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More Than a Charcuterie Board: A Mother and Daughter Build a Business Around Gathering.

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Birch Bay Retirement Village. NORTHEAST HARBOR—Food’s ability to be a social cornerstone is one of the founding premises of one of Mount Desert Island’s newest, and perhaps most unique, endeavors in cuisine based catering. From intimate gatherings to large functions, Olive & Pearl creates charcuterie boards that can not only astound the tongue but also the eye. Many would agree that food can bring people together. In fact, culinary delights, and sometimes adventures, have been utilized as the centerpiece for social and business occasions of all kinds for centuries. Often times it even has the ability to start conversation, temper differences, and build new relationships. Settings can vary, from a multi-course sit down meal, a backyard barbecue, or a couple of bowls of chips and dip in front of a television, but the result can be the same. Humans come together, they share food, and the whole process is a catalyst for thought, communication, and a shared experience. Imagined and created by the mother and daughter team of Dr. Susan Scanlan (formerly MacCready) and Kayla Musetti, Olive & Pearl was started in June of this year and has been creating, delighting, and growing since. We gave the two an opportunity to answer some questions about themselves and their new venture. The love, passion, and pride for what they are doing and the fact that they are doing it as a mother and daughter team came through so strongly in their answers that we decided to present the question and answer session in its entirety. The Interview What did you do prior to Olive & Pearl? We’re a mother-daughter team, and food, family, and hospitality have always been a big part of our lives. Susan grew up in a large family in Pennsylvania, where the table was always at the center of everything. There were multiple dishes, little bites, stories, and plenty of conversation. Food was never simply about eating. It was about gathering, celebrating, and spending time together. After living in several Southern states, Susan relocated to Maine more than 20 years ago, and Maine has truly become home. She loves its sense of community, natural beauty, and connection to local food and makers. Professionally, Susan is a registered nurse and holds a doctorate in health administration. She has worked in a variety of clinical, nonclinical, and leadership roles and currently works as a faculty academic director. Building Olive & Pearl has been an exciting creative venture alongside her career. Kayla is also a registered nurse and works in the ambulatory surgery unit at Mount Desert Island Hospital. While healthcare is an important part of both of our professional lives, Olive & Pearl has given us an entirely different way to connect, collaborate, and create something together. Tell us about the business. Olive & Pearl is a mother-daughter charcuterie business centered around beautiful food, thoughtful presentation, and bringing people together. We create curated charcuterie boards designed for everything from intimate gatherings and dinner parties to weddings, showers, corporate events, boat days, and celebrations of all kinds. We think of our boards as more than food. They’re an experience and an invitation to gather, slow down, and enjoy time with the people around you. We’re intentional about quality ingredients, artful presentation, and personalization. Whenever possible, we also incorporate Maine-made and locally sourced products, including cheeses, jams, honey, seasonal produce, and baked goods. What inspired you to start Olive & Pearl? In many ways, Olive & Pearl grew out of something we had been doing our entire lives —bringing people together around food. We’ve always loved creating beautiful spreads for family and friends. There was something special about watching people gather around a table, graze, talk, laugh, and simply enjoy being together. Friends and family began telling us, “You should do this as a business,” and one day, we stopped laughing it off and started mapping it out. We realized we had an opportunity to combine our different strengths and create something that reflected what we both value: hospitality, creativity, quality, and connection. Charcuterie felt like the perfect expression of that. It’s beautiful and creative, but it’s also communal and approachable. At its heart, it brings us right back to where the idea began, a table filled with food and people gathered around it. Do you have a business partner(s)? Our business partner is each other! Olive & Pearl is truly a mother-daughter partnership, and building it together has been incredibly meaningful and sometimes hilarious! We know each other extremely well, which can be both a strength and, occasionally, a challenge. We have different personalities and strengths, but we’ve learned to lean into those differences and use them to our advantage. There’s a lot of trust between us, and we’ve learned how to communicate, collaborate, and occasionally laugh at ourselves along the way. We’re also building Olive & Pearl while continuing our careers in healthcare and education, so we’re taking things thoughtfully and growing the business one step at a time. We all have to start somewhere. One of the most rewarding parts has been having something that belongs to both of us. We get to learn from one another, celebrate the small wins together, and create something that we hope will become part of our family’s story for years to come. When exactly did you launch the business? Recently, in June 2026, we launched Olive & Pearl, turning an idea we had talked about for years into real business. It has been incredibly rewarding to watch something that started around our own family table and begin to find a place within the community. How is it going so far? How do you feel it has been received? It has been going very well, and we’ve been incredibly encouraged by how warmly Olive & Pearl has been received. As more people hear about us, our orders have continued to increase, and we’re seeing growing interest in boards for events and celebrations. It’s exciting to watch something that began as an idea between the two of us start to grow within the community. One of the most rewarding parts is hearing from customers after their events or seeing photos of our boards being enjoyed. Knowing that something we created became part of someone’s celebration is incredibly meaningful to us. Is there a brick-and-mortar location or is it all online? Olive & Pearl is currently an online business. We’re intentionally starting this way so we can build relationships with our customers, learn what they love, and grow thoughtfully. Our long-term dream, if the business continues to grow, is to eventually have a sit-down space where people can experience Olive & Pearl in person. Do you have any future plans if things go well/keep going well? Absolutely. For now, our focus is on continuing to grow Olive & Pearl, getting to know our customers, and becoming part of more celebrations and gatherings throughout the area. Long term, we would love to have our own physical space where people can come together and experience Olive & Pearl beyond the boards themselves. We can imagine a place that combines food, hospitality, creativity, and community. Ultimately, we want to build something that continues to grow while still feeling personal and connected to the people and community around us. Is there an aspect of the business that you really love? There are so many things we love about it, but the people and the connection are probably at the top of the list. We love creating something beautiful, but what really matters to us is what happens after we hand it over to the customer. We picture our boards on kitchen islands, at backyard gatherings, on boats, at weddings, or around a long dinner table—with people laughing, talking, and lingering a little longer. We also love the creative side. Every board is an opportunity to play with color, texture, shape, seasonality, and flavor. We don’t just want to fill a board, we want to curate an experience. And supporting local makers is especially meaningful to us. Whenever possible, we love incorporating Maine-made cheeses, local jams and honey, seasonal produce, and products from nearby bakeries and businesses. It allows us to showcase some of what makes Maine so special. Perhaps most importantly, we love doing this together. Building something as a mother and daughter has given us another way to spend time together, learn from one another, celebrate small wins, and create memories. Is there anything regarding any aspect of Olive & Pearl that you may think is important that is not reflected on the website? One thing that may not always come through online is just how personal this business is to us. Olive & Pearl isn’t something we created simply because charcuterie was popular. It grew very naturally from our family, our traditions, and the way we’ve always enjoyed gathering with people we love. There is a lot of heart behind every board. We think about the people who will be enjoying it, the occasion they’re celebrating, and how we can make the experience feel special. We also want people to know that we care deeply about supporting locals whenever possible. Using Maine products isn’t just about sourcing ingredients, it’s about telling a little story about where we live and the talented people who make and grow wonderful things here. Is there anything that we have not asked that you think is important/relevant that would like readers to know? We hope people see Olive & Pearl as more than just a charcuterie business. At its heart, it’s about gathering. Our goal is to make it easier for people to create those moments when everyone gathers around the table, conversations last a little longer, and people simply enjoy being together. We also hope people see the mother-daughter story behind the business. We’re building Olive & Pearl alongside our careers, one step at a time, and there is something incredibly special about creating a shared family legacy in the process. For us, success isn’t just about how many boards we make. It’s about becoming part of people’s special moments - birthdays, weddings, weekends with friends, quiet evenings at home, or a beautiful day on the Maine coast. If one of our boards helps people put down their phones, linger a little longer, laugh a little more, and enjoy the people around them, then we feel like we’ve done exactly what we set out to do. All photos courtesy of Olive & Pearl. LINKS TO LEARN MORE Olive & Pearl website Olive & Pearl Facebook Olive & Pearl Instagram RECENT PRESS RELEASES AND BRIEFS To see all the press releases, click here. To see our news, click here. For the full archive, click here. All of these are on our dedicated website. [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/pemetic-students-share-thoughts-on) [ Pemetic Students Share Thoughts on Declaration of Independence Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/pemetic-students-share-thoughts-on) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/pemetic-students-share-thoughts-on) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/fall-festival-at-the-noreaster-for) [ Fall Festival at the Nor’Easter for Mount Desert Nursery School, October 24. Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/fall-festival-at-the-noreaster-for) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/fall-festival-at-the-noreaster-for) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/explore-career-opportunities-where) [ Explore career opportunities where you make a difference for Maine’s natural resources—and the people who enjoy them. Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/explore-career-opportunities-where) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/explore-career-opportunities-where) [ Cranberry Isles Comprehensive Plan Committee Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/cranberry-isles-comprehensive-plan) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/cranberry-isles-comprehensive-plan) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/community-school-hosts-a-pancake) [ Community School Hosts a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser October 25! Oct 22 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/community-school-hosts-a-pancake) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/community-school-hosts-a-pancake) HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other. We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going. If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship. It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light. Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now. Thank you so much for being here. Founding member information can be found here. Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you. Subscribe Share Bar Harbor Story Share Leave a comment

