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Jonathan Gerhardson

@jongerhardson.bsky.social
570 followers 910 following 2.8K posts

"Award winning"..."journalist" in "western Massachusetts" jongerhardson.github.io jon.gerhardson@proton.me jonathangerhardson.substack.com He/him's opinions This bot is my fault: @massgovupdatesbot

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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
CourtWatchMA @courtwatchma.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
This is standard. #mapoli newbedfordlight.org/majority-of-...
newbedfordlight.org
Majority of detainees in South Coast ICE raids have no criminal records - The New Bedford Light
The Light reviewed statewide court records for 23 of the local men arrested last week and found 19 had no criminal charges.
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
/america.gov flags federal procurement contract numbers as PII lol
PIID turns red
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
Knight First Amendment Institute @knightcolumbia.org · 30/09/2026
Can AI fix FOIA's backlog without handing the executive branch more control over what the public gets to see? In a new essay for the Institute, @a-marshall-plan.bsky.social of @rcfp.org proposes a risk framework and calls for empirical testing to make sure AI upholds FOIA's core values.
knightcolumbia.org
Pacing FOIA’s Frontier
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
@theshoestring.bsky.social divina has some good takes here on the state of western Massachusetts discourse
The Shocatring

Q

Many journalists, including myself, see journalism as an integral and foundational cultural institution to hold the powerful accountable. But the key piece missing in that sentiment is understanding that journalism is a political process that always carries the potential to amplify or erase particular perspectives.

The political influence that journalism can have to inform people about their representatives, for example, can change a voter's perspective or understanding of a candidate. But we must also extend that understanding of lanquage as a political tool - not only to advance and justify harm. but to enact it as well. We've seen this time and time again, from the use of the press to justify Jim Crow laws to the U.S. invasion of

Iraq.

When the Gazette and the Recorder make the decision to publish these pieces, they are engaging in the empowerment of dangerous and harmful rhetoric like Bercovici's, and in the the continued disempowerment of trans people - a population that is already incredibly vulnerable
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
WBUR @wbur.org · 30/09/2026
Leaders from New England are gathering in Lowell on today for a one-day summit to discuss what role nuclear power could play in helping to meet the region's growing electricity demands. It comes as Massachusetts considers repealing a 1982 law that requires a statewide vote for new nuclear plants.
trib.al
New England leaders — and protesters — gather in Mass. for nuclear summit
Leaders from all six New England states are gathering in Lowell on Wednesday for a one-day summit to discuss what role nuclear power could play in helping to meet the region's growing electricity demands. It comes as Massachusetts considers repealing a 1982 law that requires a statewide vote for new nuclear plants.
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Putting FOUO into federal chatbot, it summarizes an EPA doc, refuses a DHS one docs: static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics... www.epa.gov/system/files...
olem-emp-pia-08-25-2026-lk-signed-9_2.pdfPDF · 11 pages(opens in a new tab)
Please help me with this PDF.

This PDF is an EPA Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for the Emergency Management Portal (EMP) system. I can summarize it and point you to official EPA privacy pages. I cannot submit it, complete missing fields, or process personal details from the file.
What the document is

    System: Emergency Management Portal (EMP)
    Owner listed: David Charbonneau
    Office listed: Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
    Date on form: 07/29/2026
    Type: Revised and annual review; lifecycle stages listed as implementation and operation & maintenance
    Attestation: Signed by Agency Privacy Officer Lee Kelly (digital signature dated 2026.09.02)

EPA uses a PIA to document privacy risks for information systems. EPA posts PIAs that collect information from or about the public on its website under the E-Government Act of 2002. EPA Federal Information Systems
What EMP is described as doing

    Internal web gateway with tools including Field Readiness, Oil Database, reporting, handbook, admin, and document library
    Used for emergency response and field work (inspections, removals, monitoring, compliance)50f9226c-full.pdfPDF · 7 pages(opens in a new tab)
Please help me with this PDF.

