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  • Dear Abby | Girlfriend taking new romance as slow as possible

    DEAR ABBY: I have been dating “Rita” for four months. We peck on the lips, hug and hold hands, but we have had only one real kiss so far. Rita was first married for 22 years to an emotionally abusive man and then remarried to a manipulative one. She said we were going too fast and she wanted to slow down. I understood and have exerted no pressure on her.

    Rita has canceled dates for various reasons and gone silent for a day here and there. She says she’s not talking to anyone else, and neither am I. I have told her she is worth the wait. I have fallen hard for her and have serious intentions about her.

    Rita says she has strong feelings for me and that I treat her better than any man she has ever been involved with, but she doesn’t know how to handle the feelings. How long should I give her to figure out what she wants this relationship to be?

    I’m not worried about sex or anything like that, but four months without even calling us “dating” or “girlfriend and boyfriend” has me worried that I am, for a lack of a better description, wasting my time with her. What would you advise me to do?

    — TAKING IT SLOW IN VIRGINIA

    DEAR TAKING IT SLOW: Continue allowing your relationship with Rita to develop slowly. The woman has had two unsuccessful marriages, so it’s no wonder she’s slow to commit. If, after a year (eight months from now), Rita still feels uncomfortable calling you “boyfriend” or “companion,” revisit the conversation and decide then if you have invested enough time.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: After reading so many horrible letters sent to you from people about their mothers-in-law, I feel compelled to write to you about mine. I met her 43 years ago when I was dating her oldest son (now my husband). From the moment we met, she treated me with caring, acceptance and love. She and my father-in-law raised five amazing children, and they treated their children’s spouses as if we were their own. She devoted her entire life to caring for and nurturing her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

    Unfortunately, we just lost this beautiful woman at the age of 89 to a long and difficult battle with Parkinson’s and dementia. We watched her “sparkle” slowly fade away, but we will carry her amazing legacy with us always. I hope I can be half the MIL to my children’s spouses that she was to me.

    I also hope that all those who aren’t as lucky as I was can find some common ground with their mothers-in-law — especially if there are children involved. I LOVE YOU, MOM!

    — FORTUNATE IN NEW YORK

    DEAR FORTUNATE: Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute to a woman who made such a positive difference in the lives of those she touched. Not only were you fortunate to be a member of such a warm and loving family, but she was also lucky to have a daughter-in-law like you.

  • Horoscopes: Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). The way you live your day-to-day is admirable. How about a little credit? Negativity bias makes it easy to note what you did wrong, but why? Thousands of things are going right now because of you.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Love sends you on a mission. Your heart asks, your mind finds the way. Of course, there is no journey without things like feet, wheels and the like. Money helps, too. Love communicates itself practically.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Instead of talking yourself out of things, you just choose. You step up, and the doubts quiet down. People notice the confidence and assume you know what you’re doing. You can safely assume it, too.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). Something’s been bugging you, and you’ll finally figure out what. It boils down to a bad transaction. You didn’t know the value of what you had, and you gave too much away. You’ll get a do-over and get it right.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It couldn’t work as things were. Time has passed, so now the question is simple: What has changed, and is it enough to change the outcome? Because as alluring as nostalgia may be, it’s more interesting to have an emotional life that progresses.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The ice cream parlor of life has an abundance of flavors, but you keep coming back to your favorite scoops time and again because it’s so nice to have predictable, dependable sweetness. Taste is self-knowledge.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Relationships are central to your mood. When your relationships are in good working order, you feel grounded. Since sweet exchanges lift you and friction brings the vibes down, you’re sure to initiate the sweetness and stay happy.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You won’t have to fight for anything. What’s yours will be freely given or returned to you. Argument and persuasion are unnecessary uses of your energy today as well. You’ll simply stand in your own truth, and everything will work out.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You have the gift of gab today, which is actually a gift that has more to do with listening well and choosing topics people enjoy than it is a talent for talking. Conversation will challenge your assumptions and expand your sense of what could be.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Instead of defaulting to the usual tokens of appreciation, consider this: Taking the time to understand how someone thinks can mean more than anything you could buy. It’s a deeper and rarer kind of care.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ve got a burning drive, and you make time for your passions. Developing your talent teaches you that your abilities are more substantial than you thought. You’re rising to the next league.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Letting go of a problem is not the same as solving it, but the effect on your life will be the same. Even if you just leave the problem for another day so you can feel unfettered today, you’ll take full advantage of the subsequent levity. Viva compartmentalization!

