Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes

Tag: topic-link-auto

  • Five Philly restaurants worth watching

    Five Philly restaurants worth watching

    All year, when dinner goes exceptionally well, a big question pops into my mind: “Is this one of Philadelphia’s Top 10 restaurants?”

    That’s a lofty status to consider for any place, no doubt, but when you eat at nearly 400 restaurants a year as I do, it arises more frequently than you might expect. The quality of the cooking around here has simply gotten better than ever, in a vast range of styles and price points. So when I set out each year to define an elite group to represent that moment in Philly restaurant time, my mind is open to wherever the most magical dishes take me, to places old and new, where a kitchen’s creative touch pairs with genuine hospitality to elevate a mere dinner date into something truly special.

    The process begins with the year’s first-review meal bites, then truly kicks into gear during summer, when I begin circling back for revisits through at least two dozen promising candidates. Consistency and continuous growth matters.

    Inevitably, an all-star lineup emerges that I’m thrilled to present. And you’ll see it when it lands next week.

    But today I offer another list: Five special places that, for a variety of reasons, are still on the cusp of making the leap to the next level. This isn’t an honorable-mention group so much as a future-cast of exciting places on the rise to watch, along with some standbys still worth celebrating. I’d leap at a dinner invite to any one of them.

    The hush puppies at Honeysuckle

    Honeysuckle

    Honeysuckle’s bold move this year, from a West Philly market-cafe into a sprawling, art-filled space on North Broad Street, complete with an inventive bar and special-occasion prices, has given the chef duo of Omar Tate and Cybille St.Aude-Tate the room to fully realize their dynamic vision of an immersive destination celebrating the culture of the Black American diaspora. One moment you’re eating house-cured country ham over airy hush puppies, the next you’re devouring Haitian-spiced roast chicken or Mississippi Delta-style hot tamales — stuffed here with wagyu beef cheeks and oxtail. Yes, the $65 “McDonald’s Money” burger is an audacious stack of truffled, gold-foiled caviar bling, but it’s also a wry Eddie Murphy reference and a juicy emblem of Honeysuckle’s potential. An anticipated shift from the original $95 prix fixe to an a la carte menu in 2026 shows Honeysuckle is still seeking the ideal format for its new home. An expected 15% dip in check average should fill more seats, while a revival of its ambitious “UNTITLED.” tasting menus assures this uniquely creative kitchen will still be pushing boundaries. 631 N. Broad St., 215-307-3316, honeysucklephl.com

    Sesame madeleines with ras el hanout butter at Emmett

    Emmett

    Philly already has a vibrant Mediterranean dining scene, but Emmett, one of the year’s best new restaurants, offers an original take, from warm sesame madeleines with smoked vadouvan butter to dumplings stuffed with cuminy sujuk sausage. Here you’ll find sticky toffee pudding in Turkish coffee caramel and clever nods from chef Evan Snyder to his love of Jewish deli (wagyu tartare in horseradish-dusted rye tartlets? Yes!). With polished service and a thematically tuned drink program dusted with Levantine spice, this intimate Olde Kensington corner once occupied by Cadence feels like a special-occasion destination again. If Snyder continues refining his sometimes overly busy plates, Emmett can take the next step. 161 W. Girard Ave., 215-207-0161, emmettphilly.com

    Assorted dishes including the Wood Fire Pulpo at Ama on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Philadelphia.

    Amá

    Frankie Ramirez turned out some of the most memorable and beautiful dishes of the year — squash blossom tlayudas, lamb neck barbacoa — from the live fires of his chef-owner debut, a stylish, modern Mexican newcomer in Fishtown. The chef’s growth since his previous post at LMNO has been stunning, with food that is both personal and daring, like the milpa salad laced with huitlacoche and grasshoppers. The majestic grilled whole octopus that arrives beside a dish of gingery black coconut rice mixed with smoky bits of octopus head is simply a showstopper. This restaurant is large, and it’s not yet as complete as it can be, but with a little more time to hone its service and beverage program, Amá stands to become the upscale Mexican restaurant Philadelphians brag about most. 101 W. Oxford St., 215-933-0707, amaphl.com

    Lamb with purgatorio beans and peperoni cruschi at Andiario in West Chester

    Andiario

    Every meal at this gem in downtown West Chester is an inspirational experience of handcraft, restraint, and intimate hospitality, as chef Anthony Andiario’s team cooks weekly-changing four-course menus that spontaneously channel the best of Pennsylvania’s seasonal bounty through a rustic Italian lens. My revisit this fall lived up to that standard, with toothy, hand-rolled rigatoni in ‘nduja-sparked roasted pepper sauce and a succulent strip steak roasted over the live fire hearth. Add in outgoing service, a cushy dining room, and exceptional wines chosen by the chef’s wife and partner, Maria Van Schaijik, and dinner at Andiario is still a delight. It hasn’t regressed at all — it was a resident on my Top 10 list the past two years — but competition this year for an ever-evolving group was simply tighter than ever. 106 W. Gay St., West Chester, 484-887-0919, andiario.com

    The green salad at Meetinghouse

    Meetinghouse

    While many Philadelphia chefs are now ratcheting up their gastro ambitions and tasting menus to reach for Michelin stars, Drew DiTomo is focused on polishing the simple, affordable neighborhood bar — an essential source of sustenance and down-to-earth character for this city’s food soul. Meetinghouse is just that kind of place, where the candlelit vibes are warm and cozy, the drink program is impressively focused and quirky, and the “less is more” aesthetic is deliberate in revived retro dishes that are as good as they can be, from a roast beef sandwich and baked clams to turkey cutlets, broiled cod, and a destination-worthy green salad. Thursdays are baked cheeseburger nights! 2331 E. Cumberland St., no phone, meetinghousebeer.com

  • How the Sixers’ ‘kids’ bonded, then injected energy into the locker room

    How the Sixers’ ‘kids’ bonded, then injected energy into the locker room

    Adem Bona got Johni Broome’s attention from across the 76ers’ locker room, subtly interrupting a conversation ahead of their Nov. 30 game against the Atlanta Hawks.

