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Switch 2 players Can Claim a Free Copy of The Witcher 3 Thanks to a Loophole
Dig up those old cartridges
Fraser Minten shines as late surge lifts the Bruins past the Rangers 3-0
Fraser Minten broke a scoreless tie with just over four minutes left, followed by goals by JJ Peterka and an empty-netter by Mark Kastelic 23 seconds apart, and the Boston Bruins beat the New York Rangers 3-0 on Tuesday night in the season opener for both teams.
Small business owners aren't losing their dream, but they're paying more to achieve it
Small business owners are continuing to combat inflation and rising costs, according to the newly released KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) 2026 Small Business Survey. The survey found that one-third (33%) of owners are absorbing rising costs out of their own paycheck rather than passing them on to customers underscoring the value they place on the relationships they've built.
Jordan Marshall's Updated Health Report is Great News for Michigan Football's Rushing Attack
It was a bit of a mystery surrounding Michigan running back Jordan Marshall this past Saturday against Iowa. His final carry of the game came with 3:12 left in
Illinois Fighting Illini Still Projected to Reach Bowl Eligibility
As rough as the past week has been for Illinois, the Illini are still .500 and widely projected to reach the postseason.
Scott pays tribute to 'biggest fan'
Bournemouth's Alex Scott says his late grandfather was his "biggest fan" after revealing he passed away last week, days before the midfielder made his England debut. The 23-year-old made his Three Lions debut on Tuesday, when he replaced Manchester City's Elliot Anderson in the 70th minute against Czech Republic.
The best airlines for flying business class, ranked by passengers
The aviation rating company Skytrax surveyed travelers to determine the best business-class airlines.
Could Taking the Pressure Off Grades Improve Students’ Mental Health?
The University of Michigan is introducing pass/fail grades for first-semester students to ease them into college life. Do you wish your school would do the same?
Universe Entertainment And Culture Group (SEHK:1046) Stock Confronts Revenue Collapse And Rich P S Multiple
The market has been treating Universe Entertainment and Culture Group like a high‑beta punt, with the stock almost doubling over the past month. However, today’s full year release tells a tougher story. The business delivered only HK$120.096 million in trailing twelve month revenue while still posting a loss of HK$10.938 million from ongoing operations. Set that against a P/S ratio of 10.1x, well above the Hong Kong entertainment pack, and the headline is clear: rich sales multiples now meet...
Arsenal midfielder notches another goal contribution for Spain
Mikel Merino provided an assist for Spain and Martin Zubimendi earned a rare start as they eased past Croatia on Tuesday night.Photo by Lars Baron/Getty ImagesGoing into Spain’s Nations League match...
Video Q&A: Why enrollment growth can hide years of risk for health plans
Health plans are moving past simple membership growth as the standard for success toward a model that brings pricing, network adequacy and acquisition cost information into one connected view. In this interview, a health payer strategy expert explores: Why enrollment is a leading indicator that can mask trailing risks for 12 to 24 months What […]
Proposal 2 targets political giving by businesses. A court fight is a sure bet.
With Proposal 2 polling strongly, attention is already shifting to an expected constitutional challenge from business interests if voters pass the measure on Nov. 3.
Proposal 2 targets political giving by businesses. A court fight is a sure bet.
With Proposal 2 polling strongly, attention is already shifting to an expected constitutional challenge from business interests if voters pass the measure on Nov. 3.
Xbox adds cloud gaming support to 47 more games in final September updates
Xbox Game Pass has added Xbox Cloud Gaming support to 47 games in its final wave of September 2026 updates, letting you stream titles like Control Resonant.
When “DEI” research is cut, what happens to community health?
