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  • New Jersey enacts law to prevent surveillance pricing of groceries. Here’s what to know.

    New Jersey enacts law to prevent surveillance pricing of groceries. Here’s what to know.

    New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed a surveillance pricing ban into law on Thursday as she champions herself as a fighter for lower costs in New Jersey.

    The Democrat lauded the initiative as part of her broader agenda and campaign promise of making life more affordable in the state. Also in line with her messaging, she blamed President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran for high grocery prices at a news conference announcing the new law.

    “Surveillance pricing essentially gives Big Brother a look into your shopping cart,” she said. “It’s incredibly invasive and it’s expensive.”

    Several states across the country have similar bills under consideration, but New Jersey is just the third to write the ban into law, after Maryland and Connecticut.

    Here’s what to know about the new law.

    What is surveillance pricing?

    Essentially, it’s when grocery stores or apps create individualized pricing based on shoppers’ personal data.

    As defined by the new law, it’s a pricing strategy in which food prices are adjusted, optimized, or recommended by an algorithm or automatic system that uses personal data, such as through biometrics, cameras, sensors, device tracking, or other forms of observing consumers’ personal attributes.

    What does this law do?

    The new law, called the Fair Price Protection Act, bans surveillance pricing or other pricing strategies that determine the cost of groceries based on consumers’ data. The law takes aim specifically at groceries and not at restaurants or other places that sell food or beverage for immediate consumption.

    It also implements a one-year ban on new electronic shelf labels and requires the state to study the use of such labels. The New Jersey Innovation Authority is required to submit findings no more than six months before the end of the moratorium along with policy recommendations surrounding the practice. Companies are allowed to repair or replace existing electronic shelf labels during this moratorium.

    New Jersey digital innovation office that uses AI becomes permanent with new law

    These labels allow companies to update prices more efficiently and do not mean surveillance pricing is being used. But a group that has lobbied for a surveillance pricing ban — the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union — has also called for bans on electronic price tags and called them “the missing piece of the surveillance pricing puzzle.”

    The surveillance pricing ban will not take effect for a year, but the electronic shelf label moratorium will begin in six months.

    A violation of the new law carries penalties of up to $10,000 for the first offense and up to $20,000 for further violations, and the attorney general can pursue additional civil penalties.

    What did lawmakers think of this bill?

    Earlier this year, some South Jersey legislators said they wish the bill had gone further and banned the practice across other industries.

    You could be paying more for groceries than your neighbor. Here’s what Jersey lawmakers are doing about it.

    The bill passed both chambers of the legislature on June 30 as part of a slew of last-minute actions before the budget deadline.

    It passed largely along party lines, though two Democrats voted against it in the Senate, including Sen. James Beach, a Camden County Democrat who had been listed as a cosponsor on the bill. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

    In the Assembly, seven Democrats did not vote on the bill, and one Republican voted for it.

    Does Instacart use surveillance pricing?

    At her news conference, Sherrill cited figures from a Consumer Reports study that found Instacart used artificial intelligence-driven pricing that left customers with price tags differing as much as 23% per item for an annual household cost difference of $1,200 per year.

    However, Instacart has said it did not use personal information to set those prices, and therefore it did not involve surveillance pricing — a practice the company said it does not use. The company also said it has changed its practices outlined in the study.

    That being said, experts have warned that the combination of AI pricing models and the mass amounts of data collected on U.S. shoppers paves the way for surveillance pricing, per Consumer Reports.

    Will this law interfere with your loyalty discounts?

    Opponents of the bill, such as business groups and Republican lawmakers, have argued that the bill will have the opposite effect than intended, leading to higher prices because of negative effects on loyalty discount programs.

    “The reason so many businesses pushed back on ‘The Fair Price Protection Act’ wasn’t because they want to price gouge customers, it’s because the bill threatens the loyalty programs, discount apps, and member pricing that brings in customers and actually brings prices down for everyday shoppers. … This law threatens to take that all away,” Assembly Republicans said in a post on X on Thursday.

