Between four events this past weekend, including one where Jason Kelce drank beer from a prosthetic leg, Kelce’s Team 62 broke its own fundraising record for the sixth year in a row.
Raising $1.26 million for the Eagles Autism Foundation, the events that were held at Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City on June 24-25 saw another year of huge crowds. This year, efforts stretched beyond the bar, with an online auction, beer bowl, and a family-friendly park takeover complete with an all-abilities sports clinic, and a silent disco.
Since 2021, Team 62 — the name an homage to Jason Kelce’s Eagles jersey number — has expanded from a single celebrity bartending event to a multiday affair that has raised more than $3.69 million for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
“We are beyond thankful for everyone’s support and generosity in setting a Team 62 fundraising record,” Jason and Kylie Kelce said in a statement. “While we are certainly humbled by the overwhelming success this year, it’s not surprising when you’re surrounded by such an incredible group of people.”
The Eagles Autism Foundation was founded in 2019, and has raised over $56 million. The proceeds go toward funding more than 223 research projects and community grants worldwide. The Eagles efforts were recognized Tuesday when ESPN announced that team owner Jeffrey Lurie will be recognized with the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, acknowledging his philanthropy in connection with autism awareness.
Kylie Kelce adds some money to the cash register during the Shore Birds celebrity bartending event in Sea Isle.
The Kelces have taken part in not only the Team 62 event but the annual Eagles Autism Challenge as well.
“Jason and Kylie Kelce have always been incredible ambassadors for the Eagles Autism Foundation,” Ryan Hammond, the foundation’s executive director, said in a statement. “It is their passion, creative vision, and drive that have transformed this annual fundraiser into one of our biggest events.”
The Kelces certainly know how to fundraise with style, recruiting friends in their celebrity network to sling beers and serve gelatin shots. Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean, rugby star Ilona Maher, and more brought multiple fan bases to the Jersey Shore bar.
“The growth of this event all starts with our good friends at the Ocean Drive enthusiastically leaning into this idea of ours back in 2021,” the Kelces said in a statement. “Six years later, we now stand here amazed at what we’ve accomplished for the autism community. A special thank you also goes out to the Eagles organization, the incredible town of Sea Isle City, and most importantly, the best fans in the world for always showing up and supporting such a worthy cause.”
And show up they did, raising $1.26 million in just 36 hours, between tickets, donations, drink sales.
Embattled Washington Township school Superintendent Eric Hibbs has lost another battle with the South Jersey school system to get $27,000 in merit pay.
A motion to award Hibbs the bonus pay for performance failed by a 4-3 vote with two abstentions at a contentious meeting Tuesday night. Five favorable votes are needed for adoption.
This was the third time since August that the nine-member board has not approved the merit pay, likely setting up another legal showdown between Hibbs and the board. He has a pending whistleblower lawsuit against several board members.
The board voted on the request, with little public discussion. Hibbs did not comment at the meeting. He did not respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday.
In order to vote, the board had to invoke a rarely used “doctrine of necessity” because it otherwise would not have a quorum. Six of ninemembers have a conflict of interest with Hibbs, whom they suspended last year until he was reinstated by a judge. The board remains roiled by infighting over its superintendent.
Washington Township School Superintendent Eric Hibbs (middle) listens during a school board meeting Tuesday night.
Here’s what’s to know about the situation:
Why is Hibbs seeking merit pay?
Hibbs initially requested the merit pay last August, five months after he was suspended by the board with pay. He was reinstated in July after a judge found that the board had violated the Open Public Meetings Act when it suspended him.
According to his contract, if he meets goals set by the board, Hibbs is entitled to an annual merit bonus of up to 14.99% of his salary. Hibbs is among the highest-paid school chiefs in South Jersey.
Interim Executive Gloucester County Superintendent Robert Bumpus approved the merit pay, as required by state law. The board must also give its approval to disburse the funds.
Tuesday’s motion also would have allowed Hibbs to carry over up to 20 unused vacation days in addition to receiving a $27,000 bonus.
Hibbs has been superintendent in the Washington Township district since 2023. His contract runs through 2027.
What were the merit goals?
Hibbs’ goals, approved by a previous board, include completing Google training presentations, taking online professional development courses, and beefing up security processes.
He received $25,000 in merit pay for similar goals for the 2023-24 school year, according to district records obtained by The Inquirer under N.J.’s Open Public Records Act.
The merit pay has been an ongoing issue between Hibbs and the board and has escalated since last year. The dispute has raised questions about his fate when his contract expires. The board must notify Hibbs by December if his contract will not be renewed; otherwise, the contract automatically renews for four years.