“I’m just going to run to the grocery store!” How many times have we said this without thinking about it? For most of us, it's usually an easy walk or a short drive to get the cheese we forgot. In reality, though, 13% of the U.S. population (about 39 million people) live in “food deserts,” which means living more than a mile from a grocery store in urban areas and more than 10 miles in rural areas. This was the case for people in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where a quick run to buy food wasn’t an option. In the 1930s, federal maps marked the Hill as "hazardous" for lending, a practice known as redlining that steered investment away from Black neighborhoods. Decades of disinvestment followed, and residents went about 30 years without a nearby grocery store. This made it hard to keep healthy eating habits and contributed to chronic disease. When a grocery store finally opened in the area in 2013, researchers saw the opportunity and launched the PHRESH study, which initially compared the health of participants from the Hill district to those in the Homewood district. Over time, the study expanded to other factors such as brain health and Alzheimer's risk. Residents like Roderick Blair overcame initial hesitation to share their health data, trusting it would benefit their neighborhood. Then, in August 2026, the NIH abruptly canceled the study’s grant, citing that it was “subjective” and fell outside their scientific scope—an effect of the administration’s interpretation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Research like PHRESH can help determine what changes in a neighborhood actually improve health, so cutting it has left that question unanswered. Other canceled studies have examined health issues like maternal health, preterm birth rates, or sickle cell disease. Courts have reversed some of these grant cancellations, but not all of them. If we really want America to be healthier, research into why some communities get sicker than others is absolutely critical. The law that created the federal minority health research institute passed with bipartisan support in 2000. But these days, as evidenced by grant cancellations, the political shift in attitudes toward DEI means we often lose access to the health information we need to help all communities thrive. DEI vs. health equity vs. equality and the overlap (or lack thereof) The letters “DEI” evoke very different reactions depending on who you are in the U.S. DEI programs can address gender, disability, age, and other factors, but the fiercest debate centers on race. For some people, hearing DEI brings to mind policies that may have cost them a job or a college seat because they are white. Others see DEI as a matter of justice: a way to expand representation and opportunity for groups that have been historically marginalized. Both perspectives are rooted in lived experience, and both center on the same question: whether hiring and admissions practices are fair. Hiring and admission practices, though related, are not the same as health equity. Health equity is “the attainment of the highest level of health for all people.” It’s the recognition that some groups of people consistently experience worse health outcomes than others. For instance, black mothers die from pregnancy-related complications at three times the rate of white mothers, and rural Americans are more likely to die from issues such as heart disease and cancer. Equity is also often conflated with “equality,” which leads to misunderstanding of how to actually best support communities. Equality ignores the fact that we aren’t all starting life with the same resources or circumstances, whereas equity is about helping people get what they specifically need based on their situation so they have the chance to achieve the same outcome as anyone else. For example, if every household in Pittsburgh got a $30 grocery gift card, that would be equal. But during the decades the Hill District went without a grocery store, that card wouldn’t have helped much. Equity means making sure everyone can actually access a store in the first place. DEI policies can overlap with health equity in many ways. For example, they may help expand access to quality education and stable, well-paying jobs, which in turn can provide health insurance, safer housing, and improved finances—all of which can reduce health disparities. But to make that happen, we first need data to identify disparities in communities and to develop solutions that effectively address them. What we lose when the research stops Community data is important to health equity because: You can’t fix what you don’t see: Data show which communities are most affected by health factors such as infection, heart disease, and cancer. If we don’t know what is happening and where, then we can’t develop interventions to help. Poor health costs everyone: Chronic disease is expensive—both to the individual person and to the overall economy. Understanding what groups of people are most at risk allows us to develop interventions that can save everyone money. Disparities exist for many communities: Health equity includes disparities that exist due to a whole host of factors, such as family background, race and ethnicity, rural vs. suburban residence, gender and sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, and lower income. This means many Americans can benefit from research into differences in health outcomes and how to improve them. Trust is easy to lose: Some participants in the PHRESH study were initially vocal about their concerns about participating. But that trust was earned because the researchers kept their promises and centered their work on the community. When projects are canceled mid-cycle, researchers have no choice but to leave behind communities they had promised to help. This hurts trust in the long run. It’s also a very inefficient use of resources, and it will take significant time and effort to redo the work when the government realizes this work is important again. How should we talk about health equity? This is hard because the words “equity” and “DEI” are currently very politically charged. So whether you’re a public health professional, teacher, or friend, how we talk about this topic matters. The right framing can help people who might otherwise be skeptical see why health equity research is important and deserves funding. Here are some suggestions to help your conversations: Choose your words strategically: Who are you trying to reach with your message? Are they likely to be resistant to terms like “diversity” and “equity”? If so, find alternative words to use to still get the message across. It is frustrating to be in that position, but the goal of improving health is too important not to try to make inroads. Sometimes simply reframing can help the message reach those who need to hear it. Focus on the problem: The terms “health equity” and “DEI” are abstract. Make it more specific. For example, discuss differences in maternal death or ways to improve health outcomes in rural communities. These still have equity at their core but will likely be better understood by those you’re talking with. Focus on systems: Disparities exist, but if they are communicated poorly, people can mistakenly think the issue is the individual’s fault. Disparities are largely driven by failures of the system—such as lack of access to health care and a long legacy of racism. When discussing the disparities, frame them around these systemic issues to ensure blame isn’t placed on the individuals impacted. Tell stories: Personalize these policies by using stories from those impacted that connect to the data you’re trying to convey. This helps make the policies and outcomes more concrete and meaningful. Bottom line Some communities end up sicker than others. That’s just the facts. We can argue about the best way to do that research, but canceling it simply because it may be linked to DEI doesn’t make anyone healthier. It just leaves communities like the Hill district behind. And in the end, it causes us all to move backward in our efforts to improve health in this country. Love, EM Big thanks to MacKenzie Isaac & Legairre Radden, who reviewed this piece and generously shared their expertise and lived experience to help improve it. Dr. Liz Marnik, PhD, is Executive Director of The Evidence Collective and a science communicator and immunologist working at the intersection of public trust, science, and public health. To discuss communication training on topics like health equity and storytelling, email Liz at liz@yle.health or learn more on our website. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Your Local Epidemiologist is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Boxed into a corner?
The Premier League has opened a Pandora's box of problems which cannot be closed. This looks like a gigantic mess, but could also become a bit of a joke, especially if they attempt to rewrite history, and change the winners' names on the Premier League and cup trophies over these past 15 years.