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Oct 23 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • barharborstory.substack.com
Public health experts warn lawmakers may politicize spending of opioid settlement funds

Public health experts warn that future opioid-related settlement dollars could go to waste following a decision by West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey in 2026 to give lawmakers the power to distribute most of those funds.

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Oct 23 • 6:15 AM EDT • Politics • wvgazettemail.com
Ohio policymakers wrestle with prediction markets as wagers on sports and politics explode

With tens of millions of dollars staked on political and sporting contests, prediction markets are fueling anxiety among policymakers in Ohio and around the country.

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Oct 23 • 3:50 AM EDT • Sports • ohiocapitaljournal.com
Ohio policymakers wrestle with prediction markets as wagers on sports and politics explode

With tens of millions of dollars staked on political and sporting contests, prediction markets are fueling anxiety among policymakers in Ohio and around the country.

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Oct 23 • 3:50 AM EDT • Politics • ohiocapitaljournal.com
How well have past GOTY winners sold?

We’re less than two months away from 2026’s The Game Awards, and what a year it’s been for fantastic games, including Resident Evil Requiem, Forza Horizon 6, Slay the Spire II, the Blood of Dawnwalker, and Control Resonant – just to name a few. So as we approach the end of the year, we thought we’d look back on our estimates for the GOTY winners of the past four years. In terms of revenue, Elden Ring (2022 winner), Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023), Astro Bot (2024), and Expedition 33 (2025) have generated a combined $3.8B via 73M copies sold: Let’s have a look, then. Elden Ring has generated $2B in revenue Elden Ring is a phenomenon in every sense. It’s sold a whopping 36.4M copies across Steam (50%), PS5 (35%), and Xbox (15% across console and PC). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Elden Ring also just passed an astronomical milestone: $2B in revenue. While PlayStation and Xbox account for half of Elden Ring’s copies sold across these three platforms, they account for 57.5% of revenue. This – as ever – is due to regional pricing and the higher relative share of PC gamers in lower-priced markets. For example, around 17.4% of Elden Ring’s Steam copies sold were in China, where the game costs about 26% less than the price in the States. There’s an … interesting narrative going around these days that console gamers are only interested in ball-and-gun games and have the patience for little else. Well, Elden Ring’s impressive sales prove that is simply not true, and across all platforms. What’s more, over 9.8M people have played Elden Ring for over 100 hours, with nearly 3.5M people getting all of the achievements and trophies. For reference, 10.9% of Elden Ring’s PlayStation players have the platinum trophy, while 10.5% of players on Steam and 3.9% of Xbox players unlocked all the achievements. Git gud, Xbox players! Of the 1.5M people who played Elden Ring on PlayStation last month, 4% also played Dark Souls 3 last month, 4% played Bloodborne, and 3% played Sekiro. There’s those Soulsborne diehards for you. By many accounts, including my own, Elden Ring is one of the best games of all time. It’s an evergreen seller that will continue to be a cash cow for Bandai and FromSoftware for years to come. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Elden Ring has sold another 2M copies across Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox this year, generating almost $110M. This means it’s outperforming many of this year’s high-profile releases. Even Elden Ring’s standalone run-based PvE spinoff, 2025’s Nightreign, has sold 7.8M copies and generated $282M in revenue. Baldur’s Gate 3 is another billion-dollar-plus banger Another cross-platform phenomenon is Baldur’s Gate 3, which has sold 23.2M copies and generated over $1.2B in revenue. About 18.7M of these copies (80.6%) are via Steam, 2.9M via PS5 (12.7%), and 1.6M (6.8%) via Xbox. Around 1.3M folks on Steam bought BG3 before it hit 1.0. The PlayStation version launched about a month after the PC 1.0 release, while the Xbox version came four months later due to technical issues around developing local co-op on the Series S. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Across platforms, Baldur’s Gate 3’s monthly active users have never dropped below 2M, including 2.2M MAUs last month (68.5% on Steam, 21.9% on PS5, and 9.6% on Xbox). And it still regularly brings in 280K to 400K players every day: About 1% of BG3’s Steam player base has played for over 500 hours! That’s a little under 200K people. Astro Bot is also an evergreen seller, albeit a more niche, family one Astro Bot, 2024’s winner, has now sold 4.7M copies and generated $291M in revenue. The budget, including marketing, is almost certainly under $100M, given the small Japan-based core team and three-year dev timeline. You can really see why the tides are changing toward less expensive hubs. Astro Bot is the only first-party winner on this list, but follows other first-party winners of The Last of Us Part II (2020’s winner), God of War (2018), and Breath of the Wild (2017). Around 46.6% of Astro Bot’s copies sold have been physical, which is far higher than the typical game. This makes sense for a couple of reasons: There’s a large family audience for this one, and physical boxes are an item to wrap when giving Astro as a gift. Astro has collector value for the PlayStation core (this is nostalgia-fueled platformer celebrating PlayStation’s history) Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Astro is another one of those games that continues selling over time, regularly selling more than 100K a month. It’s sold around 1M more copies this year ($60M in revenue) and is a popular title with families. We can see this using the Alinea platform’s MAU crossover tool: Astro Bot’s top #2, #3, and #4 games by crossover in any given month this year are Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox – without fail. The #1 title every month, though, is Astro’s Playroom, a pack-in with all PS5 consoles. For every month this year, between 20% and 30% of Astro Bot players also played Astro’s Playroom that month. So the free pack-in is a noice funnel for converting players to a full paid product. Expedition 33 sells 8.7M despite Game Pass cannibalisation Finally, we have last year’s winner – Expedition 33. The turn-based-RPG banger has generated $366M via 8.7M copies sold, with 58.8% on Steam, 35.7% on PS5, and 5.5% on Xbox. Xbox’s share of copies sold is this low due to Expedition 33 launching on Game Pass, where 4.3M people across console and PC accessed the game. A little under 700K Xbox players used their subscription to play Expedition 33 this year. That said, the game’s 1.5-year Game Pass deal ended last week on October 16, and we’re already beginning to see a positive trend on Expedition 33’s copies sold via Xbox (but the jury’s still out!). There’s understandably a lot of French pride behind this one, as France is the game’s #3 market on both Steam and PlayStation. Vive la France! One thing that stood out to me is that the GOTY winners aren’t $300M Hollywood productions made in the US. They’re mostly mid-budget studios outside the traditional AAA cost centres. Lots to think about there. Also, good games sell well; who’d have thunk it!? And there’s a whole load of them this year, with GTA 6 still to come, too. GTA just made the cutoff point for the VGAs this year. What a coincidence! Loading... Cool links and other stuff Our physical games newsletter from Tuesday was picked up by GameSpot, Eurogamer, TweakTown, and a bunch of others. We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply right here on Substack/email, and we’ll set you up. Next week, we’ve got some exciting news regarding the future of our newsletter, so stay tuned! The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. Want to see why these companies (and many others) are subscribed to Alinea? Get a free platform trial! [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]

