Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 7h

New post by Randy Evans: Des Moines School Board members have yet to acknowledge they should have recognized the red flags before hiring Ian Roberts.
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/10/09/t...

Toddlers know, so why can't school officials learn?

Randy Evans: Des Moines School Board members have yet to acknowledge they should have recognized the red flags before hiring Ian Roberts.

www.bleedingheartland.com

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Reposted by Laura Belin

Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · 9h

After Pritzker and Newsom threatened to leave the NGA, the Republican Chair breaks with Trump. Pressure works. Keep it up!

Alex Wayne @aawayne.bsky.social · 17h

“Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.”

The Republican chair of the National Governors Association breaks with Trump.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...

Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Criticizes National Guard Deployment in Chicago

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Laura Belin

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 16h

Jack Posobiec spread antisenitic hate on Twitter for years, including tagging Jews with triple parentheses.

JD Vance wrote the forward to Posobiec’s book, Unhuman.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 18h

JD Vance describes Chuck Schumer as "one of the most famous Palestinians in the world"

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 15h

Scoop: A text poll in the field this week is probing whether the recent arrest of Superintendent Ian Roberts is a “convincing” argument against a bond issue that is a priority for the Des Moines Public Schools.
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/10/09/p...

Poll testing how Ian Roberts arrest could affect DMPS bond vote

The survey tests two messages for and two against the $265 million bond issue that is a priority for the Des Moines Public Schools.

www.bleedingheartland.com

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 17h

New post: @douglaswburns.bsky.social will interview Beth Macy @bethmacy.bsky.social about her new book, Paper Girl, at the Banned Books Festival in Des Moines this Saturday.
More on the event and this "powerhouse work of non-fiction" about rural America:
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/10/09/b...

Beth Macy, author of 'Dopesick' and 'Paper Girl,' coming to Des Moines

Douglas Burns will interview Beth Macy about her new book, Paper Girl, at the Banned Books Festival in Des Moines.

www.bleedingheartland.com

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Reposted by Laura Belin

David Waldman @kagrox.bsky.social · 20h

"The President of Peace Who Lost Portland to War" is a thing that exists in their heads.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 20h

VARNEY: There's virtually universal agreement on this program that the president should get the Nobel Peace Prize. After all, if Obama can get one for doing very little, surely President Trump can get one for bringing peace.

JONI ERNST: Exactly. President Trump is the president of peace.

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 20h

I welcome guest commentaries advocating for Democratic or progressive candidates in Iowa's upcoming school board elections.
Today the Johnston Public Schools Supporters made their case for Rexford Davidson, Kaycee Schippers, and Justin Smith.

www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/10/09/j...

Johnston's unified front for public education: Davidson, Schippers, Smith

Educator Justin Smith, engaged parent Kaycee Schippers, and JCSD alumnus Rexford Davidson represent the very best of our community.

www.bleedingheartland.com

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 20h

I welcome guest commentaries advocating for Democratic or progressive candidates in Iowa's upcoming school board elections.
Today the Johnston Public Schools Supporters made their case for Rexford Davidson, Kaycee Schippers, and Justin Smith.

www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/10/09/j...

Johnston's unified front for public education: Davidson, Schippers, Smith

Educator Justin Smith, engaged parent Kaycee Schippers, and JCSD alumnus Rexford Davidson represent the very best of our community.

www.bleedingheartland.com

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 21h

Flashback Friday: This week in 2023, I covered highlights from Russell Lovell's career after the longtime Drake Law School professor was honored for a half-century of civil rights advocacy.

www.bleedingheartland.com/2023/10/07/i...

Iowa attorney honored for half-century of civil rights advocacy

The Notre Dame Alumni Association recognized Russell Lovell "for his outstanding dedication to advancing civil rights" over many years.

www.bleedingheartland.com

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 21h

Inbox: "The Des Moines School Board met this morning and approved a two-year contract for Matt Smith to serve as interim superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools through the 2026–27 school year. Smith has served as associate superintendent since 2018."

So no new nationwide search anytime soon.

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 22h

It’s been more than eight years since Senate Republicans claimed to have their “Repeal and Replace Obamacare” plan almost ready.

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Reposted by Laura Belin

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

You’ve gotta be kidding me.

This WaPo editorial presents a misleading revisionist history of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s criminal cases against Trump.

Then it has the gall to compare that to Trump’s overt targeting of his perceived enemies.

Really embarrassing stuff.

