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  • Horoscopes: Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). For your fresh start you will need courage, not because you’re facing something scary, but because living more fully requires risk. You put more of your emotions and energy on the line, and it will pay off. Lucky charm: a ring.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your fresh start will benefit from intentional rest. Exhaustion cannot be your default anymore. Schedule restoration like it’s sacred, because it is. When you rest deliberately, your creativity comes back glowing. Lucky charm: a pen.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). This fresh start activates your wonder. Not childish naivety, but the ability to expect good things without bracing for disaster. Curiosity will open doors that fear kept locked. You’ll be surprised how well things work out. Lucky charm: a feather.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). For your fresh start you’ll need clarity. Not perfect vision, just honest recognition of what you truly want. Desire is direction. Let your decisions be simple, your heart be decisive, and your steps be bold. Lucky charm: a key.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Your fresh start requires boundaries. Not walls, gates. You decide what enters. Your time is precious, your peace sacred. Protect them like the future depends on it, because it does. Lucky charm: a lock.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Your fresh start is a seed of faith. What you plant will grow — believe it and be patient. Seeds don’t sprout on demand; they sprout because the conditions are right. Create those conditions and let your inevitable future unfold. Lucky charm: jade.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your fresh start thrives on simplicity. Strip away the noise, the obligations you outgrew, the rituals that lost meaning. Leave only what feels alive. This is how you make room for the opportunities orbiting you now. Lucky charm: a coin.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your fresh start thrives on play. You’ve been serious for too long. Let joy make decisions. Follow whims, create without purpose, laugh freely. This lightness will unlock progress that pressure never could. Lucky charm: anything heart-shaped.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). For your fresh start, prioritize pleasure. More than an emotion, it’s a strategy. What delights your senses isn’t frivolous at all because it fuels you and keeps you going. With more sensory satisfaction, you have more energy, too. Lucky charm: perfume.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). For your fresh start, you turn up your gratitude practice with rituals that anchor you in optimism. Acknowledge regularly how far you’ve come, and just how much you have that can be leveraged to bring your dreams to life. Lucky charm: a note.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your fresh start is galvanized in the spirit of commitment. You choose devotion over discipline. You show up because it feels meaningful, not mandatory. Your momentum blossoms from genuine excitement. Lucky charm: a stone.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your fresh start highlights self-trust. You’ve earned it. Second-guessing instinct is a thing of the past. You know more than you think you do. Your intuition is a partner, and the sharpest one you’ve ever had. Lucky charm: a seashell.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 1). Welcome to your Year of Sweet Upgrades. Not all-at-once dramatic change, just steady, luxurious improvement on all fronts until the glow-up is undeniable. Your environment becomes prettier, your systems smoother and your connection to others warmer. More highlights: a high-status opportunity you earn through charm, an adventure you didn’t realize you needed and an investment that matures beautifully. Scorpio and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 1, 10, 6, 11 and 42.

  • Dear Abby | A chance for a new beginning as the new year dawns

    DEAR READERS: Welcome to 2026! A New Year has arrived; the last one is safely behind us. As always, this New Year brings with it our hopes for a new beginning.

    Today presents an opportunity to discard destructive old habits for healthy new ones, and with that in mind, I will share Dear Abby’s often-requested list of New Year’s Resolutions — which were adapted by my late mother, Pauline Phillips, from the original credo of Al-Anon:

    JUST FOR TODAY: I will live through THIS DAY ONLY. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

    JUST FOR TODAY: I will decide to be happy. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.

    JUST FOR TODAY: I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things that I can correct and accept those I cannot.

    JUST FOR TODAY: I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

    JUST FOR TODAY: I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I’ll not speak ill of others. I will improve my appearance, speak softly and not interrupt when someone else is talking. Just for today, I will refrain from improving anybody but myself.

    JUST FOR TODAY: I will do something positive to improve my health. If I’m a smoker, I’ll quit. And I will get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it’s only around the block.

    JUST FOR TODAY: I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for my own actions.

    And now, Dear Readers, allow me to share an item that was sent to me by L.J. Bhatia, a reader from New Delhi, India:

    DEAR ABBY: This year, no resolutions, only some guidelines. The Holy Vedas say, “Man has subjected himself to thousands of self-inflicted bondages. Wisdom comes to a man who lives according to the true eternal laws of nature.”

