Kyle Kendrick, a former Phillies pitcher, would spend hours throwing batting practice to his son, Kyle Jr., in the batting cage he built in his Clearwater, Fla., backyard.
The batting cage became their place. It was where his son fell in love with baseball.
But last fall, Kendrick wasn’t sure if his son would ever be able to get back in the cage after the 12-year-old was struck by a car traveling 50 mph while he was walking across the street near his home.
Then a miracle happened: “He really is very tough,” his mother Stephenie said. “And it’s mentally tough.”
The Kendricks were inspired by their son’s recovery, and Kyle Jr. did eventually get back in the cage. Seven months after his accident, he hit his first homer. A day later, he did it again.
Eagles defensive tackle Uar Bernard warms up during mandatory minicamp last month.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Uar Bernard doesn’t have anyprevious football experience. The Nigeria native is a product of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program and impressed scouts with his athleticism. With that being said, it’s difficult to predict his chances of making the roster, since he’s such a raw prospect. He’ll at least need to make enough progress to show that he can occupy one of the 53 roster spots.
As we prepare for training camp — which is one week away — there are still several questions surrounding the Birds. Here’s what the national media is saying about them.
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly is talking about going with four starters this time through the rotation.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
One way to handle not having an appealing choice to fill the fifth-starter spot? Skip it. With a day off Thursday in between home series against the Dodgers and Yankees, the Phillies are considering going with four starters through the rotation.
Flyers center Trevor Zegras helped the Flyers reach the playoffs and advance once they got there.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Trevor Zegras is the highest-paid Flyer in annual average value after signing a four-year, $36.5 million extension with an AAV of $9.125 million on July 15.
He’s now projected to be the top-line center for the Flyers this season. His offseason work involves getting bigger and stronger, but first, there’s one more date circled on the calendar for Zegras in July.
Tague Davis was named the ACC Player of the Year as a sophomore.Taris Smith / Louisville Athletics
Tague Davis, a first baseman at Louisville, is coming off a stellar sophomore season, where he was named ACC Baseball Player of the Year and led the nation with 34 home runs. This summer, Davis starred for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League before earning a spot on the USA Baseball collegiate national team.
Now, the Malvern Prep graduate, who is the son of former MLB catcher and Phillies color commentator Ben Davis, is preparing for a pivotal year at Louisville.
Philadelphia was among the host cities for the World Cup, transforming Lincoln Financial Field into Philadelphia Stadium.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
This World Cup made a huge impact on a country where soccer wasn’t always welcome, but is now. However, with the World Cup over, what kind of soccer will Americans now want to watch?
Will they treat the sport like track and field at the Olympics, tuning in every four years? Or will they be interested more often, wanting to see the world’s biggest sports tapestry unfold every week?
Could Angels pitcher Reid Detmers be the answer to the Phillies’ starting pitching woes beyond their Big Three?Caroline Brehman
The Phillies are 42-15 in games started by Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler or Jesús Luzardo, but 14-31 in games started by anybody other than those three. The Phillies don’t necessarily need a fourth Cy Young-caliber arm. They need someone who could potentially start Game 1 of the NLDS, writes columnist David Murphy.
What you’re saying about the Eagles
Nick Sirianni laughs with defensive tackle Jalen Carter during mandatory mini-camp on June 10.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
We asked: What’s your wish for the Eagles and Sirianni this season? Among your responses:
14-3 looks good. Defense looks great on paper. Defense also wins Super Bowls. Offense just has to be good. Not great. Just good enough to put some numbers up. GO BIRDS! — Ronald R.
Hope with the new offense and without the thorn in the side Brown the Eagles can return to at least to being close to the SB winning level. Would sure like to see the O-line come back strong and help spring Saquon loose again. Sirianni is a question mark even with his excellent record. He is not yet nor may ever be a Lombardi or Noll or Shula etc, but hard to seriously come down on the guy. I think this will be a make or break year for the coach and our Eagles. — Everett S.
Please have the Eagles win the Super Bowl vindicating Hurtz and Mannion stays for another year (for a change). — Craig S.
Super Bowl victory or bust!— Bill B.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Matt Breen, David Murphy, Scott Lauber, Ryan Novozinsky, Lochlahn March, Jackie Spiegel, Jonathan Tannenwald, Ariel Simpson, and Conor Smith.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful Wednesday, and Kerith will be in your inbox with tomorrow’s newsletter. — Bella
If the summer of 2026 came with an Official Cliché™, it would have to be “glass half empty, half full.” Things could be better. Things could be worse. It’s people — many of whom are quite wonderful — doing our best in a world run by institutions that are rotten to the core. You’ll find no greater example than the World Cup that wrapped up Sunday with a well-deserved trophy for Spain. Will we remember the gross commercialism and rank corruption perpetuated by FIFA and its political twin, Donald Trump? Or the many remarkable moments on the pitch, and the joyous sense of internationalism in the stands and beyond? How do we get to a place where elite greed is crushed while mere mortals like us thrive?
U.S politics becomes a farcical unreality show. How worried should we be?
Video monitors in the White House briefing room in Washington carry a live feed of President Donald Trump as he addresses the nation on July, 16.DOUG MILLS
If you live inor near a big city and use mass transit to get around, you know this experience. You hop on a subway or a bus, focused only on getting from point A to point B, but there’s a man just a few feet away who demands your attention. He is talking loudly, repeating the same gibberish phrase over and over, seemingly arguing with someone until you realize he’s not even holding a phone. It’s just him. You feel a mix of emotions — sorry for the guy because clearly he’s going through something, yet mainly praying he will just stop yelling and give you some peace.
Trump commandeered 26 minutes of invaluable TV prime time (CBS and MS Now ran all or most of it; NBC, ABC, and even CNN declined) for a speech that arguably may be remembered as one of the most consequential ever delivered from the White House — but only for the Big Lie constructed on a foundation of half-truths.
