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  • Horoscopes: Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026

    Horoscopes: Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). Creativity isn’t a category of work. It’s a way of thinking. Every problem has an obvious solution. Creativity asks whether there’s a better one. Don’t save your imagination for dreaming. Let it lead the day.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There are so many fussy rules and tiny details attached to the work at hand that creating an enjoyable experience out of it seems farfetched. But your delight is actually more important (and more easily accomplished) than you realize. Prioritize it and you’ll see.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The world hurls forward and you’re drawn back instead to something in the past that was simple, wholesome and cozy. Something warm and unrushed that you could hold a while in your hands.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). It may seem that the more desirable a thing is, the less attainable it is, but it’s not really the case. It’s just that the methods for getting them are different. Chasing makes them run. Attraction is the way.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Though you don’t revel in the misfortune of others, you can’t help but notice that compared to many, you have it so good right now. However imperfect life seems, your blessings are too numerous to count. And if you don’t enjoy them, who will?

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It’s as though you belong in your own time zone. Sure, it matches up with that of others, but it also accommodates the pace that most suits you, no rushing necessary, and plenty of time to pursue whimsy and fully enjoy each moment.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You have a growing respect for work done well, even if you’re the one doing it, and especially when nobody else notices. That private sense of craftsmanship and the satisfaction of doing great work lasts longer than applause.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’d like to believe that everyone is doing their best with their current understanding, including you. And while you’ll know more later, this is good. One day you’ll look back in fondness. So love it while you’re here.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). When you step into a new environment, take a moment to orient yourself to your own North Star. Because knowing where you are in relation to your own goals is key to finding your way in the bigger picture.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). So few are truly patient and so many require it from others. You welcome the chance to exercise patience because, like all exercise, it makes you stronger and gets you ready for the time when you really need to be.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your creative whims seem frivolous because they are. You’re not the only one who needs the pointless things that surprise, delight and inspire. The extra touches will buoy the spirit in the moments between doing what is necessary.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). We are social creatures and can’t help but be influenced by those around us, especially the ones we admire. But today is about getting back to your original intent. What did you want before you heard what the other person wanted?

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 9). It’s Your Fairytale Year in which you’re writing a modern version of your magical life, complete with loyal friends, battles won and wishes made very carefully because they will actually come true. More highlights: A guide helps you thrive inside new boundaries and routines. An investment in your education invigorates your social and financial world. You’ll participate in a change that’s bigger than any one person. Aries and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 33, 1, 19, 45 and 14.

  • Man charged in Blue Route stabbing was wanted for 2022 armed robbery in Delco

    Man charged in Blue Route stabbing was wanted for 2022 armed robbery in Delco

    A man arrested in connection with a stabbing Sunday on the Blue Route in Montgomery County during an altercation with another motorist was wanted for a 2022 armed robbery in Delaware County, court records show.

    Samuel Marquez, 40, of Philadelphia, was taken into custody by Radnor Township police after a brief search Sunday evening that led to the 100 block of East Lancaster Avenue, according to police and court records.

    Pennsylvania State Police were handling the stabbing investigation, Radnor police said.

    “Our thoughts are with the victim and their family,” Radnor police said. No information about the victim was released.

    In 2023, Upper Chichester Township police said Marquez was wanted for a Nov. 11, 2022, armed robbery at a Royal Farms convenience store at 3314 Market St.

    Court records show that Marquez on Tuesday night was being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility because his bail was denied. Court records also show that a bail amount had been set at about $1 million.

    Villanova University’s campus was briefly under a lockdown Sunday evening as police searched for the stabbing suspect.

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

    NBC10 reported that Marquez was driving a U-Haul as part of a caravan of vehicles when a dispute arose. Marquez allegedly struck the victim’s vehicle, then got out and started hitting the victim. Marquez then got a knife from his U-Haul and stabbed the victim in the back, NBC10 reported.

    Pennsylvania State Police recovered a knife that was being tested as part of the investigation, NBC10 reported.

  • Don Mattingly, Brandon Marsh lament Phillies’ baserunning miscues after loss to Astros: ‘It can cost you a game’

    Don Mattingly, Brandon Marsh lament Phillies’ baserunning miscues after loss to Astros: ‘It can cost you a game’

    Alec Bohm stopped after he should’ve gone. Brandon Marsh kept going after he should’ve stopped.

    In the spaces between, the Phillies lost.