    “I’m coming, Bona!” Broome hollered in response.

    It was time for the young Sixers to head to chapel, which has become a pregame ritual. Jared McCain, VJ Edgecombe, Justin Edwards, and Hunter Sallis joined them, too.

    Those teammates have swiftly forged a bond through serious activities, such as tapping into their faith, and sillier ones, such as intense NBA 2K video game matchups. And everyday ones, such as bus rides and shared meals.

    Outside belief that the Sixers are old and washed up is primarily used as a dig at the oft-injured (and max-salaried) Joel Embiid and Paul George. But these youngsters are debunking that notion and injecting energy — and promise — into their team’s 14-11 start.

    “We’re all just kids,” Edgecombe recently told The Inquirer. “Just enjoying the moment. Knowing that we’re in the NBA, what we worked for our whole life. …

    “It’s just a natural bond, for real. It’s no forced relationship.”

    ‘That’s the PG we all know and love’: Paul George is finding a rhythm and changing the narrative of his Sixers tenure

    This contingent of the roster is made up of rookies Edgecombe, Broome, and Sallis; second-year players Bona, McCain, and Edwards; and two-way newcomers Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow. There is also a trio of 25-year-old “tweeners” in star point guard Tyrese Maxey — who noted before the season that he has tried to pick up video games in an effort to connect with his younger teammates — along with Trendon Watford and Quentin Grimes.

    The Sixers’ front office more deliberately course-corrected to this roster-building direction in the middle of last season’s 24-58 flop, citing a need for more players who were athletic and consistently available. Bona, McCain, and Edwards received legitimate minutes as first-year players. Edgecombe, the third overall pick in last summer’s draft, is averaging 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4 assists as an instant-impact rookie. Barlow is a starter and arguably the Sixers’ biggest surprise so far this season, and Walker is part of the rotation.

    The bulk of this 2025-26 group initially linked at the Sixers’ facility for summer league practices. Conversations while sticking around for cold-tub and treatment sessions spilled over to their newly created group chat, a player’s home, or a local restaurant. They went through the two-week summer league odyssey from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas. Then to workouts in Los Angeles, which included a Disneyland trip organized by Maxey. Then back to Philly for informal pickup games.

    Sixers guards VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey talk strategy during an NBA game.

    By the time training camp began in late September, those Sixers had already spent nearly three months together. And while the rookies had nothing to compare this early NBA chemistry-building to, Walker, now in his fourth season, called it “a different type of bonding” while likening it to a college-team environment.

    “Sometimes, in other situations, you want to hurry up and get off the court and just go home,” Walker said. “I’ve been wanting to lag behind, because there’s so many different personalities. … For things to happen like that so quick, you don’t feel like you’re just coming to a job every day.

    “I actually wake up like, ‘Dang, I’ve got to tell Johni this when I get there’ [or] ‘I’ve got to tell Justin this.’”

    Coach Nick Nurse grinned when this topic was broached following an early-season practice. He said he first noticed the “entertaining” connection among those players while on the bus heading to gyms in the summer. He added that they embody this staff’s 12-months-a-year philosophy, and helped set the tone for the Sixers’ commitment to “dig ourselves out of a hole” following that disastrous 2024-25 season.

    These days, Nurse said, there is a row of chairs along the practice court where those players frequently sit after their work is done.

    “I go up there once in a while,” Nurse said, “and I say, ‘What are you guys doing over here?’ And they’re like, ‘We’re just hanging out, Coach.’ And I’m like, ‘All right, keep hanging out.’”

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and forward Trendon Watford have a close friendship on and off the court.

    Once those players finally leave the Sixers’ facility for the day, they regularly hop on their video-game headset.

    Unsurprisingly, NBA 2K is their top choice. In “My Player” mode, Broome has an “elite” 7-foot-4 big man who can shoot. Sallis plays with a point guard “trying to run the show.” Edgecombe has a variety of players, allowing for maximum versatility.

    “[We’ll] be on the game 24/7,” Edwards said. “We’ll be on FaceTime, in the group chat, trying to see who wants to play. That’s a big thing that I feel like we didn’t have last year.”

    When asked who is the best gamer of the bunch, most provided the politically correct answer. Yet when told that Edwards brushed it off, Walker quipped that “Justin should ‘no comment’ that question.” And while bringing his voice down to a whisper inside a mostly empty postgame locker room, Edgecombe eventually revealed, “I think I’m the best, though, to be honest with you. You can say [it].”

    TGI Fridays on City Avenue was a longtime Sixers hangout. Then Allen Iverson made it one of Philly’s hottest ‘clubs.’

    Gaming is how those youngsters also roped Sixers veterans — aka “Uncs” — George and Andre Drummond into their group. The 32-year-old Drummond said being around those players’ lingo — Edwards recently started calling him “Muddy,” an apparent reference from his New York City relatives — music tastes, and overall energy is “why I call myself a young man.” George, 35, added that being immersed in a virtual environment away from the facility or Xfinity Mobile Arena has encouraged them all to open up and bridge age gaps.

