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Beloit Sky Carp event fundraises for first responder mental health initiatives
Families enjoyed a day of filled with games, food, live entertainment and community spirit, all in the name of supporting our first responders.
The Trump Admin Is Airing Yet Another Taxpayer-Funded Political Ad
The video, originally from Trump's 2024 campaign, shows the president vowing to destroy "villains" with the disclaimer, "Paid for by the U.S. Government."
Texas clinic owner convicted in $26M military health fraud tied to gold-plated Cybertruck
Kevin D. Curry used TRICARE kickbacks to fund a gold-plated Tesla Cybertruck and lavish parties after billing $26 million in fake TMS therapy claims.
Texas clinic owner convicted in $26M military health fraud tied to gold-plated Cybertruck
Kevin D. Curry used TRICARE kickbacks to fund a gold-plated Tesla Cybertruck and lavish parties after billing $26 million in fake TMS therapy claims.
Portland City Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane discusses city funding and school plans
Portland City Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane will seek re-election in November following an eventful first term shaped by budget battles and public safety issues.
White House airs another government-funded ad, this time with Trump warning of ‘final battle’
The Trump administration is set to launch another overtly political campaign ad funded by taxpayer dollars, attacking the “fake news media” and “the sick political class that hates our country.”
What Was Brent Venables Thinking?
You know the scene. You’ve seen it a thousand times. A college football coach stands alone on the sidelines, his players and assistants looking to him for answers that he doesn’t have. They’ve lost this football game, and lost it badly. “Charley Pell’s off-the-books slush fund!” you think, “what must that guy be thinking in […]
Beshear declines to say if he’s allocating substantial funds to boost Dem in Texas Gov. race
New fund invests $250,000 in Charleston small business center
The Lowcountry Impact Fund has announced its first investment, a $250,000 commitment to The Harbor Entrepreneur Center in Charleston.
Feds charge semi-truck business owner in $105M investment fraud scheme
Kristopher Lunsford faces federal charges over a trucking investment operation prosecutors claim used newer investor funds to pay earlier participants.
Politics chat: Trump vs the media; rolling back health and education spending
We look at President Trump's fight with some of the White House press corps, as well as his attempt to claw back $810 million in Congressionally-approved funds for health and education spending.
Politics chat: Trump vs the media; rolling back health and education spending
We look at President Trump's fight with some of the White House press corps, as well as his attempt to claw back $810 million in Congressionally-approved funds for health and education spending.
Global Business Travel Group (GBTG) Looks Fairly Valued, Is The Upside Already Priced In?
Global Business Travel Group (GBTG) is drawing attention after its recent share price move, with the stock last closing at US$9.50. Investors are weighing that price against the company’s current fundamentals and recent returns. Recent trading action fits a broader pattern for Global Business Travel Group, where a strong year to date share price return of 26.33% sits alongside a 1 year total shareholder return of 16.71% and a 3 year total shareholder return of 72.73%. This suggests momentum...
Y Combinator Is Making Political Bets. Its New PAC Has Backed 66 Campaign Committees
The startup accelerator’s Little Tech PAC is funding candidates across party lines as Silicon Valley prepares for a bigger fight over technology policy in Washington.
What Is a ‘Pocket Rescission’? Inside Trump’s Move to Cancel $810 Million in Federal Funding
The Trump Administration is seeking to claw back spending that was approved for programs including those serving immigrants, refugees, minority groups, and children.
Kennedy Center put off planned repairs despite known structural issues, former employees allege
The center’s executive director and chief operating officer, Matt Floca, did not treat the roofing issues as priorities and in April halted a funded plan to address them, according to the letter Thursday signed by David Seide, a lawyer representing the anonymous whistleblowers.
No. 47’s administration moves to limit fixes for systemic ra...
The Trump administration is limiting how federally funded schools address racial disparities, rolling back disparate-impact rules and closing desegregation case...
Joliet gets $1 million federal grant for community mental health program
The funds are part of more than $3.17 million in federal grants for Will County programs related to childcare, nursing education, substance abuse treatment, and university research, according to Rep. Lauren Underwood's office.
Trump admin cancels funding for refugees, immigrant detainees and others
The Trump administration is moving to cancel $810 million of funding that has been appropriated by Congress for refugees, immigrants and other services.
Cape Cod restaurant hit with harassment, hoax 911 calls after hosting GOP fundraiser
A Cape Cod restaurant has been inundated by online threats and harassment, even a hoax 911 call resulting in a massive emergency response, in retaliation for hosting a Republican fundraising event.
The Camilla Foundation to host 3rd annual "Cultivating Hope: An Evening for Children's Health" on October 6
The Camilla Foundation will host its third annual "Cultivating Hope: An Evening for Children's Health" on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at The Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. The public event will raise funds and awareness for children's mental health services in Bulloch County.
Alaska to launch second funding round for Rural Health Transformation Program
The federal program is meant to produce long-term transformation, but strict rules are leading to short timelines.
