That’s what a former Comcast retail employee says would happen, according to a new lawsuit filed against the Philadelphia-headquartered company.
David Figueroa, a former employee at a retail location in Connecticut, alleges a store manager subjected workers to hazing and assault, forcing him to quit within a month of employment. That treatment included a monthly ritual where an employee was tied to a chair and smashed in the face with a cream pie. The antics were also videotaped.
Comcast, the $125 billion-a-year media and communications giant, operates hundreds of retail stores nationwide. The stores act as point-of-sales locations for Xfinity products, including internet and TV products. They also offer equipment swaps and general customer support.
“The Company has zero tolerance for harassment, humiliation, or any behavior that compromises a respectful and safe workplace,” Comcast spokesperson John Demming said in a statement. “This matter is in litigation so we will not comment on the specific allegations, other than to say that we disagree with the claims in the complaint and its characterization of the alleged events, and intend to fully respond through the legal process.”
According to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Figueroa against Comcast, he was hired as a retail sales consultant in February at a retail location in Plainville, Conn., about 15 minutes outside of Hartford.
But Figueroa said he was quickly rattled by his direct supervisor, the store’s manager, for her treatment of the staff. That store manager is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Demming declined to comment on the manager’s current employment status, citing personnel matters.
The lawsuit says the store’s manager tracked employee sales metrics on a whiteboard in the back office that all employees could see. In the corner of that whiteboard, employees’ names were correlated to an emoji. The employee with the lowest monthly sales was listed next to an upset-looking emoji with a pie on its face, according to photos included in court documents.
“[The chart] identified the employees who either had been recently assaulted or were scheduled to be assaulted in this way,” the lawsuit says.
On Feb. 25, Figueroa witnessed a coworker being tied to the chair and assaulted in the face with a pie. The store manager “ordered, was present for, and videotaped this assault, as did the Plaintiff and other coworkers,” the lawsuit says. The coworker who struck the tied-up employee “had better sales results” and was ordered “to assault his poorer performing co-worker, in front of his peers,” the suit says.
Figueroa’s coworkers showed him a video of another pieing incident where the assistant sales manager was hit in the face with a pie because of a poor survey score from a customer, according to the lawsuit.
He attempted to report the incident to the store’s regional manager, who instructed Figueroa to send a text message documenting his concerns. According to the lawsuit, the regional manager “never responded” to Figueroa’s complaints about the store’s “hostile and violent work environment,” leading to his resignation.
The Plainville retail location could not be reached for comment.
Figueroa “suffered a pervasive and ongoing fear of being subjected to management-condoned assaults and public humiliation in the workplace,” the lawsuit says. Now, he’s suing Comcast for damages, including past and future financial, emotional, and reputational harm caused by the incident, along with court fees.
It’s not the first time Comcast has found itself in a lawsuit involving a former employee. As reported on by The Inquirer, severalpastlawsuits waged by former employees have touched on hostile work environments at different Comcast stores, facilities, and call centers.
The company reported lower profits last week, citing drops in domestic residential broadband customers in the second quarter.
An X (formerly Twitter) account that’s been around since 2017 has only ever had one question: Is LeBron James a 76er yet?
After having lost hope and gone dormant years back, the anonymous account has returned for what fans are calling “the greatest re-login” of all time.
It was a moment of redemption when @IsBronA76erYet came back online Friday. The user didn’t use words, but rather posted a popular GIF from the TV show BMF, where one of the main characters, Lamar, opens his eyes while on oxygen after waking from a coma. Millions of viewers knew exactly what they meant.
You see, not much is known about X user @IsBronA76erYet besides their fandom. X stats show the account was created in July 2017, is based in the United States, and follows only two accounts — take a wild guess who.
@IsBronA76erYet followed a format popular across Twitter accounts throughout the aughts. The “is [insert topic] XYZ yet” accounts were devoted to constantly answering a lingering question, usually in the pop culture realm, with a brief status update.
Know Your Meme has documented dozens of so-called “gimmick accounts” on Twitter over the years, with the earliest examples dating back to 2007, according to managing editor Zach Sweat.
