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Philly snow updates: City offices, school buildings closed Tuesday as snow emergency continues; updated snowfall totals; bitter cold ahead
- What you should know
- In Philadelphia, 9.3 inches of snow fell, the most in a decade. And it’s going to stick around for a while.
- Here are snow and ice totals from across the region.
- City offices and courts will remain closed Tuesday. So will Philly school buildings.
- You can be fined up to $300 for not shoveling your sidewalk in Philly. Here are the rules.
- Here’s a list of the best sledding hills in Philadelphia, the suburbs, and New Jersey.
// Timestamp 01/26/26 6:06pm

After Philly’s biggest snow in 10 years, a very big chill is coming

A person (okay with photograph but no name given), shovels on Flora Street in Brewerytown on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, 9.3 inches of snow fell, the most in a decade.

For the Philly region Monday it wasn’t so much a matter of digging out from the heftiest snowfall in a decade, it was more like a chipping, shaving, scraping, expletive-inducing, and ice-chunk hurling operation.

Public transportation appeared to be getting back on track, and major roads were open for business with speed reductions removed, thanks to crews working through the weekend.

But expect some side streets in the city and elsewhere to remain fit for sleigh rides this week and trash pickup to be delayed. City offices will be shut down again Tuesday, as will Philly school buildings, with Camden and more calling for a snow day or opting for remote learning.

And if you’re stepping outside, get used to that underfoot crunching sensation. The removal operation isn’t going to get much help this week from the atmosphere. It’s about to turn about as frigid as it ever gets around here. New Jersey officials are warning of “historic” demands on energy.

“We’re going to be in the freezer all week,” said Mike Gorse, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Mount Holly. Philly may have its first zero-degree reading in 32 years later in the week.

It’s as if after recent wimpy winters, the Arctic is reacquainting with Philly and much of the rest of the East.

And did we mention another snow threat for the weekend?

“There’s a chance,” said Marc Chenard, meteorologist with NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center in iced-over College Park, Md., who was among those who had to chuck some frozen boulders before leaving for work Monday morning. “I had to chip it and carry it in pieces,” he said. Sound familiar?

After Philly’s biggest snow in 10 years, a very big chill is coming

— Anthony R. Wood

// Timestamp 01/26/26 5:12pm

New Jersey and Philly officials expect increased energy demands amid cold

The snow may have stopped falling but officials in Philadelphia and New Jersey say the concerns over the extreme weather and impact on energy grids in the region remain.

The thousands who lost power during the snow storm in New Jersey had it restored by Monday, according to New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

She said the relative brevity of outages was due to utilities having workers at the ready “to make sure that if you lost power, they restored it as quickly as possible, knowing how cold it was going to get.”

Still, Sherrill said the state and utilities were preparing for “historic demand” expected Tuesday as a result of the expected temperature drop, which will continue throughout the rest of the week.

Sherrill said her administration has been in touch with PJM Interconnection, the state’s grid operator, to prepare for the surge in demand.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Energy has issued emergency orders that will allow PJM and other grid operators across the country to allow additional resources to stay online and help meet energy demands.

Like New Jersey, the Philadelphia region was also spared major outages Sunday.

But Office of Emergency Management Director Dominick Mireles asked the public to prepare for the potential overload of the energy grid and heating grid as the temperature could feel as though it were in the negatives with the wind chill.

Mireles suggested sealing drafts in homes, lowering the thermostat, even if by a few degrees, and switching to more energy efficient items. Something like doing laundry in non-peak hours could help relieve some of the strain on the grid, he said.

“To prepare in the event that you do lose power, you can do things like try to keep your devices charged and use flashlights instead of candles,” he said.

— Ximena Conde

// Timestamp 01/26/26 4:32pm

Philadelphia digs out from storm while planning for frigid temperatures

As Philadelphia continues to dig its way out of the weekend winter storm that dropped more than 9 inches of snow on the city, officials are turning an eye to the frigid forecast that is expected to stick around until next week.

“If you don’t have to go outside, do not. If you do not have to drive, please don’t,” Mayor Cherelle L. Park said at news conference Monday.

Parker’s warning came amid the city’s continued snow emergency that is to remain in effect until further notice. Streets Department workers are continuing snow-removal efforts, and had melted about 900 tons of snow with a snow melting machine over the past 10 hours, Parker said. But there was no timeline for the cleanup’s completion, and it could be complicated by the cold weather, Carlton Williams, director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives.

“We’re about to hit a deep freeze., and so whatever we don’t get could possibly freeze, and it makes it that much more difficult for us to plow frozen material,” Williams said.

Officials asked Philadelphia residents to help with cleanup efforts by, among other things, not shoveling snow from their sidewalks into the street. Parker also reminded motorists to not park their cars on snow emergency routes, and noted that roughly 350 vehicles had been towed from those routes on Sunday alone.

“This slows down our response, and it delays us from being able to clear this emergency,” Parker said. She added that residents who believe their car was towed from a snow emergency route can call 215-686-SNOW for further information.

Dominick Mireles, director of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management, said the city was making preparations for the cold weather to come. The city, he said, expects high demands on its energy and heating infrastructure during the cold snap, and anticipates that the frigid temperatures could have impacts on the city’s water mains.

The Philadelphia Water Department, meanwhile, remains in an “enhanced operational posture” due to the prolonged cold, commissioner Benjamin Jewell said. He asked that if residents see a water leak or experience a service interruption, they can contact the department at 215-685-3600.

The city will also continue to run its warming centers, with daytime service at select libraries, and nighttime service at select recreation centers, said Crystal Yates Gale, deputy managing director for Health and Human Services. The warming centers will operate until the freezing conditions end, she added.

“Humans are not meant to be outside in those conditions,” she said.

— Nick Vadala

// Timestamp 01/26/26 3:35pm

Philly schools will be virtual Tuesday

Philadelphia school buildings won’t be open Tuesday as road conditions remain rough in many places after the weekend’s significant winter storm.

After Mayor Cherelle L. Parker told residents city offices and courts would be closed Tuesday, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. affirmed the call for schools “out of an abundance of caution.”

The district sent students’ Chromebooks home with them Friday, allowing for a possible day of virtual learning Tuesday. Though Monday is a true day off, Watlington warned that if the snow required any further changes, he would pivot to virtual instruction.

Philly schools virtual for Tuesday, and here’s what other districts are doing as road conditions remain iffy

— Kristen A. Graham

// Timestamp 01/26/26 3:24pm

SEPTA Regional Rail service to resume Tuesday

Snow-covered tracks used by SEPTA’s Norristown Regional Rail line at East Falls station Monday.

Regional Rail service will resume Tuesday, SEPTA announced.

All trains will operate on a Saturday schedule as crews work to restore full service.

37 bus routes have been returned to full service, SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said during a news conference Monday.

“We expect the majority of routes to come back at the start of tomorrow’s service day,” Sauer said.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 01/26/26 3:15pm

City offices, courts to be closed Tuesday

City offices and courts will remain closed Tuesday as Philadelphia continues to recover from the weekend storm, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said at a Monday news conference.

“Despite the tireless work involved in our intergovernmental response, we are not out of the woods, Philadelphia,” Parker said.

The closures are part of a continuing snow emergency declared in the city late Saturday. That snow emergency has not yet been lifted, and will continue until further notice, Parker said.

— Nick Vadala

// Timestamp 01/26/26 2:54pm

Watch: Mayor Parker offers updates on snow aftermath

// Timestamp 01/26/26 1:56pm

Camden schools to be closed Tuesday

Camden City School District schools and offices would be closed Tuesday, citing “unsafe conditions on streets and sidewalks” following Sunday’s storm.

“This additional closure will allow our Facilities Department more time to fully clear sidewalks and school grounds and ensure safe access to our buildings,” the district said in a statement.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 01/26/26 1:41pm

PennDot has ‘plenty of salt on hand’ as road cleanup continues

SEPTA 27 bus along Ridge Avenue heading to Wissahickon Station Monday.

Gov. Josh Shapiro lauded the efforts of PennDot workers during the weekend’s storm at a Monday news conference, noting the department was “busy all across the commonwealth” due to the inclement weather hitting essentially all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

“Everybody felt an impact,” Shapiro said. The widespread nature of the storm, he added, was an unusual element, with snow totals surpassing 12 inches in some areas of the state.

PennDot secretary Mike Carroll said the department’s response to the storm was a team win, aided by agencies including the Pennsylvania State Police and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

“Folks across the spectrum did their part to help us really successfully deal with what is a very large winter storm these days,” Carroll said. “We’ve had a tremendous response to this storm.”

Prior to the storm’s arrival Sunday, PennDot issued vehicle restrictions for state roads that limited travel, and officials asked travelers to refrain from driving unless absolutely necessary. Shapiro said Monday that it appeared drivers had heeded those warnings, and asked that Pennsylvanians continue to stay home to allow cleanup to continue.