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 15). Welcome to your Year of Vivid Horizons — not because they are wide open and cloudless but because the clouds reflect vibrant colors and a life that moves into shapes unexpected and lovely. Travel, study and serendipitous encounters keep this vision a bit surreal and ever joyful. More highlights: Romantic sparks ignite, you’re recognized for your contributions, and you receive the money you need to rocket your dream. Gemini and Virgo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 21, 36, 14 and 9.

  • Sloppy, slushy snow could hit Philly Sunday, but probably won’t stick around too long

    Sloppy, slushy snow could hit Philly Sunday, but probably won’t stick around too long

    Philadelphia could be hit with some sloppy, slushy snow Sunday.

    After a banner day Saturday, with a downright balmy high of 47 degrees in Philly, forecasters now expect a coastal storm to spread precipitation through the region late Sunday into Monday,

    “It’s one of those situations where if we have just enough cold air and just enough intensity, we could get several inches,” said Ray Martin, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly office. “But if the temperature is just a little bit warmer — even just a degree —it could end up being a rain-snow mix where there’s no accumulation. It’s a really borderline situation.”

    Currently, forecasters are calling for an inch of snow in Philadelphia, Martin said.

    “But I wouldn’t be shocked if we got unlucky and maybe got two to three inches of sloppy wet snow,” he said. “I also wouldn’t be shocked if we ended up with just mainly rain. There’s still some uncertainty with this forecast.”

    Still, he said, more snow would not necessarily represent a major blow to Philly’s efforts to dig out from its most stubborn snowpack in 65 years, courtesy of January’s blizzard and recent polar temperatures. With temps expected to climb back into the low 40s Monday, any accumulation will quickly melt away, Martin said.

    “Everything will look less brown,” he said. “But it’s not going to be 10 tons of snow or anything like that.”

    The changing forecast comes 24 hours after earlier weather models showed higher potential snow totals, Martin said.

    “There was some guidance suggesting a significantly higher snowfall of up to six inches of heavy wet snow,” he said. “But it’s way backed off from that.”

  • Villanova wins fifth straight in conference play following a convincing road rout of Creighton

    Villanova wins fifth straight in conference play following a convincing road rout of Creighton

    A double-double performance from Duke Brennan and Villanova now has 20 wins this season.

    The senior forward finished with a team-high 21 points and added 12 rebounds to lead the Wildcats in an 80-69 road defeat of Creighton in Omaha, Neb., on Saturday.

    Brennan collected his 11th double-double of the season, and is now second all-time in program history behind Michael Bradley’s 14 during the 2000-01 season. Villanova (20-5, 11-3 Big East) never trailed, avenging a January loss to the Bluejays (13-12, 7-7).

    “Duke’s been great,” said Villanova head coach Kevin Willard. “You can’t talk enough about Duke. I mean, [he’s] just taking his time, having some big finishes and again the guards [are] finding him.”

    It also marks a five-game win streak for Villanova, which earned its first 20 wins in the first 25 games for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

    Tyler Perkins scored 17 points, marking his ninth consecutive game with double-digits. Perkins also hauled in 11 rebounds in what was his second double-double of the season.

    Perkins is now averaging 17.9 points per game over his last nine games. He is averaging a team-high 13.5 points per contest this season, averaging 44% from the field and 37% on three-pointers.

    “I think [Perkins] had six points off offensive rebounds, big tip backs,” Willard said. “There was one late in the second half that was monstrous as [Creighton was] making a run. They cut [it] to seven, pushed it back up to nine, which was unbelievable. I think he’s starting to really settle into who he is as a player and he keeps getting better.”

    First-half defense smothers Creighton

    Villanova was able to hold Creighton’s offense to 10 points through the first 13 minutes of the game. The Bluejays’ starting lineup had just five points, and Austin Swartz had five points off the bench.

