Chester County’s prison warden will round out a new leadership team after the county’s top official left his job earlier this week.
Howard Holland, who has served as prison warden for the county since April 2024 and was its acting warden for eight months before that, has been appointed as acting deputy county administrator for operations and will complete a team of three newly named top county officials, the county announced this week.
“I have always advocated for improved government processes, and I’ve been particularly pleased by the changes Mr. Holland has undertaken at the prison,” County Commissioner Eric Roe said in a statement. “I’m happy to have him join our leadership team, and I look forward to his continued contributions as a manager and leader at the County level.”
The administrative team oversees 2,600 staff members and a roughly $730 million annual budget. Members are appointed by the county’s three elected commissioners.
The change comes just days after the county’s top official, David Byerman, left the job, and a new county administrator, Erik Walschburger, was named.Holland anddeputy county administratorMegan Moser, whose role was renamed this week, will work under Walschburger.
Walschburger most recently was the county’s deputy administrator, a role he had held since 2022 overseeing internal day-to-day operations. Moser, who joined the county in 2025, has been involved with the county’s response to multiple election errors in recent months.
The county’s announcement on Wednesday made no mention of Byerman. A county spokesperson earlier this week declined to give a reason for his departure.
AsChester County shifts its personnel, it is reverting back to job titles it had used previously, retiring its use of “chief executive officer,” “chief operations officer,” and “chief experience officer” — a change it made roughly a year ago — for the more traditional title of county administrator and two deputies.
Holland comes to the job after a more than 30-year career in law enforcement, working as a police officer, a special county detective, and an adviser to the county’s prison board. He was the chief of police for seven years in Downingtown.
His most recent job came with an electric start: The day he became acting prison warden, convicted murderer Danilo Cavalcante escaped the prison, resulting in a two-week search. Since that incident, Holland made changes to limit the risk of escape, and promised to add additional security measures to the facility.
With Holland’s move to county government, the Chester County Prison Board of Inspectors has appointed Brian Sheller as acting warden, county officials said. Sheller has been deputy warden since 2024, and served as the Parkesburg chief of police for more than 30 years.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
SEPTA expects to receive about $5.5 million from a federal appropriation to offset the cost of providing transit service in Philadelphia during the FIFA World Cup.
The regional transportation authority projects it will spend $21.5 million for additional transit runs and extended service hours during the World Cup as well as a the celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday, officials said.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced about $100 million in funding to 11 cities and regions hosting FIFA championship matches, apportioned by formula.
“We are going to pull out all the stops to serve those big events — while also not missing a beat for our riders who rely on SEPTA every day,“ General Manager Scott Sauer said in a statement. He thanked the region’s congressional delegation and U.S. DOT for the ”much-needed investment to support this historic year.“
SEPTA said it would spend $18 million for overtime for transit operators and Transit Police, cleaning expenses, longer customer service hours and ambassadors to help people navigate the system.
Other extra operating costs for the events:
$1 million on safety and security, for portable surveillance equipment and a communications system to send police where they’re needed most.
$825,000 for signage, including World Cup branded signage, website and app upgrades to help visitors get around, as well as translation services.
Another $1.3 million will be spent on support services, SEPTA said.
Congress earmarked the money to help World Cup host cities and regions in this year’s federal budget, but improvements are required to benefit the general public, not just soccer fans.
“With the world coming to Philadelphia in 2026, we have a responsibility to be ready,” U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D., Pa) said.
The federal largesse will “strengthen our transit system so it can handle the surge in ridership during the World Cup,” Boyle said. “Just as importantly, these improvements will benefit Philadelphians long after the tournament.”
In addition to the extra spending on operations, SEPTA said it is investing about $30 million for infrastructure upgrades in advance of 2026 events, including improvements at Broad Street Line and Market-Frankford Line rail stations expected to be primary hubs for event goers.
The projects include:
Roof replacement and platform resurfacing at NRG Station on the Broad Street Line, which serves Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Ballpark, where the Major League All-Star game will be held this summer.
Upgrades to the Second Street Station headhouse on the Market-Frankford Line.
Fern Rock Transportation Center lighting and painting.