Examples include “Is Winds of Winter out yet?” an account devoted to George R.R. Martin’s sixth novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, @knickswintrack, which follows if the Knicks have won, or “Is GTA 6 out yet?” which has been waiting since 2019 for the latest Grand Theft Auto installment.
“When these pop up dedicated to a specific event, most of the time they fizzle out or are forgotten when the thing they’re dedicated to never happens,” Sweat said. “However, when they do come true, people love digging them up and reviving them, and it’s always really funny seeing them come back to life and seeing how users react to them like they were an oracle or something.”
Over the course of @IsBronA76erYet’s lifespan, it would repeatedly just tweet: “No.”
There was a brief moment of hope for this devoted X user in August of 2017 when media outlets suggested James was done with the Cleveland Cavaliers. “No, but soon,” the account mused.
But in 2018, when James announced he was headed to the Los Angeles Lakers, the user took it like a dagger to the heart. “He never will be now,” the user tweeted on July 1, 2018. “Time to deactivate.” The account went quiet.
No. He never will be now. Time to deactivate
— Is Lebron A 76er Yet (@IsBronA76erYet) July 2, 2018
For years, fans speculated that James’ retirement from the league was imminent. Even James, the NBA’s oldest active player at 41, said there were moments he thought he was done, too.
“I was pretty sure I played my last game,” James said in a series of social media posts Friday morning. “I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
That’s when the figurative oxygen tank started hissing for this X user — or probably more likely, when they started fervently trying to find their old dormant account’s login information.
At 9 p.m. Friday, it was the tweet seen around the world.
Is LeBron A 76er Yet was back.
Their prophecy had been fulfilled. And the internet was there to see it.
— Is Lebron A 76er Yet (@IsBronA76erYet) July 25, 2026
The wordless post with the GIF has been viewed over 50 million times and has 1 million likes — more than the 400,000 or so likes for ESPN insider Shams Charania’s post breaking the news about James in the first place.
Users have been enamored with the account’s determination.
“One million likes from a non verified account who’s finally got Bron in Philly, after not tweeting for 7 years. We’ll never see this organic tweet ever again,” one user wrote. The account “rose from the ashes,” said another. “Remembering the password on an account you haven’t been able to use in eight years is worth the [likes] alone,” another remarked.
On Monday, @IsBronA76erYet posted again. This time, they wrote something they’ve never gotten to say before. One word, three letters. “Yes.”
Well, that didn’t take long. Days after the World Cup wrapped up, fans are reselling their once highly coveted swag.
The FIFA World Cup resale market is on fire, and that includes Fan Fest attendees profiting off their freebies, including the viral Bank of America charm bracelets.
For those uninitiated: Throughout the duration of the World Cup, fans at U.S. host cities lined up in droves to get their hands on free swag, especially these darned bracelets.
Mimicking a Pandora bracelet, the “Fan Bands” are composed of a red, blue, or black woven band and an assortment of metal charms laced through. Available charms included numbers, flags, a World Cup trophy, and designs that pair with World Cup host cities. Philly, for instance, had boxing gloves, a cheesesteak, and the LOVE statue.
It was the World Cup’s hottest free accessory, but it cost interested parties hours of their time. At one point, wait times in Philadelphia were reported to be four to eight hours. Weeks later, Philly’s Fan Fest refashioned the waiting process, citing high demand. Instead of a free-for-all giant line, organizers nationwide pivoted to a ticketed system with set time windows to receive bracelets.
Bank of America called the demand for the bracelets “unprecedented.”
Now, they’re a relic of a time that has come and gone — and are selling for anywhere from $10 to $150, no line required.
Fashion expert and pro-thrifter Virginia Chamlee says this isn’t surprising.
“The secondary market for the FIFA Fan Fest bracelets is all about scarcity and exclusivity — the second something is ‘free but limited,’ or ‘difficult to obtain,’ it stops being a souvenir, and it becomes a status symbol,” she said. “So people aren’t really buying free beads; they’re buying the two-hour line they didn’t actually wait in.”
On Facebook Marketplace, dozens of bracelets are listed across Philadelphia. Some sellers said they waited about an hour; one said they volunteered at Fan Fest, which gave them easy access to swag; another said they were selling after snagging the bracelets for their kids, who evidently didn’t like their charm selection.