    Villanova took a 25-10 lead over Creighton with seven minutes left in the first half. Creighton was 4-for-18 from the field at that point.

    Villanova also scored 12 points on eight first-half turnovers by the Bluejays.

    I think we started off really good and were just really solid,” Willard said. “I think at our place we got caught up on switches a couple times and they took advantage of it. I thought we were really solid and just guarded our man really well.”

    Creighton finished the first half with 27 points, and its starting lineup had just 13 combined points as the Bluejays shot 34.4% from the field and 27.3% from beyond the arc.

    Plenty of points in the paint

    Villanova’s offense dominated under the basket. It scored 48 of its 80 points inside the paint, 30 of them coming in the first half.

    The Wildcats shot 3-for-11 on three-pointers in the first half and finished the game 6-for-21. Villanova entered the game averaging 27.4 three-point attempts per game. Additionally, the Wildcats attempted 44 two-point field goals, entered the game averaging 31.6 per contest, which ranked 308th in the nation.

    Strong day from the bench

    Villanova had 25 points from its bench, with 13 coming from Devin Askew and 10 from Malachi Palmer, who shot a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc.

    Askew has averaged 9.8 points off the bench this season, but has had five double-digit performances through conference play.

    Palmer has recently begun to get more time on the court. He has scored double digits on the bench in three of his last four games, including a career-high 15 points against Seton Hall on Feb. 4.

    Up next

    Villanova stays on the road, traveling to Xavier (13-12, 5-9) on Tuesday (6:30 p.m., FS1). It will be the first time the two teams meet this season. Villanova leads the all-time series, 35-9.

  • Temple’s comeback falls short vs. East Carolina for third straight loss

    Temple’s comeback falls short vs. East Carolina for third straight loss

    Temple overcame an 11-point first-half deficit in the first half against East Carolina. Then, the Owls faced another in the fourth quarter.

    Temple attempted a comeback at the Liacouras Center on Saturday, but every time it scored, the Pirates had a response. Temple cut its deficit to four in the final minutes, but East Carolina held the Owls off and handed them a 79-73 loss. It’s their third-straight loss, putting them in danger of missing the American Conference tournament.

    Temple (10-14, 4-8 American) is in ninth place in the conference standings and has six games remaining in the regular season. The top 10 teams qualify for the tournament.

    “It was a tough game,” coach Diane Richardson said. “We are trying to learn how to put four quarters, and [we’ve] got some things to work on. I look at the stat sheet, and we sat back for a bit, then we turned it on. So we’ve got to just be consistent.”

    Statistical leaders

    The Owls focused on attacking the paint early, and Saniyah Craig led the effort.

    The junior forward scored a game-high 20 points and added six rebounds. Sophomore guard Savannah Curry finished with a season-high 18 points on 6-for-8 shooting and a team-best eight rebounds. Temple struggled with turnovers and gave the ball away 24 times. Every Owl who played had at least one turnover.

    “I was really just playing my game,” Craig said. “Playing slower because usually when I speed up, I throw the ball over the rim, so I was just playing slower and playing my game.”

    The Pirates (19-7, 11-2) were led by guard Kennedy Fauntleroy and forward Anzhané Hutton, who scored 19 points apiece.

    East Carolina’s Bobbi Smith (14) looks for a shot as Temple’s Saniyah Craig defends on Saturday at the Liacouras Center.

    Too much for a comeback

    Temple shot 69.2% from the field in the first quarter and 50% through 20 minutes, but couldn’t get out of its own way. Temple committed 17 turnovers in the first half, which East Carolina turned into 13 points. The Pirates built an 11-point led midway through the second quarter before Temple found its footing.

    The Owls ended the quarter on an 11-0 run, thanks to strong defense and free-throw shooting. A free throw by Tristen Taylor (10 points, seven assists) sent the game to halftime tied at 36, but Temple failed to carry that momentum into the second half as its offense went cold.

    The teams traded baskets for much of the third frame before the Pirates pushed their lead to 11 in the final minute. Temple spent the fourth quarter searching for a comeback and got within four points multiple times but could not come up with a clutch basket or defensive stop to get over the hump.

