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  • From trade bait to untouchables, here’s where the Flyers roster stands heading into the deadline

    From trade bait to untouchables, here’s where the Flyers roster stands heading into the deadline

    Let the wheelin’ and dealin’ commence.

    The NHL trade freeze thawed at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, and general managers have until 3 p.m. on March 6 to decide if their team is a buyer or a seller.

    Flyers president Keith Jones and general manager Danny Brière have long said “the players will decide” which route they take during the team’s rebuild, but Brière expects this deadline to be a quiet one.

    Flyers hit the Olympic break at a crossroads. Will they sell for the future or try to push for the playoffs?

    That doesn’t mean trades won’t happen between now and the buzzer, as the Flyers still have five games to sway brass one way or the other.

    We broke the Flyers’ roster into five categories, ranging from the players most likely to be traded to those who are considered untouchable.

    Which Flyers are trade bait?

    Two seasons ago, pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Sean Walker was widely expected to be on his way out, and he was eventually dealt to the Colorado Avalanche in a package that included a 2025 first-round pick. Last season, after years of speculation, glue guy Scott Laughton was shipped north to Toronto for Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick.

    But for the first time in Brière’s tenure, no player is a slam dunk to be traded.

    Rasmus Ristolainen, D: If the Flyers trade anyone, all signs point to the 31-year-old Ristolainen. There are several appealing aspects regarding the 6-foot-4, 208-pound blueliner for playoff-bound teams. Finally healthy, the Finn is coming off an impressive performance at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, where he showcased a physical, two-way game while posting three assists, a plus-9 rating, and earning a bronze medal. A more tantalizing tidbit is that he wouldn’t be a one-and-done rental; Ristolainen has term, with one more year at a relatively cheap $5.1 million. Various reports on Monday indicate that there will be suitors.

    Emil Andrae, D: In the last month, a question has arisen: Where does Andrae actually fit? Limited in stature but not in heart and drive, the 24-year-old Swede is an exciting puck-mover but also prone to miscues. Scratched the last five games before the Olympic break, it’s not clear whether the Flyers are looking to move him, but a change of scenery might suit all involved..

    Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae seems like a player who is a little stuck. Could the Flyers opt for a change-of-scenery trade?

    Carl Grundström, LW/RW: Acquired in early October in the deal that sent Ryan Ellis’ contract west, Grundström has brought speed, quickness, and a great shot to the Flyers’ fourth line. As assistant coach Todd Reirden said on Sunday: “He’s been such a good add for our team this year. Been able to help us in a number of different ways, whether it’s penalty kill or sliding up and down anywhere from the fourth line to the second line.” If the Flyers are selling, could he recoup a mid-round draft pick?

    Nic Deslauriers, LW: The veteran will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and recently told The Inquirer that he thinks he has another year or two in him. A good locker room guy, he has the playoff intangibles of being a hard-working forward who plays the body with authority and can patrol the ice. Brière is known to do right by veteran players — i.e., Erik Johnson and Scott Laughton — so maybe it’s Deslauriers turn.

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    Noah Juulsen, D: Someone coach Rick Tocchet knew from his days in Vancouver, the blueliner is a capable depth defenseman that might provide depth for a contender.

    Which Flyers could be in play for the right price?

    Owen Tippett, LW/RW, and Bobby Brink, RW: It’s unlikely — for the moment — but the Flyers are going to need to start making space for young wingers like Porter Martone. And while the Flyers assuredly wouldn’t want to subtract either player from their lineup, Tippett and Brink are players other teams might want. Tippett, who has a 10-team no-trade list beginning on July 1, has officially become the guy everyone expected, using his speed, skill, and physicality to become a true power forward. Small in stature, Brink is a two-way player who has built a solid foundation to his game and can slide into any system.

    With a glut of wingers, could the Flyers look to move Owen Tippett in a package for a center or a defenseman.

    Noah Cates, C/LW: This one has an even lower probability, but Stanley Cup teams are always looking for third-line centers who play a checking role while also chipping in offensively. Cates has shown he can shut down the game’s best, and contenders assuredly wouldn’t mind adding someone as fundamentally sound as the Minnesotan.

    Sam Ersson, G: Inconsistent is a good word to describe Ersson, who has had stretches of brilliance but also long stretches of struggle — notably the latter this season. Could the Flyers trade the pending restricted free agent? Anything is possible, especially with the decision of whether or not to extend him a qualifying offer on the horizon. But as of today, the young goalies in the system aren’t ready for the leap to the NHL, so it’s foreseeable that he’s sticking around for now at least.

    The Flyers will be irrelevant as long as they lack a No. 1 center. A trade for Robert Thomas could change that.

    Garnet Hathaway, RW: Although he has struggled this year to put the puck in the net and has been a healthy scratch for nine games, Hathaway has intangibles that playoff-bound teams want at the deadline — like penalty killing ability and a gritty, edgy game that gets under opponents’ skin. That formula helped the Florida Panthers win back-to-back Cups and is why Hathaway been moved to contenders at previous deadlines.