In a few listings, bracelet-holders are hoping to trade with others for different charms.
On eBay, things get more intense. A recent scan, filtering for sold listings, shows bracelets have allegedly sold for as much as $500 in some cases. There was also a listing that sold for $1,000 that included bracelets from nearly every host city. By the knockout rounds of the World Cup, Bank of America unveiled a handful of additional commemorative charms. Bracelets with those charms are in especially high demand.
As of Tuesday, eBay showed over 1,600 active listings for the Fan Bands. Chamlee says it all boils down to desire, and maybe a little bit of FOMO.
“To me, this is no different from paying for a resold Taylor Swift Eras tour tee when you didn’t actually go to the concert, or a Trader Joe’s tote that’s been considerably marked up,” Chamlee said. “In these cases, the price isn’t really set by the object itself (i.e. how much it cost to produce) but by how badly someone wants to say they were there.”
Bank of America says the Fan Bands’ success has exceeded expectations. The company had more than 2 million bracelets and 10 million beads to distribute, it said in a statement at the beginning of the World Cup. Within the first two weeks of the tournament’s nearly six-week run, the company announced it had given away more than 700,000 bracelets across the 11 host cities.
“For Bank of America, this is a marketing win by almost any metric,” Chamlee said. “A giveaway meant to build brand goodwill has evolved into a resale market. That’s free earned media most brands would pay millions for.”
New findings about an alien asteroid are out, and it’s all thanks to a New Jersey couple after an uninvited hazard crashed into their home two years ago.
In July 2024, a meteorite shot through the sky. Observers across the Northeast said they witnessed a fireball at the time.
Before reaching Earth, the asteroid had a mass of 115 pounds, according to calculations based on the fireball’s brightness, speed, and sonic boom. Most of the mass — which blazed through the atmosphere at 32,000 mph — was annihilated. The news went quiet.
NASA said at the time that the rock likely hadn’t survived. No one reported anything making it to the ground.
But in a quiet Hillsborough, N.J., residence, a couple’s home started violently shaking at around 11:15 a.m. The male homeowner — who requested anonymity citing privacy concerns — told the New York Times the crash caused a hole in the ceiling above his bed.
A handout photo shows damage to the ceiling, attic, and roof of a home in Hillsborough, N.J., that was struck by a meteorite on July 16, 2024. A New Jersey couple helped scientists uncover the makeup of an unusual asteroid after it fell into their bedroom.VIA THE NEW YORK TIMES
“Good thing I didn’t sleep in,” he told the Times. The meteorite fragment also had an odor: rotten, sulfurous, with fine black soot and dark rocks.
TheSomerset County couple spent weeks gathering what would amount to about three pounds of extraterrestrial material, using disposable gloves, aluminum foil, and glass jars on the advice of scientists who would later study the findings in detail.
They painstakingly extracted every fleck of meteor dust they could find, using tape to peel microscopic bits off walls, and buying a new vacuum cleaner to exclusively suck up cosmic particles from the carpet, they told the Times.
“We were extremely meticulous,” one of the homeowners said. “The only thing we were missing were the hazmat suits.”
And they told no one about the meteorite except immediate family and the scientists — until now.
“Thanks to the homeowner’s quick reaction, these are the most pristine [meteorites] we know of,” saidPeter Jenniskens of the SETI Institute(a nonprofit institute that studies extraterrestrial intelligence)and NASA’s Ames Research Center.
Two years later, the secret is out.
A journal published Wednesday by ScienceAdvances details the homeowners’ findings and the contents of the meteorite.
As it turns out, the fragments showed scientists that the meteorite was made of a rare and primitive material. The study also revealed that before the fragments broke off, the meteorite had been covered in brine. Meteor experts say that’s a new observation and suggests the meteorite’s parent asteroid had liquid water that evaporated.
Researchers said high concentrations of salt in brines could “create molecules crucial to life on Earth.” The meteorite also held a mix of soluble organic compounds, including amino acids, and compounds found in blood and used in photosynthesis in living organisms.
Does that mean we absolutely have proof of aliens now? Not so fast.
But experts say it does help scientists understand what building blocks of life may have been delivered to the early Earth.
Now that the study of the meteorite is wrapped, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City will receive some of the fragments.
