Good morning, 270. It’s Thursday, October 10th. This is the 270 Daily News, the newsletter equivalent of folding your socks and having none left in the basket at the end… Except unlike that experience, this newsletter actually happens. 🤣 

In today’s news:

• 🧑‍⚖️ Kentucky Attorney General sues tiktok

• 🎶 Murray State honors music professor

• 👻 Is Paducah’s White Haven haunted?

Let’s get into it.

-Chase

 As always: feel free to provide feedback at [email protected]

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Weather Report

Thursday:☀️High- 79 Low- 50

Friday: ☀️ High- 80 Low- 50

Saturday: ⛅️ High- 81 Low- 52

News

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman Files Lawsuit Against TikTok, Alleging Exploitation of Minors and Addiction Risks

On Wednesday, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the social media giant of exploiting young users to turn a profit at the expense of their mental and physical health. Filed in Scott County Circuit Court, the lawsuit claims that TikTok engages in predatory practices, deliberately designing its platform to create addiction among children and failing to address serious safety and privacy concerns.

Four Legal Claims Against TikTok

Coleman’s lawsuit outlines four primary allegations:

• Unfair and Deceptive Acts: The lawsuit argues that TikTok violated the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act through deceptive practices that manipulate young users into spending excessive time on the platform.

• Unjust Enrichment: It accuses TikTok of profiting unfairly by exploiting the attention of minors, generating revenue from advertisements directed at this vulnerable demographic.

• Negligence: Coleman claims TikTok failed to protect young users from potential harms associated with the platform.

• Negligence - Failure to Warn: The lawsuit also accuses TikTok of not adequately warning users, particularly parents, about the risks of extended engagement with the app.

Coleman announced the lawsuit at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Government Forum Luncheon in Florence. During his address, he emphasized the dangers social media can pose to families, stating, “Even if you lock your doors, have a security system, or even exercise your Second Amendment rights, this is like throwing your door wide open to predators and criminals.”

TikTok’s Alleged Impact on Children’s Mental Health

The lawsuit paints a picture of TikTok as a platform that exploits children’s psychology for profit. It claims that TikTok has created a content system specifically designed to be addictive, using algorithms to keep young users engaged and glued to their screens. This constant engagement, according to the lawsuit, has led to a variety of mental health challenges for minors, including:

• Body dysmorphia

• Anxiety and depression

• ADHD and sleep disorders

• Altered psychological and neurological development

• Suicidal ideation or attempts

• Eating disorders

Coleman argues that TikTok’s content, which can include unrealistic beauty standards and online bullying, plays a significant role in shaping young users’ self-esteem and mental well-being. He emphasizes that children are particularly vulnerable to these influences because they are still developing self-control and critical thinking skills. “TikTok was specifically designed to be an addiction machine, targeting children who are still in the process of developing appropriate self-control,” Coleman said. “If we don’t hold TikTok accountable, our children will suffer the very real consequences. Nothing less than their mental, physical, and emotional health are on the line.”

Privacy Concerns and the Spread of Harmful Content

In addition to the addictive nature of the platform, the lawsuit claims that TikTok has failed to address privacy concerns and the accessibility of harmful content. It accuses the company of refusing to take adequate steps to prevent or mitigate the spread of child sexual abuse material on the platform. The lawsuit also highlights that TikTok constantly monitors user activity to maximize screen time, which raises serious concerns about privacy, especially when it involves minors.

The allegations suggest that TikTok’s strategy is driven by a desire to keep users, particularly young ones, engaged for as long as possible. This engagement translates directly into advertising revenue, with TikTok generating an estimated $9.4 billion in 2022. An internal statement referenced in the lawsuit highlights the platform’s focus on young users, quoting a TikTok executive who described teenagers in the U.S. as the “golden audience.”

Seeking Accountability: Penalties and Injunctive Relief

Coleman’s legal action seeks substantial penalties and restrictions on TikTok’s operations in Kentucky. If the court rules in favor of the attorney general, TikTok could face:

• Fines of $2,000 for every “willful violation” of the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act.

• Temporary and Permanent Injunctions to prevent TikTok from continuing its allegedly harmful practices, with penalties of up to $25,000 per violation.

• Forfeiture of Profits that were made through unethical or illegal practices.

• Restrictions on TikTok Employees from engaging in similar work within Kentucky if it has the same harmful purposes or effects.

Coleman emphasized the urgency of the legal action, stating, “Today, in addition to giving an update on some of that work, I’d like to announce a major step our office has taken this week to protect you and your children who use the most dangerous item in your home: this phone.”

