Ghostly films will meet ghosts of department stores past in a pop-up film series leading up to Halloween. Film historian and former Inquirer film critic Carrie Rickey has curated five silent films from the 1920s to be shown at the Pipe Up! series in the Wanamaker Building — each one accompanied by live organ.
Among the films being screened are Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922) and Faust (1926).
“What was scary a century ago when the great German filmmakers invented these templates of the modern horror movie aren’t exactly spine-tingling today,” said Rickey. “But they are creepy, in the manner of folk and fairy tales — and artists like Hieronymus Bosch. They get under the skin. And they’re inventive.”
Also being shown are two lesser-known Swedish films: Victor Sjöström’s The Phantom Carriage (1921) — “a huge influence on Ingmar Bergman,” says Rickey — and Häxan (1922), Benjamin Christensen’s film purporting to be documentary.
“It hypothesizes what medievalists called possessed nuns and black sabbaths, and what Freud would call female hysteria. It is the earliest example of goth horror that I’ve ever seen,” Rickey said.
The screenings are scheduled to take place in the Wanamaker Building’s Greek Hall, which means the musical accompaniment will be played on an instrument that gets considerably less attention than the one in the Grand Court.
That smaller instrument is a theater organ, a restored 1929 Wurlitzer originally from the Fox Theatre in Appleton, Wis.
“It’s pristine, it hasn’t been fooled with like a lot of Wurlitzers,” said Friends of the Wanamaker Organ president Ray Biswanger. “It’s got a lot of color in it and represents well the experience of hearing a silent movie.”
Organists have different approaches to scoring silent film, said Peter Richard Conte, the Wanamaker Grand Court organist who is playing two of the five nights. His method is to watch the film 10 to 15 times, prepare a cue sheet, and play leitmotifs (recurrent themes) for various characters and places.
“And you just watch the film like a hawk and improvise,” he said.
Conte tends to avoid tucking in popular tunes or familiar musical references. “It distracts from the film. It can be cute and occasionally I will do it, but almost like a joke. What you want to do is disappear. If the audience forgets that you’re there,” Conte says, “that’s the biggest compliment I can get.”
The lineup: Monday, “Faust,” organist Ian Fraser; Tuesday, “The Phantom Carriage,” organist Don Kinnier; Wednesday, “Nosferatu,” organist Peter Richard Conte; Thursday, “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” organist Peter Richard Conte; Friday, “Häxan,” organist Don Kinnear.
Screenings begin at 7 p.m. at the Wanamaker Building, 1300 Market St. Admission is free with advance registration. operaphila.org.
Conte will also perform on the Grand Court Organ for a live-to-screen presentation of the 1925 film “The Phantom of the Opera,” Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. The event is free and requires no advance registration.
The stars of the night were Tyrese Maxey and first-round pick VJ Edgecombe, who scored 34 points, the third-best debut for a rookie in NBA history.
Barkley used Edgecombe’s eye-opening debut to jokingly take a shot at his college coach, Baylor’s Scott Drew. In reality, the two are close, and Barkley played with Drew’s brother, Bryce Drew, with the Houston Rockets.
“Scott Drew can’t coach. He’s been holding this kid back,” Barkley joked.
“I was asked a thousand times this summer about the Sixers. I said I can’t give a fair prediction,” Barkley said. “As much as I love Edgecombe and Maxey, if Embiid and Paul George can’t play, [the Sixers] are not a contender.”
“He only gave your four points,” Shaq added.
So yeah, while Barkley, Shaq, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith have jumped from TNT to ESPN, nothing changed about the chemistry of Inside the NBA, one of the most beloved sports shows in TV history.
Who else would ESPN let compare new Wizards guard CJ McCollum to convicted felon and former New York U.S. Rep. George Santos, who was released from prison by President Donald Trump?
“Man, I don’t know what CJ McCollum did to someone” to end up on the Wizards, Barkley said. “We freed George Santos, let’s free CJ McCollum.”
The foursome, now in their 15th season working together, mocked their new home relentlessly, joking that Barkley will appear on every ESPN show, from Get Up to First Take to NFL Live.
“One thing I’m not going to be is Stephen A. Smith — everywhere,” Barkley said.
Much later in the evening — ESPN let Inside the NBA roll past 1 a.m. Philly time — Johnson quizzed Barkley on which networks a handful of NBA personalities worked for. Barkley got two right, but missed on TNT colleague Allie LaForce.
