Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes

Blog

  • Eagles news: Cowboys hire away Birds defensive coach; Philly suddenly an outlier; coaching search updates and rumors

    Eagles news: Cowboys hire away Birds defensive coach; Philly suddenly an outlier; coaching search updates and rumors

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 5:41pm

    Ravens hire Chargers DC Jesse Minter as coach

    That leaves five openings across the NFL …

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 1:56pm

    Cooper DeJean expresses disappointment over losing Christian Parker

    Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean.

    It didn’t take long for Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean to express disappointment over news reports defensive backs coach Christian Parker was taking a job with the Dallas Cowboys.”

    “Mannnn,” DeJean wrote on social media. “They got a great one… would be the player I am without [Parker].”

    In his second season with the Eagles, DeJean earned an Associated Press first-team All-Pro nod alongside his teammate, rookie Quinyon Mitchell.

    Eagles reporter Jeff McLane wrote it was “only a matter of time” before the Eagles lost Parker, noting players “hold him in high regard.”

    In landing the job, Parker beat out another former Eagles coach who interviewed for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator position – Jonathan Gannon, who is on the job market after being fired as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 1:03pm

    Cowboys hire Eagles defensive coach Christian Parker: reports

    Christian Parker has served as the Eagles’ defensive backs coach under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio the past two years.

    The Eagles are reportedly set to be on the market for a new defensive backs coach.

    Christian Parker, who has served in the role under Vic Fangio for the last two seasons, is expected to become the next Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.

    Parker, 34, had become a hot commodity this offseason, as he was also reportedly set to interview for the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator vacancy.

    In a short span, Parker has helped develop a pair of young, standout cornerbacks in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Both players earned their first All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods under Parker this season in just their second years.

    Parker will reportedly replace Matt Eberflus, whom the Cowboys fired in January after one season at the helm of one of the worst defenses in the organization’s history.

    — Olivia Reiner

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 1:01pm

    Brandon Graham thinks Birds need an ‘experienced’ offensive coordinator

    Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham.

    Eagles players past and present are among those weighing in on the team’s coaching vacancy.

    On The Rich Eisen Show, former Eagles defensive end and Super Bowl 52 champion Chris Long urged his former squad to hire a “cheat code” at offensive coordinator.

    “You need to hire a cheat code offensive coordinator. We talk about this thing a lot – bring somebody out of retirement, or find somebody who’s aged out,” said Long. “Find yourself a [former Saints and Raiders coach] Dennis Allen, because you have one on defense, and his name’s Vic Fangio. He’s not getting a head coaching job. He doesn’t want one.”

    Long later explained that the Eagles should hire a coordinator who will not leave for a head coaching vacancy to assist Hurts’ further development. Famously, Hurts has had nine offensive coordinators in ten years, a trend spanning back to his time at Alabama.

    Meanwhile Eagles legend Brandon Graham, who came out of retirement to play for the team last season, seems to agree.

    “I feel like you got to have someone that’s experienced,” Graham said on his podcast. “I like what someone said about a Vic Fangio [on offense] … You really do have to have that command. Because if A.J. [Brown] and all the guys that [were], you know, disgruntled last year, we got to get everybody believing it. …

    “I think a veteran person, or someone that got respect in the league will just have everybody kind of [have a] change in belief and get a re-energized feeling.”

    — Conor Smith

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 12:49pm

    Resetting the Eagles’ options at offensive coordinator

    Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter was a consultant when Nick Sirianni first got the Eagles job in 2021.

    One by one, offensive coordinator candidates that have been tied to the Eagles have been taken off the big board.

    The latest is Zac Robinson, who is finalizing a deal, according to multiple reports, to be the next coordinator in Tampa. Robinson, who interviewed with the Eagles, joins Mike McDaniel, who talked to the Eagles, as candidates who are no longer in the pool. McDaniel will head west to the Los Angeles Chargers.

    Another name to potentially cross off is Brian Daboll, who, according to The Athletic, wants to be the next head coach of the Buffalo Bills and otherwise plans to head to Tennessee to be the offensive coordinator under new defensive-minded head coach Robert Saleh.

    The Eagles are the only team that didn’t make a head coaching change to still have an offensive coordinator opening. Eight teams that fired their head coach still have an opening at offensive coordinator.

    Who’s left among the candidates the Eagles either interviewed or planned to? Another name popped up on the list Thursday morning. Let’s start there …

    Resetting the Eagles’ options at offensive coordinator: Declan Doyle, Jim Bob Cooter, and the other remaining names

    — Jeff Neiburg

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 9:17am

    Eagles will reportedly interview Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle

    Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.

    Add the NFL’s youngest offensive coordinator to the list of coaching candidates the Eagles are considering.

    The Birds, according to ESPN, requested to interview the 29-year-old Chicago Bears’ offensive coordinator. Doyle was hired by Ben Johnson last offseason after serving as the tight ends coach in Denver for the previous two seasons. The Iowa native and 2018 Iowa grad worked as a student assistant with the Hawkeyes from 2016 to 2018 and then was an offensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints from 2019 to 2022. Talk about a fast riser.

    Johnson, of course, has a big hand in the offense and calls plays for the Bears. But Doyle had a hand in the Bears’ sixth-ranked offense by yards per game. Chicago was 32nd a year ago. Johnson gets a lot of credit for that, but Doyle’s role can’t be

    Doyle has never been a play-caller, which makes him an outlier among the other candidates the Eagles have been in contact with. The Eagles seem to be targeting coaches with more experience than Doyle, but there is value in meeting and talking to a young coach like him. Even if it’s not for this job at this juncture.

    — Jeff Neiburg

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 8:43am

    The Eagles are suddenly an outlier

    Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie (left) and general manager Howie Roseman, seen here during the 2024 season.

    The Eagles are the only team with an existing head coach that is still searching for an offensive after the Buccaneers reportedly hired Zac Robinson (whom the Eagles also interviewed).

    The other four teams that made an offensive coordinator change this offseason: Lions (Drew Petzing), Chargers (Mike McDaniel), Chiefs (Eric Bienemy), Commanders (David Blough).