Part of a Broader Movement

Kentucky is not alone in this battle. The state joins a bipartisan coalition of 13 other states, along with Washington D.C., all of which have filed similar lawsuits against TikTok. These legal actions collectively claim that TikTok is harmful to young people and has failed to protect their privacy and well-being.

A 2023 report by the U.S. Surgeon General highlighted the potential mental health risks associated with social media use, especially among adolescents, whose developing brains are particularly sensitive. While the report acknowledges that social media can foster community, it also underscores the risks of increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.

Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, praised Coleman’s efforts, stating, “There is nothing more paramount than upholding our kids’ mental health and safety, especially as kids increasingly find themselves in digital spaces.”

The Road Ahead for TikTok

As TikTok faces legal challenges from multiple states, the company is also dealing with pressure from federal lawmakers. A recent law requires TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform to a non-Chinese entity by January 19, 2024, or risk a potential ban in the United States. This federal pressure, combined with state-level lawsuits, raises significant questions about the future of TikTok’s operations in the U.S. and its ability to address mounting concerns over user safety and national security.

While TikTok maintains that it is committed to user safety, Coleman’s lawsuit suggests that the company’s efforts have not been sufficient. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how social media platforms are regulated and held accountable for their impact on young users.

With the mental health of a generation at stake, this lawsuit will be closely watched by parents, policymakers, and tech industry leaders, as they seek a balance between innovation and safety in the digital age.

The Agenda

Murray State Dedicates Ray Conklin Sound Garden to Honor Late Professor

Murray State University’s Doran Arboretum renamed its Sound Garden in honor of Ray Conklin, a beloved music professor who passed away in 2018. Conklin taught at the university for 45 years, founding the jazz program and leaving a lasting impact on students.

The newly renovated Ray Conklin Sound Garden, part of the arboretum’s sensory area, allows visitors to create music using flower-shaped bells. Conklin’s family, former colleagues, and students attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating his legacy.

Michael D’Ambrosio, chair of the music department, praised Conklin as a “force of nature” in education. The dedication included performances by former students, who expressed gratitude for Conklin’s influence and the chance to honor him.

Local Links

👨‍⚖️ Paducah Man Charged with 2022 Christmas Day Murder found guilty

🔫 Paducah man arrested for allegedly shooting a man in the leg and then fleeing police.

🐶 Benton man will appear before a grand jury for shooting dog with a pellet gun

🛻 Murray Police asking for help in identifying the owner of a truck, photos here.

📷️ Enter Paducah Parks Fall Photography Contest- Oct. 1- Nov 8

🖼️ Paducah Mayor George Bray has proclaimed October as Arts & Humanities Month in Paducah.

270 Life

Whitehaven Mansion: History, Hauntings, and Chills in Paducah

Located in Paducah, just off I-24, sits Whitehaven Mansion—a stunning example of 19th-century Italianate architecture that has become a gateway for travelers. But those who venture inside may find more than historical charm. Stories of unexplained occurrences and spectral sightings have turned this stately home into one of West Kentucky’s most talked-about haunted places.

A House of History
Whitehaven’s story begins in the 1860s, when it was built by Edward Anderson, a local businessman who envisioned a grand home that would showcase his success. Completed in 1871, the mansion is a testament to the era’s opulence, featuring tall columns, sweeping verandas, and intricate woodwork. After Anderson’s time, the mansion became the home of the Singleton family, who added their own touches, including a grand balcony and a more expansive landscape. ​For years, it stood as a symbol of local affluence, hosting elegant gatherings under its towering ceilings.

By the 1980s, however, the mansion had fallen into disrepair. Facing the prospect of demolition to make way for highway expansion, the community rallied to save it, and the state of Kentucky took over its restoration. It was transformed into a welcome center—a unique stop where history comes alive through guided tours of its preserved rooms​.

Ghostly Guests: The Lady in White
While the house’s restoration brought its past back into the present, some believe that not all of its former residents ever left. The most famous ghostly presence in Whitehaven is the “lady in white,” a spectral figure often seen on the staircase or looking out over the grounds from the second-floor balcony. Witnesses describe her as dressed in a long, flowing white gown, her figure barely more than a shadow against the mansion’s aged walls​.

Many claim she is the spirit of a woman who died after a botched appendectomy, an event that local lore has tied to the house’s history. While the details of her story are murky, the accounts of seeing her are numerous. Travelers stopping in late at night or early in the morning have reported seeing her gliding silently through the hallways, her footsteps echoing on the old wooden floors. Several have spoken of a deep sense of melancholy when passing the balcony, as if walking through a place where time has frozen​.

Voices, Footsteps, and Cold Spots
The lady in white isn’t the only spectral sign at Whitehaven. Other visitors have described hearing muffled conversations in empty rooms, as if eavesdropping on a gathering from another century. Some claim to have heard the gentle but eerie strains of a piano playing somewhere in the house, despite the absence of any musician or working instrument​.