“Being off the road, being home today, is going to continue to allow PennDot to go out and clean up the last remaining roads and make sure that any of these spots that are wet won’t freeze up,” Shapiro said.

PennDot officials previously said that the department’s District 6, which encompasses the Philadelphia area, had roughly 70,000 tons of salt on hand to deal with the storm’s impacts. Bucks County, where Shapiro and Carroll spoke, started with roughly 14,000 of salt, and were down to an estimated 9,000 tons, though exact figures were not immediately available.

An additional 15,000 tons of salt were due to arrive in Bucks County this week, and officials said they anticipated no supply shortages.

“The department has plenty of salt on hand,” said PennDot assistant district executive for maintenance Tom Rogal. “We will not have any issues receiving and maintaining salt.”

— Nick Vadala

// Timestamp 01/26/26 1:06pm

Cheltenham and Upper Darby schools will be virtual Tuesday

The Cheltenham and Upper Darby school districts will have virtual instruction Tuesday, as officials said road conditions were still too poor following the storm.

“After consulting with my team, many roads remain unpassable and are likely to refreeze after dusk, making bussing on Tuesday too risky,” Cheltenham Superintendent Brian Scriven told families in a message Monday afternoon.

In Upper Darby, Superintendent Dan McGarry told families Monday afternoon that “unfortunately, we are going to need another day to continue to remove snow and ice.”

Many other Philadelphia-area districts have yet to announce Tuesday plans. The Philadelphia School District is expected to make an announcement at 3 p.m.

Schools have increasingly been turning to online instruction during winter storms, though some districts use a different calculus on when to go virtual.

Scriven said Cheltenham administrators were “hopeful schools will return to normal operations as soon as possible,” and would communicate any additional schedule changes before Wednesday.

— Maddie Hanna

// Timestamp 01/26/26 12:59pm

Will Philly schools be open or closed Tuesday?

An inflatable Elmo ball rolls along a sidewalk Sunday.

Will Philadelphia schools be in session Tuesday, or give students and staff another day to dig out of the significant snowfall dumped on the region this weekend?

Stay tuned.

All Philadelphia School District schools and offices are closed Monday. District officials said Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. “will be making an announcement” at a city press conference now scheduled for 3 p.m.

The district sent students’ Chromebooks home with them Friday, allowing for a possible day of virtual learning Tuesday. Though Monday is a true day off, Watlington said if the snow causes any further changes, he would pivot to virtual instruction.

At least one district has already announced plans for Tuesday. Haddon Heights, in South Jersey, will have a two-hour delay. Upper Darby school officials said they will call Tuesday plans “as soon as we are able to assess district facilities.”

— Kristen A. Graham

// Timestamp 01/26/26 12:38pm

Philly has a shot at breaking its 32-year zero-less streak

Yerome Rillera and his 9-year-old son, Kersey, sled down the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum in Philadelphia Monday.

It was up to 27 degrees at noon at Philadelphia International Airport on Monday, but it looks like it’s not going to make it to 30, and this is going to be the warmest of the next several days.

In fact, temperatures may have trouble getting out of the teens until the weekend, and Philly has a shot at reaching zero for the first time in 30 years later in the week.

The forecast lows will be in the single digits all week, and down to 1 above on Friday, the National Weather Service says.

Mike Gorse, meteorologist in the Mount Holly office, said the stubborn snow cover “absolutely” would increase the chances of the airport reaching zero for the first time since January 1994.

Snow is ideal for daytime heating (such as it is) to soar into space after sunset. Clear skies and light winds would further enhance the cooling.

Precise figures aside, it’s going to be cold.

— Anthony R. Wood

// Timestamp 01/26/26 12:37pm

State of emergency in N.J. ends, all major highways cleared

New Jersey achieved “black top” on all state highways and interstates Monday morning as crews continued to treat highways, according to New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

The New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and Atlantic City Expressway had also been cleared and will continue to be treated through the evening. Speed restrictions have been lifted.

But while the roads were no longer piled high with snow, Sherrill urged common sense for those who have to drive.

“These are wet roads, and the temperatures are below freezing, so be careful on bridges, on off and on-ramps,” she said.

So far, 85 bus lines connecting New York and Philadelphia are operational and most of the train lines should come online by the afternoon, though on a weekend schedule.

Sherrill said a state of emergency, which allowed New Jersey to access additional plows, salt, and other necessary equipment, ended at noon.

— Ximena Conde

// Timestamp 01/26/26 12:33pm

Speed limit restored on all major roadways across Philly region

Cars enter and leave Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge Sunday.

All speed and vehicle restrictions have been lifted on all interstates and major highways across the Philadelphia region, PennDot announced Monday.

Speed restrictions on U.S. 30 and U.S. 202 in Chester County were lifted at noon, while restrictions on interstates and other major state highways were removed earlier in the morning.

PennDot said it would continue to treat roadways until all travel lanes and shoulders are clear.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 01/26/26 12:09pm

Watch: Gov. Shapiro on snowstorm aftermath

// Timestamp 01/26/26 11:49am

Heavy thoughts about shoveling snow

Connor Phan shovels out his car in the East Falls section Philadelphia Monday.

Anyone who has been out shoveling Monday can attest to the fact that not all snowfalls are created equal when it comes to getting their remains out of the way.

This one was especially challenging because it was chock full of ice chunks, the result of the harvest of sleet that feel after Sunday’s snow ended. Moving it required varying degrees of chipping, shaving, and boulder-hurling. Another challenge in this instance was the weight of it all.

Officially, 9.3 inches of snow was measured at Philadelphia International Airport, but given how much liquid was in the snowpack, the weight likely would have been similar to a snowfall of 12 to 15 inches of well-fluffed snow.

The snow-and-sleet melt at the airport came to about 1.1 inches. An inch of water over a square foot weighs an estimated 5.2 pounds.

On a 200-square-foot driveway — a 10 by 20 — what fell Sunday weighed about 1,144 pounds. On a 100-square-foot sidewalk — 5 by 20 — that would be 572 pounds.

In this case, given all the ice, it probably felt like more.

How to shovel a ton of snow safely

— Anthony R. Wood

// Timestamp 01/26/26 10:58am

Trash collection delays across the Philly region

Trash trucks with plows clear Midvale Avenue near Ridge Avenue on Monday.

You can (likely) take your trash cans in if you’re expecting pick up Monday, as a slate of municipalities in Chester County are delaying trash and recycling collection services after the area was blanketed in snow this weekend.

Here’s a look at the delays municipalities have advertised online:
- Avondale: Trash pick up moved to Tuesday.
- Caln: Shifted by one day through the week, beginning Tuesday for Monday customers.
- Kennett Square: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
- East Brandywine: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
- East Bradford: Trash pick up moved to Saturday.
- East Caln: Trash pick up canceled this week.
- East Fallowfield: Trash pick up moved to Saturday.
- East Goshen: Shifted by one day through the week, beginning Tuesday for Monday customers.
- Easttown: Trash pick up moved to Tuesday.
- Elverson: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
- Sadsbury: Shifted by one day through the week
- Spring City: Trash and recycling delayed until Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Upper Uwchlan: Trash and recycling for Monday will be delayed until at least Tuesday, but the township may have further updates.
- Uwchlan: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
- West Chester: Shifted by one day through the week.
- West Goshen: No collection Monday; the township will provide updates on collection for Tuesday.
- West Whiteland: Trash pick up moved to Wednesday.
- Westtown: Shifted by one day through the week, beginning Tuesday for Monday customers and Friday for Thursday customers.
— Brooke Schultz

// Timestamp 01/26/26 10:33am

Three people die while shoveling snow in Lehigh County

In Lehigh County, about 60 miles northwest from Philly, at least three people died on Sunday attempting to clear snow, said the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and Forensics Center in a statement Monday.

The National Weather Service recorded 11.8 inches of snow at the Lehigh Valley International Airport over the weekend.

The three who died ranged in age from 60 to 84, according to the statement. All were shoveling snow or using another method to remove snow before experiencing a medical emergency.

The coroner’s office isn’t disclosing more information about the people who died out of respect for the families, Coroner Daniel Buglio said in the statement.

— Dana Munro

// Timestamp 01/26/26 9:33am

Photos: Philly begins to dig out

Miguel Estevez with Independent Construction clears the steps in the East Falls section of Philadelphia Monday.

Connor Phan gets a start digging his car out.

Residents begin to dig out on Calumet Street near Ridge Avenue Monday.

// Timestamp 01/26/26 8:28am

More cancellations at PHL

Crews deice a Delta plane as snow falls at Philadelphia International Airport Sunday.

At least 134 flights have been canceled going into or out of Philadelphia International Airport Monday, an improvement from the 641 flights canceled during Sunday’s storm.