Sold-out Charity Regatta Raises Record $334,690 for VNA Health
For 22 years, the Santa Barbara Yacht Club (SBYC) has raced boats to raise funds and friends to benefit the Community Care Programs and charitable mission
Lawmakers slam Trump’s move to cancel $810M in funding approved by Congress
The White House announced plans to cancel funding for refugee services and other domestic programs. Lawmakers say it infringes on their spending authority.
Trump revives rare budget maneuver to rescind $810M in congressionally approved funds
Trump used a pocket rescission to cancel $810 million in approved spending on refugee programs, diversity initiatives and migrant education.
Scientific research funding used to be bipartisan. Under Trump, it’s become a constant political football
The NIH grant process remains intact. But supporters on the Hill and in research institutions worry the administration will try to alter it again.
Opinion: Prop. 40 will make California’s health care challenges even worse
A one-time tax on top earners creates a funding cliff, leaving the safety net with deep fiscal holes.
Opinion: Prop. 40 is the key to preserving health care access and saving lives
Passing this ballot measure forces the super-rich to fund emergency rooms, preventing disastrous statewide closures.
In an $80 Motel Room, a Discovery to Shed Light on the Origins of Life
A scrappy science project led to a significant discovery: two new species of a rare organism that could elucidate a fundamental transition in the history of life on our planet.
Children\'s artwork to be exhibited, sold in \'Peace Kids\' show to raise funds for nonprofits
At the eighth annual Peace Kids to the Rescue Art Show & Silent Auction, 72 works by children ages 3-18 will fill the third floor of Lancaster’s Ware Center for
White House orders over $800M in funds rescinded; Collins calls it 'clear violation' of law
The White House announced Friday evening that it was rescinding over $800 million in congressionally appropriated funds across a range of government programs.
Arizona moms push to protect maternal mental health help line
A group of mothers is advocating to protect a statewide maternal mental health help line, saying budget language left its long-term funding uncertain.
Seeing Like a Gardener: A New Framework for the Public Funding of Science
Chapter 11 (pp. 84–91) from The Reconstruction Papers.
Rural Health Transformation Project funding could bring childcare to Juneau hospital workers
A Juneau nonprofit received grant funding to create a childcare center for Bartlett Regional Hospital employees.
Trump Proposes $810 Million in Education and Health Cuts, Defying Congress
The attempted clawback represents the second time in as many years that the White House has sought to cancel funding approved by lawmakers.
White House claims pro-Trump ad it paid Fox to air was ‘public service announcement’
Some Democrats say taxpayer-funded ad could be illegal government propaganda aimed at influencing voters
Durham's $750,000 bet on small businesses Is paying off, county says
Durham County leaders say a small-business recovery program funded by COVID relief money did exactly what it was supposed to do.
AP | A data-sharing clause derailed US-Zimbabwe health talks. Now all funding ends this month
The US will end funding for Zimbabwe’s health programs at the end of September following the collapse of negotiations over a US-proposed deal.
Harford County businesses celebrate Dolly Day, raising money for Imagination Library
Businesses celebrated Dolly Day by participating in fundraising efforts to support Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Harford County.
William Penn Foundation offers funding to keep Academy of Natural Sciences museum open
A Drexel spokesperson did not say whether the school had declined the offer, but said, “No proposal has been presented that would provide a permanent, sustainable path forward" for the museum.
After a premature birth, North Texas mom found help. Now state invests $4 million in maternal health program
Texas is giving more than $4 million to expand the Maternal Health Accelerator, connecting pregnant and postpartum women to check-ups and support.
Boston-led business groups press for science research funding in DC
A growing coalition of chambers of commerce across the country has a key goal: making the case in Washington to support science.
Austin expands small business support with $2.18M for new programs
The Austin City Council advanced $2.18 million in funding for PeopleFund, Kiva and UT Austin to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses.
University of Richmond receives record $150M gift
The University of Richmond received a record $150 million gift as it launches a $600 million fundraising campaign.
North Texas counselor convicted in $26 million health care fraud
Prosecutors say Kevin Curry funded a lavish lifestyle with the millions he received defrauding the federal government.
Murray, Baldwin Lead Colleagues in Demanding Vought Abandon Any and All Plans to Exert Political Control Over NIH Funding
Lawmakers emphasize need for Republicans to join Democrats and support new guardrails in law to protect the integrity of NIH’s grantmaking process following long line of politically motivated attacks on NIH ICYMI: Senator Murray on Trump’s Latest Plan to Politicize Lifesaving NIH Research ICYMI: Murray on Trump Admin Scrapping Plans for Executive Order to Empower […]
Mississippi's governor awarded more than $104 million to improve rural healthcare. Where's it going?
