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shadowkatConfusing day at work, and the muggy weather plus sleep issues is making me irritable? Also, people, sigh, can be annoyingly headache inducing, can't they?
Anyhow, grumble, grumble...I'm grateful for my mother (who continues to be lovely), Gregory's Coffee - it has great Matcha Lattes, and Decaf Cappucinos, and is no more than five minutes from my desk - plus I can pre-order, and get discounted deals. I'm also grateful for flowers. Trees. And New York City.
Plus? Very grateful for the lovely folks who provided the good news items below, and continue to do so - basically, I'm grateful for the American Resistance and it's Global Allies, thank the universe you exist.
Disclaimer: As always, good news like humor and beauty is more often than not in the eye of the beholder and your mileage may vary on this.
I only share them, because they give me hope and make me feel better - and I hope they do the same for anyone else who may stumble upon this journal entry. If I can bring a smile or a tear of hope to someone...today? Than I'll feel I accomplished my aim or at the very least attempted it. All I can do is try.
Good News from the American Resistance & It's Global Allies
1. More than 600 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees, scientists, and academics signed a declaration of dissent from the agency’s policies under the Trump administration, warning that they “undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment.”
https://www.standupforscience.net/epa-declaration
[Gotta give the poor federal agency employees credit? They keep fighting and speaking out against the evil new administration.]
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/30/epa-employees-declaration-dissent-trump?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
2. I think this one is a repeat? But just in case, it's not, here we go again: The Miccosukee Tribe is partnering with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation to safeguard lands as part of a ‘moral obligation.’
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/15/miccosukee-tribe-florida-wildlife-corridor-foundation?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
Now, as the Trump administration continues its wholesale slashing of federal funding from conservation projects, the Miccosukee Tribe is stepping up to fulfill what it sees as a “moral obligation” to return the favor.
The tribe is looking to buy and protect environmentally significant lands, including some that once provided refuge, in a groundbreaking partnership agreement with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. The corridor is an ambitious project to connect 18m acres (7.3m hectares) of state and privately owned wilderness into a contiguous, safe habitat for scores of imperilled and roaming species, including black bears, Key deer and Florida panthers.
3. A coalition of 20 states has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for sharing personal health data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/CA%20v.%20HHS%2C%20Complaint%207.1.25.pdf
4.Key West City commissioners voted 6-1 to void the 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
https://www.keywestislandnews.com/2025/06/key-west-city-commission-voids-agreement-with-ice-and-reaffirms-its-status-as-a-welcoming-city/
[Apparently Key West is not in agreement with the Governor of Florida?]
5.Tesla’s new delivery numbers are in, and they’re worse than expected.
https://gizmodo.com/teslas-numbers-are-in-and-theyre-not-good-2000623670?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
6.E. Jean Carroll says she plans to give away the millions Donald Trump was ordered to pay her—just to annoy him. [This is the woman who won the defamation case and civil sexual assault case against him - when he claimed she lied when she said he raped her - and went on to vilify her in the media.]
https://www.thedailybeast.com/e-jean-carroll-reveals-why-shell-give-away-her-80m-from-trump-to-p-him-off/?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
7. Terminated NIH grants are being reinstated almost entirely in blue states. [These are the science and research grants that the Trump Administration attempted to terminate.]
https://www.statnews.com/2025/07/03/nih-cuts-grant-restoration-complicated-by-limits-to-court-order-trump-dei-restrictions/?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-
f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
8.A federal judge in Washington ruled that the Trump administration can’t categorically deny asylum claims from people crossing the southern border.
https://archive.ph/7gw1e
9.A government ban on Hungary’s annual Pride parade backfired when more than 100,000 people marched through the Hungarian capital, far more than have taken part in previous such events.
https://archive.ph/kzI5C#selection-4467.0-4467.195
[The internet makes authoritarianism kind of difficult to enforce.]
10.Tuesday’s election of Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre to fill a vacant seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors put Democrats back in control of San Diego’s most powerful governmental agency.
https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/07/02/aguirres-win-puts-democrats-in-charge-at-pivotal-time/?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
11.An iPhone app called ICEBlock is alerting users to nearby ICE sightings. Its designer said he wanted to do something to help in the face of what he sees (correctly) as rising fascism.