Despite days of hype, which was sensibly ignored by most folks who know better after a decade of Trump’s political dishonesty, there was zero new evidence that China or any other foreign power consequentially interfered in the 2020 presidential election Trump lost fairly and squarely to Joe Biden. POTUS instead offered gross exaggerations around old reports that would have made the late red-baiter Joe McCarthy blush, with bizarre allegations about the CIA and other intel agencies while he was in charge of them in 2020.
There was a huge problem, however, with the president’s scare tactics: No one was scared. It’s not just that many among the 61% or so of Americans who disapprove of Trump’s job performance had expected the Thursday night monologue would include even worse lies or fabrications, or stronger threats — instead of a leader who was not just incoherent but weak.
But even the Republican politicians and right-wing opinion makers who were a main target of the White House address looked the other way in the immediate aftermath. We were all the mortified passengers on the same subway car, hoping the noise would just end.
Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump’s longtime friend, was on the air when the speech ended and fairly quickly changed the topic, so eager to avoid the stench. Even worse, the president’s favorite show, Fox & Friends, which aired early the next morning, did not mention the address once in the three hours it was on.
I’ve lived through the 1980 men’s hockey gold medal and Watergate, the Iraq War and the legalization of gay marriage — so I know how it feels to be proud to be an American, and to be furious with our government. But I’ve never felt the sense of utter embarrassment that was the national mood at 9:30 p.m. last Thursday. The president gave a prime-time address that was complete fiction. Who will ever again take the United States seriously on a world stage?
But there was also a dangerous flip side to America’s week of magical thinking. In delivering a speech about election integrity problems that don’t exist, there was also a pack of wild dogs that did not bark Thursday night. For one thing, Trump barely mentioned his unilateral decision to resume and escalate the war in Iran, even as three more U.S. troops would be dead by week’s end, and everyday Americans once again felt the pain of gas prices over $4 a gallon.
But Trump and his GOP allies were determined to ignore, deflect, or flat-out lie about the crisis that was literally right in their faces: the smoke from northern wildfires, mostly in rural, remote Canada, that shrouded huge swaths of the Midwest and Northeast in thick, wood-smelling smoke and led to orders for people to remain indoors.
Wildfires may be as old as the trees, but there’s only one reason why smoke from Canada has caused two major health emergencies in the United States since 2023, and that reason is climate change. Consistently warmer summers — even more extreme in northern Canada than elsewhere — have led to drought conditions that fuel these blazes. “The best way to solve it is to just stop burning fossil fuels,“ Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist and dean at the University of Michigan, told the CBC.
But suffocating smoke from the northlands is a jolly big problem, which nobody can deny. And so a president who’s been utterly skewered by South Park decided to rap, “Blame Canada.” The world’s climate-denier-in-chief was shocked, shocked,that “the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!”
Filmmaker Jim Pattiz called this — wait for it — America’s “latest global embarrassment.” He wrote, “The whole planet is watching an American president shake his fist at the sky and order a sovereign country to get its clouds under control.”
There’s two ways to look at all of this. For now, Trump’s lame efforts to frame the looming midterm election as rigged are coming off as sad and pathetic, a lot more Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator than an actual führer. He lacks both evidence and judges who will rule in his favor, while his political base is shrinking every day.
For now, Trump will not be ignored, like Glenn Close flipping the lamp switch on and off in Fatal Attraction. Neither the mortification of Thursday’s speech nor the death of three soldiers in his Iran war of choice could keep the president from bullying his way onto the main stage at Sunday’s World Cup final in New Jersey, ignoring the boos to shoehorn his way into Spain’s victory photos as if he had assisted on the winning goal.
Can a world superpower die from embarrassment? We are finding out in real time.
Yo, do this!
Blame — or thank — the Major League Baseball schedulers who seem determined to stop the Phillies from playing on Friday nights, but the baseball blackout forced me to go on Netflix and realize it has added an awesome documentary that came out in 2019 but is needed now more than ever: Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins. The film shows how the outspoken and relentlessly funny Texas journalist rebelled as a student in the 1960s against the hypocrisies of her privileged upbringing and never looked back until she was taken from us, way too young, in 2007. Every up-and-coming young journalist needs to watch this and discover a role model for life.
After that commercial that ran incessantly during the World Cup, the lyrical phrase “What the world needs now …” has been stuck in my head for weeks. Well, what the world needs now, with rising authoritarianism and ruthless capitalism, isn’t only love, sweet love, but also courage. What remarkable timing for Julia Angwin and Ami Fields-Meyer’s new book, On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear. The authors tell the story of more than 100 dissidents all over the globe, from Hong Kong to Venezuela, to learn how everyday folks can find the gumption to resist oppression. It’s a must-read for Donald Trump’s America, and it is next on my list.
Ask me anything
Question: Why is [Donald Trump] being allowed to randomly declare tariffs on Canada again if the Supreme Court said that it was illegal? Do we have to have the same argument over and over again? — Stephanie King (@stephstephking.bsky.social) via Bluesky
Answer: Apparently we do. Section 338 of the 1930 Trade Act — known, notoriously, to history geeks as the Smoot-Hawley Act that only exacerbated the Great Depression — gives the president fairly broad powers to impose retaliatory tariffs if his administration concludes that a foreign country is discriminating against U.S. products. Thanks to the international trade war that Trump himself initiated, the president is now claiming Canada is punishing American autos, alcohol, and dairy products. It feels like the proposed 50% levy on many Canadian products is less about sound economics and more about a) answering GOP calls to blame Canada for the wildfires that are actually the result of climate change, and b) trying to change the subject from a disastrous week. They don’t take effect for 30 days, plenty of time for the next TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) Tuesday.
