Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is one of the top states for birdwatching
Spring is a time when many of our feathered friends migrate back home, providing ample opportunity for some good birdwatching.
And, wouldn’t you know, Pennsylvania is one of the best states in the United States for this activity.
According to a report conducted and published by Lawn Love, the Keystone State is the seventh best for birdwatching in the nation.
Pennsylvania — along with the 49 other states — was ranked across five key categories: “Access,” “Bird Variety,” “Popularity,” “Conservation,” and “Climate.” Relative metrics such as “Number of Audubon Centers and Sanctuaries” and “Number of Birdwatching Groups” were also taken into account for final grades.
When all was said and done, Texas ranked third overall; Florida, second; and California came out on top in first.
The bottom three states — those where “fowl play” abounds, according to the report — are Nevada (48th overall), South Dakota (49th) and Iowa (50th).
If you’re interested in birdwatching yourself but are a bit lost as to where to start, experts tapped by Lawn Love listed the following as essentials: Food, water, sunscreen, and, of course, binoculars.
“Being a bird is hard,” adds Kathryn E. Sieving, professor and graduate coordinator at the University of Florida’s Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. “They have to eat constantly and keep from being killed by hawks to survive each day, so honor them by being a quiet, kind birder.”
Pennsylvania
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Pennsylvania
Bill would create alert when children with autism go missing in Pennsylvania
(WHTM) — Legislation is in the works for a statewide warning system to locate missing children with autism.
State Rep. Robert Leadbeter (R-Columbia County) announced the formal introduction of a bill to create a “Purple Alert” system. It would quickly notify police and community members when a child with autism, or other cognitive issues, is missing.
His bill is called “Aiden’s Law,” named for a young boy in Columbia County, who disappeared earlier this year and drowned in the Susquehanna River. Leadbeter said a “Purple Alert” system would fill a gap in Pennsylvania.
“So, individuals with cognitive disabilities are able to then, if they go missing, have an alert go out to law enforcement organizations that work directly with them and that’ll save time expand resources, and ideally result in a safe return home for the missing individual,” Leadbeter said.
In this bill, the system would mirror others like Amber Alerts for missing children in danger and Silver Alerts for missing seniors.
Pennsylvania
Bethlehem man sentenced under Pennsylvania’s new AI child porn law
A Bethlehem man is among the first to be sentenced under a Pennsylvania law passed last year, making it a crime to possess AI-generated child sex abuse material.
On Monday, Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kristie M. Marks sentenced 35-year-old Adam Erdman to two years, four months to 10 years.
Erdman in September pleaded guilty to felony possessing child sex abuse material. He faced a possible sentence of 5 to 10 years in prison.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan announced the sentencing in a news conference Monday afternoon. The DA credited U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who introduced the new legislation and state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, who championed the final version of the law last year.
“Before this law was passed, the use of AI to generate child sexual abuse materials went unpunished,” Holihan said. “Prosecutors like me need legislation like this to arrest and convict the criminals who use evolving technology to victimize others.”
Macungie-based attorney Michael Ira Stump, representing Erdman, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Tuesday morning.
Bethlehem police on March 31 were called by Erdman’s estranged wife, who reported finding three AI-generated nude images of juvenile girls on his personal computer.
Prosecutors said Erdman downloaded photos of the children on vacation from their parent’s social media account, and then used artificial intelligence photo-editing software to make the children appear naked.
Erdman was charged on April 17.
The case was investigated by Bethlehem Police Det. Stephen Ewald and was prosecuted by Lehigh County Senior Deputy District Attorney Sarah K. Heimbach.
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