And for those keeping score, Barkley picked the New York Knicks to win the Eastern Conference, a prediction that will likely change at least seven times before the end of the season.
TNT had broadcast NBA games since 1989, but the NBA rejected the network’s offer in favor of new 11-year deals NBC and Amazon. Despite that, the show is still produced by TNT out of their Atlanta studio. It’s just the name on front of the desk that’s ultimately different.
Barkley and company will be back on the network tonight for another doubleheader: Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers at 7:30 p.m. Philly time, followed by Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors at 10 p.m.
“Ernie, that’s today!” Barkley said shortly after midnight.
Once the NFL season is over, Amazon will stream NBA games on Prime Video Thursday nights. Until then, the evening is wide-open, allowing ESPN to swoop in to broadcast two national games tonight.
After that, Inside the NBA will have a light schedule on ESPN until the end of the year, though they’ll appear more frequently during the second half of the season.
Here’s when Inside the NBA will appear on ESPN though the end of December:
Thursday, Oct. 23: ESPN
Wednesday, Oct. 29: ESPN
Wednesday, Nov. 12: ESPN
Thursday Dec. 25: ESPN and ABC
Mark Sanchez still recovering from stabbing as trial date set
Mark Sanchez has called NFL games for Fox since 2021.
Mark Sanchez won’t be returning to a broadcast booth anytime soon.
The Fox Sports announcer and former Eagles quarterback is scheduled to go on trial next month to face accusations he attacked and injured a delivery driver in Indianapolis Oct. 4 ahead of calling an NFL game.
Sanchez, 38, was also seriously injured in the assault, and his recovery could force a delay in the trial, which is scheduled to begin Dec. 11.
Sanchez is accused of drunkenly assaulting a delivery driver in a fight stemming from an argument over a parking space. Police said the driver, Perry Tole, 69, pepper sprayed Sanchez, then pulled out a knife and stabbed him multiple times in self-defense.
“We are literally talking about people fighting over a parking space and-or a dispute about where people are parking, and it resulted in someone receiving just incredibly significant injures,” Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears told reporters a few days after the incident.
In a lawsuit filed against both Sanchez and Fox Sports, Tole claimed the fight left him with “severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function” and other injuries.
Fox Sports has declined any further comment on the incident beyond a brief statement issued in the immediate aftermath of the fight: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.”
Quick hits
Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe impressed the Celtics’ announcers.
Barkley and Shaq weren’t the only ones impressed by Edgecombe’s debut — announcers on NBC Sports Boston were amazed by his first-quarter jam:
Amazon announced the Eagles’ Black Friday matchup against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 28 will stream for free on its Prime Video platform, welcome news for Birds fans that live around the world (unless you live in Canada, where it will remain behind the paywall). The game will air for free in the Philadelphia TV market on Fox 29.
Tom Brady is back to broadcast his third Eagles game of the season Sunday, when the Birds take on the New York Giants at 1 p.m. on Fox. It won’t be his last — Brady is slated to call the Eagles Week 12 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and the Birds Week 17 trip to Buffalo to play the Bills.
Say goodbye to ESPN’s Monday Night Football doubleheaders. NFL owners approved the league’s deal to sell the NFL Network to Disney Wednesday. As a result, the four extra games slotted to ESPN will return to the NFL, according to Sports Business Journal’s Ben Fischer.
The wine trade is one where true innovations are few and far between, and understandably so. Experimentation with new ideas is simply more complicated when your product takes years to make and is expected to age gracefully for a decade more. The slow pace of due diligence — even on common sense modernizations like the introduction of screw caps — leads vintners to be risk-averse and helps explain why the revival of historical winemaking practices is more common than truly new methods.
Intrinsic Wine Co., out of Washington state, are exceptions to this rule because this label was created to be an established winemaker’s idea lab. This passion project was created in 2016 by the then-head winemaker of one of Washington’s largest wineries, Columbia Crest. Intrinsic wines are expressly designed to challenge the status quo and explore the kinds of innovations that smaller wineries with fewer resources are unlikely to pursue.
