For the first time in two decades, the WTA is coming to Philadelphia with the Ennoble Care Philly Open. The 125-level tournament will bring 14 of the WTA’s top 100 players, a former Grand Slam champion, and a few local risers to the Hamlin Tennis Center at the University of Pennsylvania, just one week before the U.S. Open kicks off in New York.
Here are a few storylines to watch heading into the tournament …
What does hosting this tournament mean for Penn?
Penn has been trying to host a professional tennis tournament for a while now, coach Sanela Kunovac told The Inquirer. Since Penn’s tennis center opened in 2011, Kunovac has been hoping to host a professional tournament at the facility, but each year, struggled to get even a smaller level tournament off the ground.
Hosting the tournament this year is a “wonderful surprise.”
“Our facility is one of the nicest facilities in the Northeast, 12 beautiful courts with the view of the city,” Kunovac said. “I know I’m biased, but I would say one of the most beautiful views of the city is from the tennis facility. I also think Penn loves sports. … It was only natural for us to try to bring an amazing tennis tournament to the facility that I think is just world class.”
Top Penn singles player Esha Velaga will receive a qualifying wild card for the event, with the chance to win a match to earn entry into the main draw. Velaga qualified for the NCAA singles championship this year, but this is her first opportunity to compete in a professional tournament of this caliber. In addition, the Penn tennis freshmen, who moved in a week prior, will be available as hitting and practice partners for the pros.
“There’s 14 players who are top 100 in the world who are going to be playing this tournament,” Kunovac said. “To be able to be a sparring partner of somebody who is at that level because our players are going to be on campus, it’s really hard to imagine what other opportunity you can have, other than at your school, to be rubbing shoulders with players at that level.”
The Cincinnati Open is one of the largest tennis tournaments in the U.S.Kareem Elgazzar / AP
Could Philadelphia one day host a bigger event?
Three of Hamlin’s 12 outdoor courts are being used to build a center court with a 1,200-person capacity for the Philly Open. For a larger event, seating capacity can vary significantly. At the Memphis Classic, which is a WTA 250 event, one step up from the WTA 125 event Philly is hosting, center court capacity was 2,000. For an even larger event, like the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, which is a combined ATP/WTA 500, center court holds 7,000 spectators.
The Philadelphia Sisters, organizers of the Philly Open, told The Inquirer that they would be interested in bringing a larger tennis event to Philly. A larger 250- or 500-level event could bring bigger-name players to Philly. With the establishment of the Saudi Masters in 2028, the ATP is buying back lower-level tournaments, as opposed to adding more, so it’s unlikely in the short-term that a major men’s event could come to the area, but a larger WTA event could be more realistic.
In 2022, the WTA brought a 125-level tournament to Paris the week before Roland-Garros. Since then, the tournament has begun to attract high-level players looking for a tuneup, with the 2026 lineup including multiple top-25 players at the time in Madison Keys and Leylah Fernandez.
The timing of the Philly Open, one week before the U.S. Open, combined with Philadelphia’s proximity to New York, places it in a similar position on the calendar. The only other WTA tournament occurring concurrently is the Monterrey Open, a WTA 500-level tournament with an entry list that includes Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková and Roland-Garros finalist Maja Chwalinská.
But the Philly Open also has 14 top-100 players and a former Grand Slam champion in the draw, far more than the average 125, which shows that the location and timing already are attractive for players. The Philadelphia Sisters have a three-year deal to host the tournament, with the potential for extension, so it will return in 2027.
Robin Montgomery of the United States reacts as she plays Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon. Montgomery is in the field for the Philly Open.Brian Inganga / AP
The actual tennis
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, is probably the most famous name in the draw. After suffering a stress fracture in her right foot last year, Stephens is mounting a return to tennis while also working as a commentator. In Cincinnati, Stephens reached the third round before falling, 7-5, 7-5, to world No. 11 Marta Kostyuk, and she’s looking to continue that run of good form in preparation for the U.S. Open.
Another name to watch is 21-year-old American Robin Montgomery, who won her first tour-level title earlier this year at the Libéma Open, earning her way into the top 200. Injury issues have held her back at the senior level, but she has big potential to work her way into the top 100.
Velaga and 18-year-old Wilmington native Capucine Jauffret, who will be a freshman at Florida this year, earned qualifying wild cards and will play on Sunday.
HARRISBURG — As part of his new, hard-line stance on regulating data centers in Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said during a news conference last week that his sweeping executive order has the “strictest guardrails in the nation” on data center development.
Fact check: That is technically true, if you exclude moratoriums, or the full-stop pauses on development that have been implemented in two other states.
States around the country have taken different approaches to data centers in the race for AI supremacy — and, subsequently, how to rein in the increasingly unpopular massive developments that some fear will disrupt their communities, drain resources, and increase energy costs.
Governors, including Shapiro, initially welcomed companies who had come knocking on their states’ doors offering billion-dollar investments to build there. And as the political tide has transformed data centers into widely unwelcome developments among most Americans, leaders have had to adapt — or even change their positions.