Mississippi Today reports that a few recipients received a large share of federal funds to boost rural health in Mississippi
Bladen Small Business Center to host “Funding Toolbox” Small Business RoundTable
Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs are invited to attend the September Small Business RoundTable at Bladen Community College, featuring a practical discussion on one of the most important challenges facing entrepreneurs: finding the right funding for a business.The September RoundTable, “The Funding Toolbox,” will be held Monday, Sept.28, from 5:30–7 p.m. in Building 14, Room 135, at Bladen Community College.Sponsored by the Bladen Community College Small Business Center (SBC) and the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the event will bring together experts familiar with the Small Business Center and SSBCI programs to help participants better understand the funding resources available to entrepreneurs and small businesses.Rather than focusing on one type of financing, “The Funding Toolbox” will explore a variety of funding tools and resources that may be available depending on a business's stage, needs and goals. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about available programs, how they work, what lenders and funding organizations look for, and how business owners can prepare to seek financing.Topics will include:Funding options for startups and existing businessesLoans and other financing resourcesSSBCI-supported funding opportunitiesHow to determine which funding option may fit your businessWhat lenders and funding organizations look forPreparing financial information and documentationResources available to help businesses become funding-ready“The Funding Toolbox” is designed for both aspiring entrepreneurs and established small business owners who are considering starting, expanding or investing in their businesses.The Small Business RoundTable provides an informal setting where local entrepreneurs can learn, ask questions, share experiences and connect with business-resource partners. The program is part of the ongoing efforts of the Bladen Community College Small Business Center and the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce to strengthen and support small businesses throughout the community.The September RoundTable is free and open to the public.For more information or to register, contact the Bladen Community College Small Business Center at 910-879-5572.Event DetailsWhat: Small Business RoundTable – The Funding ToolboxWhen: Monday, Sept.28, 2026 | 5:30–7 p.m.Where: Bladen Community College, Building 14, Room 135Cost: FreeSponsors: Bladen Community College Small Business Center and Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
HUGS casino night fundraiser in Savannah to support affordable mental health services
American Legion Post 135 to raise funds for affordable mental health in Savannah
Astrophysicists win AI grant for 'Holy Grail' project to automate laborious calibration process
Anthropic's AI for Science Program has awarded the UC Santa Cruz team $50,000 in API credits to fund the development of an automated wavelength-calibration algorithm for astronomical spectra.
UA provides $1 million in seed funding grants
The I3R Watershed Grants Program recently awarded $1 million to 15 new interdisciplinary research teams at the University of Arkansas. The program is designed to spark new research collaborations, accelerate...
UA provides $1 million in seed funding grants
The I3R Watershed Grants Program recently awarded $1 million to 15 new interdisciplinary research teams at the University of Arkansas. The program is designed to spark new research collaborations, accelerate...
Shelby County Health Department Seeks Permit Program Funding as Air Pollution Falls
"By emissions going down, so [is] our revenue."
A data-sharing clause derailed U.S.-Zimbabwe health talks. Now all funding ends this month
The withdrawal casts uncertainty over programs to combat HIV and other diseases in a country where shortages often force patients to bring basic supplies such as bandages to clinics and buy their own medicines.
How to help Katmai’s brown bears this Fat Bear Week
Donations to the Otis Fund will be matched up to $350,000 through October 3.
UVM receives $19M grant to create a national neuroscience hub
The grant will fund a new observatory at the University of Vermont to help scientists research and better understand how brains and nervous systems work.
Trump administration runs taxpayer-funded ‘love me’ ad
Democratic lawmakers have demanded more details about the ad
Pro-Trump TV ad paid for by U.S. government continues airing with higher spend
The ad’s cost has jumped from $14,000 to $430,000 as it runs on a variety of network TV channels in markets across the country
A data-sharing clause derailed US-Zimbabwe health talks. Now all funding ends this month
The United States will end funding for Zimbabwe’s health programs at the end of September.
A data-sharing clause derailed US-Zimbabwe health talks. Now all funding ends this month
The United States will end funding for Zimbabwe’s health programs at the end of September | Newsradio 1140 WRVA
US ends health funding for Zimbabwe after dispute over data-sharing terms
The United States will end funding for Zimbabwe’s health programs at the end of September. This decision follows Zimbabwe's rejection of a U.S.
A data-sharing clause derailed US-Zimbabwe health talks. Now all funding ends this month
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — The United States will end funding for Zimbabwe’s health programs at the end of September following the collapse of negotiations over a U.S.-proposed deal that Zimbabwe reje…
Arkansas Invests 54 Million to Boost Rural Health and Workforce in 54 New Projects
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced $54.6 million in new rural health funding for 54 projects across Arkansas Thursday, including eight awards totaling more than $5 million for projects serving Southeast Arkansas. Jefferson Hospital Association received two awards totaling $1.03 million. Of that amount, $360,000 will […]
Southern Miss offering low-cost mental health screenings, support
The grant-funded program, called SOAR, serves people ages 14 to 25.
Underly calls for change in school funding formula
In her annual State of Education address, State Superintendent Jill Underly called to change the school funding formula and said “financial questions” schools are facing are the result of “deliberate political choices.”
BioHealth Capital Region - Regional Life Sciences Roundup - September 25, 2026
Each week, our Regional Roundup delivers the most important and timely life sciences news from around the region. From groundbreaking research to fundraising…
Trump uses public funds for 'Love me' ad that promotes himself
The White House is using public funds for a TV ad that promotes President Trump and his record, calling it a "public service announcement."
