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The Sunday Morning Wrap-Up

Joyce Vance

Oct 18

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Here’s the highlight reel of last week’s posts and events. Grab a cup of coffee and get ready to catch up on anything you missed—links to all of last week’s columns below.

The Week Ahead: We prepared for the week’s legal developments in key matters, including a federal judge’s order to halt the airing of taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ads and the administration’s response; false statements about James Talarico mental health; and subpoenas for the Trump children in Trump’s BBC defamation case.
About ICE: Live with Mike Zamore: The ACLU’s Mike Zamore joined us for an incredibly thoughtful conversation about how the Trump administration‘s mass deportation policy is damaging our democracy and each of us as individuals. This conversation is essential listening. We work through how to talk about what’s happening with people who still seem to be inexplicably on the fence or aware of what’s going on but disengaged from the need to do something about it, especially when it comes to the midterm elections.
Why Now?: It seems likely that the search warrant executed at Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar’s D.C. residence early Monday has more to do with politics than legitimate prosecution. Given the timing, you’d expect the government to make it known if there was some risk of evidence being destroyed, one situation that might warrant an action like this so close in time to an election where she’s on the ballot. But it hasn’t offered any explanation despite the unusual circumstances.
How We Protect Our Elections: Live with Marc Elias: Marc and I discussed the latest on threats, the effort to protect the elections, and why circulating concerns about the Speaker of the House interfering with election certifications aren’t as big a deal as you may have been told they are. We’re realistic about the risks, but this is really about which each of us can be doing right now to make sure our votes count.
It’s More Than Just a Little Routine Maintenance: The administration flouted a judge’s order and cut down more than 400 trees on the East Potomac Golf Course over the weekend. “I have no faith that the government is not going to cut them down unless there’s an order in place not to do so,” Federal District Judge Ana C. Reyes said during a hearing held on Zoom because of the federal holiday on Monday. “Now we’re all going to have a massive fire drill because the government can’t be trusted.” Federal prosecutors have always understood that they could not afford to violate a judge’s trust. But now, behavior that does just that seems to have reached epidemic proportions. Make sure you read this one if you missed it during the week!
Yesterday’s Deluge: Live with Katie Phang: Wednesday morning, Katie Phang and I spent some time discussing a number of cases where the government appears to have abandoned the rule of law. As we acknowledged, it’s hard to talk about that—hard to accept that the Justice Department isn’t, in Trump-adjacent cases, committed to following court orders and respecting the rules other litigants have to abide by. We also spend some time confronting consequences. What can courts, which, after all, don’t have armies, do? What can we do? Definitely more than you might think.
Boiling the Frogs: This is the first in a series of ten essays, based on selections from my book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual For Keeping A Democracy. I’m sure you remember the story of the frog: Placed in the pot while the water is cool, he doesn’t notice when it’s brought to a boil ever so gradually. That was a reasonable explanation for what happened to our country during the first Trump administration. Here’s how the frog metaphor lands with me now, two years into Trump’s second term in office: The danger isn't just failing to recognize what's happening. It's recognizing it and then gradually getting used to it, becoming accustomed to it.
Trump’s Ongoing War Against the Free Press: Trump is not getting the easy victory he thought was at hand in his battle against CNN, MS NOW, and Politico over White House hard passes. We walk through the most recent order in this case, which reveals, among other things, that Trump is his own worst enemy. Much of the Judge’s opinion involves simply laying out things he said and explaining why they violate the First Amendment.
Five Questions with Gina Hinojosa, Democratic Candidate for Texas Governor: Gina Hinojosa is shockingly strong for a Democrat—leading in some polls—in the Texas gubernatorial race as it heads into the home stretch. That doesn’t surprise people who have followed her career as an unlikely politician. Dig in and get to know this remarkable woman.
DOJ v. California: Three weeks before Election Day, Trump’s DOJ tried to stop California from counting ballots based on unproven claims about noncitizen voters. Is the real goal to win in court—or to lay the groundwork for claiming another stolen election?

These are complicated legal times. It’s easy for the truth to get lost in the chaos. Here at Civil Discourse, our goal is to do more than just track headlines. We connect them to the legal precedent and political context that explains why they matter. We don’t forget what’s at stake. We don’t let Trump and his allies rewrite the past.

If you don’t already, subscribe and get analysis based on my 25 years at the Justice Department that will help you see the whole picture and decide for yourself what it means. Your paid subscriptions help me keep the newsletter free and give me the time and resources to research and write it.

