Gavin Newsom’s memoir will be out in May. Does writing it hint at 2028 presidential bid?
Kanye West is in the middle of some massive flack for alleged Nazi designs in his newest Yeezy merch drop, and it lined up with his potential return to a more communicative space. In other words, get ready for another potential firestorm. Ye reportedly reactivated his Twitter this week, and you probably know at least some of the massive controversies and antics that he engaged in via the social media platform. As such, a lot of fans don't know what to expect and are understandably cautious as to the Chicago artist's potential activity. Of course, this is all just speculative, but history shows us that this is a potentially volatile combination. Furthermore, no one really has a solid vision of Kanye West's mind state these days, but many are going off of his past tendencies. For example, fans might point to a 2020 lawsuit deposition that he participated in, footage of which recently emerged via A&E's Interrogation Raw: Celebrity Under Oath show. As many probably expected or predicted, Ye's behavior at this meeting was quite standoffish and unruly , although it doesn't even come close to his lowest moments. Read More: Top 40 Hottest Hip-Hop Albums Of 2024 Elsewhere, perhaps Kanye West will take advantage of his Twitter to speak about the various lawsuits against him these days... For better or worse. One of these is from former teenage employees alleging a hostile work environment, who request a default judgement against him. For those unaware, this group of teens – aged from 14 to 17 – claimed along with adult plaintiffs that they suffered discriminatory bullying and received explicit content while Ye was working on adult entertainment ventures. The lawsuit also names Milo Yiannopoulos, his former chief of staff, and Yeezy LLC as codefendants. With all this in mind, we're sure that many Kanye West fans would rather stay in the dark on his Twitter activity, or hope that he just stayed off it. But then again, we have no idea if this reactivation will actually yield anything. Amid a turbulent 2024 critically and an even more chaotic year personally, this is certainly a worrisome sign. Let's cross our fingers and manifest a lack of incendiary statements. Read More: Top 50 Hottest Hip-Hop Songs Of 2024The hydrofoil vessels will launch in the new year after a successful funding bid by Belfast-based Artemis Technologies. to the the UK Government’s Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure Fund for £15.5 million. The fund is aimed at decarbonising the maritime sector. The ferries are described as floating as their hulls sit above water. One of the ferries can carry 12 passengers and the other can carry 50 as well as some cargo. They will travel between Kirkwall (below), Shapinsay, Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre. The charging infrastructure is set to be installed over the winter, and passengers will embark on journey come April. Transportation service manager Laura Cromarty, said: “Two electric ferries will be trialled in Orkney following a funding bid submitted to the UK Government’s Zero Emission Vessel and Infrastructure (ZEVI) Fund, which aims to boost the country’s decarbonisation efforts. “The bid, submitted by Orkney Ferries Limited, Artemis Technologies and EMEC, will trial electric vessels using hydrofoil technology, which lifts the hull out of the water to navigate above the waves. “The trial will be a test of zero emission technology in some of the harshest of environments, with the aim to show proof of concept. The benefit to the communities involved is improved connectivity to the islands, extending the length of operating day where possible. “The first vessel, for up to 12 passengers, is due to be delivered to Orkney in January 2025. During January to March, the vessel will be tested by local crew in Orkney waters to help establish what can be achieved from a timetable perspective. “If it proves suitable for the conditions, it is anticipated the vessel will come into service in April 2025 operating between Rousay, Egilsay, Wyre and Shapinsay to Kirkwall. “As this is a trial service, it should be noted that there will be no impact to the existing scheduled service during the project period. “The ‘Electric Orkney’ project will provide additional services to the community over and above the existing backbone operation by Orkney Ferries Limited. Continuation of the service beyond the trial period will be subject to demand, proof of concept and budget.” READ MORE: Scots to pay '£1.5m every day for 30 years' towards Trident renewal Orkney Council is running a consultation until the end of January to allow residents and regular travellers to Rousay, Egilsay, Wyre and Shapinsay to shape a timetable that will run in addition to the existing scheduled ferry service already in operation. Cromarty added: “At this stage, it would be useful to understand what passengers would like to see from the trial service if the vessel proves suitable for the conditions. “For example, early morning connectivity to meet external transport links or evening services for social and leisure purposes and on what days of the week people are most likely to travel. “Following consideration of the survey responses and vessel testing, a draft timetable will be circulated for further consideration by the communities via the Community Councils. Updates of the Electric Orkney project will be provided to communities via their elected Transport Representatives.”
