Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 1d

www.kentucky.com/opinion/lind...

Memoir chronicles a KY writer’s addiction journey amidst the opioid crisis | Opinion

Linda Blackford: In “The Nature of Pain,” Mandi Fugate Sheffel writes of family ties, tragedy and redemption in her Eastern Kentucky upbringing.

www.kentucky.com

Reposted by Linda Blackford

Genevieve Lakier @genevievelakier.bsky.social · 5d

The Trump Administration’s “Compact of Excellence” for Universities is... far from excellent! Indeed, it’s unconstitutional. In this post, let me count the ways.

blog.dividedargument.com/p/the-uncons...

The Unconstitutional Conditions Doctrine and the Compact for Excellence

Members of the Trump administration love to say that federal funding is a privilege not a right and therefore something that can be granted or withheld based on changing administrative priorities.

blog.dividedargument.com

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 6d

After Declining to Give Trump a Sword for King Charles, a Museum Leader Is Out www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/a...

After Declining to Give Trump a Sword for King Charles, a Museum Leader Is Out

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Hunter Walker @hunterw.bsky.social · 6d

UPenn professors have responded forcefully to the Trump administration's that colleges sign a "compact" in order to secure funding:

"When an invitation is accompanied by consequences for not accepting it, it is in fact a threat, not an invitation." aaup-penn.org/statement-by...

Statement by the AAUP-Penn Executive Committee on the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education | AAUP–Penn

October 2, 2025 We have received reports that Penn has been “invited” to sign a so-called “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” by the federal government, and that failing to do so wou...

aaup-penn.org

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 7d

Lovely essay from @ivystone.bsky.social about her summer trip to Canada, and how our neighbors are feeling about the current situation.
www.kentucky.com/opinion/op-e...

This Kentuckian’s trip to Canada was met with curiosity, sadness, and pity | Opinion

OpEd: We wondered what Canadians think of us; mostly they wonder why we are letting so much harm come to us and our country.

www.kentucky.com

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 8d

Snaky saga is over: Powell paramedic cleared of saving life without correct license
www.kentucky.com/opinion/lind...

KY paramedic gets pass on saving life of snake-bit man without correct license

Linda Blackford: Paramedic Eddie Barnes was threatened with losing his license for administering the anti-venom for a mamba snakebite.

www.kentucky.com

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 8d

A friendly reminder: US billionaires have gained $968 billion in wealth so far this year—that’s 30X the annual cost of ACA subsidies Congress is fighting over in the shutdown talks.

That $968B is enough to send every single US household a $7,300 check.

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

NY Times Pitchbot @nytpitchbot.bsky.social · 9d

Donald Trump’s decision to invade Portland on the basis of video from five years ago raises new questions about Joe Biden’s mental state.

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Tom Eblen @tomeblen.com · 9d

A well-deserved scorcher of a column by @lblackford.bsky.social. Fayette County Public Schools leadership has flunked Public Trust 101.

www.kentucky.com/opinion/lind...

Fancy dinners, trips abroad. Will the FCPS budgetary madness ever end? | Opinion

Linda Blackford: The nearly $2.6 million in expenses charged in SIX MONTHS on FCPS credit cards show a total inability to read the room.

www.kentucky.com

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 13d

"The sheer number of American elites willing to acquiesce to the destruction of democratic institutions is demoralizing. But it’s worth noting that many ordinary people seem to be made of sterner stuff."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Lower Than Cowards

The surrender of America’s elites

www.theatlantic.com

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 12d

Just unbelievable, like so much these days.

Jose 💀"Mangler-ito"💀 Caldas @josemanolitocaldas.bsky.social · 12d

Even Gen. Nelson Miles said it was
"the most abominable criminal military blunder and a horrible massacre of women and children."
He was critical of the CO of the 7th Cavalry who led the massacre, and after retirement, fought for compensation for the survivors.

Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 13d

The MAGA monocultural revolution is so thorough that Hegseth made it a priority to honor soldiers who carried out war crimes in 1890.

