Protesters outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.
Returning campers Cassie Rudd, 32, Maddie Martino, 29 and Jocelyn Benson, 31, met at Camp Social in 2023.
Aaron Judge flips his bat after hitting a three-run home run in the fourth inning of Game 3.

Good morning! I'm Nicole Fallert. USA TODAY staff want you to read these banned books.

Quick look at Wednesday's news:

  • The Supreme Court is diving back into the culture wars.
  • If the U.S. government sells your student loan to the private market, would you even notice?
  • Is adult summer camp the new way to make friendships?

Supreme Court skeptical of Colorado's ban on conversion therapy

The Supreme Court on Tuesday debated whether Colorado’s ban on “conversion therapy” for gay or transgender minors violates the free speech rights of a licensed counselor.

Takeaway from the arguments: The majority of the justices seemed sympathetic to a counselor’s claim that the ban violates her free speech rights.

  • Lawyers sparred over whether conversion therapy is effective. One side brought up the psychological scars carried by gay people who were subject to "conversion therapy." The other argued states can’t "censor" conversations between therapists and patients struggling with same-sex attraction or gender identity.
  • What's at stake for minors: State officials also say the evidence shows trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity doesn’t work and can lead to depression, anxiety, loss of faith and suicidality.
  • Celebrities outspoken about the controversial treatment: From Bowen Yang to Miley Cyrus, these big names have opened up about their own experiences with conversion therapy.

A potential hole in the James Comey indictment

Former FBI director James Comey is scheduled to be arraigned and to enter a plea Wednesday just outside Washington. But there could be potential snag with his indictment, which alleges two counts of lying to Congress and obstructing an official proceeding. One former Justice Department official, Ed Whelan, says there’s “a fatal legal flaw” in Comey’s Sept. 25 indictment because the department lacked the legal authority to appoint White House official Lindsey Halligan as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Halligan was the only prosecutor to sign off on the grand jury indictment.

More news to know now

  • A landlord says mail wasn't delivered because she is Black.
  • Frost and freeze alerts on the way.
  • These Latina midwives merge cultural wisdom with modern care.
  • A Colorado man used hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for youth hockey for personal profit.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Your flight is OK (for now)

As the government shutdown drags on, travelers may start to worry about how it will impact travel plans. Transportation Security Administration officers and Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers are considered essential employees, which means they're supposed to work without pay during the shutdown, with promises of receiving back-pay from the government once funding is restored. Impacts on air travel have been negligible so far. But the longer the situation goes on, disruptions seem more likely.

Could your student loans be for sale?

The Trump administration is considering selling part of the federal government's $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to the private market, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to USA TODAY. Lenders routinely sell loans like mortgages to banks, mutual funds and other large investors to free up money to issue new loans. But federal student loans could be different because the U.S. government provides protections that private companies may not, experts said. If your federal student loan is sold to a private investor, the first thing you may notice is you're sending your payments someplace new. Here's what else to know.

Today's talkers

  • What LeBron James' "decision" means for the Lakers.
  • Read the shocking backstory of a "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" star.
  • What would you do if Taylor Swift wrote a poem about you?
  • Tear-jerker: This dog lead a deputy to an 86-year-old grandma who was missing and injured.

What happens at an 'adult sleepaway camp'?

USA TODAY's Youth Mental Health Fellow Rachel Hale spent a weekend at Camp Social — a luxury, all-women adult sleepaway camp in the Poconos — where the tagline is “99% arrive solo, 100% leave as friends.” And in the spirit of field reporting, she said yes to everything (including a 7:30 a.m. water slide plunge). What she found? Women come from as far as Egypt and Colombia. Some are camp veterans. Others were first-timers. And in a post-pandemic world defined by digital-induced loneliness, these women seemed genuinely interested in making friends.

Photo of the day: Yankees stay alive

Aaron Judge hit a towering three-run homer in the fourth and Jazz Chisholm scorched a tie-breaking shot in the fifth, capping a comeback from a five-run deficit, and the New York Yankees staved off elimination with a 9-6 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. MLB's playoff brings a quadrupleheader Wednesday.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: Culture war in the Supreme Court

Reporting by Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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