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  • Yo, Dems: You can’t ‘reform’ fascism | Will Bunch Newsletter

    On Monday, America — some of it, anyway — paused to celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who would have turned 97 this month. In one sense, there’s never been a rougher time for the legacy of the slain civil rights icon, with the U.S. Supreme Court perhaps poised to gut the 1965 Voting Rights Act and a president who barely acknowledged the holiday. But thousands of everyday Americans now resisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are channeling the spirit of the man who said one has “a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” Happy belated birthday, Dr. King.

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    Dems, stop trying to make ICE better. Make them go away.

    Aliya Rahman is detained Jan. 13 by federal agents near the Minneapolis street corner where Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer.

    Imagine this … and if you watch the daily stream of videos coming from the ICE raids that have roiled Minnesota since the start of the new year, it’s not that hard to imagine.

    You’re minding your own business, or maybe picking up your kid at their school, when suddenly you find yourself in the middle of a platoon of masked, armed, camouflaged government agents. One thing leads to another, and in a flash, an agent has wrestled you to the ground, and is brandishing a weapon — maybe a Taser … if you’re lucky.

    But what if I told you that lawmakers on Capitol Hill have a solution? They are proposing a brave new world, where now — flat on your back and gasping for air, and perhaps able to bravely manage to free your phone from your pocket — you could scan a federally mandated QR code on the agent’s uniform and find out the identity of the man who is currently pummeling you to within an inch of your life.

    You’re probably thinking the same thing I did when I read about New York Rep. Ritchie Torres’ new bill he called the Quick Recognition (get it?) Act, which is his big idea for how Democrats can respond to public anger over the murder of Minneapolis mom Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent, and the raids that have led to violent encounters and made a major U.S. metropolis look and feel like a war zone.

    A four-word sentence that begins with, “What the actual …?”

    “There is nothing the Trump administration fears more than transparency and accountability,” a spokesperson for Torres, who faces a primary challenge, in part, because of his outspoken views on Gaza, said recently.

    Really? Is that true? Because everything I’ve seen is that Donald Trump is mainly terrified about a GOP bloodbath in the November midterms, which would surely lead to his impeachment, his eventual disgrace, and even a shot at the real accountability that takes place only behind prison bars. But that’s not going to happen unless Democrats can convince those midterm voters they are serious about dismantling the rotten system that murdered Good — so there are no bad guys left to scan.

    It’s tempting to write off Torres’ idea as one stray piece of almost comically misguided legislation. But the truth is that his core idea — that what’s evolved during the Trump era into an American secret police force that folks like Joe Rogan and Bruce Springsteen are openly calling “the Gestapo” can be tweaked into something great — is endorsed by Democratic leaders in Congress and many rank-and-file members.

    “Clearly, significant reform needs to take place as it relates to the manner in which ICE is conducting itself,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.) told MS Now, bloodlessly. “ICE is using taxpayer dollars to brutalize American citizens and to unnecessarily and viciously target law-abiding immigrant families and communities.”

    So you’re going to halt the flow of those taxpayer dollars, right?

    Right?

    Actually, many key Democrats — facing a Jan. 30 deadline for new appropriation bills — say they are willing to keep the dollars flowing to the embattled and increasingly unpopular agency, but with hopes of leveraging the Minneapolis controversy in return for major reforms. Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.), who has been a leading critic of the Trump regime, has suggested banning masks, mandating badges, requiring warrants to make an arrest, and returning Border Patrol agents to the border.

    Most critics of ICE, Border Patrol, and any other immigration raiders under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security would agree that all of those things should have happened yesterday. But the lack of appetite for utterly dismantling the DHS regime — despite its culture of violence and disrespect for law-abiding refugees — reminds too many voters of the cowardice that branded the Dems as losers in the first place.

    Progressive attorney Aaron Regunberg mocked the stance of some mainstream Democrats as: “We are the resistance. We are also negotiating furiously to figure out how to fully fund the Gestapo.” He’s right. Under Trump, with recruitment ads inspired by white nationalist memes, ICE has become a tool of a new American fascism.

    You don’t “significantly reform” fascism. You need to crush it. As Andrea Pitzer, who literally wrote the book on the history of concentration camps, noted Monday night, “The correct response to Dachau was not better training for the guards.”

    It’s telling that — as often is the case — everyday people are way out in front of the supposedly opposition Democrats. The latest polls show that a strong majority of Americans oppose Trump’s immigration policies — with just 38% approving of them in a new AP-NORC poll, down sharply — and that, for the first time, a plurality would like to see ICE (which has only existed since 2003) eliminated. No wonder the number of Americans who now identify as liberal — 28% — is the highest since Gallup began asking in the early 1990s.

    And yes, more Democratic officials are starting to get it than ever before. More than 100 members of the House Progressive Caucus said last week that they won’t vote for any budget bill with additional funding for the immigration raid agencies without an end to their militarized policing. Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego, who seemed to tack right on immigration issues in winning a close election in 2024, surprised political observers when he declared this weekend in a CNN interview that “I think ICE needs to be totally torn down.”

    Note that he didn’t say “abolish” — a word that causes Democrats to break out in hives. That’s OK. Call it a teardown, or a demolition, but every day, more Americans can see that the United States would function better without ICE — as it did the first 227 years of its history — and with the work that’s actually needed, like arresting the sliver of immigrants who really are violent criminals, given to all new people.

    The problem is that Democratic fecklessness isn’t limited to just the future of ICE. Our European allies are disappointed that the opposition party isn’t out manning the barricades and calling for much more forceful action to curb Trump’s bat-guano crazy demand for Greenland, apparently because he feels slighted by not getting the Nobel Peace Prize. And sure, Americans want lower coffee prices, but they care more about not having Captain Queeg with the nuclear football.

    Dismantling the ICE regime needs to be the floor, not the ceiling, and any Democrat in Congress who doesn’t get with the program can — and should — be replaced in the primaries to avoid another debacle with alienated or apathetic voters in November. Call your member and find out where they stand. You won’t even need a QR code.

    Yo, do this!

    • I didn’t feel a compelling need to memorialize one year of Trump’s second presidency, since that’s kind of what we do here every week. But M. Gessen, the Russian émigré whose understanding of how authoritarians rule has been a blessing for American readers, did write the piece that captures the fierce urgency of now. Their new New York Times column (gift link) calls on us to use our freedoms before they totally disappear. “The only way to keep the space from imploding is to fill it, to prop up the walls: to claim all the room there still is for speaking, writing, publishing, protesting, voting,” they wrote. “It’s what the people of Minnesota appear to be doing, and it’s something each of us needs to do — right now, while we still can.”
    • In a month of short, frigidly cold days, with a deteriorating political situation, the Eagles’ one-and-done, and up-and-too-often-down 76ers and Flyers, my main source of pleasure is getting under several blankets and watching football games in which I don’t much care who wins. The NFL playoffs, minus the Birds’ fiasco and one or two clunkers, have been the most compelling drama on TV in years. Don’t miss Sunday’s Final Four: Patriots-Broncos (CBS) followed by Rams-Seahawks (Fox), kicking off at 3 p.m.

    Ask me anything

    Question: One question that is top of my mind is “does this week feel like a tipping point?” Can’t shake the feeling that it is. — Marguerite Fahey (@margueritefahey@bsky.social) via Bluesky

    Answer: Marguerite, I got several variations of your question, so this is definitely on the minds of folks. But while Trump’s bizarre actions surrounding Greenland have raised questions about the president’s fitness to hold office on a level we’ve never seen before, including Watergate, it is less clear what affirmative actions can take place. It’s impossible to imagine the lackeys in Trump’s cabinet, like Kristi Noem, ever green-lighting the 25th Amendment, let alone the 20 GOP Senate votes that would be required to remove the president in an impeachment. An increasingly likely possibility is high-ranking generals refusing a Trump order to send troops to Greenland or Minnesota. Yes, it has come to this.

