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  • Vic Fangio expects to have safety Reed Blankenship available on Friday vs. the Bears

    Vic Fangio expects to have safety Reed Blankenship available on Friday vs. the Bears

    Vic Fangio said Tuesday he expects to have Reed Blankenship available to play in Friday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

    Blankenship, the 26-year-old starting safety, suffered a thigh injury in the third quarter of the Eagles’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday while making a tackle on running back Javonte Williams. He did not return to action, requiring Sydney Brown to take over his role in the Eagles defense.

    The news of Blankenship’s improved health is a boost to a banged-up secondary. Sources told The Inquirer on Monday that Drew Mukuba, the Eagles’ rookie safety, will require surgery to repair a right leg fracture he suffered on what was essentially the second-to-last play of Sunday’s game.

    Nick Sirianni says the Eagles are ‘searching for answers’ on offense, but Kevin Patullo will call plays

    With Mukuba likely on his way to injured reserve, Fangio said Brown is the next man up to start on Friday. Brown, the Eagles’ 2023 third-rounder out of Illinois, played 26 defensive snaps on Sunday, conceding two Jake Ferguson receptions for 26 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.

    Fangio was complimentary of Brown in his efforts to stay ready as the third safety this season.

    “I think he’s been doing a good job in practice with the reps that he does get,” the Eagles defensive coordinator said. “He’s done a good job staying in tune in the meetings, in the walk-throughs, and I’m excited to see how he does.”

    The Eagles will have other depth options at safety on game day behind Blankenship and Brown. Fangio acknowledged that Michael Carter, the 26-year-old defensive back whom the Eagles acquired from the New York Jets ahead of the trade deadline, has been serving as the fourth safety for the last three games.

    Additionally, Fangio said there is a chance that Andrè Sam, the 2024 undrafted free-agent safety out of LSU, will be elevated from the practice squad to the game day roster.

    Cooper at cornerback

    The Eagles also saw attrition at cornerback, as Adoree’ Jackson entered the concussion protocol in the third quarter after making a tackle on Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.

    When Jackson exited the game, Cooper DeJean assumed the outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell on a mostly full-time basis. (Kelee Ringo also played one snap on the outside.) Carter took over for DeJean as the nickel cornerback. Fangio called the duo the “next best combination” beyond the starting pair.

    Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb makes a big catch in front of Cooper DeJean in coverage on Sunday.

    It was a tough showing for DeJean. He allowed four receptions on five targets for a team-high 148 yards, according to PFF. However, Fangio wasn’t outwardly critical of the 22-year-old defensive back.

    “He got beat a couple times,” Fangio said. “I thought he was tight, just at the catch point, got beat. It’s going to happen some.”

    If Jackson can’t play on Friday, Fangio said that “it’s possible” he rolls with the same combination of cornerbacks that ended the game on Sunday. He has been pleased with the contributions of the 5-foot-10, 184-pound Carter, who conceded just one reception on three targets for 7 yards against the Cowboys, according to PFF (although two of those targets were drops).

    “I think he’s a good player,” Fangio said. “Good, natural football player. Understands the game. Has got good instincts. Got good technique to his game. He’s quick. We’re pleased to have him.”

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 13 vs. the Bears

    Returner revamp

    Unsurprisingly, Xavier Gipson’s decision to field a punt at the Eagles’ 2-yard line and subsequent fumble at the 7 late in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Cowboys wasn’t part of special teams coordinator Michael Clay’s plan.

    The turnover didn’t ultimately amount to a Cowboys score, as the Eagles defense forced a turnover on downs when Dak Prescott threw an incomplete fourth-and-1 pass for Ferguson at the goal line. Still, Clay acknowledged that his group has to know when to be “at the mercy of the bounce“ on the return depending on the field position.

    “Sometimes, you saw in the Rams game against Seattle, that ball hit at the 1½-foot line and it bounced out,” Clay said. “You just tip your cap. That’s a heck of a job right there. So any time we can control what we can control, we would like that.

    “But again, we’re not out there in between the white lines. We try to give as much confidence in our guys to go out there and make a play; it’s just really unfortunate that it happened at that juncture of the game.”

