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  • A.J. Brown thinks the Eagles are ‘close’ on offense, laughs off talk about his declining skills

    A.J. Brown thinks the Eagles are ‘close’ on offense, laughs off talk about his declining skills

    There is a thought process out there in the ether that A.J. Brown at 28 is not the same player he was just last year or the season prior, when he had 106 catches and 1,456 yards.

    What would he say to those who believe that?

    “I guess Saquon ain’t the same player either then,” Brown responded Thursday with a laugh. “All right. But I don’t got no comment about that. I don’t care about that.”

    The Eagles’ star receiver has made it clear in recent weeks — and recent seasons — what he cares about. He wants to win, and the Eagles have done a lot of winning, but he wants to be a bigger part of the victories.

    He’s on pace to come up shy of his 2024 numbers in both catches and yards, and he played just 13 games last season.

    Eagles vs. Cowboys in Week 12: Here are the numbers that matter

    After the latest chapter in his saga with the Eagles last week, when he aired his frustrations playfully on a live stream, Brown saw 11 targets Sunday night against Detroit, his most action of 2025.

    He caught seven passes for 49 yards. He has been held under 50 yards six times this season. In the 2023 and 2024 seasons combined, he had just seven such games.

    The 8-2 Eagles have continued to find ways to win even as their offense has sputtered. Getting the passing game back on track should be a little bit easier Sunday in Dallas against a team that is one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL.

    But the Cowboys have improved, and they play a lot of zone coverage — the seventh-highest zone rate in the NFL — which has given the Eagles fits.

    “It’s something we’re continuing to work at each and every day, trying to be on the same page and be where we need to be at the right time,” Brown said Thursday when asked if the Eagles were closer to finding answers against the zone.

    Brown attempts to catch the football against Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin last Sunday.

    Could more crossing routes, which Brown is running fewer of this season, be an answer to zone? And why isn’t he running more of them?

    “Yes, I think so,” Brown said. “I think it’s really a time and spacing thing. I think the second half of that question is a question” for offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.

    Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    Overall, as an offense, Brown said the Eagles were “close” to finding their footing.

    “I think we are,” he said. “I think that’s the mindset to have. I think it’s really just cleaning up those mistakes. It’s not about being close; it’s really just finishing drives.”

    The latest drama surrounding the Eagles emerged when the Athletic reported over the weekend that “multiple offensive players have grown frustrated with Jalen Hurts’ approach this season.”

    Asked about that report Thursday, Brown replied: “Ask me about Dallas. Thank you.”

    Brown catches a pass short of the first down on Sunday against the Lions.

    Brown was later asked if he watches what other receivers are doing. Dallas’ passing game has flourished, and George Pickens is second in the NFL with 908 yards. CeeDee Lamb has played in just seven games to Brown’s nine, but Lamb has 557 yards to Brown’s 457.

    Brown said he doesn’t pay attention.

    Why?

    “It gets me upset,” he said. “So I stay away from it.”

    It was clarified to him that the question was more from a skill set perspective, as in what makes Lamb, for example, so good?

    “No, the only person I’m really watching is Julio Jones,” Brown said.

    Brown has long talked about Jones being his favorite receiver, and the two played together in Tennessee and with the Eagles. The two still talk often, Brown said, though he declined to share what those conversations have been about recently.

    You can probably guess.

  • The Union’s Danley Jean Jacques celebrates helping Haiti reach its first men’s World Cup since 1974

    The Union’s Danley Jean Jacques celebrates helping Haiti reach its first men’s World Cup since 1974

    In soccer as in life, sometimes more than one thing happens at once. Right now, the Union have so many things happening that your head could end up on a swivel.

    There’s the ongoing investigation into sporting director Ernst Tanner’s alleged misconduct, for which there were no new updates by the close of business Thursday.

    There’s the rest of the team’s preparations to resume the playoffs on Sunday vs. New York City FC at Subaru Park (7:55 p.m., FS1, Fox Deportes, Apple TV) after three weeks without a game.

    There’s the fact that next year’s schedule was announced Thursday with three rounds of this year’s playoffs still to go. (Early schedule releases are good, but this one took almost everyone by surprise.)

    And on top of all of that, there are the epic swings of emotions that two of the Union’s stalwart players experienced while playing for their national teams.

    Andre Blake’s Jamaica came up painfully short of qualifying for next year’s World Cup, with ties at Trinidad and home vs. Curaçao. The first made the second game a must-win, but the Reggae Boyz could only manage a scoreless tie while hitting the post three times.

    Those results sentenced Jamaica to March’s inter-continental playoffs in Mexico that will clinch two of the six remaining World Cup tickets. Blake and company will play Oceania runner-up New Caledonia, and the winner will play Africa’s Democratic Republic of the Congo for a Cup berth.

