America (Could Be) Beautiful

We Don't Believe You

Here is the GPL News Brief for July 15th 2026: Here Is Today’s Stories: Hakeem Jeffries says he will oppose bid to cut off Israel aid [https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/14/congress/hakeem-jeffries-israel-aid-00996273] The Democrats Face Another Divisive Vote on Military Aid to Israel [https://newrepublic.com/article/213082/democrats-military-aid-israel-divisive-vote?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tnr_daily] In seismic shift, more than 100 House Democrats vote to end Israel aid [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/15/israel-aid-vote-house-democrats-00999917] Almost Half of House Democrats Vote to End Aid to Israel [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/us/politics/democrats-house-israel-vote-aid.html] Trump’s Latest C.D.C. Nominee Vows Not to ‘Betray the Science’ [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/health/cdc-erica-schwartz.html] Blanche AG confirmation rocky as Cornyn, Dems press him on ‘anti-weaponization’ fund [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5970491-blanche-ag-confirmation-cornyn-anti-weaponization/] Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone [https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-pentagon-testosterone-testing-troops-47333bbf3af9e4cac432722332ff1383] One person dead and 16 rescued after boat sinks off Alcatraz Island [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/san-francisco-fire-boat-alcatraz-rescue-b3015020.html] U.S. Mint produces a $1 coin bearing Trump’s face to help celebrate America’s 250th birthday [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/u-s-mint-produces-a-1-coin-bearing-trumps-face-to-help-celebrate-americas-250th-birthday] Team Trump hits the brakes on honoring Harriet Tubman on a $20 bill [https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/team-trump-hits-the-brakes-on-honoring-harriet-tubman-on-a-20-bill] Argentina defeats England 2-1 after late goals [https://apnews.com/live/world-cup-argentina-england-semifinal] I just….need one more moment with my boo Jude. Those are your headlines for today. We release a recap of all the news of the week on Fridays, so if you haven’t yet, please like, subscribe, and restack on Substack so these and all our newsletters get delivered to your mailbox! For Free! We keep up with all the news for you, so you don’t have to. Aren’t we sweet? Talk to y’all tomorrow! 🚫🤴 Get Pod Local: Where we start Locally while thinking Globally xx Jalon 👉🏽 This daily podcast is free, but if you’d like, please buy Jalon some coffee. She can’t do these newsletters and podcasts without it! (Seriously). Good News! We are now everywhere you get your podcasts! So you can take me on your commute, in the gym, or when I like to listen to podcast, while you’re washing dishes. Subscribe and leave a review for us! Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1QLFWJHBwnlJu9bRhfTifZ?si=c2e20ed4a41441cc] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gpls-daily-news-briefs/id1867604228] The Latest GPL Podcast Episode Is Up! Watch it anywhere you listen / watch this podcast. 👇🏽We’re Also On Youtube! We also post these on our Youtube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@getpodlocal]! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getpodlocal.substack.com [https://getpodlocal.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Taco Tuesday

Here is the GPL News Brief for July 14th 2026: Here Is Today’s Stories: Meta used AI to target workers with medical conditions for layoffs, lawsuit claims [https://www.reuters.com/world/meta-used-ai-target-workers-with-medical-conditions-layoffs-former-employees-2026-07-14/] ICE puts an end to most traffic stops after pair of deadly shootings in the last week: report [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-shootings-traffic-stop-maine-killing-b3014773.html] The Shooter in Maine Was a New ICE Recruit [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/07/ice-vehicle-shooting-maine-dhs/687912/] Taco Bell now under investigation over outbreak of parasite that causes ‘explosive diarrhea,’ report says [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/taco-bell-diarrhea-parasite-outbreak-b3014543.html] Perfect segue to remind you that a new episode of Get Pod Local has dropped! And we talk about food monopolies and farmers with the Democratic Nominee for Texas Agriculture, Clayton Tucker [https://www.claytontuckertx.com/]. Trump backtracks on plan to charge 20 percent fee for ships traveling through Strait of Hormuz [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/14/donald-trump-strait-of-hormuz-fee-backtrack-00996551?