Why was the doctrine of necessity necessary?
Six board members were deemed ineligible to discuss Hibbs’ employment because of conflicts, board solicitor Nicholas J. Repici said. They either have family members who work for the district or are named defendants in Hibbs’ lawsuit against the district, he said.
The doctrine of necessityallowed the conflicted board members to participate in the vote. But they were barred from any deliberations in executive session or public discussions.
Board vice president Terri Schechter chaired a special committee of the board members without conflicts that discussed the Hibbs matter. She brought forward the motion to approve the merit pay.
“Any discussion?” Schechter asked.
“We’re not allowed,” board member Julie Kozempel said. She abstained along with board President Pat Blome.
A petition launched by a parent called for the board to invoke the doctrine and vote on Hibbs’ contract renewal. It asked those who “agree that the district needs a clean break and less expensive contract for its superintendent” to consider signing the petition, which a community member spoke about at the board meeting Tuesday night.
What is the dispute between Hibbs and the board?
A complaint filed by local union leaders against Hibbs with the New Jersey School Ethics Commission alleged that the superintendentprovided preferential treatment to a board member’s relative by changing a failing grade in September 2023.
The board suspended Hibbs and hired a conflict lawyer to investigate the allegations. Hibbs was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing.
In his own ethics complaint, Hibbs accused Kozempel and board member Elayne Clancy of not following procedures when the board hired Insurance Consulting Services LLC in 2021, prior to his tenure as superintendent.
His employment has remained a point of contention among school board members.
Here are other takeaways from Tuesday’s meeting
During public comment Tuesday, there were alsoemotional appeals to the board to reinstate three guidance counselor positions that were cut to help balance the budget for the 2026-27 school year.
Several school nurses and a student also expressed concern that the district has reduced the workday for several nursing assistants in cost-saving moves. They cited health and equity concerns.
Board members were surprised to learn that first-levelFrench and German classes were being cut at the high school due to the budget. They were told that the classes would resume next year.
Hibbs said the district, which enrolls about 7,200 students, faced a $10 million deficit for the upcoming school year. More cuts are likely in future years without additional revenue, he said.
“This is the reality of where we are,” Hibbs said. “We have no other place to go.”
A teen wanted in the shooting death of Penn State student William “Billy” Schmidt in South Philadelphia last month was apprehended in Colorado, the U.S. Marshals Service said Wednesday night.
Azzubair Outen-Fleming, 16, was taken into custody in Colorado Springs at the home of a distant relative, the U.S. Marshals Service said. The teen was being housed at the Zebulon Pike Youth Center awaiting extradition to Philadelphia.
Earlier on Wednesday, District Attorney Larry Krasner announced the arrest of Outen-Fleming’s stepfather for allegedly hindering the police investigation into the slaying of Schmidt.
Donte Abdulmalik, 35, was charged with hindering apprehension, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence, and related crimes, Krasner said Wednesday.
Prosecutors said Abulmalik helped his stepson leave the city. He is not accused of participating in the homicide.
The teens will face charges of murder, robbery, criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of a firearm, and related offenses, Krasner said.
He suggested that the investigation could involve others, describing the charges against the two teenagers and Abdulmalik as “a smaller part of a bigger picture.”
“I am not telling you that these are the only people involved,” Krasner said during a news conference Wednesday. “I’m not telling you that this investigation is over or that we have all the answers yet.”
Philadelphia police have said Schmidt was walking home when two masked people approached him. During what investigators say was an attempted robbery, one of the suspects — whom Krasner identified as Smith — shot Schmidt.
Surveillance camera footage shows that one suspect took Schmidt’s phone, prosecutors said Wednesday, then rifled through his pockets before knocking him to the ground.
Additional footage later shows Schmidt walking behind the suspects, before one throws a phone down the block and the other fires a bullet into Schmidt’s chest.
Krasner declined to say whether the gun used to kill Schmidt had been recovered.
Investigators say surveillance cameras captured the suspects before and after the shooting. One was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with a hand-drawn “KONFUSED” logo and a skull-and-crossbones sketched in black marker on the front, according to the footage. After the shooting, police said, both suspects fled wearing white T-shirts.
Philadelphia police and the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force are searching for the remaining teenager. Both agencies have offered rewards for information leading to the arrests of both teens. Krasner said Smith has ties to Philadelphia’s Point Breeze neighborhood and Delaware.
Anyone with information may contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-866-865-8477 or submit a tip online through its website: usmarshals.gov. Tips can also be provided to Philadelphia police at 215-686-3334 or 215-686-8477.