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Oct 22 • 1:02 PM EDT • Technology • alineaanalytics.substack.com
Funding Cuts Push Global Health Partnerships Toward Local Ownership

Speakers at IDWeek 2026 urged shifting global health partnerships from donor-recipient models to shared, locally led ownership as funding contracts.

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Oct 22 • 11:58 AM EDT • Health • ajmc.com
Witkoff faces backlash for praising Putin as a ‘humanitarian’

The comments were swiftly condemned by U.S. lawmakers who view Russian President Vladimir Putin as responsible for the brutal war in Ukraine.

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Oct 22 • 11:15 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
NBA season-opening takeaways: Giannis, Lakers, Ant-Melo, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Haliburton and first impressions
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Oct 22 • 10:12 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
PODCAST: ‘Muscle Memory’

Native CDFIs know where their communities need capital. Turning that knowledge into a lending program takes another set of skills. In a new episode of Difference Makers 3.0, Pamela Boivin of the Native CDFI Network and Sheila Herrera, executive director of Tiwa Lending Services, join host Brian Edwards to discuss how NCN’s FORGE Certificate Program […]

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Oct 22 • 9:04 AM EDT • Business • tribalbusinessnews.com
Lawmakers eye micro-hospitals as part of New Jersey's healthcare future

A new bill would allow NJ hospitals to create micro-hospitals, smaller facilities with lower costs that are a growing trend nationwide.

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Oct 22 • 6:48 AM EDT • Health • newjerseymonitor.com
Purdue leaders connect with NYC alumni to discuss the future of business

Two hundred New York City-based Purdue alumni and friends gathered Oct. 13 for a reception at the New York Athletic Club overlooking Central Park. Dubbed “Boilermakers in the Big Apple…

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Oct 22 • 5:00 AM EDT • Business • purdue.edu
Walker Kessler's Lakers debut couldn't have gone much better

He makes all 12 shots and finishes with 26 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots in dominating victory over the Warriors in season opener.

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Oct 22 • 3:54 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Lakers forwards Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle grab final two starting spots

The veteran forwards are defensive specialists who join Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler against Golden State in season opener.

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Oct 21 • 9:51 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Commission announces plan for polar hub to step up research coordination

