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  • ‘Political earthquake’ in Western Pennsylvania as Democrats flip deep-red district in special election

    ‘Political earthquake’ in Western Pennsylvania as Democrats flip deep-red district in special election

    Pennsylvania Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, are pointing to a stunning upset in a special election for a deep-red state House district as proof that the party has momentum while campaigning this fall for a trifecta in Harrisburg.

    Butler County Democrat Brandon Dukes said his apparent victory over Republican Scott Timko, by fewer than 100 votes as of Wednesday afternoon, was thanks to his focus on local issues, such as a major corridor perennially under construction to the frustration of residents.

    “We kept it local, we kept it practical, and we kept it common sense,” Dukes said in an interview.

    The 12th Pennsylvania House District, just north of Pittsburgh, went for President Donald Trump by more than 18 percentage points just two years ago and had been held by Republicans since 1999.

    Dukes’ apparent win attracted national attention Wednesday as both a sign of the backlash to the president’s party heading into November and as a north star for centrist Democrats as they seek a path forward.

    “We won that district last night with a middle-of-the-road community leader, who I backed, who won this improbable race,” Shapiro told CBS Mornings, contrasting Dukes with the party’s more left-leaning candidates this cycle.

    “What we’re seeing are commonsense folk from the community who, I think, reflect a lot more my values and my approach to governing who are winning and are upsetting Republicans in these deeply Republican districts,” said Shapiro, a moderate Democrat widely expected to run for president in 2028.

    Shapiro recorded a robocall urging voters to cast ballots in the race, his campaign confirmed.

    Recipe for November

    Democrats are aiming to flip four congressional districts in Pennsylvania this fall and win control of the state Senate for the first time in 30 years with Shapiro, a popular governor, at the top of the ticket.

    Dukes, who will compete to win the seat again in November in a rematch with Timko, shattered previous Democratic runs in the Butler County district.

    “The fact we just flipped this seat tonight is a political earthquake,” U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Philadelphia Democrat, said on X.

    The district had been represented for more than two decades by one of the Pennsylvania House’s most conservative members, former State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, who retired in 2023 and was known for his anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and actions.

    State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, a Philadelphia Democrat, said that the seat is one the party “should not have had a chance to come within sneezing distance of,” but that Dukes’ performance provides a blueprint that can be replicated throughout the state.

    “Winning here means there is not a single safe seat for the GOP,” Kenyatta, a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, said on X.

    The Associated Press had not called the race as of Wednesday evening, but both parties made statements indicating that they expected Dukes’ lead to hold.

    Chantell McCurdy, the director of Butler’s election bureau, said the initial count has been completed and there is a five-day period to challenge the results.

    James Markley, a spokesperson the Pennsylvania Republican Party, said in a statement that the race needs to be a “wake up call for Republican voters,” and warned against policies from the Democratic Party’s more leftward flank.

    While expressing confidence that the party would win the seat back in November, he also lamented the party’s inability to turn out voters this election.

    “The General Election will come down to which party does a better job getting their voters to participate in the election using any legal means of casting a ballot. Democrats did a better job of this,” he said.

    Voters in Pennsylvania have two methods of casting a ballot: voting in person or voting by mail. Trump has long railed against mail voting and promoted conspiracy theories around it. But Pennsylvania Republican officials have urged more use of the voting method in recent years, most notably in 2024, when Trump took the White House thanks in part to a higher rate of GOP mail voting.

    Pennsylvania Republican House Leader Jesse Topper of Bedford County downplayed the significance of the special election, calling the results “disappointing but unsurprising” because of demographic change in the district, the timing of the vote during the summer, and the unpredictable electorate for such contests.

    “There is much more yet to unfold in the final months of the 2026 election cycle and we will continue carrying out vision for positive growth in Pennsylvania through November,” he said.

    But Democrats noted that Dukes’ victory in the district would not have been possible if he did not work to win over Republican voters.

    “You cannot win a deep-red district like this without getting at least a big chunk of independents and at least some Republicans” who are “rejecting the chaos and high prices of Donald Trump,” said Pennsylvania Democratic chair Eugene DePasquale.

    “I think this is a recipe for a big November for the Democratic Party,” he said.

    Dukes, a loan administrator, said he listed affordability, infrastructure, and education as the key issues for his campaign.

    DePasquale said Dukes’ campaign worked because he “focused on issues that mattered in the district,” such as high prices and cuts to Medicaid and food assistance under Trump.

    But DePasquale dismissed the idea that Democrats should run only certain kinds of candidates to win.