Lawn sign along Crooked Lane in King of Prussia, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Some residents are standing in opposition to building a data center in their community.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
To build a data center in Pennsylvania — where Shapiro just 14 months ago trumpeted a $20 billion commitment from Amazon to build at least two data center campuses in Bucks and Luzerne Counties — developers will now be required to sign a consent agreement detailing how it will follow new guidelines in four key areas: transparency, energy affordability, workforce development, and environmental protection.
Many top Pennsylvania Democratic leaders and environmental groups lauded Shapiro’s order, while some Republicans called it a disingenuous flip-flop in an election year. And some of the loudest data center opponents said it did not go far enough — and they still want a moratorium.
Thirty-eight states, including Pennsylvania, offer tax breaks for data centers. Many of these tax incentives were approved years ago, as the emerging artificial-intelligence industry began to come online. Pennsylvania’s legislature firstapproved its benefit in 2021.
Some states, like New York, have halted all data center development for periods of time, while others, like New Jersey, have singled out specific areas, such as consumer protections, in which lawmakers want to curb data centers’ impact.
Shapiro’s administration argues it is unfair to compare its multipronged requirements for developers to build in Pennsylvania to states with moratoriums. In other words, officials say, Pennsylvania has the toughest enforceable barriers for data center development, while moratoriums are a total stop.
Most state legislatures are weighing proposals to restrict data center development through moratoriums or energy generation requirements. Pennsylvania has near-unanimous support among lawmakers to end tax breaks for data center developers, but legislators in the politically split General Assembly failed to do so before leaving Harrisburg for the summer.
In absence of new state laws, a handful of governors, including Shapiro, have taken executive action to restrict data center development in their states. Here is a look at how several states, including Pennsylvania and its neighbors, are approaching data centers.
Pennsylvania
Moratorium: No
Tax credit available: Yes
Restrictions: After previously embracing data center development as a potential economic driver for Pennsylvania, Shapiro changed his position and signed a wide-ranging executive order last week requiring data centers to get local approval, bring their own power, hire and train local workers, and more. The order does not include a moratorium on data center development. However, its requirements for local approval may, in effect, block many from moving forward.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signs an executive order restricting data centers in Pennsylvania during a ceremony in the Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday August 18, 2026.Kalim A. Bhatti / For The Inquirer
Any developer looking to build a data center in Pennsylvania must sign a 33-page, legally binding consent agreement that follows Shapiro’s multifaceted and detailed requirements about the facility’s projected energy generation and water usage and a community benefits agreement in order to receive state-level permit approvals. If the developer does not agree to Shapiro’s rules, its project will be held up by the state indefinitely.
Current projects that have received state permits will be allowed to proceed, but developers will need to sign the agreements for any future approvals.
New Jersey
Moratorium: No
Tax credit available: Yes
Restrictions: In July, Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed several bills into law to protect consumers from increased costs associated with data center development, including the creation of a new tax and rate structure specific to data centers so that the projects pay for their own energy usage and grid updates.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill answers questions from press about the recent rainfall and flooding in Camden at the Fire Administration Building in Camden, N.J., on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Sherrill has released a plan with a framework similar to the regulations outlined in Shapiro’s executive order — including requirements for energy generation, community input, workforce development, and environmental protection — but unlike an executive order or legislation, it does not appear to be enforceable.
Restrictions: Gov. Kathy Hochul in July signed the first statewide data center ban in the nation, blocking new construction for any project using 50 megawatts or more of electricity for up to one year. Fewer projects were proposed in New York, one of the nation’s most populous states that relies heavily on surrounding regions to generate its energy consumption, than in its neighbors. Hochul said she will lift the order once her administration develops guardrails for future projects.
Hochul, a Democrat, took specific aim at hyperscale data center proposals, the main projects intended to power emerging AI technologies.
Maryland
Moratorium: No
Tax credit available: Yes
Restrictions: There has been no statewide action on data centers yet, as Maryland is limited on how much energy it can produce due to its size and dense population. Unlike in Pennsylvania, county and local governments in Maryland are allowed to pass their own moratoriums on data center development, which Baltimore and other densely populated counties near Washington have done.
Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland, speaks during the National Action Network (NAN) Convention in New York, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)Angelina Katsanis
Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat running for reelection, backs a number of legislative proposals in the Maryland statehouse that would require the centers to bring their own power and hire local union workers. But he has mostly demurred on a statewide moratorium, saying it is up to local governments to decide, online news outlet Maryland Matters reported.
Similar to Shapiro’s Republican opponent, Stacy Garrity, Moore’s GOP challenger, Dan Cox, has called for a statewide moratorium on the projects.
Virginia
Moratorium: No
Tax credit available: Yes
Restrictions: Virginia is among the hottest spots for data center development in the country, with more than 340 data centers in operation and hundreds more proposed. In July, the Virginia General Assembly imposed a new electricity-use tax set to run out in two years.
Virginia is also seeing massive tax revenues from its burgeoning data center industry. One wealthycounty just south of Washington is home to 250 data centers.The local government thereis expected to bring in $1.3 billion in additional tax revenue from data centers, allowing the county to reduce property taxes by 30%, the New York Post reported.
Restrictions: Ohio has the fifth-most data centers in the country, with more than 200 already operating, according to the state’s consumer protection office.
The GOP-controlled state broadly still welcomes data center development. But its utilities commission approved a tariff for large data centers,requiring them to pay for at least 85% of their electricity capacity.
