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Art Garfunkel shares secret to lasting 38-year marriage: 'I can't live without my wife being in accord'
'Bridge Over Troubled Water' singer Art Garfunkel shares secret to his lasting 38-year marriage with wife Kathryn 'Kim' Luce: 'I can't live without my wife being in accord.'
Six Kentucky Football Players Included on Athlon Sports’ 2026 All-SEC Team
Ty Bryant, Tavion Gadson, Lance Heard, Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace, Coleton Price and Willie Rodriguez were honored by the magazine
Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat are 'The Wrong Girls' in first look at new stoner comedy (exclusive)
EW has your exclusive first look at the stoner comedy 'The Wrong Girls' from writer-director Dylan Meyer, starring Kristen Stewart, Alia Shawkat, LaKeith Stanfield, Seth Rogen, and Kate McKinnon.
Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat are “The Wrong Girls” in first look at new stoner comedy (exclusive)
LaKeith Stanfield, Seth Rogen, Kate McKinnon, and Geena Davis also star in the Neon film.
State Sen. Ben Gilmore’s latest move shows politics is more chess than checkers
Politics is full of exits. Some are dramatic. Some are unexpected. And then there are the ones that remind you politics is less like a race and more like chess—
Newsom urges a national 'billionaires' tax' while fighting one in California
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for a national “billionaires' tax” and suggests the U.S. government should own a stake in AI companies.
Octavia Spencer's Orit Entertainment Names New Heads Of Film & TV
Octavia Spencer's Orit Entertainment has made two key executive hires, naming Kathryn Tyus-Adair as Head of Film and Adam Wagner as Head of Television
Octavia Spencer’s Orit Entertainment Names Kathryn Tyus-Adair Head Of Film & Adam Wagner Head Of Television
EXCLUSIVE: Octavia Spencer’s Orit Entertainment has made two key executive hires, naming Kathryn Tyus-Adair as Head of Film and Adam Wagner as Head of Television. “Kathryn and Adam are exceptional exe...
HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: A pageant finale, concerts, comedy show and New River Day
CONCERTS THIS WEEKEND: Niko Moon plays Friday in Danville and Kathy Mattea performs Sunday in Rocky Mount
Making Our Own Luck
We are cross-posting a piece that former NIH official Kris Willis wrote for Macroscience. Kris is now the President and Founder of the Woodley Park Institute, for which I’m a board member. Picking winners or hedging bets? Federal science agencies have long wrestled with the question of how to ensure their billions of dollars of grants and contracts result in maximum benefits for Americans. On the surface, it might seem that a goal-oriented, interventionist style of management would be the best policy: prioritize our most pressing problems and distribute funding accordingly.This top-down strategy creates a unique hazard, though: bad choices can send resources in the wrong direction, resulting in slow progress that impedes the delivery of tangible benefits to citizens. Moreover, if decision makers pursue an applied advance when the underlying scientific principles remain poorly understood, they risk costly failures and a loss of support for the research enterprise at large. Examples include Nixon’s 1971 War on Cancer, undertaken on the premise that a cure could be achieved in less than a decade, the drive to build an operational commercial fusion plant by the mid-1990s, and the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, which failed to produce the effective treatments and prevention strategies promised by 2025. The contrasting laissez-faire approach is to hedge your bets. If the path to an advance is impossible to predict, then the wisest choice might be to distribute funding to as widely as possible. The main risk of this strategy is that spreading funding thinly may limit the resources available to the most promising research, resulting in the same negative outcomes as the interventionist approach: limited support for the most promising topics, slow progress, and delayed returns. In reality, at science agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, program managers navigate between these two extremes, setting some funds aside to target high-priority areas and using the rest to cover the widest possible range of meritorious proposals. This middle path seems like the most rational way to proceed, but it still requires making choices. How much should be set aside for high priority topics? What should those topics be? How should we define merit? Expert opinion can provide a helpful guide, but leading experts can have remarkably different opinions about what matters and what should be prioritized. Moreover, experts and administrators alike can be risk averse, giving an edge to high-profile, well-established concepts. What’s really needed is a data-driven framework to help guide decision-making, one that doesn’t simply repackage prestige or incumbency. Recognizing breakthroughs years in advance Many breakthroughs fail to attract funding or recognition at the earliest stages of development. Katalin Karikó, for example, spent years struggling to win grants for work on mRNA that would eventually win her and Drew Weissman a Nobel Prize. Similar stories can be told about Jim Allison’s groundbreaking studies leading to the development of cancer immunotherapy, Stan Pruisner’s demonstration that prions can self-replicate without DNA, or Robin Warren and Barry Marshall’s proof that Helicobacter pylori, not stress, causes ulcers. Yet at some point, the scientific community recognizes and responds to transformative breakthroughs like these. How does that change happen? And what if science funders could identify the areas that are on the cusp of a breakthrough? Those questions led my collaborators and me to study how scientists responded to past breakthroughs. Based on patterns in that data, we developed a means of predicting future breakthroughs, using biomedicine as a proof of concept. It’s worth taking a moment to describe how our approach works. Briefly, our prediction process begins by grouping the 18 million or so peer-reviewed papers in PubMed, the authoritative database of biomedical research, into roughly 50,000 unique topics. A small subset of these topics are so widely acclaimed as breakthroughs that they have been recognized with a major prize like a Nobel or a Lasker Award. We theorized that studying the development of these outliers over time, especially before they gained acclaim, was the key to identifying future instances of them. After defining topics, we chose 21 representative breakthroughs and asked what they looked like before they won prestigious prizes. To answer that question, we re-ran our topic-mapping algorithm repeatedly, winding back the clock one year each time, stringing together the years to follow the progress of each field as it grew and