“We are thrilled that nature delivered such a precious asteroid sample on our doorstep,” museum curator Denton Ebel told CBS.
As for the meteorite’s name? It wasn’t New Jersey-born, but it sure was New Jersey-bred. The meteorite was named Hillsborough, for the roof it crashed through and the couple who helped preserve it.
Think you know your news? There’s only one way to find out. Welcome back to our weekly News Quiz — a quick way to see if your reading habits are sinking in and to put your local news knowledge to the test.
Question 1 of 10
When did the Trump administration carry out the replacement of the President’s House exhibit at Independence Mall?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
President Donald Trump’s administration has installed its own version of history at the President’s House, swapping panels on the brutality of slavery at the site for displays that experts say sanitize George Washington’s role as an enslaver. The change happened overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, hours after the city hosted MLB All-Star Game events near the site, allowing the government to switch out the displays and shut down the television screens without public scrutiny.
Question 2 of 10
How are SEPTA and Amtrak responding to the current heat wave?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The extreme heat warning led transit agencies to slow down trains to ensure safe travel amid highs in the upper 90s. Amtrak and SEPTA were slowing trains down by 5 to 10 mph.
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Question 3 of 10
There’s a 1920s house for sale on Canterbury Road in Abington whose prior residents may include the heir to an internationally known local ___ company.
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The $1.2M house is thought to have ties to a famous shoe heir. The previous owners who sold the house in 2013 passed on a framed print from the early days of Laird & Schober Shoes, a Philadelphia company that rose to international prominence in the early 20th century. The company won an award from the Franklin Institute in 1900 for shoe manufacturing, and collaborated with famed Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli.
Question 4 of 10
During his scheduled appearance at a defense industry summit in Central Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump took the opportunity to take some jabs at Gov. Josh Shapiro as the governor runs for reelection. Trump called Shapiro this:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
“This guy Shapiro is totally overrated. I watched him the other night doing a speech, and he does not have what it takes,” Trump said in Carlisle. “Maybe he’ll win, and he’s expected to win, but I hear things about Stacy [Garrity], and I’m hearing some poll numbers that are very good. But Shapiro is — he doesn’t have what it takes.” Shapiro, who also attended the summit, held back from pointedly criticizing Trump’s foreign aggression during his panel, and he left the summit before the president’s appearance.
Question 5 of 10
This local personality has the most-searched Wikipedia pages of celebrities born in Lower Merion or Narberth:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Topping the list is Narberth native Kylie Kelce, who is also among the top 100 searched celebrities in the region, ranking No. 50 overall. Part of her online rise came about after her podcast “Not Gonna Lie” launched in late 2024.
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A 17-year-old from Lower Merion was booed during the Home Run Derby. How did he respond?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
“I loved that,” 17-year-old Reed Weiner said of the boos. “I think it’s an honor, to be honest. Like, when I go to Phillies games, I love that stuff. I’ll boo everyone.”
Question 7 of 10
What is the goal of the Sunshine Protection Act, which passed in the House?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to extend the amount of daylight when Americans are most active by making daylight saving time permanent. Critics say the concept has drawbacks.
Question 8 of 10
Listed on Margate restaurant Tideline’s drink menu, the ‘Liquid Asset’ is a pricey cocktail. That’s because it comes with this item on the side:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The drink consists of top-shelf tequila, a big ice cube, and a red chili pepper — for the hefty price of $1.1 million. It comes with a custom-built 39-foot speedboat. If someone buys the “cocktail,” they’ll be presented with a contract to sign off on the purchase price, the boat, and all its features — plus a special engraved bottle of Clase Azul Gold tequila and the cocktail itself.
Question 9 of 10
The Emmy Awards will be a Philly affair. Fresh off concluding its fifth season, the Emmy-winning powerhouse Abbott Elementary returns to the awards ceremony with how many nominations?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Abbott Elementary received seven nominations, including outstanding comedy series and outstanding casting. West Philly’s Quinta Brunson, Abbott’s star and creator, was nominated for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her role as Janine Teagues and outstanding writing for a comedy series for the episode “Team Building.” Brunson won an outstanding lead actress Emmy for the same role in 2023 and an outstanding writing award for the Abbott pilot in 2022.