What you’re saying about …
Last week’s question about how to respond to Trump’s Big Lie about election fraud that we all knew was coming in Thursday’s speech was probably, in hindsight, too wonky to generate much response. Those who did write agreed that a heavy burden falls on the news media to do everything to debunk — or, as longtime reader Rosalind Holtzman put it, “pre-bunk” — the president’s many falsehoods. She added: “Americans have the attention span of mayflies and need review and repetition. Revisit the events of the 2020 elections and how Trump’s claims all failed in court.” I couldn’t agree more.
📮 This week’s question: Optimists are already starting to ponder a world where Donald Trump is no longer president. But where would a Democratic successor even start to undo the damage caused by the many destructive policies of the Trump regime? What should be the Day One measures to start rebuilding U.S. democracy? Please email me your answer and put the exact phrase “Dems Day One agenda” in the subject line.
Backstory on Trump’s campaign cash and ‘explosive diarrhea’
Federal health officials have linked a large cyclosporiasis outbreak to shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell. Is lettuce from grocery stores and restaurants OK to eat?NICOLE BENGIVENO
Before last week, most Americans had never heard of Taylor Farms, a California-based produce firm, and, for a company that supplies lettuce to large U.S. restaurant chains, anonymity was arguably good for business. There are no two words in the English language that can raise awareness of a brand — and destroy it — faster than “explosive diarrhea.” That’s the most alarming symptom from a foodborne illness linked to the parasite cyclospora that’s laid low thousands of Americans in multiple states. Since the early days of the outbreak, suspicion has focused on Taylor Farms after Taco Bell stores stopped using the iceberg lettuce it procures from the company. But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) probe into the cause has so far been a mess — much of that the result of steep cuts to food safety by the Trump regime. But there are also ethical concerns.
Follow the money.
Regular folks might not have heard of Taylor Farms, but the world’s largest salad processor has made itself known in the corridors of the Trump regime since March 2025. That was right around the time the FDA surprised industry observers by postponing its Food Traceability Rule — drafted under the Biden administration to better track and remove contaminated products — for 30 months. Just six days after the industry-friendly move, Trump’s main political action committee, MAGA Inc., received a whopping $1 million donation from Taylor Farms.
What’s more, money buys access in Trump World. The Daily Beast has reported that last Thursday — despite the company’s nationwide lettuce recall — Taylor Farms executives met with White House and FDA officials and complained about the way the government has been investigating the outbreak. That meeting was followed by a bizarre weekend in which the FDA initially announced that testing of Taylor Farms produce from central Mexico had tested positive for cyclospora, then told the company one day later the result had been a “false positive.” The chaos means ongoing confusion about why so many Americans are getting sick, and whether it’s safe to eat lettuce. And that raises troubling questions about whether political cash has compromised food safety.
This was hardly the first time donations to Trump’s massive empire of political wealth — money raised for a man who is constitutionally barred from running for the presidency again — have overlapped with key policy decisions. For example, the New York Times reported this spring that tobacco company Reynolds American donated $5 million to MAGA Inc. just one week before an industry-friendly FDA ruling on e-cigarettes.
MAGA Inc. — just one of several ways billionaires and corporations can funnel money to Trump World, along with projects like his presidential library — had more than $400 million in the bank at the end of June, an astronomical sum. Its donors have included not only a who’s who of American industry, but also crypto dudes — whose industry has been largely deregulated under Trump — and wealthy pardon seekers. Some of those dollars will go to GOP candidates in November’s midterms, but what happens to most of this cash is a mystery. Trump may be leaving office on Jan. 20, 2029, but we’ll still be following the money for years to come.
What I wrote on this date in 2019
Trump’s second term has been so dangerous for democracy that we tend to forget the horrors of his first four years in the White House. On this date seven years ago, I joined a lot of other folks in shock and dismay over the raw racism of the 45th president’s campaign-style rally in South Carolina, where a diatribe against Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee who became a U.S. citizen and represents a Minnesota district, sparked a frenzied chant: “Send her back!” I wrote about the tween girl in the crowd directly behind Trump, who looked around and joined the adults. “In front of national TV cameras, with the 45th president of the United States as maestro, we are witnessing the exact moment that the raging rabble of a Donald Trump rally has taught a child how to hate.”
No columns from me this past week as I spent time with family up and down the Eastern Seaboard, but my Inquirer colleagues have been hard at work. It turns out that the Philadelphia metro area has been ground zero for the latest bizarre business scheme that’s hopelessly intertwined with the Trump regime: a pop-up scheme of at least 25 gas stations rebranded as Trump-aligned Freedom Fuel that — at least for a week or two — were selling gasoline at much lower prices than their nearby rivals. The Inquirer has been all over this weird local story with national implications, and with more questions than answers. Where does this cheap gas come from? Who’s really behind the Freedom Fuel stations? On Tuesday, The Inquirer’s Ximena Conde and Rob Tornoe started to unravel the somewhat dubious past (surprise, surprise) of some of the folks connected to the gas stations, and how suddenly prices at Freedom Fuel aren’t as cheap as they used to be. I suspect the final chapters of this saga are going to be a doozy. The only way to stay on top of local news and support the in-depth journalism we do here is to become an Inquirer subscriber. Join us. It’s a gas.
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P.S. Our team is here to answer questions big and small about the region. Share them here and one of our reporters might pick it up for our Curious South Jersey initiative.
The Delaware River is home to about 123 islands as it simultaneously creates a border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Some are sandbars, others have acres of land, and a few aren’t technically islands anymore because they’ve been reattached to mainland by nature or human engineering.
🏞 Chester and Monds Islands: New Jersey Audubon owns these two islands that have become a haven for birds. They’re off the coast of Gloucester County.
🏞 Petty’s Island: Indigenous Lenni-Lenape people were the original inhabitants of this land right off Pennsauken. Its local lore includes stories about Blackbeard docking there and Benjamin Franklin spending a night.
