DEAR ABBY: My wife’s nephew is getting divorced. The process seems to be amicable; there was no cheating or abuse. They have two children. Even though the soon-to-be-ex, “Michelle,” has always been welcoming and nice, my wife’s family has circled the wagons. They no longer talk to her and have made clear I can’t either. I don’t think that’s right.
Michelle has done nothing wrong and has been cordial to us. My wife says to stay out of it and never contact her. I think that’s immature. I realize my thoughts don’t matter. However, I’m thinking about contacting Michelle to say I feel bad about being in that position and apologize.
I think if I did, I’d feel better about myself, and she’d know that everyone doesn’t hate her. Should something happen to my wife’s nephew, I would have some basis for connection to the children. What do you think?
— NAVIGATING CHANGE IN ILLINOIS
DEAR NAVIGATING: I think you are more mature than your wife’s family. You are an adult, and you should do what you feel is right.
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: My father left our family when I was in sixth grade. Because he had cheated on our mom numerous times, he was removed from his ministry and went into education. I tried to resolve my feelings with him, but he would never admit his faults. When I finally asked him to tell me the truth, he refused.
I am now in my 60s and still angry at him. I have a wonderful wife and two beautiful kids he has never met. Before he dies, I’d like to tell him how I feel about him and ask him one more time to tell the truth. Is this worth the effort? He is 92, so I don’t have much time.
— ANGRY STILL IN PENNSYLVANIA
DEAR ANGRY: Your efforts will be better spent if you meet with your father and tell him you forgive him for his transgressions. Do this not for him but for yourself, to free you from the burden of anger you have carried for all these years — and will continue to carry after his demise.
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: How does one approach, by phone, email or in person, a couple — close friends of many years — whose husband is slipping into dementia? Do we acknowledge and commiserate, pretend nothing is amiss, stop communicating and seeing them? Or … WHAT, exactly?
The profound tragedy is that the husband has been an intellectual and executive giant of immense quality, with abundant gifts and skills. Watching this slow-motion tragedy unfold is agonizing. Not knowing what to say or do compounds the pain.
— DELIVERING PAINFUL NEWS
DEAR DELIVERING: Social isolation is a killer. People in the early to middle stages of dementia are capable of being social. What you should continue to do is be the friend to this couple that you always have been and take your guidance from the wife. She will appreciate your kindness and support during this difficult time.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Feeling behind? It’s just an illusion caused by comparison. Stay on your own path. Someone else’s timeline is irrelevant to the terrain you’re walking. Your pace has its own logic. Trust it. Rushing won’t get you there faster.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). How could you make yourself 10% happier, more comfortable or more excited to be where you need to be? Your mood sets the tone. If you’re having fun, everyone else will feel it, too. That’s how influential you are today.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). If you could read minds, you’d sense that someone is smitten with you and wishing for your charming attention. No need to act on it. Simply enjoy the dynamic that will make interactions sweeter and keep the mood buoyant for everyone.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). In unfamiliar settings, the basic instinct may be a classic defensive posture, but that’s not the only way to go. More sophisticated defenses include postures of friendliness, charm, usefulness, observation or simply openness. Not every new scene requires armor.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It does seem like the situation won’t change anytime soon. When a circumstance won’t budge, there’s no use in trying to shove it. Shift your stance instead. Frustration is just energy with nowhere to go, and you can redirect it.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Yes, there will be obstacles, but you’re alert and nimble today. You’ll swerve, leap or knock down whatever shows up. The secret? You expect surprises instead of pretending life should run perfectly.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Success is not objective. There is no universal standard; every definition is invented by someone. So you might as well invent one that suits you. When you define success generously, you feel successful sooner, which energizes the mission.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You will be in a position to lead people who don’t want to be led. Some people won’t follow orders, but they’ll follow momentum. Create a current. Show them where you’re going and why it’s exciting.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re responsible. Nothing falls apart on your watch. When life slows down, you’re still busy keeping up the maintenance such as chores, commitments, relationships, obligations and more. Today, that will be your success secret and saving grace.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Some people take on a lot, others very little. As for you, the luxury of choosing wasn’t offered. You were pushed to handle more, so now you can — and you do. People admire your strength and are inspired by your resilience.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’re not aiming to uncover some secret of the moment or do anything groundbreaking. Even though your intent is to show up in a low-key way, the thing is, you’re bringing your whole self, heart, soul and attention, which makes extraordinary things happen.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). A fear keeps circling back, but just because it’s recurring doesn’t mean it’s valid. This is just a story you haven’t updated. You’re no longer the version of you who first believed that script. Edit accordingly.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 6). Enter your Year of Golden Connections. It’s all about the people who lift you higher — collaborators, friends, clients and allies who catalyze and appreciate your magic. Relationship upgrades abound — some deepen, some begin and some heal. More highlights: You’ll quickly launch a lucrative idea. You’ll travel for a reunion of sorts. A domestic improvement brings comfort and beauty. Virgo and Aries adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 16, 2, 5, 30 and 42.