    What you’re saying about …

    Sometimes, readers of this newsletter still surprise me. While most of you are righteously appalled at the immigration raid abuses in Minnesota and elsewhere, many still want to see major reforms at ICE and its sister agencies rather than abolishing them altogether. “ICE doesn’t need to be abolished,” Ed Truncale wrote. “ICE is like a child that has lost their way and needs to be disciplined, redirected.” Cathie Cush agreed. “I’d feel a lot more comfortable with ‘Demilitarize ICE’ and ‘Demilitarize the police,’” she wrote. “And make them accountable. And reduce their ranks.”

    📮 This week’s question: Donald Trump’s increasingly aggressive demands for Greenland have not only threatened the post-World War II global order but raised legitimate mental health questions about the commander of the world’s largest military. But how can Europe, Democrats, and any remaining sane Republicans respond to this? Please email me your answer and put the exact phrase “Greenland response” in the subject line.

    History lesson on America’s betrayal of the Hmong

    ChongLy “Scott” Thao, a U.S. citizen, sits in his St. Paul, Minn., home Monday, the day after federal agents broke open his door and detained him without a warrant.

    A long time ago, on the other side of the world, began what would become a fraught relationship between the Hmong tribal people of northern Laos and the United States, as represented by the CIA. At the dawn of the 1960s, American spies recruited the Hmong to fight communism in their homeland and neighboring Vietnam, which proved a disastrous bet. Thousands died in the next 13 years of combat in Southeast Asia, and more would perish when the communists took over Laos in 1975, while others dodged bullets, swimming the Mekong River toward overcrowded refugee camps in Thailand.

    Fifty years ago, the United States was led by people who at least understood our deep debt to the Hmong, forged in blood. Thousands who’d escaped the slaughter were eventually resettled in the United States, and Minnesota — aided by Lutherans and other religious charities and good public housing, and despite its frigid weather — became an unlikely magnet. Today, a population of 94,000 people, with a slightly higher average salary than the state as a whole, and including the mayor of St. Paul, the state capital, makes Minnesota home to the largest U.S. Hmong population.

    It’s an immigration success story that makes the events of recent days beyond baffling. In one Minneapolis neighborhood this weekend, a witness reported that roving ICE agents who have flooded the metropolis pulled over a car and asked the driver, “Where the Hmongs at?” St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her said: “We’ve received reports of ICE officers going door to door asking where the Asian people live … I myself have received advice to carry my passport with me because they may target me based on what I look like.”

    On Sunday, federal agents broke down the front door of a St. Paul home and took away ChongLy “Scott” Thao, also known as Saly, a Hmong American who was born in a Laotian refugee camp but is a U.S. citizen after living most of his life here. A photo of the man being led out of the house — wearing only boxer shorts and Crocs on a bitterly cold day, a plaid blanket hastily thrown over his exposed torso — went viral on social media. Family members said ICE agents drove Thao around for an hour while they questioned him, but brought him back home when they realized he was a naturalized citizen with no criminal record. Still, the episode was traumatizing, and it epitomized the big question hanging over all of this.

    What is this even for? ICE’s harsh and disruptive focus on the Hmong people of Minnesota — people who were brought here because of their support for America in wartime, with the encouragement of the federal government as well as their new prairie neighbors — makes absolutely no sense. A people who suffered in their homeland for their ties to the United States are now facing new torment in their adoptive land — judged not for the content of their character, but for the color of their skin. This is a new, shameful moment in American history.

    What I wrote on this date in 2021

    Looking back at the dawn of what’s proved to be a painful decade for America can be difficult. Tuesday is the fifth anniversary of Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th president, and like most Americans, I had thoughts and prayers that the deep stain of Donald Trump’s lawbreaking first term could be erased. On Jan. 20, 2021, I predicted we’d understand “this nation will not have peace without justice. That empathy is empty without accountability. And that American carnage cannot be healed until we can handle the truth.” Yeah, how did that work out? Read the rest: “After four years of ‘American carnage,’ President Joe Biden gets it: Truth must come before healing.”

    Recommended Inquirer reading

    • With so much happening, I did an NFL coin-toss move and elected to defer my Martin Luther King Jr. holiday day off until some warmer, happier time. In my Sunday column, I looked at how economic pressure campaigns against U.S. corporations aiding Trump’s immigration policies, like Avelo Airlines — which halted ICE deportation flights after months of protests and boycotts — are starting to make a difference. With boycotts getting results at firms like Disney and Spotify, can Americans do more to vote with their wallets? Over the weekend, I dug into CBS News and its new Trump-friendly regime headed by Bari Weiss, and how its slanted journalism — including a highly inflammatory and factually dubious story about the Minneapolis ICE shooting — is a bad sign for the future of democracy.
    • We now know Trump told Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro not to run for president, which normally would be tantamount to an endorsement. But that disclosure — which comes from the governor’s new autobiography, Where We Keep the Light, that is also functioning as a curtain-raiser on Shapiro’s 2028 presidential ambitions — might have been a rare case of good advice from The Donald. The Inquirer’s crack political team is already all over the book and its fallout, including Shapiro’s controversial claim that aides to Kamala Harris — vetting him as a potential 2024 running mate — asked the Jewish governor if he was “a double agent” for Israel. The book is already generating backlash and some TV punditry that Shapiro’s once-rising star has dimmed, but the broader implication remains clear. One way or the other, the road to the 48th presidency runs through Pennsylvania, and the best way to keep up is to follow our in-depth coverage in The Inquirer. Subscribe today and get on the bandwagon.

    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.

  • After a shooting in Hunting Park, a police officer fired at the suspect before arresting him

    After a shooting in Hunting Park, a police officer fired at the suspect before arresting him

    A Philadelphia police officer opened fire on a man Monday night after the man critically injured another person in Hunting Park, police said. The man, police said, was not hit.

    Officers were called about 8:30 p.m. to a Sunoco gas station in the 4100 block of North Broad Street for a report of a man with a gun, according to police Tuesday.

    When they arrived, police said, the officers saw multiple men arguing. The men quickly left the gas station and walked toward the intersection of Broad and Jerome Streets, where the fight turned physical, police said.

    A 29-year-old man drew a handgun and shot another man in the chest and groin. One of the officers fired at the alleged shooter, police said, but did not strike him.

    The alleged shooter ran away, but the officer caught and arrested him in the 1300 block of Jerome Street, police said. Nearby, beneath a parked vehicle, officers found a 9mm handgun.

    Paramedics took the victim to Temple University Hospital, where police said he was in critical condition Tuesday. His name was not released.

    Police did not release the name of the alleged shooter, who had not yet been formally charged, they said.

    The officer, a 36-year-old man with nine years on the police force, was not injured in the incident, police said. He has been placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation, as per department policy when an officer discharges his gun.

  • Second-half goals for the Sixers: Tyrese Maxey’s MVP push, Jared McCain’s minutes and more Joel Embiid dunks

    Second-half goals for the Sixers: Tyrese Maxey’s MVP push, Jared McCain’s minutes and more Joel Embiid dunks

    Nick Nurse thought back to the 76ers’ preseason trip to Abu Dhabi, and how a multitude of injuries (again) forced him to cobble the rotation together for two exhibition games against the New York Knicks.

    “I’d be pretty happy that we’re here right now,” the coach said of his former self late Monday.

    “Here” is a 23-18 record at the regular season’s halfway point following a 113-104 home victory over the Indiana Pacers. Nurse acknowledged he is still irked by the handful of close games he believes the Sixers gave away. The roster, meanwhile, still feels like a work in progress after finally reaching full availability earlier this month.