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication] How Marco Rubio Is Running Venezuela From Afar [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/us/politics/how-marco-rubio-runs-venezuela.html] Mexico prepares legal action against ICE over migrant deaths [https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-07-14/mexico-prepares-legal-action-against-ice-over-migrant-deaths.html] House Republicans to meet with Hegseth at Pentagon on $350 billion request [https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5967749-house-republicans-defense-funding-hegseth-pentagon/] Hegseth announces joint task force to identify and prosecute leakers [https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5965945-hegeseth-crackdown-media-leaks/] Those are your headlines for today. We release a recap of all the news of the week on Fridays, so if you haven’t yet, please like, subscribe, and restack on Substack so these and all our newsletters get delivered to your mailbox! For Free! We keep up with all the news for you, so you don’t have to. Aren’t we sweet? Talk to y’all tomorrow! 🚫🤴 Get Pod Local: Where we start Locally while thinking Globally xx Jalon 👉🏽 This daily podcast is free, but if you’d like, please buy Jalon some coffee. She can’t do these newsletters and podcasts without it! (Seriously). Good News! We are now everywhere you get your podcasts! So you can take me on your commute, in the gym, or when I like to listen to podcast, while you’re washing dishes. Subscribe and leave a review for us! Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1QLFWJHBwnlJu9bRhfTifZ?si=c2e20ed4a41441cc] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gpls-daily-news-briefs/id1867604228] The Latest GPL Podcast Episode Is Up! Watch it anywhere you listen / watch this podcast. 👇🏽We’re Also On Youtube! We also post these on our Youtube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@getpodlocal]! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getpodlocal.substack.com [https://getpodlocal.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Diva Down

Here is the GPL News Brief for July 13th 2026: Now, you know good and well why I picked this song today. Here Is Today’s Stories: Mitch McConnell Breaks Silence With Statement and Photo Amid Questions About Health Status [https://time.com/article/2026/07/13/mitch-mcconnell-breaks-silence-with-statement-and-photo-amid-questions-about-health-status/] McConnell says a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking weeks of silence [https://www.npr.org/2026/07/13/nx-s1-5891492/mcconnell-fall-hospitalization] Lindsey Graham, Republican Senator and Trump Ally, Dies From ‘Sudden Illness’ [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/us/politics/lindsey-graham-dead.html] Sen. Lindsey Graham likely died after aorta tear, medical examiner says [https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-graham-dies-south-carolina-bfa556e170f2df22ce9ffc7165da3dfa] Lindsey Graham’s journey from a pool hall to the heights of political power [https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-graham-south-carolina-senate-trump-88aaf34c3a2f1daa382b80b2099ccf5f] The Last of the Three Amigos [https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/07/lindsey-graham-ukraine-russia/687898/] Lindsey Graham’s Sister Named to Fill His Senate Seat [https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/lindsey-graham-trump-replacement-sister-ed58d06d] U.S. ICE agent shoots and kills motorist in Maine, senator says [https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ice-shooting-killed-maine-speaker-9.7268524] Trump says he is ‘taking over’ the Strait of Hormuz [https://www.channel4.com/news/trump-says-he-is-taking-over-the-strait-of-hormuz] Hundreds of economists say ‘we must act now’ on AI’s economic impact and job displacement risks [https://apnews.com/article/ai-must-act-now-job-displacement-783469467e0df1463df44518f33295ee] States Sue to Block Paramount’s Deal for Warner Bros. [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/business/paramount-warner-bros-lawsuit.html] California