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  • Eagles vs. Cowboys: Predictions, odds, injury report, and what everyone is talking about ahead of Sunday

    Eagles vs. Cowboys: Predictions, odds, injury report, and what everyone is talking about ahead of Sunday

    The Eagles are headed down to Dallas for their first matchup against the Cowboys since the season opener.

    The Birds are in control of the NFC East, but their road loss against the Giants stung, and they certainly don’t want a repeat against another division rival at JerryWorld.

    Here’s everything you need to know about this Sunday’s game …

    How to watch

    Eagles vs. Cowboys will air live on FOX at 4:25 p.m., and will bee “America’s Game of the Week,” the network’s national broadcast. That means Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady will call the game from the booth, and Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will report from the two sidelines.

    If you’d rather listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick call the game, the radio broadcast can be found on 94.1 WIP, and if you want to watch the game with your fellow Birds fans, here are a few spots to check out.

    Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson walks onto the field before playing the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025.

    Injury report

    Right tackle Lane Johnson will miss Sunday’s game — and a few more — after suffering a Lisfranc injury in his foot (What is that? Glad you asked) in the team’s win over Detroit. He is expected to miss four to six weeks.

    However, center Cam Jurgens could return after leaving the Lions game with a concussion. Jurgens, who is listed as questionable, missed the prior two games with a knee injury. The only other Eagles players with injury designations for Sunday are backup offensive lineman Myles Hinton (back) and Willie Lampkin (knee/ankle). Jaelan Phillips was a full participant on Friday and is good to go.

    Here’s the Cowboys injury report:

    Eagles-Cowboys odds

    The Eagles are three-point favorites against the Cowboys at most major sportsbooks as of Friday afternoon, down from 4.5 to open the week. The projected point total at DraftKings is 47.5.

    Check out prop bets for Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, and more here.

    Eagles to wear kelly green

    For the second time this season — and the first time ever on the road — the Eagles will wear their kelly green uniforms on Sunday. The Birds previously wore their fan-favorite throwbacks in Week 8 against the New York Giants, a 38-20 win that was arguably the team’s best of the season. They’ll wear them again, for the final time this season, in Week 17 against the Washington Commanders.

    The Eagles are 5-0 in their lighter shade of green since bringing the jerseys back in 2023.

    NFL officials stand between Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) after a spitting incident as the Eagles play the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.

    Story lines to watch

    The Birds haven’t seen the Cowboys since Week 1, when Jalen Carter was ejected just seconds into the game due to Spit-Gate (speaking of which, did anyone see Ja’Marr Chase get suspended for doing the same thing just a few weeks ago?). The spit became a national talking point, with even Gov. Josh Shapiro weighing in, and Carter, who was fined and effectively suspended for a game, promised that “it won’t happen again.”

    Prior to a rain delay in the third quarter of the opener, the Cowboys offense was easily able to sustain drives, scoring 20 first-half points, as the Birds struggled to get pressure. With Carter (presumably) back in the game and the addition of Jaelan Phillips, Dak Prescott will be looking at a whole new Eagles defensive line, one that just forced Jared Goff to play the worst game of his career.

    From the latest on A.J. Brown to the recent drama surrounding Jalen Hurts, here are some other story lines to watch this weekend …

    • Following a report of internal frustrations with Hurts, the Eagles quarterback said he holds himself accountable. Others in the media had a lot more to say (more on that in a bit).
    • Meanwhile, Brown, the subject of his own recent controversy after voicing his own frustrations with the offense, said he believes the Eagles are “close“ to where they need to be on offense — and he laughed off talk about his declining skills
    • Eagles tackle Fred Johnson says it’s “time to show what I can do” as he again fills in for Lane Johnson.
    Nick Sirianni wins in spite of himself, some might say. Those critics are wrong.

    One number to know

    15-24: The Eagles’ record all-time without Lane Johnson. For comparison, the Birds are 120-62-1 in games Johnson has played in since he was drafted in 2013.

    The Eagles offensive line and the Cowboys defensive line battle in the fourth quarter. Eagles win 24-20 over the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.

    Our Eagles-Cowboys predictions

    Here are our writers’ predictions for Sunday …

    Jeff McLane: I see a potential trap in Dallas, but I think the Eagles’ defense will be able to keep Prescott from going off. Eagles 24, Cowboys 20.

    Jeff Neiburg: “It’s a great offense and a bad defense (Dallas) against a great defense and a bad offense (Eagles). The game will probably be decided by who wins the matchup between Dallas’ offense and the Eagles’ defense. Who has the upper hand? It’s hard to pick against the Eagles right now.” | Eagles 27, Cowboys 16

    Olivia Reiner: “While I’m not so sure this will be the get-well game on the ground the Eagles are looking for, they could have a chance to get going in the passing game, given the Cowboys are conceding 6.9 net yards per passing attempt (No. 29 in the league).” | Eagles 21, Cowboys 17

    Matt Breen: “Teams have picked apart the Dallas defense through the air this season but I’ll wait and see if the Eagles can do the same. It’s hard to see the Eagles, especially with a banged up offensive line, suddenly flipping a switch on offense. By now, it’s fair to have a read on who a team is. But the defense is elite and they’ll carry them again on Sunday. We’ll find out how far that unit can carry them the rest of the way.” | Eagles 24, Cowboys 10

    Eagles vs. Cowboys predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 12

    National media predictions

    Here’s a look at how those in the national media are leaning …

    Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni talks to quarterback Jalen Hurts against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, September 4, 2025 in Philadelphia.

    What we’re saying about the Eagles

    Here’s a look at what our columnists are saying about the Eagles, starting with David Murphy, who wonders what exactly people are even arguing about anymore with regard to Hurts.

    David Murphy: “The only thing that matters is that Hurts has been good enough that the Eagles no longer need to acquire one of those other guys. Coaches and players are more than justified if they are frustrated with some aspects of Hurts’ approach and performance. But they also surely know that they are more fortunate than most.” Read more.

    Mike Sielski: “This sliver of doubt when it comes to the Tush Push might seem a small matter. It isn’t. The play’s reliability was a tangible symbol of the strength of the Eagles offense: the manner with which they controlled the line of scrimmage.” Read more.

    Marcus Hayes: Don’t expect A.J. Brown to be happy any time soon. Brown called the Eagles’ offense a “bleep show” on a livestream last week … The offense isn’t likely to get any better with the news that right tackle Lane Johnson will miss several weeks with a Lisfranc sprain in his right foot.” Read more.