Akron 97, Alabama St. 78ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state government agencies will have to conduct reviews and publish reports that detail how they're using artificial intelligence software, under a new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul, a Democrat, signed the bill last week after it was passed by state lawmakers earlier this year. The law requires state agencies to perform assessments of any software that uses algorithms, computational models or AI techniques, and then submit those reviews to the governor and top legislative leaders along with posting them online. It also bars the use of AI in certain situations, such as an automated decision on whether someone receives unemployment benefits or child care assistance, unless the system is being consistently monitored by a human. State workers would also be shielded from having their hours or job duties limited because of AI under the law. State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, called the law an important step in setting up some guardrails in how the emerging technology is used in state government.
Trump asks US Supreme Court to pause law threatening TikTok ban
US President-elect Donald Trump filed a brief Friday urging the Supreme Court to pause a law that would ban TikTok the day before his January 20 inauguration if it is not sold by its Chinese owner ByteDance. "In light of the novelty and difficulty of this case, the court should consider staying the statutory deadline to grant more breathing space to address these issues," Trump's legal team wrote, to give him "the opportunity to pursue a political resolution." Trump was fiercely opposed to TikTok during his 2017-21 first term, and tried in vain to ban the video app on national security grounds. The Republican voiced concerns -- echoed by political rivals -- that the Chinese government might tap into US TikTok users' data or manipulate what they see on the platform. US officials had also voiced alarm over the popularity of the video-sharing app with young people, alleging that its parent company is subservient to Beijing and that the app is used to spread propaganda, claims denied by the company and the Chinese government. Trump called for a US company to buy TikTok, with the government sharing in the sale price, and his successor Joe Biden went one stage further -- signing a law to ban the app for the same reasons. Trump has now, however, reversed course. "Now (that) I'm thinking about it, I'm for TikTok, because you need competition," he recently told Bloomberg. "If you don't have TikTok, you have Facebook and Instagram -- and that's, you know, that's Zuckerberg." Facebook, founded by Mark Zuckerberg and part of his Meta tech empire, was among the social media networks that banned Trump after attacks by his supporters on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The ban was driven by concerns that he would use the platform to promote more violence. Those bans on major social media platforms were later lifted. In the brief filed on Friday, Trump's lawyer made it clear the president-elect did not take a position on the legal merits of the current case. "President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute," John Sauer wrote in the amicus curiae -- or "friend of the court" -- brief. "Instead, he respectfully requests that the court consider staying the act's deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case, thus permitting President Trump's incoming Administration the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case." ft/aha
Trinasolar has supplied its Elementa 2 platform (5 MWh) to AMEA Power for the 300 MWh Abydos Battery Energy Storage Project in Aswan, Egypt. This project is the largest solar PV initiative in Africa and the first to incorporate a utility-scale battery energy storage solution (BESS) in Egypt. Developed by AMEA Power, the Abydos project is an expansion of the existing 500 MW Abydos Solar PV power plant, which is in operation, in Kom Ombo, Aswan Governorate. The deployed Elementa 2 platform (5MWh), featuring Trinasolar’s in-house vertically integrated LFP cells, is an advanced grid-scale battery storage system built for efficiency, safety and reliability. Key features include an innovative module design to enhance energy density and compatibility with multiple PCS systems, precise thermal management through smart liquid cooling technology, and comprehensive safety systems with advanced fire mitigation and suppression features. Engineered for adaptability, efficiency, and cost-effective maintenance, this platform optimizes performance while reducing overall project costs.Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump’s ongoing 51st state comments
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state government agencies will have to conduct reviews and publish reports that detail how they're using artificial intelligence software, under a new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul, a Democrat, signed the bill last week after it was passed by state lawmakers earlier this year. The law requires state agencies to perform assessments of any software that uses algorithms, computational models or AI techniques, and then submit those reviews to the governor and top legislative leaders along with posting them online. It also bars the use of AI in certain situations, such as an automated decision on whether someone receives unemployment benefits or child care assistance, unless the system is being consistently monitored by a human. State workers would also be shielded from having their hours or job duties limited because of AI under the law. State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, called the law an important step in setting up some guardrails in how the emerging technology is used in state government.
