When Chris Christie was New Jersey’s governor, he ignited a legal saga that made the modern sports betting industry possible. Talked to Christie recently about that case, the Trump family’s involvement in prediction markets, and why Christie thinks pro sports owe him a thank you.

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LeBron James, Sixers agree to two-year, $8 million contract

LeBron James will join the 76ers on a two-year, $8 million contract. The news was first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, and James’ agency, Klutch Sports, confirmed the deal in a tweet.

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Pennsylvania lawmakers are working on a bill that could seek to ban in-game microbets, and curtail the kinds of VIP programs that were at the heart of the Bryce Harper/FanDuel controversy. A sportsbook advocacy group tells me the industry will likely oppose such restrictions.

To reduce problem gambling, Pa. commission recommends enacting some strict prohibitions. Don’t bet on it, sportsbook alliance says.

State legislators want to curtail sportsbook products that some believe fuel addiction. The industry disputes such characterizations.

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In Defense of a Little Loneliness: my essay on #maleloneliness for @outsidemag.bsky.social www.outsideonline.com/culture/essa...

Did I Find a Cure for Male Loneliness? No, But I Found a Way to Embrace Solitude in the Wild.

After my divorce, I traveled to Alaska for healing and inspiration, following the footsteps of a legendary outdoorsman. What I discovered about the “male loneliness epidemic” wasn’t a cure—it was a wa...

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Bryce Harper, the Phillies All-Star first basemen, claimed on Monday that he was deceived by FanDuel when he recorded a personalized video for a man with a gambling addiction who had placed millions of dollars in bets on the site. (1/3)

Bryce Harper responds to controversy over his video that went to a FanDuel customer with a gambling addiction

The All-Star first baseman claims he didn't know FanDuel would use the video for commercial purposes. But he mentions the company in the 21-second video he made for a VIP gambler.

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Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control Board is now taking an interest in a video of Bryce Harper that FanDuel sent to a VIP bettor who had an addiction. Meanwhile, a source familiar with the video said Friday that FanDuel obtained the recording from Cameo, where Harper charges $899 to film videos for fans.

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board ‘reviewing’ Bryce Harper’s FanDuel video

It's unclear if the gaming control board has contacted FanDuel or Harper about the controversial video.

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A small update to our story on the video of Bryce Harper that FanDuel sent to a VIP bettor who was struggling with a gambling addiction:

Harper declines to comment on FanDuel video to bettor who had addiction

How FanDuel obtained the video of Harper, and whether the nine-time All-Star was compensated, remains unclear.

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A Pennsylvania man earned VIP status at FanDuel by wagering large sums on sports bets. He developed a ruinous gambling addiction. The company rewarded him with enviable perks — champagne, Super Bowl tickets and, we found, a personal video from Phillies star Bryce Harper.

FanDuel sent a personal message from Phillies star Bryce Harper to a customer with a gambling addiction

Terry Thompson lost $1.5 million on bets he placed with FanDuel. The company gave him VIP treatment — including a personalized video message from the Phillies' All-Star first baseman.

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During the last two years, the Philly Police Department has launched and quietly expanded a drone first responder program. We found its 21 drones operate without much oversight or transparency — and now the program might expand citywide.

Philadelphia police expand drone use, but with little oversight from above

The Philadelphia Police Department has been operating a drone program for two years without the kind of transparency and oversight common in other major cities.

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The FBI wanted to catch a team of brazen Philly armored truck thieves before they struck again. That quest would end up including high-tech surveillance, a handwritten letter, Instagram chat threads, and separate investigation into a prolific car thief:

From Instagram jokes to a suburban car chase: Inside the FBI’s hunt for a Philly armored truck-heist crew

Two members of the crew allegedly joked about the heists in a group chat with an NFL player, and used Cash App to purchase stolen cars for their getaways, court records show.

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In @nytopinion.nytimes.com Caring for her aging father gave Michelle Cottle a firsthand look at America's caregiving crisis. "We had no idea what was coming," she writes.

Opinion | America’s Caregivers Are in Crisis

Caregivers are at the brink of despair.

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K.C. Keeler is the first Temple HC to build a house in the area since Bruce Arians in the 80s. (This is notable at a school that has cycled through head coaches). A look at Keeler's culture, which stems from his commitment to his team —and his "grandpa" dance moves www.inquirer.com/college-spor...

First-year coach K.C. Keeler is committed to Temple, Philly, and his ‘grandpa’ dance moves

Keeler has an established track record of building winning programs, and he won’t likely use Temple as a stepping stone. For the 66-year-old, the area has become his home.

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Lairmore had testified that the sandwich “exploded all over” his chest and claimed he could smell mustard and onions. But a photo showed that the sandwich was still in its wrapper on the ground after it hit Lairmore in his bulletproof vest.

Anthony Michael Kreis@anthonymkreis.bsky.social · 11mo ago

The jury system is a foot-long above the rest. www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

“In del Toro’s films, the urge to narrate is always knotted together with a maternal body that holds life and death. In his telling, every story is, at its heart, the story of return.”

‘Frankenstein’ Has Always Held Up a Mirror. What Does It Show Us Now?

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Forrest Smith, the only National Park Service engineer cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells, lost his contract, leaving 93 orphaned wells on park lands unmanaged. These leaking wells release methane and toxins, threatening human health and the environment.