Question 10 of 10
Call Your Mother, the Washington, D.C.-based bagel sandwich shop, has signed for a third Philadelphia location. Where did the married couple and owners, Andrew Dana and chef Daniela Moreira, first meet?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Seems like you’ve been skimming more than reading there, buddy. There’s always next week.
You’ve read some articles (or made some educated guesses) but we wouldn’t come to you first for our local news recaps. Better luck next week!
Do you work here? You’re a local news stan with the latest updates on Philly happenings. Your friends definitely ask you for summaries on what’s going on and it shows.
The House passed a bill Tuesday that would make daylight saving time permanent.
Proponents, including President Donald Trump, say the switch would amount to more daylight during the times when Americans are most active. The act is in turn called the Sunshine Protection Act
Trump called the House’s vote “great news for America.”
But critics say it’s not that simple, citing public safety and health issues.
So, if the change really means more sunlight, what could go wrong? And haven’t we tried this before? Here is everything we know so far about a potential switch to permanent daylight saving time.
What is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time is the period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the United States are set one hour ahead of standard time.
The protocol provides the advantage of pushing back the night, allowing for long summer nights.
So what is standard time?
Standard time is the time without daylight saving in effect.
We are currently observing daylight saving (from March through November). Standard is what most of the country would revert to in November — “falling back” an hour — but not if the Sunshine Protection Act has its way.
Some lawmakers have also proposed a permanent standard time, which is favored by sleep researchers and medical professionals. But that is not on the table right now.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has advocated for year-round standard time, saying moving the clocks forward presents “significant public health and safety risks” from sleep deprivation.
What states honor which time?
Most of the United States alternates between daylight saving and standard time. The exceptions are Hawaii and most of Arizona, which stay on standard time all year long.
What do supporters say about permanent daylight saving time?
The argument for daylight saving time hinges on what could be accomplished with an extra hour or so of sunlight. Supporters say the pros include basics like more time for youth recreational sports in daylight and more time for summer grilling.
Businesses, from outdoor amusement parks and restaurants with patio seating to retail shops, say more sunlight could mean more time for spending money. Experts say a permanent switch could boost retail and tourism spending.
What do critics say about permanent daylight saving time?
Detractors say permanent daylight saving time would lead to darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings when children would be waiting for school buses and adults would be commuting to work in darkness.
“Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in complete darkness, with the sun not rising until long after people get up and travel to school or work or have to go about their days,” said U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D., Pa.), who voted against the bill. Scanlon also advocated for a bill she introduced that would support permanent standard time, which has not gained traction.
U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D., Mass.) voted in favor of the bill, but he questioned whether it was the best way for Congress to be spending its time.
“For folks getting crushed by rent, groceries, utility bills, and healthcare costs, is this really the best the majority can do?” McGovern asked. “Is this really the most pressing issue before the American people at this moment?”
Agricultural advocates also say permanent daylight saving time would negatively affect their crops and livestock, resulting in delayed harvesting, behavioral disruptions, and product loss.
How would permanent daylight saving time look in Philadelphia and across the Northeast?
Pretty dark in the mornings! Because of Philly’s position on the eastern edge of the Eastern time zone, permanent daylight saving time would mean about an hour more of sun before it sets in the evening.
But it would also mean winter sunrises rolling in until as late as around 8:30 a.m. This rings true for areas of New York and New Jersey, too.
Critics caution this would impact morning commutes, circadian rhythms, and general health.
Was the nation ever on year-round daylight saving time? How did it go?
During World War II, the nation moved up the clocks year-round from 1942 to 1945, in what officially was designated “War Time.” The hour switch then became a local option again until 1966, when the Uniform Time Act divided the clock year into standard and daylight saving time.
Later, during the energy crisis of the 1970s, the United States tried year-round daylight saving time, but the experiment was wildly unpopular.
The National School Boards Association called for the experiment’s immediate end because school buses were picking up students in darkness.
The experiment was supposed to last two years — it was abandoned after 10 months.
Where do the House and Senate stand?
The House vote was 308-117.
The Senate’s stance is unclear, with senators expressing mixed feelings so far.
A similar Senate version of the Sunshine Protection Act previously stalled because senators said they needed more time to review the legislation.
