Laurel Wamsley
@laurelwams.bsky.social
I’m a writer in Berkeley. Recent NPR correspondent in DC. Now reading a lot more novels.
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
NPR fights Trump's executive order against public media
The case isn't getting much attention.
But it pits the press's right not to face government retaliation over coverage against the president's assertion of vast executive powers
My story:
www.npr.org/2025/12/05/g...
The case isn't getting much attention.
But it pits the press's right not to face government retaliation over coverage against the president's assertion of vast executive powers
My story:
www.npr.org/2025/12/05/g...
NPR battles Trump executive order in court
NPR was in court for a pivotal hearing arguing that the Trump administration had broken the law with its treatment of public media.
www.npr.org
December 5, 2025 at 4:36 PM
NPR fights Trump's executive order against public media
The case isn't getting much attention.
But it pits the press's right not to face government retaliation over coverage against the president's assertion of vast executive powers
My story:
www.npr.org/2025/12/05/g...
The case isn't getting much attention.
But it pits the press's right not to face government retaliation over coverage against the president's assertion of vast executive powers
My story:
www.npr.org/2025/12/05/g...
This is huge! My mind has been boggled by how much a commute can cost here among these transit agencies.
Starting Dec 10, most Bay Area transit transfers will be free for two hours. If you take AC Transit to BART then transfer to Muni, your fare today is $9.10. With Clipper 2, the free AC and Muni transfers mean your fare will be just $3.90
1/
1/
December 5, 2025 at 5:04 AM
This is huge! My mind has been boggled by how much a commute can cost here among these transit agencies.
Spotted a blimp over San Francisco Bay this morning. Turns out it’s a Sergey Brin blimp. www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
November 19, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Spotted a blimp over San Francisco Bay this morning. Turns out it’s a Sergey Brin blimp. www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
BART station or portal to another dimension?
November 19, 2025 at 12:52 AM
BART station or portal to another dimension?
It’s my first time living near San Francisco and I can’t believe it took me so long
November 13, 2025 at 4:55 AM
It’s my first time living near San Francisco and I can’t believe it took me so long
A thing I like about major league baseball players is it’s extremely easy to picture most of them doing different jobs
October 30, 2025 at 12:53 AM
A thing I like about major league baseball players is it’s extremely easy to picture most of them doing different jobs
Man, the older I get, the more I appreciate that the whole time my parents were raising us kids, they were doing demanding full-time jobs and getting dinner on the table every night.
I knew … but now I really know.
I knew … but now I really know.
October 28, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Man, the older I get, the more I appreciate that the whole time my parents were raising us kids, they were doing demanding full-time jobs and getting dinner on the table every night.
I knew … but now I really know.
I knew … but now I really know.
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
Block Club Chicago and other news organizations are suing the federal government over First Amendment violations.
Four of our journalists have been shot with pepper-spray bullets and tear-gassed by federal agents. blockclubchi.co/4mRA6vG
Four of our journalists have been shot with pepper-spray bullets and tear-gassed by federal agents. blockclubchi.co/4mRA6vG
October 7, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Block Club Chicago and other news organizations are suing the federal government over First Amendment violations.
Four of our journalists have been shot with pepper-spray bullets and tear-gassed by federal agents. blockclubchi.co/4mRA6vG
Four of our journalists have been shot with pepper-spray bullets and tear-gassed by federal agents. blockclubchi.co/4mRA6vG
Today’s best Berkeley houses
October 3, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Today’s best Berkeley houses
A thing that I just learned that blows my mind: KQED plays the first hour of All Things Considered at 1 pm, which is as it’s first airing on the East coast.
I didn’t even know stations could do that!
I didn’t even know stations could do that!
October 1, 2025 at 8:02 PM
A thing that I just learned that blows my mind: KQED plays the first hour of All Things Considered at 1 pm, which is as it’s first airing on the East coast.
I didn’t even know stations could do that!
I didn’t even know stations could do that!
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
Miguel Angel Garcia-Hernandez, a victim of the shooting at the Dallas ICE facility, continues to be in critical condition.
His wife is 39 weeks pregnant. It’s a boy. “What if he never even gets to meet him?”
She wants the world to know her husband: www.npr.org/2025/09/27/n...