advanced. We found that in each case, the years leading up to a discovery followed a pattern: a burst of papers on a new, rapidly evolving topic, many of which quickly became influential. These characteristics—the percent of papers that are new, the percentage of papers that are brought in from other topics, and the influence of each individual paper—can all be measured separately for any given topic. Together, they act as a predictive signal that is detectable an average of five years before a transformative discovery is made, and up to thirty years before the discovery receives a major prize. Scanning the current research landscape for topics that display this signal allows us to predict what work will likely produce a future breakthrough. Each year we analyzed includes four or five signals, a number that appears to have remained constant across a twenty year time frame. In their classic work on the sociology of science, Bruno Latour and Steve Woolgar established that the desire to participate in a major discovery is an important motivator for scientists as they consider whether they should take up (or abandon) a research problem. Although further work is needed, the simplest explanation for our results is that this behavior is widespread enough to detect at scale. A foundational advance, or something like it, draws the attention of scientists and causes them to change the direction of their research. They vote with their feet, staking their own reputation and careers by publishing on and citing the new idea. That upswell of interest is the foundation of our breakthrough signal. What kind of research does our model identify as a breakthrough? After building a model based on the patterns in our 21 preselected breakthroughs, we tested it by identifying all early signals of discovery from 1994 through 1997. Of the 18 signals we found in that time period, 17 can be traced forward in time to a breakthrough. Examples include super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (see the image above), the directed evolution of proteins and enzymes (Chemistry Nobel, 2018), and sequencing the human genome (National Medal of Science, 2008). The discovery of the role of leptin signaling in obesity is a particularly interesting case study. Around 1950, scientists noticed the existence of a type of lab mouse that suffered from a unique inherited form of obesity. When given the freedom to choose their own diet, these mice ate more than normal and preferred food that was high in fat. Researchers had few clues as to why the animals overate; early experiments pointed to the existence of a soluble ob factor found circulating in the bloodstream that regulated appetite, but its identity was unknown. In 1994, Jeffrey Friedman and colleagues identified and sequenced the ob gene, noting that the protein it encoded appeared to fit the profile of a circulating factor. A year later, a trio of high-profile publications demonstrated that ob was a hormone that regulated body weight and fat deposition by regulating appetite. One of these was co-authored by Friedman, who christened it leptin from the ancient Greek word for thin. Using our model, the data from 1996 make it clear this advance would become a breakthrough. Scientists had flocked to study the biology of the new hormone, generating the flurry of new papers and citations required to produce a signal. One of these demonstrated that serum leptin concentrations reflected the amount of adipose tissue in the human body, providing clinical validation of the earlier mouse studies. Before the identification of leptin, scientists were unable to point to a specific molecule that controlled appetite and adiposity, so that it was impossible to rule out non-physiological causes of obesity; its characterization fundamentally changed our concept of weight gain. In 2010, Friedman and fellow pioneer Douglas Coleman were awarded a Lasker for the discovery. Our work also identifies breakthroughs in clinical practice and behavioral and social sciences, even though these areas are less likely to draw the attention of major prize committees. One example that falls into this category is the introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair, a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm, a leading cause of death among Americans over the age of 65. Relative to the previous standard of care, it reduces in-hospital mortality by almost four-fold. In 2017, Timothy Chuter received the American College of Surgeons’ prestigious Jacobsen Innovation award for his multiple refinements to the technique. Another under-recognized breakthrough identified by our model is the development of standardized survey instruments to assess the quality of life for HIV+ patients. The antiretroviral cocktails introduced in the mid-1990s reduced AIDS mortality, but treatment came with serious side effects. The new evaluations showed that patients whose disease progressed had worse physical functioning than Americans with other chronic diseases, while those who were asymptomatic maintained a health-related quality of life on par with the overall US population. This evidence made it possible for patients and activists to argue that even in the absence of a total cure, and in spite of the side effects, alleviation of symptoms was a worthwhile priority for clinicians. My colleagues and I have failed to identify any significant recognition for the physicians and health policy experts who pioneered this advance, although in 2016, researchers called for the World Health Organization to set targets for good health-related quality of life as part of its framework to end the AIDS pandemic. From forecasting to funding How should science funders use our predictions? Any serious discussion of what we should do with this new capability needs to begin with an understanding of its limitations. We can’t (and shouldn’t) invest all of our resources in the small number of topics predicted to produce breakthroughs. Innovative new fields are born from existing ones; they rarely arise de novo. If funders don’t maintain a diverse portfolio, the breakthroughs of tomorrow will have no antecedents. Think of this as eating the seed corn, or killing the goose that lays the golden egg. There are also multiple goals of funding beyond basic scientific discovery, including translating discoveries into clinical practice, developing new technologies, supporting economic development, and training new scientists. The investments needed to accomplish these goals are likely different from those required to support emerging breakthroughs. Finally, we must be aware that we may not capture every instance of a breakthrough. The concept is fuzzy, and not every significant discovery is recognized with a major award. Further, breakthroughs are rare, meaning that our dataset is, by necessity, small. This makes formal estimates of accuracy challenging. Although our overall success rate appears to be high, any one signal may