The European Commission plans to develop an EU polar research hub to strengthen coordination and improve the alignment between science and policy. The objective, according to a Commission official, is to “better connect research, observation and scientific infrastructure, improve access to research resources and strengthen coordination with stakeholders, including Indigenous people.”Announced in a new EU Arctic strategy on October 20, there is little detail yet on how the hub will be implemented, only that it will “reinforce and expand” the European Polar Coordination Office (EPCO), which is hosted and managed by the European Polar Board (EPB) at Umeå University in Sweden. EPCO was born from the EU-PolarNet projects funded through Horizon 2020 and currently coordinates the EU Polar Cluster, a network of EU-funded collaborative polar projects.While the practical details remain to be defined, the decision sends “a clear and positive signal,” said Maria Grigoratou, head of EPCO and executive secretary of EPB. “By reinforcing EPCO, the Commission has an opportunity to build on the legacy of EU-PolarNet 2, strengthen European polar research coordination and expand cooperation with a broader range of Arctic stakeholders,” she told Science|Business.The move has been welcomed by the polar research community. “The polar research hub could play an important role in connecting existing research communities, observation systems and infrastructure, and in bringing scientific knowledge closer to policymaking, in cooperation with local communities and Indigenous people,” said Katrine Moland Hansen, director of operations at Norway’s Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center.But money will be an issue. “It is clear that EPCO will need more resources and structure to function well and to make research reach policymakers,” said Kati Lindström, vice-chair of the Polar Research Committee of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. “European polar research is big if we pool the resources, and it should not only be left to enthusiastic scientists to develop networks of strategic importance in their free time.”The Arctic strategy makes a point of saying that local communities should have a greater involvement in Arctic science. “All EU Arctic research consortia are mandated to invite Indigenous people representatives to participate in projects,” it reads. “The EU also supports research that is directly led by Indigenous communities and address their challenges.”It also underlines the importance of reinforcing collaboration with like-minded partners such as Norway, Iceland, Canada, the UK, Japan and South Korea, as well as deepening its engagement with NATO. This includes the US, with which “the EU is committed to continuing a pragmatic transatlantic engagement based on shared interests and values.”Related articlesViewpoint: Does Europe dare to invest in the Arctic?Anchor Greenlanders in Arctic climate research, experts tell EU ahead of policy updateFor Moland Hansen, this open and inclusive approach to cooperation is encouraging. “The Arctic is also a strong example of why equal participation of associated countries in EU funding instruments matters.”Overall, she finds the new Arctic strategy to be ambitious, timely and comprehensive. “We particularly welcome the recognition that climate change, environmental protection, security, resilience and competitiveness are closely interconnected,” she said. “Research, observations and forecasting capabilities are essential to understanding the rapid changes taking place in the Arctic and addressing these challenges together.”Security focusWhile the Arctic strategy foregrounds security, with pledges to protect undersea cables, boost satellite monitoring, deploy more icebreakers and improve military mobility, the polar community is satisfied that environmental concerns have not been forgotten.“It is inevitable that there is a strong security angle to the EU Arctic strategy, but the impact of climate change and need for climate mitigation and resilience is also strongly recognised and includes a pledge to stay the course on climate commitments,” said Sian Prior, lead advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance, a coalition of campaigning non-profit organisations.“We need to remember that by the time the next Multiannual Financial Framework comes to an end, in 2034, the polar regions, especially the Arctic region, will be living under a new reality when it comes to ecosystem processes, when it comes to the climate,” Grigoratou went on. “And that will affect any ambition that humans may have in the region.”Lindström agreed. “All aspects of European security are dependent on climate change in the Arctic and consequently, on climate science,” she said. “We cannot close our eyes to issues like energy security, critical minerals, northern shipping routes, dual-use technologies and others. However, it remains to be seen how well the promises to protect the environment and Indigenous rights will hold when faced with critical mineral extraction under the Critical Minerals Act.”

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Oct 21 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
Tracking tsunamis triggered by extreme weather

As much of Western Europe faced record-breaking temperatures and extended drought this summer, Croatia experienced another weather event that could also set a worrisome precedent.Over the course of two weeks, a series of meteorological tsunamis (meteotsunamis) struck Croatia’s Adriatic coast, alarming both residents and tourists. Social media posts showed flooded seaside promenades and people walking through knee-deep water. Fortunately, no deaths or major damage were reported.In a world where natural disasters seem to be increasing, meteotsunamis — tsunamis caused by rapid weather changes – rarely make headline news. But warming sea temperatures and changing atmospheric conditions may help explain why these phenomena could become more common, especially in shallower seas and inland lakes with wide coastal shelves.“We have definitely become more aware of them, and there have been a lot more reports of these events in the last 10 years,” says Jadranka Šepić, an associate professor of environmental physics at the University of Split whose research focuses on efforts to track meteotsunamis in real time. She is also one of Croatia’s ambassadors for Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European Commission-funded programme aimed at making research more accessible to the public.Šepić sees two possible reasons for the apparent increase in meteotsunamis. One is that photos and videos shared on social media are providing more empirical evidence, while rising air and sea temperatures could also play a role. The geophysicist “cannot say with certainty” that warming is a contributing factor because research is still ongoing. “But I can say that previously in Croatia we might have had one exceptionally strong event every 10 or 15 years, and one strong event every five years, and within 15 days this summer we had five strong events,” Šepić notes. “This is not typical.”‘A fist against the sea surface’Unlike tsunamis that are triggered by underwater earthquakes or volcanoes, meteotsunamis are caused by sudden changes in atmospheric pressure combined with other rapidly developing weather events, such as thunderstorms. The effect “is like pushing a fist against the sea surface,” Šepić explains. The resulting oscillation intensifies as it reaches shallower water, and “can be far more destructive than a wind-driven wave because meteotsunamis are accompanied by very strong currents than can penetrate much deeper inland.” The meteotsunami, she continues, “then behaves the same as a tsunami — they slow down and grow as the sea shallows, and then grow further in places like harbours due to further shallowing and narrowing. When they come ashore, they can be very destructive — taking everything with them out to sea and then taking it back.”Croatian research institutions have tracked such sea oscillations since the 1930s because the relatively shallow Adriatic Sea is prone to meteotsunamis. The strongest recorded so far was in June 1978, according to the Adriatic Meteotsunami Catalogue, which is supported by the European Research Council (ERC), Croatian Science Foundation and the country’s leading research institutions. During that event, six-metre-high waves flooded the coastal town of Vela Luka on Korčula Island, causing major damage.Other meteotsunami “hotspots” in Europe include the Mediterranean Sea as well the Atlantic coastal shelves off France, Portugal and Spain. In June 2006, a meteotsunami with five-metre-high waves swept through the harbour of Ciutadella in Spain’s Balearic Islands, causing widespread damage to boats. Several less powerful events were reported in the Balearics and off the coast of Spain this summer, leading to some beach closures.Forecasting is challenging because of how quickly meteotsunamis can develop and their uncertain trajectory. Šepić is involved in two ERC-funded research projects — SHExtreme and MeD-Track — aimed in part at strengthening monitoring and real-time data collection. Access to accurate and immediate information is essential for early-warning systems.Early exposure to meteotsunamisŠepić first learned about meteotsunamis from her parents while growing up in Croatia. She later had the opportunity to investigate these events during her master and doctoral studies in geophysics at the University of Zagreb. The geophysicist has also conducted research at the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split, the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma de Mallorca and the Institute of Ocean Science in the Canadian province of British Columbia.Projects like SCTT are important to raise awareness about research and inspiring young people to pursue studies and careers in science, notes Šepić. She credits her colleagues at the University of Split and the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries for their community outreach and engagement in the European project, which includes partner universities and institutions in Brest (France) and Kiel (Germany). As an example of town-gown collaboration, Šepić highlights her own university’s ‘Oceanographers on the Island’ programme. This initiative offers workshops and hands-on learning for children living on numerous Croatian islands.“It is a great privilege for Split to be involved in a project like Science Comes to Town, which is the first of its kind in the European Union," Šepić says. As for encouraging new generations of scientists, “This is a great effort, and I hope that we will see an effect in a few years.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.

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Oct 21 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
Independent filmmakers finding ways to protect work from AI

As the use of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry continues to grow, indie filmmakers are looking for ways to protect their work

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Oct 21 • 7:56 PM EDT • Entertainment • spectrumnews1.com
New Mexico health councils seek recurring funds from lawmakers

New Mexico's county and tribal health councils seek recurring funding ahead of the next legislative session.

