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ND clinics to change name following merger of two Minnesota-based healthcare providers
Two Minnesota-based healthcare providers are planning to merge and could create one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the upper Midwest.
The White House Claims Trump’s New Ads Are “Clearly Not Political,” Says Aide
The pre-midterm commercials are “reminding Americans to love their country,” a White House official insists to Vanity Fair, even as both Republican and Democrat lawmakers balk.
Kyzn OS Brings Centralized Business Management to Mission Pitch Competition
Mission’s entrepreneurs came together Sept. 16 for the inaugural Mission Small Business Expo at the Mission Event Center, a free, full-day event organized by the Mission Economic Development Corporation and title-sponsored by Lone Star National Bank
WATCH: Trump announces accord signed by top AI companies to 'self-police' development
Many of the executives gathered in Washington have called for a slowdown in the development of the technology after several hgh-profile incidents where AI agents have gone rogue.
‘Dazzling’ globetrotting adventure in history of alchemy wins 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize
The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry by self-proclaimed science adventurer Kit Chapman has been announced as the winner of the 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize.
Upfront: A Great N.C. Adventure
Last month, I had a great N.C. adventure. It began with yours truly taking the UUNC Chapel Hill School of Government’s Basic Economic Development ccourse. I’m on the North Carolina Economic Development Board and figured that a refresh on a lot of the things covered here at BNC wouldn’t hurt. I figured the course would […]
PM Burnham vows big shake-up for UK in high-risk political speech
The prime minister promised a rethink of ties with the EU, a reform of Britain’s electoral system and a new social care service.
Clancy trial sparks maternal health discussion
According to the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, depression is a common problem during and after pregnancy.
Middletown gives update on $200 million Renaissance Pointe development
City officials say ice arena site is 70% cleared, groundbreaking expected within 90 days
The Family Business Advantage: Third Quarterly Power Breakfast of 2026 explores how family businesses balance legacy and innovation
Photo by GFBJAnother successful Power Breakfast is in the books. The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal hosted its third quarterly Power Breakfast of 2026 on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Local leaders and decision-makers gathered to network and learn from the panel about how established principles drive long-term stability while allowing for operational evolution. The panel featured Managing Partner of Luigi’s Italian Chophouse & Bar, Nate Ernst; Inside Sales at Hubbard Supplyhouse, Mary Grace Hurley; Chief Operations Officer for Copiers Plus, Drew Smith; and CEO of Holmes Security Systems, Stephen Wheeler. The panel was moderated by Lauren Willets, director of the Family Enterprise Center at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Throughout the discussion, the panelists returned to a common idea: family businesses thrive when they preserve the relationships and values at their core while remaining open to change.Each panelist shared personal stories that carried practical lessons. Stephen Wheeler emphasized the role of relationships with customers and employees, saying, “What makes a family business successful today is relationships.” Mary Grace Hurley echoed Wheeler’s sentiment, describing relationships as a lasting inheritance, including a customer connection that began when she was young and continued into her working life. “If something’s given to you, that’s going to cost you too,” added Nate Ernst. He explained this philosophy by sharing that, in his view, earning responsibility builds credibility and confidence.Another hot topic was the idea of tradition versus change. For these businesses that have been around for a century or even more, it can be difficult to escape the “we’ve always done it this way” caveat, but these speakers emphasized how change has been an integral part of their growth and longevity. A family business can honor its history without being bound by it.“Innovation and tradition–they don’t have to be competing with one another,” shared Hurley. She pointed to changes in how businesses operate, including the adoption of computers and new management practices. Ernst stressed that adaptation is essential, while Wheeler described how his family’s electrical contracting business had evolved into a security-focused company. The details of the work may change, but identifying and upholding core values is key to embracing change while maintaining the character of a business. “I think it’s just important to remember why you started in the first place. What was your mission? What are your core values? And to reevaluate those,” shared Drew Smith.In addition to the first-hand accounts and wisdom shared by panelists, Moderator Lauren Willets recommended two novels during the panel for those seeking additional educational resources. Those two novels are “Hug of War: How to Lead a Family Business with both Love and Logic”by Cathy Carroll and “In the Company of Family: How to Thrive When Business Is Personal” by Melissa Mitchell-Blitch. Preparing the next generation requires more than handing over a title or company. Wheeler argued that future leaders need genuine passion and a vested interest in the business. The panelists were in agreement that succession is a process, and there is not one clear answer for how to perfectly prepare for it. Leaders must cultivate readiness, keep communication open and make room for the next generation to earn responsibility while being sure not to neglect the business in the here and now. “Today’s Power Breakfast was one of our best events yet! Between the passion and in-depth knowledge of the panelists, the great audience questions and the guidance and expertise of Mrs. Willets, the conversation was both engaging and informative,” shared GFBJ Publisher Faith Hatton. “A lot of small businesses in Fayetteville are family-owned and grown, and it’s great to be able to spotlight some of the businesses that have stood the test of time by strengthening the next generation of leadership and preparing them for ownership. I hope everyone received some inspiration and ideas that they can bring back to their own businesses and organizations!”We thank everyone who attended this Power Breakfast and hope you’ll all join us for the next Power Breakfast on Dec. 8. Details about the event will be shared on our social media and in future email updates. To learn about becoming a Power Breakfast sponsor, contact the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal at 910.240.9697 or marketing@bizfayetteville.com.