🏞 Amico Island: The Burlington County-owned park in Delran includes forests, a river shoreline, and meadows.
Mall culture and consumer behavior may have changed, but Spencer’s continues to thrive.
The first brick-and-mortar store opened in 1963 at the Cherry Hill Mall. Since then, it has expanded and young adults have had a dedicated place to buy band T-shirts, lava lamps, and other trendy items.
There are more than 650 Spencer’s stores across the United States and Canada, and the company’s CEO said revenue has grown 50% since 2019.
Recently, the South Jersey-based novelty item retailer moved into a new spot at Cherry Hill with 1,000 more square feet of space.
Freedom Fuel, the gas station chain promoted by President Donald Trump, says it has plans to expand but seems to no longer provide notably discounted prices. The currently operating 25 locations include West Berlin and Marlton.
A federal jury convicted an Easthampton Township man for having illicit conversations with who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl while he was serving as an Air Force captain, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazier said Monday.
U.S. Sen. Andy Kim will soon introduce MediKids, a universal healthcare plan that would cover every child in the country. It would be automatic at birth and cover young people until age 26.
The Camden-based company Holtec Nuclear Corp. is planning an IPO with an aim to increase the sales of its small nuclear plants and liquid batteries.
Legislators in South Jersey asked the Department of Transportation to examine Route 55’s design after 10 fatal crashes in the past four years along the Gloucester County portion, according to NJ.com.
According to health officials, New Jersey recorded 46 cases of cyclosporiasis between May 1 and July 16, a typical amount. It’s unclear if any of these incidents were a result of people eating Taylor Farm products, the produce company at the center the recent food safety investigation.
Good morning, Philly! 👋 Expect a warm one today with highs in the mid-80s, but don’t forget the umbrella. ☂️ Be prepared for some rain and possible thunderstorms.
Freedom Fuel gas stations are eyeing expansion, according to the company’s website. But the Philadelphia-area network of gas stations no longer appears to be selling fuel at the deep discount originally linked to the president.
Did you know the Delaware River is home to over 100 islands? Some are large with historic significance, and others are more like sandbars. We’ll help you fly over the river and check them all out.
Even the Freedom Fuel Network, promoted by President Donald Trump, isn’t immune to rising gas prices. Yet, the Philadelphia-area network of gas stations is expanding anyway, according to the company’s website.
The enterprise, made up of 25 stations spread across the region, garnered national attention when it began selling regular gas for $3.47 a gallon — a nod to Trump, and 40 to 50 cents cheaper than other stations.
Despite the White House’s involvement in promoting Freedom Fuel, a spokesperson said the company received no government subsidies nor obtained fuel at a lower cost. The below-market prices would exist “for as long as the company chooses.” If that’s the case, the business itself was already absorbing dramatic losses before the United States resumed attacks on Iran, leading to a jump in gas prices over the past week.
The Delaware River flows 330 miles from Delaware to New York, harboring roughly 123 islands as it carves a ragged border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Some islands are mere shoals or sandbars, while others span hundreds of acres. Some are no longer true islands after reattaching to mainland via nature or human engineering.
🏝️ Pea Patch Island, for example, is owned by Delaware and is 225 acres large. It is home to Fort Delaware, which served as a camp for up to 10,000 Confederate POWs at a time during the Civil War. The island stopped being manned after World War II, and today, it’s a state park.
🏝️ Little Tinicum Island,on the other hand, is only 80 acres in size and is owned by Pennsylvania. There’s a primitive campground accessible by boat and a wildlife viewing area. The island is home to a variety of birds.
Delaware County detectives are investigating a racist, threatening voicemail left for county Sheriff Siddiq Kamara, officials said Monday. The caller, whom police are working to identify, used a racial slur to refer to Kamara, who is Black, and called for “death to Islam.”
A Bucks County sheriff’s deputy used his personal cell phone to take naked pictures of two people he encountered as part of his job, including a mentally ill man at whose home he was serving a search warrant, prosecutors said.
An incendiary device was deployed Monday morning outside a New York City federal building and officials have taken a person into custody, the FBI said.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey are among the 27 states seeing recalls of shredded lettuce products sourced to Taylor Farms, the produce company at the center of a food safety investigation into an outbreak of “explosive” diarrhea caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis.
Delaware reported Monday the state’s first case of measles in more than 10 years. The case was identified in an unvaccinated man in central Delaware, health officials said in a news release.
Drivers should expect backups and delays near Amtrak’s 30th Street Station as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation carries out roadwork nearby in the coming month.
Quote of the day
More than 400 people have already applied for just 20 spots in the city’s first-ever parallel parking competition, the 2026 Philadelphia Parallel Parking Association Championship. Judges will score each contestant on a 10-point scale based on speed, competency, proximity to the curb, and flair.
🧠Trivia time
Which alumni will present a new Villanova University-created award in their name that recognizes outstanding leadership in sustainability?
🎓 Admiring: Pennsylvania’s 10 state universities will consider offering some three-year bachelor’s degrees. It’s a way to make college more affordable and allow students to get into the workforce more quickly.
Cheers to Annette Lofft, who solved Monday’s anagram: Longwood Gardens. A couple celebrated their gender reveal with a dazzling light show at the gardens over the weekend.
Photo of the day
Spain’s Rodri celebrates with the trophy after the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday.Adam Hunger
⚽ Oh, and one last thing: Columnist Kerith Gabriel considers how our country can push U.S. soccer further. He believes it starts with children and their parents.
Have a good day, everyone! 👋 I’ll be back in your inboxes next week.
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Canada geese in Heritage Park in New Jersey on June 10, 2021. Tom Gralish / Staff
A stroll through Alverthorpe Park over the next year might come with a side of green light beams, propane-powered noisemakers, and remote-controlled boats as township and federal officials team up to scare geese away from the vicinity.