This unusual cabernet sauvignon-based blend — made in a way that steps outside the norm on many fronts — serves as a good example of Intrinsic’s work. First, a heaping helping of malbec replaces the merlot that would typically be used in a Bordeaux-inspired recipe, adding a vivid violet hue and a suggestion of earthy sweetness like glazed carrots. Next, the winemaker keeps the grape skins and solids in contact with the wine for a remarkable nine months — far longer than the few weeks that are normally considered an “extended maceration.” Finally, it employs a wholly fresh idea during this process called “skin swapping,” where the cabernet wine ages on the malbec skins and vice versa, in a process intended to build harmony between the varietals long before the individual components are blended together.
Stylistically, the result is a seamless and lush red wine that tastes quite intense. Its blueberry and blackberry flavors have amplified floral and herbal notes, and while the wine is not fully dry, it features far less of the “vanilla frosting” effect imparted by traditional aging in new oak barrels. All in all, what the winemaker has achieved is a post-modern flavor profile that is more sensual than intellectual and that younger audiences will embrace.
Intrinsic Red Blend
Intrinsic Red Blend
Columbia Valley, Wash.; 14.6% ABV
PLCB Item #96329, on sale through Nov. 2 for $19.99 (regularly $23.99)
Editor’s note: We’re sending this morning’s Sports Daily a little late after contending with some technical challenges. We apologize for the delay.
P.S. The Inquirer Food Fest at the Fillmore will assemble the Philly scene’s biggest stars for a day of food, live beats, and hands-on fun. Get your ticket to the Nov. 15 event now.
In a city with too many cars and not enough places to put them all, few civic issues are as polarizing to Philadelphians as parking, especially in densely developed areas like Fishtown.
Three large stand-alone parking garages have been proposed for the city in recent months:
🚧 A 372-unit garage, plus commercial and restaurant space, near the Fillmore and Rivers Casino
🚧 A 495-unit garage in University City, about a fourth of which will be used by a new police forensic lab
🚧 A 1,005-unit garage in Grays Ferry for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia employees
That last project has drawn criticism from neighbors concerned about lost green space and worsened air quality.
The capacity and reliability of electrical grids across the United States has emerged as a major issue as data centers rush to go online — including in Bucks County.
Gov. Josh Shapiro announced in June that a data center would be built on the site of a former Falls Township steel mill. It’s one of two big projects Amazon has planned in Pennsylvania to support its cloud computing and artificial intelligence efforts.
An independent monitor is now calling for a transmission service agreement between Peco and Amazon Data Services be rejected, saying it doesn’t go far enough to ensure the cost of heightened energy use is not passed to local consumers.
Keon King has been charged with murder and may have had help burying the body of 23-year-old Kada Scott, officials said Wednesday. Text messages were also revealed.
Three men were convicted of first-degree murder and related crimes for a 2023 shooting at a North Philly playground that left three people dead and one injured, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Two men who set a Fairhill building on fire in 2022 that then collapsed, killing a responding Philadelphia fire lieutenant, were each sentenced Wednesday to decades in prison.
Dozens of local Catholics rallied outside the federal immigration office in Center City on Wednesday, joining a pro-immigrant push by church groups around the country.
A grassroots coalition of parents, teachers, and community members is demanding that the Philadelphia School District halt its plan to close schools.
A University of Pennsylvania faculty group says students and professors have been unfairly called in to stand against “specious accusations of antisemitism.”
SEPTA must inspect 225 Silverliner IV Regional Rail trains by the end of October. As of midday Wednesday, the transit agency had inspected 78.
Quote of the day
Cahillites coach Rick Prete once turned to football in a moment of need. Now it has become a community for him and his wife, Gabriela, to lean on after their daughter Arianna died in a 2024 car crash.
🧠Trivia time
New Jersey officials have sued which company, saying it misclassified and exploited its workers?
Cheers to Christine Sulat, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Fort Washington. This suburb is home to one of 11 exciting new pizzerias around the region — plus, see four others our food team is eagerly awaiting.
Photo of the day
A single crimson tree in Cherry Hill’s Wallworth Park greets Michel and Brigitte Mistler, from Normandy, France, as they take a morning walk while visiting their daughter in the township.
Take a stroll amid the changing foliage today, if you can. Either way, have a good one.
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.
Instead of harping on one of the five major sports in town, we’re focusing on high school level for a story of how sports saved one man, not once — but twice.
Roman Catholic head football coach Rick Prete has found joy through football. It guided him after his return from Iraq in 2009, where he served as an Army infantryman. Now, it’s healing the wounds he suffered just last year after losing his daughter in an auto accident.