    There remain eight teams that have fired their head coach that still have offensive coordinator openings. Five – the Cardinals, Bills, Browns, Steelers, Ravens, and Raiders – have yet to hire head coaches, while the Dolphins and Titans have hired head coaches Jeff Hafley and Robert Saleh, who have yet to fill their offensive coordinator spots.

    The Giants, with new head coach John Harbaugh, will reportedly have Todd Monken as offensive coordinator. The Falcons, with Kevin Stefanski, will have Tommy Rees.

    — Jeff McLane

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 8:40am

    Another candidate passes on the Eagles as Zac Robinson lands with the Bucs

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 8:35am

    Latest on Eagles’ search for a new offensive coordinator

    The Eagles interviewed former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy Wednesday.

    It’s been about a week since the Eagles moved on from offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, and the Birds have been busy interviewing potential replacements.

    They just don’t seem to be having much luck landing their top candidates.

    Here are the offensive coordinator candidates the Eagles have already reportedly interviewed or are scheduled to meet with:

    — Rob Tornoe

    Remaining NFL head coaching vacancies

    Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula is looking for a new head coach after firing Sean McDermott.

    In an offseason that saw a record-tying 10 head coaching vacancies, just four have been filled.

    Here’s a look at the newest NFL head coaches:

    • Atlanta Falcons: Kevin Stefanski, former Browns head coach
    • Tennessee Titans: Robert Saleh, former 49ers defensive coordinator
    • New York Giants: John Harbaugh, former Ravens head coach
    • Miami Dolphins: Jeff Hafley, former Packers defensive coordinator

    Here are the remaining head coaching vacancies across the league, and their former coaches:

    • Arizona Cardinals (Jonathan Gannon), Baltimore Ravens (John Harbaugh), Buffalo Bills (Sean McDermott), Cleveland Browns (Kevin Stefanski), Las Vegas Raiders (Pete Carroll), Pittsburgh Steelers (Mike Tomlin)

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 01/22/26 8:32am

  • Carla Washington Hines, longtime dancer, choreographer, and teacher, has died at 72

    Carla Washington Hines, longtime dancer, choreographer, and teacher, has died at 72

    Carla Washington Hines, 72, of Philadelphia, longtime dancer, pioneering choreographer, celebrated teacher, former artistic director, collaborator extraordinaire, and mentor, died Sunday, Nov. 2, of sepsis at Temple University Hospital-Jeanes Campus.

    Mrs. Hines came to Philadelphia from Virginia in 1974 after college and spent the next four decades dancing, teaching, lecturing, traveling, and generally advocating for arts in education from kindergarten through college. She danced with the Sun Ra Arkestra, the John Hines Dance Co., and other troupes at all sorts of venues in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, elsewhere in the United States, and throughout Europe.

    She choreographed original performances such as “Montage in Black,” “Reflections,” and “Life Cycle,” and collaborated with notable jazz musicians Herbie Hancock and Alice Coltrane, and other musical stars. She was a guest on TV and radio shows, read poetry at public events, and earned awards from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Philadelphia-based Bartol Foundation for education.

    She was an expert in jazz dance, modern dance, ballet, and posture, and she lectured, organized workshops, and taught the elements of dance and choreographic principles at schools, colleges, art centers, drama guilds, libraries, and elsewhere around the country. Her mother, Thelma, was a dancer and teacher, too, and Mrs. Hines championed the connection between an interest in the arts and academic success.

    “In dance, I can be anything I want to be,” she said in an online interview. “That’s the magic of the arts.”

    She created an afterschool residency at a Universal charter school and taught dance at E.M. Stanton Elementary School, Strawberry Mansion High School, and other schools. She said in the online interview that her curriculum “is based on the appreciation of dance and movement,” and that it helps students “make sense of their lives using dance as a tool for learning.”

    She said: “I want them to be able to understand through movement exploration how dance can change one’s life.”

    She was artistic director for the Philadelphia chapter of the Institute for the Arts in Education and at the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center. “Her creative guidance helped students tell powerful cultural stories through movement,” her family said.

    Mrs. Hines performed with the Jones-Haywood Dance School in Washington before moving to Philadelphia.

    As longtime community engagement manager for the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts, Mrs. Hines wrote grants and choreographed performances. She was executive director of the John Coltrane Cultural Society and active at the old University of the Arts.

    Her family said: “She devoted her life to creativity and to nurturing talent in others.”

    Carla Yvette Washington was born Nov. 3, 1952, in Charleston, W.Va. Her family moved to Grambling, La., when she was young, and she graduated from high school in 1970.

    She was named Miss Freshman at what is now Grambling State University, joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. sorority, and earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation in 1973. In 1981, she earned a master’s degree in fine arts and dance at the old Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts.

    Mrs. Hines (left) smiles with her husband, Lovett, and their daughter, Zara.

    She worked as a dance teacher for the Fairfax County Department of Recreation in Virginia after college and performed with the Jones-Haywood Dance School in Washington before moving to Philadelphia.

    She met jazz musician Lovett Hines Jr. when they were students at Grambling and they married in 1984 and lived in West Oak Lane. They had a daughter, Zara, and Mrs. Hines welcomed her husband’s son, Lovett III, and his family into her family.

    “She introduced many creatives to dance and culture, and sparked their creative careers,” her stepson said. “That is the essence of her legacy.”

    Mrs. Hines and her husband, their daughter said, were “a partnership of two geniuses.” He played the saxophone and was artistic director at the Clef Club. She loved the drums, and they collaborated seamlessly on many notable projects.

    Friends called her “a sweetheart” and “a beautiful soul” in online tributes. One said she “made an impact on Philadelphia and beyond in countless ways.” Her sister, Alicia Williams, said: “Everyone had a special relationship with her.”

    Mrs. Hines graduated from Grambling High School in Louisiana in 1970.

    Mrs. Hines was diagnosed with a lung disease in 2024 and Stage 4 cancer in 2025. “She was stern but soft,” her daughter said, “loving but able to tell you like it is.”

    Her husband said: “She had special relationships with so many musicians, so many people. It was through insight, understanding, and patience. In them, we see her everyplace, feel her everyplace.”