    Gipson didn’t just turn the ball over on the play. He also suffered a shoulder injury and was spotted in the locker room after the game sporting a sling on his right arm.

    The Eagles have a variety of options to replace Gipson as both the punt returner and kick returner (alongside Will Shipley) if he can’t play. Before the Eagles claimed Gipson off waivers from the New York Giants, running back Tank Bigsby served as a kick returner.

    Eagles running back Tank Bigsby could be an option for the Eagles on Friday as a kick returner. He returned kicks for the team earlier in the year.

    However, Bigsby muffed a kick in the Week 6 loss to the Giants that forced the Eagles offense to start a drive at their own 7-yard line. He was stripped of his kick-return duties afterward. Still, Clay expressed that he hasn’t lost confidence in Bigsby if they call upon him Friday.

    “Tank works extremely hard,” Clay said. “We’ve been working him every day. Maybe you guys see him on Thursdays catching kicks from Jake [Elliott], things of that nature. In walk-through, going through the mechanics. So he’s always in that mix for us to be a returner.”

    Meanwhile, Jahan Dotson had been serving as the Eagles’ punt returner before Gipson joined the team. Britain Covey, who spent time as the team’s punt returner over the last two seasons, is an option on the practice squad. Clay wouldn’t divulge who will be assuming those return-specialist roles against the Bears, though.

    “Obviously, the roster is so much in flux and obviously that happens to special teams so much,” Clay said. “That’s what we do. We prepare, not just one guy. We prepare the entire roster for it if someone does go down or if things of that nature.

    “So we have players in place. Howie [Roseman] does a good job with the roster, giving us an opportunity to fill that void if someone does get nicked or banged up throughout the game or throughout the week.”

  • Josh Shapiro signs CROWN Act into law, prohibiting discrimination based on hair type, texture, or style

    Josh Shapiro signs CROWN Act into law, prohibiting discrimination based on hair type, texture, or style

    Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the CROWN Act into law Tuesday, a landmark bill that prohibits discrimination based on a person’s hair type, texture, or style.

    The act, which stands for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, applies to every Pennsylvanian, but is especially impactful to Black men and, particularly, women who have been discouraged from or marginalized by wearing natural or protective styles at school or in their places of work.

    At the Island Design Natural Hair Studio Tuesday, where Shapiro signed the bill into law, studio owner Lorraine Ruley said her clients have asked to change their hairstyles because of their workplace or upcoming job interviews. In one instance, Ruley said she had a client who asked to cut their locks because their workplace deemed it “unprofessional.”

    “The experience has been really heartbreaking, but I thank God for the opportunity to be here,” Ruley said. “And I just want to say natural hair rock.”

    At the West Philly salon, Shapiro was flanked by prime state sponsor of the CROWN Act, state Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes (D., Allegheny), and prime cosponsor House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D., Phila), who were overjoyed that their years of fighting for these protections were finally paying off and supported in a bipartisan fashion. The Pennsylvania Senate passed the bill 44-3 last week after it was stuck in committee for years.

    Gov. Josh Shapiro (front center) holds up the signed CROWN Act during a news conference at Island Design Natural Hair Studio, in West Philadelphia Tuesday.

    “This is going to help people by making sure that wherever you work, or wherever you’re applying for a job, they can’t look at your hair and size you up, not based on your qualifications and all of the professional development you have and all of your education,” McClinton said. “They will not look at your hair and decide you can’t work here.”

    Shapiro said the bill is about delivering “real freedom” for Pennsylvanians to protect them against hair discrimination that may at times be subtle.

    Pennsylvania is the 28th state to pass anti-hair discrimination laws. New Jersey signed the CROWN Act into law in 2019. And both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh passed ordinances in 2020 to ban such discrimination, but this law will ensure protections for all Pennsylvanians. Incidents of discrimination can be reported to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

    For some Black women, the price of trying to conform to a prejudiced setting could come at a risk to their health. There have been some concerns in recent years that frequent use of chemical straighteners, which some women use to more permanently straighten their hair, could increase the risk of cancers of the reproductive system.