    “We need to be a big-tent party, and we need to have candidates that reflect their districts,” he said. “We are embracing candidates that spread the ideological spectrum of the Democratic coalition, and you’re going to see that lead to success this November.”

    Statehouse campaigns often do not receive as much money or attention as congressional and statewide races, but Dukes received a boost from several major figures in the party.

    In addition to Shapiro’s robocall, Dukes campaigned with Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio of Western Pennsylvania.

    He also boasted an endorsement from former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, another possible Democratic presidential contender, who said Wednesday that Dukes’ win “reflects voters’ readiness for change.”

    Rematch ahead

    After he is sworn in, Dukes will serve a roughly 2½-month term, following the resignation of former State Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, a Republican.

    As an incumbent, he will then face a rematch with Timko in November for a full two-year term.

    Dukes said he plans to “stick with what worked best” for his November campaign, which will include maintaining face-to-face contact with voters.

    A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Dukes lives with his wife and daughter in Cranberry Township and describes himself as an “avid Star Wars fan” on his campaign website.

    House Speaker Joanna McClinton, a Philadelphia Democrat, said Dukes’ win builds momentum for the party to make the case to voters about how electing Democrats achieves their goals on issues like codifying abortion protections and raising the minimum wage.

    When state lawmakers return to Harrisburg in September, several issues await, including whether to tax and regulate skill games, finding a long-term funding solution to fund mass transit, and the use of cell phones in K-12 schools.

    “When he gets started in Harrisburg in September, he’s going to be a part of the larger House Democratic agenda that’s been focused on affordability and on opportunities for all Pennsylvanians,” she said. “Voters were very motivated to make their values and their frustrations known at the ballot box.”

    Dukes will provide votes that he can take back to constituents to further his reelection argument.

    “It’s important to tell voters what you’re going to do to make their lives easier because that’s what we did, and we spoke about how we were going to do that,” he said. “It resonated pretty well last night.”

  • LeBron James releasing sneaker to commemorate only All-Star Game he missed

    LeBron James releasing sneaker to commemorate only All-Star Game he missed

    LeBron James, in the midst of his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, already had his All-Star sneakers from Nike designed and created 22 years ago.

    Though James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists during the 2003-04 season and was named Rookie of the Year, he was snubbed by NBA coaches because of the Cavs’ losing record.

    James, who signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers this offseason, will drop the shoes he was supposed to wear at the 2004 All-Star Game in Los Angeles during next year’s All-Star Weekend.

    The Nike Air Zoom Generation “L.A. All-Star” player-edition shoes, which features a white base color with blue and red trimmings near the toe, on the Nike check, the accents of the shoelaces, an “LA” logo with the Nike check on it, and the date “2-15-2004″ in the tongue of the shoe outlined with red trimming and blue lettering.

    The shoes were designed to match the East All-Star’s jerseys that year, which were blue with white letters and numbers and red trimmings, including down the sides of the jerseys.

    They also happen to match the Sixers’ home jerseys perfectly.

    The sneakers are set to drop on Feb. 19, 2027, at $190 retail price, according to Just Fresh Kicks. That is the weekend for the 2027 NBA All-Star festivities, which will be held in Phoenix and would be James’ 23rd All-Star selection should he make it on what will be a loaded Eastern Conference team.

    LeBron James’ Nike Air Zoom Generation shoes, which he debuted in 2003, appear to be making a comeback next year.RICK BOWMER

    The shoes are the latest tease for James’ 24th NBA season this year. A few weeks ago, he displayed new shoes on the horizon with the low top LeBron XXIV shoes, which are expected to release on Nov. 17 at a retail price of $200.

  • A PSSA delay means Philly kids may have to take an alternative test to get into special admission schools. Here’s why.

    A PSSA delay means Philly kids may have to take an alternative test to get into special admission schools. Here’s why.

    Call it the mystery of the test scores.

    Philadelphia School District officials said this week that because of a delay in Harrisburg, they cannot use the latest state test scores to judge whether the school system’s academics are improving.

    The apparent bureaucratic delay could have real-world consequences for Philadelphia students who rely on the state test scores for admittance into selective magnet schools. And because the 2025-26 PSSA and Keystone results now will not be part of the closely watched school selection process, district officials said, some kids may need to take an alternate assessment if they want a chance to attend a magnet school.

    But the situation seems murky, with Philadelphia walling off its data in ways that other districts have not.

    Districts across Pennsylvania — including Philadelphia — received preliminary school-level scores from the Pennsylvania Department of Education in the spring, as is typical, sources confirmed to The Inquirer. And though some Philadelphia principals and teachers did see limited data for some incoming students for rostering purposes in August, most of the student- and school-level data remain hidden.

