CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies released Nick Castellanos, the team announced on Thursday.
The drawn-out saga reached its conclusion three days before position players were set to report to the Phillies facilities for spring training. This winter, the Phillies had repeatedly indicated their interest in finding a change of scenery for the outfielder, who will be 34 next month.
In December, they signed free-agent outfielder Adolis García to a one-year, $10 million contract to take Castellanos’ position in right field. The Phillies sought to find a trade partner to offset at least some of the $20 million that Castellanos is owed for the 2026 season in the final year of his contract, but ultimately released him.
“We’ve spent a long time trying to make a trade,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Thursday. “And when I say that, trying to move his contract for a minimum return from a dollar perspective and player perspective, but just hasn’t worked out. …
“We have felt that we need to get a change of scenery for Nick and wish him nothing but the best.”
Dombrowski was general manager of the Detroit Tigers in 2010 when they drafted Castellanos out of high school. He said there were clubs that showed interest in trading for Castellanos starting in November, but nothing materialized.
Castellanos had a .260 batting average and .732 OPS over his four years with the Phillies. His minus-12 outs above average in right field in 2025 positioned him as one of the major leagues’ worst outfielders by StatCast metrics.
That, combined with a drop-off in offensive production, led to him losing his everyday job in the second half of the season.
“A lot of times when a good player has their role change with the club, it can cause some friction,” Dombrowski said. “And his role changed last year from where it was. I mean, he played every single day for a lot of years in a row, and so sometimes that can contribute to it.”
“[Thomson has] done a very good job of communicating with me,” Dombrowski said. “And I think overall, I can’t tell you that every situation is always handled perfectly by any of us, but I think he’s a very good communicator.”
Castellanos posted a letter Thursday on Instagram, thanking principal owner John Middleton, Dombrowski, the Phillies staff, outfield coach Paco Figueroa, his teammates, and the city of Philadelphia.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski talks to the media on Thursday after releasing Nick Castellanos.
He also addressed what he called the “Miami Incident,” in which Castellanos was benched for one game during a road series in his hometown in June, ending what had been a 236-game iron man streak.
The right fielder had been taken out for a defensive substitution in the eighth inning of a close game the night before and made what Thomson described at the time as an “inappropriate comment” out of frustration, leading to his benching.
In his letter, Castellanos said he had taken a can of Presidente beer into the dugout after being lifted from the game.
“I then sat next to Rob and let him know that too much slack in some areas and to [sic] tight of restrictions in others are not condusive [sic] to us winning,” Castellanos wrote.
He added that the beer was taken out of his hands before he could take a sip and that he had a conversation with Dombrowski and Thomson afterward and apologized.
Dombrowski said Thursday that the events in Miami were not directly correlated to the Phillies’ decision to release Castellanos.
“That contributed, by all means, to why he was benched for the game,” Dombrowski said. “That wasn’t the final or determining factor [for being released] because if that was, we would have done that at that particular time.”
Jill Bodensteiner is stepping down from her post as St. Joseph’s athletic director, according to an announcement from the university on Thursday.
Bodensteiner is set to become the next commissioner of the Horizon League. Her last day at St. Joe’s will be April 15.
Eric Laudano, St. Joe’s executive senior associate athletics director, will serve as interim athletic director while a search is conducted, the school said in a release.
An Indiana native, Bodensteiner will take over a league headquartered in Indianapolis. She has been the AD on Hawk Hill since June 2018.
St. Joe's athletic director Jill Bodensteiner is leaving the school for another opportunity, according to a source.
“Jill is a national leader in intercollegiate athletics,” St. Joe’s president Cheryl A. McConnell said in a statement. “We are profoundly grateful for her vision, dedication and service to the Hawks. She leaves our athletics program strong and well-positioned for continued success. We wish her the best on her return home to Indiana and her role with the Horizon League.”
Bodensteiner’s tenure at St. Joe’s started with a bang. She fired longtime men’s basketball coach Phil Martelli less than a year after taking over as athletic director. She replaced Martelli with Billy Lange, whose six-year run ended in the fall when he abruptly left the program for an assistant’s role with the New York Knicks. Lange posted an 81-104 record with the Hawks.