    Nick Seeler, D: There’s been a bit of a buzz around the hard-nosed blueliner in the press box from visiting scouts. A solid defenseman who blocks shots and provides physicality, Seeler could be the perfect depth guy for a team heading for a deep playoff run. The only thing is, he would have to waive his no-trade clause, which does expire on July 1.

    Which Flyers are unlikely to be traded?

    Sean Couturier, C: The Flyers captain has a no-movement clause and a likely unmovable cap hit of $7.75 million for the next four years. With a cheaper and short-term contract he might be enticing to a playoff team as the 33-year-old center’s analytics are still solid, and what he does in the faceoff circle could change the course of a game. But the contract is probably a nonstarter for most teams.

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    Jamie Drysdale and Cam York, D: Teams need guys like Drysdale and York to round out their defense, as both are young with offensive upside and solid defensive games. York has a team-friendly contract at $5.15 million for the next five years, while Drysdale is a restricted free agent. While there might be interest, the Flyers need both players to hit on their potential.

    Christian Dvorak, C: Inked to a shiny new deal, the Flyers are less inclined to trade a guy they just promised four years to. But, if they were to do it, they need to do it now, as Dvorak received a no-trade clause the first two seasons and a modified no-trade the last two that kicks in on July 1.

    Flyers center Christian Dvorak is presumably off the market now after signing a five-year extension in January.

    Nikita Grebenkin, LW: A key part of the swap for Laughton at the last trade deadline, the Flyers like what the young Russian brings. A gritty but skilled winger, Grebenkin is a work in progress; however, the upside and potential could be too good to part with this soon.

    Contract grades: Was signing Christian Dvorak for the long haul the right move for the Flyers?

    Which Flyers would only get traded for a star or massive haul?

    Tyson Foerster, LW/RW: Since Foerster, 24, went down with a likely season-ending injury in December — a yellow non-contact jersey has been in his locker during the Olympic break — it’s become more evident just how important the Canadian is to the roster. Prior to his injury, Foerster seemed to be trending close to “untouchable” given his goal scoring and defensive acumen.

    Denver Barkey, LW: Expected to be in the minors this season, Barkey was recalled in late December and has been not just a revelation but a reminder that not every guy needs to “marinate.” The Flyers do not want to lose the 20-year-old rookie and his high hockey IQ, but he could be a key part of a larger deal to land that center or top-pair defenseman the team covets.

    Who on the Flyers is untouchable?

    Matvei Michkov, RW: Brière on Feb. 3: “One thing I can tell you, first of all, is: Matvei Michkov is not going anywhere. Let’s make that clear. OK. Matvei is going to be here for a long time.” Despite a difficult season, Michkov remains one of the most important pieces to the Flyers’ rebuild.

    lyers GM Danny Brière addresses Rick Tocchet’s recent comments on Matvei Michkov: ‘They have a good relationship.’

    involved. He

    Trevor Zegras, C/LW: It took the Flyers some patience to get Zegras, 24, from the Anaheim Ducks, and they are not partying with him now. The only question is how much the restricted free agent, who has 20 goals and 49 points in 56 games as a Flyer, will make when he inks his new contract.

    The Flyers have long coveted an offensive game-breaker like Trevor Zegras. Now, they have to pay the restricted free agent.

    Travis Sanheim, D: Coming off an impressive silver-medal-winning twirl with Hockey Canada, Sanheim is among the team’s untouchables right now. The blueliner has a unique combination of size and skating ability, which he just showcased on the international stage. Sanheim, who turns 30 next month, also has a full no-trade clause through the 2026-27 season, and a modified 12-team clause for the remaining four years of his deal.

    Travis Konecny, RW: Currently in Year 1 of an eight-year extension signed two summers ago, with a no-movement clause through 2031, Konecny has become not only the team’s top scorer but a leader. Before the Olympic break, it felt like the soon-to-be-29-year-old strapped the Flyers to his back and tried to will them to victory — on a bruised and battered body, no less. The time off has helped the winger recoup, and he is on pace to achieve yet another career year.

    Dan Vladař, G: The goalie needed someone to believe in him and give him the chance to carry the workload. He has paid the Flyers back two-fold with a top-20 save percentage and the 10th-best goals-against average in the NHL. He has an eight-team no-trade clause, but there is no doubt the netminder is sticking around given the Flyers’ checkered history between the pipes.

  • Food companies simply can’t get enough of the word ‘simply’

    Food companies simply can’t get enough of the word ‘simply’

    Food companies are trying to keep it simple.

    Simply was the hottest word at an annual packaged-food and staples conference in Orlando last week. It’s become the preferred label for a new wave of products containing fewer, more natural ingredients — from beverages to peanut butter.

    Kraft Heinz Co. is putting a spotlight on its Simply line of ketchup that uses cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Coca-Cola Co. now has Simply Pop, a prebiotic soda line with no added sugar, which was added last year to its existing Simply line of fruit juices and drinks. And PepsiCo Inc., which is in the midst of overhauling its snacks and lowering prices, has expanded its own Simply line of products that has no artificial colors or flavors.

    PepsiCo has expanded its own Simply line of products that has no artificial colors or flavors, such as Simply NKD Doritos and Cheetos, made by Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo.