    The Sixers are still struggling with inconsistency at the NBA’s halfway mark. How will they address it?

    But the Sixers are considered one of the NBA’s pleasant surprises, entering Tuesday in fifth place in the crowded Eastern Conference standings where 1½ games separate third and seventh.

    “Probably would have taken this at the start of the season, for sure,” Nurse said. “And, hopefully, a couple more [health] dominoes can fall here as we go on.”

    In that spirit, here is a collection of second-half goals for the Sixers’ rotation players.

    Tyrese Maxey: Make the MVP ballot

    When Maxey received “M-V-P!” chants at the free throw line during an early-season home game, he told Joel Embiid, “I don’t know how you do this.”

    Maxey has been worthy of such serenading from spectators while making another significant leap in his sixth season. The 25-year-old point guard was named an All-Star starter Monday afternoon, as the top American vote-getter. That naturally makes him an All-NBA contender.

    One step beyond those potential accolades? Getting onto MVP ballots, a race that could become more open if Nikola Jokić, the three-time winner of the sport’s top individual award and this season’s early favorite, falls under the 65-game eligibility threshold because of a recent knee injury. Maxey was seventh in the first ESPN straw poll, which surveys 100 eligible voters, released on Dec. 19.

    For good reason. Maxey entered Tuesday ranked third in the NBA in scoring (30.2 points per game) while also setting career highs in assists (6.7 per game) and rebounds (4.4 per game). He is shooting 40% from three-point range and 47.5% from the floor, on 22.3 attempts per game as a multidimensional bucket-getter. He has become more of a defensive playmaker, averaging 2.1 steals per game — including a career-high eight in Monday’s win over the Pacers — and turning several into blazing finishes at the opposite end. And he is doing this while leading the league in minutes played, at 39.4 per game.

    Some of these numbers could dip slightly if Embiid and Paul George can stay healthy, taking some of that load off the relentless Maxey. And a tough two-game stint against the Cavaliers — he went a combined 14-of-39 from the floor in consecutive losses — demonstrates he still faces a learning curve as the focal point of opposing defenses.

    But Embiid was correct in nicknaming Maxey “The Franchise” years ago. If Maxey is the leader of a Sixers team that shifts from resurgent to legitimate East threat, he will need to get used to those chants.

    Joel Embiid and Paul George: More dunks!

    Following a Jan. 3 win at the New York Knicks, Embiid’s first dunk of the season was a popular topic. Nurse quipped that it occurring with a win secured in the final seconds “was a pretty cheap way of getting it … but at least we know he can still dunk.” When VJ Edgecombe learned that Embiid had not dunked since last season, the rookie’s reaction was “Oh my God.”

    The celebration is not as much about the act itself, but the ongoing physical progress it signifies.

    Ditto for Embiid more often stepping to center court for the opening tipoff. Or that he has played in 10 of 11 games since Dec. 30, including logging 40 minutes for the first time since the 2024 playoffs in a Jan. 5 overtime loss to Denver. During this stretch, he has averaged 27.4 points on 51.6% shooting with 7.6 rebounds, 4 assists, and noticeably improved elevation and mobility as a defender and rim protector.

    And by the time the Sixers won in Toronto on Jan. 12, Embiid was throwing down one-handed dunks in traffic.

    “I’ve made a lot of strides since the beginning of the season,” Embiid said Monday. “I’m back to, probably say, All-Star level and getting back to that All-NBA level and MVP level each and every day. Just got to keep it going.”

    George, who battled numerous injuries during a disappointing first season in Philly, can relate. Though he has been most dangerous this season as a three-point shooter (37% on 6.3 attempts per game entering Tuesday), he said his body also feels (and looks) better as a versatile complementary player on both ends.

    “Those small things,” George said. “It’s like stuff that I can check off like, ‘All right, I’m able to do this again. I’m able to dunk again. I’m able to explode again.’ So it’s just the small gains that just keep you going.”

    Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker: Secure an NBA standard contract

    While sitting inside a restaurant during the Las Vegas Summer League, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said he believed the front office had been savvy in leveraging two-way contracts to sign helpful players in Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker.

    Morey was more than correct. Barlow has been the Sixers’ breakout player, lauded for his knack for crashing the boards and cutting while averaging 8.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists as the starting power forward. Walker is a high-energy rebounder (3.4 in 12.9 minutes per game), and has played in 39 of the Sixers’ 41 games.

    “Those two guys just go out and play hard,” Nurse said Monday, “and have a lot of fun just giving everything they have.”

    Sixers takeaways: More urgency needed, Tyrese Maxey’s rising ceiling, and more from win over the Pacers

    Both have certainly outplayed their two-way status, which primarily is designed for young, developing players to split time between the NBA and G League. The Sixers will aim to maximize the NBA games Barlow and Walker still have available before converting either (or both) to a standard contract. Because of a quirk for teams that do not fill their entire 15-man roster (the Sixers had 14 players signed to standard contracts as of late Monday), Barlow and Walker have a combined six active games with the Sixers remaining.

    “We kind of have that respect for each other,” Walker said recently. “… This is new to both of us, so we don’t let the two-way define us. We just know we’re both big pieces and we have similar styles sometimes with our energy. We talk about how we can be effective as a team, and how we can both bring more energy.”

    The Feb. 5 trade deadline could present an opportunity to free up another full roster spot. Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, and Kyle Lowry are on expiring contracts.

    Andre Drummond and Adem Bona: Stay ready

    That sports cliche is in the air throughout the Sixers’ roster, as Nurse experiments with various personnel combinations with a healthier group. It is most applicable to the two centers behind Embiid. The roles for Drummond and Bona have ranged from starter to backup to completely out of the rotation.

    With Embiid now (seemingly) able to play more consistently, matchups, foul trouble, and other factors could determine when exactly Drummond or Bona see the floor.

    Drummond appeared to be in the midst of a resurgent season but has looked more limited at times since a late-November knee injury. Bona’s early-season minutes were more sporadic before he recently regained the backup spot. There have been games when one player took the first-half stint and the other held that role in the second half.

    Sixers center Adem Bona has shared the backup spot behind Joel Embiid with Andre Drummond.

    “We’ve got to do it by feel,” Nurse said. “But I think they’re not alone in that. That’s what we’re doing [with multiple players] almost every night as coaches. … We’re always, every night, trying to figure out which guy fits that moment of the game. It’s really moment-to-moment. It’s just kind of the way it is.”

    Nurse said last week that, in the games Embiid does not play, he would prefer to start Drummond and bring Bona off the bench because of the way opponents typically go smaller with their backup frontcourt players.

    On last month’s holiday road trip, Nurse even tried Embiid and Bona on the floor together. Bona said that making that partnership effective is one of his primary goals moving forward.

    VJ Edgecombe: Embrace the grind

    At halftime of a Jan. 5 loss to the Denver Nuggets, Embiid asked Edgecombe if he was taking the day off.

    Then the rookie turned another quiet start into a fabulous finish on both ends of the floor. He flashed his rare blend of athleticism and poise while scoring 17 points after the break, and finished with a career-high nine assists and a slew of impact defensive moments.

    This feels like a key stretch for Edgecombe, who has already surpassed the total games he played during his one college season at Baylor — and entered Tuesday ranked eighth in the NBA in minutes (35.7). He acknowledged some early-season fatigue before a calf injury. Now, he is entering the NBA doldrums before the All-Star break and, after that, a playoff push.

    The NBA journey of former Villanova star Collin Gillespie seems unlikely to everyone — except him

    After that night against Denver, Edgecombe connected on 5-of-6 three-point attempts in a Jan. 12 win at the Raptors. He has taken on more ballhandling responsibility. He has guarded All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell. But he also took only five shots in that Friday loss to the Cavaliers.