Realignment of the fare line at City Hall Station on the BSL, as well as platform resurfacing and new LED lighting.
A Gladwyne furniture heir who duped some of the region’s wealthiest people into giving him millions of dollars intended to fund his startup companies — but who instead used the cash to pay for lavish personal expenses including private jet flights, country club dues, and his daughters’ bat mitzvahs — was sentenced Wednesday to more than nine years in federal prison.
Josh Verne pleaded guilty last year to using forged financial documents and false statements about his net worth to persuade prominent business owners to invest in some of his proposed ventures. They included David Adelman, a billionaire entrepreneur and Sixers co-owner; Michael Rubin, CEO of the sports apparel behemoth Fanatics; and real estate developer Bart Blatstein, The Inquirer has reported.
Part of Verne’s appeal, prosecutors said, was his gregarious and engaging persona, and his confident assurances that he was a visionary entrepreneur who would turn his investors’ money into lucrative returns. He said he’d sold a previous business for tens of millions of dollars — although he hadn’t — and assured his benefactors that he was worth nearly $100 million, though he wasn’t.
In court Wednesday, Verne, 48, cut a far more humble figure, saying he’d “destroyed” his career, reputation, and relationships through his misconduct.
“I alone am responsible for that,” he said. “Not the circumstances, not the pressure, but me.”
Prosecutors said Verne’s misdeeds were part of a calculated, long-running scheme to “steal rather than earn.” In court documents, they described him as an “extraordinarily capable conman” whose fraud “was not an aberration — it was a business model.”
“This wasn’t a poor man who was trying to feed his family,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerome Maiatico said in court. “He wanted to live a lifestyle that he couldn’t otherwise afford. And he sustained that with deception.”
U.S. District Judge John F. Murphy said Verne clearly had a knack for gaining people’s trust — but that in this case, he abused that trust in “profound” ways, day after day.
“What makes this scheme so meaningful is the sheer persistence of all of the decisions,” Murphy said. “You don’t accomplish all of these things with a couple of light decisions.”
The judge said Verne’s total term of incarceration would be 111 months. Afterward, he said, Verne will serve three years of supervised release.
Verne was raised in Huntingdon Valley, and his family in the 1960s founded Chuck’s Bargain House, a furniture company that was later renamed Home Line Furniture Industries and grew to include factories in Philadelphia, North Carolina and Vietnam.
Verne went to work for the business in the early 2000s, but it was forced to close because of financial difficulties in 2011.
After that, Verne founded Workpays.me LLC, an employee payroll-deduction purchasing program. And in 2016, he persuaded Adelman to invest in FlockU, a digital media outlet focused on appealing to college students.
In courting Adelman, prosecutors said, Verne lied about his net worth, his business background, and, to bolster his accounts, presented Adelman — referred to in court documents as “Investor A” — with forged financial documents he said were from Goldman Sachs.
Once FlockU foundered, prosecutors said, Verne changed the LLC’s name to Ownable and pivoted its business model, seeking to make it an online marketplace that would lease laptops and smartphones to people who couldn’t afford to buy them.
To persuade Adelman to invest more money, prosecutors said, Verne lied again, saying he was investing more than $2 million of his own money into Ownable, when in fact he never did so.
Verne then went on to raise millions more from other boldfaced names, in part by touting his connection to Adelman and continuing to boast about his own wealth. All the while, prosecutors said, Ownable was struggling to get off the ground — but Verne was using the money to fund an extravagant life.
He used his investors’ cash to renovate his Shore house, prosecutors said, and paid for private jet trips, his daughters’ bat mitzvahs, his country club dues, an interior decorator, and credit card and mortgage bills.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has not yet settled on a precise dollar figure for all that graft, but said it was likely between $12 million and $24 million.
Prosecutors and Verne’s attorneys said in court Wednesday that they were continuing to try and finalize disputes about exactly how much Verne owes to his victims, although his federal public defenders said he is now “penniless.”
In 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission said in a civil court filing that Verne had raised $31 million from investors — and misspent about half of it.
