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  • 🍩 Is waiting in line the point? | Down the Shore

    🍩 Is waiting in line the point? | Down the Shore

    Here we are, Fourth of July in the rearview mirror. Hang on, make those beach plans because it’ll be Labor Day before you know it.

    It was a long holiday weekend that had towns and beaches bursting at the seams (also my house, with guests). But the heat that descended on Philly — and the towns just over the bridge from the Shore — never made it to the beach.

    Nights cooled off for fireworks, and the daytime breezes stayed blissfully cool off the ocean. Sorry if you missed it, but the Shore was mostly just lovely.

    Which I guess made those ridiculous lines you all waited in — for coffee, for doughnuts, for subs, for ice cream — a bit more bearable?

    What is it about being on vacation that makes it tolerable to wait an hour for coffee in Ventnor, for doughnuts in Margate, for ice cream in Stone Harbor?

    We asked our ever-ready group of Shore Line texters (sign up here) about these wild waits, and while some swore they’d never partake, or only go on off-hours, or find a way to circumvent, others made the case that those lines have actually become a sentimental, even enjoyable, part of their Shore journey. Here’s a sampling:

    I’ll wait in a longer line down the shore. It’s tradition and fun to meet people in line.

    It is akin to vacation time. No schedule; fun time. You just want go enjoy and socialize. Standing in line is a part of that experience and considered acceptable for that reason.

    Only for Springer’s Ice Cream or The Lobster House. Hanging out on the wharf waiting for The Lobster House is as much fun as eating at The Lobster House!

    Welcome to summers at the shore. The one thing you can count on is lines at the ice cream establishments. I often kid that, at a certain time on the weekends, an imaginary bell goes off and people rush out to get ice cream. No way around it.

    Standing in line for ice cream is a social event as well as eating the ice cream. Also, the ice cream is usually special.

    There’s just certain things we have to have for tradition’s sake and willing to wait 1-2 times a year.

    OK, if you all say so! Glad you’re enjoying the lines, and so no need for me to share my avoid-the-line secrets!

    📼 What are some essential Shore traditions you have to do no matter how long the wait? What memories or moments stick with you over the years of coming down the Shore? Keep scrolling for one of my essential Shore memories below, recreated this weekend for a new generation. Plus, send me yours here for a chance to be featured in this newsletter!

    Have ideas or news tips about the Shore or this newsletter? Send them to me here.

    ⛅ After a couple of rainy days, some beautiful weather appears to be on the way.

    — Amy S. Rosenberg (Follow me at @amysrosenberg, đŸ“· on Instagram at @amysrosenberg. 📧 Email me here.)

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Shore talk

    🧓 Atlantic County has joined Cape May County in having more people over 65 than under 18, new census figures show.

    🔉Somers Point Council tabled a proposed ordinance that would have allowed outdoor music past 11 p.m.

    🏄 The coolest people went surfing under the fireworks.

    đŸ“± His dream Shore house popped up on his phone while eating at a Wildwood tavern.

    🏀 Knicks coach Rick Brunson brought the Larry O’Brien championship trophy around to some Margate hot spots, including Tideline and Betty’s.

    🎡 Eustace Mita tells the Cape May County Herald’s Bill Barlow he will be flexible with his hotel plans for Ocean City’s Wonderland Pier site.

    What to eat/What to do

    đŸ· North Wildwood is hosting the annual New Jersey State Barbecue Championship & Angelsea Blues Festival.

    😌 Longport’s new Beach Terrace park with a zen garden is open.

    đŸŽ™ïž The Stylistics will perform in Cape May on Sunday.

    🍮 Craig LaBan has food recs from LBI to Margate. He seemed especially fond of the deep-fried green tomato tots at Ellis’ Chicken & Crab Cakes in Beach Haven and the spicy Oaxacan chorizo meatballs from the newly reopened Iron Room in A.C.

    đŸ§˜đŸœâ€â™€ïžTry free yoga in Atlantic City’s O’Donnell Park.

    đŸŽč Angeloni’s Club Madrid is hosting Sunday piano bar karaoke with Joe McGinty, former keyboardist for the Psychedelic Furs and Atlantic City native.

    🛟 South Jersey lifeguard races have begun! Here’s a schedule.

    đŸ€« Travel and Leisure thinks Stone Harbor is a secret and has some recs.

    Shore snapshot

    Elena D’Angelo and Dre Cook, of the Scranton area, dance during the annual Team 62 fundraising event for the Eagles Autism Foundation at the outdoor Paddy’s Green, in Sea Isle City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

    🧠 Trivia time

    In 2001, this city’s fireworks over the ocean led to a real show: The barge caught fire and burned out of control for hours, forcing the rescue of seven workers and a cascade of exploding shells.

    Was this city:

    A. Ocean City

    B. Atlantic City

    C. Avalon

    D. Seaside Heights

    If you think you know the answer, click on my pal Brendan Shur’s story from the wee hours of July 5 that year to find out (I went home to put my daughter to bed, what can I say).

    Your thoughts on: Wonderland Pier

    Ocean City’s City Council finally made it official: The old Wonderland Pier site was designated as being in need of rehabilitation. Let the negotiations over the hotel begin!