    Survivors give advice about mourning their loved ones, as told to The Inquirer’s obit writer

    In addition to her husband, daughter, mother, and stepson, Mrs. Hines is survived by three sisters, two step-grandsons, and other relatives. A brother died earlier.

    Services were held Wednesday, Dec. 17.

    Mrs. Hines (center) said she adapted her teaching techniques to suit the needs and ages of the students.
  • One-dimensional wines are boring, but complex ones are pricey. This riesling manages to be neither.

    One-dimensional wines are boring, but complex ones are pricey. This riesling manages to be neither.

    One of the characteristics associated with prestige wines is known in the trade as “complexity.” While the term can sound pretentious to the average drinker, it captures a fundamental truth about what people find desirable in an alcoholic beverage. In much the same way that a plot with no twists makes for a boring film, a one-dimensional wine with no complexity makes for a boring drink. One-dimensional wines are those that have one main sensory thrust with no balancing component, as with wines that are sticky sweet with no balancing acidity or red wines that are bitter and tannic without balancing fruitiness.

    This sweet-tart wine from Oregon has enough layers of complexity to outperform many of its peers flavor-wise. It also acquires that complexity in an interesting way.

    There are two main paths a winemaker can take in creating a wine that has complexity. One is to grow your grapes in a truly special vineyard where the precise combination of terrain, microclimate, and soil composition known as terroir produces fruit whose flavors contain some internal contradictions once fermented into wine. This is a laborious and expensive proposition where the goal is to produce wines that are not simply light or heavy, sweet or dry, fruity or oaky, but instead manage to contain multitudes.

    The other way to achieve multidimensional results is through skillful fruit selection and blending, which is the secret behind this affordable wine’s harmonious complexity. It may be made with 100% riesling, but its vintners aimed for as much diversity in that fruit as possible. The wine’s vineyard sources span the full stretch of Oregon’s coastal valleys, from the Willamette Valley in the north to the Rogue Valley in the south, including a mix of both younger and older vines. Within those vineyards, fruit is picked in different batches at different times to capture both the electric zing of underripe grapes and the liqueur-like opulence of late-harvest fruit to flesh out and complexify those of standard ripeness. Once blended, the wine offers both richness and refreshment in equal measure. Succulent dessertlike flavors of lemon curd and muskmelon sorbet are balanced with drier components — bracing hints of fresh lime, mint tea, and just a thread of stony minerality.

    A to Z Riesling

    A to Z Riesling

    Oregon, 12% ABV

    PLCB Item #87013 — on sale for $16.99 through Feb. 1 (regularly $19.99)

    Also available at: Total Wine & More in Claymont, Del. ($14.99; totalwine.com), Moorestown Super Buy Rite in Moorestown ($15.39; moorestownbuyrite.com), WineWorks in Marlton ($15.98; wineworksonline.com)

  • A major winter storm is looking inevitable for Philly, with the snow expected to stick around

    A major winter storm is looking inevitable for Philly, with the snow expected to stick around

    The details are likely to remain elusive well into the weekend, but on Wednesday evidence was accumulating that the Philadelphia region could become a winter wonderland for the remainder of January.

    “We’re definitely going to get some snow,” said Alex Staarmann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, which probably won’t make a first accumulation guess until Thursday afternoon. Snow could begin as early as Saturday night and continue into Monday.

    The weather service Thursday posted a winter-storm watch for the entire region — for all of Delaware and most of Pennsylvania and New Jersey — in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday until 1 p.m. Monday.

    At the weather office, “It’s all hands on deck,” said agency hydrologist Ray Kruzdlo Thursday. The “outside chance” that the region would be spared a major storm “is leaving us.”

    AccuWeather Inc. is calling for 6 to 10 inches for Philly, very much subject to change, said senior meteorologist Bob Larsen.

    Several inches of snow would be all but certain, the weather service said. Philadelphia could have a 75% chance of a foot or more, based on analysis of a blend of computer models, and a 50-50 shot of 18 inches or more. However, the individual models are having their usual squabbles, with the American being the snowiest.

    In any event, Staarmann said: “It could be a significant storm for most of the region.”

    And that applies to the rest of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. AccuWeather Inc. estimated that snow and ice during the weekend could affect half the nation’s population.

    Said Stephen Morgan, a meteorologist with Fox Weather: “It’s one of the most sprawling systems we’ve seen in several years.”

    Predictably, computer models have been using the map as a Ouija board, moving around the zones of the expected heaviest snows.

    Earlier in the week, it appeared that the region would be near the northern edge of the snowfall; on Wednesday, however, the models bumped the snow north, increasing the chances that snow could mix with sleet and freezing rain in Delaware and South Jersey.

    The snow could mix with sleet at the height of the storm even in the Philly region, the weather service said. That would hold down accumulations: Sleet is slow to accumulate. Conversely, since it is pure ice, it is slower to melt.

    Should any rain get mixed in, it would freeze on contact: The upper air may be warmer, but temperatures at the surface are forecast to be mostly in the teens Sunday.

    The amounts of snow and mixing would depend on the track of a storm that is forecast to develop off the Texas Gulf Coast and track through the Tennessee Valley and off the Mid-Atlantic coast on Sunday. That track ultimately will be determined by other moving parts in the atmosphere.

    As the storm intensifies, its onshore winds would import warmer air into the upper atmosphere, changing the snow to sleet and/or freezing rain, but the surface layers would remain quite cold, Larsen said.

    Despite the potential mixing, it is at least possible that Philly will get its first double-digit snowfall since Jan. 22, 2018, said Paul Dorian, a meteorologist with Arcfield Weather, based in Valley Forge.

    In the short term, Thursday may be a day to savor. It’s heading into the mid-40s, with nothing falling from the skies. The cold begins to filter in Friday, and highs will be in the teens Saturday.

    After the precipitation shuts off Sunday night or Monday, whatever has fallen won’t be in a hurry to disappear, Staarmann said.

    Temperatures might not get above freezing for several days after the snow stops, he said. Wind chills are expected to be in the single digits Monday morning, and below zero Tuesday.