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Oct 21 • 6:00 PM EDT • Health • sourcenm.com
Former Lakers Guard Gets Another Shot With Western Conference Squad

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bufkin, who spent 2025-26 with the team, joined the Utah Jazz just before the start of the season. The post Former Lakers Guard Gets Another Shot With Western Conference Squad appeared first on LA Sports Report.

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Oct 21 • 1:15 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Billionaire Mark Cuban’s 5-step plan to make healthcare affordable targets drug middlemen’s ‘contractual terrorism’

The Cost Plus Drugs cofounder told Texas lawmakers that insured patients are often better off paying cash—and laid out five fixes built around price transparency.

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Oct 21 • 3:15 AM EDT • Health • fortune.com
Free Agent Centers Put Bronny James Lakers Future in Doubt

The Los Angeles Lakers cutting Dalton Knecht over Bronny James sees the current roster finalized for opening night. However, there are rumors that the team would like to add another center to have flexibility in today’s NBA. Most other teams have a noteworthy center who the Lakers will have to defend. Walker Kessler’s injury history […] The post Free Agent Centers Put Bronny James Lakers Future in Doubt appeared first on HEAVY.

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Oct 21 • 1:48 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Villegas, advocates slam Valadao voting record at Bakersfield health care roundtable

Healthcare affordability and reproductive rights took center stage at a roundtable in Bakersfield on Tuesday, as Democratic congressional candidate Randy Villeg

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Oct 21 • 1:21 AM EDT • Health • bakersfieldnow.com
Bay Area sports calendar, Oct. 21-22

Draymond Green and the Warriors will open their season against the Lakers at 7 p.m. Wednesday. (ESPN)

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Oct 21 • 1:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Lakers' Austin Reaves gets real on what it is like seeing LeBron James suit up for 76ers

For the first time in Austin Reaves career he will be without LeBron James. The guard commented on what it's like with James playing for another team.

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Oct 21 • 12:02 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Collin Sexton is QUESTIONABLE for the Lakers tomorrow …

Collin Sexton is QUESTIONABLE for the Lakers tomorrow …

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Oct 20 • 8:47 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Powder mailed to Arizona officials reflects surge in political threats

Suspicious letters containing white powder have targeted Arizona lawmakers and the state’s elections chief, as experts warn that threats and intimidation against public officials are rising.

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Oct 20 • 8:12 PM EDT • Politics • cronkitenews.azpbs.org
Rule breaking by just a few people can be contagious

People are more likely to mimic — or even surpass — rule breakers than rule followers, a study finds. But real-world consequences may keep people in line.

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Oct 20 • 7:01 PM EDT • Science • sciencenews.org
WA leaders push back as federal health cuts threaten millions

Washington lawmakers warn that federal health cuts could cost hospitals billions and hike premiums, drawing debate ahead of the midterms.

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Oct 20 • 3:39 PM EDT • Health • fox13seattle.com
Movers & Shakers

Here’s a look at this week’s Movers & Shakers.

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Oct 20 • 3:30 PM EDT • Business • siouxfalls.business
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (15%)
wow
67%
love
33%
Can U.S. Rep. Don Davis beat a gerrymander?

A year ago, Republican state lawmakers redrew North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District to make it more conservative. But as Election Day draws near, incumbent Congressman Don Davis appears to have an increasingly strong shot at keeping his seat.

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Oct 20 • 12:51 PM EDT • Politics • wunc.org
Romanian lawmakers back a minority government to end monthslong stalemate

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers sought Tuesday to end a monthslong political impasse by voting for a minority government led by an independent diplomat, who now faces the challenge of securing support in a fragmented Parliament while tackling a large budget deficit. Prime Minister Luca Niculescu won 280 votes for his proposed Cabinet in

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Oct 20 • 12:13 PM EDT • Politics • mymotherlode.com
You Should Probably Check Your Google Home Speaker’s Data Usage

Google Home Speakers have been absolutely ripping through data—mine included.

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Oct 20 • 10:45 AM EDT • Technology • gizmodo.com
Mandy Moore, Emmy Rossum among A-list speakers at WME's inaugural Women’s Health Summit in Malibu

Katie Couric — whose upcoming documentary “Hormonal!” covers a crisis in women’s health — made an appearance via video to reveal a stat that drew gasps.

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Oct 20 • 10:40 AM EDT • Health • pagesix.com
Romanian lawmakers back government led by independent Luca Niculescu as country seeks to end monthslong political crisis

Romanian lawmakers back government led by independent Luca Niculescu as country seeks to end monthslong political crisis.

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Oct 20 • 9:43 AM EDT • Politics • union-bulletin.com
'Office Space' star Richard Riehle dies at 78

Actor Richard Riehle arrives at the premiere of New Line Cinema's 'A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas' at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on November 2, 2011 in Hollywood, California. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)Richard Riehle, known for his role in the 1999 film Office Space, has died. He was 78.A statement shared by Artists & Representatives and Wright Entertainment, Inc. announced Riehle's passing on Monday, writing, "Our industry has lost an exceptional talent, and our community has lost a truly wonderful man.""We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of our beloved client, Richard Riehle, this past weekend," the statement said. "A remarkable actor whose career in theater, film, and television spanned nearly five decades and more than 400 projects, Richard leaves behind an extraordinary legacy."The statement continued, "Beyond his immense talent, he will be remembered for his genuine goodness, boundless kindness, and unwavering generosity, particularly toward emerging actors and filmmakers, whom he encouraged and supported at every opportunity."Born on May 12, 1948, Riehle starred in many television series and films over the years.Notable projects include Casino, The Man from Earth and Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo.He got his start as an actor at the University of Notre Dame, where he was involved in the University Theatre and starred in several stage productions. He went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in acting and directing from the University of Minnesota.While he's played characters that have an "average Joe" presence, he always made the most of his brief screen time.Some roles that he is remembered for include The Quartermaster in Glory, the train guard in The Fugitive, Reverend Scroggins in Fried Green Tomatoes and Bill Cozbi in Bridesmaids.On television, he starred as Principal Ed Rooney in the 1990 series Ferris Bueller and as grandfather Walt Finnerty in the early 2000s sitcom, Grounded For Life.In 2023, he also played Warden Reynolds in Barry.Riehle is survived by his wife, Jane Latham, and their four children.Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Oct 20 • 8:56 AM EDT • Entertainment • willmarradio.com
Ten Hag opens up on Ronaldo fallout at Man Utd

Erik Ten Hag has opened up about his fractured relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Manchester United, claiming the Portuguese forward was not prepared to meet the physical demands o...

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Oct 20 • 7:22 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Some Google Home Speakers caught downloading hundreds of gigs of data

The issue might be tied to failed attempts to install a firmware update.