    Here are your thoughts:

    Bruce Sauerwine: It’s time to move on and build a hotel at the site. Mita proposed a nice looking hotel but some people want to live in the past and pretend that an amusement arcade was still a viable option at this time.

    Kerri McGinley Kistler: There is absolutely no need or justification for Mita’s hotel plan. 
 “Hey kids, let’s go see the hotel”- said nobody ever!

    Jeremy Maziarz: It is time for the Wonderland Pier to be re-developed. An amusement park use for this property is no longer a viable option. A mixed-use plan including a luxury hotel may actually be the best use for the site. If the height restrictions are an issue, then start the negotiation process with the developer. If he wants zoning relief, then he should offer up significant concessions to Ocean City to make it a win-win scenario.

    Debbie Federico: We love Playland’s Castaway Cove, but it is now too small to accommodate all of the young children, strollers and families that use it. It would be very beneficial to reopen Wonderland.

    Your Shore memory

    This week’s Shore memory is my own.

    For years, I had a toddler bike seat on an old green bike we’d bought for the boardwalk, and loved riding with one of my daughters on the back. I kept that bike seat on for much longer than they used it, sometimes sticking groceries into it. The rides were so special, so much fun, our way to wave to people we knew, pass the years, that I couldn’t bear to remove it, but finally took it off and stashed it in the basement.

    I kept riding that bike though, a Specialized hybrid which was already used in 1995, and extremely used now, decades of sea air rust swirling through it. But let me tell you, that bike has good bones (better not to try to switch gears).

    This past week, we dusted off the old bike seat, replaced the brake cables on the beloved bike, figured out how to replace the missing straps on the seat, and clipped it right there onto the back of the same green bike. And who wriggled happily into it under his new green toddler helmet, ready to do the obligatory “touch the end” at both the Margate and Atlantic City sides of the Boardwalk but my 2-year-old grandson.

    Send us your Shore memory! In 200 words, tell me how the Shore taps into something deep for you, and we will publish them in this space during the summer.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

  • A ‘weird’ time to buy a home | Real Estate Newsletter

    A ‘weird’ time to buy a home | Real Estate Newsletter

    Michaelle is off this week, so I’m here to talk real estate with you. And we’ve got good stuff to get into this week.

    First up: our weird real estate market. That’s not my word choice. It’s what real estate agents told Michaelle when she asked them how things are going.

    They told her that market has become much less seasonally predictable than it used to be and they shared what it could mean for homebuyers.

    Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:

    — Erica Palan

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    It’s ‘weird’ out there

    The real estate market used to follow typical seasonal patterns: slower in the summer and winter, busier in the spring and fall. The pandemic shook that up a few years ago and according to some agents, it still hasn’t quite come back.

    Weird is the word that two separate real estate agents used to describe the current market. They said Philadelphia homes that sat on the market for months last fall suddenly went under contract in the winter.

    There are several reasons why this is happening. One is the ripple effect of the “golden handcuffs” created by pandemic-era low interest rates that have left some homeowners hesitant get back into the market.

    Michaelle has more on how buyers and sellers are acting right now — and what it could mean if you’re looking for a new home.

    How he bought his house

    Short-term pain, long-term gain? That’s the philosophy that programmer Dylan Foglesong took when it came to purchasing his first home.

    The 28-year-old renter was paying $2,600 a month for his apartment when he decided he wanted to buy. So he moved into a shared house with friends for $600 a month. Before long, he was ready to live alone again — in a home he owned.

    That wouldn’t work for everyone, but Foglesong said it was worth it: “You take that little compromise for a couple of months and all of a sudden you have $11,000 in your bank account.”

    Find out more about his new home and how he financed it in the latest edition of the How I Bought This House series.

    📼 Did you recently buy a home in the Philadelphia area or South Jersey? Share the story of how you did it. Email Inquirer real estate reporters at properties@inquirer.com or just reply to this newsletter.

    The latest news to pay attention to

    Home tour: A gut remodel by the owner

    Everything about Caleb Zimmerman’s story makes me anxious. He bought his home off Craigslist for $82,500 in one day. The place needed a full remodel. And he was planning to do it all himself.

    But he pulled it off — and the results are impressive.

    Zimmerman installed hardwood floors throughout and a custom staircase. He upgraded the bathroom.

    And he added some pizazz: The home’s centerpiece is a trap door that conceals the basement and opens with a pulley system and remote-controlled actuator.

    See more bespoke details in this tour of the Kensington home.

    đŸ“· Photo quiz

    Do you know the location this photo shows?

    📼 If you think you do, email me back.

    Several people guessed the new-again Filbert Street Greyhound Station was last week’s featured image. A good try, but cue the wrong answer buzzer.

    The quiz featured a photo taken at the Olney Transportation Center and reader Chantele A. was the first to correctly get it right.

    đŸ“č On the street

    Point Breeze Church GIF

    The former church at 1800 Tasker St. is on its way to becoming a brewery, an unusual transition for a historic property in Philadelphia. (Though it’s happened before. I love grabbing pizza at the Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh when I visit my Yinzer in-laws.)

    Join the conversation on The Inquirer’s Instagram.

    ―

    A few weeks ago, The Inquirer reported that a South Philly home with an acclaimed Keith Haring mural was available for rent. Now, the mural is up for historic designation, which has some preservationists antsy about the precedent it could set. It’s making me think deep thoughts about what should get protected and why.