    While simply has long been a popular marketing term in the industry, it’s making a resurgence as companies look to navigate pressure from Washington, which blames processed foods for health problems including obesity and diabetes, and a growing number of consumers who are scrutinizing ingredient lists. An added bonus: Companies can often charge more for “clean label” products.

    PepsiCo is updating its packaging to emphasize “simple ingredients based on nature,” chief executive Ramon Laguarta said last week at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference. The company updated its Lay’s brand last year and added a “naked” line of Doritos and Cheetos to its Simply portfolio without any artificial colors or flavors. It’s also revamping its Tostitos line of corn chips.

    “We’re changing the image. We’re making it more natural,” Laguarta said.

    Simply is also playing a key role at Kraft Heinz, as the maker of Jell-0 and Lunchables discards a previous plan to split up the company and instead looks to revitalize its brands. It’s starting with ketchup.

    “We’re just really getting started with this Simply platform and this organic platform that I think shows really great promise,” Kraft Heinz chief executive officer Steve Cahillane said Thursday in Orlando. But he noted that Kraft Heinz doesn’t plan to reformulate its entire portfolio.

    “Some consumers are willing to pay for that increased cost that comes with Simply and some are not,” he said.

    The meaning of “simply” has evolved for food companies over time, prompting the need for rebranding in some cases.

    JM Smucker Co. decided to create a new Jif Simply line of peanut butter, which has a shorter list of ingredients. It’s phasing out an earlier iteration, called Simply Jif, that had lower levels of sodium and sugar than regular Jif but still contained ingredients like fully hydrogenated vegetable oils.

    Smucker CEO Mark Smucker said the new Jif Simply is a “very basic formula that obviously is responding to consumer trends.”

    The new peanut butter still has lower sodium and sugar, and comes in three formulations: unsweetened, sweetened, and crunchy. It’s made from roasted peanuts, palm oil, salt, and sugar in the sweetened version.

    The new Jif Simply line “has already received strong retailer acceptance,” he said.

  • ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Brad Keller on committing to being a reliever, advice for Andrew Painter, and more

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Brad Keller on committing to being a reliever, advice for Andrew Painter, and more

    Brad Keller sat at a gate at Philadelphia International Airport, awaiting a flight home after signing with the Phillies, when his phone rang with an invitation to join the most talented American baseball roster ever assembled.

    And in that moment, on a cold day in December, it must have dawned on Keller how much his life had changed.

    A year ago, Keller was in spring training with the Cubs, trying to make the team as a nonroster invitee on a minor-league contract. But after a dominant 2025 season (2.07 ERA in 68 appearances), he’s one of the best setup relievers in the sport, earning a two-year, $22 million contract from the Phillies and a spot in Team USA’s bullpen for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

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    Keller, 30, sat down last week with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation about his first few weeks in Phillies camp, wearing the stars and stripes, why he believes he’s more than a one-year bullpen wonder, and more.

    Here are a few excerpts. Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

    Q: What makes you confident that you can take the terrific year you had in 2025 with the Cubs and build on it?

    A: I think that’s exactly it, just continuing to build on it. I have a good set of cues that I was using all year last year, kind of even when I went through some ruts and things like that, that kind of got me out of it pretty quickly. So, just trust the work that I put in, trust the process. I know the relieving lifestyle. It’s not always going to be perfect, but ultimately we’re just trying to do our job out there. And just try to put up a zero. It might be [with] some runners on, might have to battle through some traffic, but ultimately our job is to put a zero up and pass it on to the next guy. So, just building on what I did last year and continue to get better.

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    Going into spring this year, we’re still working on some things. Last year, my sweeper at times was a little not as consistent as [I was] hoping it to be. So this year it has kind of been my point of emphasis, going through spring, just kind of nailing that in, really [homing] in, when I want it for a strike, when I want it for a ball, things like that. There’s always things to work on. And I’m not just trying to sit there and just be like, ‘OK, last year’s last year.’ There is still even things last year that I would like to get better at going into this year. And so there’s always work to be had.

    Brad Keller emerged as a key arm in the Cubs bullpen last season, posting a 2.07 ERA in 68 games.
    Q: From what I heard in the offseason, there were some teams that looked at you as a potential starter. What can you tell me about your free agent experience and why you chose to continue down the path as a reliever?

    A: … I had a couple of teams reach out this year that were like, ‘Hey, we think that there’s a chance that you could still do it, and we believe that you could still be a starter.’ And I told them, ‘Yeah, I’m down to start. That’s great.’ But I loved the bullpen last year. There was nothing like the adrenaline rush that you would get going into a game, big moment, big situation, like getting out of it, pitching in the playoffs, coming into big games like that. That gives me chills thinking about it, because it was just such a special experience.

    And so part of me was like, ‘I don’t want to give that up.’ And I know even when we were talking about the starter route, it was like, ‘There was always the fallback plan, and if it doesn’t work out, we’ll still just put you in the bullpen.’ But I had success with it last year. I had success with it in the past, beginning [of] my career, so maybe we should just dive full in because at the beginning of the last year, even when I was in the bullpen, I was still the two-inning guy, still the long guy. So it was still always like am I going to start?