[Technology also makes authoritarianism more difficult to enforce - than many sci-fi writers apparently realized. I'm looking at you, Philip K. Dick.]
https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/30/tech/iceblock-app-trump-immigration-crackdown?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
12.Catholic bishops from Asia, Africa and Latin America penned a first-ever joint ecological appeal ahead of the next U.N. climate conference in November.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/01/climate-justice-bishops-asia-africa-latin-america-251045
13.Singer Angélique Kidjo became the first African performer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqx2g5znggpo
14.A Tennessee man pardoned by Trump for taking part in the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6 is back behind bars, for life, convicted of plotting to kill the law enforcement officers who had investigated his case.
https://archive.ph/dXNaQ#selection-517.23-517.112
15. Thanks to Mayor Brandon Scott’s focus on violence intervention programs, Baltimore has seen a nearly 23 percent drop in murders from this time last year.
https://archive.ph/3ajyY
16. Six months into congestion pricing in New York City traffic is down and business is up. Also, the revenue generated by the program is funding critical transit upgrades that will benefit millions of New Yorkers.
https://www.threads.com/@govkathyhochul/post/DLu_bqUxRJO?xmt=AQF0ZAWwIBQtTEin6rbwpHCXtAp3OGNzp92OIOiamSxIgQ
[That's actually true - the funds are going to various state of new repair, climate resilancy projects, and critical improvements across the MTA. And the financial district is pleasant to walk around.]
12.After decades of pollution, a California community has secured a $550 million settlement from Chevron.
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/06/after-decades-of-pollution-california-community-secures-550-million-settlement-from-chevron/?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
13. A 6-year-old Honduran boy with leukemia whose arrest sparked a public outcry after he, his mother and sister were seized by ICE agents and sent to a Texas detention center is back in Los Angeles.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-releases-honduran-boy-leukemia-immigration-rcna216951
14.After being temporarily detained, the Freedom Flotilla has set sail again to bring life-saving humanitarian relief to Gaza. "We are setting sail again. On July 13, 2025 our boat ‘Handala’ will depart from Siracusa, Italy to break Israel’s illegal blockade. This mission is for the children of Gaza."
https://www.instagram.com/p/DLxb3hWubD2/
15. Tennessee GOP Congressional Rep. Mark Green has officially resigned from Congress, leaving the Speaker, Mike Johnson with an even narrower Republican Majority in the House. [He's going into business in the private sector - to fight China, apparently. LOL! Good luck with that.]
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/05/rep-mark-green-announces-resignation.html
16. Flint, Michigan, has replaced most of its lead water pipes, more than 10 years after contaminated water was found in its water system, prompting national outrage.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/flint-replaces-lead-pipes-10-years-michigan-water-crisis-rcna216442?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
17.In Pasadena, CA, dozens pitched in to help a 14-year-old boy who recently took over his family's tamale cart in Pasadena after they stopped coming out due to fears over the immigration raids.
https://abc7.com/post/dozens-stop-support-14-year-old-took-familys-tamale-cart-amid-immigration-raids/16961834/?linkId=836904955
18. A combined 15 U.S. cities and states are raising minimum wages, effective this week!
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minimum-wage-increase-july-2025-alaska-oregon-washington-dc-cities/?ck_subscriber_id=2496857656
19. Pete Buttigieg, Stacey Abrams, J. Michael Luttig, Sophia Bush and many more launched a new initiative to fight for our democracy and freedom together.
https://weholdtruths.org/#sign
20.A group in San Diego is patrolling neighborhoods to identify potential ICE presence. They keep watch for vehicles that may belong to federal agencies, and use livestreams, radios, and social media to keep communities informed.
