Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Author: Maggie Prosser

  • Villanova University was briefly placed under lockdown as police looked for a suspect in a stabbing

    Villanova University was briefly placed under lockdown as police looked for a suspect in a stabbing

    Villanova University’s campus was briefly under a lockdown Sunday evening as police searched for an attacker wanted in connection with a stabbing.

    The lockdown was lifted at 6:41 p.m. after the suspect was apprehended off campus, according to the university’s alert system. The school issued the lockdown at 6:10 as a “precautionary measure due to the proximity of the search,” the alert said.

    The stabbing occurred on I-476 and the alleged attacker fled, according to a statement posted to Facebook from Radnor Township police, who were assisting Pennsylvania State Police.

    Authorities took the suspect into custody “without incident” in the 1000 block of East Lancaster Avenue, according to the post. An earlier alert from Villanova University said the person was armed.

    “There is no threat to the community at this time, and all involved parties have been placed in custody,” Radnor police said on Facebook. “Our thoughts are with the victim and their family.”

    The victim’s condition was not immediately known, and police did not identity the person in custody.

    Pennsylvania State Police are investigating.

  • Report: Fetterman called Wall Street Journal story ‘a hit piece’ and apologized for a text message dismissing CHOP leaders

    Report: Fetterman called Wall Street Journal story ‘a hit piece’ and apologized for a text message dismissing CHOP leaders

    A curt text message privately rejecting concerns from leaders at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia about Medicaid cuts was a “dumb joke,” U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) told CNN this weekend.

    In his statement to CNN, Fetterman called a recent report from the Wall Street Journal — which reignited claims that he’s not fully performing the role of a U.S. senator — a “hit piece from disgruntled staffers.”

    John Fetterman reportedly dismissed CHOP leaders, rejected other meetings as he avoids Senate duties

    “Per usual — lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears, and anonymous,” Fetterman said. He later added: “No matter how many smears or stories, I’m proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania.”

    The Wall Street Journal report included text messages between Fetterman and his staff and detailed several meetings or events that Fetterman tried to get out of attending, including the meeting with CHOP leaders and a funeral for three York County police officers who were killed while on duty.

    Fetterman said the leaked text messages were “stripped of any context and circumstances.”

    According to the Wall Street Journal, while discussing the meeting with CHOP officials last September, Fetterman asked in a text, “Why do I have to keep having to meet with chop.”

    An aide responded, “Because they’re worried about Medicaid cuts.” Fetterman wrote back, “Well, I’m not.” He then wrote, “I’m convinced they just want free trips to DC.”

    Fetterman told CNN that comment was a “dumb joke,” and “for that, I sincerely apologize.”

    “My office and I always have, and always will, advocate for CHOP, support their requests and any other needs that we can assist with,” Fetterman told CNN.

    The newspaper’s report also included text messages in which Fetterman questioned the length of the funeral for the three York County police officers, writing “3 hours??,” and said attending “may be a nonstarter.” Fetterman, who grew up in York County, did not attend the funeral, according to the report.

    Fetterman told CNN that he “privately ordered flowers to be delivered for their families and expressed my condolences publicly” on the day of the fatal shooting. He also said he privately attended a fundraiser for the officers’ families in June, saying, “I met with their chief and the family members directly to express my personal condolences.”

    The first-term senator’s tenure has been plagued with criticism. Former staffers have said he often cancels meetings at the last minute, and he has increasingly isolated himself from Democrats in Washington, according to the Wall Street Journal. He regularly appears on conservative media and attacks his own party, and he does not make regular public appearances in the Keystone State.

    John Fetterman says he’s not switching parties. Here’s why everyone’s talking about it anyway.

    And pressure on the senator appears to be mounting. After the Wall Street Journal article, an X profile claiming to be former Fetterman staffers said it would post accounts of working for the senator.

    “If you were troubled by yesterday’s Wall Street Journal story… trust us, that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” the account posted. “It’s even worse than you thought.”

    Staff writer Sam Janesch contributed to this article.

  • From Gotham to the mandap: A Desi bride and groom bring the Batmobile to Philly

    From Gotham to the mandap: A Desi bride and groom bring the Batmobile to Philly

    It’s a bird! It’s a plane! Oh wait, it’s a … Batmobile?

    A replica of the 1989 Batmobile briefly bottlenecked Market Street early Saturday morning, social media posts showed.