    “This overall very cold weather pattern is likely to continue into next weekend, potentially beyond,” the weather service said.

    “The next couple of weeks will feature some of the worst weather winter has to offer,” Dorian said.

    Said Fox’s Morgan: “The overall pattern in the Northeast seems to be locked in to a colder than average at least to Groundhog Day.”

    Punxsutawney Phil might want a “do not disturb” sign this year outside his burrow.

  • Video of former WHYY intern pepper-spraying influencer on SEPTA bus goes viral on conservative media

    Video of former WHYY intern pepper-spraying influencer on SEPTA bus goes viral on conservative media

    A video of a former WHYY intern yelling expletives and pepper-spraying a local influencer on a SEPTA bus is going viral on conservative media.

    During the encounter on Monday afternoon, 22-year-old Paulina Reyes called 22-year-old Francis Scales a “fascist” and “racist.” Reposts of the video capturing the incident have since garnered millions of views on social media.

    The video depicts Reyes accusing Scales of insulting Muslim people, Black people, and Latino people in posts on his website. Reyes then proceeds to pepper-spray him in the face while Scales’ friend and colleague films.

    Scales runs a website called Surge Philly on which he posts videos of himself interviewing people at protests. He became known for provoking District Attorney Larry Krasner at a town hall and organizing a protest against him.

    Social media accounts, including I Meme Therefore I Am, which has more than 842,000 followers on X, and Libs of TikTok, which has 4.5 million X followers, launched the video and its two subjects into the national spotlight in the days following the encounter. Both social media accounts are known for posting and reposting content geared toward conservative audiences.

    “BREAKING: Antifa agitator attacked two conservative independent journalists on a Philly bus, pepper spraying them, punching them, and trying to grab their phone. She needs to be identified and arrested!” I Meme Therefore I Am posted on X alongside the video on Monday night.

    By Wednesday afternoon the post had 2.3 million views and 8,600 reposts.

    Billionaire Elon Musk got involved, commenting “She has violence issues” on Surge Philly’s X post containing the video of the incident. His comment attracted 222,000 views.

    Soon, the social media posts were linking Reyes to WHYY. Reyes interned there over the summer but neglected to update her LinkedIn profile to reflect that her internship had ended months ago. The lapse led people on social media to post about her as if she were still employed there and led to criticism of the public radio station.

    “Hi @WHYYNews, why are your reporters pepper spraying independent journalists on the bus??” Libs of TikTok posted Tuesday morning.

    Scales has capitalized on the attention, reposting several tweets from popular social media accounts containing the video and messages supporting him and condemning Reyes.

    Meanwhile, Reyes said she has received “nonstop” phone calls from strangers around the country and has gotten private messages from people threatening to rape or kill her.

    Reyes and Scales were peers at Community College of Philadelphia, where Reyes is still a full-time student studying communications and media. Scales was studying biology and got partway through his degree before leaving school and transitioning to full-time content creation, he said. He plans to go back and finish his degree eventually.

    The two had crossed paths a few times at school and were familiar with each other at the time of the encounter on the Route 7 bus, they both said.

    Reyes said she had an overall positive impression of Scales on their first few meetings, and felt he was trying to do right by the students in his capacity as student government president.

    But her attitude changed during his tenure as president. She said she observed him condescend to students and staff of color and carried that behavior over to the content on his Surge Philly website once he left school.

    When she saw him on the bus in South Philly, her initial intention was to have a civil conversation, she said. She planned on asking him why his videos do not offer multiple viewpoints on the issues discussed.

    “I did not want to pepper-spray someone on a public bus,” she said. “This is not something I wanted to do.”

    Scales soon started filming the confrontation “for my own safety,” he said, because “she was attacking me.”

    Reyes said she asked him to stop filming and felt the anger building as he kept the camera rolling. Especially as it started to dawn on her that he would likely post this video online.

    “I got mad and I wanted to defend myself because he wasn’t listening,” Reyes said. “I did what I thought was the safest thing to protect myself. I pepper-sprayed him in the face.”

    Scales said he managed to dodge the first spray. Reyes then got off the bus.

    Knowing this video was likely to reach Scales’ followers, Reyes returned to the bus and came at Scales again with insults about his videos.

    “I wanted to make a message that the content he was making was harmful and it was hurting people,” Reyes said. “It was hurting communities that are trying to feel safe right now.”

    She concluded her tirade by pepper-spraying him again, this time getting him in the eyes.

    SEPTA is investigating the incident, which took place at 23rd Street and Washington Avenue, according to agency spokesperson Andrew Busch.

    Philadelphia police did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did Community College of Philadelphia.

    Scales said he posted the video online partly because it was such a shocking incident, but also, in part, because it felt aligned with the rest of the content on his website.

    “I thought it was relevant,” Scales said. “She was calling me a racist and a fascist and then she committed violence because of what she thought I was.”

    This was not Scales’ first time getting attacked for his interviews and posts, he said. He attributes the attacks to the lines of questioning he often pursues when interviewing people at protests. The protesters seem to sense he’s not “in their circle,” he said.

    Some of Scales’ recent videos consist of him interviewing people at protests and on the street. He typically homes in on one question, such as “Do you think people have a right to disrupt ICE operations?” or “Do you believe in the concept of having a border?”

    “They react aggressively and violently to anybody who they feel may not have their same worldview,” he said. “I think it’s a sign that what I’m doing is good and that I need to stay on this path.”

    As for Reyes’ journalistic aspirations, she said she is nervous.

    “My entire life has been feeling like it’s falling down now,” she said. “I’m just worried about how this would affect my future as a journalist.”

    WHYY spokesperson Gary Bramnick responded to the incident with a statement clarifying Reyes “has no current affiliation, employment, or contractual relationship with our organization.”

    Reyes said she has undergone years of treatment for borderline personality disorder and depression. She has been working on managing her emotions better, she said, but, in this moment, they got the best of her.

    “I’m not a perfect person and I’m learning how to self-regulate better,” she said.

    For Scales’ part, he said he does not feel safe returning to campus until the college makes a public statement in an effort to “denounce political violence.”