    What the Cowboys are saying about the Eagles

    Despite what social media may believe, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is not approaching the Eagles’ offense like it’s a weak one. They have too many elite players for that, Schottenheimer said.

    “At the end of the day, I’m not looking at the film and saying, ‘These guys are struggling.’ I’m looking at this film and saying, ‘Man, these guys are dangerous.’”

    Here’s more of what the Cowboys are saying …

    New addition Quinnen Williams on the Tush Push: “It’s a cool play that they do on second-and-short, on third-and-short, and fourth-and-short. I’ve never been against it. … I’m excited to see the game plan. Excited to go against it. Excited to be able to try and stop it.”

    Schottenheimer on Jalen Carter coming back to the defensive line: “It’s a big difference. He’s a really good player. He’s packaged in there with some really good players. Jordan Davis is obviously a really good player as well. There’s Jaelan Phillips, it’s a hell of a defense. They’re the best in the league, I think. Again, it’s going to be really, really tough. But, we love that challenge and we think we’re pretty good too.”

    As Cowboys prepare for ‘dangerous’ Eagles, their newest star is excited to finally face ‘cool’ Tush Push
    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during the National Anthem before the Eagles played the Detroit Lions on Sunday, November 16, 2025 in Philadelphia.

    What the national media is saying

    The discourse about the Eagles’ offense, and whether Hurts is part of the problem, is wearing on ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, a former Hurts critic who gave an impassioned defense of the quarterback on Get Up.

    “What’s going on with Hurts is so disingenuous and disrespectful to Jalen Hurts,” Orlovsky said. “And I’m not the biggest Jalen Hurts fan. All this dude does is literally everything that everybody begged every other quarterback to do — or knocks them for not doing. All he does is win. All he does is be obsessed with football and winning and doing what’s best for the team.”

    Here’s what else they’re saying …

    Jason Kelce on locker room discord: “I think that there are frustrations within a team that build up, continually, and I think Jalen gets a lot of the highlighting of that, again, because he’s the quarterback. … Lane [Johnson] and I didn’t talk for an entire offseason. Lane is like one of my best friends. Like, I love that guy. And this is part of being on a team. There are so many ups and downs. I’ve gotten into yelling matches with Jeff Stoutland, a guy that I consider like a second, almost like a father.

    DeSean Jackson on A.J. Brown: “You can tell when the interest ain’t there, it ain’t there. It’s something else going on. And I got a great relationship with [Brown]. I respect him. I can’t say it. But I know it’s something else going on. It’s not all about football, it’s not all about X’s and O’s. I’ve been there. I’ve had situationships with QBs that I didn’t necessarily like. I’m just going to be honest. And when it ain’t there, it sticks out like a sore thumb. That’s all I’m going to say.”

    Eagles drama is ‘disrespectful’ to Jalen Hurts; DeSean Jackson stirs the pot; and what else they’re saying

    What else we’re reading and watching this week

    🏝️ Quinyon Mitchell looked like an All-Pro vs. the Lions — and his Florida family and friends were there to see it.

    🎞️ Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    👨‍⚕️ This 10-year-old beat cancer. Now he’s enlisting the Eagles to raise awareness.

    👟 This weekend starts the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative. Here’s a look at some of the colorful kicks the players will be wearing, and the causes they’re supporting.

    🦃 It’s the holiday season, and Jordan Davis served Thanksgiving meals to Camden families this week.

  • TSA to charge $18 fee for travelers without proper ID

    TSA to charge $18 fee for travelers without proper ID

    A new program from the Transportation Security Administration will charge travelers $18 to pass through airport security if they are not carrying valid identification, such as Real ID or a passport.

    According to the agency, the fee will cover the cost of a “modernized alternative identity verification program” that relies on biometrics instead of documents or interviews.

    A Federal Register notice posted Thursday explained the new initiative. Travelers who arrive at the airport without correct identification can choose to use the automated biometric kiosk. The $18 fee, which will “address the government-incurred costs,” is nonrefundable and valid for 10 days. Even with payment, entry into the secured area is not guaranteed, the register noted.

    The memo did not mention a timeline for the installation and deployment of the kiosks, which airports will participate in the program, or how people will submit their payment. According to the notice, TSA will open registration for the identity-verification program before it begins collecting fees.

    “This notice serves as a next step in the process in REAL ID compliance, which was signed into law more than 20 years ago and finally implemented by Secretary Noem as of May 2025,” the TSA said in a statement. “Additional guidance will be announced in the coming days.”

    The majority of travelers are ID-compliant — around 94%, according to the TSA. However, Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA officer and founder of the travel newsletter Gate Access, said people are still showing up at security unprepared.

    “Travelers arriving at TSA checkpoints without proper ID is very common,” Harmon-Marshall said. “It’s so common that now the government can capitalize off of it.”

    Gary Leff, founder of the travel blog View From the Wing, said a few hundred people a day are subjected to alternative screening because they lack proper ID.

    “When you don’t have ID, they don’t send you away,” Leff said. “There’s a process where they get commercially available information about you and have you verify your identity with questions like what addresses have you had in the past, where have you worked, and what car have you owned.”

    Leff said the biometric kiosk will replace this more time-consuming method, an advantage echoed by the TSA.

    “The current alternative identity verification process is time and resource intensive, limiting the number of individuals for whom TSA can provide the service,” the Federal Register post said.

    The TSA noted that the $18 fee falls under a congressional directive that allows the agency to “impose a fee for any registered traveler program undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security.” The amount cannot “exceed the aggregate costs associated with the program.”

    According the Federal Register memo, the fee will cover such expenses as information technology infrastructure and services; software development; identity verification and validation; mobile computing; data infrastructure, integration, security and compliance; program management; and customer service and administrative expenses.

    The TSA said it will publish the fees on its website and may “update” the program’s amount and availability in the Federal Register.

  • Eagles can (effectively) end the Cowboys’ season if the defense can stop Dak Prescott

    Eagles can (effectively) end the Cowboys’ season if the defense can stop Dak Prescott

    They practice at The Star and they play games at Jerry World, but the Eagles can turn the Arlington, Texas, stadium into Boot Hill if they beat the Cowboys on Sunday evening.

    The Cowboys are in second place in the NFC East, but they’re 4-5-1, and they face the Chiefs, Lions, and Vikings in the coming weeks. The Eagles, at 8-2, also have a couple of testers left, but they face the Raiders once and the Commanders twice, all games in which they should be big favorites.

    If they leave Dallas with nine wins, the NFC East race will be all but finished, and a four-win Cowboys team after Week 11 won’t have a realistic shot at a wild-card berth.

