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High School sports participation stalls across the Carolinas
At least three high school teams in North Carolina recent months have been forced to cancel seasons due to low turnout.
Health Break: Non-profit provider brings back free series for Lowcountry caregivers
MiraSol Health is hosting a free caregiver series from September through January.
Microsoft just cut out the middleman for running Linux tools on Windows 11
Windows 11 just made running Linux containers native so you can ditch extra desktop apps
Ken Paxton, G.O.P. Nominee in Texas, Privately Said Trump’s Convention Hurt Him
Ken Paxton, one of the party’s top Senate candidates and a Trump loyalist, said that “everybody’s numbers dropped” after the event, according to audio obtained by The Times.
‘He had a knife to my neck’: Business owner recounts fighting off man who held her at knife point
A woman fought off a man who put a knife to her neck and demanded her fanny pack Saturday inside Upcycle Treasure Box on Gravois Avenue, according to the store’s owner.
Republican blocks Senate resolution criticizing Trump’s taxpayer-funded ads
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) argued that past presidents in both parties have aired similar announcements.
KOFST President: Nation Respecting Scientists Key to AI Top 3
KOFST President: Nation Respecting Scientists Key to AI Top 3 60th anniversary marks new AI award, expanded scientist honors, policy tracking for youth and national strategy
RWJBarnabas Health Shares 10 Facts Everyone Should Know about Addiction and Recovery
RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery’s Peer Recovery Program shares insights into addiction and recovery from its peer recovery specialists.
RWJBarnabas Health and NJ Department of Health Celebrate Success of “Stay Well, Learn Well” Initiative
RWJBarnabas Health, in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), hosted a series of successful back-to-school events as part of their "Stay Well, Learn Well” initiative which provides childhood vaccinations, school physicals, and other wellness resources to help ensure children across New Jersey are healthy, protected and ready to learn.
Rare photo of ’80s action icon shared amid health struggles
His daughter posted the picture on social media.
WBLF Video: 12th Annual Women Business Leaders Kickoff
In this video, NJBIA President & CEO Michele Siekerka and Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce President Danielle Norcross welcome hundreds of
Toledo summit will focus on women’s health issues including menopause and hormones
The Northwest Ohio Women’s Health Summit is described as a day of evidence-based answers for women who are ready to feel better, get well and take charge of their health.
UI computer science professors discuss growing AI safety concerns
Artificial intelligence industry experts are expressing increasing concern in recent weeks about the growth of AI, calling on governments to slow down development and increase safety measures. Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday the creation of an Illinois AI Cabinet to assess possible risks. The main concerns are rogue AI agents, such as the Hugging Face...
Pope Leo defends entering political fray on France end-of-life law
Pope Leo on Monday defended his decision to vocally oppose assisted dying initiatives while in France, acknowledging he may have entered the political fray two months after the country approved such a measure, but wanted to share the Catholic Church's viewpoint.
Bobby Kotick’s lawyers sent me a bad email (and later apologized)
The message I had received was unsettling—for a moment. Then it was just really confusing. Back on January 20 of this year, at 5:15pm ET, I received an email with the subject line “Legal Correspondence re Bobby Kotick.” It was from the law firm Clare Locke, a firm I’d heard had been emailing reporters in recent years about their coverage of Kotick, the former, longtime CEO of Activision Blizzard. The letter was threatening. A lawyer from the firm introduced themselves as “defamation counsel to Bobby Kotick.” They issued a “demand” that I “correct” a Game File article I’d published a week prior. The article that had irked them had been a scoop of sorts. I’d written about a a 2022 lawsuit brought by a Swedish pension fund, AP7, over Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard. The suit wasn’t news, but I was first to review and report about Kotick’s extensive pushback to the fund’s claims. The pension fund’s core contention was that the sale had been rushed by Kotick to avoid the consequences of sexual misconduct scandals swirling around the company in 2021. (He’d not been accused of misconduct himself in those suits, to be clear.) As I wrote at the time, Kotick had denied the allegations of the rushed sale. Beyond that, Kotick used a December 2025 reply to the Swedish fund’s lawsuit to assign blame for those workplace scandals, the bad press and even for the AP7 lawsuit. I’d found Kotick’s arguments novel and newsworthy. Across nearly 3,000 words, I explained Kotick’s take: that a Swedish gaming company was behind the Swedish fund’s lawsuit (the Embracer group; they denied it); that the Microsoft-Activision deal was not rushed and was secured at what Kotick felt history had proven to be an optimal price for