DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, “Adam,” and I have been together for four years. We are very much in love and share similar views on most things. We agree that a marriage license is just a piece of paper and our relationship is already a marriage, so we don’t need one.
We have also discussed the idea of having children in the future, and we agreed we didn’t want any. I have never had the drive to be a mother, although I have been told I would make an excellent one. Even Adam has said it. But we both have been adamant that we don’t want children. We love our freedom way too much (or at least I do), not to mention the finances involved, and we want to travel a lot. Because I can no longer take birth control, I have been considering tying my tubes. Adam volunteered to get a vasectomy because he said he doesn’t want me to go in for surgery. Well, this week he confessed that he hasn’t gone through with it because he’s scared and he still might want a baby.
Adam has flip-flopped back and forth over the last two years about having or not having a child, while I have stayed firm on not wanting any. Should I consider having a child if that’s what he wants? I love him. He’s the man I see myself growing old with, and I don’t want to break his heart.
— PERPLEXED IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR PERPLEXED: Parenthood is a joy that should be embarked upon because you sincerely want a child, not to please your boyfriend. The truth is that motherhood is a lifetime responsibility. It doesn’t end when the child turns 21. I implore you not to make such an important decision to please anyone but yourself, because if something happened to Adam, you would have to raise that child alone.
There are other options besides birth control medications you should discuss with your doctor. Unless you are absolutely certain you want to become a mother, you should utilize them religiously.
As to a marriage license “just being a piece of paper,” let me point out that it is much more than that. It entitles a spouse to participate in medical decisions if a husband or wife becomes incapacitated, and it also guarantees rights of inheritance if, heaven forbid, something should happen to either of you. Yes, I know there is such a thing as common law marriage, but a marriage certificate is better — trust me on that.
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DEAR ABBY: We have a morbidly obese 30-year-old grandson (at least 300 pounds) coming for dinner along with family. We don’t have any chairs that will accommodate him. We are concerned that he will be embarrassed. Can you help us in handling this dilemma?
— HOSTESS IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR HOSTESS: I’ll try. Go online or start calling around to furniture rental companies or catering companies that may have chairs you can rent that will accommodate your grandson. If that isn’t an option, consider buying something sturdy, perhaps from a secondhand or thrift store, to have available for him during family gatherings.
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.”
DEAR ABBY: I recently started dating a guy I have known for 30 years. He has moved in and asked me to marry him. Our relationship is perfect except for anything having to do with social media. He has an account on TikTok using a sexually suggestive name.
He’s following 500 women and has just as many following him. I’m worried this will lead to other things, and the fact that he hides this from me makes it worse. Of all the women he follows, I am not on his list, and that hurts, too. I’m sure other readers deal with this issue, and I’m not sure how to handle this situation. Is this a form of cheating, or, because it is social media, should I not worry about it?
To my knowledge, he doesn’t chat with any of them, or maybe he has that hidden so I don’t see it and will probably never know for sure. Should I end this relationship because of doubt — which I’m worried will turn into trust issues — or shrug it off?
— UNCERTAIN IN SOUTH CAROLINA
DEAR UNCERTAIN: How does your partner earn his living? Following 500 women seems time-consuming. If he’s hiding it from you, how do you know this? Your doubt, which is reasonable, already is a trust issue.
I will assume that you know about his “hobby” because you looked at his computer or phone. If you felt the need to do that, do not shrug it off. Have a heart-to-heart talk with him and ask what he’s seeking from these online relationships. Is he a voyeur or looking for adventure? Once you know the answer to those questions, you will know how to proceed.
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DEAR ABBY: My mother is 86 years old. She has been widowed for more than 10 years. She works, sings in a choir, volunteers at her church and has three children who dote on her, but she desperately wants a man in her life — and the man she wants is married. They have been together for more than five years on and off. They get together, feel guilty and break up. This has happened more than 20 times. She lies to us, her counselor and her friends about this affair. We are tired of her lies, her crying over the adulterer and her inability to enjoy what she has instead of complaining about what she doesn’t have. Doctors, counselors and church members have all tried to convince her this pattern is destructive, to no avail. Help!