    The Tim Burton-era ride came out of the Batcave for what appeared to be a South Asian wedding near Loews Philadelphia. The newlyweds, guests, and gawking passersby were spotted taking pictures with the armored roadster.

    “I’ve seen elephants, camels and even Mummers in Indian wedding processions in Philly, but this is a first,” blogger @phillychitchat wrote on Instagram. That post had nearly 5,600 likes as of about 2:20 p.m.

    It wasn’t immediately known who the couple was or why they included Batman’s iconic car in their nuptials. The replica car rental company, DeloreanRental.com, could not be reached Saturday afternoon for comment.

    The Batmobile may have been a superhero-inspired take on a traditional wedding procession, according to Sucheta Sachdev, cofounder of Kareena’s Closet, a marketplace for renting and buying pre-loved South Asian formalwear.

    In a North Indian baraat, a groom rides to the wedding venue on a lavishly adorned horse. But another groom went viral last year for similarly arriving at his wedding on the top of the “Tumbler,” the 2005 iteration of Bruce Wayne’s Batmobile. Is it too early to call this a knot-tying trend?

    Indian weddings are notoriously lavish and involved, often taking place across days and requiring multiple intricate outfits, Sachdev said. She described the festivities as “organized chaos.”

    “The idea of weddings in South Asian culture is really not about individuality,” Sachdev said. “It’s about families and families coming together.”

    But perhaps the Batmobile was a way to infuse the bride and groom’s wants or interests into the celebration, she posited. For example, at her own wedding more than a decade ago, Sachdev and her husband rode away in a then-novel Tesla; at her cousin’s wedding in Salt Lake City, the couple took off in a hot air balloon.

    Regardless, as @phillychitchat said, “Never a dull moment in Center City.”

    Quick! To the Batmobile!

  • 10 affordable options for Philly families beyond the Academy of Natural Sciences

    10 affordable options for Philly families beyond the Academy of Natural Sciences

    For nearly two centuries, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University has stood as a monument to curious minds — and, at least for the last few decades, a respite for parents of restless children.

    So, when the museum closes its doors at the end of this month, Philadelphia families may be left with one less kid-friendly haven and dwindling options on where to spend a rainy afternoon at an accessible price.

    Visitors crowd the Academy of Natural Sciences ahead of impending closure

    An adult ticket (ages 13 and up) to the Academy of Natural Sciences runs $22, while admission for children older than 2 cost $18 and those under 2 get in for free. That’s cheaper, across all age groups, than the Franklin Institute or the Please Touch Museum, for example. And unlike an outdoor experience, like the Philadelphia Zoo or any of the city’s many parks, an enjoyable afternoon at the Academy of Natural Sciences didn’t depend on the weather.

    There’s still time to see the full-scale dinosaurs, taxidermy, and live animals — the museum’s last day open to the public will be Sunday, Sept. 27. But here’s 10 post-Academy-era alternatives for families looking to spend an afternoon indoors at a similar price tag.

    Independence Seaport Museum

    The Independence Seaport Museum may float the nautical nerd’s boat.

    Located on the Delaware River waterfront, the museum tells the region’s history through its major river artery, with some 10,000 objects and a million documents chronicling the area’s long maritime history. The museum boasts one of the continent’s largest maritime art and artifact collections, which includes a chart from Benjamin Franklin, a sea chest from the Spanish-American War, and a passenger list from the Titanic.

    Visitors can also explore the USS Olympia, a historic World War I cruiser and the world’s oldest floating steel warship. Self-guided tours of the Olympia are included in the general admission package; guided tours of the Becuna, a World War II submarine, are also available for an additional $10.

    🕒 Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. last entry at 4:30 p.m., 💵 $23+ for adults, $18+ ages 3-17,📍 211 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 phillyseaport.org

    Fireman’s Hall Museum

    Got a kid that really loves firetrucks? The Fireman’s Hall Museum might spark some joy.

    The Hall, located in a renovated firehouse, is one of the nation’s premier fire museums. Visitors can see antique apparatuses, try on firefighter boots and coats, and steer a fire boat — all while learning about fire safety and important skills, like when to call 911.

    Pretty fire, right?

    🕒 Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 💵 Free,📍 147 N. Second St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 firemanshallmuseum.org

    Penn Museum

    Worldly cultures converge in University City .

    The Penn Museum connects humanity across continents and millennia through archaeology and anthropology, cultivating “endless exploration,” according to its website.

    The Inquirer previously reported that the Penn Museum’s 2018 renovation made the space more interactive and kid-oriented.