More than $9 million went toward Verne’s personal expenses, the SEC said, and about $5 million was diverted to make “Ponzi-like payments” to some initial investors, an attempt by Verne to mislead his benefactors into thinking Ownable was in good financial health.
By 2019, however, Ownable was in severe financial distress, prosecutors said. And in 2020, the company’s board learned of the issues and forced Verne to resign.
Two years later, prosecutors said, when Verne knew he was under criminal investigation, he sent texts to a former Ownable employee who’d spoken to the FBI, as well as the man’s wife. Prosecutors said the texts amounted to witness intimidation.
Verne’s attorneys disputed that, saying the texts were a one-time, “off-the-cuff” reaction made under duress, and did not contain any explicit threats against anyone.
Murphy, the judge, disagreed.
“Some would call it extortion,” he said. “It’s a threat.”
Verne was indicted in 2024 on charges including securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He pleaded guilty last year to some of those charges as part of a plea agreement.
Murphy said that although some of Verne’s victims were wealthy, others were less well-heeled and therefore devastated by his misuse of their money.
And yet Verne continued making decisions to benefit himself at the expense of those who trusted him, the judge said.
“What the next day brought every time,” Murphy said, “was more and more harmful decisions.”
OLD FORGE, Pa. — The ovens went cold at Ghigiarelli’s after owner Robert Baron was killed in 2017, and the longtime Main Street restaurant went into a protracted limbo here in the “Pizza Capital of the World.”
There’s arguably a pizza shop on every block in this blue-collar town about 120 miles north of Philadelphia, in Lackawanna County. It’s a place where presidential hopefuls come for photo opportunities, eating a rectangular “cut” of pizza, not a slice, that’s cooked in a “tray,” not a pie. Everyone has their favorites, whether it’s Revello’s or Arcaro & Genell’s, but shop owners see themselves as a collective, not competitors.
Ghigiarelli’s is, perhaps, the progenitor of this uniquely Northeastern Pennsylvania brand of pizza, opening in 1926. According to a recent social media post and a simple sign in the window, hot cuts may soon return.
“Thank you for your continuous support throughout the years, even while we’ve been closed! Keep an eye out for updates on an opening date for take out. We look forward to seeing everyone,” the restaurant’s official Facebook page announced Feb. 13.
A sign in the window of Ghigiarelli’s Pizza hints at the restaurant’s reopening.
It’s unclear who’s behind the reopening. The building remained closed Monday afternoon, with a small sign in the window announcing the reopening. Robert Baron’s widow, Maria, and daughter Brittany did not return requests for comment, and Old Forge Mayor Robert Legg said he didn’t know who was opening Ghigiarelli’s.
“Ghigiarelli’s has been there for years and years, so we’d love all our establishments open. People loved their pizza, and they’re chomping at the bit,” he said. “They are a really nice family, and they suffered a great tragedy.”
Robert Baron’s death
Robert Baron’s family purchased Ghigiarelli’s in 1961, keeping the name and the pizza. He grew up in Old Forge, an affable workaholic who poured himself into the restaurant. Baron often slept in the apartment above to meet delivery trucks. He was last seen Jan. 25, 2017, when he dropped his son off at his apartment in town at about 11 p.m.
Maria Baron stands in front of Ghigiarelli’s Restaurant in Old Forge, Lackawanna County. She is the wife of Robert Baron who disappeared from there on Jan. 25, 2017, and was later found dead. (FRED ADAMS / For the Inquirer 11-17-18)
Investigators found blood, a tooth, and cleaning supplies scattered at his pizza shop, the daily delivery of dough still outside. Baron’s car was found about a mile away, by the Lackawanna River, not long after. Investigators found blood inside and out of the car, and, in 2023, discovered his remains in a nearby park. Weeks later, a local man was charged with his murder and later convicted.
Addressing the board before the vote, Ryan Wieand, the president of Quakertown’s teachers union, said that selecting the next superintendent “is not simply about filling a position at this point. It’s about restoring trust.”
Wieand said the superintendent’s job “demands presence, visibility, and leadership that requires showing up, and not just for social media photo ops.”