Staff members have also shared their own unsettling experiences. One guide recounted a day when the mansion was closed to visitors. As she walked through the grand hall, she felt an unmistakable chill sweep over her, despite the summer heat. The chill was accompanied by the faint scent of lilacs—perfume, perhaps, from a long-ago era. “It was as if someone had just passed by me,” she explained later. “But I was completely alone”

Visitors frequently speak of cold spots, particularly in the kitchen area and along the grand staircase. This phenomenon is often accompanied by a sudden shift in the air, described by one traveler as “like stepping into a different season.” There have even been reports of seeing shadows flitting around corners, disappearing before they can be fully glimpsed​.

The Smell of Home-Cooked Meals... from Nowhere
Among the strangest reports is the smell of cooking that seems to waft from the old kitchen, especially around holidays. Though the kitchen is no longer in use, visitors have described the unmistakable scent of a feast—baking bread, roasted meat, and the spiced aromas of pies. One visitor recalled visiting on a quiet November afternoon, when she suddenly caught the scent of apple pie filling the hallway. “It was so vivid, I even felt hungry,” she laughed. “But the kitchen was empty—no staff, no food, just that smell lingering like a memory”​

A Haunted Experience Awaits
Today, Whitehaven remains a popular stop for travelers seeking a blend of Kentucky’s history and a brush with the unknown. Tours through the mansion offer a glimpse into the lives of those who once walked its halls—and, some say, who still do. The stories may be dismissed as local legend by some, but for those who have felt a chill run down their spine or seen a flicker of movement in the corner of their eye, Whitehaven’s haunted reputation is very real.

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📆 Things to do

Thursday 10/10/24

Paducah

Annual Harvest Festival: Starting 10am Thursday and going till Saturday at 3pm. Event by Troutt Old Time General Store and Market Inc.

Exploring Careers with 4H: Military Day, from 9am-3pm at McCracken County Cooperative Extention.

Chic-fil-A Spirit Night: 5-7pm at Paducah Chic-fil-A by the Tri State Heartland’s Casting for Recovery. More here.

Thursday’s at the Grand: Live Bluegrass music at the Grand Lodge on Fifth from 4:30-9:30pm. More details here. 

Evening Upstairs: The Ghostly World: 5:30-6:30pm at the McCracken County Public Library.

Murray

Splat Art Play Studio: Slime Fest @ Splat! 10am-2pm. More details here.

Karaoke at Tap 216: 9-11:59pm

Mayfield

How to Preserve Historic Cemeteries: At the Graves County Public Library from 6-7pm. Details here.

Marshall County

Laugh and Learn: 10-11am at Marshall County Public Library Calvert Branch. More here.

Victorian Ghost Painting: 2-3pm at Marshall County Public Library Calvert Branch. More here.

Free Osteoporosis Screenings: 12-1pm at Marshall County Public Library Hardin Branch. More here.

LBL Creatures of Hairy Potter: 2-3pm at Marshall County Public Library Hardin Branch. More here.

A Centered Space: 5:30 pm energy medicine and sound healing, details here.

Friday 10/10/24

Paducah

Haunted Rock Shop Tour & Ghost Hunt: 7am-11pm, details here.

Wicked Paducah Walking Tour: Event by Atomic City Fun Center, 6:30-7:30pm. Learn more here.

River City Ghost Tours: By Market House Theater, tours at 6:15, 7:30, and 8:45. See more here.

Timmy Perdue live: 6-8pm at Broussard's Cajun Cuisine, 123 North 2nd Street, Paducah, KY, more here.

Canvas Paint Party: Event by Better than Ever, 6pm at 100 Cave Thomas Drive, Paducah, KY. Details here.

Gary Bobo @ Social 360: From 07:00-9:00 pm, 3801 Hinkleville Rd, Paducah, KY.

Murray

Wishing Well BBQ @ Splat! 10am-2pm, more info here

Comedy Night with Max Pryce: 8:30-10:30pm at The Big Apple Grill. $10 admission. Details here.

Mayfield

Haunted Fall Festival: 5:30-8:30 pm at Cartwright Grove in the Mayfield Graves County Fairgrounds.

Night of the Living Dead: At Purchase Players, Event page here.

Industrial Slaughterhouse: FB page here.

Marshall

Dr Morgs. Haunted House: 7-11pm at the Marshall County Stave Mill Construction Site. Admission: $8

Know of any events coming up? Send us an email to get it to other 270 Daily readers.

📸 270 Cam, Where were we?

Congrats to anyone who guessed correctly, we took this photo at Murray Central Park. 👍️ 

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