    It all happened within a five-pitch span of the seventh inning Tuesday night in a 6-5 loss to the Astros, and it prevented the Phillies from gaining ground in both the division and wild-card races.

    But it also exposed an insidious weakness. Because while the bullpen’s tendency to melt like soft serve and shortcomings on defense tend to be more glaring, baserunning is often an issue for the Phillies, too.

    A fifth straight postseason is in sight. Here are the big things to watch from the Phillies over the final month.

    “There’s games that the small things cost you runs, chances,” interim manager Don Mattingly said after the Phillies remained four games behind the NL East-leading Braves and a half-game ahead of the Cubs for the top wild card. “It can cost you a game.”

    Never more than in that seventh inning.

    Trailing 6-3 after Andrew Painter dropped them into an early 5-0 hole, the Phillies led off with a double from Bohm. Bryson Stott got hit by a pitch before Marsh crushed a fastball 403 feet toward Monty’s Angle, the part of the fence in left-center that juts back from 387 feet to 409.

    Daulton Varsho, the Astros’ Gold Glove-winner who ran around the Citizens Bank Park outfield when his dad was the Phillies’ bench coach in the early 2000s, tried to run it down but was unable to make what would’ve been a sensational catch.

    Bohm retreated to second base as Stott approached the bag and didn’t start running until the ball hit the wall and ricocheted into center field. Instead of two runs scoring and Marsh winding up on third base, only Bohm scored, with the speedier Stott on his heels and held up at third.

    Mattingly, who coached Varsho over the last few years with the Blue Jays, didn’t take issue with Bohm’s read. Still, instead of cutting the margin to 6-5 with nobody out and the tying run on third for J.T. Realmuto, it was 6-4 with the tying run on second.

    “That one doesn’t bother me at all because, I mean, I’ve seen [Varsho] catch that ball,” Mattingly said.“He’s close enough that that one’s fine.”

    OK, but it also left Marsh at second base when Realmuto scorched a 102.9-mph liner to shortstop Jeremy Peña, who dove to his right and snared it. Marsh, already almost halfway to third base, was easily doubled off at second.

    ‘He’s been so key for us’: Is Jhoan Duran having the best season ever by a Phillies closer?

    “The double-play ball is, for me, a little bit more where you get away from your principles,” Mattingly said. “Score of the game, we’re down two there, nobody out. If the ball gets through, Stott scores, Marshy’s at third. First and third, nobody out, you like your chances that you’re going to get it tied up.

    “So, your principles say ‘freeze.’ I was taught freeze, and a lot of organizations teach [go] back on that play. Just too aggressive.”

    Marsh agreed, regrettably.

    “It’s unacceptable for me to take a step toward third,” he said. “It’s a huge mistake by me. Really no excuse. Just a really bad play on my part.”

    Edmundo Sosa celebrates after hitting an RBI double in the ninth inning.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Even though the expected batting average on Realmuto’s line drive was .710, according to Statcast?

    “No, I’ve got to get back,” Marsh said. “First step’s got to be to my left there. No explanation other than I was just wrong and I have to clean that up and be better in the future if we want to be where we want to be at the end of the year.”

    The Phillies rallied again in the ninth inning against Astros closer Josh Hader, but once again, baserunning contributed to their downfall. Edmundo Sosa didn’t run hard out of the box on a long drive to center field and wound up with an RBI double rather than a potential triple. The next three batters flew out to end the game.

    NL wild-card standings

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    “I was watching the ball, so I didn’t see if he was going full speed all the way,” Mattingly said. “I was a little surprised, when I looked up, where he was at. … I was wondering why he really wasn’t as far as he should have been.”

    If Sosa was on third, could he have scored on Derek Hill’s one-out fly ball to medium-depth right field?

    “I’m not sure about that,” Mattingly said. “But I mean, that’s kind of [neither] here nor there at that point. I think, just in general, when you talk about the way you should play and things you should do on the field, that’s really more important than could he or should he have scored on the next play.”

    Mattingly suggested that baserunning is lacking across the sport, not only among his team.

    Bryce Harper had his best month as a Phillie in August, and even he is not quite sure how he’s done it

    “It’s one of the things that I’ve noticed in the game all over the place,” he said. “Players are better probably now than they’ve ever been. Obviously pitchers are throwing harder and tougher to hit than they’ve ever been. Baserunning, for me, has kind of went a little backward in a lot of scenarios, not just here but all over the place.

