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  • More than 2 million Epstein documents still unreleased, officials say

    More than 2 million Epstein documents still unreleased, officials say

    More than 2 million documents regarding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein remain to be released, Justice Department officials told a federal judge Monday, offering the most precise estimate so far of the size of the file still under review.

    In a letter to U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in New York, officials said the department had released 12,285 documents, comprising about 125,575 pages, but that the vast majority of the Epstein files had not yet been released. Last month, Engelmayer issued an order allowing the department to release grand jury documents related to the 2021 trial and conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s accomplice, on sex-trafficking charges.

    Justice Department officials had previously given even larger estimates of the number of documents still under review. The letter notes that the department has identified a large number of documents that are “copies of (or largely duplicative of) documents that had already been collected.”

    The letter was signed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan.

    A new law passed in November mandated that the entire trove of Epstein files be released by Dec. 19. Justice Department officials said late last month that they hope to release the rest of the documents by Jan. 20. Members of Congress who pushed the legislation say that the department has not released key documents they want to see.

    “DOJ’s refusal to follow the law I passed in Congress and release the full files is an obstruction of justice,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D., Calif.), one of the new law’s main sponsors, said in a statement. “They also need to release the FBI witness interviews which name other men, so the public can know who was involved,” he said.

    More than 400 lawyers and 100 specially trained document analysts “will dedicate all or a substantial portion of their workday” to getting documents ready for release, the officials told the judge.

    The letter — a progress report of sorts — gives a glimpse into the daunting labor that lies ahead for federal officials.

    Those reviewing the unreleased documents must determine whether each document falls under the law’s broad mandate, review the documents to redact information that could identify victims, and respond to requests from victims or their family members for additional redactions, according to the letter.

    Officials offered similar explanations for a delay in releasing all unclassified Epstein documents last month, after the Justice Department failed to meet its deadline.

    Epstein was arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges in 2019 and died in federal custody later that year. His death was ruled a suicide. Judges and lawmakers say that over decades, he abused, trafficked, and molested scores of girls, many of whom have come forward in court and in other public forums.

    Epstein’s friendships with prominent political, business, and cultural figures, including President Donald Trump, also continue to be under intense scrutiny.

    Trump had a long-standing friendship with Epstein. He has said he knew Epstein socially in Palm Beach, Fla., and that they had a falling out in the mid-2000s. Trump has attributed the end of their relationship to a quarrel over a real estate deal and to Epstein hiring employees away from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt has said Epstein was ejected from the club “for being a creep” to female workers there.

    Trump has not been accused of participating in Epstein’s criminal conduct.

    Documents released last month confirmed that the FBI received a complaint about Epstein as far back as 1996. But Epstein did not appear to come under serious law enforcement scrutiny until about a decade later, when he was arrested in 2006.

    At the time, Epstein reached an agreement with officials in Florida that enabled him to plead guilty in 2008 to two state charges of soliciting prostitution, including one involving a minor, while avoiding federal charges and serving just over a year behind bars — with ample work-release privileges.

  • Sheetz president and CEO dies, but the convenience store rivalry is eternal

    Sheetz president and CEO dies, but the convenience store rivalry is eternal

    The namesake behind Wawa’s biggest rival, Sheetz, has died.

    Stephen G. Sheetz, the man responsible for taking a family-owned convenience store in Altoona, Pa., and transforming it into a multibillion-dollar empire, was 77. The company announced his death in a statement Monday, citing respiratory complications after having been hospitalized with pneumonia.

    And while Wawa fans may be suspicious of how the chain’s fried food, or coffee, or even gasoline stacks up against their supreme leader’s, there’s no denying Sheetz’s legacy and vision.

    Sheetz served as the chain’s CEO and president from 1984 to 1995, overseeing its expansion. After that, he was chairman of the board for another 18 years.

    The former president was just 12 when he began working at the original Sheetz Kwik Shopper, founded by his brother, Bob Sheetz. He graduated from Altoona Area High School in 1965 and from Pennsylvania State University four years later.

    Penn State named Steve and his wife, Nancy Sheetz, as its 2010 philanthropists of the year, following their donation of $2.5 million to the school’s Altoona campus. It was the campus’ largest donation in its 70-year history. The couple tacked on another half a million that year, funding the establishment of an entrepreneurial center and a Sheetz Fellows program.