    Here is what we know, and what we don’t know, about the score release.

    PSSA administration was online, and glitchy, this year

    Pennsylvania moved in the spring to fully online administration of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, the state’s standardized test for third through eighth graders. Research shows that a shift from paper tests to online exams typically yields drops in student test scores.

    Many districts experienced technical glitches early in the PSSA assessment window, with some students unable to log in to complete their exams. Some canceled testing for a day, shifting assessment schedules because of the problems with the online system.

    PDE just weighed in

    The Pennsylvania Department of Education usually releases preliminary statewide results to districts in August or September, to give educational leaders time to crunch the numbers and prepare for a fall public release of the data.

    But PDE officials, in a letter sent to districts on Tuesday, said there would be a delay because a “review of the preliminary data is still underway.”

    No reasons for the shift were given, and no information was shared about whether the public release, which usually happens in the late fall, will be pushed back.

    Philly took a different tack

    While other districts and charters still have access to school- and student-level data from the 2025-26 PSSAs and Keystones, Philadelphia kept the vast majority of its data hidden from principals and teachers.

    Though some other data, like the results of periodic benchmark tests, are still available, PSSA and Keystone figures are often used to help pinpoint student needs.

    The Philadelphia School District Office of Evaluation, Research and Accountability told principals in June that “state test data are embargoed and not available until they are verified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education,” district spokesperson Monique Braxton said in a statement Wednesday.

    That review was expected to be completed by Tuesday, Braxton said, but has been pushed back.

    “Until this process is complete, assessment data will not be released,” Braxton said. “Additional information will be shared after PDE completes its review and the official statewide results are released.”

    It remains unclear why most Philadelphia data are still inaccessible to school staff.

    Questions around school selection and more

    Philadelphia’s school selection window, when students can apply to the city’s 37 sought-after criteria-based schools, opens Sept. 8.

    But the questions around the state data mean that the district “cannot use the 2025-26 assessment results to evaluate year-over-year student achievement or as the required criterion for school selection,” Braxton said. “In the interim, students will have the opportunity to take an alternative assessment in the fall and submit those results instead.”

    The district did not address questions about what assessment will be given, when it will be offered, whether it will be mandatory for school selection, or what will happen if students want to apply for criteria-based schools but not take the alternative assessment. It also did not answer questions about whether there will be an additional cost for the new assessment.

    Fastest-improving large urban district?

    Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has staked his reputation on Philadelphia being the “fastest-improving large urban district in the country,” and the district has posted promising, if incremental, gains during his tenure. Philadelphia students’ learning post-pandemic was best in the nation, according to recent research out of Harvard and Stanford Universities, though district students still perform 2.46 grade levels below the pre-pandemic national average.

    District-wide, 34% of students score at grade level in English and 23% in math, as judged by 2024-25 standardized tests.

    Braxton said in the statement that after consulting with PDE, “the district cannot use the 2025-26 assessment results to evaluate year-over-year student achievement.”

    More information will be shared, Braxton said, “as it is received from the PDE.”

  • A 78-year-old survived cancer. Then, he was killed by a stray bullet in North Philadelphia.

    A 78-year-old survived cancer. Then, he was killed by a stray bullet in North Philadelphia.

    Two years ago, Steve Alexander “rang the bell” inside a Media hospital, celebrating the end of treatment for colon cancer.

    On Tuesday afternoon, his life ended when a stray bullet struck him in the back in North Philadelphia. He was 78.

    Police say that, shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday, as the 2200 block of Ridge Avenue bustled with bystanders and cars during rush-hour traffic, a light-colored SUV pulled up and four gunmen fired more than 50 shots toward a group of young men on the sidewalk.

    A 71-year-old and a 30-year-old were wounded by gunfire. Alexander was struck in the back, and died at Temple University Hospital shortly after.

    No arrests have been made.

    Alexander’s sister, Paulette Coles, said he was picking up cigarettes when the gunfire erupted.

    Coles, 73, said in an interview from her Strawberry Mansion home on Wednesday that her brother was the eighth of 10 children, born in Mobile, Ala. Her mother, she said, brought her and her siblings to the Philadelphia area in 1960 to be closer to family.

    A younger Steven Alexander, in a photo shared by his sister. Courtesy of Paulette Coles

    Alexander lived in Lansing, Mich., for several years, working for General Motors, before returning to Philly in the 1970s, she said. He worked odd jobs through the remainder of his adult life and had two children who are now grown, she said.