    “I was the first person that went up to him [after that game],” Maxey said of Edgecombe, “and told him, like, ‘Dude, you shooting five times in a basketball game is not going to cut it for us. You’ve got to be up to 10, 12. You’ve got to be aggressive.’ Man, that’s my dog. That’s my little brother.”

    On the season, Edgecombe is averaging 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals. He must embrace the grind, because the Sixers are counting on his electric impact to persist into the spring.

    Kelly Oubre Jr.: Recapture the early-season flow

    Oubre quickly got downhill for the Sixers’ first bucket of Monday’s victory, igniting an outing when he totaled 18 points and a season-high five assists.

    He looked like the player Oubre was before a mid-November knee injury, when he arguably was putting together the best basketball of his career in his 11th NBA season. He was in more control with the ball in his hands, averaging 16.8 points on 49.7% shooting in 12 games. And he relished taking on challenging perimeter defensive assignments.

    Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. looked more like himself as he scored 18 points against the Pacers.

    Oubre has been back for six games, initially with understandable rust. He has committed to allowing his defensive energy to ignite his offense. He gained some momentum in a Jan. 11 loss at Toronto (13 points, five rebounds, four steals, three blocks), and then put up 12 points as part of the closing lineup in Friday’s loss to Cleveland.

    It will be critical for Oubre to maintain that patience and understanding with himself, rather than reverting to old habits.

    “He’s done a good job of just kind of easing his way back in,” Maxey said of Oubre on Monday, “and I feel like letting the game come to him.”

    Quentin Grimes: Make a Sixth Man of the Year push

    Grimes was never going to be the high-volume scorer and lead ballhandler he was after the Sixers’ acquired him at last season’s trade deadline, then shifted into tank mode. But Grimes’ first full season in Philly has been spotty, at times.

    After a December shooting slump, Grimes rediscovered his touch at the end of the Sixers’ holiday road trip. Since then, he has hit double figures in scoring in only two of the Sixers’ last six games. He entered Tuesday ranked sixth in that category among players with double-digit games played off the bench (14.2 points), while adding 4.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and a willingness to defend.

    The NBA journey of former Villanova star Collin Gillespie seems unlikely to everyone — except him

    Grimes will often be in the closing lineup, where the Sixers can utilize their guard depth. But being that initial, consistent spark off the bench — which could lead to Sixth Man of the Year consideration — is another worthwhile goal.

    One nugget: Grimes is now eligible to be traded, and has veto power on any proposed deal after signing his one-year qualifying agreement in October.

    Trendon Watford and Jared McCain: Squeeze back into the rotation

    Watford was regarded as a sneaky-good offseason signing because of his versatility as a “point” forward. Hamstring and thigh injuries have limited him to 20 games, though one was a triple-double against the Raptors.

    Watford is beginning to crack the rotation minutes again, totaling four points, two rebounds, and two assists while setting the pace as an additional ballhandler on Friday against Cleveland.

    He played another 12 minutes Monday against Indiana, with two points on 1-of-4 shooting.

    “Being able to play a lot of positions and play with different lineups, I think I can do,” Watford said Saturday of that reintegration process. “I just try to keep building off of that. Obviously, the team has something going right now, so I’m just trying to integrate my way back into it with my style of play and my game. It’s a process, but it’s slowly getting there.”

    Sixers forward Trendon Watford was considered a sneaky good offseason addition in free agency.

    The opposite has happened for McCain, whose road back from knee and thumb surgeries has been choppy. His minutes have diminished as the Sixers’ roster returned to health, eventually falling out of the rotation Friday against Cleveland. The next day, he was assigned to the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats for the second time since his return. He was back in Philly in time for Monday’s matchup against Indiana, but he played only the final 47 seconds.

    The former Rookie of the Year front-runner is shooting 35.4% from the floor, and has recently passed up some wide-open looks. His struggles even carried to the G League, where he went 5-of-18 from the floor (and had six turnovers) in the Blue Coats’ loss at the Noblesville Boom on Sunday.

    “We’re just trying to get him some extended run,” Nurse said of McCain. “ … I don’t think he’s had much of a runway to play consistently.”

  • Justice Department weighs rollback of gun regulations

    Justice Department weighs rollback of gun regulations

    The Justice Department is considering loosening a slate of gun regulations as it seeks to bolster support from ardent Second Amendment advocates, according to three people familiar with the changes who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not been made public.

    Some of the changes are expected to ease restrictions on the private sale of guns and loosen regulations on shipping firearms.

    Other changes to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives regulations under consideration would change the types of firearms that can be imported and make licensing fees refundable. Officials are also expected to change the form required to purchase guns to have applicants list their biological sex at birth. The current form asks applicants to list their sex.

    These are the laws for gun owners in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania

    Federal officials had considered announcing the changes to coincide with the National Shooting Sports Foundation gun trade show in Las Vegas, which began on Tuesday. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is scheduled to speak at the annual show. The NSSF SHOT Show is one of the nation’s largest firearm trade shows, and Justice Department officials in both Democratic and Republican administrations have regularly attended it.

    But officials are still finalizing their new regulations and the timing of the announcement, the people familiar with the matter said.

    The back-and-forth over the rollout of the new gun rules highlights the Justice Department’s challenges as it seeks to placate a part of the president’s base that believes the administration has not been aggressive enough in easing firearm restrictions — while also preserving the law enforcement capabilities of ATF, which some gun rights advocates have sought to abolish.

    Philly violence prevention groups say they were flourishing. Then the Trump DOJ cut their funding.

    The Trump administration has installed prominent gun rights advocates in senior political positions, and the president has allied himself with conservative advocacy groups, such as Gun Owners of America. The administration has pushed to slash about 5,000 law enforcement officers from ATF, cutting the number of inspectors who ensure gun sellers are in compliance with federal laws.

    But some gun rights advocates have publicly expressed disappointment with Attorney General Pam Bondi, who as attorney general of Florida supported gun restrictions after the 2018 school shooting in Parkland.

    Bondi and the Trump administration have faced criticism for not going as far as some lawmakers and gun rights advocates have demanded.

    “The Biden Administration waged war against the Second Amendment, but that era has come to an end under Attorney General Bondi, who has led the Justice Department’s effort to protect the Second Amendment through litigation, civil rights enforcement, regulatory reform, and by ending abusive enforcement practices,” a Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement.

    “Whenever law-abiding gun owners’ constitutional rights are violated, the Trump Administration will fight back in defense of freedom and the Constitution.”

    (From November 2024) The Pa. Supreme Court rejected Philly’s latest attempt to pass its own gun laws

    Because ATF crafts regulations based on its interpretation of laws passed by Congress, Justice Department officials are allowed to amend its rules, though any changes risk legal challenges. ATF is part of the Justice Department, responsible for regulating the sales and licensing of firearms and working with local law enforcement to solve gun crimes. Federal and local law enforcement officials tout ATF’s gun tracing capabilities with helping to combat violent crime.

    In the first months of the Trump administration, the Justice Department proposed merging the Drug Enforcement Administration with ATF — a move that ATF’s backers feared would leave the agency powerless. Opponents of ATF, meanwhile, feared that the merger would give the agency too much power. The merger plans have not come to fruition and, instead, the Trump administration in November quietly nominated a respected ATF veteran to lead the agency.

    The nominee, Robert Cekada, is scheduled to have his hearing next month, and administration officials are worried about how the announcement of the new regulations could boost or hurt his nomination chances, according to one person familiar with the nomination process. Announcing the loosening of regulations ahead of his nomination hearing could risk the support of moderate Republicans, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues.

    (From 2022) Why is it so hard for Philly to pass its own gun laws?

