I laughed and cringed. Laughed, cringed and shook my head.
Laughed because it is absolutely fitting, as I all but called last year. Prisons are Ivey’s thing. Maybe more than anything else she’s hyped since taking office in 2017.
She’s led the long-overdue replacement of the horrid prison system’s most antiquated facilities. And she’s been an unyielding proponent of executions in the mighty name of law and order, even when the victim’s family was against it. Even when the state couldn’t get it right.
I cringed at the thought of someone some day lamenting, “Dang, my cousin just got 20 years down at Ivey.”
Then I shook my head because our governor, who will leave office at the end of her current term, could have scripted a much more noble legacy. She could have been lauded, honored and heralded for so many other accomplishments. Actions that could have improved, elevated — even extended — the lives of generations of Alabamians.
Instead, her name will be chiseled into the walls of a prison. A prison in this state.
A state whose system was deemed unconstitutionally horrific by the U.S. Department of Justice, which sued Alabama citing violent conditions. A state where incarcerated men and women are sardined into inhumane spaces and provided with few resources to help them rehabilitate, rebuild and reclaim life.
A state where too many of our incarcerated die for reasons sometimes hidden from their families. Or because our heartless tough-on-crime zealots are loathe to allow the terminally ill and no-longer-dangerous-to-anyone to transition at home.
A state where, under Ivey’s watch, Alabama logged the most executions in recent memory and even changed the rules on death warrants to give the state more time to execute more people. The state even found a new way to kill people, suffocating inmates with nitrogen, something no other state had done and something veterinarians deemed too cruel for strays.
Congratulations, governor, this prison system is all yours. It’s your legacy.
That’s how Alabamians yet unborn will know you, will remember you: Ivey Prison.
Just perfect.
To be sure, having a prison named for you isn’t always a dubious homage. Julia S. Tutwiler, for whom the state’s prison for women is named, was heralded as the “angel of prisons,” as an advocate for reform, especially safer conditions. That’s before the facility became infamous for sexual assault by guards.
“It is heartbreaking that we as Alabama citizens, when our loved ones go into an Alabama prison, we pray every day that they do not come out in a body bag because that’s what happening repeatedly,” said Kelly Helton of Foley, speaking to lawmakers this year on behalf of a friend whose son was severely beaten at Donaldson.
Ivey won’t be the first Alabama governor with a prison named in their honor. Kilby Correctional in Montgomery County is named for Gov. Thomas Erby Kilby, who occupied the office between 1919-1923.
Ivey visited Kilby two years ago to prove the prisons are fine, no matter what the DOJ argues. But today Kilby is one of the more overcrowded close-security prisons in the state, with 1,461 beds in a facility designed for just 440. That math ain’t mathin’. It’s dangerous, as proven by this: Kilby saw 13 sex abuse cases and 11 new death investigations in just the third quarter of this year.
Ivey could have done much better. Should have done much better.
She could have been hailed as the state’s most pro-life governor ever by ensuring that on her watch 220,000 more working families could afford health insurance. She could have helped rural hospitals stay open instead of shuttering due to financial strains. And she could have championed solutions to help more babies live vibrant, healthy lives beyond their first birthday, reversing Alabama’s grim rise in infant deaths.
Alas, she’s not the life governor, she’s the death and dangerous prisons governor.
Gov. Kay Ivey Hospital and Prenatal Centers? Nah.
Just plaster her name upside a prison wall. Right where it belongs.
I was raised by good people who encouraged me to be a good man and surround myself with good people. If I did, they said, good things would happen. I am a member of the National Association of Black Journalists’ Hall of Fame, an Edward R. Murrow Award winner, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist for commentary. My column appears on AL.com, and digital editions of The Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and Mobile Press-Register. Tell me what you think at [email protected], and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, Instagram @roysj and BlueSky.
The Lincoln Gates, the main entrance to Tuskegee University, were a sign of safety and home during my college years. From the first time I stepped on the campus in 2012, Tuskegee felt like a welcoming space.
Now those gates, for the first time, are closed to the public.
Hours after the best “return of home” experience I’ve had, celebrating the school’s 100th homecoming, the school became known not for that milestone but for a shooting.
“I was in the middle of the shooting, and my friends and I ran to hide behind the dumpster. Then we ran to Campbell Hall to hide. I’m still recovering from seeing the covered up body from the guy that was killed. I’m still processing that it could have been me,” said Evyn Thompson, a 2024 graduate.
I ended my homecoming festivities around 1:15 a.m. on Nov. 10 by leaving a different campus party. I stopped at a nearby food stand and as I awaited my meal I saw several police cars rush in the direction to campus.
I didn’t know about the shooting until I was preparing to go to sleep at an AirBnB in Montgomery. My heart dropped when I heard the news. I immediately called my brother and sent out texts to all my friends to make sure they were okay.