Though the men’s program has failed to get back to prominence in the new era of college basketball, St. Joe’s has had successful runs in non-revenue sports like field hockey, which played in the national championship game in 2024; men’s and women’s lacrosse, which made inaugural NCAA Tournament appearances; and baseball, which won the Atlantic 10 regular-season title in 2023.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Trump administration is ending the immigration crackdown in Minnesota that led to thousands of arrests, violent protests and the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens over the past two months, border czar Tom Homan said Thursday.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation focused on the Minneapolis-St. Paul area resulted in more than 4,000 arrests, Homan said, touting it a success.
“The surge is leaving Minnesota safer,” he said. “I’ll say it again, it’s less of a sanctuary state for criminals.”
The announcement marks a significant retreat from an operation that has become a major distraction for the Trump administration and has been more volatile than prior crackdowns in Chicago and Los Angeles. It comes as a new AP-NORC poll found that most U.S. adults say Trump’s immigration policies have gone too far.
State and local officials, who have frequently clashed with federal authorities since Operation Metro Surge started in December, insisted the swarm of immigration officials inflicted long-term damage to the state’s economy and its immigrant community.
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz urged residents Thursday to remain vigilant in the coming days as immigration officers prepare to leave. He called the crackdown an “unnecessary, unwarranted and in many cases unconstitutional assault on our state.”
“It’s going to be a long road,” Walz told a news conference. “Minnesotans are decent, caring loving neighbors and they’re also some of the toughest people you’ll find. And we’re in this as long as it takes.”
Trump’s border czar pledged that immigration enforcement won’t end when the Minnesota operation is over.
“President Trump made a promise of mass deportation and that’s what this country is going to get,” Homan said.
Some activists expressed relief at Homan’s announcement, but warned that the fight isn’t over. Lisa Erbes, a leader of the progressive protest group Indivisible Twin Cities said officials, must be held accountable for the chaos of the crackdown.
“People have died. Families have been torn apart,” Erbes said. “We can’t just say this is over and forget the pain and suffering that has been put on the people of Minnesota.”
While the Trump administration has called those arrested in Minnesota “dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” many people with no criminal records, including children and U.S. citizens, have also been detained.
Homan announced last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota immediately, but that still left more than 2,000 on Minnesota’s streets. At the time, he cited an “increase in unprecedented collaboration” resulting in the need for fewer federal officers in Minnesota, including help from jails that hold deportable inmates.
Homan took over the Minnesota operation in late January after the second fatal shooting by federal immigration agents and amid growing political backlash and questions about how the operation was being run. He said Thursday that he intends to stay in Minnesota to oversee the drawdown that began this week and will continue next week.
“We’ve seen a big change here in the last couple of weeks,” he said, crediting cooperation from local leaders.
During the height of the surge, heavily armed officers were met by resistance from residents upset with their aggressive tactics.
“They thought they could break us, but a love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on social media after Homan’s news conference. “These patriots of Minneapolis are showing that it’s not just about resistance — standing with our neighbors is deeply American.”
WASHINGTON — A federal judge agreed Thursday to block the Pentagon from punishing Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot, for participating in a video that called on troops to resist unlawful orders.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that Pentagon officials violated Kelly’s First Amendment free speech rights and “threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees.”
“To say the least, our retired veterans deserve more respect from their Government, and our Constitution demands they receive it!” wrote Leon, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush.
Kelly, who represents Arizona, sued in federal court to block his Jan. 5 censure from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Leon’s order prohibits the Pentagon from implementing or enforcing Kelly’s punishment while his lawsuit is pending. The judge instructed the parties to provide him with an update in 30 days.
In November, Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers appeared on a video in which they urged troops to uphold the Constitution and not to follow unlawful military directives from the Trump administration. Republican President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” in a social media post days later.
The court case is just one front in a broader dispute that has spiraled between the group of Democratic lawmakers and the Trump administration since they posted the video. Earlier this week, a Washington grand jury declined to indict the lawmakers over the video.
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin has said she has been told the Justice Department could seek a new indictment as soon as Friday. Kelly and Slotkin said at a news conference Wednesday that they are keeping all legal options on the table regarding potentially suing the administration.
Leon said that Kelly “is likely to succeed on the merits” of his free speech claim. “He has also shown irreparable harm, and the balance of the equities fall decidedly in his favor.”
Hegseth said Kelly’s censure was “a necessary process step” to proceedings that could result in a demotion from the senator’s retired rank of captain and subsequent reduction in retirement pay.
The judge concluded that Kelly’s speech is entitled to full First Amendment protection. Leon wrote, “Horsefeathers!” in response to the government’s argument that Kelly is trying to exempt himself from the rules of military justice.