The governor awarded more than $104 million to improve rural healthcare in Mississippi. Where is the money going?
A handful of recipients accounted for a substantial share of the first round of federal awards to boost rural health in Mississippi, according to an analysis of funding conducted by Mississippi Today.
David Bride: Small business investment could fuel resident interest
As mayor, I would focus on giving small businesses practical support. That means connecting entrepreneurs with public funding, private investment, banks and community organizations.
Pioneer of China NewCo model sued in US over trade secret misuse, double-dealing
A legal feud unfolding in New York is putting a spotlight on the work of a business development veteran who is credited for pioneering one of biopharma’s hottest dealmaking mechanism: the China “NewCo” model. In a lawsuit originally filed in New York state court and recently moved to federal court, China’s Lepu Medical Technology has alleged that biopharma business development consultant Su Zhang, who was hired to help shop its GLP-1 weight-loss candidates to Western partners, engaged in corporate double-dealing and trade secret leaks. According to the complaint, while acting as Lepu’s primary dealmaking liaison for a group of obesity and metabolic disease drug candidates, Zhang was secretly double-dipping as the acting chief business officer for a direct competitor, BrightGene Pharmaceutical. “She never adequately disclosed the role, never sought Lepu’s consent, and never proposed any safeguard,” Lepu alleged in its complaint, which was filed in July after Zhang’s consulting firm, CoDevCo, sought certain transaction-based success fees from its angry customer through an arbitration process in Singapore. Lepu, the parent company of Lepu Biopharma, has asked Zhang to pay back its $500,000 retainer and disgorge all benefits she received during the alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, plus other damages and relief. The company has also requested the court grant injunctions to protect Lepu’s trade secrets. The ill-fated partnership officially kicked off in December 2024, when Lepu tapped CoDevCo as its “exclusive business development mechanism” to identify collaborators for the company’s drug candidates. According to Lepu’s complaint, Zhang personally negotiated and signed the agreement as managing director for CoDevCo, which used her home address. Before the Lepu deal, Zhang made a name following a short stint as the global head of business development for Hengrui Pharmaceuticals. It was during her tenure that Hengrui signed a landmark deal granting exclusive rights for a portfolio of GLP-1 assets to Hercules, which was at that time newly established by a group of private equity and venture capital firms. In addition to the regular upfront and milestone payments, Hengrui also gained an equity stake in Hercules, which later became Kailera Therapeutics. The Hengrui-Hercules deal opened a new paradigm, where a Chinese biopharma company spins off certain early-stage assets to investors for further development through the creation of a new company abroad. The “NewCo” model quickly came into vogue as it allows Western investors to access high-potential assets originating from China at an early stage while giving the Chinese licensors an opportunity to reap long-term benefits through equity stakes in the new firms. The NewCo model proved its value when Kailera staged a record-breaking $625 million IPO on Nasdaq this April, merely two years into the Hengrui deal. Related Kailera CEO 'knew we were in a good spot' before obesity biotech's record-breaking $625M IPO On her LinkedIn page, Zhang described her work at Hengrui as “[b]uilding team and capability from the ground up,” forming NewCo and major pharma partnerships worth billions of dollars. Lepu clearly wanted that kind of track record to help boost its own cardiometabolic portfolio, which includes a range of assets for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and muscle preservation during weight loss treatment. “Lepu’s pipeline is very valuable, but only if Lepu could secure the right international partner to expand into the overseas market during the available commercial window,” the company argued in its complaint. The Chinese biotech said it had little knowledge of U.S. laws, customs or business practices in the business development field, and therefore “needed to rely entirely” on the expertise of Zhang and her team as the firm’s first engagement of a U.S.-based BD consultant. “Zhang’s dominating influence on the business development strategy is further evidenced by the fact that she personally controlled the business-development communications on behalf of Lepu with potential partners,” Lepu said in its complaint. After entering the deal, Zhang introduced Lepu to her four associates. According to Lepu’s version of events, all of them were allegedly employed at different time points to perform similar jobs at other Chinese companies that Lepu described as its competitors, while having access to Lepu’s confidential information. As such, Lepu described Zhang’s team as “a roster of individuals whose primary professional loyalty, by virtue of their concurrent full-time employment, ran to Lepu’s competitors.” As well as the specific examples set out in the case, a look at Lepu’s deals over the period suggests Zhang may have been involved in at least one transaction. During their partnership, Lepu, through its subsidiary Shanghai Minwei Biotechnology, also out-licensed its GLP-1/GIP/FGF21 agonist MWN105 to a NewCo called Sidera Bio in the fall of 2025. The deal included an upfront and near-term payment of $35 million, up to $1.01 billion in milestones, and a 9.99% stake in the Danish startup. It seems likely that Zhang facilitated the Minwei deal given that Lepu is on record as having used CoDevCo as its “exclusive business development mechanism.” The big shock for Lepu came in the form of a news article on June 25, 2025. The article, reporting on phase 2 data for BrightGene’s GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist BGM0504, identified Zhang as acting chief business officer of the Lepu rival. Blindsided by her association with BrightGene, Lepu confronted Zhang in July 2025. “Lepu was given assurances that there was nothing to be concerned about and told that Zhang would explain the matter to Lepu,” Lepu alleged in its complaint. “Zhang