https://boltsmag.org/how-volunteer-patrols-are-working-to-protect-san-diego-immigrant-communities-from-ice/
21.There are more than 20 million fewer children in child labor today than in 2020
https://stopchildlabor.org/updates-on-the-global-status-of-child-labor-in-2024-progress-made-but-challenges-remain/
22.The Wisconsin Supreme Court formally struck down an abortion ban from 1849 that had technically taken effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/wisconsin-supreme-court-strikes-states-1849-total-abortion-ban-rcna216300?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
23.A federal court granted a preliminary injunction in a challenge brought against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF). [Washington, D.C. — A federal court today granted a preliminary injunction in Rural Development Innovations Ltd. v. Marocco, halting the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful attempt to dismantle the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF)—a congressionally established agency that funds grassroots development initiatives across Africa.]
https://democracyforward.org/updates/rdivmarocco-pigranted/
24.One of America's first Black churches is being rebuilt on its original site in Williamsburg, Virginia.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/colonial-williamsburg-rebuilds-one-of-americas-first-black-churches-on-original-site/?ck_subscriber_id=2496857656
25.The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to consider a program that would improve emergency housing for veterans living on the streets in unincorporated areas.
https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/county-supervisors-advance-program-helps-homeless-veterans/509-fb09daf2-b07d-4704-954e-fa1a6ce3af53?link_id=19&can_id=239815ac26bf47454eff88110b2df461&source=email-the-weekly-billionaires-fighting-working-families-uniting-3&email_referrer=email_2802181&email_subject=the-weekly-good-things-happen
26.The world's most endangered sea turtle is nesting in record numbers along the Texas coast this year.
https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/article/sea-turtles-nests-texas-20379265.php?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
27.A federal judge blocked Trump’s asylum ban at the US-Mexico border, ruling that Trump’s January proclamation blocking all immigrants “engaged in the invasion across the southern border” from claiming asylum or other humanitarian protections exceeded his authority as president.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/judge-blocks-trump-asylum-ban-us-mexico-border-exceeded-authority-rcna216576
28.Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for an investigation to determine whether anti-bribery laws were broken in Paramount’s settlement with Trump, saying the move “could be bribery in plain sight” and that “Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism.”
https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-calls-for-investigation-into-paramount-settlement-with-trump
"This settlement exposes a glaring need for rules to restrict donations to sitting presidents’ libraries. I will soon introduce new legislation to rein in corruption through presidential library donations. The Trump administration’s level of sheer corruption is appalling and Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism.”
In May 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount, with concerns regarding whether Paramount may be engaging in potentially illegal conduct involving the Trump Administration in exchange for approval of its megamerger with Skydance Media (Skydance)."
[Oh good, I was thinking much the same thing.]
29.A group of 16 Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration over the termination of more than $1 billion in federal funds for school-based mental health services created under a bipartisan law passed after the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/state-of-washington-et-al-v-united-states-department-of-education-complaint-2025.pdf
[They'll win that - they've been winning 99% of the lawsuits to date, and there are over 140. ]
30. Speaking of lawsuits..."A federal judge ordered the restoration of hundreds of HHS websites that included topics like HIV testing and gender-based data that were taken down following a series of executive orders by Trump that targeted so-called “gender ideology.” Saying the removals were an example of government officials “acting first and thinking later,” the judge also found that the move was illegal, adding, “An executive order can do a lot, but it does not absolve agencies of their obligations to follow the law.”"
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/11/nx-s1-5293387/judge-orders-cdc-fda-hhs-websites-restored
31. A federal judge struck down Trump’s attempt to dismiss a federal lawsuit against Iowa pollster Ann Selzer and the Des Moines Register to refile it in a state court, saying the move was “procedurally improper” and declining to terminate the case.
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.iasd.89411/gov.uscourts.iasd.89411.78.0.pdf
32. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary protected status early for Haitians who had their TPS extended until February.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/judge-blocks-trump-ending-tps-haitians-rcna216431?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
33.Gavin Newsom signed a bill to scale back CEQA, an environmental law from the 70’s that’s made it almost impossible to build new housing in the state.California Democrats finally stopped outsourcing their policy judgment to their favorite lobbies. [I wish more politicians would - it is a definite issue in the state, local, and federal legislatures in the US.]
https://www.vox.com/politics/418679/california-ceqa-housing-newsom?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
34. National parks were recently told of a creepy and new Interior Department policy requiring them to post signs asking visitors to report any employees teaching “negative” history. The vast majority of visitors are using the feedback forms instead to praise park programs, rangers, tour guides, and more.