The district “can’t be led effectively by someone who is absent more often than not,” Wieand said. “Our next superintendent needs to be 100% invested in Quakertown every single day,” and not view the job as “a stepping stone to another destination.”
He called Hoffman the best candidate for the job, praising her loyalty to the district and “true accountability.”
Friedman could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
A Tredyffrin office complex is being converted into housing, bucking a suburban trend. Here’s why. Also, East Whiteland Township’s meeting about a proposed data center was postponed after too many people showed up, the county’s CEO left the job Mondayand has been replaced, plus a West Goshen business could face fines after polluting a local waterway.
We want your feedback! Tell us what you think of the newsletter by taking our survey or emailing us at chestercounty@inquirer.com.
The office complex at 435 Devon Park Dr. in Tredyffrin Township is being converted into housing.
An eight-building office complex at 435 Devon Park Dr. in Tredyffrin Township is on its way to becoming housing, making it one of the only suburban office-to-housing conversions underway in the region. Zoning issues, demands on school districts, and economic feasibility often make these types of conversions difficult and costly.
Built in the 1980s, the complex is able to be more easily converted than many of its larger counterparts thanks to its layout and the fact that it already has operable windows.
Once complete, the former office buildings will have 162apartments, largely studios and one-bedrooms, breathing new life into the complex.
Chester County Library in Extonlaunched a new service this weekallowing residents to apply for a U.S. passport. The appointment-only offeringis for first-time passport applicants, applicants whose previous passport was issued before they turned 16, or applicants whose passport was lost, stolen, damaged, or issued over 15 years ago. Learn more about the program here.
💡 Community News
Over the weekend, a “milky white” substance and dead fish were spotted in Goose Creek in West Chester, prompting municipal and state officials to investigate. The leak in West Goshen Township was plugged after the substance was traced back to Atmos Technologies, a company with a location at 216 Garfield Ave. Drinking water wasn’t affected, but Aqua Pennsylvania will continue to monitor the area downstream. Atmos faces potential fines.
East Whiteland Township’s planning commission has rescheduled last week’s meeting about a proposed data center at a former Superfund site after there were more attendees than the room’s 98-person capacity could hold. The commissionis set to consider an amended application that calls for increasing the size of the two proposed data center buildings by roughly 61% from what was previously approved. The meeting at a larger venue is tentatively set for Monday.
An NBC10 Philadelphia investigation found that Honey Brook Constable David Jones Sr. is among two area law enforcement officers to have signed a 287(g) agreement, which authorizes agencies to carry out immigration enforcement. Jones told the network that he hasn’t heard from ICE since entering into the agreement in October.
The West Sadsbury Township zoning board will meet tomorrow at 6 p.m. to consider a proposal for a new storage facility at 5787 W. Lincoln Highway in Parkesburg.
There’s a town hall meeting tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Tredyffrin Township building to discuss the Pennsylvania Turnpike Milepost 320-324 construction project. The project calls for reconstructing four miles of the turnpike and widening the section from four lanes in each direction to six lanes.
Malvern Borough is hosting a public workshop on Monday at 7 p.m. for its Zoning, Subdivision, and Land Development Task Force as it considers amendments to its zoning ordinance and map.
Heads up for drivers: In Upper Uwchlan Township, Styer Road between Meadow Creek Lane and Morning Light Road will close Monday and isn’t expected to reopen for three or four weeks while crews work on the underside of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Overpass. U.S. 30 westbound between Lincoln Highway and the ramp onto Airport Road, an area that spanning Sadsbury and Valley Townships, will have a lane closure from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. today through Friday as crews make repairs. In East Pikeland Township, Spring City Road is closed between Township Line Road and Wall Street as crews work to replace the bridge there. The project is expected to last 12 to 18 months. Expect delays between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. on East Swedesford Road near the intersection of Church Farm Lane in West Whiteland Township for the next two weeks, while roadwork takes place.
Pennsylvania American Water is expected to replace water mains in Parkesburg Borough through April 3. Customers may experience no water, low water pressure, or discolored water while work takes place. Learn more about the project here.
Peco will begin updating the underground electrical feed in Kennett Township early this month, impacting Davenport and Cedar Croft Roads, as well as Donny Lane.The electrical system upgrade work is scheduled to be completed by June.