    “I need our bench to be more aggressive and give us more,” Richardson said. “Oftentimes, I try to give our starters a little rest, but our bench has really got to step up and fill those gaps so there is not much of a drop off. And that’s on me.”

    Costly turnover

    Temple guard Kaylah Turner (14 points) knocked down two free throws to cut East Carolina’s lead to 75-71 with 32 seconds remaining, then stole the ensuing inbounds pass to give Temple another chance to get within one possession.

    However, Turner moved a little too quickly and lost control of the ball. Pirates guard Jayla Hearp grabbed it, and the Owls were forced to foul. Temple did not get another opportunity as East Carolina made its free throws to secure the win.

    Up next

    The Owls will visit Charlotte (12-13, 6-6) on Tuesday(6:30 p.m., ESPN+).

  • Jesús Luzardo wants to be ‘as elite as possible’ in his ‘sink or swim’ year with the Phillies

    Jesús Luzardo wants to be ‘as elite as possible’ in his ‘sink or swim’ year with the Phillies

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — There’s a belt hanging in Jesús Luzardo’s locker at BayCare Ballpark embroidered with the words “SINK OR SWIM.”

    It’s a motto of the Phillies 28-year-old left-hander, one that is also written on his glove. He adopted it after the 2023 season during his time with the Miami Marlins, and really leaned into it the following year after he suffered a season-ending back injury.

    For him, it embodies how it feels to be a pitcher, alone on the mound.

    “There’s really only one option. It’s either you make it, or you don’t,” Luzardo said. “It’s something I like to live by.”

    The motto remains a guiding light as Luzardo enters a pivotal season, his last one before reaching free agency.

    The Phillies’ rotation, an organizational strength for the past several years, has some question marks in 2026. The Phillies are optimistic about Zack Wheeler’s progress from thoracic surgery, but he is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Andrew Painter, a longtime friend of Luzardo’s, has the chance to earn a spot, but he has yet to throw a pitch in a major league game.

    After the free agency departure of fellow lefty Ranger Suárez, Luzardo joins Cristopher Sánchez as two anchors in the Phillies’ rotation to start the season.

    Coming off a career-high 183 ⅔ innings in 2025, Luzardo didn’t change much about his winter training. He prioritized rest and some lower-intensity workouts early in the offseason, but things were mostly business as usual.

    Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo says he’s out to perfect his changeup, one of five pitches he employs on the mound.

    “I feel now, just as good, or better than I did last year,” Luzardo said.

    But he did come to camp with a potential new trick up his sleeve. Last season, in his first spring with the Phillies, Luzardo began toying with a sweeper. It ultimately became one of his best weapons, and he threw it 31% of the time. The pitch had a 43.7% whiff rate, and opponents hit just .178 against it.

    This year, instead of adding another pitch to his mix of five, he is focusing on refining his changeup.

    “Just kind of trying to fine-tune it, and see if I can maybe get a little more swing-and-miss, or just kind of give guys a different look,” Luzardo said. “… Not that my changeup last year was bad, but it was maybe not elite, and I want to be as elite as possible.”

    The process started about two months ago as a collaborative effort with pitching coach Caleb Cotham and the coaches Luzardo works with at home in South Florida. Luzardo’s changeup was his third-most used pitch in 2025, behind his four-seam and sweeper. He primarily threw it to right-handed batters, and hitters had a .224 batting average against it.

    “He’s always trying to find that edge and the stretch to ‘What’s next? What can I do to get a little better?’” Cotham said. “And I think it’s important. That’s why guys like him stay in pace with the league, because the league’s always getting better. Hitters are always getting better.”

    Phillies pitching coach, Caleb Cotham says Luzardo keeps pace with an ever-changing league because he’s “always trying to find ways to get better.”

    Luzardo said he “didn’t want to give much away” about the new-look pitch, but it does involve a change in grip. The idea is to make the changeup more consistent in how it flies.

    Cotham visited Luzardo once during the offseason, but they mostly communicated via texts and videos. Watching Luzardo in a bullpen session earlier this week, Cotham was impressed with the results.

    “It’s as good as I’ve seen it,” Cotham said. “Hitters will be the true test.”