Those are the items that stood out in Monday’s 125-124 overtime loss to the depleted Nuggets at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
‘Didn’t have the right mindset’
The Sixers (19-15) had no business losing this game.
I’m stating this fully aware that this was this was their first home game following a five-game road trip capped by three impressive victories against the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks.
And I realize teams are usually sluggish during their first night back at home.
But this game should not have been close, based on the substandard roster the Nuggets (24-12) put on the floor.
Denver was without three-time MVP and seven-time All-NBA selection Nikola Jokić (hyperextended left knee) and standouts Jamal Murray (sprained left ankle) and Aaron Gordon (strained right hamstring) due to injuries. Meanwhile, Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain), who is Jokić’s backup, was also sidelined. And that’s not all. Tamar Bates (left foot surgery), Christian Braun (sprained left ankle), Tim Hardaway Jr. (illness management), and Cameron Johnson (right knee bone bruise) also missed the game.
The Sixers suffered their worst loss of the season after Tyrese Maxey missed a floater with 0.2 seconds left in overtime.
“It was OK,” Nurse said. “It kind of turned the corner, and kind of wove up off balanced and probably wasn’t as clean a look as he wanted to get. But it was just OK.”
When asked about the shot, Maxey said, “I tripped over my foot, and I tried to shoot it, and I was falling.”
The All-NBA caliber point guard also lost the ball before missing a three-pointer on the final possession in regulation.
An inability to contain former Penn State standout Jalen Pickett (29 points on 7-for-11 three-point shooting), Peyton Watson (24 points on 7-for-13 shooting), Bruce Brown (19 points on 7-for-13 shooting), and Zeke Nnaji (21 points on 7-for-11 shooting — including 4 of 5 three-pointers) contributed to the loss.
With those four players leading the way, the Nuggets shot 53.1% from the field and 48.6% on three-pointers.
“We allowed them to really feel good early, and it just continued the entire game,” Nurse said. “You just look at the numbers, 48.6% from three. We [turned them over more] a little bit [forcing 19 turnovers to 14] and out-rebounded them a little bit [14 to 7]. Got more shots [98 to 81] than they did.
“So just the shooting percentage numbers are just the story of the game. And we didn’t guard them and keep the ball in front of us long enough.”
But it shouldn’t have come to this. This was supposed to be a game that kept the Sixers within a game of the fourth-place Toronto Raptors, who are now 1½ games ahead of them.
Quentin Grimes says the Sixers took the Nuggets lightly.
“We didn’t have the right mindset,” he said. “This is the NBA. Everybody can play at a high level. We didn’t really match their intensity. ”
Joel Embiid talks with injured Nuggets center Nikola Jokić after the Sixers lost to the Nuggets in overtime on Monday.
Ball movement
Nurse wanted to build upon the solid ball movement the Sixers displayed during the final three games of their road trip.
“All you are trying to do is continue to do that, extend those periods even longer,” he said before the game. “Just continue to get the rhythm and the passing and the spacing and reading what’s out there as best you can.”
And the Sixers did.
One stood out occurred in the first quarter. After driving the lane, Grimes passed the ball back to Jared McCain behind the three-point line. McCain then passed it to Maxey, who buried a wide-open three-pointer to give the Sixers a 26-24 advantage.
The Sixers had 13 assists on their first 19 made baskets. They finished with 28 assists.
Edgecombe had nine assists to go with 17 points (all in the second half), eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Meanwhile, Maxey had six assists along with 28 points, six rebounds, four steals, and two blocks.
McCain (four), Paul George (three), Adem Bona (two), Grimes (two), and Joel Embiid (two) also recorded assists. In addition, Embiid finished with game-highs of 32 points and 10 rebounds.
Late-game woes
As exciting as the Sixers have been, they still have a tough time closing out games.
They had a nine-point lead with 10 minutes, 48 seconds remaining in regulation.
But the Nuggets responded with a 15-2 run to take a four-point advantage. Then in overtime, the Sixers shot just 2-for-10 and had two costly turnovers.