    Insiders’ guide to 16 essential children’s museums in Philadelphia

    🕒 Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 💵 $23 for adults, $14 ages 6-17 and college students, free for children 5 and under,📍3260 South St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104, 🌐 penn.museum

    Wagner Free Institute of Science

    For those looking for a dinosaur fix in the post-Academy era, Wagner Free Institute of Science in North Philadelphia has a collection of Camarasaurus bones. The Wagner is a rare surviving 19th-century natural history museum with rocks, fossils, taxidermy, and skeletons galore.

    Bone voyage!

    Check out what other dinos are on display throughout the Philly region, here.

    Where else can you get your dinosaur fix in the Philly area?

    🕒 Tuesdays through Fridays, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and select Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m., 💵 Free,📍 1700 W. Montgomery Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19121, 🌐 wagnerfreeinstitute.org

    Science History Institute

    An up-and-coming chemist might like learning all about the people behind the world’s most significant scientific achievements at the Science History Institute. On Saturdays, the institute hosts “Stories of Science,” an interactive family-geared program highlighting strange and surprising histories.

    Also, currently running is a special exhibition on fireworks — kaboom!

    🕒 Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 💵 Free,📍 315 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 sciencehistory.org

    Betsy Ross House

    A staple — or stitch — in the Philadelphia experience is the home of Betsy Ross, a colonial woman credited with sewing America’s first flag. Visitors can meet Betsy and explore artifacts throughout her home, including her sewing table. In the home’s basement kitchen there are interactive activities for kids, a spokesperson said.

    Outside the Betsy Ross House and around Old City, people can also visit Once Upon A Nation Storytelling Benches for short, free, delightful stories about Philly’s little-known history. The storytelling benches run throughout the summer and end this Labor Day weekend.

    🕒 Daily, hours vary by season 💵 $15+ for adults, $13+ ages 6-12, free for children 5 and under,📍 239 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 historicphiladelphia.org/betsy-ross-house

    Museum of the American Revolution

    Budding history buffs can dive deeper into the birth of the nation and ongoing American experiment at the Museum of the American Revolution. The museum’s kid-friendly programming includes a replica parlor, privy, and privateer ship, living historical interpreters, and theatrical reenactments. Through these exhibits — including those apt for Philly’s “revolutionary” Semiquincentennial summer — visitors can learn about the diverse people who influenced early American history.

    The Museum of the American Revolution is also just a jaunt from Independence National Historic Park, where you can see historic iconography, like the Liberty Bell and exterior of Independence Hall, for free. (Tours of the interior of Independence Hall are ticketed.)

    🕒 Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., 💵 $25 for adults, $14 ages 6-17, free for children 5 and under,📍 101 S. Third St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 amrevmuseum.org

    African American Museum in Philadelphia

    The African American Museum chronicles the Black experience in America from pre-colonial times to the present. The museum explores themes like the African diaspora, prominent Black Philadelphians, and contemporary narratives. In addition to its exhibits, the museum also hosts holiday festivals and a monthly Family Fun Day.

    Of note: The museum will be closed to the public beginning Sept. 7, while new exhibitions are installed. Check with the museum for a reopening date.

    🕒 Wednesdays, noon-5 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 💵 $20 for adults, $10 ages 4-12 and students,📍 701 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 aampmuseum.org

    Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

    Admission to the Weitzman’s core exhibition, which traces nearly four centuries of Jewish American history, is always free. But for a limited time (Sept. 9 through Oct. 4) a ticketed gallery, “Colors of Creation,” a color-soaked journey through the origins of the world, will be offered at no cost.

    “Colors of Creation” is a 26-minute interactive and immersive show, combining concert-style lighting, projections, and original music, as well as a time-unlimited playspace, a spokesperson said. The exhibit is geared toward young children, recommended for ages 3 and up, and their families.

    🕒 Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 💵 Free general admission, ticketed special exhibits,📍101 S. Independence Mall E., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 theweitzman.org

    American Swedish Historical Museum

    South Philly’s American Swedish Historical Museum — the oldest Swedish museum in the United States — is located on lands that were once part of the New Sweden Colony. The museum now houses exhibits that explore that early relationship between Swedish culture and Philadelphia, Swedish contributions to the United States, and craft arts.

    Monthly, the museum hosts “Toddler Time” for children ages 2 to 5. The hourlong programming includes “interactive stories, engaging hands-on activities and social interaction,” according to its website. The program is $5 for nonmembers.