    A Big W in Big D, in one fell swoop, essentially hands the Eagles the division title and renders their closest competitor impotent.

    To get that W, they’ll need to handle Dak Prescott and the No. 1 offense in the NFC.

    Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is 14-9 against the Eagles with a passer rating of 98.9.

    The Cowboys’ quarterback is best known for regular-season brilliance and big-game disasters, but, like him or not, he’s on his way to his fourth Pro Bowl. Those trips have been fueled, partially, by his proficiency against the Eagles — a proficiency attained during the Birds’ current golden era.

    Prescott is 14-9 against an Eagles franchise in its heyday. His passer rating of 98.9 is slightly better than his career rating of 98.5, but then, the Eagles are the best team he has regularly faced in his 10 seasons.

    He’s thrown 24 touchdown passes in those 23 games, a modest number, but he has just eight interceptions, which is a remarkable number, considering the quality of the Eagles’ defenses in the last decade and the fact that those defenses are more familiar with him than with any other quarterback.

    He hasn’t produced gaudy numbers the past three meetings. He managed only 188 yards and no scores in the Thursday Night Football season opener in Philadelphia, and he was injured for both games last season. However, in the five previous matchups, Prescott averaged 305 yards, completed 72% of his passes, threw for 16 touchdowns, and had just one interception. His passer rating was 129.7.

    Eagles vs. Cowboys predictions: Rounding up the experts’ picks for Week 12

    Granted, since 2021, he has faced four different defensive coordinators and has seen a complete turnover of defensive personnel, save for Brandon Graham, who recently unretired and missed the opener.

    But there’s just something about Philly that brings out the best in Dak. And, after missing half of 2024 with a hamstring injury, Dak is back to being Dak.

    He leads the league with 253 completions, a 74.9 quarterback rating (which includes non-passing data), ranks third with 258.7 yards per game, ranks fourth with a 69.9% completion rate, and ranks eighth with a 102.5 passer rating.

    That final stat can be misleading, considering that Jalen Hurts ranks fifth at 107.0, but no sane person would argue that Hurts is playing as well as Prescott — not even Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

    “He’s having a hell of a year,” Fangio said of Prescott on Tuesday.

    Fangio might be playing possum here.

    Prescott struggles against Fangio’s defenses. He lost to Fangio’s defense when Fangio coordinated for Miami in 2023. Fangio flummoxed Dak in 2021, when he was the head coach in Denver. They didn’t meet in 2024, but Dak wasn’t great in the opener in September.

    The opener in Philly was Prescott’s best chance against Fangio, and he was aided by the idiocy of Fangio’s best weapon.

    NFL officials stand between Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (left) and Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) after a spitting incident in their game on Sept 4.

    Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jalen Carter spat on Prescott before the first play from scrimmage and was ejected from the game. Prescott still didn’t throw for a TD pass.

    For Sunday, not only is Carter is back and playing his best, he has reinforcements.

    The Eagles added edge rusher Jaelen Phillips at the trade deadline. Nakobe Dean, lost in the playoffs to a knee injury, finally returned to play as a linebacker four games ago, which amplified the play of All Pro linebacker Zack Baun, and the Eagles have allowed just one meaningful touchdown in each of those four games, all wins. Graham hit the field two games ago, and the Eagles surrendered 16 total points in those two games.

    Cam Jurgens a full practice participant Friday, listed as questionable vs. Cowboys

    Those aren’t even the best players.

    George Pickens caught just three passes for 30 yards in the opener, and, though he had seven catches for 110 yards, CeeDee Lamb had just one catch for 13 yards against second-year shutdown corner Quinyon Mitchell, who is playing even better now. Mitchell’s independent competence helps nickel corner Cooper DeJean, who is solid in coverage, serve as a third, punishing safety.

    “This is a hell of a defense,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters this week. “I think they’re best in the league.”

    Schott’s offense, behind Dak, is the best in the conference: tops in total yards, at 378.8; Dak’s passing yards, at 258.7; and, most significantly, points, at 29.6. That final number should be the most troubling for the Birds, because they’ve scored just 26 points in their last two games, combined.

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown seen here in action earlier this season against the Vikings will need to be on the same page Sunday against the Cowboys.

    Which brings up the bizarre nature of the Eagles’ 2025 campaign.

    Amid all the winning, most of the recent discussion surrounding the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles (who are the NFC’s No. 1 seed at the moment) has been the toothlessness of the Eagles’ passing offense. It’s currently ranked 28th, leading to acontroversy surrounding Hurts and malcontent receiver A.J. Brown, fueled entirely by Brown.

    That’s why, this week, so much attention is being paid to the Cowboys’ atrocious passing defense, which is the worst in the conference. Maybe the Eagles’ air attack will resurface Sunday.

    Irrelevant.

    The real story lies in the opposite matchup.

    If, as Schottenheimer contends, the Eagles have the best defense; and if that defense can dominate Dallas’ incendiary attack; not only will the pursuit of the NFC East title be a fait accompli, but a second straight Lombardi trophy also should be in the Eagles’ future, too.

    Remember:

    The Eagles’ passing attack ranked 29th last year.

    The defense was No. 1.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Eagles football right here!
  • 275 miles to Buc-ee’s

    275 miles to Buc-ee’s

    Thanksgiving is always the busiest travel time of the year and as always, the AAA has come up with their annual projection: this year a record 81.8 million Americans will be going somewhere, at least 50 miles from home.

    6 million people will get there by plane, train, bus, or cruise, but nearly 73 million will travel by car, representing almost 90% of all holiday travelers.

    I will not be among them. I get a lot of photo enjoyment out of road trips, but holiday travel is not the seeing-the-USA-in-your-Chevrolet or getting-your-kicks-on-Route-66 kind.

    While my newspaper print column has been around since 1998, this online version actually started during the summer of 2007 with three or four posts every week (back then it was called blogging) as I traveled the region’s roadways with my camera, bent upon discovery.

    After 9/11, like most Americans, I looked at my country in a new way. Inspired by the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition, I set out to retrace their 3,700 mile journey, known as the Corps of Discovery, on my own epic cross-country road trip across America.

    Since then I have made lots of more local road trips. I sought out retro kitschy giant roadside Muffler Men‚ wandered New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, and Pennsylvania’s political T-zone during the 2020 election.

    And one of my favorites: visiting all 10 of the New Jersey joints and restaurants featured in a 2015 episode of CNN’s Parts Unknown, by the late Anthony Bourdain, a chef, author, TV personality — and a Jersey Boy from Bergen County.