It is also a top issue on the campaign trail in the state’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race that could decide control of the chamber: Top Republicans warned AI developers that they need to fix their public image or lose supportive candidates, Axios reported.
Texas
Moratorium: Yes, for future development
Tax credit available: Yes
Restrictions: In what was once the most welcoming state in the country for data center development, new developments in Texas are now indefinitely on hold.
Gov. Greg Abbott announces his re-election campaign for Texas governor in Houston, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)Jason Fochtman
This month, Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, announced a moratorium on future data center projects while the state’s utility commission and electricity council audit the current projects’ power and water use, and more.
Kentucky
Moratorium: No
Tax credits available: Yes
Restrictions: Gov. Andy Beshear, like Shapiro an ambitious Democrat and a potential 2028 presidential contender, also signed an executive order earlier this month that requires data center developers to submit an energy plan that outlines that the project will not raise prices for ratepayers. He also directed the state’s utility commission to deny any rate increases to cover increased costs from data centers.
Beshear’s order was met with criticism from some experts who claim his order was not enforceable, particularly for its inclusion of a directive to an independent agency not under the governor’s discretion, the Kentucky Lantern reported.
Roxborough Memorial Hospital was cited by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for failing to properly dispose of medical waste and document patient treatment plans earlier this year.
The incidents were among 11 times inspectors visited the hospital, which is part of California-based Prime Healthcare Foundation, to investigate potential safety problems.
Here’s a look at the publicly available details:
July 17, 2025: Inspectors came to investigate a complaint but found the hospital was in compliance. Complaint details are not made public when inspectors determine it was unfounded.
July 22: Inspectors followed up on an April 2025 citation regarding failure to report suspected elder abuse and found the hospital was not in compliance. The hospital had been cited for failing to report suspected abuse of a patient at the behavioral health facility where they had been staying before arriving at Roxborough. In April, the hospital said it would update its policies to make clear suspected abuse should be reported as soon as possible and retrain staff. In July, inspectors found the hospital had reported the suspected abuse to the behavioral health facility, but not to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, as required. The hospital said it would clarify in its policies that all cases of suspected abuse should be reported to the health department.
Aug. 4: The hospital was cited for failing to properly transfer patients under federal EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act) protocol. In one of 11 patient records inspectors reviewed, staff transferred a patient to another facility without sending along their emergency records. The hospital was also cited for a staff member who had not completed mandatory annual EMTALA training since 2022. The hospital retrained staff on documenting patient transfers and agreed to hold monthly meetings on EMTALA compliance. Staff members who are not up-to-date on their EMTALA training will be removed from the schedule until they complete the required training.
Oct. 15: Inspectors followed up on the August EMTALA transfer complaint and found the hospital was in compliance.
Feb. 2, 2026: Inspectors followed up again on the April abuse reporting citation and found the hospital was in compliance.
Feb. 12: Inspectors came to investigate a complaint but found the hospital was in compliance.
March 4: Inspectors cited the hospital for improper medical waste disposal and unsafe equipment in behavioral health rooms. Inspectors found that a pharmaceutical disposal box was unlocked and lined with a black trash bag, which is not approved for pharmaceutical waste disposal containers. The hospital was also cited for cords attached to call bells on beds in the geriatric psychiatric unit, which could be dangerous for people at risk of self-harm. The hospital retrained staff on pharmaceutical waste disposal and replaced the corded call bells with wireless systems.
March 4: Inspectors visited for a mental health survey and cited the hospital for failing to complete written treatment plans for one of 12 patient files they reviewed. The hospital retrained staff on documentation and the importance of scanning any written documentation into patients’ electronic files.
March 25: Inspectors came to investigate a complaint but found the hospital was in compliance.
March 31: Inspectors visited for a mental health survey and found the hospital was in compliance.
Instead of restricting data centers, I have a simple proposition for developers, state and county officials, state senators and representatives, overwhelmed township officials, and Gov. Josh Shapiro: Data center development and operations should be the epicenter and locus of landscape greening and ecological restoration.
Just as the data center will play a lead role in the AI transformation of our economy, so, too, it will take the lead to restore nature in its location and surroundings. It will cool rather than heat its surroundings. Birds will make more noise than the facility. Community solar as part of the renewable fuel package will be available to home and business owners to lower utility costs. Greening of vast parking areas will cut off urban heat and protect public health. Retained water runoff from rain and snow will irrigate off-site plots to enhance their restoration. A landscape restoration fund derived from a tiny percentage of center income will extend the restoration benefits to the broader community and thus build up resilience to climate change.
As a vehicle for promoting the natural world on their grounds, data centers will be the best of neighbors and just about everyone will want to live near them.
Jon Berger, Philadelphia
Challenge issued
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick’s response to Bob Harvie’s challenge to four debates exemplifies everything that is wrong with our five-term congressman. While Fitzpatrick plays games demanding Harvie release what his campaign calls “the FBI files,” constituents like me are dealing with rising gas and grocery prices, hikes in our health insurance premiums, and a sluggish job market.
Is Fitzpatrick serious about serving us or even earning our votes? Because if he is, he should stop the games and debate Harvie in front of a live audience.