Thankfully, they were. But Tuskegee has changed.
Homecoming at HBCUs aren’t just about the football game, tailgates, and parties. It’s the place for alums from all over the nation to come “home” not only to celebrate the place that has helped define their lives, but also a celebration of institutional sustainability in a country that outlawed Black people from learning how to read to now seeing Black history being stripped from school curriculum.
At Tuskegee, we celebrate homecoming with an immense sense of school pride. Just about everyone wears their most fashionable outfits in the school colors, crimson red and old gold. Cell phone service drops as soon as we enter campus because thousands of people are crammed into the football stadium, and yet we still find each other to share drinks, food and pictures. We reconnect with people we haven’t seen since we last sat in a classroom together or if we’re lucky enough, we meet other alums that turn into new lifelong friendships.
A shooting is certainly not the first time Tuskegee has been discussed nationally. Tuskegee University gave the world the Red Tails, the first Black aviators to fight in World War II. The university was recognized as aNational Historic site in 1974. Two decades later,President Bill Clinton would issue a formal apology for the federal government’s involvement in their role in the syphilis study experiment that lasted for nearly 40 years and gift the university the Bioethics Research Building.The university also bred nationally recognized talent like Lionel Richie and Tom Joyner. And those historical facts still only scratch the surface of what Tuskegee has brought to the world.
But a mass shooting is what has dominated the headlines about Tuskegee in the last month. Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver’s remains lay at rest just 200 yards away from where bullets flew across the parking lot of the West Commons apartments.
The West Commons where the mass shooting took place on Tuskegee University’s campus. ([email protected])Cody D. Short
“There were at least 500 people out there,” said sophomore Tuskegee student, Janiah Rutledge, of the late-night party where the shooting took place. “When I first got there I was in the middle of the crowd, but then I moved to the back because I didn’t feel comfortable. I felt like something was going to happen.”
Rutledge claims that there were a lot of unfamiliar faces at the party.
“I was getting red flags the whole night, but I didn’t want to leave my friends. There were a lot of unrecognizable faces, that’s what made me the most nervous,” she said.
There was a town hall meeting with students and university administration on Nov. 11.
During the meeting, according to a video reviewed by AL.com, student Marquez Cowins said, “Our voices are going to be heard. The fact of it is, we just want immediate change now. If you can’t give us immediate change now, send us home.”
HBCUs around the country recently have reported violent threats and safety incidents. In 2023, a shooting took place at Tuskegee. No one was hurt or killed.
Some students felt as if the university should have implemented better security measurements then.
“A lot of people feel like Tuskegee never wants to change anything, and they don’t listen to their students. That’s the main thing that people feel right now, and that we’re going to have to keep fighting the administration in order to get a change,” Rutledge said.
On Nov. 14, the private university held a news conference aboutnew security measures such as closing the campus to the public, hiring additional officers for 24/7 security, implementing metal detectors and adding 500 cameras around the university grounds.
At the news conference, I asked Tuskegee’s communications director about previous security protocol for “unauthorized” campus parties. I didn’t receive an answer.
The crowds inside the stadium for homecoming and the game were packed with tens of thousands of people. To me, it felt more crowded than usual.
Brown said he made a video to clearly state the university’s clear bag security policy and prohibitions against drugs and weapons on campus. He said there were entry checks at all officially sponsored events, some random and some 100% checks.
“However, the general campus remained open and we did not, nor could we have planned for security at an event that was not approved in advance or officially sanctioned by the university,” Brown said.
Students returned to campus on Nov. 18 with very heavy police and security presence.
On Nov. 19, the family of La’Tavion Johnson, who died in the shooting, sued the university, saying officials hadn’t properly secured the campus.
Thompson said the shooting has left her traumatized.
“They make it seem like it’s the students’ fault for having a party. When we could have still had a party and been safe. Because we’ve had plenty of parties and nothing happened. So why is there a mass shooting happening now? But it’s our fault that the shooting happened,” Thompson asked.
Despite feeling that her mental health has declined, she said she still loves Tuskegee, despite the tragedy that took place on campus.
“I don’t hate my school. I love my school regardless of the stuff that happened. I know Tuskegee is not a bad place to be. It’s just that stuff happens there,” Thompson said.
Cody D. Short is a 2015 graduate of Tuskegee University. She is a reporter for AL.com.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I participate with a small group that does what we can to support a small neighborhood alternative high school. Many of the students at the school are low-income.
I have been spending a fair amount of my own resources, including my time, soliciting donations of food and school supplies for teachers and students. I’m guessing I’ve picked up and dropped off over $2,000 worth of donations. I’ve been glad to do it, because I see the need and it feels good being able to help out.
I’ve suddenly noticed that I have never received a word of thanks from anyone at the school. In one case, I got a much-needed $400 item donated to the auto shop program, but the teacher didn’t even acknowledge it.