    “I try to provide a positive influence,” Steve Sheetz said at the time in a university statement. “I really hope that students in the program will be better prepared for the world they’re about to enter, whether it’s business or another profession.”

    As supervisor and director of operations at the chain, he oversaw the expansion of Sheetz convenience stores, with the intention of opening a new location every year, according to the company’s website. Over the next 14 years, Sheetz would grow to 100 locations.

    “Above all, Uncle Steve was the center of our family,” Sheetz president and CEO Travis Sheetz said in a statement. “We are so deeply grateful for his leadership, vision, and steadfast commitment to our employees, customers, and communities.”

    Today, with over 800 locations across six states and about 25,000 employees, the business remains largely family-run.

    Offering a hodgepodge of fast food, including burgers, hot dogs, and mozzarella sticks, the chain has its super fans, just like Philly’s own Wawa phanatics.

    They call themselves “Sheetz Freakz.” And they start them young.

    Take Dylan LaMotte of Lynchburg, Va.

    In 2020, then-8-year-old Dylan went viral for his mom’s video of him wearing a shirt that said “Youngest Sheetz Freak” and pitching ideas for the chain’s menu.

    Steve Sheetz himself flew to Lynchburg to surprise Dylan and gift him $5,000 toward his daily order of fries and a slushie. In other instances over the years, the company has rewarded other superfans with hefty donations to their charities of choice.

    Perhaps worse than the Eagles-Steelers contention, the Wawa vs. Sheetz clash is considered among “the most heated food rivalry in the country.” There’s even a documentary in the works. In its simplest terms, it’s a question of taste, regional devotion, and loyalty.

    In 2020, The Inquirer tapped Pennsylvanians Sen. John Fetterman (who was lieutenant governor at the time) and U.S. Rep. Brendan F. Boyle to weigh in on the debate.

    Boyle, who is team Wawa, helped cut the ribbon on Wawa’s first D.C. location. He joked that it was the “Philly Embassy in Washington.”

    “Sure enough, as I approached the D.C. Wawa right after the game, the crowd of people wearing Eagles jerseys was out the door. The Philly diaspora had had the same thought I did. We flocked to our ‘embassy’ to celebrate,” he said.

    Fetterman, who is pro-Sheetz, said, “Whether I’m Jeeping it home from Harrisburg, or on the road asking yinz and youse about legalizing cannabis, the warm red glow of a Sheetz awning beckons with red beet eggs, a hunk of cheese, and the rich cavalcade of the entire family of Duke’s smoked shorty sausages.” He added, “It is a given that Sheetz is far superior.”

    At the end of the day, the rivalry isn’t going anywhere. But you can still respect the man behind the mystique.

    “Steve’s guidance shaped nearly every aspect of our family business,” said Joe Sheetz, chairman of the Sheetz board of directors. “He was a mentor for every leader who has followed him, and his vision, wisdom, and entrepreneurial spirit will be missed deeply by everyone at Sheetz.”

    Altoona Mayor Matt Pacifico also released a statement, saying “Steve had a genuine, tangible love for the City of Altoona, as shown by his contributions, actions and initiatives. We send our sincere sympathy to Steve’s family during this difficult time, as well as immense gratitude for his lasting contributions to our City and its residents, that will be his legacy for years to come.”

    In addition to his wife, Nancy, Steve Sheetz is survived by two daughters, Megan Sheetz and Nicole Sheetz Frith; seven grandchildren; and six of his seven siblings, including his brother Bob Sheetz.

  • South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito looks to vault herself onto the Olympic team at this week’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships

    South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito looks to vault herself onto the Olympic team at this week’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships

    By the end of this week — when the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships come to a close in St. Louis — South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito will know if she has done enough to score a place on the team going to the Winter Olympics next month in Milan, Italy.

    Milan is the hometown of her mother, Chiara Garberi, and where her grandmother and uncle still live. Her aunt and a cousin, who is “a very younger sister, kind of,” live about 40 minutes from Milan.

    So while the Olympics are the goal for all of the top competitors, this year’s Games are especially meaningful for Levito, 18. She vacations there often and understands and speaks Italian — although would prefer not to speak it on TV.

    “Or at least have a disclaimer,” joked Levito, who said her grammar is not by the book and she doesn’t know all the idioms. “‘She’s not from here. She knows Italian because her mommy is from here.’”