Reposted by Linda Blackford

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 13d

really interesting to me that pete hegseth — who incidentally was accused of domestic abuse — is obsessed with war crimes

Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 13d

The MAGA monocultural revolution is so thorough that Hegseth made it a priority to honor soldiers who carried out war crimes in 1890.

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 13d

Let's hope all the tax breaks rich people get on racehorses will give them more leeway to make these horses find homes after the track and don't end up in kill pens. Owners can make sure it doesn't happen.
www.cnbc.com/2025/09/25/r...

Trump tax breaks give the racehorse market a boost

Racehorse owners can take the same deduction as private-jet buyers and can now deduct losses against any type of income including capital gains.

www.cnbc.com

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Lexington Herald-Leader @kentucky.com · 13d

Linda Blackford: The diocese, which stretches across 50 counties in Central and Eastern Kentucky, defies politics to face climate realities.

Catholic Diocese of Lexington takes bold step on climate change across KY | Opinion

Linda Blackford: The diocese, which stretches across 50 counties in Central and Eastern Kentucky, defies politics to face climate realities.

bit.ly

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 13d

When people suffer, so do animals
www.kentucky.com/news/state/k...

‘In over our heads.’ KY animal shelters face storm of overcrowding, underfunding

Linda Blackford: Across KY, shelters and rescue organizations face overcrowding due to the housing crisis, inflation and too many animals.

www.kentucky.com

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 15d

This is just one small chip in the erosion of our voting systems, but it's worth keeping track of
www.kentucky.com/opinion/lind...

No more voter registration at KY naturalization ceremonies? ‘Another attack.’ | Opinion

Linda Blackford: The Trump administration is trying to stop voter registration for new citizens at naturalization ceremonies.

www.kentucky.com

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Adrian Paul Bryant @adrianpbryant.bsky.social · 16d

Among the months-long FCPS budget drama has been one frequently asked but unanswered question: how exactly did the District get to this point?

@lblackford.bsky.social's piece today seems to me the first thorough and reasonable answer to that question.

www.kentucky.com/opinion/lind...

Final FCPS budget vote is Monday. Board must fix what ails district finances | Opinion

Linda Blackford: Without a payroll tax, Fayette County schools will have to make cuts. We need to know more about what they are.

www.kentucky.com

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · 27d

A pleasure to speak with Anna Richardson White about her new film about home, family and @appalshop.bsky.social
www.kentucky.com/opinion/lind...

New film explores Appalshop’s enduring legacy, EKY, and the meaning of home

Linda Blackford: Anna Richardson White returns home to Whitesburg to explore the meaning of place with her new film “Appalheads.”

www.kentucky.com

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Steven Mazie @stevenmazie.bsky.social · Sep 8

SCOTUS: considering race as one factor in a college applicant's file is blatantly unconstitutional

ALSO SCOTUS: considering race as one factor in targeting whom to detain and deport is cool cool cool

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

NY Times Pitchbot @nytpitchbot.bsky.social · Sep 8

Was the Dred Scott case decided incorrectly? This Federalist Society judge isn't so sure.

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · Sep 6

I keep typing words and then deleting them because none of them are sufficient to capture how utterly fucked up and unacceptable this is. And yet it won't move a single Republican to give a damn.

Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · Sep 6

The president of the United States just declared war, actual military war, not a metaphorical one, on a major American city, and one governed by his political opponents.

In any other period, this would be impeachment-worthy.

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Reposted by Linda Blackford

Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · Sep 5

The truth has a known liberal bias, so this checks out

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Sep 5

CNN: When the jobs report comes out, are you going to believe the numbers?

REP. RANDY FINE: Um, I'm going to look at the numbers. Look, the people who put these numbers together are human & fallible and make mistakes

C: It wasn't that they make mistakes

F: Numbers always tend to benefit the left

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Linda Blackford @lblackford.bsky.social · Sep 5

Just consistently the worst people in the world

Andy Kaczynski @kfile.bsky.social · Sep 5

NEW: Trump's nominee to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics ran an anonymous Twitter account filled with sexually degrading attacks on Kamala Harris, anti-gay slurs, and far-right conspiracy theories.
www.cnn.com/2025/09/05/p...