    “That’s where kind of the trust and the relationship has grown,” George said. “ … We shoot the [expletive] on the game, but then it carries over the next day and we’re looking forward to seeing each other. We laugh about what happened the night prior, and who [stunk], and who was trash.

    “It’s a fun way and I think, for us, [it’s] just kind of expressing ourselves outside of the grind of the season.”

    Now, such connections fuel aspects of those players’ game-day routines.

    Bona is the unofficial leader of the chapel “safe space,” which last season quickly added McCain. The invites then extended to Broome, Edwards, Edgecombe, and Sallis, who now file out of the locker room about an hour before any game’s tipoff.

    “Everyone checks on each of us,” Bona said, “Like, ‘Yo, we’ve got five minutes!’ It’s amazing. It’s a really good bonding activity together.”

    Added Broome: “Obviously, I’m a rookie, so things kind of get a little tough and frustrating sometimes. So it just kind of keeps me grounded, keeps me on the right path, in the right direction. Keeps me encouraged.”

    Those relationships also are noticeable inside the postgame locker room. Following a Nov. 25 blowout loss to the Orlando Magic, for instance, Barlow, Walker, and Broome sat huddled in a corner, immediately dissecting how the game got so out of hand. And after Embiid’s 39-point outburst against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, he was enthusiastically chatting with McCain and Edgecombe before heading to treatment.

    “I’m happier coming in here,” Embiid said later that night. “… You look at the guy next to you, you want to always joke around, talk to them, and hang out. Being on the road and just chill, that goes a long way.

    “I love all these guys in this locker room.”

    A fair amount of credit for such vibes can go to the “kids,” who quickly bonded with one another and then injected energy into the start of the Sixers’ season.

    “I can go [down] the list of young guys,” Drummond said. “It really just keeps our whole team spirit high.”

  • A hidden alley could become a key walking path in Old City for 2026

    A hidden alley could become a key walking path in Old City for 2026

    Tourists arriving in Philadelphia next year may find it easier and far more inviting to stroll through what is now a tucked-away stretch of Old City.

    On Wednesday, the city launched construction on what officials call the Commerce Connector, a pedestrian path designed to guide visitors from the Independence Visitor Center to Carpenters Hall along a brick‑lined walkway adorned with seating and ornamental plantings, while bypassing a congested area.

    The city has allocated $2.7 million toward the project.

    The project is spearheaded by the nonprofit Independence Historical Trust in collaboration with the city; Old City Green, a neighborhood beautification group; and Old City District, a business support organization.

    Bill Marrazzo, chair of Independence Historical Trust, called the connector “an important step forward.”

    “The Commerce Connector enhances the visitor journey between some of Philadelphia’s most treasured sites while also improving everyday walkability for residents and workers,” he said in a statement.

    A rendering of a new connector pathway planned in Old City.

    The bigger picture

    The connector is part of a larger effort by the city and nonprofits, led by Independence Historical Trust, to craft a broader vision for the city’s historical area. Some will be complete by the Semiquincentennial, and others might not.

    More bikes and pedestrians, fewer cars: A $100M rethink of Philly’s historical district

    That vision, which could take $100 million to implement, calls for more walkable and bike-friendly streets, new plazas, additional green spaces, and easier navigation to cultivate a sense of cohesiveness they say is lacking.

    The Historical Philadelphia Vision Framework plan aims to create ways for people to “wayfind” easy-to-follow, less car-centric routes through Independence National Historical Park, Old City, and other historic or local neighborhoods.

    The current redo of Market Street in Old City, now under construction, is part of that. It will include a new Tamanend Plaza at Second and Market Streets, and a “road diet” to accommodate bike lanes. Workers were busy Thursday putting down blocks for the new plaza.

    Work is also underway by the National Park Service at the Declaration House at Seventh and Market Streets, where Thomas Jefferson stayed while he wrote the famed document, and at the Benjamin Franklin Museum off Chestnut Street, both part of Independence National Historical Park. Also, the 25,000-square-foot, Greek Revival-style First Bank of the United States is undergoing $27 million in work, timed to reopen as a new park attraction for the Semiquincentennial.

    What’s the route?

    The roughly 2,000-foot-long Commerce Street foot path will lead travelers from the edge of the visitor center’s lawn at Fifth Street, east across Market Street, and onto Commerce Street, now an unmarked alley that runs parallel to Market Street. From there, they will continue east before turning right onto another alley, which leads to Market Street.

    A 2024 view of Commerce Street, an alley that starts on Fifth Street, midway between Arch and Market Streets. Commerce Street would become a way to connect Independence Visitor Center with Carpenters Hall under a plan led by Independence Historical Trust.

    After crossing Market, they will cut through Franklin Court, cross Chestnut Street, and arrive at Carpenters Hall.

    Once at the hall, visitors can branch out into the wider Independence National Historical Park and other notable areas.

    Officials emphasize that the connector will deliver a mostly traffic‑free passage to Carpenters Hall in time for an anticipated surge in tourism tied to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Carpenters Hall was the site of the first Continental Congress in 1774.

    A rendering of a new connector walking path being built in Old City.
    Commerce Connector pedestrian route through Old City.

    Other enhancements

    Officials say existing paving, benches, lighting, and plantings are all in poor condition.

    The redesigned corridor will get new furnishings, better lighting for security, ornamental trees and bushes, and other enhancements to make it more inviting. It would include a “gathering area” and new entrances.