    The prayer of St. Francis (of which there are several versions) contains a powerful message:

    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

    Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

    Where there is injury, pardon;

    Where there is doubt, faith;

    Where there is despair, hope;

    Where there is darkness, light;

    And where there is sadness, joy.

    O Divine Master,

    Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

    To be understood, as to understand;

    To be loved, as to love;

    For it is in giving that we receive,

    It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

    And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

    And so, Dear Readers, may 2026 bring with it good health, peace and joy to all of us.

    — LOVE, ABBY

  • ‘Philly’s the spot to be’: Fireworks and a concert on the Parkway with LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff ring in 2026

    ‘Philly’s the spot to be’: Fireworks and a concert on the Parkway with LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff ring in 2026

    Fans braved the bitter cold to attend the free New Year’s Eve concert in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum and watch a midnight fireworks display kicking off the city’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

    The concert was headlined by LL Cool J, the two-time Grammy-winning rapper who also has had a long career in movies and TV, including as a regular cast member on the series NCIS: Los Angeles.

    About 10 minutes to midnight, LL Cool J brought out Philadelphia-based rapper Freeway as a surprise guest.

    Mayor Cherelle L. Parker joined the stage just before 10 p.m. to welcome another headliner, DJ Jazzy Jeff, alongside radio personality Lady B.

    “My mayor is a hip-hop head,” Lady B said. Parker told the crowd: “Tonight, we remind the nation, that we are one America, a united nation.”

    After taking the stage, Parker told a gaggle of reporters “what you are seeing is ‘one Philly, a united city’ in action” — referencing her mayoral slogan.

    “Philadelphia is the birthplace of democracy, sixth-largest city in the nation — Why wouldn’t we kick off 2026, the Semiquincentennial, the 250th birthday of our nation?” she said. “Because Philadelphia, it’s where it happened.”

    When asked if the free concert will become an annual tradition, Parker quipped, “Well, the budget process.” (A final price tag on the event was not yet available.)

    Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Lady B (right) dance to DJ Jazzy Jeff during Philadelphia’s free New Year’s Eve concert and fireworks display, at the Oval on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.

    As for Parker’s resolutions for Philly in 2026: “To work harder, to dream bigger, and to do the impossible.

    “We have a lot of challenges to address here in our city, but with our amazing team, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish together,” she said.

    Taking the stage shortly after 8 p.m., multi-instrumentalist Adam Blackstone, the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts graduate and University of the Arts alum who has since performed with some of the world’s most popular musical artists, declared: “I’m home right now. They told me Philly’s the spot to be.”

    Just before 11:30 p.m., attendance had grown to around 7,500 and was still growing, according to the show’s producer, Scott Mirkin, of ESM Productions. The final crowd estimate was 10,000 attendees, according to ESM.

    The crowd had been modest up to around 10 p.m., but a late surge may have included people only interested in seeing LL Cool J or the fireworks display after the concert.

    All were bundled in winter gear as the wind chill dipped into the 20s and even flurries made a late-night appearance.

    Performers repeatedly commented on the frigid temperatures Wednesday night.

    “I know it’s cold but we’re going to warm you up,” Dorothy frontwoman Dorothy Martin told concertgoers.

    Martin later said: “I know you’re cold, but your heart is warm.”

    The temperature made Fairmount residents Corey Fletcher, 32, and Alyza Ngbokoli, 30, hesitate, despite the draw of Cool J and Jazzy Jeff. Both were surprised by the prospect of an outdoor concert in the winter.

    “It’s hard to breathe — it hurts my lungs,” Fletcher said of the cold. (Fletcher said fall is the ideal season for outdoor events; Ngbokoli said summer.)

    For next year, Ngbokoli recommended organizers invest in heat lamps or warming tents. This year, concertgoers had the option of purchasing a hot meal — fried desserts, fried chicken, or lobster bisque from various food trucks — hot apple cider, hot chocolate, or $8 White Claws and other spirits.

    Adam Blackstone performs during Philadelphia’s free New Year’s Eve concert and fireworks display, at the Oval on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.