    Andre Blake stars again for the Union while keeping hurricane-hit Jamaica in mind

    At the same time, Danley Jean Jacques’ Haiti reached the world game’s biggest stage for the first time since 1974. Despite not being able to play a true home game for years because of domestic unrest, Les Grenadiers beat Costa Rica 1-0 and Nicaragua 2-0. When tradition-rich Costa Rica and Honduras played a scoreless tie on Tuesday, Les Grenadiers clinched first place in their group.

    Even better, Tuesday was Haiti’s national holiday, celebrating its centuries of independence from France.

    “I’m very proud to have qualified my country for a World Cup,” Jean Jacques said at Thursday’s Union practice, speaking in his native French. “It feels good, and I think it makes all Haitian people in general feel good.”

    Unfortunately, the 25-year-old midfielder was suspended from the finale because of yellow card accumulation, so watched from the stands of Haiti’s neutral-ground “home” in Curaçao. But he was able to take part in the celebrations.

    The Union’s 2026 MLS schedule is set. Here’s what to know about it.

    “It was a bit stressful, because I wanted to play, I wanted to give everything for my country,” Jean Jacques said. “But I was confident in my teammates. I knew they would do the rest of the work. I had done the most I could, and I was very confident that my teammates would get it done.”

    Because Haiti’s game finished before Costa Rica-Honduras, the team didn’t know at its final whistle whether it had qualified. So they all waited on the field, following the other game on mobile phones. TV cameras were still rolling and captured the joy when the news came across.

    “Representing Haiti means many things,” Jean Jacques said. “You have to give your heart. Every time I represent Haiti, I try to give my maximum, I try to give everything for my country. I don’t want to come up short for my country — I try to give my maximum, and I feel very, very good to represent Haiti.”

    Some players documented their celebrations on Instagram, and fans flooded their comments to celebrate. There were also great scenes in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and throughout the Haitian diaspora across North America.

    Projecting the USMNT’s World Cup roster after its last game of the year: Several locals in; surprises on the bubble

    “It had been a long time since Haiti qualified for a [men’s] World Cup, and now we’ve done it,” Jean Jacques said. “I think they [at home] are proud, and I hope they will stay behind us and push us and give us strength. They will help us in the future, because I think we have more to give.”

    Coincidentally, Jean Jacques isn’t the only player on Haiti’s team with ties to Philadelphia. Outside back Duke Lacroix, 32, is an Ocean County, N.J., native who played his college soccer at Penn from 2011-14.

    Lacroix has played professionally ever since in the U.S. second-division USL Championship, for a range of teams. At his current home, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, he has many teammates with Union ties, including Matt Real and Anthony Fontana.

    “He told me that he spent some time here, and about the city,” Jean Jacques said of Lacroix. “He said it’s a nice city and I’m in a good club. … I can say he’s a good player who plays strong, is very serious, and works hard.”

    The Union put Ernst Tanner on leave as MLS reopens an investigation into alleged misconduct

    It’s also a coincidence that Jean Jacques’ closest friend on the Union, Olivier Mbaizo, was the first player to make a World Cup squad while with the club. Jean Jacques could be the second, with lots of people in Chester and beyond hoping Blake ties him on that mark.

    “It means many things for me. I think it would mean many things for the club, too,” Jean Jacques said. “The team deserves this, because it’s a good club, with a good setup. I hope there will be other players, too, who will be able to be part of the World Cup, because it’s a good thing for the club.”

    Danley Jean Jacques (center) in action with the Union during their playoff series against Chicago last month.

    He also took a moment to praise the club’s young Americans who have played in youth World Cups lately: Frankie Westfield at the under-20 level and Cavan Sullivan at the under-17 level.

    “I think they will keep growing,” he said.

    Led by Miguel Almirón, Paraguay shows MLS can develop players for the rest of the world, too

    There’s a long way to go until next summer for Jean Jacques, Haiti, and the Union. But he has allowed himself a moment to dream of what it will be like if he steps onto the field in a World Cup game — perhaps even at Lincoln Financial Field if Haiti is drawn to play here.

    “It has always been a dream to play in a World Cup, to qualify my country, so I’m very happy,” he said. “I’m waiting for the moment when it arrives, and I’ll see how it goes. But no matter what, whether I’m on the field or off it, I’ll support my teammates and give everything for the country.”

    2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoffs

    All games will be played in March as single-elimination rounds. The inter-continental playoffs will be played in Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico, while the European playoffs will be played on home fields.

    Inter-continental playoffs

    Bracket 1: New Caledonia (Oceania) vs. Jamaica (Concacaf); winner plays Democratic Republic of the Congo (Africa)

    Bracket 2: Bolivia (South America) vs. Suriname (Concacaf); winner plays Iraq

    European playoffs

    In all the brackets listed below, the first game’s winner will host the second-round contest.

    Bracket 1: Wales vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy vs. Northern Ireland

    Bracket 2: Ukraine vs. Sweden, Poland vs. Albania

    Bracket 3: Slovakia vs. Kosovo, Turkey vs. Romania

    Bracket 4: Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland, Denmark vs. North Macedonia

  • Leon Thomas shows why he is a Grammy favorite at Fillmore show

    Leon Thomas shows why he is a Grammy favorite at Fillmore show

    R&B star Leon Thomas’ star is on the rise. After spending his childhood working as an actor, he released his acclaimed sophomore album, Mutt, which has received six Grammy nominations, including a nod for best new artist and album of the year.

