Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Racheline Maltese

@racheline.bsky.social

2.8K followers 670 following 2.3K posts

Award-winning romance author writing happily ever afters about difficult people with complicated lives. SAG-AFTRA. Figure skater. Former journalist/media analyst.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Racheline Maltese @racheline.bsky.social · Aug 25

This was definitely how A QUEEN FROM THE NORTH got built. A defaced government poster about unity in a train station. It opened up the whole plot to us before we even knew what we were about https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XBPDJPM?ref=KC_GS_GB_US

3 1 9

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Nikkolas Smith @4nikkolas.bsky.social · 17h

after millions of views and shares of my Portland Frog art. (thank you all🙏🏾) I got requests to highlight priests, and chickens, and Chicagoans, and T-Rexes, and more… all of us who refuse to bend the knee. so this is for US.
𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚊𝚕𝚕.
𝚆𝚎 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚆𝚒𝚗.

170 5K 15K

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 12h

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

730 7.3K 13K

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Suleikha Snyder @suleikhasnyder.bsky.social · 19h

Turns out, we also have a frog hopping around Rogers Park! They’re spreading from Portland. This is the corner where people were grabbed up yesterday.

A picture of somebody in a giant green frog costume whimsically hanging off a street corner sign pole like Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain. They were actually doing the twirl but I didn’t take video. The frog has a beige belly and face and black spots all over the rest of the costume. There is, unfortunately, a corner of a postal truck obstructing the view. I was hesistant to get a closer, clearer pic. But the frog made me smile!

1 11 59

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 13h

The Democratic Attorneys General Association established a Legal Defense Fund for exactly this moment: when its members — including AG Tish James—are targeted by the Trump administration for political prosecution.

Donate here.

Donate to DAGA's Legal Defense Fund

The Democratic Attorneys General Association has launched a defense fund to help defend Democratic attorneys general and their staff who are targeted for political retribution by the Trump administrat...

secure.actblue.com

12 430 1.5K

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Senate Judiciary Democrats 🇺🇸 @judiciarydems.senate.gov · 17h

BREAKING: Sens. DURBIN, DUCKWORTH were just denied entrance to the Broadview ICE Facility in Illinois, unable to conduct constitutional role of oversight.

500 5K 12K

Racheline Maltese @racheline.bsky.social · 15h

We are here. What’s your plan if you get that knock on your door?

(Again, this is not for answering here, this is for making clear decisions and plans you are able to execute on in a high-pressure moment)

Sophie Sherry @sophiesherry.bsky.social · 19h

During a military-style raid on a building in Chicago’s South Shore, one resident heard a knock on his door.   It wasn’t the feds — it was a mom and her 7-year-old daughter, pleading for help.

He let them hide in his unit for the next 3 days.

chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Neighbor shielded 7-year-old during South Shore federal raid: ‘I didn’t want them to take her’

During the Sept. 30 raid one tenant protected a terrified girl and her mom. Remnants at the complex, including a detailed map of all the units, offer clues to what authorities may have known before th...

chicago.suntimes.com

3 12

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 16h

His slip of the tongue reveals who’s really in charge. trib.al/mIvP0yE

“Illinois governor says we’re provoking actions that are unlawful,” Miller said on CNN. “If I put federal law enforcement and National Guard into a nice sleepy Southern town, is anyone gonna riot?”

1.4K 7K 17K

Racheline Maltese @racheline.bsky.social · 18h

These are the gay feral cats who live in my backyard (they are neutered and receive vet care but do not want to be near people or inside)

Two large grey tabby cats with white paws. They are curled up together on a blue and white cushion on a white Adirondack chair in a backyard. They are gay and in love.

1 2

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 1d

I'm doing another print run of these "Biology is Bigger than Binaries" shirts!

Back, quite literally, by popular demand. Bullying works, sure, but so does a bunch of nice cutie patooties politely asking!

Order 'em now, I'll mail 'em in early November.

SquidFacts.net

a woman with short bown hair, glasses, and tassel earrings, wears a purple KN95 and looks cool as hell in her biology is bigger than binaries shirt, in orange

a woman with green glasses takes a selfie lookin' cool as hell in her pink biology is bigger than binaries shirt. She's also got ice cream, that lucky dog.

a woman with long brown hair and glasses hangs out in the back yard with her pink biology is bigger than binaries shirt

A man with a hat and sunglasses stands in hero-pose with his biology is bigger than binaires shirt (orange)

11 150 440

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Jim Daley @jimdaleywrites.bsky.social · 23h

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

Racheline Maltese @racheline.bsky.social · 20h

Cuomo’s completely wrong take here is because the only context he has for busses is the Upper East Side where they were the only option prior to the Q and yes, ladies who lunch take them. This is not the city-wide bus reality. It’s not even the UES bus reality at this point. Dude doesn’t know NYC

Nick @sregorn.bsky.social · 23h

great post sir, keep saying shit like this

2 3 6

Racheline Maltese @racheline.bsky.social · 20h

I’m so mad that I spent my entire life thinking it was a skill issue!