shareholders; that he believed a conspiracy of people at unions government agencies, PR firms and the media had spun up claims of widespread workplace misconduct at Activision Blizzard in 2021. The article gave context for all of this, letting readers assess the claims and weigh their credibility. As I’d later write to Kotick’s lawyers: I would be surprised if you could point to any news article about Bobby Kotick in the last five years that has spent more of its wordcount articulating his point of view. He is welcome to do an interview with Game File any time. Nonetheless, there they were in my inbox that Tuesday evening: Clare Locke, the law firm that secured a $787.5 million settlement from Fox News over false statements about voting machines. They were emailing me, threatening that failure to comply with their demand could support a claim of “actual malice,” a legal standard for libel. Unless… Unless, they said, I added a key paragraph to my article. This was a paragraph that I already knew Kotick’s lawyers had been emailing reporters about for at least a year, and it was a paragraph that was already in my article. The paragraph they wanted is from a 2023 settlement that California’s Civil Rights Department struck with Activision Blizzard. The settlement had closed a two-year-old lawsuit over alleged sexual discrimination at the game maker. The paragraph basically said that claims of systemic or widespread sexual harassment—or of execs like Kotick tolerating such behavior—had never been proven. I’d already seen proof that Kotick’s lawyers had pushed for the settlement’s language to be added to reports about 2021 sexual discrimination and misconduct lawsuits brought against Activision Blizzard by California and, separately, by the U.S. federal government (both suits were since settled). I knew that Kotick and his lawyers felt that the California settlement language should be mentioned in the same breath as references to an article he hated and denied, a November 2021 Wall Street Journal article claiming Kotick knew “for years” of sexual misconduct at Activision Blizzard. So, in the Game File article that Clare Locke emailed me about, in the interest of ensuring I was being fair and balanced regarding the person I was covering, I had already included the following excerpt from the California settlement [emphasis added in bold]: (Kotick has repeatedly pushed back against that November article in the Wall Street Journal, citing among other things, language from a court-approved consent decree as part of Activision’s 2023 $54 million settlement over the California suit. It states: “no court or any independent investigation has substantiated any allegations that: there has been systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard [or] that Activision Blizzard senior executives ignored, condoned, or tolerated a culture of systemic harassment, retaliation, or discrimination.”) On the evening of January 20, I was incredulous. How do you write a four page legal threat about a week-old article and miss this? While scrambling to also make my kids dinner, I wrote a lengthy reply to Clare Locke’s lawyers, basically asking them to cool it with the threats and to start making sense. In part, I wrote: I hope you can understand why I am having trouble understanding what you’re asking for, when the statement you’re demanding to see in Game File’s article already appears in Game File’s article. Actual malice, as you know, refers to a reckless disregard for the truth. I’m not sure what your argument is when my article already states your client’s position. Here is where I should remind you, the reader, that I am an independent journalist. I publish on Substack, and have availed myself of the Substack Defender program that provides writers on the platform with legal support. But I’m no Wall Street Journal or New York Times, nor even IGN or GameSpot when it comes to such things as, well, having a legal department. There are more fun things for me to do as an independent journalist than writing back to a powerful law firm representing a very rich person. On the evening of January 20th, I was just trying to cook some pasta, broccoli and chicken nuggets for hungry twins. Nevertheless, I wrote back to them. Two hours later, I got a reply. Summarizing: A lawyer for Clare Locke said they’d “reviewed an incomplete version” of my article and they “apologize for the confusion.” (My guess: Someone didn’t read past the piece’s paywall, even though they’d had a full week to scrounge up the funds to do so. What I’d published above the paywall was balanced, as was what came after.)1 That was almost that, but something about the situation bothered me. The letter had been marked “confidential.” I hadn’t agreed to that, and I disliked the idea that powerful people on the beat that I cover would act like they could unilaterally control what I might tell my readers about. On the morning of the 21st, having already gotten the powerful law firm to back off, I oh-so-wisely re-approached them with just one more thing. I thanked them for clearing things up the night before but noted that I’d never agreed to keep their letter confidential. I’m all for agreeing with a source to keep things off the record, but that’s the thing. We have to agree. You can’t just declare it. I’m not bound by that. I wrote to Clare Locke’s lawyer and said, in part: I trust the matter is resolved. It was disappointing to have to spend less time with my kids last night in order to address your legal letter. Family time’s precious. I will add, for clarity’s sake, that, while your letter stipulated that it was confidential, I did not agree to those terms. In the future, should you wish to communicate with me confidentially, I am happy to agree to classifying our communication as “off the record” prior to the actual communication—as is standard with any professional journalist. The firm’s lawyer replied, not directly addressing the confidentiality issue but asserting that the matter was resolved. Why I didn’t write about this until now In May, I told this story on an episode of Simon Parkin’s podcast My Perfect Console, but I held off on sharing it directly with Game File readers. I held off to avoid stepping on the toes of another reporter, the journalist Mikhail Klimentov. He’d interviewed me in the spring of 2025 about an investigation he was working on regarding Bobby Kotick lawyers pressing the media to add the California settlement language to stories referencing the 2021 lawsuits. And about how some outlets had changed their stories and how some simply deleted them. Initially, I was a third-party source for Klimentov’s reporting, providing on-the-record context about the state of the games media. I’d heard about the letters but hadn’t put the time into pursuing the story. I thought it was interesting, and I was glad he was covering it. When the outlet that Klimentov was going to run his reporting in dropped the story, I began talking to him about potentially publishing his reporting on Game File. This was tentative. Then, in January, when I got my own Clare Locke letter, I told Klimentov that I didn’t think it would make sense for me to publish him, not with me now being part of the story. I had my own version of this situation to tell. But I wished him well and said I’d refrain from telling my tale until he could get his reporting out there. Last Friday, Klimentov finally ran his investigation, in a nearly 48-minute video report for People Make Games. It covers various Clare Locke letters, how media outlets reacted to them and what to make of all this. His video weighs the merits of Kotick’s request and looks at some of the articles that were changed (one of which had a glaring error). I highly recommend watching it: (Note, I did some editorial consulting for a People Make Games video last year but nothing to do with this report.) While many outlets haven’t left any public evidence that they updated their Kotick coverage at Kotick’s counsel’s request, at least one has. Back in October 2025, the mainstream outlet Reuters applied the most transparent article update I’ve seen. On the 3rd of the month, they published an article about the state of the Swedish pension fund’s lawsuit. Days later, they added this: In an October 7 letter sent after publication of this article, Kotick’s defamation counsel disputed claims of widespread harassment at Activision. “Not a single investigation, court finding, verdict, or ruling ever concluded that there was any merit” to the allegations of widespread harassment at Activision, Tom Clare and Nick Brechbill of Clare Locke wrote. I’ve never added a statement to my article on Game File, because none was needed. Not for fairness’ sake, nor to meet any demands of Kotick’s lawyers. I’ve nevertheless wanted to be transparent with Game File readers. If someone powerful is questioning my reporting, is threatening a lawsuit over it… if that threat is part of a pattern involving other games media outlets and if, in my case, the whole thing ran into a ridiculous ditch, I want you to know about it. I also share this as a real example of how I handle threats to Game File. I stand up for my own reporting, even when it’s not comfortable to do so. (In that same category of standing up for the work I do, I’ll point to an incident in late August. Asocial media post I published to X/Twitter regarding reporting I did about Take Two and GTA VI was hit by bogus copyright claim by a firm working for the publisher. I pushed back and got it reversed; even while a bigger games media outlet let themselves be censored. This is the other reason I’m sharing this story: To emphasize that dealing with threats from powerful people is one of the costs of covering the video game industry independently and as fearlessly as possible. This is where you come in. Your support, through free and paid subscriptions (sign up here!), can help me keep doing that. It can ensure that I’ve got the back-up I need. And it can help make fiascoes like this even less of a worry, so I can spend my evenings dealing with more important things, such as making sure I steam the kids’ broccoli just right. 1 That pension fund lawsuit I wrote about in January has all but gone away. In May, the fund and Activision Blizzard owner Microsoft agreed to settle. Lawyers for the fund brokered a $250 million settlement for former Activision Blizzard shareholders. In the settlement, the fund’s lawyers changed their rhetoric. Where once they’d questioned the meaning of the California settlement language, they adopted a version of it for themselves. Several weeks ago, while seeking to get a court to sign off on the terms of the settlement, they proposed their fee for their work in the case: $60 million.