    Speaking of food and other roadside attractions, this is on my maybe to-do road trip list this winter:

    I photographed that Buc-ee’s sign near mile marker 291 on the westbound Pennsylvania Turnpike earlier this year, near the Bowmansville Service Plaza, back when the closest outpost of the Texas-based travel center described as a “theme park on the highway” was the one off I-95 in Florence, South Carolina.

    My daughter has been sending me social media food videos (mostly by international visitors) and even bought me a mug, but I have never been to any of the chain’s 51 locations across 11 states or experienced their extensive gas stations, “world-famous” restrooms or Beaver Nuggets.

    A new one opened in Virginia this past summer, off I-81, two hours southwest of Washington, D.C. — only 275 miles from Philadelphia’s City Hall.

    So, readers, let me ask you. Is it worth a trip? Let me know here.

    Or do I just stick with getting my highway food-fix at Wawa, Sheetz, Royal Farms, Turkey Hill, QuickChek, or Circle K?

    Since 1998 a black-and-white photo has appeared every Monday in staff photographer Tom Gralish’s “Scene Through the Lens” photo column in the print editions of The Inquirer’s local news section. Here are the most recent, in color:

    November 17, 2025: Students on a field trip from the Christian Academy in Brookhaven, Delaware County, pose for a group photo in front of the Liberty Bell in Independence National Historical Park on Thursday. The trip was planned weeks earlier, before they knew it would be on the day park buildings were reopening after the government shutdown ended. “We got so lucky,” a teacher said. Then corrected herself. “It’s because we prayed for it.”
    November 8, 2025: Multitasking during the Festival de Día de Muertos – Day of the Dead – in South Philadelphia.
    November 1, 2025: Marcy Boroff is at City Hall dressed as a Coke can, along with preschoolers and their caregivers, in support of former Mayor Jim Kenney’s 2017 tax on sweetened beverages. City Council is considering repealing the tax, which funds the city’s pre-K programs.
    October 25, 2025: Austin Gabauer, paint and production assistant at the Johnson Atelier, in Hamilton Twp, N.J. as the finished “O” letter awaits the return to Philadelphia. The “Y” part of the OY/YO sculpture is inside the painting booth. The well-known sculpture outside the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History was removed in May while construction continues on Market Street and has been undergoing refurbishment at the Atelier at the Grounds for Sculpture outside of Trenton.
    October 20, 2025:The yellow shipping container next to City Hall attracted a line of over 300 people that stretched around a corner of Dilworth Park. Bystanders wondered as they watched devotees reaching the front take their selfies inside a retro Philly diner-esque booth tableau. Followers on social media had been invited to “Climb on to immerse yourself in the worlds of Pleasing Fragrance, Big Lip, and exclusive treasures,” including a spin of the “Freebie Wheel,” for products of the unisex lifestyle brand Pleasing, created by former One Direction singer Harry Styles.
    October 11, 2025: Can you find the Phillie Phanatic, as he leaves a “Rally for Red October Bus Tour” stop in downtown Westmont, N.J. just before the start of the NLDS? There’s always next year and he’ll be back. The 2026 Spring Training schedule has yet to be announced by Major League Baseball, but Phillies pitchers and catchers generally first report to Clearwater, Florida in mid-February.
    October 6. 2025: Fluorescent orange safety cone, 28 in, Poly Ethylene. Right: Paint Torch (detail) Claes Oldenburg, 2011, Steel, Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic, Gelcoat and Polyurethane. (Gob of paint, 6 ft. Main sculpture, 51 ft.). Lenfest Plaza at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts on North Broad Street, across from the Convention Center.
    September 29, 2025: A concerned resident who follows Bucks County politics, Kevin Puls records the scene before a campaign rally for State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, the GOP candidate for governor. His T-shirt is “personal clickbait” with a url to direct people to the website for The Travis Manion Foundation created to empower veterans and families of fallen heroes. The image on the shirts is of Greg Stocker, one of the hosts of Kayal and Company, “A fun and entertaining conservative spin on Politics, News, and Sports,” mornings on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT.
    September 22, 2025: A shadow is cast by “The Cock’s Comb,” created by Alexander “Sandy” Calder in 1960, is the first work seen by visitors arriving at Calder Gardens, the new sanctuary on the Ben Franklin Parkway. The indoor and outdoor spaces feature the mobiles, stabiles, and paintings of Calder, who was born in Philadelphia in 1898, the third generation of the family’s artistic legacy in the city.
    September 15, 2025: Department of Streets Director of Operations Thomas Buck leaves City Hall following a news conference marking the activation of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras on the Broad Street corridor – one the city’s busiest and most dangerous roads. The speed limit on the street, also named PA Route 611, is 25 mph.
    September 8, 2025: Middle schoolers carry a boat to the water during their first outing in a learn-to-row program with the Cooper Junior Rowing Club, at the Camden County Boathouse on the Cooper River in Pennsauken.
    September 1, 2025: Trumpet player Rome Leone busks at City Hall’s Easr Portal. The Philadelphia native plays many instruments, including violin and piano, which he started playing when he was 3 years old. He tells those who stop to talk that his grandfather played with Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Nina Simone, and Dizzy Gillespie.
    August 25, 2025: Bicycling along on East Market Street.
    August 18, 2025: Just passing through Center City; another extraterrestrial among us.
    August 11, 2025: Chris Brown stows away Tongue, the mascot for a new hard iced tea brand, after wearing the lemon costume on a marketing stroll through the Historic District. Trenton-based Crooked Tea is a zero-sugar alcoholic tea brand founded by the creator of Bai, the antioxidant-infused coconut-flavored water, and launched in April with former Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham as a partner.
    August 4,2025: Shanna Chandler and her daughters figure out their plans for a morning spent in Independence National Historical Park on the map in the Independence Visitor Center. The women (from left) Lora, 20; Shanna; Lenna, 17; and Indigo, 29, were stopping on their way home to Richmond, Virginia after vacationing in Maine. The last time they were all in Philadelphia Shanna was pregnant with Lenna.

    » SEE MORE: Archived columns and Twenty years of a photo column.

  • ‘Walk together forever’: Tributes pour in for Bernie Parent during a celebration of his life and legacy

    ‘Walk together forever’: Tributes pour in for Bernie Parent during a celebration of his life and legacy

    Scott Tharp stood on the small stage built on the ice at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The president and CEO of Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education told a story about driving home from Hershey when the Flyers alumni played the Washington Capitals alumni. Driving home on the dark expanse of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Bernie Parent was driving 45 miles per hour — in the left lane.