“Rather than trying to shrink the First Amendment liberties of retired servicemembers, Secretary Hegseth and his fellow Defendants might reflect and be grateful for the wisdom and expertise that retired servicemembers have brought to public discussions and debate on military matters in our Nation over the past 250 years,” Leon wrote.
“If so,” he added, “they will more fully appreciate why the Founding Fathers made free speech the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights!”
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the judge’s ruling.
Kelly said in a video statement posted after the ruling that the case was about more than just him and that the administration “was sending a message to millions of retired veterans that they too can be censured or demoted just for speaking out.”
He added that the ruling was unlikely the end: “This might not be over yet, because this president and this administration do not know how to admit when they’re wrong.”
The 90-second video was first posted on a social media account belonging to Slotkin. Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania also appeared in the video. All of the participants are veterans of the armed services or intelligence agencies.
The Pentagon began investigating Kelly in late November, citing a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court-martial or other punishment. Hegseth has said Kelly was the only one of the six lawmakers to be investigated because he is the only one who formally retired from the military and still falls under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction.
Kelly’s lawyers said the Pentagon’s censure of Kelly — and its efforts to reduce his retirement grade and pay — are an unprecedented attack on the rights of veterans to publicly debate national security issues.
“Defendants assert an absolute and unreviewable authority to impose military punishment on a retired veteran and sitting United States Senator for engaging in speech a civilian political appointee dislikes. That position is as alarming as it is unprecedented,” they wrote.
Government lawyers said the case “is not about legislative independence or freedom of speech in civilian society.”
“Instead, this case involves a retired military officer who seeks to use his military status as a sword and his legislative position as a shield against the consequences of his actions in military personnel matters,” they wrote.
Hegseth, the Defense Department, Navy Secretary John Phelan and the Navy are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Throughout basketball history, few players have been as transformative a talent and cultural figure as NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving.
Footage of the former Philadelphia 76er’s thunderous dunks, stylish finger rolls, and suave demeanor off the court still draw applause from basketball fans, decades after his 1987 retirement. The iconic forward is still championed by Sixers fans for bringing the city an NBA title in 1983.
It was in Philly where Erving embraced one of the world’s most impassioned fan bases and learned of the phrase, “You owe us one,” after falling short in the NBA finals three times between 1977 and 1982.
“I was like, ‘What the hell does that mean?’” he said to The Inquirer. “I was getting pissed. I was not happy with the situation.”
Julius Erving speaks during the “Soul Power: The Legend Of The American Basketball Association” world premiere at Regal Cinemas Union Square on February 10, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Prime Video)
The fans were reminding Erving that he owed the city a championship. It was only after he and fellow Hall of Famer Moses Malone swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1983 finals that he paid his debt to the City of Brotherly Love. Fans shouted out the words that have stuck with him all these years on: “Paid in full.”
Erving, affectionately and fittingly known as “Dr. J,” surgically dissected opposing defenses. He and fellow NBA star David Thompson went on to inspire talents like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
But veteran sports fans know Erving’s legacy was cemented years before he took his first steps on the floors of South Philly’s Spectrum. One of his early visits to Philadelphia was in April 1971, when he signed to the American Basketball Association to play for the Virginia Squires.
An image of Julius “Dr. J” Erving from the Prime Video docuseries, “Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association.”
Erving went on to win two ABA championships and three MVP awards in five seasons. He joined ABA greats Rick Barry, Artis Gilmore, Connie Hawkins, and Spencer Haywood as the faces of a league that would soon merge with the NBA in 1976.
The merger brought a new brand of fast-paced, high-flying action to the NBA, and elements like the three-point line, dunk contest, underclassmen signees, and other additions that continue today.
“It just sets the stage for the memories that I have, the friendships that were developed, and the history that was established with the ABA,” Erving said.
Image of ABA coaches and crowds from the Prime Video docuseries, “Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association.”
The four-part series, streaming on Amazon Prime Video to commemorate 50 years of the ABA-NBA merger, chronicles the ABA’s formation, triumphs, and challenges during the late 1960s and ’70s.
Emmy-winning director Kenan K. Holley said he wanted the series to be a “player-driven” story that addressed the league’s on-court innovations and debunked the idea that the ABA was an inferior semipro league.
“Amazon executives saw the vision. They saw the ABA story was worth telling, and told us to lean into the characters,” he said. “That gave my team the North Star creatively. We knew we had the goods because of all the guys in the league, from Rick Barry to George ‘the Iceman’ Gervin, Dr. J, and others. That was the key.”
