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Justin Laidlaw

@justinlaidlaw.bsky.social
622 followers 77 following 134 posts

Staff reporter at the INDY.

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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Like most AI tools, the mixing feature on Apple Music has gone from mediocre to absolute garbage. And just like Sylvan Esso, I may be heading back to Spotify against my will.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Why do people think AI regulation is ever going to happen or be sufficient? Climate change is also going to kill millions of people worldwide, if it’s not already, and we continue to roll back regulations in service of growth and financial gain for the few.
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David A. Graham @dgraham.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
America is celebrating a major milestone, the president is corrupt, oil prices are rising, and the country might try permanent DST
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
For years, the bulk of the Durham Cultural Advisory's Board funding has gone to a few large festivals and events. New changes may make the process more accessible to applicants planning smaller events.
ift.tt
City Lowers Barriers for Durham Cultural Organizers Looking to Secure Event Funding
For years, the bulk of DCAB's funding has gone to a few large events. New process changes may make the process more accessible.
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Joel D. Anderson @joelanderson.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Adam, as usual, has it right.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 02/07/2026
President Trump is trying to use the levers of the federal government, along with personal influence over state and local lawmakers, to reshape the rules governing the 2026 midterms. Take a closer look at the many actions he is taking to influence future elections.
nyti.ms
The Many Ways Trump Is Trying to Tip the Scales for the Midterms
Here’s how President Trump is using the powers of his office to try to reshape the rules governing the midterms and future elections.
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The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
A Raleigh Neighborhood Ditched Its Slave-Owning Namesake. Some Are Still Fighting to Keep It. Many residents of the neighborhood formerly called Cameron Park say they’ve moved on under a new name, Forest Park. But some want a court to declare the name change invalid.
theassemblync.com
A Raleigh Neighborhood Ditched Its Slave-Owning Namesake. Some Are Still Fighting to Keep It.
Many residents of the neighborhood formerly called Cameron Park say they’ve moved on under a new name, Forest Park. But some want a court to declare the name change invalid.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Someone make sure Brad Stevens’s family isn’t being held hostage. #nba
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The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
The Innocence Commission Lives On in State Budget. The Name Does Not. The latest state budget spares the N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission from an attempt to abolish it.
theassemblync.com
The Innocence Commission Lives On in State Budget. The Name Does Not.
The latest state budget spares the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission from an attempt to abolish it.
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Joel D. Anderson @joelanderson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
yes! i promise parents and anyone else offended by the idea of transgender athletes competing in high school, they are not an obstacle to your child getting a college scholarship. if they're actually good, they'll be rewarded. If anything, i wouldn't want an athlete who's afraid to compete.
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
State Board of Elections members found the Wake officials violated their duties when they counted early ballots from voters who died before Election Day in 2024.
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Wake Election Officials Censured for Counting Ballots of Three Dead N.C. Voters
The Wake officials were censured for counting early ballots from voters who died before Election Day in 2024.
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Joseph Feldblum @josephfeldblum.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Great thread on the systematic assault on the humanities in higher ed
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404 Media @404media.co · 24/06/2026
Leaked audio from Accenture says a big source of AI token ‘chewing’ is people just converting PDFs to presentation slides. They're not the only company now telling staff to slow down on AI use @evystadium.bsky.social has more. Read @josephcox.bsky.social story here: www.404media.co/the-tokenpoc...
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Durham organizer Bertha Bradley, better known as Mama Cookie, has been front-and-center in the fight for better working conditions across the South.
ift.tt
Character Study: Mama Cookie, Champion for Labor Rights
Organizer Bertha Bradley, also known as Mama Cookie, has been a trailblazer in the fight for better working conditions across the South.
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Charlie Reece ✅ @charliereece.com · 12/06/2026
Some fantastic reporting and analysis by Lena Geller (@writingthings.bsky.social) and Lee Gans (@grumblefish.bsky.social) on a very troubling trend in these property tax appeals cases. It’s worth your time to read this! 😡😡😡
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
'Bottom Feeders,' Hebert's debut poetry collection, releases this month from Black Lawrence Press.
ift.tt
Durham Poet Arielle Hebert On Writing About Girlhood, Addiction, and the Mixed Magic of Florida
'Bottom Feeders,' Arielle Hebert's debut poetry collection, releases this month from Black Lawrence Press.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
It would be cool if the networks did at least ONE segment about the historical significance of the San Antonio Spurs, a small market team and the best run US sports organization since 1997, being back in the Finals after fans wrote them off following Duncan and Kawhi leaving. @ringernba.bsky.social
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Carli Brosseau @carlibrosseau.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
One Glenwood parent told the CHCCS board that their closure decision prompted her to consider private and charter schools. “I think you’ll find many families from Glenwood making the same hard decisions and plans, and this may not be the enrollment fix that you hoped." indyweek.com/news/chccs-t...
indyweek.com
CHCCS to Close Glenwood Elementary Amid Declining District Enrollment
In a highly anticipated vote, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools board voted Thursday to shutter the magnet school in 2027, sparing Ephesus and Seawell elementaries.