    To slow traffic for pedestrians, a speed bump mid-block on Fifth Street would connect Independence Visitor Center and the alley. Another mid-block bump on Fourth Street would help pedestrians cross Market Street to Franklin Court.

    Fourth Street would get a bike lane.

    New signs would note area history.

    The path would also help connect people to Christ Church Burial Ground, Commodore Uriah Phillips Levy Park, and the Faith and Liberty Discovery Center.

    Construction is expected to be complete before July Fourth, ahead of the nation’s Semiquincentennial.

    Carpenters Hall.

    “The Commerce Connector reflects our commitment to making Old City safer and easier to navigate for everyone,” said City Councilmember Mark Squilla, who helped secure funding.

    Job Itzkowitz, executive director of Old City District, said the connector “strengthens the backbone of Old City by transforming an underused passageway into a vibrant, welcoming public space” that will make it easier for residents and tourists to move between iconic city sites.

    Old City Green launched the early planning efforts for the corridor and will continue to help maintain the path.

    “By introducing new plantings, shade, and thoughtfully designed landscape elements, we’re creating a greener and more accessible environment for everyone who walks through this historic neighborhood,” said Joe Schiavo, vice president of Old City Green.

  • 2026 Volkswagen ID.4: Large and in charge?

    2026 Volkswagen ID.4: Large and in charge?

    2026 Volkswagen ID.4 AWD Pro S: Bigger is better?

    Price: It starts at $54,095 for this higher-end model tested.

    Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver likes the ID.4’s “good price, good range, good space.” They complained that the “infotainment system is still wonky, base model lacking in range, it’s not the GTI of EVs.”

    Marketer’s pitch: “The future of driving is here. And it’s electric.”

    Reality: The driving experience can be awkward, but there may be another big reason to avoid ID.4.

    Catching up: So we’ve already tested a bargain-priced Chevrolet Equinox, and a Hyundai Ioniq 5 that’s a fairly nice price match for the ID.4.

    What’s new: After upgrades in performance for 2024, the ID.4 only gets an adapter for Tesla Superchargers for the 2026 model year.

    Competition: In addition to the above models, there are the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Honda Prologue, Kia EV6, Mini Countryman EV, Subaru Solterra, and Tesla Model Y.

    Up to speed: Like most EVs, the ID.4 makes quick work of getting on the move. I could pull in front of cars I would never consider when driving most gasoline-engine vehicles, and passing could be a real treat.

    The 335 horses available in the all-wheel-drive version tested get the EV SUV to 60 in a quick 4.8 seconds, according to Car and Driver.

    Rear-drive models offer 282 horses and a 0-60 time of 7.3 seconds.

    Back down again: The ID.4 has a one-pedal feature, which allows for driving without using the brake much at all. Unfortunately, it required so much foot pressure to get moving that it made me nervous in parking lots, worried I would overcompensate and smash into something. Without that feature on, pulling out is easier, but when it’s time to slow down, the brakes are exposed as the indifferent bastards that they are.

    Shifty: The twisty stalk gear selector in last week’s Hyundai Ioniq 5 impresses, but a similar setup in the ID.4 irked me. The type on the ID.4 is subtle and easy to misunderstand; Hyundai makes it obvious what to do with theirs.

    On the road: Drive mode control is tucked away in the touchscreen, but it’s easy to get to and to follow. Sport mode did tighten up the steering and boost the acceleration but the suspension became so firm I felt like I was driving a brick, and the ID.4 hit potholes with a thud.

    Because the ID.4 is larger, the drive experience had a Jeep feel without any of the retro touches or quirky handling that add a sense of fun. Even the ID.Buzz minivan is a better drive.

    The 2026 Volkswagen ID.4 interior is definitely a hip place to be in all black, but function and comfort are lacking.

    Driver’s Seat: The speedometer and gauges also disappoint. The diminutive through-the-steering-wheel display can be difficult to inform at a glance. The long-ago Chevrolet Spark and Sonic sported a similar motorcycle-esque unit, but those were easy to read.

    Seat comfort is also lacking; the Driver’s Seat is almost rock hard without wings or bolsters to hold you in place.

    Later that day I became even more annoyed when the seat lumbar support seemed to be knuckling my kidneys. Try as I might I couldn’t release the pressure. Soon I realized that the massage feature somehow activated itself and proceeded to give me the saddest massage I have gotten in a long time.

    Friends and stuff: The rear seat offers plenty of legroom and foot room. Headroom is not bad but I expected more from this tall vehicle.

    The rear seat seems angled a little far back for me and matches the front for comfort, or lack thereof.

    Cargo space is 30.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 64.2 with the seat folded, the giant among the three EVs tested, and similar to a Volkswagen Tiguan.

    In and out: It’s only a tiny step up into the ID.4.

    Play some tunes: The giant 12.9-inch touchscreen offers quick access to most of the usual functions, and the home screen features big, clear icons for all the choices.

    The touchscreen’s stand-up iPad-like configuration provides a nice way to hold your hand in place while selecting functions, and that makes operation easier.

    I neglected to note the sound from the Harman Kardon stereo system. It’s scored an A- in other VW SUVs and an A+ in the EV ID.Buzz minivan. I’d lean toward the lower score; Mr. Driver’s Seat would have been typing furiously about the sound if it were an A+.

    Keeping warm and cool: The ID.4 continues with the tiny touchslider thingies to adjust the temperature, and also activate the HVAC screen controls. These were the most cumbersome part of the screen, not quite user-friendly for adjustment on the fly.