    “With an undeniable correlation between the use of chemical relaxers and the increased likelihood of developing uterine fibroids and cancer, the cost of conformity is simply too expensive,” said Adjoa B. Asamoah, a Washington, D.C.-based Temple graduate and architect of the CROWN Act, at the bill signing Tuesday.

    The CROWN Act amends the Human Relations Act to clarify the term race to include traits like hair texture and protective styles. The House bill passed in 2020 and again in 2023. It was later assigned to the Senate where it had been dormant.

    The state House passed the bill once again in March, and McClinton worked with Republican Senate president pro tempore Kim Ward to get the bill to the Senate.

    When asked about the prospects of a bill similar to the CROWN Act becoming federal law, especially under the Trump administration, which has railed against diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, Asamoah said she is hopeful that it will become the law of the land and she “will not rest” until it does. Asamoah added that the bill is crafted carefully to “withstand any judicial scrutiny.”

    Shapiro, for his part, said: “This is law. I don’t care what Donald Trump says. We make the laws here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and we will protect the Crown Act.” Those gathered clapped and interjected with affirmations.

    And it became clear at the beginning of Tuesday’s bill signing event that the salon likes it when Shapiro wades into national political discourse.

    “We talk about you being president,” Ruley said.

  • Jefferson Health hit with federal WARN Act lawsuit

    Jefferson Health hit with federal WARN Act lawsuit

    A lawsuit filed Tuesday in Philadelphia accused Jefferson Health of violating federal labor rules when it laid off 1% of its 65,000 employees in October and this month without providing a 60-day notice.

    The purported class-action lawsuit says the proposed lead plaintiff, Ciara Brice, lost her job as a medical assistant on Nov. 12 with no notice and has not received the severance pay she was promised.

    Brice was not available for comment, said her lawyer, Jeremy E. Abay, with Philadelphia law firm Pond Lehocky Giordano Inc.

    The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act has a complicated rubric for determining when a mass layoff requires advance notification, which is filed with state labor departments. One of the triggers is an employer cutting at least 500 jobs, according to Abay.

    Even though the layoffs happened throughout Jefferson’s entire footprint from South Jersey to near Scranton, Abay said notice is required because Jefferson operates as a single entity.

    “We believe the facts will show that there was no violation of the federal WARN Act,” Jefferson said in a statement.

    The nonprofit filed a notice of 108 layoffs at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital, Jefferson Stratford Hospital, and Jefferson Washington Township Hospital because New Jersey has its own rules, Abay said.

    In August, Jefferson reported a $195 million operating loss on $15.8 billion in revenue for the year that ended June 30.

    The nonprofit, which grew through acquisitions from three hospitals in Philadelphia in 2015 to more than 30 now, provided no details when it announced the layoffs in mid-October.

    That layoff was part of a series of large job cuts starting in the summer of 2023, but may have been the first time patient-facing workers like Brice were hit.

    The lawsuit seeks back pay, benefits, and damages for each laid-off employee who did not receive a 60-day notice.

    Editor’s note: The headline on this article has been updated to clarify that a lawsuit claims violations.

  • Lawsuit accuses PPA of failing to pay its security officers for mandatory breaks

    Lawsuit accuses PPA of failing to pay its security officers for mandatory breaks

    The Philadelphia Parking Authority violated federal and Pennsylvania labor law by requiring the security officers in the agency’s impound lots to work during their mandatory 30-minute meal and rest breaks, according to a proposed class action lawsuit.

    The complaint was filed Monday in Philadelphia’s federal court by Terrez McCleary, who has been working for the PPA as a security officer since 2018. The suit does not say how many security officers are part of the class.

    McCleary staffs a security booth in a PPA impound, which requires her to control pedestrian and car traffic; go on security rounds; and respond to any safety issue, the suit says. During her eight-hour workday, the guard has to take a 30-minute unpaid break. But PPA doesn’t relieve her of her duties during that time, according to the complaint.

    “Put simply, the PPA requires Plaintiff and other security officers to work for 30 minutes without pay,” the lawsuit says.

    Had PPA counted the breaks toward security officers’ time sheets, many would have worked more than 40 hours a week, the complaint says. By not counting the 30-minute chunks, the PPA deprived its staffers of overtime pay.