The airport also reopened all its security checkpoints Monday morning, according to a spokesperson. American Airlines is asking its passengers to use A-West, B-C and F ticketing Monday. A-East is closed for American passengers only.

Across the country, more than 1,000 flights have been canceled Monday, according to Flight Aware, with airports near New York City and the Washington, D.C., experiencing the brunt of the delays.

Travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines for the latest flight information.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 01/26/26 8:13am

Trash collection in Philly suspended Monday

A trash truck with plow clearing Midvale Avenue in the East Falls section of Philadelphia Monday.

Trash and recycling collections are suspended in Philadelphia on Monday. Collections will be one day behind for the rest of the week.

Areas of the city that receive two trash collections per week, like Center City, South Philadelphia, and North Philadelphia, will only have one this week. Residents should expect collection delays as the crews navigate the snow and ice.

Residents who can’t wait until collection to hold their trash can drop them off at one of the city’s six sanitation convenience centers, open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The centers are located at:
- Northeast Philadelphia: 8401 State Rd.
- Northwest Philadelphia: 320 Domino Lane
- Port Richmond: 3901 Delaware Ave.
- Southwest Philadelphia: 3033 S. 63rd St.
- Strawberry Mansion: 2601 W. Glenwood Ave.
- West Philadelphia: 5100 Grays Ave.
— Henry Savage

// Timestamp 01/26/26 7:51am

SEPTA to gradually restore service Monday

SEPTA riders board the 47 bus at Eighth and Market Streets Sunday.

After shutdowns across the system Sunday, SEPTA said it planned to gradually restore service Monday.

Service on all Regional Rail, bus, Access, and Metro routes T and G remained suspended Monday morning.

When it is safe to do so, Regional Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule, while bus and Metro will operate on a Monday schedule.

PATCO trains are operating on a delayed snow schedule Monday, with service every 15 to 20 minutes.

NJ Transit service on all light rail systems resumed Monday morning. The agency planned to gradually ramp up bus and Access Link service throughout the day, as road conditions allow.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 01/26/26 7:50am

Overnight sleet adds to Philly’s snow totals

Pedestrians try to navigate Gay Street as snow falls in West Chester, Pa. Sunday.

It officially snowed 9.3 inches in Philadelphia, according to the National Weather Service.

The service said 9.1 inches of snow and sleet was topped with an additional 0.2 inches overnight. That’s officially the most snow to drop in Philadelphia since a January 2016 blizzard, which dropped 22.4 inches onto the city.

Allentown ended with 11.8 inches, while Trenton ended up with 8.9 inches.

Here are totals from across the region as of 8 p.m. Sunday, so they don’t include whatever was added by freezing rain overnight.

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— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 01/26/26 7:49am

What’s next after Sunday’s snowstorm?

Snow-covered cars line Cresson Street in the East Falls section of Philadelphia on Monday.

Across the Philadelphia region, the ground remains covered with a mixture of snow and sleet, all given a shiny finish with some overnight freezing rain.

The melt is going to take its good old time.

Temperatures Monday are expected to be in the upper 20s, with wind chills making it feel at times closer to 0 degrees.

Then, it’s going to turn colder.

Highs in Philly will struggle to reach 20 degrees Tuesday through Saturday, with overnight lows in the single digits.

“We’re going to have a rather glacial snowpack for the foreseeable future,” said Alex Staarmann, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

The next several days should be dry, said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. Some talk is brewing about a storm threat late next weekend or early in the week, but that can wait for another day.

Philly’s biggest snow in 10 years has an icy finish, and it isn’t going anywhere soon

— Anthony R. Wood, Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 01/26/26 7:48am

All things considered, a trauma-free snow day in Philly

David Friedman (center) pulls his sons Noah, 5, (left) and Zachary, 3, after they went sledding at the Society Hill Towers Sunday.

For the abject unpleasantness of the weather Sunday, the region for the most part appeared to be trauma-free.

That probably had something to do with the fact that it was indeed, Sunday, and that the storm may have set an unofficial record for a pre-event drumbeat.

Computers had been on to something big happening for about a week, at one point suggesting historic amounts of snow for Philly. The anticipation and anxiety evidently were major boons to local supermarkets — where carb shortages and human stampedes were reported — and hardware stores.

In the end, the storm did unfold pretty much as the late-week forecasts suggested, with a thump of heavy snow in the morning with several inches accumulating.

One not-so-mild surprise was the cold, with temperatures during the day Sunday several degrees below forecasts.

The cold had a benefit: It resulted in a dry, powdery snow, said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. That robbed the region of that postcard look as the moderate winds were able to shake it off the trees, but it also reduced the power-outage potential.

For those who have endured long power outages, it very likely was worth the aesthetic deprivation.

When the snow turned to sleet during the late morning, temperatures were still in the teens, and the ice balls accumulated on the snowpack, adding unwanted weight.

The ice also will add endurance to the snowpack, meteorologists said. Snowflakes can out-melt ice anyway. So forget the yard work for a while.

Philly’s biggest snow in 10 years has an icy finish, and it isn’t going anywhere soon

— Anthony R. Wood

// Timestamp 01/26/26 7:47am

Photos: Snow across the Philly region

// LiveBlog Name: Snow aftereffects

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January 26, 2026
Opera Philadelphia re-ups Anthony Roth Costanzo’s contract through 2029

Opera Philadelphia has signed an early contract extension with general director and president Anthony Roth Costanzo, the company announced Monday.

The initial deal was to have kept the renowned countertenor in the job until the end of the 2026-27 season; the extension commits him and the company to each other for two more years, through May 31, 2029.

Costanzo, 43 — who took over the financially challenged company in 2024 — has maintained an active international performing career while quickly making a mark on the Philadelphia arts scene. Under his watch, Opera Philadelphia has drawn national attention for launching a “pick-your-price” program making tickets available for as low as $11.

The company also played a key impresario and fundraising role last year in keeping the former Wanamaker Center City store space alive for several months with performances after the historic building was vacated by Macy’s. It was Costanzo who landed a $1 million gift from philanthropist and organ enthusiast Frederick R. Haas to fund the concert and film series.

Anthony Roth Costanzo, countertenor, sings with Opera Philadelphia’s chorus during ‘Home for the Holidays’, a concert part of the ‘Pipe Up!’ series at the Wanamaker Building’s Grand Court, Dec. 2, 2025.

Costanzo is in mid-process of retooling the opera company and raising the money to do it, so extending his contract made sense, he said.

“When you’re looking at development, whether it’s of artists, patrons or new business models, those are long trajectories, and it’s been remarkable how fast we’ve been able to accomplish a lot,” Costanzo said. “But there’s a lot more that I want to do, and I think there’s a lot of ambition the board has to grow this organization and its impact.”

The troupe also announced Monday that the company and music director Corrado Rovaris have agreed to a contract extension through May 31, 2029. Costanzo has also promoted David Levy from senior vice president of artistic operations to the company’s executive vice president — making him, essentially, Costanzo’s right-hand man.

Costanzo arrived in June 2024 to a company in debt. He established a fundraising campaign, paid off the debt, and has raised $21 million toward a goal of $33 million. The campaign is expected to run through the end of next season.

“We’re not out of the woods. I don’t know if you ever will be as an opera company,” he said. “We still don’t have an endowment. It’s not that we have transformed entirely.”

Baritone Will Liverman performing at Opera Philadelphia’s 50th anniversary gala, Vox Ex Machina, at the Academy of Music, Sept. 13, 2025, at which the company announced a $33 million fundraising campaign.

Costanzo has restored some of the company’s artistic initiative. Before he arrived, the season was down to three productions for a total of nine performances. He boosted the schedule this season to five productions and 18 performances. The company closed its 2024-25 season with a $2.1 million surplus on an $11.1 million budget, Costanzo said.

Contract extensions are often used at nonprofits engaged in fundraising campaigns to encourage confidence in the future of the institution.

“It’s good for our patrons, our supporters, our artists to know that this is a long-term commitment on everyone’s part,” said Costanzo.

January 26, 2026
Quinn Sullivan ‘would love to be the face’ of the Union. When he returns from a torn ACL, he just might be.

We’ll never know how far the Union would have gone in last year’s playoffs had Quinn Sullivan not been sidelined with a torn ACL.

But for as far as he still has to go until he’s back on the field, Sullivan has let any such feelings go from his mind.

“I definitely felt like if I was healthy, I could have contributed, and maybe the game’s a little different,” he said. “But it wasn’t that way, and you know, it’s how the cookie crumbles. It’s all right.”

That doesn’t mean he has moved on from everything along the way. Some of the moments were ones he’ll cherish for a long time: being named the fans’ player of the year, joining his teammates to lift the Supporters’ Shield, and banging the pregame drum before the Union’s first-round rout of Chicago.