This happens too often. The Sixers have just been good enough to overcome those miscues. But it doomed them Monday night.
Edgecombe was one of the few guys that Adelman got to watch casually last season while the Sixer was playing at Baylor.
“I got him a few times, and he immediately stood out,” Adelman said. “Just the athleticism, the speed, the competitiveness. And it’s all translated. I watched him against Memphis the other night. Again, it’s more fun to watch this stuff when it’s not film, when you’re not studying them, you’re just watching the game. Just so impressive.”
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (right) had 17 points and nine assists against the Nuggets on Monday.
On Monday, Edgecombe didn’t have the best shooting night, making 6 of 17 shots overall. However, he made 5 of 11 three-pointers and was clutch down the stretch.
“Like I said, I think the athleticism, the skill set, all that stuff’s impressive,” Adelman said. “But it’s just more the competitive spirit of that kid. He just plays so hard. And you are looking for that in people nowadays. There’s a lot of people that are talented and get paid to play basketball. There’s guys you can tell love to play. He does.
“So he’s a problem. It was a great draft pick by Daryl [Morey] on this draft.”
Bruce Brown scored 19 points and got the winning bucket in overtime off a goaltending call on Joel Embiid, and Jalen Pickett had 29 points to lead the short-handed Denver Nuggets to a 125-124 win over the 76ers on Monday night.
Embiid was whistled for the decisive goaltend when he tried to block Brown’s running layup with 5.3 seconds left. Tyrese Maxey missed a winning floater for the Sixers at the horn.
Embiid scored 32 points — the fourth time in his last eight games he has scored 30 — and Maxey had 28.
The Nuggets played without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic — out at least until the end of the month with a with a hyperextended left knee — Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and others a night after a loss at Brooklyn.
The entire regular starting lineup sat out, and the Nuggets had only nine available players.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji (right) during the second quarter on Monday.
Peyton Watson added 24 points for Denver.
The Nuggets refused to use their lighter roster as an excuse to pack it in against the Sixers.
Hunter Tyson converted a four-point play that gave Denver a 102-100 lead in the fourth and Pickett followed with a two-footer that forced the Sixers into a timeout and served as the highlights of a 14-0 run.
Brown snapped a tie game with a three-pointer and made 2 of 3 free throws for a 120-115 lead when he was fouled on a three-pointer on the next possession. That miss in the middle doomed Denver in regulation.
VJ Edgecombe hit a three that made it 120-118 and Maxey tied the game on a driving layup with 49 seconds left that sent the game into overtime tied at 120. Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick of the draft who’s having a sensational rookie season, also gave the Sixers their last lead in overtime on a dunk just before Brown’s goaltended winner.
The Sixers returned from a 3-2 road trip — that included all three wins on the back end.
The Sixers host the Washington Wizards next on Wednesday (7 p.m., NBCSP).
Christian Dvorak is sticking around Philly for the foreseeable future.
He just needed some help from Trevor Zegras first.
“It’s great. I think it’s well-earned. I think it’s a great deal for both sides,” Zegras said his buddy’s new deal before dropping this: “And, funny backstory, he had nobody to be his witness for signing the contract. So he drove over to my house last night at like 11 o’clock, and I was his witness.”
The late-night visit came after the Flyers announced the almost-30-year-old centerman was signed to a five-year, $25.75 million contract extension with an average annual value of $5.15 million. A team source confirmed to The Inquirer that the first two years of the deal come with a full no-trade clause while the third and fourth years carry a modified no-trade clause.
“We’re very happy to have Christian be a part of the Philadelphia Flyers for the foreseeable future,” general manager Danny Brière said in the news release. “He has played a pivotal role in our team’s success this season and proven to be a reliable, two-way center that can be trusted in all situations.
“More importantly, he plays a big role in our locker room and has fit in seamlessly to our group and what we are building.”
On July 1, after Dvorak signed a one-year, $5.4 million deal that many thought was an overpay, Brière said that players like him, Noah Juulsen, and Dan Vladař, “were willing to bet on themselves, which is awesome.” Dvorak reiterated Tuesday that he was doing just that this past summer.
And it paid off, with the term being one of the main things he was looking for.
“I’ve just loved my time being here, first off,” Dvorak said. “It’s a great group of guys. We have a lot of fun, and it’s been a good fit for me, and, yeah, just like where the team’s headed. We’re playing some good hockey this year, and I think we’re just headed in a good direction here.
“And that’s really important to me.”