    The required buttons for front and rear defroster are on the left with the light control. It works in the sense that we’re supposed to use the lights when the wipers are on, but not in the sense of being away from the touchscreen where the rest of the HVAC controls are.

    The big touchscreen means the center vents have been pushed disappointingly far down on the dashboard. It made cooling down difficult after one humid post-YMCA adventure, and the ambient temperature may have only been about 70 degrees.

    Fuel economy: The range advertised in the vehicle was about 260 miles, but it seemed to exceed that more than a few times.

    Where it’s built: Chattanooga, Tenn.

    How it’s built: The ID.4 gets a 2 out of 5 reliability rating from Consumer Reports.

    I don’t usually delve into recalls too deeply — the Sturgis family Kia Soul has been recalled nearly half a dozen times, but has never shown any of the potential problems so it’s just another inconvenience.

    But Do Not Drive orders have been issued for the ID.4 for the second time, this time for wheels that could fall off — the first was for potential fire hazards in 2023. And I’ve collected anecdotal information on ID.4 troubles.

    In the end: Hyundai has proven themselves over and over again in the EV world, and the Chevrolet might be worth a look. But I’d leave the ID.4 alone.

  • Civility in the courtroom should be a model for our public life

    Civility in the courtroom should be a model for our public life

    Public discourse today feels like a shouting match — hostile, polarized, and quick to “cancel” those who disagree.

    Yet in the courtroom, there remains a model for conflict that doesn’t turn toxic. There, fierce disagreement unfolds with civility when the stakes couldn’t be higher. The norms that make justice possible serve as an example for the public square.

    Shakespeare’s famous line: “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers,” is often quoted as a jab. But in Henry VI, the line is spoken by a would-be tyrant’s accomplice.

    Shakespeare understood that to impose tyranny, one must first destroy the lawyers — the guardians of due process and rational debate. Rather than mock the profession, the line underscores the indispensable role of civility in preserving liberty, justice, and our way of life.

    Reasonable people can differ

    Law is built on the recognition that reasonable, ethical people can look at the same facts and reach opposite conclusions.

    One lawyer argues for conviction, another for acquittal. One sees a statute as broad, another as narrow. Their task is not to despise each other, but to argue — forcefully, yes, but intellectually within rules, procedures, and professional decorum.

    In court, a lawyer does not shout down an opponent. A judge does not belittle the losing side. Objections are made in accordance with established procedures and professional standards. Rulings are issued without personal attack.

    This disciplined approach requires patience, listening, and respect. The process is grounded in fairness and reason. Contrast that with today’s public square — particularly social media. People who differ are demonized. Disagreement is cast as patriots vs. traitors. No wonder our democracy feels frayed.

    The legal profession offers a vital lesson: Disagreement is not only inevitable but healthy. Truth is sharpened by opposing arguments. What keeps the system intact is the civility with which those arguments are conducted.

    Defense attorney Clarence Darrow (left) and prosecutor William Jennings Bryan talk civilly during the Scopes “monkey trial” in 1925.

    Picture a trial: The gavel strikes. Two sides rise, ready to battle over questions of fact and law. The plaintiff’s attorney delivers a fiery close. The defendant’s attorney responds just as vigorously.

    Afterward, no matter the outcome, the two shake hands. The judge thanks both for their professionalism. Each has fought hard, yet neither has questioned the other’s intent or integrity. Even in profound disagreement, opponents are not enemies. Respect prevails.

    Imagine if political debates resembled appellate arguments: sharp, disciplined, but respectful. Imagine if social media mirrored courtroom decorum, where civility restrains the loudest voice and allows reasoned discourse to be heard.

    It is possible to disagree passionately without resorting to insults or treating opponents as enemies.

    Civility is not surrender

    Of course, lawyers and judges are human. They sometimes fall short. Bar associations remind members of their duty of civility because the temptation toward hostility is real. Judicial misconduct, including poor courtroom demeanor, is policed in many states by independent boards and commissions.

    But the profession understands that its legitimacy depends on restraint. When civility fails, the entire system suffers. So does democracy.

    Civility does not mean surrender. Lawyers cross-examine with intensity. Judges write sharply worded opinions. Citizens, too, can argue with passion. But passion that eclipses respect erodes the common good.

    We are living in a moment in time when polarization tempts us to see neighbors as enemies. The courts remind us of a better way. American justice is built on adversaries treating one another as colleagues, with respect and decency, bound by a higher purpose.

    That lesson could not be timelier.

    P. Kevin Brobson is a justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

  • Let’s stop acting like the Eagles haven’t had a great season. An NFC East title would make it a rousing success.

    Let’s stop acting like the Eagles haven’t had a great season. An NFC East title would make it a rousing success.

    Nobody wants to hear this, but every football season is different, and the preceding season should never flavor its successor, and expectations of continued excellence from a team that is markedly different are utterly ridiculous. Super Bowl LIX is gone, just like six significant players from that championship roster.

    Which brings us to the 9-5 Eagles, who, contrary to much of the commentary and punditry, are nearing the end of a very good season. Saquon Barkley isn’t going to break rushing records this season, and the passing game hasn’t equaled its pedigree, and the defense won’t finish ranked No. 1, but none of that matters. What matters is who they beat, who they lost to, and where they stand.

    The Eagles are about to win the NFC East again, as usual. Here’s how they’ve done it.

    What? How? Why even consider such heresy as this? Isn’t there enough gaslighting going on during White House press briefings?

    This isn’t fake news, and this isn’t pandering to the franchise (as if).

    This is common sense.

    The Eagles’ results through 15 weeks present a team that can become just the eighth franchise to win consecutive Lombardi Trophies.