Shobeiri Zanjani: The quiet ayatollah who bridged Iran’s political divide
Grand Ayatollah Mousa Shobeiri Zanjani passed away on 20 September at the age of 98
Freshman Explores Mental Health with Business and Club ‘Exquisitely Connected’
A Loyola freshman turned her passion for mental wellness into a business centered on self-acceptance and community.
Week 5 Nebraska volleyball grades
Nebraska volleyball swept Missouri, Rutgers and Ohio State this past week and proved themselves once again. The players themselves such as Bergen Reilly, Andi Jackson and Harper Murray, have shown that they are efficient and persistent on the court and will continue to succeed.
Ron Riegler dies at 71, led family business, Riegler Blacktop, one of largest privately-owned companies in Tri-State
Staff report Ronald Joseph Riegler Sr., 71, of Union, passed away peacefully on September 24 at Select Specialty Hospital in Fort Thomas surrounded by his loving family. With his brother, Boone…
Past decade’s industrial focus benefits Southern Virginia
Microporous, Avio USA and Stack Infrastructure projects are coming to fruition in Pittsylvania County. Microporous, Avio USA and Stack Infrastructure projects are coming to fruition in Pittsylvania County.
How the 'Money Out of Politics' ballot initiative would work if passed
The senate and gubernatorial races are getting most of the attention, but there's a ballot initiative voters will decide on in November. Eric Lupher with the Citizens Research Council of Michigan discusses how the initiative aiming to get money out of politics would work if passed. Plus, AI Expert John Patterson discusses the technology's role in the 2026 vote.
Amber Glenn sobs after giving partner Pasha Pashkov a brutal bloody injury in “DWTS” rehearsal
The Olympic skater and pro dancer also received their highest scores of the season so far on “Yacht Rock” night.
Amber Glenn sobs after giving partner Pasha Pashkov brutal bloody injury in rehearsal
Amber Glenn broke down after giving partner Pasha Pashkov a brutal and bloody injury in ‘Dancing With the Stars’ rehearsal for ‘Yacht Rock’ night.
Broncos Add Former Raiders Pass Rusher in Roster Tweak
The Denver Broncos are bolstering their pass rush with the addition of a former Las Vegas Raiders outside linebacker ahead of Week 4's game. The post Broncos Add Former Raiders Pass Rusher in Roster Tweak appeared first on HEAVY.
Andy Reid Reveals Chiefs Starter Has Been Playing Through Injury
The Kansas City Chiefs have the No. 2 ranked overall offense in the NFL through the first three games of the season. Their rushing attack has been dominant, led by Kenneth Walker III. The passing game has been explosive at times, but inconsistent as a whole. Tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Rashee Rice […] The post Andy Reid Reveals Chiefs Starter Has Been Playing Through Injury appeared first on HEAVY.
Republican blocks Senate resolution criticizing Trump’s taxpayer-funded ads
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) argued that past presidents in both parties have aired similar announcements.
Now that it has passed the Senate, what comes next with the Protect College Sports Act?
The Senate has passed a bill aimed at controlling spending and addressing issues in college sports
Senate passes bill to reshape future of college sports
The U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act Monday night, with a final vote of 77 to 22, after a series of votes on seven different amendments.
Senate passes bill to reshape future of college sports
The U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act Monday night, with a final vote of 77 to 22, after a series of votes on seven different amendments.
Senate passes bill to reshape future of college sports
The U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act Monday night, with a final vote of 77 to 22, after a series of votes on seven different amendments.
SNAP and Americans’ Health
In 1964, when Congress passed the Food Stamp Act, the country faced a problem of inadequate nutrition among low-income Americans due to insufficient food. In response, the Food Stamp Program—today known as the Supplemental Nutrition...