    If you have strong feelings, email me at epalan@inquirer.com.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

  • Rothman Orthopaedics is refocused on Philly region, opening three new surgery centers

    Rothman Orthopaedics is refocused on Philly region, opening three new surgery centers

    Rothman Orthopaedics plans to open three new surgery centers over the next year and keep adding doctors in its Philadelphia-area market, as the large physician-owned group refocuses growth efforts on its original territory.

    “Our biggest priority in the near term is strengthening our core business here, in Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey,” Rothman CEO Christian Ellison said. “We’re not gonna ignore opportunities. We’ll be opportunistic around things that make strategic sense.”

    The new approach comes after a now abandoned effort to break into the New York market, first in a partnership with Northwell Health in 2017 and then with NYU Langone Health. That foray ended last year with the sale of Rothman Orthopaedics of Greater New York and its three locations to NYU Langone.

    Rothman has seen more success after following the lure of fast population growth to Florida, where it opened offices in the Orlando area in 2020 in partnership with AdventHealth.

    “Florida has been a big success, because we’ve had the partnership down there with Advent Health that’s been kind of mutually beneficial,” said Ellison, who became Rothman’s CEO last fall.

    The Philadelphia draw

    The practice headquartered in Center City already has 24 locations in the Greater Philadelphia market. That number includes facilities that Rothman operates in partnership with Jefferson Health, Main Line Health, AtlantiCare, and RWJ Barnabas.

    Rothman located its newest office in West Chester, an area where Rothman had little market share, according to Ellison. He also sees opportunity in other parts of the Philadelphia region and contiguous markets.

    To make that growth possible, Rothman is partway through an effort to hire 41 physicians by the end of this year. That represents a 20% increase and will bring Rothman’s total to 214 physicians, the company said.

    The need for ambulatory surgery centers

    Rothman is a partner in nine surgery centers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and two surgical hospitals (Rothman Orthopaedic Specialty Hospital in Benslam and Physicians Care Surgical Hospital in Limerick).

    Those outpatient facilities account for nearly two-thirds of Rothman’s surgeries. Even the surgical hospitals function primarily as ambulatory centers, Ellison said. The remaining third of surgeries takes place in acute-care hospitals.

    “We are challenged for operating room capacity right now, both in the acute care hospitals, as well as in our ASCs, and so we feel like we need to bring more operating rooms online,” Ellison said.

    What’s more, Medicare and private insurers want more procedures done in lower-cost surgery centers. In the future, insurers will pay the same price for an outpatient knee replacement whether its done in a hospital of freestanding surgery center, Ellison predicted.

    Rothman hasn’t finalized locations for the new surgery centers, but Ellison said he expects two to be in Southeastern Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey. The centers will likely be in areas where Rothman has an established patient base.

    The physician group prefers to open the new centers independently, as opposed to going through partnerships like it has historically. “We think we’re uniquely positioned to manage that patient experience in the surgical environment,” Ellison said.

  • Tom Kean Jr. did the right thing by stepping away to be treated for depression. Now he owes voters some answers. | Editorial

    Tom Kean Jr. did the right thing by stepping away to be treated for depression. Now he owes voters some answers. | Editorial

    One of the most perplexing sagas in recent political history has ended: U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. has returned to work after being away for almost four months without notice or clear explanation.

    In a June 30 speech on the House floor, the North Jersey Republican revealed he had been in treatment for depression.

    “When people hear the word depression, many think it simply means feeling sad,” Kean said. “But depression is so much more than that. It is physical. It is emotional. Until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be.”

    There is no denying that depression is a serious mental health issue, one that retains a public stigma even as almost 48 million Americans struggle with the disorder. Kean, a self-described “private person by nature,” deserves praise for revealing his diagnosis.

    But private or not, Keane is a public servant who owes voters a fuller explanation. So far, he has declined to answer any further questions.

    At the very least, the congressman’s return put an end to weeks of rampant speculation as to his whereabouts. None of which was helped by a lack of transparency by Kean’s team, which, after stating in April that he was dealing with a “personal health matter,” deflected all questions — sometimes to bizarrely cryptic effect. At one point, a staffer told reporters that “there are no cameras where Tom is.”

    There may have been no cameras, but during his time away, Kean managed to maintain his reelection campaign and appears to have traded stock. He was also getting paid.

    Unlike most Americans, elected officials are not required to show up to get a paycheck. The Constitution does not detail expectations for attendance or penalties for absenteeism. This means that deciding how much time off is appropriate, and why, is left mainly up to the voters.

    Perhaps Kean’s constituents in the 7th Congressional District are satisfied with the explanation for his long absence. While his inability to vote may have hampered his fellow Republicans’ ability to pass legislation, the constituent service functions performed by his office seem to have gone unaffected.

    Still, Kean has yet to make a full public accounting for what happened, which should include answering direct questions. Given his public responsibilities — and that he is up for reelection in November — constituents have a right to understand what happened and what they can expect going forward.