    Luzardo’s commitment to finding ways to reinvent himself as a pitcher reminds Cotham of Wheeler, who added a splitter in 2024 and a sweeper the year before.

    “You have to evolve. You have to keep seeing what you’re capable of,” Cotham said. “That’s the coolest part of being part of his journey, and being his coach, [is] being part of that collaborative process.”

    Rob Thomson has positive things to say about Rule 5 prospect Zach McCambley seen throwing here during spring training pitching workouts on Saturday.

    Extra bases

    Right-hander Zach McCambley, a Phillies Rule 5 pick in the December draft, threw a live batting practice session Saturday. “I like him,” Thomson said of the 26-year-old from the Marlins organization who has been a reliever the past three seasons after being drafted in the third round in 2020. “He can really spin his slider, what you call the sweeper. Really good pitch. There’s some depth there. He’s got a good fastball. It’s going to be mid-90s [mph]. Commands the baseball. It’s a good pickup.” … Catcher René Pinto has reported to camp after being delayed by visa issues in Venezuela.

  • Southwest Philly-raised Raina J. León is the city’s new poet laureate

    Southwest Philly-raised Raina J. León is the city’s new poet laureate

    Norma Thomas had been keeping a secret since mid-January. At Saturday’s Passing the Pen ceremony, she was ready to shout it from the Central Library rooftop:

    “My daughter, Raina León, is the poet laureate of Philadelphia,” Thomas said, chest puffed out and brimming with pride. “She is effervescent, outgoing, and loves the city of Philadelphia.”

    Raina J. León, 44, was one of 32 applicants citywide, the largest number of candidates the city has had for the role, said Adam Feldman, the Free Library of Philadelphia department head of art and literature, and a poet laureate governing committee member.

    Born in Upper Darby, León is a Black, Afro Boricuan poet, writer, educator, and cultural worker raised in Southwest Philadelphia. She speaks English, Spanish, and Italian, and believes in a world where diversity can strengthen communities.

    Still unable to believe her achievement, the University of Southern Maine professor recalled lighting candles nervously, hoping to get the email bearing the news.

    “I keep thinking, ‘Maybe this isn’t my time,’” León said. “But, no, DéLana would want me to dream big and to walk on assurance of my voice having a space,” she added, remembering her late friend, the poet DéLana R.A. Dameron, who died in November.

    Creating a space where people feel that their voices are welcome is the legacy León wants to leave during her two-year tenure as poet laureate.

    An extract from Raina León’s poem “you don’t own the penthouse.”

    The poet laureate is an ambassador for poetry in the city, participating in community engagement, speaking at events, and mentoring the youth poet laureate, Rashawn Dorsey. But what excites León the most is helping Philadelphians see storytelling as a liberating practice.

    “Poetry is all around you. Even if you are like, ‘I don’t understand poetry’ — it understands you,” León said. “In these times of great volatility, with attacks on history and attacks on communities, there is a desire to preserve oneself by becoming numb, and poetry says, ‘No, you can’t be numb in life. You can’t be numb and observe the world.’”

    The poet laureate role comes with a $5,000 stipend, paid in two installments. But León says she isn’t in it for the money. She wants to provide language access to amplify Philadelphia’s diverse community of voices.

    She plans on holding open hours once a month at the Central Library of the Free Library for people to work on writing with her. For those who cannot come in person, León also wants to do online workshops.

    More importantly, she wants to work on writing projects across multiple languages, including American Sign Language, to ensure diversity opens doors in Philadelphia.

    “It’s like Bad Bunny said during the ‘Benito Bowl,’ what matters is that we are alive and we should be pouring [love] into one another and caring for one another,” León said. “Only love counters hate, and that is a revolutionary thing that is activating this, something that changes and pushes back on the nihilistic threat.”

    Raina León and her daughter at the Passing the Pen ceremony, in the Parkway Central Library on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.
  • Seven couples tied the knot at Reading Terminal Market for a very Philly Valentine’s Day

    Seven couples tied the knot at Reading Terminal Market for a very Philly Valentine’s Day

    Tucked in between a fish market, a bakery, and a honey stand, seven couples tied the knot among family, friends, and perfect strangers on Saturday.