By MATTHEW BROWN and JACK DURA BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Donald Trump assigned Doug Burgum a singular mission in nominating the governor of oil-rich North Dakota to lead an agency that oversees a half-billion acres of federal land and vast areas offshore: “Drill baby drill.” That dictate from the president-elect’s announcement of Burgum for Secretary of Interior sets the stage for a reignition of the court battles over public lands and waters that helped define Trump’s first term, with environmentalists worried about climate change already pledging their opposition. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur who grew up on his family’s farm. He represents a tame choice compared to other Trump Cabinet picks. Public lands experts said his experience as a popular two-term governor who aligns himself with conservationist Teddy Roosevelt suggests a willingness to collaborate, as opposed to dismantling from within the agency he is tasked with leading. That could help smooth his confirmation and clear the way for the incoming administration to move quickly to open more public lands to development and commercial use. “Burgum strikes me as a credible nominee who could do a credible job as Interior secretary,” said John Leshy, who served as Interior’s solicitor under former President Bill Clinton. “He’s not a right-wing radical on public lands,” added Leshy, professor emeritus at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. The Interior Department manages about one-fifth of the country’s land with a mandate that spans from wildlife conservation and recreation to natural resource extraction and fulfilling treaty obligations with Native American tribes. Most of those lands are in the West, where frictions with private landowners and state officials are commonplace and have sometimes mushroomed into violent confrontations with right-wing groups that reject federal jurisdiction. Burgum if confirmed would be faced with a pending U.S. Supreme Court action from Utah that seeks to assert state power over Interior Department lands. North Dakota’s attorney general has supported the lawsuit, but Burgum’s office declined to say if he backs Utah’s claims. U.S. Justice Department attorneys on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to reject Utah’s lawsuit. They said Utah in 1894 agreed to give up its right to the lands at issue when it became a state. Trump’s narrow focus on fossil fuels is a replay from his 2016 campaign — although minus coal mining, a collapsing industry that he failed to revive in his first term. Trump repeatedly hailed oil as “liquid gold” on the campaign trail this year and largely omitted any mention of coal. About 26% of U.S. oil comes from federal lands and offshore waters overseen by Interior. Production continues to hit record levels under President Joe Biden despite claims by Trump that the Democrat hindered drilling. But industry representatives and their Republican allies say volumes could be further boosted. They want Burgum and the Interior Department to ramp up oil and gas sales from federal lands, in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Alaska. The oil industry also hopes Trump’s government efficiency initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk can dramatically reduce environmental reviews. Biden’s administration reduced the frequency and size of lease sales, and it restored environmental rules that were weakened under Trump . The Democrat as a candidate in 2020 promised further restrictions on drilling to help combat global warming, but he struck a deal for the 2022 climate bill that requires offshore oil and gas sales to be held before renewable energy leases can be sold. “Oil and gas brings billions of dollars of revenue in, but you don’t get that if you don’t have leasing,” said Erik Milito with the National Ocean Industries Association, which represents offshore industries including oil and wind. Trump has vowed to kill offshore wind energy projects. But Milito said he was hopeful that with Burgum in place it would be “green lights ahead for everything, not just oil and gas.” It is unclear if Burgum would revive some of the most controversial steps taken at the agency during Trump’s first term, including relocating senior officials out of Washington, D.C., dismantling parts of the Endangered Species Act and shrinking the size of two national monuments in Utah designated by former President Barack Obama. Officials under Biden spent much of the past four years reversing Trump’s moves. They restored the Utah monuments and rescinded numerous Trump regulations. Onshore oil and gas lease sales plummeted — from more than a million acres sold annually under Trump and other previous administrations, to just 91,712 acres (37,115 hectares) sold last year — while many wind and solar projects advanced. Developing energy leases takes years, and oil companies control millions of acres that remain untapped. Biden’s administration also elevated the importance of conservation in public lands decisions, adopting a rule putting it more on par with oil and gas development. They proposed withdrawing parcels of land in six states from potential future mining to protect a struggling bird species, the greater sage grouse. North Dakota is among Republican states that challenged the Biden administration’s public lands rule. The states said in a June lawsuit that officials acting to prevent climate change have turned laws meant to facilitate development into policies that obstruct drilling, livestock grazing and other uses. Oil production boomed over the past two decades in North Dakota thanks in large part to better drilling techniques. Burgum has been an industry champion and last year signed a repeal of the state’s oil tax trigger — a price-based tax hike industry leaders supported removing. Burgum’s office declined an interview request. In a statement after his nomination, Burgum echoed Trump’s call for U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. The 68-year-old governor also said the Interior post offered an opportunity to improve government relations with developers, tribes, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts “with a focus on maximizing the responsible use of our natural resources with environmental stewardship for the benefit of the American people.