However, there were several questions raised with his initial signing — amplified even more now — including where he would fit and what his signing meant for the team’s long-term outlook.
DONE DEAL FOR DVO. 📃✍️
We have agreed to terms with forward Christian Dvorak on a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.15M. https://t.co/0jLng32Pec
Brière said over the summer that the short-term deals the team handed out, including the one to Vladař, who was signed for two years, would provide flexibility as the Flyers work their way through a rebuild. It would allow them to keep their options open for free agency in 2026 — which always seemed to be earmarked as a big moment for the team.
But the market for centers and top-tier wingers dried up with Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov, and even Connor McDavid signing extensions. A player comparable to Dvorak was 31-year-old center Alexander Wennberg, who signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
With the salary cap rising, the amount Dvorak is getting paid isn’t the issue. But the number of years he got is a little eyebrow-raising, considering where the Flyers are in their rebuild and the drafted players expected to start making pushes in the coming years.
Jett Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt, two of the Flyers’ first-rounders from the past two drafts, and 2024 second-rounder Jack Berglund, who impressed at development camp and World Juniors, are expected to be centers in the NHL in the next one to three years. The only centers in Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League who could push next season are Jacob Gaucher and Karsen Dorwart, with the former a fourth-line type and the latter a former college free agent signing who projects as a bottom-six forward.
Skating on a line with Zegras and Travis Konecny since Dec. 3, Dvorak is on pace for career numbers. He has 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 39 games, having missed one game in December with a lower-body injury.
The Illinois native is halfway to his career high in goals and is on pace to demolish his career high in points (38) set in 2019-20 when he skated for the Arizona Coyotes — and their then-coach, Rick Tocchet. Entering Tuesday, Dvorak is on pace for 18 goals and 51 points.
“I think it’s been pretty good,” Dvorak told The Inquirer in mid-December. “It’s been a good transition for the most part, coming in to a new team. They took me in right away. It’s a very tight-knit group, and it’s a good group to be a part of.
“And it helps knowing Tocc from prior, and I think it’s been a pretty smooth transition. It’s helped pretty much being with Zegras pretty much every game.”
Tocchet has relied heavily on Dvorak, as the former Coyote centers the top line, plays on the penalty kill, and was recently added to the power play. He has worked with Zegras in a hybrid center role where he takes the faceoffs and whoever is the first player back in the defensive zone fills the position of center.
Tocchet said in early December that Dvorak — who is sorely missed by his last team, the Montreal Canadiens, on and off the ice — was in more of a defensive role previously. Now he’s getting a chance to spread his wings offensively again.
“The one thing with Christian, he knows just because he signed this deal and he’s playing with Trevor, he’s still got to be Christian Dvorak,” Tocchet said on Tuesday, adding that it has helped the centerman’s season knowing his systems and their open line of communication.
“… That’s one thing that he’s really good at is knowing his identity — is being a really good two-way forward that can make plays, that can defend the puck and be a penalty killer. And he’s actually played a little bit of power play for us. So, a jack of all trades, and if he stays in that identity, he can be a good hockey player for you.”
Christian Dvorak and Rick Tocchet go back to their time together in Arizona.
According to MoneyPuck, among the Flyers lines that have played at least 65 minutes together, the trio ranks third in expected goals percentage (50.6%) and expected goals for per 60 minutes (2.9). They only recently have been clipped by the trio of Denver Barkey, Sean Couturier, and Owen Tippett.
“I’ve learned so much from him,” Zegras said in December. “[Looking] back to earlier in my career, like maybe when things weren’t going my way, I’d be screaming and slamming sticks on the bench, and saying all crazy stuff that doesn’t really help in a positive way.
“He’s as cool as a cucumber, and his famous line or expression is: it’s a game of runs. So that’s what I tell myself. It’s a game of runs. And you go back out there, you get ready to go for the next shift. So I just think that from the aspect of being himself, he’s a leader in that regard. And I’ve definitely learned a lot from him.”
With Dvorak signed, all eyes will turn to Zegras, who is a restricted free agent at season’s end and will command a hefty pay raise. Jamie Drysdale, Bobby Brink, Emil Andrae, Nikita Grebenkin, and Sam Ersson also are restricted free agents at season’s end. Nic Deslauriers, Carl Grundström, Rodrigo Ābols, and Noah Juulsen are the team’s only NHL unrestricted free agents next summer.
Sweeping changes to the United States’ childhood vaccine schedule announced Monday by federal officials will decrease the number of recommended childhood immunizations from 17 to 11.