The roars from the crowd during the last two of those could have powered Subaru Park for a few weeks afterward.

Quinn Sullivan, out there even with his injury, lifts the Supporters’ Shield to a big ovation:

[image or embed]

— Jonathan Tannenwald (@jtannenwald.bsky.social) October 4, 2025 at 9:52 PM

“It was an amazing experience to really feel part of it,” Sullivan said. “My teammates have been truly great [since then]. Checking in, just asking me stuff, how I’m doing, how are things going in the offseason, were you here the whole time.”

Yes he was, rehabbing under the watchful eye of the Union’s head of health and innovation, Brad Papson.

“So it’s nice to have the guys back,” Sullivan said. “My banter was at an all-time high because I had a lot of time to prepare some stuff.”

Japhet Sery Larsen got an assist from Mikael Uhre as he decided to join the Union

Respect from the national team, too

Another memorable moment came when the U.S. men’s national team visited in November. Sullivan got to meet with the squad when it trained at the Union’s facilities leading up to the game vs. Paraguay, then after the Americans won he went downstairs to join them again.

As he arrived at the walkway to the locker room, he was greeted by U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino, who had given Sullivan his first senior caps with the Gold Cup team in the summer. Pochettino put an arm around Sullivan’s shoulder as they passed the media nearby.

Quinn Sullivan met Mauricio Pochettino at the mixed zone to walk (gingerly) toward the #USMNT locker room, which is the Union locker room.

Nathan Harriel and Alejandro Bedoya followed a few steps later.

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— Jonathan Tannenwald (@jtannenwald.bsky.social) November 15, 2025 at 7:56 PM

“Seeing ‘Poch’ was great,” Sullivan said, also praising top assistant Jesús Pérez for catching him on the way. “The whole staff was super-loving and caring and asked a lot of questions, and the support staff and the athletic training department over there has reached out a couple times to see how recovery has been going. So that definitely makes me feel part of it, which is nice.”

Sullivan is one of 70 players Pochettino has called up in his tenure, and no offense is meant by the assumption that he’s not a contender to crack Pochettino’s World Cup roster.

One could say it’s a fact.

The Union’s big influence on the USMNT is a remarkable feat

But Pochettino and Pérez showed their character by reaching out to him, and the moment stuck with many people who saw it.

“It makes you feel a part of it,” Sullivan said. “I definitely felt that when I was in the Gold Cup camp. I obviously didn’t get a ton of minutes — we talked post-camp that I would love to have played more — and yet here I am injured and they still are caring and supporting. So I really appreciate it, and it goes a long way.”

He has passed the time in a number of ways: from social media content to making his own matcha to helping his girlfriend launch Stavélo, a soccer-themed fashion brand.

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Now he is at the point in his rehab where he can start looking forward to returning to action, even though it will still be a while before he plays in a game.

Growing into a locker room leader

It says much about Sullivan and the Union’s emphasis on youth that this season will be his sixth since the 21-year-old attacking midfielder turned pro at the start of 2021. He and 24-year-old Nathan Harriel, who made his first-team debut the same year, are now old heads in the locker room.

“Being injured allows me to play a bigger role in that leadership, because I’m not actively fighting for a spot or trying to prove something,” Sullivan said. “I’m trying to prove something to myself and get back, obviously, but in terms of on the pitch.”

‘We aren’t done:’ The Union contends there are still more additions to come as preseason begins

Not only does he embrace it, but he’d take on more of it if offered.

“I’m able to take that role of, whatever people need, they can come to me, ask questions,” he said. “Talking to the new guys, and trying to help them get acclimated to everything. So, yeah, I’m definitely trying to take a bigger leadership role — it’s also a different one. It’s definitely a learning process, but I think I’m getting a pretty good hang of it.”

Quinn Sullivan talking with Union manager Bradley Carnell during a game in April.

It’s possible, perhaps even likely, that Sullivan won’t play in another game for the Union until after the World Cup break ends in July, a point he was first to make.

“I’m ahead of schedule already, but I’m still saying nine months [after surgery in early October] is what we’re shooting for,” he said. “When you get in that last month, you’re basically shooting with strength numbers from what I’ve talked to with Brad. … ACL is by no means a linear recovery. I’m cautiously optimistic with how recovery has gone thus far.”

Cavan Sullivan looks ahead to what should be his biggest year yet with the Union

When the time finally comes, it’s also possible that he won’t just be greeted with another roar. He could well become one of the faces of the Union, even more than he already is in advertisements around town with his more-heralded brother Cavan.

“I feel the support from the fans obviously, with winning player of the year last year — that was really nice,” Quinn said. “And to know that I have that support, and that roar when Kevin [Casey, Subaru Park’s public address announcer] says my name over the loudspeaker for the starting lineup. So, yeah, that would be amazing.”

Quinn Sullivan going airborne to corral a ball during a game in April.

It is, again, not meant to diminish Quinn’s feats or potential to say he is not on the fast track to Europe like Cavan is. If he really excels late this year and next, there could certainly be offers from abroad for him.

But if they are a little slower to come, and if that means the Bridesburg native stays in his hometown for a little while longer, he won’t mind standing in the spotlight.

“I’d love to be the face of this team,” he said. “I mean, I grew up supporting this team. I love this team, I love this city, I feel like I embody what Philadelphia means. I would love if that was the case.”

Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Union soccer right here!

January 26, 2026
What is the Sixers’ biggest need at the NBA trade deadline? Patience.

What do the 76ers really need?

What type of player would help them with the NBA trade deadline 10 days away?

At the guard spot, where the duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe is regarded as one of the NBA’s best young backcourts, they’re pretty good. And that doesn’t account for the depth that Quentin Grimes provides off the bench.

With Andre Drummond and Adem Bona backing up Joel Embiid, who’s playing at a high level, the center position is pretty good, too.

At forward, Dominick Barlow is playing well. And the Sixers get stellar play out of the duo of Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr.

I’m not sure what they need.

Some will argue that the Sixers (24-20) don’t have a true point guard. But they have a lot of guards who can handle the ball. And you can add Oubre and George, who were guards in the previous season, to that mix.

If the Sixers remain healthy, they’re a deep team.

But based on their recent history of trading to get under the luxury-tax threshold, there’s an expectation that they’ll make at least one trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.

Guard Quentin Grimes Grimes has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any trade the Sixers attempt to make involving him.

The Sixers are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.

But this season is different from the recent ones heading into the trade deadline. Whether it’s fool’s gold or not, the Sixers see that they have a chance.

Embiid, the 2023 MVP, is returning to his All-NBA level, averaging 33.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, while shooting 58.3% from three-point range in his last four games. George is regaining his rhythm while playing the role of a facilitator and defender who occasionally takes over scoring for stretches. Maxey is the league’s third-leading scorer (29.9 points per game) and an All-Star starter. And Edgecombe has been better than expected as a rookie.

So this season is definitely different. In 2023-24, the Sixers’ hopes were dashed heading into the trade deadline because Embiid suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee. And last season, they were 20-30 and on their way to full-blown tanking.

Sixers appeared to be on unlucky side of crunch-time officiating — again

The Sixers probably think that when they’re at their best, they could beat anyone else in the East.

However, sources around the league say the team is willing to part ways with Drummond.

At first glance, it’s hard to imagine that the financial aspect will play a role at the trade deadline unless it’s someone like Eric Gordon. The reserve guard has played in only six games, with his last appearance coming Dec. 23 against the Brooklyn Nets.

The 37-year-old, in his 18th season, signed a one-year, $3.63 million contract on July 1 after declining his $3.47 million player option. Gordon’s deal created a $2.3 million cap and a $2.3 million dead cap value, which is considered a good, low-risk expiring salary for potential trades.

Maybe the Sixers could entice the Nets or the Utah Jazz, teams with a lot of cap space, with a second-round pick just to take on Gordon’s contract for the remainder of the season. However, he’s Edgecombe’s mentor, and there’s a sense the Sixers may keep him because of that.

Meanwhile, Oubre ($8.3 million), Grimes ($8.7M), and Drummond ($5M) also have expiring contracts.

The Sixers have gotten the most out of two-way players Jabari Walker (left) and Dominick Barlow.

Grimes has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any trade the Sixers attempt to make involving him. Yet some around the league are wondering if the Sixers are willing to part ways with Oubre, whose name keeps coming up as a possible trade chip. But by getting rid of Drummond, the Sixers would be in the market for another backup center.

Maybe, they’ll give former Sixer Charles Bassey a look after he signs his 10-day contract. However, it appears that his signing is more to help facilitate Barlow and Jabari Walker getting extended time on their two-way contracts. Bassey was scheduled to sign his deal Sunday night. He needed to do so ahead of Monday’s 3 p.m. game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center in order for Barlow and Walker to play.