But this story isn’t about how football offers an escape; it’s about how the sport has shaped Prete into a rock for the rest of his family, both immediate and the boys who give their all for him on the gridiron.
Inquirer writer Alex Coffey delivers this fantastic story for your reading pleasure. We’ll caution that it’s a deep read, so get your coffee and get settled in.
That cup of Joe serves a dual purpose as it’ll hopefully warm you up, as temperatures are only supposed to creep into the high 50s across the region today.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe had a stellar NBA debut, producing 34 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
The Sixers started their season off with a bang, beating the Celtics in Boston, 117-116, behind big games from Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
The Sixers appear to have a dynamic duo in the backcourt as Maxey and Edgecombe combined to produce 74 points in the season-opening win, but Joel Embiid was limited to just four points on 1-of-9 shooting.
“I’m good,” Embiid said after the game. “You know, it’s going to take a while, obviously, being on a minute restriction, playing shorter stints, it’s harder to kind of get into a rhythm. But I got to figure it out. That’s the way they got it set up.”
Edgecombe’s debut was historic. His 14 points in the opening quarter set an NBA record for the most points in the first quarter of an NBA debut, surpassing LeBron James’ 12 points in 2003. It also set a Sixers franchise record for points scored in an NBA debut.
Up next: The Sixers will host the Charlotte Hornets for their home opener on Saturday (7:30 p.m., NBCSP).
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown missed Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury.
As the Eagles kicked off preparations for the New York Giants at home this Sunday (1 p.m., Fox 29), they were noticeably down a few starters, most notably A.J. Brown.
Brown, who was left out of Wednesday’s practice, stood on the sideline in a sweatshirt alongside Dom DiSandro during the brief portion of practice open to the media on Wednesday. The reason why the Eagles target receiver is being sidelined was unknown until it was revealed he’s suffering from a hamstring injury.
He’s one of three starters listed as Cam Jurgens (knee) and Adoree’ Jackson (concussion) were also inactive participants. Olivia Reiner has more on Brown and what happens next.
Flyers winger Owen Tippett looks to be making a leap when it comes to his all-around play.
Owen Tippett’s talent has never been up for debate. The 26-year-old winger combines breathtaking speed, a heavy shot, and tremendous power all into a 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame.
But while Tippett has established himself as a solid NHL player and has hinted at an even higher ceiling since being acquired for Claude Giroux in 2022, he has yet to take the step that many expected, frustrating at times with his inconsistency.
That might be changing, as the power forward is off to a scintillating start with five goals in six games under Rick Tocchet. Tippett has been a tempo setter on the ice for the Flyers this season, but as Jackie Spiegel writes, that’s not the only place where he’s taken on added responsibility this season.
Phillies president Dave Dombrowski said the Phillies’ infield is “pretty well solidified” with Bryson Stott, Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm and Trea Turner.
While the Phillies are poised for some roster changes in 2026, at the moment, it doesn’t seem like those will occur in the infield.
The Phillies’ outfield has been a revolving door for the past few seasons, but the infield continues to run it back. And according to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, that seems to be the plan again. At least, for now.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t questions for that group — and the prospects who could be part of the future — going into 2026.
Gina Mizell and Keith Pompey break down the 2025 Sixers season
Basketball is back. The Sixers are back. That means Gina Mizell and Keith Pompey breakdown what to expect this season — from roster shakeups to playoff hopes — on Gameday Central, your courtside seat to all things Sixers. Watch here.
On this date
Oct. 23, 1964: Philly boxing legend Joe Frazier won the Olympic heavyweight gold medal at the Summer Games in Tokyo following a defeat of German boxer Hans Huber.
Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) with teammate Tyrese Maxey during Friday’s preseason game against Minnesota.
“The Sixers have figured out the key to a stress-free life. You can’t let anybody down if they don’t have any expectations.” Read more from David Murphy right here.
What you’re saying about the Sixers
We asked: Can the Sixers be successful without Embiid and/or George playing every game?
It’s sad, but … given past performances, the poor souls will again probably spend more time playing in the sick bay over in [Camden, New] Jersey than any moments on the court at Wells Fargo. Best we focus on building a new team by 2030 when B-ball is expected to return in Philly. — John B.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, Jeff Neiburg, David Murphy, Gina Mizell, Keith Pompey, Lochlahn March, Gabriela Carroll, Ariel Simpson, Jonathan Tannenwald, and Colin Schofield.