    “It’s amazing,” said Beth Esposito-Evans, who officiated the ceremony. “What could be more Philly than Reading Terminal Market?”

    Esposito-Evans, a vendor at the market, said she helped relaunch the “Married at the Market” Valentine’s Day wedding last year after she became an ordained minister.

    It was her second year officiating a group ceremony that blended traditional elements — two couples broke a glass, for example — with plenty of love for the market.

    Minister Elizabeth R. Esposito-Evans officiates and leads the wedding ceremony at the Reading Terminal Market’s Married at the Market on Valentine’s Day in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.

    “Love is timeless,” Esposito-Evans said, “regardless of destination or background.”

    For bride Daysi Morales, the market is a place full of fond memories. Her father, Juan Morales, worked there as a security guard. He died of cancer in September 2024.

    “So there’s a sentimental aspect,” Morales said. “It’s a place where I can feel my dad’s presence.”

    David Skillman, kisses his bride, Daysi Morales, during their wedding day at the Reading Terminal Market’s Married at the Market on Valentine’s Day in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.

    In an interview a few days before the ceremony, Morales, 36, and her partner, David Skillman, 35, finished each other’s sentences as they told their love story, which started as a Tinder date during the winter of 2021.

    They first met at Craft Hall, a sports bar in Old City, chosen because of its outdoor seating, which many people preferred during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    They decided to go inside anyway, Skillman said, and there the conversation flowed and the connection was immediate. Morales was born in Honduras, he noted, where he had done medical missionary work as a registered nurse.

    “I think we dated for a couple weeks, then made [our relationship] official,” Morales said.

    They moved in together into her apartment in West Philly.

    After Morales’ father, Juan, fell ill, Skillman provided medical care for him during one of his shifts at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Pavilion emergency department..

    “David was such a rock, not just for me, but for my family,” Morales said.

    In December 2024, they got engaged.

    The Reading Terminal Market offered couples a chance to get “Married at the Market” on Valentine’s Day in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.

    For the couple, who now live in South Philly, there was also a practical aspect to having a scaled-down, low-cost wedding.

    “I want to buy a house,” Skillman said. “And buying a house and having a big wedding aren’t both feasible.”

    Morales said she worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development before being laid off last year.

    “Especially in this economy, I think micro weddings are becoming more and more popular,” Morales said.

    That didn’t stop them from having a special wedding with some of their favorite Philly attractions — including Okie Dokie Donuts, an after-party at Sardine Bar, specialty cocktails, and a cake made by Morales’ family.

    Luigi Nicolae performs some music for families, friends, and guests attending the Reading Terminal Market’s Married at the Market on Valentine’s Day in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.

    “It feels so special, to be in the market where my dad worked,” said Daysi Morales’ older sister Esther.

    Reading Terminal Market, at 12th and Arch Streets, is a magnet for tourists and a regular destination for residents. Housed in a National Historic Landmark building dating to 1893, the market has 72 food vendors, including a produce market, an oyster bar, Pennsylvania Dutch traditional food, and a wide range of other offerings.

    Fifty-seven couples applied for “Married at the Market,” according to event promoter London Faust. The seven lucky couples selected were treated to decor, a violin player, and the location, all paid for by Reading Terminal Market.

    Faust said “the Reading Terminal team began an outreach process loosely prioritizing those who had strong ties to the market in their love story.” The celebration is free of charge for those accepted.

    “We kind of needed something like this,” groom Joey Kathan said before the ceremony. “We’ve been engaged two years.”

    Megan Keane hugs Maurie Kathan, sister to Joey Kathan of Fishtown, the groom, at the Reading Terminal Market’s Married at the Market on Valentine’s Day in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.

    Kathan’s bride, Megan Keane, described them as a “COVID couple” who met on Bumble Washington and bonded over hiking trips before moving to Philadelphia a few years ago.

    “This was crazy,” Keane said. “We couldn’t believe we were accepted.”

    There were even some last-minute guests of honor. Dorothy and Terry White were at the market Saturday when one of the housekeepers introduced them to Esposito-Evans. She asked them to join the celebration.