    “Needless to say, there was a whole line of cars flashing their lights and honking behind us,” Tharp said. “Finally, when he pulled over into the right lane, the cars came by and they were flashing, honking, people leaning out the windows, yelling.

    Nikita Grebenkin’s playing time has been too sporadic. The Flyers need to find him ice time.

    “Bernie rolled down his window, took both hands off the wheel, and put his Stanley Cup rings out the window. Then turned to those of us in the car and said, ‘How about that? They’re cheering for me.’”

    You know that he had a big grin at that moment, too.

    That was who Bernie Parent was.

    A man larger than life, the Hall of Fame goalie, who backstopped the Orange and Black to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975, was honored on Friday with a celebration of life. Parent died on Sept. 21 at the age of 80.

    “Bernie often was described fondly in hockey circles as one of the league’s greatest stand-up goalies,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “Ever more importantly, however, Bernie was always a stand-up man.”

    Family, friends, members of Flyers leadership, and approximately 2,000 fans, some wearing his No. 1 jerseys, came to pay their respects to a man who built a legacy in Philly. Born in Quebec, Parent came to the City of Brotherly Love in 1967 as one of the original Flyers. He was traded in 1971, but was reacquired two years later, and never left.

    John Bound of Wrightstown, Pa. (right) wore his Parent jersey and made a “Only God saves more than Bernie” sign for the Bernie Parent Celebration of Life at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday.

    Parent not only helped build the foundation of the organization with the two Stanley Cups — and the rings he loved showing everyone, everywhere, and every day — but won the Conn Smythe each year as the playoff MVP. A two-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top goalie, his name is often dropped when discussing the game’s greats.

    “Bernie’s number hangs in our rafters, and his legacy is already etched into the very DNA of our franchise,” Flyers chairman Dan Hilferty said. “We often don’t realize how much someone gives of themselves until they’re gone. Winston Churchill once said, ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’ And standing here together, it’s clearer than ever just how much Bernie gave.”

    Rangers great Mike Richter on his idol in goal, Bernie Parent: ‘I followed his every move’

    Parent was a fixture in the community since hanging up his skates due to injury in February 1979. An ambassador for Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education, his widow, Gini, will carry on his legacy as an ambassador, too.

    “Bernie’s life will continue to shine through the lives he inspired, the lessons he taught, and the community he helped build,” she said. “He always said that life was about giving back, lifting others, and leading with love. And thanks to each and every one of you, the light will never dim.”

    After Flyers president Keith Jones, general manager Danny Brière, coach Rick Tocchet, and Parent’s daughter, Kim, reminisced and paid tribute on the jumbotron, City Council President Kenyatta Johnson spoke. Johnson said he was pledging $5,000 to Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education, which Tharp said the support organization will match the donation two-to-one.

    Johnson then read a proclamation honoring the goalie.

    “Whereas, this legislative body extends its deep appreciation for the indelible mark Bernie Parent left on hockey and the Philadelphia community,” part of it read. “Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the council of the city of Philadelphia, hereby honors and recognizes the life and legacy of Philadelphia Flyers goaltender and Hockey Hall of Famer Bernie Parent, for his outstanding contributions to the sport of hockey and the Philadelphia community.”

    As Parent’s teammate Bill Clement said, “Bernie loved all of you.” And it was true. Parent loved the Flyers community. And he loved his teammates, too.

    Flyers fans once joined a club by getting hit by a puck. It made them ‘feel special’ — and protected the team.

    “I can honestly say it was an honor and a privilege to play with Barnyard Benny,” said Joe Watson, who had known Parent since 1963. “We had so many laughs and jokes. … I know he’s looking down on us, smiling, and he looks around, he says, My gosh, I can’t believe all those people are for me, but we’re all for you, Bernie, because if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have won.”

    Joe Watson, former teammate and friend of Parent speaks during the Bernie Parent Celebration of Life on Friday.

    “I know Bernie’s up there, laughing and smiling and everything else. He’d love to be down here, but I look forward to seeing you again, my friend,” Watson concluded as his voice cracked.

    Bobby Clarke, the captain of the Flyers’ Stanley Cup teams, was the last to speak.

    “A hockey player’s life is only a short period of time in his life. And Bernie, besides being the goaltender, he had a great life and he was a great man,” he said.

    “When you win two Stanley Cups, it takes the best that everybody on that team can give; just so happened that Bernie’s best was better than the rest of our best, and we got two Stanley Cups because of Bernie.

    “We’ve lost five players from Stanley Cup teams: Barry Ashbee, Eddie Van Impe, Billy Flett, Ross Lonsberry, and Ricky MacLeish.

    “God bless Bernie, because he’s going to join them and the rest of us, until we go join them, we will walk together forever.”

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Flyers hockey right here!
  • How to have a perfect Philly day, according to author Diane McKinney Whetstone

    How to have a perfect Philly day, according to author Diane McKinney Whetstone

    For the most part, award-winning author Diane McKinney Whetstone’s characters live their complicated lives in between El stops in early to mid-20th-century West Philly.

    In her new book Family Spirit, released by Amistad earlier this fall, her protagonist Ayana works at a fictional West Philly coffee shop in 2019.

    And Ayana is clairvoyant.

    Whetstone packs a lot of Philadelphia in this 229-page book. Ayana weaves in and out of downtown office buildings. Her aunt Lil flashes back to 1970s Philly when she was shopping at Wanamakers and up for a gig on The Mike Douglas Show, when the variety show was filmed in Old City.

    Diane McKinney Whetstone, author of newly published book Family Spirit at her home in Wynnewood, PA., Thursday, October 23, 2025.

    But the majority of the story takes place in Southwest Philly at the Mace family house, where women on Ayana’s paternal side have gathered for 100 years to take part in rituals that reveal the future.

    We talked to Whetstone, a lifelong Philadelphian, about her perfect Philly day.

    5 a.m.

    I get up early and make really strong coffee. Every day I spend a couple of hours writing. I have to, that’s my best time of the day. Sometimes I will write for three hours. Other times, I write until noon. Sometimes, I write the whole day if the spirit hits me.

    8 a.m.

    If it’s not a writing day, and I’m done for the day, my husband and I will go out for breakfast. Sometimes we will go to Sabrina’s Cafe in Wynnewood.

    A student from the Krieger Schechter Day School of Baltimore, MD, on a field trip to the Franklin Institute on February 12, 2020, enters the right ventricle of the Giant Heart.