    The proposed class action asks that the court award PPA’s security officers all the wages they lost due to the imposed break over the last three years, alongside an unspecified amount of damages.

    PPA declined to comment on the litigation.

    The lawsuit will have to be certified as a class action by a federal judge, which is not a forgone conclusion.

    Two Philadelphia Police Department chief inspectors filed a class-action lawsuit in August 2024, alleging they were denied overtime pay for emergencies for over a decade. In September, they asked a judge to certify their case as a class action representing 230 ranking officers.

    District Judge Mark Kearney denied the request earlier this month, explaining that it could not evaluate the claims for 230 officers without individually assessing the circumstances of each one.

    Jeremy Abay, the Pond Lehocky Giordano lawyer representing McCleary, said that the lawsuit fits a class action because the affected security officers would have the half hour deducted on their payroll records.

    “The class here is baked into their job duty,” Abay said. “Here these folks were at their post; they had to be at their post, and they have that .5 deduction on their payroll records.”

  • The FBI wants to question the lawmakers who called on troops to refuse unlawful orders, including Chester County’s Chrissy Houlahan

    The FBI wants to question the lawmakers who called on troops to refuse unlawful orders, including Chester County’s Chrissy Houlahan

    The FBI is seeking interviews with the six Democratic members of Congress, including two from Pennsylvania, who released a video calling on members of the military and intelligence community to “refuse illegal orders.”

    A U.S. Justice Department official said the FBI has requested interviews with the six Democratic lawmakers, who are all veterans or members of the intelligence community.

    The move came a day after the Pentagon threatened to recall Sen. Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.), a Navy veteran and one of the six lawmakers, to active duty potentially to face military charges. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday described the video as “seditious” and “despicable, reckless, and false” after President Donald Trump went on a social media rant against the lawmakers last week.

    U.S. Reps. Chrissy Houlahan of Chester County, an Air Force veteran, and Chris Deluzio of Allegheny County, a Navy vet, both took part in the video.

    Houlahan said in a statement Tuesday that Trump “is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass Members of Congress.”

    Chrissy Houlahan says she is ‘profoundly disappointed’ in lack of support from GOP colleagues after Trump’s sedition accusation

    She said the FBI contacted the House and Senate sergeants at arms on Monday to request the interviews.

    “No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution,” Houlahan said.

    The lawmaker said that members of Congress took an oath to the Constitution that “lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it.”

    “We will not be bullied. We will never give up the ship,” she added.

    The six members of Congress urged service members not to “give up the ship” in their video released last week, which drew fierce attacks from Trump. They did not refer to specific orders as illegal in the video, but some have cited military strikes against boats in the Caribbean that experts have questioned as well as Trump’s efforts to deploy the National Guard in U.S. cities.

    In a string of posts last week on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump called the Democrats “traitors” who committed sedition “punishable by DEATH.” He reshared similarly aggressive posts from supporters, including one calling for the lawmakers to be hanged.

    Houlahan and Deluzio both reported bomb threats at their district offices on Friday following the president’s attacks.

    Trump accuses Democratic vets in Congress of sedition ‘punishable by death,’ including two lawmakers from Pa.

    The Department of Defense announced Monday that it “has received serious allegations of misconduct” against Kelly, a retired Navy captain, and that “a thorough review of these allegations has been initiated.”

    Kelly is subject to military rules while the other veterans who partook in the video are not because he retired from the military. That means he earns a pension and can be recalled to active duty.

    His colleagues in the video did not serve long enough to qualify for retirement, so they are not subject to military laws, as he is.

    This article contains information from Reuters.

  • Eagles will wear appropriate uniforms for Black Friday — and are asking fans to do the same

    Eagles will wear appropriate uniforms for Black Friday — and are asking fans to do the same

    It’s time for another blackout at Lincoln Financial Field during the Eagles’ Week 13 matchup on Black Friday.

    The team announced it will don its all-black alternate uniforms for the first time this season against the Chicago Bears. As part of the holiday matchup, the Eagles are encouraging fans to ditch their green — whether that’s midnight or kelly — and instead dress in black.

