Scott A. Leadingham

'They call us Camp Dope': There's more nuance to the block housing the Ridpath than what's seen on the outside Most warm days, Rhona Gardener sits outside the Ridpath Apartments in her red camp chair with a pack of cigarettes in the cupholder and cellphone in her lap.

Good to see news coverage about homelessness/low income housing issues talk to people affected + involved. Kudos to Spokesman's @alexdugganreports.bsky.social + Nick Gibson for a "nuanced" look on a tough spot in downtown Spokane. www.spokesman.com/stories/2025...

A few folks out here saying that last night the Mariners "won their first postseason game since 2001" (or even ever!?), somehow forgetting M's beating Toronto in 2022 WC series. If only there were a device + technology at hand to quickly check basic sports facts.
#SeaUsRise #tridentsup #sodomojo

Are Non-Citizens Protected by the First Amendment? Are non-citizens protected by the First Amendment? The answer isn't as clear-cut as you may think. Here's everything to know.

A federal court ruling this week gave more spice to this already complex question: Does the First Amendment protect noncitizens? Not a neat + tidy yes or no. This is one to watch for Supreme Court appeal. Background from me at @1stforall.bsky.social #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/non-citizens...

What Is Censorship — and Does the First Amendment Allow It? The First Amendment generally limits government censorship, but these restrictions don't apply to private companies.

News of late - Jimmy Kimmel, people fired for social posts re Charlie Kirk, etc - brought up lots of "censorship" claims. But what exactly is it (and is it not), and when does censorship violate the First Amendment? Here's a rundown #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/censorship-f...

CEO of Cascade PBS made $516K in 2023, which was $257K more than the next highest paid employee, according to IRS 990.
projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/o...

Anyway, support the laid off and hard-working public media journalists here ⬇️

Where America Stands on the First Amendment: Key Takeaways Learn about Americans' opinions and experiences with the First Amendment in 2025, including hate speech, religion, and protests at colleges.

Freedom Forum's annual First Amendment survey is out. Some findings:
- 25% can't name any 1A freedoms unaided
- 61% say they don’t speak freely, most cited reason is “fear of a violent response"
- ~50% say President Trump a "threat" to most 1A freedoms
MORE ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/2025-where-a...

60 home runs for Cal Raleigh. Incredible.

60 home runs for Cal Raleigh. Incredible. Mariners are back, baby!

#sodomojo #seizethemoment #tridentsup #seausrise #goms

Turned on the radio broadcast of Mariners post-game win just in time to hear Big Dumper's f-bomb. Best not tell the FCC of indecency in Seattle.
Also, heck yeah! Playoff bound!
#sodomojo #tridentsup #goms

Why Jimmy Kimmel's Suspension Raises First Amendment Questions Discover why the indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's show raises questions about free speech and the First Amendment.

The Jimmy Kimmel story is moving kind of fast. But even with ABC returning his show to air this week, there are lots of First Amendment questions with what happened - and moving forward. Here are some answers #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/jimmy-kimmel...

Seattle's Cascade PBS announces layoffs, end of online long-form journalism The move, attributed to the loss of federal funding for public media, marks the layoffs of 17 staffers and the creation of three new positions, station President and CEO Rob Dunlop told KUOW.

Cascade PBS, previously Crosscut/KCTS, laying off 17 news staff. They cover Western/Central WA + state policy. Sad but not surprising after federal $ cut. Kudos to @sanfordnate.bsky.social, @jonesdaily.bsky.social, @maiphoang.bsky.social + many incredible journalists. www.kuow.org/stories/seat...

It's convenient to credit the Etsy Witch with the Mariners' recent success, but that's patently offensive. In Seattle the correct term is person experiencing spell casting.

A waiting game for ID on remains found in Decker search LEAVENWORTH — A Spokane County sheriff's aerial drone imaging the Icicle River landscape on Thursday noticed something unusual — a pattern in the rugged underbrush on Grindstone Mountain that did

Possible remains of Travis Decker, Wenatchee, WA, father accused of killing 3 daughters in May, found less than 1 mile from crime scene.
As always, best news sources are local/regional ones with closest connection:
- Wenatchee World
- NCW Life
- KXLY
- Seattle Times
www.ncwlife.com/news/a-waiti...

Major First Amendment Issues Raised Following Charlie Kirk's Assassination: FAQs Answered From employee firings to confusion around hate speech, we explore key First Amendment issues being raised following Charlie Kirk's death.

Hate speech. Firing people for free speech. Doxing. Government "jawboning." All have come up in the news the past week, all with big First Amendment questions. Here's a helpful FAQ explainer from @1stforall.bsky.social #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/charlie-kirk...

Canceled Comedians: 16 Performers Who Have Been 'Canceled' (and Why) We highlight 16 comedians who have been "canceled" over the years and explore the connection between comedy and free speech.

This list of "canceled" comedians doesn't have Jimmy Kimmel (yet). But it does have others like Stephen Colbert and the Smothers Brothers, whose CBS show was canceled in 1969. President Johnson called CBS and told the network to "get those bastards off my back." www.freedomforum.org/canceled-com...

