December 6, 2025 • 19 mins
In the latest episode of Good News for Lefties, host Wendy King takes listeners on a journey through some significant victories for democracy and social justice.
One of the standout stories comes from a federal court ruling that has limited the ability of immigration officers in Washington, D.C., to make warrantless arrests. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell emphasized that such arrests can only occur when there is probable cause to believe an individual is unlawfully in the country and likely to evade arrest. This ruling is not only a win for immigration advocates but also a step towards ensuring that justice is served fairly and equitably.
Another positive development highlighted in the episode is the reinstatement of crucial federal grants for libraries across the country. Following a federal court decision against the Trump administration's attempt to eliminate these funds, the American Library Association celebrated the restoration of resources that are vital for learning and community engagement. Libraries are essential pillars of our society, providing access to information and services that empower individuals and foster economic opportunities.
The episode also touches on the inspiring story of a suburban Chicago police officer who was detained during a federal immigration operation but has since returned to duty. This story underscores the complexities of immigration enforcement and the importance of legal protections for all individuals, regardless of their status.
In a broader context, Pope Leo's call for diplomatic engagement with Venezuela offers a glimmer of hope amid escalating tensions. His plea for dialogue rather than military action is a reminder that peace is always preferable to conflict, and that the voices advocating for compassion and understanding must be amplified.
Perhaps one of the most innovative stories shared is from a school district in Batesville, Arkansas, which turned a $250,000 budget deficit into a $1.8 million surplus by installing solar panels. This initiative not only saved money but also allowed the district to raise teacher salaries significantly, showcasing how environmental sustainability can lead to economic benefits.
Lastly, the episode discusses the lifetime ban of former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers from an academic society due to his past association with Jeffrey Epstein. This serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability and ethics in leadership roles.
As Wendy King wraps up the episode, she encourages listeners to share these positive stories with friends and family. In times when negativity can dominate the headlines, it’s crucial to focus on the good news and the progress being made.
Story Links:
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5631752-judge-limits-warrantless-arrests-ice-dc/
https://www.ala.org/news/2025/12/ala-welcomes-reinstatement-all-federal-imls-grants-libraries
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/suburban-chicago-cop-arrested-by-ice-returns-duty-2025-12-03/?link_source=ta_bluesky_link&taid=692fcf96cdf93000014241f4&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky
https://www.commondreams.org/news/pope-trump-venezuela
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/arkansas-school-solar-panels-teacher-pay-raise
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/academic-society-bans-larry-summers-for-life-over-his-close-ties-to-jeffrey-epstein/?link_source=ta_bluesky_link&taid=692fcaf2cdf93000014241d1&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=bluesky
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/good-news-for-lefties-daily-news-for-democracy--6256627/support.
One of the standout stories comes from a federal court ruling that has limited the ability of immigration officers in Washington, D.C., to make warrantless arrests. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell emphasized that such arrests can only occur when there is probable cause to believe an individual is unlawfully in the country and likely to evade arrest. This ruling is not only a win for immigration advocates but also a step towards ensuring that justice is served fairly and equitably.
Another positive development highlighted in the episode is the reinstatement of crucial federal grants for libraries across the country. Following a federal court decision against the Trump administration's attempt to eliminate these funds, the American Library Association celebrated the restoration of resources that are vital for learning and community engagement. Libraries are essential pillars of our society, providing access to information and services that empower individuals and foster economic opportunities.
The episode also touches on the inspiring story of a suburban Chicago police officer who was detained during a federal immigration operation but has since returned to duty. This story underscores the complexities of immigration enforcement and the importance of legal protections for all individuals, regardless of their status.
In a broader context, Pope Leo's call for diplomatic engagement with Venezuela offers a glimmer of hope amid escalating tensions. His plea for dialogue rather than military action is a reminder that peace is always preferable to conflict, and that the voices advocating for compassion and understanding must be amplified.
Perhaps one of the most innovative stories shared is from a school district in Batesville, Arkansas, which turned a $250,000 budget deficit into a $1.8 million surplus by installing solar panels. This initiative not only saved money but also allowed the district to raise teacher salaries significantly, showcasing how environmental sustainability can lead to economic benefits.
Lastly, the episode discusses the lifetime ban of former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers from an academic society due to his past association with Jeffrey Epstein. This serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability and ethics in leadership roles.