    But Italy is the thread that has been running through her entire year.

    “That was the focus,” she said.

    Both of her programs are set to Italian music. The short, which she will be skating on Wednesday, is to a compilation of sassy songs from Sophia Loren movies. She will perform the free skate, or long program, on Friday, to “Cinema Paradiso” by Ennio Morricone.

    Both pieces were suggested for her by her longtime head coach and choreographer, Yulia Kuznetsova.

    “Having had me [as a student] since childbirth, she knows me so well,” said Levito, who approves all selections before programs are created.

    Those include triple flip-triple toe loop combinations, a triple flip-double axel sequence, a three-jump combination, and her spins and step sequences, all with a lot of personality shining through.

    The skater lives and trains in Mount Laurel. Putting together Ikea furniture for the new apartment she shares with her very fluffy cat has been her unofficial cross-training.

    “I think I’m jacked from how much drilling I’ve done,” she said. “And I chose to live on the top floor and there’s no elevator, but there’s not too many floors.”

    She has already checked almost every box toward making it to that biggest of frozen stages in Milan. Unlike other sports, figure skating does not have an Olympic qualifying competition. Instead, an accounting of placements over two years determines who will be chosen for the Olympic and world championship teams.

    This week’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be the final event for skaters to make their case to be among the three women, three men, two pairs, and three ice dance teams who can compete at the Olympics. Levito, world champion Alysa Liu, and two-time U.S. champion Amber Glenn are expected to take the women’s spots.

    Despite missing most of last season because of a stress reaction in her right foot, Levito already has checked off most of the boxes. Even last year, with a training deficit, she came back to finish just off the podium in fourth place at the 2025 World Championships in Boston.

    This season, she placed fourth at the Grand Prix de France, second at Skate Canada, and was the first alternate to the Grand Prix Final.

    Seasons before this one and the last are not factored into the equation, but it cannot be ignored that Levito was the U.S. champion in 2023 and the world silver medalist in 2024.

    The Olympic team will be announced live Sunday afternoon on NBC and Peacock.

    Levito looks calm when she skates, but nerves remain a real factor.

    “I feel like this year, I’ve been very in tune with my body,” she said. I’ll just get intuition of ‘I should not listen to music on the bus [from the hotel to the competition rink] today.’ I kind of trust it. I’ve been very grounded. I’ve been realizing for myself that all the noise, it overwhelms much too much.”

    Instead, she tries to maintain the habits she has established at home.

    “When I’m at the rink and I’m practicing, I don’t really put in my earbuds and listen to music. I just do my floor warmup in silence, and then I get my skates on quickly.”

    Everyone gets nervous before big events, she said, but the bright lights of the competition arena also can give her a migraine and make her vision blurry. It helps to take ibuprofen before getting on the ice.

    “It’s OK, I’m weak,” she said, laughing. “I’m not exactly survival of the fittest.

    “Between that and everything’s very loud [in the arena], and then everyone watching you, and it’s actually competition, and the judges are right there. It’s overwhelming, overstimulating, there’s a lot going on. So I feel like it’s very important to me that I have my solitude and my silence beforehand, rather than just shoving music into my ears and trying to escape where I actually am.”

    In the end, she usually lands near or on top.

    This time the stakes are exceptionally high. But even if she doesn’t win, she just needs to show the officials one more time that her next stop should be the Olympics in Milan.

    How to watch

    Championship women’s short program

    8 p.m. Wednesday on USA Network

    8:24 p.m. on Peacock

    Championship women’s free skate

    8 p.m. Friday on NBC10

    3:57 p.m. (for the skaters who place lower in the short program) and 8:58 p.m. (for the higher-placed skaters) on Peacock.

    Presentation of the Olympic team

    2 p.m. Sunday on NBC10 and Peacock

  • Joseph McGettigan, prosecutor in Jerry Sandusky and John du Pont cases, dies at 76

    Joseph McGettigan, prosecutor in Jerry Sandusky and John du Pont cases, dies at 76

    HARRISBURG, Pa. — Joseph E. McGettigan III, a Pennsylvania prosecutor who obtained criminal convictions against Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and chemical heir John du Pont, has died at age 76.