    Winning confirmation to serve as ATF director is notoriously difficult. Only two people have won Senate approval as director since the position began requiring Senate confirmation in 2006. During his first term, President Donald Trump had to pull a nominee, Chuck Canterbury, the former head of the national Fraternal Order of Police, because some conservative Republicans thought he would restrict gun rights.

    Trump had originally tapped FBI Director Kash Patel to simultaneously serve as ATF director. The Washington Post reported at the time that Patel never showed up to ATF headquarters and had scarce interaction with staff. The administration replaced Patel in early April with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who holds the two roles simultaneously. Cekada has been running the day-to-day operations of ATF since the ousting of the second-in-command at ATF in April.

    The nomination of Cekada was considered a win for Bondi, who had wanted a law enforcement veteran leading the agency. Some Second Amendment groups had pushed for an advocate at the head of the organization.

    Bondi pushed out ATF’s longtime general counsel and replaced her with a political appointee, Robert Leider — a former law professor who believes in a strict interpretation of the Second Amendment and has publicly written about how ATF too heavily regulates firearms.

    (From June 2025) Ban on carrying firearms openly in Philadelphia is unconstitutional, Pa. appeals court rules. But judges stop short of repealing the law.

    The Post reported this past summer that the U.S. DOGE Service sent staff to ATF with the goal of revising or eliminating at least 47 rules and gun restrictions — an apparent reference to Trump’s status as the 47th president — by July 4, according to multiple people with knowledge of the efforts. Those plan hit roadblocks, in part, because the political appointees failed to realize how complicated and legally cumbersome it is to amend regulations, according to one person familiar with the process.

    In addition to the regulatory changes, Leider and his team have been working to shrink the legally mandated 4473 Form that most buyers are required to fill out when purchasing a firearm, making it quicker to read and fill out the paperwork required to purchase and sell firearms.

    In December, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who heads the Civil Rights Division, announced creation of a new Second Amendment group within her division focused on expanding gun rights. In its first days, the newly created group filed a lawsuit challenging an assault weapon ban in D.C.

    It’s unclear how much support Dhillon’s new group has received. Top Justice Department officials have not fully backed it, in part because Congress needs to approve the creation of a new section within the Civil Rights Division, according to people familiar with the group.

    (From October 2025) Pennsylvania court tells Lower Merion it can’t use zoning to regulate how gun shops do business

    Dhillon so far has not hired many attorneys with legal expertise in the Second Amendment to work in the group, the people said. Instead, she has used existing attorneys within the Civil Rights Department to staff some of the group’s projects.

    Top Democratic lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee have questioned the creation and legality of Dhillon’s group.

    “Since President Trump took office, you have decimated the Division’s nonpartisan workforce and changed the Division’s enforcement priorities to serve the President’s agenda in lieu of our federal civil rights laws,” Sens. Peter Welch (D., Vt.) and Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) wrote in a letter to Dhillon this month. “The creation of the Second Amendment Section is another example of this profound retreat from the core mission of the Civil Rights Division.”

    Last week, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion saying that a federal ban on mailing firearms through Postal Service is unconstitutional. An OLC opinion is not binding, but it provides legal guidance across the federal government on how federal prosecutors view laws and signals the Justice Department’s future stances in court.

  • Doughnuts, soft serve, and coffee come together at South Jersey’s latest cafe

    Doughnuts, soft serve, and coffee come together at South Jersey’s latest cafe

    Tyler Gerber loved growing up in Medford in the 1990s and early ’00s. But for all its suburban charm, “Medford didn’t really have a lot of places people could attach themselves to and be proud of,” he said.

    On Jan. 23, Gerber, 32, marks the grand opening of Happy Place Homemade, a bright, modern shop designed around the daily rhythms of the Burlington County town. Set up in a former Bank of America branch on Route 70 — including the drive-through — it serves coffee and scratch-made doughnuts in the morning, and adds soft serve and shakes in the afternoon and evening. There’s seating in booths along the front windows.

    A torch is used to toast the marshmallow atop the s’mores doughnuts at Happy Place Homemade.

    “We’re trying to create a fun, unique experience for the town,” said Gerber, who moved to Philadelphia after his Shawnee High graduation to study entrepreneurship and financial planning at St. Joseph’s University.

    Combining seemingly disparate food product lines — Federal Donuts & Chicken comes to mind — is not new. “But it hasn’t been done around here,” Gerber said. “We call it ‘new nostalgia.’ We want to build a place people remember — a spot they come back to 10 or 20 years from now and say, ‘Oh, my God, Happy Place.’”

    Tyler Gerber talks makes doughnuts at Happy Place Homemade in Medford.

    At first, Gerber said, “we were going to be a straight soft-serve shop. But the challenge around here is that most ice cream places aren’t open year-round. We wanted to build something that could be sustainable all year, so we started thinking about what paired naturally with soft serve. Hot and cold just makes sense. That’s where doughnuts come in.”

    And where there are doughnuts, there is drip coffee — in this case, from La Colombe. Gerber makes his own syrups to flavor coffee drinks and soft serve.

    Gerber bought a country-fair-style Belshaw cake-doughnut machine with a glass front to let customers watch the process from the first drop of batter to the roll-out of the finished doughnut. Batter is mixed in-house and temperature-controlled before being fried, cooled, glazed while warm, and displayed in the nearby case.

    Tyler Gerber works the counter at Happy Place Homemade in Medford.

    The soft serve is spun into a dense, low-air product that tastes creamier than even most ice cream, even though at 9% butterfat it is not “ice cream” by industry standards.

    “We aim for about 40% overrun,” he said, referring to the percentage of air whipped into the mix during freezing. (Super-premium ice creams’ overruns are about 50% and lower, while premium brands range between 60% and 90%.)

    Chase Horton serves customers at Happy Place Homemade in Medford.

    The doughnut-and-ice cream combination led to one of the shop’s signature creations: Happy Stacks — a doughnut sandwiched by soft serve, served in a cup, with toppings and a syrup drizzle.

    There are also soft-serve parfaits (“Perfects,” he calls them), doughnut soft-serve sandwiches (“Donut Dandies”), and nondairy, fruit-based iced drinks (“HomeADE”).

    Tyler Gerber’s father, Larry Gerber, totes a tray of doughnuts at Happy Place Homemade.

    Although Gerber doesn’t come from a traditional restaurant background, he says his strength is creation. “I love to cook. I’ve been experimenting my whole life,” he said.

    “He goes 100% into everything,” said his father, Larry, who sold his concrete business several years ago and is helping him with the business. “Sports, school, business — he’s a perfectionist. This whole concept came out of his imagination.”

    Lilli Schoener (left) and Justice Wunsch have a snack at Happy Place Homemade.

    Tyler Gerber said he was making a long-term bet on his hometown.

    “We’re not just popping up,” he said. “We’re building a brand. We’re building an experience. And hopefully, we’re building something that Medford can call its own.”

    Happy Place Homemade, 690 Stokes Rd., Medford, N.J., 609-969-9650, happyplacehomemade.com. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesday.

    Happy Place Homemade at 690 Stokes Rd, Medford on Jan. 15, 2026.

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  • Frank P. Olivieri, longtime owner of Pat’s King of Steaks, has died at 87

    Frank P. Olivieri, longtime owner of Pat’s King of Steaks, has died at 87

    Frank P. Olivieri, 87 — whose uncle and father invented the steak sandwich and who ran the landmark Pat’s King of Steaks for nearly four decades — died Sunday, Jan. 18. He had been under care for dementia, said his son, Frank E. Olivieri, who has run the shop since his father’s 1996 retirement.

    Though the Olivieri name spread through Philadelphia over the years through various shops, Mr. Olivieri spent his entire working life at the intersection of Ninth, Wharton, and Passyunk in South Philadelphia. “I’m on my own little island,” he told The Inquirer in 1982.