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/national-park-trump-feedback-forms?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
35. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries broke the record for the longest House floor speech, speaking for eight hours and 45 minutes in an attempt to stall the final vote of Trump’s vicious bill.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/us/politics/hakeem-jeffries-house-speech-magic-minute-trump-bill.html?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
36.Texas became the first red state to pass a ‘right to repair’ law.Everything’s bigger in Texas, even the bipartisan support for fixing what you own. Over the weekend, Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 2963, making Texas the first Republican-led state to enact a Right to Repair law, and the seventh state overall to pass legislation ensuring people can fix consumer electronics they own.
The new law gives Texans access to parts, tools, and repair documentation for digital devices like phones, laptops, and tablets.
https://www.ifixit.com/News/111288/texas-is-fixin-to-fix-repair-right-to-repair-signed-into-law?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
37.The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication’s opinion maps show that majorities in all 50 states now think climate change is impacting weather patterns, and 63% are worried about it. The maps also reflect strong support for several climate policies and initiatives.
"Today, we are excited to release the latest Yale Climate Opinion Maps (YCOM), now current through our latest survey from December 2024. This tool identifies the diversity of public opinion across the country, including belief that global warming is happening, is human-caused, and levels of public worry about it. This version also adds a new measure: “support U.S. economy transition from fossil fuels to 100% clean energy by 2050” (66% nationally). We hope the new maps are helpful as you work to engage your audiences.
Key Findings:
Majorities in 47 states support a U.S. transition from fossil fuels to 100% clean energy by 2050
Urban areas are more supportive of the clean energy transition than rural areas
Majorities of Americans in all 50 states think that global warming is affecting the weather in the U.S."
https://mailchi.mp/yale/new-climate-opinion-maps-66-of-americans-support-a-transition-to-100-clean-energy-by-2050?e=332524a866
And here's a few flowers...life is always better with flowers.
Anyhow, grumble, grumble...I'm grateful for my mother (who continues to be lovely), Gregory's Coffee - it has great Matcha Lattes, and Decaf Cappucinos, and is no more than five minutes from my desk - plus I can pre-order, and get discounted deals. I'm also grateful for flowers. Trees. And New York City.
Plus? Very grateful for the lovely folks who provided the good news items below, and continue to do so - basically, I'm grateful for the American Resistance and it's Global Allies, thank the universe you exist.
Disclaimer: As always, good news like humor and beauty is more often than not in the eye of the beholder and your mileage may vary on this.
I only share them, because they give me hope and make me feel better - and I hope they do the same for anyone else who may stumble upon this journal entry. If I can bring a smile or a tear of hope to someone...today? Than I'll feel I accomplished my aim or at the very least attempted it. All I can do is try.
Good News from the American Resistance & It's Global Allies
1. More than 600 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees, scientists, and academics signed a declaration of dissent from the agency’s policies under the Trump administration, warning that they “undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment.”
https://www.standupforscience.net/epa-declaration
[Gotta give the poor federal agency employees credit? They keep fighting and speaking out against the evil new administration.]
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/30/epa-employees-declaration-dissent-trump?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
2. I think this one is a repeat? But just in case, it's not, here we go again: The Miccosukee Tribe is partnering with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation to safeguard lands as part of a ‘moral obligation.’
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/15/miccosukee-tribe-florida-wildlife-corridor-foundation?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
Now, as the Trump administration continues its wholesale slashing of federal funding from conservation projects, the Miccosukee Tribe is stepping up to fulfill what it sees as a “moral obligation” to return the favor.
The tribe is looking to buy and protect environmentally significant lands, including some that once provided refuge, in a groundbreaking partnership agreement with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. The corridor is an ambitious project to connect 18m acres (7.3m hectares) of state and privately owned wilderness into a contiguous, safe habitat for scores of imperilled and roaming species, including black bears, Key deer and Florida panthers.