    His child actor days now feel like a thing of the past. The singer-songwriter has entered new territory.

    Thomas’ fan base is drawn to his funk, soul, and rock-infused iterations of R&B music. That was evident Wednesday night at the Fillmore.

    Leon Thomas headlined The Fillmore as part of his “Mutts Don’t Heal Tour” on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.

    As amber and emerald lights lit the stage, with a glimmering replica of his head floating over the elevated platform, Thomas kicked things off with the high-paced “How Fast,” a record shining a light on his ride to mainstream success and the inescapable fears of losing his grip.

    “Feel like I just got off the stage at the Grammys,” Thomas sang while backed by the thundering drums of his stage band. “Feel like I just bought a new house for my mama. Feel like I’m racing through the streets of Miami. I’m in a Lamborghini, you in a Honda. How many zeros can a young … count up?”

    He went on to perform a short medley of his brooding R&B jams from Mutt, before welcoming a surprise guest. As the momentous half-break on “Far Fetched” arrived, the unmistakable voice of fellow R&B star Ty Dolla $ign blared through the speakers.

    Ty performed the Mutt cut alongside Thomas, who ripped from his electric guitar. Then the two transitioned to Ty’s 2024 smash, “Carnival” with Kanye West.The cameo ignited the crowd, from the standing room floor to the balcony rows.

    Leon Thomas performed alongside surprise guest Ty Dolla $ign at The Fillmore Philadelphia on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.

    Thomas continued performing favorites from Mutt and his 2023 debut Electric Dusk, showcasing his magnetic voice and musicianship through impromptu vocal runs and zippy guitar blends.

    “Philly, I want you to sing with me tonight,” said Thomas, before performing “Vibes Don’t Lie” and “All I Do.”

    “I ain’t done with you yet.”

    All of Thomas’ musical gifts were on display, but not all of them resonated with the sold-out crowd.

    As he transitioned from his more familiar R&B jams to the rock and soul-drenched records he’s produced in the past and on his new EP, Pholks, the momentum began to slow down.

    Leon Thomas headlined a sold-out show at The Fillmore Philadelphia on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.

    With records like “Blue Hundreds” and “Baccarat,” the crowd appeared disengaged from Thomas’ garage rock-inspired songs and influences. What felt like an R&B concert morphed into a momentary rock show, with Thomas’ band backing him at every measure.

    The crowd’s energy, however, was soon revived once Thomas transitioned back to hip-swaying records like “Love Jones,” “Crash & Burn,” and the radiantly soulful “Yes It Is,” which he followed with a cover of iconic neo-soul group Floetry’s “Say Yes.”

    He closed the 90-minute show with “Mutt.”

    “This song changed my life,” Thomas said.

    Leon Thomas headlined The Fillmore as part of his “Mutts Don’t Heal Tour” on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.

    Wednesday’s concert made one thing clear: Thomas is a man of many musical talents and even if they all don’t land, they are undeniable.

    He’s a true talent, cosigned by fellow artists like Ty Dolla $ign, that will hopefully be validated by golden gramophones on the forthcoming biggest night in music.

    And rightly so.

    Setlist for Leon Thomas’ “Mutts Don’t Heal Tour” at The Fillmore in Philadelphia on Nov. 19, 2025.

    “How Fast”

    “Dancing With Demons”

    “Far Fetched” (with Ty Dolla $ign)

    “Carnival” (with Ty Dolla $ign)

    “Lucid Dreams”

    “Vibes Don’t Lie”

    “Party Favors”

    “I Do”

    “My Muse”

    “Just How You Are”

    “Blue Hundreds”

    “Baccarat”

    “Sneak”

    “Slow Down”

    “Love Jones”

    “Yes It Is”

    “Say Yes” (Floetry cover)

    “Crash & Burn”

    “Treasure In The Hills”

    “I Used To”

    “Breaking Point”

    “Not Fair”

    “Mutt”

  • Bayada Home Health Care has appointed Bryony Winn as next CEO

    Bayada Home Health Care has appointed Bryony Winn as next CEO

    Bayada Home Health Care, a Moorestown nonprofit that is one of the nation’s largest providers of home health and related services, appointed Bryony Winn as its next CEO, Bayada announced Thursday.

    When she takes over March 2, Winn will be the first outside CEO of the organization that was founded in 1975 by entrepreneur J. Mark Baiada. He turned the company into a nonprofit in 2019.

    Winn will succeed the founder’s son, David, who has been CEO for eight years.

    Until this month, Winn was president of Caralon, a unit of health insurer Elevance that provides assorted services, including prior authorizations, to other health plans. Before that, she worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and as a consultant at McKinsey & Co.