turn out to be a false positive. We found one apparent example: the development of the third generation COX-2 inhibitors, Vioxx and Celebrex, which were much celebrated in the early 2000s as effective but non-addictive pain relievers, meets all the algorithmic criteria of a breakthrough. Five years after it received FDA approval, researchers demonstrated that Vioxx was associated with serious cardiovascular complications, and the manufacturer voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. Celebrex remains available, although like other NSAIDs, it carries an FDA warning for increased cardiovascular risk. Decision makers who were overly focused on the breakthrough potential of this research might have wasted substantial resources nurturing an area that ultimately proved to be a failure—but so would those who relied on expert opinion at the time. That said, the potential benefits of funding the next mRNA vaccine or cancer immunotherapy years earlier than we might have are large. When we can’t assume the outcome of an action, it’s worth conducting an experiment. Can targeted support for areas that are poised to produce a breakthrough increase the return on scientific investment without cannibalizing future advances? With the necessary administrative infrastructure in place, conducting this experiment would be straightforward. First, identify all the breakthrough signals between 2018 and 2023, select half at random, and commit to a decade of investment. For biomedicine, a six year window should yield about 30 topics with the potential to produce a breakthrough. Providing strong support to half of these might be accomplished for $300 million a year. That’s roughly half of the recent annual budget of the NIH Common Fund or around 20% of the fiscal year 2025 budget for ARPA-H. After five years, then again at ten, compare to see which group — the one that was actively managed, or the control — produced more breakthroughs, and on what timescale. Although we used biomedicine as an example, the same experiment could just as well be run for physics, materials science, or any other discipline. Any attempt to undertake such an experiment should keep three points top of mind. First, we can predict the topic of future breakthroughs, but the people and vision for how to move the work forward are still important. In practice, this means success requires active program managers with the expertise to develop the science and the authority to do so, including by recruiting investigators. Second, we would be wise to learn from the failures of past attempts to fund transformative research. High among these are funding modestly repackaged work, confusing the genuinely novel with the merely unfamiliar, and relying too much on incumbent investigators. All of these risks can be mitigated by thoroughly and intelligently integrating high quality data into portfolio management. Finally, we need to have patience. Even with strong funding support, producing a breakthrough takes time. If supporting breakthroughs is the best way to nurture the birth of new fields, we also need to accurately describe and properly manage the other two stages, so that we invest wisely throughout the productive lifetime of ideas and divest once they reach the point of diminishing returns. We would benefit from more study of all of these phases, especially the transition from one to another. More research could answer questions like: When does a breakthrough become an established field? How do the availability of funding, the size and characteristics of the available workforce, and the accumulation of evidence that disagrees with prevailing models affect a field’s decline? Exactly how do old ideas give birth to new ones, and can we speed up the process? The more we understand about the dynamics of scientific progress, the better we can maximize the odds that our curiosity leads to results. I’d call that finding a way to make our own luck.
Another look at carrots and eyesight; how to get more fiber; why mosquitoes bite some people and not others; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
AARP reporter Stacey Colino interviewed Milam Brantley, MD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, in 2020 for a story about whether eating carrots can improve vision. Sacramento Bee reporter Samantha Agate has now used Brantley’s comments in an AI-curated story created by content specialists on the same topic that has been picked up by MSN and others. Prevention magazine interviewed Heidi Silver, RD, PhD, Founding Director of the Vanderbilt Diet, Body Composition, and Human Metabolism Core, for a story about the importance of fiber and how people can get more of it in their diet. William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was quoted by several news outlets about public health issues, including: Women’s Health (tick bites and alpha-gal syndrome); The Washington Post (tetanus); and Healthline (why mosquitoes prefer to bite some people and leave others alone). A visit to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt by some Banana Ball baseball players was covered by The Tennessean and WZTV Fox 17 News, and The Tennessean’s story was also picked up by Yahoo! Sports. Clarksville Now published a story written by the Montgomery County Economic Development Team, whointerviewed Bradley Stancombe, MD, professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Vanderbilt Neonatology, about the new energy of Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital and how the facility is recruiting physicians. Healio Allergy/Asthma group editorial director Richard Gawel interviewed Mark Rolfsen, MD, Clinical Fellow in the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, for a story about his presentation at the American Thoracic Society meeting on metal health outcomes following ICU discharge. Nashville Scene reporter Hannah Herner interviewed James Crowe, MD, Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics, for a story about his efforts to prepare for the next pandemic by isolating antibodies that can neutralize dangerous viruses. Medscape reporter Kathleen Doheny interviewed Neesha Choma, Associate Chief of Staff of Vanderbilt University Hospital, for a story about how hospitals can reduce readmissions.
Mamdani and Hochul announce cash infusion for New York City Abortion Access Hub expansion
New York City and the Empire State are infusing hundreds of thousands of dollars into New York City Abortion Access Hub to expand its referral network
Republic Business Credit Promotes Hebert Seghers to Vice President, Marketing Manager
Republic Business Credit promoted Katherine Hebert Seghers to vice president, marketing manager. In this role, Seghers will continue to lead the company’s
Lancerlot Sports Center holds ice hockey camp for kids, tweens
Kids from around the Roanoke Valley laced up the skates and glided around the ice at Lancerlot Sports Center in Vinton for the VYHA Dogs Camp Wednesday.