Long rumored to be a target of the Flyers for the fourth line, Noel Acciari is heading to Philly after signing a two-year deal that carries a $2.8 million average annual value. His arrival comes less than a week after the Flyers traded fourth-line winger and fellow veteran agitator Garnet Hathaway to Florida.
“Checks a lot of boxes,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said Wednesday. “The experience, playoff experience, the hardness, the fourth-line role, face-offs, the leadership. So, we just felt it was a good mix for where we are now and what we needed. We talked about [our] younger lineup — we realized that — and we felt it was a good fit, and he’s the guy we targeted.”
Acciari, 34, had 13 goals, 25 points, and an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Noel Acciari (center) had 13 goals, 25 points, and an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
During the regular season, Acciari was part of a melee with Trevor Zegras that saw both players tossed after Acciari wasn’t too happy with the Flyers forward knocking off his helmet. He had one assist in six playoff games against the Flyers, winning 61% of his faceoffs in the series.
“He’s going to hopefully bring some offense as well. What he did now in the playoffs with our stingy defense, he wasn’t able to do much, but we respect that,” Brière said with a grin. “Now, the way he played, though, in the playoffs, he was hard to face. Our guys did not like playing against him, completely dominated us in the face-off circle, and we thought that he would be a player that could really help us.”
A natural center — and a right-shot, which makes him the only one on the NHL roster — Acciari also has played a lot of wing, including in Pittsburgh, where he combined with Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte to make up one of the league’s top fourth lines.
Known primarily for his faceoff prowess, agitation abilities, and penalty killing, Acciari has also quietly registered four double-digit goal seasons with bottom-of-the-lineup deployment, including a 20-goal campaign in 2019-20 with the Panthers. Last season, Acciari won 52% of his faceoffs (53.5% since 2022-23) and ranked 11th among all NHL forwards in average shorthanded ice time per game at 2 minutes, 35 seconds.
“It’s options that are good to have,” Brière said. “He can play center [but] the most important piece for us when we targeted him was what he can bring taking face-offs on the right side. … We were looking for a right-shot center, also a guy that brings us a little hardness, a guy that can be versatile as he is, and a little offense.”
In 585 career games with the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Penguins, Acciari has amassed 81 goals and 144 points. He was a teammate of Owen Tippett’s in Florida and worked with Todd Reirden in Pittsburgh for one season. He and Dan Vladař also briefly overlapped in the Boston organization. In 2019, he was a valuable contributor for a Bruins team that came up one game short of winning the Stanley Cup.
Acciari was a major target as he fit specific needs with the Flyers wanting to see their young players grow and develop their games this upcoming season.
“Our young guys have shown a lot of promise last year, the way they battled in the playoffs. I think they deserve the first look, and it’s part of the reason why we didn’t feel like we had to dive in, other than that specific need with Acciari,” Brière said. “Didn’t feel like we need to go out and blow our brains out on crazy contracts on the outside. … If they can’t do it, then we’ll readjust along the way.”
Flyers add organizational depth
The Flyers also added depth to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, signing forwards Zach Aston-Reese, Danila Klimovich, and Jack Studnicka, and defenseman Cam Dineen, who is a native of Toms River, Ocean County. It comes as the Phantoms get retooled with several players either not brought back as unrestricted free agents or not given qualifying offers.
“Give them a little spunk,” Brière said about the new additions. “Also, two things there: first, it’s a little depth for us. You’re going to run into some injuries along the way, so you want guys that could help you if you need [it].
“Change a little bit of the vibes too down in Lehigh and protect some of our young players that are turning pro [like Oliver] Bonk, who was there last year but the Bonk, the [Spencer] Gill on defense, [Jett] Luchanko, [Cole] Knuble up front. Try to protect them too, and give them some players that have some experience at the pro level to hopefully give them a chance to get on to building some confidence, because eventually we hope to see some of the young guys step up and play here.”
Aston-Reese’s deal is a two-year deal with an AAV of $875,000. Klimovich has signed a one-year, two-way contract with, according to a league source, a cap hit of $850,000 in the NHL.
A league source has also confirmed that Dineen’s two-year, two-way deal is for $850,000 in the NHL, the league’s minimum. Studnicka is signed to a two-year, two-way deal.
The Flyers added Zach Aston-Reese in an organizational depth move on Wednesday.
Aston-Reese, who is best known for his time with the Penguins and can play center or wing, has compiled 49 goals and 102 points in 416 career NHL games. The 31-year-old from Staten Island, N.Y., split last season between the Columbus Blue Jackets and their AHL team in Cleveland, tallying five points in 27 NHL games and another 16 points in 27 AHL contests. He will be expected to compete for an NHL spot in training camp, but he seems more likely to be ticketed for the AHL.