Racheline Maltese @racheline.bsky.social · 21h

If you like to rubberneck people being absolutely bonkers may I recommend Facebook wedding planning communities?

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Micah @rincewind.run · 23h

this is absolutely my favorite protest innovation of 2025

"my opponents are violent antifa extremist terrorists"

"your opponents are dressed as giant inflatable frogs"

solid fuck you to the pepe crowd too

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 1d

Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

42 570 2.8K

Racheline Maltese @racheline.bsky.social · 23h

Yesterday we had our makeup test for the wedding in which I learned I was not a failure as a goth but, in fact, have a weird eye shape that makes it actively impossible to do wings/cat eye

1 26

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Broti Gupta @brotigupta.bsky.social · 1d

so much of the american experience is being on hold with pharmacies for so long you decide it might just be easier to die

15 40 320

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Bryn Donovan @bryndonovan.bsky.social · 23h

My beautiful city is under siege, and it's breaking my heart. Please read, and share if you like the post.
www.bryndonovan.com/2025/10/10/m...
#chicago #ice #nationalguard

My Beautiful City Is Under Siege and It’s Breaking My Heart

I don’t expect to write another blog post like this. If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you know that I focus on writing and positivity. But this is related to my writing, and anyway, …

www.bryndonovan.com

3 7

Racheline Maltese @racheline.bsky.social · 23h

Literally no one other than the writer of this piece has had this opinion ever?

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 1d

Compared to Dylan and Springsteen, country-music legend Johnny Cash can seem deeply uncool. It took time for me to appreciate his profound, plainspoken strength, writes Jon Fasman.

Essay | Can We Finally Give Johnny Cash His Due?

Compared to Dylan and Springsteen, the country-music legend can seem deeply uncool. It took time for me to appreciate his profound, plainspoken strength.

on.wsj.com

5 21

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Frog Redemption Arc Enthusiast @mxlabradorite.bsky.social · 1d

It's becoming clear that someone (probably Miller, but maybe not, or maybe not just him) is feeding him endless disaster footage and telling him it's Portland, it's Chicago, and he's reacting to that. They want a Trump who feels like the big strong defender, at any cost.

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 1d

Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

1 2 4

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

New York Attorney General Letitia James @newyorkstateag.bsky.social · 1d

This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..

1.8K 11K 39K

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

collin cornell @collincornell.bsky.social · 1d

“One of the chants that has become ubiquitous at these protests at Broadview is, ‘Love your neighbor, love your God, save your soul and quit your job,’” said Black, who pastors at the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago. “Everybody chants that.”

RNS @rns.org · 3d

The pastors’ efforts are part of rising faith-based pushback to the Trump administration as the president seeks to implement plans for mass deportation of immigrants.
religionnews.com/2025/10/07/i...

Religious protesters say ICE threatens religious freedom in Chicago

(RNS) — Despite potential danger, religious leaders and faith activists have been a visible presence at Chicago-area ICE protests, some waving signs with slogans such as ‘Love thy neighbor’ and ‘Who…

religionnews.com

2 130 360

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

paris martineau @paris.nyc · 1d

after the 10th radioactive shrimp recall in 7 weeks, i decided to do some digging

little did i know it would lead me to an underreported industrial accident that may have released an airborne plume of radioactive debris over swaths of indonesia
www.consumerreports.org/health/food-...

What Is Really Going on With All This Radioactive Shrimp? - Consumer Reports

Here’s the latest on how shrimp and spices got contaminated with cesium-137, how the FDA has responded, and why consumers should not panic.

www.consumerreports.org

33 920 1.7K

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

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

Hearing from a lot of folks in and around CBS / Paramount. Thank you! But there's more I'd love your help with. If you work there, might you be able to text me? You can reach me on Signal @ premthakker.35

Your anonymity will be protected

No info? That's ok, just boost this so others see it too :)

1 140 310

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Will McKinley @willmckinley.bsky.social · 1d

George Hardy (1925-2025) — one of the last surviving combat veterans of the Tuskegee Airmen.

He also flew 45 missions in the Korean War and 70 in Vietnam.

“I used to say the Army’s No. 1 job was segregation,” he said. “Winning the war was No. 2.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/u... #TuskegeeAirmen

George Hardy, Tuskegee Airman Who Fought in Three Wars, Dies at 100

www.nytimes.com

1 25 42

Reposted by Racheline Maltese

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Q: Have you given any more thought to possibly suspending habeas corpus?

TRUMP: Suspending who?

Q: Habeas corpus

TRUMP: I don't know. I'd rather leave that to Kristi.

930 1.1K 3.8K