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.
Have a great day, Philly. We’re back tomorrow to get you ready for the weekend.— Kerith
Pamela Anderson is a cookbook author, and she puts her skills to good use as cookingfor the corporate events and retreats that she and her husband, an Episcopal priest, host on their 11-acre property in Bucks County.
Groups come for yoga and sound baths and to meditate. On a recent afternoon, about a dozen architects and interior designers held a corporate retreat to learn about sustainable flooring.
The Andersons added gravel trails, grottos, and fire pits to their property to make it a getaway. And the home’s living room has 180-degree forest views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Besides telling loved ones what to do with your stuff, a signed will could help protect the family home.
I’ve written a bunch of stories about tangled titles, Philly’s name for when it’s not clear who legally owns a property. A common way this happens is when a homeowner dies and the deed isn’t transferred to a new owner.
People living in properties with tangled titles can’t:
use home equity
sell their homes
take advantage of home repair or other homeowner assistance programs
Fixing tangled titles is more complicated when the owner dies without a will that says who should inherit the property.
For the last three years, two Philly-based nonprofits have been running the Will Power Program to help low- and moderate-income homeowners with estate planning so they can protect their properties.
For almost 40 years, the Polish American Cultural Center operated out of a multimillion-dollar property in Society Hill under a rare taxpayer-funded arrangement. Then the city evicted it.
Either way, a handful of readers knew where the photo was shot. Shoutout to Joe C. and Amanda C. for being the first two to give me the right answer.
—
Back in August, my colleague asked Inquirer readers, “What’s your happiest place in Philadelphia?” The question was inspired by a Drexel University professor’s project with his students that mapped their happiest places.
Everyone seems to be zoomed in on protein these days, but while protein is important, I suggest an expanded nutritional perspective. Instead of focusing on that one nutrient, consider a meal’s PFD — protein, fiber, and deliciousness. The acronym works, because together, these three elements provide the broader nourishment needed to ride life’s waves and to maximize the pleasure in doing it.
This skillet recipe offers easily ample PFD in about 30 minutes. The protein is meaty fillets of cod, which also bring health-protective omega-3 fats and essential minerals to the plate. (Alternatively, any thick, steak-like fillet will work, such as salmon, halibut, or sea bass.) The fillets get nestled into a barely softened sauté of shredded cabbage, carrots, onion, and ginger. (You can slice the cabbage and carrots yourself, or use a package of slaw mix as a shortcut.) The vegetables introduce the gut-friendly fiber factor, plus a wealth of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
A mixture of miso paste, softened butter, and a touch of honey, slathered on the fish and dolloped on the vegetables, amplify the deliciousness of these already-tasty ingredients. Add a little water to the pan and a brightening drizzle of rice vinegar, cover it, and let the resulting steam cook the fish until it’s flaky, the vegetables relax into a warm slaw, and everything is imbued with the savory-sweet richness of the miso butter.
Sprinkled with fresh scallions and served with rice, if you’d like, it’s a meal that can save a busy weeknight all the while maximizing nutrition.
Skillet Cod With Miso Butter and Warm Slaw
An umami-rich mixture of miso paste, butter, and honey imbues this saucy skillet cod and warm, gingery slaw with savory-sweet flavor. It’s quick to prepare as written, but can be made even faster by subbing the cabbage and carrots with a bagged slaw mix.
4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Ingredients
3 1/2 tablespoons shiro (white) miso
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon honey
4 (6-ounce) center-cut cod fillets, patted dry
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), halved and thinly sliced
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks (about 1 tablespoon)
5 cups (9 ounces) lightly packed thinly sliced green cabbage
2 medium carrots, sliced into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
cooked rice, for serving (optional)
Steps
In a small bowl, combine the miso, butter, and honey, and mash with a fork until well incorporated.
Spread a scant 1 tablespoon of the miso mixture on top of each cod fillet.
In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ginger, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrots, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes more.
Arrange the fish, miso side up, on top of the vegetables. Scatter small dollops of the remaining miso mixture over the vegetables in the pan. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the water with the rice vinegar, then drizzle the mixture over the vegetables in the pan, taking care to avoid the fish. Cover and cook until the fish is just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, and adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady, but not overly strong, steam.
Transfer the fish to a cutting board or large plate. Stir the vegetables to coat them in the sauce and season with the pepper.