If Fitzpatrick has ideas, let’s hear them. If he wants to defend his voting record, this is the time. And if Fitzpatrick disputes Harvie’s characterization of his role as a witness before a federal grand jury, he can address that in a face-to-face debate in which his opponent can respond directly.
Refusing to debate while continuing to make accusations is simply political posturing — and insulting to the constituents the congressman is supposed to serve.
Laura Rose, Newtown
Ukraine Independence Day
We have seen the heart-wrenching headlines and images again and again, as Russia has continued its barbaric and entirely unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. We have, as a result, perhaps for the first time, learned that Ukraine, the largest country wholly in Europe, is blessed not only with the richest soil for agriculture but also with an industrious, innovative, and peace-loving people. Against all odds, Ukraine has been defending itself admirably in this David vs. Goliath contest — even redesigning modern-day military weapons and tactics worldwide. However, on the heels of America’s Semiquincentennial — and on the eve of Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day on Aug. 24 — do we not have the moral obligation, as a nation, to do all we can to support this democracy which sent military assistance to the U.S. in Afghanistan and Iraq?
Elie Wiesel stated: “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference … And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” How can we ambivalently stand by effectively doing nothing, even as we witness an ongoing great injustice? President Franklin D. Roosevelt referenced the analogy that we should lend our neighbor our garden hose if their house was on fire; a metaphor more recently echoed by U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.), when advocating for Ukraine recently on the House floor, who said its struggles transcend the political divide — it’s about freedom. Many U.S. Army veterans have gone to Ukraine to help in the conflict — some of whom have paid the ultimate price — because they felt this was truly the battle between good and evil.
We all have a choice — and a voice. What if we, each one of us, our friends and neighbors all called our congressional representatives to urge passage of the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 so that there are no more excuses about finally making good on holding to account the two terrorist states that are responsible for most of the global instability today? Making the call wouldn’t cost a thing.
Christine Fylypovych,Blue Bell
Project Head Start
In 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson established Project Head Start. Since the beginning, it has successfully helped to improve graduation rates, improve self-esteem in children, and provide a positive influence on a child’s future. It has long been an established fact that early childhood education also helps to prevent future criminal behaviors. Why is this horrid administration trying to defund this valuable program? They obviously have no concern for poor children. The wealthy can afford the best education for their families, but as a society, we have a responsibility to ensure all children have proper education as well as nutrition and healthcare.
Add this to the proposals to separate the highly effective measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine into three separate shots for absolutely no medical or scientific reason, and you must question the motives of the cruel and ignorant people who are running the country. I am hoping citizens are paying attention and, come November, will vote into office those who will do what is right for the American people. Our children are depending on us.
Kathleen Clements, Philadelphia
Open and operating?
The president of the United States says that the Strait of Hormuz is “open and operating,” yet cargo ships are still under attack. Reality suggests that the president is once again lying to the American public. Either that, or he is completely delusional. In either case, Donald Trump’s war is continuing to distress the world economy, and there is no end in sight if he can’t acknowledge the reality of the situation. His bizarre focus on things like his ballroom reveals his misplaced priorities.
Bill Maginnis,North Wales
Staggering national debt
On Wednesday, the national debt reached $40 trillion. There was very little news coverage of this event, but it is significant for our future and the future of our children.
The Republicans were the party of fiscal conservatives, budget-conscious individuals, and supporters of our allies. What happened?
Republicans in Congress have let the Trump administration spend taxpayer money on just about everything the president wants. Take the East Wing ballroom. The White House is asking Congress for $1 billion to cover the costs of security and military upgrades.
Developer Carl Dranoff does not like the perspective of two prominent local city planning experts about the expensive new median strip on South Broad Street. What a surprise that Dranoff, who came up with the idea, stands to benefit the most … because of his properties on that street.
Susie Perloff, Philadelphia
Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Leo season featured an emboldened version of you. You surprised a few of your nearest and dearest with your swift action. You’re headed into a season where you impress them with how hard you can work on what’s important to you.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). In the last few weeks, the cosmic cat vibes echoed through your stealth observations. You lingered in the tall grass, unseen, observing the experts who are already doing something you dearly want for your life. And now, no more watching. It’s go time.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’ve explored the more playful aspects of Leo season. The new era sees you continuing in this experimental approach even as you accomplish work that is in no way pretending or messing around. There will be a lightness in your serious pursuits.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Last season, you gave yourself permission to take up more space, and the world didn’t end. Quite the opposite. Now you’ll start living full time in the expansion. People around you will adjust to the more powerful you.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The spotlight suited you beautifully. Now comes the quieter pleasure of building something sturdy “backstage.” It’s bothersome to be watched while you’re figuring things out. You’ll have space, resources and the peace you need to do your best work.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). This is your time. In the weeks ahead, you’ll catch breaks, attract luck, belong to a team that works as hard as you do, and be rewarded and reciprocated at every turn. You’ve earned this, so enjoy it.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You spent Leo season volunteering in good faith — a risk that rewarded you. Your habit of taking initiative will keep serving you and your team grows as people learn you can perform whether or not the conditions are ideal.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Last season, you made fun a priority instead of treating it like a reward you had to earn first. Keep bringing that same spirit to your many roles in life. The people around you will revel in the levity while still getting things done. Joy is your legacy.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’ve spent time watching people who already live the life you’re building, and you’ve borrowed what works. Now you’ll take it a few steps further, building the habits until they are part of your typical day and therefore take far less energy to initiate.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Leo season reminded you that your personality belongs in everything you create. The work doesn’t have to become less “you” as it becomes more professional. Virgo season helps you refine your signature until people recognize it before they see your name.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Leo season tempted you toward bigger ideas, and there’s no reason to scale them back now. Virgo season hands you a calendar, a notebook and enough ordinary Tuesdays to turn one ambitious vision into something people can actually experience.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You stepped into the spotlight and let people see what you could do. A few bold choices back there changed the way people see you. In Virgo season, you’ll pick some aspect of the experiment and repeat it until it couldn’t be more natural.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 21). You are the Crowned Creative Royal this year. The world makes room for your ideas, your style and your presence. Doors swing open theatrically, and you walk in good. More highlights: People love picking up the check, gifting you and making you the guest of honor. Work takes on an international flavor. Your personal life is a slice of heaven as domestic work gets distributed evenly and routines allow for greater freedom and flow. Aries and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 32, 17, 27 and 44.