    Mr. McGettigan, who lived in the Philadelphia suburb of Media, died on Dec. 31, according to the funeral home Boyd Horrox Givnish Life Celebration Home of East Norriton.

    He was a senior deputy attorney general when he served as a lead prosecutor in the trial of Sandusky on child molestation charges in 2012. During the closing argument, Mr. McGettigan showed jurors photos of eight of Sandusky’s victims as children, all of whom had taken the stand.

    “He molested and abused and hurt these children horribly,” Mr. McGettigan said. “He knows he did it, and you know he did it. Find him guilty of everything.” Sandusky was convicted of 45 of 48 counts.

    Mr. McGettigan was an assistant district attorney in Delaware County when he prosecuted du Pont, who was found guilty of third-degree murder but mentally ill in the death of Olympic gold medal-winning freestyle wrestler David Schultz at du Pont’s palatial estate outside Philadelphia in 1996. Schultz come to live and train at a state-of-the-art training center that du Pont had built on his property.

    Du Pont died in a Pennsylvania prison in 2010 at the age of 72. Sandusky, 81, is currently serving a 30- to 60-year sentence in state prison.

    Mr. McGettigan’s work as prosecutor, which also included a stint in Philadelphia, often involved murder and child molestation cases. More recently he had been a lawyer in private practice, including work on behalf of crime victims.

    Survivors include his wife, Gay Warren; his mother, Ruth L. McGettigan; and six siblings.

  • NRA sues its own charity in growing schism over trademarks, fundraising

    NRA sues its own charity in growing schism over trademarks, fundraising

    The National Rifle Association is suing its own charitable wing in federal court, alleging that the nonprofit NRA Foundation, which it founded in 1990, is unfairly using the NRA logo to attract a rival donor base and undercut it.

    The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court, marks the latest strife for the gun rights group, which has been trying to balance its books and rebuild its reputation after years of misspending, allegations of corruption, and internal conflict.

    The suit alleges that the NRA’s official charity was “seized by a disgruntled faction of former NRA directors who lost control of the NRA’s Board.”

    The filing accuses the foundation’s leadership of misleading donors by suggesting that they were supporting the NRA, when in fact the funds were going to a charity that the NRA alleges had been transformed into “a vehicle for personal reprisal.” It also says the NRA Foundation was using the NRA’s trademark without permission.

    The NRA Foundation did not respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit early Tuesday.

    “This is a disappointing day, and it should not have come to this,” NRA CEO Doug Hamlin said in an emailed statement. “A foundation established to support the National Rifle Association of America has taken actions that are adversarial at a time when the NRA is rebuilding and focused on its long-term mission,” he said, describing the lawsuit as a “last resort.”

    In the lawsuit, attorneys for the NRA ask a judge to prevent the foundation from unfairly competing with the NRA, as well as order the foundation to stop using the NRA’s trademarks and pay an unspecified sum in damages.

    Monday’s court filings marked the latest explosion of internal warfare at the group, whose finances have been ravaged in recent years. According to campaign data tracker OpenSecrets, the NRA spent $11 million in the 2024 elections, one-third of its 2020 spending and less than one-fifth of its 2016 spending.

    In February 2024, a jury in New York found that Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s longtime leader who resigned on the eve of the trial, had squandered funds on vacations, private jets, and designer clothes and was liable to pay $5.4 million in damages. Former CFO Wilson “Woody” Phillips was ordered to pay $2 million in damages.

    Some weeks later, the NRA avoided a second trial by reaching a settlement with the D.C. district attorney, agreeing to reform how the NRA Foundation distributed money. That lawsuit had accused the charity of funneling millions of dollars without proper oversight back to the NRA. The NRA did not acknowledge any wrongdoing in the settlement and had denied the lawsuit’s claims in court filings.

    According to the lawsuit, the foundation’s chairman and the majority of its trustees are former NRA board members who were allied with LaPierre. It accused the charity of being “stacked with trustees associated with the Old Guard faction that had lost control of the NRA, including Foundation Chairman Tom King, whom NRA members had voted off of the NRA Board in 2024.”

    King declined to provide an immediate comment on the suit Tuesday morning.

    The NRA has been trying to turn a new leaf on a painful chapter in its 155-year-old history. In recent years, many of the group’s former critics have joined the NRA’s 76-member board, which likes to call itself “NRA 2.0.” In November, it announced plans to furlough more than 30 staff members in a bid to save about $16 million.