    “Leading an organization like Bayada is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Winn said. “It’s a special organization that makes a real, tangible impact on people and health worldwide. I can’t wait to get started.”

    Until Winn arrives, David Baiada will remain CEO, and then will join the organization’s board of directors and act as an adviser to Winn.

    Bayada had roughly $2 billion in annual revenue last year, the organization said. In addition to traditional home healthcare, Bayada offers private-duty nursing and hospice care.

    In June, Bayada laid off about 10% of the staff in its Pennsauken offices, where back-office and other services are provided for the entire company. Bayada employs more than 30,000 people.

  • Plymouth Meeting Mall slated to be sold to Philly developer

    Plymouth Meeting Mall slated to be sold to Philly developer

    The Plymouth Meeting Mall may soon change hands.

    The mall’s current owner, PREIT, plans to sell the property to LA Partners, previously known as Lubert Adler Real Estate Funds, PREIT leadership confirmed Thursday, noting that the sale is still pending. PREIT did not disclose the price of the sale.

    PREIT, which is based in Philadelphia, also sold the Exton Square Mall to Abrams Realty & Development in March. PREIT also owns the Cherry Hill and Moorestown Malls.

    LA Partners executive chairman Dean Adler told the Philadelphia Business Journal, which first reported on the pending sale, that he expects to invest over $100 million to redevelop the mall. Early plans include adding residences.

    PREIT CEO Jared Chupaila said in a statement that the sale reflects the company’s “commitment to disciplined balance sheet management and liquidity generation.”

    “We believe LA Partners is uniquely positioned to build on the multipurpose hub we have laid the groundwork for, which has long served as a central part of Plymouth Township and the surrounding communities,” said Chupaila.

    PREIT has faced financial challenges in recent years. The business has filed for bankruptcy twice since 2020, and most recently emerged from bankruptcy as a private company in 2024 helmed by a group of investment firms.

    The Plymouth Meeting Mall, for its part, has tried to undergo a makeover in the last few years, following the 2017 closure of its anchor, a 215,000 square-foot Macy’s. Amid PREIT’s plans to “diversify the tenant mix” at the mall, nearly half the tenants there were either dining or entertainment businesses in 2018.

    Lubert Adler’s other properties include the Bellevue in Center City, which recently underwent extensive renovations, and the Battery, a former power plant in Fishtown redeveloped into a multipurpose complex.

    A spokesperson for LA Partners did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

    Peter Abrams, managing partner for Elkins Park-based Abrams Realty & Development, said the Plymouth Meeting Mall site “is the best-located large parcel of real estate in the Delaware Valley.”

    “There’s a lot of dead and dying malls in this country, and some of us, like myself and Dean Adler, understand the opportunity and aren’t afraid of the challenges, which are many,” said Abrams, who is behind proposed development plans at the Exton Square Mall.

    Boscov’s at Plymouth Meeting Mall on June 6, 2020.

    How did PREIT get here?

    At the time of PREIT’s bankruptcy filing in 2020, the business managed 4.7 million square feet of space in the region as the largest mall owner in the Philadelphia area.

    Consumers had already been shifting toward e-commerce before the pandemic. But as COVID forced nationwide shutdowns in 2020, some of PREIT’s tenants were forced to close, couldn’t pay rent, or didn’t want to, intensifying issues for the mall owner.

    Prior to the pandemic, PREIT sold off malls and tried to transform others by adding supermarkets, movie theaters, and apartments.

    Through the most recent bankruptcy process, PREIT shed $800 million in debt and gave up its stake in the Fashion District in Center City. When it emerged from bankruptcy last year, PREIT owned 13 malls across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.

    It’s a time of struggle and transition for many malls across the country, including several in the region that have survived beyond their heyday. In the Philadelphia suburbs, plans are in the works to redevelop mall sites including the Exton Square Mall and the former Echelon Mall in Voorhees.

  • As Cowboys prepare for ‘dangerous’ Eagles, their newest star is excited to finally face ‘cool’ Tush Push

    As Cowboys prepare for ‘dangerous’ Eagles, their newest star is excited to finally face ‘cool’ Tush Push

    On Sunday, the Eagles will travel to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to face the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 12 rematch of the season opener, which the Birds won, 24-20, at home.

    The Eagles (8-2) enter Sunday’s game as 3.5-point favorites as they try to move a step closer to clinching the NFC East. Meanwhile, the Cowboys (4-5-1) are coming off a 33-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football.

    Will the Birds sweep their rival for the second consecutive season? Or will the drama surrounding the Eagles push their on-field performance toward the brink of dysfunction? As both teams prepare, here’s what the Cowboys are saying about the Eagles:

    ‘These guys are dangerous’

    The Eagles’ first-place record didn’t come without obstacles. They’ve struggled to find an identity on offense through 10 games, A.J. Brown and Saquon Barkley haven’t been as productive as last season, and drama suddenly is surrounding Jalen Hurts in the locker room.