JBU enrollment hits new record
John Brown University recently said its enrollment has risen to a record 473 new students. The incoming class includes a record 401 freshmen, 60 transfer students, and 12 students returning...
JB Bickerstaff Says It’s All Love With Jalen Duren
JB Bickerstaff says it's all love with Jalen Duren as the contract stalemate drags on. #Pistons
Two men charged with arson that damaged Kansas City business
The fire caused $15,000 in damage to the business in Kansas City's Northeast area on September 7.
Axios Live: Utah's health worker shortage is more than a numbers problem
Utah's health care workforce shortage reflects gaps in pay, clinical training and access to career pathways
Ohio elections are secure ahead of midterms, officials say
The Buckeye State is under more intense scrutiny than usual this election, with several close races.
ASK DR. DAVE: Naturopathic doctor shares more tips to boost immune health
ASK DR. DAVE: Dr. Dave Hamilton explains how herbs may support immunity.
Activist Jana pushes Fiserv to accelerate cost cuts and tap Palantir
Activist investor Jana Partners is urging Fiserv to more than double its planned cost cuts and use software firm Palantir's products to speed up its own technology transformation program, according to a letter sent to the payments company that was viewed by Reuters.
The Deadlock Between Beyoncé And Taylor Swift Is Officially Over
Sunday’s ceremony marked the introduction of the MTV Video Music Awards’ Artist Director Honors.
Former Don Pedro's manager arrested after allegedly robbing South Side restaurant, affidavit says
Blanca Velasquez, 43, was arrested last Tuesday and charged with aggravated robbery in connection with an aggravated robbery at Don Pedro’s.
Top Workplaces 2026: Skills vs. behavior: Find balance in hiring
Skills alone don’t guarantee success. Candidates might have plenty of technical know-how, but if they can’t collaborate, adapt or communicate effectively, they may not be the right fit.
South Texas Health System (@stxhealthsystem)
0 likes, 1 comments - stxhealthsystem on September 27, 2026: "Support Recovery, Strengthen Your Future: South Texas Health System, the Rio Grande Valley's largest integrated healthcare network, is seeking passionate physical therapy professionals to join its nationally recognized inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation teams at STHS McAllen, STHS Edinburg and STHS Heart. Physical therapists play a vital role in helping patients regain strength, mobility and independence following illness, injury or surgery. If you're passionate about empowering patients on their road to recovery, STHS offers an opportunity to make a lasting impact every day. Join a collaborative team dedicated to exceptional patient care and helping individuals return to the activities and quality of life they value most. Ready to move your career forward? View current openings and apply today at the link in our bio.".
Business People: Evereve hires Target exec Alanna Baker to lead digital
RETAIL Evereve, an Edina-based national women’s fashion chain, announced the appointment of Alanna Baker as its first chief digital officer. Baker joins Evereve from Target Corp., where she most recently served as vice president of…
Richard Manoogian, longtime Masco chairman and DIA backer, dies at 90
The second-generation leader built Masco into a global home-improvement giant and left a large philanthropic mark on metro Detroit, especially in the arts.
Comedian Rips Into Ed Sheeran: 'Red-Headed Puppet With A Hand Up His Ass'
The “Chicken Shop Date” host didn’t hold back during her “SNL UK” monologue.
University of Washington study suggests more coyotes are living in cities
University of Washington researchers found that coyote density in Seattle was nine times higher than in the wild.
Top Workplaces 2026: Benefit winners buck health insurance trends
As premium prices jump, many Top Workplaces are doing their best to shield workers from the storm.
HCA Florida hospitals celebrate Hispanic Heritage with family health event
HCA Florida Healthcare hospitals are celebrating Hispanic Heritage. Hospitals in Ocala and West Marion hosted a family health and wellness event at the Silver Springs Shore Community Center.