    But Sherrill insists the new law will not go after those discounts.

    “Deals are fine,” Sherrill said. “Surveillance-driven surcharges driving up costs are not. If companies violate your privacy to try and make a buck, they’ll be held accountable under our state’s Consumer Fraud Act.”

    The law specifically says it does not prevent discounts with publicly shared eligibility requirements, such as being a teacher or veteran. It also allows companies to offer discounts through loyalty programs that shoppers opt in to and provide discounts based on customers’ purchases as long as all members of the program are eligible to receive them under the same conditions.

  • Trump administration drops its subpoena seeking names of Jewish people at Penn

    Trump administration drops its subpoena seeking names of Jewish people at Penn

    The Trump administration has agreed to drop its subpoena ordering the University of Pennsylvania to release the names of Jewish people on its campus, marking what seems to be a victory in the Ivy League school’s battles with the federal government.

    The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has said “it will not take any further measures to enforce the subpoena seeking identification and personal contact information of employees,” according to a resolution agreement filed Thursday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The agency also agreed not to seek the information through other means, according to the agreement.

    The commission had been requesting the information to further its investigation into antisemitism complaints on Penn’s campus.

    https://www.inquirer.com/education/upenn-jewish-judge-stay-trump-administration-appeal-20260427.html

    The EEOC initially won the court’s approval to enforce the subpoena, but Penn appealed the decision. Penn said it has agreed to drop its appeal and, according to the resolution, the school agreed not to ask that the district court’s opinion in the case be vacated.

    It was not clear what caused the federal agency to change course or the status of the commission’s antisemitism investigation. An EEOC spokesperson said: “We will decline to add anything beyond court filings.”

    EEOC sues Penn for failing to release information related to antisemitism investigation

    Penn released a statement. “With the support of many members of the community who have stood with Penn throughout, the university has been able to protect its employees’ rights and none of the subpoenaed personal contact information was disclosed,” a university spokesperson said. “Penn remains committed to fighting antisemitism and all other forms of discrimination, to ensure everyone it serves can learn, work, and thrive.”

    The move brings the monthslong battle between the federal agency and the Ivy League university over the subpoena to a close.

    The EEOC’s decision to subpoena the information drew widespread criticism from faculty and others, on and off the campus. Among those that opposed the subpoena was the Penn chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

    “This victory shows that universities should not capitulate to unjust and unconstitutional demands from the Trump administration,” said Lorena Grundy, vice president of AAUP-Penn. “AAUP-Penn will continue to defend the rights of all communities at Penn, and we look forward to continuing to grow the coalition that has grown out of this effort.”

    The Anti-Defamation League Philadelphia, which has supported the EEOC’s effort to address antisemitism at Penn and has been critical of college campuses’ handling of antisemitism complaints, said it was pleased the EEOC was not pursuing the subpoena.

    “As we’ve said, demanding lists of Jewish employees and campus organizations is a different matter, one with a troubling history we cannot ignore,” said Andrew Goretsky, senior regional director. “We’re pleased the EEOC has apparently agreed not to pursue its requests for sensitive information and that information was not disclosed. We’ll continue working with our partners to support Jewish students, staff, and faculty at Penn.”

    Roy Hamilton, faculty senate chair, said he was “heartened to see that this matter has been resolved in a way that protects the privacy of Penn employees while allowing the university to move forward.

    “Our shared focus remains on fostering a community where all members are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.”

    Penn has faced other pressure from the federal government. Last summer, the school struck an agreement with the Trump administration over the participation of transgender athlete Lia Thomas on the women’s swim team. The school met a number of the White House’s demands, including adhering to the Trump administration’s definitions of sex, female, male, women, and men, and sending letters of apology to female athletes who felt aggrieved by Thomas’ participation on their team during the 2021-22 season.