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    … So finally, when I felt like I put all those to the side and just commit to being in the bullpen, commit to being a reliever, that’s when I feel like my season kind of changed. Going into free agency I was like, let’s just commit to this. I really enjoyed it. It’s not like something that I was on the fence about. Once I was all in, I was like, this is a lot of fun. And I had a good group of guys last year that really kind of showed me the ropes, especially transitioning into just a completely different role, being able to be ready every single day vs. one every five days or so. So that helped out a ton.

    Andrew Painter, 22, is expected to crack the Phillies’ rotation in 2026.
    Q: You were 22 and you skipped over triple A when you made your major league debut in 2018 and you had a really good year for the Royals. The Phillies are most likely going to give a 22-year-old rookie, Andrew Painter, a spot in the rotation. What do you remember about being in his position, and what’s your advice for him?

    A: I think the most important thing is just don’t try to make it more than what it is. It’s still the same game. You’ve still got to throw the ball 60 feet, 6 inches. … The lights are brighter. Obviously you’re facing guys that you’ve seen on TV, or you’ve heard the name a million times, but it’s the same game. You’ve just got to put on that competitive hat and just go to work. And it’s obviously intimidating when you’re 22 and you’re facing a bunch of guys.

    But for me, I was just trying to be a sponge my rookie year. Just try to soak in as much information as I could. Good, bad, obviously, you got to filter out that stuff, but you just try to enjoy every moment. It’s such a short time in our lives. A career span is so short in the grand scheme of things. So just try to make the most of it. Try to make all the memories. Try to soak in all the information.

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    We have a lot of veteran guys on our team, hitters, pitchers, especially in our starting staff. He’s got a lot of guys around him that he can lean on, which is really cool — [Aaron Nola], [Zack] Wheeler and [Jesús] Luzardo, and those guys. That’s just awesome to learn from and follow suit with those guys. But I think just enjoy it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And like I said, it goes by fast. This is Year 9 for me, and I feel like I remember myself as a rookie walking into the clubhouse for the first time. So it’s fun, but … it’s still the same game.

    Watch the entire interview for Keller’s thoughts on the Phillies bullpen, playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and meeting new teammate Kyle Schwarber at the College Football Playoff national championship game in Miami.

  • It’s not too early to be thinking about your new deck | Expert Opinion

    It’s not too early to be thinking about your new deck | Expert Opinion

    Despite our region’s snowy winter, it’s not too soon to be thinking about outdoor entertaining in the spring. Build (or rebuild) a deck off your home, and you’ll have a spot for grilling or chilling.

    But it takes a lot of planning and money to create one, whether you hire a local business or — for the super-handy — put one in yourself. Here’s what to consider.

    What kind of deck?

    The size and type of your home often determine the type of deck you need. But for most homes, these outdoor spaces tend to be either the same width or slightly less wide than the structure they serve. You don’t want a deck that dwarfs your house — a 20,000-square-foot deck would look ridiculous on your 1,500-square-foot bungalow.

    If you already have an older deck with visible signs of rotting wood or sagging supports, you might need to replace it. “People don’t always understand that decks have a life cycle, like roofs,” said Michael Beaudry, executive vice president of the North American Deck and Railing Association, a nonprofit membership association offering education and credentialing to industry members. “It’s usually a question of repair or replace.”

    Decking materials range from pressure-treated lumber to pricier composites (recycled wood and plastic like Trex, Fiberon, and TimberTech) to expensive wood species like cedar, redwood, or teak. A decking contractor can show you samples and go over factors such as durability and cost.

    You can check out Consumer Reports’ ratings of decking materials to compare prices, features, and maintenance. The big advantage of going with composite materials is that they’re maintenance-free.

    Layout considerations

    Your yard’s size, elevation, drainage, and tree cover will greatly affect how you design your deck. If your outdoor space slopes, a multilevel deck can step down with your yard. If existing trees don’t shade your deck, you can add a pergola, awning, or other way of shielding yourself from the sun. If your neighbors can see into your yard, you might angle the deck differently or install a privacy hedge just off the deck.

    Most decks are rectangular or square, but they can be almost any shape you’d like, including triangular or round.

    Construction and permitting

    Building a new deck is as much an engineering job as a construction one. If you’re installing a new one, in most areas it’ll need to be permitted and inspected, and you might consider hiring an architect or landscape architect to help with the plans.

    It takes engineering and knowledge of load-bearing principles and building materials to create a safe, stable deck. The grade of the wood or composite material, the spacing of the joists, beams, and posts, and the overall design of the deck impacts how much weight it’ll hold.

    “It’s important to think about what you want on your deck — a hot tub, seating for a bunch of people,” Beaudry said. “A good deck builder tends to overbuild, using two-by-eight boards when the project only calls for two-by-sixes.”

    Most decks are designed to support 60 pounds per square foot including the weight of the deck (the “dead load”) as well as whatever people and things you put on it (the “live load”). Decks require adhering to local building and safety rules and regulations. These range from HOA size limits to setback distances or structural requirements set by your city, town, or even neighborhood. The height of railings and the placement of and pitch of stairs may also be dictated by local code.

