Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 1d

Robert Roberson faces execution in TX Oct16 for the ‘02 murder of his daughter Nikki Curtis. For yrs, a growing pool of supporters—from the lead detective to Dr. Phil—have argued he’s innocent; that doctors & prosecutors blamed him for Nikki’s death through a faulty diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome

Did the ‘Psychopath Test’ Help Send Robert Roberson to His Execution?

The case against Robert Roberson, whose execution is scheduled for Oct. 16, is the latest to raise questions about a controversial diagnosis.

www.themarshallproject.org

Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 2d

Water resource “hedge funds” and corporate farms are running the desert dry. @sentientmedia.org reports from Arizona where they produced this powerful video filled with local, rural voices.

#localnews #ruralnews #nonprofitnews
sentientmedia.org/arizona-desert-where-your-neighbor-is-an-alfalfa-farm/

In the Arizona Desert, Where Your Neighbor Is an Alfalfa Farm

YouTube video by Sentient

youtu.be

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Reposted by Alana Rocha

Sentient @sentientmedia.org · 2d

In La Paz County Arizona, like 80% of the state, there are few restrictions on groundwater use.

We went to investigate why the desert is running dry, and who stands to profit.

Meet the residents who fear that without change, the area will become unlivable.
buff.ly/32dhv7q

In the Arizona Desert, Where Your Neighbor Is an Alfalfa Farm

Meet the residents of La Paz County Arizona. Here, like 80% of the state, there are few restrictions on groundwater use. We went to investigate why the desert is running dry, and who stands to…

buff.ly

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

Kids, seniors, local grocers—even farmers—are all feeling the pinch of a food crisis made worse by government cuts and rising prices.

RNN’s 9-part series dives into what’s really going on, with support from the Google News Initiative, Knight Foundation, and more.

#ruralhunger #nonprofitnews

Sowing Resilience

Sowing Resilience features 9 stories on how communities are navigating — and reimagining — the systems that have left them hungry.

inn.org

Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

With food insecurity rising, @lpm.org details how Kentucky continues to aggressively investigate individuals on fraud allegations, with some legal experts claiming they rely too much on faulty evidence.

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #localnews #nonprofitnews

Kentucky has kicked people off of food benefits using data that doesn’t tell the full story

With food insecurity rising, Kentucky continues to aggressively investigate individuals on fraud allegations, with some legal experts claiming they rely too much on faulty evidence.

www.lpm.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

Tribal nations in Oklahoma have historically been leaders in getting food to hungry people — both native and non-native. But as @kosuradio.bsky.social reports, uncertainty created by federal funding changes is causing concern for leaders of the Osage Nation and other tribes.

#ruralhunger #localnews

How one tribal nation in Oklahoma is combating uncertainty in federal support for food

Tribal nations in Oklahoma have historically been leaders in getting food to hungry people — both native and non-native. But uncertainty created by federal funding changes is causing concern for leade...

www.kosu.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

In Mississippi’s Delta, food insecurity hits hard—but Black women are leading the charge to feed their communities.

@capitalb.bsky.social reports –

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #localnews #nonprofitnews

The Black Women Driving a Food Revolution in Rural Mississippi

From grocery stores to food distribution services, Black women are leading efforts to feed their communities.

capitalbnews.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

Maine has long been one of the most food insecure states in New England. Directors of food pantries tell @themainemonitor.org, making sure people are fed is getting harder bc of increasing demand and an overwhelming reliance on volunteers, many of whom are retirees.

#ruralhunger #nonprofitnews

Maine’s food pantries stare down volunteer shortage

At Neighbor’s Cupboard in Winterport, funding cuts aren’t the biggest challenge. It's keeping volunteers, especially as they get older.

themainemonitor.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

🏘️ In Axtell, Kansas, the fight against food deserts is personal. @thebeacon.bsky.social explains how a state-backed initiative is helping small-town grocery stores stay open amid soaring prices and shrinking options.