3. A coalition of 20 states has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for sharing personal health data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/CA%20v.%20HHS%2C%20Complaint%207.1.25.pdf
4.Key West City commissioners voted 6-1 to void the 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
https://www.keywestislandnews.com/2025/06/key-west-city-commission-voids-agreement-with-ice-and-reaffirms-its-status-as-a-welcoming-city/
[Apparently Key West is not in agreement with the Governor of Florida?]
5.Tesla’s new delivery numbers are in, and they’re worse than expected.
https://gizmodo.com/teslas-numbers-are-in-and-theyre-not-good-2000623670?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
6.E. Jean Carroll says she plans to give away the millions Donald Trump was ordered to pay her—just to annoy him. [This is the woman who won the defamation case and civil sexual assault case against him - when he claimed she lied when she said he raped her - and went on to vilify her in the media.]
https://www.thedailybeast.com/e-jean-carroll-reveals-why-shell-give-away-her-80m-from-trump-to-p-him-off/?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
7. Terminated NIH grants are being reinstated almost entirely in blue states. [These are the science and research grants that the Trump Administration attempted to terminate.]
https://www.statnews.com/2025/07/03/nih-cuts-grant-restoration-complicated-by-limits-to-court-order-trump-dei-restrictions/?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-
f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
8.A federal judge in Washington ruled that the Trump administration can’t categorically deny asylum claims from people crossing the southern border.
https://archive.ph/7gw1e
9.A government ban on Hungary’s annual Pride parade backfired when more than 100,000 people marched through the Hungarian capital, far more than have taken part in previous such events.
https://archive.ph/kzI5C#selection-4467.0-4467.195
[The internet makes authoritarianism kind of difficult to enforce.]
10.Tuesday’s election of Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre to fill a vacant seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors put Democrats back in control of San Diego’s most powerful governmental agency.
https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/07/02/aguirres-win-puts-democrats-in-charge-at-pivotal-time/?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
11.An iPhone app called ICEBlock is alerting users to nearby ICE sightings. Its designer said he wanted to do something to help in the face of what he sees (correctly) as rising fascism.
[Technology also makes authoritarianism more difficult to enforce - than many sci-fi writers apparently realized. I'm looking at you, Philip K. Dick.]
https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/30/tech/iceblock-app-trump-immigration-crackdown?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
12.Catholic bishops from Asia, Africa and Latin America penned a first-ever joint ecological appeal ahead of the next U.N. climate conference in November.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/01/climate-justice-bishops-asia-africa-latin-america-251045
13.Singer Angélique Kidjo became the first African performer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqx2g5znggpo
14.A Tennessee man pardoned by Trump for taking part in the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6 is back behind bars, for life, convicted of plotting to kill the law enforcement officers who had investigated his case.
https://archive.ph/dXNaQ#selection-517.23-517.112
15. Thanks to Mayor Brandon Scott’s focus on violence intervention programs, Baltimore has seen a nearly 23 percent drop in murders from this time last year.
https://archive.ph/3ajyY
16. Six months into congestion pricing in New York City traffic is down and business is up. Also, the revenue generated by the program is funding critical transit upgrades that will benefit millions of New Yorkers.
https://www.threads.com/@govkathyhochul/post/DLu_bqUxRJO?xmt=AQF0ZAWwIBQtTEin6rbwpHCXtAp3OGNzp92OIOiamSxIgQ
[That's actually true - the funds are going to various state of new repair, climate resilancy projects, and critical improvements across the MTA. And the financial district is pleasant to walk around.]
12.After decades of pollution, a California community has secured a $550 million settlement from Chevron.
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/06/after-decades-of-pollution-california-community-secures-550-million-settlement-from-chevron/?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
13. A 6-year-old Honduran boy with leukemia whose arrest sparked a public outcry after he, his mother and sister were seized by ICE agents and sent to a Texas detention center is back in Los Angeles.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-releases-honduran-boy-leukemia-immigration-rcna216951
14.After being temporarily detained, the Freedom Flotilla has set sail again to bring life-saving humanitarian relief to Gaza. "We are setting sail again. On July 13, 2025 our boat ‘Handala’ will depart from Siracusa, Italy to break Israel’s illegal blockade. This mission is for the children of Gaza."
https://www.instagram.com/p/DLxb3hWubD2/
15. Tennessee GOP Congressional Rep. Mark Green has officially resigned from Congress, leaving the Speaker, Mike Johnson with an even narrower Republican Majority in the House. [He's going into business in the private sector - to fight China, apparently. LOL! Good luck with that.]