    Don’t hire a deck builder unless the company will navigate the permitting process for you.

    How to find a deck builder

    Many general contractors, fence builders, and carpenters also build decks as part of larger projects. But if you need a new deck or a complete replacement of an existing one, you might as well go with a company that specializes in them. Until April 5, Inquirer readers can access Checkbook’s ratings of local deck builders at Checkbook.org/Inquirer/decks.

    Once you’ve identified some possible contractors, ask them lots of questions. Go over your plans and ideas with them, and ask about their experience with your type of job. These conversations will likely provide you with lots of new ideas.

    Get references and check them. Ask past customers if the company gave them money-saving solutions, if the work was as attractive and as well done as expected, whether it passed inspection on the first try, if the company stuck to its agreed-upon prices, and whether it minimized disruption to their lives.

    To protect your finances against big damage claims, ask companies for proof that they carry general liability and workers’ compensation insurance.

    Get a solid contract

    Get at least three fixed-price bids; it’s the only way to make sure you don’t overpay. Get a formal contract in writing specifying payment terms, deadlines, and who will be doing the work. It should include a detailed description of the work, including drawings of deck plans, and details on building products.

    The contract should include start and end dates, and a warranty on work and materials, preferably one lasting several years.

    Insist that the contract include requirements that the company obtain and pay for necessary permits, and arrange for government inspections, if required. The contractor also should obtain approvals by any homeowners’ association or historic district.

    Arrange to pay as little as possible until the work is finished and you are satisfied. If your job requires a lot of materials, it’s reasonable to pay a deposit against these expenses. But paying for everything or almost everything at the end gives you the most leverage to get the work done properly.

    Deal promptly with problems. Understand that no one can anticipate every possibility. If problems happen, work with your contractor to reach a solution.

    Delaware Valley Consumers’ Checkbook magazine and Checkbook.org is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help consumers get the best service and lowest prices. It is supported by consumers and takes no money from the service providers it evaluates.

  • House of the Week: A loft-style condo in Washington Square West for $625,000

    House of the Week: A loft-style condo in Washington Square West for $625,000

    Keith McGregor, a real estate appraiser, and his wife, Greta, are permanent residents of Pennington, N.J., but for the past five years they have enjoyed a second home in Philadelphia’s Washington Square West.

    Keith has enjoyed the vibe of the city and the architectural details of the 19th-century two-bedroom, two-bathroom loft-style condo, which they are now selling.

    “We liked that it was bi-level,” he said, with ceilings almost 18 feet high.

    “We liked the location, close to Reading Terminal [Market] and the Walnut Street Theatre,” as well as Thomas Jefferson University, he said.

    Primary bedroom of the condo.

    The McGregors redesigned the unit with an open-concept layout and added a second bedroom. Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom.

    They kept the barrel-vaulted ceilings, plentiful exposed brick, and oversized windows. The renovation created a gallery-like space that the owners said would be ideal for displaying an art collection.

    The building, known as the White Building, was originally the SS White Dental manufacturing company. The McGregors’ unit has 1,334 square feet of living space.

    Exterior of the White Building.

    The building recently underwent facade restoration and upgrades to its hallways and common spaces.

    The condo for sale has new ceiling fans, new toilets, stainless steel appliances, a Sub-Zero refrigerator with built-in ice maker, a new cooktop, in-unit laundry, an on-site fitness center, and a fresh paint job.

    The kitchen has stainless steel appliances.

    Local restaurants include Sampan, El Vez, and Lolita.

    The unit is listed by Marc Silver of Compass Real Estate for $625,000.

  • Letters to the Editor | Feb. 24, 2026

    Letters to the Editor | Feb. 24, 2026

    Big Bro is watching

    The U.S. Supreme Court ruling that declared the Trump administration’s tariffs illegal may have pushed another front-page story to the inside of The Inquirer. The story that should have been out front described a large banner with a picture of Donald Trump unfurled and now hanging on the facade of the U.S. Department of Justice’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is a reminder that the department had been independent of the executive branch until Trump’s second term started last year.

    The banner of Big Brother hanging on the building clearly indicates the department has surrendered its independence. Cases against Don Lemon, James Comey, Letitia James, and the six Democratic members of Congress who discouraged service members from obeying illegal orders are examples of how the Justice Department now bows to the president’s commands.

    That banner must come down, and the Justice Department must recover its independence. To achieve this, we need a Congress that is also independent of the man on the banner.

    Joel Chinitz, Philadelphia

    Genocide scholars

    Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) has rebuked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) for her criticism of Israel at the Munich Security Conference. Fetterman claims that “there was never any genocide in Gaza.” However, Israeli Holocaust and genocide researchers — Amos Goldberg, Omer Bartov, Daniel Blatman, Raz Segal, and Shmuel Lederman — have all identified Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.

    Goldberg writes: “What is happening in Gaza is genocide because the level and pace of indiscriminate killing, destruction, mass expulsions, displacement, famine, executions, the wiping out of cultural and religious institutions … and the sweeping dehumanization of the Palestinians — create an overall picture of genocide, of a deliberate, conscious crushing of Palestinian existence in Gaza.” Other genocide scholars, including Martin Shaw, author of the book What is Genocide? Melanie O’Brien, president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, and Dirk Moses, senior editor of the Journal of Genocide Research, have drawn the same conclusion.