The Family Business Advantage: Third Quarterly Power Breakfast of 2026 explores how family businesses balance legacy and innovation
Photo by GFBJAnother successful Power Breakfast is in the books. The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal hosted its third quarterly Power Breakfast of 2026 on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Local leaders and decision-makers gathered to network and learn from the panel about how established principles drive long-term stability while allowing for operational evolution. The panel featured Managing Partner of Luigi’s Italian Chophouse & Bar, Nate Ernst; Inside Sales at Hubbard Supplyhouse, Mary Grace Hurley; Chief Operations Officer for Copiers Plus, Drew Smith; and CEO of Holmes Security Systems, Stephen Wheeler. The panel was moderated by Lauren Willets, director of the Family Enterprise Center at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Throughout the discussion, the panelists returned to a common idea: family businesses thrive when they preserve the relationships and values at their core while remaining open to change.Each panelist shared personal stories that carried practical lessons. Stephen Wheeler emphasized the role of relationships with customers and employees, saying, “What makes a family business successful today is relationships.” Mary Grace Hurley echoed Wheeler’s sentiment, describing relationships as a lasting inheritance, including a customer connection that began when she was young and continued into her working life. “If something’s given to you, that’s going to cost you too,” added Nate Ernst. He explained this philosophy by sharing that, in his view, earning responsibility builds credibility and confidence.Another hot topic was the idea of tradition versus change. For these businesses that have been around for a century or even more, it can be difficult to escape the “we’ve always done it this way” caveat, but these speakers emphasized how change has been an integral part of their growth and longevity. A family business can honor its history without being bound by it.“Innovation and tradition–they don’t have to be competing with one another,” shared Hurley. She pointed to changes in how businesses operate, including the adoption of computers and new management practices. Ernst stressed that adaptation is essential, while Wheeler described how his family’s electrical contracting business had evolved into a security-focused company. The details of the work may change, but identifying and upholding core values is key to embracing change while maintaining the character of a business. “I think it’s just important to remember why you started in the first place. What was your mission? What are your core values? And to reevaluate those,” shared Drew Smith.In addition to the first-hand accounts and wisdom shared by panelists, Moderator Lauren Willets recommended two novels during the panel for those seeking additional educational resources. Those two novels are “Hug of War: How to Lead a Family Business with both Love and Logic”by Cathy Carroll and “In the Company of Family: How to Thrive When Business Is Personal” by Melissa Mitchell-Blitch. Preparing the next generation requires more than handing over a title or company. Wheeler argued that future leaders need genuine passion and a vested interest in the business. The panelists were in agreement that succession is a process, and there is not one clear answer for how to perfectly prepare for it. Leaders must cultivate readiness, keep communication open and make room for the next generation to earn responsibility while being sure not to neglect the business in the here and now. “Today’s Power Breakfast was one of our best events yet! Between the passion and in-depth knowledge of the panelists, the great audience questions and the guidance and expertise of Mrs. Willets, the conversation was both engaging and informative,” shared GFBJ Publisher Faith Hatton. “A lot of small businesses in Fayetteville are family-owned and grown, and it’s great to be able to spotlight some of the businesses that have stood the test of time by strengthening the next generation of leadership and preparing them for ownership. I hope everyone received some inspiration and ideas that they can bring back to their own businesses and organizations!”We thank everyone who attended this Power Breakfast and hope you’ll all join us for the next Power Breakfast on Dec. 8. Details about the event will be shared on our social media and in future email updates. To learn about becoming a Power Breakfast sponsor, contact the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal at 910.240.9697 or marketing@bizfayetteville.com.
Senate passes college sports bill amid opposition from CT senators
Blumenthal’s measure could make it easier for schools like UConn to join a power conference. But he and Murphy didn't back the overall bill.
Explainer: Five things to know about the college sports bill that passed the US Senate
The US Senate passed legislation this week to regulate college sports, a multibillion-dollar industry that has been upended in recent years by increased earning opportunities for student athletes.
Explainer-Five Things to Know About the College Sports Bill That Passed the US Senate
By Nolan D. McCaskill WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - The US Senate passed legislation this week to regulate college sports, a multibillion-dollar industry that has been upended in recent years by increased earning opportunities for student athletes. Here are five things to know about the bill's ...
Case Keenum’s Family Moment Caps Bears’ Stunning Eagles Upset
Case Keenum hadn’t started an NFL game in 1,009 days. On Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles, he made it look like no time had passed at all. The 38-year-old threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, ran in a third, and led the Chicago Bears to a 27-7 upset that handed a 2-0 […] The post Case Keenum’s Family Moment Caps Bears’ Stunning Eagles Upset appeared first on HEAVY.
State Department to launch online-only first passport applications in December
First-time applications can be submitted through America.gov
Senate passes GW, A-10-backed college sports legislation
The bill has garnered widespread support from athletes, universities and athletic conferences, including GW and the A-10, with hopes that potential regulations will lead to a more stable college athletics landscape.
Trump admin launches AI-powered America.gov for government info
America.gov will enable Americans to sign up for Medicare, apply for a passport and perform countless other tasks through a single site
Trump admin launches AI-powered America.gov for government info
America.gov will enable Americans to sign up for Medicare, apply for a passport and perform countless other tasks through a single site
Trump admin launches AI-powered America.gov for government info
America.gov will enable Americans to sign up for Medicare, apply for a passport and perform countless other tasks through a single site
Opinion: How I learned to love science again by becoming a cautionary tale
An important anniversary passed without fanfare. We don’t appreciate Alexander Fleming enough
Mike Lee blocks effort to prevent Trump from tearing down memorials
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) on Monday night blocked a bipartisan effort to prevent the Trump administration from demolishing the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts without congressional approval. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) attempted to pass the Protecting Presidential Memorials Act, a bill he co-led with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), by unanimous consent. The […]
LDF Strongly Opposes Passage of the Protect College Sports Act, Urges House to Reject the Bill
On Sept. 28, the U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA), an irresponsible piece of legislation that threatens the financial security and success student-athletes, including low-income Black student-athletes, have earned. The Legal Defense Fund previously issued a letter urging all members of Congress to reject the bill. Altogether, the PCSA lacks employment rights […]
How Ted Cruz, once a Republican gadfly, became a bipartisan dealmaker
The Texas senator was the driving force behind a bill to overhaul regulation of college athletics that passed the chamber Monday night.