Kathy Griffin explains why she left 'The View' with bruises, says 1 star 'did not care for me'
Kathy Griffin has explained why she left 'The View' with bruises on her leg after Barbara Walters allegedly kicked her so hard under the table: 'Did not care for me,' Griffin explained.
An Olympic-sized collaboration between Lake Placid, Big Apple
Commentary: Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent announcement about New York City possibly hosting the Olympics isn’t a new idea.
New Orleans hospital destroyed by Katrina to be reborn as a science hub
While other universities scale back research amid federal funding uncertainty, Tulane University will lead a sweeping redevelopment of the vacant Charity Hospital.
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Preview: Kathy Holloway
Former Tioga girls basketball head coach Kathy Holloway is receiving the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award from the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
455 people charged in alleged $6.5B health care fraud schemes: DOJ
The DOJ announced criminal charges against 455 people accused of participating in health care fraud schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in false claims.
After losing jobs for posting about Charlie Kirk, some are getting six figure payouts
While workers, who were employees in government or public institutions, feel vindicated by how their lawsuits concluded, they are still grappling with the aftermath.
Arizona passes legislation requiring insurers to cover follow-up breast imaging
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs on June 19 signed SB 1165 into law following its passage in the state Senate.
Kathryn Ann Meinders Digestive Health Institute Now Open, Transforming Oklahoma Healthcare
Digestive healthcare in Oklahoma took a gigantic leap forward Monday with the official grand opening of Mercy’s Kathryn Ann Meinders Digestive Health Institute.
Katy Growth Tracker: New Restaurants, Entertainment Expansion and 348-Unit Apartment Project
Several commercial and residential development projects are moving forward across the Katy area, including new restaurants, an entertainment venue expansion and a large apartment community planned in Jordan Ranch.
Meet the ‘extraordinary’ women who donated their hearts to science
Katie James, Kara Terol and Hannah Sharma had heart transplants before turning 35.
Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez to Begin Rehab Assignment Tuesday
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez is set to start his rehab assignment Tuesday, per Katie Woo of The Athletic. Hernandez’s rehab assignment will last 4-5 games according to Woo, and he could return before the Dodgers’ final series of…
Teen on Kauaʻi with Down Syndrome turns beach sand messages into business
Katrina Louise Martinez and her daughter, Ella Joy Marinez, have turned a loving habit of crafting sand messages into a unique company, Sand Scribletz.
New Mercy digestive health institute aims to change GI care in Oklahoma
In a little over a week, the new Kathryn Ann Meinders Digestive Health Institute will open to patients. Mercy said it’s the only comprehensive GI health care center within a 500-mile drive.
New Orleans East Hospital breaks ground on $10 million inpatient behavioral health unit
Before Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005, New Orleans East was home to a 40-bed inpatient behavioral health unit at The Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital—the same campus where LCMC Health’s
'The Pitt' star Katherine LaNasa on Dana's emotional breakdown over sexual assault survivor
Katherine LaNasa explains how her own battle with cancer and ex-husband Dennis Hopper's death informs her work on 'The Pitt' — and why her character had an emotional breakdown over a sexual assault survivor.
Jason Bateman reveals Katharine Hepburn told him to 'stop acting,' offering 'really great' but 'painful' advice
Jason Bateman said that Katharine Hepburn gave him 'painful' advice that confused him at first but ultimately proved to be 'really great' wisdom as he struggled through a scene: 'Stop acting.'
Beer can boost ‘spiritual or mental’ health, says Kirin president
Japanese brewer’s Takeshi Minakata says alcohol ‘can be a good thing’ as it ‘helps make people happy’
World Cup fever boosts business in Portland
Portland businesses, from bars to soccer shops, saw a surge in customers and sales as World Cup fans gathered locally to watch the U.S. match despite Seattle hosting the game.
UAM lands $500,000 grant for Weevil Wellness Center, with funding through March 2027
The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) received a $500,000 grant to construct an integrated health facility designed to serve students, faculty, and sta
'What a wild ride': Tony Hawk talks video-game resurgence, love for SoCal
The skateboarder spoke to Spectrum News
NE10 Announces Sport Excellence for 2026 Spring
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Northeast 10 Conference recognized seven student-athletes from the spring season as Sport Excellence Award winners on Friday afternoon, honoring their outstanding athletic and academic achievements.
John Early and Kate Berlant on 'Maddie's Secret,' alt comedy, and the female orgasm
How does earnest melodrama and offbeat humor make Early's directorial debut a stunner?
Northwestern Medicine announces $35 million grant for new community health institute
Northwestern Medicine received a $35 million grant to launch a community health institute, it announced Tuesday. The grant, donated by the Schreiber Philanthropy foundation, will go toward the new John and Kathy Schreiber Community Health Institute. The institute will partner with nonprofit organizations and community-based providers to offer direct care to underinsured patients. It also...
The Drug That Bought My Father More Time Didn't Happen by Accident
Behind every medical breakthrough are decades of research — and decisions being made right now could determine which discoveries come next.
The unlikely mayor for Seattle's biggest sports year
A Super Bowl title, the World Cup and Sonics buzz have thrust Katie Wilson into an unexpected role: mayor of Seattle's sports boom.