    Penn pointed out at the time that the agreement was restricted to athletics and did not affect other university operations.

    The EEOC last year — as part of its quest to find people potentially affected by antisemitism concerns at Penn, officials said — demanded a list of employees in Penn’s Jewish Studies Program, a list of all clubs, groups, organizations, and recreation groups related to the Jewish religion, including points of contact and a roster of members, and names of employees who lodged antisemitism complaints.

    The original complaint was launched by EEOC Commissioner Andrea Lucas, now chair of the body, on Dec. 8, 2023, two months after Hamas’ attack on Israel that led to unrest on college campuses, including Penn, and charges of antisemitism. It was also just three days after Penn’s then-president, Liz Magill, had testified before a Republican-led congressional committee on the school’s handling of antisemitism complaints; the testimony drew a bipartisan backlash and led to Magill’s resignation days later.

    The commission sued Penn in November for failing to turn over the information sought in the subpoena.

    Judge Gerald J. Pappert ruled in March that Penn must comply with the subpoena, signaling a major loss for the university in its fight to keep employees’ and students’ personal information from the federal government. In his 32-page ruling, Pappert largely dismissed arguments from Penn and others who intervened on the school’s behalf that releasing the information sought by the commission would put employees at risk, create an undue burden on the school, and cause employees to disaffiliate from such groups.

    Pappert had ruled the school had to provide the information to the EEOC, though it did not have to state which particular organization each person is affiliated with.

    Penn sought a stay of the order and said it would be “irreparably harmed” if it had to comply before the school had a chance to appeal.

    Pappert in April granted Penn a stay while the appeal proceeded. But Pappert at that time also underscored the school’s unlikely success in an appeal.

    “The charge of discrimination is valid, the EEOC’s subpoena seeks information relevant to the charge and the subpoena does not unduly burden Penn,” he wrote. “The subpoena also does not violate substantive due process or the First Amendment.”

    Penn has said it provided information to the EEOC in cases where employees consented but steadfastly refused in others.

    “Violating their privacy and trust is antithetical to ensuring Penn’s Jewish community feels protected and safe,” Penn said when the EEOC filed the suit.

    The school offered to help the EEOC reach employees who were willing to speak with the agency by informing all employees of the investigation and how they could reach the agency.

    Jon Fansmith, senior vice president for government relations and national engagement at the American Council on Education, said the resolution “reinforces the merits of Penn standing up to something that was clearly inappropriate and excessive from the start.”

    The government alleged wrongdoing and then tried to find the evidence to prove it in part by issuing the subpoena.

    “This is clearly an abuse by the government of their authority,” Fansmith said.

  • A Nigerian man who laundered money in a ‘sextortion’ scheme targeting a Kutztown U student sentenced to five years in prison

    A Nigerian man who helped launder money in the twisted online extortion of a Montgomery County college student — a plot that led the 20-year-old to kill himself by walking in front of a train — was sentenced Friday to five years in federal prison.

    Afeez Olatunji Adewale, 27, was one of two men who helped collect money and mask its source while a third man orchestrated the tormenting of Abington native Jack Sullivan, prosecutors said.

    The scheme took place on social media in 2023, when one of the co-defendants, Imoleayo Samuel Aina, began communicating with Sullivan using fake social media accounts under the moniker “Alice Dave.” Aina, posing as the woman, convinced Sullivan, a student at Kutztown University, to share intimate photos of himself, and then demanded money to keep the images private.

    Sullivan ultimately turned over more than $3,000, prosecutors said, and Adewale helped try to hide the source of those funds, including by having money sent to what they called “compromised American banking accounts” as well as accounts in Nigerian banks.

    But on Jan. 4, 2023, only about 18 hours after Aina had begun messaging Sullivan, the harassment reached a tragic end.

    Aina reached out to Sullivan to demand more money, prosecutors said, but Sullivan sent a message back saying: “I don’t think I have enough for it.”

