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Pat Sajak Issues Bold Political Statement Dividing ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans
Sajak's message came on the heels of 'Jeopardy!' host Ken Jennings appearing in a political ad.
Democrats try to show unity in critical Michigan Senate race
With just 16 days until the midterms, candidates and top surrogates from each party have a packed schedule of campaign events. Follow for the latest on the trail.
U.S. taking Putin’s side would be a ‘historic mistake,’ says Zelenskyy
The Ukrainian leader told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Ukrainian officials believe the decision to limit Starlink, imposed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, came from the U.S. government.
'Spooky Scary Politics: A Stand-Up Night' combines politics and comedy on campus
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and EMU student Katie George performed stand-up comedy acts at "Spooky Scary Politics: A Stand-Up Night" hosted by Eastern Votes.
Names in the News: People shaping the future of Lake Area business
EMS Academy grads honored A new group of 24 Emergency Medical Technicians has officially graduated from Acadian’s National EMS Academy’s Lake Charles campus, ready to step onto the frontlines of […]
Trump holds rare presidential rally on tribal land
OKLAHOMA Trump rallies on tribal land DURANT — President Donald Trump’s rally Oct. 1 on the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma put him in the company of just a handful of U.S. presidents who have visited tribal reservations while in office. The rally was part of Trump’s recent campaign push through deep red states, where he […]
Contributor: How much would Becerra's healthcare promises cost the state? Not even he knows
The Democratic candidate is campaigning on making California affordable. That's why the missing numbers matter.
House Speaker Mike Johnson draws on faith as he fights to hold the Republican majority
Speaker Mike Johnson says he believes Republicans will hold on to their House majority on election day and defy a surge of Democratic momentum in the final stretch of the midterm campaign
Moore campaign ads shut out Sinclair stations amid feud with David Smith
While it’s normal for politicians and journalists to disagree on coverage in private, this dispute has played out in full view of the public.
I grew up progressive. I became a conservative. Here's why
My parents watched 'The Daily Show' every night. I laughed along – until I didn't. How a kid from Detroit ended up to the right of his whole family.
Entertainment
Playhouse at McConnellstown has launched its "Raise the Roof" Capital Campaign to raise $30,000 for repairs to the theater's roof and gutter system. Donations of any amount are being accepted
Japan’s health ministry sets new guidelines for tie-up ads in movies and TV shows
The move came after a poster promoting support for cancer patients that the ministry created in a tie-up with a film drew criticism on social media.
UCLA’s fairy tale was supposed to end. Then Ty Dieffenbach happened
Ty Dieffenbach stepped in for Nico Iamaleava and came up clutch for UCLA to keep the undefeated start rolling for the Bruins.
Michigan Democrat confirms sister-in-law's terror watchlist lawsuit days before Obama campaign appearance
Abdul El-Sayed acknowledged his sister-in-law's involvement in a federal terrorist watchlist lawsuit, days before former President Barack Obama campaigns with him.
Scientists Discover a 99-Million-Year-Old Insect With a Bizarre Feature Never Seen in Living Species
Like a bendy straw, an ancient insect’s folded mouthparts may have flexed without collapsing, revealing a feeding adaptation unknown in living planthoppers. About 99 million years ago, a tiny insect became trapped in tree resin with mouthparts nearly twice the length of its body. The resin hardened into amber, preserving an unusual feeding organ that
Thousands rally with Bernie Sanders and Angie Nixon in rainy Ybor City
Their message was helping the working class deal with rising inflation, a lack of health care and unlimited campaign financing by "the oligarchy."
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Gets a Warm Steam Welcome With 90% Positive Reviews
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is off to an unusually good start on Steam. The campaign early access went live for pre-order customers on October 16, and at the time of writing, 1,630 of the game's 1,812 Steam user reviews are positive, giving it a "Very Positive" score of 90%. Insider Gaming...