and 11 other Democratic states are taking the Trump-approved Warner-Paramount merger to court. [https://elpais.com/us/2026-07-13/california-nueva-york-y-otros-10-estados-democratas-contraatacan-en-una-demanda-para-frenar-la-fusion-warner-paramount.html] Spain, France, Argentina and England beware: Demons haunt the World Cup semi-finals [https://www.theguardian.com/global/2026/jul/13/world-cup-semi-finals-england-argentina-france-spain] World Cup semifinals: What you need to know, predictions, odds [https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49334623/fifa-world-cup-semifinal-preview-predictions-odds-argentina-england-france-spain] The World Cup’s final four are FIFA’s four top-ranked teams. Is this a coincidence? Not exactly [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7442123/2026/07/13/world-cup-ranking-pairing-semi-final/] Those are your headlines for today. We release a recap of all the news of the week on Fridays, so if you haven’t yet, please like, subscribe, and restack on Substack so these and all our newsletters get delivered to your mailbox! For Free! We keep up with all the news for you, so you don’t have to. Aren’t we sweet? Talk to y’all tomorrow! 🚫🤴 Get Pod Local: Where we start Locally while thinking Globally xx Jalon 👉🏽 This daily podcast is free, but if you’d like, please buy Jalon some coffee. She can’t do these newsletters and podcasts without it! (Seriously). Good News! We are now everywhere you get your podcasts! So you can take me on your commute, in the gym, or when I like to listen to podcast, while you’re washing dishes. Subscribe and leave a review for us! Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1QLFWJHBwnlJu9bRhfTifZ?si=c2e20ed4a41441cc] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gpls-daily-news-briefs/id1867604228] The Latest GPL Podcast Episode Is Up! Watch it anywhere you listen / watch this podcast. 👇🏽We’re Also On Youtube! We also post these on our Youtube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@getpodlocal]! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getpodlocal.substack.com [https://getpodlocal.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

It's (Finally) Friday

Here is the GPL News Brief for July 10th 2026: Here Is Today’s Stories: Trump says he won’t sign bipartisan housing affordability bill [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-he-wont-sign-bipartisan-housing-affordability-bill] The Bipartisan Housing Bill Is Set to Become Law, Despite Trump’s Refusal to Sign It [https://time.com/article/2026/07/10/housing-bill-trump/] The White House is upgrading its front door to fortify the entrance [https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/10/politics/white-house-front-door-fortification?Date=20260710&Profile=CNN&utm_content=1783707215&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter] Witnesses of ICE Killing in Houston Dispute the Official Account [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/us/houston-ice-shooting-witnesses.html] Pete Hegseth Is Pissed at Military Leaders for Dumbest Reason [https://newrepublic.com/post/212951/pete-hegseth-pissed-beards-military] Facebook And Instagram Must Remove ‘Addictive’ Features Like Infinite Scrolling, EU Says [https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2026/07/10/facebook-and-instagram-must-remove-addictive-features-like-infinite-scrolling-eu-says/?utm_source=ForbesMainTwitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ForbesMainTwitter] Meta Now Lets Anyone Use Your Instagram Photos in AI Images—Unless You Opt Out [https://www.wired.com/story/meta-now-lets-anyone-use-your-instagram-photos-in-ai-images-unless-you-opt-out/#intcid=_wired-verso-hp-trending-bktb_c3edf9ee-42e5-4d37-988d-820b5c0d1158_cygnus-personalized] Meta AI now lets people create deepfakes from other users’ Instagram photos without explicit consent [https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/meta-ai-muse-instagram-deepfakes-rcna353480] This just in. Lololol they will keep trying to do the worst shit hoping we won’t carch them. McConnell was loaded into ambulance on a stretcher, according to eyewitness and new video [https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/10/politics/mitch-mcconnell-video-stretcher-ambulance] Boxy forms and odd lights: US declassifies more UFO files [https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c8x2zez8qwzo] Historic