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  • Cristopher Sánchez endures the worst start of his career in bid to be All-Star starter

    Cristopher Sánchez endures the worst start of his career in bid to be All-Star starter

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Trea Turner crossed over second base, took a throw from Bryson Stott, and sidearmed the ball to first.

    Double play, right?

    More like double trouble.

    Turner uncorked a sinker in the dirt that skipped by diving first baseman Bryce Harper. A run scored. An avalanche followed. Rather than escaping the first inning here Monday, Cristopher Sánchez got blitzed for six runs, the start of a 15-1 Phillies trouncing by the bottom-dwelling Royals.

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    “That’s a play you’ve got to make,” Turner said. “Who knows how that game ends up if [Sánchez] gets out of there clean and then gets on a roll?”

    Who knows? Because with a chance to deliver a series win for the Phillies and a closing argument to be the National League’s starting pitcher next week in the All-Star Game, Sánchez endured the worst start of his career.

    The ugly numbers:

    • 3⅓ innings, his shortest (noninjury) start since April 23, 2024
    • nine runs, career high
    • 12 hits, tied for career high
    • three homers, career high

    “It was not good,” Sánchez said through a team interpreter. “I mean, it was crap what I did today.”

    The Royals’ Starling Marte celebrates a first-inning double, one of four consecutive hits after Trea Turner’s error.

    Sánchez repeatedly was over the middle of the plate with his signature changeup. His sinker lacked its peak zip. Each of the homers — Luke Maile’s three-run shot in the first inning and solos by Salvador Perez and Lane Thomas — came on changeups.

    A half-dozen Royals hits against Sánchez were scorched at 100 mph or faster off the bat. Sánchez’s ERA climbed from 2.00, second-best in the NL, to 2.62, seventh in the league.

    Turner’s error absolved none of that.

    But it did change the game.

    Kyle Schwarber still deciding whether he’ll compete in the Home Run Derby

    “Yeah, absolutely,” Turner said. “They put some good swings on the ball today. But [Sánchez] has thrown the ball so great this whole year. He could easily put up five, six, seven scoreless, and we could’ve been in it.”

    Turner said he “rushed it a little bit” after taking the throw from Stott. It was his 12th error of the season, tied for the third-most among shortstops behind the Nationals’ CJ Abrams and the Angels’ Zach Neto (14 apiece).

    Errors aren’t always the truest measure of defense, but modern metrics haven’t favored Turner either. Entering play Monday, he was tied for 32nd among shortstops in outs above average (minus-6) and ranked last in defensive runs saved (minus-8).

    Alec Bohm drove in the Phillies’ only run with a double in the first inning.

    The Phillies haven’t considered moving Turner away from shortstop, especially after last year, when he had one of his best defensive seasons. But given his downturn this season, the questions will be renewed.

    “I don’t think this year’s been nearly as good as last,” Turner said. “I feel like just a little sped up. I feel like the game slowed down quite a bit last year. It’s still in there. I feel like I can do it.”

    Don Mattingly didn’t want to discuss Turner specifically. But he made clear that the Phillies must convert more balls in play into outs. By most metrics, and through the old-fashioned eye test, they rank among the worst defensive teams in the sport.

    Everything you need to know about the MLB All-Star Game coming to Philly

    “Let’s just say in general, I think defense is always a concern,” Mattingly said. “You want to limit outs. You never know when one out turns into runs at any point in the game.”

    Sánchez’s first inning was proof of concept. Instead of being back in the dugout after a scoreless inning, he gave up four consecutive hits: RBI singles from Nick Loftin and Starling Marte, an infield single by Tyler Tolbert, and Maile’s homer, which sent center fielder Derek Hill crashing into the wall.

    And with that, the rout was on.

    Kyle Schwarber got ejected by plate umpire Alan Porter after striking out in the sixth inning. Third-string catcher Garrett Stubbs pitched the eighth — and gave up the last two runs and four hits in the Royals’ 22-hit barrage. Mattingly emptied the bench in the middle innings, spring training-style.

    And the Phillies dropped the series to the Royals, who have the second-worst record in a bad American League. They’ve lost three of the last four games and five out of nine, with six games left before the All-Star break.