How real estate agents can build business without waiting on rates or inventory
Real estate agents can reduce hesitation by reactivating past clients, improving service standards and sharing consistent market guidance.
Heart of a Fighter: A Colonel’s Journey from Silent Heart Attack to Triple Bypass at Broward Health
Dr. Alexander Justicz, Tim Irvin, Dr. Kenneth Herskowitz September 29, 2026- Tim Irvin II, a colonel with the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), doesn’t back down from a challenge, even when it’s literally his heart on the line. Over the course of his more than 30-year career in law enforcement, the 51-year-old husband and father moved […]
In Scotland, NASA Scientists Search for Clues About Mars’ Past
NASA's Goddard Instrument Field Team hauled equipment up and down the cliffs of Scotland's Clachtoll region on a quest to better understand Earth – and Mars.
Senate passes sweeping college sports bill
The Senate overwhelmingly passed the Protect College Sports Act Monday in a bipartisan manner to bring stability to the industry.
Pleasant View rejects changes regarding data centers and adult-themed business, passes adoption of new roads and rules regarding decorative street signs
The Town of Pleasant View Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted not to approve two zoning amendments on first reading at their Sept. 14 meeting, sending proposals on data centers and adult-oriented businesses back to the drawing board for more work and consideration. Ordinance 26-08 would have restricted data centers to areas zoned C4, which
Senate passes college sports bill that would rein in athlete payments,transfers
The House must still approve the legislation before it can become law
Senate passes bipartisan Protect College Sports Act amid ‘chaos’ in industry
The Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan bill on Monday that would regulate college sports amid athlete payments and near-unrestricted transfers
Broncos select Clemson pass rusher in 2027 NFL mock draft
The Broncos add a new pass rusher in this 2027 NFL mock draft.
Lesbian Bar Project Co-Founder: Purity Politics Could Destroy Our Remaining Spaces
Subscribe As a professional lesbian and Massachusetts native, I’ve recently been asked by a lot of folks what I think about the saga unfolding at Last Ditch. The now-viral story, first reported by The Boston Globe, centers on a Western Massachusetts lesbian bar that lifted its mask requirement for one night a week to help drum up business. The decision ignited an intra-queer controversy that has been feasted on by media outlets across the political spectrum—from the New York Post to LGBTQ Nation—and is even reportedly being eyed for a Hollywood adaptation. Apparently nothing is more entertaining than a bunch of lesbians and queers fighting with each other over KN-95s. What has been lost in all of the chatter and media coverage is the very real possibility that Last Ditch, which just opened in April 2025, will have to close its doors. The venue’s one remaining founder, Jackie Matellian, revealed in a community Zoom meeting that she’s working four jobs, is now solely responsible for the bar’s $50,000 business loan and is struggling to keep up with the bills. So as we laugh about the controversy’s similarity to a “Portlandia” skit and how one of the bar’s founders left to enroll in clown school, we forget that yet another lesbian bar is facing an existential crisis—and this time the call is coming from inside the house. In 2020, my friend Elina Street and I created The Lesbian Bar Project, an Emmy-, Webby- and GLAAD Media Award-winning docuseries and initiative that tells the stories of lesbian queer bars around the world. We were moved to act because at the time there were only an estimated 16 lesbian bars in the United States, and the pandemic threatened to bring that number down even further. There are now more sapphic bars than there were just before the pandemic—about 36 of them in total—but this is down from approximately 200 in 1980. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, but for the millions of sapphics living in the U.S., this number is calamitous. As the world laughs at lesbians and sapphics, I want to take a second and tell you what I feel when I walk into one of these bars, which are all unique and irreplaceable in their own way: I feel seen. Sometimes I think Cubbyhole in New York City’s West Village neighborhood knew I was gay before I did. When I walked in there for the first time, before I was even out, I was transfixed by the colorful array of tchotchkes hanging from the ceiling and how the women standing next to me were completely unafraid to express their desire for one another. I knew the minute I was ready to come out, I had a home. I also felt the joy of a new couple falling in love at Seattle’s Wildrose, the quiet confidence of a short king lining up her shot at the pool table at Ginger’s in Brooklyn and the kick of cayenne pepper in Julie Mabry’s crawfish at Houston’s Pearl Bar. Subscribe Lesbian bars don’t just serve lesbians; they serve queer folks across the spectrum, including bisexual, pansexual and trans people. As Elina and I traveled across the U.S. and Europe and to parts of Latin America to document the bar owners, staff and patrons that make up the ecosystems of these spaces, we also became uniquely acquainted with the factors that threaten their existence: gentrification, wage gaps, sexism, environmental disasters, gun violence, rising insurance premiums and political administrations working to annihilate queer people and their families. Lesbian bar owners, like all leaders and entrepreneurs, are imperfect. There have been significant issues over the years at lesbian bars: employee harassment, racism, lack of accessibility, sexual assault and transphobia. All bar owners should be held accountable and should listen to their communities to evolve into safer and more equitable spaces. I also acknowledge my privilege: I am able-bodied, white, cis and from a family system that loves me for who I am. Not everyone has that. Queer people, especially trans and bisexual people, are suffering from disproportionately high levels of depression, and our mental health system isn’t equipped to support them. Immunocompromised people