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/05/rep-mark-green-announces-resignation.html
16. Flint, Michigan, has replaced most of its lead water pipes, more than 10 years after contaminated water was found in its water system, prompting national outrage.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/flint-replaces-lead-pipes-10-years-michigan-water-crisis-rcna216442?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
17.In Pasadena, CA, dozens pitched in to help a 14-year-old boy who recently took over his family's tamale cart in Pasadena after they stopped coming out due to fears over the immigration raids.
https://abc7.com/post/dozens-stop-support-14-year-old-took-familys-tamale-cart-amid-immigration-raids/16961834/?linkId=836904955
18. A combined 15 U.S. cities and states are raising minimum wages, effective this week!
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minimum-wage-increase-july-2025-alaska-oregon-washington-dc-cities/?ck_subscriber_id=2496857656
19. Pete Buttigieg, Stacey Abrams, J. Michael Luttig, Sophia Bush and many more launched a new initiative to fight for our democracy and freedom together.
https://weholdtruths.org/#sign
20.A group in San Diego is patrolling neighborhoods to identify potential ICE presence. They keep watch for vehicles that may belong to federal agencies, and use livestreams, radios, and social media to keep communities informed.
https://boltsmag.org/how-volunteer-patrols-are-working-to-protect-san-diego-immigrant-communities-from-ice/
21.There are more than 20 million fewer children in child labor today than in 2020
https://stopchildlabor.org/updates-on-the-global-status-of-child-labor-in-2024-progress-made-but-challenges-remain/
22.The Wisconsin Supreme Court formally struck down an abortion ban from 1849 that had technically taken effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/wisconsin-supreme-court-strikes-states-1849-total-abortion-ban-rcna216300?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
23.A federal court granted a preliminary injunction in a challenge brought against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF). [Washington, D.C. — A federal court today granted a preliminary injunction in Rural Development Innovations Ltd. v. Marocco, halting the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful attempt to dismantle the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF)—a congressionally established agency that funds grassroots development initiatives across Africa.]
https://democracyforward.org/updates/rdivmarocco-pigranted/
24.One of America's first Black churches is being rebuilt on its original site in Williamsburg, Virginia.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/colonial-williamsburg-rebuilds-one-of-americas-first-black-churches-on-original-site/?ck_subscriber_id=2496857656
25.The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to consider a program that would improve emergency housing for veterans living on the streets in unincorporated areas.
https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/county-supervisors-advance-program-helps-homeless-veterans/509-fb09daf2-b07d-4704-954e-fa1a6ce3af53?link_id=19&can_id=239815ac26bf47454eff88110b2df461&source=email-the-weekly-billionaires-fighting-working-families-uniting-3&email_referrer=email_2802181&email_subject=the-weekly-good-things-happen
26.The world's most endangered sea turtle is nesting in record numbers along the Texas coast this year.
https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/article/sea-turtles-nests-texas-20379265.php?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
27.A federal judge blocked Trump’s asylum ban at the US-Mexico border, ruling that Trump’s January proclamation blocking all immigrants “engaged in the invasion across the southern border” from claiming asylum or other humanitarian protections exceeded his authority as president.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/judge-blocks-trump-asylum-ban-us-mexico-border-exceeded-authority-rcna216576
28.Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for an investigation to determine whether anti-bribery laws were broken in Paramount’s settlement with Trump, saying the move “could be bribery in plain sight” and that “Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism.”
https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-calls-for-investigation-into-paramount-settlement-with-trump
"This settlement exposes a glaring need for rules to restrict donations to sitting presidents’ libraries. I will soon introduce new legislation to rein in corruption through presidential library donations. The Trump administration’s level of sheer corruption is appalling and Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism.”