But Drummond and Bona have been equally great assets, playing behind and often in place of Embiid. Bona plays against the teams that have fast and athletic centers, while Drummond usually plays against towering centers with a post presence.

The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder averages a team-leading 9 rebounds while playing just 20 minutes per game. Drummond is second in the NBA in rebounds per 36 minutes at 16.1, trailing the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson (16.9).

Kelly Oubre Jr. of the Sixers guarding the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson on Saturday.

He’s also averaging 7.1 points while playing in 35 games with 16 starts this season. With his contract, there’s a market for Drummond. Teams in need of a backup center would like to acquire him.

But coach Nick Nurse didn’t play him in Saturday’s loss to the Knicks despite his squad being outrebounded by 53-38 and having a 26-4 disadvantage in second-chance points. This came after Drummond had 14 points and 13 rebounds in his lone game against the Knicks this season.

Perhaps Nurse felt the Knicks, who favored a small-ball lineup, were a bad matchup for Drummond. But his not playing was a big omission and a conversation piece.

It’s hard to imagine Sixers co-managing partner Josh Harris, who knows the window is closing, would forfeit the opportunity to finally win an NBA championship to get rid of key pieces just to save money. I wouldn’t blame Harris if he could stay under the first apron and get below the luxury-tax threshold if it was manipulated by a fringe player or someone out of the rotation.

Sixers need to hang on to Kelly Oubre Jr. — at least through the end of the season

But if it were Oubre, Grimes, or Drummond, players vital to their success, it would be a bad look.

Nor should they trade Jared McCain, who recently dropped out of the rotation. Even though the second-year guard is struggling, he’s insurance for Grimes, whom the Sixers could lose this summer in free agency. And the Sixers should only trade Grimes if they were getting back an upgrade in talent. It doesn’t make any sense to part ways with him in return for a same-level player.

But the Sixers do have three players on two-way contracts in Barlow, Walker, and MarJon Beauchamp.

Beauchamp has yet to be active in an NBA game since signing his Sixers deal on Dec. 26. However, power forwards Barlow and Walker have been with the Sixers all season. And all three players’ time would have expired following Saturday’s 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks if the Sixers didn’t make a roster move.

Bassey must sign his contract before Monday’s game for Barlow and Walker to be available to play.

Both of them have played well this season, but Walker could be replaceable now that the Sixers have their full complement of players.

Paul George has assumed an important role for the Sixers after a lost season.

Barlow has come off the bench in the last two games as the team moved George to power forward and started Oubre at small forward. Walker did not play in either game as Trendon Watford received the other power-forward minutes in the rotation.

So it wouldn’t be surprising if we find out the Sixers aren’t committed to converting both players to standard deals, as they’re making decisions based on the salary cap and who’s helping the team. Things will work themselves out, as the squad has cap experts who handle such matters.

But this roster, as it stands, is the best one Nurse has coached during his tenure.

The Sixers have been in a lot of games that came down to the wire — some they won, others they lost. They could easily be seven games over .500 instead of four. And they’re just starting to consistently play games with their Big Three of Maxey, Embiid, and George.

So the Sixers’ biggest need is time, not an addition before the trade deadline.

January 26, 2026
Howie Roseman will have a role in remaking the Eagles offense. Here’s his offseason to-do list.

Diversification should be the operational word for Howie Roseman and his front office this offseason.

You’ve heard it said that the Eagles have more talent on their roster than any team in the NFL. The claim is more often than not the source of the shade thrown at Nick Sirianni and his coaching staff. When the Eagles win, it is because of their overwhelming talent. When the Eagles lose, it is because of how their overwhelming talent is coached.

That claim wasn’t true at the end of the 2025 season, and I’m not sure it was true at any point. The Eagles were getting less than 100 percent of Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens and zero percent of Lane Johnson. Even if A.J. Brown was 95 percent of the player he had been over the previous three years, that missing five percent is often what distinguishes very good players from unstoppable ones. Same goes for Saquon Barkley, whose name popped up on the injury report late in the season and who lacked at least some percentage of the lateral improvisation and finishing abilities that he’d displayed during the Eagles’ 2024 championship run.

All of these things could prove to be temporary, the result of the shortened recovery period that comes as a result of a season ending in mid-January rather than early February. It stands to reason that those most impacted would be players whose competitive advantage lies in their sheer physicality. Johnson, Brown, Barkley, Dickerson, and Jurgens weren’t as physically capable as they were in 2024. Yet, here we are, fixated on the play-calling.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is knee-deep in preparations for the draft and free agency.

That’s not to say the Eagles offense won’t benefit from a new strategic direction. But their problems clearly are not singular in nature, given the depth and breadth of their issues. For three seasons, the Eagles’ scheme was the logical conclusion of their personnel. They went to two Super Bowls and won one in a blowout because their talent allowed them — heck, required them — to keep it simple.

What we saw this season was a team whose elite performers could be mitigated enough to place the onus on those operating in their shadow. This reality expressed itself most clearly in the form of Dallas Goedert. He scored eight more touchdowns and averaged nearly as many targets per game as he did in 2022, when he averaged 59 yards per game and arrived at the Super Bowl being compared to Travis Kelce. But, this season, Goedert averaged just 39.4 yards per game, his lowest output since he was a rookie.

Eagles need more than a new coordinator to revamp their offense

If the path forward for the Eagles is a scheme that does not rely as heavily on the singular abilities of players like Johnson and Brown and Barkley — and it almost certainly is — the path forward requires a roster that allows for such a scheme. It is a roster that has a third wide receiver with much better ball skills, and/or physicality on routes, than Jahan Dotson brings. It is a roster that has a second tight end who brings positive value as a run blocker and makes a catch or two a game. It is a roster that has a change-of-pace back who adds a different dimension from Barkley.

Let’s address those in order:

1) Fix the tight end position

Tight end is as important as it has ever been. Among the 13 highest-graded run blockers at the position according to Pro Football Focus, only two played for teams that missed the playoffs.

All three Eagles tight ends ranked among the 15 lowest-graded run blockers at the position (among 94 total).

Goedert’s future isn’t the only question. He’ll be a free agent after playing 2025 on a one-year deal. But the Eagles also need to find a TE2 who can complement the starter.

Grant Calcaterra and the Eagles tight ends came up short as blockers.

The Eagles were one of only five teams in the league that didn’t have a second tight end with at least 100 yards receiving. That’s partially due to the presence of two top-end wide receivers who were targeted on nearly half of Jalen Hurts’ pass attempts. But there is also a chicken-and-egg component to the Eagles’ narrow pass distribution. Would Hurts distribute the ball more evenly with a wider set of options? The Rams had four tight ends with at least 200 receiving yards despite Puka Nacua and Davante Adams combining for nearly half of the team’s targets.

The Eagles missed out on last year’s bumper draft crop at the position. They are missing what they once had in Goedert — a young, three-dimensional player who is poised to step up the way he did alongside of and then in place of Zach Ertz. They have no choice but to focus on the free-agent market. Jake Tonges is likely to return to the 49ers as a restricted free agent. The Ravens’ Isaiah Likely is unrestricted, but is likely to have a significant market. The Eagles need to find this year’s version of Colby Parkinson and move aggressively the way the Rams did post-2023.

2) Replace Jahan Dotson

A lot was made of the non-pass interference call deep down the left sideline in the Eagles’ playoff loss to the 49ers. But a receiver needs to earn those calls. Dotson has not.

In the entire NFL, there was only one wide receiver who caught fewer than 29 passes while playing at least 575 snaps. It was Jahan Dotson. He caught 18.

Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson caught only 18 passes this season.

The Eagles’ fourth-leading receiver was Saquon Barkley with 50 targets, 37 catches and 273 yards. Dotson was behind him with 36 targets, 18 catches and 262 yards.

Only three playoff teams didn’t have a fourth pass-catcher with 300-plus yards: the Eagles, the Seahawks, and the Panthers. Of the 14 teams that made the playoffs, eight had at least five players with 300-plus receiving yards, including six of the eight teams that advanced to the divisional round.

That doesn’t prove anything, of course. There are lots of different ways to operate a functional passing offense. Nobody is saying the Seahawks would be better off if more of Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s targets went to Elijah Arroyo. But even the Seahawks’ pass distribution was fairly broad beyond their top three target-getters. They finished the season with eight players who had at least 22 targets and 144 receiving yards. The Eagles had five players with more than 13 targets and 92 receiving yards while throwing the ball about as often as Seattle (slightly more, in fact).

Nick Sirianni’s forceful vote of confidence from Howie Roseman

Let’s not forget the whole point of this exercise. While functional NFL passing offenses take all sorts of forms, the Eagles’ passing offense was not functional. Assuming Brown returns and continues to draw the same coverages he and DeVonta Smith faced this season, the Eagles need a third wide receiver who can actually take advantage of the lack of attention paid to him.