His wife is 39 weeks pregnant. It’s a boy. “What if he never even gets to meet him?”
She wants the world to know her husband: www.npr.org/2025/09/27/n...
'I want his name to be known:' Wife of immigrant injured at ICE facility shooting speaks out
Stephany Gauffeny says she wants the world to know that her husband, Miguel Angel Garcia-Hernandez, is more than "just an immigrant or a detainee, or a criminal."
www.npr.org
September 27, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Miguel Angel Garcia-Hernandez, a victim of the shooting at the Dallas ICE facility, continues to be in critical condition.
His wife is 39 weeks pregnant. It’s a boy. “What if he never even gets to meet him?”
She wants the world to know her husband: www.npr.org/2025/09/27/n...
His wife is 39 weeks pregnant. It’s a boy. “What if he never even gets to meet him?”
She wants the world to know her husband: www.npr.org/2025/09/27/n...
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
Breaking news from Des Moines: ICE has detained Dr. Ian Roberts, the superintendent of Iowa's largest school district.
The Des Moines Public Schools said "We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps."
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/09/26/i...
The Des Moines Public Schools said "We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps."
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/09/26/i...
ICE detains Des Moines Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts
Iowa's largest school district had "no confirmed information" on why ICE detained Dr. Ian Roberts, the superintendent since 2023.
www.bleedingheartland.com
September 26, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Breaking news from Des Moines: ICE has detained Dr. Ian Roberts, the superintendent of Iowa's largest school district.
The Des Moines Public Schools said "We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps."
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/09/26/i...
The Des Moines Public Schools said "We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps."
www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/09/26/i...
My last story for NPR! (For now at least.)
Home prices skyrocketed during the pandemic — and have stayed high. For some Americans, making their budget work means having fewer children than they'd envisioned.
Housing prices are causing some people to have smaller families than planned
Home prices skyrocketed during the pandemic — and have stayed high. For some Americans, making their budget work means having fewer children than they'd envisioned.
n.pr
September 25, 2025 at 4:37 PM
My last story for NPR! (For now at least.)
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
That's twenty years of money we didn't have for NPR and PBS: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
US Readies $20 Billion Rescue to Help Milei Win in Argentina
The US plans to extend a $20 billion swap line to Argentina and is ready to buy the country’s foreign bonds, providing much-needed financial support to President Javier Milei as he tries to regain inv...
www.bloomberg.com
September 24, 2025 at 5:55 PM
That's twenty years of money we didn't have for NPR and PBS: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Just felt an aftershock.
That 4.3 quake in Berkeley last night at 3 am was a real welcome to California.
That 4.3 quake in Berkeley last night at 3 am was a real welcome to California.
September 23, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Just felt an aftershock.
That 4.3 quake in Berkeley last night at 3 am was a real welcome to California.
That 4.3 quake in Berkeley last night at 3 am was a real welcome to California.
I became a Cal women’s soccer fan today; it was a great day.
Or as my toddler said: “go soccer bears!”
Or as my toddler said: “go soccer bears!”
September 21, 2025 at 3:51 AM
I became a Cal women’s soccer fan today; it was a great day.
Or as my toddler said: “go soccer bears!”
Or as my toddler said: “go soccer bears!”
I saw this house today and it felt like “Tales of the City” took place there
September 19, 2025 at 3:41 AM
I saw this house today and it felt like “Tales of the City” took place there
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
The first public media station to go dark thanks to Trump’s cutoff of federal funding to public media is a 70 year old station in Pennsylvania. https://loom.ly/IjOHdzI
‘The news devastated me’: Pennsylvania NPR station will be first in the US to go dark following Trump’s cuts
A public media organization in a university town just a few hours northwest of Philadelphia is set to be the first in the country to go dark after the Trump administration stripped away federal funding for NPR and PBS.
www.spokesman.com
September 19, 2025 at 3:32 AM
The first public media station to go dark thanks to Trump’s cutoff of federal funding to public media is a 70 year old station in Pennsylvania. https://loom.ly/IjOHdzI
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
big, big DC politics news: longtime delegate eleanor holmes norton is getting a primary challenge from dc council member robert white
Eleanor Holmes Norton is facing her most serious political threat in decades
D.C. Council member Robert White, a former Norton aide, said Thursday he will challenge her in 2026.
www.politico.com
September 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
big, big DC politics news: longtime delegate eleanor holmes norton is getting a primary challenge from dc council member robert white
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
For Emma, what could have been a simple dollars-and-cents decision was far more complicated.