    “I think you should always learn from it. And you should always stay on it.”

  • Cheltenham will pay more than $266,000 to the superintendent who resigned amid football scandal

    Cheltenham will pay more than $266,000 to the superintendent who resigned amid football scandal

    The Cheltenham School District will pay more than $265,000, plus compensation for sick and vacation time, to former Superintendent Brian Scriven, who resigned last month amid outcry over the district’s handling of alleged assaults in a football locker room.

    Under a settlement agreement the Cheltenham school board unanimously approved Tuesday night, Scriven will get $266,884.60 — a little less than the $270,000 annual salary the district had agreed to pay him under a five-year contract that took effect July 1.

    He will also receive payment for “earned but unused vacation leave, sick leave and personal leave,” according to the agreement.

    Asked what the amount of that payment would be, school board president Leah Mulhearn said in a statement earlier Tuesday that Scriven’s “separation agreement and general release follows Pennsylvania Public School Code, and the settlement is standard.”

    “We appreciate Dr. Scriven’s service to Cheltenham schools, and we look forward to the coming year with Dr. Christopher McGinley now in place as interim superintendent,” Mulhearn said.

    Scriven resigned Aug. 6, a week after Montgomery County prosecutors announced charges against four Cheltenham football coaches and six players in connection with two assaults the year before on a teammate in a high school locker room.

    Former Cheltenham superintendent Brian Scriven

    Prosecutors said the players had stomped on and poked a broomstick toward the buttocks of their 15-year-old teammate during the August and September 2025 assaults, while coaches later instructed the teen not to tell his parents what had happened.

    But prosecutors also faulted the district, describing its investigation into the incidents — one of which was filmed and circulated in the school community — as flawed from the start. The district, which canceled last year’s football season in October, also came under fire from other parents with safety concerns, including at Cheltenham Elementary School, where parents said the district had failed to adequately respond to assaults by students.

    Scriven, a 1983 Cheltenham graduate, was tapped as Cheltenham’s superintendent in fall 2021 after working in Baltimore County Public Schools.

    He had received a new five-year contract in December, and the school board had voiced support for his leadership in May.

    In resigning last month, Scriven said that the last year had “tested our community in ways none of us anticipated,” and that he had “come to believe that the district is best served by a fresh start under new leadership.”

    Before the board vote Tuesday, Daniel Schultz, a school board member, said the settlement with Scriven followed “a lot of thought and discussion around what the options were and what the trade-offs were.”

    “A severance agreement is not a performance evaluation,” Schultz said. He called the agreement “necessary to allow our district to move forward, heal and rebuild.”

    The school board last month hired McGinley, a veteran administrator and former Cheltenham superintendent, to serve as interim superintendent this year. It also commissioned an outside lawyer to review its policies and the grand jury’s findings.

    Changes ‘ensuring students are safe’

    In a report at the start of Tuesday’s meeting, McGinley said the district had made “some important changes in practice” as the new school year began, “all focused on ensuring students are safe, supported, and inspired academically.”

    Among other changes, he said the district had been “revising the overall administration of high school athletics,” and training coaches on “new protocols for locker room monitoring.” The district also “enhanced” training for coaches on policies for mandated reporting of suspected child abuse, as well as student discipline, McGinley said.

    Football coaches were not supervising players in the high school locker room last year, according to the grand jury report, which also said that five coaches lacked clearances related to mandated reporting requirements.

    McGinley said the district had also installed new building access management systems, reorganized its reporting and supervision structure for school security personnel, and added a new dean of students position “for enhanced supervision and follow-up.”

    But, McGinley noted, there are “many issues that still require attention.” The outside review of district policies is ongoing, and the district is still working to implement recommendations from the Center for Safe Schools for improving building security, he said.

    Interim Superintendent Chris McGinley listens as speakers address the crowd after a community march at Cheltenham High School Aug. 29, before the new school year began.William Thomas Cain / For The Inquirer

    The proposed settlement agreement with Scriven specifies that the former superintendent would make himself available to consult with the district on legal matters, and would be paid if the time spent exceeds 40 hours. If Scriven is named as a defendant and legal representation is provided by the district, however, he would not be compensated for time spent, the agreement says.

  • She was Mayor Parker’s director of youth engagement. Now, she’s planning to run against her former boss in 2027.

    She was Mayor Parker’s director of youth engagement. Now, she’s planning to run against her former boss in 2027.