    The Eagles’ black jerseys first debuted in 2003. They added black pants to match in 2014, during the Chip Kelly era. And if that wasn’t enough, the team added a black helmet in 2022. And although this is the first time they will wear the all-black look this season, the Eagles have worn their black pants twice. They first wore them in their Week 6 loss to the New York Giants, but with their white jerseys and midnight green helmets. In Week 10, they wore black pants and matching black helmets with their white jerseys in their 10-7 win over the Green Bay Packers.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 13 vs. the Bears

    When it comes to the black jersey, the Eagles have had quite a bit of success, especially over the last two years, defeating the Giants in both instances. During the 2023 season, the Birds defeated their NFC East rivals, 33-25, at home on Christmas Day. They most recently wore the uniform during last year’s regular-season finale, which resulted in a meaningless Birds win — nearly all the starters sat out with the No. 2 seed in the NFC already secured.

    Now, there’s much more on the line. Not only do the Eagles need a win coming off an embarrassing loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but they’re also facing a tougher opponent — the 8-3 Bears — in a nationally broadcast game.

  • William Way LGBT Community Center will permanently close its historic Center City building in December. Services will continue elsewhere.

    William Way LGBT Community Center will permanently close its historic Center City building in December. Services will continue elsewhere.

    One of Philadelphia’s oldest hubs for the LGBTQ+ community will shut its doors in less than a month, as the half-century-old organization transforms its programming and moves on from its aging Spruce Street building.

    The William Way LGBT Community Center will permanently close its 1315 Spruce St. headquarters on Dec. 18, the William Way board announced Monday. This will end the tenure of “a vital gathering space for trans and gender-diverse individuals” across the region and beyond, officials said; however, William Way intends to continue its services, research, and archival efforts elsewhere.

    “While the building may be closing, our commitment to the community remains unwavering,” said Laura Ryan, cochair of William Way’s board. “Our board, staff, and community partners are actively finalizing plans that will guide the center’s next chapter, and we look forward to sharing those details as soon as we can.”

    The property was listed for sale earlier this year, but it was not known if there was a new owner at this time, a William Way spokesperson said.

    Attendees of Philadelphia’s Pride celebrations run under a large Pride flag outside of the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia, Pa. On Dec. 18, 2025, the center will permanently close its Center City building.

    This decision follows years of redevelopment plans and failed fundraising efforts for the 175-year-old building that has served as the LGBTQ+ center’s hub since 1997. The center briefly closed for inspection and emergency repairs last fall, reopening a portion of the building in January 2025.

    As of the board’s recent estimates, and after failing to raise enough capital for repairs, the aging pre-Civil War-era building still needs at least $3.5 million in immediate repairs, the board announced earlier this year.

    “Our community deserves a space that is not only safe and affirming, but fully accessible and equipped to support our future,” William Way’s chief operating officer, Darius McLean, said in June. “The decision to move was not made lightly. It reflects our commitment to delivering programs with dignity and excellence, for today and future generations.”

    Jason Landau Goodman, who is not with the group, takes a photo for the Philadelphia Young Democrats, made up of the Penn Dems and Temple College Democrats as they attend a forum for mayoral candidates at the William Way LGBT Community Center Monday night.

    Moving forward, William Way will operate less as a physical center for services than as a foundation spreading these programs across the city. “The heart of William Way has never been its walls. It’s the people, the programs, and the unwavering commitment to creating a space where LGBTQIA+ individuals are seen, valued, and safe,” said board cochair Dave Huting.

    William Way officials confirmed no programs will be discontinued in the transition.

    Some of its most vital programs will be continuing through the nearby Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany at 330 S. 13th St., around the corner from the William Way center. Starting Jan. 5, 2026, all of the center’s empowerment programs, including the elder initiative, peer counseling, and trans programs, will operate out of St. Luke’s.

    The center’s arts programs will live on through programming at partner organizations and other off-site locations through 2026. For instance, in January and February, Arleen Olshan’s Dead Dykes & Some Gay Men exhibition will be on display at the iMPeRFeCT Gallery in Germantown.