— OVER IT
DEAR OVER IT: It sounds like Mom may be in love with the drama more than the man. The best way to deal with it would be to stop engaging. When she starts discussing her affair, change the subject. If she persists, leave the room. Let her know that you really are “over it.” Tell her you refuse to watch her make a fool of herself any longer. Then encourage her to talk about the parts of her life that are not so self-destructive.
Emil DeJohn, 88, of Ambler, celebrated clothing designer, longtime college department chair and professor of fashion, lecturer, volunteer, and mentor to generations of designers, tailors, dressers, models, and students, died Wednesday, June 24, of a heart attack at his home.
Born in Philadelphia, Professor DeJohn worked for 37 years with Bill Blass and other notable clothing designers on Seventh Avenue in New York, and for 21 years as chair of the fashion department at Moore College of Art and Design, director of fashion career development at Drexel University, and professor of fashion at the now-closed Art Institute of Philadelphia.
He designed clothing of all kinds for men, women, and children for Jones New York, OshKosh B’Gosh, and other international labels from 1960 to 1997. He established his own label, Alex DeJohn by Emil, in the 1980s, and his creations appeared on the covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and other magazines.
Several of his gowns were offered to singer Barbra Streisand in the 1960s, and he received design compliments from, among others, film star Elizabeth Taylor and Andre Leon Talley, former editor-at-large at Vogue. In the 1980s, he was chosen by then-first lady Nancy Reagan to design a colorful clothing collection promoting her “Just Say No” antidrug campaign.
In New York, Professor DeJohn showed designs at Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Macy’s. In Philadelphia, he showed at Bonwit Teller and other top shops.
He also showed in London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, and elsewhere around the world. He lectured about fashion at other universities, represented the industry at high school career fairs, and mentored many young designers.
At fashion shows, they always gave him a front-row seat. “It’s an incredible profession,” he told The Inquirer in 2001. “Lots of ups and just as many downs. I wouldn’t trade one day.”
In 1997, looking to engage less with consumers and more with emerging designers, Professor DeJohn left the workshops and showrooms in New York for classrooms in Philadelphia. He spent six years as chair of the fashion design department at Moore, several years as director of fashion career development at Drexel, and finally retired in 2018 as a professor of fashion at the Art Institute.
At Moore, Professor DeJohn recruited Bob Mackie, Betsey Johnson, and other renowned designers to meet his students and provide internships and jobs. At Drexel, he oversaw the Crystal Star Award for design program and taught a class called Aspects of Fashion and Merchandising.
Professor DeJohn (left) attended many galas as director of the Crystal Award for design at Drexel. Emil DeJohn
He hosted a fashion club at the Art Institute and was named the school’s 2017 Teacher of the Year. “He was always happy to answer our questions and tell us about the industry,” a former student said in a tribute. Another said: “He inspired all of us to dream big.”
Professor DeJohn won the city’s Phashion Phest Philadelphia Award for design in 2001 and told The Inquirer: “Teaching the students has been a gift to me. I never envisioned anything I could enjoy more than designing. But this has become an amazing part of my life. I actually love coming to work.”
He earned other awards for design and his volunteer work at the Rowan House, the Ronald McDonald House, and other nonprofits. “He stood as a beacon of hope,” said his granddaughter Alexandra, “always making everyone feel like he believed in them, always bringing out what made them special.”
His granddaughter Isabella said: “His legacy continues to inspire me every day.”
Professor DeJohn met Bette Anne DeChiaro at a dance at the Shore when he was 17, and they married in 1963. Courtesy of the family
Emil Joseph DeJohn was born Dec. 20, 1937, in his mother’s bedroom in South Philadelphia. The youngest of three children, he discovered art in grade school, took art classes at Fleisher Art Memorial, and graduated from John Bartram High School.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts at the old Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art in 1959. He won the school’s design citation as a senior and worked at first as an illustrator for the Bulletin’s fashion pages.