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404 Media @404media.co · 02/06/2026
We are in the making AI slop against AI data centers hellscape grift now. @evystadium.bsky.social has more. Story by @mjgault.bsky.social here: www.404media.co/ai-grifters-...
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The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 30/05/2026
Terry Pratchett, one of England’s funniest writers, is in danger of being lost to history, Helen Lewis writes:
bit.ly
I Am Begging You to Read Terry Pratchett
One of England’s funniest writers is in danger of being lost to history.
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Sarah Ovenall @ovenall.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
4 proposed changes: Eliminating municipal primaries sounds most likely to happen; moving municipal elections to even numbered years least likely. Also proposed: changing to a true ward system; extending the mayor's term from 2 to 4 years @indyweek.bsky.social
indyweek.com
No Primaries, Longer Terms for the Mayor: Durham Looks At Election Changes
The Durham City Council is having early discussions about changes to municipal elections that could save money and reshape Durham politics.
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404 Media @404media.co · 26/05/2026
"What’s driving me crazy is not the idea that AI exists or that people are using AI. It’s that I have a finite time on this earth that I mostly want to spend interacting with other human beings." www.404media.co/your-ai-use-...
404media.co
Your AI Use Is Breaking My Brain
AI writing is impossible to avoid, is making everything sound the same, and is driving us crazy.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
@zachlowenba.bsky.social I can’t believe you let Bill and Sean spew that nonsense about this being comparable to the 2011 Dirk run. It has little to do with people hating NY and more to do with Brunson and KAT being the heirs to Shai’s flop throne. 2011 is one of the best playoff runs ever.
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404 Media @404media.co · 21/05/2026
After teen girls were targeted by AI-generated CSAM, Radnor Township High School in Pennsylvania has become a case study in how schools and police around the country grapple with how to response to deepfake crimes involving children. @samleecole.bsky.social reports. www.404media.co/radnor-high-...
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
As the title suggests,“Dancing Queens” aims to be a “case study,” an illustration of Cary town staff’s exceptional teamwork and creativity. Stegall commissioned the documentary after the performance because he thought it exemplified camaraderie and risk in government work, Moran said.
indyweek.com
How Cary Spent $330,000 on Videos Taxpayers Were Never Meant to See
The highly produced films offer a glimpse into Cary’s government under a former town manager accused of over-the-top spending.
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Bryan Curtis @bryancurtis.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Jon Krakauer has stopped writing books. He explains why. Full interview here: open.spotify.com/episode/7tJL...
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
On Wednesday evening, Bike Durham executive director John Tallmadge fought back tears as he addressed the pack of cyclists amassing at CCB Plaza for the annual Ride of Silence. @indyweek.bsky.social indyweek.com/news/durham-...
indyweek.com
Durham Cyclists Mourn Traffic Deaths During Memorial Ride
Hundreds of Durham riders joined the national Ride of Silence as improvements to dangerous Roxboro and Mangum streets move forward.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Come listen to me and my @theassemblync.bsky.social colleagues chat it up at 12pm about the impact of our work and why local journalism is vital to healthy communities. www.youtube.com/live/p2NllsH...
youtube.com
The Assembly 5th Birthday Celebration
YouTube video by The Assembly
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
I've lived in Durham my whole life, and I still learn so much about the city's history through my reporting at @indyweek.bsky.social My most recent story is about tennis and city budgeting, but more about found family and the legacy of Black athletics in Durham. indyweek.com/news/durham-...
indyweek.com
In Durham, the Tennis Community Has Deep Roots. Players Want Better Courts to Match the Sport’s Growth.
Durham's tennis players are lobbying the city to fund a backlog of repairs at public courts.
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
WCPL has about 600 employees across 23 libraries, a mix of “temporary” and “permanent” staff. The temporary staff “help cover operational gaps created by vacancies, employee leave and permanent staff assignments to committees or special projects,” according to a Wake County spokesperson.
indyweek.com
Wake Librarians Say Chronic Understaffing is Hurting Services and Morale
The union representing Wake County library workers rallied outside a county commission meeting Tuesday to ask for more library funding.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Y'all. I'm trying SO very hard not to go back to using #Spotify, but no other app is in the same universe as far as the UX/UI goes, and #Apple in particular has a new issue every week.
