Meg Howard

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Hundreds of Alligator Alcatraz detainees drop off the grid after leaving site As of the end of August, the whereabouts of two-thirds of more than 1,800 men detained at Alligator Alcatraz during the month of July could not be determined by the Miami Herald.

More than 1800 detainees are missing after the closure of Alligator Alcatraz. Their families and lawyers can’t find them and they’ve vanished from the ICE database. Feels like this should be a much bigger story www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

U.S. Air Force to deny early retirement benefits to some transgender service members The U.S. Air Force said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early and would instead separate them without retirement ben...

This is so breathtakingly cruel that my soul glitched. I’m never surprised by the depths of depravity, per se, but having to process it still exacts an emotional cost.

www.npr.org/2025/08/08/n...

What types of projects do they think their utility implement that will add the most value to the residents of Ann Arbor? How will they pick the location for their projects?

"We calculated this is going to fund about 116,000 beds [for ICE detainees]... they are looking to hire 10,000 new ICE officers"

Meanwhile, "There’s no reporting requirement to Congress, no oversight mechanism."

boltsmag.org/how-the-gop-...

The sanitation workers drive the trash and recycling trucks backwards up my narrow, dead-end street. It's so impressive! I've seen trucks with one person driving and collecting waste. Give them what they want!

🤣 You could become an air-to-water heat pump influencer in your nyc tiny house.

Heat pumps are another nice option! They do use air to move the heat (at least most heat pumps currently available), but since they can ramp down to a low level they should be able to run at a low level for long periods of time, allowing surface temperatures to warm up and creating a more even heat.

Russian scientist from Harvard Medical School detained in U.S., faces deportation and likely arrest upon return due to anti-war stance A Russian scientist working at Harvard Medical School has been detained in the United States and placed in immigration detention. According to multiple independent Russian media outlets and the scient...

Or you're stopped at the border after a routine trip, prevented from reentering the US and told you're being deported back to Putin's Russia, which you fled long ago for protesting Russia's illegal and abhorrent invasion of Ukraine and will land in one of Putin's prisons? theins.press/en/news/280037

This guy is in one of the worst prisons in the world with no way out and may spend the rest of his life there because, it appears, he has an autism awareness tattoo in honor of his little brother.

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Georgia Nonprofit That Produces Life-Saving Food For Kids Has Federal Contract Cut An estimated 300,000 children globally are expected to lose access to a nutrient-dense peanut butter that’s specially formulated to treat severe acute malnutrition.

An estimated 300,000 children globally are expected to lose access to a nutrient-dense peanut butter that’s specially formulated to treat severe acute malnutrition.

Specifically, a child said things!

In dramatic overhaul, Cambridge becomes one of the first cities in Mass. to eliminate single-family zoning - The Boston Globe Cambridge will now allow buildings up to six stories to be built in neighborhoods across the city, a plan designed to help put a dent in the region's housing crisis.

So interesting! I think Cambridge's new zoning should enable the housing options you're highlighting.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/11/b...

Go Clean Did you know that 24% of MA greenhouse gas emissions come from homes?

Where are they located? This is a very Massachusetts-focused resource, but has some information that would be more broadly applicable.
goclean.masscec.com/clean-energy...

I just got one of these installed in Boston. It has a backup electric resistance element, but it hasn't been kicking on for a household of 4, even in this cold. But it might be nice to have for times when there are more people visiting in the home. www.neshw.com/residential/...

A line chart showing the number of trips per bike per day. There is a black line for e-bikes and a blue line for "classic" (non electric assist) bikes. The black line ranges from ~3 trips/bike/day in January to almost 10 trips/bike/day in October. The blue line ranges from ~1 trip/bike/day in January to almost 4 trips/bike/day in September.

A bar chart comparing the median trip distance of e-bikes and classic bikes (non-electric) by month. It shows that e-bike trips are 20-30% longer in distance each month compared to classic bikes. E-bike trip distances range from 1.3mi (January) to 1.57mi (June). Classic bike trip distances range from 1.09mi (February) to 1.24mi (June).

Reviewing our first year of data about e-bikes in the Bluebikes public bike share system. e-bikes get used much more frequently and people travel farther on them. Those things are workhorses.

For all the Bluesky news junkies, I'd also like to suggest considering a print subscription. This year my family started subscribing to the print edition to cut down on screens in front of the kids. Reading the comics and the Celtics article has become a lovely tradition with breakfast.

Santiago and other condo owners collaborate to get rooftop solar system - Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

Another great Boston story about the clean energy transition: goclean.masscec.com/santiago-and...

As someone who has lived in a triple decker condo and now a two-family condo, I appreciate the focus on what it can look like to get solar in these small multi-family buildings.

Santiago and other condo owners collaborate to get rooftop solar system - Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

My Massachusetts Clean Energy Center colleagues along with Stark / Raving have created a great video about one condo owner's journey to owning solar panels. Thanks Santiago for sharing your story!

goclean.masscec.com/santiago-and...

This Electric House (Dr. Basu) | Rewiring America Boston-based physician and Rewiring America advisor Dr. Gaurab Basu shares the health and climate benefits of using electric appliances during a tour of his electrified home.

Gas in your home? No, thanks! Now is a great time to go electric!
🌍✨
www.rewiringamerica.org/stories/this...

‘Will it keep the house warm? What will it cost?’: How one family got their home off fossil fuels in a year - The Boston Globe “There was something satisfying about shutting off the gas and getting rid of the oil,” said Roslindale homeowner Tim Maher. “But a lot of it’s just been a necessity: what’s broken or not working righ...

Wonderful tips on saving $$ with clean energy retrofits from a wonderful family!

I couldn't watch beyond the first episode after a baby was killed.