DEAR ABBY: My friend of many years, whom I consider to truly be part of the family, has made food the only thing that makes her happy. Besides my husband, she’s all I have left. She went to a doctor a couple years ago who told her she must lose weight, but she ended up gaining more. I’ve tried talking to her, but she says I am preaching to the choir. It doesn’t help that her husband is also obese. They enjoy eating out constantly. She has many physical things wrong with her, most of which could be helped greatly by losing at least 80 pounds.
I want to write her a letter and tell her how hard it is watching her kill herself by not trying to help herself. She has a heart problem, and the extra weight certainly is not helping it. She has several other problems, too. She has aches and pains everywhere — her knees hurt, her feet hurt and her liver is not doing well from all the medications. Getting rid of most of the excess weight would definitely help her get around and make her healthier. It most likely would even get her off some of the medications. I wish I could write her and tell her that her daughter, son, husband, brother, sister-in-law, and especially her 7-year-old granddaughter and I really need her and want her to be around. Talking to her doesn’t help, so do you think a letter would be inappropriate?
— STATING MY CASE IN IDAHO
DEAR STATING: I am going to assume that you have already told this friend all the things you have in your letter to me. I am not sure how helpful it would be to put those thoughts in a letter. Your friend and her husband have a ritual they practice together — eating out. Unless both of them are willing to recognize it is causing serious health problems and are willing to do something about it, nothing will change. There is a group that has been mentioned in this column many times called Overeaters Anonymous. It is a self-help group with a long and successful history. In these meetings there is no weighing, no shaming, no dues or fees for members. (They are self-supporting through their own contributions.) While it might not be something your friend is willing to explore, it might make you feel better to suggest this to her if she’s unaware of it. The website is oa.org.
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: My mother has accused me of removing personal papers from her file cabinet. I have never gone into her file cabinet, nor have I ever removed any papers. This accusation is extremely hurtful. It has strained our relationship. I place great emphasis on honesty and integrity. I am now considering taking a polygraph test to validate my defense. Should I follow through or just let it go?
— HONEST DAUGHTER
DEAR DAUGHTER: Let it go. A polygraph test has a wide margin of error, so it wouldn’t provide conclusive proof anyway. Instead, try to understand that your mother’s accusation may come from frustration with herself at having misplaced the papers. She was wrong to take it out on you, but please show that you can be more forgiving than she has been.
Severe storms set off tornado and flood warnings on Thursday in the Philly region, and in some places turned the phrase “rush hour” into an oxymoron.
Intense thunderstorms took down trees and wires in parts of Chester County, and fallen trees blocked portions of heavily traveled Route 322 in Honey Brook, the weather service reported.
Streams came out of their banks, and flash flooded occurred in West Norriton and Lower Providence Townships, in Montgomery County, making “many streets” impassable.
A tornado warning had been issued for portions of Chester and Delaware Counties, but it was not known if a twister was sighted.
About 21,000 Peco customers were without power as of 8 p.m.
All of Philadelphia; areas to the west of the city, including the Main Line; northern Delaware; and in New Jersey along the Delaware River were under a flash-flood warning until 8:45 p.m.
Lines of storms gathered to the west and south of the region during the day with the approach of an eastward-moving front interacting with a volatile, energized atmosphere.
“It’s a pretty juicy air mass,” said Matt Benz, senior meteorologist for AccuWeather Inc. And more juice might be squeezed out of it over the next few days, especially Saturday.
It turns out that the front that set off the storms may return in a repurposed form during the weekend.
Disruptive storms came at a bad time
The storms arrived between 5 and 5:30 p.m. in the immediate Philly area, right when a lot of people likely would have been heading home.
The storms moved quickly, but the downpours were strong enough to set off flash-flood warnings.
The fact that the sun interrupted the afternoon gloom on Thursday didn’t help matters, meteorologists said. On a day when the air was so full of moisture and energy, that was about the last thing they wanted to see.
“It’s ironic, isn’t it,” said Joe Wegman meteorologist with the government’s Weather Prediction Center, in College Park, Md.