State of Texas: Tight races test voters, parties and a new political map
The race for U.S. Senate is the biggest story in Texas politics, and it's getting nationwide attention. Campaign spending between Ken Paxton and James Talarico is on pace to set records, and the race ...
State of Texas: Tight races test voters, parties and a new political map
The race for U.S. Senate is the biggest story in Texas politics, and it’s getting nationwide attention. Campaign spending between Ken Paxton and James Talarico is on pace to set records, and …
In Midterm Campaign’s Final Stretch, Trump Can’t Stop Praising Men’s Bodies
As he stumps for midterm candidates, the president has been especially eager to talk about the physical appearance of some men.
Bernie Sanders Visits Florida to Campaign With Angie Nixon
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has made a point of investing in Republican-leaning states. He rallied in Tampa for Ms. Nixon, the underdog Democratic nominee for Florida Senate.
Arista vs. Vertiv: Which AI Infrastructure Business Has the Bigger Profit Cushion?
Arista and Vertiv rank tenth and ninth in our 10 Best AI Infrastructure Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. The list shows which eight infrastructure businesses attracted more hedge-fund holders. Both benefit when AI campuses become operational, but their profit cushions differ sharply. Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) supplies data-center networking; Vertiv Holdings Co (NYSE:VRT) […]
Paxton touts economic plan, attacks Talarico at Killeen rally
Attorney General Ken Paxton pitched his U.S. Senate campaign as a fight to ease costs for Texas families and preserve the state’s values at a rally Saturday afternoon at Southern
Swinney's emotional explanation for his commitment to independence
BBC Scotland's political editor Glenn Campbell reflects on John Swinney's SNP conference speech.
Swinney's emotional explanation for his commitment to independence
BBC Scotland's political editor Glenn Campbell reflects on John Swinney's SNP conference speech.
Steve Hilton bets California is ready for something different in the governor's office
Steve Hilton is taking his campaign for governor across California, arguing for change in a state long dominated by Democrats.
Somerset campsite's £27k business rates rise 'catastrophic'
Jules Sayer, from Petruth Paddocks campsite in Cheddar says the bill has caused "untold worry".
Captain Price Actor Sends Message to Fans as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Campaign Praise Rolls in
Barry Sloane, the actor behind Call of Duty's Captain Price, has shared a message with fans as praise for Modern Warfare 4's campaign rolls in.
GBIF at 25: The Open Data Machine Behind Global Biodiversity Science
Twenty-five years ago, a handful of governments bet that the fastest route to saving life on Earth ran through something unglamorous: standardized, freely shared data about where species live. That bet became the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, or GBIF, an
Susan Collins Says Rival’s ‘Oh, Shut Up’ Comment Reflects How He Treats Women
Ms. Collins, a Republican running in a crucial race, called the debate remark by her opponent, Troy Jackson, “very telling.” Mr. Jackson has defended his comment, and his campaign said Ms. Collins had run a campaign based on personal attacks.
Hackers hide dangerous fake AI downloads behind Google ads
A fake Claude AI download scam uses Google ads and Bing redirects to trick Mac users into pasting a hidden malicious command in their Terminal.
The 10 best final girls in horror movie history, ranked
From Sidney Prescott in ‘Scream’ to Selena in ‘28 Days Later,’ these final girls did more than survive — they fought back and became horror legends. Here are our 10 favorites, ranked.
Chuck Lorre claims Cybill Shepherd became ‘a different person’ when shooting season 2 of ‘Cybill’
Chuck Lorre recounts how he was fired from ‘Cybill,’ a show he created, in his new memoir
Chuck Lorre claims Cybill Shepherd became ‘a different person’ when shooting season 2 of “Cybill”
The future creator of “The Big Bang Theory” writes about his Hollywood career in his new memoir.
Northern Area Health Education Center to host health care career camp at SUNY Canton in 2027
CANTON — The Northern Area Health Education Center is accepting applications for its 2027 MASH Camp, a free day camp for students in grades nine through 12 interested in health care careers. …
House Speaker Mike Johnson draws on faith as he fights to hold the Republican majority
Speaker Mike Johnson says he believes Republicans will hold on to their House majority on Election Day and defy a surge of Democratic momentum in the final stretch of the midterm campaign.