    The United Nations Genocide Convention placed prevention at the center of international law. By rejecting credible evidence of genocide, Fetterman is undermining the postwar promise of “never again.”

    Terry Hansen, Grafton, Wisc.

    Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

  • Horoscopes: Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). Even when something is completely unfamiliar to you, you are still able to open your mind and heart to it because you’re constantly looking for points of connection and relatability. This curiosity and courage will be your creative thriving.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You sense opportunity is here somewhere. Your intuition notices the signal — a conversation, a chance encounter, an emerging idea your conscious mind hasn’t fully processed yet. Your mind is already tuning into something lucky.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Subtle energies in a room will affect the outcome. Invisible forces seal deals. Case in point: reputation. It’s just a story, perhaps unrecorded, but powerful, nonetheless. It affects trust, which is also invisible but will make all the difference.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). The inner narration that helps you understand experiences can also interfere with your experience. When self-talk is repetitive and unhelpful, you may end up thinking about life more than being in it. You can quiet the noise with a calming practice.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). In the adventure movies, the hero is cracking jokes while swinging over pits of vipers. It’s heroic to be lighthearted when the stakes are high. You’ve mastered the art of reading the room and sensing when to release the tension of a moment.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ll be successful because you notice what matters. You assume nothing. You don’t underestimate the meek. You ask questions like, “What could go right or wrong?” You’re attuned to what others overlook, neglect or don’t detect at all.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Today, your detailed observations will be more useful than big-picture theorizing, especially in matters of communication. Instead of asking, “What’s the story here?” try “What exactly was said? With what tone? What did I assume in response?”

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Today features an easy pursuit. You hold on loosely and enjoy the process. You don’t care so much as to get your pride involved. You leave room for fortunate coincidences because you are relaxed.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Giving a solid performance takes much more work than people realize. It will take dozens of hours to deliver what’s expected and dozens more to make it look effortless. You aim to please, and you’re right on target.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You will limit your unintentional words or movements to render your intentional expressions more discernible and charismatic. Your tweaks of communication keep your message uncluttered, clear, powerful and easily understood.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). When you give your word, you’re good for it. You follow through on even the most casual of suggestions. The size of the commitment doesn’t matter. You deliver on it because you despise flakiness in anyone, yourself included.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The sun smiles on you with an opportunity to strike up the band. Begin a project, launch what you’ve been working on or start the conversation that will mark the relationship’s beginning. Your confidence kicks in from the get-go.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 24). Step into your Year of the Fire Heart, when your passions burn with purpose and fuel truly remarkable endeavors and relationships. You’re able to create quickly, and you will bond with like minds to make the change you feel the world needs. Your kindness and insight attract your team. More highlights: Travel adventures, strong mentorship and a long-awaited financial breakthrough. Taurus and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 11, 19, 26 and 40.

  • Dear Abby | Employee thinks loss of pet equates loss of child

    DEAR ABBY: I supervise a group of six mid-level professionals. Usually, we manage fine, but a current conflict may push me over the edge. “Lauren” lives alone with dogs that seem to be her only family. One of them (age 11) had been sick. She kept asking for sick leave to take him to the vet. I told her she had to use vacation time for that.

    Well, the dog died, and now Lauren wants to take bereavement leave. When I refused, she had a fit and started yelling about unequal treatment because another co-worker, “Jenny,” was allowed to take bereavement leave earlier this year.

    Jenny’s toddler son died in a drowning accident. It was a horrific tragedy. Jenny was traumatized and incapacitated for weeks. The situations are not comparable. But Jenny heard Lauren yelling and comparing Jenny’s child to her elderly basset hound. This is causing all sorts of interpersonal problems that HR has flatly refused to get involved with.

    I understand that Lauren loved her dog, but I also think she needs to get a grip, apologize to Jenny and take a vacation if she needs to. Is it unreasonable to expect an adult to know the difference between a human and a dog and act accordingly?

    — STRESSED SUPERVISOR IN CALIFORNIA

    DEAR SUPERVISOR: I think you already know the answer to your rather snarky question. HR at your firm may be reluctant to handle this hot potato because they do not have a policy in place that covers pet illness or bereavement for the loss of one. Please suggest it to your employer.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: My wife and I are seniors and live in a one-floor condominium. I am in good health, but she has several medical issues, including impaired balance and mobility. She refuses the recommended physical therapy and rarely uses the walker I bought for her. She hates cooking now and wants me to drive almost daily for takeout, which is expensive and time-consuming. Now, she’s talking about selling our condominium to move into a seniors’ complex with independent, assisted and continuing care phases. All meals are prepared there.

    I do not want this move and have told her so. When I do, she goes silent for days, telling me it’s time for the change. I disagree. We are at an impasse. I am so upset about this I am considering divorce after 55 years. What do you recommend we do?

    — STILL YOUNG IN NORTH CAROLINA

    DEAR STILL YOUNG: I recommend you discuss this with your CPA and your attorney before making any decisions. If you could afford it, an assisted living facility for her while you remain in the condo might be ideal. However, if that’s not possible, would you be willing to send her to the facility while you rent a one-bedroom apartment for yourself?