    A few questions Kean should be prepared to address include:

    • What symptoms led him to head to the hospital in the first place?
    • Roughly 25% of Americans with mental illness are not currently receiving care due to costs. Was his treatment covered by his congressional health insurance policy?
    • What guardrails have he and his staff established to ensure he seeks help more quickly in the future?
    • Given the widespread curiosity and speculation around this incident, are there things he would do differently when viewed in hindsight?
    • His diagnosis seems to have changed him. What changes can his constituents now expect to see? In the past, Kean was notorious for dodging interactions with constituents, holding town halls only very infrequently, for example. Will this change?
    • He has voted against federal policies that would expand healthcare coverage. Has his experience changed his perspective?
    • Will he hold a town hall?

    This board sent these queries to the congressman earlier this week. As of Wednesday afternoon, he has yet to answer.

  • OGYU Japanese BBQ & Bar brings grill-it-yourself Wagyu to the former Iron Hill Brewery in Ardmore

    OGYU Japanese BBQ & Bar brings grill-it-yourself Wagyu to the former Iron Hill Brewery in Ardmore

    In building the concept for his newest restaurant, Sam Li flew halfway across the world for a culinary research journey. He traveled across China, Japan, and Korea to study, and sample, the three countries’ ways of doing barbecue. It was at a Japanese yakiniku — or grilled meat — restaurant that he knew he had found his next project.

    Li is the owner of OGYU Japanese BBQ & Bar, an upscale, grill-it-yourself Japanese barbecue restaurant that opened in Ardmore last month. The restaurant offers a tiered, fixed-price menu with a focus on “higher quality premium Wagyu beef.” OGYU is located in the former Iron Hill Brewery at 60 Greenfield Ave., which closed in 2024 before Iron Hill filed for bankruptcy last year.

    Though OGYU has found a home in what was once Iron Hill, Li and his team have transformed the former brewery’s space into a sleek, club-like atmosphere, with black and gold detailing, marble-paneled walls, and an opulent, fully stocked bar.

    OGYU Japanese BBQ restaurant is shown on Tuesday, July, 7, 2026 in Ardmore. The new restaurant by Sam Li offers a modern Japanese steakhouse experience with tabletop cooking, adding to Ardmore’s growing portfolio of restaurants.

    Li grew up in a restaurant family. His grandparents opened Oriental Palace in Lawnside in 1978, and he took over the restaurant from his parents in 2003.

    He now sits at the helm of seven restaurants in the Philly suburbs, including sushi restaurant Osushi, with locations in Marlton, Ardmore, and Wayne; upscale Japanese restaurant Hiramasa in Newtown Square; and fast-casual chain bb.q Chicken, with two locations in South Jersey.

    While Li has built his brand largely around sushi, he said he saw an opportunity in the market when it came to Japanese barbecue. There aren’t many yakiniku restaurants in the region, he said, and it’s a relatively new concept to many of his diners. People tend to be familiar with Korean barbecue, which leans more into marinades and flavors than its Japanese counterpart, which more often lets the meat speak for itself, Li said.

    “We felt that it could be a new concept that we could bring into the U.S, and it’s something new to Ardmore,” Li said.

    Restaurant owner, Sam Li is photographed at OGYU Japanese BBQ restaurant on Tuesday, July, 7, 2026 in Ardmore. His new restaurant offers a modern Japanese steakhouse experience with tabletop cooking, adding to Ardmore’s growing portfolio of restaurants.

    Bringing a new concept to customers has meant lots of education, both for OGYU’s staff and its customers, who need to learn how to operate the tabletop grills and cook pieces of Wagyu to perfection. OGYU is an interactive experience, in addition to a meal, with flashy dry ice presentations and the challenge — and excitement — of grilling your own dinner in the middle of the table.

    OGYU offers an all-you-can-eat, fixed-price menu with four tiers: Silver ($39), Gold ($59), Platinum ($79), and Diamond ($99).

    The main difference in the tiers is the quality of the meat, Li said. The introductory tier is best for diners who “just want to experience and explore what yakiniku is about.” The Diamond tier will be “the ultimate experience.”

    OGYU Japanese BBQ restaurant is shown on Tuesday, July, 7, 2026 in Ardmore. The new restaurant by Sam Li offers a modern Japanese steakhouse experience with tabletop cooking, adding to Ardmore’s growing portfolio of restaurants.

    Beyond what goes on the grill, OGYU offers a menu of Ă  la carte dishes, including spicy kani salad ($9.95), wagyu truffle fried rice ($21.95), wasabi lobster tempura ($19.95), butter cheese corn ($9.95), and various hand rolls and sashimi. Li describes the Ă  la carte menu as inspired by Japanese street food.

    OGYU is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • MLB star thanks FanDuel gambler in video | Morning Newsletter

    Good morning, Philly. Watch out for thunderstorms later today.

    We start with an in-depth look at Eagles fan Terry Thompson, who lost $1.5 million on bets he placed with FanDuel. The company gave him VIP treatment — including a video from the Phillies star first baseman.

    And, the first week of July is typically one of Philly’s most violent. But this year, the Independence weekend was markedly calmer.

    Plus, Temple raises tuition and lays off about 40 employees, and more news of the day.

    — Tommy Rowan (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Bryce Harper’s message

    As the 2020 NFL season kicked off, Terry Thompson picked up his phone and placed a wager with FanDuel Sportsbook on his favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles.

    It was his first time gambling through an app, and he soon started placing microbets. He grew addicted to the effortless, rapid-fire action. Thompson would ultimately wager $18.5 million with FanDuel, earning him VIP status with the company.