I feel terrible saying this, because the kids have needs. But now that I’ve become aware of it, I’m feeling less generous. How can I get over this?
GENTLE READER: The emotional answer to that is out of Miss Manners’ area of expertise — certainly there is virtue in doing good deeds without acknowledgment.
But for those hoping to be on the receiving end, she notes that expressing gratitude also used to be considered virtuous — not to mention common sense.
Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
The season 5 episode 10 premiere of the hit series Yellowstoneofficially aired Sunday, Nov, 17, but there are still ways to catch up if you missed it.
In the second installment of Yellowstoneseason five, as John Dutton’s role as Montana’s governor brings fresh challenges and powerful adversaries, the family’s fight to protect their land intensifies and deepens internal conflicts.
Meanwhile, with strained relationships testing their unity, the stakes for the ranch are higher than ever, setting the stage for more drama and showdowns ahead.
Where can I stream Yellowstone season 5 episode 10?
Those who want to watch future Yellowstone episodes live on the Paramount Network can utilize Philo (you can get a free trial here), which not only offers the live TV channel with a subscription, but also allows you to watch past episodes on-demand and record future episodes.
Philo is considered one of the cheaper live streaming services available as it allows users to stream over 70 live TV channels for just $28 a month after its7-day free trial. Other popular channels offered with Philoinclude the Hallmark Channel, MTV, AMC, HGTV, History Channel, Discovery Channel, CMT, TLC, BET and more.
Where to stream Yellowstone on-demand:
While all previous Yellowstoneepisodes are available to stream on demand with Peacock, part two of season five is not currently available on-demand yet.
What is Yellowstone about?
The official series description of Yellowstone is as follows:
Oscar and Emmy winner Kevin Costner is the marquee attraction of the ensemble cast in this drama series, starring as the patriarch of a powerful, complicated family of ranchers. A sixth-generation homesteader and devoted father, John Dutton controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. He operates in a corrupt world where politicians are compromised by influential oil and lumber corporations and land grabs make developers billions.
Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect, Dutton’s property is in constant conflict with those it borders — an expanding town, an Indian reservation and America’s first national park.
Is Yellowstone season 5 the last season?
Yes, season five will be the final season of the hit drama seriesYellowstone.
BetMGM is not only The King of Sportsbooks, it’s also The King of Online Casinos. New users can try out the award-winning BetMGM online casino with the BetMGM Casino bonus code offer (no BetMGM bonus code needed), which delivers a 100% deposit match up to $1,000 and a $25 no deposit bonus.
This BetMGM Casino promo is available for new users who are 21+ in NJ, MI and PA. New users in West Virginia can get $200 on the house when they deposit at least $10.
This BetMGM Casino bonus code offer is one of the best online casino bonuses available right now. Sign up now and get access to an enormous library of games, including the best progressive jackpot slots of any online casino.
I’m a big card player, and BetMGM Casino’s live dealer experience is second-to-none. Read on as I explain everything you need to know about the BetMGM Casino bonus code offer.
I’ll also explain the best way to get started using your BetMGM Casino no deposit bonus at what I think is the best real money casino in the US. Others agree, too. BetMGM has been named EGR’s Casino Operator of the Year twice in the past three years (2022, 2023).
NJ, MI, PA: 15x for deposit match (must be met within 14 days), 1x for no deposit bonus (must be met within 7 days) WV: 15x (must be met within 7 days)
🔚 Bonus expiration
NJ, MI, PA: Deposit match expires 30 days after registering (no deposit bonus expires 3 days after registering) WV: 3 days after new account registration BetMGM bonus code offer expires 12/31/2024 for NJ, MI, PA and 1/29/2025 for WV
How to claim the BetMGM Casino bonus code
The first thing to know about activating the BetMGM Casino bonus code is you don‘t need to enter a specific bonus code to get the 100% deposit match up to $1,000 and a $25 no deposit bonus. This deal is for new users who are 21+ in NJ, MI, PA and WV. All you have to do is click on any of our exclusive links to get started. Here’s what you do after that:
Click any link or banner on this page and you’ll be sent to the BetMGM Casino app or website
You do not need to enter a BetMGM Casino bonus code when you register through one of our banners or links
Verify your location (you’ll be asked to download geolocation software)
You only need to be within state lines of a legal BetMGM casino state; you don’t need to be a resident of NJ, MI, PA or WV to sign up and play
Enter your name and provide an email address, username and password, then fill out identifying information like:
Your date of birth
home address
last four of your Social Security Number (this data is encrypted for extra protection)
Provide an acceptable form of ID (driver’s license, passport, state ID card)
Select your preferred banking option and verify your account (via 2-factor authentication text)
Deposit at least $10
If you’re located in NJ, MI or PA you’ll then get a 100% match up to $1,000, plus a $25 no deposit bonus
If you’re in West Virginia, you’ll get an instant $200 bonus
BetMGM Casino bonus code terms and conditions
The most important BetMGM Casino bonus code term you need to understand is playthrough requirement, which also called a wagering requirement. In order to withdraw funds from a casino bonus, you need to wager that bonus amount a certain amount of times – that’s the playthrough requirement.