    “Anything you say goes with him. He was just a happy-go-lucky guy. He never argued with nobody,” Coles said.

    “All he wanted for was a cigarette and a beer,” she said. “He was just happy.”

    Happy, she said, even as he navigated life’s challenges. Cancer. Housing. He had spent the last year or so living at the Bethesda Project shelter, at 19th and Oxford Streets, but was on his way to living independently again.

    He had just had an appointment with a housing specialist and visited an apartment in South Philadelphia last week, she said.

    “He was going to be on his own again,” she said. “And then this happened.”

    Staff and residents at the Bethesda Project facility on Wednesday said Alexander was always seated in a green lawn chair outside the building, cigarette in hand, greeting passersby and staff as they arrived each morning.

    Tanya Cleveland said he was social and helped introduce new residents. He welcomed her each morning when she arrived to start her shift.

    He took care of his appearance, she said, and often changed his clothes several times a day to make sure his shirts were crisp and clean.

    Every morning, at 6:30 a.m., he would bring his outfits for the day down to the community room and iron them. He was the only one in the facility who used the iron, a staff member named Kelly joked.

    On Wednesday, she said, her boss placed the ironing board in the basement. It was too painful to look at.

    Investigators continue to search for the gunmen. Anyone with information is asked to submit tips to police at 215-686-TIPS (8477).

  • ‘Better’ and ‘faster’ A.J. Brown was dominant in a joint practice vs. the Eagles, for whom he still professes his love

    ‘Better’ and ‘faster’ A.J. Brown was dominant in a joint practice vs. the Eagles, for whom he still professes his love

    FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — A.J. Brown’s path from the New England Patriots’ facility to their practice field bisected the Eagles’, where his former teammates were beginning to warm up ahead of Wednesday’s joint practice.

    As he jogged by those familiar faces, he beat his right hand over his heart, which was shrouded by his new-look No. 1 navy blue jersey.

    “It was love, man,” Brown said after practice. “I know I’m on an opposing team right now, but I still felt some love.”

    Brown may have felt some love, but he didn’t show the Eagles any mercy once practice began.

    The 29-year-old receiver was back to his dominant self in the first of two joint practices of the week, hauling in all six of his targets from Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in the seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 team drill sessions.

    Wednesday’s practice marked the first time Brown has faced the Eagles as a member of the Patriots, the team that acquired him on June 1 in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. It turned into somewhat of a reunion late during the two-hour practice. At one point when the starters were on the sideline, Brown spoke to members of the Eagles offensive line and Saquon Barkley.

    Once the final horn sounded to conclude practice, Brown chatted with Quinyon Mitchell, Jordan Davis, and Darius Cooper. He spent time with Eagles receivers coach Aaron Moorehead, gave reserve quarterback Tanner McKee a hug, and fist-bumped Nick Sirianni.

    Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown discussed each other at Wednesday’s joint practice — but didn’t say much

    But after practice, Brown acknowledged that he hasn’t spoken to Jalen Hurts since the trade, although both were photographed at DeVonta Smith’s wedding in the days following the deal. Brown also declined to explain the driving force behind his desire to change teams.

    How did Brown leave things with Hurts before he left Philadelphia?

    “Philly, man, y’all tough, man,” Brown said with a laugh. “Man, it’s love. Listen, listen. Honestly, guys, none of that stuff even matters. You all should want to report something positive. You know asking the question is going to turn negative. So let’s not get into that, and let’s keep everything positive. It’s love my way, and just move forward. That’s all.”

    A.J. Brown was a media focus on Wednesday but he let his play do most of the talking. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Brown expressed that he was open to catching up with Hurts if he saw him this week.

    “I’m sure if our paths run across, yeah, sure, yeah,” he said.

    When Brown lined up on the field, though, he wasn’t doing much talking. Mitchell, who exchanged his fair share of trash talk with Brown in practice during their two seasons as teammates, said the receiver wasn’t in his ear between reps Wednesday.

    “We just kept it businesslike, and just competing,” Mitchell said.

    Brown handled his business during team drills, namely against starting outside cornerbacks Mitchell and Riq Woolen. But Mitchell got the better of Brown in wide receiver-defensive back one-on-ones to open practice.

    Vic Fangio’s wish for variety was granted at Eagles-Patriots joint practice. What he watched wasn’t always pretty.

    The Pro Bowl receiver had a step on the All-Pro cornerback on a deep ball from Maye down the left sideline. Mitchell latched on to Brown’s towel that hung behind him from the top of his pants.