    Die-hard fans were undeterred by the cold.

    Sarah and Mike Murray, of Wilkes-Barre, estimate they’ve seen Cool J in concert “almost double-digits.”

    “He’s easy on the eyes,” Sarah, 46, said.

    “You can’t argue with that,” chimed Mike, 54. “He’s LL — ladies love him.”

    The Cool J enthusiasts were supposed to see him perform on the Parkway on July 4, but the “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” singer canceled in solidarity with striking municipal workers.

    What are the Murrays looking forward to in 2026?

    “See LL Cool J more,” Mike said.

    Cousins Tahira and Sean Tyler came to the Ben Franklin Parkway expecting a party. It was 55-year-old Sean Tyler’s first New Year’s Eve out on the town, and both were drawn in by LL Cool J.

    Sean Tyler, of Overbrook Park, said she remembered in the ‘80s listening to the then-new artist’s first single on Power 99, but had never seen him live. Both Tylers discovered newfound appreciation for LL Cool J canceling his summer concert in solidarity with striking city workers.

    “It showed how many people that it affected, and how much in wages, benefits — it shows how much it affects a broad range of people,” Sean Tyler said.

    Upon walking into the barricaded Parkway, Sean and Tahira said the visible Philadelphia police presence and security measures made them feel safe.

    Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel has said police will be out in full force, and asked concertgoers to leave weapons at home.

    Tahira said the show, featuring local talents — like Blackstone and Jazzy Jeff — is the perfect way to ring in 2026, and the nation’s 250th birthday.

    Tahira said: “Let’s continue to love Philly in the right kind of way — “

    “ — And go Birds!” Sean said.

  • Two men stabbed on SEPTA’s Broad Street Line train

    Two men stabbed on SEPTA’s Broad Street Line train

    Two men were in stable condition after sustaining stab wounds on SEPTA’s Broad Street Line late Wednesday afternoon, a transit agency spokesperson said.

    The stabbings happened around 4 p.m. on a northbound Broad Street Line train, said SEPTA spokesperson John Golden.

    Because of police activity at the Broad-Girard Station, northbound B1, B2, and B3 trains were bypassing the station for several hours.

    Shortly after 10:30 p.m., Golden said a suspect had been taken into custody by SEPTA Transit Police.

  • Man kills brother in Eastwick shopping center parking lot, police say

    Man kills brother in Eastwick shopping center parking lot, police say

    A 31-year-old man was fatally shot — allegedly by his 38-year-old brother — in the parking lot of a shopping center Wednesday evening in the Eastwick section of Southwest Philadelphia, police said.

    Just before 6:10 p.m., nearby police officers responded to the sound of gunfire at the Penrose Plaza Shopping Center at 2900 Island Ave. and found the victim with two gunshot wounds to the chest, police said.

    The man was transported by police to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m.

    Inspector D.F. Pace said the brothers, whose identities were not released, were believed to be arguing about money when the shooting happened.

    The older brother was quickly taken into custody, Pace said.

  • Jalen Hurts says he trusts Eagles coaches with sit-or-start decision — and the offense’s direction

    Jalen Hurts says he trusts Eagles coaches with sit-or-start decision — and the offense’s direction

    For the first time in four months, Jalen Hurts is expected to watch Sunday’s game from the sideline.

    The perimeter of the gridiron isn’t necessarily the vantage point the Eagles quarterback enjoys. But with the playoffs looming, Nick Sirianni is expected to rest most of his key starters for the regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders, even with the NFC’s No. 2 seed up for grabs.

    Kevin Patullo on struggles of Eagles offense: ’It never comes down to one thing.’

    That choice is out of Hurts’ hands. And he says he has faith in those decision-makers that they’re making the right one.

    “Just giving my trust to the coaches and trusting their plans and everything that we do,” Hurts said Wednesday. “Obviously, I’m very competitive. Every opportunity we have, we want to take advantage of and try and go out there and compete at a high level. So if that opportunity is given to us this week, I’ll have that mentality, just as I had last week.”

    That trust extends beyond Sirianni’s decision. For all of the ups and downs the Eagles offense has experienced this season, Hurts emphasized the trust he has in the coaching staff to put the players in advantageous situations going forward.