    That meant exclusive perks, from champagne to Super Bowl tickets, which made him feel important and enticed him to continue gambling. By late November 2024, Thompson had incurred steep losses and resorted to desperate measures to fund his addiction.

    Then, one afternoon, he flicked open his phone and received a FanDuel reward that momentarily distracted him from his debts: a personalized video message from Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper.

    David Gambacorta’s full report is a must-read.

    A less-violent July

    The first week of July has typically been one of Philadelphia’s most violent.

    In recent years, Independence Day weekends have been marked by bursts of violence that left a dozen dead.

    But this year has been different.

    It has offered another encouraging sign that the city’s overall dramatic decline in shootings held through one of its toughest tests.

    Reporters Ellie Rushing and Jillian Kramer have the full story.

    What you should know today

    • Temple University approved a budget that includes an average 3.4% tuition hike for both in-state and out-of-state students, and plans for about 40 employee layoffs.
    • A Delaware County man was charged after allegedly making threats against Gov. Josh Shapiro, including a pledge to “burn down 
 [Shapiro’s] mansion with him in it.“
    • Pennsylvania officials were threatened with criminal charges if votes by noncitizens are counted in elections — a rarity that is already illegal.
    • Prosecutors in Montgomery County have withdrawn criminal charges against longtime Philly sports personality Mike Missanelli after an alleged domestic dispute.
    • A state investigation confirmed poor conditions, needless euthanasia, and insufficient spending on facilities at the Montco SPCA. The board was ousted.
    • A federal judge decided that Gov. Shapiro can’t be sued by his Abington neighbors over a property dispute. But Shapiro will still have to face his neighbors in federal court as a homeowner.

    Quote of the day

    Various reports say the 76ers are among NBA superstar LeBron James’ top free-agency destinations. Sports columnist Marcus Hayes, however, doesn’t see it happening. “I think it’s likely,” Hayes writes, “that LeBron’s representatives are using this (feigned) interest as leverage to land the King elsewhere.”

    🧠 Trivia time

    The Vances built this unusual addition to the vice president’s residence.

    A) Ballroom

    B) Reflecting pool

    C) Helipad

    D) Chicken coop

    Think you know? Check your answer.

    What we’re…

    đŸ‹ïž Applauding. Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali was spotted jumping rope behind the scenes of the HBO show “Task,” which is filming in Manayunk.

    đŸ“ș Gloating. Speaking of Philly shows, both “Abbott Elementary” and season 1 of “Task” were nominated for Emmy Awards.

    🍗 Eating. Fast-food outlet Jollibee introduced chicken nuggets for the first time in nearly 50 years. The Filipino-rooted chain’s lone Philadelphia-area restaurant is at Cottman and Bustleton Avenues in Great Northeast Plaza.

    🎹 Admiring. An artist-led exhibition program transformed spaces in Suburban Station into a graffiti haven.

    đŸ§© Unscramble the anagram

    Hint: This iconic sandwich is making its triumphant return to Citizens Bank Park for the All-Star game.

    CHET MET SHIRT

    Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

    Cheers to Jim Diamond, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Star Wars. The film turns 50 next year, and the Franklin Institute is partnering with Lucasfilm on a new, interactive exhibit.

    Photo of the day

    All-Star Game logo seen in centerfield at Citizens Bank Park.

    And we end on this lovely birds eye view of the MLB All-Star Game logo, which was painted in the centerfield grass at Citizens Bank Park. Baseball’s midsummer classic, which returns to Philly for the first time since 1996, will be the center of the baseball world for nearly a week. Here’s what you can expect.

    👋 Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Paola PĂ©rez has you covered tomorrow.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

  • Jill Scott returned to her old Philly neighborhood for a classic summertime ritual after her July 4 concert

    Jill Scott returned to her old Philly neighborhood for a classic summertime ritual after her July 4 concert

    I’m not going to lie — I fell asleep during the rain delay in the One Philly: Unity Concert for America, on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on July 4.

    Luckily, I wasn’t on the Parkway, but at home watching it on TV. But I’d been looking forward to seeing the show featuring Philly legends like The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Will Smith, and Meek Mill.

    Earlier in the evening, I’d marveled at the relatively small size of the crowd in attendance for performances by Seal and Jill Scott, who took the stage before it rained. The concertgoers who did brave the 100-degree-plus temperatures in Center City that day were all huddled in what little shade there was near the stage.

    I’ve covered a lot of events on the Parkway and I’d never seen it look so empty.

    And yet, both Seal and Jilly from Philly performed like that crowd stretched all the way back to City Hall. Did I rise up in my living room with a beer in my hand and tears in my eyes as I sang “Kiss from a Rose” with Seal? Maybe. And I definitely gave Scott a standing ovation for her powerhouse performance. Not only did she bring it, she did so barefoot in a tall denim hat few others could pull off. It was golden.

    Jill Scott (right) and Tierra Whack on stage Saturday at One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

    When I woke up the next day and realized the concert had resumed after midnight, I kicked myself for falling asleep and searched for clips of it on social media. I found quite a few, but it was a video Scott posted of herself in Philly after her performance that’s stuck with me days later.