Klobuchar's knowledge of Midwest college sports comes in handy during hearing
"I think people should have their facts right before they call someone a dirtbag and not get the teams wrong. You have the teams wrong, sir," Klobuchar said,
Who’s in charge here?
Scholars, industry leaders debate how to reduce risks of AI, ensure humans remain in charge of development
State Senate Democratic Committee: Robyn Vining earns Recombobulation Area endorsement, highlighting her effective legislative record
MADISON, WI – State Representative Robyn Vining’s campaign for State Senate has earned the endorsement of The Recombobulaiton Area and Dan Shafer. During their conversation on The Recombobulaiton Area podcast, Robyn and Dan highlighted her path to political life, her...
Valley West Mall sold; site plan to be finalized
Brian Martin likes to do “impactful” developments that will help transform the communities where he works. That’s why the president and CEO of Threshold Capital and Threshold Development decided to invest in the redevelopment of Valley West Mall. The $11 million deal closed on Monday, and as the new owner, he is ready to begin…
New “Science Stadium” exhibit opens at the Buffalo Museum of Science
Empire State Development celebrated the grand opening of the $3 million Science Stadium interactive exhibit at the Buffalo Museum of Science (BMS). Developed in partnership with the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo
Andy Burnham pledges pension triple lock changes to fund care reforms
The PM was at times emotional during his conference speech in which he outlined his long-term plan for the UK.
Prominent Journalists to Discuss Tech, AI Evolution at Bucksbaum Business Lecture
Drake University announced today the 4thAnnual Bucksbaum Lectureship in Business. Speakers Karen Hao and Nicholas Thompson will headline the lecture: “Decoding America’s Tech Moment.” Hao is a best-selling author and award-winning reporter covering artificial intelligence and Thompson is CEO of The Atlantic. The event will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at...
Copa Samaranch 2026
Botafogo will compete in the Samaranch Sub-9 Cup from October 2 to 4 in Ningbo, China. The tournament will be held at the Fenghua Sports Center, in partnership with the Samaranch Sports Development Fo...
Office of Personnel Management uncovers $500M in fraud and waste in federal health benefits programs
The Trump administration's Office of Personnel Management uncovered $510 million in fraud and waste across federal employee health benefits programs.
OpenAI gives Codex reusable cloud environments that work across devices
OpenAI is expanding Codex with reusable cloud development environments, a revamped CLI with voice controls, new code review tools and a security-focused product for scanning repositories and preparing fixes.
Essentia Health, HealthPartners announce planned merger
The organizations are targeting an effective launch date of Jan. 1, 2027, pending regulatory review.
Ascend WV Healthcare, First Ascent WV Healthcare applications now open
Applications are being accepted for Ascend WV Healthcare and First Ascent WV Healthcare — launched by the West Virginia University Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative, in partnership with West Virginia Tourism and major healthcare organizations statewide — that invite healthcare professionals and graduating students to live and work in the Mountain State.