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now National Politics | Republicans scramble to fill JD Vance’s Ohio Senate seat National Politics | Gaetz’s withdrawal highlights how incoming presidents often lose Cabinet nominees National Politics | What to know about Pam Bondi, Trump’s new pick for attorney general Under current Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the agency put greater emphasis on working collaboratively with tribes, including their own energy projects . Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe in New Mexico, also advanced an initiative to solve criminal cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous peoples and helped lead a nationwide reckoning over abuses at federal Indian boarding schools that culminated in a formal public apology from Biden. Burgum has worked with tribes in his state, including on oil development. Badlands Conservation Alliance director Shannon Straight in Bismarck, North Dakota, said Burgum has also been a big supporter of tourism in North Dakota and outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. Yet Straight said that hasn’t translated into additional protections for land in the state. “Theodore Roosevelt had a conservation ethic, and we talk and hold that up as a beautiful standard to live by,” he said. “We haven’t seen it as much on the ground. ... We need to recognize the landscape is only going to be as good as some additional protections.” Burgum has been a cheerleader of the planned Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota. Brown reported from Billings, Montana.WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a bloc of nine nations if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. His threat was directed at countries in the so-called BRIC alliance, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have applied to become members and several other countries have expressed interest in joining. While the U.S. dollar is by far the most-used currency in global business and has survived past challenges to its preeminence, members of the alliance and other developing nations say they are fed up with America’s dominance of the global financial system . The dollar represents roughly 58% of the world’s foreign exchange reserves, according to the IMF and major commodities like oil are still primarily bought and sold using dollars. The dollar's dominance is threatened, however, with BRICS' growing share of GDP and the alliance's intent to trade in non-dollar currencies — a process known as de-dollarization. Trump, in a Truth Social post, said: “We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy." At a summit of BRIC nations in October, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the U.S. of “weaponizing” the dollar and described it as a “big mistake.” “It’s not us who refuse to use the dollar,” Putin said at the time. “But if they don’t let us work, what can we do? We are forced to search for alternatives.” Russia has specifically pushed for the creation of a new payment system that would offer an alternative to the global bank messaging network, SWIFT, and allow Moscow to dodge Western sanctions and trade with partners. Trump said there is "no chance" BRIC will replace the U.S. dollar in global trade and any country that tries to make that happen "should wave goodbye to America.” Research shows that the U.S. dollar's role as the primary global reserve currency is not threatened in the near future. An Atlantic Council model that assesses the dollar’s place as the primary global reserve currency states the dollar is “secure in the near and medium term” and continues to dominate other currencies. Trump's latest tariff threat comes after he threatened to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tax on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to do more to halt the flow of illegal immigration and drugs into the U.S. He has since held a call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who said Thursday she is confident that a tariff war with the United States can be averted. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after meeting Trump, without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on Canada.
NoneAs we put a bow on 2024, here’s a few of our favorite, memorable and newsworthy photos taken by photographers this year. The images by staff photographers Jason Ardan, Chris Dolan, Sean McKeag and John Haeger as well as Frank Lauri, Dave Scherbenco and Bill Tarutis capture daily life in Northeast Pennsylvania ... it’s moments of stunning beauty, the tragedy and the joy. Enjoy these images as we look forward to what is bound to be another exciting and surprising year in NEPA. Jason Ardan, Staff Photographer Former president and republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump holds up his fist on stage in front of many energized supporters at a rally in the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Apalonia Passetti sings Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again during the Luzerne County and Beyond Got Talent show at the F.M. Kirby Center on Sunday, April 7, 2024. The visual effect was done in-camera using a half-activated range extender. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Pennsylvania State Representative and Democratic Auditor General candidate Malcolm Kenyatta speaks at the Luzerne County Democratic Headquarters on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Greater Wyoming Area’s Chase Evans pitches against Back Mountain during Saturday’s All-Star matchup in West Pittston on June 29, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Emily Cook, Acting Director of the Luzerne County Bureau of Elections, adjusts the inner workings of an agilis sorting machine in preparation for Election Day. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Scranton Prep’s Rebecca Oakes swims the butterfly leg of the 200 medley relay during Friday’s PIAA D2 swimming championships on Friday, March 1, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) 211 N Main Street in Shavertown surrounded in water from a flooded Toby Creek due to rain from Debby on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) The PIAA boys 2A race begins in Hershey on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Monday’s solar eclipse saw the moon cover approximately 95% of the sun in Northeast Pa. on Monday, April 8, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Vice President Kamala Harris holds for applause during a rally in the Wilkes University McHale Athletic Center in Wilkes-Barre on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Ashod Elijah Williamson-James celebrates with loved ones after graduating from Wyoming Area on Friday, June 14, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) 41 N Empire Street in Wilkes-Barre caught on fire around noon on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) The Black Diamond Pipe Band performs in the Pittston St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 2, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Wyoming Seminary’s Anthony Evanitsky pins Blair’s Joe Schinder on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Former president and republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump holds up his fist on stage in front of many energized supporters at a rally in the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Christopher Dolan, Staff Photograper Scranton Police Officer T.J. Stornable gets a fist bump from a kid on Harrison Avenue as he departs from the scene of an hours long police operation at 1612 Pine Street in Scranton on Saturday, June 8, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Clarks Summit’s Ladder 4 is seen set up at the scene of a second alarm fully involved house fire at 303 Fuller Road in Dalton on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Scranton firefighter Allen Lucas uses a saw to cut through a roll-up door at Olympia Chimney Supply on Sanders Street in Scranton as firefighters work to extinguish a fire inside the building on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Green Ridge’s Carter Lapiero celebrates as he scores a run during a District 32 8-9-10 Little League game against Mid Valley at the Carbino Club Little League field in Jessup on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Scranton Prep’s Jake Barrett wrestles North Pocono’s Seth Wheeland in a 139-pound wrestling match on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Delaware Valley quarterback Logan Olsommer reaches over the goal line to score and break a tie as Abington Heights’ Shawn Theodore defends late in the fourth quarter of a football game on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Scranton Police Det. Kyle Gilmartin shakes hands with First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania John Gurganus during a fundraiser for Gilmartin at Montage Mountain on Friday, April 12, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Scranton firefighters work at the scene of a warehouse fire at 211 Birch Street in Scranton at Schoenberg Specialty Products on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Valley View faculty member Ken Rupp stands on a lift as he trims a wire on an umbrella art installation by Frank Dubas in the lobby of Valley View High School in Archbald on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. The art installation is similiar to a display installed by Dubas on Bogart Court in downtown Scranton in the spring of 2023. The umbrellas are installed in advance of Valley View’s Mary Poppins school play. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Scranton firefighters Lt. A.J. Samuel, left, and firefighter Ed Weidow work in the bucket of Truck 2 at the scene of a warehouse fire at 211 Birch Street in Scranton at Schoenberg Specialty Products on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Scranton Prep’s Daniel Santaniello takes a shot during a PIAA Class 4A basketball playoff game against Neumann-Goretti at Freedom High School in Bethlehem on Friday, March 15, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Erin Kosisky of Wilkes-Barre runs on North Washington Avenue in downtown Scranton during The Office 5K on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) Scranton Police Officer T.J. Stornable gets a fist bump from a kid on Harrison Avenue as he departs from the scene of an hours long police operation at 1612 Pine Street in Scranton on Saturday, June 8, 2024. (Christopher Dolan / Staff Photographer) John Haeger, Staff Photographer Hazleton Area High School Patrick Seeley reacts after his shot during a match against Mahanoy Area High School in a Unified Bocce match on Friday, Jan. 5, 2023 Mahanoy City.Hazleton Area High School next match is home on Jan. 16, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Noah Gennaro ,4, places an American flag at a US veterans headstone at Queen of Haven Cemetery in Hazle Twp. on Monday May 15, 2023. Crews from the Hazleton and West Hazleton Fire Departments places 292 flag at veterans graves in the cemetery, and will place more than 1600 flags at veterans graves throughout the city.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Hazleton Ryan Schmidt (8) and Dominic Marino (25) leap into the air as they celebrate Schmidt scoring in the fourth inning of 6A PIAA quarter final game on Friday, June 7, 2024 at DeSales University.