(L-R) Tony Curotto, Todd Lieberman, Derrick Mayes, Kenan Kamwana Holley, Julius Erving, Bob Costas, Hannah Storm, Brett Goldberg, Artis Gilmore, George Karl and Brian Taylor attend the “Soul Power: The Legend Of The American Basketball Association” world premiere at Regal Cinemas Union Square on February 10, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Prime Video)
The series highlights the hotly-contested rivalry between ABA and NBA players, the personal, financial, and legal battles ABA stars faced, and the early advancements in women’s team ownership.
There are even brief flashes of downtown Philadelphia and City Hall, depicting the moments leading up to Erving’s ABA signing.
Soul Power shows how players like Erving were trying to save a league that made such an imprint on sports, but it was faltering due to disinvestment.
“It wasn’t a fun position to be put in, especially if you know you’re trying to fight for rights of players who gave a commitment to the league and made the sacrifices to keep it afloat for the years that it was around,” Erving said.
(L-R) Kenan Kamwana Holley and Julius Erving speak during the “Soul Power: The Legend Of The American Basketball Association” world premiere at Regal Cinemas Union Square on February 10, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Prime Video)
Holley also wanted Soul Power to right the wrongs of past depictions of the ABA. To do that, he needed to earn the trust of figures like George Karl, Barry, Ralph Simpson, and Erving.
“They have a chip on their shoulder because the way the league’s been handled in the past with certain documentaries,” Holley said. “There was a serious trust-building period where we had to let them know look, ‘If I tell your story, it will be a player-driven story.’”
Erving was approached about the project five years ago. The first year was largely information gathering, Erving said, but Holley soon stepped in to tie all the narrative threads together.
Julius “Dr. J” Erving pictured during the filming of the Prime Video docuseries, “Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association.”
To be among the leading voices in the series, which earned him an executive production credit, Erving said, was a “gift.” And at the core of the project, he’s proud to see the series reflective of the brotherhood shared between him and the other pioneers who contributed to the series and ABA history.
“It was a one for all, all for one approach we shared,” he said. “There was no hating. It was a genuine feeling of relief like, ‘Wow, they’re recognizing my guy or us,’ and it was shared.”
Holley said he’s excited for younger sports fans to see how influential the ABA was, not just in basketball, but the sports world at large.
“It does my heart good, and I feel grateful to have played any part in helping bring these guys the validation that they deserve,” Holley said.
“Soul Power” is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
It came in second in the site’s Pennsylvania rankings after the Nemacolin in Farmington, about 70 minutes outside Pittsburgh. The wooded 2,200-acre golf resort ranked No. 28 on U.S. News’ national list.
Weddings at The Reeds at Shelter Haven, ranked New Jersey’s seventh best hotel by U.S. News, can take place on the hotel’s bayside lawn.
Hotels were ranked based on their past awards and recognitions, including star ratings, as well as guest reviews, according to the U.S. News website.
“U.S. News predominantly ranks luxury lodgings, as these are the type of accommodations travelers seek when researching the best hotels and resorts in a given destination,” company analysts write, noting that luxury options typically receive 4- and 5-star ratings from multiple expert sources.
The Philly-area hotels on the 2026 lists were no exception.
The Four Seasons Philadelphia recently unveiled an ultraluxe floor that includes a 4,000-square-foot penthouse suite costing around $25,000 a night. Other rooms at the hotel start at more than $1,200 a night.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday that he will not attend any White House event that excludes another governor ahead of next week’s gathering of the nation’s governors in Washington.
The Pennsylvania Democrat’s comments come after President Donald Trump said he would exclude the Democratic governors of Colorado and Maryland from a White House dinner with members of the National Governors Association during its annual conference in Washington, which will take place from Feb. 19 to 21.
“I want to be very clear: I’m not attending any meeting or any dinner where any governor has been disinvited, where any governor is being excluded,” Shapiro said Thursday. “It’s my hope that all governors will be included and that we can continue the tradition of working together across our state lines to be able to do important work for the people that we represent.”
Trump had initially excluded Democrats from a business meeting at the White House, but as of Thursday all governors were invited to the meeting with the president and other officials, the Washington Post reported.
But the dinner remains a thorny issue. Shapiro and other Democratic governors signed a statement Tuesday promising to boycott the event if all governors were not included.