  • Mets acquire ace pitcher Freddy Peralta from Brewers in trade

    Mets acquire ace pitcher Freddy Peralta from Brewers in trade

    NEW YORK — The active New York Mets acquired ace pitcher Freddy Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers from Milwaukee on Wednesday night in a trade that sent two prized young players to the Brewers.

    Milwaukee received pitcher Brandon Sproat and minor league infielder/outfielder Jett Williams. Both were rated among the game’s top 100 prospects by Baseball America.

    Peralta gives the new-look Mets a front line starter after their rotation faltered in the second half of a hugely disappointing 2025 season. The move came hours after New York formally introduced free agent addition Bo Bichette at a Citi Field news conference, and one night after the team obtained talented center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.

    Dave Dombrowski says ‘we’re content’ despite big-name free agents still available. ‘Not elite’ offseason continues for Phillies

    “Acquiring Freddy adds another established starter to help lead our rotation,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said in a statement. “Throughout the offseason, we sought to complement our rotation with another front-end pitcher, and we’re thrilled we are able to bring Freddy to the Mets.”

    Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts last season, when he led the National League in wins and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting. He struck out 204 batters in 176⅔ innings and earned his second All-Star selection.

    The 29-year-old Peralta hasn’t been on the injured list since 2022, when the right-hander was sidelined by a strained lat and later elbow inflammation. He is set to make $8 million this season and can become a free agent following the World Series. He is the latest former Brewers player acquired by Stearns, who ran Milwaukee’s front office from 2015-23.

    “He obviously knows the players well. Look, he and I have worked very well together for many, many years. I obviously care about him a lot,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. ”Today’s his anniversary and I was at his wedding. We go back a long way. I think I might have ruined his anniversary dinner. Look, he’s a dear friend. Hopefully, again, these are the types of trades that work out for both guys.”

    The Phillies were ‘very close’ to getting Bo Bichette and ended up with J.T. Realmuto. Here’s how it happened.

    Myers, 27, was 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA in 25 starts and two relief appearances as a rookie in 2024 before going 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in six starts and 16 relief outings last year as Milwaukee won its third consecutive division title and advanced to the NL Championship Series.

    “Over the past two seasons, Tobias has become an extremely valuable major league pitcher,” Stearns said. “His ability to pitch out of both the rotation and bullpen allows him to help our team in multiple ways.”

    Peralta’s departure marks the third straight offseason in which the cost-conscious Brewers have traded a star pitcher entering the final year of his contract.

    Two years ago, they dealt 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes to Baltimore for infielder Joey Ortiz and left-hander DL Hall. Last winter, the Brewers sent two-time All-Star reliever Devin Williams to the New York Yankees for left-hander Nestor Cortes and third baseman Caleb Durbin.

    “These decisions are always tough,” Arnold said. ”We loved having Freddy Peralta here and everything he meant to this franchise. I just had an emotional call with him.”

    Burnes and Williams both spent just one season with the teams that acquired them from Milwaukee before signing elsewhere in free agency. Burnes agreed to a $210 million, six-year contract with Arizona before the 2025 season, and Williams signed a $51 million, three-year deal with the Mets last month.

    Although the Brewers won’t have Peralta to anchor their rotation, they do bring back two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff, who accepted the team’s $22,025,000 qualifying offer. Woodruff went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA last year after missing the 2024 season with a shoulder injury.

    Hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski got called up last June and was quickly picked for the All-Star team as a rookie. He finished 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 66 innings.

    “We feel we have a really good core of starters to deal from,” Arnold said. “I still feel like we’ll have a very strong rotation.”

    Arnold said Sproat and Williams will compete for spots on the opening-day roster.

    The 25-year-old Sproat made his major league debut in September and went 0-2 with a 4.79 ERA in four starts for the Mets, who selected him in the second round of the 2023 amateur draft from the University of Florida. He was rated the fifth-best prospect in New York’s system by MLB.com.

    “He’s a guy we’ve liked going back to the draft. He’s major league ready. He’s going to compete for a spot in our rotation,” Arnold said. “This guy has incredible stuff. Very high octane, really good movement on his four-seamer and two-seamer. Really good secondary weapons and a really good changeup.”

    The 5-foot-7 Williams, 22, batted .261 with 17 homers, 34 doubles and 52 RBIs in 130 games combined at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse last year. He was drafted No. 14 overall by the Mets in 2022 out of high school in Texas and was their third-rated prospect, according to MLB.com.

    “This kid’s a gamer. He’s not that big, but I can tell you he plays with a ton of heart and he’s got incredible tools,” Arnold said. “He’s one of the fastest players in the minor leagues. I think his versatility is something that’s going to fit very, very well for this team.”

    Peralta is 70-42 with a 3.59 ERA and 1,153 strikeouts in 931 innings over eight major league seasons, all with Milwaukee. He joins a Mets rotation that also includes Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga.

    Peralta ranks second in the majors with 40 wins since 2023. He and Dylan Cease are the only two pitchers with at least 200 strikeouts in each of the past three years.

    To open space on their 40-man roster, the Mets designated right-hander Cooper Criswell for assignment.

  • Playtime for affordable housing | Real Estate Newsletter

    Playtime for affordable housing | Real Estate Newsletter

    Last week, I visited two subsidized apartment communities in North Philly. One was newly built and still leasing, and the other was built years ago.

    But they had something in common that set them both apart from other subsidized housing complexes: They are also sites of playful learning.

    Basically, that’s the concept of engaging children and their caregivers in skill-building lessons through play. Think matching games that help kids recognize patterns and the classic I Spy game that teaches kids to describe their surroundings.

    An organization founded in Philly has brought educational play spaces to laundromats, grocery stores, and parks. But this is the first time it’s taken playful learning to subsidized housing. Supporters hope Philly can be a national model.

    Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:

    — Michaelle Bond

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Playful housing

    In Sharswood, a yellow street painted on a sidewalk teaches children rules of the road. A few minutes away, what was once just a bike rack has become a place children can picture themselves as superheroes and act out stories they create on a stage.

    Bringing playful learning to subsidized housing communities is a matter of educational equity, said architect Heidi Segall Levy.