    They’ve beaten the Rams, Packers, and Buccaneers, all playoff teams. They also beat the 8-6 Lions, and they won in Kansas City against a Chiefs team that began the season 5-3.

    More relevantly, if you view the season objectively, the negative isn’t very negative.

    The Birds have one bad loss in 14 games. That bad loss came Oct. 9, to the Giants. That was one of the NFL’s idiotic, three-days-of-rest, Thursday Night Football games, and the Eagles were the road team. The Giants were riding a wave of hope in the form of a pair of dynamic rookies with names straight out of youth fiction sports novels, Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. Still, it was a loss, and a bad loss.

    The other losses are eminently explicable.

    The week before they lost to the visiting Broncos, who, now 12-2, turned out to be the best team in the league.

    They lost to the Cowboys at Dallas on Nov. 23 because Dallas came back hard, which was to be expected, since Dallas has the league’s No. 1 offense.

    They lost to the Bears, a 10-win team that holds the No. 2 seed in the NFC, mainly because of an inability to stop the run game, an inability predicated on the infirmity of defensive tackle Jalen Carter’s shoulders, which were subsequently repaired. That also was a short-week game, played on Black Friday.

    They lost on the road to the Chargers, another 10-win team, because Jalen Hurts had a catastrophically bad game. That’s allowed. It was his first catastrophically bad game since Dec. 18, 2023, when he and A.J. Brown went rogue. That means it was Hurts’ first disaster in a span of 36 starts. That’s not bad, considering Brett Favre averaged about two catastrophes per season in his first years as a starter.

    Hurts hasn’t been great, but this season he has produced his two best games in terms of passer rating, which this season is 99.4, about 5 points higher than his previous four complete seasons as a starter. With 22 TD passes, he’s just two away from a career high.

    Jalen Hurts and the offense have been frustrating to watch at times, especially during the three-game losing streak. But on balance, Hurts has had a good year.

    And, while every team suffers in-season roster attrition, it’s only fair to factor in the Eagles’ most relevant absences, since they help explain some of the losses.

    They recently lost three games in a row when Carter and right tackle Lane Johnson, the two best players on the team, were either playing hurt or not playing at all.

    Guess which other game Carter missed because of injury? The bad loss in New York.

    Further, the Eagles have had four short-week games: Games 6, 10, 12, and 14. They have a fifth, on Saturday, at Washington. They could have a sixth if the NFL decides Game 17 against the Commanders should be played on a Saturday.

    Short-week games are an onerous burden. The long week that follows a short week never compensates for the shortened time for rest, healing, and preparation.

    These are not complaints. These are explanations. This is how champions are forged. This is the price of greatness.

    Have the Eagles looked great in the first 14 games? No. But when they’ve looked bad, or when they’ve lost, it either occurred against very good teams, or with extenuating circumstances, or both.

    What, then, does Saturday portend? Nothing certain. The Eagles have lost once apiece to their other NFC East opponents, the Cowboys and Giants, each time on the road. The Commanders might be without some of their better players, but they are not without talent, however aged that talent might be.

    Eagles vs. Commanders in Week 16: Here are the numbers that matter

    They play hard for coach Dan Quinn, who worked as the Cowboys defensive coordinator for three seasons before taking over in Washington.

    This game isn’t a walkover, and the rematch in Game 17 won’t be a walkover, either. But, assuming Johnson and Carter return soon, the Eagles should be regarded as a fearsome playoff foe.

    This is a much more palatable argument coming off an impressive win, but it would be just as true had they not won by 31 points or shut out the Raiders.

    Because they are a very, very good team. Does Jalen Hurts need to run the ball more? Yes. Does the offense need to commit fewer penalties? Yes. Did they endure a midseason lull? Yes.

    But the Eagles are nearly a touchdown favorite Saturday, and likely will be favored by even more in the season finale against the Commanders. They’ll probably get points in Buffalo next weekend, but likely no more than a field goal.

    Why? Because, again, they’re a very good team that has had a very good season.

  • This hot Philly software maker wanted a big Center City HQ but went remote ‘because SEPTA is so bad’

    This hot Philly software maker wanted a big Center City HQ but went remote ‘because SEPTA is so bad’

    For a little while, Philadelphia’s Fishtown Analytics looked as if it might put the city where the modern computer was born back on the tech map as a software headquarters.

    Cofounders Tristan Handy, Connor McArthur, and Drew Banin started their company in 2016. They created the Data Build Tool, which helps a range of employers — Philly firms like Gopuff, business software makers like GitLab, HubSpot, and New Relic, publisher Condé Nast, manufacturer Thermo Fisher Scientific, airline JetBlue — manage their proliferating databases out in the cloud of rent-a-servers.

    As the tool caught on, they talked of taking the company public, drawing investors and hundreds of software recruits to one of the city’s popular neighborhoods, proof that Philadelphia is a place tech leaders flourish.

    But that’s not quite how things worked out. In 2021 the start-up raised $150 million from Roblox backer Altimeter Capital and Silicon Valley giants Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. The founders dropped the Fishtown name in favor of dbt Labs, for their software tool’s initials.

    Then in October, they agreed to a merger with a larger data-integration software company and sometime-partner, Fivetran, with headquarters in California. The 20-person Spring Garden Street office will remain.

    Handy agreed to talk with The Inquirer about what was, what might have been, and what’s next. He came to the interview wearing an Eagles No. 27 jersey. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

    Your deal looks a little like your former boss Bob Moore’s Crossbeam merger with French competitor Reveal?

