All posts tagged: Pennsylvania

Love Island USA contestant slammed by Pennsylvania mayor for abandoning police job to join show

Love Island USA contestant slammed by Pennsylvania mayor for abandoning police job to join show

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter One of this year’s Love Island USA contestants is giving up his duties as a police officer to join the reality dating show — and his boss is not happy about it. J. William Reynolds, the mayor of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is calling out season eight islander Sean Reifel for resigning from his post less than a year after he was sworn in with the Bethlehem Police Department in order to fly to Fiji to film Peacock’s hit series. “Our police department spent a lot of time training and we paid thousands of taxpayer dollars to send him to the police academy,” Reynolds said May 29 to local ABC outlet WHTM. “We are disappointed he left as we now have another vacancy in our department that is impossible to fill until next year.” He added, “I never thought I’d see the day …

Ro Khanna takes economic message on the road. Will it lead to White House?

Ro Khanna takes economic message on the road. Will it lead to White House?

Published by Sam Flores

U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna visits Ultium Cells, an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Warren, Ohio. Garrett Downs | CNBC PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO and MICHIGAN — U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna was riding shotgun in a black Chevrolet Suburban hurtling down an Ohio highway. His mind was on the economy.  “I do think I have the right economic vision for this country,” Khanna, D-Calif., told CNBC, taking a break from answering one of the hundreds of text messages he receives each day. “The question is just whether I will get behind someone who can help adopt it, or whether I’ll do it myself.” The Silicon Valley representative had just left Magnet, a nonprofit industrial consulting firm and talent incubator and a stop on his three-day tour through the Rust Belt. He was speaking to the question that many were asking here: whether the former co-chair of the 2020 Bernie Sanders campaign would mount his own bid for the White House in 2028.  “It’s a natural question, and the truth is that I’ve said I’m going to consider …

Inspectors uncovered widespread sports gambling materials displayed throughout Pennsylvania federal penitentiary

Inspectors uncovered widespread sports gambling materials displayed throughout Pennsylvania federal penitentiary

Published by skeptic

Federal inspectors say sports gambling materials were sitting out in the open across several housing units at USP Canaan, according to a newly released watchdog report examining conditions inside the federal penitentiary in Pennsylvania. Investigators from the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General arrived for an unannounced inspection in June 2025 and said they repeatedly encountered betting-related flyers and other gambling materials in inmate common areas. “We observed gambling flyers under televisions, on tables, and on top of a correctional officer control panel,” the report said. One flyer was “partially covering a Prison Rape Elimination Act reporting poster.” Inspectors said the activity appeared widespread rather than isolated to one section of the prison. “We observed sports gambling flyers posted throughout the common areas in all five housing units we visited,” the report stated. Investigators also found “a gambling table mat with playing cards,” including “markings for a dealer and for bet placements.” Concerns over visible gambling contraband activity in USP Canaan The report described the materials as openly displayed and easy to spot during …

Two Men Charged With Creating AI-Generated Porn Under New Law Targeting ‘Deepfakes’

Two Men Charged With Creating AI-Generated Porn Under New Law Targeting ‘Deepfakes’

Published by Sam Flores

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged two men with using artificial intelligence to create nude videos and photos of female celebrities under a newly enacted law meant to halt the spread of deepfake pornography. Cornelius Shannon, 51, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, were both arrested Tuesday for generating sexually explicit AI content that drew millions of views online, according to criminal complaints. The men — who do not appear to be connected — are among the earliest defendants to face charges under the Take It Down Act, a law signed last year by President Donald Trump that adds stricter penalties for publishing AI-created deepfakes and “revenge porn.” The bill drew bipartisan support, as well as the public backing of first lady Melania Trump. Under the new law, the men now face up to two years in prison. Attorneys for Shannon and Hernandez did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement, Joseph Nocella, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, said the men had ”used cutting-edge digital technology to create images that degraded …

Pennsylvania regulators approve 0K in gaming fines while expanding involuntary exclusion lists

Pennsylvania regulators approve $180K in gaming fines while expanding involuntary exclusion lists

Published by skeptic

Pennsylvania gaming regulators handed down $180,000 in fines Wednesday during the Gaming Control Board’s monthly public meeting, targeting several operators over underage gambling access, licensing problems and failures tied to online account protections. Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment received the largest combined penalties after regulators approved two separate $40,000 fines against the company. State officials said one case involved three incidents in which underage patrons gained access to casino gaming floors and were able to gamble on slot machines or table games. The second Greenwood penalty centered on the company’s betParx online platform. According to the board, five employees who did not hold the proper licenses were allowed to access personal identifying information connected to iGaming account holders. Wind Creek Bethlehem, LLC was separately fined $50,000 after regulators said the casino operator failed to properly follow Know Your Customer procedures. The board said those shortcomings eventually contributed to fraudulent withdrawals exceeding $92,000 from online gambling accounts. Another $50,000 penalty was issued against YFS Sub, LLC, a subsidiary of Yahoo Fantasy Sports. Regulators said the company failed …