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Oct 20 • 6:16 AM EDT • Technology • theverge.com
Nvidia CEO urges German manufacturers to adopt AI

FRANKFURT, Germany — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang urged Germany’s makers of cars and industrial machines to quickly adopt artificial intelligence to “re-engineer” the country’s struggling business model by tapping its

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Oct 20 • 1:30 AM EDT • Business • telegraphherald.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (26%)
wow
60%
love
40%
Lakers Depth Chart For Final Roster After Dalton Knecht Release

T he news of the Los Angeles Lakers releasing Dalton Knecht confirms the final roster entering the NBA regular season. Bronny James and Jaden Hardy survived the cut and will make the roster to keep their jobs. Knecht was not expected to get strong playing time, but he removes a player who could give the […] The post Lakers Depth Chart For Final Roster After Dalton Knecht Release appeared first on HEAVY.

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Oct 19 • 10:19 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Some Google Home Speakers downloading massive amounts of data in the background

The new Google Home Speaker has an issue where it downloads hundreds of gigabytes of data in the background for some owners.

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Oct 19 • 6:54 PM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com
Lakers waive former No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht
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Oct 19 • 6:40 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Iowa 55-hour ‘FilmSprint’ comes to Cedar Rapids this fall

Cedar Rapids Independent Filmmakers launches the Iowa 55-Hour FilmSprint, Nov. 6-8, 2026, challenging teams to write, shoot and edit a short film with Iowa-themed secret elements.

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Oct 19 • 6:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • thegazette.com
Lakers waive Dalton Knecht ahead of season opener, roster deadline after failing to find trade partner
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Oct 19 • 5:16 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Lakers waive Dalton Knecht ahead of season opener, roster deadline
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Oct 19 • 5:09 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Lakers Make Final Roster Cut Before Beginning of Season

The Los Angeles Lakers waived forward Dalton Knecht on Monday, reducing the size of their roster to 15 just before their Monday deadline. The post Lakers Make Final Roster Cut Before Beginning of Season appeared first on LA Sports Report.

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Oct 19 • 5:08 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
PHOTO GALLERY: Via Arte chalks up another fun event

Via Arte returned to The Marketplace over the weekend for a two-day event showcasing the talent of mostly local artists.

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Oct 19 • 3:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • bakersfield.com
A Beloved Hi-Fi Specialist Just Dropped a Gorgeous Pair of Audiophile Loudspeakers

The revered audio brand's entry-level loudspeaker range just got a new addition.

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Oct 19 • 2:25 PM EDT • Technology • gearpatrol.com
THE WEEK OF OCT 19, 2026

- Lawmakers eyeing university research security - DHS proposes more visa changes - NIH considers hiding peer review scores

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Oct 19 • 10:31 AM EDT • Science • aip.org
Two former Republican lawmakers say the GOP’s vaccine position is a liability

The Republican party’s confusing messaging on vaccines is going to hurt candidates in the midterms, two former GOP congressmen argue.

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Oct 19 • 9:39 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com
Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon show Florida business range

Eight months ago, billionaires Stephen Ross and Ken Griffin spoke to a group of business executives gathered at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. The February event was billed as a global finance and policy discussion, but at times speakers talked about South Florida's growing economy.

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Oct 19 • 5:03 AM EDT • Business • miamiherald.com
Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon show Florida business range

Eight months ago, billionaires Stephen Ross and Ken Griffin spoke to a group of business executives gathered at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. The February event was billed as a global finance and policy discussion, but at times speakers talked about South Florida's growing economy.

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Oct 19 • 5:03 AM EDT • Business • bradenton.com
More needs to be done to help tackle maternal and child health

A senior Irish Government minister has called for more to be done to help further improve maternal and child health across the world. Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday (14 October), Neale Richmond said it was vital the issue remained a “priority” for policymakers at EU and member state level. Richmond, Minister of State for International […]

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Oct 19 • 2:00 AM EDT • Health • eureporter.co
Lakers beat writer calls Adou Thiero a 'ceiling raiser'

It seems like the Lakers still see lots of potential in second-year forward Adou Thiero.

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Oct 18 • 10:58 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
HTA workshop in Wailuku offers Maui businesses guidance on reaching visitors

A two-day workshop for Maui farmers, makers, small-business owners, cultural practitioners and nonprofits interested in working with the visitor industry will take place Oct. 30–31 at the J. Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku.

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Oct 18 • 6:00 PM EDT • Business • mauinow.com
CNY state lawmakers call for a ‘reimagining’ of mental health services

Some Central New York lawmakers are calling for significant changes in how the state addresses what they are calling a “mental health crisis.”

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Oct 18 • 1:51 PM EDT • Health • wrvo.org
Pink on Purpose Announces the Glowup ParTEA: A Vital Event for Women’s Health and Empowerment

The Glowup ParTEA is a women's empowerment event on October 24, 2026, in Baton Rouge, featuring speakers, inspiring stories, and a tribute to Kurtisha Prier.

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Oct 18 • 11:50 AM EDT • Health • wafb.com
The Lakers have cut two players from their roster

The Lakers are trimming their roster with days to go before their regular-season opener.

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Oct 18 • 2:27 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
California's billionaire tax promises healthcare relief. The fine print is murkier

It’s unclear how much money Prop. 40 would raise, how quickly the funding would become available, and how lawmakers would spend it.

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Oct 17 • 4:00 PM EDT • Health • timesofsandiego.com
Readers Write: Political ads, sexual violence, the demise of Hourcar, letter writing

These ad makers must think our brains are mush.

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Oct 17 • 2:28 PM EDT • Politics • startribune.com
Fire damages Gyro Makers and nearby nail salon in Edmonds’ Westgate Village

A fire damaged a restaurant and an adjacent business Saturday morning in Edmonds’ Westgate neighborhood, South County Fire said.Firefighters responded at about

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Oct 17 • 2:27 PM EDT • Business • komonews.com
Criminal Justice Reform Isn’t Dead, Despite GOP Attack Ads

A familiar tough-on-crime election strategy is making a comeback, even as Republican and Democratic lawmakers keep passing reforms across the country.

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Oct 17 • 12:00 PM EDT • Politics • themarshallproject.org
Trump's decision to waive Russian sanctions outrages Congress, but no quick counter seen

Lawmakers from both parties blasted the executive order late Friday, the latest in a series of steps that the Republican president has taken drawing the United States closer to Russia's Vladimir Putin.

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Oct 17 • 11:57 AM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Are Lakers cutting Bronny James after JJ Redick criticism?

James has had a rough preseason

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Oct 17 • 7:54 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Several Petah Tikva synagogues refuse to host Smotrich, cite objections to politics during services

Some congregants argued that withdrawing the invitation after it had already been extended and publicly announced would be inappropriate, particularly since the synagogue had hosted other speakers.