and long COVID are real, and many of my friends are suffering to this day. The people with the least safety net are often the ones for whom a bar closing costs the most. And yet, as we’re seeing with Last Ditch, the queer community often lashes out at each other. It’s also the mainstream media taking the internal conflict and making a mockery out of it, distracting from the real possibility that this bar could close due to financial pressures. A bar that many people loved and needed is facing extinction. Perhaps it’s safer to dissent with one another than with the larger forces trying to eradicate us, but in doing so, we risk destroying the few spaces we have left. Due to the constraints of purity politics—some in good faith, some not so much—lesbian bar owners, almost all of whom are queer women themselves, are forced to be everything for everyone, similarly to how women are forced to be everything for everyone. By asking these bars to uphold impossible standards—standards very few other third spaces are asked to consider—we all end up losing. I want to move as a community toward dialogue, compassionate dissent and collaboration to make our spaces better with the goal of keeping them OPEN and thriving, rather than destroying them from the inside with expectations that are arguably unattainable. Subscribe While I have your attention—for this fleeting second of the news cycle—may I urge us to spearhead a way to keep these small businesses afloat without attacking our own community along the way? Bar owners are left with an impasse: They want to be community-centered, but they also have to make money to keep their doors open. Sometimes they might make business decisions that don’t work for everyone—and that’s partly because different patrons have different priorities and want different things—but these owners deserve the opportunity for productive dialogue**.** We have to work with them and with each other to keep our spaces open, to keep them growing. Lesbian bars raised me into the queer woman I am today. One thing I think about as I reflect on the six years of work we’ve done to document these spaces is that shared, unspoken language I have with a stranger the moment we both walk into one of these bars: the nod, the ease, the not having to explain ourselves. I don’t want to lose that, and neither should you. If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button: Donate
34 Random Thoughts On Penn State’s Collapse Against Wisconsin
1. Ugh. 2. I love writing for BSD (it was 10 years this past June, by the way) and literally don’t have any plans to ever stop, but I am NOT looking forward to this one at all. 3. I wanted to lie to ourselves for at least two more weeks. Beat Wisconsin, beat Northwestern, […]
Ken Paxton calls for balancing border security, immigration reform to help labor-starved businesses
The Texas attorney general and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate blamed Democrats for standing in the way of a deal, arguing one could have been passed during the first Trump administration.
Roma ranked second in Serie A for roster value
Roma’s growth over the past year has been clear for all to see. After seven seasons of mediocre league finishes and qualification for the Conference or Europa League, the Roman club finally secured ...
About 8,000 lawfully present Pennsylvania immigrants face Medicaid health insurance terminations on Oct. 1
New federal Medicaid eligibility cuts for immigrants, including refugees and asylees, were passed by Congress and President Trump.
Pochettino regrets lack of 'sporting justice' for his ex-Tottenham team amid Man City charges saga
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed sadness at an apparent failure of “sporting justice” in his response to reports that Manchester City has been found guilty of almost all of the 115 charges leveled against the club for alleged financial breaches. The alleged rule-breaking by City took place between 2009-18, during which period Pochettino was manager of Tottenham and turned the London team into a challenger for titles in English soccer despite operating on a relatively small budget. The Premier League has yet to officially confirm the verdict that, according to several media outlets, has been passed down by an independent commission following a long-running case.
The Senate passes the Protect College Sports Act
The U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act Monday night, marking the most significant milestone to date in the attempt to legislate reform in college athletics.
The Right Thing: What do we owe a stranger?
What do we owe a stranger? For the past several decades, the weekend after Labor Day has been the neighborhood yard sale in the part of Boston where I live.
5 stats that tell the story of Ravens’ 34-31 win over the Cowboys
Baltimore’s 192 rushing yards and Lamar Jackson’s 136.7 passer rating highlighted five defining numbers from the win
Senate passes college sports bill to rein in athlete payments and transfers
A 2025 lawsuit settlement uprooted the college sports landscape by allowing colleges to pay their players.
Brutal drop for Rome Odunze as struggles continue Monday night
Rome Odunze caught three passes for 44 yards but dropped an easy touchdown during the team's blowout win over Philadelphia.
U.S. Senate passes Ted Cruz’s college sports bill that seeks to rein in NCAA “chaos”
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Senate passes college sports bill that would rein in athlete payments and transfers
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Senate passes major bill to overhaul college sports
The Senate on Monday passed a major bill to overhaul college athletics with a large bipartisan vote, 77-22.
Senate passes bipartisan bill to overhaul college sports
President Donald Trump wants the House to clear the measure quickly.
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I know [coach Chris Finch] harps on me passing the …
I know [coach Chris Finch] harps on me passing the …
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The Texas attorney general and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate blamed Democrats for standing in the way of a deal, arguing one could have been passed during the first Trump administration.