We’re in this together,

Joyce

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Sunday, October 18, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1867, the U.S. formally took possession of Alaska, bought from Russia for $7.2 million, or less than two cents an acre. The deal, which added 586,412 square miles (about twice the size of Texas), was championed by Secretary of State William Henry Seward, an ardent expansionist under President Andrew Johnson.

Paul Harvey practically invented personality-driven AM radio with a lilt in his voice and unrivaled storytelling skills. Although he died in 2009, today’s Whatever Happened To… reminds us that his broadcasts are still available through streaming.

In case you missed it on The Flyover Podcast, Amy unpacked the IRS notices landing in millions of mailboxes about a new program that deposits up to $1,000 a year in federal matching money directly into retirement accounts, rather than just trimming your tax bill. But there’s a catch. Plenty of savers will get the full amount while others won’t see a dime, and the difference comes down to a few details on your tax return. Amy covered who qualifies, what disqualifies you, and how to actually claim the money. Tune in here!

We’re always interested in products that take an everyday task and simply make it easier. That’s what caught our attention about today’s sponsor, the Sonic Glow Brush and Water Pick. If you’ve ever wished brushing your teeth was quicker without sacrificing a thorough clean, this is worth a look.

Trump Waives Sanctions on Russia

President Trump signed an executive order on Friday evening to waive many sanctions sought to put pressure on the Kremlin to end its military operations against Ukraine.

The Graham Act, signed into law last month, would have imposed sanctions on all goods brought into the U.S. from the largest importers of Russian crude oil and gas. Trump said the waiver was in the "national interests of the United States."

The decision comes after an announced deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week to release hundreds of thousands of tons of Russian diesel fuel onto the global market as fuel prices soar.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday criticized the “unfortunate” decision to hold back new sanctions on Russia after the country released more devastating attacks on his country’s energy infrastructure.

Details Emerge in Oregon School Shooting

The bystander who stepped in to stop a gunman at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday is a father who has two daughters at the school.

Police said Kaylub Giamanco pursued and fatally shot the 16-year-old attacker, ending a rampage that took the lives of three children and a teacher and wounded two others in a special needs classroom.

The gunman, Griffin J. John II, was once a special needs student at the elementary school. Authorities praised a teacher who threw her phone at John, then tackled and fought with him before he was shot by Giamanco.

Senior law enforcement officers said John’s weapon had been legally purchased by his mother, Shauntai Nickerson, around the time of his August birthday.

LIST: Best Drive-Thru Experiences

Starbucks ranked No. 1 for overall customer satisfaction in an annual drive-thru study, edging out Chick-fil-A and Dutch Bros Coffee.

Mystery shoppers made 165 visits to each brand in June and July. They timed each stop from entering the line to driving away, then graded order accuracy, friendliness, and upselling.

When it came to speed, Tim Hortons led the pack at 4 minutes, 20 seconds, followed by KFC and Dunkin’. Chick-fil-A customers waited longest: 7 minutes, 6 seconds.

Starbucks also led in accuracy. But at lanes using AI ordering, workers said “thank you” far less often.

Enjoy reading The Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country.

➤ A grandfather built a $2 million business by giving families a reason to get lost in a cornfield. (Hear More)

➤ The NBA has built an AI detective to sniff out suspicious bets. (Listen Now)

➤ Three studies suggest that the cold shoulder sometimes conceals a guilty conscience. (Podcast Available)

➤ No. 4 Ohio State snapped No. 5 Indiana's 22-game winning streak with a 19-15 victory, but lost quarterback Julian Sayin for “several weeks” to an arm injury. Nick Marsh's foot landed out of bounds on Indiana's would-be go-ahead touchdown on fourth down. (Watch Play)

➤ Auburn stunned No. 1 Georgia 27-24 in Athens on Alex McPherson's 34-yard field goal as time expired, making it two straight weeks the No. 1 team has fallen to an unranked opponent. No. 14 Tennessee also upset rival No. 6 Alabama 26-10. (Watch Kick)

➤ Gabby Williams scored 26 points as the Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, a series guaranteed to crown a first-time champion. (More)

➤ Today’s NFL slate features the 4-1 Buffalo Bills at the 3-2 Las Vegas Raiders and a primetime matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts have been ruled out of today’s games. (See Preview)

➤ ESPN reached a “handshake agreement” with the College Football Playoff to air the expanded 24-team field starting in 2027. (More)

Weekly Market Report Previous Week

▼	NASDAQ National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations	26,140.03	-4.48%
▼	SPX S&P 500	7,659.44	-1.95%
▲	DJI Dow Jones Industrial Average	52,002.41	0.67%
▼	BTC Bitcoin	$82,046.00	-0.61%
▼	GOLD Per Ounce	$4,165.63	-0.69%
▼	SILVER Per Ounce	$56.99	-6.31%
▲	OIL West Texas Intermediate Crude	$101.41	10.41%

Bitcoin, gold, silver, and oil are traded 24 hours a day.