    Pat’s King of Steaks, at Ninth Street, Wharton Street, and Passyunk Avenue, in 2020.

    The legend began in 1930 (in some accounts 1932) when Mr. Olivieri’s father, Harry, and his uncle, Pasquale “Pat” Olivieri, started selling hot dogs for a nickel at that corner. (Pat, the elder, got the naming rights.) One day, as the story goes, they got tired of eating hot dogs and bought a loaf of Italian bread and some steaks, sliced them up, and put them on the grill. (Cheesesteaks came along in 1951.) Curious cabdrivers begged for the sandwiches. “Pretty soon, they forgot all about the hot dogs and did nothing but steaks,” Mr. Olivieri told The Inquirer in 1982.

    Mr. Olivieri told The Inquirer that he started working at the stand at age 11, selling watermelon and corn on the cob out front. He turned down the opportunity to go to the University of Pennsylvania to become an attorney, and chose to go into the family business, his son said.

    Frank Olivieri working the grill at Pat’s King of Steaks in 1980.

    Pat Olivieri moved to California in the 1960s; he died in 1970. In 1967, father and son Harry and Frank Olivieri bought the original stand, while Pat’s son Herb obtained licensing and franchising rights to the name.

    Herb Olivieri opened Olivieri’s Prince of Steaks in Reading Terminal Market in 1982 and later ran a Pat’s location in Northeast Philadelphia (unaffiliated with the original). Herb’s son Rick owned sandwich shops, including the reflagged Rick’s Steaks at Reading Terminal, as well as stands at the Bellevue and Liberty Place food courts.

    Pat’s, meanwhile, had become a 24-hour destination. Limos and tour buses, then as now, roll up at all hours.

    Frank Olivieri (left) watching actor Bill Macy eating a cheesesteak from Pat’s King of Steaks in 1981. Macy was touring Philadelphia sites while starring at the Forrest Theater in a pre-Broadway run of “I Oughta Be in Pictures.”

    When Sylvester Stallone filmed part of Rocky outside of Pat’s in 1976, he invited Mr. Olivieri to a private party afterward.

    “I had to tell him I can’t go,” Mr. Olivieri recalled. “We didn’t get to be No. 1 by letting the business run itself.” Back then, Mr. Olivieri lived in Packer Park, kept a summer home in Brigantine, and was rarely more than an hour away.

    “I can be here any time,” he said. “And I am here lots and lots of the time.”

    In 1966, a competitor arrived across the street: Geno’s Steaks, owned by Joey Vento, a former Pat’s employee. The Pat’s-Geno’s rivalry — buzzing neon, dueling lines, endless debates over quality — is, in fact, wildly overblown. Current owners Frank E. Olivieri, popularly known as Frankie, and Geno Vento, Joey’s son, are good friends.

    Mr. Olivieri, who served for many years on the board of directors of Provident Bank, was a whiz with numbers, his son said. He also was an avid fisherman and yachtsman who had his captain’s license. “He also taught me everything I know about electrical work, plumbing, woodworking, and how to fix just about anything,” his son said. “The reason I know how to do all of that is because if he couldn’t do something himself, I had to learn how to do it. Without his guidance, I wouldn’t know how to do any of it.”

    Mr. Olivieri’s son recalls his father’s burgundy 1974 Corvette. “One of the happiest moments of my week was sitting in the passenger seat with him on Saturdays and Sundays,” he said. When they turned from Broad onto Wharton Street, “by the time we hit around 10th Street, I could already smell the onions cooking. He always had the T-tops off for me in the summer. That was my first introduction to being at the store.”

    Besides his son, Mr. Olivieri is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ritamarie; daughters Danielle Olivieri and Leah Tartaglia; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

    Viewing will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Baldi Funeral Home, 1327-29 S. Broad St. A prayer service and memorial tributes will begin at 11 a.m. The family requests donations to St. Maron Church, 1010 Ellsworth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147.

  • Mikie Sherrill takes oath as New Jersey governor, becoming the second woman to lead the state

    Mikie Sherrill takes oath as New Jersey governor, becoming the second woman to lead the state

    NEWARK, N.J. — Mikie Sherrill was sworn in as New Jersey governor Tuesday, becoming the second woman to govern the state and the first from the Democratic Party.

    Sherrill, who is also the first female veteran from either party to be elected to the office, broke tradition by opting to be inaugurated in her home county of Essex, in northern New Jersey, instead of the state’s capital city, Trenton.

    She took the oath at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark in the morning. Joined onstage by her family and high-profile Democrats, Sherrill spoke about her love for New Jersey and denounced President Donald Trump in a speech on Tuesday.

    She also gave two shout-outs to South Jersey, noting that she learned on the campaign trail that South Jerseyans say “pork roll” instead of “Taylor Ham.”

    “I have heard you in South Jersey, where you want jobs, transportation investments, innovative businesses, and not to be forgotten or left behind,” she also said.

    New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill waves as she arrives for her inauguration, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

    She even referenced Philadelphia while talking about the founding of the United States — in a very Jersey way.

    “In fact, not too far away, in the greater Camden metropolitan region, in a place called Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson wrote a declaration of our independence, marking the birth of this great nation,” she said.

    “This entirely unique and revolutionary declaration claims human beings had universal rights to life, to liberty, to the pursuit of happiness, not because of who their parents were, but because every human being is endowed with these rights by their creator, not by a king,” she added, and was met by applause.

    She drew parallels between England’s king at the founding of the United States and Trump, whom Democrats have criticized through “no kings” protests. Sherrill said Trump is “illegally usurping power, unconstitutionally enacting a tariff regime to make billions for himself and his family while everyone else sees their costs go higher.”

    Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, former federal prosecutor, and mother of four, was elected to Congress in 2018 and stepped down in November after winning the election, defeating Jack Ciattarelli, who had won the endorsement of Trump.

    Sherrill, whose closely watched candidacy drew significant national support, promised during her campaign that she would make New Jersey more affordable and would stand up to Trump.

    She told voters she would declare a state of emergency on utility rates on her first day in office, a promise she executed while still onstage for her inauguration speech right after being sworn in. She signed two bills: one freezing utility rates and the other encouraging more energy production in the state.

    White flowers lined the front of the stage, and large American and New Jersey flags served as a backdrop.

    Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Sherrill’s friend and former congressional colleague, was in attendance. Spanberger became Virginia’s first female governor on Saturday in a ceremony attended by Sherrill and other high-profile Democrats.

    New Jersey and Virginia were the only states to hold gubernatorial races last year, and the Democratic victories were viewed as a positive sign for the party heading into the midterms with Trump in the White House.

    Sherrill, who turned 54 on Monday, succeeds Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat who served two terms. It’s the first time the same party has held the governor’s mansion for three consecutive terms since 1970.

    After the ceremony, Sherrill was slated to head to Trenton to sign more executive orders before going back north for an inaugural ball Tuesday evening at the American Dream in East Rutherford.

    Sherrill’s lieutenant governor, Dale Caldwell, 65, was also sworn in Tuesday. Caldwell, a Middlesex County-based Methodist pastor, most recently worked as the first Black president of Centenary University. He has worked for state government, started nonprofits, and led charter schools.

    In his speech Tuesday, Caldwell said his father marched with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whom he and Sherrill both mentioned in their speeches.

    “My father taught me that faith must be active, not passive. He taught me that justice is not an idea, it is a responsibility,” Caldwell said. “And he taught me that service is not optional, especially for those who have been blessed with opportunity.”

    Sherrill defied expectations on both sides of the aisle by winning what had been viewed as a competitive race by 14 points. Republicans had felt optimistic in part because the state shifted red in 2024, but those gains bounced back in November. The resident of Montclair similarly won a crowded primary by more than 100,000 votes in June.