    Mitchell pulled himself back into the play, and while Brown got his left hand on the ball, he couldn’t get his right hand around quick enough to make the catch. The ball bounced off Brown’s hand and fell incomplete. Brown asserted that Mitchell got away with holding, but he took accountability for the incompletion.

    “That’s on me,” Brown said. “Attention to detail, catching the ball high, not letting it get low. So those are the little things. It was never about who I’m going against.”

    Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown drops the football while defended by Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell on Wednesday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Brown was sharper as practice progressed. On his first target in 11-on-11s, he motioned from the left side of the formation and inserted into the B gap on the right side. Brown ran a deep crosser over the middle back to the left side of the field, then caught a pass from Maye with Woolen trailing in his wake.

    Later, Jihaad Campbell had a would-be sack of Maye on a blitz up the middle. But Maye still got the deep pass out to Brown on a fade, and the receiver made the back-shoulder grab with Woolen on his heels again.

    “He gave me a good ball,” Brown said. “It was a quicker throw, and I just know I had to win at the line of scrimmage, and I was going against Tariq, and I know he’s very fast, and I know he was coming, so I just had to hold my line of scrimmage and just keep going vertical and fade at the last second.”

    Sielski: A.J. Brown and the Patriots vs. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles is the perfect rivalry for our hot-take age

    According to Mitchell, Brown didn’t look like the same player he had grown accustomed to competing against on the practice field the last two years. He asserted that Brown looked “better” and “faster.”

    The last time Brown shared a field with the Eagles, he was suited up in midnight green for the wild-card game against the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 11. He had three receptions on seven targets for 25 yards in the 23-19 loss.

    It was an underwhelming performance to cap off a relatively underwhelming season, in which Brown finished with 1,003 receiving yards, his lowest total since 2021 with the Tennessee Titans.

    When asked for his message to Eagles fans, particularly in the aftermath of that game, Brown acknowledged his shortcomings. He also expressed a desire to move on from the past.

    “I love you, and I’m not looking in the past,” Brown said. “It’s a game. That game, no, I didn’t play my best, but I’m not going backwards.”

    A.J. Brown looked “better” and “faster,” according to cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Instead, Brown said he is fixated on his opportunity in New England. He lauded Maye as an “incredible leader” who is making his job as a receiver easier with his arm talent and his vision. Brown also raved about Josh McDaniels, the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, as he excels at creating advantageous matchups for the receiver.

    As he moves on with his new team, Brown said his love for Philly persists. Still, he didn’t view joint practice as an opportunity to get closure on his departure.

    “No, it’s not about no closure or anything, man,” Brown said. “It’s love. I won a Super Bowl ring with them, and [it’ll] always be love, no matter how anyone feels. I love Philly, and I will always love Philly.

    “But I’m here now, and that’s where my feet are, and that’s where I’m focused on.”

  • 2027 NCAA women’s lacrosse championship moves from Subaru Park to Towson

    2027 NCAA women’s lacrosse championship moves from Subaru Park to Towson

    The 2027 NCAA women’s lacrosse championships finals won’t be at Subaru Park after all.

    On Wednesday, the NCAA announced that Towson University will host next year’s championship from May 28 to 30 at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md., near Baltimore. The NCAA and the Union previously announced that Subaru Park in Chester would host the Division I women’s lacrosse finals in 2027 and 2028. In a statement released Wednesday, the NCAA said a “scheduling conflict made the facility unavailable” in 2027, but Subaru Park, the Union’s home field, is still slated to hold the championship in 2028.

    A request for comment was left with Subaru Park officials.

    Tina Sloan Green celebrated for laying the foundation for women’s lacrosse

    The change was released alongside the NCAA’s announcement that all three divisions’ women’s lacrosse championship games will be held at one site for the first time.

    This past season, the Division I championship was at Northwestern’s Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., with semifinals two days before the final. With the change, the 2027 and 2028 events will expand to three days of games. In 2027, the Division I semifinals are set to be played on Friday, May 28 at Towson. The Division II and Division III championship games are May 29, and the Division I national title game is May 30.

    “This announcement of a joint women’s lacrosse championship to life in 2027 at Towson and again in 2028 at Subaru Park has been years in the making and is a testament to the hard work and the collaborative efforts of all involved,” Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association executive director Liz Robertshaw said. “The chance to showcase the best of the college game across divisions in one weekend is amazing, but getting to do it in Baltimore and Philadelphia, I feel, has the opportunity to be massive with regards to attendance all three days.”

    Subaru Park previously hosted the Division I championship in 2015 and 2016. Last week, the stadium hosted the inaugural Women’s Lacrosse League championship.