In May 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount, with concerns regarding whether Paramount may be engaging in potentially illegal conduct involving the Trump Administration in exchange for approval of its megamerger with Skydance Media (Skydance)."
[Oh good, I was thinking much the same thing.]
29.A group of 16 Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration over the termination of more than $1 billion in federal funds for school-based mental health services created under a bipartisan law passed after the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/state-of-washington-et-al-v-united-states-department-of-education-complaint-2025.pdf
[They'll win that - they've been winning 99% of the lawsuits to date, and there are over 140. ]
30. Speaking of lawsuits..."A federal judge ordered the restoration of hundreds of HHS websites that included topics like HIV testing and gender-based data that were taken down following a series of executive orders by Trump that targeted so-called “gender ideology.” Saying the removals were an example of government officials “acting first and thinking later,” the judge also found that the move was illegal, adding, “An executive order can do a lot, but it does not absolve agencies of their obligations to follow the law.”"
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/11/nx-s1-5293387/judge-orders-cdc-fda-hhs-websites-restored
31. A federal judge struck down Trump’s attempt to dismiss a federal lawsuit against Iowa pollster Ann Selzer and the Des Moines Register to refile it in a state court, saying the move was “procedurally improper” and declining to terminate the case.
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.iasd.89411/gov.uscourts.iasd.89411.78.0.pdf
32. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary protected status early for Haitians who had their TPS extended until February.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/judge-blocks-trump-ending-tps-haitians-rcna216431?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
33.Gavin Newsom signed a bill to scale back CEQA, an environmental law from the 70’s that’s made it almost impossible to build new housing in the state.California Democrats finally stopped outsourcing their policy judgment to their favorite lobbies. [I wish more politicians would - it is a definite issue in the state, local, and federal legislatures in the US.]
https://www.vox.com/politics/418679/california-ceqa-housing-newsom?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
34. National parks were recently told of a creepy and new Interior Department policy requiring them to post signs asking visitors to report any employees teaching “negative” history. The vast majority of visitors are using the feedback forms instead to praise park programs, rangers, tour guides, and more.
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/national-park-trump-feedback-forms?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
35. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries broke the record for the longest House floor speech, speaking for eight hours and 45 minutes in an attempt to stall the final vote of Trump’s vicious bill.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/us/politics/hakeem-jeffries-house-speech-magic-minute-trump-bill.html?emci=4eedb4a7-9958-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=66805beb-ef58-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=24376453
36.Texas became the first red state to pass a ‘right to repair’ law.Everything’s bigger in Texas, even the bipartisan support for fixing what you own. Over the weekend, Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 2963, making Texas the first Republican-led state to enact a Right to Repair law, and the seventh state overall to pass legislation ensuring people can fix consumer electronics they own.
The new law gives Texans access to parts, tools, and repair documentation for digital devices like phones, laptops, and tablets.
https://www.ifixit.com/News/111288/texas-is-fixin-to-fix-repair-right-to-repair-signed-into-law?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40
37.The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication’s opinion maps show that majorities in all 50 states now think climate change is impacting weather patterns, and 63% are worried about it. The maps also reflect strong support for several climate policies and initiatives.
"Today, we are excited to release the latest Yale Climate Opinion Maps (YCOM), now current through our latest survey from December 2024. This tool identifies the diversity of public opinion across the country, including belief that global warming is happening, is human-caused, and levels of public worry about it. This version also adds a new measure: “support U.S. economy transition from fossil fuels to 100% clean energy by 2050” (66% nationally). We hope the new maps are helpful as you work to engage your audiences.
Key Findings:
Majorities in 47 states support a U.S. transition from fossil fuels to 100% clean energy by 2050
Urban areas are more supportive of the clean energy transition than rural areas
Majorities of Americans in all 50 states think that global warming is affecting the weather in the U.S."
https://mailchi.mp/yale/new-climate-opinion-maps-66-of-americans-support-a-transition-to-100-clean-energy-by-2050?e=332524a866
And here's a few flowers...life is always better with flowers.