    Alexi Chacon, 25, of Los Angeles, then Archives Intern at the William Way LGBT Community Center, poses for a portrait in Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.

    The John J. Wilcox Jr. Archives and Library is one of the most important relocation efforts being undertaken, as the center needs to ensure its vast collection of LGBTQ+ history is preserved and ready for its “future home.” Officials for William Way said they have not finalized its new location. Until Dec. 18, the library will remain open for on-site browsing and returns. No materials can be checked out from this point on.

    There will be a few final celebrations to enjoy at the William Way center before its Gayborhood building is closed and transferred to any new buyer. On Thanksgiving Day, from noon to 2 p.m., William Way is hosting a Giving Thanks Dinner and tree-decorating event, featuring an LGBTQ+ sit-down meal and decorating the center’s holiday tree.

    On Dec. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m., the center will host “One Last Dance,” a celebratory evening honoring the many community members, milestones, and memories of the time-honored institution.

    Correction: This article has been updated to note when William Way started using the 1315 Spruce St. building. It was in 1997.

  • Flyers takeaways: Sam Ersson a rare bright spot in a listless offensive showing vs. the Lightning

    Flyers takeaways: Sam Ersson a rare bright spot in a listless offensive showing vs. the Lightning

    TAMPA, Fla. — After a six-goal outburst on Saturday night against a division opponent, the Flyers put up a goose egg Monday for the first time this season.

    Here are three things to know from the 3-0 shutout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning:

    Flyers shut out for the first time this season in 3-0 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning

    Sam Ersson played well

    Tending goal for the first time in 10 days, and after goalie Dan Vladař had started three straight, Sam Ersson got back between the pipes on Monday. If you look at the stats, you’ll see he allowed two goals on 17 shots, and produced another sub-.900 save percentage outing.

    But peer beyond the box score and you’ll see a goalie who played his game.

    The Swedish netminder has always been strong at tracking pucks and playing angles. Just 93 seconds into the game, and on the first shot he faced, Ersson made a save on a tricky tipped shot by Dominic James. He kicked out the left pad to rob him on a rebound shot from the slot later in the period. Ersson later tracked the puck well after Jake Guentzel threw it on net from the right wing.

    In the third period, he stopped Brandon Hagel — who easily was the Lightning’s best player in the game — as he danced through the defense and fired a shot off Ersson’s shoulder. And late in the game, as the Flyers started to press, he stopped James again on a two-on-one.

    Ersson likes to see a high volume of shots. This game did not have that, and, to be fair, neither have most of his games this season. Ersson has the lowest shots against per 60 minutes in the NHL (20.9) while not getting much run support. He ranks second in the league, behind Nashville’s Juuse Saros, with the fewest goals for (2.18) among goalies who have played at least seven games.

    “I can’t make them manufacture shots,” Ersson said. “They get chances. I know the puck is going to come my way. I think I’ve got to do some stuff different on those goals, from my perspective, and do a better job [and] come up with some saves in those situations.”

    The goals he allowed came on a tipped shot by Hagel in the first period, when it looked like there was a double screen, and another in the second by Anthony Cirelli, who was left alone in front for an easy redirect off the rush.

    Flyers coach Rick Tocchet prefers his team to keep opponents’ shots to the outside, but the Lightning clearly had a game plan to drive to the middle of the ice in the offensive zone. Ersson saved all nine mid-danger chances but allowed two goals on five high-danger chances.

    Diving in

    Coach Rick Tocchet thought Ersson played well and didn’t lay any of the blame on his shoulders. He didn’t lay any of the blame on his defensemen, either.

    “It was too many odd-man rushes. That’s not on the D. The second period, we had eight odd-man rushes, that’s on the forwards. So that’s not on the D,” Tocchet said. “We have to have some guys commit to being above [the puck]. You have those types of talented players on the ice, you have to be above. You stand up when you have numbers; we didn’t have numbers because a couple of guys were diving in.”

    The speedy Lightning, despite a rash of injuries, have players like Hagel, Nikita Kucherov, Guentzel, and Cirelli, who can make you pay.

    Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae, who has been playing well, had a tough game Monday in Tampa, Fla.