Journalist Ronan Farrow on Elon Musk's trillion-dollar political influence
Elon Musk, the world's first trillionaire, has influence across the economy and politics. NPR's Scott Simon talks to reporter Ronan Farrow of The New Yorker about Musk's campaign spending and more.
Campaigns already know a lot about voters. AI could change what they do with it.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping familiar campaign practices in Minnesota and beyond. Whether it can sway more votes is less certain.
Schmooze: WV natives return to Charleston area for film shoot 20 years in the making
West Virginia natives Chad Smith, Ryan Dorsey, Dustin Kerns and others came together to film a short film, "Schmooze," in Charleston from Oct. 15-19, 2026. The film is a thriller inspired by the movies they used to make together as students at Riverside High School.
Meet the manly men who want to remake the Democratic Party
Candidates posting thirst traps, calling opponents betas and ripping bench presses: This is the strange new world of campaigning as a Democratic man.
Schmooze: WV natives return to Charleston area for film shoot 20 years in the making
West Virginia natives Chad Smith, Ryan Dorsey, Dustin Kerns and others came together to film a short film, "Schmooze," in Charleston from Oct. 15-19, 2026. The film is a thriller inspired by the movies they used to make together as students at Riverside High School.
How Tasso+ became a new obsession for testosterone-tracking biohackers
Biohackers are embracing Tasso+, a button that draws blood without a needle and measures testosterone, as the market for DIY health tracking grows.
U.S. campaign finance watchdog is sitting out the midterms. Here’s what that means.
The Federal Election Commission has been unable to advise campaigns or investigate alleged violations.
Valencia football takes care of business in matinee win over Canyon
High winds or a moved-up kickoff time, nothing stopped the Vikings from winning on Friday as Valencia came away with a 71-7 over the Cowboys and spoiled Canyon’s senior night. […]
Michigan Proposal 2 aims to limit corporate money in politics
Michigan voters will decide in November whether to overhaul the state’s campaign finance laws through a citizen-led ballot initiative that would ban utility companies and certain government contractors from donating to state candidates.
Congressional Staff Open Letters Containing Suspicious Substances
The incidents, the first of which was reported on Thursday, came as election officials have reported a growing number of threats directed at them.
California Proposition 4 would allow public funding for political campaigns
California Prop. 4 would allow political campaigns to be publicly funded. Here's what to know.
Free cameras offered to small businesses in San Joaquin County to fight retail theft
A partnership between security companies and the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce is providing free cameras and installations to small businesses in San Joaquin County to help prevent retail theft.
EAST TEXAS POLITICS: Smith County party chairs on early voting, this week’s Vance rally and more
Smith County Republican Party Chair David Stein and Smith County Democratic Party Chair Kristen Hardin-Sigler join Blake Holland on this week’s edition of East Texas Politics on East Texas Now ahead of the start of early voting. Both chairs discuss their strategies heading into the election. Holland also talks with Stein and Hardin-Sigler about this week’s visit by Vice President JD Vance and other Republicans to Tyler for a midterm campaign rally.
Cam Christie returning to Clippers, per report
Cam Christie is returning to the Los Angeles Clippers.
EAST TEXAS POLITICS: Smith County party chairs on early voting, this week’s Vance rally and more
Both chairs discuss campaign strategy, recap Vice President JD Vance’s Tyler rally and address assault allegations.
A South Shore father-daughter birdhouse project became a business
What began as a project for an 8-year-old and her dad grew into a home-based business selling assembled birdhouses and DIY kits
Cookies, liquor and mocking Nazis fuel final stretch in fiery Texas House race
Katy Padilla Stout's Texas Democratic campaign reported over $4,300 in cookies, beer and wine, and Mexican restaurant spending per FEC records.
Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after electoral court ruling
SAO PAULO (AP) — Tech giant Meta denied accusations Friday that it acted with political bias during Brazil’s presidential campaign, less than a day after the country’s electoral court ruled the platform must give equal treatment to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and opposition candidate Fláv...
Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after electoral court ruling
SAO PAULO (AP) — Tech giant Meta denied accusations Friday that it acted with political bias during Brazil’s presidential campaign, less than a day after the country’s electoral court ruled the pla…
Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after electoral court ruling
Tech giant Meta has denied accusations it has acted with political bias during Brazil’s presidential campaign.
Kathy Castor and Mike Beltran put each other's political records on trial at Tampa forum
Beltran called the Rays stadium deal a "boondoggle" as the candidates sparred over campaign money, education, health care and transit.
Trump rallies with top Republicans in critical battleground state of Georgia
Donald Trump flew to Georgia to campaign with Republican candidates for the Senate and governor. Senate candidate Mike Collins faces Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson is taking
Smears, confusion and white powder: a week in the US midterm campaign
This week in US politics, a candidate with the flu fell victim to a false rumor, a campaign ad aired in the wrong city, and packages with suspicious powder were mailed to election officials. Packages ...
KJ Apa reveals where he stands on “Riverdale ”zombie sequel appearance (exclusive)
“It’d be cool if we could do some cameos,” Apa says.
Geese shred Hollywood Forever (and Dodger fan egos) at their three-night stand in L.A.
Cameron Winter had one last knife to twist for the Dodger faithful in the audience at Hollywood Forever on Thursday night.
Joe Manganiello on why he's sharing his 7-year health journey: "The alternative became too difficult"
Tech stocks erase $1 trillion of wealth as oil surges to $110 for the first time since May
The sharp drop in tech shares came as concerns resurfaced about ballooning AI debt, rising interest rates and high gas prices.
Archaeologists discover the oldest dwelling in the Western Hemisphere at a 13,800-year-old site in Alaska
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient base camp in Alaska that has evidence of the oldest dwelling and possibly the earliest domesticated dogs in the Americas.
Emerald Bay Camping & Marine Science Adventure
NAC Avalon Ocean Club embarked on its first-ever overnight camping adventure down the coast to Emerald Bay. This marked the farthest and longest our young ocean warriors have ventured from Avalon as a team, and what an incredible 24 hours it was. What started as an idea became a reality through an amazing collaboration with […]
Some GOP politics before Nov. 3 election in Sullivan
Republican politics came into the Sullivan County Commission meeting Thursday
Cook Political Report moves 11 House races towards Democrats as Trump continues campaigning
The non-partisan Cook Political Report moves nearly a dozen races toward Democrats with less than three weeks before the election. NBC’s Monica Alba and Garrett Haake report on President Trump's campaign trip to Georgia and Cook Political Report’s Erin Covey joins to discuss the rating shifts.
Who Is Alive and Who Is Dead at the End of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4's Campaign? Infinity Ward Explains Captain Price's Fate
Who is alive and who is dead at the end of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4's campaign? Infinity Ward explains Captain Price's fate.
New UNT science and technology building on track to open in spring 2027
The University of North Texas hosted a tour of its new four-story science and technology building on the Denton campus ahead of its spring 2027 opening.
Here’s what scientists think about Theranos a decade after it imploded
A viral documentary has everyone talking about Elizabeth Holmes’s fraudulent blood testing start-up again—but scientists never stopped
VRE7 TV, a Red-Carpet Entertainment Network, Opens Casting Call for Fans, Creators and Industry Insiders
The independent network pairs its celebrity interview archive with on-camera takes from fans in the new VRE7 Front Row documentary series.
Music scene heats up for fall
Late October performances include events at the Mondavi Center, a chamber music concert off campus featuring a rising star on the piano, and a pair of unusual concerts sponsored by
Russia Appears to Step Up Efforts to Influence U.S. Voters
One campaign has created social media posts focusing on U.S. support for Israel to sow discord ahead of the midterm elections.