never did.” Lepu claimed that Zhang had the motive and opportunity to steer potential prospective partners toward BrightGene or other competitors. Later, in February 2026, one of Zhang’s associates joined BrightGene as the vice president for global business development, according to the complaint. Around the same time, Lepu sent written demand letters asking Zhang to account for her BrightGene role, identify what confidential data were shared with the rival firm, and provide any conflict-of-interest or firewall policies during the engagement. According to Lepu, neither CoDevCo nor Zhang answered the questions in their responses. Related Novo vs. KBP: How a $1.3B deal turned into a fraud accusation and an international legal fight In a motion to dismiss filed with the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York on Sept. 4, Zhang’s legal team argued that Lepu’s agreement was signed with CoDevCo, and that an employee of the contractor does not owe fiduciary duties to the client. In its complaint, Lepu said: “That CoDevCo was the contracting entity does not insulate Zhang from personal liability for duties she personally undertook and personally breached.” Taking the argument one step further, the defending party argued that the consulting agreement “does not create a fiduciary relationship even between CoDevCo and Lepu; instead, it identifies CoDevCo as an independent contractor retained to market Lepu’s business to potential western partners.” Although CoDevCo was Lepu’s exclusive business-development contractor, there were no terms stipulating that the consulting firm should serve only Lepu, Zhang’s lawyer noted. As to Lepu’s claims that Zhang misappropriated trade secrets, the defendant argued that Lepu authorized the use of the information so Zhang’s team could perform their service per the agreement. In a rebuttal filed on Sept. 11, Lepu’s lawyer set out why they believe the Chinese biotech satisfied New York law’s misappropriation definition by alleging that the defendant used a trade secret “in breach of a duty or through improper means.” As an alternative to dismissing the suit, the defendant suggested the action should be stayed pending outcomes from the arbitration of a separate case in Singapore. While NewCo pioneer Zhang is defending her business arrangements, momentum behind the NewCo trend has continued unabated into 2026. Through August, Chinese biotech assets have spurred 15 NewCo deals this year, according to local trade publication PharmaDJ.
CERN has begun disconnecting the Large Hadron Collider
CERN has started replacing some of the Large Hadron Collider’s most important magnets as part of its High-Luminosity upgrade. The new superconducting magnets will produce fields about 40% stronger, allowing particle beams to be squeezed more tightly before they collide. That should create far more collisions for the ATLAS and CMS experiments to analyze, giving physicists a much larger window into the fundamental workings of the universe.
Bill to allow politicians to spend campaign cash on security spurs warnings of misuse
The Assembly gave overwhelming approval to a bill that would allow political candidates to use campaign funds to pay for security measures.
North Carolina restores perinatal program after Medicaid funding dispute delayed research
Perinatal Quality Collaborative revives projects on newborn screenings and maternal mental health to launch in 2027, officials said.
The World Health Organization in crisis
The World Health Organization faces a deepening crisis of funding, authority and relevance as alternatives emerge for disease surveillance and emergency response.
Scattering neutrinos to probe the fundamental laws of the universe
As part of Ricochet, an international collaboration that studies neutrinos, MIT PhD student Faith Reyes progressed from learning the basics of the experiment to helping guide the work of other scientists.
City Council approves grants to assist businesses located in construction zones
The pilot program uses $345,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to help small businesses survive disruptions.
WA lawmaker call for more oversight after Longview disaster
Although the state is facing a budget crisis, Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, said he “can’t think of a more worthy cause” for lawmakers to pass and fund.
Costco clinches $184M in tariff refunds, with more expected
Costco confirmed it received $184 million in tariff refunds, with more on the way, according to its latest earnings call. On Thursday, the big-box retailer said the money was reinvested
$54.6 million in rural health transformation funds awarded
Gov. Sarah Sanders announced Thursday (Sept. 24) $54.6 million in awards to recipients of the second round of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) grants, which follows $149.3 million announced in...
Most Fundable Companies Competition at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School Celebrates Another Year of Innovation
Held at the University’s Malibu campus, entrepreneurs, investors, and educators from across all 50 states participated in the event, with winners selected by a distinguished panel of investors, venture advisors, and Pepperdine faculty.
Letter: Ethics of science cannot be separated from who funds it
From Vincent Straub, Interdisciplinary researcher, University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Population Health, Oxford, UK
Interested in purchasing a commercial space through the Business Community Ownership Fund?
Our Business Community Ownership Fund has two brand-new, cold-shell commercial spaces in Rainier Valley available to match with a business owner. If you’re interested in the spaces below, please visit our website for more details on eligibility and reach out to our program staff at OED_BCOF@seattle.gov. Available commercial spaces (9/24/26): Atrium Court, 7324 Martin Luther […]
Montana State Employee Health Plan Costs Change Under New Union Agreement
The State of Montana Benefit Plan faces rising medical and prescription drug costs. The state says its self-funded plan is expected to see nearly double-digit h
Board of criticized North Dakota business financing program plans meeting to address audit
Officials overseeing a state-backed business financing program that drew critical audit findings and a sharp response from lawmakers plan to meet in coming weeks to address the situation.