He met Bette Anne DeChiaro at a dance at the Shore when he was 17, and they married in 1963. They had a daughter, Leisa, and a son, Christian, and lived in Center City, Wyncote, and Ambler.
Professor DeJohn liked antiques, flowers, and anything blue and white. He supported the old Carmelites monastery in Philadelphia and belonged to St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Glenside.
Professor DeJohn first became interested in art and fashion in grade school. Courtesy of the family
He made friends on his daily two-hour train rides to New York and said he never considered leaving Wyncote. “I loved leaving all that and coming home to cut the grass,” he told The Inquirer in 2001. “My neighbors didn’t even know what I did for a living.”
He designed his daughter’s wedding dress, took his granddaughters to mesmerizing fashion events, and made memorable trips to Ocean City, N.J., Longwood Gardens, New Hope, New Mexico, and Florida. He especially enjoyed decorating his home and Christmas tree with ornaments and live flowers.
“He made us all feel seen and special,” his daughter said. “He did that for everyone he met.”
In addition to his wife and children, Professor DeJohn is survived by four grandchildren, one great-granddaughter, and other relatives. A sister, a brother, and a son-in-law died earlier.
Professor DeJohn (right) said he would never leave Wyncote for New York. Courtesy of the family
Services were held earlier.
Donations in his name may be made to the Carmel of Jesus Crucified Monastery, Attn: Mother Pia, Box 308, Muenster, Texas 76252.
Professor DeJohn (second from right) enjoyed time with his family.Courtesy of the family
If you curse people who double-park in West Philly when there’s an open space right there; if you can squeeze your ride into a tight spot in Rittenhouse with a bar full of onlookers waiting for you to fail; or if finding a parking space in residential South Philly is something you actually enjoy, then snagging a spot in the 2026 Philadelphia Parallel Parking Association (PPPA) Championship might be right up your narrow alley.
But prospective parkers beware — the competition is looking as fierce as a Philly granny determined to get the last parking space near church on Sunday. More than 400 people have already applied for just 20 spots in the city’s first-ever parallel parking competition and applications have only been open for a week, according to PPPA Commissioner Adam Wodka.
“I always had the sense that this is something that Philly would embrace and a sense that Philadelphians have a particular pride for this skill, but absolutely I’ve been overwhelmed by the response,” Wodka said. “It’s been a joy seeing how passionately people feel about this and I’m really excited for the actual event.”
Despite similarities in their logos, the PPPA is not associated the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA). The latter is a government agency that dishes out more tickets than StubHub, puts on more boots than a Dr. Martens store associate, and is so dramatic it once starred in a reality TV show, and the other one was just made up.
A Philadelphia Parking Authority officer tickets a car along North 29th Street near Thompson Street in Brewerytown.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
Wodka said the idea for the PPPA has percolated in his head for years, beginning with his frustrations over poor parallel parking practices on his own South Philly block that led to a reduced number of spots.
His desire to get people to park more efficiently inspired talks with a friend about starting a parallel parking competition. When he learned Pittsburgh has held one for the last five years, Wodka knew he had to create one for Philly.
Philadelphia Parallel Parking Association commissioner Adam Wodka behind the wheel.Courtesy of Adam Wodka
He began planning in earnest about five months ago, put seven of his friends on the PPPA executive board, and named himself the commissioner. This might be considered corruption in other cities, but it’s pretty low on the scandal scale when it comes to Philadelphia parking agencies.
The PPPA debuted on Instagram on May 9 with a post that said “Promoting excellence in parallel parking since right now.” Subsequent posts have included an image of a sedan in the style of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Manand parallel parking affirmations like, “They’re not honking at me. They’re cheering me on.”
On its accompanying website, the PPPA describes itself as “an independent organization dedicated to promoting excellence in parallel parking in the country of Philadelphia.”