3) A change-of-pace back

The Eagles need their version of the Ravens’ Justice Hill, a player who can take a screen pass 20-plus yards or gash a defense on the infamous third-and-long Will Shipley draw. Tank Bigsby was an excellent find by Roseman, but he brings a similar dimension to Barkley. The goal here is to find a veteran back with quickness and pass-catching ability who can be more than a lesser version of the lead back.

Long story short, the Eagles either need to upgrade the breadth of their skill sets behind their Big Three (Brown, Smith, Barkley) and/or find a fourth player who brings his own dynamic skill set that can exploit the defense’s focus on the stars.

Sure, they need a play-caller who can enable their skill players to fully express themselves.

They also need the skills.

January 26, 2026
Citizens Bank CEO talks about record business profits, data centers, and Phillies’ prospects

Big U.S. banks have hit record stock-market highs this month, with hopes for cheaper money from Federal Reserve rate cuts outweighing fears of war, tariffs, and rising prices.

Citizens Financial Group stock topped $65 for the first time Tuesday, as the owner of Citizens Bank reported higher-than-expected profits. Citizens, based in Providence, R.I., is one of a dozen U.S. banks with a thousand or more branches. With rivals Wells Fargo, PNC, and TD, it controls more than half of Philadelphia-area bank deposits.

Like its rivals, Citizens has boosted profits by targeting more affluent Americans and their businesses, while shutting some branches. Wall Street is happy: The share price has gone so high, Citizens can afford to buy other banks, analyst David J. Long wrote in a report to clients at Raymond James & Associates on Jan. 23.

Locally, Citizens is best known as the longtime sponsor of the Phillies ballpark, under a $95 million deal expiring in 2028.

Bruce Van Saun, chief executive of Citizens Bank’s parent, Citizens Financial Group, since it went public in 2013, agreed to answer questions about business and consumers, whether the data-center boom is for real, and hopes for the Phillies’ 2026 season. Answers edited for clarity and brevity.

Bruce Van Saun (center, blue jacket), chief executive of Citizens Financial Group, with Leslie Winder (left), a director of the nonprofit Urban Affairs Coalition of Philadelphia, and Arun Prabhakaran, coalition president and former chief of staff to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, in March 2025.

Was business hurt by trade and tariff costs, inflation, or the labor market slowdown?

The very biggest companies have more diversification and more ability to withstand choppy waters. The smaller the business, the less diversified it is and the more impacted it is by exogenous factors.

But most middle-market companies have had a successful year. They have come through the pandemic closings, the bout with high inflation, the higher interest rates, then the tariffs.

Businesses had to become more adaptable and better at scenario planning, at predicting what events will do to their suppliers. Companies have sharpened how they manage real estate, digital technology, and now AI. And they locked in very attractive financing when rates were lower.

What about the middle class, homebuyers, credit card borrowers?

People lost a little purchasing power. People are eating out a little less. They are taking fewer trips.

But we are not seeing a lot more loan delinquencies. Prices go up more than wages, but they are still saving for kids’ education and retirement. Maybe they are taking a home-equity line of credit.

As economic growth stabilizes and inflation comes down, you’ll see wages increase and people get to a place where they feel better.

Which sectors are improving?

Tech-related, health-related show a lot of strength and resilience. Aerospace and the whole military defense sector, companies like Day & Zimmerman [which makes ammunition for the U.S. and clients such as Israel]. There are many wars going on; people need their armament. We’ve seen pretty dynamic strength last year.

Transportation and logistics — road construction — is pretty strong.

And data center construction. I hope Pennsylvania gets its share.

Is Pennsylvania a good place for data centers? How do you overcome local opposition?

There is a general NIMBY attitude: ‘I like to play on my phone and get the advantages of Microsoft Copilot and AI. Just don’t put a data center near me to use a lot of power.’ There’s controversy around that.

But if you look at the investment and jobs that go with data centers — they need access to low-cost energy and water — then look at Pennsylvania with its natural gas and its nuclear plants like Three Mile Island. Data centers need low-cost energy and water. Pennsylvania has it.

Will 2026 improve on last year?

Our returns should continue to go up. Our net interest margin [the difference between what banks charge borrowers and what they pay depositors] widened last year, and we expect it will be up this year. And all our businesses are demonstrating loan growth.

Whom do you lend to?

We serve the middle market, from $25 million in revenues up to corporations with around $3 billion in yearly sales. PNC and Wells Fargo [are larger, but] we aren’t playing the game materially differently from what they offer. If a company wants to finance more, they go to maybe JPMorgan or Bank of America.

We started building a private bank [focused on business owners and wealthy professionals] a couple of years back. Now we have $14 billion in deposits, $7 billion in loans, $10 billion in client investments, just in that unit. And growing faster than we projected, with more accretion to our bottom line.

We help our clients become more successful: ‘Here’s an acquisition idea. Here’s a working-capital idea.’ That level of personalized attention has been a winning strategy for us.

U.S. software start-ups, and biotech centers like Philadelphia, staggered a bit when the best-known tech banks failed in 2023. JPMorgan bought First Republic, but you hired a lot of their staff. How’s that going?

What First Republic did really well for company founders was advice banking, wealth needs, family financial planning. And we invested heavily in technology to get to the service levels First Republic was famous for. We took on 150 of their people, teams of strong, highly regarded wealth managers, and added private bankers, to locate with our banking teams. That group is now 550 people.

We went into areas where they were strong — Boston, New York, Palm Beach, and three areas of Northern California. We had to add teams in Southern California — San Diego, Orange County, and one in Los Angeles.

But not Philly?

Philly is high on the list of new markets we want to attack with that approach. There is a cadre of successful people here. We want to be known as the bank for successful people.

Gov. Josh Shapiro talks about a Pennsylvania manufacturing revival. What signs do we see that’s happening?

We are positioning ourselves for a lot of inbound investments. President Donald Trump is going to our allies in Japan and South Korea to invest and bring skilled jobs into our country to be more self-sufficient in manufacturing — in steel, in shipbuilding, for example. It all sounds good on paper. I think it will come.

Why do car factories and other big manufacturers open down South, instead of in Pennsylvania?

They find the states willing to take a fresh look at how much bureaucracy they have and cutting it back. You are competing with Texas, Virginia, the Carolinas, which are very successful at attracting industry. I don’t think Pennsylvania will want to miss out.

What will it take to bring the World Series back to Philly, which increases fan and ad spending?

We are hopeful the Phillies have a great offseason. I’m a little disappointed [Bo] Bichette went to the Mets. But, hey, they signed J.T. [Realmuto]. John [Middleton, the Phillies’ lead owner] is very committed to fielding a winning team. Go Phils!

January 26, 2026
CHOP launches Philly-area autism therapy network in partnership with Soar Autism Centers

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Denver-based Soar Autism Centers have opened in Newtown the first of five planned early childhood autism centers in the Philadelphia region and expect the network could grow to more than 30 centers, officials said.

The 50-50 joint venture is designed to reduce wait times for therapy and to make it easier for families to access multiple types of therapy at one location while remaining connected to CHOP specialists.

“It can take a year to get into therapy on a regular basis,“ an extremely long time in a young child’s neurological development, Soar cofounder and CEO Ian Goldstein said.

Such wait times continue to frustrate families despite dramatic growth in the autism-services sector over the last 15 years or so, as states mandated insurance coverage and diagnosis rates soared with more awareness and an expanded definition of autism.

Nationally, applied behavioral analysis, commonly known as ABA therapy, has become popular for autism treatment, increasing nationally by 270% between 2019 and 2024, according to Trilliant Health, a Nashville data analysis firm. The volume of services provided locally — where companies including ABA Centers, Helping Hands Family, and NeurAbilities Healthcare have expanded — was not available.

Philadelphia Eagles owner established the Lurie Autism Institute at Penn and CHOP

The increase in diagnoses has outpaced the growth in available services, said Matthew Lerner, an autism expert at Drexel University, who is not involved with the newly launched CHOP-Soar Autism Centers.

When Lerner moved to the Philadelphia region from Long Island in 2023 and started getting plugged into the autism network, a few clinicians here would ask if he could connect patients with services in New York.

“I was coming from eastern Long Island, two hours east of New York City, and people were like, do you know anyone closer to you?” he recalled.

CHOP’s road to a joint venture with Soar

The freestanding, 10,000 square-foot clinic that opened on Jan. 5 in suburban Bucks County near CHOP Pediatric Primary Care Newtown has 35 to 40 rooms and an indoor playground for therapeutic uses.

CHOP, among the largest children’s health systems in the country, has long been concerned about limited access to autism care in the region, said Steve Docimo, CHOP’s executive vice president for business development and strategy.