As Wendy King wraps up the episode, she encourages listeners to share these positive stories with friends and family. In times when negativity can dominate the headlines, it’s crucial to focus on the good news and the progress being made.
Story Links:
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5631752-judge-limits-warrantless-arrests-ice-dc/
https://www.ala.org/news/2025/12/ala-welcomes-reinstatement-all-federal-imls-grants-libraries
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/suburban-chicago-cop-arrested-by-ice-returns-duty-2025-12-03/?link_source=ta_bluesky_link&taid=692fcf96cdf93000014241f4&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky
https://www.commondreams.org/news/pope-trump-venezuela
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/arkansas-school-solar-panels-teacher-pay-raise
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/academic-society-bans-larry-summers-for-life-over-his-close-ties-to-jeffrey-epstein/?link_source=ta_bluesky_link&taid=692fcaf2cdf93000014241d1&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=bluesky
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/good-news-for-lefties-daily-news-for-democracy--6256627/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good News for Lefties. Hi, and thanks for joining us
on this edition of Good News for Lefties. I'm your
weekend host, Wendy King, ready to help you with some
uplifting stories for democracy defenders, progressives, and just anyone who
believes in making America a better place. To help spread
(00:28):
the good news, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
or whatever platform you choose. This helps more democrats like
you hear more good news stories. Okay, our first good
news story comes from the Hill. A federal judge has
(00:49):
limited the extent to which immigration officers in Washington, DC
can make warrantless arrests, allowing the move only if they
believe an immigrant is likely to run. US District Judge
Beryl Howell said in her eighty eight page ruling that
the law only allows arrests without a warrant when immigration
(01:10):
officers have probable cause indicating that someone is in the
country illegally and likely to escape. The decision is a
victory for immigration advocates, who had argued immigration officers sent
into the city in August were making indiscriminate arrests as
part of an arrest first asked questions later policy Judge
(01:35):
Howell wrote, put simply, immigration enforcement officers may conduct a
warrantless civil immigration arrest only if they have probable cause
to believe that a person is both in the United
States unlawfully and an escape risk. During the month immigration
officials were first dispatched to Washington, d C Immigration arrests
(01:59):
accounted for forty percent of all arrests in the district.
In earlier filings, DHS officials had stated they needed only
the lower standard of reasonable suspicion to justify making a
warrantless arrest. Howell characterized such remarks as quote blatant misstatements
(02:20):
about the nia's requirements for such arrests repeatedly espoused by
DHS high ranking officials. Ice officers must have a warrant
to make an arrest, and they must use a probable
cause standard to determine whether someone might try to evade
rest during the case. However, DHS officials argued officers might
(02:44):
have had trouble differentiating between the two standards in advising officers.
This prompted a stern response from Judge Howell. She wrote,
this is a remarkable assertion. On its face, the government's
defense appears to be that the individuals behind these statements
(03:04):
are ignorant or incompetent, or both. She also quoted Chief
Border Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino, pointing to a statement in
which he made a clear distinction between the two. He said, quote,
we need reasonable suspicion to make an immigrant arrest. You
(03:25):
notice I did not say probable cause, nor did I
say I need a warrant unquote. The American Library Association
is welcoming an announcement by the Institute of Museum and
Library Services saying that it's reinstated all the agency's grants,
(03:46):
including those to libraries and library organizations across the country.
The grant reinstatements come as a direct result of a
November twenty first federal court decision in a lawsuit brought
against President Trump by twenty one states. American Library Association
President Sam Helnik said the ALA welcomes the good news
(04:11):
that the Institute of Museum and Library Services is restoring
all federal grants that had been previously terminated. This means
that libraries across the country will be able to resume
vital services for learning, imagination, and economic opportunity. Restoration of
(04:31):
these grants is a massive win for libraries of all
kinds in all states. Every public school and academic library
and their patrons benefit from the research findings and program
outcomes from individual library and organization grantees. We are breathing
(04:51):
a sigh of relief, but the fight is not finished.
The administration can appeal court decisions. Congress can choose use
to not fund the Institute for Museum and Library Services
in future years. The ALA calls on everyone who values
libraries to remind their congress members and elected officials on
(05:14):
every level why America's libraries deserve more, not fewer resources.