Neither of Pennsylvania’s senators has commented publicly about the current legislation. In 2022, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, then Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, said he supported a similar bipartisan bill pushing for permanent daylight saving time.
Sen. Dave McCormick, a Republican, has not voted on the issue previously.
Would permanent daylight saving time happen this year?
It’s a race against the clock. The House approved its legislation to make daylight saving time permanent, but the Senate would have to do the same before the act could get signed into law. If that does not happen by this fall, Americans will still be expected to turn their clocks back to standard time.
As it stands, the current Sunshine Protection Act language does not include a start date. According to the Time and Date website, if the act became law before the November switch, the United States would “lock the clock” where it is. But if it were signed into law during standard time, the nation would perform a final “spring forward” in March and then stay in daylight saving time.
When does daylight saving time end in 2026?
Daylight saving time is scheduled to end when the clocks “fall back” on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 a.m. — returning to standard time. This happens on the first Sunday in November.
Staff writer Anthony R. Wood contributed to this article, which contains information from the Associated Press.
Genetic testing company 23andMe and a group of attorneys general nationwide have reached a multimillion-dollar settlement following the major data breach that led to the company’s demise three years ago.
More than 40 attorneys general, including Pennsylvania‘s Dave Sunday, announced the national $18 million settlement with the genetic testing company Tuesday.
“This company was trusted by millions of Americans to safeguard very private data and information, but failed to do so, learning about a data breach far too late, then pointing fingers at their own customers,” Sunday said in a statement. “I find it appalling that a company dealing with customers’ personal information would be so lax about their system protections, then have the audacity to deny and attempt to wash their hands of wrongdoing.”
As part of the settlement, Pennsylvania will receive $491,902. Nearly 200,000 Pennsylvanians were impacted by the data breach, according to the state attorney general’s office. About 150,000 customers were impacted in New Jersey, which will receive nearly $410,000, said the state’s attorney general, Jennifer Davenport.
Here’s what else we know.
What happened with the 23andMe data breach?
In October 2023, 23andMe launched an investigation after a “threat actor” claimed to have obtainedmillions of users’ personal data.
By December, the company confirmed through a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that a hacker directly accessed 0.1% of its users’ accounts, or about 14,000 profiles. Still, because of the networks users can build, connecting their information to possible relatives, the hacker was able to view the information of millions of users.
A spokesperson for the company told news outlets at the time that 6.9 million people had been affected: about 5.5 million customers who had opted into 23andMe’s “DNA Relatives” feature and 1.4 million users whose family tree information was accessed.
Of those customers, 192,093 were in Pennsylvania.
What information was accessed?
Information accessed included:
Display name, profile picture, and birth year.
How recently they had logged into their account.
Their relationship status.
Their self-reported location by city and zip code.
Predicted relationships with others.
DNA percentages users share with their “DNA Relatives.”
An additional 1.4 million customers who used the “DNA Relatives” feature had their “Family Tree” profiles accessed, which includes a limited subset of profile data, the company said.
The hacker activity was contained and required existing users to reset their passwords and enable multifactor authentication, 23andMe said at the time. Still, experts warned consumers that they should consider deleting their accounts.
The company declared bankruptcy in March 2025 and eventually was sold.
That’s when states, including Pennsylvania, filed claims related to the data breach investigation. As part of the bankruptcy proceedings, 23andMe’s consumer data was sold to TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit organization formed by 23andMe founder and former CEO Anne Wojcicki. That sale is bound by new guardrails regarding data security that were put in place with the help of the coalition of attorneys general.
Sundayjoined the lawsuit to prevent 23andMe from selling consumer data as part of its bankruptcy proceedings.
The lawsuit said the California-based genomics biotech company was proposing to sell an “unprecedented compilation of highly sensitive and immutable personal data: a human being’s permanent and everlasting genetic identity.”
The risk of a data transfer was too great, the complaint said, as DNA data are unique to an individual and can be used to identify relatives — past and future. And genomic data live forever, even after a person dies.
“If stolen or misused, it cannot be changed or replaced,” the complaint said.
What happened this week?