➤ Stocks slid on Friday amid a shift away from tech and artificial intelligence-related names, along with a rise in oil prices. (More)

➤ Institutions have been buying timberland at a rate of one million acres per year, but investors who already own timberland caution that it may not be very profitable in the short term. (More)

➤ The U.S. federal budget deficit for 2026 came in at $1.992 trillion on Friday, representing about 6% of the gross domestic product. (More)

Today's Rotator section is brought to you by:

Ladies and gentlemen, here are our most-clicked stories of the week:

➤ The IRS is mailing millions of Americans about a new program that puts up to $1,000 a year in matching money straight into retirement accounts, but a few tax return details decide who gets paid. (Podcast Available)

➤ Minnesota’s Travis Gienger won his fifth World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in California with Rocky, a 2,389-pound pumpkin, continuing a tradition that began as a friendly rivalry between towns in 1974. (See Rocky)

➤ Archaeologists discovered what they describe as the world’s oldest shipwreck near Turkey’s Kekova Island, estimating its age at 4,400 to 4,700 years based on pottery shapes and decorations. (See Discovery)

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➤ The U.S. Coast Guard rescued at least 16 people floating 140 miles west of Ensenada, Mexico, early on Friday and continued searching for others. One survivor was treated for a suspected shark bite. (More)

➤ French police arrested at least 272 people on Saturday as protests over rising living costs and school conditions turned violent, with officers using tear gas and water cannons. (More)

➤ Pope Leo XIV left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and returned to the Vatican on Saturday, four days after lung cancer surgery, and plans to lead today’s Angelus prayer. (More)

➤ Mountain bikers in San Juan Capistrano, California, filmed a cyclist fleeing a wall of flames and black smoke from the Norte Fire, which has damaged or destroyed six homes. (See Wildfire)

➤ A nearly 12-foot alligator killed a 71-year-old man Friday after dragging him into a Winter Garden, Florida, pond as he fished from shore. (More)

➤ A southern ground hornbill at Amsterdam’s Artis Zoo became the first bird known to receive 3D-printed upper and lower beak replacements, using them the same day. (See Hornbill)

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➤ There’s a dirty little secret about GLP-1 shots almost nobody is talking about… And it has to do with the way these shots affect people over the age of 60. Researchers are finding they can increase body fat % while eroding your hair, skin, and bones. Read: The 7 Dirty Secrets about GLP-1 Shots

Whatever happened to Paul Harvey?

“Hello Americans, I’m Paul Harvey. Stand by for news!”

If you grew up in a house where the kitchen radio stayed on, or listened to the AM radio in the car, you can still hear it. The pause. The scoop in the voice. The way he said Page two like he was turning an actual newspaper over at the breakfast table.

Paul Harvey was born in Tulsa in 1918 and got his first radio job at 14, sweeping floors at KVOO until somebody let him near a microphone. He went national on ABC in 1951, and from there, he simply never left. At his peak, Harvey reached more than 24 million listeners on over 1,200 stations, plus 300 newspapers carrying his column.

He earned it the hard way. Up at 3:30 a.m., a bowl of oatmeal, then hours combing the wires and calling editors around the country for the small, strange, deeply American stories nobody else bothered with. You can hear many of those stories here.

He wrote his own copy and read his own commercials, which is why half the country bought whatever he said he and his wife, Angel, used at home. Here’s one of his most famous essays, If I Were the Devil, from 1965.

Then, in 1976, came the five minutes that made him immortal. The Rest of the Story, written by his son Paul Jr., would walk you through some forgotten tale and hold back the name until the final beat. “And now you know… the rest of the story.” Then: “Paul Harvey… Good day!”

Harvey died in 2009 at 90, still on the air after 58 years. Rush Limbaugh, who called him “probably the best ambassador radio has ever had,” took the personality-driven AM format Harvey invented and pointed it at politics. Harvey mostly pointed it at people.

The good news is that his show is not really gone. WGN in Chicago brought the old episodes back in 2020, and in Wisconsin, you can still hear “The Rest of the Story” twice a day on WRJN in Racine and on WRCO in Richland Center. Both stream free across the country, so no matter where you live, there’s still Paul Harvey... Good day!

Do you remember listening to Paul Harvey broadcasts? Let us know your radio memories by replying to this email.

A bear wandered into a library in Mammoth Lakes, California, on Winnie-the-Pooh’s 100th anniversary, helped itself to honey, cookies, and other staff snacks, and left without damaging any books.