Bobby Kotick’s lawyers sent me a bad email (and later apologized)
The message I had received was unsettling—for a moment. Then it was just really confusing. Back on January 20 of this year, at 5:15pm ET, I received an email with the subject line “Legal Correspondence re Bobby Kotick.” It was from the law firm Clare Locke, a firm I’d heard had been emailing reporters in recent years about their coverage of Kotick, the former, longtime CEO of Activision Blizzard. The letter was threatening. A lawyer from the firm introduced themselves as “defamation counsel to Bobby Kotick.” They issued a “demand” that I “correct” a Game File article I’d published a week prior. The article that had irked them had been a scoop of sorts. I’d written about a a 2022 lawsuit brought by a Swedish pension fund, AP7, over Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard. The suit wasn’t news, but I was first to review and report about Kotick’s extensive pushback to the fund’s claims. The pension fund’s core contention was that the sale had been rushed by Kotick to avoid the consequences of sexual misconduct scandals swirling around the company in 2021. (He’d not been accused of misconduct himself in those suits, to be clear.) As I wrote at the time, Kotick had denied the allegations of the rushed sale. Beyond that, Kotick used a December 2025 reply to the Swedish fund’s lawsuit to assign blame for those workplace scandals, the bad press and even for the AP7 lawsuit. I’d found Kotick’s arguments novel and newsworthy. Across nearly 3,000 words, I explained Kotick’s take: that a Swedish gaming company was behind the Swedish fund’s lawsuit (the Embracer group; they denied it); that the Microsoft-Activision deal was not rushed and was secured at what Kotick felt history had proven to be an optimal price for shareholders; that he believed a conspiracy of people at unions government agencies, PR firms and the media had spun up claims of widespread workplace misconduct at Activision Blizzard in 2021. The article gave context for all of this, letting readers assess the claims and weigh their credibility. As I’d later write to Kotick’s lawyers: I would be surprised if you could point to any news article about Bobby Kotick in the last five years that has spent more of its wordcount articulating his point of view. He is welcome to do an interview with Game File any time. Nonetheless, there they were in my inbox that Tuesday evening: Clare Locke, the law firm that secured a $787.5 million settlement from Fox News over false statements about voting machines. They were emailing me, threatening that failure to comply with their demand could support a claim of “actual malice,” a legal standard for libel. Unless… Unless, they said, I added a key paragraph to my article. This was a paragraph that I already knew Kotick’s lawyers had been emailing reporters about for at least a year, and it was a paragraph that was already in my article. The paragraph they wanted is from a 2023 settlement that California’s Civil Rights Department struck with Activision Blizzard. The settlement had closed a two-year-old lawsuit over alleged sexual discrimination at the game maker. The paragraph basically said that claims of systemic or widespread sexual harassment—or of execs like Kotick tolerating such behavior—had never been proven. I’d already seen proof that Kotick’s lawyers had pushed for the settlement’s language to be added to reports about 2021 sexual discrimination and misconduct lawsuits brought against Activision Blizzard by California and, separately, by the U.S. federal government (both suits were since settled). I knew that Kotick and his lawyers felt that the California settlement language should be mentioned in the same breath as references to an article he hated and denied, a November 2021 Wall Street Journal article claiming Kotick knew “for years” of sexual misconduct at Activision Blizzard. So, in the Game File article that Clare Locke emailed me about, in the interest of ensuring I was being fair and balanced regarding the person I was covering, I had already included the following excerpt from the California settlement [emphasis added in bold]: (Kotick has repeatedly pushed back against that November article in the Wall Street Journal, citing among other things, language from a court-approved consent decree as part of Activision’s 2023 $54 million settlement over the California suit. It states: “no court or any independent investigation has substantiated any allegations that: there has been systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard [or] that Activision Blizzard senior executives ignored, condoned, or tolerated a culture of systemic harassment, retaliation, or discrimination.”) On the evening of January 20, I was incredulous. How do you write a four page legal threat about a week-old article and miss this? While scrambling to also make my kids dinner, I wrote a lengthy reply to Clare Locke’s lawyers, basically asking them to cool it with the threats and to start making sense. In part, I wrote: I hope you can understand why I am having trouble understanding what you’re asking for, when the statement you’re demanding to see in Game File’s article already appears in Game File’s article. Actual malice, as you know, refers to a reckless disregard for the truth. I’m not sure what your argument is when my article already states your client’s position. Here is where I should remind you, the reader, that I am an independent journalist. I publish on Substack, and have availed myself of the Substack Defender program that provides writers on the platform with legal support. But I’m no Wall Street Journal or New York Times, nor even IGN or GameSpot when it comes to such things as, well, having a legal department. There are more fun things for me to do as an independent journalist than writing back to a powerful law firm representing a very rich person. On the evening of January 20th, I was just trying to cook some pasta, broccoli and chicken nuggets for hungry twins. Nevertheless, I wrote back to them. Two hours later, I got a reply. Summarizing: A lawyer for Clare Locke said they’d “reviewed an incomplete version” of my article and they “apologize for the confusion.” (My guess: Someone didn’t read past the piece’s paywall, even though they’d had a full week to scrounge up the funds to do so. What I’d published