Governor announces another $54.6 million in rural health grants
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced an additional $54.6 million in federal funding to bolster rural healthcare on Thursday, the latest allocation from the state's share of a $50 billion fund established by Congress last year.
‘Love Me’: White House airs government-funded ad praising Trump
With the midterm elections approaching, the White House is airing a new TV ad promoting President Donald Trump and his policies that says it is “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”
Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program Awards UAMS $5 Million to Fund 6 Initiatives
LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received more than $5 million in funding under the HEART and RISE ARKANSAS initiatives of the Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
Amid rising political violence, N.J. passes bill that would allow campaigns to use funds for security
The bill, which would campaign dollars to pay for politicians' alarm systems and other security measures, now heads to Gov. Mikie Sherrill's desk.
Arkansas awards $54M in second round of federal rural healthcare funding
Arkansas awarded $54.6 million to dozens of recipients through a new federal program to support projects aimed at bolstering rural healthcare, state officials announced Thursday.
Delta Peanut receives $5 million loan to continue operations
Peanut farmers in Northeast Arkansas and in the Missouri Bootheel have potentially staved off a disaster. A $5 million loan has been allocated from the Governor’s Quick Action Closing Fund...
Premier League keen to resolve EFL funding stalemate
The Premier League hopes to reach an agreement with the EFL over its funding model 'as soon as possible'.
Meet the expert: Shelby Buso on building the business case for climate resilience
Discover how cities can embed resilience into everyday decision-making by aligning climate risk, investment, funding, and long-term planning.
Trump ad airing with government funding despite law against ‘propaganda’
A TV ad boosting President Trump and saying that it was paid for by the U.S. government is airing in two major markets despite a federal law against using tax funds for "propaganda."
New entertainment spot ‘Funder Alley’ opens in Fort Oglethorpe, GA
Discover Funder Alley, a fresh entertainment spot in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, offering duckpin bowling, axe throwing, and darts alongside a varied food menu and full bar. Located on Battlefield Parkway, it boasts both indoor and outdoor seating options, perfect for casual fun and group events.
Is metascience being co-opted?
In July, the White House released a report that argued academia is deeply dysfunctional and in need of radical reform.Science: A New Golden Age sets out a litany of problems many academics will recognise: interminable waits for grants; short-term funding rather than support for longer, more ambitious projects; ballooning administrative requirements; pressure to publish, and many more. “The scientific machine is getting bogged down,” it says. At least on the face of it, Science: A New Golden Age is a triumph for the metascience movement, a loose-knit, global group of academics, philanthropists and think tankers that want far more testing and experimentation in how we fund public research and innovation. The report tells US research funders to set up internal metascience units to do just this. But it has also set alarm bells ringing that metascience is being conveniently deployed to help justify the defunding of US universities, which US vice president JD Vance has openly labelled “the enemy.” “Just because you have an issue with your plumbing in your house doesn't mean you light the entire house on fire and burn it to the ground,” said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, a group campaigning against what it says are attacks on scientists by the Trump administration. No one is arguing that academia doesn’t need reform, but there’s debate over how far and how fast the system should be shaken up. Does public R&D need slow and steady evidence-based adjustment, or radical new experiments?One of the key arguments in Science: A New Golden Age is that there’s not enough funding for what it calls “mid-level” science: engineering-heavy projects that require tens of millions of dollars, involve ten to a hundred people, and last around five years. Such a project might develop a brain-computer interface for people with Alzheimer's disease, for example. As such, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) has already announced $1.5 billion to set up so-called X-Labs, effectively new research organisations to pursue breakthroughs in areas such as quantum sensing and new scientific instruments. Funding divertedBut there’s a catch: this money has squeezed NSF budgets for more traditional, fundamental research grants, Science reported in June, likely meaning less cash for university-based scientists. Science: A New Golden Age also makes various swipes at universities, accusing them of extracting overheads from scientists to fund administrative bloat. “We have become dependent on a narrow set of legacy institutions,” it says. The report doesn’t mention it, but the US government is simultaneously seeking greater powers over federal funding, which would allow political appointees at funding agencies to screen or cancel research grants mid-project. The White House is also seeking to slash the NSF’s budget by more than half in 2027, although similar cuts proposed for 2026 were blocked by Congress. Convenient hookThis has worried some that the metascience agenda could be misused as a kind of smokescreen to further weaken universities. James Wilsdon, executive director of the Research on Research Institute at University College London, said that the report contains lots of “interesting ideas” and agrees that in places, academia is a “pretty broken system.” But the risk is that metascience is being deployed as a “convenient hook” to support cuts and a “political land grab” to transfer grant power from scientists to political appointees in US funding agencies.So far, the metascience agenda hasn’t been seized on by radical right parties in Europe. But Wilsdon worries it will cross the Atlantic, politicising research reform efforts and making them more difficult to carry out. The report is already making some in Europe sceptical of the entire idea. “The system is not without flaws, but the metascience discussion is not likely to improve the system but rather to generate munition to undermine it,” said Claes de Vreese, a professor of AI and society at the University of Amsterdam. Peter Thiel protégéOfficially, Science: A New Golden Age has just one named author: Michael Kratsios, the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a former chief of staff to Silicon Valley mogul Peter Thiel. He also served as chief financial officer of Thiel’s Clarium Capital Management. Since the 1990s, Thiel has criticised US universities for moving away from teaching what he views as the classic works of western civilisation, and drifting towards “anti-Western zealotry.” And since 2011, he has offered two-year fellowships of $250,000 to young people to skip or drop out of university, and instead start companies or pursue scientific research. “College can be good for learning about what’s