The township has contracted the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Canada goose abatement support as the birds that have taken up residence in the park attack people driving golf carts, dig into sand traps, and each drop up to a pound of slippery, bacteria-laden feces daily.
“It’s a mess,” assistant parks director Patricia Platt said.
SEPTA is trading Glenside Regional Rail riders three daytime trains for new off-peak options, more train cars, and new schedules aimed at reducing congestion between Glenside and Wayne Junction, The Inquirer’s Jess Rohan reports.
Beginning Thursday, Jenkintown businesses will no longer be allowed to provide single-use plastic bags to shoppers, under new borough regulations. Compostable straws and stirrers will now be the default, too.
Remember last week’s On The Market? Take a closer look inside “Tall Trees,” a 1920s home in Abington that is thought to have ties to defunct Philadelphia company Laird & Schober Shoes, which collaborated with esteemed Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli and won a shoe manufacturing award from the Franklin Institute in 1900.
In-state undergraduates at the Penn State Abington campus will see no tuition increase in 2027-28, marking the fifth year in a row without a price hike, even as University Park campus attendees face a 2.5% rise in tuition and room and board, The Inquirer’s Susan Snyder reports.
Baederwood Park’s new playground, which includes swings, slides, and climbing structures, is ready for action.
Robyn Faye, an OB-GYN at Jefferson Abington Hospital, spoke with The Inquirer’s Wendy Ruderman about the validity of concerns surrounding tampons after the FDA released a new study confirming they contain trace amounts of metals.
🏫 Schools briefing
In case you missed it, the U.S. Department of Education is investigating the Cheltenham School District as federal officials target sexual misconduct by teachers across the country that they say schools have not adequately addressed.
Jenkintown sees the most high school sports participation and spends the most on sports per pupil among Greater Philadelphia school districts, allocating upward of $1,100 per student toward athletics, a new report indicates. The Inquirer’s Maddie Hanna unpacks the details.
🍽️ On our plate
The second iteration of Glenside Lunch Week will run from Sunday to Aug. 1, featuring lunch specials at participating restaurants, including Fill A Bagel & Breads, Glenside Pizza, and Rooster’s Glenside.
Glenside Local has the details on an application for a Taco Bell at the former Citizens Bank location at 1919 Easton Rd. in Willow Grove.
🎳 Things to do
🎵 The Perkolators: The band, fronted by guitar player Tim “the Perkolator” Perks, will perform blues, rock and roll, and roots tunes. ⏰ Friday, July 24, 7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 The Ways Restaurant and Brewery, Glenside
🥾 Common Ground: Trailblazing for All: Cheltenham Parks & Recreation and the Active Transportation Committee will host a community event centered around local trails accessible for people of all abilities. ⏰ Saturday, July 25, 10 a.m. 💵 Free 📍 Gimbel Field, Elkins Park
🧶 Teen Artisan Craft Fair: Local young artists will sell their handmade wares, like paintings, crocheted items, and jewelry, at the third-annual event. ⏰ Saturday, July 25, 1-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go📍 Abington Free Library
✍️ Character Creation Workshop: Kids ages 11 to 15 will learn how to develop characters in this interactive class, taught by local fantasy and romance author Kathleen Zoll. ⏰ Tuesday, July 28, 6-8 p.m. 💵 Free, registration required 📍 Glenside Free Library
Elegant columns line the entryway to this four-bedroom Jenkintown house, complete with a home theater, cedar closet, gas fireplace, jetted tub, and custom built-in bookcases. The home, which is under contract, includes two full bathrooms and two half-baths, as well as a deck out back.
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This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
With the page turned on the FIFA World Cup, to ease the pain of soccer’s monthlong party bidding farewell, we need something to look forward to.
In Philadelphia, that would be the start of the Eagles’ season and what head coach Nick Sirianni has planned as he heads into his sixth season.
Over that span, the Birds have been on a pretty successful run, going to two Super Bowls, winning one, compiling a 69.4% win rate with him at the helm. He’s come a long way from the head coach who struggled to put two intelligent sentences together during his introductory press conference.
But as he heads into another season with a new offensive coordinator and crop of new faces, how does he plan to spice things up? That’s what Inquirer writer Jeff Neiburg explores in this piece that gives a behind-the-scenes look into Sirianni’s mindset.
Speaking of mindset, yours should be ready for a few scattered showers today but, all in all, another nice day across the region with highs expected only in the mid-80s.
Phillies owner John Middleton had a lot on his mind in the aftermath of the MLB All-Star Game. He sat down with the Inquirer’s Scott Lauber to discuss. Matt Slocum
In the aftermath of the MLB All-Star Game, Phillies owner John Middleton has to be a pretty happy camper. In fact, we know he is because Scott Lauber caught up with him for our latest Phillies Extra, to recap how the city did during its week at the center of the baseball universe.
But that wasn’t all. He got into the upcoming trade deadline (Aug. 3), Wall of Fame ceremony for Chase Utley (Aug. 7), Field of Dreams Game in Iowa (Aug. 13), in addition to his and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski’s futures at the top of the Phillies’ organizational masthead.
Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale is locked in on remaining a Flyer after a four-year, $26 million extension. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
With a four-year, $26 million extension wrapped up, Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale is ready to build on the success that got him that sizable bump.
Although he entered the NHL as an offensive defenseman, he is now strong on both sides of the puck — creating offense, as seen by his career high in goals (eight) and tying his previous best in points (32), while building his defensive game. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers had a 50.5% goal share with Drysdale on the ice.
Olwethu Makhanya (right) on the ball in action earlier this season against the Chicago Fire.Philadelphia Union
When this newsletter dropped, the Union were a little more than 36 hours out from a return to MLS action when they welcome the rival New York Red Bulls to Subaru Park. But as it stood right around the same time, they’ll be doing so without starting center back Olwethu Makhanya, who is reportedly holding out after the Union did not push forward with a pair of teams interested in his services.