The nonprofit has provided diagnostic services, but not the forms of therapy that the CHOP-Soar centers will offer. “The threshold to doing this on our own has always been high enough that it hasn’t been a pool that we’ve jumped in,” he said.

CHOP was in talks with Soar for three years before agreeing to the 50-50 joint venture with the for-profit company. CHOP’s investment will be its share of the startup costs for CHOP-Soar locations.

The partnership plan calls for five locations in the first two years. The partners did not say where the next four centers will be.

Soar has 15 locations in the Denver area, which has about half the population of the Philadelphia region, Goldstein said.

That comparison implies that the CHOP-Soar partnership could grow to 30 centers, Goldstein added. He thinks the region’s needs could support additional expansion, saying the total could reach “into the dozens.”

The first CHOP-Soar Autism Center opened this month in Newtown. Shown here is the reception area.

That’s assuming CHOP-Soar provides high quality care for kids, an appealing family experience, and a system of coordinated care: “There will be a need to do more than five, and I think we’re jointly motivated to do so,” Goldstein said.

The CHOP-Soar approach

Families seeking care for an autistic child typically have to go to different places to get all the types of therapy they need.

Families “get behavioral analytics in one place, occupational therapy somewhere else, and speech language pathology in another place,” Docimo said.

Soar brings all of that together in one center. “If it can be scaled, this will fill a gap in our region in a way that I think will work very well for these families,” he said.

CHOP-Soar centers will emphasize early intervention and treat children through age six. “The brain has its greatest neuroplasticity” up to age 3, “so waiting a year is a really big deal,” Goldstein said. “You’re missing out on that opportunity to really influence the child’s developmental trajectory at a young age.”

Some autism services providers focus on ABA therapy, which breaks social and self-care skills, for example, down into components and then works discretely on each.

But Soar offers what Goldstein described as “integrated, coordinated care for the child.” That includes speech, occupational, and behavioral therapies.

With CHOP, medical specialties, such as genetics, neurology, and gastrointestinal care, can be tied in as well, Goldstein said.

It’s rare for autism providers to offer a wide variety of commonly needed services under one roof, said Lerner, who leads the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute’s Life Course Outcomes Research Program.

He said Soar’s evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach has a lot to offer the region.

“A person diagnosed with autism will have complex care needs throughout their life, and a one-size-fits-all, one-intervention approach will not work,” he said.

January 26, 2026
Tackling gun violence as our shared purpose

As we start the new year, many of the challenges that persisted in 2025 remain on our horizon for 2026. Sadly, gun violence is one such challenge, but our city has demonstrated what the power of working together can do in making progress in such a significant way.

Philadelphia made history in 2025, recording the fewest homicides in almost 60 years, and it is true that many cities nationwide are also experiencing this trend. But Philadelphia’s gains are noteworthy in that it is seeing these tremendous public safety gains despite continuing to struggle with issues like deeply entrenched poverty.

There are many factors driving these numbers, and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s public safety strategy of prevention, intervention, and enforcement (PIE) has brought vital focus and intention driven by data. Working together — the Philadelphia Police Department and the Office of Public Safety working in tandem, along with organizations like the group I lead, the Civic Coalition to Save Lives — enable the sum to become greater than the parts in their overall effectiveness in bolstering the city’s strategy.

For our part, we represent nonprofit and private-sector partners by activating resources like subject matter experts, new data infrastructure, and innovative cross-jurisdictional collaborations.

The results are compelling: One analysis found that Philly had the best community safety infrastructure of any of the nation’s 10 largest cities, and a Pew poll found that public perception of safety is improving. That means the Office of Public Safety — an entity only two years old — is leading other major cities in its comprehensive approach to violence prevention and intervention.

This is something our city should be proud of and raise up.

Just a few years ago, the city was struggling with record-high shooting and homicide rates coming out of the pandemic, and while many individuals and organizations from every sector had meaningful tools to address the issue, it lacked one cohesive, well-coordinated approach to save the maximum number of lives from gun violence in the near term.

From this gap, both the coalition and the Office of Public Safety were derived, the latter via mayoral executive order, and have grown intertwined in expanding the reach and capacity of Philadelphia’s vast network of anti-violence and cognitive behavioral health approaches deployed to reduce shootings.

The credit for the success of these many violence prevention and intervention strategies lies with our leaders who have the focus and political will, the practitioners and participants in these programs relentlessly choosing to do this hard work, the public and private funders, and informed and engaged nongovernmental partners.

Looking to the future, maintaining success and remaining focused on Mayor Parker’s and City Council’s goal of being the safest city will require continued vigilance and commitment to what works. Unfortunately, many organizations are already facing historic budget challenges exacerbated by losses of funding at the federal level that had incentivized proven, focused violence intervention practices.

As we confront this reality, let’s keep in mind the adage that an ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure.

According to a report by the city, every fatal shooting in Philadelphia can cost as much as $1.5 million in related policing, healthcare, job/property loss, and that is not even accounting for the indirect lost tax revenue or economic activity in high crime areas, or the most important cost: the human impact and intergenerational trauma carried through families and communities.

A report by the City Controller’s Office also estimated that an investment of $43 million over five years could reduce homicides by 35%, which would translate into a more than $70 million return on investment in increased property tax revenue alone.

Our call to action for Philadelphians when it comes to reducing violence is this: Stay tuned in and keep showing up, however you can. As Mayor Parker often says, don’t just listen to what is said, watch what people do.

The unified, coordinated effort to reduce gun violence is working (for context, 2025 saw fewer than half of the record-high homicides and shootings seen in 2021). Mayor Parker, Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel, and Public Safety Director Adam Geer have said it, too: “We can’t let up off the gas pedal.”

We agree.

There is an African proverb that says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Reducing gun violence can only be achieved over time — not overnight. And the only way we’ll be able to solve it is by working together.

Here’s to the promising journey ahead.

David W. Brown serves as the executive director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives.

January 26, 2026
How some Philly-area workers make $100,000 without a bachelor’s degree

Can you make $100,000 a year in the Philadelphia area without a four-year college degree?

Yes. But it’s not common.

“There is no magic wand to get to a six-figure salary,” said Cynthia Figueroa, who leads workforce development nonprofit JEVS Human Services. “There’s a lot of steps that have to happen along the way.”

Companies including IBM, Delta, and Google have dropped degree requirements in recent years. Locally, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro slashed college degree requirements for most state jobs in 2023, and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has advanced an effort to do the same for some city jobs. Meanwhile, more are pursuing vocational training, the Wall Street Journal reported, as some in Gen Z turn to the trades amid the rising cost of college.

Data center technicians are increasingly in demand, don’t require a college degree, and can make a six-figure salary after some experience. And store managers at Walmart, who often don’t have college degrees, can make $128,000 before bonuses.

But who actually makes $100,000 or more in the Philadelphia area without a four-year degree and what does that path look like? The Inquirer took a look at the data.

Cynthia Figueroa poses for a portrait in Philadelphia in 2019. She is the CEO and president of JEVS Human Services.

What industries pay $100,000-plus without a bachelor’s degree?

Among the Philadelphia metro area’s 3.97 million workers, the vast majority who make a six-figure salary have at least a bachelor’s degree, according to Census data compiled by IPUMS USA at the University of Minnesota. The metropolitan area includes 11 counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

Roughly 159,000 people made $100,000 or more without a four-year college degree in 2024, the data indicates. (That includes people with an associate’s degree.)

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“There is potential” for high earning without college, but it’s not typical, said Sean Vereen, president and CEO of career-focused education nonprofit Heights Philadelphia.

“We know that not everybody wants to go to college, but particularly the way the economy in this region is constructed, that college degree still is very useful,” said Vereen.

But the majority of the workforce in the Philadelphia metro area lacks a bachelor’s degree. Only about 7% of them reach the high-earning $100,000-plus bracket.

It’s more common in jobs where salaries overall tend to be higher, such as management, business, and finance. About 51,000 Philly-area people in those jobs with less than a bachelor’s degree earned $100,000 or more in 2024.

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What industries are adding more $100,000 jobs?

Still, more opportunities for people without a four-year degree could be on the horizon.

Shipbuilding is having a resurgence in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard, and more electricians, carpenters, and welders will be needed, said Figueroa.

Among Philadelphia construction workers, including carpenters and welders, more than 11,000 do not have a bachelor’s degree and make at least $100,000 annually.

Hanwha plans to expand its shipbuilding operations in Philadelphia and will need to hire. That includes positions requiring considerable math skills, said Figueroa, of JEVS. The organization is currently figuring out how to get job-training graduates into opportunities.

Philadelphia Works, the city’s workforce development board, is working closely with Hanwha, CEO and president H. Patrick Clancy said.

“Our goal is to do more of the pre-apprenticeship,” Clancy said. “They have a lot of people interested in applying for their roles, but not all of them are passing the math and reading [requirements].”