It’s time to bring back science in campaign policy discussions
Despite the politicization of science, a majority of both liberals and conservatives feel that government investment in scientific research is worthwhile for society.
TULSA HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO HOST 10TH ANNUAL NORTH TULSA COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
Tulsa, Okla. — [Oct. 16, 2026] — The Tulsa Health Department (THD) will host its 10th annual North Tulsa Community Baby Shower on Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free come-and-go event will be held at the YMCA Gym at TCC Northeast Campus, located at 3727 E. Apache St. Parking for […]
Mayor Johnson’s campaign cash dips below $380,000, while frontrunner Giannoulias has $19 million on hand
The freshman incumbent has just $379,471 in the bank — yet another indication of his struggle to raise money for the uphill reelection bid he announced last month.
Trump says he told Katie Zacharia he'd reconsider White House job
Katie Zacharia made her White House press briefing debut on Tuesday and quickly came under intense scrutiny over her legal credentials.
Millions of dollars spent on AI-generated political ads as midterms approach
Political action groups and candidates have been using artificial intelligence for campaign ads, spending over $137 million for the midterm elections.
Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's Campaign
Out now for those who pre-ordered digitally
Roger Marshall praises Trump's tariff policies after Kansas executive says they hurt his business
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, locked in tight campaign with Democrat Adam Hamilton, throws full support behind President Donald Trump's tariff war.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on Nintendo Switch 2 Is Not The Disaster You’d Imagine
Modern Warfare 4 is the first Call of Duty since 2013 to launch on a Nintendo console. We played the campaign on Switch 2 and were pleasantly surprised by its performance.
Candace Cameron Bure reveals “The View” asked her to return — and why she declined (exclusive)
“I don’t know that I really want to do it,” Bure tells EW.
Candace Cameron Bure declined to return to ‘The View’ for season 30
Candace Cameron Bure says ‘The View’ asked her to return for season 30, with the ‘Full House’ and ‘Special Forces’ star explaining to EW why she declined.
Your Weekly Michigan Political Brief
U.S. Senate Abdul El-Sayed more than tripled the fundraising haul of his Republican challenger, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake), for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat. Online records show El-Sayed raised $30,659,157 in the reporting period from July 16 to Sept. 30, while Rogers brought in $9,662,538. Despite that, Rogers’ campaign maintains a nearly […]
Award-winning Business Husky Believes Success Is Something You Pass Along
Michigan Tech senior Jim Brisson's work to help students connect with business professionals, industries and the accounting community has earned him the 2026 Campus Influencer of the Year award from the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants. He'll be recognized at MICPA's Celebrate Awards event on Nov. 11 in Detroit.
Chris Murray challenges Palumbo with affordability, health care focus
Democrat Chris Murray has placed affordability, health care and environmental protection at the center of his campaign as he tries to unseat incumbent Republican state Sen. Anthony Palumbo. Mr. Murray — an attorney who was elected chairman of the Suffolk County Community College Board of Trustees in 2019 and has also chaired the Citizens Campaign...
Trump will rally Georgia Republicans despite party divisions in battleground state
President Donald Trump's midterm campaign blitz arrives in Georgia on Friday for a rally with top Republican candidates in a state that has long been the epicenter of the president's false claims about election fraud.