    🕒 Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., 💵 $15 for adults, $5 ages 5-11, free for children 5 and under,📍 1900 Pattison Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19145, 🌐 americanswedish.org

  • Coyotes in Wildwood: Officials urged residents to keep their distance after recent coyote sightings

    Coyotes in Wildwood: Officials urged residents to keep their distance after recent coyote sightings

    New Jersey officials are warning people not to feed or engage with coyotes after a surge in sightings of the wily animals in Wildwood.

    Wildwood police have received “numerous” reports of coyotes in recent weeks throughout the barrier island, the department wrote on Facebook.

    “While coyotes have inhabited our island for years,” the post read, “increased attention surrounding recent sightings has resulted in greater public awareness.”

    Wildwood police and a spokesperson for the city did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for more information, including how many coyote sightings have been reported. But residents told NBC10 the number of adults and pups roaming through yards and streets has seemingly increased in recent weeks.

    Is there a spike in New Jersey’s coyote population?

    New Jersey Fish and Wildlife keeps track of reported sightings but doesn’t maintain localized or statewide estimates on the number of coyotes because “quantifying any wild populations can be challenging,” a spokesperson said in an email. According to 2025 data, coyotes have been reported in 88% of New Jersey’s 568 municipalities.

    It’s not unusual for coyotes to be comfortable around human activity, according to the wildlife department: “The coyote is one of the most resilient and prolific canine species in the world – adapting to ever changing habitat conditions while continuing to expand its range,” the spokesperson said.

    Coyotes are important members of ecosystems, helping keep rodent populations under control, according to New Jersey Fish and Wildlife. But they can threaten human safety, attack small pets, or cause property damage. The agency says attacks on humans are “extremely rare.”

    In Wildwood, officials are concerned people are intentionally feeding the animals, causing them to “lose their natural fear of people” and “become increasingly comfortable in populated areas,” the police department wrote.

    “Coyotes are wild animals. Keeping them wild means not feeding them,” the post continued. Feeding wildlife is illegal under a Wildwood city ordinance and punishable by a fine up to $500, according to police.

    Wildwood police stressed that people who encounter a coyote should keep a safe distance, control and supervise pets, and report any coyotes exhibiting unusual or aggressive behavior.

  • Biking fans — new and old — flock to a renewed Philadelphia Cycling Classic after decade-long hiatus

    Biking fans — new and old — flock to a renewed Philadelphia Cycling Classic after decade-long hiatus

    A decade-long void was filled: the whooshing winds of the peloton, the whooping and cheery sounds of cowbells, the whiffs of greasy food, and sips of cold beer.

    All of it returned to the city’s vistas Sunday as the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, one of the nation’s most storied races — drawing cycling’s Olympians, national champions, and emerging talents to the City of Brotherly Love — made its resurgence. Funding snafus and waning support begone; biking in Philly is back.

    For an international field of riders, the 14.4-mile looping, winding, and climbing course that weaved from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Manayunk was a giant chessboard of strategy, aerodynamics, and aerobics. For revelers, it was a great equalizer, a unique, unfettered opportunity in sports to see athletic prowess, drama, and world-class competitors up close.

    Philly Cycling Classic ’26 Course Guild

    That rarity was not lost on spectators, some of whom experienced the legacy race, which ended in 2016, and others for whom this was a novelty.

    Ashley O’Neill’s stepfather talked relentlessly about the classic of yore’s folklore, but she never witnessed it herself. “The people [gathering] together, the happiness,” O’Neill, whose 41st birthday was also Sunday, recalled her stepdad saying, “but for years there was no race.”

    Dylan O’Neill chimed in: “To have the city lose something like this is a huge loss for the entire community.”

    As the Trenton couple huffed through humid air to reach a lookout on the famed “Manayunk Wall,” they talked about plans to come back, year after year.

    “We hope they keep doing it,” Dylan O’Neill said. “It’s such a unique thing, and Philly is the perfect place to do it.”

    Remembering the old

    During its run from 1985 to 2016, Philadelphia’s criterium reigned, known for its theaterlike scene and famed “Manayunk Wall,“ an incline with a maximum 17% gradient.

    Climbing the Manayunk Wall

    “I remember the first race, it was amazing: No one was here and they had a helicopter,” said Thomas Gartside, 77, who moved to Manayunk, near the Wall, a year before the inaugural classic.