    She’s the project manager for the Live and Learn pilot that brought playful learning to North Philly.

    Kids do a lot of their learning outside the classroom, and this initiative is meant to help vulnerable children catch up to peers who have access to more educational opportunities.

    The goal is to incorporate playful learning into subsidized housing developments across the country. And Philly is the test case.

    An economist’s home-buying advice

    When’s a good time to buy a home?

    Everyone from your coworker to your Lyft driver has an opinion (in my personal experience).

    But if you’re looking to hear from someone who’s a bit more of an expert, we’ve got some advice from Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.

    He reinforces some of what you’ve seen and felt. Homes have gotten a lot more expensive. There aren’t that many properties to choose from. Renting can be the more affordable option.

    But Zandi says that if you’ve been thinking about buying a home, this spring could be the time to make the leap.

    Keep reading to see why he thinks waiting probably won’t do you much good and why he’s optimistic about Philadelphia.

    The latest news to pay attention to

    Home tour: Remodeled in Rydal

    I feel like it’s never good when someone in the home design industry calls your house “an interesting design dilemma.”

    But the home that Diane and Keith Reynolds bought a few years ago in Rydal, Montgomery County was all over the place.

    It was originally built in the Cape Cod style, but the previous owner had added on to the home in the Craftsman style.

    The designer had to make sense of elements that didn’t go together and kitchen features such as the loft, beams, and floor plan that made for an “unusual design problem.”

    “The reclaimed wood loft installed by the previous architect is something I’ve never seen before, and I’m sure will never see again,” he said.

    Peek inside this unique home and see how the designer tackled the kitchen renovation.

    📷 Photo quiz

    Do you know the location this photo shows?

    📮 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.

    Last week’s quiz featured a photo of the aluminum and steel sculpture “Stroll” on the South Street Pedestrian Bridge.

    Props to Lars W. for getting that right.

    I used to live nearby, and I’ve always liked it. The shot by brilliant photographer Tom Gralish makes it look even better.

    Enjoy the rest of your week. And if, like me, you’re not a fan of snow, good luck this weekend.

    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.

  • Two years in, here’s how Philly’s political insiders think Cherelle Parker is doing as mayor

    Two years in, here’s how Philly’s political insiders think Cherelle Parker is doing as mayor

    Shalimar Thomas speaks for many about how Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is doing at the halfway point of her first term.

    “I can see the difference in the neighborhood,” said Thomas, the executive director of North Broad Renaissance, a nonprofit that manages the business improvement district along North Broad Street.

    Indeed, the big picture shows Parker is delivering on her campaign promise to make the city “clean, green, and safe.” While polls indicate a large majority of Philadelphia residents support the mayor, the reviews from the more than a dozen people I spoke with were mixed.

    Ed Rendell, the former governor who is widely considered the city’s most consequential mayor of the last half century, gave Parker high marks for tackling quality-of-life issues, particularly crime.

    “What she has done under the circumstances is remarkable,” Rendell said. “The city was demoralized, people had lost faith in government.”

    Allan Domb, the real estate mogul and former City Council member who ran against Parker in the 2023 mayoral primary, said Parker’s best decision was to appoint Kevin J. Bethel as police commissioner.

    “If the city is not safe, you can’t do anything else,” Domb said.

    Under Parker, crime is way down. The city recorded the fewest murders in 60 years in 2025. Enhanced technology has helped police solve homicides at the highest rate in 40 years.

    But this is not just a Philly thing. Crime is down across the country, thanks to several factors such as an aging population, a return to work and school after the pandemic, and investments in violence reduction programs.

    A former City Council member called Parker’s selection of Kevin J. Bethel as police commissioner the best decision of her tenure so far.

    Philadelphia had 222 homicides last year compared with 305 in New York, which has a population more than five times larger. Boston had just 31 murders. San Antonio, roughly the same size as Philadelphia, had 99 murders.

    Despite the improvement, Philly remains a laggard when it comes to policing.

    Mayor Jim Kenney fizzled out following the pandemic, but other positive trends were set in motion during his administration. The city’s finances are strong, property values are increasing, and job growth is outpacing many other big cities, including tech capitals like Seattle and San Francisco.

    Parker deserves credit for working to scrub the city’s negative image as “Filthadelphia.” She launched an effort in 2024 to clean every block in the city. Abandoned cars were towed, graffiti scrubbed, dilapidated buildings were sealed, and vacant lots cleaned.

    Parker recently announced plans to clean and beautify some of the busiest roadways in preparation for the more than one million tourists expected this year for the World Cup matches, the MLB All-Star Game, and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

    Parker deserves big props for tackling the opioid crisis that has long plagued Kensington. The city has cracked down on open-air drug markets and homeless encampments in Kensington, while pushing those battling addiction to get help.

    Crime has dropped in Kensington, and the quality of life has improved. Critics argue that the problems have not gone away since the dealers and many homeless people were just displaced. But overdoses across the city dropped to the lowest levels in a decade.

    Even still, some City Hall insiders and political operatives were critical of the day-to-day operations. Several criticized the administration for being slow to return calls or provide basic information. Despite Parker’s often-repeated slogan of a unified “One Philly,” some said the mayor does not respond well to anyone who disagrees with her.

    Parker during a news conference in West Philadelphia last month. She recently announced plans to beautify some of the city’s busiest roadways in preparation for the more than one million tourists expected to visit this year.

    “One Philly can’t be just your Philly,” one City Council staffer said. “Some of the things Mayor Parker does, Councilmember Parker would not tolerate.”

    Like many interviewed, the City Council staffer asked not to be named, so as to speak candidly.

    Several pointed to the proposed Sixers arena in Center City as a microcosm of Parker’s inability to compromise. Nearly a year was spent forcing Council to back the deal — despite stiff opposition across the city — only to see it collapse.

    “[Council] is still pissed about the Sixers,” the Council staffer said.

    Others said Parker’s hard-line stance in the labor negotiations with the city’s trash haulers and other blue-collar union workers led to an unnecessary strike and left bruised feelings among many who are part of her base of support.

    “That was a strike that didn’t need to be,” said one political consultant. “After it was settled, there was no need for the victory lap.”