The site includes the association’s stance on parallel parking techniques (“Signal before slowing. The turn signal is a declaration, not a formality”) and its official position on things like backup cameras (“Permitted in daily driving. Permitted in competition”).
The use of backup cameras in the competition has been a particular cause of consternation among online commenters, especially those who learned to drive without them. Wodka said he will take the issue before the PPPA board prior to the competition.
“To me [the backup camera] has been around for a while and it’s part of driving now, but I totally understand and learned how to drive before that existed,” he said. “I think we’re trying to think of a way that we can honor that as well … We are balancing all these amazing ideas on all the different subtle elements and factors of parallel parking.”
A sign advertising the 2026 Philadelphia Parallel Parking Association Championship is affixed to a pole across from some fine examples of parallel parking in the city.Courtesy of Adam Wodka
The PPPA is considering two locations for the contest. The ideal venue will have both a large gathering space, like a parking lot, and it will be closely situated to a Philly street for an authentic parallel parking experience, Wodka said. He declined to name the streets under consideration.
“I don’t want people going to practice before the competition,” he said
Once the venue is chosen, the date for the championship — which will be held on a weekend in September or October — will be solidified.
How it will go down
Contestants are required to use their own vehicles and they will compete in three categories:
One shot: Get closest to the curb in one attempt.
Tight squeeze: With 12 inches of clearance, park within six inches of the curb using the least amount of moves (Warning: Wodka is considering shortening the clearance length to 3 or 6 inches).
Under duress: Park as fast as you can while faced with distractions and barriers.
Wodka said the under duress category will force drivers to face the ultimate Philadelphia parking dilemma.
A parking space marked with a “savesies” chair, as seen here in Northeast Philly, will be one of the challenges contestants in the 2026 Philadelphia Parallel Parking Association Championship must face. TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer
“Let’s be honest, it’s one of the most notorious and controversial aspects of parallel parking in Philly — there’s got to be a savesies cone or chair already in the spot and somebody next to it saying, ‘Hey! I’m saving that for my granddaughter don’t move that!’ and there might be a car behind you honking, a truck with sirens nearby, and other special distractions,” he said.
What won’t be on the test: parallel parking in the Broad Street median.
“Talk about controversy! That’s a level-two expert category,” Wodka said. “I have never even done Broad Street.”
Cars parked in the median along South Broad Street.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Judges will score each contestant on a 10-point scale based on speed, competency, proximity to the curb, and flair. The three drivers with the highest total score will move on to the final round, a “pure show me what you got,” where one will be crowned Best Parallel Parker in Philadelphia 2026, Wodka said.
Precise parallel parkers primed to participate can apply online on the PPPA’s website. Candidates must live in Philadelphia and are required to provide their years of parallel parking experience and the make, model, and year of their vehicle. Drivers are also encouraged to write about what parallel parking means to them and provide a 60-second video or audio clip detailing how they know they’re a peerless parallel parker.
A motorist exits his car after parking his vehicle along Passyunk Avenue in South Philly in November 2021.TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer
According to Wodka, more than 170 people have already submitted video or audio files with their application.
“Some people are handing their camera off to someone else to video them parking, some people are telling a little story about getting applause or a passenger expressing doubt and then amazement when they’re able to fit inside,” he said.
The championship will have three judges and Wodka is hoping some Philly-area celebrities with a good sense of humor and appreciation for parallel parking might volunteer.
While the PPPA hasn’t approached actor Ryan Phillippe yet, it did repost an Instagram video of the actor, who’s a native of New Castle, Del., being impressed by his buddy’s epic Philly parallel parking job in the tightest of spaces this April.
“He really did that. With relative ease,” Phillippe commented on the PPPA’s post.
The winner of the 2026 PPPA Championship will receive Best Parallel Parker in Philadelphia bragging rights for a year and a trophy that will include a piece of a curb (what curb is still TBD).
“As a cash prize we’ll be offering $76, which will essentially cover your next parking ticket,” Wodka said.
Deadline for applications is Aug. 15.