The playthrough requirement for the BetMGM Casino bonus code offer is 15x, which means if your bonus is $100, you’ll need to wager $1,500 before you can withdraw any winnings gained from that bonus. That’s the main thing to know. Let’s get into the rest of the BetMGM casino bonus code terms and conditions:
Only available to new users 21+ in NJ, MI, PA and WV ($200 bonus upon $10 deposit)
You don’t need to be a resident of any of those states; you only need to be located in one of the above states
Deposit match offer expires 30 days after you register for a new account
There is a 15x playthrough requirement attached to the $1,000 deposit match
You have 14 days to meet this requirement
The $25 no deposit bonus for users in MI, NJ and PA will expire 3 days after you register
This bonus can only be used on Jackpot slots, poker or sports
There is a 1x playthrough requirement attached to the $25 no deposit bonus; you’ll need to wager $25 before you can withdraw any winnings from this bonus
You have seven days to meet this requirement
The amount of money counted toward your wagering requirement varies based on which games you play
Slots, Jackpot slots, Scratch Cards, Fixed Odds Games and virtual games = 100%
Table Games, Roulette, Live Dealer, Video Poker, Baccarat and Craps = 20%
Blackjack (non-Live Dealer) = 10%
Certain games will not apply toward meeting your playthrough requirement; check the BetMGM terms and conditions for details on those games
You can withdraw your funds before meeting the wagering requirement, but be warned that you will forfeit your casino bonus, as well as any winnings gained from that bonus
BetMGM Casino bonus code WV
The BetMGM Casino bonus code WV (no code needed) gives new users 21+ a $200 bonus when they deposit at least $10. This BetMGM Casino promo differs from the offer in NJ, MI, PA and WV.
This offer runs a bit longer than the current offer in NJ, MI, and PA. It expires on January 29, 2025.
This is a smaller bonus, but the playthrough requirement is only 1x, which makes it a wiser choice for first-time online casino players. If your bonus is $200, you’ll need to wager $200 before you can withdraw any winnings gained from the BetMGM Casino new user bonus.
Let’s review the rest of the terms of the BetMGM Casino bonus code WV offer.
BetMGM Casino bonus code WV terms and conditions
21+ for new users in WV at time of registration (you do not need to be a WV resident to get the BetMGM bonus code WV offer or play games at BetMGM Casino
Minimum $10 deposit
$200 bonus is valid for 3 days after you register
There is a 15x playthrough requirement, which means you must wager the bonus 15 times ($3,000) before you can withdraw any winnings gained from this BetMGM Casino bonus
The amount of money counted toward your wagering requirement varies based on which games you play
Slots, Jackpot slots, Scratch Cards, Fixed Odds Games and virtual games: 100%
Table Games, Roulette, Live Dealer, Video Poker, Baccarat and Craps: 20%
Blackjack (non-Live Dealer): 10%
Certain games do not apply toward meeting your playthrough requirement; check the BetMGM terms and conditions for details on those games
BetMGM Casino bonus code vs. the competition
BetMGM Casino
Caesars Palace Online Casino
FanDuel Casino
DraftKings Casino
💰100% deposit match up to $1,000 + $25 no deposit bonus
💰 100% deposit match up to $2,500 + 2,500 Reward Credits
Play $1, Get $100 in casino credits
💰Play $5, Get $50 in casino credits
🎁 BetMGM casino bonus code (none needed)
🎁 Caesars Casino promo code: ALCOM2500
🎁 FanDuel Casino promo code: None needed
🎁 DraftKings Casino promo code: None needed
💸 Min. Deposit: $10
💸 Min. Deposit: $10
💸 Min. Deposit $5
💸 Min. Deposit: $5
📓 Playthrough requirement: 15x
📓 Playthrough requirement: 15x (slots), 30x (video poker), 75x (all other games except craps, baccarat and Sic Bo)
📓 Playthrough requirement: 1x
📓 Playthrough requirement: 1x (promo applies to all games except craps)
Existing users don’t need to enter a BetMGM bonus code in order to get great casino promos daily. Just log into your account, head to the promotions section and check out terrific offers like these:
October Spin The Wheel
The name says “October” but this promotion runs until December 1, so sign up and check out the “October Spin The Wheel” BetMGM casino promo that combines the BetMGM Sportsbook and BetMGM Casino.
