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Drought Mutes Fall Foliage Season, But Pockets of Brilliant Color Remain (Maria)

The authors write, “Leaf-peeping season has arrived in the Northeast and beyond, but weeks of drought have muted autumn colors, and sent leaves fluttering to the ground earlier than usual. Soaking in the fall foliage is an annual tradition in the New England states as well as areas such as the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. … But dry weather in summer and fall can change all that because it causes leaves to turn brown and fall more quickly. That’s what’s happening this year as more than 40% of the country was considered to be in a drought in early October, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.”

‘I Love Hitler’: Leaked Messages Expose Young Republicans’ Racist Chat (Laura)

From Politico: “Leaders of Young Republican groups throughout the country worried what would happen if their Telegram chat ever got leaked, but they kept typing anyway. They referred to Black people as monkeys and ‘the watermelon people’ and mused about putting their political opponents in gas chambers. They talked about raping their enemies and driving them to suicide and lauded Republicans who they believed support slavery. … The exchange is part of a trove of Telegram chats — obtained by Politico and spanning more than seven months of messages among Young Republican leaders in New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont. The chat offers an unfiltered look at how a new generation of GOP activists talk when they think no one is listening.”

The State Department Isn’t Telling Congress When US Weapons Fall Into the Wrong Hands (Sean)

The author writes, “On paper, the guardrails are clear. When the U.S. ships weapons overseas, partner governments promise three things: That they’ll use them only for authorized purposes, keep them secure, and not hand them off to third parties. If those conditions are violated or serious suspicions arise that they are, the State Department is obligated to investigate and, in many cases, alert Congress. In practice, however, a new Government Accountability Office report shows the system is ad hoc, with little guidance or follow through. The State Department largely relies on overseas Defense Department officials for tips about potential end-use violations. Since 2019, the Pentagon has flagged more than 150 incidents that could be violations. But the State Department has reported just three end-use violations to Capitol Hill.”

Investigators Found Evidence of Potential Crimes by NH Prison Staff. They Decided Not To Prosecute (Dana)

From New Hampshire Public Radio: “New Hampshire corrections officer Sgt. Christopher Masse was in a jam. He’d somehow learned that one of the inmates in his care at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men was planning to file a complaint about him. On Feb. 15, 2021, while working third shift, Masse texted his colleague Sgt. Thomas Kelley. ‘Holy f*** dude this legal mail and rat notes are out of f***ing hand,’ Masse wrote. But apparently, Kelley had already heard this person was filing a complaint, and Kelley had decided to take matters into his own hands. ‘Dude it’s bad,’ Kelley texted back. ‘I took a ton home with me that probably contain your name.’ Kelley stole six pieces of mail in an apparent bid to intercept inmates’ complaints from reaching their intended destination. He sent a photo to Masse to prove it.”

Tesla’s Cybertruck Is Flopping (Reader Jim)

The author writes, “Tesla’s Cybertruck, once hailed as the company’s bold leap into the future of electric vehicles, is seeing its shine fade fast. According to Cox Automotive, Tesla managed to sell just 5,385 Cybertrucks in the third quarter — a drop of nearly 63% from a year ago, reports Quartz. The decline comes at a time when the overall US EV market is booming, with sales up almost 30% to more than 438,000 vehicles.” 

Portland Cyclists Strip Down in Pouring Rain To Protest Ice Facility and Trump Troop Deployment (Reader Steve)

From The Oregonian: “More than a thousand cyclists in various states of undress braved the rainy streets of Portland on Sunday afternoon to protest President Donald Trump’s attempts to send National Guard troops to the city. Meanwhile, a few hundred more marched from Elizabeth Caruthers Park in the South Waterfront to the nearby US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. ‘Whose streets? Our streets!’ protestors chanted as they walked toward the facility with a huge banner that read ‘Abolish ICE,’ accompanied by a marching band dressed in banana costumes.”