    I talked to Bob about lessons learned. Bob is focused on his relationship with the Reveal founder. He says everything else is solvable, as long as the relationship between the founders is strong.

    Bob Moore has founded a string of Philadelphia software companies. Crossbeam, “LinkedIn for businesses,” raised $76 million in October 2021, from firms led by Silicon Valley venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz.
    Are customers glad you’re consolidating or worried at losing a choice?

    We have a lot of customers we share with Fivetran. In general we are finding excitement, with a little initial trepidation.

    George [Fraser, Fivetran’s CEO] and I have spent a lot of time thinking about what our customers need to hear and to de-stress them. Generally the reactions are positive. It’s not uncommon we will hear from a customer: ‘I was thinking about what I was going to do with this set of data pipelines, and now we should talk about that.’ Which is part of the point of all this.

    We are still pre-closing. We need to seek [U.S.] Department of Justice input. We are waiting to see if we meet that test — if DOJ will care about us at all. The answer should be no.

    Does Philadelphia make enough software to be a ‘tech center?’

    All three of us cofounders came out of Bob Moore’s RJMetrics, and then our first employee, Erin Vaughan [head of customer services], came out of RJ. Bob sent me a note after that: ‘Maybe you should hire some other people.’

    A big part of the reason I started Fishtown Analytics was that in 2016, RJ was coming close to the end of its main chapter. I didn’t see other start-up opportunities locally that I was excited about. My wife had just gotten a job at CHOP. We weren’t moving. I had to figure something out.

    So you built it. Was Philly a good place to start and then grow?

    I just turned 45. A bunch of people I know have moved back to the area from San Francisco. A lot of times that is because you want to be close to family when you have kids or it’s a higher quality of life around here.

    We are at 915 Spring Garden St. The elevator is always broken. We are still about 20 people there — the same as when we raised money [in 2021].

    But my network is now nationwide. We are a distributed business with 730 people. And Fivetran has a big headquarters in Oakland, Calif.

    dbt Labs employs more than 700, but most work remotely. Its headquarters, with 20 people including some of its founders and earliest employees, is upstairs at 915 Spring Garden St., a former Reading Railroad building whose first floor is home to Triple Bottom Brewing.
    Will the merger mean expansion and hiring, or consolidation and firing?

    Growth is good, and in general, we are not imaging cost-cutting targets. There is figuring out who occupies the leadership ranks. That is the main area where there might be some departures.

    It’s a consolidation move from a products perspective. Historically in our space, the products Fivetran sells and the products we sell have been sold together. Our customers have budget lines for that combination.

    Both companies are on track. Both companies were going to IPO at some point. This brings that date in closer. Combined, we have the growth and scale to go public. We just need to get through the integration and prove to everybody we have effectively combined these companies, and need a few quarters of numbers.

    Why did you drop ‘Fishtown’ from the name?

    Every sales call started out with ‘What’s Fishtown?’ Locally people have a lot of pride in Fishtown. But nobody else knew what it meant.

    Both companies are keeping their brands. We’ll figure out what to call the combination.

    Do you hire a lot of Philly engineers?

    We did originally. Our first class of data people we trained, there were two Penn people and a Princeton person. For a long time that was the plan: continue hiring incredibly talented people from these schools. But then we went in a different direction.

    Why, when Fivetran expanded in Oakland, did you not do the same in Philly?

    It’s real hard to do any kind of office-space culture for tech workers in Philly because SEPTA is so bad.

    As the people in the company start to age into having kids and move out to the suburbs, it is getting very challenging to come into the office. Even from the Main Line, the train is once an hour. That’s very hard.

    Bob Moore calls you a pillar of the Philly start-up ‘connectivity’ who helps other founders and causes. Are you planning to stay around?

    It’s conceivable I might start another thing.

  • Letters to the Editor | Dec. 18, 2025

    Letters to the Editor | Dec. 18, 2025

    Incomplete portrait

    Rabbi Linda Holtzman’s op-ed about suspending military aid to Israel crucially omits the role of Hamas and the trauma of Oct. 7, 2023, presenting an incomplete and troubling framework. Rather than presenting a legitimate criticism of Israeli policy, Rabbi Holtzman depends on contemporary anti-Zionism that denies Jewish people the same right to safety, self-determination, and moral consideration afforded to others.

    Hanukkah commemorates the Jewish people’s struggle for survival, religious freedom, and self-determination in our ancestral homeland, values many Jews hold close. This holiday should not be used to argue for policies that leave Israel vulnerable to continued terror and violence.

    Both Palestinian and Jewish lives are precious, and the impact of the war is felt by all. Any path toward peace must reject extremism and uphold the right of Jews to live in safety and dignity.

    Our community is strengthened not by absolutism, but by nuance, responsibility and a shared commitment to human dignity for all.

    Jason Holtzman, chief of the Jewish Community Relations Council, The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

    A battle for ballots

    Winston Churchill called the Battle of the Bulge “the greatest American battle of the war.” It was the German offensive launched against the U.S. Army in World War II in a snowbound Belgium forest during the Christmas season of 1944. Known as America’s Greatest Generation, thousands fought in that historic military operation so that future generations could live in a society where tyranny has no place and the authority of government depends on the consent of the governed.

    Eighty-one years later, America is once again engaged in a fight to preserve our representative democracy. Voting, democracy’s most fundamental right, is under siege by Republican lawmakers seeking to corrupt the electoral process through manipulative gerrymandering.

    Since our nation’s founding, countless Americans have fought in defense of self-governance. Let’s not desecrate the graves of the fallen by turning a blind eye to an assault on the freedoms they died to protect.