    Eagles drama is ‘disrespectful’ to Jalen Hurts; DeSean Jackson stirs the pot; and what else they’re saying

    However, that doesn’t give Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer any reason to doubt his opponents heading into their rematch.

    “Jalen is an incredible player,” Schottenheimer told reporters. “I think you can put their two receivers up there, with DeVonta [Smith] and A.J. [Brown], against anybody in the league. They’re very, very talented. So at any moment, they can strike. They’re explosive.

    “Then you mix in the runner — who is arguably the best, if not, one of the best in the league — in Saquon [Barkley]. You got tight ends, and then you got the offensive line. Everybody finds their flow at different times and this is a tough league. At the end of the day, I’m not looking at the film and saying, ‘These guys are struggling.’ I’m looking at this film and saying, ‘Man, these guys are dangerous.’”

    The Eagles ran the Tush Push against the Cowboys in Week 1 but didn’t have to face Quinnen Williams.

    ‘It all gels together’

    As the Cowboys prepare to play three games in 12 days, their first focus is on the Eagles. New Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is prepared to stop the Birds’ signature play, the Tush Push.

    “It’s a cool play that they do on second-and-short, on third-and-short, and fourth-and-short,” Williams, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the New York Jets, told reporters. “I’ve never been against it. … I’m excited to see the game plan. Excited to go against it. Excited to be able to try and stop it.”

    The Eagles had problems with the Tush Push against the Lions. Nick Sirianni has to adjust his coaching accordingly. | Mike Sielski

    Williams, a former teammate of Hurts at Alabama, says the Super Bowl MVP is one of the reasons the team has had so much success with the play.

    “I think they got a great technique and a great game plan, like everybody around the boards, to be able to make that play efficient,” Williams said. “You got a quarterback — I played with him at ’Bama, probably one of the strongest quarterbacks in the NFL. So you got a great offensive line that can be efficient in that play. So I think it all gels together.”

    Schottenheimer didn’t give away all his plans on how to stop the play, but he did mention bringing in “reinforcements” for Sunday.

    “They still do a very good job at it,” the first-year head coach said. “But, we’ve got some reinforcements in there and guys that have seen it. It’s a game of leverage, it really is. And I do think that, you know, the league is trying to make sure that it’s a legal play in terms of everyone getting off on the snap. But, they’re still really good at it. We’ll still see it. But we definitely have some reinforcements in there to give you a chance to win the leverage game.”

    NFL officials stand between Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (left) and Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) after Carter spit at Prescott. Carter was ejected.

    ‘[Jalen Carter] is a big difference’

    The Eagles scraped out a narrow win in their first meeting, despite an early exit for Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who spit on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before the first snap. With Carter set to play on Sunday, Schottenheimer understands he’ll have a big impact in their second meeting.

    “It’s a big difference,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s a really good player. He’s packaged in there with some really good players. Jordan Davis is obviously a really good player as well. There’s Jaelan Phillips. It’s a hell of a defense. They’re the best in the league, I think. Again, it’s going to be really, really tough. But we love that challenge, and we think we’re pretty good, too.”

    Eagles remain the favorite heading into Dallas, but Cowboys close the gap

    Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Smith agreed that Carter will make a difference once he steps onto the field at AT&T Stadium.

    “I think he’s a great player for them,” Smith told reporters. “I think the tape speaks for itself. Obviously, he’s a talented guy. A lot of the work that’s done for that team is on that D-line. So I think they’re a huge part of what they do there.”

    Cowboys running back Javonte Williams added: “Great player. Yeah, we didn’t play him the first game. But, I mean, no matter who is there, we just got to go out and play our game, execute, and do what we got to do.”

    Eagles cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean celebrate an interception during the season opener against the Cowboys.

    ‘He’s got a chance to be a star’

    Carter wasn’t the only defensive player the Cowboys praised ahead of Sunday’s game. Schottenheimer complimented Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean during his news conference on Wednesday.

    “[Mitchell is a] very good cover corner,” Schottenheimer said. “Physical, patient, he understands that there is a time clock the offense has to work with because they’re good at disrupting and affecting the quarterback.

    “But, I think the coverage skills, you’ve seen the growth. You’ve seen him improve and get better. I think he’s got a chance to be a star in this league and trending that way. And the versatility of Cooper DeJean is what they love about him. … The football instincts are off the charts. He’s got a knack for the ball. … They’ve done a great job with those two guys, for sure.”

    Quinyon Mitchell looked like an All-Pro vs. the Lions. His Florida family and friends were there to see it. | Marcus Hayes
  • A South Jersey woman will spend 8 years in prison for siphoning money from a nonprofit

    A South Jersey woman will spend 8 years in prison for siphoning money from a nonprofit

    The former chief financial officer of a Burlington County nonprofit was sentenced to eight years in state prison for stealing $2.5 million from the company for personal expenses, including settling her credit card debt and buying vacation homes and a Corvette Stingray sports car, officials said Thursday.