    Three minutes later, prosecutors said, he walked onto the tracks near the Jenkintown SEPTA station, where he was struck and killed by a passing train.

    The case is an example of what authorities have come to call “sextortion,” a crime in which perpetrators, typically based in other countries, strike up flirtatious online relationships with victims, primarily teenage boys. The harassers then try to lure their victims into sending compromising photos of themselves, and go on to demand money to keep the images private.

    The FBI says the crime has skyrocketed in recent years, with more than 54,000 cases reported in 2024, a 60% increase from the year before. And authorities believe the crime is undercounted because many victims feel shame and embarrassment about what happened.

    The men involved in Sullivan’s harassment were purportedly associated with the so-called Yahoo Boys, a network of West African scammers who use the internet to try to swindle people out of money.

    Adewale was arrested in Nigeria three years ago, and, after being extradited to the United States, pleaded guilty earlier this spring to wire fraud and money laundering charges.

    In court Friday, he cried while apologizing to Sullivan’s relatives, saying he didn’t know the money he was trying to launder had been collected as part of a sextortion scheme, and that he wishes he’d never taken part in it.

    “I didn’t wish for this to happen,” he said. “I’ll never do anything like this again.”

    Sullivan’s parents, meanwhile, said Adewale played a key role in their son’s torment, and that his crimes had robbed them of a future with a young man who was caring, curious, and thoughtful.

    “He was a beacon of light in any room he would enter,” said his father, Jim.

    Adewale’s co-defendants were sentenced last year: Aina, the plot’s mastermind, was ordered to serve six years in prison, while Samuel Olasunkanmi Abiodun, another money launderer, was sentenced to five years behind bars.

    In imposing a five-year sentence on Adewale, U.S. District Judge Joel H. Slomsky said it was “astounding” that cybercrimes committed a continent away could have fatal consequences in the United States.

    “The damage done to a family by these kinds of crimes,” he said, “is incalculable.”

  • After a successful debut, 8 Seconds Rodeo to return for a second run in North Philly

    After a successful debut, 8 Seconds Rodeo to return for a second run in North Philly

    In the words of 8 Seconds Rodeo founder Ivan McClellan, the annual showcase is “Black by popular demand.”

    The all-Black rodeo attracted 6,000 attendees to last year’s inaugural Philly event and returns for a second run at the Liacouras Center on Oct. 10.

    Dozens of bull riders, barrel racers, bareback horseman, and fiery mutton busters will compete on dirt-covered floors for $150,000 in prize money.

    Last year, McClellan said, the entertainment company “stepped out on faith.”

    “I didn’t know if it was going to be successful at all. We just completely hung it out there and took a big risk,” he said. “And the people showed up.”

    Au’vion Horton hangs on during the bull riding event at 8 Seconds Rodeo at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    For years, McClellan put on 8 Seconds Rodeo in his hometown of Portland, Ore. But after moving from the Pacific West to Chester County, he was determined to bring the “unapologetically Black event” to his new home.

    He leaned on legacy organizations and local equestrians to help organize and promote the event, which led to a successful regional debut. Now, McClellan is looking to “refine the production,” and make this year’s event even bigger.

    “We have the best Black athletes in rodeo gearing up for this,” he said. “It’s their Super Bowl.”

    Randy Savvy, founder of the Compton Cowboys, wears a pair of cowboy boots with spurs as he stands on the dirt before the start of the 8 Seconds Rodeo at Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    The essence of the rodeo will largely remain the same. North Philly’s DJ Diamond Kutz will curate the music; 2 million pounds of dirt and dozens of livestock will be transported to the arena; and both local and national athletes will compete.

    “It’s going to be a Philly event through and through,” McClellan said.

    He said he aims to attract 7,700 attendees this time for a “rock concert-like production.” To reach that goal, he’s offering discounted tickets on July 31.