On March fourteenth, President Trump issued an executive order which
directed the elimination of the agency. Subsequently, the Trump administration
began mass termination of the agency's grants. On November twenty first,
(05:36):
the US District Court for the District of Rhode Island
struck down the Trump Administration's attempt to dismantle the Institute
for Museums and Library Services. The decision was issued in
response to a lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of
twenty one states. The agency's reinstatement of grants follows that ruling,
(05:59):
and along with the state's litigation, the Library Association has
also led efforts in Congress and the courts to preserve
the Institute for Museum and Library Services. We'll be back
in just a minute with good news for lefties.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Here's what you've been missing on the Stephanie Miller Happy
Hour podcast. Great Guttfeld on the double tap boat strike.
It's just better for us to kill them in the ocean,
make them shark feed, be done with it. We've played
Megan Kelly yesterday saying she likes to watch this. She
hopes it's slow. That they lose a limb and bleed out, disgusting.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
They're all discussed what's.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Happened to our country? Seriously, like that half of it.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
They've lost their souls. They've sold them out. I don't
know the highest bidder, but we talked about this on
the beans. The admiral that actually approved this's I hate
to say it. You can't say I'm just following orders anymore.
These are legal, unconstitutional orders. You are also responsible in
committing more crimes. That's why those six senators and those
representatives put out that video that says you don't have
(06:58):
to follow unlawful orders. That's what the video was fo.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, I mean as we keep saying, the Abu grab
soldiers went to jail, Nazis went to jail. You're right,
I was following orders. Has never cut it. But yeah,
this justin said of gut Phil. Why is this rhetoric
allowed on TV presented as news. We need a full
reboot of morality in this country. It's beyond embarrassing at
this point. These are the people that are always lecturing
(07:22):
us gays on morality right, absolutely, and it really is.
It's not partisan anymore, Dan, It's just good and evil.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I was thinking about that the other day when everyone's like,
don't say us and them, we have to come together. No,
there isn't us into them. Now, there's us that believe
that people should not be just getting killed in the
middle of the oceans, that believe that trans people should
have the healthcare they need, that believe that black people
shouldn't be shot.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
In the streets.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Subscribe to the Stephanie Miller Happy Hour podcast on Apple Podcasts,
Stephanie Miller dot com, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
And now here's another good news story.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
This from.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
A suburban Chicago police officer who was detained during a
high profile federal immigration enforcement surge in the area has
now returned to duty. Radul Boujevic, an officer with the
Hanover Park Police Department, was arrested by ICE agents during
Operation Midway Blitz, a month's long deportation campaign launched by
(08:24):
the Trump administration in the Chicago area in September. DHS
announced Bojevik's arrest with much fanfare in a press release
on October sixteenth, saying he had overstayed a tourist visa
after arriving in the US from Montenegro. But the Hanover
Park Police Department quickly responded with a statement saying Boshevik
(08:47):
was working in the country legally, having presented a work
authorization card and passed FBI and Illinois State Police background checks. Boujevic,
who was held at a detention center in Brazil, Indiana,
was then released on bond on October thirty. First Deputy
Chief Victor de Vito said in a statement even that
(09:10):
his bond was not contested and he remains authorized to
work by the federal government. The Hanover Park Police Department
determined that he may return to work. He also said
Bozevik would receive back pay for the time he was
on leave. During his detention, according to DHS, ICE officers
(09:30):
had arrested more than forty two hundred people in the
Chicago area during Operation Midway Blitz. Okay, this good news
story comes from Common Dreams dot org. Amid escalating threats
from the White House in recent days, Pope Leo is
now pleading for President Trump to pursue diplomacy with Venezuela
(09:55):
rather than another regime change war, he spoke as he
was returning home from Lebanon. It is better to search
for ways of dialogue or perhaps pressure, including economic pressure,
he said. Since September, the Trump administration has launched air
strikes against at least twenty two boats, most of them
(10:18):
in the Southern Caribbean, and have extra judicially killed at
least eighty three people. While the administration has claimed these
people are quote Narco terrorists from Venezuela, it has provided
no evidence to support this. Trump said he ordered the
closing of Venezuela's airspace on Saturday, which has left many
(10:42):
observers holding their breath in expectation of military action against
the South American nation. Trump also offered safe passage to
Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro last month if he left the country,
suggesting that regime change is the administration's ultimate goal, the
(11:03):
Pope said, on the one hand, it seems there was
a call between the two presidents. On the other hand,
there is the danger. There is the possibility there will
be some activity, some military operation. The Pope added. The
voices that come from the United States, they change with
(11:23):
a certain frequency. The Pope has often criticized President Trump's
policies since he was elected earlier this year, with harsh
rebukes issued toward the White House's attacks on immigrants. While
the Pope didn't denounce the idea of US imposed regime
change in Venezuela entirely, he said it should search for
(11:46):
other means if that is what the United States wants
to do. The US has notably already applied a great
deal of economic pressure to Venezuela with crippling sanctions that
are considered one of the major causes of the nation's
economic instability. Pope Leo said, Venezuela as bishops are looking
(12:09):
for ways to calm the situation and pursue the good
of the people, because so often who suffers in these
situations is the people, not the authorities. Coming up next,
a listener suggested story. We'll be back in just a
minute with good news for lefties. Hi, I'm John Fugelsk.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
And I'm Professor Corey Bretschneider, and we are here to
tell you about The Oath and the Office, an essential
new podcast about the extremely strange times we find ourselves in.