    “We got married here, 21 years ago today,” Dorothy White triumphantly told the crowd.

  • Another partial government shutdown has started. Why is this one different? Here’s what we know.

    Another partial government shutdown has started. Why is this one different? Here’s what we know.

    Another partial government shutdown began Saturday, with lawmakers at an impasse. But this one is different.

    With congressional Democrats refusing to approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the last of that agency’s funding has run out.

    It all stems from party-line disagreements surrounding ICE and immigration enforcement.

    When a funding lapse triggered a partial government shutdown on Jan. 31, Congress made a compromise: It approved spending bills for all agencies, except for DHS.

    DHS received two weeks of funding to give Congress more time to negotiate Immigration and Customs Enforcement changes, a push Senate Democrats have repeatedly made after federal immigration and border agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month.

    Now those two weeks are up and Congress is still in a standoff. Democrats want to see more guardrails regarding how ICE agents identify themselves, barring them from wearing masks, and requiring name badges. But Republicans say those practices would add too much risk to the job.

    Since all other government agencies have already been funded, DHS is the only one affected by the shutdown.

    Here’s what that means.

    What’s a partial government shutdown?

    A partial government shutdown happens when Congress has funded only certain federal agencies, leaving others in limbo. Some parts of the government close while others keep operating.

    In this case, it comes down to who has funding and who doesn’t. DHS is the only agency without approved funding. The agency’s fiscal year ends Sept. 30, meaning it currently stands without funding for seven months or until Congress reaches an agreement.

    When did government funding expire?

    Funding for DHS expired Friday at midnight. A shutdown began Saturday at 12:01 a.m. after Congress and President Donald Trump’s administration failed to reach an agreement.

    What changes with the partial shutdown?

    Not much in the eyes of the general public, according to CNN.

    Nearly all DHS workers remain on the job, but many won’t get paid until the shutdown ends.

    But DHS officials who testified before a House panel on Wednesday warned that a funding disruption could mean delays to states seeking reimbursements for disaster relief costs, delays in cybersecurity response, and missed paychecks for agents who screen bags at airports, which could lead to unplanned absences and longer wait times.

    DHS is home to agencies including the Transportation Security Aadministration, Coast Guard, and Federal Emergency Management Agency, which are all affected.

    What have Pennsylvania politicians said?

    Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) said he “absolutely” expected a shutdown. He broke with most Senate Democrats, voting to approve funding and avoid a shutdown in a measure that failed, and arguing that delaying funding DHS won’t impact ICE since the agency has received separate funding.

    Earlier this month, some members of the Pennsylvania delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, including Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, Brendan Boyle, Madeleine Dean, Mary Gay Scanlon, Dwight Evans, and Summer Lee, penned a letter to Fetterman and Sen. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.) asking them to vote against passing the spending bill unless ICE reform is secured. (Both senators voted in favor, but it failed.)

    Houlahan, a Democrat from Chester County, criticized ICE last week and emphasized a need for immigration reform.

    “We are a nation of immigrants, but ICE is clearly not reform. ICE is undertrained. ICE is vastly, vastly overfunded,” she said. “They have a budget that is larger than many countries’ entire defense budgets.”

    Where does Congress stand right now?

    The House had already done its part and approved funding. The chamber is in recess until Feb. 17. But Senate Democrats are pushing back on its approval without immigration reforms. That leaves the Senate with few options if it cannot pass the current measures.

    The Senate adjourned Thursday for a Presidents’ Day recess after a motion to advance DHS funding failed 52-47, mostly along party lines. Democrats also blocked an attempt to extend funding for another two weeks.

    Lawmakers left town, some traveling to the Munich Security Conference in Germany, others to meetings nationwide and overseas.

    The chambers are not scheduled to return until Feb. 23, though that could change if a deal is reached in the meantime. But senators on each side say bipartisanship during an election year seems unlikely.

    So in short: We could be here for a while.

  • Westtown girls’ and boys’ basketball teams secure a Friends Schools League title

    Westtown girls’ and boys’ basketball teams secure a Friends Schools League title

    After the Westtown boys’ basketball team claimed its first Friends Schools League title since 2022 with a 64-54 win over Academy of the New Church on Friday night, the girls’ team joined the medal ceremony at the center court.