    Over the years, as the race grew in prestige and attendance, his block got more crowded. In 2016, Gartside said he didn’t watch the spectacle — unaware the cyclists’ return would be an uphill battle.

    The next year, the race had run its course; in 2017, organizers canceled the classic, citing increasing costs and decreasing sponsors, much to the chagrin of the city’s cycling community.

    “I got a little tired of it, but this is reinvigorating,” Gartside said, looking out at hundreds of merry people packed shoulder to shoulder. Gartside hosted his own small fête, with bagels and coffee.

    “Look at all the energy and all the neighbors,” he said.

    Cyclists climb the Wall in Manayunk during the men’s race in the Philadelphia Cycling Classic on Sunday, Aug. 30.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Organizers have described the free-to-watch revitalized classic as “the people’s race.” Road cycling is also one of the few professional sports where athletes brush right up against fans and front doors, bringing “the stadium to the streets,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.

    Michael Jones, a cyclist with Philly club Major Taylor, was among the throngs of fans who didn’t want to miss a second of the action — a 10-year break was long enough.

    Jones even brought his bike along to follow some of the race route. A passerby remarked, “It’s like bringing a glove to a baseball game. But bigger.” And Jones couldn’t have agreed more.

    Despite growing up in Philadelphia, the 48-year old was unfamiliar with the classic before getting into the sport himself, which he said transcends generations. Now, back and seemingly bigger than before, the race was electrifying, Jones said.

    “It’s just so fantastic that so many people are down here taking in the scenes,” he said about the Fan Fest crowd.

    “It’s just beautiful to see.”

    If the verve of the morning’s women’s competition is any indication of the next era of cycling in Philly, it will be nothing short of “amazing,” according to Stefy and Sean Beury of West Mount Airy.

    “The hype, the buildup, and the media attention to get more awareness and attention, in general, to the event and to bring more cycling back to Philly,” Stefy Beury, 47, said. “It’s just been awesome.”

    It’s possible, Sean Beury, 54, said, that success on Sunday could inspire future road races, but he hopes the race motivates younger Philadelphians to start riding.

    Spectators wearing orange cone costumes cheer in Manayunk during the men’s race in the Philadelphia Cycling Classic on Sunday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Ushering in the new

    Eyes glued to a phone, siblings Tess and Fitz Dolan counted down the seconds it took the women’s field to arrive at the Wall, tracking their movements on a livestream of the race.

    The teen mountain bikers’ ages were in the single digits when the race went away and they never had a chance to see it in person. On Sunday, they refused to lose sight of the riders.

    “It’s so cool to see them do this,” said 16-year-old Tess Dolan, “we are used to these roads and we bike there. The women are putting in a lot of work and they are just rocking it.”

    Her older brother, Fitz, was equally in awe by the bikers’ performance. The 18-year-old has biked the Manayunk Wall once and considers it to be a challenge for any cyclist. “They made it look so effortless,” he said.

    Seeing the women’s strength and the jolliness of the spectators inspired Tess to put the Wall on her bucket list.

    “It’s important for us to see them,” she said.

    “It gives us inspiration to go outside and get on the bike.”

    Bikers celebrate on the podium after placing in the Philly Cycling Classic on Sunday. From left are second-place finisher Alexandra Volstad of Canada, of EF Education-Oatly; winner Chiara Consonni of Italy, of Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto; and third-place finisher Ella Sabo of the United States, of Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
  • I did Pilates with Waka Flocka Flame. Here’s what I learned about girlhood, community, and body positivity.

    I did Pilates with Waka Flocka Flame. Here’s what I learned about girlhood, community, and body positivity.

    Early Saturday morning, I clambered out of bed and pulled on the required brown Spandex. With my hair slicked back into a ponytail, I hustled down to Friends Select School in Center City, a yoga mat slung over my shoulder. There, on the private school’s rooftop turf, awaited hundreds of my peers all clad in the variations of the same Jacklyn.fit-branded workout set, the allure of complimentary energy drinks and facials, and the promise of rapper Waka Flocka Flame.

    This was Sweat & Sculpt, a mat Pilates class slash wellness bazaar slash concert. It’s the brainchild of influencer and Sea Isle City native Jacklyn Romano (aka Jacklyn.fit online), who bills the women’s workout-palooza as a “one-of-a-kind celebration of female empowerment, fitness, and community” and the “largest women’s event” in Philadelphia. That’s a difficult superlative to quantify, but organizers said there were more than 800 women in attendance.