Residents will gather this weekend in Coatesville to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March, during which civil rights activists faced police attacks. The Together We Stand Project will host a march on Saturday at 9 a.m., with participants gathering at Gateway Park then walking along Route 30 from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue. “This march is not just about remembering history — it’s about inspiring our community to take action and embrace their civic responsibility,” event organizer Linda Lavender Norris said.
A former employee at the Devereux behavioral health campus in West Whiteland Township has been convicted for soliciting sexual acts from a 14-year-old resident at the site. Shakur Austin, 28, of Philadelphia, will be sentenced at a later date.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Great Valley School District’s school board last week approved students’ request to start a “Club America” chapter at Great Valley High School. The chapter, affiliated with the national Turning Point USA organization, will “discuss the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government” and “give representation to conservative and Christian voices,” according to club leaders. A student and a community member spoke against the club’s formation, describing Turning Point as divisive, The Inquirer’s Maddie Hanna reports.
Registration is now open for Owen J. Roberts School District’s more than 40 summer enrichment camp programs.
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District is hosting a workshop for its 2026-27 budget on Monday at Conestoga High School following the Finance Committee meeting, which starts at 7 p.m.
Registration for new TESD students entering kindergarten and first grade next school year is now open. Learn more here.
Unionville High School’s robotics team took home first place in the United States Governors Cup’s FIRST Tech Challenge, held in Washington, D.C., last month. The Silver Wolves were the only Pennsylvania team to compete in the inaugural event.
🍽️ On our Plate
Two new eateries recently opened in West Chester. Cousin’s Burger opened last week at 211 E. Market St., taking over the former Miss Winnie’s space. The new spot, which has several other area locations, serves smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, loaded fries, wings, and chicken tenders. And West Chester Chicken, located at 34 S. High St., is also now open and dishing up fried and grilled chicken, sandwiches, boardwalk fries, and water ice.
🎳 Things to Do
🏀 Harlem Wizards: The traveling professional basketball team known for its entertaining hoops skills is coming to town. ⏰ Friday, March 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 💵 $21.99-$76.99 📍West Chester East High School
🩰 Spotlight Performance and Fundraiser: See performances from the Brandywine Contemporary and Brandywine Ballet companies, including a preview of the upcoming production of ThePhantom of the Opera. ⏰ Friday, March 6, 7:15 p.m. 💵 $56-$106 📍Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, West Chester
🍁 Maple Syrup at Springton Manor Farm: Learn how to tap a maple tree and then boil the contents for syrup during one of three 45-minute sessions. Registration is required. ⏰ Sunday, March 8, noon-2:45 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Springton Manor Farm
☘️ Solas’ 30th Anniversary Tour: The Celtic ensemble blends traditional Irish music with Americana, bluegrass, and folk elements. ⏰ Sunday, March 8, 7:30 p.m. 💵 $41.78-$88.87 📍The Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville
The home spans 3,800 square feet and has a greenhouse.
This brick Malvern home is classic Main Line, with a twist. It has an attached greenhouse equipped with running water, drainage, and a heating system. Inside, the first floor features hardwood floors, a living room with a fireplace, a dining room, an eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and two ovens, a bedroom with a gas fireplace, and a full bathroom. There are several bedrooms upstairs, including the primary suite, as well as a family room with skylights. Downstairs, there’s a temperature-controlled wine cellar in the walk-out basement, along with another bedroom and full bathroom. Out back, the home has an in-ground pool, a deck, and a large yard. There’s an open house Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
It was at the end of last year in the hazy stretch between Christmas and New Year’s when time doesn’t feel real, and some of Philly’s top Democrats were huddled around a secret proposal, racing to meet a deadline.
The group — convened by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, her aides, and some key Philadelphia boosters — was preparing a lengthy bid to bring the Democratic National Convention back to the city in either 2028 or 2032, a potential economic boon and a chance to show off in front of lawmakers, celebrities, and international media.