“I want Philly people with confidence to apply, that Philly every person who grew up with this as a part of their everyday life and now it’s time to be recognized for it,” Wodka said.
For more information about the PPPA or to sign up for the championship, visit philaparallelparking.org
DEAR ABBY: Our nephew “Conrad” is engaged to be married soon. For several reasons, we are unable to attend the wedding. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t hesitate to send a generous gift as I have for our other nieces and nephews. However, Conrad is not normal. He doesn’t speak to me, my husband or our children, two of whom are his age. We have never done anything to offend him, as far as I know, and it’s not just our family. He also ignores other specific family members.
Conrad’s mother describes him as “the kindest” and “most loving” person. However, we have never seen that side of him. We have witnessed only narcissism and rudeness. He speaks only to those he thinks elevate his status or make him look good in some way. If, according to Conrad, we do not exist, are we still obligated to send a wedding gift?
— INVISIBLE IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS
DEAR INVISIBLE: Are you certain you will receive a wedding invitation from this nephew? Technically, if you don’t attend, you’re not required to give him anything. However, in light of the fact that you have been generous to your other nieces and nephews, it might be more diplomatic to send a less expensive token gift to mollify his parents.
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DEAR ABBY: I have been married for 10 years. For the first three years, I tried to get closer to my in-laws but was told I wasn’t welcome. I knew they didn’t like me, but I tried my hardest to win them over because family is important to me. In the end, I was asked to leave their house. My husband was on my side, but I realized I couldn’t separate him from his family. So, for seven years he’s had the support of his family and mine.
One of his siblings is now sick, and it’s looking grim. I do not feel my presence is required at the funeral as no one in his family likes me. Am I wrong? Anytime I run into his family, they are confrontational.
— STAYING AWAY IN ILLINOIS
DEAR STAYING AWAY: Ask your husband if he would like your emotional support at his sibling’s funeral. Bear in mind that funerals do not bring out the best in some people, and your in-laws will be no exception. Then do as your husband requests but have a quick getaway plan in place in case you need to leave.
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DEAR ABBY: Two of our children are planning a European vacation with their families. My wife is upset because they didn’t invite her and stated bluntly that she’s not welcome to join them. How can we convince her not to take their decision personally?
— MAYBE NEXT TIME IN MASSACHUSETTS
DEAR MAYBE: Surely your wife is mature enough to understand that when a young family takes a trip, she should not expect to be automatically included? They are entitled to some time to make memories together. If she insists on taking it personally, there is nothing you can do to convince her, so let her sulk it out.
A four-foot plastic traffic barrier was placed in the bike lanes on 18th and Spruce Streets on Sunday. Painted white and adorned with 12 sunflowers, the small protective barrier would not only protect cyclists from cars, but represent the people killed by drivers since the death of Barbara Friedes, a pediatric doctor who, in 2024, was killed where the painted barrier was placed while riding her bike home from work.
But just hours after hundreds of people, including City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, helped install the barrier during a memorial for Friedes, it was removed, said Jessie Amadio, an organizer for Philly Bike Action, which organized the memorial.
The swift removal led the group to suspect city crews may have removed it, sparking an outcry from supporters who contacted city departments and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.
“It takes years to protect a bike lane but hours to remove bike lane protection?” Philly Bike Action wrote on Instagram. “Drained and removed on a Sunday like it was the most pressing business in the entire City today.”
The city has said it was not aware of any removal efforts on its part.
Later Sunday, Philly Bike Action members found the memorial barrier tucked behind a dumpster in the alleyway behind Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, mere feet away from where it was placed. The city contends crews would have taken it to a sanitation facility or other waste removal site.
Hanna Kahler hands out sunflowers as family, friends, and Philly Bike action members arrive at Barbara’s Angel Bike at 18th and Spruce for a memorial Sunday. Barbara Friedes, a 30-year-old Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor, was killed on her bike on the spot by a drunk driver in July 2024.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The city’sManaging Director’s Office said it was unaware of any city employee taking part in the memorial barrier’s removal.