Divide the warm slaw among plates or shallow bowls. Top each portion with the fish, garnish with the scallions, and serve warm, with rice on the side, if desired.
Substitutions: Cod >> other firm fish, such as halibut or salmon. Sliced cabbage and carrots >> one 12-ounce bag slaw mix. Rice vinegar >> apple cider vinegar. Honey >> maple syrup or agave. Yellow onion >> white onion. Scallions >> chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves.
Gluten-free? Be sure to seek out gluten-free miso.
Nutrition | Per serving (1 fish fillet and 1/2 cup vegetables): 318 calories, 22g carbohydrates, 88mg cholesterol, 11g fat, 5g fiber, 33g protein, 4g saturated fat, 599mg sodium, 12g sugar
This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.
From cookbook author and registered dietitian nutritionist Ellie Krieger.
Joel Embiid says he did not start playing basketball until age 16. A young Embiid had dreams of being a footballer until the 7-footer grew too tall for that to be in the cards.
Even though he can’t play anymore, he’s still a passionate fan of Real Madrid and, of course, the Cameroonian national team. With the World Cup set to come to Philadelphia in 2026, there might not be anyone more excited than Embiid.
Soccer “is already huge, but having a World Cup here, it’s going to be even bigger,” Embiid said on the Switch the Play podcast with Roger Bennett of Men in Blazers. “I’m excited. I’m going to be all over the place. I’ve never been to a World Cup game before, so I’m going to go to a lot of them, especially to follow some of the best teams. Hopefully Cameroon makes it. Right now it doesn’t look likely.”
Cameroon is in second place in its qualifying group and is tied for fourth in points for a group runner-up spot. The top four runners-up advance to a playoff that gives them a second chance to qualify for the World Cup. If Cameroon can’t make it, Embiid is also intrigued to follow England, but he expects that team to “choke again.”
Embiid said he thinks his experience playing soccer growing up helped improve his footwork for basketball.
“Hakeem [Olajuwon] was another one that started so late and made it into basketball, and he credits his football skills to be able to get better so fast. I think there’s a lot of similarities where — I’ve always been a type of guy to observe, and then you show me one thing, and I’m able to do it after one or two tries, and just pick stuff up so fast. If you’re not coordinated enough, or if you don’t have good footwork, that’s not going to be possible, and that goes back to football, using your feet and having soft feet.”
His experiences growing up playing other sports before getting into basketball have him encouraging his young son to do the same. So Embiid won’t push him to specialize in any one sport — except for soccer, which he plays every Sunday. But Arthur is already enjoying following in his father’s footsteps.
“He seems to be in love with basketball, but that’s where I struggle,” Embiid said. “I started at 16, and maybe I was lucky. It takes a lot of work to be able to make it to the NBA within three years of starting playing basketball, maybe a little bit of luck, but it took a lot of work. That’s where you’re like, if I started at 16, why should any kid start playing basketball at 6 years old? That’s where you’ve got to find that balance.”
We buried my father on a bitterly cold day in Washington, D.C., in 2010. As I followed his casket out of the church, I spotted journalist Michael Days in the crowd of mourners. I didn’t get to speak with him, but I was deeply touched, not to mention honored, that my editor at the Daily News was there.
He didn’t have to do that. But Days, who died suddenly on Saturday at the age of 72, was a deeply empathetic man who genuinely cared about people. As former Daily News columnist Howard Gensler wrote on Facebook recently: “He celebrated the wins and keenly felt the losses in his newsroom. He knew when to step in and when to step back and he could go Philly on you when he had to — and then later ask you how your parents were doing.”
I met the pioneering journalist when he was business editor for the Daily News, and I was applying for a job. During my interview, I got so excited at the prospect of earning twice my salary in D.C. at the time that I didn’t bother to negotiate. But Days kindly arranged for me to have two weeks’ vacation during my first year of employment instead of my having to work an entire year, as stipulated by the terms of the union contract.
That was my first experience with the kind of leader Days was. He was more than just a boss. He was an editor, mentor, and friend who looked out for his staffers, which engendered our intense loyalty. We used to joke that when Days said, “Jump,” our response was, “How high?”
This is how I’ll always remember Michael Days: sitting in his office with a smile on his face, always ready to talk or just listen.