    Competitors climb out of the ring at the 8 Seconds Rodeo in the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    All 8 Seconds Rodeo VIP tickets will be priced at $42 for the first eight hours, then returned to the regular tier-based $60-$100 pricing.

    “I want to reward the people that rock with us,” he said. “It’s all about family. It’s all about community. I want people to experience the rodeo, regardless of where they’re at economically.”

    Bull rider Au’vion Horton celebrates after one of his runs in the bull-riding event at the 8 Seconds Rodeo in the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    Marking down ticket prices, McClellan said, is in line with 8 Seconds Rodeo’s mission.

    He founded the entertainment company in 2023 to celebrate Black rodeo athletes and history, and open doors for others to experience it themselves — no matter their interpretation of the Western tradition.

    “I want anybody from any walk of life to come into our building, feel comfortable, and get excited about rodeo,” McClellan said. “We want to create a space that’s inclusive and an environment that’s welcoming to anybody.”

    Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. July 31. For more information, visit 8secondsrodeo.com.

  • Tracing Tyrese Maxey’s maturation from undersized rookie to key cog in the LeBron James signing

    Tracing Tyrese Maxey’s maturation from undersized rookie to key cog in the LeBron James signing

    “He loves Maxey, so we don’t even have to talk about that.”

    Rich Paul, Klutch Sports CEO and LeBron James’ agent, said those words on the Game Over podcast, as he laid out the framework for what would become James’ latest shocking free-agency decision.

    Before James picked the 76ers, Paul let the general public know that the summer orchestrated by Mike Gansey and Bob Meyers had “changed everything.” That statement was centered on the blockbuster trade orchestrated to land All-NBA guard Jaylen Brown in a deal that sent Paul George to the Boston Celtics.

    But shortly after that proclamation, Paul made it clear that Maxey would be a major linchpin if the Sixers were to gain traction with James. And that he was. Reports surfaced that Maxey led the charge as several Sixers players reached out to James and sold the all-time great on a pilgrimage to Philly to close his career.

    LeBron chose the hard, dramatic path when he picked the Sixers. Get ready for a wild ride, Philly.

    For James, the Sixers’ ascension to an NBA title contender came with the extra benefit that he could play with Maxey. James was always interested in playing with Maxey, said a source close to James. The addition of Brown to a roster that already included Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe made that a reality.

    But if we flipped the switch and went back six years, it would probably be a surprise to Maxey himself that James’ love for — and interest in playing alongside, a source close to James said — him was such a forgone conclusion.

    Back then Maxey, who is also represented by Paul, was a rookie guard who had just slipped to the No. 21 pick in the 2020 NBA draft because of questions about his size and outside shooting.

    Those questions persisted as he played behind former Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons as a rookie, playing sparingly and averaging 8 points on 30.1% shooting from three-point range.

    Maxey’s ability to handle new challenges is what made him a player James wanted to play with.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    The shift came the next season, when Maxey stepped in following Simmons’ holdout and eventual trade to the Brooklyn Nets. That year he became a full-time starter and put up 17.5 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 42.7% from deep.

    Since then, Maxey has added something to his game every year. He focused on getting teammates involved more, he prioritized getting to the free-throw line more, and he learned to speak up in the locker room more.

    When Sixers star Embiid needed a wake-up call, Maxey provided it. When standout rookie Edgecombe arrived ahead of schedule and needed a running mate, Maxey was there. And before George was traded, Maxey pushed him to be more aggressive on offense.

    How LeBron landed in Philly: Recapping King James’ free agency twists and turns that led to the Sixers

    Maxey entered this summer as the unquestioned leader of the Sixers on and off the court, continuing his maturation as the franchise added new pieces to the front office and roster. He reached out to Brown after the trade that ended his 10-year tenure in Boston, and he reportedly led a trio of stars who recruited James directly.

    Now that the hard work has paid off, he’ll be greeted with the challenge of playing point guard for a star-heavy roster with the most famous athlete on the planet.