“We just need more time to ask every single person who might have been out there, but everybody who has been asked at this point who worked in that area on Sunday did not remove them,” a spokesperson said.
The office has been investigating since Sundayafternoon, checking with the Philadelphia Police Department, the Fire Department, the Streets Department, and the Department of Sanitation as to whether one of their crews removed it. The spokesperson said that no city department issued an order for employees to remove the barrier.
The Police Departmentreported back that it did not have nearby surveillance footage showing the area where the barrier was placed to identify who may have removed it. Police canvassed the area Monday to gather additional information and doorbell surveillance footage, a spokesperson said.
City Council President Kenyatta Johnson speaks as friends, family, and Philly Bike Action members gather at the angel bike for Barbara Friedes at 18th and Spruce for a memorial Sunday. Friedes, a 30-year-old Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor, was killed on her bike at the intersection by a drunk driver in July 2024. Johnson pledged he would remain committed to finding ways to protect cyclists in Philadelphia.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
In Philadelphia, the majority of people killed in vehicle crashes are pedestrians and cyclists, according to recent PennDot data. While overall crashes have declined since 2020, the number of drivers crashing into non-motorists has stayed the same or increased.
Following the deaths of Friedes and other cyclists and pedestrians, the city pledged $4.8 million to install permanent concrete bike lane barriers along Spruce and Pine Streets in Center City. Part of this plan was to convert parking spaces along these streets into loading zones intended to give vehicles a place to briefly stop instead of in bike lanes. However, the neighborhood group Friends of Pine and Spruce sued on the grounds that the city had no legal authority to remove parking spaces to create “neighborhood loading zones.”
A car is parked in the bicycle lane in the 1700 Block of Spruce Street on Sunday even as family, friends, and Philly Bike Action members gather at Barbara Friedes’ Angel Bike at 18th and Spruce for a memorial. Friedes, a 30-year-old Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor, was killed on her bike at the intersection by a drunk driver in July 2024.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The city has since delayed the Spruce and Pine Streets safety project due to a 2025court injunction. Common Pleas Judge Damaris L. Garcia recently denied the city’s motion to dissolve the injunction, and the project remains on pause.
While Philly Bike Action recognizes the need for the city to wait on legal proceedings, the group believes the judge’s order should still allow the construction of barriers as the injunction targets “ongoing construction” and efforts associated with proposed “neighborhood loading zones, or related restrictions on Pine and Spruce Streets.” However, the addition of “related restrictions” introduced ambiguity and has kept the city’s plans stalled.
“We can’t wait another two to five years,” Amadio said. “The barrier is not much bigger than the curbs on the end of the road and will prevent cars from merging into the bike lane and hurting people.”
The beaches of tiny, quirky Strathmere may be in their last tag-free season.
The Upper Township Committee, the governmental body that includes Strathmere and its mainland counterpart, is considering beach tags that would cost as much as $45 for the season, said administrator James Van Zlike.
Strathmere’s possible move to a paid beach will leave only Atlantic City, Wildwood, North Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest as free oceanfront beaches in Atlantic and Cape May Counties.
“We didn’t want to do it,” Van Zlike said. He said beach patrol personnel costs alone were over $500,000 per season, and the township was responsible for $2.1 million for the current beach replenishment project. “Beaches are expensive to run and maintain and operate.”
Proposed pricing for the tags would be $10 daily, $20 weekly, and a seasonal tag of $45 with a pre-season discounted rate of $30, he said, which would generate about $320,000. Veterans and active duty military would be exempt.
The beach patrol’s headquarters had to be demolished in March after bad weather and beach erosion left it in a precarious state. The township has yet to rebuild it.
Although ending the free beach status is anathema to many, Mayor Curtis T. Corson Jr., said at the July committee meeting that it came down to beaches or parking, both of which are currently free in Strathmere.
The township determined it would be more cost effective to hire two roaming beach tag checkers than to retrofit the town’s narrow streets for parking meters, and create a parking enforcement bureaucracy.