He has some ties to the Flyers organization. In Pittsburgh, he worked with Mark Recchi, a senior adviser who was an assistant coach, and Reirden, and played with Garrett Wilson, the Phantoms captain, in the NHL and AHL. Aston-Reese was a teammate of Acciari and new backup goalie, Joseph Woll, in Toronto. He also worked with Flyers assistant coach Jay Varady in the Detroit Red Wings organization and played with David Jiříček in the Columbus’ system.
Drafted in the second round by the Vancouver Canucks in 2021, Klimovich has spent the past five seasons playing for Abbotsford of the AHL. Last year, the 6-foot-2, 202-pound right winger had 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 63 regular-season games and was a member of the 2025 Calder Cup championship team, scoring four goals in 16 playoff games.
Klimovich, 23, was a teammate of goalie Aleksei Kolosov with Belarus at the 2021 IIHF men’s World Championships and overlapped with Rick Tocchet and Yogi Svejkovský’s time in the Canucks organization.
The talented Studnicka, 27, has never seemed to stick in the NHL. Across 126 NHL games in six seasons, the right-shot center has six goals and 16 points, but in the AHL, he has 69 goals and 192 points in 266 games.
He is coming off a season where he had 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 41 games for Charlotte of the AHL and played in 19 games, but did not get on the scoresheet for the Florida Panthers. His best pro season was 23 goals and 49 points in 60 games with the Providence Bruins in 2019-20, when he was a teammate of Flyers goalie Dan Vladař. Studnicka’s other Flyers ties are with Tocchet, Svejkovský, and Klimovich in Vancouver and Tippett at the 2019 World Juniors for Canada.
Dineen, 28, is a local kid who has played 38 NHL games, notching seven assists, between the Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers. In 383 AHL games, he has 37 goals and 191 points, including 10 power-play goals. This past season, he had 21 points in 40 games for Bakersfield, the Oilers’ farm team, and two years ago he had his best season with 43 points in 59 games.
In his final year of juniors, he was traded to Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League, where former Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher was the head coach. Drafted by Arizona in the third round of the 2016 draft, he played three seasons for Varady with Tucson of the AHL.
Breakaways
The Flyers announced that Carl Grundström re-signed for one-year at $1 million. … Former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson signed with the Ottawa Senators for two years with an AAV of $2.2 million; forward Bobby Brink signed with the Minnesota Wild for one year at $2.75 million; and defenseman Noah Juulsen signed with the Colorado Avalanche for two years with an AAV of $1.1 million. … Ex-Phantoms defenseman Christian Kyrou and forward Philip Tomasino signed with the Senators. … Ex-Flyers Scott Laughton (Los Angeles Kings) and Andrei Kuzmenko (Pittsburgh Penguins) also signed new deals. … Overnight, the Flyers lost out on defenseman John Carlson, who inked with the Tampa Bay Lightning for two years at an AAV of $8.5 million. … Flyers defenseman Adam Ginning signed with Vegas. … Former Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov returned to the Kontinental Hockey League, signing a two-year deal with Spartak Moskva.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s reported income soared to more than $2.2 billion in 2025, as the president took in more than $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency, digital tokens and related partnerships, according to his latest financial disclosure forms.
The 927 pages of disclosuresindicated that Trump’s income substantially increased after he reentered the White House last year.
Overall, Trump reported assets worth at least $2.4 billion and income of more than $2.2 billion. His assets are almost certainly worth more, since the federal disclosure forms require only that asset values be reported in ranges that top out at “over $50 million,” which leaves the full value of the president’s holdings unclear.
In his 2024 financial disclosure, filed a year ago, Trump reported assets worth more than $1.6 billion and income of over $600 million.
In addition to income from crypto ventures, Trump reported over $620 million in real estate, hotel and golf-related income.
The president also reported receiving $86.5 million from settlements in five separate lawsuits against ABC, CBS, YouTube, Meta, and the social media platform X.
The 2025 disclosure, released Tuesday, includes $635 million in royalties from a license agreement with Celebration Coins; at least $525 million in proceeds from token sales by World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency project founded by Trump and his sons; $65 million in proceeds from World Liberty Financial’s equity sale; and $196 million in net proceeds from a stablecoin transaction.
Trump also saw increased income from his golf clubs and resorts. He reported $121 million from Trump National Doral in 2025, up from $110 million a year earlier, and $77 million from Mar-a-Lago, up from $56 million.