The confidential proposal to the Democratic National Committee included everything from the city’s hotel space to police outfitting to nitty-gritty details about the electrical grid and voltage capacity at Xfinity Mobile Arena. SEPTA officials drafted a section about the public transportation Philadelphia could offer visitors, and tourism agencies chipped in with insights on hotels and restaurants.
David L. Cohen, a longtime Democratic fundraiser and the president of the recently formed nonprofit host committee called Pick Pennsylvania, said that while the mayor led the effort, the bid also emphasized the “unity of the region and the commonwealth.”
“She wanted it to be really clear this is more than a Philadelphia bid,” he said. “This is a unified Pennsylvania bid.”
It appears the Democratic National Committee was impressed. On Monday, the DNC announced that it is considering five cities, including Philadelphia, to host the 2028 convention, where a Democratic presidential nominee will be coronated. The party is also looking closely at Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, and Boston to hold the early August event.
What comes next is a campaign to lure the convention to Philly, complete with a carefully coordinated public relations effort and a significant fundraising push. Philadelphia’s host committee for 2016, the last time the city held a presidential nominating convention, raised more than $85 million.
The DNC has asked host cities to raise $5 million before being selected. Philly’s fundraising, Cohen said, “will be substantially higher than that number.”
In this 2021 file photo, David L. Cohen speaks as Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the city’s World Cup 2026 bid committee, launched an interactive exhibit at the Independence Visitors Center in Philadelphia. He is now heading an effort to bring the Democratic National Convention to Philadelphia.
Cohen, a former Comcast executive and erstwhile chief of staff to former mayor Ed Rendell, is leading the effort alongside Daniel J. Hilferty, now the CEO of Comcast Spectacor.
Hilferty and Cohen have worked together repeatedly over the last two decades to bring major events to Philadelphia, including a successful bid to become one of a handful of North American cities to host World Cup games this year.
Also involved in coordinating the DNC proposal was Erin Wilson, a Philadelphia native who was a top aide to former Vice President Kamala Harris. She was the national political director for former President Joe Biden’s campaign and planned his 2021 inauguration.
When the DNC comes to town
DNC officials are expected to make a final decision on the 2028 site later this year. That call will likely be made by chair Ken Martin in consultation with top advisers and the committee’s Technical Advisory Group, which assesses logistics and operational matters.
Philadelphia could also have an advocate in State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who represents parts of North Philadelphia and is a DNC vice chair. He is known to have a close relationship with Martin.
Committee officials and the advisory group will tour each of the five finalist cities for a yet-to-be-scheduled site visit this spring.
If history is any indication, the city will roll out the red carpet. In 2014, when 18 members of the DNC came to Philly to check out the city ahead of the 2016 convention, the host committee spent six figures to charm them.
The trip included a tour of Philly’s most popular sites, like Reading Terminal Market and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as well as a swanky rooftop party and a breakfast at the Comcast Center. Predictably, cheesesteaks were also involved.
“The site visits are as much about feel as they are about technical details,” Cohen said. “After site visits, the teams who are making choices leave here and they have their socks knocked off. They can’t believe how vibrant the city is.”
In this 2014 file photo, Congressman Bob Brady, left, talks with DNC CEO Amy Dacey, center, as they have lunch at Pat’s Steaks in South Philadelphia.
Ryan Boyer, the head of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council and a close Parker ally, said one of Philadelphia’s best assets might be its mayor. Parker is an unabashed cheerleader for the city and is leading preparations for several major events this year, including World Cup games, the MLB All-Star Game, and the commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.
“She’s the most effective advocate for bringing people together,” Boyer said, “with just her level of passion, her love of the city, and her love of the job.”
Cohen said he spoke to Parker last year about the potential to bid for the convention, and when she asked him to lead the host committee, he said yes because the city has “a serious chance.”
“As a friend and longtime supporter of hers, if I didn’t think we had a legitimate shot, I would try to talk her out of it,” Cohen said. “If anything, I have poured gasoline on her flames of enthusiasm and said, ‘We should be all in for this.’
”I said, ‘Do what you do best,’” he added. “Get everyone excited about this.’”