    Sánchez will get one more start, Saturday in Detroit, to stake his claim as the first Phillies pitcher to start an All-Star Game since Roy Halladay in 2011.

    The Royals’ Jac Caglianone beats the tag by Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto to score off a Nick Loftin double during the first inning on Monday.

    In the meantime, the Phillies will dive into whether the start against the Royals was a one-off or a reason for concern about the ace lefty, who has worked the second-most innings (120⅓) of any pitcher in the majors.

    Mattingly noted that Sánchez struggled in three recent road starts in Milwaukee, Washington, and now Kansas City. Maybe that’s a coincidence. He has always pitched better at home.

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    “You are looking like, ‘Is he getting ahead in the count; is he getting the ball where he wants to on the plate,’ things like that,” Mattingly said. “That’s what you look at. You’re looking at health. [Is he] tired, even? We’ve asked a lot of him. He’s thrown a lot of innings.”

    Sánchez insists everything’s fine. And if Turner makes a better throw to first base, who knows?

    “I feel great,” Sánchez said. “That’s why I was a little surprised to have such an outing today. Because, physically, I feel really good.”

  • Medford church planning repairs after possible lightning-caused fire Friday

    Medford church planning repairs after possible lightning-caused fire Friday

    On Sunday morning, the doors of Fellowship Alliance Chapel were open for prayer on schedule despite a fire in the Medford church’s worship center less than 48 hours earlier.

    “Just the heartfelt praise, the worship, the prayer time that we had together — it was just wonderful praising God for all his goodness. So many things could have really been much worse than they were,” Fellowship Alliance vice chairman Dave Gutekunst said.

    No one was in the building when church officials say lighting struck the building’s roof around 9 p.m. Friday and no one was injured.

    The fire was contained between the roof and the ceiling of the worship center, limiting the scope of damage inside the church to smoke and water, Gutekunst said.

    “We just felt really blessed and I think people have had a renewed sense of hope that this is just one in a long list of many chapters of the history of our church,” he said. “God sustained us through trials and tribulations before and he’ll continue to sustain us and carry us through this one.”

    The roof of Fellowship Alliance Chapel was damaged by a fire on Friday, July 3, 2026.

    Gutekunst also expressed his gratitude for the dozens of firefighters who responded to the scene during the peak of the weekend heat wave.

    It’s still too early for a clear timeline for repairs, he said, but the church is forming a team of experts to spearhead recovery. In the meantime, services will continue to be held in the temporary worship space that was set up in another building on the church’s campus after the fire.

    While church leaders believe the fire was sparked by a lightning strike, the Medford fire marshal has not determined an official cause of the fire and it is still under investigation, according to Medford manager Robert Dovi.

    Per protocol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has also been notified because the fire occurred at a house of worship, Dovi said.

    But lightning-caused fires aren’t uncommon in this area, Dovi said.

    “This is a common occurrence for our area due to the large trees and open space,” Dovi said. “This weekend due to the severe nature of the storms there were a number of fires potentially related to lightning strikes.”

  • Tyson Foerster talks lucrative extension with the Flyers: ‘It was a no-brainer for me’

    Tyson Foerster talks lucrative extension with the Flyers: ‘It was a no-brainer for me’

    Fresh off the first playoff berth of his career, Tyson Foerster locked in his future with the Flyers and signed an eight-year extension with $7.1 million average annual value last week.

    Foerster was leading the team in goals before he missed 49 games last season with an upper-body injury and returned just in time for the playoffs. But instead of waiting a year to potentially increase his value with a healthy season, Foerster chose to extend now.

    “For me, I love Philadelphia, and I love playing with these guys,” he said. “They asked me if I would look to extend this year, and it was a no-brainer for me. I mean, I don’t play hockey for the money, so it’s all fun, and just happy to be here, hopefully, for the next nine years.”

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    Even with wing prospects pushing up the lineup for spots, Foerster projects to be a top-six fixture for much of his contract’s duration. The Flyers’ 2020 first-round pick scored 20 goals in 2023-24 and 25 goals in 2024-25 and was on pace to set a career high before his injury.

    Tyson Foerster has solidified himself as a major part of the Flyers’ future.

    Foerster didn’t have the playoff run he may have wanted, netting just one goal in 10 games. With a mostly healthy offseason ahead, he has plenty to work on as the Flyers continue to build.