    Shania Bennett was the director of youth engagement in Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration until she resigned in May. The mayor, she said, once treated her as a protégé.

    Now, Bennett, 26, says she plans to run against Parker next year — the first candidate to publicly announce an intention to challenge the mayor’s reelection bid in next May’s Democratic primary.

    “Sometimes, you have to be willing to hold people you love accountable,” Bennett said in an interview Tuesday. “To be honest, I’m the change that I want to see. I think a lot of Philadelphians [are] waiting on it.”

    She released a video on social media Tuesday announcing her campaign with the slogan, “Leadership you can trust.”

    A Parker campaign spokesperson declined to comment.

    Bennett, who lives in her native South Philadelphia and graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2020, said she resigned from Parker’s cabinet in May after realizing the administration would not give her office the budget or authority it needed to accomplish its mission.

    “My hands were tied. I couldn’t do anything on behalf of young people,” she said. “It was an opportunity for me to put all of my passion into something I really believed in, just to end up disappointed.”

    In July, she posted on social media that working for the administration was “the worst experience of [her] life” and that she had quit after “unprofessional harassment.”

    No Philadelphia mayor has lost reelection since the city’s Home Rule Charter was adopted in 1951, and Bennett has her work cut out for her if she wants to break that streak in her first run for office.

    Parker, 54, has spent 21 years in elected office, and her campaign had more than $1.4 million in the bank as of May 4, according to her most recent campaign finance report.

    No Philly mayor has lost reelection in modern history. So does Mayor Parker have anything to worry about?

    Bennett said she has not yet put together a campaign team and is still ironing out her policy platform. She said she plans to conduct listening sessions so she can craft proposals that address Philadelphians’ needs.

    “Let me see the things you want me to talk about as a candidate,” she said. “I haven’t seen a candidate that really reflects the people’s choice in Philadelphia.”

    Bennett said she was alarmed by last weekend’s “teen takeovers,” when police officers arrested three people after confrontations erupted between large groups of teenagers who congregated near City Hall on consecutive nights.

    “It’s just young people acting out, and we have to get to the root cause,” Bennett said. “Is what we’re funding effective, and is it giving us the outcome that we want?”

    Parker, a moderate Democrat with strong support among the local party establishment, is seen by some as potentially vulnerable to a challenge from a progressive politician such as District Attorney Larry Krasner.

    Bennett said her platform will reflect the problems facing the city, not ideology.

    “Some of it might be progressive, but some of it might be: You have to put your foot down,” said Bennett, who founded the anti-violence nonprofit Reach4Peace as a teenager. “Philly has some unique challenges. It is not one party or one ideology that can fix them.”

    Philly developers are planning a $1.5M campaign to protect City Council from progressive challengers
    Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, speaks at the ribbon cutting for the newly renovated skate plaza at the Municipal Services Building in Philadelphia, Pa., on Friday, April. 17, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Bennett said she understands that many powerful politicians and deep-pocketed groups like labor unions are unlikely to endorse her challenge to Parker. But she is holding a launch event on Sept. 26 and hopes to gain momentum from there.

    “It’s still extremely early, but I’m hoping to announce early to do the hard work of fundraising and listening sessions,” she said.

    Parker took Bennett under her wing during the 2023 mayor’s race.

    Bennett had previously worked for State Rep. Jordan Harris and State Sen. Nikil Saval, both Philadelphia Democrats, but had no previous ties to Parker before showing up at a campaign office offering to help, she said.

    Bennett stood out as a hardworking volunteer as she knocked on doors and organized neighborhood canvasses, and she caught Parker’s eye.

    “Every time I saw her, she was hard at work,” Parker said when she appointed Bennett to lead the Mayor’s Office of Youth Engagement in early 2024.

    After leaving the administration, Bennett briefly worked for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party as a regional organizing director before resigning to launch her mayoral bid.

    “When you leave somewhere with your integrity intact, it’s like, ‘OK, you can do something about it,’” Bennett said. “I was just like, ‘Know what? I’mma press play.’”

  • This Penn State defensive tackle is paying for his family’s internet so they can watch him play

    This Penn State defensive tackle is paying for his family’s internet so they can watch him play

    As eighth-year defensive tackle Siale Taupaki took the field for the first time at Penn State on Saturday, his parents, Kolo and Seilose, sat in their California home, ready to watch their son start in Beaver Stadium.