    It was not immediately clear how Monday’s lawsuit would affect the link between the NRA and the NRA Foundation. The NRA’s website continued on Tuesday to prominently promote a link to “Friends of NRA,” the foundation’s main fundraising program.

    The NRA Foundation’s annual report for the 2024 calendar year, its most recent, listed net assets exceeding $200 million and annual revenue of $41 million.

  • Lenny Dykstra formally charged with drug possession

    Lenny Dykstra formally charged with drug possession

    Former Phillies star Lenny Dykstra has been charged with misdemeanor possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop just after midnight on New Year’s Day in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

    Matthew Blit, lawyer for Dykstra, said in a statement that the 62-year-old Scranton resident was not arrested or taken into custody at the scene, and was accused of being under the influence.

    Blit said that “the actual driver,” whom he would not name, was taken into custody for suspicion of driving under the influence.

    “Lenny Dykstra was merely a passenger in a vehicle that did not belong to him,” Blit said.

    Blit said the charges against Dykstra “will be swiftly absolved.”

    Thomas Mincer, another lawyer for Dykstra, said in a statement that “we firmly assert that the alleged narcotics in the vehicle did not belong to Lenny.” Dkystra “was not knowingly in possession of or under the influence of any narcotics,” the lawyer said.

    Just after midnight on Jan. 1, Dykstra was a passenger in a 2015 silver GMC Sierra truck in the area of Route 507 and Robinson Road in Greene Township, Pike County, when the vehicle was stopped by the Pennsylvania State Police for a motor vehicle code violation, the state police said in a report.

    “During this investigation, the passenger was found to be in possession of narcotics and narcotic related equipment/paraphernalia,” the state police report said. “Charges to be filed.”

    The state police report identified Dykstra as the “arrestee,” but the court record showing the charges says Dykstra was issued a summons.

    Dykstra has a preliminary hearing in Pike County scheduled for Feb. 3.

    Dykstra played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball in center field, spending the first four with the Mets — including as part of the team that won the 1986 World Series — before being traded to the Phillies during the 1989 season. He retired with the Phillies in 1996.

    Nicknamed the “Dude” and “Nails,” Dykstra was a celebrated member of the 1993 Phillies team that made it to the World Series, but lost to the Toronto Blue Jays.

    After his baseball career, Dykstra ran afoul of the law multiple times. He spent time in prison after pleading guilty in federal court for bankruptcy fraud and pleading no contest to grand theft auto in California.

  • The iconic Melrose Diner sign is for sale

    The iconic Melrose Diner sign is for sale

    Anyone who ever hovered over a plate of waffles and bacon or a slice of apple pie with vanilla sauce at South Philly’s Melrose Diner will likely recall the restaurant’s iconic aesthetic — red and yellow, stainless steel and neon, a sizable coffee cup-slash-analog-clock.

    Call it 24-hour-diner chic.

    The diner, which opened at the intersection of 15th Street, West Passyunk Avenue, and Snyder Avenue in 1956, was demolished in 2023 to pave the way for a new six-story apartment building.

    Now, its iconic signage can be yours, apparently. If you’re willing to pony up a sizable offer.

    A Facebook Marketplace posting Monday night listed photos of various signs from the diner for sale.

    “The Famous Melrose Diner,” reads the posting. “[Four] pieces of signage. Very heavy and totally cool. Sold as a set. Must pick up. Serious inquiries only please. Example, Olgas Diner sold for $12000.”

    The condition is listed as “Used — Good.”

    In a 2023 interview with The Inquirer, diner owner Michael Petrogiannis said he planned to put the old signage into storage, with the goal of incorporating it into a new Melrose location in the future.

    Petrogiannis also joked that he’d be willing to sell the sign and other memorabilia from the diner for $1 million. “But then I’m making a new one, exactly the same thing,” he added.

    He couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Tuesday about the signs’ sale.

    For close to a century, the Melrose Diner was a staple of the city’s food scene, serving up pork rolls and cheesecake to families and late-night crowds. Upon its shuttering, patrons fondly recalled their memories of the place — from chance celebrity encounters to Christmas traditions to the occasional run-in with a mobster.

    The diner was founded in 1935 by Dick Kubach, a German immigrant, before it was eventually sold to Petrogiannis by Kubach’s son in 2007.

