Noah Kahan is appropriating Will Toledo’s culture. The viral folk star’s eventful Great Divide tour happened to stop by Pittsburgh last night while the furry convention was in town, and he was for some reason very excited about that, welcoming the furries and even trying on the head of an audience member’s furry costume.

“Pittsburgh: if you are caught between attending the worlds largest furry convention or my show tonight then please know you are welcome to combine the two,” Kahan wrote on X before the show. Responding to a poster who asked what his fursona would be, he posted “Squid man.”

“Furries are welcome. All the animal kingdom is welcome tonight,” Kahan then said onstage at PNC Park. “I don’t see any so far but I will be looking and asking a lot of questions after the show.” At the prop payphone booth that’s been a part of his show setup, he took a phone call from the “National Center For Furry Awareness” and learned furries do not necessarily have sex in their suits.

“The National Center For Furry Awareness? Oh, they don’t have sex… not necessarily? Okay, well that’s good to know.”

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“If there are any furries in the crowd, say, ‘Hell yeah,’” he added to a mostly furryless crowd. Watch below.

As Hartford celebrated America’s 250th birthday Saturday, one of the city’s oldest attractions welcomed visitors for one of the few days each year when admission is free.

The Bushnell Park Carousel opened its doors at no cost as part of the city’s Independence Day festivities, giving families a chance to experience a piece of Hartford history while escaping the summer heat.

“It’s one of the most incredible pieces that we have here in downtown Hartford,” said Morgan Fippinger, executive director of the Bushnell Park Conservancy.

The carousel itself is older than many visitors realize.

“It is a 1914, so it’s a true antique carousel,” Fippinger said.

For many Hartford residents, the carousel has long been a fixture in Bushnell Park. For others, including newcomers to the city, it offered a chance to experience one of Hartford’s most recognizable landmarks for the first time.

Fippinger said the free ride day is one of the conservancy’s ways of participating in Hartford’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday.

“The free days when we have thousands of people in the park, it can be a lot,” Fippinger said. “It’s a lot of impact on the park and the infrastructure of the park. But also it’s an amazing time for so many people that are not necessarily always from Hartford, get to come in and see the amazing resources that Hartford has.”

While the Bushnell Park Conservancy cares for much more than the carousel, Fippinger said the attraction often serves as an introduction to the city’s rich history.

“There’s an amazing amount of history here, resources here,” Fippinger said. “And, you know, so we are kind of the eyes and ears for the City of Hartford.”

The air-conditioned carousel building also offered visitors a chance to cool off as temperatures climbed during the holiday celebration.

“We do want to make sure that everybody stays hydrated,” Fippinger said. “And the carousel building is air conditioned. So if people are feeling hot or feeling like they need to get cool, they can come in and take a ride. Plus, when you’re on the ride, it feels amazing.”

Following weeks of relative radio silence, some progress has been made regarding the Maine online casino industry, which is expected to launch sometime in 2026. According to a press release, Caesars Entertainment expanded on its existing partnership with three Wabanaki Nations tribes in the state. As a result, when the Maine iGaming market goes live, the state will feature three Caesars online casinos.

Caesars snatches three of four Maine online casino licenses

Under state law that passed earlier this year, there are four licenses up for grabs for incoming iGaming platforms, all of which come via the four Wabanaki Nations tribes. 

By expanding its agreement with the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi’kmaq Nation and the Penobscot Nation, Caesars Entertainment will account for three of those Maine online casino licenses. 

In an announcement, it opens the door for the rollout of Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and the flagship Caesars Palace Online Casino, which likely will feature a welcome offer via a Caesars Casino bonus code.

The long-term agreement, per the announcement, sets up Caesars to debut those platforms in 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

The expanded partnership comes on the heels of the 2023 introduction of Caesars’ online sportsbook. In addition to a commitment to offer a best-in-class and responsible online gambling experience, Caesars will invest in local workforce development by employing, training and developing members of each tribe to provide “meaningful financial support to help fund tribal community programs and initiatives,” according to a press release.

Caesars expanded partnership ‘a meaningful opportunity’

There has been no update as to if the Passamaquoddy Nation will partner with a legal gambling online casino for that fourth and final license, although it does have DraftKings in its corner for online sports betting.

Until then, it is only Caesars Entertainment platforms that residents can look forward to enjoying when the market launches in 2026.

“Together, we’ve built a strong and responsible sports wagering experience, and this next phase reinforces our commitment to our tribal partners and to delivering a differentiated, localized digital gaming experience for Mainers,” Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, said in a statement. “We’re grateful to Gov. Janet Mills, the Maine Legislature and the Maine Gambling Control Unit for their continued leadership and thoughtful approach to gaming in the state.”

Chief Kirk Francis of the Penobscot Nation added that integrating these new online casinos from Caesars “represents a meaningful opportunity to build on that foundation” already in place with Caesars Entertainment.

Lawsuit still pending regarding Maine online casinos

While there has been some movement for the future of legal casino games online in Maine, there remains a lawsuit still pending in the state.

Churchill Downs – which operates Oxford Casino Hotel, one of two commercial land-based casinos in Maine – sued to have the iGaming law invalidated, saying that the state legislature “blessed a race-based monopoly” by awarding online casino licenses to tribal partners only.

Penn Entertainment, which owns Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway, is not involved in the litigation, but CEO Jay Snowden criticized Maine’s framework in a Q4 2025 earnings call.

Snowden emphasized how the property has been in operation since 2005, investing hundreds of millions of dollars and being “as involved in the community” as any entity can be. Yet Maine lawmakers chose to “hand a monopoly to a third party that’s never invested a dollar in the industry.”

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