I cannot review, interpret, or act on that PDF. It is marked for official use only and appears to contain inspector general complaint material. I also cannot store or handle personal or case-file details from it.
Report concerns to DHS OIG

Use the official hotline if you need to report waste, fraud, abuse, or misconduct involving DHS programs or employees:

    Online form (preferred): https://hotline.oig.dhs.gov/
    Hotline page: https://www.oig.dhs.gov/hotline
    Toll-free: 1-800-323-8603
    TTY: 1-844-889-4357
    Mail: DHS Office of Inspector General / MAIL STOP 0305, 245 Murray Lane SW, Washington, DC 20528-0305

DHS overview: https://www.dhs.gov/report-fraud-waste-or-abuse-within-dhs

The hotline is not for emergencies. Call 911 if there is an immediate threat to life or safety.

I cannot verify anything in the uploaded file. Do not send that document or any personal information here. Use the OIG channels above.
Department of Homeland Security
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
BINJReports @binjreports.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Our latest by Andrew Quemere is a heartbreaker, but it's also a must-read ... Tommy Rosa’s Story Of Wrongful Incarceration In Mass At one point in his case, prosecutors declined to call their own expert whose findings skewed from their narrative binj.news/2026/09/27...
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
AR 🏳️‍⚧️ @arwords.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
the western mass feed is ruined, possibly forever
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
NOT POUNDED BY THIS FLOCK CAMERA

BECAUSE SOMEONE CUT IT DOWN HUH, INTERESTING WONDER WHO COULD'VE DONE THAT

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

AUDIE AWARD WINNER, LIBBY AWARD WINNER, AND DRAGON AWARD WINNER

CHUCK TINGLE
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
welp it looks like Canary Mission has entered the discourse which shall not be named
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
JPaleoWAMCNews @jpaleolo.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
For @wamc.org: Marking 30 years, 'Source to Sea' Connecticut River cleanups continue in Western Mass. www.wamc.org/news/2026-09...
wamc.org
Marking 30 years, 'Source to Sea' Connecticut River cleanups continue in Western Mass.
Nor’easter or not, hundreds of volunteers gathered up and down the Pioneer Valley over the weekend to clean up the waterways that power ecosystems throughout the Northeast.
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
Kate Ross @kateross.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
1a/ I know victims aren’t usually named in press, but Bryan Betancur has stalked & harassed me for 4 yrs. I have never met him “In May 2025, his probation in that case was revoked because he posted a video online in which he threatened to assault another woman, officials said.” I was this woman ⬆️
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
Jim Wald @citizenwald.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Among the most interesting (tho not surprising) findings of the Hampshire rezoning workshops were the aesthetic preferences, which seemed to lean strongly traditional as concerns both scale & style: some fear of tall structures (though some of us pressed strongly) & modern design
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Can someone walk me through why this specifically is a problem? Like, "tools reserved for software developers" do they mean the free API the Census provides that anyone can use? www.census.gov/data/develop...
When attempting to get information from the Census Bureau, for instance, Al agents used tools reserved for software developers to access it, the company said.

OpenAI said all of the government data accessed by bots was public.

However, it noted that information that its bots accessed from the SEC, which regulates the US stock market and protects investors, was later published by AI agents on another website. OpenAI says this action was not intended.

Descriptive alt text
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
www.theregister.com/systems/2026...
theregister.com
Uncle Sam coughs up $1.9B for grid upgrades as datacenters hit a power wall
Better conductors and improved sensing capabilities expected to unlock at least 23 gigawatts of additional capacity
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
@weatherishappening.com
Ed Sheeran's Gillette Stadium concerts canceled due to nor'easter, tour promoter says