In a social media post Wednesday, Trump attacked Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who chairs the bipartisan NGA, and the two Democrats he is planning to exclude from the dinner, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.
“The invitations were sent to ALL Governors, other than two, who I feel are not worthy of being there,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump criticized Moore over crime in Baltimore and accused him of “doing a terrible job on the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge” following its collapse in 2024.
Shapiro referred to Moore on Thursday as a “dear friend.”
The Pennsylvania governor said the NGA’s meetings at the White House are typically productive, as are the governors’ other meetings throughout the conference.
“Governors work really well together across party lines,” he said.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat who took office last month, said Monday on CNN that “worse decisions” would be made if some governors were excluded from the week’s events.
“For the president to pick and choose who he is going to have to sort of undermine the very focus of this of coming together to get stuff done for the country just seeds more … chaos,” she said.
For nearly 14 years, the speakeasy-style Chinatown cocktail bar has operated under the authority of its enigmatic owner, who goes by Lê, and his house rules, which are as well known as the drinks: No photos. No cellphones. No flip-flops, sandals, or shorts. Cash only. Entry begins at the metal gate on Race Street, where aspiring customers hand over their photo IDs, which are scanned before they are allowed inside.
Those on Lê’s banned list — the 6,600 people he’s barred for breaking rules or tipping poorly — are turned away.
The payoff for entry is a table in Hop Sing’s Old World library setting, where one can order cocktails made with fresh mixers and high-end liquor.
Hop Sing Laundromat, which opened in 2011 at 1029 Race St.
As Hop Sing expands its Friday and Saturday schedule to include Thursdays, Lê wants to begin moving his inventory of high-end spirits — particularly tequilas and American and Japanese whiskies — at below-market prices.
Regulars know about this list, which includes about 30 whiskies and 20 tequilas, typically offered neat or on the rocks in 2-ounce pours.
They also know that Lê is a bit of a hoarder.
One example: Old Overholt 11-year-old rye, a limited-release bottle that Bourbon Culture gave an 8.5/10 (“a flavorful sipper that is all about balance”).
A bottle of Old Overholt 11-year-old rye, one of the cache of 835 bottles that Hop Sing Laundromat purchased through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board in 2022.
You cannot get it anywhere else in Pennsylvania because Lê effectively bought out the state’s remaining supply of the whiskey several years ago — all 835 bottles at $75 each.
Michael Betman, a sales manager for Suntory Global Spirits, said Lê first bought 10 cases and then asked how much was left. “Once he realized how limited it was, he said, ‘I want all of it,’” Betman said.
Betman called the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to request the bottles. “They were stunned,” Betman said. “But they made it happen.”
High-end spirits fill the shelves behind the bar at Hop Sing Laundromat at 1029 Race St.
The PLCB gathered bottles from stores all across Pennsylvania and delivered them to Hop Sing. “At first people thought Lê might be joking,” Betman said. “But he was completely serious.”
Hop Sing is going through its supply. Lê declined to specify how much he had left, but given the bar’s limited hours, it’s likely a lot.
Bottle math
At Hop Sing, Lê charges $18 for 2 ouncesof the Old Overholt. Although $18 sounds expensive, it’s modest by industry standards.
A 750-milliliter bottle yields about 12 pours. Multiply $18 times 12, and each $75 bottle grosses about $216 — a 188% markup before accounting for labor, breakage, overhead, overpours, and comps. Many bars aim for 200% to 300% markups, often while pouring 1½ ounces instead of 2.
Bottles of high-end Japanese whiskies line the top shelf at Hop Sing Laundromat at 1029 Race St.
Lê said he was happy with this math, which extends to his cocktail list. (An old fashioned made with 2 ounces of Booker’s straight bourbon, for example, is priced at $20 — a relative bargain for a bottle that retails for $100.)
This approach comes from a bar owner who no longer drinks. Lê said he tastes cocktails during development but hasn’t had a full one in 15 years.
“This isn’t about me drinking it,” he said. “It’s about letting people experience it.”
That philosophy shows up across the pour list. Among the tequilas, there’s a 2014 Herradura Reposado Scotch Cask at $35 and Casa Dragones at $45. On the whiskey side, Yamazaki 12-year is $35. Knob Creek 18 is $35. Elijah Craig 18 is $42. Hibiki 21 and Yamazaki 18 — which have become scarce amid the Japanese whiskey boom — are $100 per pour. While $100 may seem way out of kilter, consider that the Hibiki and Yamazaki bottles retail for $750 — and Hop Sing has rows of them on its top shelf.