    But lately, I’ve really liked going to Boutique River Falls off Kelly Drive, near Midvale. They have the best pancakes and fried fish. If my grandkids are with me, we will go to the Frankie [The Franklin Institute] and go through “Body Odyssey,” especially the “Giant Heart.” They love it.

    If we have a lot of time, we take a nice long walk on Kelly Drive. I’m a big walker.

    11 a.m.

    Both my husband and I are from Philadelphia and we like to drive around our old neighborhoods. On some days we will head down Lancaster Avenue where it intersects with Haverford and reminisce about the days it was a central shopping district like Center City.

    Sometimes we will drive down to 52nd Street. When I’m over there, the sounds of the El train, the way the houses are situated on the street, it takes me immediately back to my childhood.

    1 p.m.

    If it’s a nice day in the summer, we may go to the Nile Swim Club in Yeadon. My sister has a membership there. On any given day there are families there relaxing, sharing stories. It’s a really nice place to relax.

    A historical marker is pictured ahead of the opening for the summer season at Nile Swim Club in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, U.S., May 27, 2022.

    2 p.m.

    Again, if my grandkids are in town, we may go to a matinee at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. We saw The Wiz. It was so good. Then we went around the corner to Samurai Japanese Restaurant. I’m not a real big fan of raw fish, but the teriyaki there is just so good.

    4 p.m.

    I cook a lot at home and especially a lot of fish. I eat salmon three times a week and I love it fresh. I really enjoy going down to Fairmount to pick up my order from Small World Seafood. I love that I get to cook restaurant-quality food.

    Bri Smith of West Philadelphia poses by the Roots Picnic sign with the city skyline in the background before the start of day 2 of the Roots Picnic at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, June 4, 2023.

    8 p.m.

    I would end my day at a concert at the Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts. I saw Cynthia Erivo there in June and it was incredible. She sang Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I saw Your Face” and I nearly cried. The view of Philadelphia’s skyline is amazing. It’s just a wonderful way to end a day.

  • River views, historic gardens, and standout eats in Richmond, Va. | Field Trip

    River views, historic gardens, and standout eats in Richmond, Va. | Field Trip

    Wilmington, Baltimore, Washington — watch their exits blur past on I-95 as you head farther south and see color return to the trees. The leaves that have already fallen in Fairmount Park and Rittenhouse Square seem to reappear here, lighting up the old oaks and elms that line Richmond’s stately streets. Autumn clings a little longer in this university town, where nature — from wild riverside woods to formal gardens — feels ever-present.

    Just over four hours from Philly, Richmond, Va., offers everything you’d want in a weekend escape: smart restaurants, fascinating history, and a new hotel from one of the country’s most creative hospitality groups.

    Fuel: Sub Rosa Bakery

    One of the best bakeries in the country, Sub Rosa calls Richmond’s Church Hill neighborhood home. After a devastating 2024 fire and a long rebuild, it reopens this November — and it’s absolutely where any RVA weekend should begin. Made with house-milled Virginia and Pennsylvania flours, its pastries include croissants stuffed with garlicky mushrooms or sour cherry-pistachio, crunchy biscotti, and polenta thumbprints filled with housemade jam. Order one of everything — you’ll wish you had anyway.

    📍 620 N. 25th St., Richmond, Va. 23223

    Learn: Poe Museum

    A 15-minute walk from Sub Rosa (just enough time to finish that coffee and croissant) brings you to the Poe Museum. Edgar Allen grew up and worked as a journalist in Richmond before achieving literary acclaim, a life chronicled inside this petite museum founded in 1922. It’s filled with letters, first editions, and personal relics — including the silver candelabras by which Poe wrote The Bells. The museum complex includes the Old Stone House (the oldest standing residence in the city), Poe Shrine, and the lush Enchanted Garden. Keep an eye out for the resident black cats, whose shenanigans are detailed on the @poemuseumcats Instagram account.

    📍 1914 E. Main St., Richmond, Va. 23223

    Stay: Shenandoah Mansions

    Ash Hotels’ forte is retrofitting historic buildings into eccentric, artsy-craftsy inns, and the new Shenandoah Mansions is no exception. Expect four-posted beds draped in tentlike canopies, block-printed quilts, hand-painted lamps, and checkerboard-tiled showers. Located in the Fan District — a neighborhood full of architectural candy — the inn feels residential yet central to everything.

    📍 501 N. Allen Ave., Richmond, Va. 23220

    Hike: James River Park System

    One of Richmond’s greatest assets is its proximity to nature. The James River Park System covers more than 600 acres, all within walking distance of Broad Street, the city’s main thoroughfare. Pick up the head of the North Bank Trail at South Cherry Street and Oregon Hill Parkway for an hourlong walk along boardwalks and dirt paths, past historic cemeteries, and through tunnels of color-changing leaves.

    📍 4001 Riverside Dr., Richmond, Va. 23225

    Visit: Maymont

    Exit the trail near Hampton Street and Kansas Avenue, and you’ll find yourself at Maymont, a 19th-century estate built by financier James Dooley and his wife, Sallie. Though the Gilded Age mansion is closed to tours while undergoing renovation, the grounds alone are reason to visit. Wander through the Italian Garden, along the butterfly trail, and through the Japanese Garden (the oldest on the East Coast), where boulder-backed waterfalls, koi ponds, and storybook bridges create incredible photos.

    📍 1700 Hampton St., Richmond, Va. 23220

    Drink: The Jefferson Hotel

    Fires, fortunes, presidents — and even a few alligators — have passed through the grand Jefferson Hotel since it opened in 1895. Every visitor should see the lobby’s marble floors and sweeping staircase, even if you’re not checking in. Stop by TJ’s Restaurant & Lounge for a predinner cocktail under the chandeliers; the Rotunda old-fashioned tastes like grapefruit, walnut, and old money.

    📍 101 W. Franklin St., Richmond, Va. 23220

    Dine: Stella’s

    A Richmond legend since 1983, Stella’s remains the last word in Greek cooking here. The food (artichoke moussaka, ouzo-kissed crab cakes, feta-and-Manouri cheese fries covered in shaved lamb) is just enough off-center from traditional to be interesting, while still honoring the soulfulness of the country’s cuisine. The regulars pack the dining room, creating a comfortable, gregarious vibe. Go ahead and think it: If we lived in Richmond, we’d be here all the time.