A group of 42 state attorneys general announced the $18 million settlement. This is in addition to a $46.75 million class-action settlement arising from the bankruptcy, for affected U.S. consumers who submitted claims by Feb. 17. Impacted customers should have received an email notifying them about their eligibility for the class-action settlement, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
All 50 states and territories except for California, Hawaii, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Wyoming were involved in the settlement.
The groans were audible outside Philadelphia’s Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts, where pop singer Louis Tomlinson was slated to take the stage.
Tomlinson had been scheduled to perform at the venue’s Skyline Stage on Saturday. Then the skies opened up.
“Due to impacts of severe weather on our campus, we are not able to proceed with tonight’s performance,” the venue said in a statement. The show was not rescheduled. Ticketmaster is in the process of issuing refunds.
For rabid fans of the singer, a former One Direction member with a devoted army of admirers, the last-minute cancellation cut deep.
“I came all the way from Italy,” a fan who goes by Crystal wrote on X. “I spent so much time and money to be here. I know this isn’t Louis’ fault, but right now I’m angry, exhausted, and my bank account is empty.”
One Directioners and Tomlinson superfans are pretty common in the area. There’s a One Direction-themed smoothie shop in Scranton that enthusiasts travel hours to visit. And Tomlinson’s former bandmate and collaborator Zayn Malik has expressed his own devotion to the region.
Tomlinson’s Philadelphia show would have been the 19th on his 27-stop North American tour, part of the “How Did We Get Here?” world arena tour in support of his third studio album of the same name. His show a few days earlier at Madison Square Garden was sold out.
On Reddit, a purported venue employee said there was flooding, downed trees, and power outages.
The venue did not respond to a request for comment.
“[I’m] absolutely gutted that the show can’t happen tonight,” Tomlinson said in an X post. “I understand how frustrating it is and how gutted you all must feel. I wish I had better news for you all.”
Absolutely gutted that the show can’t happen tonight. The storm damage to the venue and our equipment made it impossible for the show to take place and the decision was made to cancel for the safety of everyone attending and working on the site.
Online, fans swapped stories about how far they had traveled for the show and how many of Tomlinson’s tour stops they had caught so far.
One fan drove eight hours from North Carolina. Others attempted to snag tickets to shows scheduled for later dates.
The extent of the Highmark Mann’s damage was unclear. Bob Dylan was scheduled to perform on the main stage — which has covered amphitheater seating, in contrast to the all-outdoor Highmark Skyline Stage — on Tuesday evening.
Tomlinson’s next show was also set for Tuesday, at the TD Garden in Boston.
Think you know your news? There’s only one way to find out. Welcome back to our weekly News Quiz — a quick way to see if your reading habits are sinking in and to put your local news knowledge to the test.
Question 1 of 10
Bryce Harper’s new line of Under Armour cleats includes a colorway that pays tribute to this Philly icon:
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The Phillies star’s 11th signature cleat with the company, named “All Lines Lead Home,” is inspired by SEPTA and its colorful map, symbolizing the “many paths players, fans, and visitors take to reach the city,” the brand wrote in a release. The shoe’s metallic silver base has streaks of color across it meant to symbolize SEPTA’s different routes. The colors include orange (for the Broad Street Line), blue (Market/Frankford Line), red (PATCO), light green (trolleys), and purple (Norristown High Speed Line). There also is a replica of the SEPTA map on the cleat’s tongue. The spikes are half red and half blue, similar to the SEPTA logo, and the tongue pull loop has Philly’s “215″ area code on it.
Question 2 of 10
Property values in this neighborhood went up more than any other Philly neighborhood this year:
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The biggest jump in Philadelphia’s property assessments this year occurred in Kensington, a measure that means many homeowners in the long-struggling neighborhood are likely to see higher taxes amid a concerted effort by the city to clean up the area.
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Question 3 of 10
Will Smith was ready to go home on the night of the July 4 Parkway concert following bad weather. Then, he said he got a call from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, pleading for a late-night concert. When recounting this on stage, Smith affectionately referred to the mayor by this nickname:
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“The mayor called and asked ‘would we go on at midnight,’” Smith said in a video posted on his Instagram account on Monday, referring to Cherelle L. Parker, whom he referred to as “Mrs. Mayor” on stage when he finally got to perform at the One Philly: United for America concert.