above the paywall was balanced, as was what came after.)1 That was almost that, but something about the situation bothered me. The letter had been marked “confidential.” I hadn’t agreed to that, and I disliked the idea that powerful people on the beat that I cover would act like they could unilaterally control what I might tell my readers about. On the morning of the 21st, having already gotten the powerful law firm to back off, I oh-so-wisely re-approached them with just one more thing. I thanked them for clearing things up the night before but noted that I’d never agreed to keep their letter confidential. I’m all for agreeing with a source to keep things off the record, but that’s the thing. We have to agree. You can’t just declare it. I’m not bound by that. I wrote to Clare Locke’s lawyer and said, in part: I trust the matter is resolved. It was disappointing to have to spend less time with my kids last night in order to address your legal letter. Family time’s precious. I will add, for clarity’s sake, that, while your letter stipulated that it was confidential, I did not agree to those terms. In the future, should you wish to communicate with me confidentially, I am happy to agree to classifying our communication as “off the record” prior to the actual communication—as is standard with any professional journalist. The firm’s lawyer replied, not directly addressing the confidentiality issue but asserting that the matter was resolved. Why I didn’t write about this until now In May, I told this story on an episode of Simon Parkin’s podcast My Perfect Console, but I held off on sharing it directly with Game File readers. I held off to avoid stepping on the toes of another reporter, the journalist Mikhail Klimentov. He’d interviewed me in the spring of 2025 about an investigation he was working on regarding Bobby Kotick lawyers pressing the media to add the California settlement language to stories referencing the 2021 lawsuits. And about how some outlets had changed their stories and how some simply deleted them. Initially, I was a third-party source for Klimentov’s reporting, providing on-the-record context about the state of the games media. I’d heard about the letters but hadn’t put the time into pursuing the story. I thought it was interesting, and I was glad he was covering it. When the outlet that Klimentov was going to run his reporting in dropped the story, I began talking to him about potentially publishing his reporting on Game File. This was tentative. Then, in January, when I got my own Clare Locke letter, I told Klimentov that I didn’t think it would make sense for me to publish him, not with me now being part of the story. I had my own version of this situation to tell. But I wished him well and said I’d refrain from telling my tale until he could get his reporting out there. Last Friday, Klimentov finally ran his investigation, in a nearly 48-minute video report for People Make Games. It covers various Clare Locke letters, how media outlets reacted to them and what to make of all this. His video weighs the merits of Kotick’s request and looks at some of the articles that were changed (one of which had a glaring error). I highly recommend watching it: (Note, I did some editorial consulting for a People Make Games video last year but nothing to do with this report.) While many outlets haven’t left any public evidence that they updated their Kotick coverage at Kotick’s counsel’s request, at least one has. Back in October 2025, the mainstream outlet Reuters applied the most transparent article update I’ve seen. On the 3rd of the month, they published an article about the state of the Swedish pension fund’s lawsuit. Days later, they added this: In an October 7 letter sent after publication of this article, Kotick’s defamation counsel disputed claims of widespread harassment at Activision. “Not a single investigation, court finding, verdict, or ruling ever concluded that there was any merit” to the allegations of widespread harassment at Activision, Tom Clare and Nick Brechbill of Clare Locke wrote. I’ve never added a statement to my article on Game File, because none was needed. Not for fairness’ sake, nor to meet any demands of Kotick’s lawyers. I’ve nevertheless wanted to be transparent with Game File readers. If someone powerful is questioning my reporting, is threatening a lawsuit over it… if that threat is part of a pattern involving other games media outlets and if, in my case, the whole thing ran into a ridiculous ditch, I want you to know about it. I also share this as a real example of how I handle threats to Game File. I stand up for my own reporting, even when it’s not comfortable to do so. (In that same category of standing up for the work I do, I’ll point to an incident in late August. Asocial media post I published to X/Twitter regarding reporting I did about Take Two and GTA VI was hit by bogus copyright claim by a firm working for the publisher. I pushed back and got it reversed; even while a bigger games media outlet let themselves be censored. This is the other reason I’m sharing this story: To emphasize that dealing with threats from powerful people is one of the costs of covering the video game industry independently and as fearlessly as possible. This is where you come in. Your support, through free and paid subscriptions (sign up here!), can help me keep doing that. It can ensure that I’ve got the back-up I need. And it can help make fiascoes like this even less of a worry, so I can spend my evenings dealing with more important things, such as making sure I steam the kids’ broccoli just right. 1 That pension fund lawsuit I wrote about in January has all but gone away. In May, the fund and Activision Blizzard owner Microsoft agreed to settle. Lawyers for the fund brokered a $250 million settlement for former Activision Blizzard shareholders. In the settlement, the fund’s lawyers changed their rhetoric. Where once they’d questioned the meaning of the California settlement language, they adopted a version of it for themselves. Several weeks ago, while seeking to get a court to sign off on the terms of the settlement, they proposed their fee for their work in the case: $60 million.
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Allegheny County Board of Health passes paid parental leave program
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