In response to a request for comment about Trump’s significant increase in income from crypto and similar ventures, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that Trump had “proudly made the United States the crypto capital of the world through executive actions, supporting legislation like the GENIUS Act, and other commonsense policies to drive innovation and economic opportunity for all Americans.”
“Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged — or will ever engage — in conflicts of interest,” Kelly continued, saying any suggestion otherwise is a “tired, false narrative.”
Trump’s disclosures are in stark contrast to Vice President JD Vance’s filing, which came in at 17 pages. Vance, however, also saw a boost in at least one category of income: royalties for his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, released in 2016.
Vance reported earning $50,000 to $100,000 from the book in 2024. Last year, that range shot up to $1 million to $5 million, he disclosed.
This month Vance published a second book, Communion, which he has promoted on an extensive media tour over the last two weeks.
SEPTA restored Regional Rail service at 3 p.m. Wednesday after major disruptions caused by the midnight derailment of a Manayunk/Norristown train in North Philadelphia.
Residual delays were expected as the system recovered.
No injuries were reported when the outbound train went off the rails at the 16th Street Interlocking shortly after midnight, according to SEPTA.
The incident is under investigation. Crews repaired track damaged in the incident, transit agency spokesperson Andrew Busch said.
Three suspended lines reopened: Manayunk/Norristown, with 7,779 average daily riders; Fox Chase (2,473 riders) and Chestnut Hill East (3,042 riders).
On other lines where service was reduced, trains resumed serving all stations, Busch said.
The accident
The four-car train was traveling less than 15 mph and carrying 47 passengers and three crew members when the rear axle of the third car derailedjust after midnight. Busch said the people aboard declined medical treatment.
A nearby train brought the passengers to Wayne Junction Station. A shuttle bus pulled out shortly after 1 a.m. and completed the rest of the stops along the Manayunk/Norristown line, Busch said.
SEPTA crews got the train back on the track and moved around 7 a.m.
Rail workers also were checking the components of the interlocking, a linked system of signals and switches that allows trains to move from one set of rails to another at a junction.
Given that the derailment happened in the overnight hours, officials so far do not think that heat was a factor, Busch said. Extreme heat can warp railroad tracks.
Kelly Oubre Jr. will not return to the 76ers, instead agreeing to a two-year contract worth “nearly” $17 million with the Indiana Pacers, ESPN reported Wednesday afternoon.
Oubre’s departure became more plausible when the Sixers agreed to sign forward Dean Wade, who now is projected to slide into a starting spot, to a four-year, $39 million contract late Tuesday, The Inquirer confirmed.
Oubre rebuilt his NBA career in three seasons with the Sixers, and now joins a Pacers team that made the 2025 NBA Finals and is expected to return to contention when All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton recovers from a torn Achilles tendon.
The 30-year-old Oubre was a starter who impacted both ends of the floor for the Sixers, averaging 14.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 50 games in 2025-26. The 6-foot-8 wing used his athleticism in a more controlled way on offense, shot a career-best 36% from three-point range last season, and was willing to take on challenging perimeter defensive assignments.
Oubre signing with Indiana occurred after he also reportedly planned to meet with at least the Sixers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers. The Sixers had Oubre’s full Bird rights, which permit teams to re-sign their own free agents even if they are over the salary cap. Oubre’s new contract with Indiana is only a slight raise on the $8.3 million he made last season, suggesting the Sixers could instead complete their offseason by signing a player to a veteran’s minimum deal to stay under the luxury tax ($201 million).
Though Oubre said “I love it here” in Philly during his end-of-season news conference last month, his length, athleticism, and positional archetype are typically valued leaguewide. Oubre also said he hopes he “did myself a good service” by putting a concerted effort into a more efficient playing style.
Former Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr., is reportedly leaving Philly to join the Indiana Pacers.
“I learned so much,” Oubre said of his time with the Sixers. “The game of basketball has reinvented itself to me through different lenses and different eyes throughout my tenure here, and I’m forever appreciative for the opportunity to play for this city.
“Obviously I don’t like how [the season] ended. I always say I like to finish what I start, and this is a bit sour for me. But at the end of the day, it’s already written.”
Yet the veteran entering his 12th NBA season also has previous experience with the harsh realities of free agency. Oubre reminded during his end-of-season news conference that, after averaging 20.3 points per game with the Charlotte Hornets in 2022-23, he “still found myself barely getting any contracts” until the Sixers signed him to a veteran’s minimum deal that September.