Many of these bottles now circulate almost entirely through secondary markets, where prices can climb multiple times above retail.
Lê said the goal is to pour whiskies that people read about but rarely see, without turning curiosity into a financial stunt.
“I’ve been collecting these bottles for years,” Lê said. “At some point, it’s time to let them go.”
Hop Sing Laundromat, 1029 Race St. Hours: 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Thursday hours, also 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. No reservations, cash only.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is racking up contributions from out-of-state billionaires as well as thousands of individual donors across the country.
His likely Republican challenger, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, meanwhile, is capturing small-donor donations from Pennsylvanians.
That’s according to an analysis of the latest campaign finance filings in the Pennsylvania governor’s contest, as a clearer picture of the race emerges nine months out from Election Day. Shapiro entered 2026 with $30 million on hand — money raised over several years as he has built a national profile — while Garrity raised $1.5 million in her first five months on the campaign trail as she tries to unseat the popular Democratic incumbent. Last year, Shapiro brought in $23.3 million.
Here are three takeaways from the first campaign finance filings in the race, tracking fundraising heading into 2026.
Almost all of Stacy Garrity’s contributors are from Pennsylvania, while 62% of Shapiro’s are in state
Nearly all of Garrity’s individual 1,155 contributors — more than 97% — live in Pennsylvania, and on average gave $889 each.
Shapiro — who has amassed a national following and is a rumored 2028 Democratic presidential contender — had a much further reach and attracted many more donors from around the country. He received contributions from 4,981 individual donors, 62% of whom are from Pennsylvania. The average individual donor to Shapiro contributed $3,461, a number buoyed by multiple six- and seven-figure contributions.
Shapiro received most of his remaining individual donations from California (7.1%), New York (6.3%), New Jersey (2.5%), Florida (2.5%), and Massachusetts (2.4%), according to an Inquirer analysis.
(The analysis includes only donors who contributed more than $50 in 2025. Campaigns are required to list only individual donors who contribute above that threshold.)
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Shapiro’s broad donor base is a result of his status as a popular incumbent governor who is liked among people of both political parties, saidRobin Kolodny, a Temple University political science professor who focuses on campaign finance.
“These amounts that you’re seeing is a very strong signal that ‘This is our guy,’” Kolodny said. “That underscores he is a popular incumbent.”
Kolodny also noted that Shapiro’s state-level fundraising cannot be transferred to a federal political action committee should he decide to run in 2028.But his war chest shows his ability to raise money nationally and his popularity as the leader of the state, she added.
Governor Josh Shapiro during a reelection announcement event at the Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center in Philadelphia on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
Only a small percentage of the population contributes to political campaigns, Kolodny said. And sometimes, it’s the smallest contributions that pay off the most, she said. Small-dollar donations suggest grassroots support that can translate into a person assisting the campaign in additional ways to get out the vote, she said.
Both Shapiro and Garrity have received a significant number of small-dollar donations that illustrate some level of excitement in the race — though Shapiro’s more than 3,000 in-state donors outnumber Garrity’s total by nearly 3-1.
“Think of fundraising as not just a money grab, but also as a campaign strategy,” Kolodny said.
Since announcing his reelection campaign in January, Shapiro has run targeted social media ads and sent fundraising texts, asking for supporters to “chip in” $1 or $5. The strategy worked, bringing in $400,000 in the first two days after his announcement, with an average contribution of $41, according to Shapiro’s campaign. This funding is not reflected in his 2025 campaign finance report.
Most of Shapiro’s money came from out-of-state donors, including billionaire Mike Bloomberg and a George Soros PAC
While Shapiro garnered thousands of individual contributions from Pennsylvania in all 67 counties, according to his campaign, the latest filings show it was the big-money checks from out-of-state billionaires that ran up his total.
Approximately 64% of the $23.3 million Shapiro raised last year came from out-of-state donors.
And more than half — 57% — of Shapiro’s total raised came from six- or seven-figure contributions by powerful PACs or billionaire donors.
By contrast, only 31% of Garrity’s total fundraising came from six-figure contributions.
The biggest single contribution in the governor’s race came from billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who gave Shapiro $2.5 million last year.
Shapiro also received $1 million from a political action committee led by billionaire Democratic supporter George Soros; and $500,000 from Kathryn and James Murdoch, from the powerful family of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Kolodny noted that big contributions from people like Bloomberg are a drop in the bucket of his total political or philanthropic spending.