    During her campaign, Sherrill repeatedly reminded voters of Ciattarelli’s ties to Trump and leaned into the president’s unpopularity in the state.

    Sherrill’s campaign repeatedly held events in Newark leading up to her election with the support of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a progressive who placed second in the Democratic primary.

    Her decision to be inaugurated up north was celebrated by Newark officials, but Trenton City Council member Jennifer Williams, a Republican, argued in an op-ed that it was an insult to Trenton.

    The governor-elect visited Camden on Monday to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and announced that she will divert resources to the city to honor the civil rights leader.

    Christine Todd Whitman, the first woman to serve as New Jersey governor, used the same venue as Sherrill when she was sworn in for her second term in 1998 while the war memorial in Trenton, the traditional site, was undergoing renovations.

    Whitman served as a Republican from 1994 to 2001 before joining the Bush administration and has since left the Republican Party for the Forward Party. She endorsed Sherrill’s candidacy.

    New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill speaks after taking the oath of office during an inauguration ceremony, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
  • Eagles news: Birds to interview Brian Daboll, have yet to convince Mike McDaniel; coaching search updates and rumors

    Eagles news: Birds to interview Brian Daboll, have yet to convince Mike McDaniel; coaching search updates and rumors

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 1:02pm

    Which Eagles should stay or go next season? Swipe and decide.

    Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert will be a free agent this offseason.

    The Eagles’ season ended sooner than expected with a loss to the 49ers in the wild-card round. Now the Birds will try to assemble a roster that can help them get back to their Super Bowl standard.

    Beat writer Jeff McLane made his picks on what personnel decisions he sees the team making this offseason, including wide receiver A.J. Brown’s future and whether tight end Dallas Goedert should be back next season.

    Make your pick for each player by swiping the cards below — right for Stay, or left for Go. Yes, just like Tinder.

    Which Eagles should stay or go? Swipe and decide.

    — Jeff McLane

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 11:32am

    NFL execs predict the Eagles will trade A.J. Brown

    Would the Eagles actually consider trading star receiver A.J. Brown?

    Though we’re weeks away from the NFL trade market heating up, NFL executives anonymously dishing to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler have a prediction — the Eagles will part ways with wide receiver A.J. Brown.

    One NFL personnel evaluator told ESPN the likely trading partner will be the Buffalo Bills, who desperately need to acquire talent to help Josh Allen.

    “The Bills have to upgrade there — their best receiver is Khalil Shakir, who is a nice player but he’s not a top guy,” the executive told ESPN. “Brown is an immediate upgrade and he’s still young. And the Eagles can build the passing game around DeVonta Smith and a high draft pick.”

    Other NFL scouts suggested to Fowler the Eagles could end up trading Brown to the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders.

    Brown is under contract through the 2029 season, and trading him would certainly put a dent in the Eagles’ salary cap (though designating it a post-June 1 trade would free up $7 million in cap space). But as Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski pointed out, there would be major long-term savings for the Eagles — over $44 million per season — if they traded him away this offseason.

    Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was noncommittal when asked if he would consider trading Brown.

    “It is hard to find great players in the NFL, and A.J. is a great player,” Roseman told reporters at a news conference last week. “I think from my perspective, that’s what we’re going out and looking for, when we go out here in free agency and in the draft, is trying to find great players who love football, and he’s that guy. So that would be my answer.”

    Will A.J. Brown and Lane Johnson be back? Those are key questions facing the Eagles and Howie Roseman.

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 9:32am

    Eagles to interview ex-Giants coach Brian Daboll today: report

    Former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, seen here in a playoff game against the Eagles in 2023.

    The Eagles will interview former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll Tuesday, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

    Daboll went 20–40–1 (.336) in four seasons with the Giants, and was named NFL Coach of the Year in 2022. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills, where he was credited with the development of Josh Allen.

    After firing Sean McDermott, the Bills are reportedly interested in bringing back Daboll. He interviewed with the Tennessee Titans, who ended up hiring former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their next head coach.

    Daboll also reportedly interviewed for the vacant offensive coordinator position with the Los Angeles Chargers.

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 7:31am

    Remaining NFL head coaching vacancies

    Robert Saleh is headed to the Tennessee Titans to become their next head coach.

    And then there were five.

    In an offseason that saw 10 head coaching vacancies (tying an NFL record last reached in 2022), four have already been filled.

    The latest is former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who has been hired by the Tennessee Titans as their new head coach, according to multiple reports.

    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:

    • Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers,

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 7:29am

    Eagles have yet to convince Mike McDaniel to interview: sources

    Ex-Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is getting a lot of interest from multiple teams.

    In the past week, the Eagles have made it known to sources around the league that hiring former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator is their No. 1 offseason priority. That includes fired New York Giants coach Brian Daboll, who is expected to interview for the position this week.

    Virtually no amount of money, literally no amount of autonomy, and no fear of conflict would deter the team from signing McDaniel, a respected offensive innovator.

    McDaniel and Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio endured a rocky year together in 2023, when Fangio worked for McDaniel as his defensive coordinator in Miami, and their split, while couched as a mutual parting of the ways, was not without acrimony.

    At any rate, league sources indicate that even though Fangio’s work the last two seasons has been integral and possibly unmatched around the league, if the Eagles were somehow able to hire McDaniel, they would not be deterred by any possible discomfort from Fangio.

    Of course, the actual hiring of McDaniel in Philadelphia would be an unexpected coup for the Birds. Right now, he’s a hotter commodity than Venezuelan oil.

    League sources say the Eagles have not yet convinced McDaniel to interview, which offers a glimpse into how he considers the Philly job. That said, don’t expect money to be an obstacle. Sources say that, for McDaniel, the position could be worth as much as the $6 million annual salary the Raiders gave Chip Kelly, who then was fired just 11 games into 2025, his first of three seasons under contract. At the end of the season head coach Pete Carroll also was fired, which created the current vacancy.

    Sean McDermott’s firing could make Eagles’ pursuit of Mike McDaniel, Brian Daboll for OC much harder

    — Marcus Hayes

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 7:32am

    Latest on Eagles’ search for a new offensive coordinator

    Former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard reportedly interviewed with the Birds Monday.

    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.

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

    And here are some coaches the Eagles have either reached out to interview or plan to bring in:

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 7:05am

    Eagles defensive coach Christian Parker to interview with Dolphins

    NFL Championship game schedule

    Broncos backup Jarrett Stidham will start his first game of the season Sunday against the Patriots.

    We’re down to just three games remaining this NFL season, though most Eagles fans bailed following the Birds wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

    The name you’ll be hearing all week is Jarrett Stidham, the backup replacing starting quarterback Bo Nix, who broke is ankle on the second-to-last play against the Bills Saturday and is out for the rest of the season.

    Stidham (who was originally drafted by the Patriots and was once Tom Brady’s backup) will make his first start of the season Sunday. The last time that happened was 53 years ago in 1972, when then-backup Roger Staubach started in place of Craig Morton and played terribly in a lopsided loss to Washington.

    “His last pass in a game came two years and two weeks ago,” retired NFL writer Peter King noted in his weekly newsletter.

    Here’s the schedule for Sunday’s NFC and AFC Championship games:

    • No. 2 Patriots at No. 1 Broncos: 3 p.m., CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson) 
    • No. 5 Rams at No. 1 Seahawks: 6:30 p.m., Fox (Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady. Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi)

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 7:00am

  • Protesters briefly block ICE garage in Philly in latest protest of immigration agents

    Protesters briefly block ICE garage in Philly in latest protest of immigration agents

    • What you should know
    • Philly protesters are blocking vehicles from leaving an ICE parking garage in Center City.
    • The protest comes following a deadly incident in Minneapolis earlier this month, where an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good, a U.S. citizen.
    • Four people were arrested during anti-ICE protests in Philadelphia back in October.
    • Protestors want ICE agents banned from the Criminal Justice Center in Center City, where immigrants have been trailed and arrested.