Is Hate Speech Illegal? Is hate speech illegal? We explore one of the most common misconceptions about the First Amendment and freedom of speech.

Since "hate speech" is (sadly) in the national news cycle again, here's a reminder of what it is (and isn't), why the First Amendment in fact protects it, and how speech can lose First Amendment protection in specific, narrowly defined circumstances #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/is-hate-spee...

Canzone belts 3 HRs as Seattle Mariners wins 10th straight Dominic Canzone belted three homers, and the AL West-leading Mariners routed the fading Kansas City Royals 12-5 for their 10th consecutive win.

Recap: Dominic Canzone had the first three-homer game by a #Mariners hitter in six years to help Seattle crush the Royals 12-5 for their 10th straight victory.

sports.mynorthwest.com/mlb/seattle-...

Most US Catholics approve of Pope Leo but know little about him, Pew survey finds Eight out of 10 American Catholics said they had a favorable opinion of Leo, including 37% who said their opinion was "very favorable."

Really curious to hear more about the 11% of US Catholics who have apparently "never heard of" Pope Leo. www.ncronline.org/news/most-us...

‘Dangerously loud’ preachers at Mariners games drown out crowds, buskers What can be done about street preachers who carry billboards and megaphones and exhort the baseball-watching masses to repent? The Mariners are asking the city.

Seattle Mariners seek city council help for potential ordinance against street preachers outside games. This is wrought with First Amendment + "viewpoint discrimination" issues if it goes forward. A story worth watching on the free speech front. #1A ⬇️ www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Found my Halloween costume

'It's still so relevant': The power of Stephen King's first - and most disturbing - novel The Long Walk The Long Walk imagines young men competing in a deadly marathon for entertainment. A new film version is a reminder of how it anticipated our reality TV age.

Good piece on the relevance of Stephen King's earliest book, "The Long Walk," to today as the film adaptation comes soon. (One of the Richard Bachman books I still have yet to read...)
www.bbc.com/culture/arti...

"In Times Square, the city's beating heart, residents come every day to take pictures with neighbors dressed as Spiderman, a treasured tradition, before a quick lunch from Olive Garden, a New York institution, where the secret locals only menu includes endless salad and breadsticks."

Man, reliving 2001 vibes with the return of Sodo Mojo for the 2025 Mariners because of a $15 Etsy Witch spell is a feeling I want injected directly into my icy veins. #SeaUsRise #tridentsup #goms

Prayer in School: What’s Protected by the First Amendment? Prayer in school has been a divisive and muddy issue over the years. Here’s what is – and isn’t – protected by the First Amendment.

Since the news cycle is always relevant to the First Amendment these days, here's a helpful explainer article (from several years ago) about prayer in public schools and how it is very much allowed, despite what you might hear from some elected officials. #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/prayer-in-sc...

1A in Action: Mary Beth Tinker and a Landmark Fight for Students' Free Speech Rights As part of our 1A in Action series, we highlight Mary Beth Tinker, whose Supreme Court case established students' First Amendment rights in public schools.

Students in public K-12 schools have First Amendment rights to protest and speak out. That largely comes from a 1969 Supreme Court case, Tinker v Des Moines. 50+ years later, one person behind that case is still advocating for youth. Meet Mary Beth Tinker #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/1a-in-action...

Look, the Seattle Mariners are well aware of Luis Castillo's issues, which are not good in the last month of the season. But have they considered that Jorge Polanco pitching underhand softball style might have a better ERA? Worth a shot. #tridentsup #goms

Trump Signs Order on Flag Burning: First Amendment Analysis Here’s everything you need to know about Trump’s executive order on flag burning and how it relates to the First Amendment.

President Trump's order on prosecuting flag burning comes with a very big caveat: the Supreme Court ruled flag burning (desecration) is legal. Twice. So what's up? Here's a solid First Amendment analysis from my @1stforall.bsky.social colleague Alex Morey #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/trump-flag-b...

Is Flying a Flag Protected by the First Amendment? Flying a flag is generally protected as speech under the First Amendment — but the government can restrict flags in certain areas.

Flags are often in the news - from a limited ban in Idaho classrooms to a Yosemite National Park employee being fired for hanging one on El Capitan. Here's a First Amendment take on when flying flags is and is not protected free speech #1A ⬇️
www.freedomforum.org/flag-flying-...

Also, the alias that Olivia took on in that TV plotline was named Persephone James. The "ecoterrorism" group was based in ... Oregon. Any connection to real people or events is, of course, coincidental.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" Infiltrated (TV Episode 2006) ⭐ 8.2 | Crime, Drama, Mystery 43m | TV-14

Not totally related, but sort of: In 2006 there was a Law & Order SVU storyline that involved Olivia going undercover with FBI to infiltrate "ecoterrorism" group. Talk about media perpetuating other media storylines. www.imdb.com/title/tt0883...