As the team is looking to start fresh in this second half of the season post-World Cup, this comes at the worst time for interim coach Ryan Richter and Co. Inquirer writer Jonathan Tannenwald has more on the situation and what the Union are saying about it.
Kyle Schwarber sports the uniform the Phillies will wear when they play in the MLB Field of Dreams game on Aug. 13.Daniel Shirey
On this edition of “Please take my money,” the Phillies will wear 1939 throwback jerseys when they travel to Iowa to take on the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 13. Produced by Nike, the sleeve will feature the 1939 Baseball Centennial patch that all teams wore that season, and to complete the look, the Phils will wear navy hats with a bold red “P.”
While we’re still waiting to see when these will be available for purchase, Inquirer writer Matt Breen has more on the uniform and its historic past.
On this date
July 21, 1973: Phillies pitcher Ken Brett watched as Atlanta Braves great Hank Aaron took his fastball to the yard for Aaron’s 700th all-time home run.
“Speaking of leverage … It isn’t in [Phillies president Dave] Dombrowski’s favor right now. The idea of buyers and sellers is a false choice. There is a price for everything. The more plausible a team’s denial of having to sell, the higher the price they can sell for. The more teams that could potentially buy at the right price, the higher the price for everyone. — The latest from Murphy examines how important the trade deadline really is, particularly from where the Phillies stand.
🧠 Trivia time answer
Before this year, when was the last time Spain won the World Cup?
Answer: C: 2010 — Joey M. was first with the correct answer.
Would you believe if we told you that the last time Spain won it all, they were even more star-studded than they were on Sunday?
What you’re saying about the World Cup
We asked: What did you think of this World Cup?
World Cup was great, but instead of babbling on and on, I wish someone would have taken the time to explain offsides and why, as well as the difference between a foul and penalty, and why someone gets a yellow card and why they don’t. I was absolutely hooked, and I am not a soccer fan. — Bill M.
Wasn’t a soccer fan before, but I am now! I watched almost every game, and I loved it. I really loved how the whole world came together to root for their teams — their own countries or adopted ones. I have a lot of English DNA, so they became my team. My son-in-law has Spanish DNA, so that became my team and “I” won! Man, it looks like brutally hard work for the players in scorching heat. You’ve got players pulling, pushing, and tripping you, and you have been running like a crazy person for over an hour. I’m exhausted just watching. It’s been great feeling the world connection. I wish we could do something like it every year. Maybe we’d all get along better. — Cathy J.
What a pleasure to be the host country on our 250th anniversary. The crowds did not disappoint, nor did the competition. We had an early run by the US in group play, Messi magic through the semifinals, a wild high-scoring third-place game and a more traditional strategic final in extra time. — Bob C.
I think that FIFA needs to change the rule that results in a player being disqualified after a second yellow card (i.e, a red card) for the remainder of the match and making his team have one less player during that time. Spain had a huge advantage for the remainder of the second half and the overtime period and ultimately beat Argentina after they went down a player. I think a system more like that in hockey is that the player gets disqualified, but that another player can come out of the “penalty box” after a specified period of time (for instance, 5 minutes?). I was not rooting for either team but just found the penalty excessive and unfair to the other team. Should the coach of Argentina remove a player who has a yellow card to avoid the penalty arising during the match and causing the team to play the rest of the match at a disadvantage? — Stuart R.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Matt Breen, Jeff Neiburg, Kerith Gabriel, Jonathan Tannenwald, David Murphy, Jackie Spiegel, Scott Lauber, Maggie Prosser, Vinny Vella, and Gabriela Carroll.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Here’s hoping you have a good start to your Tuesday. Catch you later this week.— Kerith
Good morning, South Jersey. Breathe easier today: The Canadian wildfire smoke has largely left the region. But poor-air-quality events may become more common.
Kenneth Houseknecht killed his 12-year-old Deptford neighbor, Kim Marie Anderson, in her bedroom in 1988. The gruesome case shocked South Jersey and devastated a community.
Houseknecht apologized publicly for the first time in a recent Gloucester County Superior Court hearing as he sought a reprieve from a life sentence.
The recording of his hearing sheds light on the murder, as well as the Andersons’ ongoing anguish.
“It’s just not fair that not just my family has to live in fear,” Kim’s father said about the possibility of Houseknecht’s release.
How do you honor a century of life and a lifetime of service?
If you’re a multi-war, multi-branch veteran like Stephen Anderson, you get a big party, heaps of praise, and letters from the governor, state legislators, and American Legion leaders.
The longtime Burlington County resident celebrated his 100th birthday last week in Cinnaminson, calling the surprise “amazing.”
Plus: Inspired by Anderson’s celebration, Inquirer photographer Tom Gralish reflects on the changing meaning of birthday parties through the years in his latest Scene Through the Lens column.
What to know today
Sen. Andy Kim on Friday toured anti-hunger nonprofit Cathedral Kitchen in Camden and called President Donald Trump’s cuts to federal food assistance “devastating and cruel.”
A federal appeals court ruled that the state’s bans on assault firearms and magazines holding more than 10 rounds are unconstitutional, according to the Associated Press.
New Jersey Monitor reports that NJ Transit has approved a $3.5 billion budget, raising spending 11% over the prior year’s budget after facing financial headwinds.
Taylor Farms is recalling iceberg lettuce that had been shipped to retailers in New Jersey and 26 other states due to potential contamination of the cyclospora parasite, the New York Times reports.
The community is mourning Lawnside’s Ewart Rouse, who died at age 85 this month in Voorhees. The retired award-winning reporter and editor for The Inquirer previously covered South Jersey news.
A couple quietly collected rotten-smelling extraterrestrial material for scientists after a meteorite crashed into their Somerset County home two years ago. A study says it contains “alien world chemistry.”