Oubre’s departure comes after the Sixers also lost sixth man Quentin Grimes, who reportedly agreed to a four-year, $60 million deal with the Lakers Wednesday afternoon. Backup center Andre Drummond, reserve forward Trendon Watford, and veteran guard Kyle Lowry (who is expected to retire) are the Sixers’ other unrestricted free agents and remain uncommitted to returning to Philly or signing with a new team.
During free agency’s first 24 hours, the Sixers also agreed to add reserve center Ariel Hukporti on a one year, $3.4 million deal. They also picked up the team options for Dominick Barlow ($3.4 million) and Dalen Terry ($2.6 million, nonguaranteed until Jan. 10).
Hukporti’s and Wade’s salaries came out of the nontaxpayer midlevel exception, leaving the Sixers with $2.6 million remaining from that to sign an outside player. They also still have the $5.5 million biannual exception.
Dean Wade (right) is expected to slide in the starting role vacated by Kelly Oubre Jr.’s departure.
The Sixers entered free agency with limited financial flexibility, with All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey ($40.8 million), former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid ($57.7 million), and former perennial All-Star Paul George ($54.1 million) all on max contracts that account for the bulk of the salary cap of nearly $165 million. Using the nontaxpayer midlevel exception on Wade hard-capped the Sixers at the first apron ($209 million).
The Sixers finished last season seventh in the Eastern Conference standings (45-37) and, after their stunning rally from down three games to one to upset the Boston Celtics in the playoffs’ first round, were swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.
TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday pardoned 28 political prisoners, the latest of his efforts to improve relations with the West.
Lukashenko’s decree marking the country’s Independence Day celebrated Friday announced that 28 convicts serving prison terms for “extremist crimes,” a term used by the authorities’ in their sweeping crackdown on dissent, were pardoned on “humanitarian” grounds.
More than 800 political prisoners remain jailed in the country, according to a rights organization in Belarus.
Lukashenko has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist for more than three decades, and the country has been sanctioned repeatedly by Western countries — both for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Russia to use its territory in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Lukashenko’s rule was challenged after a 2020 presidential election, when hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to protest a vote they viewed as rigged. In an ensuing crackdown, tens of thousands were detained, with many beaten by police. Prominent opposition figures fled the country or were imprisoned.
Five years after the mass demonstrations, Lukashenko won a seventh term last year in an election that the opposition called a farce.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, Lukashenko has released hundreds of political prisoners in a series of U.S.-mediated deals that also lifted some U.S. sanctions.
As part of a deal in March that Washington helped broker, Lukashenko ordered the release of 250 political prisoners, while the U.S. agreed to lift sanctions from two Belarusian state banks and the country’s Finance Ministry, and to remove the top Belarusian potash producers from a sanctions list.
Belarus still has 864 political prisoners, including 21 journalists, according to the Viasna human rights center in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
In a report released earlier this week, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, warned that despite the release of several hundred political prisoners over the past year, there has been no overall improvement in the human rights situation in the country.
“Sustainable progress requires an end to politically motivated repression and accountability for past violations,” he said.
Belarus opposition leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told the Associated Press that although the release of 28 political prisoners will bring relief to their relatives, “we mustn’t forget that hundreds of political prisoners remain in Belarusian jails, and all of them must be released.”
This is the America’s 250th birthday and July 4 edition of This Week in Philly Music. Free music is all around, starting with The Roots, Jill Scott, Meek Mill, Will Smith, Jazzy Jeff, and more on the Ben Franklin Parkway. And tours featuring Molly Tuttle and Daniel Donato, Paul Simon, and Sarah McLachlan, and Allison Russell are also coming through town.
Thursday, July 2
Molly Tuttle & Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
Two terrific country-flavored guitarists and bandleaders team up on the co-headlining bill. Guitarist and banjo picker Tuttle is touring behind her fifth album, So Long Little Miss Sunshine, which leans into country-pop and rock without leaving bluegrass behind. The 12-song set, largely cowritten with fiancé Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, includes a cover of Icona Pop’s ”I Love It.”
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country plays Heuser Park in King of Prussia on Thursday with Molly Tuttle on a co-headlining tour.
Donato is an electric guitar hero who was born in Atlantic City and moved to Nashville when he was 7. The author of The New Master of the Telecaster: Pathways to Dynamic Solos combines an affection for honky-tonk with Grateful Dead expansiveness. 6 p.m. Heuser Park, 694 West Beidler Road, King of Prussia, risingsunpresents.com/heuser-park/
Salute to Service with Queen Latifah
This free show has been pushed back to an 8 p.m. start to lessen the effects of the extreme heat. Along with rapper, actor, and singer Queen Latifah, it features the United States Army Field Band and Soldiers Chorus and Miss America 2026 Cassie Donegan.