    “Keep working on my skating, everything overall, but hopefully work on my hands a little bit,” he said. “I think my shot’s pretty good, and I can score from a decent ways out. But I think if I can get in tight around the net, get it upstairs quick enough, little things like that, maybe try and beat a guy one-on- one with a skill play, just something along those lines. That’s what I’m starting to work on here.”

    The Flyers hope signing Foerster is just the beginning of an offseason of upgrades. General manager Danny Brière tendered an offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson in an effort to land the top-line center the Flyers have been missing.

    Regardless of whether the Ducks match, the move provides evidence to the fan base and players that Brière is ready to be creative and aggressive to improve the team.

    “Danny, that’s one of the reasons I signed a long-term here, because he’s going to try and push to make us better,” Foerster said.

  • CEO of Welcome America is leaving the organization after the city took over Philly’s Fourth of July show

    CEO of Welcome America is leaving the organization after the city took over Philly’s Fourth of July show

    The president and CEO of Welcome America Inc. has resigned. While the reasons were unclear for the departure, Monday’s announcement followed the city’s decision to take over Philly’s Fourth of July concert and fireworks from the group that has been involved with organizing the event since 1993.

    In a statement, Michael DelBene said this year’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday — interrupted by a storm that pushed back the fireworks finale to the early hours of Sunday morning — “was a spectacular accomplishment. … I am humbled by what we have accomplished together, and excited about what lies ahead for the organization.”

    DelBene had held the role since 2019. In a post to his LinkedIn account on Monday evening, DelBene said he was stepping down, and “as for what’s next? I don’t know yet. And I find that completely exhilarating!”

    Fireworks fill the sky at the One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway early Sunday morning.

    Welcome America is a public-private partnership that receives city and state funding as well as corporate sponsorships. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Councilmember Mark Squilla are board members.

    It was uncertain when Welcome America plans to name its next president and CEO. DelBene was the organization’s longest serving CEO, and the only one whose tenure spanned multiple mayoral administrations. DelBene has had a busy summer — he also has been working as an executive producer with FIFA World Cup 26 Philadelphia, overseeing the Fan Festival in Lemon Hill and other parts of the fan experience.

    Despite planning Welcome America’s days of programming leading up to the nation’s 250th celebration, DelBene was not involved in the final signature event. This year, Parker’s administration took control of the city’s free concert on July Fourth from Welcoming America, rebranded it as the “One Philly: Unity Concert for America” in reference to her “One Philly: A United City” slogan, and spent significantly more taxpayer dollars in the process.

    Will Smith performs at the One Philly: Unity Concert for America.

    The city hired ESM Productions to put on the 250th anniversary fireworks show and concert for $15.5 million, which cost Welcome America only about $3 million to produce last year.

    ESM’s pay was almost triple Welcome America’s $6.6 million budget in 2024, of which $5.3 million came from government grants, according to its federal nonprofit disclosure.

    Despite a lengthy storm delay, Philly’s Fourth of July celebration went forward with performances from Will Smith, the Roots, and Meek Mill, and a fireworks show that technically began and ended on July 5 — coincidentally just a few minutes shy of 2:50 a.m.

  • Northeast Philly mosque damaged in arson attack, authorities say

    Northeast Philly mosque damaged in arson attack, authorities say

    A Northeast Philadelphia mosque was damaged in an arson attack early Sunday morning, authorities said, rattling the city’s Islamic community.

    The attack took place around 2 a.m. at the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center in the city’s Castor Gardens neighborhood, according to police.

    Fire crews responded to the mosque, located on the 1400 block of Tyson Avenue, and extinguished a blaze in the building’s enclosed front porch that morning.

    The mosque was unoccupied and no one was injured, police said.

    Fire marshals soon determined that the fire had been set intentionally. They are investigating the incident alongside the police department, which had not identified a suspect in the case as of Monday afternoon.

    Meanwhile, local Islamic leaders are hoping members of the public will come forward with information about the attack, as they urge law enforcement to investigate whether the perpetrator was motivated by religious bias or hate.

    “Our mosque is more than a place of worship,” said Masukul Islam Khan, the mosque’s president. “It is a welcoming community center that has served families, neighbors, and people of all backgrounds for many years.”