Here’s how it works:
Place at least $50 in cumulative wagers with minimum odds of -200 Monday to Sunday each week
Spin BetMGM Casino’s sports-themed wheel the following Monday to reveal a prize, up to 1,000 bonus spins
You have 72 hours to spin the wheel once it’s available (on Mondays)
Bonus spins expire in 3 days
Here are the games you can win bonus spins for:
1,000 bonus spins on The Goonies
100 bonus spins on Farmyard Frenzy
50 bonus spins on Bankin Bacon
25 bonus spins on Bellagio Fountain of Fortunes
20 bonus spins on Big Money Frenzy
Score a $5 casino bonus
Sign in during a Philadelphia 76ers home game and if the Sixers score 110+ points you’ll get a $5 casino bonus to use on Philadelphia 76ers Bank Shot.
You have one day to use the bonus, which comes with a 10x playthrough requirement.
Ricochet Rewards: Drop the Ball Bonus
Sign into your BetMGM Casino account and go to the Casino promotions section to access the Drop the Ball Ricochet Rewards promo. This is a plinko-like game (think “The Price is Right”) where you click “drop the ball” and the ball bounces down the board until it lands on a prize.
Here are the prizes you can win:
10 bonus spins on Bankin Bacon
$2 casino bonus on Triple Treasure
5 bonus spins on 7s Fire Blitz
$1 casino bonus on Ultimate Fire Links Cash Falls Olvera Street
$10 casino bonus on BetMGM slots
Top Games to play with your BetMGM Casino no deposit bonus
BetMGM is one of the few online casinos that offers a no deposit bonus, which is why I encourage you to sign up with the BetMGM Casino bonus code and try the following games with your $25 casino bonus.
These are some of my favorite BetMGM real money slots. They’re great for beginners looking to maximize their BetMGM no deposit bonus.
MGM Grand Millions
Screenshot of BetMGM Grand Millions slot gameBetMGM
MGM Grand Millions is an exciting five-reel progressive slot game offered exclusively by BetMGM Casino. It provides players with more than 1,000 ways to win and offers some of the largest jackpots of any online slot in 2024. In 2023, one player managed to win more than $2.3 million by hitting the jackpot.
It’s not among the best RTP slots (91.8%, average is around 96%), but the RTP jumps to 95% when the jackpot is factored in (each losing game contributes 3% of that wager to the jackpot).
Starburst
Starburst was launched back in 2012 by NetEnt. It remains one of the most popular online slots offered today. This is a five-reel game with several unique features including Free Spins, Wild Symbols, and Jackpot Rounds. The graphics are excellent and it’s simple enough for even first-time players to understand.
Gonzo’s Quest
Gonzo’s Quest screenshotNetEnt
Gonzo’s Quest is another one of the most popular online slots ever created. It’s another game from NetEnt featuring five reels and 20 paylines. It has several unique features, including an “Avalanche” feature, in which winning combinations immediately crumble and make way for new symbols to appear on the grid.
BetMGM Casino Banking
BetMGM Casino has an expansive selection of options for both depositing and withdrawing funds. Let’s take a look at BetMGM Casino’s banking options:
I’ve found BetMGM Casino to be among the fastest payout online casinos and love the variety of withdrawal options. Here’s a look at BetMGM Casino payout times by withdrawal type (min. $10 for all withdrawals; all times are after BetMGM’s internal review process is completed):
Visa: Within 24 hours
Mastercard: 1-3 business days
PayPal: Within 24 hours
Venmo: Within 24 hours
Apple Pay: 1-3 business days
VIP Preferred: 2-4 business days
Online banking: 2-4 business days
Instant banking: 2-4 business days
Play+ PrePaid Card: Within 24 hours
Cage: Within 10-12 hours (NJ, MI, WV PA, ON)
Check by mail: 7-21 business days
BetMGM Casino rewards program
One of the best things about signing up for a BetMGM Casino account is you automatically get access to the BetMGM Rewards program. BetMGM Rewards leverages your playing habits, which let you earn points toward great dining and entertainment experiences, as well as discounted hotel stays and more.
The more you play at BetMGM Casino, the more MGM Tier Credits you earn. Higher MGM Tiers unlock greater rewards. Here’s a look at how you can earn BetMGM Rewards points:
You get 20 in BetMGM Rewards points and MGM Tier Credits for every $100 wagered on slots and instant win games
10 BetMGM Rewards points and MGM Tier Credits are earned for every $100 wager on progressive jackpot slots
You get 4 BetMGM Rewards points and MGM Tier Credits for every $100 wagered on live table games
Below is a look at the BetMGM Rewards Tier Credit structure:
screenshot of BetMGM RewardsBetMGM Casino
Is BetMGM Casino legit?
Yes, BetMGM Casino is legit and regulated by the Gaming Control Boards of each state in which it operates (NJ, MI, PA, WV, Ontario). In addition, all regulated US online casinos are vetted by eCogra, which ensures that all games are “fair” and pay out in the same way as land-based casinos.