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Oct 17 • 5:58 AM EDT • Politics • jpost.com
😐 Neutral (2%)
wow
67%
ahah
33%
Lakers’ Bronny James Draws Harsh Verdict Ahead of Nuggets Finale

Lakers guard Bronny James faces harsh criticism from a Lakers insider ahead of the Nuggets finale ahead of preseason finale. The post Lakers’ Bronny James Draws Harsh Verdict Ahead of Nuggets Finale appeared first on HEAVY.

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Oct 16 • 9:32 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Bakersfield man detained by ICE on his way to work; business partner raises concerns over his treatment

A Bakersfield man was detained by ICE on his way to work. His business partner heard it over the phone and is raising concerns about his treatment.

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Oct 16 • 9:20 PM EDT • Business • turnto23.com
Arkansas Money & Politics 2026 Legacy Makers

The pages of Arkansas Money & Politics are frequently filled with accomplishments at both ends of the spectrum.

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Oct 16 • 8:01 PM EDT • Politics • armoneyandpolitics.com
Some hope to see lawmakers create AI framework for education

Could Senate Republicans prevent Senate Democrats from achieving a veto-proof majority in the upper chamber this election?

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Oct 16 • 7:30 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
DC Lawmakers Focus on Business, Wealth Taxes in Budget Hearing

DC lawmakers held a marathon hearing Friday to debate different revenue raisers to fill a projected $700 million budget gap next year, but most focused on measures to implement a business activity tax and wealth tax.

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Oct 16 • 6:51 PM EDT • Business • news.bloombergtax.com
Democrats say Trump increased investments in drugmakers that were given Medicare exemptions

The report from congressional Democrats found that Trump’s pharmaceutical stock holdings grew from a maximum reported value of $1.7 million in 2024 to as much as $56.2 million at the end of 2025.

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Oct 16 • 5:32 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
🙂 Positive (35%)
Louisiana renews deals with 4 Medicaid providers; lawmakers want better health outcomes

Louisiana lawmakers renewed state contracts Thursday with four private managed care organizations that provide Medicaid coverage, calling on state health officials to ensure the money results in better health outcomes.

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Oct 16 • 4:04 PM EDT • Health • lailluminator.com
Lisandro Martínez's future at Manchester United uncertain after board criticism

Manchester United currently occupies 13th place in the Premier League with six points from six matches, having won only two of nine games this season.This decline in form, which includes a five-game ...

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Oct 16 • 10:46 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?

Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.

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Oct 16 • 10:32 AM EDT • Health • yourlocalepidemiologistca.substack.com
Trump increased investments in drugmakers that benefited from Medicare exemptions, Democrats say

WASHINGTON (AP) — Investments in pharmaceutical companies made on behalf of President Donald Trump increased significantly after he returned to the White House last year, with his portfolio adding mil...

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Oct 16 • 8:01 AM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com
Health & Hardware: Injury Updates and Special Teams Solutions

Detroit navigates a devastating season-ending loss to special teams staple Tom Kennedy while leveraging a timely bye week to restore vital playmakers across a battered secondary.

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Oct 16 • 7:00 AM EDT • Health • sports.yahoo.com
Health & Hardware: Injury Updates and Special Teams Solutions

Detroit navigates a devastating season-ending loss to special teams staple Tom Kennedy while leveraging a timely bye week to restore vital playmakers across a battered secondary.

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Oct 16 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Lakers, Bucks have discussed Dalton Knecht–Jericho Sims trade

Lakers, Bucks have discussed Dalton Knecht–Jericho Sims trade

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Oct 16 • 6:56 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
GOP states have made it harder to vote. The changes could swing tight races

GOP lawmakers and officials around the country have enacted voting restrictions that could affect turnout in key races.

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Oct 16 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Lawmakers Demand Menhaden Cuts Before Chesapeake Bay Science Is Complete, Ignoring Already Struggling Workers

Menhaden Fisheries Coalition warns proposed restrictions could threaten hundreds of jobs held by rural Virginia's largely minority, unionized menhaden workforce

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Oct 16 • 2:22 AM EDT • Science • newspressnow.com
UCLA Health addresses healthcare accessibility issues for Spanish speakers

Three UCLA Health initiatives are working to make healthcare more accessible for Spanish speakers across Los Angeles. The UCLA Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence, the Equity for Latinx/Hispanic Healthy Aging and the Lifespan Assessment Through Integrated Neuropsychology Clinic address disparities in healthcare by offering bilingual training for medical professionals and conducting testing in patients’ native language.

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Oct 15 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • dailybruin.com
Remedy Boss Reacts After Control Resonant Sells 1 Million Copies, Becoming Studio's Fastest-Selling Game

Control Resonant has sold one million copies, becoming Remedy’s fastest-selling game in spite of leakers cracking the title and pirating it after its digital launch in September.

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Oct 15 • 7:04 PM EDT • Technology • ign.com
Building health outside the doctor’s office takes center stage at Aspen Ideas

At a “Health is Wealth” panel, experts from Tulsa and beyond discussed how childcare, transit and access to grocery stores are shaping community health.

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Oct 15 • 5:36 PM EDT • Health • tulsaflyer.org
Lakers Exploring Trades For Forward With Roster Decision Looming

The Los Angeles Lakers are actively exploring trades for third-year forward Dalton Knecht. The post Lakers Exploring Trades For Forward With Roster Decision Looming appeared first on LA Sports Report.

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Oct 15 • 5:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
North Carolina lawmakers highlight health care, grocery costs at Asheville event

With early voting underway in North Carolina, two state representatives stopped in Asheville as part of a national bus tour.

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Oct 15 • 4:43 PM EDT • Health • wlos.com
Hobnobben Film Festival again brings unique storytelling to Fort Wayne

Hobnobben Film Festival opens Thursday with a celebration of unique storytelling, including an opening night dedicated to Hoosier filmmakers.

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Oct 15 • 4:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • journalgazette.net
Women’s Health Conference highlights 50th anniversary of Nurses’ Health Study | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Speakers highlighted solutions for improving women's health outcomes, and marked the 50th anniversary of the landmark Nurses' Health Study.

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Oct 15 • 3:55 PM EDT • Health • hsph.harvard.edu
German MPs rebuke AfD during genocide debate

The events took place more than 120 years ago, but their consequences are still felt today: Over two days, German lawmakers have been debating their country's colonial crimes in present-day Namibia.

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Oct 15 • 1:01 PM EDT • Politics • dw.com
Giants DC Dennard Wilson: We love being home underdogs

The Giants are 3-1-1 heading into Sunday's home game against a 1-4 Saints team that was excoriated by their owner this week, but oddsmakers don't view the Giants as heavy favorites to win that game.