    Parker’s signature housing initiative, known as Housing Opportunities Made Easy, or H.O.M.E., has been slow to become reality. After two years of planning, the program remains bogged down in Council.

    “It’s surprising how slow out of the gate this has been,” said another political consultant. “She could be halfway through Year Three before it even gets going.”

    The plan to create and preserve 30,000 housing units will be funded by borrowing $800 million in bonds — a hefty number with a murky return on investment.

    Parker discusses the municipal workers’ strike during a July news conference. “That was a strike that didn’t need to be,” said one political consultant, who took issue with the mayor’s hard-line stance in contract talks.

    Some believe the problem is that Parker micromanages her administration and does not empower top staffers to make decisions.

    “I think she tries to be too hands-on,” said the first political consultant.

    This is where it would have been helpful to hear directly from the mayor, but Parker’s communications team did not make her available for an interview despite several requests.

    Rendell, who did not support Parker in the crowded primary, had a simple answer: “You can’t make everyone happy.”

    That holds true with the way Parker has responded to Donald Trump’s attacks on cities, migrants, affirmative action, and many other issues.

    Rather than push back, Parker has laid low — much to the outrage of those who argue that this is not the time to remain silent. Others argue Parker is wise not to poke the wildebeest.

    Trump has not sent National Guard troops into Philadelphia, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have made arrests across the city.

    Philly is a tough town, but a poll last summer found Parker’s approval rating at 63%. Despite some setbacks, she is off to a good start.

    Crime, poor schools, and high taxes have long prevented Philadelphia from achieving its full potential. Until all three are addressed, lasting improvement will be incremental.

    Time will tell if Parker’s strategy is the right one. Or if her tenure will result in substantive change.

  • I’m a gastroenterologist. Here are some surprising GLP-1 gut benefits. | Expert Opinion

    I’m a gastroenterologist. Here are some surprising GLP-1 gut benefits. | Expert Opinion

    Q: I’m worried that GLP-1s are bad for my gut. Should I avoid them altogether for this reason?

    A: In the original clinical trials of GLP-1 medications for weight loss, the most common side effects were gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Ask almost anyone who’s been on one, and they’ll probably tell you that they’ve had some GI issues — even if very mild.

    So you might be surprised that as a gastroenterologist, when my patients tell me they’re considering starting a GLP-1 (the class of drug that includes Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound, among others), my answer is often highly enthusiastic: Do. It.

    We hear all the time about the weight loss or heart health benefits of GLP-1s, but as a scientist who studies GLP-1 and the stomach in my own laboratory, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful and beneficial they can be for gut health. The GI effects of GLP-1s that I wish more people talked about? Randomized controlled trials have found that they can, in some cases, improve outcomes for people with fatty liver disease and fibrosis — or liver scarring — which previously no drugs could reliably achieve.

    GLP-1s are also associated with a lower risk of stomach ulcers, according to research I conducted with my colleagues and — here’s a big one — they’re linked to lower odds of colorectal cancer. Many of these potential associated benefits are unrelated to weight loss, although the weight loss alone can start a cascade of wins.

    For example, one of my patients who started a GLP-1 lost about 20 pounds after six months. Losing that 20 pounds helped her knees, which had been aching all the time, and allowed her to begin exercising regularly. She began walking daily and then, before long, joined a Zumba class. This would have been unheard of for her before taking a GLP-1. Now, even though her weight has remained steady, she’s a healthier person because she stays active, something that lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease regardless of her weight.

    That doesn’t mean I downplay the GI issues, rather in my practice, I anticipate them and make a proactive plan. With each patient, I have an honest discussion about the possibility of unwanted side effects, including the possibility of more serious, although rare, complications such as pancreatitis.

    Let’s be real: The majority of people taking GLP-1s do experience symptoms like nausea or constipation. However, in most cases, these symptoms are mild to moderate and transient: Fewer than 5% of people stop treatment because of GI symptoms. So if someone wants to stick with their GLP-1, I like to help give them every chance I can. And with a pill version of Wegovy now available, they’re going to become increasingly accessible.

    Everyone interested in GLP-1s should have that clear-minded discussion with their own physician who knows their own medical history and goals. To help start that conversation, here are some of the most common questions I get:

    What exactly are GLP-1 medications doing to my gut?

    You’ve probably heard that GLP-1, or glucagonlike peptide 1, is a hormone produced by the body that is involved in hunger signaling. But GLP-1 medications do so much more than this. For instance, they suppress stomach acid production and fortify the protective mucus layer along the stomach’s lining, which is at least partly how scientists like myself hypothesize they may help reduce the risk of ulcers. Perhaps most evident to anyone taking them is that GLP-1s slow the stomach down. As a result, food sits inside longer before it gets emptied into the small intestine, and that can create an uncomfortable sense of fullness and queasiness. (Hello, Ozempic burps!) A similar slowing occurs in the colon. Because one of the colon’s primary jobs is to absorb water, the longer the waste sits there, the drier and harder it becomes. Hence, constipation.

    We still have much to learn about GLP-1’s other effects on the gut and body. How GLP-1 medication influence our microbiome is an emerging area of research, but some limited studies in humans suggest that they may influence the production of beneficial bacterial metabolites. They also appear to help reduce chronic inflammation, which plays a big role in multiple diseases.

    How can I treat the unwanted side effects?

    You should explore possible treatments with your physician, who can make tailored recommendations. The goal isn’t for you to “suffer through” therapy with GLP-1 in the name of good health, but to make taking a GLP-1 drug as sustainable as possible. I tell my patients when starting these drugs to expect side effects and plan for them. And no, GI symptoms like nausea are not what drives weight loss, so don’t hold back seeking help.

    Let your hunger cues guide you

    Contrary to how many of us eat otherwise, when taking a GLP-1 it’s important to try to eat only when actually hungry, eat slowly, and respond to your body’s cues saying you’re full. It’s common for people to eat smaller portions than they’re used to, but still feel satisfied.