    Sunday’s 13-12 win over the Buffalo Bills was a microcosm of the offense’s inconsistency this season. The group had a solid start in the first half, then cobbled together just 17 yards in 17 plays in the second.

    Jalen Hurts and the offense had a miserable second half in Sunday’s win at Buffalo.

    The Eagles couldn’t recover from their inefficiency on early downs in the second half. They punted on all five second-half possessions, outside of the final kneel down.

    Following the early-December mini-bye in the aftermath of the loss to the Chicago Bears, Hurts said the sequencing of the offense from seasons past was one of the details he focused on in his film study. But as evidenced by Sunday night’s performance, an inefficient first down is going to make it more difficult on offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo to sequence the ensuing plays.

    While Hurts acknowledged he has opinions and even a degree of influence over the sequencing of plays, he said it’s not his primary focus.

    “As a quarterback, you want to go out there and purely focus on executing what’s called and doing that,” Hurts said. “We all have a feel for the rhythm of a game and how it flows. And I think as a unit, you don’t want to speak from a place of divisiveness or anything, but we are what we are, and we have what we have, and we’ve got a great opportunity in front of us, and so everybody’s working together to try and figure those things out.

    “Ultimately, trusting my teammates to go out there and make plays. We’ve got to master the material. We’ve got to know what to do. We’ve got to know where to line up and operate efficiently and control the things we can, and then, from a coaching standpoint, I trust our coaches to go out there and put us in good positions.”

    Every year, Hurts is required to reestablish that sense of trust with his offensive play caller, which this season is Patullo. Hurts has had a revolving door of offensive play callers since he was drafted in 2020 (and even before that as a college player at Oklahoma and Alabama).

    One of his constant companions as an Eagle has been Tanner McKee, the 25-year-old backup who is expected to start Sunday for the first time this season. Since the Eagles drafted McKee in 2023, he has been a valued sounding board for Hurts.

    “I think the conversations, the dialogue, those things are very important in the quarterback room,” Hurts said. “And considering he’s been a constant in the room for the last three years he’s been here, being able to go through some of those changes together and process those things and take the coaching and go out there and play — I think that’s very beneficial.”

    For now, the focus is on preparing McKee and the rest of the backups for the Commanders. But in just two weeks, Hurts is slated to return to action as the playoffs begin.

    Three reassuring Eagles stats, and three reasons to worry ahead of the NFL playoffs

    It’s a stage he knows well, having appeared in the postseason in every year since he’s been the starter. That experience, Hurts said, is the biggest teacher, especially for an offense that has “played ball together” dating back to last season.

    Can that experience provide a spark in the playoffs? Despite the inconsistency that has defined the offense this year, Hurts is optimistic about the opportunity ahead.

    “For everything it’s been this year, we’ve got a great opportunity in front of us,” Hurts said. “And that’s not saying that in a bad way. We’ve done a lot of special things this year. We’ve set a high standard for ourselves. And when you’ve had the level of success you have that comes with it, ultimately, nothing else matters.

    “As we play through this week and prepare through this week and then enter the tournament, it’s 0-0 for everyone. And so the mentality is just go find a way to win.”

  • Penn beats NJIT, 80-61, as AJ Levine comes up with seven steals

    Penn beats NJIT, 80-61, as AJ Levine comes up with seven steals

    Michael Zanoni scored 23 points Wednesday to lift Penn to an 80-61 victory against New Jersey Institute of Technology at the Palestra.

    AJ Levine posted seven steals for Penn, which put the game away with a 17-0 run early in the second half. Levin’s seven steals were the most by a Quakers player since Ibby Jaaber had seven against Navy on Dec. 7, 2006.

    Zanoni made 8 of 15 shots including 5 of 11 from beyond the arc for the Quakers (7-6). Levine scored 19 points and added five rebounds. Augustus Gerhart made 6 of 8 shots and finished with 16 points, adding nine rebounds.

    David Bolden tallied 18 points to lead the Highlanders (5-10).

    The Quakers will begin Ivy League play on Monday at 7 p.m. in a road game against Princeton.

