Check out the latest news, features, opinions, and more from Appalachia, the Midwest, and other Postindustrial Communities.
ASHEVILLE
Blue Ridge Public Radio: North Carolina will receive at least $451 million and possibly up to $645 million from a landmark settlement with tech company Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram.
ATLANTA
With drug prices on the rise, Georgia lawmakers examine role of industry players
Georgia Public Broadcasting: Jon Ossoff calls out Mike Collins after new allegations of antisemitism in Collins’ orbit
BALTIMORE
Vaccination protections ‘teetering’ as Maryland declares measles outbreaks in 3 counties
Maryland Matters: Despite Maryland’s relatively high measles vaccination rate statewide, those rates are slipping and varying coverage by county can leave community members exposed to potentially severe or deadly infection.
Flock license plate readers turn Chicago suburbs into ground zero for bitter fight over surveillance
Chicago Sun-Times: Cops have been accused of tapping into Flock’s sprawling network to stalk people, while activists have been charged with vandalizing the company’s cameras. But as some municipalities have jettisoned the technology, others have gone all in.
CINCINNATI
Recent attack ad politicized Ohio family’s death, relative says
Cincinnati Public Radio: The 30-second hit, attacking Democratic former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown for his immigration record, aired last month. It featured video of the fatal highway crash that killed Mallen’s sister Lynnea Soposki, his brother-in-law Luke Soposki and their one-year-old son Logan Soposki earlier this year.
CLEVELAND
Cleveland.com: Vivek Ramaswamy and other Ohio Republicans are doubling down on their attacks over a 2019 incident involving law enforcement and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton, despite disputes over key facts and a lack of clear answers from police.
COLUMBUS
Columbus Flock cameras used in 2025 search for Texas woman who had abortion
Ohio State Public Media: Columbus police shared access to its Flock network nationwide. Audit logs for May 2025 show Columbus’ Flock network returned data to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in Texas for this search.
DETROIT
Michigan’s El-Sayed promotes “Medicare for All” at Ann Arbor rally
Michigan Public: Abdul El-Sayed championed “Medicare for all,” arguing that universal health insurance would decouple coverage from employment and eliminate steep out-of-pocket costs.
INDIANAPOLIS
Review continues for 30-plus Indiana counties in federal disaster aid request
Indiana Capital Chronicle: More than 13,000 aid applications have been submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency since a major disaster declaration was approved earlier this week for 21 Indiana counties.
LOUISVILLE
Mitch McConnell misses annual Kentucky ham breakfast despite frequent attendance in years past
Kentucky Lantern: Kentucky’s two senators and the governor are typically invited to address the breakfast, which gathers a crowd of hundreds, including politicians and farmers from across the state. Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear also did not attend this year, but KFB President Eddie Melton said staff for both senators were present.
MILWAUKEE
Meta settlement “step in the right direction” according to Wisconsin child development specialist
Wisconsin Public Radio: A Wisconsin child development specialist said new protections set for Instagram and Facebook are “a step in the right direction” after a lawsuit between owner Meta and dozens of states was settled this week
MORGANTOWN
West Virginia Watch: The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals dismissed two appeals challenging Fundamental Data’s proposed Tucker County data center and power plant this week, ruling that it does not have jurisdiction to rule on the cases under current environmental review statutes.
NASHVILLE
Tennessee Lookout: Officials with the Tennessee Department of Transportation warned again that the state’s transportation infrastructure needs continue to outpace revenues, even as a toll lane project takes shape. Last week, Gov. Bill Lee announced the first phase of the toll project, with a team of companies chosen to begin construction on a lane connecting Murfreesboro to Nashville.
PHILADELPHIA
Communities across the Philadelphia area to mark International Overdose Awareness Day
Philadelphia Public Radio: Local communities continue to lose thousands of loved ones to opioids and other substances every year. Others are still struggling with drug use and addiction, and remain vulnerable to fatal overdoses.
PITTSBURGH
Former Penn State student in frat coke scandal has his admission to law school rescinded
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Thomas Robinson, the man facing charges as a leader in the suspected cocaine trafficking ring out of two Penn State fraternity houses, will no longer attend law school this fall after his admission was rescinded.
WHEELING
Harmony House marks 15 years serving children, families with therapy and advocacy
WTOV 9 Wheeling: Harmony House marks 15 years serving children, families with therapy and advocacy — Harmony House is marking 15 years of serving children and families in Belmont County, celebrating the impact of its St. Clairsville location since it opened its doors on Aug. 25, 2011.
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown-area nude suspect breaks into business
WKBN 27 Youngstown: The footage reportedly shows a man wearing a mask — but otherwise nude — entering the facility and sitting in a “lounge chair” for 20 minutes before later leaving wearing a shirt, which was presumed to be stolen from the facility by the suspect. The man then grabbed a rock and threw it into a window, the report states.