    📍 1012 Lafayette St., Richmond, Va. 23221

  • The best things we ate this week

    The best things we ate this week

    A gobbler at Dolores’ 2Street

    The Gobbler has seen some bougie updates in the years since Wawa made it a thing. But the offering from Dolores’ 2Street isn’t fancy, and that’s to its credit. It’s built with solid ingredients, on a seeded Sarcone’s roll. Owners Peter Miglino and wife Victoria Rio lean hard into the leftover motif by offering a mostly cold sandwich made with cold cuts: thick slices of oven-roasted turkey and squares of orange-colored cheddar cheese. The little bit of heat (and crunch) comes from the house-made stuffing, carefully crafted by Miglino’s mother, Maria, a Philly restaurant veteran.

    Adding stuffing to a hoagie shouldn’t work. But this isn’t just any stuffing. This is Maria’s family recipe, which she prepares for almost an entire day so it’s just right. This Gobbler is as inclusive as a big Italian family, marrying the cold cuts and stuffing with a nice tang from a cranberry mayo that doesn’t overpower the palate, rings of raw onion, a confetti of lettuce, small slices of tomato, and a splash of olive oil. It’s a heavyweight sandwich, clocking in at just under a half-pound; you will most definitely need a nap afterward. As Rio compiled my sandwich on a mid-November afternoon, she said I ordered the first Gobbler of the season. They got it right from the jump. Dolores’ 2Street, 1841 S. Second St., 267-519-3212, facebook.com/Dolores2Street

    — Tommy Rowan

    A grilled Swiss cheese with turkey, bacon and cranberry chutney at Marathon Grill comes with a cup of soup. This “special” is so popular it hasn’t left the menu in over a year.

    Turkey-cranberry grilled cheese special at Marathon Grill

    By this time next week, most people will likely be in turkey leftover sandwich overload. But right now still I’m pre-gaming for Thanksgiving hard, and I could not resist this seasonally appropriate special at Marathon Grill. It’s essentially a grilled Swiss cheese on excellent sourdough bread, with turkey, cranberry chutney and bacon also tucked inside. That can potentially be an overwhelming mess. But I was impressed by how carefully the sandwich was built, with no particular ingredient overwhelming the others. The grilled bread’s buttery crisp and moist interior hit all the right savory and sweet notes for a preview of the feast to come. It’s served alongside a cup of tomato-basil soup for extra value (I swapped mine out for Marathon’s excellent matzo ball soup), so it’s no surprise it’s been a hit. In fact, Marathon’s regulars love it so much it’s been a “special” since they put it on the menu additions an entire year ago. Marathon Grill, 1839 Spruce St., 215-731-0800, eatmarathon.com

    — Craig LaBan

    Oysters rest on ice as shuckers work nearby at Pearl & Mary.

    Fish and chips at Pearl & Mary

    To quell the anxiety of a visit to the phone store, I found myself at Pearl & Mary, Michael Schulson’s Center City raw bar. My companion dove right into the Savage Blonde and Pink Moon oysters, both from Prince Edward Island. Oysters aren’t my thing, but my soul was soothed by the aroma wafting from the broth of my shrimp dumplings — a perfect small plate on this brisk Sunday morning. But my main highlight was the traditional fish and chips, with an especially succulent piece of cod and a buttery crust with a robust tartar sauce that leaned into its zest. The french fries are thin-cut and extra salty, as they should be. Pearl & Mary, 114 S. 13th St., 215-330-6786; pearlandmary.com

    — Henry Savage

  • ‘It feels like deliberate gaslighting’: A Drexel autism expert discusses the CDC’s new website on vaccines and autism

    ‘It feels like deliberate gaslighting’: A Drexel autism expert discusses the CDC’s new website on vaccines and autism

    On Nov. 19, a webpage at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was updated with a stunning reversal of the agency’s long-held — and scientifically backed — position on vaccines and autism.

    Previously, the CDC has noted on its website that decades of research show no link between receiving vaccines and developing autism.

    Now, the site reads: “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.”

    A header on the webpage still reads “Vaccines do not cause autism.”

    But the phrase is followed by an asterisk leading to another statement explaining the header remains “due to an agreement with the chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that it would remain on the CDC website.”

    The chair is Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.), who made his confirmation vote for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. contingent on that agreement.

    The move was met with outrage from public health experts who say that Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine advocate, is risking lives by calling vaccines’ safety into question. The New York Times reported two days later that he had personally ordered the website changed.

    Diana Robins, the director of the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University, which studies autism from a public health perspective, spoke with The Inquirer about the update and what it means for public health.

    This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

    Question: Take us through the update on the CDC’s website about vaccines and autism.

    Answer: The frightening thing, to me, is if a person who is not really familiar with the science reads this website, there is a lot of convincing-sounding language. It feels like deliberate gaslighting.

    It’s using terms they’ve learned from scientists over the last several months — “gold-standard science” and “evidence-based claims” — and using them in directly inaccurate ways.

    The very first key point at the top of the page says, “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.”

    Part of what makes that so egregious is that scientists believe in the scientific process. Unfortunately, the federal administration is weaponizing the fact that scientists won’t come out and say it has been proven. A scientist will never say we have 100% ruled out all possibilities. Something we think we know could change tomorrow when we learn something new.

    But there are dozens of studies over many, many years that fail to show a link between vaccines and autism. All the studies that are rigorous and methodologically sound fail to show a link between vaccines and autism. That is unequivocal.

    Q: What’s the danger in changing the CDC’s language around vaccines?

    A: Vaccines save lives. Vaccines are one of the frontline public health strategies to support health in the population. We’re already seeing what happens when vaccine compliance goes down, when there’s an erosion of the public confidence in vaccines.

    There have been measles outbreaks in the last year in the United States. Some kids just get sick and they get better, but some kids have serious illnesses and occasionally die. And it’s not just measles. We’re vaccinated against a lot of life-threatening diseases.

    The cost is a huge shift in public health, and the protective factor that vaccines give us against life-threatening illness.

    If you told me that reading books past 10 p.m. might cause autism, I would say there’s probably not a lot of cost if you stop reading books at 9:59. But not vaccinating children? The costs are huge. Even one death that’s preventable is a tragedy.

    And there will be a lot of preventable serious illness and death if parents don’t vaccinate their children.

    Q: How does this affect the public’s view of federal health agencies?

    A: I think it makes it very difficult for people to know what to trust. And there is already decreased trust in the medical community, scientific community, higher education broadly.

    If pages like this are intermingled with legitimate pages, how will people know which ones are the accurate pages and which are the ones with gaslighting and anti-science? I think people will likely lose their faith in the CDC altogether, which is a terrible blow to the public health of the whole country. If we can’t trust our Centers for Disease Control, who can we trust?

    Q: How can scientists communicate accurate medical information with the public?

