Susanna Leighton is a freelance writer and editor based in Southeast Michigan. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Susanna holds degrees in speech pathology and human services. She is a former special education teacher, an avid lover of all things science, and a steadfast supporter of justice and equality for all. She is currently working on her first book of personal essays entitled, 'A Day Leighton, A Dollar Short.'


Trump’s World: Make America Hate Again

President-elect Donald Trump has not even taken office yet, but if the first few days following the unexpected outcome of the election are any indication of what America will look like once he does, we’re in very serious trouble. While Trump supporters continue to lament on social media that now is the time to “get


Judge Rules Nursing Home Arbitration Clause Can Stay

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created a new rule in September of this year that prevented most nursing homes and long-term care facilities from adding a forced arbitration clause to the contracts of new residents that effectively strip them of their right to sue in court in the event of neglect,


IKEA Issues Recall of 29 Million MALM Model Dressers

After another child fatality, bringing the total number to six, home goods giant IKEA has issued a recall of 29 million MALM model dressers, in addition to other models of chests and drawers. When not properly anchored to the wall, the recalled models of both chests and dressers remain unstable and pose a serious tipping


DOJ Urged to Reject Mylan Settlement by Senator

United States Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has written a letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to reject the proposed $465 million settlement reached between the government and Mylan, Inc. after it was discovered the beleaguered corporation, responsible for increasing the price of the life-saving EpiPen to $600 per 2-pak in August of this


Fox Implies Ulterior Motive in Andrea Tantaros Lawsuit

After reports of former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson’s $20 million settlement with the network over allegations of sexual harassment by then CEO Roger Ailes, several more allegations against Ailes began to surface, with a number of female employees claiming they, too, had been harassed by him. Some chose to remain anonymous, while others chose


Sandy Hook Lawsuit Dismissed by Judge

On Friday, October 14, Connecticut Superior Court Judge Barbara N. Bellis dismissed a lawsuit brought by nine surviving family members of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre against the gun company who manufactured the gun used by Adam Lanza to carry out the shooting. The lawsuit alleged both the manufacturers of the


Alabama Malpractice Laws Protect Doctors, Not Patients

Imagine receiving a diagnosis of cancer, complete with a treatment protocol that included grueling chemotherapy treatments, radiation and a surgically-placed port in your chest, only to learn a year later you never actually had the disease and were the victim of a misdiagnosis. I think in most cases, patients would not only want answers, but


Despite Viral Post, The Great Barrier Reef is Not Dead

In what quickly became a viral sensation, Outside magazine reporter Rowan Jacobsen, who writes about food and travel for the publication, wrote an homage to the Great Barrier Reef in the form of an obituary, stating it had “passed away in 2016 after a long illness. It was 25 million years old.” The story about


Sexism Likely to Increase if Clinton Wins Election

There’s no denying the upcoming presidential election has exposed a dark, sick, seedy side of our society in which sexual assault, harassment, and abuse targeted toward women has become a staple of our day-to-day conversations, and how seemingly desensitized we’ve become to it. I can’t think of another point in history when we have had


Barber Cuts Hair And Prices For Kids Who Read Aloud in His Chair

A barbershop in Ypsilanti, Michigan is spreading some much-appreciated goodwill throughout Washtenaw County by offering discounts on haircuts to any child who reads aloud while getting clipped. With a wide selection of books to choose from in the shop, all of which depict positive stories and images of African-Americans, the Fuller Cut is making a