    In the video, which was filmed around dusk, Scott and her crew get out of their cars at the intersection of 17th and Wallace Streets in Spring Garden, where an open fire hydrant was spraying cool water in beautiful arches onto the road. It’s unclear if the hydrant was open when they arrived, but this Philly sprinkler scene is a classic summer tableau in almost every neighborhood in the city (even if opening hydrants is technically illegal).

    Running through the cool spray of a fire hydrant on a hot day is just as much of a childhood rite of passage in Philly as climbing through the Franklin Institute’s Giant Heart. It’s a core memory, a collective experience, and a kind of joy that imprints itself on the soul.

    Folks may question the quality of the water in the Delaware River, but they don’t question the magic of the city’s fire hydrant sprays — the tiny rainbows that appear in their mists, their power to bring neighbors together, and the giggles of pure joy they inspire in kids.

    The video of Scott begins with laughter as she and her crew get out of a car and walk toward the hydrant. The man taking the video tries to hurry them along — “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” — because their car appears to be stopped in the middle of the street (which is very Philly, too).

    “Excuse me y’all I need to get by,” a motorist says off-camera to the guy taking the video, marking one of the few times in Philadelphia history someone was polite on the road.

    The cameraman says to the motorist, “one second, one second,” and Scott and four others, including her son, run screaming through the open fire hydrant. The group then walks back through with beaming smiles on their faces.

    “My apologies, thank you, we just got finished with a show on the Parkway,” the videographer says to the Philadelphian who wanted to get by, marking yet another rare occurrence of a motorist being polite on a Philly street. Twice in one day is probably an all-time record.

    At this point in the video, Philadelphians on the sidewalk start recognizing Scott (“Oh my God!”) and she decides to take one final pass, alone, through the spray. At one point she just stands with her arms open and her face lifted to the sky, taking it all in.

    “Life is frfr what you make it. I love you Philadelphia. I love you so much. Thank you. 250yrsofPhilly,” she captioned the clip.

    Scott later added more context in the comments.

    “I love the alignment. My 1st apartment was on 17th and Wallace. 2 bedroom. 2 bathrooms. A fireplace and a deck facing the city. Guess how much I paid 
 $730/ month!!! That was my block đŸ„°and to do THAT with my beautiful friends plus my Son was 
 epic. Me loving on Philly and Philly loving on me. SMH. I’m So grateful. Thanx God. Love, Jill,” she wrote.

    I was completely taken that Scott — an internationally-touring, Grammy Award-winning artist — found such pure joy in such a small moment here in Philly. This is a woman who fills arenas and theaters and she seemed ecstatic to do something you and I could do any day.

    Jill Scott takes to the stage for One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Philadelphia.

    She wasn’t upset that the heat had tempered crowds for her big hometown Fourth of July performance, she wasn’t worried about the water ruining her outfit, and she didn’t care if anyone saw her running through an open fire hydrant.

    Scott didn’t seem anything but incredibly grateful for that moment.

    Many people struggled with celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary this year, whether because of the sweltering weather or the country’s political climate, and I did, too. But Scott reminded me that the everyday surprises Philly gives us — whether it’s an interaction with someone new, a corner of the city you’ve yet to explore, or an open fire hydrant — are an important part of the American experience, too.

    So soak up that kind of Philly magic whenever you can, and no matter how old or how famous you get, I hope you can always find childlike wonder in this city, too.

  • Medford approves four housing projects with more than 200 affordable units to meet state mandate

    Medford approves four housing projects with more than 200 affordable units to meet state mandate

    Tackling what local officials called “one of the most significant matters” facing the Medford community, township council approved four redevelopment projects Tuesday night that will bring hundreds of affordable units to the township.

    All of the projects are part of Medford’s effort to meet their state-mandated affordable housing requirements. The housing obligations stem from a 1975 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling requiring that all municipalities develop a certain amount of affordable housing.

    Every 10 years, each municipality in the state is given a specific quota of affordable units to plan for over the next decade based on considerations that include population, income, and land capacity.

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development generally follows the 30% rule to determine affordability — any dwelling that costs 30% or less of a household’s gross income is deemed affordable.

    In New Jersey, affordable housing is restricted to households with earnings that must be at or below 80% of the area median income for the area. In Medford, the median household income is $157,969, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. That would mean any household earning less than roughly $126,375 per year would be eligible for the new affordable units.

    The state most recently determined Medford must build a total of 240 affordable units by 2035.

    The four development proposals that were approved would collectively add 226 affordable housing units as part of approximately 1,067 total new residential units within the township. All of the projects also plan for some type of on-site recreational amenity like playgrounds, pavilions, or picnic areas.

    As part of the agreements, builder D.R. Horton will pay the township a $3 million redeveloper’s fee and a $1.7 million recreational and community benefit contribution that will be split between local nonprofits and the Medford Youth Athletic Association.

    While the township has enough water infrastructure capacity for the new developments, D.R. Horton has also agreed to construct a water tower through the use of a $5 million special assessment bond with no cost to the township if it’s determined that water pressure is insufficient, Township Solicitor Patrick Varga said.

    Large housing developments are often contentious in South Jersey, especially in places like Medford where residents value open space and are concerned more families will overburden an already cash-strapped school district.

    In response to resident concerns about overbuilding, Medford Mayor Mike Czyzyk said Tuesday that the only residential communities that the township has approved in recent memory were related to the township’s affordable housing requirements.