Minnesota health systems HealthPartners, Essentia Health announce plan to merge
Bloomington-based HealthPartners and Duluth-based Essentia Health announced Tuesday that their respective boards of directors have approved a merger plan.
AFP-MT Opposes I-194, Warns Measure Would Silence Montanans, Threaten Businesses
HELENA, MT — Americans for Prosperity-Montana (AFP-MT) today announced its opposition to I-194, a statewide ballot measure that would strip Montana small businesses, family farms and ranches, and nonprofit organizations of their right to speak up in the political process — and put their ability to legally operate in the state on the line if […]
Warriors' Kristaps Porzingis out indefinitely with unspecified health issue
The former Celtics big man will reportedly miss the Warriors' preseason trip to Hawaii.
In Scotland, NASA Scientists Search for Clues About Mars’ Past
NASA's Goddard Instrument Field Team hauled equipment up and down the cliffs of Scotland's Clachtoll region on a quest to better understand Earth – and Mars.
Lee Health Establishes Dr. Larry Antonucci Scholarship Endowment Fund to Honor Legacy of Leadership and Service
Commitment of $250,000 to Support Employee Education and Professional Development FORT MYERS, Fla. (Sept. 29, 2026) – The Lee Health Foundation Board of Trustees in partnership with the Lee Health Board of Directors is proud to announce the creation of the Dr. Larry Antonucci Scholarship Endowment Fund, establishing a permanent legacy honoring the visionary leadership, […]
Business Council of Douglas County announces business spotlight and lifetime achievement awards
STATELINE, Nev. – The Business Council of Douglas County honored businesses and people that have made a positive mark on Douglas County with the Business Spotlight Awards and the Lifetime Achievement Awards at its 34th...
First-year food science students compete in product development
Students in Penn State's food science program can get involved with product development and other opportunities as early as their first-year.
Ill. gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey addresses cuts to Choate Mental Health & Developmental Center
Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey made a stop in Anna on Monday, September 28.
Waséyabek prepares 100 acres for development at Holland industrial complex
BLDI and Priority Waste have filled the last remaining space in Waséyabek's Holland industrial property as surrounding land is prepared for development.
Is Applied Materials Still The Business You Bought?
You may own Applied Materials (AMAT) as a chip equipment maker that aims to hand most of its spare cash back to shareholders. A $10,000 holding a year ago is now worth about $24,500. Your stake in this business is far bigger than it was.
How execs from Anduril to Zendesk are using personal agents
Top execs at companies like Anduril, Adobe, and KPMG are using personal AI agents for tasks like booking dog walkers and flu shots.
Bailey hopes to keep Choate Mental Health Center open
Gov. Pritzker says Illinois should move away from state-owned developmental centers.
Lesbian Bar Project Co-Founder: Purity Politics Could Destroy Our Remaining Spaces
Subscribe As a professional lesbian and Massachusetts native, I’ve recently been asked by a lot of folks what I think about the saga unfolding at Last Ditch. The now-viral story, first reported by The Boston Globe, centers on a Western Massachusetts lesbian bar that lifted its mask requirement for one night a week to help drum up business. The decision ignited an intra-queer controversy that has been feasted on by media outlets across the political spectrum—from the New York Post to LGBTQ Nation—and is even reportedly being eyed for a Hollywood adaptation. Apparently nothing is more entertaining than a bunch of lesbians and queers fighting with each other over KN-95s. What has been lost in all of the chatter and media coverage is the very real possibility that Last Ditch, which just opened in April 2025, will have to close its doors. The venue’s one remaining founder, Jackie Matellian, revealed in a community Zoom meeting that she’s working four jobs, is now solely responsible for the bar’s $50,000 business loan and is struggling to keep up with the bills. So as we laugh about the controversy’s similarity to a “Portlandia” skit and how one of the bar’s founders left to enroll in clown school, we forget that yet another lesbian bar is facing an existential crisis—and this time the call is coming from inside the house. In 2020, my friend Elina Street and I created The Lesbian Bar Project, an Emmy-, Webby- and GLAAD Media Award-winning docuseries and initiative that tells the stories of lesbian queer bars around the world. We were moved to act because at the time there were only an estimated 16 lesbian bars in the United States, and the pandemic threatened to bring that number down even further. There are now more sapphic bars than there were just before the pandemic—about 36 of them in total—but this is down from approximately 200 in 1980. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, but for the millions of sapphics living in the U.S., this number is calamitous. As the world laughs at lesbians and sapphics, I want to take a second and tell you what I feel when I walk into one of these bars, which are all unique and irreplaceable in their own way: I feel seen. Sometimes I think Cubbyhole in New York City’s West Village neighborhood knew I was gay before I did. When I walked in there for the first time, before I was even out, I was transfixed by the colorful array of tchotchkes hanging from the ceiling and how the women standing next to me were completely unafraid to express their desire for one another. I knew the minute I was ready to come out, I had a home. I also felt the joy of a new couple falling in love at Seattle’s Wildrose, the quiet confidence of a short king lining up her shot at the pool table at Ginger’s in Brooklyn and the kick of cayenne pepper in Julie Mabry’s crawfish at Houston’s Pearl Bar. Subscribe Lesbian bars don’t just serve lesbians; they serve queer folks across the spectrum, including bisexual, pansexual and trans people. As Elina and I traveled across the U.S. and Europe and to parts of Latin America to document the bar owners, staff and patrons that make up the ecosystems of these spaces, we also became uniquely acquainted with the factors that threaten their existence: gentrification, wage gaps, sexism, environmental disasters, gun violence, rising insurance premiums and political administrations working to annihilate queer people and their families. Lesbian bar owners, like all leaders and entrepreneurs, are imperfect. There have been significant issues over the years at lesbian bars: employee harassment, racism, lack of accessibility, sexual assault and transphobia. All bar owners should be held accountable and should listen to their communities to evolve into safer and more equitable spaces. I also acknowledge my privilege: I am able-bodied, white, cis and from a family system that loves me for who I am. Not everyone has that. Queer people, especially trans and bisexual people, are suffering from disproportionately high levels of depression, and our mental health system isn’t equipped to support them. Immunocompromised people and long COVID are real, and many of my friends are suffering to this day. The people with the least safety net are often the ones for whom a bar closing costs the most. And yet, as we’re seeing with Last Ditch, the queer community often lashes out at each other. It’s also the mainstream media taking the internal conflict and making a mockery out of it, distracting from the real possibility that this bar could close due to financial pressures. A bar that many people loved and needed is facing extinction. Perhaps it’s safer to dissent with one another than with the larger forces trying to eradicate us, but in doing so, we risk destroying the few spaces we have left. Due to the constraints of purity politics—some in good faith, some not so much—lesbian bar owners, almost all of whom are queer women themselves, are forced to be everything for everyone, similarly to how women are forced to be everything for everyone. By asking these bars to uphold impossible standards—standards very few other third spaces are asked to consider—we all end up losing. I want to move as a community toward dialogue, compassionate dissent and collaboration to make our spaces better with the goal of keeping them OPEN and thriving, rather than destroying them from the inside with expectations that are arguably unattainable. Subscribe While I have your attention—for this fleeting second of the news cycle—may I urge us to spearhead a way to keep these small businesses afloat without attacking our own community along the way? Bar owners are left with an impasse: They want to be community-centered, but they also have to make money to keep their doors open. Sometimes they might make business decisions that don’t work for everyone—and that’s partly because different patrons have different priorities and want different things—but these owners deserve the opportunity for productive dialogue**.** We have to work with them and with each other to keep our spaces open, to keep them growing. Lesbian bars raised me into the queer woman I am today. One thing I think about as I reflect on the six years of work we’ve done to document these spaces is that shared, unspoken language I have with a stranger the moment we both walk into one of these bars: the nod, the ease, the not having to explain ourselves. I don’t want to lose that, and neither should you. If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button: Donate
Ex-Trump prosecutor Smith will tell senators he won't 'be silenced' by threats of prosecution
The former Justice Department special counsel who brought two federal indictments against President Donald Trump will tell lawmakers he “will not be silenced by continued threats of prosecution” from the Trump administration and believes the rule of law is being threatened like never before.