  • Corporation for Public Broadcasting, gutted of federal funds, votes to dissolve

    Corporation for Public Broadcasting, gutted of federal funds, votes to dissolve

    The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s board of directors voted to dissolve the organization, officials announced Monday, ending the 58-year-old agency that distributed federal funds to NPR, PBS and more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations.,

    The move formalizes the shutdown that began this summer after Republicans in Congress rescinded $1.1 billion in funding at President Donald Trump’s behest. At the heart of the campaign was a long-standing conservative critique that public media outfits produce news that is liberal, biased, and should not be funded by taxpayer dollars.

    CPB leaders said they chose dissolution over maintaining a dormant organization that could become manipulated by new stewards acting without public media’s best interest at heart.

    “CPB’s final act would be to protect the integrity of the public media system and the democratic values by dissolving, rather than allowing the organization to remain defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks,” said Patricia Harrison, CPB’s president and chief executive.

    Ruby Calvert, chair of CPB’s board, called the defunding “devastating” but expressed hope that “a new Congress will address public media’s role in our country because it is critical to our children’s education, our history, culture, and democracy to do so.”

    Created by Congress through the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, CPB served as a middleman between taxpayers and public media, distributing most of its appropriations directly to local stations. The funding was particularly crucial for small and rural stations, which relied on federal dollars for a significant share of their budgets. The organization also negotiated music rights and procured technical infrastructure on behalf of stations — functions that now have no clear successor.

    CPB said it would complete distribution of its remaining funds and support the American Archive of Public Broadcasting in digitizing and preserving historical content. The organization’s own archives, dating to its 1967 founding, will be maintained in partnership with the University of Maryland.

    The organization’s closure caps months of turmoil for the public media system. In April, CPB sued the Trump administration after the president attempted to fire three of its board members, arguing it was not a government agency subject to presidential authority. In May, Trump signed an executive order instructing CPB to halt all funding to NPR and PBS, calling them “biased media.” NPR and PBS sued, arguing the order amounted to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.

    In September, after Congress passed its rescission bill, CPB announced it would redirect $57.9 million in satellite funding away from NPR to Public Media Infrastructure, a newly formed nonprofit backed by other public radio organizations, including PRX and American Public Media.

    In response, NPR sued its longtime ally CPB, arguing the move improperly allocated funds meant for NPR and violated the Public Broadcasting Act and was made under pressure from the Trump White House — a claim CPB disputed. The parties settled in November, with NPR receiving nearly $36 million for its satellite system. NPR also said it would waive fees derived from public radio stations for accessing its satellite services for the next two years.

    PBS has had staff cuts and NPR has reportedly made budget cuts. But for local stations that relied on CPB for a large share of their budgets, the federal funding cuts have been devastating.

    Major foundations, including Knight, MacArthur and Ford, have pledged tens of millions of dollars in emergency funding to keep the most vulnerable stations afloat, but some are already considering dropping national programming or shutting down entirely.

    NJ PBS, New Jersey’s public television network, announced in September that it may close next year, while Arkansas Public Television dropped its PBS affiliation — just as several public radio stations have dropped their NPR affiliation — showing that federal defunding has destabilized a system scrambling for answers.

    NPR, PBS, and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

  • A full week of Bowie loving, plus shows benefiting World Cafe Live workers and PAWS

    A full week of Bowie loving, plus shows benefiting World Cafe Live workers and PAWS

    Most touring bands are still on a winter break this early in January, but that doesn’t mean the live music business shuts down. This week in Philly music is a mostly local affair, packed with hometown talent and worthwhile benefit shows, as well as R&B, country, and indie rock acts that are on the road.

    Plus, Philly Loves Bowie Week is in full swing.