Outraged pediatricians and infectious disease experts say the move will increase cases of preventable illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. Among the vaccines affected is an immunization for rotavirus whose co-inventor, Paul Offit, directs the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Now, vaccination for the serious gastrointestinal illness is among those no longer universally recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The guidance change also affects immunizations for flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. The CDC now recommends them for children at high risk of serious illness, or when parents of otherwise healthy children decide with their doctor to give their child vaccines for these diseases.
The CDC’s move is the latest in a chaotic upheaval of the nation’s vaccine policy overseen by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
“I think the goal of RFK Jr. is to make vaccines optional,” said Offit, a longtime critic of Kennedy, saying the anti-vaccine activist “is doing everything he can to make vaccines less available, less affordable, and more feared.”
Other experts said the decision was made without transparency and had little scientific backing. It comes at a time when more Americans are refusing vaccines; in Pennsylvania kindergarteners’ measles vaccination rates have dipped below the critical 95% threshold required to prevent the disease from spreading widely.
The Infectious Disease Society of America called the move “the latest reckless step in Secretary Kennedy’s assault on the national vaccine infrastructure that has saved millions of lives.”
Ronald G. Nahass, a New Jersey-based physician and IDSA’s president, said in a statement that Kennedy’s actions “put families and communities at risk and will make America sicker.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics, a leading professional medical society, said it would continue to recommend that all children be vaccinated against rotavirus, hepatitis, and other diseases removed from the CDC’s routine immunization list.
Under the new guidelines, the CDC will continue to recommend that all children get vaccinated for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough or pertussis, haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal conjugate, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, human papillomavirus or HPV, and chickenpox.
The agency will also recommend that children at high risk for serious complications receive vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, dengue, and two meningococcal diseases.
Previously, an independent committee that advises the agency in November recommended delaying hepatitis B vaccines for newborns.
“This framework empowers parents and physicians to make individualized decisions based on risk, while maintaining strong protection against serious disease,” said Mehmet Oz, a physician and administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in a statement.
Federal officials said that insurance will continue to cover vaccinations, the Associated Press reported.
President Donald Trump is joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in September.
Vaccine policy around the world
Offit spent 26 years developing a rotavirus vaccine after treating children with the illness during his medical residency in Pittsburgh — including one patient who died. Rotavirus causes vomiting and diarrhea that can lead to dehydration and is particularly dangerous for young children. There are two vaccines available, one of which Offit helped to develop.
“I try not to take this personally,” he said of the new federal guidance.
“But what we hadn’t eliminated was the virus,” he said.
HHS officials said that their review of worldwide vaccination policies found that the United States vaccinates for more diseases than other developed countries.
But, they said, many countries that recommend fewer vaccines still achieve “strong child health outcomes” and “maintain high vaccination rates through public trust and education rather than mandates.”
Denmark may have better health outcomes, but it also has a national healthcare system, a lower childhood poverty level, and free childcare, Offit noted in a recent blog post.
And, he said, Denmark — which does not recommend routine rotavirus or RSV vaccination — sees children hospitalized from those viruses at higher rates than the United States.
“Denmark is nothing to emulate. They should be emulating us,” Offit said.
Likewise, AAP president Andrew Racine said in a statement that America is a “unique country” with different health risks and public health infrastructure than Denmark.
“This is no way to make our country healthier,” Racine said.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said that the state will “continue to rely on evidence-based guidance” including vaccine recommendations from the AAP.
“RFK Jr. is once again trying to sow chaos and confusion among parents — but know this: these changes at the federal level do not affect Pennsylvanians’ access to vaccines in our Commonwealth,“ he said in a statement. ”Pennsylvanians should continue to consult with their doctors and make informed decisions based on the best scientific evidence.”
New Jersey’s Acting Health Commissioner Jeffrey A. Brown said in a statement that the state sets vaccine requirements for school and childcare, and that those have not changed despite shifts at the federal level. He added vaccines in the state remain covered by insurance and the state is committed to protecting residents’ health.
“Federal efforts to reduce the number of vaccines recommended for all children in the United States are not supported by the available data nor the consensus of public health and medical experts,” Brown said. “Instead, deterring participation in vaccination risks leaving children vulnerable to serious and preventable infections.”
Changing public attitudes
In a December survey, the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania found that more than a third of 1,006 Americans polled were more likely to trust the American Medical Association, a leading professional medical society, over the CDC if the two conflicted on vaccine policy.