    Colleen Witten, 56, of Buena, Atlantic County, pleaded guilty in June to theft, money laundering, and tax evasion for the scheme, which took place during her time as an executive with OTC Services, a company that provides job training for adults with disabilities.

    New Jersey State Attorney General Matthew Platkin said Witten’s prosecution reflects his office’s “unbreakable commitment to pursue justice for victims and hold accountable those who abuse their positions of trust to commit crimes.”

    Witten’s attorney, Brendan Kavanagh, did not immediately return a request for comment.

    Prosecutors said Witten altered corporate board meeting minutes to give herself the authority to open a company bank account, and then used the account to siphon money between May 2019 and March 2024.

    She disguised the theft by laundering the money through checks issued to a landscaping business she owned with her husband, and the couple failed to pay taxes on these funds.

    Witten’s husband, Allan, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of receiving stolen property for accepting money from the nonprofit for work he knew his business did not perform. He was sentenced to three years in state prison.

  • Trump administration steers $1 billion to Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania’s shuttered nuclear power plant championed by Shapiro

    Trump administration steers $1 billion to Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania’s shuttered nuclear power plant championed by Shapiro

    The U.S. Department of Energy will loan $1 billion to help finance the reopening of Three Mile Island, a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania that has been renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center.

    The nuclear plant is owned by Constellation Energy Corp. and located on an island in the Susquehanna River just outside Harrisburg. The federal loan will lower Constellation’s price tag to get the mothballed plant running again, an effort that was already put on an accelerated timeline with the support of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro over the summer.

    The plant shuttered its one functioning reactor in 2019 when its then-parent company Exelon said it was losing money and that state lawmakers wouldn’t subsidize it. The one other reactor at the Londonderry Township site was destroyed in 1979 in the nation’s worst commercial nuclear power accident.

    “Constellation’s restart of a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania will provide affordable, reliable, and secure energy to Americans across the Mid-Atlantic region,” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in a statement. “It will also help ensure America has the energy it needs to grow its domestic manufacturing base and win the AI race.”

    Constellation announced last year that it planned to spend $1.6 billion to reopen the plant as the demand for energy increases. The company announced a 20-year agreement with Microsoft to buy the power for its data centers.

    Shapiro has supported that plan and touted pushing grid operator PJM to approve an early interconnection request for the site. Constellation employees celebrated with the governor in July with news that the plant’s last working reactor would be slated to open as early as 2027, a year ahead of schedule.

    Joe Dominguez, president and CEO of Constellation, said in a statement this week that the DOE and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have “made it possible for us to vastly expedite this restart without compromising quality or safety.”

    Constellation spokesperson Mark Rodgers said Thursday the loan “supports” the already-existing plan.

    When asked for comment on the federal loan, Shapiro did not mention the federal financing or the Trump administration at all, focusing instead on his own administration’s efforts.

    “In Pennsylvania, we’re doubling down on our legacy of energy leadership by taking big, decisive steps to build new sources of power,” Shapiro said in a statement. “As an all-of-the-above energy Governor, my Administration is supporting new energy projects from all sources —from natural gas and solar to geothermal and nuclear.”

    “The Crane Clean Energy Center takes advantage of our Commonwealth’s energy assets and brings more energy onto the grid, creating jobs and more opportunity for Pennsylvanians,” he added.

    A group of people who called themselves survivors of the plant’s 1979 partial meltdown protested the reopening plan earlier this year.

    Trump’s administration has said bolstering nuclear power and artificial intelligence are among its priorities.

    Constellation is working to restore equipment for the plant, including the turbine, generator, main power transformer and cooling and control systems. Its 835-megawatt reactor can power the equivalent of approximately 800,000 homes, according to the DOE.

    The agency said in a statement that the reactor “will provide reliable and affordable baseload power,” in turn helping to lower electricity costs, strengthen the reliability of the energy grid, and “advance the Administration’s mission to lead in global AI innovation and restore domestic manufacturing industries.”

    Sen. Dave McCormick, a Republican who has championed embracing tech and energy in Pennsylvania, said in a statement that the state is “leading America’s energy independence and the AI revolution by providing safe, clean, reliable nuclear power.” He said the center brings 3,400 jobs and “carbon-free electricity operating 24/7 to meet our increasing energy demands and economic growth across the region.”

    The loan is being issued under an existing $250 billion energy infrastructure program initially authorized by Congress in 2022. Neither the department nor Constellation released terms of the loan.

    The plan to restart the reactor comes during a sort of renaissance for nuclear power, as policymakers are increasingly looking to it to shore up the nation’s power supply, help avoid the worst effects of climate change, and meet rising power demand driven by data centers.

    The Associated Press contributed to this article.

  • The Union’s 2026 MLS schedule is set. Here’s what to know about it.

    The Union’s 2026 MLS schedule is set. Here’s what to know about it.

    MLS usually makes its schedule announcement with lots of fanfare, but this time, it jumped straight in out of almost nowhere.