    “They came with speed right from the gate and definitely pushed us back a little bit, for sure,” said defenseman Jamie Drysdale, who was on the ice for all three Lightning goals and was out there with defensive partner Emil Andrae for the first two. “A few odd-man rushes here and there, and, yeah, they played faster than us, and they were the better team tonight.”

    Tocchet mentioned two terms: “stay above” and “diving in.” In layman’s terms, his forwards were not playing smart defensively and were attacking at the wrong moments.

    On the first goal, the forwards just got stuck not skating. Hagel easily went around Bobby Brink in the neutral zone as he tried to attack after being at a complete stop. Cirelli’s goal came after the three forwards got trapped deep in the offensive zone, with Sean Couturier “diving in” on Hagel, who made a cross-ice pass to Kucherov at center ice before getting it back as he drove down the right side.

    “I’ll take the blame for this one; our line wasn’t good without the puck,” Couturier said. “They had some odd-man rushes on us. But other than that, I thought the other lines were going.

    “It was a tight check game, not much going on both sides. Those are the games that you’ve got to find a way to win, and sometimes they go your way and sometimes they don’t.”

    Sean Couturier (bottom left in white) tried to create a turnover by “diving in,” but it was too much with Bobby Brink and Matvei Michkov already deep in the offensive zone.

    Chances were there

    Truth be told, according to Natural Stat Trick, the line of Couturier, Brink, and Matvei Michkov was the Flyers’ best when it came to trying to get them on the board. The trio generated 13 shot attempts to eight for the Lightning and created eight scoring chances compared to five against. The only problem was that the Lightning scored on two of them.

    Couturier led the line in scoring chances created with five, while Tyson Foerster, who skated with Travis Konecny and Noah Cates, had six individual chances. One of his chances was on a two-on-one with Konecny, but unlike his quick strike on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, he waited a second, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made the save.

    In the second period, the Flyers and Lightning traded chances, with the Flyers winning the chance battle, 14-9, in the third. Drysdale had several good looks Monday, and in the second period, he skated down the middle of the ice to fire a shot that Vasilevskiy saved. And although he was credited with one shot on goal and two missed shots, Michkov set up chances and had a shot on goal straight down the gullet.

    Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko traded to Ontario Hockey League favorite Brantford

    The problem? “The Big Cat” saw everything all the way and didn’t have to move much. To beat the Russian netminder, you need bodies in front and to make him move.

    “There were plays to be made, we just didn’t make them,” Tocchet said.

    “We’ll learn; we’ll build,” Drysdale said. “We’ll be better and come back against Florida and play a good game.” The Flyers take on the Panthers on Wednesday in Sunrise, Fla. (7 p.m., NBCSP).

    Nesbitt suspended

    Flyers prospect Jack Nesbitt has been suspended three games by the Ontario Hockey League after receiving a match penalty on Nov. 22 against Saginaw. The match penalty came after he was called for roughing, after throwing a punch in a scrum. Nesbitt has 19 points in 18 games, including eight on the power play, for Windsor. The Spitfires are the top team in the OHL’s Western Conference (17-5-2-1).

    The Flyers created too few chances in Monday’s 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
  • U.S. states sue over Trump’s $3 billion cut to homelessness program

    U.S. states sue over Trump’s $3 billion cut to homelessness program

    A group of U.S. states filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to compel President Donald Trump’s administration to reinstate more than $3 billion in grant funding used to provide permanent housing and other services to homeless people.

    The 20 mostly Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., said changes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced to its Continuum of Care program this month violate federal law and are illegally targeted at LGBTQ people and other communities that are not aligned with the Trump administration’s policy priorities, in the lawsuit in Rhode Island federal court.

    Trump is changing the way aid goes to cities. Philly stands to lose tens of millions of dollars for housing.

    The lawsuit seeks to block the funding cuts and new conditions HUD has placed on receiving the grants.

    Program created in 1987

    New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said in a statement that communities across the country depend on the program to provide housing and other resources to their most vulnerable members.

    “These funds help keep tens of thousands of people from sleeping on the streets every night,” James said.

    The states that joined New York in the lawsuit include California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Kentucky.