    Maryland Charms players Ally Kennedy (left) and Alex Holman celebrate Kennedy’s goal late in the fourth quarter of the inaugural Women’s Lacrosse League championship on Saturday at Subaru Park.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
  • Harvard agrees to $53 million settlement in body parts theft scandal

    Harvard agrees to $53 million settlement in body parts theft scandal

    Harvard University said Tuesday that it had agreed to pay $53 million to settle claims that body parts that had been donated for research were stolen and sold by a former manager of the morgue at the university’s medical school.

    The former manager, Cedric Lodge, 58, was sentenced to eight years in prison in December after pleading guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods. The university fired him in 2023.

    Lodge had been entrusted with handling cadavers that were part of the Harvard Medical School’s Anatomical Gift Program and were supposed to be cremated after the research on them had been completed, prosecutors said.

    But a sweeping federal investigation found that Lodge supplied brains, skin and other body parts to collectors in several states as part of a criminal network that involved several people, including his wife. Investigators said he drove the stolen body parts to his home in New Hampshire.

    The breach went undetected from about 2018 until March 2023, tainting one of the nation’s most prestigious medical schools.

    Families who accused Harvard of mishandling the remains of their loved ones sued the university. A Suffolk County Superior Court judge threw out a dozen lawsuits in 2024, but the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court revived them last year. It ruled that Harvard and the managing director of the Anatomical Gift Program were not protected by limited immunity under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act.

    George Q. Daley, dean of the faculty of medicine at Harvard, and Dr. Bernard Chang, the dean for ​medical education at Harvard ​Medical School, said in a statement announcing the settlement that the agreement would allow Harvard and the plaintiffs to avoid “prolonged litigation.”

    “These events do not reflect the reverence we hold for the altruistic individuals who selflessly donate their bodies to our Anatomical Gift Program (AGP) to provide essential educational opportunities to medical and dental students, practicing surgeons and allied health professionals,” they said. “We reaffirm our deep sorrow and empathy for the families of donors who may have been impacted.”

    The settlement was also announced in a statement from Morgan & Morgan, the law firm representing the donor families in Boston.

    “Both Harvard and the plaintiffs’ attorneys worked diligently to come to an agreement so that these families can finally have closure and begin to heal,” Morgan & Morgan’s founder, John Morgan, said in the statement. “We hope that this resolution ensures that this never happens to another family ever again.”

    Daley and Chang said in their statement that lawyers for Harvard and the plaintiffs would seek preliminary approval for the settlement at a hearing Wednesday. If it is granted, they said, two class-action settlement funds totaling $53 million will be established to resolve the lawsuits. A third-party settlement administrator will be appointed to notify potential class members of their eligibility and to distribute settlement funds.

    The process is expected to take several months, they said.

    Harvard Medical School has also agreed to issue a statement to the plaintiffs confirming that Lodge’s actions were “morally reprehensible” and another statement detailing changes that have been made to improve the Anatomical Gift Program.

    Harvard has also agreed to establish an annual scholarship for medical students beginning in the 2027-28 academic year “in appreciation and in honor of all of our anatomical donors,” according to the university’s statement.

    “While Lodge’s sentencing concludes the criminal case against him, and the class action settlement agreement when fulfilled would conclude the civil cases,” Daley and Chang wrote, “the process of recovering from this painful incident continues.”

  • Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown discussed each other at Wednesday’s joint practice — but didn’t say much

    Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown discussed each other at Wednesday’s joint practice — but didn’t say much

    FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Jalen Hurts refused to take the bait.

    The Eagles quarterback was asked three questions about Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown, who was traded to New England in June, after the two teams practiced against each other on Wednesday. Hurts put on a master class in question deflection.

    First, he was asked what it was like to share a practice field with Brown in different uniforms.

    “I think it was a great day out here,” Hurts said. “I mean, I know he’s going out there and competing. Got a lot of love for him. I always have. Seems like it was a competitive practice.”

    Next, a Patriots reporter asked what advice Hurts would give Patriots quarterback Drake Maye on how he can “get the most out of” Brown. With Hurts as his quarterback, Brown posted the two highest single-season receiving yard totals in Eagles history — 1,496 yards in 2022 and 1,456 in 2023. The pair won a Super Bowl together in 2024.

    “I think Drake has had a lot of success already,” Hurts said. “So, I don’t know what my advice would be. I just think he needs to continue the progression that he’s on. I mean, he’s already accomplished so many great things in this short time and I expect more great things to come for him.”