The newly repainted Goliath Crane is shown July 16, 2025, at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia.

Last year, a Brookings Institution report highlighted enterprise digital solutions (business software), specialized manufacturing (like producing parts for medical devices or industrial electronics), and biomedical commercialization (life sciences businesses) as areas where Philadelphia residents should be able to find good jobs. Many jobs in those sectors don’t require a college degree.

“We need to be focused on creating the right kinds of jobs,” said Chellie Cameron, CEO and president of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, which is now focusing on the areas Brookings identified.

The right kinds of jobs, Cameron said, are not minimum-wage positions. They “start at a place where people can earn a family-sustaining wage and have access to pathways for promotion and making more money over the course of their career.”

Paths and training for high-earning jobs

Orleans Technical College in Northeast Philadelphia, run by JEVS, trains people for building trades and healthcare professions. It had 379 students last year. Tuition ranges from roughly $13,000 to $25,000, but most students get financial assistance and typically leave with $6,000 or less in debt.

Residential and commercial electrician Dan Finke, 25, of Abington, (right), is learning about motor controls with fellow classmates at Orleans Technical College, in Northeast Philadelphia on a Friday in September 2020.

“There’s still very much the physical application of running wire, bending metal,” said Figueroa, and many medical tasks seem to be AI-proof for now. “At the end of the day, you need somebody who is taking the blood pressure next to the bed, and who is drawing the blood.”

Construction management and HVAC students can expect starting salaries around $75,000 and $60,000 respectively. Those who work overtime can make even more, Figueroa noted, and pay also increases over the course of a career.

That’s not a six-figure salary on Day One, she acknowledged. But college graduates can make a similar amount in their first job, and “they have this enormous debt” from their schooling.

Lou Abruzzese, HVAC Instructor, is teaching his class about hydronics at Orleans Technical College, in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020.

Orleans also offers healthcare training for clinical medical assistants and practical nursing. Starting salaries for those jobs are generally around $44,000 and $64,000 respectively.

“Going from an hourly wage — at like a Target, McDonald’s, Walgreens, what have you — to salaried, hopefully with benefits, is a huge first step,” Figueroa said.

Connecting people to employment also means addressing barriers like lacking a driver’s license, needing childcare, financial literacy, or housing support, says Clancy. Pursuing training might mean going without paid work for weeks or months, which can be a challenge. Philadelphia Works has some funds available to pay people during their training.

Sean Vereen is the president and CEO of Heights Philadelphia.

Young adults need to be aware of opportunities, too, said Vereen. For instance, he said, sterilization technician is a good job within a hospital, but young people may not know it’s a path available to them without going to college.

And sometimes young people need to catch up before training for jobs in the trades, Vereen says. “We’ve heard things like, ‘The kid coming from the school district doesn’t have strong enough math skills to take the test for the building trades,’” he said.

“You need basic academic skills that are about math and reading and reading comprehension,” he said. “We don’t get away from giving kids basic knowledge.”

January 26, 2026
How 21-year-old chef RJ Smith went from cooking dorm dinner parties to a Rittenhouse restaurant residency

Less than two years ago, RJ Smith was cooking elaborate tasting menus for four people in his Drexel University dorm room. Now, the 21-year-old chef is about to step onto a far bigger stage: a 120-seat restaurant overlooking Rittenhouse Square.

Smith’s Ocho Supper Club will begin a six-month residency at the Rittenhouse Hotel on Feb. 1, taking over the Scarpetta space ahead of construction on the Ruxton, a steakhouse from Atlas Restaurant Group due to open in 2027. Ocho’s run is expected to continue through July 26 — a month after Smith graduates from Drexel’s culinary program.

Atlantic cod on the Ocho Supper Club tasting menu at the Rittenhouse Hotel.

Ocho blends Afro-Caribbean flavors and fine-dining techniques. Since its premiere in April 2024, it has become one of Philadelphia’s most-subscribed underground dining experiences, solidly booking venues including Forin Cafe, Fitler Club, Yanaga Kappo Izakaya, and Bolo.

Lanky and soft-spoken, Smith tours the dining room during each seating, explaining the menu, pouring sauces, and telling his story.

Restaurant shakeup at the Rittenhouse

At the Rittenhouse, Ocho will offer a $130 eight-course tasting menu upstairs and a walk-in bar downstairs with à la carte options. James Beard Award-winning drinks author Danny Childs is developing a cocktail program centered on fermentation-driven and tradition-based Caribbean drinks. (The hotel’s Lacroix Restaurant is unaffected by the residency.)

The residency marks another “pinch me” moment for Smith, a Bay Area native who has cooked in Michelin-starred kitchens including Californios in San Francisco, Core by Clare Smyth in London, and Philadelphia’s own Provenance, as well as Jean-Georges at the Four Seasons and Royal Izakaya. Last fall, NBC’s Today show profiled Smith in a segment and brought on one of his idols, chef Daniel Boulud, who offered him a day in the kitchen of his New York City flagship, Daniel.

Smith launched Ocho as a sophomore, offering a six-course tasting menu for $35. “For the longest time, we were losing money every service,” he said. “But I saw it as a long-term investment.”

(He’s not the first Philadelphia chef to get their start via elaborate dorm-room dinners: Chef Amanda Shulman regularly hosted five-course dinners in her West Philly apartment while studying at the University of Pennsylvania; the meals eventually paved the way for the now-Michelin-starred Her Place Supper Club.)

As word spread, Smith moved Ocho off campus, upgrading to a $65 experience served at a six-seat table he had bought for $200 on Facebook Marketplace. By last summer, Ocho had segued into pop-ups, backed by a small core group of friends and restaurant professionals, including an assistant chef, Sokona Diallo, and pastry chef Marly Gates.

Chef RJ Smith working in the kitchen at the Rittenhouse Hotel to prepare for a photo shoot.

“We’ve been consistently trying to operate as close to a true restaurant as we can without having a brick-and-mortar space,” Smith said.

Ocho caught the attention of Gregg Skowronski, managing director of the Rittenhouse Hotel, who attended one of Smith’s dinners — after being shut out by sell-outs three times.

Chef RJ Smith runs Philly’s hottest supper club

“When I finally went, I was blown away by his charisma, his talent, and the food,” Skowronski said. “But what really impressed me was watching him run the kitchen — seeing what he was able to produce with such limited equipment honestly blew my mind.”

After that dinner, Skowronski called Smith to float the idea of bringing Ocho to the hotel to fill the gap between Scarpetta and the Ruxton.

“What he’s doing is truly unique in the city,” Skowronski said. “I felt it could elevate our culinary program and open the Rittenhouse up to a more modern Philadelphian audience.”

Chef RJ Smith pours a sauce on the jerked duck at the Rittenhouse Hotel.

Smith said he was stunned by the call. “The fact that he believed in me and my team enough to invite us into that space and say, ‘Do what you do and make it work,’ meant a lot,” he said.

His team includes Alex Ifill, a Four Seasons alumna who handles the front of house. (She said she slid into Smith’s DMs several months ago to offer to oversee service.) The hotel is also supporting Smith with staffing, Skowronski said.

The opening menu starts with an amuse-bouche or two, then segues from kanpachi to mole negro, Atlantic cod, and jerked duck, and finishes with a black cocoa tart and petits fours. Smith describes the experience as a journey through flavor, richness, and spice, shaped by his team’s African and Caribbean backgrounds and relationships with regional farmers and fishermen.

Chef RJ Smith as a boy with his grandmother, Rusty Keilch.

Smith credits the Oakland home of his maternal grandmother, Rusty Keilch, as the place where he first connected to cooking and hospitality.

“Whenever we went there, everything revolved around food,” Smith said. “That’s where I really understood the importance of a home base — of sitting down to a home-cooked meal and feeling the care that comes through it.”

But a trip to Jamaica at age 16 inspired both Ocho’s name and its approach. That’s where he got in touch with his father’s Afro-Caribbean heritage as well as the diverse food scene of Ocho Rios.

Smith chose Drexel so he could learn the business side of hospitality.

“I was 17, working at a two-Michelin-star restaurant, and everyone told me I was crazy for wanting to go to culinary school,” he said. “But I always felt there was something more than just being behind the line.”

Ocho remains entirely self-funded, with every dollar reinvested into the operation. “We’re not printing money,” Smith said. “But we’re floating, and that’s gotten us here.”

After the residency, Smith plans to open a permanent Philadelphia restaurant within 12 to 18 months; he is scouting locations near Rittenhouse Square. For now, besides the residency, his focus is on finishing school.

“I graduate in June,” he said. “My family is coming to Philly for the first time, and I’m excited for them to finally experience what we do.”

Chef RJ Smith in the dining room of what will be the Ocho Supper Club residency at the Rittenhouse Hotel.

January 26, 2026