    But they wouldn’t be able to watch him if it weren’t for the internet service that Taupaki pays for.

    “We don’t watch a lot of TV back at home,” Taupaki said Tuesday. “We just work and rest, and that’s about it. But aside from that, I was glad that they [were] able to see it for themselves.”

    Taupaki left his home state this offseason, opting to transfer to Penn State after seven seasons at UCLA. He also moved across the country from his family.

    That leap of faith came after Taupaki spoke with Matt Campbell on the phone while he was in the transfer portal. The first thing Campbell asked about was Taupaki’s family, which instantly sold the defensive tackle on playing for the Nittany Lions.

    “Not a lot of people asked for my family or everyone else that came with me,” said Taupaki, who has compiled 39 tackles and two sacks in his career. “He asked specifically, how was my mom, how was my dad. With that, I knew he was a family man, then he was a football coach. So from there, I knew I could come to him about anything because he’s a father before he was a coach.”

    However, playing for Campbell at Penn State means Taupaki’s parents couldn’t watch him in person. Taupaki said they’re too old to fly, leaving limited options to see their son play this season.

    LSU cracks top 10, Michigan falls out of AP Top 25, Penn State moves up to No. 16

    So Taupaki is trying to keep them involved as much as he can.

    He called his family after Penn State’s win over Marshall and told them about the game-day atmosphere in Happy Valley, which included seeing cows and horses. “You don’t see that a lot in the West Coast,” Taupaki said.

    “I told them [Beaver Stadium] is bigger and better,” he said. “That’s it. My pops told me that he had the chills just hearing about it, because he can visualize in the game.”

    With his name, image, and likeness income, Taupaki is helping his family.

    “My parents are still struggling,” he said. “I’m broke. I’m really just trying to fill in all the holes that I have back at home, understanding the platform that I’m having, and just seeing all of that stuff and understanding how far I came.”

    Siale Taupaki (92) with offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh (68) on Aug. 7.Craig Houtz / For The Inquirer

    Taupaki said he came from “nothing.” At one point growing up, he and 22 family members lived in a two-bedroom house, so some had to sleep outside.

    Those tough times made Taupaki who he is today — someone who wants to learn about everybody on his team, where they come from, and what their story is. He also shakes every media member’s hand before leaving his press conference.

    When he returns home, Taupaki isn’t a Penn State starting defensive tackle. Rather, he’s a son continuing to help give his parents a better life.

    “Everything that I got to do beforehand and afterhand, I got to do it based off my parents,” he said. “That football stuff is out the door. So the opportunity I got with the NIL era and the great coaching staff and all that, I’m thankful for that. But at the end of the day, I still got stuff to do as a son. So to play my role as that, I’m forever grateful.”

  • SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale suspended again because of wire problems

    SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale suspended again because of wire problems

    Paoli/Thorndale outbound trains from Center City were suspended this morning right before morning rush hour and again Tuesday evening because of wire problems, a SEPTA spokesperson said.

    “We are having significant delays on the Paoli/Thorndale Line due to downed wires near 37th and Mantua. Amtrak is working on it, but we expect the delays will last through the evening,” SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said in a 6:45 p.m. email.

    Service also was disrupted Tuesday morning on both the inbound and outbound Cynwyd Line, but that service has since resumed.

    Amtrak reported at least one train delay earlier in the day.

    Damage to overhead catenary wires at an Amtrak railway junction near the Philadelphia Zoo, which some SEPTA regional rail services like Paoli/Thorndale and Cynwyd share, delayed and suspended some rail service across the region, Busch said earlier on Tuesday.

    An Amtrak spokesperson said crews responded and restored service in both directions by approximately 7:25 a.m.

  • LeBron James is partnering with Polymarket. The prediction markets can raise ethical concerns.

    LeBron James is partnering with Polymarket. The prediction markets can raise ethical concerns.

    Where LeBron James would choose to play the final years of his storied career was a fixture on prediction markets this summer. Now, James could benefit from the boom of those platforms.

    On Saturday, James shared a short video on social media announcing a partnership with the prediction platform Polymarket. The Sixer then posted a longer commercial-ready version of the video Tuesday, in which James visits Polymarket’s fictional headquarters and its “sports” floor.

    In his tour around the office, Eli Manning, Derek Jeter, Spike Lee, Sue Bird, Emily Ratajkowski, John Leguizamo, and other athletes and celebrities make cameos promoting the platform ahead of football season.