The solar heating likely provided a power jolt to an already charged atmosphere.
The outlook for the weekend
If you have outdoor plans Saturday, this is probably something you don’t want to read.
After the front clears the region, Friday should be a decent day, Wegman said.
But it’s likely to migrate back, this time as a warm front, said Wegman. Showers are possible Friday night, and might be tapping into a generous moisture supply on Saturday.
Said Benz, “I wouldn’t throw out the word washout, but it could be pretty wet on Saturday.” Steady rain is possible, as are more downpours Saturday afternoon into the night.
As for Sunday, you guessed it — another chance of showers.
Authorities have identified the pilot of a small plane who died Wednesday after colliding with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter.
Paul Sokoloski, 57, of Hershey, died in the crash, the Cumberland County Coroner’s Office said Thursday morning.
Sokoloski was an emergency room doctor at Penn State Health, according to the health system, which described him in an emailed statement as a valued member of its team.
“We are focused on supporting Dr. Sokoloski’s loved ones and the members of our care teams who worked alongside him and are grieving his passing,” the statement said.
Sokoloski worked as an emergency physician since 1999, according to his LinkedIn profile. Since 2022, he had worked at three Penn State Health hospitals around Harrisburg and Lancaster. From 2017 through 2021, he was an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine.
The crash happened at Carlisle Airport, a small public-use airport about a half-hour southwest of Harrisburg.
Pennsylvania State Police were conducting a training exercise in a helicopter when it was struck by the Cessna 150 airplane piloted by Sokoloski, state police said Thursday.
“The Cessna 150 was attempting to land when, for an unknown reason, it veered off the north side of the runway and collided with the rear of the PSP helicopter, which was hovering in mid-air,” state police said in a statement.
Sokoloski was the only person in the plane, state police said.
Aaron McCarter, aviation accident investigator with the NTSB, confirmed at a Thursday afternoon briefing that a video clip circulating on social media did capture the collision. The video shows the helicopter hovering above a grassy area when the Cessna veers from the runway path and sheers off the top main rotor blade and the tail blades of the helicopter. The Cessna immediately breaks apart after contact.
A witness saw the Cessna pilot, who was a certified flight instructor, earlier performing maintenance on his plane, McCarter said. The pilot earlier on Wednesday then flew south before returning to Carlisle Airport in the evening.
McCarter said pilots who fly at small airports that do not have control towers, such as Carlisle, use a designated radio frequency known as CTAF, or common traffic advisory frequency.
The pilot of the Cessna, who was a certified flight instructor, “was made aware” of the helicopter’s activity at the airport, McCarter said.
On Friday, crews will transport the wreckage of the plane and the helicopter to a secure hangar in Clayton, Del., where investigators will work to find out “what brought those two vehicles together in such a violent way,” McCarter said.
Two state police troopers in the helicopter, Cpl. Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills, were airlifted to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, police said.
Corman has since been released, and Mills remained hospitalized in stable condition, police said.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday night called the injured state police troopers “heroes” and expressed his sympathy to their families.
“They are people who are absolutely essential to the operations of the Pennsylvania State Police, and we are so grateful they are going to be OK,” Shapiro said.
State police, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident, police said.
Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Eagles held the 14th open practice of their 2026 training camp — the second of two joint practices with the Patriots — on Thursday at the New Balance Athletics Center. Here were my observations from Day 14 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13):
Lemon drop
Makai Lemon made his official return to practice after missing more than two weeks with a hamstring injury. The Eagles listed him as limited the day before, but he wasn’t in pads and did almost nothing. The rookie wide receiver was fully suited up on Thursday, however, and participated in individual drills. It’s unlikely he plays Saturday against the Patriots in the second preseason game, but there’s a chance he can get some live repetitions in the preseason finale vs. the Bengals on Aug. 28.
Makai Lemon was back at practice for the Eagles on Thursday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was limited for a third straight day. Receiver Elijah Moore was added to the injury list after suffering a neck injury on Wednesday. The following players continued to be sidelined: Defensive tackle Byron Young (shoulder), cornerback Jonathan Jones (shoulder), tight end Grant Calcaterra (back), cornerback Jakorian Bennett (knee), receiver Johnny Wilson (knee), running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring), tackle John Ojukwu (pectoral), and cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields (heel).
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter was excused for a personal reason. Outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle) and cornerback Shaun Wade (eye/shoulder) were also limited.
Riq Woolen (with ex-Eagle Milton Williams) had a stronger Day 2 against the Patriots. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Riq-ola
Riq Woolen had a tough first joint practice with the Pats, but he rebounded on Day 2. If there’s a position where you need to have a short memory, it’s cornerback. And Woolen showed it with his performance 24 hours later. He allowed some catches, but he prevented as many.
He was involved in maybe the two biggest plays of the day. With the Patriots near the goal line, Woolen lined up over A.J. Brown, who got the better of the corner several times the day before. Brown ran a quick out pattern and Woolen was in his hip pocket. Quarterback Drake Maye only had eyes for his No. 1 receiver. Woolen read them, jumped the route and raced the other way with the ball. He flopped into the end zone for a would-be 100-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Later in the final red zone period when both teams converged on one field, Maye again forced a throw to Brown. Woolen had tight man coverage on the short route and ripped the ball out into the air. Outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt dove and somehow caught the ball before it hit the ground. Hunt just has a sense for the ball. He’s had a great summer.