    “For decades, these housing programs have helped vulnerable people — families, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and LGTBQ+ Pennsylvanians — have access to safe, affordable housing,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement released Tuesday. “Now, the Trump Administration is trying to abruptly dismantle the very system Congress created to fight homelessness. Pennsylvanians depend on this funding and the Trump Administration’s decision will force people out of their homes, defund organizations doing critical work, and leave state taxpayers on the hook. I’m taking action to ensure the federal government keeps its promise — because no Pennsylvanian should be thrown back into homelessness because of political games in Washington.”

    Congress created the Continuum of Care program in 1987 to provide resources for states, local governments and nonprofits to deliver support services to homeless people, with a focus on veterans, families, and people with disabilities.

    The program has long been based on the “housing first” approach to combating homelessness, which prioritizes placing people into permanent housing without preconditions such as sobriety and employment. Along with housing, the grants fund childcare, job training, mental health counseling and transportation services. The Trump administration has criticized the housing-first approach, and HUD this month said it was overhauling the grant program to focus on transitional housing initiatives with work requirements and other conditions. HUD has also barred grant recipients from using the funding for activities that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, elective abortions, or “gender ideology,” or interfere with the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. Trump, a Republican, has also urged states and cities to clear out homeless encampments and direct people to substance abuse and mental health treatment facilities.

    The changes could cause more than 170,000 people to lose their housing, according to the states’ lawsuit. The states claim the Trump administration cannot impose its own conditions on funds that Congress said should be distributed based solely on need. (Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Rod Nickel)

  • Joel Embiid, Paul George to miss Sixers’ NBA Cup matchup with Orlando Magic

    Joel Embiid, Paul George to miss Sixers’ NBA Cup matchup with Orlando Magic

    The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid and Paul George when they face the Orlando Magic in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup game at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The perennial All-Stars were scratched from the game on Tuesday afternoon.

    George is sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Meanwhile, Embiid will miss his eighth consecutive game because of knee injuries. The 2023 MVP was listed as questionable on Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

    So what happened?

    “Just not quite there yet [to play],” coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid before the game. “I mean, you guys know that we said yesterday that he practiced fully, and he participated in most, well, I don’t know, parts of the shootaround today, but just not quite there.”

    Tyrese Maxey more concerned about his friend’s health than having Joel Embiid back on the court

    If Embiid’s still not quite ready, why did the Sixers list him as questionable?

    “I guess I would say there was a chance he would be ready,” Nurse said. “I think that’s what we have to do. It was trending towards he was going to play.”

    This contest will mark the seventh straight game Embiid has missed as the team manages the soreness in his right knee. He also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.

    Embiid, who has no structural damage to his right knee, had been listed as day to day. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder has already missed 10 of the Sixers’ 16 games because of knee ailments. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid watches his teammates play the Orlando Magic on Oct. 27.

    George injured his ankle in Sunday’s 127-117 loss to the Miami Heat. The nine-time All-Star had 10 points and five assists in his third game of the season. He missed the first 12 as he recovered from a left knee injury.

    Nurse was asked if there was any additional information on George’s ankle that caused him to be downgraded from probable to out.

    “Nope,” he said. “Just that it is reported soreness in the ankle after the game the other night. He has not been in anything since then, and we’re just trying to keep following up with that and see where he is.”

    The 6-8, 220-pounder is averaging 13.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and one block in 22.0 minutes.

    Nurse said the Sixers have yet to determine whether George will miss an extended period of time with the injury.

    “I think we’re in the process of checking in to see what exactly is wrong and what the extent of it is,” he said. “We’ll, obviously, give you that when we have it.”

    Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), and reserve center Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s game.

    Tyrese Maxey’s impact extends far beyond basketball. Philly is blessed to have him.

    As a result, Tyrese Maxey and Dominick Barlow, who started the first two games in place of George, are the Sixers’ only available starters from the opening day lineup.

    The Sixers (9-7) are hoping to secure their first cup victory. They’re 0-2 in East Group B after a 114-105 loss to the Pistons on Nov. 14 at Little Caesars Arena. The Magic (10-8, 2-0) are tied with the Pistons for first place in the group.