    “A lot of people are like, ‘Wait, is this real? Like 800 girls in matching workout sets and Waka Flocka?’” Romano told me. (Nearly everyone I told about this event had a similar reaction, with notably more expletives. One friend texted me, “I can’t even believe that’s a real sentence.”)

    That singularity is what interested me — how someone could successfully marry a $120 “viral Pilates event” and the song “No Hands.” A TikTok commenter said it best: “Pilates & Waka is a diabolical combo.”

    So I went, I worked out, I Waka’ed. And I didn’t expect to leave feeling so girly and giddy and genuinely moved by the body-positivity of the same man who wrote “Round of Applause.”

    Influencer Jacklyn Romano leads Sweat & Sculpt at the Friends Select School on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Sweat & Sculpt’s mantra

    Six years ago, Romano’s brick-and-mortar fitness business was thwarted by COVID-19, so she pivoted to Zoom classes. Then, three years ago, she parlayed her online success (some 111,000 followers on Instagram and 20,600 on TikTok) into in-person activations — a burgeoning trend of social media stars taking their shtick on the road. This spring, for example, I wrote about another influencer, TikTok’s “Dense Bean Salad Girl,” who sold takeout containers of her signature salads at a pop-up near Rittenhouse Square.

    A trainer for nearly a decade, Romano said she had always looked for an event like the one she ended up creating with Sweat & Sculpt: An inclusive space for women to get fit, make connections, and feel powerful. Despite the steep admission fee — which included the brown bra and your choice of leggings or capris, with an optional, additional $20 tank top — Saturday’s Sweat & Sculpt was the largest yet, according to Romano. (Full disclosure, I was comped my ticket and athletic garb because I was writing about the event.)

    “Once [these women] leave here, they’re also shining from the inside out,” Romano said. At 8:45 a.m., she was already bubbly and energetic, bouncing from fan to fan and selfie to selfie. As we chatted briefly, her tooth gem caught the morning sun and her red-ink patchwork tattoos peeked out from her capris.

    “They’re leaving with new friends, they’re leaving with a new form of confidence, they’re trying something new,” she said.

    Cousins Dakota Hurwitz, Caitlyn McHugh, and Crystal McHugh have followed Romano for years. They’ve watched as her events grew fortyfold, from 20-person classes in Sea Isle to filling up soccer fields. Here, they said, they found community.

    “It’s more than just a workout class,” Hurwitz, 26, of Bucks County, said.

    Crystal McHugh, 31, of Northeast Philly, added: “It’s not just [about] confidence, it’s empowerment.”

    Admittedly, before this event, I was not familiar with Romano. I recently deleted most social media apps from my phone, expressly because of the constant barrage of body checking, nutrition misinformation, ads for fat-loss miracle drugs, and commentary on what women should or shouldn’t look like. It started to feel like a nightmarish echo chamber of shame.

    Romano’s brand, she said, defies that: The workout sets come in an expansive size range, from XS to 4X, and she encourages people to “worry about how you feel” but “not how you look.”

    “I try to take a positive spin onto social media,” she said. “On our page, you get to see every different kind of person. No matter what size, what fitness level, what race, what religion — we all come together and we all want to empower each other.”

    The workout

    Sweat & Sculpt was promoted as low-impact, body-weight mat Pilates.

    Don’t be fooled. That doesn’t mean easy.

    I’m an ex-ballerina who’s been doing Pilates since age 11. I’m 27 now, so that’s more than 15 years of — albeit on again, off again — Pilates practice. At one point, I was taking as many as five mat classes a week; nowadays, my exercise routine consists of long walks, occasional reformer Pilates, and a weekly gym session with a personal trainer.

    Yet by the second set of single-leg glute bridges, my hamstrings were burning. Then came a three-minute ab circuit. According to my Apple Watch, over 42 minutes, I burned 144 calories and my heart rate reached 167 beats per minute, more than double my resting rate.

    As my arms and legs started to shake, I certainly felt that sense of camaraderie and support Romano talked about: her steady stream of affirmations — “Hang tight, ladies!” — blasting over the speakers; the smiles from the women around me; finding comfort knowing that I was not alone, that we all signed up to be breaking a sweat at 9 a.m.

    Eleven mats down from me, 6-foot-6 Waka Flocka Flame cried, “Call the paramedics!”

    All those glutes, in yo jeans

    So why was Waka there?