    One thing I am pretty sure of: Your wife is signaling that she’s shutting down. Her world is now smaller than it was. You haven’t aged at the same rate, and it may be time to do for her what you would like her to do for you if the situation were reversed.

  • Quakertown schools are planning counseling and police presence after student arrests at ICE protest

    Quakertown schools are planning counseling and police presence after student arrests at ICE protest

    The Quakertown Community School District is planning to offer counseling and has requested a police presence this week after a student walkout Friday to protest federal immigration enforcement ended in a clash with police and multiple student arrests.

    “Our responsibility is to focus on creating as safe and supportive a learning environment as possible for students and staff to return to school this week,” acting Superintendent Lisa Hoffman said in a statement Sunday night.

    Like districts across the region, Quakertown schools were closed Monday because of snow. But administrators are preparing to reopen amid continuing intense attention from Friday’s walkout, which involved about 35 students from Quakertown Senior High School. Unlike other walkouts at Philadelphia-area schools by students protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Quakertown’s protest turned confrontational.

    Videos circulating online appear to show the Quakertown Borough police chief putting a teenage girl in a chokehold during the incident, which police said involved students entering traffic and damaging property and resulted in the arrests of five students and one adult.

    The status of the students who were arrested, including whether they were still in custody, wasn’t clear Monday. A spokesperson for the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office — which is investigating the police response to the protest — said state law barred the office from discussing the teenagers’ cases.

    The spokesperson, Manuel Gamiz, did not respond to questions about the charges, where the students were being held, or when they would be arraigned. While police had said one adult was arrested, Gamiz said that to his knowledge “no adult was ever charged” in connection with the incident.

    Community members organized by the group Upper Bucks United demanded the immediate suspension of the police chief, Scott McElree, at a borough council meeting Monday night. An online petition also calls for McElree’s resignation.

    McElree, who is also the borough manager, did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

    Reached by phone Monday afternoon, borough council vice president James Roberts Jr. hung up on a reporter. He did not answer a second call. Messages left for four other council members were not immediately returned Monday.

    Witold Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said in a statement Monday that “by all accounts, including abundant video evidence, there were no issues at the demonstration until Quakertown police arrived and incited violence.”

    Walczak called for a “full and transparent investigation” and for Quakertown police and McElree “to be held accountable for their actions if the evidence confirms the apparent excessive force, retaliation and false arrest.”

    In response to a series of questions sent Monday, the police department sent a written statement, saying the borough and department were “fully cooperating with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office concerning this investigation. Until this investigation is complete, neither the Borough nor its Police Department will be commenting on this matter.”

    Tensions led to walkout cancellation

    In her statement Sunday, Hoffman offered more context about Friday’s walkout, which the district had attempted to cancel that morning.

    In the week leading up to the walkout, Hoffman said, administrators met with student organizers “to discuss alternative ways to demonstrate their right to free speech that wouldn’t disrupt the school day.”

    Like “nearly every school district across the region,” Hoffman said, “it is our practice not to endorse or facilitate a student walkout during the school day for any reason. However, we also know it is our responsibility and duty to provide reasonable safety and security support for students and staff members who enter and exit our schools.”

    The district was concerned that students who planned to participate in the walkout reported they were being bullied and threatened, Hoffman said.

    At 9 p.m. Thursday, Hoffman said, “the district received what was deemed a new and concerning threat of violence.” A district spokesperson did not respond to questions Monday, including about the nature of the threat.

    Though the district issued a notice and met with student organizers before school Friday, attempting to cancel the protest, administrators gathered in front of the high school at 11:25 a.m. Friday, preparing for the “the possibility that students would proceed with their walkout despite the safety concerns shared with them,” Hoffman said.

    As students walked off campus — not following any previously discussed route, Hoffman said — district officials heard from community members that some students in town “were engaging in disruptive and unsafe behavior,” Hoffman said.

    At that point, students “were no longer under the district’s custodial control or supervision, and we have almost no legal ability to regulate or investigate their behavior,” she said.

    Hoffman said the district has no additional information on arrests or the investigation. She said administrators and “many of our staff members have been inundated with hateful messages and concerning physical threats to our personal safety via email, phone, and social media” since the walkout.

    “This is simply inexcusable,” Hoffman said. “We have and will continue to report these threats to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.”

    The district is working with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit to develop a “counseling support plan” for students and staff, Hoffman said. She also said it had “communicated with our law enforcement partners for police presence and support as we return to school.”

    Over the weekend, supporters created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the students’ legal fees, court costs, medical expenses, and other support services. By Monday afternoon, it had collected more than $28,000. The campaign’s organizer did not respond to a request for comment.

  • Philly got its biggest snow in 10 years. This time nature will help with the cleanup.

    Philly got its biggest snow in 10 years. This time nature will help with the cleanup.

    If it wasn’t an actual blizzard, Philly’s biggest snowfall in a decade sure acted like one, and the weather the rest of this week isn’t expected to be particularly pleasant.