That means there is a chance that Shapiro, who was raised in Montgomery County and whose family still lives there, could be nominated in what is essentially his hometown.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during the Democratic National Convention Aug. 21, 2024, in Chicago.
In a letter to Martin, Shapiro wrote that Philadelphia “would see substantial economic benefits” from hosting the convention and vowed that the state would be “prepared to ensure our infrastructure, public safety agencies, workforce, and business community are equipped to host thousands of delegates and attendees.”
What’s next: a close look at security and logistics
Behind the pomp of the DNC’s spring site visit will be a serious evaluation of security, transportation, hotels, and arena logistics.
The DNC said in a statement Monday that it will value “new and innovative approaches” to hosting a large-scale event that is likely to bring thousands of tourists. In 2016, the convention drew more than 5,000 attendees and an additional 29,000 visitors — nearly 20,000 of whom were media members.
Nominating conventions are typically designated as National Special Security Events, meaning the federal government leads security because the event is deemed at high risk for terrorism or other criminal activity. That means planners need to know specifics about law enforcement staffing, gear, and other capabilities.
Placards promoting Philadelphia as the host city of the Democratic National Convention in 2016, while the Democratic National Committee was touring the city in August.
Support will also have to come from outside the city. During past conventions, federal law enforcement teamed up with Philadelphia police to secure the venue, and they were joined by officers from across the region.
The DNC also said in its announcement Monday that the committee would prioritize “the importance of forging a strong partnership between the DNC and the host city, including its community, political, and business leaders.”
To that end, the host committee and Parker asked elected officials and civic leaders from across the state to write letters of support that accompanied the city’s bid.
Authors ranged from City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, whose district includes the South Philadelphia stadium complex, to labor leaders to Democrats from the Philadelphia collar counties.
Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija, who wrote a letter to the DNC boosting the bid, said it is important for the committee to see that local governments and law enforcement agencies outside the city are willing to offer support, because “pulling something like this off requires a lot of cooperation on many different fronts.”
“A real concern now when you’re thinking about hosting a political convention is ‘How are we going to manage public safety and a threat environment?’” he said. “There are a number of reasons to point to our region and see a level of collaboration that inspires confidence.”
A drug-sniffing K-9 dog helped the Pennsylvania State Police make a 40-pound marijuana bust during a traffic stop on I-95 in Delaware County, the law enforcement agency said Tuesday.
Around 11:20 p.m. on Thursday, state troopers stopped a vehicle on southbound I-95 in Ridley Township for multiple alleged traffic offenses, state police said.
Troopers suspected something was up and asked for consent to search the vehicle, but the driver allegedly refused, so troopers called for Ivan, a state police K-9 dog.
Ivan was “alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle,” and a search warrant was obtained while the driver was detained for the investigation, state police said.
The vehicle was towed to the state police barracks in Media, where troopers allegedly discovered about 40 pounds of marijuana concealed in boxes and buckets, and around $6,000 cash.
The driver, who was not identified, was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, state police said.
PSP Media Troopers and K-9 "Ivan" located and seized approximately forty pounds of illegal marijuana from a vehicle during a traffic stop on I-95 in Ridley Township, Delaware County. Well done! pic.twitter.com/OroXEJoHFf
— Trooper Paul Holdefer (@PSPTroopKPIO) March 3, 2026
A Douglass Township school bus driver was charged with driving under the influence and related crimes after she drove more than 50 elementary school-age children while intoxicated, officials said.
Kelly Weber, 46, of Boyertown, drove her school bus “erratically” on Feb. 6 while children were inside, narrowly missing vehicles and nearly hitting a telephone pole, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office said.
Police responded in the rural township north of Pottstown after receiving calls about Weber’s driving, officials said.
They searched the bus and found an open 750ml bottle of Tito’s vodka, two empty Tito’s bottles, and a liquor store receipt for the alcohol from 9:22 a.m. that day.
Investigators found that 54 children had ridden on Weber’s bus that day, and that multiple children had called or texted their parents expressing fear about the manner in which she was driving.
One of the children got off the bus before arriving at school and was picked up by their parents, officials said.
Police tested Weber’s blood-alcohol content and found it was 0.331, which is four times the legal threshold for intoxication in Pennsylvania.