    “Any act of violence or hatred directed at a house of worship is an attack on the values of safety, religious freedom, and unity that our city cherishes,” he added.

    The local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved with the attack.

    CAIR on Monday released a video taken in the aftermath of the blaze that shows the mosque’s porch damaged, covered in ash and soot.

    The group also released surveillance footage that shows a man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt approaching the mosque, located outside the frame, before quickly walking away.

    “An attack on any house of worship is an attack on the constitutional promise of religious freedom that belongs to every American,” said Ahmet Tekelioglu, executive director of CAIR. “It’s additionally saddening that this attack came just as the nation commemorated the 250th year of its founding.”

    The Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center was established in 2004 and has grown from a small place of worship to a bustling community where hundreds attend weekly prayers gatherings.

    The arson comes as the mosque’s leadership seeks to construct a new, $2.8 million facility on a neighboring lot to accommodate an increase in membership.

    In 2025, CAIR’s national office released a report documenting more than 8,600 anti-Muslim bias complaints from that year, the highest amount since the organization began tracking such information in 1996.

  • Jaylen Brown excited for ‘new chapter in Philly’ as his trade to Sixers becomes official

    Jaylen Brown excited for ‘new chapter in Philly’ as his trade to Sixers becomes official

    The 76ers’ blockbuster trade for All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown, along with the free-agency signings of defensive forward Dean Wade, scoring guard Anfernee Simons, and reserve big man Ariel Hukporti became official Monday when the NBA’s moratorium period was lifted.

    Brown was acquired in exchange for Paul George and four draft picks. Here is how the Sixers described the complicated draft compensation going back to the Celtics, in a news release:

    • A 2028 first-round pick (the LA Clippers’ own) that, if it is top 16, instead becomes the unprotected right for Boston to swap its currently held 2028 first-round pick (the worst of Boston’s and San Antonio’s) with the better of the LA Clippers’ or (if the Sixers’ is top eight) Sixers’ 2028 first-round pick.
    • The Sixers’ 2031 unprotected first-round pick.
    • The most favorable 2028 second-round pick among Golden State’s, Milwaukee’s, or Oklahoma City’s.
    • The more favorable 2030 second-round pick among Phoenix’s, Portland’s, or Washington’s.
    The Jaylen Brown trade benefits VJ Edgecombe, who will now have the time he needs to develop

    Brown is coming off the best individual season of his career, in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists and finished sixth in MVP award voting. He propelled the Celtics to 56 regular-season wins — before they were upset by the Sixers in the playoffs’ first round — while playing the bulk of the season without fellow star Jayson Tatum, who was recovering from Achilles surgery.

    Brown, new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, and owner Josh Harris also provided statements about the deal:

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    Brown: “I’m excited to begin this next chapter in Philly. From every conversation I’ve had, it’s clear this is a group that’s hungry, competitive, and committed to winning; and that’s the kind of environment I’ve always embraced. I’ve always believed that success comes from sacrifice, accountability, and putting the team above yourself. I’m looking forward to building with this group, earning the trust of my teammates, and chasing something special together.

    “Off the court, I’m just as excited to become part of the Philly community. Throughout my career, I’ve believed basketball can be a catalyst for creating real impact, and I’m eager to continue expanding the work of the 7uice Foundation, investing in youth, education, and opportunities that leave a lasting difference. I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I’m ready to get to work. #Throwtheballup”

    Jaylen Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists and finished sixth in voting for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award.

    Gansey: “Jaylen has proven himself as one of the league’s top players year after year. He is a dynamic playmaker with a versatile skill set that positively impacts the game on both ends of the floor. His wealth of experience, high basketball IQ, poise, and leadership will benefit this franchise for years to come.

    “A perennial All-Star and All-NBA talent, Jaylen also has a special ability to elevate his game on the brightest of stages, as evidenced by his world championship and Finals MVP selection. We couldn’t be happier to officially welcome him as a 76er.”

    Harris: “I am incredibly excited to welcome five-time NBA All-Star and 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. Throughout his career, Jaylen has proven to be one of the best two-way players in the league. He knows what it takes to win at the highest levels and I can’t wait to see him alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.

    “I also want to thank Paul for his contributions during his time in Philadelphia. Paul and his family were active in our community, and we’re appreciative of their time and impact here.”

    Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens held a news conference to address the trade Monday afternoon, saying moving Brown provides future financial “optionality” under the new collective bargaining agreement because he and Tatum are on supermax contracts. Though Brown ($57 million) and George ($54 million) will make similar salaries in 2026-27, Brown’s current contract runs three more seasons to George’s two (including a player option for 2027-28). Brown also will become eligible to sign a two-year, $142 million extension on July 26.

    “We have to make really hard decisions with every piece of information that we have,” Stevens said. “And, ultimately, this is the decision that we came to. Obviously, in many circles, that’s not popular, and we understood that coming into it.

    “That’s just something that you have to really consider and weigh, but, ultimately, the reasons that we’ve made the decisions are the ones I’ve shared.”

    Wade’s contract is for four years and roughly $39 million, The Inquirer confirmed via a league source. Simons’ deal is for two years and $12.3 million with a player option on the second year, while Hukporti’s is for one year and $3.4 million, The Inquirer confirmed.

    Wade, who is projected to slide into the starting power forward spot next to Brown, is known as a stout defender, and averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 59 games last season. He developed from an undrafted player in 2019 to rotation contributor while Gansey was in his previous job as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager.

    Simons will be tasked with providing needed scoring punch to the Sixers’ bench. He averaged 14.3 points and shot 38.5% on 6.9 three-point attempts per game in a season split between the Celtics and Chicago Bulls. He also averaged 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

    Hukporti is expected to compete with Adem Bona for the Sixers’ backup center spot. Hukporti was the third-string center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson on the NBA champion New York Knicks, and averaged 2.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.1 minutes in 79 games across his first two NBA seasons.

  • Kyle Schwarber still deciding whether he’ll compete in the Home Run Derby

    Kyle Schwarber still deciding whether he’ll compete in the Home Run Derby

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kyle Schwarber has a deadline.

    In all likelihood, Schwarber will swing away in the Home Run Derby next Monday night on the eve of the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park. But the Phillies slugger hasn’t committed yet to the event and figures he’ll have to decide imminently.

    “I’m sure they’ll want an answer from me here in the next day or so,” Schwarber said Monday. “I just want to make sure I’m not putting myself in a risky position.”

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    Schwarber, who leads the majors with 30 home runs, is dealing with a sore lower back that kept him out of the lineup for two games on June 23-24 in Washington. He has started every game since.

    But before Schwarber enters the Derby for the third time in his career, he wants to consult with the Phillies’ athletic training staff.

    “You want to feel comfortable that you’re going to be able to do it,” he said.

    In 2018, Schwarber was runner-up to future teammate Bryce Harper, who won the Derby in Washington in his last year with the Nationals. Four years later, Schwarber didn’t advance beyond the first round of the Derby at Dodger Stadium.

    Kyle Schwarber was named All-Star Game MVP last season after winning the first-ever swing-off for the National League.

    Last year, Schwarber starred in the first-ever swing-off to decide an All-Star Game that was tied after nine innings. He hit three homers in three swings to lead the National League to a victory and take home MVP honors.

    Schwarber is a preeminent power hitter in the sport. He has 217 homers since 2022, second-most behind only Aaron Judge (227), and has 370 for his career.

    All of that aside, Schwarber and Harper are box-office draws for a Derby in their home ballpark. Harper said his biggest obstacle is finding someone to throw to him. His dad, Ron, pitched to him in 2018 but hasn’t thrown in nearly five years, Harper said.

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    Schwarber chose a friend, former college baseball player Mike Sinicola, to throw to him in 2018 and 2022. This time, he said he plans to ask a member of the Phillies staff.

    The Derby’s new format might influence Schwarber’s decision. Rather than taking as many swings as possible within a time frame, hitters will be limited to 20 swings in the first round and 15 in both the semifinals and final.

    “I don’t know how many swings you’d get before, but it felt like a lot,” Schwarber said. “Twenty swings will make it feel not as exhausting.”

    The eight-hitter field will take shape over the next few days. Entering the week, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero was the only entry.

    Phillies reliever Brad Keller is expected to be reinstated from the injured list Tuesday.