BetMGM slots are monitored by eCogra to make sure they’re not “rigged” and have the right return-to-player percentage that the manufacturer lists. It’s important to remember that RTP is based on thousands of simulations of a game. For example, if an RTP is 96%, players can expect to get $0.96 back for every dollar wagered over a sustained period of playing.
Where is BetMGM Casino legal?
BetMGM Casino is legal in the following states and Canadian provinces:
New Jersey
Michigan
Pennsylvania
West Virginia
Ontario
You don’t need to be a resident of those states (and provinces in the case of Ontario), you only need to be located in that area when you sign up and play.
Our expert take on BetMGM Casino and BetMGM Casino’s new user bonus
BetMGM Casino is without a doubt one of the best online casinos in the US. It does most things right, offering a great selection of games, many unique bonuses for new and existing members, and a simple yet modern user interface. The BetMGM new user bonus code is also one of the best in the industry because it gives you a $25 no deposit bonus to get your feet wet.
There are enough games offered by BetMGM Casino to keep nearly every type of casino player satisfied. That includes a massive variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer games. A large number of unique exclusive games are available, too. That includes MGM Grand Millions, a popular online slot that regularly offers max jackpot prizes of over $1 million.
There are a few areas in which this platform can improve. Some users have voiced complaints that the BetMGM Casino app can experience technical glitches. This generally involves trouble signing in. This appears to be relatively rare, however, and I haven’t experienced these glitches (none of my coworkers who play at BetMGM Casino have, either, for what it’s worth).
There may be times when withdrawals take a little longer than expected. I’ve found this is generally due to BetMGM Casino requiring an additional verification of player IDs.
Overall, however, BetMGM Casino stands as one of the best online casinos in the US. Check it out today and discover for yourself why millions of people across MI, NJ, PA, and WV use it as their primary platform to play casino games online.
BetMGM Casino FAQs
Where is BetMGM Casino legal?
BetMGM Casino is legal for users 21+ in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as Ontario, Canada.
What is the BetMGM Casino no deposit bonus?
The BetMGM Casino no deposit bonus is worth $25 and it is credited as soon as you register for a new BetMGM Casino account.
Can you win real money at BetMGM Casino?
Yes, you can win real money at BetMGM Casino, which is legal and regulated in NJ, MI, PA, WV and Ontario. If you win money by using your BetMGM Casino bonus, you’ll need to met the playthrough requirements (15x) before you can withdraw those winnings.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: We received an online invitation to my relative’s 70th birthday: a surprise dinner and music at a nice restaurant. Included in the invite is a “suggested donation” amount of $50, with the donation going towards a vacation fund.
If that wasn’t odd enough (these relatives are well-off), they also suggested that if we “feel generous,” we can add an 18% gratuity. A gratuity for what?
This feels a little like a shakedown.
GENTLE READER: Only a little?
Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
Physicians are expected to take the stand in Idaho’s capital on Tuesday to argue that the state’s near-total prohibition of abortion care is jeopardizing women’s health, forcing them to carry fetuses with deadly anomalies, and preventing doctors from intervening in potentially fatal medical emergencies.
Their testimony is scheduled to lead off the second week of a closely watched trial concerning one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans. The case, brought by four women, two physicians, and a group of medical professionals, seeks to limit the extent of the state’s ban, which prohibits abortion in almost all circumstances except to prevent a pregnant woman’s death, to stave off “substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function,” or if the pregnancy was a result of a woman or girl being raped.
Over three days in district court last week, the women who brought the case shared emotional testimony about serious pregnancy complications that forced them out of state for medical care. That testimony drew objections from James Craig, an attorney with Idaho’s Office of the Attorney General, who interrupted the women frequently arguing that the details of their stories were not relevant.
Craig pushed back on assertions that Idaho’s criminal abortion laws are endangering women’s health care, while also casting abortion procedures in a negative light. Craig called abortion “barbaric and gruesome” in an opening statement.
“Abortion laws prevent unborn children from being exposed to pain,” he said.
At one point in the trial, Craig suggested that women could use any medical condition to sidestep the law, describing a scenario in which a pregnant woman who stepped on a rusty nail could claim she was at risk of infection and thus entitled to an abortion.
If the court finds in favor of the women, Craig said, “women [would] have a right to kill their unborn baby anytime it’s disabled, anytime they have an infection.”
During the plaintiffs’ testimony, as the women described what happened to their bodies during their pregnancies, Craig’s repeated objections drew reprimands from the 4th Judicial District Court judge overseeing the case, Jason Scott.
The patient plaintiffs’ testimony drew a warmer response from Scott, who said the women’s “circumstances are very worthy of sympathy.”