At the time of the survey, the CDC had recently changed its website to suggest — against decades of evidence showing otherwise — that there could be a link between vaccines and autism.
Asking the public to make their own decisions on whether to vaccinate their children can make people vulnerable to misinformation, Annenberg director Kathleen Hall Jamieson said in an interview with The Inquirer last week.
“The public doesn’t have time to do research on its own, on average, and in the process, they can get lost in a mire of misinformation and confusion very easily,” she said. “It’s easy to think one is doing one’s research when one is way down the rabbit hole.”
In the poll, the preference to trust the AMA over the CDC held true across political parties and was particularly pronounced among older Americans. The only age group more likely to accept the CDC over the AMA in the event of conflicting vaccine advice was 18- to 29-year-olds.
“The fact that, as the CDC began to change statements, the public shifted its trust to other organizations on consequential issues — that’s a statement that says the public intelligence is real,” Jamieson said.
The AAP’s Racine reiterated Monday that the society will continue to publish its own vaccine recommendations and help physicians to advise parents.
“Your child’s pediatrician has the medical training, special knowledge, and scientific evidence about how to support children’s health, safety, and well-being. Working together, you can make informed decisions about what’s best for your child,” Racine said.
Offit cautioned parents against avoiding vaccinations, as high rates do not just protect healthy children — they’re also vital for children with immune disorders who cannot be vaccinated.
And, he said, parents shouldn’t discount the risks of hospitalization or death from vaccine-preventable diseases.
“There’s this sort of myth of invulnerability — you never think it’s going to happen to you, until it happens to you,” he said.
Need proof? Look no further than Flyers prospect Aleksei Kolosov.
A year after a season marred by underwhelming play and off-ice drama, the Lehigh Phantoms goaltender has bounced back beyond belief, culminating in him winning the American Hockey League’s Player of the Week award this week. Kolosov went 2-0-0 with a 0.50 goals against average and a .984 save percentage for the Phantoms. He stopped 60 of the 61 shots he faced over the two games, including posting a 30-save shutout of Hershey on New Year’s Eve.
“He is a different player, different personality. He’s really trying to fit in,” Flyers assistant general manager and scouting head Brent Flahr told The Inquirer last month of Kolosov. “He’s very athletic, very competitive, and he’s giving our team a chance to win down there almost every night. He’s a talented kid, so he’s got a chance to be an NHL goalie now. He just skipped a step last year. Now he’s building it back up again here, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Kolosov’s award is the biggest highlight in an impressive season for the 24-year-old netminder. He is now 9-8-1 with a .910 save percentage in 18 AHL games. The Belarusian also looked more comfortable in the NHL than he was last season, stopping 26 of 28 shots (.929 save percentage) over two games in November while Sam Ersson was injured.
This all comes after an offseason where many speculated that Kolosov and the Flyers would part ways. Kolosov famously tried to force a loan move back to his native Belarus before last season and later reported to training camp late. There were reports that he felt isolated and was frustrated with the Flyers’ goaltending hierarchy.
“I think on [Kolosov’s] end, it’s more about he wants to be guaranteed a spot in the NHL. If not, he prefers to stay over there, and that’s not the way we see it,” Flyers general manager Brière said in September of 2024.
“We agreed last year to loan him back [to the KHL] for one year because he wanted to stay home. But at some point, you signed a contract, and we want him here. We want him to start integrating himself with the game the way it’s played here in North America, the smaller ice, and learning the language and all of that. And I guess he doesn’t see it that way at the moment.”
Things didn’t improve during the season as the Flyers inexplicably carried three goalies for large stretches, in part seemingly to accommodate Kolosov, who didn’t want to be in the AHL. The on-ice results weren’t good either, as Kolosov posted a 3.11 goals against average and .884 save percentage in 12 minor league games, and 3.59 and .867 splits in 17 games with the Flyers. During a stretch last January, Kolosov remained up with the Flyers despite not playing in a game for 20 days.
When asked for an update last March, Brière told The Inquirer that the situation was “not ideal, but I’ll leave it at that.”
Aleksei Kolosov seems to be a different person and player than he was last season as a rookie.
But despite expectations that the Flyers would trade the disgruntled goalie or terminate his contract and free him to return to Europe, Kolosov remained a Flyer throughout the summer and was present on the first day of training camp. He’s won back even more good faith since then.
Might it mean a recall to the NHL is imminent?