CBS NEWS BOSTON

By Neal Riley

Updated on: September 25, 2026 / 12:29 PM EDT / CBS Boston

Add CBS News on Google

Ed Sheeran's Gillette Stadium concerts in Foxboro, Massachusetts, this weekend have been canceled as Boston braces for a nor'easter and controversy surrounds
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
life hack if you need to get the attention of a public official file a records request for their statement of financial interest
+ ALT

es your searchers work at

Massachusetts State Senate

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

MBTA

MassVentures
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
ko-fi.com/lastditchbar
ko-fi.com
Support Last Ditch Bar and Arts Venue
Support Last Ditch xoxo
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
also, subscribe to my substack jonathangerhardson.substack.com/p/mask-on-th... western Massachusetts wmass wmxhc pioneer valley tofu curtain lesbian, gay, homosexual, queer, Smith College, Mt. Holyoke, folk festival, Subaru Pabst Blue Ribbon, gin and tonic, black out rage gallon mask, n95
jonathangerhardson.substack.com
Mask On? This AI Can Still See Your Face
NesherAI has claimed to have contracts with state and federal agencies, and they have assisted in the doxxing of activists across the country using ~AI~
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
something something something something bar theshoestring.org/2023/02/07/f...
theshoestring.org
Five Communities In Western Massachusetts Among Highest Risk For Lead Poisoning In The State
By Jonathan Gerhardson  A recent report from the state’s Department of Public Health has named Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield and Pittsfield as among the municipalities at the highest risk ...
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
western Massachusetts lesbian bar theshoestring.org/2025/06/09/d...
theshoestring.org
Doxing, death threats, deportation: How the far right stifled campus activism and sent ICE after a local student
Militant groups have targeted local Palestine-solidarity activists — part of what they say is an intimidation campaign to silence them.
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
theshoestring.org/2026/02/26/i... People from Greenfield, Massachusetts complaining on /facebook.com about a prolonged internet outage from their municipal provider, and statistically some of them were probably lesbians. Could it have been avoided if covid-era funds had been spent better?
theshoestring.org
Internet outage exposes frayed equipment, relationships in Greenfield
Earlier this month, the internet went dark for customers of Greenfield's GCET. The resulting mess revealed broader power struggles between the municipally owned internet provider and city officials.
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
face mask harsh noise
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
western Massachusetts alcoholic beverage establishment for queer people with disabilities
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Western mass lesbian bar
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
lesbian bar
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
gwen howerton @kissphoria.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I don't necessarily think that it was meanspirited the way it was written, I left it feeling sort of bad for all the people involved, but I do think when you tell a story like this you have to weigh "am I opening the people here up to more harassment"
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
hannah gais @hannahgais.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
You think that Boston Globe article about the KN95 lesbian bar is plumbing the depths of western Massachusetts? That's just the beginning. I've seen things you'll never believe. Black bears doing break ins to eat ice cream. Land acknowledgements by revolutionary war monuments. You ain't seen shit.
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
Rebecca Williams @rebeccawilliams.info · 24/09/2026
my reaction to the Western Massachusetts Lesbian Bar Story is just “aw, I miss Western Mass, leaves are probably getting great there right now”
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
robin finn @robinfinnart.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
If you wanna support mask-required queer spaces in Western Mass, check out Comics N' More in Easthampton! 🔗 comicsmongers.com
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Is there an exception for when a AI is being a silly little goose
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
The Baffler @thebaffler.com · 22/09/2026
From the Archives: Will Meyer investigates how the culture of Silicon Valley was adopted by militaries at home and abroad. thebaffler.com/latest/the-g...
thebaffler.com
The Global Garage | Will Meyer
Militarized frontiers get a tech-savvy makeover.
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
The New Bedford Light @newbedfordlight.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
ICE agents have been sighted in various locations in and around New Bedford on Tuesday, the second day of a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and arrests. More coverage here: buff.ly/CYfYin8
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
God damn I don't think I have ever felt more patriotic about anything in my life.