Alajbegovic on right Juventus decision, Spalletti help and Scudetto ambition
Kerim Alajbegovic insists he ‘didn’t think twice’ about joining Juventus, despite an offer from Chelsea, thanks Luciano Spalletti for advice, and wants to ‘compete for the title.’The Bosnia ...
Player status report, presented by Orlando Health: Orlando City SC at Philadelphia Union
Here is the Player Status Report, presented by Orlando Health, for Saturday's away match at Philadelphia Union
Purplish: ‘The Great Colorado Ballot-O-Rama’ Part I
This year’s ballot is lengthy, very lengthy, and packed with thorny topics.
I tried Microsoft’s new haptic Surface Mouse — standard mice now feel completely broken to me
This is a game-changer
‘Good Neighbor Week’ to Kick Off Saturday With Art, Food, Volunteer Events Across SF
The second annual Good Neighbor Week will feature dozens of neighborhood events across the city, including art, live music, food trucks, and beautification projects, with an emphasis on community service.
Exclusive: First Look at HomePod Mini 2 in Three New Colors
Apple's new HomePod mini will share the same design as the original model and come in five colors, MacRumors has found. The information originates from Apple's own code (spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris) and shows clear product images of the new models in all of their colors. The above image contains Apple's own icons, which specifically refer to a "HomePod mini 2". The new HomePod mini will come in green, pink, blue, white, and black.
A Delivery Worker Followed the Upper West Side Stabbing Suspect Home, and Got an Unexpected Goodbye
A Bronx delivery worker who helped police find Raul Morales after the July stabbings is describing a brief, strange exchange the two had on the way up to Morales's apartment.
Can the Left Make America Fun Again?
Hi friends, I’ve got a piece in The New York Times today about how collective joy — participatory, youthful, anti-corporate — can defeat Trumpism and transform our lives. The basic argument is that politics used to be embedded in communal life: dances, sports leagues, union halls. As that infrastructure disappeared — and more of everyday life was atomized and privatized — politics became something broadcast at people rather than something they did together. NYC-DSA and Zohran provide another model, where socials and face-to-face organizing are tied to a fight vs the corporations that fenced off so much of the good life. Rebuilding that kind of collective fun, I argue, could help bring young people back into politics and, by redistributing America’s wealth, make everyday life more joyful. I would super appreciate it if you’d read the piece, share it, or post comments on it. Thank you! p.s. FYI, Opinion writers don’t get any say over their headlines! More Take action to support the fight of licensed deck officers at Alaska Tanker Company and Overseas Shipholding Group to win a first union contract. This is one of the most important, and underreported, unionization campaigns in America: these workers have a huge amount of power over domestic energy distribution and maritime supply chains, and they’re still without a contract two years after having voted overwhelmingly to unionize. Please sign the public petition here, and if you’re an academic you can sign this support letter.
Pritzker pushing for data center legislation in fall veto session
Gov. JB Pritzker expects the state Legislature will take up the issue of data-center regulation during the veto session session later this year.
Pritzker pushing for data center legislation in fall veto session
Gov. JB Pritzker expects the state Legislature will take up the issue of data-center regulation during the veto session session later this year.
After two-year hiatus from concerts, Arrowhead back in business with big names
The World Cup caused Chiefs’ stadium to be unavailable for concerts, but there will be at least three in 2027.
David Beckham brand business reports record year
DRJB Holdings — better known as the company that handles David Beckham’s brand business activities — has filed its latest accounts and they show a record financial performance.
SIH holds health fair in Marion, Ill.
Junior high students got an up-close look at what it’s like to work in the medical field at a fair in Marion, Illinois.
How one Oregon politician plans to use his power to keep the Trail Blazers in Portland
Oregon's senior U.S. senator is calling on other NBA owners to make sure Tom Dundon doesn't relocate Portland's franchise.
POLITICS Christian Mitchell talks about Gov. Pritzker, Ulysses S. Grant and the fight for marriage equality
Christian Mitchell—a former Illinois state representative and deputy governor—is on the statewide election ticket alongside Gov. JB Pritzker in a bid for lieutenant governor, as his running mate seeks a third term. (Outgoing Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is running for the U.S. Senate.) Mitchell graduated from the University of Chicago in 2008, and planned on […]
Keweenaw Health Foundation awards $25K to CLK Early Childhood Center
The center offers day care services, coaching and education for children ranging from six weeks to five years old, preparing them for kindergarten.