    Jim Paladino, Tampa, Fla.

    Who’s the more foolish?

    As the adage goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” Sadly, judging from the description of President Donald Trump’s recent rally in Mount Pocono, there are still plenty of folks willing to believe Trump’s lies. It was well known before the election that he is a liar and a cheat, but that didn’t seem to matter to the folks who voted for him last November and still support him. I’ve been accused of being woke, but I’d much rather be woke than asleep.

    Carol Sundeen, Lower Makefield

    Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

  • Horoscopes: Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). If you give a performance that’s too far off from how you really are on the inside, the applause won’t feel like it’s really for you. Anyway, it feels better to give ‘em the real you today, and it works better, too.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Strength is admirable, but pushing past your limits is unnecessary if you have proper support. And if you don’t, it’s better to spend your effort getting support than wearing yourself out. Sustainable success will emerge from a collective push.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Here comes a bit of tension. You feel it instantly. You either seek the source to see if you can ease the situation, or you put some distance between you and the source. Either way, you can trust your instincts.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). Communicating well today is easier when you’re in listening mode than talking mode. It’s easier to be observant when you’re not the one sharing. Channel your energy into reading between the lines to pick up on subtle cues.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You will solve problems of all kinds today — how satisfying! And they won’t all be your own, either. Your forte: coming up with interesting fixes, using what’s on hand, simplifying and making it fun.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Someone you love is being difficult. Instead of confronting them directly and getting into a power struggle that will escalate tension, calm yourself, soften the energy and imagine the two of you in harmony. The picture of connection will come true.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Dwell a while in your favorite fantasy as though it were in the realm of possibility, because the theme of the day is self-fulfilling prophecy. What you see for the future can emerge. Put your mind on what you want, not what you fear.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Reconnecting with people from the past can be sweetly enriching, or it can be an irritating reminder of why you lost touch. Expect a little of both. Go gently, in goodwill, with few expectations and healthy boundaries in place.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your friendliness disarms people today. Truly, it’s a kind of magic. No one can treat you the way they treat everyone else, because you’re so unique you flip their script. This dynamic will be key to your influence.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). If the task is within your current ability, you’ll nail it. If not, you’ll learn what you need for next time. Just know, your effectiveness is simply a reflection of how much experience you’ve built so far.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You and your focus. You’re becoming legendary for it. Someone finds you intriguing, and a lot of the attraction has to do with the magnetism that builds in your scene when you’re obsessed with what interests you.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Being cool isn’t just hard, it’s a state that is impossible to create alone. It’s an emergent quality involving not just one person but an entire set of circumstances around context, reception, chemistry and timing. Forget about “cool” and concentrate on warmth.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 18). This is your Year of Cosmic Sweetener. Everything good gets better — your living space, your income, your circle, your sense of self. You’ll feel generous because abundance is real. More highlights: You’re a magnet for good fortune and kind souls who will seek your company and collaboration. Also, a profitable side venture, and love that feels both thrilling and safe. Virgo and Pisces adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 16, 24, 37 and 45.

  • Dear Abby | Wife thinks camper guest is getting a little too cozy

    DEAR ABBY: My 58-year-old husband recently shared a bed in our camper with a 21-year-old family friend. The friend is female. This happened in my absence. He thinks of her as a “daughter,” and although I’m not concerned about anything inappropriate happening between them, I still feel it was inappropriate. I expressed my feelings to him and said I didn’t want it to happen again, but it did. He still thinks it’s perfectly fine, but I do not. What are your thoughts?

    — INAPPROPRIATE IN THE EAST

    DEAR INAPPROPRIATE: My thought is that it’s unusual and inappropriate for a 21-year-old woman to share a bed with your husband (more than once!) in light of the fact that you objected. I can’t help but wonder why no other sleeping arrangement was possible, and what her parents (who, I assume, are friends) think about the arrangement. Perhaps it’s time you had a chat with the young woman about this. You may find it enlightening.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: A family member — a woman in her 60s — almost certainly has narcissistic personality disorder. She has caused problems in the family, so much so that some have quit their jobs, sold their homes and moved out of town to get away from her dysfunction. This woman blames others, never apologizes for anything and doesn’t seem to think she has a problem.

    Having burned all her bridges, she is now moving out of state. However, she still has ties to the family business. We want her to get the treatment she needs, and we want peace and order restored in our family. How do families in a similar situation accomplish this?

    — SURVIVING IN KENTUCKY

    DEAR SURVIVING: I can tell you how some people in your situation manage. Recognizing that they cannot change the behavior of the disruptive family member, they seek family therapy to learn how to handle their contacts with her. I hope it helps for you.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: I would love your thoughts on the protocol, if any, for mentioning the name of a decedent’s very good friend/companion in an obituary. I have seen, on occasion, an obituary that lists all the family members (wife, children, grandchildren, caregiver, etc.) and then includes the name of a dear friend/companion, who, in this instance, had been dating the decedent for four years, during which the two of them developed a very close relationship.

    — WONDERING IN ILLINOIS

    DEAR WONDERING: I don’t think it is obligatory to mention all of the deceased’s relationships when an obituary is written. Often the family is grieving and distracted by the multitude of arrangements that must be made. If you are referring to yourself, and you had a warm relationship with the family, I am sure your name was not omitted to deliberately ignore the caring relationship you shared with the deceased, and sometimes people want to have a say about what’s included in their obituary. If your companion put in writing that your name should be included, then the family was wrong not to follow through.