  • Flyers trade Egor Zamula to Pittsburgh for forward Philip Tomasino

    Flyers trade Egor Zamula to Pittsburgh for forward Philip Tomasino

    In professional sports, there can be a litany of reasons to make a trade, from a player being a bad fit to trying to upgrade the roster for a playoff push to a rebuilding team cashing in on a player’s value for future assets. Then there are “change-of-scenery” trades, in which teams swap players who are stuck in their organizations to see if a fresh start can benefit everyone.

    Wednesday’s Egor Zamula-for-Philip Tomasino trade between the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins is a prime example of a change-of-scenery deal. Zamula, 25, recently cleared waivers and has not played for the Flyers since Dec. 7, while the 24-year-old Tomasino, a 2019 first-round pick, has been buried in the minors since clearing waivers in November.

    Flyers’ Egor Zamula cleared waivers and will be assigned to Lehigh Valley

    Zamula’s days in Philly had been numbered, especially since Rasmus Ristolainen returned from a triceps tendon injury on Dec. 16. The Russian defenseman was placed on waivers two days later but cleared and was sent to Lehigh Valley. Canada’s Sportsnet had also mentioned Zamula as a potential trade or buyout candidate in recent weeks.

    Originally signed by the Flyers in 2018 as an undrafted free agent, Zamula has seen his career stall at the same time that other defensemen in the organization passed him. Once considered one of the organization’s top defensive prospects, he was often criticized by both John Tortorella and Rick Tocchet for not playing and processing the game quickly enough despite his skating and puck-moving abilities. It had become increasingly obvious in recent weeks that Zamula had become a surplus player and that he was seeking a fresh start to try and prove he is an everyday NHL defenseman.

    It turns out that fresh start will come just 300 miles across the state in Pittsburgh with the rival Penguins. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Zamula leaves the Flyers having tallied eight goals and 41 points with 48 penalty minutes in 168 NHL games across six seasons. He had five goals, 51 points, and 38 penalty minutes in 130 American Hockey League games for Lehigh Valley during the same time frame. This season, Zamula posted one assist in 13 games for the Flyers.

    Like Zamula, Tomasino, who can play center or wing, will welcome a change of scenery as he tries to get back into the NHL. The native of Mississauga, Ontario, and former hotshot prospect has been playing with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins since November and has five goals and 15 points in 14 games since going down to the AHL. Tomasino, who was acquired from Nashville in November 2024 for a fourth-round pick, had one assist in nine games for the Pens before his demotion.

    New Flyer Philip Tomasino scored last February against the Flyers.

    In 218 NHL games split between Nashville and Pittsburgh, Tomasino has potted 34 goals and added 61 assists for 95 points. His best season came as a rookie in 2021-22 when he tallied 11 goals and 32 points in 76 games as a 20-year-old. Tomasino scored 11 goals and had 23 points in 50 games for the Penguins last season following the trade.

    He is best known for his skating ability, as he has good speed and can provide offense on the rush. Tomasino’s also a skilled puck handler and has some deception with his shot. But his details away from the puck and a lack of strength have made him a “tweener” to this point in his career, as he hasn’t popped enough offensively to be in an NHL top six, nor is he a perfect fit on an energy third line.

    While Tomasino’s draft pedigree might suggest there is some untapped potential, that remains to be seen from someone who is joining his third organization in 13 months. For now, he will report directly to Lehigh Valley, although it wouldn’t be shocking to see him in the NHL this season in a depth role if injuries mount. The forward is a restricted free agent at season’s end and is currently on a one-year, $1.75 million contract.

    Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim makes Canada’s Olympic roster for Milan

    Tomasino represents the latest buy-low depth trade made by Flyers general manager Danny Brière. In October, Brière acquired winger Carl Grundström in a deal that saw the team rid itself of Ryan Ellis’ contract, and also flipped former second-rounder Samu Tuomaala for defenseman Christian Kyrou. Grundström has been a revelation for the Flyers with seven goals in 12 games from a depth role, while Kyrou has provided a huge boost to the blue line in Lehigh Valley with 14 points in 21 games.