Woolen also notched a few pass breakups vs. Romeo Doubs, who gave him fits on Wednesday too. He lost the Patriots receiver in the final red zone period and didn’t have over-the-top help from safety Andrew Mukuba. Woolen slapped his hands in frustration, but he bounced back on the two-point conversion and made sure a juggling Brown didn’t secure the ball inbounds.
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell looks over at Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown during a joint practice on Thursday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Brown points
Brown might not have been as spectacular as he was in the first workout, but he had his moments. He once again faced cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the first one-on-one. Brown made an acrobatic catch in which he tipped the ball to himself and dragged his feet in the back corner of the end zone. The nearby referee ruled him out, but I thought he was inbounds.
In two-on-two drills, Brown got Mitchell to slip after his break and scored. He flashed his strong hands on a contested ball over the middle a few reps later. Brown also caught a touchdown in 11-on-11 drills near the stands and celebrated with Patriots fans. Mitchell had a few strong reps as well. He locked up Brown on a deep route in which Maye’s aimless pass fell to the ground.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts and Co. had their successes in the one-on-one and two-on-two portions. Tight end Dallas Goedert used subtle movements to create enough separation for a catch in the end zone. Quarterback Andy Dalton fired a pass to Eli Stowers that sailed past the rookie tight end before he looked back. Dalton looked nonplussed.
There was a similar miscommunication between Hurts and Hollywood Brown in which the receiver didn’t turn his head in time. Hurts had a visual reaction and spoke to Brown afterward. They’ve had mix-ups in their first camp together, but have worked on improving their chemistry after practice. It eventually paid off (foreshadowing).
Sean Mannion’s offense was hot and cold again in the second joint practice with the Patriots. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Running up that hill
I spent most of practice watching the Eagles offense. Sean Mannion’s unit started slow and finished strong, unlike the day before when it got off to a hot start before petering out. With most of team drills worked inside the red zone, the condensed area made it more difficult for the pass offense.
The run offense didn’t have that excuse and it struggled after an impressive showing the day prior. Saquon Barkley had few holes, especially on outside zone runs. He was strung out on his first carry. Patriots edge Gabe Jacas broke through for a tackle for loss on Barkley’s next tote. Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams was able to get inside tackle Lane Johnson and stop Barkley after a minimal gain.
New England’s defense pushed the envelop at times and would tackle to the ground. Johnson took exception at one point and there was a scrum. The Eagles’ frustration boiled over several more times. Barkley appeared to get into it with Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore even though neither was participating in the drills. Receiver Dontayvion Wicks was in the middle of a fracas that halted practice.
Tackle Jordan Mailata said afterward that the fights disrupted the flow of the run game. But it was tough sledding for both of the Eagles’ units. Running backs Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley —who shined on Wednesday — kept getting bottled up.
Jalen Hurts struggled at times on Thursday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Tough enough
The lack of production on the ground made it even harder on the passing attack. On Hurts’ first drop, Williams beat his block and was in the quarterback’s face for a would-be sack. Hurts kept playing, but his pass was deflected to Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones for an interception and he ran the other way. A play later, the blitz was picked up, but Hurts rushed his throw to receiver Darius Cooper and it fell incomplete. The Eagles ended the set with a touchdown when Hurts found Goedert over the middle in the back of the end zone.
The first offense went back to being out of sorts, though, in the next stanza. Hurts picked up some yards on a draw play. But Wicks dropped a pass. And when Hurts had nothing, he held the ball and was pressured into taking a would-be loss. Later on, Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss wasn’t fooled by another Hurts draw. Safety Kevin Byard blitzed the “A” gap and was unblocked. Hurts again kept the play alive, but edge Elijah Ponder dropped and broke up the throw to Bigsby.
Dontayvion Wicks had a TD and was also the intended receiver on a Patriots interception. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Pick-le ball
Hurts rebounded with another touchdown in the post — this time to Wicks, who celebrated with Bigsby. But for every positive there were two or three negatives. Hurts was tackled for a loss by Patriots linebacker K.J. Britt on a busted designed run. Two plays later, Jones had his second pick of Hurts when he stepped in front of Wicks near the sideline.
The quarterback went back to Wicks over the middle on a quick timing play that had misdirection motion at the snap at the start of the next set. But center Cam Jurgens got beat when Patriots defensive tackle Cory Durden penetrated into the backfield and sacked Hurts.
Then the Eagles committed a false start. Hurts scrambled out of bounds for little or no gain. And when Bigsby finally broke outside for a long run, a holding penalty negated the first down. Mannion did manage to scheme tight end Johnny Mundt open for yards after the catch on a crosser. But the period ended without points.
Hollywood Brown (0) made up for a previous route blunder with a touchdown in the scrimmage portion of practice. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Red-letter end
The Eagles first offense would save face in the final red zone “scrimmage.” Hurts was workmanlike. He hit Goedert on a quickie for six yards. He then went to Wicks, who turned his defender around the 5-yard line. On first and goal, Hurts was flushed to the right and he found Hollywood Brown in the back of the end zone. But the receiver couldn’t get both feet inbounds.