    Wednesday, Jan. 7

    David Bowie: Side by Side

    David Bowie was born on Jan. 8, 1947 and died 10 years ago on January 10. 48 Record Bar in Old City will host its third annual free Philly Loves Bowie Week listening party, with DJ EBG III spinning full album sides by the artist who famously recorded 1974’s Young Americans at Sigma Sound Studios. 7 p.m., 48 Record Bar, 48 S. Second St., 48RecordBar.com

    Thursday, Jan. 8

    El DeBarge

    Eldra “El” DeBarge scored 1980s R&Bs hits like “Rhythm of the Night” and “Who’s Holding Donna Now?” with his family band DeBarge before going on to score solo hits such as “Who’s Johnny” and “Real Love.” 8 p.m., City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., citywinery.com/philadelphia

    Lowercoaster / Dear Season / Sharing Contest

    These three Philly bands all identify as emo, with the subtlest of them being Sharing Contest, the trio of singer-guitarist Alex Fichera fronting the rhythm section of Sam Ansa and Jordan Colucci. 7 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 N. Front St., kungfunecktie.com

    Bowie Quizzo / Bowieoke

    Patti Brett, the owner of Doobie’s Bar and one of the original Sigma Kids, hosts Bowie Quizzo at Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar in South Philly, with DJ Robert Drake spinning and John Stanley of John’s Dollar Bin fame serving drinks. And Sara Sherr’s Sing Your Life Karaoke goes all Bowie at MilkBoy. Both events are free. 8 p.m., Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar, 1200 E. Passyunk Ave., thehappybirthdaybar.com, and 8 p.m., MilkBoy, 1100 Chestnut St., milkboyphilly.com

    Dale Watson and His Lone Stars play Sellersville Theater in Bucks County on Friday and Elkton Music Hall in Elkton, Md. on Saturday.

    Friday, Jan. 9

    Dale Watson and His Lone Stars

    Alabama-born Texas-based hardcore country singer Dale Watson has two area gigs this weekend: Friday at the Sellersville Theater in Bucks County and one at Elkton Music Hall on Saturday. 2023’s Starvation Box is the most recent album by the “Feelin’ Haggard” singer-guitarist, who teamed with Montgomery County cowboy Ray Benson on 2017’s Dale & Ray. 8 p.m., Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville, st94.com and 8 p.m., Saturday, Elkton Music Hall, Elkton, Md., elktonmusichall.com

    Eric Slick. The Philadelphia-raised songwriter and Dr. Dog drummer is playing Johnny Brenda’s on Friday with Dominic Angelella in a “Hardcore Friends” show.

    Dominic Angelella and Eric Slick

    These two Philly multi-instrumentalists both have long resumes backing other musicians. Angelella just finished a tour playing bass with Lucy Dacus. Slick is Dr. Dog’s drummer. Together as Lithuania, the duo has released two albums, 2015’s Hardcore Friends and 2017’s White Reindeer. At Johnny Brenda’s, they’ll be playing songs from those, as well as music from Angelella’s band Drgn King. The Tisburys and Twin Princess are also on the bill. 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave., johnnybrendas.com

    Labrador

    The Pat King-fronted self-described “maximum alt-country” band’s album My Version of Desire was one of the best local releases of 2025, starting with the outstanding title song. The Philly band opens for Jewel Case and Dominy. 7:30 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 N. Front St., kungfunecktie.com

    Hazy Cosmic Jive

    The Bowie tribute band will perform the Thin White Duke’s 1976 album Station to Station in its entirety. 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, 1009 Canal St., brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia

    Sound & Vision Happy Hour and Bowie / Prince Night

    There are two Bowie dance parties in the Eraserhood. The Trestle Inn hosts a happy hour with music by DJ Hardbargain and the Slinky Vagabond, plus Go Go from Jennie Jones and Cynthia Rose. And a block away at Underground Arts, that will be followed by a Bowie/Prince dance party with DJ George Purkins. 6 p.m., the Trestle Inn, 339 N. 11th St, thetrestleinn.com and 9 p.m., Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., riotnerdphilly.com

    Kid Davis & the Bullets play 118 North in Wayne on Saturday.

    Saturday, Jan. 10

    Under the El

    Philly rapper Reef the Lost Cauze and DJ Sat One will be featured — along with pioneering graffiti artist Cornbread — at a street art and hip-hop event at Vizion Gallery in Kensington on Saturday afternoon. It’s presented by the organization Recovery Done Simple. 1 p.m., Vizion Gallery, 3312 Kensington Ave., recoverydonesimple.com

    Dog Fest

    Indie promoters 4333 Collective present a canine-themed five-band bill featuring Armbite, Fruit Dawg, Pennydog, Dog Beach, and Haunt Dog. It’s a benefit for the pet shelter people and the good girls and boys at PAWS, the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society. 6 p.m., Philly Style Pizza, 2010 N. Broad St., 4333Collective.net