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“This is not something extraordinary,” Kolodny said. “He’s got nothing but money.”
In Pennsylvania, Shapiro received notably high contributions from Philadelphia Phillies owner John Middleton, who gave $125,000, and Nemacolin Resort owner MaggieHardy, who gave $250,000, among others. He also received a number of five-figure contributions from private equity officials, venture capitalists, and industry executives in life sciences, construction, and more.
Garrity’ssingle biggest donation was $250,000 from University City Housing Co., a real estate firm providing housing near Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. Her largest contributions from individuals included $50,000 from her finance chair, Bob Asher of Asher Chocolates, and another $50,000 from Alfred Barbour, a retired executive from Concast Metal Products.
Garrity has served as Pennsylvania’s state treasurer since 2020 and has led the low-profile statewide office with little controversy. She did not join the race for governor until August and raised only a fraction of the funds Shapiro did in that same time. Meanwhile, Shapiro spent 2025 at the political forefront as a moderate Democrat trying to challenge President Donald Trump in a state that helped elect him. Shapiro also benefited from his national name recognition after he was considered for Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024.
Shapiro has so far outraised Garrity 30-1, and top Pennsylvania Republicans have said they want to see Garrity fundraising more aggressively nationally.
Kolodny said Garrity’s low fundraising is a reflection of the state of the race: Republicans put up a weak candidate in 2022 against Shapiro during his first run for governor, and now many powerful donors want to keep the relationship they have formed with Shapiro over the last three years.
“That will reflect as a lack of enthusiasm for her,” Kolodny said. “Now she could turn that around, but from what I see, I don’t see her that much, only recently. She had the last six months; she could have done a lot more.”
Controversy over donations tied to associates of Jeffrey Epstein
Shapiro’s top contributions from individual donors also included a $500,000 check from Reid Hoffman, the Silicon Valley-based billionaire cofounder of LinkedIn. His name showed up thousands of times in the trove of documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice related to the investigation into financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Garrity has highlighted the donations Shapiro received from Hoffman, and has publicly called on Shapiro to return the tech billionaire’s campaign contributions from last year and prior years, totaling more than $2 million since 2021.
Hoffman has claimed he had only a fundraising relationship with Epstein, but publiclyadmitted he had visited his island. He has not been charged with wrongdoing.
A spokesperson for Shapiro said Garrity should “stop playing politics with the Epstein files.”
“Donald Trump is mentioned in the files over 5,000 times. Is she going to ask him to rescind his endorsement?” asked Manuel Bonder, Shapiro’s spokesperson.
Garrity has previously downplayed Trump’s appearance in the Epstein files, and argued that Democrats would have released them much sooner if there was clear evidence of Trump partaking in any inappropriate behavior.
GOP candidate for Pennsylania Governor, Stacy Garrity and Jason Richey hold up their arms in Harrisburg, Pa., Saturday, February 7, 2026. The PA State Republican Committee endorsed the two in their quest for the governor’s mansion. (For the Inquirer/Kalim A. Bhatti)
If Shapiro were to return the funds from Hoffman, it would be bad for Garrity, Kolodny said, because she has made very few other political attacks against him.
Officials are seeking feedback on potential safety improvements to a seven-mile stretch of Montgomery Avenue in Lower Merion and Narberth.
Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth are seeking residents’ feedback on how they can make Montgomery Avenue safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
At a recent community meeting, officials laid out safety issues like out-of-date pedestrian push buttons, sidewalk curb ramps, crosswalk lighting, as well as drivers speeding and weaving along the corridor.
The push to increase safety along a seven-mile stretch of Montgomery Avenue is part of a broader goal to slash traffic fatalities.
Suburban Square’s real estate partner is looking to bring in several new tenants to the former Di Bruno Bros. space.
Suburban Square was left with a hole after Di Bruno Bros. closed its location at the Ardmore Farmers Market last week. The beloved Italian specialty grocer occupied more than half of the stalls at the market, which is now in search of new tenants.
But don’t expect another big operator to take over. Instead, it will be reconfigured for multiple food purveyors, The Inquirer’s Michael Klein reports, possibly including chefs and restaurant groups in Philadelphia.
“The idea is to break the space up into smaller units, create more cuisine diversity, and ideally replace the Italian specialty concept,” a real estate broker working with Suburban Square’s owner said.