Hurts had good protection on the next down, though, and hurled a strike to a diving Brown for the touchdown. Cooper hauled in the ensuing two-pointer after Hurts bought time outside the pocket, but another holding penalty took the conversion off the board.
Jordan Davis (90) was disruptive on Thursday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
In the trenches
Even without Carter and Young, the Eagles’ interior defensive line won the run battle. Every time I glanced over to the other field, defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo disrupted the Patriots’ ground assault. Vic Fangio can get away with the highest percentage of light boxes in the NFL because he has the horses up front.
I didn’t catch all of the one-on-ones between the Eagles’ pass rushers and the Patriots offensive line, but of the matchups I watched, they fared well. Hunt split his two reps vs. tackle Will Campbell, but edge Nolan Smith Jr. had victories over tackle Marcus Bryant. Defensive tackle Ty Robinson used his trusty old club/swim move to win his first turn, but guard Alijah Vera-Tucker took the rematch.
Linebacker Zack Baun took a rare pass rush and dusted tackle Caleb Lomu. Edge Arnold Ebiketie had a win and draw vs. tackle Dametrious Crownover. The education of rookie defensive tackle Uar Bernard continued. Guard JonDarius Morgan handled him with relative ease.
Tanner McKee (16) was the second quarterback up on Thursday. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Second fiddle
Tanner McKee got the nod ahead of Dalton in the first set with the second offense. The quarterback connected with receiver Samori Toure on an out pattern and checked down to Stowers. Speaking of Stowers, he had a solid lead block on a Bigsby run to the perimeter. Another Eagles holding penalty brought back a later Bigsby run.
McKee tried for Quez Watkins on a corner fade into the end zone, but his pass was too high for the receiver to pull in. Speaking of penalties, the Eagles had an offensive pass interference on a screen. McKee was forced to scramble when a bubble screen to receiver Britain Covey was thwarted. He did hook up with tight end E.J. Jenkins in between the hashes.
Dalton was under center for the final red-zone period. He hit Watkins for a first down on his first drop. But the quarterback and receiver were out of sync on their next target. Dalton then threw out of bounds when Stowers was covered. And on fourth-and-goal, his pass to Toure was a touch late and broken up.
Extra points
Rookie quarterback Cole Payton got the day off — at least in team drills. … Shipley and Cooper were the first two returners during kickoff drills. … The Eagles will have a closed walkthrough ahead of Saturday’s preseason game with the Patriots. Few, if any of the starters are expected to play. Sunday will be an off day. Camp resumes back in Philly on Monday.
“Who’s running now?” Krasner said at a Thursday news conference where investigators announced they had identified the suspect as 22-year-old Zymire Hughes — and said it was possible he had already fled Pennsylvania.
It was the latest development in a nightmare-fueled story that has garnered national attention as images and videos of a man harassing pedestrians in the babylike mask went viral on social media this week.
Krasner said his office has issued a warrant for Hughes’ arrest for assault and related crimes.
The charges stem from the Aug. 12 morning that a man in a Chucky mask harassed and scared more than a dozen people near City Hall, including a 40-year-old woman who Krasner said was “severely injured” when she fell while running from Hughes in fear.
In all, investigators said, Hughes is accused of harassing around 16 people between 5 and 5:30 a.m. that morning.
Police documented the behavior through a host of camera angles due to the large number of security cameras monitoring Center City streets.
They saw a masked Hughes begin the harassment near 10th and Chestnut Streets that morning, where he approached a man who appeared to cower on his knees in fear, said Capt. Jason Smith of the Central Detective Division.
After Hughes harassed others in the Center City area, authorities said, his behavior culminated when he chased the woman as she jogged near City Hall.
Hughes asked the woman if she was “ready to die” during the confrontation, according to Smith.
After the woman fled, Hughes went into a Dunkin’ Donuts store near 13th and Chestnut Streets. He then entered Suburban Station, Smith said, where two SEPTA transit officers told Hughes to remove the mask.
He lifted the mask slightly but did not remove it. He calmly walked away from the officers, surveillance footage shows.
“He does successfully evade them,” the captain said.
Hughes later rode SEPTA’s 33 bus to his apartment near 23rd and Venango Streets, surveillance footage shows.
But Smith said investigators believe Hughes may have already fled the state.
Detectives learned he left his apartment with packed bags two nights ago. It is possible he may have gone to Los Angeles or Las Vegas, where he has connections through an employer, Smith said.
Meanwhile, they continue to consider whether Hughes was motivated to film the stunt and post content on social media.
Detectives have linked two TikTok and one Instagram accounts to Hughes. But the accounts do not include posts related to his alleged behavior from last week.
Investigators also do not believe Hughes intended to physically harm those he harassed, they said, given that he did not produce a weapon during any of the interactions.
Krasner said that Hughes could not run forever, and that additional charges could come as investigators urge anyone harassed by Hughes that morning to come forward.
The young man is currently on probation in Philadelphia for a criminal case out of Montgomery County, Krasner said, adding that he considered Hughes’ behavior last week to be a violation of those conditions.
“You think it’s funny to scare people?” the district attorney said in a message directed to Hughes. “Well, get ready to get scared by us.”