Queen Latifah introduces a performance from “Chicago” during the 79th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
The Bug Club
Welsh indie pop duo the Bug Club consists of songwriter Sam Willmet and Tilly Harris. They’ve released three albums on Seattle’s Sub-Pop label since 2024, and the most recent, Every Single Muscle, overflows with infectious energy and Welsh pride. Columbus, Ohio, family band Golomb, which records for Philly label No Quarter, opens. 8 p.m., Ukie Club, 847 N. Franklin St., 43333collective.com
Pissed Jeans
Allentown-born and Philly-based hard core punk band Pissed Jeans has been raising a ruckus for two decades, reaching back to the band’s 2005 debut, Shallow, through 2024’s raging Half-Divorced. The Matt Korvette-fronted band is playing a free show by the Delaware River waterfront. 6 p.m., Spruce Street Harbor Park, 301 S. Columbus Blvd., 4333Collective.com
Ursula Rucker will perform as part of the Red, White, & Blue To-Do.
Red, White, & Blue To-Do
When the Continental Congress announced its independence from Britain on July 2, 1776, John Adams predicted that would be the day that future Americans would celebrate “with pomp and parade.” The Red, White and Blue To-Do will make good on that prediction with free events all throughout the historic district.
The musical component is wide ranging and meant to reflect a multicultural American mosaic. Puerto Rican Bomba band Los Bomberos de la Calle and a Balkan brass outfit play the National Constitution Center. Americana folk singer-songwriter Sug Daniels will sing in Elfreth’s Alley. Rob Curto’s Brazilian band Forró for All will perform at the Weitzman Museum of National Jewish History, and hip-hop poet Ursula Rucker will be joined by Miles Orion at Arch Street Meeting House. Times vary, Philadelphia Historic District, visitphilly.com
Friday, July 3
Pop on Independence with Idina Menzel
The Broadway star of Rent, Wicked, Frozen, If/Then, and last year’s Redwood will sing with the Philly Pops in a rare (for her) orchestral concert. “It’s the most glorious experience, just standing up there in front of 80-some musicians and performing with them,” she told my colleague Rosa Cartagena. “There’s nothing like it.” This concert has also been pushed back to a later start due to the heat. 8 p.m., Independence Mall, 615 Chestnut St., july4thphilly.com
Christina Aguilera will headline the One Philly: Unity Concert for America, with Jill Scott, The Roots, Seal, Will Smith & Jazzy Jeff, and more.
Saturday, July 4
One Philly: Unity Concert for America
With France vs. Paraguay in the World Cup in South Philly and this seven-hour free show on the Ben Franklin Parkway, July 4 is an unprecedented day in Philadelphia for outsized events.
The headliner of the One Philly concert — this year produced by Philly’s ESM Productions, rather than Wawa Welcome America — is not from Philly. It’s Christina Aguilera. The Pittsburgher and former teen star is an intriguing Independence Day headliner at a time when American identity is being contested. She’s the daughter of an Ecuadorian immigrant father and has released two Spanish-language albums, including 2022’s Aguilera.
British singer Seal and rising New York family band Infinity Song are the other nonlocal acts. Other than that, it’s all Philly.
The rest — Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, Meek Mill, Beanie Sigel, and the State Property crew and Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge — will be backed by The Roots, whose drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, is credited as an executive producer of the event. Wanda Sykes hosts, and Gillie Da King & Wallo 267 will be on hand. Special guests are expected and fireworks go off around midnight. Free, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, july4philly.com
Freedom Festival with the Commodores
The Camden alternative to Philly’s 250th birthday celebration is a more low-key affair with the Commodores, the 1970s funk-soul and easy listening band once led by Lionel Richie, who’s been gone since 1982 (though he will be playing Xfinity Mobile Arena on July 16 with Earth, Wind & Fire). Cofounder William “WAK” King still leads the band, and he will funk it up with “Machine Gun” and “Brock House” before the fireworks go off. 6:30 p.m., Wiggins Waterfront Park, 2 Riverside Drive, Camden, america250.org
Paul Simon performs during “A Quiet Celebration” shows at the Academy of Music in June 2025.
