Skip to main content

Your weekend must reads🗞️


Election controversies in several swing-state counties have the potential to ensnarl the presidential race. Drugs that kids with cancer desperately need are often in short supply. And Georgia's Kirby Smart is the nation's highest-paid college football coach − but should he be?

👋Good morning, friends! John Riley here. It was a great week of journalism from the Paste BN Network. While you've got a moment, here are some stories that are definitely worth your time.

But first: Winter is coming. See what the forecast looks like for your area.

Election integrity: 3 swing state counties to watch

In most states, counties run elections, and county officials who fear elections are vulnerable to fraud have been lodging protests and investigations. Some have voted against certifying elections since former President Donald Trump falsely claimed his 2020 loss was due to voter fraud. Then there are counties that have attempted to replace machine-counting ballots with hand-counting. Here’s a look at three swing-state counties where officials have created controversy over elections, and how they could affect the presidential election.🗳️ Read more

Should Kirby Smart be college football's highest-paid coach?

Georgia's Kirby Smart has moved into Nick Saban’s spot as the highest-paid college football coach in the country this year with more than $13 million in annual pay, according to Paste BN Sports' annual analysis of coaches’ compensation. Smart was rewarded for turning Georgia football into a national power, but off-field issues involving his players – including a rash of traffic-related incidents and low graduation rates – have complicated the optics of his lucrative compensation.🏈 Read more

Drugs to help kids fight cancer are hard to find

Doctors told Laura Bray that she was “lucky" because her 9-year-old daughter's leukemia was curable. Abby had a 90% chance of beating the blood cancer if she followed a three-year treatment. There was just one problem: The key drug that kicked off Abby’s chemotherapy in 2018 was hard to find. The Brays, like thousands of families, got a firsthand education in the widespread shortage of children's cancer drugs − a situation that has existed for decades.💊 Read more

Keep scrolling: There are more great stories below.👇 See you next week!