The unwanted return of tetanus; why soccer makes people so happy; breast cancer in men; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
Women’s Health interviewed Kathryn Edwards, MD, Sarah H. Sell and Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Pediatrics, for a story about her JAMA Viewpoint article on tetanus making a comeback. Women’s Health interviewed Colin Armstrong, PhD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, for a story tied to the World Cup about why soccer makes people so happy. An NBC News story about the announcement by “X-Men” actor and former wrestler Tyler Mane that he has breast cancer quotes Ben Ho Park, MD, director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The story focuses on how a prominent man with breast cancer may help remove some stigma from a cancer that is rare in males. Prevention magazine interviewed Caitlyn Mooney, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, for a story about a BMJ study that suggests 90 to 120 minutes per week of strength training may lower the risk of death. William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was quoted by several news outlets about public health issues, including: Women’s Health (norovirus is more common this summer); SFGate (measles in San Francisco just before the World Cup crowds); Travel + Leisure (how to avoid getting sick on a cruise); and Fox News (mosquito-borne diseases). Reporter Liz DeSantis from WKRN News 2 aired a story on the rehab unit at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Kat Hedden, PT, DPT, PCS, CBIS, Acute Pediatric Physical Therapy Clinical Team Lead and Mary McLanahan, MD, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation were interviewed, as well as the family of patient Will Terry. Reporter Nikki Hauser from WTVF News Channel 5 interviewed Graden Knapp, Gaming and Technology Specialist at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt about his 3-D wheelchair project. Tennesseanreporter Sandy Mazza covered the announcement of the latest Leadership Nashville class, which includes Jane Freedman, MD, Deputy CEO, and Chief Health Systems Office for Vanderbilt Health; and also the announcement of the latest Leadership Tennessee cohort, which includes Jeff Upperman, MD, Surgeon in Chief at Monroe Carroll Jr Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Wallenstein: The small business tax hike that almost flew under the radar
Governor Kathy Hochul blocked a proposed cut to the pass-through entity tax credit affecting thousands of small businesses in New York.
Mamdani tests his political clout in New York’s primary
Always a darling of the far left, he has earned praise from both President Trump and former Democratic critics like New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Giants RB Cam Skattebo sends defiant message on playing style
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo doesn't plan to change his running style despite suffering an injury as a rookie.
Katie Couric (@katiecouric)
3,068 likes, 268 comments - katiecouric on June 17, 2026: "Rahm Emanuel has been a major force in Democratic politics for decades—from congressman and White House chief of staff to mayor of Chicago and U.S. ambassador to Japan. As the 2026 midterms approach, he joined me on Next Question to discuss President Trump's second term, why Democrats "lost the plot," why he believes the U.S. should end taxpayer-funded military aid to Israel, and what it will take for the party to reconnect with voters and regain lost ground. 🎧 Watch the full interview on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.".
Support Local, Get Rewarded: Portland entrepreneur offers 50% discount incentive
Portland artist Mike Bennett is boosting “shop local” with a deal: show proof you supported another small Portland business and get 50% off at Wonderwood Mini Golf or the Portland Aquarium.
I spent $750 on a World Cup ticket. Then it disappeared.
Katherine Howe says she bought a ticket to see Scotland at the World Cup, only to learn days later it was unavailable.
Ole Miss’ 2026 baseball season reminded me of everything still right with college sports
I’m admittedly not one who does his best work when dwelling on instances of yesteryear. But every once in a while, even a sportswriter needs a reminder of what makes this whole thing worthwhile.
Northwestern Medicine gets $35M to build new community health institute
John and Kathy Schreiber, with a more than 30-year legacy of philanthropy, have given Northwestern Medicine nearly $50 million since 1994.
U.S. Sues N.Y. State Over Troubled $11 Billion Home Health Care Program
The Justice Department accused officials of failing to police a vendor it said had siphoned off millions of dollars. A spokeswoman for Gov. Kathy Hochul called the suit an attempt to weaponize the justice system.
Latvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluations
Latvia has introduced an element of citizen engagement to the evaluation of nationally funded research grants. The aim is to both create more connections between science and society, and to improve the quality of its evaluations. The move comes as research funders across Europe are experimenting with ways to improve evaluation processes in the face of a sharpened focus on science’s impact on society. Evaluators of grant applications submitted to Latvia’s Fundamental and Applied Research Programme (FLPP), the country’s main research funder, will this year have the option of consulting citizen feedback on challenges the public thinks science should focus on to inform their decisions. “In recent years, both public discussions and policy-level debates in Latvia have highlighted the importance of demonstrating how publicly funded research contributes to society, the economy and the resolution of real-world challenges,” said a source at the Latvian Council of Science (LCS), which manages the FLPP. “At the same time, research institutions themselves expressed interest in improving the project evaluation framework while continuing to ensure that funding is awarded to the highest-quality projects,” the source added. The citizen input comes from a survey that was conducted between 25 February and 16 March 2025, to which 1,737 people responded. It gathered information on what the public views as problem areas for Latvia, and the role of science and technology in providing solutions to these problems. A summary of these responses has been included as an annex to the FLPP 2026 call for proposals that evaluators can refer to, purely in an advisory manner, when judging proposals. Results from the survey show that the main problem areas identified by the public were in healthcare and public health, followed by the development of new treatment methods and medicines, and then digital technology, data security and cyber security. At the bottom of the list was research aimed at acquiring new knowledge about the universe, matter and the laws of nature. Further analysis looked at the public view of the possible role of science in solving these problems. The survey charted 4,167 individual responses based on open-ended questions that were derived from the participants’ answers. The analysis again found that medical and health sciences topped the scoring, with 788 responses referring to the field. Humanities and the arts were bottom of the list, with 625. Digging further into the details, the survey suggests citizens are aware of and concerned about a number of research areas. This includes technologies and innovation to improve the environment or reduce pollution, the development of modern military technologies and cybersecurity tools, and the development and application of artificial intelligence, among others. “We hope this initiative will help strengthen public trust in science and create a more meaningful dialogue between researchers and society,” the LCS source said, adding that it offers benefits to researchers, evaluators and to the general public. More space for citizen engagement in evaluationsThere is a gradual but increasing use of citizen engagement in research evaluation processes around Europe, especially in healthcare, but it remains relatively rare, said Henry Sauermann, a professor at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin and an expert in citizen science.“Given that we are at a point where citizen involvement is extremely limited, there is presumably space for more, but it's not that we should do it just because we want to do it,” he told Science|Business. He said some research lends itself better to having citizen input, and this usually tends to be on the applied end of the science spectrum where the public can offer useful feedback based on their experiences. He added that advising scientists on certain topics to study is also a useful approach, in the way that Latvia is doing. “The public does fund a lot of science, there's a lot of tax money going into this. We of course do want to preserve academic freedom, but it's also not unreasonable to incorporate more feedback or input from citizens where possible,” he said. Related articlesCitizen science: where, when, and how to let the public contribute to researchHow can Europe cope with a flood of AI-assisted research grant proposals?Data Corner: Horizon Europe’s AI, digital and data call success rate is 5.2%There are several ways of involving citizens in science funding. The most minimal way is having a few representatives on a panel, such as members of a patient group or union. The most direct way is crowdsourcing funding for specific projects. There is an increasing number of online platforms that allow the public to chip in to support scientific proposals.Sauermann studied this in a recent paper and found that it can have its uses, but it still is not clear if there are benefits to it. There are various assumptions linked to citizen engagement, for example that it increases public trust in science, or that it provides a representative view of what the public thinks about science. These are not necessarily true, Sauermann found. People who participate in engagement activities tend to already be very trusting of science, and, on the whole, it is generally the well-off and well educated who contribute, giving a narrow view of public opinion. On whether citizen input can help manage the increasing number of proposals that are being submitted due to assistance from AI, Sauermann is more sceptical. “The obvious answer to the flood of AI-written proposals is AI-driven evaluation,” he said, adding that it doesn’t mean citizen engagement shouldn’t be a part of evaluations in a well thought-out manner. Southern Denmark’s successful approachOne successful example of citizen engagement in science evaluations was implemented in southern Denmark. Between 2019 and 2025, citizens in the region were invited to vote to fund one of five pre-selected projects in the field of healthcare. The project, called A Healthier Southern Denmark, was a collaboration between regional authorities, the University of Southern Denmark, and two media partners. Over the seven years, there were 75,000 votes and significant public engagement online and on social media. “It was a bit of a wild project, we’d never done something like that before and we were a bit nervous about what would be said in the media about it. But actually, people were very positive,” said Anne Kathrine Overgaard, one of the main organisers of the project from the University of Southern Denmark. The university and its researchers have learned a lot from the experience, particularly about engaging with society and shaping their research to match real-world needs. This is important with Europe’s increasing focus on competitiveness and bringing innovations to market faster, Overgaard said. She hopes to see more citizen engagement in evaluation processes and in science more broadly. “For many years, citizen engagement has been a bit of an add-on to proposals, just to check a box. But I think things are changing,” she said. It’s less about citizens just gathering data and more “about the dialogue between the public and the scientists,” she said. The initiative ended last year as the team wanted to regroup to find fresh momentum. The development of AI and AI-written proposals has made Overgaard reflect on how the project could be reworked to help evaluators. She hopes to bring it back in the future. “It could be a good idea to try this initiative again in a slightly re-worked format,” she said.
Gov. Kate Brown's official portrait is unveiled at Oregon State Capitol
Former Gov. Kate Brown's official portrait now hangs at the Oregon State Capitol after an unveiling on June 16. Here's what she said.
Toward a uniform business tax system: Examining proposals to tax large pass-through entities as corporations
Miles Johnson, Thalia T. Spinrad, Kathleen Bryant, and Chye-Ching Huang analyze a proposal to tax large pass-through businesses as C corporations.
Took 85-year-old parent on bucket-list trip; lessons learned
I went on a bucket-list trip with my 85-year-old dad to Katmai National Park in remote Alaska. He showed me that curiosity doesn't have an age limit.
Toward a uniform business tax system: Examining proposals to tax large pass-through entities as corporations
Miles Johnson, Thalia T. Spinrad, Kathleen Bryant, and Chye-Ching Huang analyze a proposal to tax large pass-through businesses as C corporations.
Arkansas ranks 43rd in child well-being as education, health scores decline, report finds
KATV ABC 7 in Little Rock, Arkansas covers news, sports, weather and the local community in the city and the surrounding area, including Hot Springs, Conway, Pine Bluff, Jacksonville, Sherwood, Stuttgart, Benton, Bauxite, East End, Scott, Pinnacle, Maumelle, Gibson, Landmark and Hensley.