But by the time of Last Ditch's monthly community meeting on September 11, only one of the original founders, Matellian, is still involved. The two others stepped back from the daily operation months before, Matellian says, citing various pressures and health issues. One had enrolled in clown school.
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
kren @kren.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
sorry to interrupt. but would you mind clarifying which mash they did
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
Ryan O'Horo @ryanohoro.com · 22/09/2026
What if a TSA checkpoint was whimsical???
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
The New Bedford Light @newbedfordlight.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
A major U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement action is currently underway in the Whaling City. A Light reporter witnessed an arrest near the waterfront this morning, and another Light reporter saw what appeared to be ICE agents using the Dartmouth Mall parking lot as a staging area.
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Many red flags when you click over to his about page and see he's concerned with vaccines and declining birth rates due to infertility, but this was like the 4th result for a search about deduplicating data pulled from OpenFEC API. Well played, well played... michaelcarbonara.com/fec-filing-w...
michaelcarbonara.com
FEC filing: Where the numbers come from and how they are updated
FEC filing explained: a practical primer on what filings contain, how the FEC posts updates, and steps voters and journalists can use to find and verify reports.
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
Project Salt Box @projectsaltbox.com · 20/09/2026
Thanks! We wrote about this, too on 1 Sep. www.projectsaltbox.com/p/ice-awards...
projectsaltbox.com
ICE awards GardaWorld up to $382 million to move detainees across Texas
The American arm of the Montreal-based security company has taken in more than $330 million this year to convert warehouses into detention space in Texas and Arizona, where the work is now on hold.
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Ah fuck I forgot to check up on this but they're doing it elsewhere too. sam.gov/workspace/co... I am not sure if they've announced contract awardees yet but I found some job listings in Massachusetts from Bering Straight Corporation (AK) that fit the description.
sam.gov
Sam Acquisition 360
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
The Shoestring @theshoestring.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The Shoestring & other news publishers are suing OpenAI and Microsoft for uncompensated use of published material to build products like ChatGPT. The suit seeks damages for the use of our journalism to build up some of the largest companies in the world. Brian Zayatz on our decision to fight back:
theshoestring.org
The Shoestring, other news publishers sue OpenAI and Microsoft
The plaintiffs have amassed evidence of specific use of published material to train flagship products like ChatGPT.
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
The Shoestring @theshoestring.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A fleet of new F-35 jets will soon begin roaring over western Massachusetts. But it will take much longer for noise-mitigation funding to arrive. @jongerhardson.bsky.social reports:
theshoestring.org
Just how loud are Westfield’s new fighter jets? We measured.
A fleet of new F-35 jets will soon begin roaring over western Massachusetts. But it will take much longer for noise-mitigation funding to arrive.
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
jfc thereminder.com/local-news/h...
thereminder.com
Holyoke School Committee adopts PROTECT Act; Chicopee’s policy fails - The Reminder
Holyoke now has a new policy in case any law enforcement agent attempts to make a civil arrest at schools, but Chicopee’s policy did not pass the School Committee. On […]
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
Drew Starr @thedrewstarr.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Costco usually runs them at 40% off right before Black Friday, which is especially nice given the generous return policy
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
New from me for @theshoestring.bsky.social theshoestring.org/2026/09/18/j...
theshoestring.org
Just how loud are Westfield’s new fighter jets? We measured.
A fleet of new F-35 jets will soon begin roaring over western Massachusetts. But it will take much longer for noise-mitigation funding to arrive.
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Reposted by Jonathan Gerhardson
BINJReports @binjreports.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
We're not sure why, but this BINJ article from 2020 about Robert Kraft's no-bid PPE contracts has seen wild spikes in interest these past few days. Probably because it's football season ... binj.news/2020/08/18... #BobKraft #NEPatriots
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Is this a good deal last I checked flyaway price for an F-35 was more like $100 million But $24 billion / 48 planes = $50 million each
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Jonathan Gerhardson @jongerhardson.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
@dataisbeautiful.bsky.social
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