    Be proactive about bowel issues

    Anyone who struggles with their bowel movements at baseline, speak up now: We need to be especially proactive. Sometimes it’s as simple as starting a daily fiber supplement, which can be helpful for diarrhea or constipation (both are possible with GLP-1s). In the case of constipation, over-the-counter laxatives like a capful of powdered polyethylene glycol (like in Miralax) can help, while for diarrhea, loperamide (like in Imodium) can be great. But don’t give up if these feel inadequate — there are also several prescription medications that can help get your colon back on track.

    Try OTC remedies for nausea and heartburn

    For nausea, sometimes the fix can be to simply lower the dose of the GLP-1 you’re taking, although there are medications that can help. Over-the-counter remedies like bismuth subsalicylate (like in Pepto-Bismol), dimenhydrinate (like in Dramamine), or ginger tea can provide quick relief. If these are insufficient, your doctor may consider prescription antinausea medications. Because of the delay in stomach emptying, heartburn can also show up, but over-the-counter treatments like histamine-2 blockers (like Pepcid AC and Zantac 360) can help.

    Who is more likely to experience side effects?

    In real-world studies of people taking these medications, men appear to have half the risk of experiencing GI side effects as women. The most important advice to avoid side effects is to start on a low dose and increase slowly.

    Are certain GLP-1s more likely to cause side effects?

    Head-to-head trials comparing semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) with liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda) show broadly similar GI side effects overall, though results vary somewhat by study and dose. The good news is that major trials have found that these side effects were more common in the first few days or weeks of starting treatment, when they peaked, but then tended to subside. So I tell my patients that even if they experience GI symptoms initially, there’s a good chance they’ll get better.

    What I want my patients to know

    GLP-1 drugs are often spoken of as weight loss tools but, to me, that really misses the point. Obesity is a chronic, inflammatory disease that drives up the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Using a medication to treat a medical condition is not a moral failing — as some of my patients have been made to feel. There are fewer more powerful steps someone can take for their health than to reduce that constant state of inflammation, and as a doctor, I will always find that worth celebrating and supporting.

    Trisha Pasricha is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and author of the forthcoming book “You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong.”

  • ☎️ Can you 311 that? | Morning Newsletter

    ☎️ Can you 311 that? | Morning Newsletter

    Hi there, Philly. A major winter storm is looking more likely for the region this weekend, with experts calling for several inches of snow that’s likely to stick around into next week.

    What can the city’s nonemergency service system do? Take our quiz to see if you know how to use Philly311.

    And President Donald Trump’s strong support in the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania is splintering. Read on to learn what that could mean for key races this year.

    — Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Phoning 311

    Several street lamps in my neighborhood park had been out for what seemed like months. So, earlier this winter, I fired up the Philly311 app, reported the dead bulbs, and voilà — within days, light was restored.

    ☎️ The 311 hotline and its accompanying app, website, and email address make up the city’s nonemergency service system. The call center fields residents’ requests and transfers them to the city department or community partner best equipped to help.

    ☎️ The service received over half a million requests last year.

    ☎️ But what counts as a nonemergency? Is it a noise complaint about a loud neighbor, a car that seems abandoned, a persistent pothole, a beeping smoke alarm?

    Think you know all that 311 can do? Find out with our quiz.

    ‘He left nothing for the working man’

    In the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania, where President Trump made his biggest gains in the state in the 2024 election, there are signs that his winning coalition is splintering.

    Some Republican and independent voters in the region who previously backed the president told The Inquirer they still do. But others shared their disappointment with rising grocery prices and what they see as Trump’s failure to keep his commitments.

    The shift comes as the Pennsylvania GOP looks to hold onto two swing congressional seats in November: U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie, who represents the Lehigh Valley, and Rob Bresnahan, who represents his neighboring Northeastern Pennsylvania district. Both won their seats in 2024 by a single point or less.

    Reporter Alfred Lubrano spoke to voters in five counties to learn how the region perceives Trump now.

    In other federal government news: A Chester County school district is under investigation by the Trump administration for a policy allowing transgender girls to play on girls’ sports teams. And Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touted his new nutritional guidelines and pushed back against criticism of his vaccine policy at a rally in Harrisburg Wednesday.

    What you should know today

    Quote of the day

    On this week’s episode of Abbott Elementary — the Emmy-winning sitcom from West Philly-raised comedy star Quinta Brunson — the teachers get a visit from a surprise guest: a reporter from The Philadelphia Inquirer.

    More Philly-on-TV news: A politics and public policy professor from Immaculata University is competing in the Jeopardy! 2026 Tournament of Champions this Friday. And ABC’s Shark Tank is returning to Philadelphia for an open casting call on March 18.

    🧠 Trivia time

    Ahead of this year’s Groundhog Day, the animal-rights organization PETA offered to replace Punxsutawney Phil with what?

    A) An animatronic groundhog

    B) A taxidermied groundhog

    C) A hologram of a groundhog

    D) A human in a groundhog suit

    Think you know? Check your answer.

    What (and whom) we’re …

    🤝 Meeting: Dana Edwards, the new mayor of Narberth, and Conlen Booth, the new mayor of Swarthmore.

    🍝 Ordering: These 26 standout dishes on Center City District Restaurant Week menus.

    🏀 Confirming: Yes, Philly is most definitely a basketball city — dating all the way back to 1898.

    🏒 Obsessed with: Heated Rivalry, the talk of Flyers’ Pride Night as it introduces hockey to a new, gayer audience.

    🏈 Answering: Why is a Pennsylvania school celebrating Indiana’s national title?

    🧩 Unscramble the anagram

    Hint: Luxury hotel in Center City

    SUNROOF SEAS

    Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

    Cheers to Mark Bussy, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Kim Kardashian. Skims, the clothing company she founded, collected sales tax from New Jersey consumers for five years. (The state doesn’t tax clothing.) The brand has settled an investigation for $200,000.

    Photo of the day

    One of the educational outdoor play spaces at 2045 Master St. that Live and Learn is bringing to affordable housing communities in Philadelphia.

    🖌️ One last playful thing: Educational play spaces were built at two North Philly affordable housing sites. Stakeholders hope they can inspire similar projects nationwide.

    Stay warm out there. I’ll see you back here tomorrow morning.

    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.