Question 4 of 10
Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali was spotted in Manayunk wearing a Phillies hat on set for filming season 2 of HBO’s Task. What was he seen doing between scenes?
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Ali was spotted on Grape Street in Manayunk, jumping rope between scenes. Wearing a grey polo t-shirt, blue jeans, and a Phillies hat, Ali seemed to be getting in a quick exercise while the Task crew set up equipment behind him, according to a video posted to the Roxborough Rants & Raves Facebook group on Tuesday.
Question 5 of 10
Which Philly legend is slated to perform the national anthem at next week’s All-Star Game?
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On Tuesday, MLB announced the slate of entertainment for its midsummer classic at Citizens Bank Park (July 14, 8 p.m., Fox29). Philly native and “Godmother of Soul” Patti LaBelle will perform the national anthem, while EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson is slated to sing “America the Beautiful.” Philadelphia R&B group Boyz II Men and Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller, a Downingtown native, also headline the game’s entertainers.
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A Point Breeze mural is being considered as an addition to the city’s Register of Historic Places, which would make it an officially designated and protected landmark. Who is the artist behind the mural?
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The Point Breeze mural, the only collaborative Keith Haring mural that still hangs in its original location, is being proposed to be added to Philadelphia’s Register of Historic Places. Some are wary of the precedent that designating a mural as protected will set.
Question 7 of 10
FanDuel sent a personal video message to a customer with a gambling addiction from this Philadelphia athlete. It’s a unique test of how cozy the league will allow players to get with gambling companies.
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The Inquirer obtained a copy of the 21-second personalized video from Bryce Harper. In it, Harper addresses Thompson by name and acknowledges Thompson’s young son. Harper ends by thanking Thompson for his support.
Question 8 of 10
After her Fourth of July performance on the Parkway, Jill Scott took to her old stomping grounds in Spring Garden and did this:
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Scott and her crew ran through the spray of an open fire hydrant on that hot day, briefly stopping traffic to get the job done.
Question 9 of 10
Platform X, at Suburban Station’s entrance, spotlights this type of art:
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Long vilified, graffiti art has found an unlikely gallery in Suburban Station. There, 250 graffiti artists have each created works that respond to the semiquincentennial, and that includes building a replica of a SEPTA BSL train car.
Question 10 of 10
After receiving his award from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, actor Colman Domingo had a very Philly day: complete with water ice and a cheesesteak with Whiz. Where did Domingo get his cheesesteak from?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The actor stopped at South Street, where he patronized Jim’s South Street and Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard. He ordered a Whiz wit and was friendly with staff and customers.
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Seems like you’ve been skimming more than reading there, buddy. There’s always next week.
You’ve read some articles (or made some educated guesses) but we wouldn’t come to you first for our local news recaps. Better luck next week!
Do you work here? You’re a local news stan with the latest updates on Philly happenings. Your friends definitely ask you for summaries on what’s going on and it shows.
We have something else to celebrate this Independence Day: a new Beyoncé song.
The iconic singer released “Morning Dew (Donk),” a sultry, ‘90s-coded R&B track, Saturday morning with no warning.
It’s a special Fourth of July holiday gift to her fans, according to a news release about the song — and Queen Bey’s first piece of new music in two years.
The single starts the clock on a 60-day countdown to the singer’s 45th birthday and the reissue of B’Day, her hit sophomore album that first dropped 20 years ago, on Sept. 4, 2006.
Sorry, BeyHive, no word on Act III, the highly anticipated, unnamed, and unreleased final chapter of Beyoncé’s three-part album project. The Today show reported that fans shouldn’t expect any sort of Act III announcement this week.
Act II, aka Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s award-winning foray into country music, was another example of the singer’s use of the Fourth of July holiday as a means to explore and challenge themes surrounding American identity, especially the Black and Southern experience. Last year, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter D.C. tour stop took place on the Fourth of July.
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The show highlighted Black empowerment as Beyoncé opened the show wrapped in a large American flag, just a few miles from the U.S. Capitol.
While it’s not the Act III fans have been waiting for, “Morning Dew (Donk)” is an exciting new portfolio addition.
It was written by Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, The-Dream and Darius Dixon, and produced by Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams. The song features Williams’ signature four-count producer tag.