    It is unclear what the nature of James’ partnership with Polymarket is, or if the partnership extends beyond this commercial. Polymarket did not respond to questions about James’ partnership.

    James’ partnership raises ethical questions about whether an active athlete should be promoting and benefiting from gambling platforms, and particularly prediction markets, where inside information and influence could sway bets or determine their outcomes.

    Polymarket and other prediction markets typically have rules prohibiting insider trading and are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The NBA has no policy against its athletes partnering with prediction markets, and is likely to join other leagues by announcing its own official prediction market partnerships before the start of the forthcoming season, as reported by Front Office Sports.

    Prediction markets vs. traditional gambling

    Polymarket and other prediction markets argue they are distinct from traditional sports gambling platforms because there is no “house” that sets odds and stands opposite gamblers. Instead, bets are agreements between individuals and the market sets the odds. But in practice, prediction markets function similarly to sportsbooks, with even more opportunities to wager money.

    Prediction markets offer opportunities that go beyond traditional bets on wins and stats, like which teams won’t win the Super Bowl, which team a free agent player might sign with, or whether a quarterback will average a certain number of fantasy football points over the season. The bets are phrased as binary, yes-or-no outcomes.

    Prediction market offerings extend beyond sports, bringing even more ethical questions — at any moment someone can bet on whether a public figure will say a particular word during a speech, when traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will return to normal levels, or the number of confirmed measles cases in the United States in 2026. Last month, several Democratic senators wrote a letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission demanding it stop allowing bets on California wildfires.

    “Prediction markets have been enabled to expand rapidly, increasingly inviting speculation on war, political violence, disasters, and public emergencies that raise ethical and public policy concerns. These markets risk creating perverse incentives, undermining public trust and commodifying human suffering,” they wrote.

    A Kalshi advertisement at a bus stop in Washington, D.C. Daniel Heuer

    A U.S. Special Forces soldier was arrested in April after authorities said he made more than $400,000 using insider information to place Polymarket bets on the military’s raid capturing Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro.

    Athletes are typically prohibited from placing traditional bets on their own leagues, but the rules on prediction markets are less defined. A few months ago, the NBA, MLB, and their players unions sent a letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission asking it to bar athletes and league employees from betting on the NBA and MLB in prediction markets.

    The gray areas of legality and ethics around sports gambling are how Phillies All-Star Bryce Harper became the center of controversy this summer, after The Inquirer reported that Harper had sent a personalized video on behalf of the sports betting platform FanDuel to a man who had become addicted to gambling.

    Harper later said he did not have a partnership with FanDuel, and was not aware what the video was being used for or that it was going to someone with a gambling addiction.

    More partnerships on the way?

    Despite the ethical issues, partnerships between athletes and prediction markets appear to be growing. James seems to be the only active athlete partnered with Polymarket, but other major athletes — including soccer star Lionel Messi — have deals with a competitor, Kalshi, or have invested in the platform.

    Elsewhere in the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo announced he had become a Kalshi shareholder in February, just after the NBA trade deadline, when Antetokounmpo had been the subject of numerous trade rumors attracting bets on prediction platforms. On deadline day, Antetokounmpo tweeted a clip from The Wolf of Wall Street to happily announce he was not leaving the Milwaukee Bucks, but over the summer, he successfully pushed for a trade to the Miami Heat.

    Bettors on Kalshi reportedly traded more than $23 million over Antetokounmpo’s future during the deadline betting window.

    “One of the things in terms of the ethical issues [of the partnership] is the timing,” Melinda Roth, a professor of business, finance, and sports law at Washington and Lee University, told Fortune magazine of Antetokounmpo’s investment. “The timing really puts a spotlight on how prediction markets work, who is allowed to buy contracts, and who has inside information.”

    Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, left, shares a laugh with Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, right, during an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia.Chris Szagola / AP

    Yet the future of prediction markets is somewhat unclear. They have the backing of President Donald Trump’s administration. Meanwhile, some states are attempting to wrest regulatory control back from the federal government, and the issue may soon come before the U.S. Supreme Court.

    But the direct ties between prediction markets with athletes are not necessarily inevitable — the NFL and PGA Tour prohibit their players from partnering with prediction markets.

    Only a few years ago, James took a much different stance on sports gambling, saying the practice was taking the integrity out of sports.