been done before, but it can also discourage you from doing something new,” according to the Thiel Fellowships website. In other areas, the Trump administration has promoted academics with a longstanding interest in metascience. For example, the head of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, in 2020 co-authored a study arguing the funder backs overly conservative proposals, although he achieved wider prominence as a critic of pandemic lockdowns. Careless talk costs fundingEven before the Trump administration embraced the metascience agenda, some metascientists privately wondered whether they should be careful not to overstate dysfunctions in academia, in case this gets used as ammunition against universities. But others think being cautious with criticism is pointless. After all, last year, the Trump administration sought to cut funding from US universities on an entirely different premise: supposed antisemitism on campus. “I don't think these governments need a technical metascientific excuse to attack the universities, they will want to do so anyway,” said Will Stone, a researcher at Science Works, a new think tank advocating for a “metascience revolution” in the UK. “I think researchers should report what they find, even when the findings may be used to advance policies they disagree with,” echoed Russell Funk, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, who in 2023 co-authored a highly influential paper that argued scientific papers were becoming less disruptive over time. No justificationThat said, Funk thinks that metascientific research certainly doesn’t justify a weakening of universities. Instead, scientists need “time, resources and stability to pursue unfamiliar ideas,” he said. “Taking away those conditions works against the very goal the reforms are supposed to achieve.”The Institute for Progress, a Washington DC-based innovation policy think tank that has championed X-Labs and metascience units, also says that reforms should complement, not supplant, universities. “Unpredictable, unreliable, and reduced federal funding to researchers is destabilising to the very foundations of research and development and is bad,” said Jenn Gustetic, the institute’s director of metascience and R&D policy.Evolution or revolution?This points to a much bigger divide in the metascience community: how far and how fast should public R&D be shaken up? Does it need evolution or revolution? For example, Science: A New Golden Age says the science system relies too heavily on traditional “workhorse” project grants, the type that pay out around $250,000 a year to fund “hypothesis-driven science by small teams on tractable questions.” However, in criticising project grants, the report “decisively picks one side of a debate that is far from settled,” David Hilmer Rex, a metascientist based in Denmark, has written. In June, Pierre Azoulay, a metascientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, defended project grants, saying that the alternative of X-Labs “merits scepticism.”A-B testingOne challenge in metascience is that it’s easier to generate evidence for some types of change than others. Most straightforwardly, research funders can run A-B tests on different ways of awarding money. For example, Germany’s Volkswagen Foundation recently trialled distributed peer review, where applicants rate each other’s proposals, and measured its results against traditional review panels. Distributed peer review made quicker decisions, although awarded money to largely different ideas. However, much of the focus of the metascience movement has been on founding fast-moving and free-acting new research organisations and funders, in contrast to the alleged stodginess of mainstream academia or public innovation grants. A culture of speed and freedom are the animating principles behind Germany’s Sprind or the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria).Related articlesViewpoint: it's time to experiment with how Europe funds science European researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationHowever, while it’s possible to closely study previously successful bodies, such as the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), for historical clues to their secret sauce, it’s impossible to guarantee in advance that the likes of Sprind or Aria will actually work as hoped. But advocates of new organisations say this inherent uncertainly shouldn’t stop us trying. “If we wait for definitive proof that something will work before we try it, I don't know where your proof is coming from,” said Stone. Trade-offsUp until now, experiments in metascience haven’t generally come with hard trade-offs over money. In the US, new ideas such as focused research organisations have often been funded by billionaire philanthropists. In Europe, new innovation agencies such as Sprind and Aria, or the Netherland’s new National Agency for Disruptive Innovation, haven’t needed explicit cuts elsewhere in the research system. But with the $1.5 billion establishment of X-Labs by the NSF, the trade-offs are becoming clearer. Some metascientists privately wonder whether a smaller pilot would have been more appropriate, given that the idea is untested. The Institute for Progress counters that the $1.5 billion X-Labs budget is spread out over a decade, so will account for less than 2% of the NSF’s annual budget. “It’s important to remember that [Darpa] was once an institutional experiment as well. Now it’s one of the most cited innovative funding models in the world,” said Gustetic.As for Europe?The US isn’t the only country placing metascience at the heart of its research strategy. Science: A New Golden Age looks admiringly at the UK, which in 2024 set up a Metascience Unit to scrutinise how it funds research. In Brussels, it’s more of a mixed picture. In 2018, the EU set up the European Innovation Council to funnel grants and equity to start-ups, although it’s sometimes criticised for awarding money too slowly. Recently, the council has started experimenting with challenges, where teams of inventors compete to overcome a technological challenge. The European Commission also wants to experiment with partially randomising grant winners, to cut down on bureaucracy. However, the Commission’s own advisers have said the EU’s own research schemes are too conventional. They want the Commission to establish a new dedicated unit to scrutinise and experiment with funding. But there’s no sign of a such unit emerging in Brussels’ plans for the next Horizon Europe programme, which from 2028 is set to distribute more than €160 billion over seven years. Sam Bogerd, director of breakthrough innovation at the Brussels-based Arq Foundation, an AI-focused think tank that also looks at metascience, says that Europe might have the opposite problem to the US: universities and basic research funding are still reasonably well supported, but there’s not enough experimentation. “We're not taking a close enough look at where this money can achieve the most, and I am worried that the good ideas around metascience will be tainted politically by their association with the Trump administration,” he said. He’s still lobbying for the Commission to set up an experimental unit. But in the meantime, the Arq Foundation plans to do its own research, and is currently hiring two metascience researchers to run the rule over how Brussels spends research funding.