    Reef the Lost Cauze at Voltage Lounge in Philadelphia in 2015. He’ll play an “Under The El” show on Saturday afternoon. Tim Blackwell / Philly.com

    A Night of Stardust

    The show that annually closes out Bowie week is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Presented by Greg Shelton, it will feature 30 Bowie songs performed by 14 vocalists, including Richard Bush, Olivia Rubini, and Johnny Showcase. 7 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St. utphilly.com

    Kid Davis & the Bullets

    Delaware roots-rockers Kid Davis & the Bullets celebrate the release of their new album Amsterdam at 118 North in Wayne on Saturday. The blues and rockabilly-flavored collection was produced by James Everhart of standout Philly band Cosmic Guilt and features contributions from vocalists Hannah Taylor and Ali Wadsworth. 8 p.m., 118 North, 118 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne, 118NorthWayne.com

    Sadie Dupuis, singer for Speedy Ortiz, performs with the band at World Cafe Live for Free at Noon in Philadelphia in 2023. As Sad13, she’ll perform as part of the World Cafe Live workers benefit on Sunday.

    Sunday, Jan. 11

    World Cafe Live Workers Benefit

    This show featuring Philly acts Carsie Blanton, Ray Dreznor, Izzy True, and Sad13 will directly benefit former and current workers at World Cafe Live. The West Philly venue has had a chaotic year since founder Hal Real stepped down last spring, with many employees losing their jobs and complaining of light paychecks and unfair treatment by the new management team. 7 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., johnnybrendas.com

    Cate Le Bon plays Union Transfer on Tuesday. The Welsh musician’s new album is “Michelangelo, Dying.”

    Tuesday, Jan. 13

    Cate Le Bon

    Welsh art-pop songwriter Cate Le Bon has been a consistently compelling music maker through a 15-year career, with the experimental duo Drinks and through solo albums like 2021’s Pompeii and the new Michelangelo, Dying. She has also produced music by Wilco, Horsegirl, and Kurt Vile, and it wouldn’t shock anyone if the Philly rock star dropped in at her show. Frances Chang opens. 7 p.m. Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., utphilly.com

  • Coatesville’s 106-year-old Presence Bank acquired in $55M deal

    Coatesville’s 106-year-old Presence Bank acquired in $55M deal

    A Pennsylvania-based bank has acquired the parent company of Coatesville’s Presence Bank, giving the two combined assets of about $3 billion.

    The $54.9 million deal was first announced in July and received regulatory and board approvals in December. It closed Monday.

    PB Bankshares, the holding company for Presence Bank, has been merged into Norwood Financial Corp., the holding company for Wayne Bank.

    “We are pleased to welcome PB Bankshares’ shareholders, customers and employees to our Norwood family,” Jim Donnelly, president and CEO of Norwood, said in Monday’s announcement. “We expect this combination will allow us to offer expanded products and services to the communities in our combined market areas.”

    Norwood’s Wayne Bank, based in Honesdale, had $2.4 billion in assets at the acquisition. Wayne Bank was founded in 1871, and Norwood Financial Corp, the holding company, was created in 1996. It has grown to 15 offices in Northeastern Pennsylvania and 12 in the Southern Tier of New York.

    PB Bankshares had $467 million in assets from its Presence Bank when the deal closed.

    Presence Bank first opened in 1919 in Coatesville, Chester County, as Coatesville Federal Savings & Loan Association, and in 2021 was renamed Presence Bank.

    Over the years, the bank added branches in Oxford, Chester County, and in New Holland and Georgetown, both in Lancaster County. Presence Bank also has an administrative office in Lancaster and a loan office in Harrisburg.

    Norwood has said the strategic combination allows the company to expand its footprint “into higher growth markets in Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania” while “enhancing Presence Bank’s capacity to provide exceptional service and solutions to its existing customers.”

    Janak M. Amin, president, CEO, and director of PB Bankshares, is now executive vice president and chief operating officer for Norwood and Wayne Bank.

    “We will be able to provide more products and services to our customers given Wayne Bank’s strength in retail banking,” Amin said.

    He added that Wayne Bank’s larger capital base will allow Presence Bank to “take better care of commercial customers with growing needs and the increased lending limit will allow us to retain and attract more customers.”