In addition to DUI, Weber was charged with 54 counts of endangering the welfare of children and 54 counts of reckless endangerment.
Weber voluntarily entered a rehab facility after she was issued an arrest warrant, according to officials.
She is working with police to arrange a time to turn herself in, when her bail will be set and she will be formally arraigned, officials said.
Philip C. Ricci, 90, formerly of Conshohocken, retired Catholic monsignor, founding pastor emeritus at Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Parish in North Wales, talented pianist, singer, artist, and mentor, died Saturday, Feb. 14, of complications after a fall at Villa St. Joseph senior living community in Darby.
Ordained in 1965 by Cardinal John Krol, Msgr. Ricci was named founding pastor of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Parish in 1987. Over the next 23 years, until his retirement in 2010, Msgr. Ricci worked many 16-hour days, made spiritual house calls on bicycle, spurred significant fundraising, and helped grow the Montgomery County parish from 600 founding families to 3,500.
The Inquirer wrote about his house calls in 1987 and opened the story with: “His charge is to spread the word of God, and the Rev. Philip C. Ricci does so in a most unconventional fashion — on a 20-year-old bicycle from Sears.”
His niece, Christine, said: “He could talk to anybody about anything.”
Msgr. Ricci lived and held services in a 200-year-old farmhouse from 1987 until the new church building was completed. Pope John Paul II elevated him to monsignor in 2003.
He was active with school activities, and his homilies were often about mercy and compassion. In 2010, he told members of his congregation at a retirement celebration: “We must always accept people where they are and then allow God’s grace to work in patient understanding.”
In an online tribute, colleagues at St. Matthew Parish in Conshohocken said his “kindness, wisdom, and steady presence touched countless lives.” Others called him “the perfect priest” and “the epitome of what a Catholic priest should be.” One friend said: “He was without a doubt the nicest person I have ever met.”
In a tribute, his family said: “His priesthood was not simply a role. It was the core of who he was.”
Msgr. Ricci first served in the 1960s as a chaplain at the old Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia and pastor at the Riverview Home for the Aged and St. Margaret’s Home for Girls. He went on to be assistant pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Ambler, St. Stanislaus Parish in Lansdale, St. Anastasia Parish in Newtown Square, and St. Margaret Parish in Narberth.
In 1974, he became spiritual director of the college division at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. He also earned a master’s degree in spirituality from Creighton University in Nebraska.
Ministering to people, no matter where he was, he told the Main Line Times in 2010, was personal. “You don’t go out forming community,” he said. “You go out and form one-on-one. I can’t separate who I am as a man, as a Christian, and as a priest.”
The Inquirer published a story about Monsignor Ricci making spiritual house calls on his bicycle in 1987.
Msgr. Ricci played piano and sang before church services and after Communion. He directed choirs, and friends presented him with his own piano at his retirement.
He returned to his family home in Conshohocken after leaving Mary, Mother of the Redeemer but continued to assist others at nearby parishes and visit those in hospitals and nursing homes. “Father was a Renaissance man, an artist, musician, writer, deep thinker,” a former colleague said on Facebook. “He could speak about the liturgy or the Eagles, the football team or the band. He related well to everyone regardless of age, religion, or background.”
Philip Cosmo Ricci was born Sept. 26, 1935, in Conshohocken. He graduated from the old Conshohocken High School, took night classes at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and, inspired by his parents, entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary to study the priesthood.
“When the Lord wants you, he gets you,” he told the Main Line Times. “I couldn’t fight it. It was always there.”
Monsignor Ricci’s house calls were featured in this 1987 Inquirer article.
He played piano in a dance band when he was young and enjoyed gardening. He was good at drawing and cooking. He followed the Eagles, Phillies, and 76ers, and invented a beanbag toss game the family played at gatherings.
It was fitting, his niece said, that he died on Valentine’s Day because he embraced love and service to others. “Faith for Uncle Phil was never theoretical,” she said. “It was lived. It was action. It was presence.”
In addition to his niece, Msgr. Ricci is survived by his brothers, John and Francis, and other relatives. A sister died earlier.