In the first few seconds in office, the President of
the United States is required to take an oath to preserve, protect,
and defend the Constitution, and we're going to hold him
to that pledge despite the fact that he has threatened
democracy and even the law itself.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
It's all about hope for what democracy should look like
and getting real about what our democracy does look like.
From an esteemed constitutional scholar and a deeply unqualified comedian.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Subscribe to The Oath in the Office wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Okay, it's time for our listeners suggested story. This next
story was sent in by Marianne Salinger from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The story from Good Good Good dot co. A school
district in Batesville, Arkansas, has installed solar panels at their
(13:34):
schools and they've turned a two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars annual budget deficit into a one point eight million
dollar surplus, which is enough to give every teacher a
raise of up to fifteen thousand dollars. Today, more than
nine thousand schools across the country are using solar power,
(13:56):
and over six million students attend a solar powered school. However,
Batesville School District seems to be the first one to
turn its savings into paychecks, with annual salaries averaging about
forty five thousand dollars. In the school district, many educators
worked second jobs or left for better paying opportunities. The
(14:20):
district was not only left with a retention problem, they
also reported having difficulty attracting new teachers to their town,
which only has about ten thousand residents. Superintendent Michael Hester said,
we were willing to take some risks because the option
was we weren't getting anywhere. Our budget was going nowhere.
(14:42):
He said. We were trying to find ways to create
space inside our budget that we already had. Out of
desperation comes innovation. After conducting an audit, Hester was shocked
after discovering that his district could have saved at least
two point four million dollars over a span of twenty
(15:02):
years if the district opted for clean energy alternatives like
solar power. The school transformed an unused field into a
solar energy farm, and it covered the front of its
high school in fifteen hundred panels. Now, schools within this
Arkansas district are seeing an increase in resumes and fewer resignations.
(15:26):
The project's success has since inspired others in the surrounding
area to follow suit. According to Superintendent Hester, there's at
least twenty school districts just in our area that have
emulated our model. We have the numbers to prove and
to show from performance that we're walking the walk. That's
(15:47):
a slam dunk for districts around US. Big thanks to
Marianne Salinger from Louisiana for sending in that good news story.
All right now, Our final good news story is from
Canada from ctvnews dot CA. Former US Treasury Secretary Larry
(16:09):
Summers is now banned for life from an academic society
in the latest fallout over recently released emails which showed
he maintained a friendly relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after the
disgraced financier pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
The American Economic Association, a nonprofit scholarly association which is
(16:35):
dedicated to economic research, said it had accepted Summer's resignation
and banned him for life from attending, speaking at, or
otherwise participating at any of their events. The Epstein emails
include messages in which Summers appears to be getting advice
(16:55):
from Epstein about pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman,
one who viewed him as an economic mentor. Epstein wrote,
I'm a pretty good wingman. No. The next day, Summers
told Epstein that he had texted the woman, telling her
that he had something brief to say to her. He
(17:16):
asked Epstein, am I thanking her or being sorry regarding
me being married? I think The former Summer's wife, Alissa Knew,
also emailed Epstein a few times, including a twenty fifteen
message in which she thanked him for arranging financial support
for a poetry project that she was directing. After the
(17:39):
emails came out, Summers went on leave from teaching at
Harvard University and from his position as director of the
mossavar Ravani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard
Kennedy School. Other organizations that ended their affiliations with Somers
include the Center for American progress Es, the Center for
(18:01):
Global Development, and the Budget Lab at Yale University. Summers
served as Treasury Secretary from nineteen ninety nine to two
thousand and one under President Bill Clinton. He was the
president of Harvard for five years from two thousand and
one to two thousand and six. When he was asked
about the emails, Summers issued a statement saying that his
(18:24):
association with Epstein was quote a major error in judgment.