Kate Beckinsale Signs With Strand Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)
Actress Kate Beckinsale has inked with Strand Entertainment for management. She continues to be represented by Kleinberg Lange.
Thanks For Making Me 12th Highest on Substack’s List Of “Rising” Business- and Economics-Related Newsletters
A big thank you to those of you who upgraded to paid subscriptions to read my two most recent paid memos: https://richardkatz.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/201675746?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished and https://richardkatz.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/201774434?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished As a result, total paid subs rose by 5.6% over the past seven days. And that put me at 12th on Substack’s list of “rising” newsletters in business and economics. “Rising” means those with the biggest percentage increase in revenue from subs over a short period of time. Of course, as is often the case with the issues I discuss, this is a good-news/not-so-good-news story. The good news is a rush of new subs. The caveat is that it’s easier to get a big percentage increase when the base is relatively small. I have enough paid subs to be in the initial rank of Substack’s “best seller list,” but a way to go before enough of the 12,000 subs to Japan Economy Watch are paid subs. For most hybrid newsletters—a combination of free and paid posts—2-7% of the total subs are paid. 5% is my initial goal. If you gain insight from reading this blog, please join those who’ve already upgraded; help me reach 5%—and beyond. Subscribe
Portland-area District Attorneys sound alarm on Oregon Mental Health System crisis
Facing what they call a failure in Oregon’s mental health system, the district attorneys from three Portland area counties are speaking out Monday about the imp
IBX team wins first place at Google Code for the Cure Hackathon with AI prototype to make prior authorization clearer and fairer
A team of associates from Independence Blue Cross’s (IBX) Advanced Analytics and Data Science department won first place at a recent Google Code for the Cure Hackathon in New York City. The event, run by Google Cloud, brings together teams to build real-world AI solutions to health care challenges. In just four hours, the IBX team designed and built a fully functional prototype that shows how AI can make prior authorization decisions clearer, more consistent, and fair for patients and providers.
Katie Thurston Delays Biopsy, New Treatment for Stage 4 Breast Cancer for 'Mental Health Reasons’: ‘I Need a Break’
Katie Thurston has been open about her fear of needles and the emotional toll of her stage 4 breast cancer journey. The ‘Bachelorette’ alum said she’s now pushing back a biopsy and new treatment to prioritize her mental health.
Sports Wrap, June 14: Vikings minicamp thoughts, Twins, KAT wins NBA title, and Gophers news
In case you missed it: Our Chris Long, Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson, and Alec Ausmus went back-and-forth Sunday night on Sports Wrap. The Vikings, Twins, KAT winning the title with New York, and Williams Arena naming rights being sold all came up.
NBA Offseason Begins: Giannis’s Future, Draft, and KAT Extension
The NBA Draft is in nine days.
Justin Trudeau skipped Canada World Cup opener because girlfriend Katy Perry performed at US game
Former Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay rather than his own nation’s game vs | KCBS All News 106.9FM and 740AM
Justin Trudeau skipped Canada World Cup opener because girlfriend Katy Perry performed at US game
Former Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay rather than his own nation’s game vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto. Trudeau said he made the
Your Kindle could unlock thousands of free books: These are the best places to find them
Our self-proclaimed Scroogian (cheapskate) book-loving writer has put together a guide on finding free books for your Kindle.
It's not just the anxious generation. Mental health should 'connect, not divide.'
The Wellness Studio, off Highland Road in Baton Rouge, was founded by Dr. Mary Kathryn Gastinel and Dr. Katie Fetzer, both licensed mental health professionals with 31 years of combined
NBA Finals winners and losers: Every Knicks move looks brilliant, Victor Wembanyama blows golden opportunity
The Knicks are champions for the first time since 1973... but there are more Finals winners and losers than meet the eye
Former Katy Area Theatre Transforming into Family Entertainment Destination
A former movie theatre near Katy will be redeveloped into a 70,000-square-foot entertainment center perfect to serve families in the growing Katy and Fulshear communities.
Bandai Namco hosting big Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch sale with lowest prices ever for Tales of Berseria and Xillia Remastered, Once Upon a Katamari, more
A huge Bandai Namco sale started up on the eShop this week with tons of big discounts for games like Tales of Berseria and Xillia Remastered, Once Upon a Katamari, and more. Many games are at new low prices. Most of these titles are for Nintendo Switch, but can also be played on Switch 2 through backwards compatibility. The full list...
Prolific food and business reporter Katie Taranto leaving ARLnow after two years
After two years of connecting with local businesses, exploring Arlington's wide-ranging food scene and satisfying residents' questions and curiosity, reporter Katie Taranto is leaving ARLnow. Taranto, who is departing to cover federal climate policy at the trade publication Inside EPA, wrote prolifically about the arrival and departure of countless restaurants and retailers in Arlington, while
The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror
Not With a Bang by Temi Oh; Tillinghast by Clare Cavenagh; Atomic Coffin by Benedict Anning; The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden; Bad Things Happen Here by Mark Morris
Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and the continued power of ’90s nostalgia
The “Dawson’s Creek” duo’s new film premiered the same day as a “Boy Meets World” documentary at the Tribeca Festival, highlighting the different ways that actors can respond to the cultural nostalgia craze.