    “It’s weird that some of our regular fans that love the game kind of only care about a parlay now. … It’s kind of taken some of the integrity out of the game because people are kind of really only caring about the betting,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2023.

    A year later, James signed an endorsement deal with the sports betting platform DraftKings, promoting wagers during football season in a series of commercials alongside Kevin Hart.

  • Phillies prospect Aidan Miller moves up to double A in his return from injury

    Phillies prospect Aidan Miller moves up to double A in his return from injury

    Phillies shortstop prospect Aidan Miller took another incremental step forward on Tuesday in his return from his low back condition.

    Miller’s rehab assignment was transferred from single-A Clearwater to double-A Reading, where he was scheduled to play seven innings on Tuesday night. The 22-year-old played just one game for the Threshers, going 1-for-2 with a double and a walk on Saturday.

    On Tuesday, he was in the Fightin’ Phils lineup at shortstop, hitting No. 3 in the order.

    Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves’ edition of Bryce Harper, is the latest Philly villain. Which is great

    Likely contributing to the decision is the fact that Clearwater’s regular season has already ended, with the Threshers playing their first playoff game on Tuesday. Reading has a week remaining before their postseason begins on Sept. 15, allowing for more regular game action.

    But Miller will also be facing a higher level of competition in double A, one that he grew accustomed to in 2025 when he hit .259 with an .809 OPS for the Fightin’ Phils.

    Miller is ranked the Phillies’ No. 2 prospect and No. 61 overall by MLB Pipeline, but at one point it looked like 2026 might be a lost season for him. A sore back that bothered him in spring training turned into a diagnosis of discogenic pain and facet inflammation in the lumbar spine, which was ultimately treated with a minimally invasive procedure.

    Aidan Miller had an .809 OPS at double-A Reading in 2025.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    While the initial timeline announced by the Phillies was six to eight weeks to return to games following the June 5 procedure, Miller did not appear in a game until Sept. 5.

    “As far as the long-term effects, positive, negative, I would let the [medical] experts speak to that,” farm director Luke Murton said on Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast. “But I feel pretty confident, [based on] what we’ve been seeing lately, that he’s on the right trajectory to be with us and be a good player for a long time.”

    The Astros’ Yordan Alvarez is making a run at the AL triple crown this season.David J. Phillip

    Limiting Alvarez

    The Phillies were surely glad to see the last of Ronald Acuña Jr. — at least, until they head to Atlanta on Friday — after his two home runs against them during the Braves series. But the Astros came to town on Tuesday with another star in tow in designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, who is having a career year.

    Alvarez was penciled in Houston’s lineup in the No. 2 spot on Tuesday.

    “What’s not the challenge of Yordan?” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “If you look at the numbers, he kind of handles all zones, all pitches. I just think you got to be really careful with him. He’s been this way for a long time. This year seems to be better than ever, but he’s always been a guy that you don’t feel like there’s a lot of places to go. You can’t do the same things over and over with him. He makes adjustments. So yeah, he’s a handful.”

    Phillies building up Tanner Banks to multi-inning role as he nears return from injured list

    Alvarez will continue his pursuit of the American League triple crown against the Phillies. If he can maintain his hold on the AL lead in batting average (.314), homers (38, tied for first with Tampa’s Junior Caminero), and RBIs (95, tied for first with Baltimore’s Pete Alonso), Alvarez would become baseball’s first winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012.

    Mattingly knows firsthand how difficult of an accomplishment that would be. He never won a triple crown in his 14 seasons playing for the Yankees, but he won the AL batting title in 1984 with a .343 average. In his MVP year in 1985, Mattingly led the AL in RBIs with 145 but finished fourth in homers (35) and third in average (.324).

    “It just talks about his year, what he’s kind of balanced in everything, from average to his on-base [percentage], his power, driving in runs when they need him. So yeah, he’s just having a tremendous year,” Mattingly said. “He’s been a great player for me for a long time, and now I think you get a better view of it, because it’s more of a national thing with the triple crown in mind. You see it all the time on the scoreboards and things like that. So yeah, he’s having a great year.”

    Extra bases

    Infield coach Bobby Dickerson took over duties as the Phillies’ first base coach on Tuesday as Paco Figueroa is dealing with a hip injury. Figueroa was still in the dugout. … Cristopher Sánchez (16-5, 2.58 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday opposite Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (5-3, 3.31). … The Phillies announced that Flyers forward Porter Martone will throw out the first pitch before Thursday’s series finale.