As amazing as he was as a newsroom leader, Days was an even better person outside of work. A fellow Catholic, he was a man of great faith who not only attended Mass regularly but whose life exemplified his deeply held Christian beliefs. He and his wife, Angela Dodson — then an editor at the New York Times — adopted not one child, but four brothers all at the same time.
Once, I had the good fortune of being invited to a holiday party at his home in Trenton — a location picked because it was between his wife’s job in NYC and his own in Philly. Shortly after I arrived, I recall glancing outdoors and spotting four shiny, new bicycles in the backyard. I was in awe. His beautiful home was decorated with a huge tree. I watched as Days’ wife handed each boy a matching Christmas plate. Lunch was a warm, cozy affair with lots of Southern favorites.
Days’ career took off, as he went on to hold a number of leadership positions in the newsroom. The first time he was in line to make history — as the first African American managing editor of the Daily News — I felt for certain he would get the job. Days had grown up in North Philly and graduated from Roman Catholic High School. Not only did he know the city, he understood the paper’s operations inside and out, and was adept at dealing with its motley crew of reporters and photographers.
I was outraged when he was passed over for an outsider. But when I stuck my head in his office to check on him, I was startled when he met my gaze with a smile. Days was unflappable like that. Calm. Steady. No matter what happened, he always kept his cool. That’s not easy in a newsroom full of strong personalities, but Days did it.
Looking back, he had the right idea. Management eventually woke up and named him managing editor, and later executive editor, of the Daily News. Under his leadership, the Daily News excelled journalistically, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2010 for a series exposing corruption in the Philadelphia Police Department.
The following year, Days was named managing editor of The Inquirer and left the Daily News for a brief time. When then-publisher Bob Hall announced his return, and Days strode back into the newsroom, we all stood and cheered. Some even cried. Time passed, the papers consolidated, and Days went on to hold other management roles at The Inquirer. Even as he became less involved in the day-to-day newsroom operations, we still streamed in and out of his office, seeking advice about stories we were working on or grabbing a piece of chocolate from his candy dish.
After he retired in 2020, we continued to seek him out. He would take our calls as if he were still on the clock.
The author (left) at a WDAS Women of Excellence Luncheon where she was being honored. The late Inquirer Vice President Michael Days is to her immediate right, and former Deputy News Editor Yvette Ousley is next to him.
Two years ago, a group of Black journalists decided to form a new local affiliate branch of the National Association of Black Journalists after the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists broke off from the nationwide group. Days, then 70, graciously agreed to serve as NABJ-Philadelphia’s inaugural president, and helped the new group find its footing.
In September, the group hosted a reception at the Free Library of Philadelphia honoring NBC contributor Trymaine Lee, author of the new book, A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America. When it was his turn to speak, Days praised Lee, who had been a Daily News intern, and told him, “You are a talent, and nobody is surprised that you have done so well.”
Afterward, former Daily News reporter Mister Mann Frisby posted on social media: “The way he spoke about Trymaine at his book signing, I have also heard him speak of me the same way. Always encouraging. That makes me know that he was CONSISTENT for decades in regards to how he supported and mentored journalists.”
When I woke up early Sunday and discovered numerous “call me” texts, I knew something really bad had happened. Days’ death sent a seismic jolt through journalism circles nationwide.
“He was kind and gentle,” recalled Inquirer columnist Elizabeth Wellington. “I lost my own father earlier this year. And this feels as if I’ve lost a second.”
I feel the same way. Before Days, I’d never met any man I considered anywhere close to being in the same league as my dad,who was a giant among men.
Inquirer reporter Melanie Burney, who will finish out Days’ term as president of NABJ-Philadelphia, told me she has found herself in the days after his death asking, “What would Michael do?”
That’s a question I’ve asked myself a few times recently, as well. Days had been just a quick phone call away. Going forward, we will have to rely on the many lessons he has already taught us.
Pinwheel Provisions opened in a new, larger space next to the Bryn Mawr Film Institute this week.
We may only be a month into fall, but the area’s culinary scene has been booming this season. Two new eateries opened in the last few weeks, with a third debuting today, and more on the horizon.
Heads up for drivers: Work on the North Narberth Avenue bridge between Elmwood and Haverford Avenues is set to begin next week, starting with vegetation clearing on Monday and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Work will then transition to night hours, taking place from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. next Wednesday and Thursday.
Reminder for registered voters: Tuesday is the last day to request a mail-in ballot for the Nov. 4 election. You can apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot here.