Rural Colorado communities getting healthcare upgrades with $170M in federal grants
Grant funding will benefit 250 projects aimed at strengthening rural Colorado’s healthcare workforce, equipment and services
Beyond executive politics: Why football’s grassroots are betting on continuity
While political debates dominate football’s power centres, local member associations care about one primary goal: sustainable development on home soil. For many smaller federations, FIFA's support o...
Primetime Review: That’s Entertainment?
If you decide to see Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime, it’s important to remember the title as you watch. Yes, this is a biopic of sorts about Chris Hansen and his work on To Catch a Predator, but it is more accurately about the quest for fame and using people’s trauma to attract ratings. True crime entertainment continues to have a prominent place in many people’s television habits, and this film asks us to examine what that means both for those whose stories have become our viewing pleasure and those of us watching. Primetime starts as Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson) is told that his show, To Catch a Predator, is moving to a 9 PM spot opposite LOST. Chris and his producer, Andie (Merritt Wever), see this as an opportunity to make the program even more sensational, looking for bigger, more horrific predators. As part of their plan, they hire a young actor, Dan Plum (Skyler Gisondo), to play “Decoy Dan,” the person who greets the would-be predators who were catfished by Xavier Von Erck (Matthew Maher). Oppenheim, along with writers Ajon Singh and Luke Dittrich, is less concerned with an accurate retelling of the show as much as they are interested in interrogating the why of it all. That decision sometimes leaves Primetime feeling less like a biopic and more like a satirical look at the nature of programming like this. Visually, the movie is impressive. Oppenheim uses light and color effectively to cast Hansen as both villain and savior. Pattinson plays Hansen in an almost comical manner, as we see him wake his two young sons to watch a clip of the show, just to brag that he was moving into a prime spot on television. Even Andie struggles to accept a “nice” job when there is so much more fame to be found producing salacious true-crime content. Wever does an excellent job showing how the hunger for fame is not just in front of the camera, but in every aspect of the production. The heart of the movie, and the standout performance, belongs to Gisondo as Dan Plum. He is someone who just wants to get enough hours to be admitted into the Screen Actors Guild, and stumbles into this job without really knowing what it is. Throughout the film, we watch him suffer one trauma after another, ending with him witnessing the suicide of a District Attorney who is about to become the next unwitting star of Hansen’s show. If there is a sympathetic character in Primetime, it is Decoy Dan, and Gisondo plays him brilliantly. If you’re a fan of programming like To Catch a Predator, then Primetime will probably make you feel uncomfortable, and I think it’s worth sitting with that feeling and examining why we turn on shows that display the worst of humanity while we judge from our couches. Yes, it is correct to want to see people who would hurt children brought to justice, but perhaps it shouldn’t be something that we watch as entertainment. Rating: 3.5/5 This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on September 25, 2026. MacGuffin or Meaning: Film & TV Reviews and Reflections is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
NYC healthcare report: Prices, not usage, are behind rising costs for city workers
City spending on outpatient services for employees, retirees and their dependents grew between 13% and 17% from 2024 to 2025.
Former special counsel Jack Smith to testify before Senate on Trump investigations
Smith has rejected assertions he or his prosecutors were motivated by politics.
Beyond executive politics: Why football’s grassroots are betting on continuity
While political debates dominate football’s power centres, local member associations care about one primary goal: sustainable development on home soil. For many smaller federations, FIFA's support o...
Will Boston Blue Hill Ave biz owners be displaced?
Blue Hill Ave. business owners worry that the corridor's redevelopment isn't for them, it's for the wealthy white people on their way.
$10 for a gallon of gas has red Alaska thinking about a Democratic senator
Mary Peltola hopes to unseat Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in a race all about prices, federal aid and Donald Trump.
Can Pakistan’s Sohail Afridi win freedom for ex-PM Imran Khan?
At 37, he's the PTI's top elected leader. But the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister is assuming a national role too.
Construction of Roma’s new stadium to begin March 2027
A date destined to remain in Roma’s history. The new Pietralata stadium received the final green light yesterday: around 1:15 PM, Extraordinary Commissioner Sessa read the five points of the approva...