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #localnews #nonprofitnews

Can grocery stores keep rural Kansas communities vibrant?

Amid expanding food deserts and soaring prices, investments in rural Kansas are keeping small grocery stores afloat.

thebeaconnews.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

In the rural communities that have made the U.S. a global food power, residents are increasingly finding it difficult to access enough food for themselves.

@investigatemidwest.bsky.social reports –

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #localnews #nonprofitnews

These rural communities feed the world. They’re also going hungry. - Investigate Midwest

Over the last four decades, America’s agricultural output has nearly doubled, as the production of livestock and crops has not only fed the nation but also fueled growing food demand in Asia and South...

investigatemidwest.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

Small-town grocers in Minnesota feel deep responsibility to their communities—but many face the threat of closure. They tell @minnpost.bsky.social that federal cuts to food stamps could shrink revenue even more.

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #localnews #nonprofitnews

What happens when the rural Minnesota grocery store closes?

Small-town grocery store owners feel a strong sense of responsibility to their communities, but the threat of closure often looms.

www.minnpost.com

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

North Carolina schools once served kids meals made w/ locally grown food. But, as
@enlacelatinonc.bsky.social reports, w/ a key USDA grant now gone, districts are turning back to bulk suppliers and processed foods—hurting kids’ nutrition and squeezing local farmers.

#ruralhunger #nonprofitnews

North Carolina Students Face Reduced Access to Fresh, Local Meals Amid Federal Funding Cuts

Noticias en español sobre política, inmigración y asuntos comunitarios para los latinos en Carolina del Norte.

enlacelatinonc.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

The Jefferson County Beacon, in Washington, explores how people and organizations across the county are working to meet the needs of the food insecure by building upon and refining approaches as government assistance dwindles.

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #localnews #nonprofitnews

How Our Most Vulnerable Are Being Pushed to the Brink— and Finding Nourishment and Connection — The Jefferson County Beacon

News by Scott France The bounty that the seas and network of small farms produce masks an omnipresent reality in Jefferson County — food insecurity.

www.jeffcobeacon.com

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

From farm towns to tribal nations, the RNN journalists' on-the-ground reporting paints a picture of how rural families are navigating food insecurity and what solutions are being tested.

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #localnews #nonprofitnews

Sowing Resilience: Nine stories about food insecurity in rural America - Investigate Midwest

Rural communities across the country are grappling with food insecurity. Schoolchildren, seniors, grocers and even farmers face a food crisis compounded by government cuts and soaring costs. These 9 s...

investigatemidwest.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

The USDA will stop collecting the very hunger data this reporting relies on, saying the numbers had become “overly politicized.” The project began publishing the day after that announcement, making the work all the more urgent.

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #localnews #nonprofitnews

After cuts to food stamps, Trump administration ends government's annual report on hunger in America

The Trump administration is ending the federal government’s annual report on hunger in America, saying it had become “overly politicized″ and ”rife with inaccuracies.″ The decision comes two and a hal...

apnews.com

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · 7d

🚨🌾🚨 Nine newsrooms in @inn.org's Rural News Network just wrapped Sowing Resilience, a cross-country reporting series, in partnership with @apnews.com.

The series tackles hunger in rural America, connecting local reporting to a national crisis. 🧵

#ruralhunger #ruralnews #nonprofitnews

Sowing Resilience

Sowing Resilience features 9 stories on how communities are navigating — and reimagining — the systems that have left them hungry.

inn.org

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Reposted by Alana Rocha

Enlace Latino NC @enlacelatinonc.bsky.social · 16d

Fresh, local meals are disappearing from North Carolina schools after federal funding cuts. Rural districts are struggling to fill the gap and students are the most affected.

Enlace Latino NC & #RuralNewsNetwork

Read more here👇

enlacelatinonc.org/en/north-car...