    Keller ready to roll

    A sight for the bullpen’s sore eyes: Brad Keller rejoined the Phillies here and is expected to be reinstated from the injured list before Tuesday night’s game.

    Keller, who made two appearances in triple A, has been sidelined since June 16 with right forearm tendinitis.

    In time, Keller figures to reclaim his spot as the primary eighth-inning reliever, the role for which he was signed to a two-year, $22 million contract in the offseason. But Orion Kerkering has pitched well in that role and will continue to see setup opportunities.

    Phillies’ Brad Keller on track to return before the All-Star break: ‘It’s a night-and-day difference’

    “I’m definitely comfortable with Kerk anywhere back there,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “One thing I’ve tried to do in the past, when you get a guy coming off the IL, you’re probably not firing him into a bases-loaded, no-out situation. You try to give him somewhat of a clean inning, a little bit of a softer landing so to speak.”

    But Mattingly also won’t hesitate to bring Keller into high-leverage situations.

    “I feel like he’s ready to go,” Mattingly said.

    Phillies rookie right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. has swung the bat better over the last two weeks.

    Extra bases

    Rookie right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. is 6-for-15 with two doubles and a homer over his last five games after going 4-for-36 with 11 strikeouts to begin his major league career. “I think we’re seeing the aggressiveness that we’ve been looking for,” Mattingly said. “He’s a guy that can impact the ball, and when he’s aggressive, he controls the zone for the most part. He’s still going to have bumps and bruises as a young player, but we’re liking the way it looks.” … Zack Wheeler (8-1, 2.36 ERA) is scheduled to face Reds lefty Andrew Abbott (5-4, 3.88) at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday in Cincinnati.

  • A former Defense Department employee pleaded guilty to laundering money for Nigerian scammers

    A former Defense Department employee pleaded guilty to laundering money for Nigerian scammers

    A former Department of Defense employee from Oreland pleaded guilty Monday to helping Nigerian scammers launder millions of dollars they collected during phishing or extortion operations.

    Samuel D. Marcus, 33, was arrested earlier this year and charged with crimes including conspiracy and money laundering. Prosecutors said he served as a “money mule” for fraudsters who used aliases to target victims in schemes including cyber or tax fraud, romance fraud, or attacks on business email addresses.

    The FBI said those types of crimes cost Americans more than $20 billion last year, with scammers targeting vulnerable people using a variety of tactics designed to exploit or steal peoples’ personal information and money. The Pew Research Center said nearly three-quarters of American adults have been subjected to some form of online fraud, such as credit card fraud, ransomware, or unwittingly giving away personal information.

    Marcus knew that the fraudsters he was interacting with — who used the names “Rachel Jude” and “Ned McMurray” — were committing sophisticated digital crimes, prosecutors said, in part because he was first targeted by those same fraudsters in an online romance scam.

    Still, Marcus went on to help the scammers collect and transfer millions of dollars through bank accounts he created and into overseas accounts or cryptocurrency exchanges between 2023 and 2025.

    Prosecutors did not say how much Marcus was able to keep for himself, but said in court documents that he was able to collect small amounts from each transaction. At the time, prosecutors said, he was also working as a logistics specialist for the Department of Defense.

    He continued committing his crimes even after FBI agents told him that money passing through his accounts had been stolen from other people, prosecutors said.

    Marcus said little in court Monday beyond responding to routine legal questions from U.S. District Judge Joel H. Slomsky, and he has been held in federal custody since earlier this year.

    He is scheduled to be sentenced in October.

  • Fatal crash on Route 55 in Deptford kills two, injures another

    Fatal crash on Route 55 in Deptford kills two, injures another

    A single-vehicle crash late Sunday night on southbound Route 55 in Deptford Township killed two women and injured another.

    New Jersey State Police responded to the crash at 10:55 p.m., Trooper Christopher Postorino said via email. A preliminary investigation shows some of what happened, though the crash is still under investigation.

    Ayzia J. Toledo, 22, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, was driving a BMW with Henrietta F. Carter, 22, of Darby, Pennsylvania, in the front passenger seat and another passenger in the rear when she lost control of the vehicle and ran off the roadway. The BMW overturned and struck a tree. Toledo and Carter died of their injuries, and the rear seat passenger was transported to an area hospital for minor injuries.