The case has drawn national attention to Idaho’s ban, one of the first enacted after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. As it proceeds, abortion rights advocates are watching to see whether court challenges — including in other Republican-led states, such as Tennessee, where a similar case is ongoing — will be successful.
The plaintiffs in the case are not seeking to overturn the Idaho ban but rather to enact medical exceptions to the law. Their prospects are unclear, though a similar challenge in Texas did not fare well.
As the trial played out in a Boise courtroom, Jillaine St. Michel sat with her husband as they tended to their 10-month-old son. St. Michel had faced a pregnancy in which her fetus developed in devastating ways — a lack of leg and arm bones, a missing bladder, fused kidneys. She was barred from ending her pregnancy.
“We were told in the state of Idaho an abortion was not legal and my case was no exception,” she said.
Instead, the family drove to Seattle for an abortion, she said, to spare the fetus she carried from further torment.
“The state talks about how barbaric it is, they keep using that term,” St. Michel said. “The idea of allowing your child to experience suffering beyond what is necessary, to me that feels barbaric. To put myself through that when that is not something I desired, that feels barbaric. To have that ripple down into my ability to parent my existing child, that feels barbaric.”
Earlier this year, the Texas Supreme Court ruled against 20 women and two OB-GYNs, upholding that state’s criminal law that allows abortion only to prevent a pregnant patient’s death.
The court added one clarification ruling that abortions would be considered a crime when the amniotic sac breaks before 37 weeks of pregnancy, known as preterm premature rupture of membranes, because the condition can cause rapid and irreversible infection. That exception is not currently allowed in Idaho, and physicians who testified in the first week of the trial said they’d been forced to put their pregnant patients into cars and planes to receive abortions out of state.
In Idaho, a previous legal challenge to the state’s near-total abortion ban was rejected by the Idaho Supreme Court. In the case brought by Planned Parenthood, the justices wrote in a January 2023 ruling that the Idaho Constitution contains no right to an abortion, and that Idaho’s laws criminalizing abortion are constitutional.
This latest challenge, Adkins v. State of Idaho, comes on the heels of Donald Trump’s presidential victory. His Supreme Court appointments made way for the anti-abortion movement’s most vaunted goal of eliminating a woman’s constitutional right to abortion.
Advocates for abortion rights say that a loss in the case would close off options for challenging bans.
“If this isn’t successful, it’s not really clear if there are really additional places to go for help,” said Gail Deady, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, a legal advocacy organization representing the plaintiffs.
Kayla Smith, one of the plaintiffs, sobbed during her testimony as she recalled suffering from preeclampsia during her pregnancy with her first child. When medication could not control the condition, physicians were concerned that the blood pressure disorder could cause Smith to have a stroke or seizure, so they induced birth early and Smith delivered a daughter, who is now 4 years old.
She told the court her second pregnancy seemed normal until a routine anatomy scan showed her son had multiple lethal heart defects. She and her husband had named him Brooks.
Idaho’s abortion ban had taken effect two days earlier and no longer allowed a physician to allow women such as Smith to end a pregnancy involving lethal fetal anomalies.
Her husband recalled the moment when their doctor, Kylie Cooper, delivered the diagnosis. “I remember finally asking just her if Brooks was going to be able to survive and Dr. Cooper, she broke down. And the three of us just cried. And I understood that we were helpless in Idaho at that point,” James Smith said.
Despite a frantic search, the Smiths could not find a fetal surgeon who would operate on Brooks. His heart could not be fixed.
“My son wasn’t going to survive,” Kayla said in an interview. “We wouldn’t bring a baby home. And we also didn’t want him to suffer, so we just decided to do the most compassionate thing for him and also for me.”
Idaho’s criminal abortion laws required either that Kayla stay pregnant until her condition deteriorated and an abortion would be needed to prevent her death or that she give birth to Brooks, who would not survive.
“I was not willing to watch my son suffer and gasp for air,” she said about the couple’s decision to end the pregnancy.
RECOMMENDED•al.com
The Smiths drove with their toddler to Seattle, where physicians induced labor at about 20 weeks into her pregnancy and Kayla and James were able to hold Brooks, who did not survive.
Attorneys for the state of Idaho are expected to call one witness this week, Ingrid Skop, an OB-GYN anti-abortion advocate.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. This story also ran on NPR. It can be republished for free.
A Venezuelan man has been convicted of murder in the killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, a case that fueled the national debate over immigration during this year’s presidential race.
Jose Ibarra was charged with murder and other crimes in Riley’s February death, and the guilty verdict was reached on Wednesday by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard. Ibarra, 26, had waived his right to a jury trial, meaning Haggard alone heard and decided the case.
Haggard found Ibarra guilty of all 10 counts against him: one count of malice murder; three counts of felony murder; and one count each of kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, obstructing an emergency call, evidence tampering and being a peeping Tom.