Sunday, July 5
Paul Simon
Paul Simon had planned to play three shows on his “A Quiet Celebration” tour at the Academy of Music last year, but the last two were canceled due to his bad back. Now, he’ll return and once again begin with his 33-minute-long 2023 album Seven Psalms in its entirety, followed by a lengthy greatest hit and deep cuts set. 8 p.m., TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann, 52nd and Parkside Ave., highmarkmann.org
Jason Newsted & the Chophouse
Jason Newsted spent 15 years in Metallica, playing bass in the biggest metal band in the world from 1986 to 2001. He’s on his first-ever tour with the Chophouse Band, with whom he promises to weave rock, country, and bluegrass with metal. 7:30 p.m., 118 North, 118 N. Wayne Ave, Wayne, 118NorthWayne.com
Allison Russell opens for Sarah McLachlan at the Highmark Mann on Tuesday.
Tuesday, July 7
Sarah McLachlan & Allison Russell
Lilith Fair founder and “Building A Mystery” hitmaker McLachlan returned with Better Broken, her first album in nine years, in 2025. She’s joined by Russell, the Montreal-raised songwriter who raised her profile with 2020’s stunning Outside Child, and is a member of the Our Native Daughters supergroup. Russell’s third album, In the Hour of Chaos, which features guests including Norah Jones, Brittney Spencer, and Delco’s Devon Gilfillian, is due July 10. 8 p.m., TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann, 52nd and Parkside Ave., highmarkmann.org
Madison Beer
Madison Beer first gained notice at the age of 13 in 2012, when Justin Bieber posted a link to her cover of Etta James’ “At Last.” The pop singer is enjoying her biggest success with singles like “Yes Baby” and “Bittersweet” from her new Locket. Thuy and Lulu Simon open. 7:30 p.m., Met Philly, 858 N. Broad St., themetphilly.com
Sarah McLachlan poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Matt Licari/Invision/AP)
A long-empty retail space in Havertown is set to become a Sprouts Farmers Market.
The organic grocery chain has signed a lease for a 29,500-square-foot store in the Llanerch Shopping Center on the 400 block of West Chester Pike, according to Fred Snow, president of Brandolini Cos., which owns the complex.
David McGlinchey, chief development officer of Sprouts, confirmed in a statement that the chain signed a lease at the site and is planning for an early 2027 opening.
Sprouts is taking over a parcel that Amazon Fresh had rented for the past six years but never opened as a grocery store, Snow said. In February, the tech conglomerate abruptly closed all its physical Amazon Fresh locations, providing an opportunity for the landlord to terminate its lease in Havertown, Snow said.
“It’s never really been vacant very long, but it’s looked vacant,” Snow said of the space, which was previously occupied by an LA Fitness that relocated before the pandemic.
Once the property became available earlier this year, Snow said, Sprouts was “very aggressive,” and showed great interest in moving into such a densely populated, well-to-do area of Delaware County.
In 10 square miles, Haverford Township has nearly 51,000 residents, with a median household income of more than $130,000, according to U.S. Census data. The township is surrounded by other populous, affluent suburbs, including Lower Merion and Radnor.
The Havertown store is primed to be Sprouts’ first location in Philadelphia’s Western suburbs.
A view inside the Sprouts in South Philadelphia, as seen in 2018.
“We’re just excited that they are going to provide offerings that aren’t in the area right now,” Snow said.
Sprouts markets sell organic, gluten-free, and plant-based products, including private-label items, as well as vitamins, supplements, natural toiletries, and bulk nuts, coffee, and baking ingredients.
Sprouts now operates two Montgomery County stores in Upper Dublin and Montgomeryville; three South Jersey outposts in Haddon Township, Marlton, and West Deptford; and four city locations, including Roosevelt Mall in the Northeast and the new Rivermark complex in Northern Liberties.
Sprouts has more local spots in the works, too, with stores under construction in Limerick and Washington Township.
The extensive supplement section at Sprouts in South Philadelphia, as seen in 2018
Sprouts plans to open at least 40 stores by the end of 2026, for a total of more than 500 markets nationwide, according to the report.
“We’re seeing a great reaction as we enter new communities,” CEO Jack Sinclair said on the recent earnings call. “We’re sharpening site selection as we scale, expanding access to healthy foods.”
Yet some stores have struggled. After the Amazon Fresh shutdown in February, Grocery Outlet bargain market closed dozens of stores, including eight in the Philadelphia area.
Sprouts executives said on the earnings call that they’re aware of customers’ financial pressures and are taking steps to make their products more affordable. They mentioned store promotions like $5 Sushi Wednesday, and said they recently reduced prices on some basics like coffee, which has become exorbitantly expensive amidextreme weather andglobal conflict.
“We take the responsibility for affordability really seriously,” Sinclair said. “There’s a real opportunity for us to help people live and eat better.”