    A: One thing I think is slightly heartening in the face of this devastation is that professional societies and organizations that are medical or scientific are all aligned. There have been so many statements that came out within the first day of this, and they are fully aligned in agreement. The only differences are in which words they yell the loudest.

    You can usually not get scientists to agree to anything in a day. That means a lot. It’s the responsibility of all the legitimate scientists and public health experts to try to combat that misinformation every which way we can.

    [At the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute], we’re trying to do more outreach to the public. We actually developed some vaccine info sheets just a couple months ago that are posted on our website. We have a new website … that brings together all of the information.

    Vaccines are one of our biggest public health successes. If we roll those back, we have stepped back decades in the health of our country. It’s that big. It’s that serious.

  • The job market is heating up — for jobs that people usually don’t want

    The job market is heating up — for jobs that people usually don’t want

    Jobseekers can’t be choosy in today’s stalling U.S. labor market. Even when the job is flagging traffic for 12 hours in the Atlanta sun.

    Two years ago, the chief executive officer of AQC Traffic Control fielded around 10 applications a week for long shifts directing motorists to stop or slow down near construction sites, braving both the summer heat and the winter cold. Today, Marcus Rush is seeing up to 80.

    “When my office phone rings, my ears perk up because I wonder if it’s a new customer,” Rush said. “Now, every time I hear a phone ring, it’s someone calling in to check on a job application. That never used to happen.”

    From substitute teachers to prison guards, staffing agencies and employers are reporting a pickup in applicants for roles often shunned for their low pay, inconsistent hours, or unpleasant conditions. Even the messy work at materials recovery facilities, where people still sort recyclables partly by hand, is fetching more takers.

    With fewer businesses hiring, nearly half of employed Americans in a recent Harris Poll conducted for Bloomberg News said it would take them four months or more to find a job of similar quality if they lost their jobs today. That offers employers who have traditionally struggled to fill roles the upper hand, especially for those still reeling from rampant vacancies and a 27% gain in wages since the onset of the pandemic.

    “In 2022, it was darn near impossible to find workers,” said Rick Hermanns, CEO at staffing firm HireQuest Inc., which recruits for recycling centers among other industries. Today, “that really isn’t the case.”

    The job-hopping days of the COVID-19 era, dubbed the Great Resignation, have given way to the “low hire, low fire” economy. However, a recent rash of layoff announcements suggest companies have lost their fear of firing.

    While overall the jobless rate remained fairly low at 4.3% in August — the latest data available as of mid-November — those out of work are lingering in unemployment for longer. Almost 26% of unemployed workers that month had been out of work for more than half a year, one of the highest shares in a decade, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    After getting laid off last fall, Danielle Norwood, a radio veteran, is now working toward getting her substitute teacher certification.

    Danielle Norwood is among them. The 53-year-old radio veteran spent the last three years of her career hosting a show in Topeka, Kan., until the station let her go last fall. After a brief stint as an Uber driver and countless unanswered job applications, she’s now working toward getting her substitute teacher certification. She’s leery of the horror stories, having recently read about a sub who got “kicked in the gut,” but the pay’s OK at $140 to $200 a day and she’s excited to make a difference.

    “Kids don’t have the boundaries,” Norwood said. “But I think I can handle it. And financially, this is the only way I can see forward.”

    In fact, firms that help school districts fill substitute teacher spots report more applicants per role lately. After a sharp drop in available subs during the pandemic, the pool eventually rebounded to around pre-COVID levels, according to a 2024 blog post by education staffing firm Edustaff. However, shortages persisted because many of the remaining subs cut back on accepting assignments and were turned off by low pay and only sporadic work, Edustaff said. Substitute teachers make about $18.50 an hour, according to the latest median wage data from the BLS.

    Today, the Kansas City area’s Morgan Hunter staffing firm, which has a substitute teaching unit, has seen “our best year for hiring since COVID,” education program director Angela Hunt said in an email. The weak economy is one of a few reasons for the pickup, she said. Staffing giant Kelly Services Inc., which fills almost 6 million substitute teaching assignments a year, has also seen more applications this year, although they attribute it to professionals wanting to try education after tiring of other fields.

    Likewise, firms with jobs that sometimes go begging in stronger job markets are seeing some of the best recruiting in years.

    Waste Management Inc. and some of its competitors have reported better employee retention in recent earnings calls, with the Houston-based firm boasting on a call last month that turnover among garbage truck driver and technician roles “is at an all-time company low.” To be sure, recent automation of certain tasks has allowed it to keep some hard-to-fill jobs vacant.

    And at materials recovery facilities — which sort homeowners’ blue-box recyclables, often using day laborers — interest from jobseekers is also higher. In HireQuest’s division that includes waste management and recycling facilities, the number of job applications per opening is up as much as 50% from a couple years ago. That’s a result of more applicants overall, as well as a reduction in open positions, a spokesperson said.

    “We can fill those roles, where three years ago we would’ve been hard-pressed if a waste company called us and said, ‘We need 30 people,’” HireQuest’s Hermanns said.

    In the notoriously high-turnover corrections industry, one large operator, the Georgia Department of Corrections, reports receiving more than a thousand applications in each of the past three months for all roles, including correctional officers. That’s up more than 40% from a year ago. A spokesperson for the agency attributed the interest to more advertising and job fairs.

    And the U.S. military, which can be a tough sell because of the risk of danger and separation from family, is hitting its recruiting targets again, said Beth Asch, a senior principal economist who specializes in defense manpower at the think tank RAND. In 2022, the Army missed its goal by 25%, but now it and other branches report reaching their marks ahead of schedule.

    “A consistent finding is when the economy gets a little worse, when the unemployment rate rises, you get an increase in enlistments in the military,” Asch said, adding that recent pay raises probably also played a role.

    Nowadays, Rush is able to command employees with traffic flagging experience, whereas a couple years ago he hired almost everyone who passed a drug test and a flagging certification. Among them is Ieshia Jones, 36, a 15-year flagging veteran who joined Rush’s firm six weeks ago.

    Ieshia Jones, a 15-year flagging veteran who joined Rush’s firm recently. She enjoys her job. “I love it, honestly.”

    “A lot of people just can’t stand being outside in the cold or heat,” Jones said. “I love it, honestly. It makes me feel like I’m a part of something.”

    Rush graduated from Stanford University with an MBA in 2020, purchasing AQC Traffic Control a year later. He’s only able to hire 15% of the workers who apply for flagging jobs these days, and chuckled when told he’s almost as selective as Stanford is in selecting first-year students.

    “I never expected we would be in the position we’re in now,” Rush said.