When asked on Monday if Kolosov could unseat the struggling Ersson (.868) for the backup role, Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said this:
“I think organizationally, the internal competition is huge. There’s guys in the minors, they’re pushing, right? They’re trying to get up. It’s a domino effect, right? So yeah, he’s just challenging the goaltending situation, he’s come into camp really focused, and just from the reports down there, he’s stringing a bunch of good games together, not one good game, one bad, like he’s stacking good games together, and that’s a sign of maturity, and that internal competition helps the organization.”
Kolosov’s turnaround is just one of several promising developments when it comes to the Flyers’ goaltending situation. Free-agent signing Dan Vladař has looked every bit of a No. 1 goaltender through 24 starts with a .910 save percentage, while 2023 draft picks Carson Bjarnason, who has a .912 save percentage as Kolosov’s partner in Lehigh Valley, and Egor Zavragin (.919 SV% in Kontinental Hockey League) continue to come along nicely.
Could the Flyers’ goalie curse finally be over? Well, it might be a little early to go that far just yet.
The city of Camden last year reached its lowest homicide total since 1985, police said.
In 2025, Camden recorded 12 homicides, the same number as in 1985. Homicides dropped down from 17 in 2024, and the declining year-end total comes after Camden experienced its first homicide-free summer in 50 years.
Camden saw an overall 6% drop in violent crime in 2025 compared to the prior year, including a 32% decrease in sexual assaults and 12% decrease in robberies, according to police.
“The consistent engagement with residents and community policing efforts have helped to build trust within our community,” said Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen in a statement. “There is still plenty of work yet to be done, but through this collaborative effort we are building a safer and healthier Camden.”
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Leaders have attributed the shift largely to the disbandment of the city of Camden’s police department in 2013. Since then, the replacement Camden County Police Department and the city have embraced more community policing strategies, paired social workers with officers, and supported programming that provides better opportunities and care for at-risk youth.
Homicides have dropped by 82% since 2012, the last full year of the former police structure. But leaders have also credited the city’s investments in third spaces and infrastructure in recent years, like $100 million in parks over the past five years and repaving streets.
Thirteen years ago,“a homicide-free summer would have been a pipe dream for us,” Louis Cappelli Jr., director of the Camden County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement.
Center for Family Services lead counselor Lyzza Tyson (left) works with Camden County Metro Police Capt. Vivian Coley (center) and Lt. Luis Gonzalez (right) talking with an unhoused person living in the park at Waterfront South Raingardens in July. Some of the department’s new social workers are stationed inside the downtown police headquarters for walk-ins while others are deployed in the field alongside officers doing door knocks, engaging transients at encampments, and making referrals for social services.
Crime researchers have been unable to identify any singular cause behind the nation’s drop in violence, but they theorize that cities, like in Camden, have broadly shifted toward greater investments in violence prevention programs and infrastructure, as opposed to traditional policing.
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For Derrick Gallashaw, life in Camden today feels much different than it did when he was growing up there in the 1980s and ’90s. It was more dangerous back then, and the community’s relationship with police was more strained.
“It feels like the city is safe now,” he said.
Gallashaw is the regional director of Mighty Writers, a nonprofit offering afterschool writing programs for youth and food distribution. The Camden County police credited its partnership with Mighty Writers and other groups for helping to reduce violence.
Gallashaw is a believer in the strategy, too. He said the community policing initiative, paired with support for programs like his, have made a major impact on reducing violence. They are able to reach more people in need and address the conditions that often lead to crime.
“You give them options and you’re providing a need. If someone is hungry, you’re not giving them a reason to have to go out and steal something to eat. We’re finding a resource for you right now,” he said.
As Camden resets its violence statistics at the new year, Gallashaw said sustaining the city’s success would require leaders to continue listening to community members about their needs and not impose solutions from the top down.
It’s not just the city and police who are responsible for keeping the numbers low — he wants groups and community members to continue filling people’s needs as well.
“We all have to get together because it expands that reach,” he said.
One team had a meaningful game with a lot on the line and everything in its control. The other had a meaningful game with a lot on the line and only some things in its control.
The Eagles, the latter team, went the conservative route and rested most of their regulars. The San Francisco 49ers, meanwhile, played a big game in prime time Saturday and lost at least one starter for the playoffs in the process.
Of course, had the Eagles been in a situation in which a win guaranteed them the No. 2 seed in the NFC, Nick Sirianni likely would have made a different decision for Week 18 vs. Washington.