EU science policy wonks debate prospect of stronger ties with Canada
Europe’s research and innovation sector has started asking questions on how European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s offer to make Canada “the first associate member of the EU” would actually work in practice, and who will get to shape priorities in a transatlantic relationship that is getting stronger. The Commission says it wants “a new model of association” under which the EU and Canada will aim to develop “a shared space” to face ongoing challenges. “Working in close coordination with our member states and the European Parliament, we will aim to create a new form of partnership that has not existed until now, building the closest imaginable form of association with a partner outside Europe,” a spokesperson told Science|Business.Locked in an escalating trade war with US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly talked of annexing Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been looking east, but full EU membership was never in play. Taking the floor a day after von der Leyen’s proposal, he agreed to strengthen ties under “an alliance of the future” but reined in enthusiasm on the new label. He also suggested expanding Canada’s involvement in the Erasmus+ student mobility scheme, to which it currently has limited access, and the next iteration of Horizon Europe. Canada joined the present Horizon Europe in 2024, but only contributes to collaborative projects.Neither side has detailed the next practical steps in developing this new relationship. “I think nobody at the moment truly knows how this will work,” said Michael Browne, chief executive and founder of Crowdhelix, a global collaborative network that connects players in research and innovation. “It’s more of a statement of intent for closer collaboration, which requires legislative frameworks and approval processes, which have not started.”Kurt Deketelaere, secretary general of the League of European Research Universities, said von der Leyen’s pitch to Canada is “politically significant, but the legal content still has to be negotiated and constructed.”Mattias Björnmalm, secretary general of the Cesaer university group, agreed that she had only opened “a political door” to Canada, as “associate membership does not come with a predefined set of rights in the EU institutions.”Not only does this status not currently exist as a legal category in the two treaties that set up how the EU functions, but the Commission president cannot unilaterally create a new category of EU membership.According to Deketelaere, Article 217 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which allows the bloc to make association deals with non-EU countries involving reciprocal rights and duties, is “the most obvious existing legal basis for building a much deeper EU-Canada relationship.”Getting universities involvedNo matter how this new cooperation takes shape, Liviu Matei, who heads the School of Education, Communication and Society at King’s College London, hopes to see universities involved in discussions from an early stage.“Its primary motivations, entirely justifiably, are political and geopolitical,” he said. “In the area of higher education, however, restricting the initiative to political and geopolitical considerations would limit the scope of cooperation and lead to distorted frameworks and counterproductive implementation.”It is all the more important since academic interests on the two sides of the Atlantic are “neither identical nor fully aligned,” Matei added. “This is not insurmountable; it simply requires work to articulate the details of this privileged cooperation, including its governance and funding frameworks, as well as its substantive content in education and research.”Related articlesCanada looks to deepen research and education links with the EUZaharieva hopes for a Horizon Europe deal in 2026Canada might participate in European Research Council schemes, for example, which was not on offer in the present Horizon Europe association agreement. But “there would have to be something in it for the EU,” Browne said. “They don’t want to be funding projects outside of the EU where intellectual property is going to sit outside of the EU. There has to be some kind of transfer of knowledge.”But access to funding will not by itself resolve all the practical difficulties of working together, said Björnmalm. “For researchers and students, these include visas and residence arrangements, recognition of qualifications and study periods, and the conditions for pursuing a research career across borders,” he said. “For universities, there is scope for more predictable access to shared laboratories, computing and research data, and stronger support for joint doctoral training and long-term institutional partnerships.”Linda Doyle, provost and president of Trinity College Dublin, said Europe should strive for the “closest possible expression” of this new political alliance. “If Europe is serious about recovering its voice and its place in the world, it needs to be strongly allied with countries who share its values and its vision for a stable, rules-based, peaceful world.”
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