Bayeux Tapestry Returns to U.K. for First Time in Nearly 1,000 Years [https://time.com/article/2026/07/10/historic-bayeux-tapestry-returns-to-u-k-for-first-time-in-900-years-here-s-what-to-know/] Prince William Only Had to “Press a Button” to Get Ice Cream at Buckingham Palace [https://www.vanityfair.com/story/prince-william-only-had-to-press-a-button-to-get-ice-cream-at-buckingham-palace] Mbappe stars as France beat Morocco to reach World Cup semi-finals. Can anyone stop them? [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7425134/2026/07/09/france-morocco-world-cup-result-mbappe-dembele/] Merino strikes late as Spain beat Belgium to set up World Cup date with France [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/spain-vs-belgium-live-updates-world-cup-2026-score-result/ah8Ki22aj3Bn/] Those are your headlines for today. We release a recap of all the news of the week on Fridays, so if you haven’t yet, please like, subscribe, and restack on Substack so these and all our newsletters get delivered to your mailbox! For Free! We keep up with all the news for you, so you don’t have to. Aren’t we sweet? Talk to y’all tomorrow! 🚫🤴 Get Pod Local: Where we start Locally while thinking Globally xx Jalon 👉🏽 This daily podcast is free, but if you’d like, please buy Jalon some coffee. She can’t do these newsletters and podcasts without it! (Seriously). Good News! We are now everywhere you get your podcasts! So you can take me on your commute, in the gym, or when I like to listen to podcast, while you’re washing dishes. Subscribe and leave a review for us! Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1QLFWJHBwnlJu9bRhfTifZ?si=c2e20ed4a41441cc] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gpls-daily-news-briefs/id1867604228] The Latest GPL Podcast Episode Is Up! Watch it anywhere you listen / watch this podcast. 👇🏽We’re Also On Youtube! We also post these on our Youtube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@getpodlocal]! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getpodlocal.substack.com [https://getpodlocal.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Insane

Here is the GPL News Brief for July 9th 2026: Here Is Today’s Stories: What to know about Houston ICE shooting and other migrant deaths in Texas [https://www.texastribune.org/2026/07/09/texas-immigration-deaths-ice/] What to know about the fatal shooting of a Houston man by an ICE officer [https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-salgado-araujo-houston-7f8b3218b97c63388fc016b3da9718ee] Family of Man Fatally Shot by ICE Agent Calls for Independent Inquiry [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/us/houston-ice-shooting.html?unlocked_article_code=1.wVA.EZg_.QD_60ABg3-dU&smid=url-share] (Gift Article) Relatives of Houston man fatally shot by ICE agent describe him as ‘hard-working family man’ [https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/immigration/2026/07/08/556533/lorenzo-salgado-araujo-houston-ice-shooting-family-speaks-out/] Texas ICE Killing Darkens: Rep Says Witnesses Pressured to Self-Deport [https://newrepublic.com/article/212900/texas-ice-killing-darkens-rep-says-witnesses-pressured-self-deport] Another Fatal ICE Shooting [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/07/driving-ice-dhs-shooting/687850/?gift=TzpBoWe1BphWIK3SWSLOoqOYxSj1E1XkIk6N_sInLpY&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share] (Gift Article) Class action suit against AI makers over deepfake child sexual abuse material expands [https://www.npr.org/2026/07/09/nx-s1-5885052/spacexai-stabilityai-deepfake-csam-class-action] Graham Platner Finally Drops Out After Campaign Filled With Red Flags [https://newrepublic.com/post/212763/graham-platner-drops-out-what-happens-next-maine-democrat-senate-election] ‘It’s really a question of whether or not you believe the woman’: Trump defends Democrat Platner after assault allegations [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-defends-graham-platner-sexual-assault-b3011879.html] Judge Orders $5 Million Trump Judgment Be Released to E. Jean Carroll [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/us/politics/trump-e-jean-carroll-5-million-payment.html] Trump confuses Iran for US ally in Zelensky Q&A: ‘We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan’ [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-iran-japan-nato-zelensky-meeting-b3011217.html] Trump’s