    ‘Better’ and ‘faster’ A.J. Brown was dominant in Wednesday’s joint practice against the Eagles, for whom he still professes his love

    Lastly, Hurts was asked if he had a chance to catch up with Brown, who spent four seasons in Philadelphia, like many of his teammates did on the sidelines Wednesday. He didn’t dance around it.

    “No, I didn’t get to yet,” said Hurts.

    It’s clear Hurts and Brown are holding back when speaking about one another. Brown was traded to New England in exchange for a 2028 first-round draft pick and a 2027 fifth-round draft pick on June 1. The deal came after months of Brown’s frustrations, reportedly due to his lack of targets, finally boiled over.

    As Hurts spoke on the lower turf at the Patriots practice facility, Brown met with a large gaggle of Eagles and Patriots reporters on the main field less than 100 feet away.

    New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown meets with the media after a joint practice with the Eagles at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Brown said he hasn’t spoken with Hurts since the trade in early June, although both were in attendance at wide receiver DeVonta Smith’s wedding in the days following the deal. When pressed on the Hurts interactions, Brown scoffed at the line of questioning from Philadelphia reporters.

    “Philly, man, y’all are tough,” Brown said with a laugh. “Man, it’s love. Listen, honestly guys, none of that stuff even matters. You all should want to report something positive. You know asking the question is going to turn negative. Let’s not get into that. Let’s keep everything positive.

    “It’s love my way. And move forward, that’s all.”

    Vic Fangio’s wish for variety was granted at Eagles-Patriots joint practice. What he watched wasn’t always pretty.

    We’ll see how the trade ages. As for Wednesday, it was Brown who got the best of his former team, catching all six targets during seven-on-seven drills Wednesday — including a deep shot down the sideline with Eagles newcomer Riq Woolen in coverage — and looking sharp against one of the top cornerback rooms in the NFL.

    “Yeah, [Brown] looked a little better [than previous seasons],” said cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.

  • Vic Fangio’s wish for variety was granted at Eagles-Patriots joint practice. What he watched wasn’t always pretty.

    Vic Fangio’s wish for variety was granted at Eagles-Patriots joint practice. What he watched wasn’t always pretty.

    FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — If it were up to Vic Fangio, the Eagles would have a lot more than two joint practices on their summer calendar. Though if Fangio were made king, two-a-days would come back, players would dress for preseason games, and there’d certainly be a lot more contact in practice.

    The NFL is a different game from when Fangio first started coaching it 40 years ago, but count this week in New England as the defensive coordinator’s favorite of the preseason. The Eagles and Patriots met for the first of two joint practices Wednesday. They’ll have another Thursday, before meeting for a preseason contest Saturday night.

    “It’s great to go against a new team, new schemes, new players,” Fangio said before practice. “You learn things. You’re going to get unscouted looks and plays and you see how people react.”

    Fangio wasn’t available for questions after the first practice session, but he surely learned a lot about the things his defense needs to work on, and the things he might worry about before the real games begin next month.

    Against a team that went to the Super Bowl last season and added A.J. Brown, Fangio’s defense had some ups and downs on Wednesday. The run defense was solid, but the secondary struggled. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, and DeMario Douglas found the ball in their hands often. Eagles corner Riq Woolen struggled, and while his M.O. has been a cover corner who is inconsistent in zone coverage, he was a step behind multiple times when the Eagles were in man.

    Quinyon Mitchell might have gotten the best of Brown on the first rep of one-on-one work prior to team drills, but Mitchell didn’t have his best day of camp, and Brown later beat him on a quick slant on a third-and-4 play during a competitive period.

    The Eagles defense has immense upside, though questions about Jonathan Greenard and Riq Woolen linger

    There were some bright spots. Zack Baun and Jalyx Hunt had sacks on consecutive plays, and Jihaad Campbell later got to Drake Maye on a blitz for a “sack” that negated a long completion to Brown over Woolen on the sideline (quotation marks on “sack” because there is no live tackling during practices, especially not on the quarterback).

    Fangio was looking forward to Wednesday and Thursday because the first-team defense has only gone up against Eagles teammates so far in camp. The Eagles’ new offense under Sean Mannion is more condensed, while the Patriots under Josh McDaniels spread the formation. The Patriots also deploy a fullback, which Baun appreciated.

    “I liked today’s practice, in the run game in particular, because they have a fullback,” Baun said. “We haven’t seen a fullback all camp. If we see a fullback-like body in the backfield, it’s a tight end and it’s not often. It’s cool to go against a fullback. It’s something you always see a couple times a year and you have to be prepared for it.”

