In the news today: Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema continue to imperil infrastructure and climate change legislation and continue to offer no specifics about how to gain their support. After months of this game, it’s safe to say the rest of the Democratic caucus is fed up with the performance. New information on the January 6 insurrection shows the Trump-era Department of Homeland Security was downplaying the violence even as it unfolded on television screens.

For a few heady weeks in 2004 and 2005, it seemed a miracle had occurred. The ivory-billed woodpecker—the “Good Lord Bird” known for its startling size, massive white bill, and a call described as being like a “toy trumpet”—had been found living in a national wildlife refuge along the Cache River in Arkansas. Multiple sightings were reported. The sounds of woodpeckers pounding on trees were recorded. A single grainy video was shot.

Given that we’re still surviving a global pandemic, one would assume that most school-related coverage would center around the virus.

A right-wing Marine officer who went viral for criticizing the U.S. military and its leadership over Afghanistan has been sent to the brig, family members told Task & Purpose. The officer, identified as Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, went viral after sharing a video on Facebook in which he questioned the command of military leaders for withdrawing from Afghanistan. He released several videos despite being told by supervisors to stop posting on social media.

Donald Trump’s presidency is marked by so, so many failures, it’s hard to know where to start. He stirred division, spread hate, and made life markedly worse for countless vulnerable, marginalized folks. It wouldn’t be hard, for example, to say they felt depressed or betrayed when watching election results roll in on that historic night in 2016, or to find folks who felt increased anxiety leading up to the 2020 election.