“We don’t have parking meters, we don’t have a parking authority, we don’t have any of that,” the mayor said at the July 13 meeting. “We would actually, because of the narrow streets, lose parking spots.”
Neighboring Sea Isle’s beach tags max out at $30 for the season, but Corson noted the city takes in $1.7 million in parking meter fees.
“We take in zero for parking fees,” he said.
Reaction was mostly negative on Facebook groups, with many questioning why any of the beaches in New Jersey required a beach tag. “Terrible idea,” said one poster. “Residents already pay high taxes.”
Corson said state law would not allow them to give a discounted price to residents of Upper Township.
A beach tag ordinance will likely be introduced at an August meeting, Van Zlike said. The township last considered instituting beach tags in 2021.
DEAR ABBY: I’m 56 years old and have been married for 12 years. I don’t want to drive an hour and a half to spend time with my husband’s grandbabies. I have done that on many occasions and choose not to do it anymore. I’m not into babies — or children, for that matter. He continues to ask me to go and can’t understand why I don’t want to. I have no problem with him going (I encourage him to go), but he won’t let up on me, and it’s driving me away. Am I wrong to prefer not to go?
— CHILD-FREE IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR CHILD-FREE: Has it occurred to you that your husband may not want to drive an hour and a half to visit the “grandbabies” any more than you do? He may need you for backup. Sometimes in a marriage, we do things for our partner that may not be our favorite pastime, but we do it for love. You should not have to make that pilgrimage every time your husband does, but the nice thing to do would be to accompany him more times than not. And do it with a smile.
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DEAR ABBY: My husband is serving a life sentence, with the possibility of parole. He turned himself in a year and a half ago for a crime that happened 15 years ago. I met someone seven months ago. This man is involved in his church and has a ministry in which he feeds the homeless. I’m not sure at this point what our future holds. I feel so guilty at times. Please help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
— CONFLICTED IN GEORGIA
DEAR CONFLICTED: This is something I think you should discuss with your incarcerated husband. When you do, explain that you don’t think you can live like a widow, possibly for decades. Decide together how you should proceed. However, please remember you have been involved with this new person for a relatively short time, and there is no guarantee that your relationship will become permanent.
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DEAR ABBY: Our friend “Leo” married a girl who treats him poorly. She degrades him in front of people about his finances, weight, looks, etc. They have been married only a couple of years and have no kids. Leo is a great person, and his mental health is getting beaten down daily. Should we say something to him? We want him to know we would support him if he wanted to divorce her. He has limited family — his friends are family.
— STEPPING UP IN IDAHO
DEAR STEPPING UP: Because you and Leo’s other friends believe he is being abused, I see no reason to remain silent and pretend it isn’t happening. An intervention may be called for, as well as an opportunity to reinforce the message that you are all there for him regardless of what he chooses to do about his marriage.
Nike’s newest Air Force 1 shoes look a lot like … Gritty?
The footwear giant recently unveiled part of its upcoming “Horse of a Different Color” collection, which reimagines the popular sneakers in shaggy “campfire orange” pony hair, a material eerily similar to the coat of the beloved Philadelphia Flyers mascot.
The collection is — allegedly — inspired by the Shakespearean idiom, which was also referenced in The Wizard of Oz, according to Hypebeast and Women’s Wear Daily. But internet sleuths were quick to point out the resemblance to Gritty, or the Lorax, or a ‘70s shag carpet, or red-headed singer Ed Sheeran.
Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Gritty served as an inspiration.A spokesperson for the Flyers could not immediately be reached.
“I will become indebted to Klarna for the [opportunity] to wear these to Flyers games this year,” another X poster wrote, referring to the financial company’s “buy now, pay later” service.
Another said, “lol these would be great for the Gritty 5K.”
The sneakers are expected to retail for $140, according to Hypebeast. While an exact release date hasn’t been announced, the shoes are likely to drop this fall.