    While there’s always a chance Tomasino could become the organization’s latest reclamation project — see Owen Tippet, Sean Walker, Trevor Zegras, and Dan Vladař — for now Tomasino will slide into the top six in Lehigh Valley, which recently lost Alex Bump to injury and Grundström and Denver Barkey to the NHL club.

  • A person was injured by a coyote in Chester County

    A person was injured by a coyote in Chester County

    A person was injured by a coyote this week in Chester County, and officials are trying to locate the animal, health officials said.

    The Chester County Health Department said in a social media post that the injured person was seeking medical care. The incident happened Sunday on Warwick Furnace Road in Warwick Township.

    The injury, which broke skin, occurred on a trail during daylight hours, a spokesperson for the county said in an email Wednesday. No one else was involved, and there have been no further reports of contact with a coyote in that area, he said.

    The department does not know if the coyote was rabid.

    The last incident with a coyote was reported to the health department in late October, in the southern part of the county, the spokesperson said. Several people were injured, and the coyote was rabid, the health department said at the time. Everyone injured was identified and was provided medical guidance in that incident, the department said.

    The state game commission was involved with locating the coyote, officials said.

    Coyotes are not necessarily rare in Pennsylvania, and their numbers are growing. They have been spotted near Philadelphia, and can thrive in suburban and urban areas, according to Chester County’s parks department.

    In Chester County, they are usually spotted near heavy, brushy cover and around woods, fields, and agricultural areas where their prey (mice, voles, rabbits, woodchucks, and birds) live. Sightings and signs have been reported in all county parks, the county said previously.

    They rarely attack humans, but they will engage with pets. (Health officials advised residents to remain aware of their pets following this week’s incident in Warwick Township.)

    Residents who come in contact with a coyote were asked to call the Chester County health department at 610-344-6225 for further information and guidance.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • See the moment N.J.’s runaway wallaby was captured in a Walmart parking lot

    See the moment N.J.’s runaway wallaby was captured in a Walmart parking lot

    Rex the wallaby has been found and returned to his home at a petting zoo in Williamstown, Gloucester County, the Lots of Love Farm announced shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday.

    Rex, a 3-year-old male wallaby, had been missing since late Monday from Lots of Love Farm, said the farm’s owner, Ron Layden, but was apprehended on Tuesday night at a nearby Walmart.

    “He’s all good,” Layden said Wednesday. “He’s in there eating hay, and he’s nice and happy.”

    Rex was captured without incident around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the help of a group of teenagers who had joined the search for the missing animal, Layden said.

    In a video of the capture provided by Lots of Love Farm, four young men can be seen wrangling the wallaby behind a fence near a retention pond. One is able to grab hold of it and carry it toward a waiting kennel.

    “Let’s go!” one of them shouts in celebration.

    The Walmart in question is located about a half-mile from Lots of Love Farm, where Layden said the agreeable wallaby had last been seen late Monday afternoon, around feeding time. Layden said Wednesday he believed an unsecured gate had allowed the animal to break free.

    The capture marked the conclusion of a dizzying 24-hour period in which the 3-foot wallaby captured the hearts and imaginations of local residents, while also garnering national attention.

    “My friend lives in Atlanta, and he called me up and said, ‘Yo, he’s on my TV!’“ Layden said.

    Layden — whose farm includes goats, sheep, peacocks, a camel, “a zebra-donkey mix, [and] a bunch of cows” — said that while he had dealt with the occasional loose animal before, this was his farm’s first wallaby escape.

    As word of the escape spread Tuesday, messages of concern and support had flooded the farm’s Facebook page, along with suggestions and reported possible sightings.

    Though some tips placed Rex as far away as Sicklerville, three miles from the farm, early sightings placed him near the Walmart, which suggests Rex never wandered too far.

    In a video posted online on Tuesday, an animal matching Rex’s description could be seen hopping casually around an onlooker’s vehicle in the well-lit Walmart parking lot.

    “It’s a [expletive] kangaroo!” the amazed onlooker yells in the video.

    As a result of the sudden notoriety, Layden said Wednesday that he plans to put Rex out over the weekend at the family’s petting zoo, which is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    A few days ago, Layden said, no one knew Rex existed.

    Now?

    “Everybody wants to come see him,” he said.