That's all for today. Remember to share this podcast with
your friend's family, and anyone else who needs a dose
of optimism. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
or wherever you tune in. You can also find us
(18:46):
on Facebook, Blue Sky, and Instagram. Because good news deserves
to go viral. Until next time, I'm Wendy King reporting
this is good news for lefties and America to
Good News for Lefties. Hi, and thanks for joining us
on this edition of Good News for Lefties. I'm your
weekend host, Wendy King, ready to help you with some
uplifting stories for democracy defenders, progressives, and just anyone who
believes in making America a better place. To help spread
(00:28):
the good news, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
or whatever platform you choose. This helps more democrats like
you hear more good news stories. Okay, our first good
news story comes from the Hill. A federal judge has
(00:49):
limited the extent to which immigration officers in Washington, DC
can make warrantless arrests, allowing the move only if they
believe an immigrant is likely to run. US District Judge
Beryl Howell said in her eighty eight page ruling that
the law only allows arrests without a warrant when immigration
(01:10):
officers have probable cause indicating that someone is in the
country illegally and likely to escape. The decision is a
victory for immigration advocates, who had argued immigration officers sent
into the city in August were making indiscriminate arrests as
part of an arrest first asked questions later policy Judge
(01:35):
Howell wrote, put simply, immigration enforcement officers may conduct a
warrantless civil immigration arrest only if they have probable cause
to believe that a person is both in the United
States unlawfully and an escape risk. During the month immigration
officials were first dispatched to Washington, d C Immigration arrests
(01:59):
accounted for forty percent of all arrests in the district.
In earlier filings, DHS officials had stated they needed only
the lower standard of reasonable suspicion to justify making a
warrantless arrest. Howell characterized such remarks as quote blatant misstatements
(02:20):
about the nia's requirements for such arrests repeatedly espoused by
DHS high ranking officials. Ice officers must have a warrant
to make an arrest, and they must use a probable
cause standard to determine whether someone might try to evade
rest during the case. However, DHS officials argued officers might
(02:44):
have had trouble differentiating between the two standards in advising officers.
This prompted a stern response from Judge Howell. She wrote,
this is a remarkable assertion. On its face, the government's
defense appears to be that the individuals behind these statements
(03:04):
are ignorant or incompetent, or both. She also quoted Chief
Border Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino, pointing to a statement in
which he made a clear distinction between the two. He said, quote,
we need reasonable suspicion to make an immigrant arrest. You
(03:25):
notice I did not say probable cause, nor did I
say I need a warrant unquote. The American Library Association
is welcoming an announcement by the Institute of Museum and
Library Services saying that it's reinstated all the agency's grants,
(03:46):
including those to libraries and library organizations across the country.
The grant reinstatements come as a direct result of a
November twenty first federal court decision in a lawsuit brought
against President Trump by twenty one states. American Library Association
President Sam Helnik said the ALA welcomes the good news
(04:11):
that the Institute of Museum and Library Services is restoring
all federal grants that had been previously terminated. This means
that libraries across the country will be able to resume
vital services for learning, imagination, and economic opportunity. Restoration of
(04:31):
these grants is a massive win for libraries of all
kinds in all states. Every public school and academic library
and their patrons benefit from the research findings and program
outcomes from individual library and organization grantees. We are breathing
(04:51):
a sigh of relief, but the fight is not finished.
The administration can appeal court decisions. Congress can choose use
to not fund the Institute for Museum and Library Services
in future years. The ALA calls on everyone who values
libraries to remind their congress members and elected officials on
(05:14):
every level why America's libraries deserve more, not fewer resources.
On March fourteenth, President Trump issued an executive order which
directed the elimination of the agency. Subsequently, the Trump administration
began mass termination of the agency's grants. On November twenty first,
(05:36):
the US District Court for the District of Rhode Island
struck down the Trump Administration's attempt to dismantle the Institute
for Museums and Library Services. The decision was issued in
response to a lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of
twenty one states. The agency's reinstatement of grants follows that ruling,
(05:59):
and along with the state's litigation, the Library Association has
also led efforts in Congress and the courts to preserve
the Institute for Museum and Library Services. We'll be back
in just a minute with good news for lefties.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Here's what you've been missing on the Stephanie Miller Happy
Hour podcast. Great Guttfeld on the double tap boat strike.