    The league announced its 2026 calendar on Thursday, confirming news everyone had been waiting for: a World Cup break from May 25-July 16.

    With five MLS stadiums hosting tournament games and many more serving as practice sites, the notion that there would be a lengthy stoppage felt ever-present.

    Now we know the details. May 25 is FIFA’s mandatory reporting date for players in the tournament, and the last league games before then will be on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24. The Union will play on the latter, and it will be a big one: at Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the Herons’ new stadium, currently under construction next to Miami’s airport.

    Inter Miami’s new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, will open next year.

    That will also be one of three Union regular-season games on network television, with a prime-time kickoff on Fox. The others are March 14 at Atlanta United (also on Fox) and Sept. 9 vs. FC Cincinnati on FS1.

    International fans with World Cup tickets coming to America next summer can get a priority visa. Here’s how.

    The Union open the season on the road against D.C. United on Feb. 21, and will play their home opener on March 1 against New York City FC. The latter is one of four home games with afternoon kickoffs, two in March and two in October.

    Jay Sugarman wants the Union to get more respect, and knows winning MLS Cup will make that happen

    The MLS season will resume on the weekend of the World Cup final, with six games across Thursday and Friday between the semifinals and final. The Union won’t be in those games, though, as their campaign won’t resume until July 22 — the Wednesday after the tournament ends — against Red Bull New York (the slightly-rebranded New York Red Bulls) at Subaru Park.

    The Seattle Sounders will visit three days later on July 25, followed by another marquee home game against Atlanta United on Aug. 1.

    Cristian Roldan (right) might visit the Union with the Seattle Sounders soon after playing in the World Cup for the United States, if he makes the team.

    Messi’s visit here, at least in theory, is set for Aug. 19, a Wednesday. The Argentine superstar might also play close to town on March 7 when D.C. United hosts Miami at M&T Bank Stadium, the home of the Baltimore Ravens. That game is a 4:30 p.m. kickoff, and enterprising fans could catch it before the Union host the San Jose Earthquakes at 7:30 p.m. that night in Chester.

    The Union’s marquee road trip of the season is the team’s first matchup with San Diego FC, out west on Sept. 13. Though it will take place after the school year resumes, many fans will likely circle it.

    The Union clinched their second Supporters’ Shield thanks to three key veterans

    They might also circle Aug. 16, when the Union visit New York City FC. Along with being a rivalry clash, it will be the last time the Union play at Yankee Stadium before the Pigeons open their own home in Queens (next door to the Mets’ Citi Field) in 2027.

    The worst game of the year weather-wise is likely the Aug. 22 visit to Austin FC, a scorching time of year in Texas. Toward the opposite end of the weather spectrum, the Union visit CF Montréal for the Canadian club’s home opener on April 11, when it will still be fairly chilly up north.

    Next year will bring the Union’s last game at Yankee Stadium before New York City opens its new stadium in Queens in 2027.

    The regular season concludes with the usual Decision Day of simultaneous kickoffs on Nov. 7, with the Union hosting Toronto. MLS will then pause for a week for November’s FIFA window (Nov. 9-17), then at long last get an uninterrupted run for its playoffs.

    Though the league said its postseason schedule will be announced later, it seems the final will be later in December than its recent home on the first weekend of the month.

    Behind a complete ‘body of work,’ Union manager Bradley Carnell wins MLS Coach of the Year

    The Leagues Cup will also be played at some point next year, and the Union are expected to be in it. That schedule will be set later.

    Also, 2026 will be the last year when MLS runs a summer-centric calendar. The league will flip to a winter-centric one in 2027, running a short season in the first half of that year before starting the new full calendar in July.

    Union fans will have to get used to watching more games in cold weather after next year.

    2026 Union schedule

    All games will be broadcast on Apple TV. MLS Season Pass is no longer, with the league’s games now included in the same package with baseball, Formula 1, and scripted shows like Ted Lasso and Severance.

    Union season ticket holders, and season ticket holders of all MLS teams, will be able to get Apple TV free of charge as part of their 2026 packages.

    MLS will move to a winter-centric schedule in 2027

    Saturday, Feb. 21: at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.

    Sunday, March 1: vs. New York City FC, 4:30 p.m.

    Saturday, March 7: vs. San Jose Earthquakes , 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, March 14: at Atlanta United, 3 p.m. (also on Fox29 and Fox Deportes)

    Saturday, March 21: vs. Chicago Fire, 4:30 p.m.

    Saturday, April 4: at Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, April 11: at CF Montréal, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, April 18: vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.

    Wednesday, April 22: at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, April 25: at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m

    Saturday, May 2: vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, May 9: at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.

    Wednesday May 13: at Orlando City, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, May 16: vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.

    Sunday, May 24: at Inter Miami, 7 p.m. (also on Fox29 and Fox Deportes; last game before the World Cup break)

    Wednesday, July 22: vs. Red Bull New York, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, July 25: vs. Seattle Sounders, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, Aug. 1: vs. Atlanta United, 7:30 p.m.