AB Science provides an update on its development plan and financial calendar following a sponsor Good Clinical Practice inspection
PRESS RELEASE AB SCIENCE PROVIDES AN UPDATE ON ITS DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND FINANCIAL CALENDAR FOLLOWING A SPONSOR GOOD CLINICAL PRACTICE INSPECTION ...
AB Science provides an update on its development plan and financial calendar following a sponsor Good Clinical Practice inspection
PRESS RELEASE AB SCIENCE PROVIDES AN UPDATE ON ITS DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND FINANCIAL CALENDAR FOLLOWING A SPONSOR GOOD CLINICAL PRACTICE INSPECTION Confirmation of the relevance of having, among the first decisions of the new management, given priority to the development of a new quality management system Expected resumption of the AB8939 phase 1 (acute myeloid leukemia) in the first quarter of 2027, followed by the masitinib phase 3 (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in the last quarter of 2027, subj
Landlocked Chungcheongbuk-do Welcomes First National Marine Science Museum
Landlocked Chungcheongbuk-do Welcomes First National Marine Science Museum Digital aquarium and experiential exhibits bring ocean science to inland residents after six-year development
Saint Louis County reports public health alert due to spike in non-fatal overdoses
Saint Louis County reports public health alert due to spike in Non-fatal Overdoses
Chinese Academy of Sciences sets sci-tech progress priorities in 5-year plan
The Chinese Academy of Sciences has released its development plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, setting priority directions for sci-tech breakthroughs in three major fields: basic research, strategic high technologies and sustainable development.
U.S. Bank Launches Cards to Meet Small Business Rewards Demand
U.S. Bank has launched two new small business credit cards that are designed to deliver “straight-forward rewards” on everyday business purchases, the
Naughty Dog will fully reveal Intergalactic in 2027
Naughty Dog confirms new Last of Us projects are in early development…
New The Last of Us Projects in 'Very Early Stages' of Development
"These stories are worth telling"
Braves Postseason eve chat and discussion: September 28
Happy Wild Card eve to all who celebrate. How are we feeling? Firstly, a hype video for you. This year’s campaign theme and accompanying hashtag? LET IT FLY. Are you hype enough yet? Let us know the creative ways you’re playing hooky with work or school for tomorrow’s 2 pm ET contest. We can write […]
Science Hill unveils new $30,000 microscope lab for students
The Johnson City Public Schools Foundation funded a $30,000 microscope lab at Science Hill High School, giving students access to 25 new microscopes for science classes and research.
Titan Business EDGE: Building career readiness from the first year to the first job
By Daniel Coats Career prep is most effective when it begins long before graduation. For Cal State Fullerton College of Business and Economics(opens in a new tab) students, knowing how to build professional skills, gain meaningful experience and ultimately launch a career requires intentional development over time. The new Titan Business EDGE program provides that pathway […]
Science Hill's Harris taking sudden stardom in stride
There's no such thing as an overnight success story, even if your name is Kiantai Harris.
American Infrastructure Alliance Launches First Nationwide Partnership Between Labor & Business to Advance Responsible Data Center Infrastructure Growth
The American Infrastructure Alliance (AIA) today launched the first nationwide coalition of labor and business focused on establishing responsible, enforceable guardrails for data center development at the state and local level.
Science Hill's Harris taking sudden stardom in stride
There's no such thing as an overnight success story, even if your name is Kiantai Harris.
Iowa businesses recognized as top 100 US small businesses
Three Iowa businesses were named to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 CO—100: America’s Top 100 Small Businesses list. The CO—100 recognizes small businesses for their growth, innovation and commitment to their customers, according to a news release. Original Group Holdings, a woodworking equipment manufacturer in Britt, was recognized as a community champion. The company…
Jalen Ramsey in Sling at Practice
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers got started early for their preparation for Thursday Night Football, practicing at UPMC Rooney Sports […]
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...
LEARN Behavioral Entity Sues to Stop MassHealth Medicaid Recoupment
A Massachusetts autism therapy provider has sued 10 public officials and entities to stop a Medicaid recoupment effort that local providers have decried
LEARN Behavioral Entity Sues to Stop MassHealth Medicaid Recoupment
A Massachusetts autism therapy provider has sued 10 public officials and entities to stop a Medicaid recoupment effort that local providers have decried
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.
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