Gloucester Township is debuting a new “fitness court,” a free outdoor gym for all ages, at Veterans Park, complete with an app explaining how to use the equipment.
🧠Trivia time
M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin was filmed in The Pine Barrens. What book was the film based off of?
A) The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
What does your community look like? What South Jersey memory would you like to share? Submit a photo and/or a brief description for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
Kenneth Houseknecht, who murdered his 12-year-old Deptford neighbor 38 years ago, recently spoke out extensively for the first time since the 1988 killing.
Philadelphia’s Burns Services invented the TommyCart as a better way to sort, save, and sell recyclable materials from construction sites. Now, they’re in construction sites around the United States.
Nearly four decades after a 14-year-old boy killed his 12-year-old neighbor by stabbing her 95 times in one of South Jersey’s most infamous crimes, the killer spoke extensivelyfor the first time about that day, according to a newly released recording.
“I am truly sorry,” Kenneth Houseknecht, now 53, said of the events in April 1988, when he attacked Kim Marie Anderson as she was getting ready for school in her family’s home in Deptford.
Houseknecht’s comments came during an unusual hearing in Gloucester County Superior Court. After serving 38 years, Houseknecht was seeking a reprieve from a life sentence. Describing it as “the most gruesome homicide of my time,” Superior Court Judge Kevin T. Smith ultimately affirmed the original sentence.
An audio recording of the proceeding, obtained through an open public records request, offers a compelling window into Houseknecht’s imprisonment since he was a student in junior high school, his family’s pledge of support for his potential release, and the continued anguish and anger of Anderson’s parents, Stephen and Esther.
The TommyCart, a durable, bar-coded, welded-steel recycling wagon made in Philadelphia, is popping up at U.S. construction sites from the Wanamaker Building’s apartment conversion in Center City to the Tennessee Titans’ new stadium in Nashville.
The carts, specialized for recycling, were developed by Richard S. Burns & Co. at its 13-acre Hunting Park complex, where demolition debris is sorted for resale to steel mills, building-materials makers, plastics plants, and other reusers.
The family-led team invented and patented a heavy-duty cart, more nimble than the heavy dumpsters used to collect industrial waste. With the carts, they could more easily weigh, measure, and handle materials at crowded building sites. The process was efficient enough to resume hand-sorting and recover far more material to resell.
Using the TommyCarts, the company can sell about 80% of the recyclables it collects for reuse.
What you should know today
Experts say the ongoing wildfires will threaten air quality in the region, while the longer dry seasons, droughts, and high winds associated with climate change mean that such fires — and the smoke they send downwind — may become more common.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani says his administration is still weighing whether to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he arrives in the city in September for the U.N. General Assembly.
Federal agents around the country were told in recent days that the FBI would no longer investigate confrontations with immigration agents — cases that sometimes yield evidence that could be used to prosecute Department of Homeland Security agents implicated in violent encounters, according to people briefed on the decision.
The Trump administration has filed a first-ever petition to a secretive and dormant court created 30 years ago to consider government requests to deport so-called “alien terrorists” from the United States.
As part of its full-court press on immigration, the Trump administration has increasingly sought to punish Democratic-led states that have tried to curtail their cooperation with federal immigration agencies.
Quote of the day
French social media creators Alex Durand and Tom Carles visited Philadelphia for the World Cup and left captivated by the city’s sports fans, honesty, Wawa, and unmistakable spirit. Philadelphia’s unpolished authenticity is what made the pair fall in love with the city, they said.
🧠Trivia time
Abington Township is paying the U.S. Department of Agriculture to evict what bird from a local park?
(The birds are attacking locals and dropping bacteria-laden feces, authorities say.)
Cheers to Kenneth Grubb, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Frog Commissary. Filled with unique recipes, the cookbook remains a must-read for Philadelphia home chefs more than 40 years after its debut.
Photo of the day
Shirtless fans in the upper deck of right field cheer at the end of the New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Saturday, July 18, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
📬 Your ‘only in Philly’ story
Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Shirley Hill, who describes how she fell in love with Philly:
I fell in love with Philly when I first went to the Plateau back in the ’70s. I was in high school and amazed at how friendly everyone was.
We were invited to eat with people we didn’t know, asked to sit down and play various games. And we sure did dance our booties off. No fighting, everyone just enjoying being alive.
I’m from Jersey, and my friends would always ask: “Are we going to the Plat next weekend?” The Spectrum and South Street was another eye-opening experience.
👋 Have a good day, folks! Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
The last 39 days have brought a spectacle to the United States — and Philadelphia witnessed it firsthand.
Whether you’re a fan of soccer or not, I hope you enjoyed this World Cup. I certainly did. From the Cinderella story of Cape Verde becoming the smallest nation ever to reach the round of 32 to watching the greatest footballers of all-time in Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi compete in what was likely to be their last appearances on this stage.
It also gave us a glimpse of the future: Norway’s Erling Haaland, England’s Jude Bellingham, and of course, Spain’s Lamine Yamal showed there’s more star power to come in 2030 — and if you’re thinking, “What about us?” Good news. Historically speaking, every World Cup spawns change, writes Kerith Gabriel.
But the U.S., during its 250th anniversary, was the perfect host, and it was the fans from all over the world who played a large part in making the tournament better. Watching Norway’s “row” chant or England singing “Wonderwall” were some of the many memorable moments off the pitch.
And on Sunday, in the Meadowlands, it was Spain that took down defending champion Argentina, 1-0, in overtime in front of a sold-out crowd of 80,663.
The clock read 125:01 when the final whistle blew, sealing Spain as the champion and marking the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. What a ride!
Trea Turner reacts after striking out to lead off the bottom of the first inning against the New York Mets on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Trea Turner is working on addressing his plate discipline, which has been a major issue this season. He first needs to cut down on chasing pitches outside the strike zone — and he actually has shown improvement there.
