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Laura L. Davis   | Paste BN

New national test results show the ruinous effects of the pandemic on students. An FBI program you have probably never heard of could be monitoring you right now. And it's technically the first day of fall!

👋 Hey! Laura Davis here. It's time for Thursday's news. Let's boogie.

But first, barkin' 9-to-5! 🐶 If you're looking for something cute for your pooch, look no further than Doggy Parton, Dolly Parton's new line of dog supplies, where you can pick up a Parton-inspired wig for your dog, or even a little doggy cowboy hat or a guitar-shaped toy to chew on. Read all about it here.

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FBI agents monitor social media. Who are they watching?

An FBI program you have probably never heard of could be monitoring you right now. It's called SOMEX, and it was created to use publicly available information to assist in identifying an "unknown subject, victim, or location information" when there's a threat to life. Top FBI leaders have sought to downplay the extent to which the bureau can legally monitor online activities. In reality, officials acknowledged that the FBI can conduct almost unlimited social-media monitoring for law-enforcement purposes. But what happens when the people being threatened are the FBI agents themselves? And what is SOMEX looking for? How the FBI monitors social media.

👀 Dear FBI agents: If you're reading this, hello! Please subscribe and tell your friends. 

Student test scores take a nosedive

When the pandemic began, remote learning was the only education option for most students in the United States. Test scores have suffered as a result. New federal data reveals that 9-year-olds' reading and math scores have declined significantly across the board since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the largest average score decline in reading since 1990, and the first-ever score decline in mathematics, the National Center for Education Statistics said. "It's clear that COVID-19 shocked American education and stunted the academic growth of this age group of children," said commissioner Peggy Carr. "We don’t make this statement lightly."

✏️ From the US education secretary: We can use the national report card to help students.

What everyone's talking about

🇺🇸 President Joe Biden speaks tonight: From Philadelphia, President Biden will address the fight for democracy amid rising threats of political violence. The president's remarks begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. Here's how to watch. 

Keep reading: What Biden hopes to accomplish in his speech.

Judge puts off ruling on Trump's special-master request in Mar-a-Lago search

After listening to nearly 90 minutes of sometimes-heated exchanges between former President Donald Trump’s attorneys and federal prosecutors, a federal judge, who had signaled a willingness to appoint a special master to review documents seized last month from Mar-a-Lago, on Thursday declined to immediately do so. At the request of Trump’s attorneys and news media organizations, she agreed to release a detailed list of items taken Aug. 8, when FBI agents searched Trump’s Florida estate. 

Family calls for accountability after unarmed Ohio man fatally shot by police

An attorney for the family of Donovan Lewis, an unarmed Black man who was killed by Columbus police during an attempted arrest, said Lewis was following commands when the officer fired at him, resulting in his "senseless" death. Seen in police-worn body-camera footage, officer Ricky Anderson shot Lewis, 20, once in the abdomen while Lewis was in bed early Tuesday as officers attempted to arrest him on outstanding warrants. Lewis later died at a hospital. Police said Lewis had a vape-pen-type device in his hand at the time of the shooting, but it's unknown whether they thought it was a weapon.

  • Ohio police fatally shoot unarmed Black man in bed, video shows.

Real quick

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It's (kind of) the first day of fall!

Sick of sweltering summer heat? Well, you are in luck, because fall starts Thursday, at least according to meteorologists. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, "meteorological" fall (aka autumn) is defined as the months of September, October and November. Most people mark the first day of autumn on the autumnal equinox, which is still three weeks away. But while some consider Sept. 1 the first day of autumn, crisp, cool temperatures will be hard to come by for many across the nation.

  • California sizzles: Death Valley could hit 127 degrees as a dangerous heat wave scorches California, exacerbating wildfire concerns and straining the electrical grid. Record heat is also likely over the next few days in other parts of the West.
  • Where are the hurricanes? For the first time since 1997, not a single hurricane or tropical storm formed in the Atlantic basin in August. But as the calendar turns to September, forecasters are monitoring three separate systems – including Tropical Storm Danielle, which is likely to become a hurricane soon. 

🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your local forecast here.

A break from the news

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at Paste BN. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to Paste BN here.

This is a compilation of stories from across the Paste BN Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

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