After reading the ruling, the judge said he was ready to proceed with sentencing immediately, but prosecutors asked for a break. The judge said he would proceed after an hour-long break.
Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. Ibarra could face life in prison.
Riley’s parents, roommates and other friends and family cried as the verdict was read. Ibarra didn’t visibly react.
The judge said that as he listened to the closing arguments, he wrote down on a legal pad two things the lawyers had said. He noted that prosecutor Sheila Ross called the evidence “overwhelming and powerful” and that defense attorney Kaitlyn Beck reminded him he was “required to set aside my emotions” in making his ruling.
The killing added fuel to the national debate over immigration when federal authorities said Ibarra illegally entered the U.S. in 2022 and was allowed to stay in the country while he pursued his immigration case.
The trial began Friday, and prosecutors called more than a dozen law enforcement officers, Riley’s roommates and a woman who lived in the same apartment as Ibarra. Defense attorneys called a police officer, a jogger and one of Ibarra’s neighbors on Tuesday and rested their case Wednesday morning.
RECOMMENDED•al.com
Prosecutor Sheila Ross told the judge that Ibarra encountered Riley while she was running on the University of Georgia campus on Feb. 22 and killed her during a struggle. Riley, 22, was a student at Augusta University College of Nursing, which also has a campus in Athens, about 70 miles (115 kilometers) east of Atlanta.
Defense attorney Dustin Kirby said in his opening that Riley’s death was a tragedy and called the evidence in the case graphic and disturbing. But he said there was not sufficient evidence to prove that his client killed Riley.
Riley’s parents, roommates and other friends and family packed the courtroom throughout the trial.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: My wife and I host an annual holiday dinner for a group of neighbors, one of whom has asked in the past if he could bring a guest. My wife, on our behalf, has always said yes.
Unfortunately, the guest is usually the neighbor’s on-again/off-again boyfriend, who is best described as obnoxious. During dinner, our neighbor frequently smirks condescendingly at his plus-one and winks at the rest of us. Ugh.
This neighbor accepted the invitation to dinner this year. My wife says the polite thing for her to do is to anticipate his request by telling him he can bring a guest. I say we should keep quiet to see if he asks.
Do the rules of etiquette come down on my wife’s side?
GENTLE READER: They do not — until the boyfriend becomes the husband, a neighbor or both. Waiting for the neighbor to ask for a second invitation is both sensible and permissible.
Should the boyfriend indeed be promoted, Miss Manners hopes it will at least lessen the likelihood of the now-husband mistreating you or one of your other guests: It would strengthen his position to the point that he might start objecting to the smirking and the condescension of his partner. But one problem at a time.
Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
John Quadrozzi Jr., concrete magnate and owner of the Gowanus Bay Terminal in Brooklyn, recently told Gothamist that he would like to turn the vessel into a sustainable “floating ecosystem.”
“Coworking space, incubators. Preferably things that are more maritime and environmentally focused…The vessel is just filled with small spaces in it, which would be ideal for that type of use,” he said.
“It gets built up in increments. There are residences. There are commercial spaces. There are industrial spaces.”
Quadrozzi and his backer Dan McSweeney, co-founder of a conservancy dedicated to the S.S. United States, who recently pitched an idea to turn the ship into a floating affordable housing complex docked on the Hudson River, are rushing to stop the ship before it disembarks for Mobile.
It was previously scheduled to depart on Nov. 14 but was delayed due to weather concerns. Officials have not announced a new date for the ship to be moved.
Once the date is reset, it will take roughly two weeks for tugboats to tow the ship down to Mobile.
In Mobile, contractors will begin the process of ensuring it is safe for ocean life and poking holes in its hull to make it land upright at the bottom of the Gulf.
This process is predicted to take a year to complete after which the ship will take its final journey to a location about 20 miles south of the Florida Panhandle region in the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area, according to the Okaloosa County Commission.
But Quadrozzi said he is not confident the ship can make it down to the shore for its rework.
“Taking a vessel like that magnitude out into the deep sea and around the horn of Florida, the likelihood of it even making it there is questionable,” he told Gothamist.
Although Quadrozzi is still working to find a way to keep the ship up in the Northeast, Okaloosa County officials say he has not reached out to them. Currently, their plan for the S.S. United States remains unchanged.
“I’m not familiar with that gentleman and what he has going on in Brooklyn,” Nick Tomecek, a Okaloosa County spokesperson, told Gothamist.
“I do know Okaloosa County has purchased this vessel for the use of the world’s largest artificial reef.”
Originally designed as a top-secret, convertible troop carrier during the Cold War in 1951, the S.S. United States has transported presidents, famous actors, heads of state, tourists, members of the armed forces, and immigrants before it was retired in 1969.
Notable passengers included four U.S. Presidents (Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, and a young Bill Clinton), Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and John Wayne.