    But in terms of disruption — not to mention aesthetics — this was in a wholly different category from the Jan. 25 siege of snow and ice. And the aftermath should not be anywhere near as punitive and burdensome.

    Although the 14 inches measured officially at Philadelphia International Airport, dwarfed the 9.3 inches of snow and sleet that accumulated in last month’s storm, Zach Schwartz, 33, was among those who found the picturesque snow more palatable than the attack of ice balls and an Arctic freeze.

    “The last snowstorm was a tough time for everyone,” said Schwartz, who was at a Point Breeze playground helping a friend build an igloo for their kids, “and I think the city was kind of in shock a little bit.”

    The most recent storm, which left as much as 20 inches of snow in parts of South Jersey and southeastern Bucks County, did cause some issues.

    More than 130,000 households lost power at some point. Scores of trees came down as the snow, heavy and wet at the start, glommed onto branches that took beatings from the winds that gusted past 40 mph.

    The storms closed schools to the chagrin of hundreds of thousands of learning-eager children, and museums on Monday. It disrupted SEPTA services and airport operations.

    At least 87 trees across the city were downed as a result of the storm as of Monday afternoon, and the city was working to determine which ones to prioritize clearing first, Parks and Recreation commissioner Susan Slawson said.

    Mayor Cherelle L. Parker advised Philadelphians to avoid unnecessary travel as crews worked to clear the streets.

    Yet early fears that the snowfall would reach what the National Weather Service called “potentially historic” levels didn’t quite materialize, and it was not known if the storm had met “blizzard” criteria. Stopping short of “historic,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill called it “a generational storm.”

    This one likely won’t have the staying power of last month’s storm

    While the volume of snow is formidable, road crews throughout the region now have a tremendous ally — the late-February sun.

    The city did adjust its response after the prior storm cleanup left many residents chock-full of complaints. Director of Clean and Green Initiatives Carlton Williams said Monday instead of one snow melter, the city secured three, with two already on the road Monday, despite the much shorter notice of the storm.

    But the big melter is in the sky.

    The amount of solar energy beaming toward Philadelphia is more than 35% stronger than it was on Jan. 25, according to NASA’s figures, and blacktop is great absorber of sunlight. Plus the region now is getting an hour more of daylight.

    Plus, instead of an Arctic freeze, it is forecast to be moderately cold this week, with highs in the low 30s Tuesday, and in the 40s Wednesday and Thursday.

    A weak clipper could produce an inch or less of snow early Wednesday, but, sorry kids, that won’t be another school-closer. More light rain or snow or a mix is possible Thursday.

    Computer models on Monday were seeing a potential for more snow early next week, but they may well sober up come Tuesday.

    After the Jan. 25 storm, Philly had 18 consecutive days of at least 3 inches on the ground officially at the airport, the longest stretch in 65 years. That streak won’t be challenged this time around.

    One other huge difference: Those 14 inches didn’t include a speck of ice, which, as we learned, is amazingly melt-resistant.

    Why snow totals varied tremendously

    The nor’easter that generated the snow did qualify as a “bomb cyclone,” said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. The technical criteria aside, a bomb cyclone is particularly powerful storm.

    In fact, the storm’s intensity, based on a measure of its central pressure, was equal to that of a Category 1 hurricane, he added.

    Fortunately, the Shore escaped major flooding, but the winds circulating around the storm’s center over the ocean hurled back snow far inland.

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    South Jersey locations received the most, along with areas in southeastern Bucks County. However, totals backed off precipitously to the west.

    “There was a really tight gradient,” said Amanda Lee, a weather service meteorologist in Mount Holly. All areas in Philly’s neighboring Pennsylvania counties did report at least several inches of snow.

    Within that broad east-west divide, however, amounts varied considerably from place to place, due in part to “banding,” in which narrow corridors of snow, caused by rapidly rising air, migrate from place depositing rapidly accumulating snow to areas underneath.

    Conversely, areas on either side of the band are snow-deprived.

    As to whether this qualified as Philadelphia’s first blizzard in 33 years, that is a verdict deferred.

    By the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s decree, a blizzard requires “frequent winds of 35 mph or higher with considerable falling and/or blowing snow that frequently reduces visibility to 1/4 of a mile or less. These conditions are expected to prevail for a minimum of 3 hours.”

    That’s a lot to ask for a snowstorm, and it is going to take considerable forensic work of poring through observations to determine whether those conditions were met in Philadelphia or elsewhere in the region, said Nick Guzzo, a weather service meteorologist in Mount Holly.

    Another big difference between this and the January storm

    Whatever else it is called, this was the most spectacularly beautiful snowfall of the season, thanks to the snow’s remarkable adhesive power.

    On the morning of Jan. 26 the trees were bare, as though they wanted no part of the snow and ice-ball assault.

    On Monday this time around, snow enchanted the branches and uncannily worked its way into architectural details.

    Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock said his town, famous for its Victorian buildings, “looks beautiful” covered in the foot of snow that had fallen.

    Said Mullock, “It looks like a snow globe.”

    Staff writers Ximena Conde, Kristen A. Graham, Michelle Myers, Amy S. Rosenberg, Henry Savage, and Nick Vadala contributed to this article.