It's just better for us to kill them in the ocean,
make them shark feed, be done with it. We've played
Megan Kelly yesterday saying she likes to watch this. She
hopes it's slow. That they lose a limb and bleed out, disgusting.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
They're all discussed what's.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Happened to our country? Seriously, like that half of it.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
They've lost their souls. They've sold them out. I don't
know the highest bidder, but we talked about this on
the beans. The admiral that actually approved this's I hate
to say it. You can't say I'm just following orders anymore.
These are legal, unconstitutional orders. You are also responsible in
committing more crimes. That's why those six senators and those
representatives put out that video that says you don't have
(06:58):
to follow unlawful orders. That's what the video was fo.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, I mean as we keep saying, the Abu grab
soldiers went to jail, Nazis went to jail. You're right,
I was following orders. Has never cut it. But yeah,
this justin said of gut Phil. Why is this rhetoric
allowed on TV presented as news. We need a full
reboot of morality in this country. It's beyond embarrassing at
this point. These are the people that are always lecturing
(07:22):
us gays on morality right, absolutely, and it really is.
It's not partisan anymore, Dan, It's just good and evil.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I was thinking about that the other day when everyone's like,
don't say us and them, we have to come together. No,
there isn't us into them. Now, there's us that believe
that people should not be just getting killed in the
middle of the oceans, that believe that trans people should
have the healthcare they need, that believe that black people
shouldn't be shot.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
In the streets.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Subscribe to the Stephanie Miller Happy Hour podcast on Apple Podcasts,
Stephanie Miller dot com, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
And now here's another good news story.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
This from.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
A suburban Chicago police officer who was detained during a
high profile federal immigration enforcement surge in the area has
now returned to duty. Radul Boujevic, an officer with the
Hanover Park Police Department, was arrested by ICE agents during
Operation Midway Blitz, a month's long deportation campaign launched by
(08:24):
the Trump administration in the Chicago area in September. DHS
announced Bojevik's arrest with much fanfare in a press release
on October sixteenth, saying he had overstayed a tourist visa
after arriving in the US from Montenegro. But the Hanover
Park Police Department quickly responded with a statement saying Boshevik
(08:47):
was working in the country legally, having presented a work
authorization card and passed FBI and Illinois State Police background checks. Boujevic,
who was held at a detention center in Brazil, Indiana,
was then released on bond on October thirty. First Deputy
Chief Victor de Vito said in a statement even that
(09:10):
his bond was not contested and he remains authorized to
work by the federal government. The Hanover Park Police Department
determined that he may return to work. He also said
Bozevik would receive back pay for the time he was
on leave. During his detention, according to DHS, ICE officers
(09:30):
had arrested more than forty two hundred people in the
Chicago area during Operation Midway Blitz. Okay, this good news
story comes from Common Dreams dot org. Amid escalating threats
from the White House in recent days, Pope Leo is
now pleading for President Trump to pursue diplomacy with Venezuela
(09:55):
rather than another regime change war, he spoke as he
was returning home from Lebanon. It is better to search
for ways of dialogue or perhaps pressure, including economic pressure,
he said. Since September, the Trump administration has launched air
strikes against at least twenty two boats, most of them
(10:18):
in the Southern Caribbean, and have extra judicially killed at
least eighty three people. While the administration has claimed these
people are quote Narco terrorists from Venezuela, it has provided
no evidence to support this. Trump said he ordered the
closing of Venezuela's airspace on Saturday, which has left many
(10:42):
observers holding their breath in expectation of military action against
the South American nation. Trump also offered safe passage to
Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro last month if he left the country,
suggesting that regime change is the administration's ultimate goal, the
(11:03):
Pope said, on the one hand, it seems there was
a call between the two presidents. On the other hand,
there is the danger. There is the possibility there will
be some activity, some military operation. The Pope added. The
voices that come from the United States, they change with
(11:23):
a certain frequency. The Pope has often criticized President Trump's
policies since he was elected earlier this year, with harsh
rebukes issued toward the White House's attacks on immigrants. While
the Pope didn't denounce the idea of US imposed regime
change in Venezuela entirely, he said it should search for
(11:46):
other means if that is what the United States wants
to do. The US has notably already applied a great
deal of economic pressure to Venezuela with crippling sanctions that
are considered one of the major causes of the nation's
economic instability. Pope Leo said, Venezuela as bishops are looking
(12:09):
for ways to calm the situation and pursue the good
of the people, because so often who suffers in these
situations is the people, not the authorities. Coming up next,
a listener suggested story. We'll be back in just a
minute with good news for lefties. Hi, I'm John Fugelsk.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
And I'm Professor Corey Bretschneider, and we are here to
tell you about The Oath and the Office, an essential
new podcast about the extremely strange times we find ourselves in.