As it happens, the decision may have cost the Eagles a chance at a second home playoff game, but what it did guarantee was them entering wild-card weekend with the healthiest roster they could have. It was an extra week for right tackle Lane Johnson and linebacker Nakobe Dean to continue working toward their returns from foot and hamstring injuries, respectively. It was a day off for defensive tackle Jalen Carter to give his ailing shoulders a break. Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips got to rest his ankle injury. Tight end Dallas Goedert got to stay off his knee.
Lane Johnson (left) and Jaelan Phillips rested during the Eagles’ loss to Washington.
The 49ers, meanwhile, lost linebacker Tatum Bethune to what coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters was a season-ending groin injury during their Saturday night loss to Seattle. San Francisco remains without star linebacker Fred Warner (ankle), who has been out since Week 6 and is unlikely to be ready until at least the NFC championship game. Bethune started in Warner’s stead. Two other linebackers, Dee Winters (ankle) and Luke Gifford (quadriceps), will be evaluated this week for their injuries, Shanahan told reporters on Monday. Winters has played 92% of the 49ers’ defensive snaps this season.
The Eagles could be facing a hodgepodge of linebackers on Sunday (4:30 p.m., Fox29).
San Francisco also was without star left tackle Trent Williams for its game Saturday. Williams is dealing with a hamstring injury, and the 49ers struggled offensively without him, although the Seahawks have one of the best defenses in the NFL. San Francisco was held to 173 yards and managed just nine first downs vs. the Seahawks, while 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was sacked three times. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall practiced in a limited fashion last week but was ruled out for the game with knee and ankle injuries.
Johnson, the Eagles’ star tackle, seems to be trending toward returning for the postseason. Dean’s status remains unclear, but his Week 16 injury was not expected to be long-term. “Good news is, I don’t think it’s too serious and I don’t think we’re done seeing him for this season,” Vic Fangio said on Dec. 23. The Eagles could end up starting their postseason run with all of their active-roster regulars ready for action. (Rookie safety Drew Mukuba is on injured reserve.)
“I think it’s always a fine line of there’s two things that need to happen,” Sirianni said Monday. “[You’ve] got to have your players available, and you do different things to make sure that happens throughout the year, but it is so important that you continue to get better as the season goes on.
“Our guys know how to practice. They know how to practice efficiently. So we’ve had a tendency of getting better while also having guys healthy.”
Resting the regulars meant Tank Bigsby got the start at running back with Saquon Barkley on the sideline.
Bigsby has flashed in his limited role as a backup, and he showed Sunday why some are clamoring for more of him.
Bigsby rushed 16 times for 75 yards and a touchdown. He also turned a check-down completion into a 31-yard gain, making Washington’s Jordan Magee miss with a nifty cut in the process. Bigsby, however, played just two snaps in the fourth quarter and did not have a touch after the third quarter during the 24-17 loss.
Eagles running back Tank Bigsby rushed for 75 yards on 16 carries on Sunday.
“He runs hard,” Sirianni said. “He’s got extremely good ability to make you miss while also being able to put his shoulder down and finish runs through contact.
“The way he walks through, the way he practices, it really does show up in the game with how hard he runs and how hard he plays.”
Perhaps the Eagles will feature more of him, especially if they find success on the ground vs. a weakened San Francisco front seven.
A new baby African penguin at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden was unveiled Monday and a contest was announced to name him.
The unnamed chick was hatched Nov. 21 and was the third African penguin to be hatched at the Adventure Aquarium in 2025. The announcements of new chicks are held off until biologists determine the new bird is healthy and expected to survive.
“Although he’s a little bit younger than the other two, he does make up for it in size. He is quite a big baby penguin chick,” Maddie Olszewski-Pohle, a biologist, says in the aquarium’s introduction video posted on social media.
Starting Monday, aquarium visitors can vote on one of four names offered for the new penguin: “Scrappy,” “Zero,” “Flounder,” or “Toothless.”
The unnamed chick is being parented by Mushu and Hubert, who also parented a 2024 chick, Shubert. Mushu was named for a dragon sidekick from the Disney movie “Mulan,” so the aquarium’s birds and mammals team chose possible names using a dragons and sidekicks theme.
The naming contest will close Jan. 19, and the winner will be announced Jan. 20, Penguin Awareness Day, the aquarium staff said.
African penguins, which originate from the waters around southern Africa, are classified critically endangered, so the hatches are important to the survival of the species.
“As an ambassador for his species, this chick is helping raise awareness and funds to protect African penguins in South Africa,” Olszewski-Pohle said in a statement.
The three baby penguins will remain behind the scenes until they develop waterproof feathers and the weather warms up, aquarium staff said.