    The families of Toledo and Carter have been notified, Postorino said. No traffic delays were reported after the accident. A GoFundMe has been established in Toledo’s honor.

    Last March, three teens, including a student and a graduate of Delsea Regional High School, were killed in a car crash on northbound Route 55 in Elk Township.

    This is a developing story and may be updated.

  • Downpours set off flood alerts and road closings — but now the Philly region could use some more rain

    Downpours set off flood alerts and road closings — but now the Philly region could use some more rain

    The waterfall downpours came just as the sun-cooked vegetation was showing those hay-brownish tints and taking on that desperate we-need-a-drink-now look.

    “You have to be careful what you wish for in the summer,” said Scott Kleebauer, branch forecaster at the national Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Md.

    But sometimes too much is not enough.

    While downpours flooded streets and caused Regional Rail problems for SEPTA, which also reported weather-relates signal problems, Kleebauer suggested it wouldn’t hurt for Philadelphia and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic to place an order for more rain.

    Through Sunday, Philadelphia’s year-to-date precipitation was about 75% of normal, and even with additional rains on Monday, still was roughly 4 inches — or a month’s worth — below long-term averages, according to the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center.

    More rain might be about the last thing some people would want after rounds of strong storms on Sunday with frequent lightning and downpours on Sunday and Monday, when as much as 2 to 4 inches fell in a short period upon parts of Philadelphia, Bucks, and Burlington Counties, the National Weather Service said.

    And in the city of Camden, 4.38 inches was measured, the agency said.

    “Numerous roads remain closed due to flooding,” the agency said.

    In late morning, moderate flooding was reported along Frankford Creek, and the weather service posted a flood warning that remained in effect until early evening. At one point Kelly Drive was closed due to flooding on the Schuylkill.

    Comden County received about 1,000 911 calls just in the stretch of the morning storm, said Dan Keashen, Camden County’s public affairs director.

    SEPTA train service on the Trenton line was suspended due to water over the rails. A car got stuck in floodwaters by a rail bridge and Eighth Street and Fairmount Avenue, the weather service reported.

    The rains backed off during the afternoon, but the weather service has shower possibilities every day this week, except Wednesday.

    The federal Climate Prediction Center’s outlook for the 8-to-14-day period favors above-normal precipitation for the region.

    So, is the drought on the run in the Philly region?

    Maybe, but droughts are slow to develop and slow to abandon their methodical harvests.

    All of New Jersey and Chester County remain under state-declared drought “warnings,” and the majority of the region is under “moderate drought,” according to the interagency U.S. Drought Monitor.

    “There’s definitely been some improvement,” said Kleebauer. “Unfortunately there’s been some losers.”

    Summer rains are notoriously capricious and random.

    “My grass has been happy the past few days,” said Lee Robertson, a weather service meteorologist in Mount Holly, but he added that it’s going to “take a while” to make up the accumulated rain deficits.

    But in reality, “It’s really difficult to get everybody to win,” said Kleebauer.

    The steering currents aloft that move storms get as lazy as a lot of humans in the heat.

    “Stuff just kind of meanders or has slow general motion,” he said. Storms can get stuck in place, and the more one place gets, the less other places will get. Even in a juiced atmosphere, moisture is finite.

    Joe Puccio of Williamstown rolls up his pants legs to make his way to his truck in the flooded parking lot at the Ferry Avenue PATCO station in Camden Monday, July 6, 2026, as a flash flood threat continues for the region. He said he commutes to work in Philadelphia every day and the flooding is something that happens a lot in the area, but he has never seen it as bad before. His truck started okay, but Route 130, his normal way home was also under water so he had to take back roads.

    The extreme heat appears to be over, for now

    The rains at least have marked the end of the region’s extreme heat as the “heat dome” has migrated westward. It is not uncommon for storms to break out as a hot spell deteriorates.

    But that three-day stretch ending with that torrid 250th birthday party on July 4 was historic in its own right.

    It marked the first time in records dating to 1873 that the temperature had reached 101 or higher three consecutive days and only the third time it had hit 100 three days straight, according to the weather service.

    It may be hard to remember, but on Feb. 8 it got down to 8 degrees at the airport, proving that Philly truly is a four-season resort.

    Inquirer staff writers T.J. Furman and Sarah Nicell contributed to this article.