgia GWAR GWAR's skits and props include a phallic-shaped fish that shoots liquid into the audience, and a skit in which mannequins are dismembered and fake blood sprayed at the crowd.

www.thefileroom.org

1

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 20d

Had a spooky time seeing Vampira at last night's goth fest at Boggs. 🤘 www.vampiraband.com

1

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 22d

Everything I needed to know about politics I learned from the Satanic Panic and the PMRC...

Dee Snider @deesnider.bsky.social · 23d

40 years ago today…https://www.ranker.com/list/dee-snyder-speech-parents-music-resource-center/melissa-sartore

2

John Ruch @johnruchatlanta.bsky.social · 22d

Thank you, Dee. 🤘

Reposted by John Ruch

Atlanta Civic Circle @atlantaciviccircle.org · 25d

Two lawsuits challenge Fulton’s retroactive homestead exemption clawbacks

Heirs and co-owners have been hit with crushing bills for back property taxes, the lawsuits say.

Two lawsuits challenge Fulton’s retroactive homestead exemption clawbacks

Heirs and co-owners have been hit with crushing bills for back property taxes, the lawsuits say.

atlantaciviccircle.org

4 1

Reposted by John Ruch

Decaturish @decaturish.bsky.social · 26d

Two inmates died at the DeKalb County Jail in June, but DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox’s office did not notify the press.

DeKalb Sheriff did not publicly report two inmate deaths

Two inmates died at the DeKalb County Jail in June, but DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox’s office did not notify the press. Typically, the Sheriff’s Office sends out a press release when an inmate ...

www.decaturish.com

1 14 49