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 9:39am

    Anti-ICE demonstrators end their protest

    Rev. Jay Bergen, a leader of No ICE Philly, said the group had accomplished its goal – and that the brutal cold had become too much for older demonstrators, some of whom have medical conditions.

    In his closing prayer, Bergen hoped the nearly 2 hour stretch was enough for ICE’s target to be somewhere else.

    “All of us here have proven in our song and our prayer that we can slow down the machine of authoritarianism, of fascism, that we can delay the operations that will detain and kidnap and destroy our neighbors, our families, our community,” Bergen said.

    — Jeff Gammage, Ximena Conde

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 9:37am

    Video: Anti-ICE protesters in Philly

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 9:33am

    ICE vehicle able to exit garage, helped by Philly police

    Philadelphia Police and Department of Homeland Security officials block protesters outside the garage at ICE’s Center City headquarters.

    Just before 9:30 a.m., a white sedan – which had initially been blocked by protesters – was able to exit the ICE headquarters parking bay with the help of Philadelphia Police.

    No one was arrested.

    — Ximena Conde

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 9:03am

    Philly Council member joins protest

    Philadelphia City Councilman Nicolas V. O’Rourke (right) joins the protest alongside Rev. Jay Bergen.

    Protestors saw their ranks boosted by City Council member Nicholas O’Rourke, who is also a pastor of the Living Water United Church of Christ in Oxford Circle.

    O’Rourke said it was only natural for him to join fellow clergy at Tuesday’s frigid demonstration.

    A pastor of the Living Water United Church of Christ in Oxford Circle, O’Rourke said Tuesday’s action was part of a long tradition of faith leaders being at the forefront of the “struggle against oppression,” as seen with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others.

    “We are a day after King’s Day, and it’s important that we don’t just wax eloquent about the nice things that King said or the image that he’s been painted of now, but we continue in that tradition of resisting the oppression as he saw it, we’re doing in our own time,” said O’Rourke.

    — Ximena Conde

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 8:40am

    ‘We need more people every day willing to do this’

    Protesters sing and lock arms outside ICE headquarters in Center City Tuesday.

    The group of clergy and immigration advocates continued to sing in locked arms in front of the parking bay in front of ICE headquarters in Center City after its initial “ICE block” in an effort to disrupt immigration enforcement.

    Rev. Hannah Capaldi, minister at the Unitarian Society of Germantown, described the selection of participants as an intentional one as they face warnings from police, possible arrests, and citations.

    Those present are leveraging a certain level of privilege, she said. All are citizens and many are clergy wearing collars, taluses, and stoles.

    “We’re saying, listen, we have some level of moral authority in this city, and we’re trying to tell you where to look and what to pay attention to,” she said.

    But in addition to drawing attention to ICE operations in Philadelphia, Capaldi hopes to plant “seeds of resistance” in the broader public, encouraging people to get involved.

    “It doesn’t have to just be us, and we need more people every day willing to do this, to stand between the vehicles and the work that they’re doing to kidnap our neighbors,” she said.

    “What ICE is doing in our communities is against our faith tradition,” said Rev. Jonny Rashid, a protest organizer. “We are gathered clergy, priests, rabbis, imams, and we are here to say no to ICE, and we want to demonstrate that publicly, and we’re willing to get arrested to do that. We’re blocking ICE’s garage as a symbol of saying you are not welcome in Philadelphia.”

    He said he was not surprised by the lack of an overt Philadelphia police presence, though in the past groups of officers have been sent to anti-ICE protests.

    “I don’t think the Philly police want to engage. They don’t want to make Philadelphia look like Minneapolis.”

    — Ximena Conde, Jeff Gammage

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 8:38am

    Police warn anti-ICE protesters to clear the area

    Philadelphia police officers are warning demonstrators to clear the area.

    About 30 immigration advocates are blocking the garage entrance of ICE headquarters in Center City.

    — Jeff Gammage, Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 8:02am

    Protestors block ICE parking garage

    Protestors are blocking the parking garage at ICE headquarters in Center City Philadelphia.

    A group of about 30 immigration advocates, including local clergy, kicked off the frigid morning shortly before 8 a.m. with song in front of ICE headquarters.

    They carried signs that read “Who would jesus deport?” and approximately at 7:55 a.m. the group locked arms calmly shouting “ICE block” as a white sedan tried to make its way out of a garage.

    The gate to the garage closed back down almost immediately as the car pulled back in and the group continued in song.

    — Ximena Conde

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 8:02am

    Protestors target ICE agents in Philly

    Organizers with No ICE Philly say they’ll form a human blockade to stop ICE vehicles from departing the agency’s Center City headquarters beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

    They pledge to stay there, singing and chanting, until they are forcibly removed or arrested or both, in what they say is an effort to stop ICE from “leaving the facility to terrorize our neighbors.”

    The ICE office is located at 8th and Cherry Streets, just southwest of the former Roundhouse police building.

    — Jeff Gammage

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 8:00am

    This isn’t the first anti-ICE protest in Philly

    Homeland Security officers with their cars along Cherry Street outside ICE’s Center City office in October.

    In October, a No ICE Philly protest outside the agency headquarters erupted into physical confrontations with police, with several people knocked to the ground and four taken into custody.

    A series of push-and-shove skirmishes broke out after about 35 protesters gathered for a Halloween Eve demonstration where they attempted to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles from leaving the facility.

    When an organizer shouted, “ICE Block!” about a dozen people poured onto Cherry Street to try to block the road. A series of scrums grew increasingly intense, with police shoving protesters back and in some cases to the ground.

    The Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and Philadelphia police presence was substantial, with more than 30 officers outside the immigration agency’s big metal garage doors. Philadelphia police said four demonstrators were arrested and later released after being given citations for obstruction of highway, a violation that typically results in a fine.

    That protest followed a September demonstration in which members of No ICE Philly acted as symbolic “building inspectors” who “condemned” the ICE facility. On the building they hung signs, bordered with yellow-and-black warning tape, that said, “ICE Raids Violate Philly Values.”

    And earlier this month, hundreds took to the streets in Philadelphia to protest after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three.

    — Jeff Gammage

    Protesters want Sheriff Rochelle Bilal to ban ICE agents from the courthouse in Center City.

    No ICE Philly has been a leader in protests outside the Criminal Justice Center in Center City, where it and other groups have demanded that Sheriff Rochelle Bilal ban immigration agents from the building.

    The ICE courthouse activity has been hugely controversial, with demonstrators calling on city officials to act to protect immigrants.

    Activists charge that the sheriff has allowed ICE to turn the property into a “hunting ground,” with at least 114 immigrants trailed from the courthouse by agents and arrested on the sidewalk.

    On Wednesday the judicial district that oversees the Philadelphia court system said that authority for managing ICE’s presence rested with the sheriff, and that decisions around that were her “sole responsibility.”

    That followed a news conference where the sheriff joined local elected and community leaders who suggested that court officials or legislators needed to address the turmoil, calling for meetings with court leaders to discuss how to set guardrails on ICE.

    Many people who go to the courthouse are not criminal defendants ― they are witnesses, victims, family members, and others in diversionary programs. But they have been targeted and arrested by ICE, immigration attorneys and government officials say, causing witnesses and victims to stay away from court and damaging the administration of justice in Philadelphia.

    — Jeff Gammage

    Protesters want ICE agents banned from Philly courthouse

    // Timestamp 01/20/26 7:50am