North Carolina Students Face Reduced Access to Fresh, Local Meals Amid Federal Funding Cuts

News in Spanish about politics, immigration and community issues for Latinos in North Carolina.

enlacelatinonc.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · Aug 22

Eufaula Police Chief David Bryning made his agreement with ICE in late February, but has since decided to cancel.

Bryning said he’s never had a problem with any of the handful of immigrant families living in his town of about 2,700 people, and gang activity isn’t a concern either.

#ruralnews

Oklahoma’s Small-Town Police Take Federal Immigration Role - Oklahoma Watch

The number of people deported without a criminal history continues to rise in Oklahoma. But as local law enforcement leaders enter into new ICE agreements, they say they are trying to take a nuanced a...

oklahomawatch.org

Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · Aug 22

Statewide, 16 municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies have entered into agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement since President Donald Trump took office in January.

#localnews #nonprofitnews

Oklahoma’s Small-Town Police Take Federal Immigration Role - Oklahoma Watch

The number of people deported without a criminal history continues to rise in Oklahoma. But as local law enforcement leaders enter into new ICE agreements, they say they are trying to take a nuanced a...

oklahomawatch.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · Aug 22

Called 287(g) agreements after their section in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1991, they allow local police to interrogate and arrest people for federal immigration violations, then hold them for deportation processing.

@oklahomawatch.bsky.social + @kosuradio.bsky.social reports

Oklahoma’s Small-Town Police Take Federal Immigration Role - Oklahoma Watch

The number of people deported without a criminal history continues to rise in Oklahoma. But as local law enforcement leaders enter into new ICE agreements, they say they are trying to take a nuanced a...

oklahomawatch.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · Aug 18

“We killed the corrupt special session, withstood unprecedented surveillance and intimidation and rallied Democrats nationwide to join this existential fight for fair representation — reshaping the entire 2026 landscape,” said Rep. Gene Wu of Houston, House Dem Caucus chair.

via @texastribune.org

Texas House Democrats announce return, ending walkout over redistricting plan

After two weeks out of state, Democratic lawmakers said they would return to Austin and lay the groundwork for a legal challenge to the GOP’s proposed congressional map.

www.texastribune.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · Aug 13

For people who live hundreds of miles from clinics, in small towns where the pharmacist might be your uncle—or cousin—losing access to mifepristone through the mail isn’t just inconvenient. It can be dangerous and stigmatizing.

New from @civilbeat.bsky.social –

#localnews #ruralnews #nonprofitnews

Hawaiʻi Providers Fear RFK Jr. Could Roll Back Access To Abortion Pill

Women in remote and rural parts of Hawaiʻi have long struggled to access abortion care.

www.civilbeat.org

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Reposted by Alana Rocha

Sentient @sentientmedia.org · Aug 12

Canadians and Americans are working together to stop the construction of two new mega-dairies in North Dakota. At the core of the fight? Clean water.

@jesslsr.bsky.social shares how advocates and residents are fighting against factory farms.

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · Aug 12

In this spotlight on @capitalb.bsky.social –– one of 90+ newsrooms in @inn.org's Rural News Network –– health care professionals, advocates tell @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social their biggest fear is that Black communities will be the hardest hit and the lack of access could worsen economic disparities.

Medicaid Cuts Endanger Life-Saving Care for Black Families in Rural America

Advocates and experts warn that the rollbacks could have a drastic impact on public health in Black communities.

capitalbnews.org

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Alana Rocha @viaalana.bsky.social · Aug 12

In this unincorporated Florida community, farmworkers often struggle to put fresh fruit and vegetables on their own tables, @sentientmedia.org reports.

Since ICE raids have increased, a group of Quakers have started attending distribution, making sure their phones are always charged and accessible.

In Immokalee, Community Groups Plant With Extreme Heat and Farmworker Neighbors in Mind

Volunteers keep an eye out for ICE while others grow and distribute plants like cactus and jute mallow.

sentientmedia.org

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