Friends and family gathered outside Adath Israel in Merion Station last week to celebrate the release of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel from Hamas captivity following a ceasefire agreement earlier this month. Among those was Ohel’s cousin, Lower Merion resident Benjamin Mittman. A number of local residents have held vigils and rallies to support the families of hostages like Ohel. (6abc)
Rev. Carolyn Cavaness, who previously led the Bethel A.M.E. Church of Ardmore for 10 years, where she served as its first female pastor, recently reflected on her first full year as head of the historic Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church in Philadelphia, where she is also the first female pastor. The Inquirer’s Nate File spoke with her about what it’s like leading the oldest church property in the U.S. to be owned continuously by Black people.
A more than 9,000-square-foot Gladwyne mansion has hit the market with an asking price of $8.5 million. The six-bedroom, 11-bathroom home has a terrace, pool, sauna, and a media room. It sits on 12.75 acres and has the potential to be subdivided into three parcels. (Philadelphia Business Journal)
Lower Merion Township is hosting an open house on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. where residents can tour the police and fire stations, get a close-up look at emergency vehicles, and enjoy balloon animals, music, and food.
Bryn Mawr College this month released new guidelines for students protesting on campus, including the use of bullhorns and which campus spaces students can occupy. The school is also encouraging students to schedule demonstrations through its facilities platform, something that’s left both professors and students concerned. (The Bi-College News)
🏫 Schools Briefing
LMSD is hosting one of four community events regarding its new strategic plan next Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event will be held in the Lower Merion High School cafeteria, where residents can hear ideas and offer input on the five-year plan running from 2026 to 2031.
Mark your calendars: The district’s book fairs continue today and tomorrow. There will be a trunk-or-treat event at Penn Valley Elementary on Saturday from 2:30 to 4 p.m., with another planned at Merion Elementary next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Saturday is also Lower Merion High School’s homecoming dance and next week is LMHS spirit week. See all the district’s events here.
Carlino’s Market is expanding, now selling its products at 10 Wegmans stores in southeastern Pennsylvania. The popular Ardmore market expects to triple its sales and production as a result. Its signature sauces will roll out to other Wegmans locations in Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the coming months. (Philadelphia Business Journal)
🎳 Things to Do
👻 Halloween Funky Brunch & Market: This family-friendly event includes craft vendors, live music, and trick-or-treating for kids. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
🎶 Wicked Singalong: In anticipation of the release of Wicked: For Good, watch the first movie and sing along to the hits. Registration is required. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 25, noon-3 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Penn Wynne Library
🧙♀️ The Witches of Narberth: Kids can scour the borough in search of witches and treats ahead of next week’s Halloween parade. The hunt runs from 1 to 4 p.m. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 25, 1-4 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Narberth
🎃 Halloween Party: Now in its fifth year, the Sean King Fund for Inclusive Practices event includes games, face painting, music, and dancing. Costumes are welcome. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 25, 2-4 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Linwood Park
🍎 Heirloom Apple Tasting & Baking Contest: Get a taste of apples you won’t find in the grocery store and buy ones to take home. There will also be a baking competition. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 25, 2-4 p.m. 💵 $7.18-$12.51 📍 Harriton House
🎭 The Phantom of the Opera: The original film, starring Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin, turns 100 this year. To mark the occasion, Bryn Mawr Film Institute will host two screenings of the silent horror flick, accompanied by a live performance from students at the School of Rock Main Line. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 25 and Sunday, Oct. 26, 11:30 a.m. 💵 $11.75-$16.25 📍 Bryn Mawr Film Institute
🍫 Halloween Crafting: Kids can make four spooky, but edible Halloween-themed crafts while dressed in costumes. ⏰ Sunday, Oct. 26, 4-5 p.m. 💵 $21.20 📍 The Candy Lab
The home spans nearly 4,000 square feet and has a pool and outdoor kitchen.
This four-bedroom Penn Valley home has a sleek interior, with living and family rooms, a dining room, and an eat-in kitchen with an island on the first floor. Upstairs, the primary suite has a fireplace with a sitting area, two walk-in closets, access to a balcony, and a bathroom with a soaking tub and dual vanities. It also has a finished basement with another living room, a bar, media room, and a wine cellar, while outside there’s a patio with a built-in kitchen and a pool. There are open houses today from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and from noon to 2 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday.
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