    “Why not bring in someone who’s iconic to our generation of women and just make it fun?” Romano said. The chorus “Girl, the way you’re moving got me in a trance. …” once filled gymnasiums on prom night; hearing “‘Rain, rain, go away,’ that’s what all my haters say,” teleported me back to a college bar, my heeled booties sticking to a White Claw-laden floor.

    Waka Flocka Flame performs some of his hit songs after the Sweat & Sculpt Pilates class at the Friends Select School on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    But before he performed his medley, Waka, whose given name is Juaquin Malphurs, took time to answer audience questions, offering reassurance to one new mom in the crowd:

    “I need you not to be hard on yourself postpartum,” Malphurs, who is also a new dad, said. “The woman that you’re gonna be is not the woman you see today, and you’ll get there — don’t worry.”

    “Give your body some time … then fight the fight.”

    Afterward, I spoke to Tamika Ford, who was coincidentally also seven weeks postpartum.

    She came Saturday morning worrying — “I’m going to be so out of shape,” she thought — and left feeling fun and light-hearted and buzzing with encouragement.

    Me, too.

  • City leaders gear up for the revival of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic this weekend

    City leaders gear up for the revival of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic this weekend

    City and business leaders on Friday were gearing up for the Philadelphia Cycling Classic’s comeback after a decade-long hiatus.

    The return of one of the most prestigious races in the United States has been years in the making, drawing some 200 riders — including Olympians, national champions, and emerging talents — from more than two dozen countries, to the City of Brotherly Love. It’s likely that come Sunday morning, spectators will line the 14.4-mile loop course from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Manayunk to witness the whooshing peloton and usher in what could become a renewed era of American professional road cycling.

    “When the story about cycling in Philadelphia and bringing this race back is told for future generations to come, I want you to know for the record that it’s a Philadelphia story” — one of grit, perseverance, passion, and community, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said at a news conference outside City Hall where she was bestowed a commemorative No. 1 race jersey.

    Philadelphia Cycling Classic ’26 Course Guide

    During its run from 1985 to 2016, Philadelphia’s criterium reigned, known for its theaterlike scene and famed “Manayunk Wall“ with its 17% gradient. But in 2017, officials announced the race had run its course, citing increasing costs and decreasing sponsors, much to the chagrin of the city’s cycling community.

    The Philadelphia Cycling Classic trophies — designed by a local metal artist — are displayed alongside the official race jerseys during a news conference Friday, Aug. 28, outside Philadelphia City Hall.Maggie Prosser

    “Bringing an iconic event back to one of the most iconic cities in the world,” — according to Michael Sharp, president of AmeriGas, the race’s presenting sponsor — is due to the enthusiasm of Old City salon owner Carlos Rogers, entrepreneur Eric Robbins, and former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter.

    For Nutter, the classic is “the people’s race.”

    The Philadelphia Cycling Classic — with its famed Manayunk Wall — returns this weekend. Here’s everything you need to know.

    Officials stressed the equitability of the race, which is offering equal prize purses, $75,000, to the crowded men’s and women’s fields — a rarity in the sport, according to race director Robin Morton.

    Also, the race is free to watch from the sidelines and is one of the few professional sports where the athletes brush right up against fans and front doors. During the first iteration of what Philadelphians just call “the Bike Race,” that accessibility welcomed an all-day party.

    “The whole neighborhood turns up, it’s a giant block party,” competitor and Manayunk native Robin Carpenter said of his hometown. “You can kind of wander in and out of any house almost and be welcomed with open arms and a cup of beer.”

    Rider Kim Stoveld, a full-time nurse at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, hopes Philly fans, naturally, get “a little rambunctious.”

    The classic nearly wraps up Philly’s generational summer, from being the epicenter of the United States’ 250th birthday celebrations, to the World Cup, and the MLB All-Star Game.

    “Philadelphia proves, time and time again, that we know how to do great things and we know how to do big things,” Parker said. “Now you’ll get a chance to see what Philadelphia does with this iconic international bike race.

    “And we’re so excited to be doing it again.”

  • A twosome of naked events took over Philadelphia this weekend

    A twosome of naked events took over Philadelphia this weekend

    Philly bared it all this weekend.

    By sheer happenstance, a twosome of naked demonstrations took place Saturday across the city — a “free the nipple”-esque protest midday at Philadelphia City Hall followed by the annual Naked Bike Ride in the late afternoon.