In the first few seconds in office, the President of
the United States is required to take an oath to preserve, protect,
and defend the Constitution, and we're going to hold him
to that pledge despite the fact that he has threatened
democracy and even the law itself.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
It's all about hope for what democracy should look like
and getting real about what our democracy does look like.
From an esteemed constitutional scholar and a deeply unqualified comedian.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Subscribe to The Oath in the Office wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Okay, it's time for our listeners suggested story. This next
story was sent in by Marianne Salinger from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The story from Good Good Good dot co. A school
district in Batesville, Arkansas, has installed solar panels at their
(13:34):
schools and they've turned a two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars annual budget deficit into a one point eight million
dollar surplus, which is enough to give every teacher a
raise of up to fifteen thousand dollars. Today, more than
nine thousand schools across the country are using solar power,
(13:56):
and over six million students attend a solar powered school. However,
Batesville School District seems to be the first one to
turn its savings into paychecks, with annual salaries averaging about
forty five thousand dollars. In the school district, many educators
worked second jobs or left for better paying opportunities. The
(14:20):
district was not only left with a retention problem, they
also reported having difficulty attracting new teachers to their town,
which only has about ten thousand residents. Superintendent Michael Hester said,
we were willing to take some risks because the option
was we weren't getting anywhere. Our budget was going nowhere.
(14:42):
He said. We were trying to find ways to create
space inside our budget that we already had. Out of
desperation comes innovation. After conducting an audit, Hester was shocked
after discovering that his district could have saved at least
two point four million dollars over a span of twenty
(15:02):
years if the district opted for clean energy alternatives like
solar power. The school transformed an unused field into a
solar energy farm, and it covered the front of its
high school in fifteen hundred panels. Now, schools within this
Arkansas district are seeing an increase in resumes and fewer resignations.
(15:26):
The project's success has since inspired others in the surrounding
area to follow suit. According to Superintendent Hester, there's at
least twenty school districts just in our area that have
emulated our model. We have the numbers to prove and
to show from performance that we're walking the walk. That's
(15:47):
a slam dunk for districts around US. Big thanks to
Marianne Salinger from Louisiana for sending in that good news story.
All right now, Our final good news story is from
Canada from ctvnews dot CA. Former US Treasury Secretary Larry
(16:09):
Summers is now banned for life from an academic society
in the latest fallout over recently released emails which showed
he maintained a friendly relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after the
disgraced financier pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
The American Economic Association, a nonprofit scholarly association which is
(16:35):
dedicated to economic research, said it had accepted Summer's resignation
and banned him for life from attending, speaking at, or
otherwise participating at any of their events. The Epstein emails
include messages in which Summers appears to be getting advice
(16:55):
from Epstein about pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman,
one who viewed him as an economic mentor. Epstein wrote,
I'm a pretty good wingman. No. The next day, Summers
told Epstein that he had texted the woman, telling her
that he had something brief to say to her. He
(17:16):
asked Epstein, am I thanking her or being sorry regarding
me being married? I think The former Summer's wife, Alissa Knew,
also emailed Epstein a few times, including a twenty fifteen
message in which she thanked him for arranging financial support
for a poetry project that she was directing. After the
(17:39):
emails came out, Summers went on leave from teaching at
Harvard University and from his position as director of the
mossavar Ravani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard
Kennedy School. Other organizations that ended their affiliations with Somers
include the Center for American progress Es, the Center for
(18:01):
Global Development, and the Budget Lab at Yale University. Summers
served as Treasury Secretary from nineteen ninety nine to two
thousand and one under President Bill Clinton. He was the
president of Harvard for five years from two thousand and
one to two thousand and six. When he was asked
about the emails, Summers issued a statement saying that his
(18:24):
association with Epstein was quote a major error in judgment.
That's all for today. Remember to share this podcast with
your friend's family, and anyone else who needs a dose
of optimism. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
or wherever you tune in. You can also find us
(18:46):
on Facebook, Blue Sky, and Instagram. Because good news deserves
to go viral. Until next time, I'm Wendy King reporting
this is good news for lefties and America to
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