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Oct 15 • 12:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers criticize slowing of Starlink in Ukraine

On Wednesday, Ukraine reported its drones losing speed after sudden and unannounced restrictions on its battlefield use of Starlink

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Oct 15 • 12:12 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers criticize slowing of Starlink in Ukraine

On Wednesday, Ukraine reported its drones losing speed after sudden and unannounced restrictions on its battlefield use of Starlink

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Oct 15 • 12:12 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
A paycheck for lawmakers is on the ballot

New York state legislators make $142,000 a year. New Hampshire state representatives and senators make $100. Legislators in 47 other states are paid a yearly salary in between those two

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Oct 15 • 11:45 AM EDT • Politics • taosnews.com
Los Angeles Lakers season preview: Opening schedule, win projection and everything to know for 2026-27
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Oct 15 • 10:55 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
How 'Sunrise on the Reaping' landed its 'dream' cast

With up-and-coming actors working alongside Hollywood veterans in the new "Hunger Games" prequel film, "Sunrise on the Reaping" reflects a "dream" cast for its filmmakers.

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Oct 15 • 10:07 AM EDT • Entertainment • centraloregondaily.com
State lawmakers react to IDHS decision to preserve some beds at Choate Mental Health Center

Illinois State Senators Terri Bryant (R-Murpysboro) and Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) say a new plan for Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna does not go far enough.

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Oct 15 • 10:04 AM EDT • Health • kfvs12.com
Clinton Policy Institute outlines maternal health solutions for states

Health Care Clinton Policy Institute outlines maternal health solutions for states It’s the first major report from the project, which launched in July to foster nonpartisan policies to improve the wellbeing of children and families. Stephanie Akin 10:00 AM, Oct 15, 2026 Dr. Jacob Lenz performs an ultrasound at the Oklahoma State University obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon) The Clinton Policy Institute is calling on states to lead efforts to curb maternal mortality, releasing a 61-page playbook Thursday highlighting successful policies that could be adopted nationwide. The playbook is the first major report from the Clinton Foundation’s project, which launched in July to foster nonpartisan state and local policies to improve the wellbeing of children and families. “Eighty percent of maternal deaths are preventable, and we know what works,” CPI Chair Jennifer Klein said. “The solutions are well established and evidence-based.” CPI’s mission is to convene political leaders from both parties, policy experts, state officials and other stakeholders to explore solutions to longstanding problems. “What we aim to do is bring together people who are deeply engaged, but may not be meeting together in the same room,” Klein said, noting that state policymakers might not always be aware of what their peers are doing in other states. In May, CPI brought together lawmakers from Virginia and Pennsylvania, two of the 14 states that have passed bipartisan maternal health “Momnibus” packages modeled after a comprehensive federal proposal that has repeatedly stalled, called the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. Other participants included Dr. Mona Hanna, founder of Rx Kids, a Michigan program that provides direct cash allowances to pregnant women and infants. Pennsylvania Rep. Morgan Cephas, who was part of the group, said she learned about funding opportunities she hadn’t come across during her decade in the Legislature. “As legislators we can issue grants, we can pass legislation, we can move policy, but we want to ensure that funding opportunities and programs that are tackling this issue are sustainable,” Cephas said. The playbook outlines broad areas where state policy can make a difference, such as allowing Medicaid to pay for doulas and remote patient monitoring, and using federal and private grant funding to pay for home visits to pregnant and postpartum women. For each category, it highlights innovative programs that can serve as models, with examples of specific actions state lawmakers and governors’ offices can take. Those include the Rx Kids model, which gets funding from the Michigan state budget; Pennsylvania’s Healthy Moms Vibrant Futures strategic action plan, emphasizing equity-centered maternal care, regional collaboration, Medicaid innovation, and workforce development that was launched this year with more than 160 stakeholders; and Kansas’s Bridging Plan, which reserves three slots and provides at least $26,000 in loan forgiveness for obstetric residents who commit to practicing in rural or underserved communities for 36 months. CPI emphasizes that its work is nonpartisan. Klein, the director of the White House Gender Policy Council under former President Joe Biden, acknowledged that CPI also takes positions on abortion, Medicaid funding, and the need to address the economic and social drivers of poor health, which might rankle some conservatives. “We don’t shy away from talking about those things that we think are part and parcel of the maternal health crisis in this country,” Klein said. “That said, there are so many policies that are both evidence-based and have been tried successfully in both red and blue states, and people can see that they can have real impact.” She pointed to the federal option to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months that was made available during the Biden administration and has since been adopted by every state but Arkansas. Other initiatives embraced across party lines include Medicaid coverage for midwives and doulas, as well as “bundled” payments for prenatal and postpartum care. That alternative payment model, pioneered in states such as Arkansas, Colorado and Tennessee, incentivizes fixed fees to cover all healthcare services associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Advocates say it promotes more coordination among caregivers, discourages unnecessary interventions, and expands postpartum support. In addition to maternal health, the initiative is also focused on addressing family economic security, children’s well-being, and democracy and civic resilience.

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Oct 15 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • pluribusnews.com
US lawmakers unveil bill to hold Wall Street’s ‘Epstein-connected’ bosses to account

Move comes as Senator Elizabeth Warren condemns Barclays response to questions over ex-boss’s ties to sex offender

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Oct 15 • 9:30 AM EDT • Business • theguardian.com
Massachusetts can protect data privacy without hurting small businesses

As lawmakers debate the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act, they should be careful not to adopt an approach that unintentionally makes it harder and more expensive for local businesses to compete, grow, and innovate online.

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Oct 15 • 8:36 AM EDT • Business • commonwealthbeacon.org
Social Security announces 2027 cost of living boost for recipients

The Social Security Administration projects a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for older adults and people with disabilities starting in 2027. Some recipients say it won't offset rising prices. This adjustment means $75 extra per month for the nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries and about 7.3 million Supplemental Security Income recipients. Inflation continues to pressure household budgets and savings, and some older Americans feel the increase isn't enough. The Social Security Administration faces a looming bankruptcy date if a funding shortfall isn't addressed by Congress. Lawmakers have proposed measures to replenish the trust funds, including lifting the payroll tax cap to generate substantial revenue.

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Oct 15 • 7:35 AM EDT • Business • springfieldnewssun.com
Memphis People in Business for Oct. 15, 2026

A look at promotions, hirings, movers and newsmakers in the Memphis area business scene

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Oct 15 • 7:01 AM EDT • Business • commercialappeal.com
‘The money, not the message.’ Idaho debates how to manage free speech in elections

In the thick of election season, Idaho’s secretary of state held a Free Speech Summit for state officials and lawmakers.

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Oct 15 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • idahostatesman.com
Va. lawmakers, Spanberger grapple with loss of federal healthcare funds for trans youth

Federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program money can no longer be used for certain gender-affirming care to young people in Virginia and other states, after a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rule took effect on Oct. 13.

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Oct 15 • 5:28 AM EDT • Health • virginiamercury.com