Fulshear's Xscape Theatre closes as EVO Entertainment plans 70,000-square-foot bowling, arcade and movie venue
Fulshear's Xscape Theatre on FM 1093 has closed permanently. New owner EVO Entertainment plans a 70,000-square-foot venue with bowling, arcade games and movies by summer 2027.
Apple’s Camera Chief Thinks AI Can Give You Superpowers
The generative features in iOS 27’s new Photos app will add fake pixels to some of your shots, but Apple’s Jon McCormack says the company isn’t using AI “for the sake of AI.”
EVO Entertainment Announces Acquisition of Former Xscape Theatre, plans transformation into 70,000-Square-Foot Cinema Entertainment Destination in Fulshear
EVO Entertainment today announced that is has acquired the former Xscape Theatre property at 26616 FM 1093 and plans to redevelop the site into a nearly 70,000-square-foot entertainment destination serving the growing Katy-Fulshear community. Construction is expected to begin soon, with the venue scheduled to open in Summer 2027.
Ivermectin back in the spotlight as new health questions emerge
Start your morning with The National News Desk as Jan Jeffcoat sits down with the President and Chief Medical Officer of IMA Health, Dr. Joseph Varon.
Today on ARC PDX | June 11, 2026 | Diving into how politics and policy shape the World Cup
ARC PDX AM digs into World Cup politics and global tensions, from Iran conflict to US immigration policy. Plus, Portland council debates turning the River District Navigation Center from 24-hour to overnight-only.
NBA Finals: The 10 wildest numbers of the Knicks' 29-point comeback over Spurs in Game 4
'Jeopardy' champ reveals what 'frustrated' her about close game that led to shocking win
A tough 'Jeopardy' episode culminated in a shocking win, secured after a risky gamble and following a game the new reigning champ referred to as 'frustrating' online.
Small Business Focus: Organized by Katie: Bringing real-life order to Arlington homes
Starting a business often begins with recognizing a need, and for professional organizer Kathryn “Katie” Kersavage, that need was closer than she realized. Kersavage officially launched Organized by Katie in March 2026, turning more than 15 years of informal experience helping friends and family declutter into a professional service designed for real life. Based in
Rocket Integration Complete for Katalyst-NASA Swift Boost
Engineers completed installation of Katalyst's LINK into a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket on June 9 at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
PARAGON SPORTS- Specializes in NYC
Paragon Sports, New York City's independently owned Sports Specialty Store, today announced a series of in-store transformations and brand partnerships that underscore the company's strategy as the definitive sports specialty retail authority of New York City. The announcement coincides with the company being voted the #1 Sporting Goods Store in the United States by the USA Today Readers' Choice Awards.
Ranked choice count set for next week
When it comes to the ranked choice count, Deputy Secretary of State Kate O’Brien said it could take a few days to count all the ballots and then just a short time to run the totals through the ranked choice tabulation.
Quit job at Fortune 500 company to care for mom, now can't pay bills
Kathy Mullen, 64, left her job at a Fortune 500 company to care for her mother with Alzheimer's, negatively impacting her health and finances.
Why experts say parents shouldn't wait to seek mental health support
A local mental health specialist says many parents struggle in silence and wait too long to seek help.
Arkansas country music star Justin Moore halts tour, citing health reasons
Arkansas-born country music star, Justin Moore, will be putting the brakes on his upcoming tour.
Photos: Ariana Grande’s ‘Eternal Sunshine’ world tour opens in Oakland
(KRON) — For the first time in seven years, Ariana Grande is on a world tour. The pop icon’s first stop of 41 sold-out shows is in the Bay Area. Fans inside a packed Oakland Arena on Sa…
How New York’s Kathy Hochul is navigating a complex political moment
The Democratic governor must contend with a rising populist movement on both her left and right flanks.
'The View' cohost grills Laverne Cox on dating pro-Trump policeman: 'Didn't plan to fall in love'
Laverne Cox responded to 'The View' cohost and former Donald Trump staffer Alyssa Farah Griffin grilling her on dating a pro-Trump police officer: 'People show you who they are eventually,' Cox said.
Bar Harbor Music Festival to open 60th season
The 2026 Bar Harbor Music Festival will kick off with a free concert featuring soprano Kate Fogg, pianist Christina Spurling and clarinetist Eric Thomas.
Kevin Steele rolls up Florida's elected Cabinet in his bid to retire Kathy Castor
Three Cabinet officers back Steele as crowded CD 14 primary heats up.
The Times' softball coach of the year: Katie Stith of JSerra
The daughter of a legendary Orange County club team coach guided the Lions to the program's first Division 1 softball championship.
Tom Steyer likely won’t win, but he pulled off a San Francisco political miracle
Also in today’s Power Play: Aaron Peskin shares his hot takes on Lurie’s popularity, and Saikat Chakrabarti is a really nice boss.
New 'Spyro' game gets release window, brand-new flight feature
The "Spyro" games are about to fly to new heights.
I use AI to run my household. Other moms judge me for it.
Cara Katz says AI tools save her family hours every week by helping manage schedules, groceries, childcare, and parenting logistics.
Kat Cammack leads induction of latest members of Florida Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame
Five outstanding law enforcement veterans were honored during an induction ceremony in Tallahassee Saturdy.