RWJBarnabas Health Celebrates 10 Years of the Tackling Addiction Task Force and Peer Recovery Program
Celebration at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center recognizes a decade of comprehensive programs and compassionate care for those affected by substance use disorder.
ISP recognizes the hidden crime fighting heroes during Forensic Science Week
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS/WRSP) -As Governor JB Pritzker proclaims September 20-26, 2026 as Forensic Science Week in Illinois, the Illinois State Police (ISP) is honoring the dedicated professionals who collect, examine,
Ed Sheeran at Gillette: Will Kraft's move keep artists away?
Most music industry observers agree that profit, not politics, is king in the concert business.
‘America’s Got Talent’ reveals season 21 winner — see who won the $1 million prize
‘America’s Got Talent’ reveals the winner of season 21 after a night filled with guest performers and dramatic announcements of the results.
Customers say unlicensed pool contractor left them with unfinished holes, thousands in losses
Multiple customers say a contractor named Rob Houston who does business by the name of "Splash Solutions" and "Splash Pools" took tens of thousands of dollars from them for inground pool projects and left the work unfinished or never started.
Arizona sues popular ‘feel free’ kratom drink maker, alleging it hid health risks
Arizona is suing Botanic Tonics, the maker of a popular kratom drink “feel free” sold at convenience and vape stores throughout the state.
NJ Business Council for Childcare Launches to Strengthen NJ’s Workforce and Economy
ATLANTIC CITY — Today, the New Jersey Business Council for Childcare officially launched, bringing together some of the state’s most influential business organizations and employers to address childcare as a critical workforce and economic issue. Advised by Moms First, the statewide, business-led coalition includes the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), New Jersey Chamber of[...]
Florida business group takes a billboard swipe at Pritzker
The Florida Chamber of Commerce is taking aim at Gov. JB Pritzker with Chicago billboards touting Florida’s gains in jobs, residents and income.
I On Politics
TYPE O BLOOD URGENTLY NEEDED: New York Blood Center (NYBC) and New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS) are urgently calling on New Yorkers and New Jerseyans with O-positive and O-negative blood to donate as soon as possible as the region’s supply of Type O blood has fallen to critically low levels. After an especially challenging
Harry Shum Jr. explains why he screamed in the middle of ‘DWTS’ week 2 routine
Harry Shum Jr. had a ‘therapeutic’ moment in the middle of his ‘Dancing With the Stars’ routine set to ‘Iris’ by Goo Goo Dolls.
Wilson man charged with ECU Health Medical Center assaults
21-year-old Kaden Craddock was arrested by ECU Health police in connection with two violent encounters in the hospital’s emergency department.
Syracuse athletic department hires Cleveland Cavaliers exec to boost business
Chris Presson will run the business side of the Syracuse athletic department for Bryan Blair.
72-Year-Old Ohio Man Put A GPS Tracker On Pokémon Delivery Driver's Vehicle
Pokémon card value is at an all-time high
RWJBarnabas Health Celebrates Ribbon Cutting of New Multi-Specialty Ambulatory Care Facility in Toms River
RWJBarnabas Health celebrated the grand opening of its updated, state-of-the-art Women’s Health and Urology suites yesterday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Toms River Nexus Building.
Florida Chamber’s free-enterprise roadshow rolls into Illinois
Gov. JB Pritzker finishes behind Zohran Mamdani for a tongue-in-cheek economic development honor.
Alabama man convicted of wife’s 1985 murder gets new trial, judge calls bite mark evidence ‘junk science’
Charles McCrory was convicted after an expert said he bit his wife during her murder. But the expert has since changed his mind.
Why Melinda French Gates is shifting her philanthropy on women’s health
The philanthropist is investing in care for women in their midlife.
Florida Chamber gives JB Pritzker 'runner-up' for 'Economic Developer of the Year' award on Chicago billboards
Florida Chamber of Commerce billboards along Chicago's Stevenson Expressway dub Gov. JB Pritzker the runner-up "Florida Economic Developer of the Year."
Dropout's 'Game Changer' finale: Sam Reich reveals the secrets of 'Last Talent Standing'
Plus, we asked how he wants to die. Naturally.