But the mere fact that a legal tool might be available does not mean it should be used. The
current rage over Grassley's revelation shows why. Smith showed little restraint in his pursuit of a former president. He charged Trump for official acts he took as president. He sought a gag order to limit Trump's ability to criticize the prosecution. He tried to accelerate the case to try a leading presidential candidate before the 2024 election.

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you for giving them so much love and care near the end of their lives.

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

The Heart of Iowa Democrats asked me to moderate this conversation with Thom Hartmann tonight.

Around 23:15, he said his GOP contacts say Mike Johnson plans to change the rules to require more signatures on discharge petitions before swearing in Rep. Grijalva.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt27...

Ask Them Anything!

YouTube video by Heart of Iowa Dems

www.youtube.com

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

New post by Jason Benell @jastiger.bsky.social: ICE robbed more from our community than a public servant

www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/10/08/i...

Jason Benell highlights "just how much these targeted ICE attacks are stealing from communities across the country."

www.bleedingheartland.com

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

Too bad she didn't get that job, though. She could do less damage there than where she is now.

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

For your "this won't age well" file:
New statement from Senator Joni Ernst begins, "President Trump is the peace president. This historic deal not only brings the hope of prosperity to a region that has been ravaged by Iran-backed terror but establishes steps towards lasting peace."

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Reposted by Laura Belin

emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 1d

Second, A QUARTER of the FBI agents who haven't been fired are searching for grannies to deport.

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

A quarter of FBI agents are assigned to immigration enforcement, per FBI data

Nearly a quarter of FBI agents are currently assigned to immigration enforcement, with the number climbing above 40 percent in the bureau’s largest field offices.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Laura Belin

emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 1d

Two stories about how Stephen Miller is drawing resources away from actually security to hunt down grannies.

First cybersecurity.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Homeland Security Cyber Personnel Reassigned to Jobs in Trump’s Deportation Push

The US Department of Homeland Security has shifted hundreds of national security specialists, including cyber personnel, into jobs that support President Donald Trump’s deportations and said it would ...

www.bloomberg.com

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

Great speech. This especially resonated with me:
"I’d make it crystal clear in my writing where I was coming from so that there would be no ambiguity."
This has been my editorial policy from the beginning. It closes some mainstream media doors, but builds trust with my readers.

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

New — I was fortunate to speak in front of students and faculty at Grinnell College in Iowa tonight about the business of independent journalism, the current state of media under Trump 2.0, and billionaire control.

I published my full speech because I thought it might resonate beyond campus:

Truth, morality and independence in journalism under the second Trump regime

My full remarks to students and faculty at Grennell College.

www.thehandbasket.co

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Reposted by Laura Belin

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 1d

These things, of course, are exactly why Donald Trump and his hospice nurse Stephen Miller like him

Christopher Mathias @letsgomathias.bsky.social · 1d

Jack collaborated with neo-Nazi twins to make a documentary. He was a fan of white supremacist Richard Spencer. He has tweeted 1488, the alphanumeric code for Heil Hitler. He wrote an unreadable anti-antifa book. Last year he wrote a book abt the left called “Unhumans.” That he’s now speaking here…

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 1d

From Donald Trump's Roundtable on Antifa just now —
"Antifa has been around in various iterations for almost 100 years in some instances, going back to the Weimar Republic in Germany."
— special guest Jack Posobiec

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Reposted by Laura Belin

Jennifer Jacobs @jenniferjjacobs.bsky.social · 1d

“We need you to approve a post on Truth Social soon so you can announce deal first," said the note Rubio handed to Trump, per photo by AP's Evan Vucci

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

People shouldn't have to falsely stipulate to a health condition to get vaccinated.

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

Happy Iowa wildflower Wednesday!

This week Bruce Morrison shares a gorgeous selection of photos from his northwest Iowa prairie remnant, and explains how they approach burning and seeding in the autumn.
#Iowa #prairie #wildflowers #nativeplants
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/10/08/a...

Autumn on a small northwest Iowa prairie remnant

Bruce Morrison shares images of fall colors on his prairie remnant and explains how they approach autumn burns and seeding.

www.bleedingheartland.com

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Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · 1d

I personally know several Iowans who have gotten COVID in the past month.
But if you're under age 65 and don't have an underlying condition, hard to get a COVID booster here. Our governor is doing nothing to help people protect themselves or their families.
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/10/05/m...

Many Iowans can't get COVID boosters. Kim Reynolds isn't helping

Many low-risk Iowans can't get a booster to protect themselves and their families from COVID-19. The governor denies the problem exists.

www.bleedingheartland.com

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