Four swing House races in Pennsylvania loom large for both parties — and for 2028, too

Four swing House races in Pennsylvania loom large for both parties — and for 2028, too

Published by Sam Flores

Control of the House of Representatives could come down to four pivotal battleground races in Pennsylvania. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. With an increasingly limited map of competitive seats, both Democrats and Republicans are emphasizing the importance of these campaigns, which are about to get floods of money and investment from both sides. Some of that has already started, including from Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is on a party-building kick as he faces a re-election bid that, as of yet, is not expected to be particularly competitive. Shapiro, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has emphasized those four races, making primary endorsements in each and signaling he will be deeply involved in them as November nears. Help the battleground Democrats win, and Shapiro will be able to tell Democratic presidential voters about how he helped the party retake the House and defeat a broad spectrum of Republican House members. Fall short, and his political strength will come under further scrutiny. And there’s the Donald Trump factor, …

Progressives notch win with Rabb victory in Pennsylvania Democratic House primary

Progressives notch win with Rabb victory in Pennsylvania Democratic House primary

Published by Sam Flores

Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb (D) is projected to win the Democratic primary in the Keystone State’s 3rd Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ. Rabb faced off against state Sen. Shariff Street (D) and pediatric surgeon Ala Stanford in the primary for the district spanning parts of west and north Philadelphia. A member of… Source link

Golf-Rai’s Knockout Punch in Rocky’s Backyard Ends Century-Long English Drought at PGA Championship

Golf-Rai’s Knockout Punch in Rocky’s Backyard Ends Century-Long English Drought at PGA Championship

Published by Sam Flores

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania, May 17 (Reuters) – Down the road from the city that produced one of Hollywood’s ultimate ⁠underdog ⁠stories, Aaron Rai wrote an equally inspiring script at the ⁠PGA Championship on Sunday, delivering the knockout punch to become the first Englishman to win the Wanamaker Trophy since 1919. Rai came into the ​week a little-known long shot to win but emerged from a packed leaderboard on one of golf’s biggest stages and was the last man standing at Aronimink Golf Club just outside Philadelphia. “To be standing here is definitely ‌outside of my wildest imagination,” said Rai, the first player ‌in PGA Championship history to lower his score in each round. Rai pulled away from the chasing pack with four back-nine birdies, including a 68-footer at the par-three 17th that delivered the knockout blow, en ⁠route to a five-under-par 65 ⁠that left him at nine under on the week and three shots clear of Jon Rahm (68) and Alex Smalley (70). When ​Rai’s final putt dropped there were still two pairings on the course, …

Pennsylvania bank manager imprisoned after stealing funds to support gambling habit

Pennsylvania bank manager imprisoned after stealing funds to support gambling habit

Published by skeptic

Federal prosecutors say a former Pennsylvania bank manager stole more than $214,000 from a Citizens Bank branch and spent most of the money feeding a gambling habit, a scheme that has now landed him in federal prison. Jonathan Lim, 42, of Wallingford, was sentenced this week to 18 months behind bars followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to bank fraud and bank embezzlement charges. Prosecutors said Lim took approximately $214,155 while serving as branch manager of the Citizens Bank location on West Lancaster Avenue in Downingtown. Delco Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Stealing More Than $214,000 From the Bank Where He Worked @FBIPhiladelphia https://t.co/YkLUxdmf0f — U.S. Attorney EDPA (@USAO_EDPA) May 6, 2026 Court records filed May 6 and seen by ReadWrite show U.S. District Judge Michael M. Baylson imposed concurrent 18-month prison terms on both counts. Lim was also ordered to repay Citizens Bank the full amount investigators said was stolen. Authorities said Lim worked at the Citizens Bank “Thorndale branch” from June through November 2019. Along with …

Pennsylvania sues AI firm over claims chatbot posed as doctor : NPR

Pennsylvania sues AI firm over claims chatbot posed as doctor : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro speaks at the National Action Network annual convention on April 8, 2026, in New York City. Pennsylvania is suing Character.AI over accusations the company’s chatbots are violating the state’s medical licensing regulations. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images The state of Pennsylvania is suing Character.AI to stop the company’s AI chatbots from posing as doctors and offering medical advice, in violation of state medical licensing rules. State officials said an investigation found that the company’s chatbots, which present themselves as fictional characters, have claimed to be licensed medical professionals. “Pennsylvanians deserve to know who — or what — they are interacting with online, especially when it comes to their health,” Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement announcing the lawsuit filed on Tuesday in state court. “We will not allow companies to deploy AI tools that mislead people into believing they are receiving advice from a licensed medical professional.” In one case, the state alleged a Character.AI bot named “Emilie” claimed to be a …