Readers reply to Peggy Noonan on music.https://www.wsj.com/opinion/melody-isnt-dead-yet-it-moved-to-nashville-music-noonan-90b649b3
Rep. Mike Lawler replies to Kim Strassel.https://www.wsj.com/opinion/i-didnt-hold-the-gop-hostage-on-healthcare-mike-lawler-f9c6f54f
Plus: Can Rahm Emanuel spare a word on the welfare state?https://www.wsj.com/opinion/family-isnt-a-democracyand-other-gems-parenting-430780fc
Technology and prosperity enable defenses against harsh weather.https://www.wsj.com/opinion/safest-global-climate-ever-25d757a7
What would we do without forecasting experts?https://www.wsj.com/opinion/u-s-economy-still-beating-expectations-a2227659
The clock is ticking on the mayor’s pledges to make New York City more affordable, including expanded child care and free buses.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/mamdani-takes-office-and-must-now-try-to-deliver-on-his-boldest-promises-d19bbc25
A safety-net scandal totaling at least $77 million resembles one in Minnesota, according to a Republican auditor.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/mississippi-welfare-fraud-trial-spotlights-national-oversight-failures-caa25ff8
After the Oct. 7 attacks, campus groups pressured trustees to adopt policies enforcing ‘institutional neutrality’. But it is an elusive and illusory goal.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/why-universities-cant-be-neutral-8148870e
Hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman is among the billionaires who have taken issue with the proposal’s idea of taxing the wealthy’s assets.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/bill-ackman-billionaire-wealth-tax-66fd6130
With waiting lists in the thousands, the state’s vo-tech campuses are highly sought after, even attracting college-bound students.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/massachusetts-trade-high-school-popularity-effc9513
When the screens are out of the way, kids are back to being kids—without the temptation to zone out electronically.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/school-phone-ban-test-scores-66f8dab7
The Trump administration had said garnishments would start in the summer, but the process was delayed by the shutdown.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/education-department-to-start-garnishing-pay-of-defaulted-student-loan-borrowers-983faa34
The U.S. said the school may not have met federal standards.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education-department-investigates-brown-universitys-security-systems-after-shooting-6b377baa
Claudio Neves Valente, the suspect in the Brown and MIT shootings, had flashes of temper; former classmates describe him as confrontational and socially awkward.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/claudio-neves-valente-brown-mit-shooter-nuno-loureiro-efd84bd3
The administration suffered a loss at the Supreme Court last week over troops in Chicago.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/trump-to-pull-national-guard-from-l-a-chicago-and-portland-ore-4edafb9c
John Roberts in a year-end report expounds on judicial independence as the high court faces criticism for being deferential to President Trump.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/under-fire-for-trump-rulings-chief-justice-says-courts-still-check-political-power-8269b50b
A complaint alleged that Disney collected information from and targeted ads toward children without parental notice and consent.https://www.wsj.com/business/media/disney-to-pay-10-million-to-settle-childrens-privacy-case-782f6f01
Google and Verizon are among those being investigated under the novel interpretation of a law applying to government contractors.https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-doj-dei-fraud-investigations-93213d52
Law enforcement is expanding the use of remotely controlled drones despite concerns of civil liberties groups.https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/a-police-drone-might-be-behind-your-next-ticket-c25ddf62
Drillers’ injection of wastewater is creating mayhem across the Permian Basin, raising concern about the future of fossil-fuel production there.https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/americas-biggest-oil-field-is-turning-into-a-pressure-cooker-8a1bfe4e