Back in June, Turner was chasing at a 37.1% clip. In July so far, he has cut that to 29%. He isn’t chasing perfection, he just wants production.
And the Phillies dropped their first series after the All-Star break on Sunday, following Alan Rangel giving up five runs to the Mets before the third inning. It was the latest dud from a No. 5 starter. Now they’ll need to turn the page to the Dodgers.
What we’re…
⚾ Learning: Philadelphia fans helped turn the All-Star week into one of the strongest retail performances in the history of the Midsummer Classic.
👂 Hearing: While making anappearance at Fanatics Fest, LeBron James said he wants to go to a team that “trusts the process.”
🏌️ Watching: On Monday, the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship is returning to Saucon Valley Country Club for the first time since 1983.
🏈 Wondering: After sitting out part of the offseason program due to injury, will Eagles first-round pick Makai Lemon be ready for training camp?
Jordan Mailata shown at Art History 101 Clothing Co.’s event on Saturday in Mayfair.Ryan Novozinsky
Jordan Mailata knows that the Eagles will look very different this season. With training camp just over a week away, the nine-year veteran said he and his teammates are focused on one thing: “Learning the playbook.”
The new playbook in question is the brainchild of offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, who is expected to implement a similar system to those of Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. Mailata says he is excited about its potential.
A photo of Mike Gansey (far right) and LeBron James (to the left of Gansey) that originially appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 2000. Gansey and James both played high school basketball in Ohio.Courtesy of Steve Gansey
Steve Gansey recently posted an old photo that was taken in 2000, and was on the front page of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s sports section. It featured 10 high school basketball players from Northeast Ohio in their respective jerseys.
What caught folks’ attention was that it showed his older brother, Mike, standing alongside LeBron James. The two never competed against each other but shared a mutual respect.
Photo illustration of someone playing soccer with a map of Philadelphia in the backgroundJulia Duarte / Staff Illustration, Photography by The Inquirer, Courtesy of Getty.
A change to Division I men’s soccer looks to be on the horizon. After years of discussion and debate, the NCAA adopted legislation to shift the sport’s season from the fall to a two-semester schedule.
However, several conferences opposed it. Philadelphia’s six Division I men’s soccer program weighed in on the possible change.
The World Cup parties in Lemon Hill were one of the triumphant scenes of the summer in Philly.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
The World Cup, the PGA Championship, and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the most daunting events in this Summer of Sports Celebration, are finished here.
Well done, Philadelphia. Think about it. So many things could have gone wrong. Instead, the people in charge and those they represent can breathe sighs of relief after three high-profile events went off without an issue, writes columnist Marcus Hayes.
🧠 Trivia time
Before this year, when was the last time Spain won the World Cup?
A) 2006
B) 1998
C) 2010
D) 1990
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Marcus Hayes, Scott Lauber, Kerith Gabriel, Jonathan Tannenwald, Lochlahn March, Olivia Reiner, Michael Klein, Ryan Novozinsky, Alex Coffey, Olivia Reiner, Lauren Jones, and Conor Smith.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Thanks for getting your morning started with me. Have a wonderful Monday, and we’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow. — Bella
To some, its newfound maturity can feel like a betrayal, or as a sign that the town is growing up.
For instance, blue-collar neighbors say the town’s upscaling comes at a cost, and that it no longer feels like a “workingman’s beach.” Property values have skyrocketed, bringing new revenue to the town while also making the place feel oversaturated.
And on any given busy summer weekend, Sea Isle can swell to 70,000 people, compared to its year-round population of 2,019.
“Is it still pleasant on Pleasure Avenue?” asks Shore reporter Amy Rosenberg.
That’s the name of Kurt Vile’s new album, marking yet another spotlight on the city in his music.
Ahead of a show with his band the Violators at Connor Barwin’s Make the World Better Concert on July 25, pop critic Dan DeLuca spoke with Vile about the roots of his record and much more, including:
🎸 His top five Philly artists. Two of them are Purling Hiss guitarist Mike Polizze and psychedelic folk singer Meg Baird.
💿 His thoughts on the streaming era. He’s a fan of physical media, but likes that fans can listen to his entire catalog on demand. “I can tell that they know all of my music,” Vile said. “I just feel that people are connected.”
🌳 What he loves about his neighborhood. “I love that there’s forest, and I have room to think.”
The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency opened three resource centers this weekend in Philadelphia to aid the hundreds of people who experienced damage from last weekend’s major storms.
Taylor Farms is recalling iceberg lettuce that had been shipped to retailers in 27 states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, due to potential contamination of the cyclospora parasite.
A ship-repair company’s long-term contract with General Dynamics Electric Boat is expected to sustain about 700 jobs in Philadelphia through work on U.S. Navy submarines.
Lawmakers in Harrisburg have funded the SEPTA special prosecutor position through the end of the year, but the office’s fate beyond that is uncertain.
Despite concerns about hazardous air conditions, a Guinness World record-breaking crowd attended comedian Shane Gillis’ Friday night show at the Linc.
🎤 Here’s Tommy Rowan with a look back at the defiant Phillies fan who helped make foul balls a ballpark souvenir.
It may be important to note that Bob “Toughie Reds” Cotter did not pay for his ticket to that fateful Phillies-Cubs game on July 18, 1923.
The kid and his brother, Raymond, climbed up a rain spout and into the ramshackle ballpark unofficially nicknamed (derisively by The Inquirer) “Baker Bowl.”
But not paying the price of admission seemed to pale in comparison to his attempt at taking home the foul ball he caught in the right-field stands.
Pat Dailey (left) and Ken Hopper prepare a room at the Wynwood Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Cinnaminson, N.J., Tuesday, for a surprise 100th birthday party for WWII U.S. Marine Corps veteran Stephen Anderson.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