The choice before her: whether to accept a scholarship offering nearly free tuition to attend law school at Indiana University in her home state — or to pay $45,000 a year at the University of Minnesota.
The choice before her: whether to accept a scholarship offering nearly free tuition to attend law school at Indiana University in her home state — or to pay $45,000 a year at the University of Minnesota.
New policies are making life harder for trans people — and prompting big financial decisions
White House executive orders and legislation in many states have targeted the rights and protections of trans people. For some, that has meant increased financial worry.
www.npr.org
September 18, 2025 at 3:29 PM
For Emma, what could have been a simple dollars-and-cents decision was far more complicated.
The choice before her: whether to accept a scholarship offering nearly free tuition to attend law school at Indiana University in her home state — or to pay $45,000 a year at the University of Minnesota.
The choice before her: whether to accept a scholarship offering nearly free tuition to attend law school at Indiana University in her home state — or to pay $45,000 a year at the University of Minnesota.
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
White House executive orders and legislation in many states have targeted the rights and protections of trans people. For some, that has meant increased financial worry.
New policies are making life harder for trans people — and prompting big financial decisions
White House executive orders and legislation in many states have targeted the rights and protections of trans people. For some, that has meant increased financial worry.
n.pr
September 18, 2025 at 12:46 PM
White House executive orders and legislation in many states have targeted the rights and protections of trans people. For some, that has meant increased financial worry.
My two favorite local things on KQED are Forum (which I often catch while washing dishes at night) and Perspectives, which are short essays written by members of the community.
⏰Today's Plan:
9AM: How to be a tourist in your own town
10AM: What’s driving California’s shrinking prison population?
📻 Listen to Forum:
9AM: How to be a tourist in your own town
10AM: What’s driving California’s shrinking prison population?
📻 Listen to Forum:
Listen to Forum
KQED's live call-in radio program presents balanced discussions of local, state, national, and world issues as well as in-depth interviews with leading figures in politics, science, entertainment, and...
buff.ly
September 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM
My two favorite local things on KQED are Forum (which I often catch while washing dishes at night) and Perspectives, which are short essays written by members of the community.
New from me for @npr.org : A look into the lives of three trans people in the U.S., and how a wave of new policies makes things harder for them -- including financially.
I'm proud of this one; I hope you'll give it a read.
www.npr.org/2025/09/18/n...
I'm proud of this one; I hope you'll give it a read.
www.npr.org/2025/09/18/n...
New policies are making life harder for trans people — and prompting big financial decisions
White House executive orders and legislation in many states have targeted the rights and protections of trans people. For some, that has meant increased financial worry.
www.npr.org
September 18, 2025 at 3:35 PM
New from me for @npr.org : A look into the lives of three trans people in the U.S., and how a wave of new policies makes things harder for them -- including financially.
I'm proud of this one; I hope you'll give it a read.
www.npr.org/2025/09/18/n...
I'm proud of this one; I hope you'll give it a read.
www.npr.org/2025/09/18/n...
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
New PEN America statement: “The firing and suspension of multiple journalists after the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk should alarm anyone who cares about free speech and a free press. Taken together, these measures risk creating a chilling effect that extends beyond those directly targeted..."
September 15, 2025 at 9:41 PM
New PEN America statement: “The firing and suspension of multiple journalists after the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk should alarm anyone who cares about free speech and a free press. Taken together, these measures risk creating a chilling effect that extends beyond those directly targeted..."
Reposted by Laurel Wamsley
Wow: In WaPo op-ed, Donna Brazile, a Democratic Party heavyweight who is close to D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, is calling on her longtime friend not to run for re-election. Norton has been noticeably diminished in recent years; she’s now 88. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
September 15, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Wow: In WaPo op-ed, Donna Brazile, a Democratic Party heavyweight who is close to D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, is calling on her longtime friend not to run for re-election. Norton has been noticeably diminished in recent years; she’s now 88. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...