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Jason Concepcion @netw3rk.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
if you hold these views, hold them just a bit tighter so you get seated
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Bill Chambers @flmfrkcentral.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Fuck do I care? Don't publish this shit.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
The @nba.com and Peacock going straight from a moment of silence for two recently deceased former players to a Draft Kings ad segment is disgusting.
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Above The Clouds Podcast @abovethecloudspod.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Recording tonight, what do people want @jeremyrist.bsky.social and @scoblevision.bsky.social to discuss about the Royals game and/or preview for the Wave game? #woso #nwsl #volemos #acfc
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Durham officials this week said the state budget impasse and other legislative efforts cutting into local government revenue could jeopardize public school positions and health care access.
indyweek.com
How the Lack of a State Budget Is Hitting Durham County
Durham officials this week said the state budget impasse and other legislative efforts cutting into local government revenue could jeopardize public school positions and health care access.
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
“If these people don’t want public schools to exist, they can’t be running our public schools,” said Reilly Finnegan, a teacher at Hillside High School. “Anyone who champions public schools needs to start acting differently and recognize the urgency of the moment.”
indyweek.com
Triangle Educators Rally in Raleigh for More School Funding
The protest takes place as local governments are feeling increasing demands to fund public schools while support from the state shrinks.
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
BREAKING: Saint Augustine’s University filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday and announced on Tuesday that its interim president, Dr. Jennie Ward-Robinson, has resigned after about four months on the job.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Seven and a half hours. The longest meeting that I've encountered since I started covering city council in 2022. Congrats, you guys! 👏🏾🙃
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
The word "bicycle" was not used once in this story. www.nytimes.com/interactive/... Perhaps instead of, or in addition to, making cars more affordable, we could make cities and towns more accessible by everything but cars. @nytimes.com
nytimes.com
Opinion | Where Did All the Affordable Cars Go?
This is how cars got so ridiculously, forbiddingly expensive.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 30/03/2026
Two Australian states, Victoria and Tasmania, are temporarily making public transport free in an effort to insulate residents from the widening oil shock from the Iran war.
nyti.ms
In Australia, Victoria and Tasmania Waive Transit Fares as Fuel Prices Soar
The measures in Victoria and Tasmania are temporary, but show how far and how intensely the oil shock from the war in Iran has spread.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
What would happen if we just stopped making new stuff for a year? No new clothes, cars, toys, furniture, etc etc etc. The world would keep spinning, right?
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The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 23/03/2026
Duke-basketball haters will have to put up with “their floor-smacking defense and their clean, net-twitching shots, for at least another day, if not another generation,” Sally Jenkins writes:
bit.ly
Bad News: Duke Is Still Pretty Good at Basketball
Maybe your grandkids will inherit a March Madness without the Blue Devils.
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Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Let me just say that having been there, the idea of being a Black woman in labor in America and having to go before a judge is terrorism.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
There’s a Black Mirror episode for all of this.
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Brenntag Mid-South continues to amass serious environmental violations related to its chemical repackaging plant in East Durham, where state inspectors cited the company in November for failing to clean up leaking barrels on the property.
indyweek.com
A Global Chemical Giant Racks Up Violations in Durham, Where Drinking Water for a Million Is Threatened
Acetone, ethanol, 1,4-dioxane and methylene chloride were among contaminants found in a stream near Brenntag Mid-South’s chemical repackaging facility.
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Barry Yeoman @barryyeoman.com · 09/03/2026
North Carolina's complaint system for regulating swine, poultry, and cattle farm waste is broken, reports @lisasorg.bsky.social in @insideclimatenews.org. Complaints become part of the record only if a violation is found, but the state has only 14 inspectors for thousands of industrial farms. #ncpol
insideclimatenews.org
North Carolina Created Complaint Systems for Its Industrialized Farms. They Don’t Work Very Well. - Inside Climate News
Complaints become part of the record only if a violation is found, but the state has only 14 inspectors for thousands of hog, poultry and cattle farms known as concentrated animal feeding operations, ...
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
BREAKING: Nida Allam has conceded the North Carolina 4th District congressional race to incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee. #ncpol
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INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee came out on top in the 4th Congressional District primary, with a less-than-1% lead over Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam. The race could be headed for a recount; candidates can demand one when the margin is smaller than 1% of total votes.
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Justin Laidlaw @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Stay locked into the INDY live blog as results start rolling in tonight.
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