Craven County Community Health Center cuts ribbon on Havelock expansion, adds VA clinic and pharmacy
Craven County officials celebrated the opening of an expanded community health clinic Monday, bringing essential medical, pharmacy, and behavioral health care closer to home for eastern county residents.
Hussein Syed, RWJ Barnabas Health, Chief Information Security Officer, Again Honored as A CISO To Know Nationwide
Hussein Syed, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for RWJBarnabas Health, was honored by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of just 55 Hospital and Health System CISOs and Chief Privacy Officers to Know, recognized for his work defending the organization against cyberattacks, a critical function for every hospital and health system. Mr. Syed has been included on Becker’s list several times.
iOS 27.2 reveals new features coming to Apple Music, CarPlay, more
Code for iOS 27.2’s beta releases points to new features in the works for Apple Music, CarPlay Ultra, and more.
City of Brooklyn Park, MN
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the third session of our Civic Engagement Education Series: Health & Well-being! We’re grateful to all of our dedicated staff, guest speakers, youth from...
Former Fox News producer found dead at 36 in Florida
Following her time at Fox News, she hosted her own podcast where she interviewed public figures about how they achieved their success.
Gov. Pritzker shares details on health, weight loss journey
Governor JB Pritzker shared new details about his health and weight loss journey.
Marion, Carbondale to host free health fairs for Heartland seniors Sept. 22-23
Both fairs are free to the public and will feature local healthcare providers, senior service organizations, and legislative information.
Bobcat with rabies confirmed in Marion County, health officials urge caution
The Florida Department of Health in Marion County is monitoring rabies activity after a bobcat tested positive for the virus.
JB Pritzker Says He Used GLP-1s to Lose 80 Pounds
Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois, widely seen as a potential presidential candidate, revealed in an interview on “CBS Mornings” that he had been on a GLP-1 regimen since 2024.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico to sue Trump administration over White House access
CNN By Katelyn Polantz, Brian Stelter, CNN (CNN) — The three national news outlets President Donald Trump banned from the White House — CNN, MS NOW, and Politico — are filing a critical First Amendment lawsuit to restore their access. The emergency request is set to go before a federal judge in the DC District
Whether you like it or not, celebrities have an impact on politics
The global groundswell of support for Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian advocacy serves to remind us that maybe celebrity activism really is that deep after all, writes Cheek’s Varsha Yajman. Subscribe In the last week, publications, podcasts, and influencers that have either rarely or never spoken about Israel’s genocide in Palestine have flooded my social feed. And it was all because singer Ed Sheeran and his team dropped Macklemore as his opener for saying “Free Palestine” on stage. Millions raised, millions speaking up in support of Palestine - all of this confirming my view that, whether I like it or not, celebrities do have an impact on political outcomes. And this is interesting when much of the time celebrity activism can induce an eye roll - I love to see Charli XCX pointing out a Palestinian flag in the crowd, but it’s hardly the bold symbol of allyship that some fans would make it out to be. But there’s a line between healthy scepticism and outright dismissal - and I’d argue that the latter lets the rich and powerful off far too easily. For instance, actress Jennifer Lawrence, once outspoken about her political views, last year told The Times she no longer believes celebrities have a role to play: “Celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.” While it’s a narrative she might find comfort in, it simply is not true. Grassroots movements often garner worldwide attention when celebrities and other high-profile spokespeople bring a mainstream platform to their causes. And this frustrates me. We have had three years of a live-streamed genocide. Macklemore himself has been calling for a Free Palestine long before he booked the Sheeran concert. Yet it’s the high-profile fallout of the last week that finally seems to have made saying “Free Palestine” socially acceptable in the mainstream. It feels like the collective mood has shifted, where calling out censorship is now the obvious response - not just the business of ‘radical’ activists. To recap, Sheeran’s decision followed an ultimatum from billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, one of the venues Sheeran was scheduled to perform at: either drop Macklemore as your opener after only two of the eight scheduled shows, or you do not play at any stadiums. Sheeran’s disappointing decision to stand on the side of billionaire-led censorship has ultimately seen a surge in support for Free Palestine. It began when all his openers and his backing band pulled out of Sheeran’s tour, in solidarity with Macklemore and with the Palestinian cause. It was met with an uproar of support from those who had never or barely touched politics before: influencers lip-syncing to Macklemore’s music, singers like Jack Antonoff singing “Free Palestine,” and publications and podcasts standing with Macklemore. And finally, we saw material