    “Medford has had a history of not building residential unless it’s required by the state,” Czyzyk told attendees during the meeting. “So as it stands today, there are no large or small-scale residential tracts being developed. There may be parcels being developed for residential use, like on Mill Street and in different areas, but there’s no communities coming to Medford outside of the ones required to be built to satisfy our affordable housing need.”

    During Tuesday’s meeting, one resident questioned the township’s need to move forward with all of the projects at once, especially given that it is still so early in the 10-year window. But officials said that the timeline was out of their hands and they had a state deadline to meet.

    “Every town in the state of New Jersey was required to adopt and finalize how it was going to comply with its Housing Element and Fair Share Plan for the Fourth Round by March 15,” Varga said. “The Township of Medford was one of a handful of towns that received an extension.”

    Now that council has approved the redevelopment agreements, the township will be taking the plans before a judge who will determine if Medford is in compliance with their housing requirements.

    Here’s what’s included in each of the redevelopment plans:

    The Reserve at Ironbridge

    Located on a 64-acre parcel at the intersection of Church and Eayrestown Roads, the Reserve at Ironbridge will include up to 287 total units, 48 of which will be designated as affordable.

    Landing at Kirby’s Mill

    Not far away, a 61-acre lot at Church and Fostertown Roads will become the 198-unit Landing at Kirby’s Mill. Forty of these units will be affordable.

    Trollinger-Stonebridge

    The largest of the four projects, the Trollinger-Stonebridge project will total more than 164 acres northeast of Church Road and County Route 541. The project includes up to 48 affordable units out of a total of 300 new residences. This project also includes plans for a bike trail to be constructed and paid for by the builder, pending state approval.

    Flying W

    Planned for a 114-acre lot on Fostertown Road, Flying W includes the greatest affordable housing contribution among the four projects. With 90 affordable units, 31% of the 282 total units will be set aside for low-income residents. All market-rate units in the development will be age-restricted.

  • Your sleep tracker might be giving you insomnia

    Your sleep tracker might be giving you insomnia

    You wake up to your 7 a.m. alarm feeling relatively refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead. But when you check your smartwatch, you’re surprised to see a low sleep score staring back at you.

    You start trying to remember the night before. Did you toss and turn more than you thought? Why is your watch telling you that you’re exhausted when you feel fine? When your head hits the pillow that night, you lie wide awake worrying about getting a good night’s sleep until the wee hours of the morning.

    If this scenario feels familiar, you may have orthosomnia, a fixation on achieving “perfect” sleep, often fueled by sleep trackers, that tends to result in worse sleep.

    “Orthosomnia is, at its core, a form of insomnia triggered by obsessive tracking of sleep data and the use of sleep wearables,” said Andrew Spector, a sleep medicine specialist at Duke Health in North Carolina. “It’s essentially trouble falling asleep for artificial reasons.”

    Many people rely on technology to fix their problems, but as it turns out, in this situation, these gadgets may backfire. Read on to learn more about orthosomnia and what to do if you think you might have it.

    What causes orthosomnia?

    At the root of orthosomnia is the popularity and ubiquity of sleep trackers. And while they can be useful tools at times — for example, some can screen for signs of sleep apnea, such as breathing disturbances — they can interfere with your ability to listen to your body, according to Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author of The Mental Strength Playbook.

    “Instead of thinking about how well rested you feel, you might look at an app or device to tell you if you’re getting enough sleep,” Morin said. Over time, this can undermine your trust in how you feel after a night of sleep and lead you to put too much weight on what a tracker says. “This can cause increased anxiety about sleep and can lead to more sleep problems,” she said.

    For instance, you may start to depend on tech to tell you how you feel, as opposed to listening to your own body’s cues, according to Morin. People are impressionable, and if your wearable is telling you that you didn’t get enough sleep, you might start to convince yourself that you’re more tired than you actually are.

    “You may start to feel sluggish. Then, you’ll act sluggish. Consequently, you’ll become sluggish,” Morin said. This may lead you to pass up an opportunity to do something later on in the day because you’ve allowed your tech to convince you that you’re too tired, she said.

    Additionally, someone who wakes up feeling well rested but sees their sleep tracker telling them they woke up often during the night may spend all morning thinking about how they’re going to feel exhausted later, Morin said. They then may be so worried about getting adequate rest that, ironically, they can’t sleep when they try to wind down for the day, Morin explained.

    Keep in mind that sleep trackers aren’t always accurate. These devices base their metrics on imperfect factors such as how much you moved during the night, Morin said. “That doesn’t always correlate to actual sleep time or sleep stages,” she said. “It’s important to know that these devices are just estimating how much sleep you got, and they’re not pinpointing your stages of sleep accurately.”

    People with anxiety or perfectionism may be especially susceptible to orthosomnia, according to Morin. “They may want perfect sleep, and a tracking app may create stress that shows them not every night is going to be perfect,” Morin said.

    How do you know if you have orthosomnia?

    According to Spector, a telltale sign of orthosomnia is checking your sleep tracker immediately after you wake up and analyzing all the data.

    “Your sleep tracker will give you a summary of your night. If you look at the summary and move on with your day, that’s fine,” Spector said. “But are you going minute by minute through the night and analyzing the little details of the report? That’s a red flag to me.”