    Beyond the shock and awe of scantily clad or not-at-all clad people, both events were acts of resistance, defiance, and free expression, and went deeper than, well, skin deep, attendees said.

    As hundreds lined up along Martin Luther King Drive for the 17th edition of the Naked Bike Ride, their bodies — with varying degrees exposure — were like flesh-toned picket signs. People painted themselves with phrases denouncing President Donald Trump and his administration’s targeting of immigrants, calling for a freed Palestine, and demanding enhanced bicycle safety measures. Mattie L., who was visiting from Savannah, Ga., wrote “Voting is Hot,” across his back.

    Rocket (right) puts glitter on Ari Tm of Fairmount for the Naked Bike Ride on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    “Besides the bodies, the messages themselves add another reason for people to lock in what [we’re] saying and to really take it to heart,” said 35-year-old Mattie, who declined to give his last name, citing concern for his privacy.

    To riders, the bare-as-you-dare ride, which snakes 12 miles through the city, is an annual pro-environment, pro-bicycle safety and advocacy, and pro-self-love-intended counterpunch to fuel dependency, car-first American infrastructure, and body shaming.

    Do bared breasts break Philly laws? How going topless can be a powerful, and legal, form of protest.

    Biking in a car-centric city is itself an act of rebellion, said Emma K., a 28-year-old Temple University alum who now lives in New York City. Emma also declined to give her last name because of privacy concerns.

    “I cycle as a protest all the time,” she said. “There’s a lot for Philly to do to be safer to riders.”

    Dane Jorento, 65, of Drexel Hill, was drawn to the Naked Bike Ride because of “naked,” “biking,” and “protest.” Being unabashedly naked, Jorento said, is an act of radical vulnerability and self-acceptance.

    For Morningstar Hirst, who was part of the ride’s “street team,” the Naked Bike Ride was about showing off their new body post-top surgery, while “protesting and leaning into body positivity.”

    “I am all about freedom within one’s body and then mobility with that body — I think that this ride sums that up really quickly and really easily,” Hirst, 34, of West Philadelphia, said.

    “Every body is a wonderful body,” he added.

    Ryan Genova of Glenside chills during his fifth time attending the Naked Bike Ride on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    It was a pure coincidence that the Naked Bike Ride aligned with the inaugural Go Topless Day in Philly earlier that day.

    Go Topless Day had a clear agenda: Roughly a dozen bare-chested picketers gathered in LOVE Park at noon, before marching around City Hall with a police escort, chanting, “free your breasts, free your mind,” to stir action around what protesters described as the legal hypocrisy that allows men to be shirtless in public but not women.

    “If men can go legally topless in a street, women should have the same right,” organizer Kasyo Perrier said. “Otherwise, we should force men to wear tops.”

    Chloe Theodosiou of Germantown gets a message of “Hands Off Equal Rights” written on their chest for the GoTopless Day Civil Rights March at LOVE Park on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Go Topless Day is a cause of the Raëlian Movement, a religious group that believes extraterrestrials created humanity. Core tenets of the Raëlian Movement are freedom and equality, explained Perrier, who is a Raëlian priest: “We’re created beautiful and and there’s no reason to be ashamed of our body.” (Go Topless Day, in its 19th year, is usually held around Aug. 26, Women’s Equality Day, marking women’s suffrage, according to Perrier.)

    “It is a gateway to self-love; it is a gateway to neighborly love when we stop making certain things taboo,” participant Chloe Theodosiou, 30, of Germantown, said of the cause.

    Not everyone felt so uninhibited. Tourists with cellphone cameras gawked, a woman with a stroller scoffed. A group of tweens giggled and shielded their eyes.

    One man gruffly remarked, “no one wants to see that.”

    “We’re all just shapes — just a bunch of circles and triangles,” Theodosiou remarked.

  • Police in Montgomery County fatally shot a man while responding to a reported break-in, the DA says

    Police in Montgomery County fatally shot a man early Sunday morning while responding to a reported break-in at a home, according to county officials.

    Upper Pottsgrove Township Police were called about 12:30 a.m. to a possible attempted break in at a home on Snyder Road, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office wrote on Facebook. Upper Pottsgrove Township is about 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

    When police arrived, they found a man at the back of the residence and an “encounter ensued and police fired” at the man, killing him, the post said.

    It was not immediately clear what led to the gunfire or if the man was armed. His identity, and the names of the officers involved, have not been made public.

    The Montgomery County Detective Bureau is investigating.

    No additional information was immediately available.