    They’ll see it again Thursday.

    Jonathan Greenard warmed up before the Ravens preseason game but his return to contact is uncertain. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    Will Jonathan Greenard be ready for Week 1?

    Perhaps Maye would have had a harder time finding open receivers if the Eagles’ pass rush got home more frequently. They’re still missing the player at the top of the edge rusher depth chart, and Jonathan Greenard’s return date from a pectoral injury remains unclear.

    “I don’t know when Greenard will be back,” Fangio said. “It’s going to take some time to heal.”

    Asked later if there was some concern Greenard, the major offseason acquisition, would not be ready to go when the Eagles open the season on Sept. 13, Fangio said, “Yeah.”

    Fangio said he’s “very happy” with Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr., and said Arnold Ebiketie is “coming along,” but he’s still looking for the back end of the rotation to solidify itself. A.J. Epenesa seems to be on track to win a roster spot, but without Greenard at the top, the quality of the position group as a whole suffers.

    The Eagles offset that some with one of the best interior defensive line units in the league, but they’ll need to win on the edges, too, and Greenard being healthy will be a big part of that.

    Vic Fangio does not shy away from offering a revealing quote or wry observation. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Vic-isms

    Fangio is typically strong when it comes to one-liners and funny sayings, and he didn’t disappoint Wednesday morning.

    On defensive tackle Ty Robinson, last year’s fourth-round pick who had a slow start to camp, Fangio offered up this one: “He came to life. He’s been on life support since he’s been here, but he came to life, and hopefully that will continue.”

    On Kelee Ringo, who had a nice interception Saturday but also gave up a touchdown, Fangio said: “He’s been everybody’s piñata doll for a while. I kind of sense he could be coming. I think these two days for him are big.”

    As usual with Ringo, Wednesday’s practice offered a mixed bag.

    And on the subject of Joshua Weru and Uar Bernard, the two International Pathway players playing football for the first time, Fangio said: “Those are our two exchange students. They’re doing fine, but they’ve got a long way to go.”

    Jihaad Campbell was the only Eagles starter who played on Saturday against the Ravens. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Playing time explanations

    Why did Jihaad Campbell dress and play in Saturday’s preseason opener in Baltimore while most of the starters rested?

    Fangio said Campbell, whose playing time decreased last season when Nakobe Dean returned, still needs more reps in the defense.

    Then why did Andrew Mukuba get the night off? Fangio said Mukuba’s lack of reps last season were injury-related and not the same as Campbell’s, and also said “every case is different.”

    There’s a starting battle going on at safety, but one of the participants, Marcus Epps, didn’t play Saturday.

    Fangio explained that he wanted Michael Carter II, a converted nickel, to get more reps playing a new position, one that Epps has been playing for his whole NFL career.

    “This is new territory for Mike, and we need to get him a bunch of reps there to really get him prepared and totally evaluated,” Fangio said.

  • Fugitive from Maine attempting to board flight to Germany arrested at Philadelphia International Airport

    Fugitive from Maine attempting to board flight to Germany arrested at Philadelphia International Airport

    A 41-year-old man allegedly fleeing sex-assault charges in Maine was arrested Sunday at Philadelphia International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Germany, authorities said.

    Matthew Thomas Cooley, of Solon, Maine, was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the departure gate where he attempted to board a flight to Frankfurt on a one-way ticket, the federal law enforcement agency said Wednesday.

    Cooley was transferred to the Tinicum Township Police Department to initiate extradition proceedings.

    Court records show no attorney listed for Cooley, who was being held at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Delaware County.

    In April, detectives from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office in Maine went to Cooley’s home to arrest him in the sexual-assault case and Cooley allegedly pepper sprayed the detectives, CentralMaine.com reported.

    Detectives began investigating Cooley after a 31-year-old woman alleged that Cooley sexually assaulted her twice last year, the news outlet reported. The woman also gave investigators videos and photos of multiple firearms and hundreds of boxes of ammunition kept in Cooley’s home.

    Cooley was charged in Maine with two counts of gross sexual assault, one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and one count of domestic violence stalking. Cooley also was charged with two counts of assault on an officer, and one count of refusing to submit to arrest.

    Elliott N. Ortiz, area port director in Philadelphia for Customs and Border protection, said in a statement: “Customs and Border Protection officers will always leverage our border security authority to help victims of sexual assault seek justice by capture dangerous fugitives attempting to flee the United States.”

    Ortiz added: “Capturing dangerous fugitives is one way in which CBP works with our law enforcement partners to help keep our communities safe.”