    Another indication of orthosomnia is not being able to get to sleep because you’re worried you won’t get a good sleep score that night, Spector said.

    You may also start thinking about getting a good sleep score as your reason for wanting to sleep well as opposed to the actual benefits that come with adequate shut-eye — including improved mood, better focus, and reduced risk of health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

    Tips to manage orthosomnia

    There are a few ways to manage — and overcome — orthosomnia, according to experts:

    • Establish good sleep hygiene habits, like avoiding screen time before bed, creating a bedtime routine that helps you wind down and ensuring your room is dark and quiet, said Morin.
    • Focus on tuning into your body and recognizing when you need more rest and adjust your bedtime accordingly, according to Morin.
    • Recognize that your beliefs about sleep will greatly impact your performance, Morin said. If you assume a difficult night’s sleep will make it nearly impossible to function, you’ll have trouble functioning, she said. If, however, you believe you can still function just fine after a rough night, you’ll probably do much better.
    • Consider therapy if sleep becomes a source of anxiety that you can’t manage on your own, Spector said.

    If you find yourself obsessing over your sleep data, try ditching your tracker for a month, Morin suggested. During that time, focus on good sleep hygiene and pay attention to how your body feels.

    Once you can more confidently trust your body, you might decide to reintroduce wearable tech. Or, maybe you’ll realize you don’t really need it after all.

    “Wearable tech is helpful if it gives you information you need to make the best health decisions. But it becomes a problem when it interferes with your ability to read your body’s cues,” Morin said. It’s unrealistic to expect perfect sleep every night, and accepting that might put your mind at ease just enough for you to drift off easily.

  • Ardmore adds a dozen businesses | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Ardmore adds a dozen businesses | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Hi, Lower Merion! 👋

    If it seems new spots are opening regularly in Ardmore, you’re not wrong. We take a look at the dozen businesses that have set up shop this year and the ones still to come. Also this week, we pay a visit to new Japanese steakhouse OGYU, the viral dot cake has come to Bryn Mawr, plus, the district attorney has dropped assault charges against Mike Missanelli.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Ardmore’s retail boom continues

    Gouldsburger’s is among the recent openings in Ardmore.

    Downtown Ardmore has welcomed a dozen new businesses so far this year, with more still on the horizon.

    Newcomers have ranged broadly from a Japanese barbecue joint to a home goods spot to a new yoga studio. A pair of burger eateries have also joined the fray.

    The downtown core’s scene will continue to grow when five new concepts open later this year. Here’s the scoop on what’s still to come.

    💡 Community News

    • The Montgomery County District Attorney’s office has concluded its investigation into an April domestic incident between Mike Missanelli and his fiancĂ©e at their home in Lower Merion and withdrawn assault charges against the sports radio personality.
    • The community is mourning the death of Narberth resident and longtime Friends’ Central Lower School teacher Peter Grove, who died in May at the age of 82. An award-winning educator, Grove mentored other teachers and fellow naturalists, and created dozens of notable community gardens throughout the region.
    • Two people, a 35-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man, were critically injured when a tree fell on their car while they were driving in Lower Merion on Friday. A 10-year-old girl who was also in the car suffered minor injuries. (6abc)
    • There will be a virtual meeting Monday at 11 a.m. for residents interested in learning more about Ardmore House II, the affordable senior community expected to open later this year.
    • Penn Valley resident Samantha Paige Rosen’s debut book, Living, Together: Reimagining Community in the Age of Disconnection, is due out Tuesday. In it, she and nearly two dozen other writers explore what it means to live communally. She’ll host a book launch event next Thursday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Philadelphia Ethical Society.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    🎳 Things to Do

    🎾 Echoes: Tickets are going fast for the Pink Floyd tribute band, which will perform the entirety of “Wish You Were Here.” ⏰ Friday, July 10, 8 p.m. đŸ’” $26.91 📍 Ardmore Music Hall

    🧚 The Little Mermen and The Princess Pals: The kid-friendly show will include performances of iconic Disney songs through the ages. ⏰ Sunday, July 12, noon đŸ’” $26.91-$67.28 📍 Ardmore Music Hall

    đŸŽ¶ Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts: American folk duo Shovels & Rope, made up of husband-and-wife duo Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, will take the stage. ⏰ Sunday, July 12, 7 p.m. đŸ’” $25.88, free for kids 12 and under 📍 Bryn Mawr Gazebo

    đŸŽ” Music in the Park: The Daniel Villarreal Trio brings its mash up of psychedelia, jazz, Latin rock, and funk to the stage. ⏰ Wednesday, July 15, 7 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Narberth Park gazebo

    🏡 On the Market

    A waterfront Gladwyne home with a private dock

    The lodge-style home has its own dock and plenty of water vistas.

    Situated on the banks of the Schuylkill River, this Gladwyne home has unobstructed water views and multiple decks to enjoy them from, in addition to its own dock. The main living level features a living room that looks out on the water and also has a wood stove surrounded by Moravian tiles. The space opens onto a rounded deck, as well as a dining area and kitchen. There are four bedrooms, including a primary suite with its own balcony and walk-in closet.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $899,900 | Size: 2,200 SF | Acreage: 0.1

    đŸ—žïž What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:

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    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.