    The Westtown girls had their own hardware to show off for a championship photo op. The Moose hung on for a 53-46 win over Friends’ Central hours earlier in the FSL’s championship doubleheader at La Salle’s Glaser Arena.

    It was the sixth consecutive FSL title for the Westtown girls and the first time the teams had shared the court as champions since 2022.

    “I think the girls and the boys teams have a great bond at Westtown,” said guard Rowan Phillips. “It was good to see us win a championship because [the girls] have been doing this for a minute. So we’re just trying to catch up to them.”

    The Westtown boys and girls basketball teams pose with their championship medals. Westtown won both FSL titles in the same year for the first time since 2022.

    Westtown girls outlast Friends’ Central

    While the final score was closer than the Westtown coaching staff would have liked, the Moose scraped by No. 2 seed Friends’ Central behind Jordyn Palmer’s 19 points.

    “I don’t think there was a lot going well for us,” coach Fran Burbidge said. “But I thought we defended and made some really good things [happen] in the second half. … We kept battling.”

    The Phoenix held a 16-8 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Moose outscored them, 19-6, in the second to take a five-point halftime lead.

    Friends’ Central whittled Westtown’s advantage to one in the fourth, but the Phoenix could not retake the lead.

    While Palmer’s performance did not match her 34-point output from last year’s title game, the 6-foot-2 forward took command in the final minutes.

    Palmer, a nationally ranked recruit in the class of 2027, scored four of the game’s final five points, including a layup to put the Moose up, 50-46, with less than a minute remaining.

    “I think it was at the three-minute mark, I talked with Jordan,” Burbidge said. “I said, ‘All right, things haven’t gone real well up to this point, but now’s your time. … You up for that?’ She said, ‘Yeah, I got it.’”

    Westtown’s Jordyn Palmer (right) lays up the basketball in the fourth quarter on Friday.

    Westtown’s Jada Lynch scored 12 and Atlee Vanesko, a senior guard who is the No. 74 prospect in ESPN’s rankings and is committed to Ohio State, added nine.

    Ryan Carter led Friends’ Central with 16 points, while Zya Small had 15. Like Palmer (No. 6), Carter (No. 12) and Small (No. 47) are in ESPN’s top 60 prospects for 2027.

    Westtown, which is ranked eighth nationally by Sports Illustrated, is the top seed in the PAISAA state tournament. The Moose will host the winner between Agnes Irwin and Episcopal Academy in the quarterfinals.

    Second-seeded Friends’ Central will play the winner of a first-round matchup between Germantown Academy and Penn Charter in the quarterfinals.

    Westtown boys beat Academy of the New Church

    Phillips’ 20-point performance led Westtown boys to be crowned FSL champions.

    The 6-6 sophomore guard transferred to Westtown after spending his freshman year at Archbishop Wood. The FSL title was the first high school championship of any kind for Phillips, who is a four-star prospect ranked 21st nationally in the class of 2028.

    “It feels great,” Phillips said. “It feels good to get one for the coaching staff and to see all the smiles on the guys’ faces for the first ’ship.”

    Marshall Bailey added 15 points for the Moose. Academy of the New Church’s Ryan Warren led all scorers with 22 points, but his outburst was not enough for the Lions to beat Westtown.

    Westtown School’s Rowan Phillips dunks in the fourth quarter past Academy of the New Church’s Antonio Lozada on Friday.

    Friday night’s title was far from the first for coach Seth Berger, who led Westtown to eight consecutive FSL titles from 2014 to 2022. But he noted that this season’s FSL championship was the first title for every player on his team and three of his assistant coaches.

    “I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am for them to experience what it is to be a Friends League champion,” Berger said. “This is such an incredibly tough league, and ANC is a fantastic, tough, and well-coached team. I’m super happy for everybody, and mostly for the first time champs.”

    Westtown is the top seed in the PAISAA state tournament and will host No. 16 seed Kiski School in the tournament’s opening round.

    Seventh-seeded Academy of the New Church will host No. 10 seed Penn Charter in the first round.