    Sunday, Aug. 16: at New York City FC, 6:30 p.m. (at Yankee Stadium)

    Wednesday, Aug. 19: vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, Aug. 22: at Austin FC, 8:30 p.m.

    Saturday, Aug. 29: at Red Bull New York, 7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, Sept. 5: vs. CF Montréal, 7:30 p.m.

    Wednesday, Sept. 9: vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. (also on FS1 and Fox Deportes)

    Sunday, Sept. 13: at San Diego FC, 9 p.m.

    Saturday, Sept. 19: at Sporting Kansas City

    Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Orlando City SC

    Saturday, Oct. 10: vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m.

    Wednesday, Oct. 14: at Chicago Fire, 8:30 p.m.

    Saturday, Oct. 17: vs. Charlotte FC, 2:30 p.m.

    Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.

    Wednesday, Oct. 28: at Nashville SC, 8:30 p.m.

    Saturday, Oct. 31: at FC Cincinnati, time TBD

    Saturday, Nov. 7: vs. Toronto FC, 4 p.m.

  • Haverford College president to step down in 2027

    Haverford College president to step down in 2027

    Haverford College president Wendy Raymond announced she will retire in June 2027, and the college plans to launch a search for her replacement early in the new year.

    The announcement comes after a particularly difficult year for the college and Raymond, who faced intense grilling in May by a Republican-led congressional committee probing antisemitism complaints on college campuses. The school also is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education over its handling of antisemitism complaints.

    “This was not an easy decision, but after more than three decades in higher education, I am ready to step away from academia,” Raymond said in her message to campus.

    U.S. Department of Education launches investigation into Haverford College over antisemitism complaints

    Her news comes just two days after she announced John McKnight, the dean of the college, would be leaving in June for a new role at Dartmouth College.

    Raymond said she wanted to give the college’s board of managers time to search for a replacement.

    Raymond, 65, a molecular biologist, became president of the 1,470-student liberal arts college on the Main Line in July 2019. She came to Haverford from Davidson College in North Carolina, where she had been vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty.

    She has been in the job longer than her three most recent predecessors, Kim Benston, who served four years; Daniel Weiss, who was there two; and Stephen G. Emerson, who had four years.

    With ‘grace and invitation,’ Haverford’s new president has much to teach

    In her announcement, she noted accomplishments including the completion of a strategic plan, efforts to advance diversity, equity, and access, the launch of the Institute for Ethical Leadership and Inquiry named for board chair Michael B. Kim, and the new recital hall.

    She also acknowledged challenges, including the pandemic, the strike for racial justice in 2020 in which students refused to attend class and demanded that Haverford do more to support its Black and brown students, and “more recent times of social unrest and public scrutiny.”

    Haverford students on strike after college officials’ comments on Walter Wallace Jr. death

    Raymond earlier this year in a message to the campus acknowledged that she “came up short” in dealing with conflict over antisemitism complaints and said both she and Haverford can do better.

    “To Jewish members of our community who felt as if the College was not there for you, I am sorry that my actions and my leadership let you down,” she said in that message.

    Haverford was the only local college earlier this year to receive an F on a report card by the Anti-Defamation League for its response to antisemitism — a rating given to less than 10% of schools nationwide. The ADL’s methodology for categorizing antisemitism has been questioned, and critics have argued that criticism of the state of Israel and its government have been wrongly conflated with antisemitism.

    Congressional committee demands answers from Haverford College on its handling of antisemitism complaints

    But the F rating caught the attention of the congressional Committee on Education and Workforce, which called on Raymond and two other college presidents to testify in May. Raymond took the worst of the grilling, largely because she was reluctant to answer questions about discipline for alleged antisemitism, especially in specific cases. Raymond testified that the college does not release data on student suspensions and expulsions.

    In June, the committee demanded answers about faculty and student discipline. And in August, the education department, which has launched a flurry of investigations of colleges regarding antisemitism, said it would probe Haverford.

    The investigation follows “credible reports that Haverford has failed to respond as required by law to multiple incidents of discrimination and harassment against Jewish and Israeli students on its campus,” the department said at the time.

    In her testimony to the congressional committee, Raymond noted the college had made a plethora of changes to address concerns about antisemitism, including changes in the antibias policy and rules around protesting, steps to revise the honor code, and increases in campus safety at events.

    Kim, the board chair, thanked Raymond for her service amid a difficult time in a message to campus Thursday.

    “She has guided the College with great care during periods of both remarkable growth and significant challenge,” he said. “During her tenure, Haverford has welcomed two of its largest incoming classes, increased support for student resources, access, and engagement, and continued to graduate students who use their liberal arts education to effect positive change in the world.”

    Raymond said in her Thursday message that through the challenges, “ … the College has remained strong and resolute in its mission to foster a campus culture of belonging and respect, where academic freedom and freedom of expression remain fundamental to Haverford’s nearly 200 years of academic excellence and open inquiry, and where our values guide us through new territory.”