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Heights Terrace Elementary/Middle school students reacts during the Heights Terrace Elementary/Middle School color Run 2024 on Thursday, May 23, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Heights-Terrace Elementary/Middle School Principal Kevin Schadder holds up the pie and reacts after being pied by his daughter Katheryn Schadder ,right as Maria Zullo ,left looks on during a Pie Day celebration at the school on Thursday, March 14, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Brian Quijandria portrays Jesus as he and Father Kevin Miller ,center, in white and red along with the faithful process through the city of Hazleton during the Holy Annunciation Parish at Church of Saint Gabriel Good Friday Cross walk on Friday, March 29, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Tom Biles putts on the 8th during a round of disc golf at Eurana Park in Weatherly during the Eurana Parks dubs league on Monday, July 29, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Robert Carapellucci sale consultant with Blaise Alexander Mazda of Greater Hazleton clears snow from one of the more than 150 vehicles on the lot following a snow storm on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Ian Oswald tees off during a round of disc golf at Eurana Park in Weatherly during the Eurana Parks dubs league on Monday, July 29, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Footprints in the snow on the sidewalk on Broad Street near Laurel Street in Hazleton on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Hazleton Riley Katchur (5) is surrounded by teammates after he scores in the six inning of 6A PIAA quarter final game on Friday, June 7, 2024 at DeSales University.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Katheryn Schadder right pies her father Heights-Terrace Elementary/Middle School Principal Kevin Schadder as Maria Zullo ,left looks on during a Pie Day celebration at the school on Thursday, March 14, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) The faithful process through the city of Hazleton during the Holy Annunciation Parish at Church of Saint Gabriel Good Friday Cross walk on Friday, March 29, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Mahanoy Area Class of 2024 Salutatorian Lucas Karnish passes pictures of his classmate before the start of the commencement exercise on Wednesday May 29, 2024 at Mahanoy Area Junior Senior High School. (John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Mary Yanuzzi who plays Sophie along with other cast members rehearse a scene from the Cougar Players production of Mamma Mia on Monday May 20, 2024 at Hazleton Area High School. The show run May 24 2024 with a curtain of 7pm May 25 with a curtain of 2pm and 7pm and May 26 with a curtain of 2pm. Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for students ,cash only at the door.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Pennsylvania State Police salute during the singing of the National Anthem during a memorial service to honor the 104 Trooper’s who were killed in the line of duty since The Pennsylvania State Police were formed in 1905 on Wednesday May 1, 2024 at Troop N in West Hazleton PA. (John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Height-Terrace Elementary/Middle School first grader Abby Arias reacts as local TV personality Chelsea Strub and Jeremy Lewan read “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr Seuss at on Friday March 1, 2024 as part of the Read Across America at the school.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Bob Johnson of Ice Creations uses a chainsaw as he craves to create a “old-time wooden bar’ theme at Damenti’s Restaurant in Hazleton on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. ICE4U2C will open on Tuesday Jan 9, 2024 and run through March 19, 2024 and celebrates non-profit organizations that continually work to improve the communities they serve. This year, a portion of ICE4U2C ticket sales will benefit S.A.F.E.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Hazleton Area High School Patrick Seeley reacts after his shot during a match against Mahanoy Area High School in a Unified Bocce match on Friday, Jan. 5, 2023 Mahanoy City.Hazleton Area High School next match is home on Jan. 16, 2024.(John Haeger / Staff Photographer) Sean McKeag, Staff Photographer (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Gov. Josh Shapiro, far left, spends the afternoon with family and staff on Lake Wallenpaupack in Hawley Saturday. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Throop police officer Christine Bonavoglia gives a blue and white carnation to Theresa Merva in honor of her father, former Throop police Chief Joseph Merva, during the Police Memorial Service at the Throop Community Civic Center in Throop Sunday, May 19, 2024. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Valley View celebrates a District 2 title in softball. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) A pole vaulter clears the bar at a Scranton Prep vs. Abington Heights Track and Field meet. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Workers demonstrate at PASNAP Rally Outside of Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) A child makes candy at the Strawberry Festival at Lakeland Orchard and Cidery. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) A firefighter works at the scene of a fire in Edwardsville. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Lunch is prepared at St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen on Scranton. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell is shown at a press conference at Scranton Police headquarters. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) A child looks through a telescope during a solar eclipse event at the Kesytone Observatory. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) A Crestwood pole vaulter focuses as she competes in the District 2 Track and Field Championships. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Veterans participate in a Veterans Day ceremony in Jessup. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) A bundled child blows bubbles at an Easter egg hunt at American Legion Post 221. (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) (SEAN MCKEAG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Frank Lauri, Contributing Photographer Pittston Area pitcher Gianna Adams (16) delivers a pitch in Thursday’s game against Tunkhannock. (FRANK LAURI) Misericordia players rushed the mound squirting water to celebrate their 6-4 win against Middlebury College in the NCAA Division III Regional Baseball Championship on Sunday. (FRANK LAURI) Crestwood’s Jordan Andrews (34) gets up high after the ball against Abington Heights in the District 2 Class AA Lacrosse Championship on Thursday. (FRANK LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER) Pittston Area pitcher Gianna Adams (16) delivers a pitch in Thursday’s game against Tunkhannock. (FRANK LAURI) Dave Scherbenco, Contributing Photographer Children and parents run for eggs at the start of the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Easter Egg Hunt on Public Square Saturday March 30th. Children 10 and under were treated by a visit from the Easter Bunny who arrived by Wilkes-Barre Fire Truck and had a chance for various gifts if they were able to grab some of the right egg outs of the 7,000 that were scattered about Public Square. Various Downtown Wilkes-Barre businesses also offered treats in front of their respective locations. (DAVE SCHERBENCO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRPAHER) Democratic candidate Representative Matt Cartwright and his Republican challenger Rob Bresnahan Jr. exchange pleasantries prior to the start of the WVIA produced Pennsylvania 8th Congressional District Debate .The debate was held on the campus of King’s College in the Burke Auditorium on Oct. 22. (DAVE SCHERBENCO/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER) King’s celebrates its victory over Ursinus during an NCAA Division III playoff first-round game Saturday at McCarthy Stadium. DAVE SCHERBENCO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Children and parents run for eggs at the start of the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Easter Egg Hunt on Public Square Saturday March 30th. Children 10 and under were treated by a visit from the Easter Bunny who arrived by Wilkes-Barre Fire Truck and had a chance for various gifts if they were able to grab some of the right egg outs of the 7,000 that were scattered about Public Square. Various Downtown Wilkes-Barre businesses also offered treats in front of their respective locations. (DAVE SCHERBENCO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRPAHER) Bill Tarutis, Contribution Photographer The Wilkes University Colonels celebrate after defeating King’s College 43-28 in the annual Mayor’s Cup game in Wilkes-Barre Twp. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER A flame is passed to light a candle during a vigil on the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims at Plaid Community Church in Jenkins Twp. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER One-year-old D.J. Wentz, of Hunlock Creek, reaches to touch a miniature highland cattle on the second night of the Luzerne County Fair in Lehman Twp. on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Kris Fragale, of Exeter, starts eating a 10-pound, 28-inch pizza with jalapeño peppers and bacon for a pizza challenge at Uncle Buck’s BBQ in Plymouth on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Members of the First Batallion 109th Field Artillery march past the armory in Wilkes-Barre during the 79th annual Wyoming Valley Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Human resources management graduate Elizabeth Marissa Telencio, of Wilkes-Barre, wears her Star Wars-themed mortarboard during the 75th annual King’s College commencement at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township on Friday, May 17, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER People watch the final Rockin’ the River concert of the season from Nesbitt Park in Wilkes-Barre on Friday, July 26, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Nanticoke Area’s Kate Reed, left, blocks the shot of Wyoming Valley West’s Thalia Irizarry in Nanticoke on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Lake-Lehman second baseman Lucy Honeywell. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER A nearly full moon rises behind the trees at Charley Trippi Stadium in Yatesville on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER The Wilkes University Colonels celebrate after defeating King’s College 43-28 in the annual Mayor’s Cup game in Wilkes-Barre Twp. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. BILL TARUTIS / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
My mom was having an affair with my boyfriend... and they would get intimate while I was in the ROOM with them By EMILY LEFROY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 16:41 EST, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 16:41 EST, 27 December 2024 e-mail View comments A woman has shared the devastating moment that she found out her boyfriend was having an affair - with her own mother. Brooke, now 26, was 17 when she started dating her first boyfriend, whom she called M for the purposes of the story. The California-based woman shared her story on the We're All Insane podcast . She explained that M, who was 18, was a teammate of her brother's and ended up spending a lot of time in the family home. 'He'd always be over at our house, super close with our family. you know it just made me so happy that I could have a boyfriend who not only had a great relationship [with me], but he had a great relationship with my brother and he would get along with my parents,' she admitted. 'It just felt so good.' Brooke said that looking back at her relationship, she had naively ignored some of the red flags that popped up. 'My mom was like immediately very attached to us,' she continued. 'She would be very supportive of me like wanting to go do things with him and hang out and stuff like that and sometimes would even like offer to come along and take us.' Brooke said she started getting concerned when her mom began buying similar outfits to the ones she wore, and made a concentrated effort to look and act younger. A woman named Brooke revealed recalled how she discovered her own boyfriend was having an affair with her mother on the We're All Insane podcast 'She really poured into her image at this time, she was trying to make herself look younger,' described Brooke. 