Last week, Narberth’s borough council voted unanimously to bar its police from cooperating with ICE, becoming the latest Philadelphia-area municipality to take that stance. The resolution “lets the public clearly know where we stand on the issues,” Mayor Dana Edwards said.
In case you missed it, Saks Fifth Avenue is closing its longtime City Avenue location after the luxury retailer’s parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. A closing date hasn’t been announced yet.
The Lower Merion Police Department is reminding residents to lock their cars and remove any valuables from them. The push comes after the department reported 22 stolen vehicles, and 53 thefts and attempted thefts of items from motor vehicles in the fourth quarter of last year. At a committee meeting last week, Superintendent of Police Andrew Block said these are largely preventable, noting that LMPD has added patrols to areas where thefts have been taking place.
The community is mourning the death of Ann Harnwell Ashmead, a renowned classical archaeology researcher, writer, and museum curator, who died last month at the age of 96. A 1947 graduate of Lower Merion High School, Ashmead went on to earn bachelor’s, master’s, and a doctoral degree from Bryn Mawr College. She worked in the field and wrote extensively about international research documenting ancient ceramics.
A home on the 900 block of Delmont Drive was severely damaged in a fire that broke out late Tuesday night. No one was injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation. (6abc)
Three local students from Kohelet Yeshiva High School in Merion Station are part of the first cohort of a new Israeli immersion program, Nelech. The students, all from Bala Cynwyd, are spending the semester studying general academics and Torah in Israel, as well as going on field trips. (Philadelphia Jewish Exponent)
Mila’s Pup Tienda, a new pet boutique at 18 E. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore, is hosting a soft opening on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Reminder for families: There’s no school today through Monday, though staff will report today for professional development. The school board will host a meeting Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. See the district’s full calendar here.
Registration is now open for new students enrolling in kindergarten or first grade next school year.
There’s just over a week left to submit an application for the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund, which closes Feb. 20. To be eligible, recipients must graduate from a Lower Merion School District high school, have attended one of the district’s high schools for at least two years, been a student in the district for at least four years, and be a full-time student at an accredited post-secondary education institution.
Lower Merion High School senior Dylan Steinberg recently received All State Honors from the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. The four-year varsity athlete scored over 70 goals and contributed to 53 assists during her high school career. She plans to continue playing soccer at Cornell University next year.
Friends’ Central School senior Ruba Abdelgalil has been named a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholar. She was selected from a pool of 107,000 applicants. The scholarship is awarded annually to seniors who have demonstrated leadership, service, and a “commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities.” Abdelgalil plans to attend The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
🍽️ On our Plate
Two restaurants, Lassan Indian Traditional and Malooga, are set to open locations in Narberth this month. Looking ahead, PopUp Bagels is planning a March debut in Ardmore.
🎳 Things to Do
📱Screenagers: This documentary explores the impacts of social media and screen time on teenagers. There will also be a panel discussion led by Delco Unplugged, part of an organization advocating for delaying smartphones for kids. ⏰ Thursday, Feb. 12, 7-9 p.m. 💵 $10 📍 Kaiserman JCC
🎥 Roman Holiday: Catch a screening of the 1953 film starring Audrey Hepburn, for which she won an Academy Award. ⏰ Thursday, Feb. 12, 7:15 p.m. 💵 $17.75 📍 Bryn Mawr Film Institute
🍫 Yummy Valentine’s Day Treats: Kids ages 5 and up can create several edible Valentine’s Day-themed crafts. ⏰ Friday, Feb. 13, 10-11 a.m. 💵 $21.20 📍 The Candy Lab
🎶 The Legwarmers: The ‘80s tribute band will briefly transport attendees back in time. ⏰ Friday, Feb. 13, 8 p.m. 💵 $29.50-$67.28 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
❤️ Funky Brunch: Valentine’s Edition: Shop, dine, and listen to tunes from six-piece blues band Three Fourteen at this Valentine’s Day-themed event. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
The exterior of the four-bedroom home has a two-tone color scheme.
This four-bedroom contemporary Penn Valley home features a two-story foyer, a living room, a family room with a wood-burning fireplace, a formal dining room, and an eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and an island. Its primary suite has a walk-in closet, a bathroom with a jetted tub, and a dedicated office that leads to a private balcony. Other features include a finished basement with a half bathroom, as well as a fenced yard. There are open houses next Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon, next Friday from noon to 1 p.m., and next Saturday and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.
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