makeup-covered bruised hand on full display as he meets with NATO leaders in Turkey [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-hand-bruise-makeup-nato-b3010754.html] Meet Count Binface: The comedian who wants to challenge UK’s Nigel Farage [https://apnews.com/video/meet-count-binface-the-5000-year-old-space-warrior-who-wants-to-challenge-nigel-farage-11729434d98243568447dadc0b04af55] Quansah banned for two games after Mexico red card [https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cjdgvrnn5n3o] FIFA gives Jarell Quansah two-game ban for red card, would miss England’s World Cup semi-final [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7426609/2026/07/09/jarell-quansah-england-ban-world-cup/] Keir Starmer intervened to oppose Fifa’s plan to move England kick-off time [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/06/keir-starmer-intervened-oppose-fifa-plan-move-england-kick-off-time] Those are your headlines for today. We release a recap of all the news of the week on Fridays, so if you haven’t yet, please like, subscribe, and restack on Substack so these and all our newsletters get delivered to your mailbox! For Free! We keep up with all the news for you, so you don’t have to. Aren’t we sweet? Talk to y’all tomorrow! 🚫🤴 Get Pod Local: Where we start Locally while thinking Globally xx Jalon 👉🏽 This daily podcast is free, but if you’d like, please buy Jalon some coffee. She can’t do these newsletters and podcasts without it! (Seriously). Good News! We are now everywhere you get your podcasts! So you can take me on your commute, in the gym, or when I like to listen to podcast, while you’re washing dishes. Subscribe and leave a review for us! Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1QLFWJHBwnlJu9bRhfTifZ?si=c2e20ed4a41441cc] Listen on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gpls-daily-news-briefs/id1867604228] Your Moment Of Zen Election 2026 James Talarico raises over $30 million in second quarter, campaign says, more than triple Ken Paxton’s sum [https://www.texastribune.org/2026/07/08/texas-james-talarico-senate-fundraising-second-quarter-30-million/?utm_campaign=trib-social&utm_content=1783562541&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook,twitter] Wanna help Texas flip blue? Donate to the TEXAS Democratic Party. The DNC will not send us enough money to really get to work.👇🏽 This newsletter is free, but if you’d like, please buy Jalon some coffee. She can’t do these newsletters without it! (Seriously). Recent Other GPL Newsletters (in case you missed them) The Latest GPL Podcast Episode Is Up! Watch it anywhere you listen / watch this podcast. 👇🏽We’re Also On Youtube! We also post these on our Youtube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@getpodlocal]! Other GPL Goodies Get Pod Local: The Podcast (Season 2!) with Joey and Jalon Joey and Jalon sit down with Politicians, Community Leaders, and movers and shakers making a difference. And almost every episode, the Dallas Mayor catches a stray. He deserves it. It’s fine. New episodes every Thursday! GPL Presents: New Newsletter with Jalon Nichols Every week, Jalon catches you up on what is going on out here, who is doing it, how does that impact your everyday life, and what everyone is saying about. We are based in Texas, so we have a lot of Texas news, but we cover the whole wide world. There is a LOT of stuff going on everyday, and no one can keep up with it all, but we attempt to….for you. (Clap for us). GPL Presents: Organizers Corner w/ Joey Cade Every Sunday night, Joey Cade, our Resident Precinct Chair, lays out our Call To Actions for the week. Because knowing what’s going on is one thing. But doing something about it is another. Let’s do both! GPL Presents: Water Cooler with Jalon and Joey Every morning, Jalon D’na [https://open.substack.com/users/11276285-jalon-dna?utm_source=mentions] and Joey Cade [https://open.substack.com/users/95469853-joey-cade?utm_source=mentions] check in and talk about something we read or saw on slack. Videos drop on some Thursdays! GPL Presents: Daily Briefs with Jalon Nichols Everyday, Jalon reads you the headlines of the day — just to keep you in the know. Think NPR at the top of each hour, with a lot of shade some jokes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getpodlocal.substack.com [https://getpodlocal.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]