Registration is open for high school winter sports
Registration is now officially open for high school winter sports for the City School District of Albany! Any student in grades 9-12 who is interested in trying out for boys' basketball, girls' basketball, bowling, cheerleading, boys' indoor track, girls' indoor track, spirit team, boys' swimming and diving, boys' wrestling and girls' wrestling is invited to register via Final Forms. Important: please note that registration for winter sports ends on Friday, Nov. 13. Practices and tryouts for winter sports begin on Monday, Nov. 16. FINAL FORMS Each season, the following must be done prior to the first day of tryouts and practices: A parent or guardian must initiate the registration process for their student-athlete in Final Forms, filling out the required forms such as Interval Sports Health History and the Athletic Consent Form. The student-athlete must sign and complete their required forms. A reminder that all students who would like to play an interscholastic sport need to have a current physical conducted within a year on file. PHYSICALS A physical conducted within the last 12 months is mandatory for any student interested in trying out for an athletic team and must be uploaded into the Final Forms platform. Families are encouraged to get a completed physical from their child's physician. If you are unable to get a physical from your child's physician, you can schedule a free physical with Whitney Young's school-based health center by calling (518) 573-2556. Additionally, the district physician will also be available to facilitate sports physicals at Albany High in room 4253 on the following dates: Thursday, Nov. 12 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sports physicals on Nov. 12 and 13 are free and no appointment is necessary. ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Please note that students must have a good attendance record and be in good standing academically to be eligible to participate in an athletic team. Eligibility is determined based on quarterly grades, and interim progress reports will serve as an important academic checkpoint for all student‑athletes. For additional details about academic eligibility, please see our Athletic Code of Conduct. For our winter teams, academic eligibility to start the season will be based on final first-quarter grades. The first marking period ends Nov. 13. Albany High offers free tutoring facilitated by Albany High teachers Monday-Thursday from 3:30-5 p.m. for students who need extra help with their academics. See this flyer for additional details. IMPORTANT DATES Seniors, please mark your calendars for Senior Media Day for winter sports, which will take place on Monday, Nov. 30. All student-athletes playing winter sports will also participate in our winter sports picture days, which will take place Tuesday, Dec. 15–Thursday, Dec. 18. Specific dates and times for each team will be shared once rosters are finalized. OPEN GYM SESSIONS Student-athletes are encouraged to check out our open gym sessions as they prepare for upcoming sports seasons. We’re looking forward to a rewarding winter sports season this year! If you have any questions, please contact the Athletic Department at (518) 475-6310. Go Falcons!
Talarico compares his campaign to David and Goliath after GOP invests over $158M against him
The Democrat faces more than $158 million in outside spending by Republican leadership and the world's richest man, Elon Musk.
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?
Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.
Health Care and Crude Led the Week While Tech Lost Its Grip
American News Group News Commentary - The State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust slipped 0.28% and the Invesco QQQ Trust fell 2.62% over the five trading sessions ended Thursday, October 15, according to Stock Analysis data, as a hotter-than-expected inflation report revived concerns about interest rates and technology stocks sold off. Among U.S.-listed exchange-traded funds with at least $1 billion in assets, excluding leveraged and inverse products, the week's leaders came from health care, crude
Former Villanova standout Cam Whitmore is turning heads with Nuggets
One (Whit)more shot.
Big Dom, Elon Musk and George Santos. The Pa. campaign cameos are getting weird.| PA 2026 Newsletter
The rematch between Scott Perry and Janelle Stelson heats up in Harrisburg. Philly Dems celebrate Bob Brady's 40 years with Big Dom and Joe Biden.
Is your phone being flooded with political text messages? Here’s what you need to know
Political text messages are becoming an increasingly popular way for campaigns to connect with voters.
Tennessee Titans news: Cam Ward eyes bounce back vs. Colts
The Tennessee Titans are hoping to snap their losing streak in Week 6.
She Was Fired by Hegseth. Now She’s Campaigning for Congress.
Could Charleston send a Democrat to Congress?
Colts Slide in Power Rankings After Another AFC Loss
Perception of the Indianapolis Colts is waning as they came up short in another AFC matchup.
Are you addicted to your phone? What scientists say about screen time and social media
Experts unpack the science of screen addiction and how to build a healthier relationship with technology
Birdbrained Science: With spotted lanternflies, squash away!
Frogs, locusts, gnats… and lanternflies? Though far removed from the Bible, spotted lanternflies are the latest plague (disregarding frat flu) to cross the University of Connecticut.