He Alone Tracked Leaky Oil Wells in National Parks. He Was Let Go.

nytimes.com

“A cabin is like a dream, a simple place where you can become the best version of yourself. You might whittle a walking stick by the fire or cook bacon on a skillet while your new buddy, a red fox, waits for scraps.” @jasonnark.bsky.social’s difficult journey to Dick Proenneke’s Alaskan home:

A Pilgrimage to the Original Viral Cabin: Dick Proenneke’s Alaska Home

The late naturalist’s remote lifestyle has captivated Americans—myself included—for decades. Would a visit to his off-grid wilderness shack live up to its beloved image?

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“It doesn’t matter how old you are,” Jeff said. “Everybody needs somebody. And she’s always there for those guys.” @byalexcoffey.bsky.social introduced us to Allison Stoutland, the Mama Bear to @philadelphiaeagles.bsky.social offensive line:

Meet Allison Stoutland, a children’s book author and ‘Mama Bear’ to the Eagles

She has been by her husband’s side for 33 years as his coaching career has taken him to an array of places. Now, the former teacher brings comfort to the Eagles — and some baked goods, too.

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While Philadelphia was smothered this summer by triple-digit heat and the stench of a garbage strike, a team of armed crooks began stalking and robbing armored trucks across the city. A look at the heists, and the crew’s abrupt arrest earlier this month:

Brazen armored truck robberies in Philadelphia marked a sweltering summer

While the city endured punishing heatwaves, a crew of armed thieves staged daring — and increasingly dangerous — daytime robberies.

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Members of Philadelphia’s powerful police union are accusing its leaders of financial mismanagement. We dug through hundreds of pages of tax records and found plenty of questions about the union’s network of nonprofits: share.inquirer.com/XGgC8w

Philly FOP faces intense scrutiny — this time by its own members

A gifted Chevy Tahoe and murky bookkeeping have put John McNesby and current president Roosevelt Poplar under fire — this time from the union's own members.

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“For Dick Allen,” said Fletcher, “his experience at Little Rock, Arkansas, was his superhero origin story, just like the planet Krypton for Superman.” Great read from @lochlahn.bsky.social:

Playing in Arkansas scarred Dick Allen. Decades later, his son returned to honor his long journey to the Hall of Fame.

The 1963 season in Little Rock was brutal for Allen, and he never wanted to return. Five years after his father's death, Richard Allen Jr. did just that: “I was proud to be who I am."

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A walk-off Phillies win is a good excuse to read @byalexcoffey.bsky.social’s thoughtful feature on the team’s Hot Pants Patrol, and the sisterhood its members formed in the 1970s and 80s:

Revisiting the Phillies’ Hot Pants Patrol, a sisterhood still going strong

They became doctors, business owners, government employees, and — of course — longtime Phillies staffers.

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This is a enormous loss for the Inquirer and Philadelphia. @helenubinas.bsky.social pushed the city — its elected leaders, its community groups, its journalists — to better serve residents who needed the most and asked for the least: gun violence survivors and homicide victims’ relatives.

Thank you, Philadelphia. It’s been a privilege to tell your stories | Helen Ubiñas

After 30 years in journalism, I'm dedicating some time to growing The Ñ Fund for Latinas in Journalism, among other projects.

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This week, I wrote about camp girls. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Home of the Brave

Camp is a place where girls learn to be courageous. Can it stay that way?

theatlantic.com

“We lost him,” he told me. “We lost our light.” Heartbreaking column from @notesfromhel.bsky.social, who has written for years about Azir Harris, his family, and the long, endless toll of gun violence in Philadelphia:

I met Azir Harris after he was paralyzed in a shooting in 2018. Gunfire early Monday claimed his life. | Helen Ubiñas

To learn he was one of four people killed early Monday, gunned down at a Grays Ferry block party, felt like a punch in the gut. This is the column I never wanted to write.

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Recent E.P.A. news releases and newsletters have echoed some of President Trump’s comments on the environment, the letter said, citing agency statements describing coal as “beautiful” and “clean.” Coal is the dirtiest of the fossil fuels and is a significant source of greenhouse gases.

E.P.A. Suspends 144 Employees After They Signed a Letter Criticizing Trump

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“Although Parker cannot increase her own salary, she has doled out substantial pay raises to her closest advisers — far beyond what DC 33 is seeking for workers who earn an average annual wage of $46,000.” @ryanbriggs.bsky.social & Sean Walsh:

No, Mayor Parker didn’t give herself ‘a 9% raise’ — but she did dole out big raises to aides

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker rejected a false claim from striking workers that she gave herself a 9% pay raise – although her pay has increased.

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“The word HOMICIDE was stripped across the room’s pebbled-glass door, but Steindler didn’t think anything of it, didn’t see the straight line linking those three things: the word and the woman and her father.”

He was Burgess Meredith’s model for Mickey in ‘Rocky.’ His murder remains unsolved.

Howie Steindler was a respected manager in the Los Angeles boxing scene. He worked closely with Meredith and Sylvester Stallone on the film. His death is still a troubling mystery after 48 years.

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Jesús Luzardo allowed: - 20 earned runs in 2 starts - 21 earned runs in his other 14 starts

it shouldn't be a radical position to believe that the average worker deserves to have a job, not just extra special influencer types www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/m...

The suspect police encountered at the home of Hortman, the lawmaker who was killed, was wearing a vest, taser, and badge, impersonating a police officer, according to Chief Mark Bruley of the Brooklyn Park Police. “No question, if they were in this room, you would assume they were a police officer.”

Live Updates: Man Impersonating Officer Kills Minnesota Lawmaker and Her Husband

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