'She was highlighting her hair so it was bright blonde like mine and just like like acting and kind of putting herself out there as looking younger.' Brooke noted that her mom started to seek validation from her boyfriend as she strived for a more youthful look. 'She would almost act while she was with us like she was one of us, like she was a peer,' Brooke explained. 'This is a part of like the relationship that I had with my mom growing up - [she] was never really emotionally a mother, she wanted to be my friend, she wanted to be at my level, she wanted to relate to me.' She also recalled how her mom would go places like 'to the store' or 'for a run' and come back in a 'completely different mood.' Brooke said she even once went to her mom for sex advice - which she gave to her in detail. She added that her mom would ask what she and M did - noting that again, it while it seems strange now, she didn't pick up on it at the time. Brooke, now 26, was 17 when she started dating her first boyfriend, whom she called M for the purposes of the story (stock image) READ MORE: Mom begs people for advice as she reveals her boyfriend has been sleeping with his sister-in-law 'I wouldn't feel uncomfortable telling my mom like, "Hey this happened," you know 'cause she was curious and she was invested in our relationship so it just felt like telling your girlfriend details,' she noted. Brooke explained that when she started to pick up on her mom acting suspiciously, it coincided with her parents going through a rough patch in their marriage. And just a few days after Christmas during her senior year of high school, things unraveled - and the affair was exposed. 'I get home and I'm in the garage and my brother opens the door [and] he's just staring at me, and he goes "M had sex with mom,"' she shared, admitting that it didn't hit her when she initially heard the news. 'I was like "you're joking", and I looked at him and I'm like "don't say that," and he looked at me again and his expression didn't change - it was just stone cold, and he says the same exact thing.' At this point, Brooke said her heart was pounding and her brother told her to call her dad. 'I'm in like a total state of shock,' she admitted. ' I'm so confused there's no way like it just doesn't make sense to me.' Brooke called her father, who confirmed that what her brother said was true - her mom had been sleeping with her boyfriend. Brooke (left) said her mom even confessed to getting intimate with M behind her back when she was in the room with them 'I walked into that house and I ran straight to my parents bedroom where my mom was laying on the bed in the fetal position absolutely hysterically sobbing,' she recalled of what happened next. 'I ran in there [and] every single cuss word was coming out of my mouth I was throwing hands I was cussing her out I was screaming at her.' 'I'd felt so destroyed and so betrayed and so confused and just every emotion that you could think of,' Brooke admitted, adding that all her feeling were amplified by the fact her 'own flesh and blood' was the one to commit to act. 'I just remember being so sad for my dad that he had to be in the position to not only address his own needs but mine.' Brooke forced her mom to tell her about the affair, and she revealed where they had had sex, including a local park, in the car, and mainly, in their own house. Brooke's mom even admitted that they had kissed while she was in the room and recovering from having her wisdom teeth taken out. 'She admitted to touching him and kissing him behind [me] while I'm on the couch. I mean, literally, like a couple feet behind me and I have no idea any of this was going on,' she shared. 'He would leave my room say good night ... and on his way out he would meet her at a location in my house and see her.' Brooke still had six months of high school left, so she said she went into 'survival mode,' actively trying to avoid her mom. 'I remember going back to school and I didn't think that it was going to be something that everybody knew about,' she painfully recalled. 'But everybody knew [everyone's] business and stories spread like wildfire.' Brooke added the affair not only affected her, but also her siblings, who were taunted at school over it. 'My mom saw a therapist after this had happened and she says that her therapist told her that she had basically a dissociative episode and that she didn't understand that what she was doing was ... not right which I call complete bulls**t on,' she admitted. Brooke said the experience made her act out in college, and that she would party and drink a lot, and eventually started sleeping around. 'My whole existence just depended on feeling like I was desired and I felt good, and I never looked at myself in the mirror and said, I need help. I need to address the pain that this situation has caused,' she said. After spending some time in therapy, Brooke said she has made huge strides in coming to terms with the feelings of inadequacy that she ignored after the incident. Brooke's parents are still married, and in fact, she said their relationship has never been better. 'A couple years after the fact, [I asked dad], "Why did you choose to stay with mom?" and he said that when he got married he made a vow, you know, for better for worse, all that stuff that I think nowadays we don't take as seriously,' she shared. 'I really admired my dad when he said that, and he was like, "I love your mom I know that she really f**ked up but I love your mom and I am going to do what whatever I can to stay committed to her."' Brooke said she has put her relationship with her mother on the backburner for now, but working through her trauma has helped her become more vulnerable in many areas of her life. 'I don't think I will ever truly lose the scars that I've gotten from her and that situation, but I've learned to make peace with a lot of things I've learned to accept a lot of things and find the positives in them,' she shared. California Share or comment on this article: My mom was having an affair with my boyfriend... and they would get intimate while I was in the ROOM with them e-mail Add comment