support: Macklemore donated $1 million in profits from his two nights opening for Sheeran’s tour to several Palestinian aid groups and called for Sheeran and Kraft to match it, which they have since promised to do. We’ve also seen children’s entertainer Ms Rachel follow suit with a $1 million donation to Palestinian aid, and publication PopBase has donated $10,000. Anera, a humanitarian aid group working in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan, said donations since Macklemore’s announcement were more than triple this month’s daily average. The group’s Instagram page has also gained 8,000 followers. Macklemore far from the first celebrity to speak and participate in politics in the Western World. In 1924, singer Al Jolson supported Republican candidate Warren G. Harding for president, and decades later, celebrities such as Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and Aretha Franklin voiced their public support for the Civil Rights movement. More recently, in the lead-up to the 2024 US election, ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah partnered with the organisation Power the Polls to recruit poll workers to address shortages- a problem disproportionately affecting voters of colour. The campaign saw 170,000 new sign-ups - 35,000 of which came directly through the TV show’s link - resulting in the recruitment of 713,000 total poll workers that year, an almost three-fold increase on the organisation’s goal. Alongside recruiting workers, celebrities in the US (where voting in elections is not compulsory) have made a huge difference by calling for people to register to vote. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 saw over 400,000 visitors on the voter registration site within 24 hours of her Instagram post. In 2023, Swift had urged her fans to register, resulting in 35,000 new voter registrations. Similarly, Ariana Grande promoted voter registration in 2019 by setting up booths at concerts on the American leg of her tour, resulting in over 33,000 voters registering. And the same thing is happening closer to home. This year, musician Jack River successfully called for government action to ensure creatives in Australia do not have their work scraped by generative AI companies. Celebrity as the mediator between the punter and the politician Celebrity activism isn’t just a feel-good news story - research tells us it actually makes a difference. By directing attention to issues affecting the average person, like voting inaccessibility or a lack of action on a genocide, researchers Alfred Archer and Amanda Cawston state that “celebrities can play a useful bridging role between political elites and the people they represent”. Alternatively, in a world where talking about politics is “not cool,” or where people lack exposure or knowledge to engage with politics, celebrities can act as an educational resource or an entry point into the political world - when they speak up about an issue, their audience gets exposed to it. Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival is a perfect example. Rodrigo partnered with twelve organisations focused on women’s issues, such as reproductive rights. These organisations had stalls at the festival for people to meet them and were also featured heavily on social media, giving their issues global attention and raising $20 million for the organisations. We have also seen celebrities at award shows such as the Emmys wearing F*CK ICE pins, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s treatment and detainment of people - generally people of colour. When celebrities speak up about political issues in public forums, they put the issue at the forefront of mainstream media, rally their supporters, and make it clear that, however much they disagree, the government cannot simply ignore it. Our over-reliance on celebrities versus our politicians As much as I love seeing my favourite celebrity use their platform for a good cause, there is an important question to ask: not whether celebrity activism is good or bad, but whether we should have to rely on celebrities. And the answer would, in an ideal world, be no. In an ideal world, or merely a just world, action on Palestine would’ve happened decades ago, climate change would be taken seriously, and most importantly, people would understand their democratic rights. However, that is not our reality. Only around 28 per cent of Australian Year 10 students reach proficiency in civics and citizenship. In the US, almost two-thirds of people under 30 say high school civics education didn’t prepare them to understand voting deadlines, how to research candidates, or how to vote by mail. When civics education is weak, our trust in these institutions and our understanding of change-making processes also decline. This is where celebrity steps in and becomes our main source of reliance. As Mary R. Connelly notes in _The Tartan, “_Celebrities will always be involved in campaigns in one form or another, but their presence is not what causes people to vote blindly. The lack of political engagement and literacy is what allows celebrities to wield their influence on the political sphere so impactfully.” About the author Varsha Yajman is the Digital Content Producer at Cheek Media. She is a youth advocate and lawyer with a background in climate litigation and is passionate about looking at the intersection between race, climate justice, and mental health. Thanks for reading Cheek Media Co. ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share
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