  • America should move beyond the two-party system

    America should move beyond the two-party system

    It may be hard to remember in today’s polarized political climate, but there used to be a time when members of Congress — and even Democratic and Republican presidents — would work across the aisle to approve important pieces of legislation.

    And there was no way around it.

    Until Newt Gingrich came up with his Contract with America in 1994, Republicans had been the minority in the House for 40 consecutive years, making partnering with Democrats unavoidable. Gingrich, then the House minority whip, elevated local races to the national stage, crushing the former conservative Democratic stronghold in the South and flipping it for Republicans. The new GOP platform also moved the focus away from compromise to a more confrontational approach.

    This brutalization of partisan politics has reached a new nadir under President Donald Trump. His hateful rhetoric and frequent attacks on Democrats have made it nearly impossible for members of both parties to constructively work together.

    Meanwhile, with the midterm elections around the corner, the parties themselves seem to be fracturing.

    For the GOP, Trump’s own MAGA candidates are having to deal with increasing competition from traditional Republicans after the president’s laundry list of failures — a war of choice in Iran, soaring gas prices, and a rising cost of living — continues to grow.

    Add to this the Silicon Valley billionaire crowd and the MAHA movement that was brought in by former Democrats Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, and you get a party disagreeing on basic ideals. For Democrats, the Democratic Socialists of America are trying to radically change the societal landscape and are pulling the party to the left more than many pragmatic centrists would like.

    Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich stands as he waits for an audience with Pope Francis in 2020. Gingrich swept away four decades of Democratic House rule with the “Contract with America” in 1994.

    With many voters tired of political division that gets nothing accomplished, yet strongly divided themselves over what issues they value most, the U.S. should consider whether the big tent politics of the past are still relevant, or whether it’s time to move beyond a two-party system.

    In Europe, countries like France and Great Britain have already undergone this shift.

    In Germany, where I’m from, there was a strict three-party system after World War II, with the Liberals often serving as power brokers between Conservatives and Social Democrats. In 1983, the Greens made it into the federal parliament, or Bundestag, paving the way for the first real left-wing coalition between Social Democrats and Greens in 1998.

    Through the coalition, the Greens were able to negotiate a gradual end to nuclear power. The party also introduced incentives for investments into renewable energy as well as an ecological tax on fossil fuels — along with taking the first step toward marriage equality for gay couples.

    After German reunification, the successor of East Germany’s state party united with a separatist movement of the Social Democrats, forming another strong contender left of the established spectrum that put heavy societal pressure on the introduction of a minimum wage, rent freezes in metropolitan areas, and a renewed focus on subsidized and public housing.

    Most recently, the Alternative für Deutschland, or AfD, keeps shaking up the system with its MAGA-influenced right-wing approach, being especially successful in the German east and being on track of having its first prime minister at the state level this fall. Even without a majority, the AfD’s growing electoral gains have already led to stricter border security and asylum policies by the other parties.

    Alice Weidel (right), group leader of the Alternative für Deutschland, and Tino Chrupalla, chairman of the AfD, attend the AfD party convention at the Erfurt Exhibition Centre in Erfurt, Germany, in July.Katharina Kausche

    There are currently five major parties represented in the Bundestag, while many smaller parties are involved in local governments across the country. Those are a lot of options for a country just short of 85 million people.

    Meanwhile, in the U.S., there are 350 million people coming from all walks of life and facing a host of local issues that often get lost in the push for nationalized politics. Having multiple parties would give voters more choices and solve problems more effectively while weakening polarization.

    For example, here in Pennsylvania, environmentalists and proponents of Big Tech could compromise over data center regulations that protect communities while still making way for artificial intelligence development. Progressive Democrats and union-backed Republicans like Brian Fitzpatrick and moderate Rob Bresnahan could work out solutions for the structural changes of the former coal and steel regions of the state.

    Of course, having more than two parties wouldn’t magically solve all problems, but it could broaden democratic competition and debate, give minorities more of a voice, and even help the GOP and the Democrats come together.

    Yes, there would be fewer people under their respective tents, but the major parties would be able to focus on their own raison d’être again, since it’s impossible to stand for something when you’re trying to stand for everything.

    The United States is a huge country with impressive diversity — it’s time to have a party system that reflects this.

    Wim Orth is a journalist with WELT in Berlin and an Arthur F. Burns fellow at The Inquirer.