    Maxey’s ability to handle new challenges is what made him a player James wanted to play with and called a “little brother.”

    But to be clear, James isn’t here for a family moment. He made that clear when he took to social media and explained why he chose the Sixers. That post was about his contemplation of retirement and decision that he still wants to compete. He believes Maxey and Embiid and Brown and Edgecombe can help him do that.

    “I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team,” James wrote on social media, “and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”

    So cue a new challenge for Maxey. He’s gone from No. 21 pick to starter to All-Star to All-NBA to key cog in the LeBron signing. We’ll soon see what comes next.

  • Collingswood is reviewing its public pool rules after ‘recent incidents’: ‘Harassment of any resident will not be tolerated’

    Collingswood is reviewing its public pool rules after ‘recent incidents’: ‘Harassment of any resident will not be tolerated’

    Collingswood is reviewing the borough’s public pool policies after “recent incidents” at Roberts Pool gained traction on social media, officials said Thursday.

    “The safety and well-being of our residents and Borough employees is our highest priority, and we take these matters seriously,” the borough wrote on Facebook. “Harassment of any resident will not be tolerated. We are currently reviewing our pool policies to determine where updates or clarifications may be needed. Additional information will be shared as appropriate.”

    The statement was posted after Libs of TikTok, an anti-LGBTQ social media account that often gets the attention of conservative media organizations, posted a screenshot from a private local borough Facebook group from someone seeking advice after being harassed for their attire during a visit to Roberts Pool.

    The post from the conservative account also posted photos of the person and described them using transphobic language before pointing to what they called the pool’s “inclusivity policy” that allows people to use the locker rooms based on their gender identity.

    Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward declined to provide any details about the incidents that prompted the policy review, but said, “we’ve had multiple complaints over the past two weeks.”

    “We are working to address them all in an appropriate and timely manner,” she said.

    “We are taking this opportunity to review our entire rules and regs sheet that is distributed to both staff and patrons,” Solano-Ward said in an email.

    An update on the policy review will be shared “after all relevant borough personnel have reviewed it,” she said.

    The resident who was the target of the viral post declined to speak to The Inquirer citing fear of more backlash from the far-right.

  • LeBron James’ signing adds an exclamation point to the Sixers’ transformational summer

    LeBron James’ signing adds an exclamation point to the Sixers’ transformational summer

    LeBron James’ Friday morning news dump did not come via an ESPN television special or a Sports Illustrated open letter.

    Or on his agent’s podcast, for that matter.

    Instead, it was one post on X (formerly Twitter) from ESPN news-breaker Shams Charania. And another from James’ agency, Klutch Sports, with confirmation. Then a thread of posts on the platform from LeBron himself, with an initial explanation of what he is calling his final decision.

    It was gargantuan nonetheless. For the NBA, which still hangs on James’ every move. And for Philly, which just landed a global superstar to bolster its championship quest.

    LeBron James is a Sixer. So is Jaylen Brown. And Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe, for that matter. And it all brings together arguably the most improbable-yet-transformative offseason in franchise history under new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey.

    LeBron James to Philly: Sixers players react; Shapiro issues proclamation

    James, who has agreed to sign a two-year, $8 million deal, The Inquirer confirmed, will finish his legendary career with a team with which he has far less prior connection than his other reported suitors. He did not choose the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in what would have been a sentimental career bookend. Or the Miami Heat, where he won his first two NBA championships. Or even the Golden State Warriors, whose location is easily commutable by private jet from Los Angeles if his family chose to stay there.

    But “everything changed,” agent Rich Paul said on his Game Over podcast, once the Sixers pulled off the blockbuster trade for Brown and vaulted into title contention.

    Playing with the All-NBA guard Maxey, a fellow premier Klutch client who has worked out with James since Maxey’s pre-draft process, went from theoretical to realistic. Working with Edgecombe, who just completed a terrific rookie season, was intriguing to James, Paul said. A source close to James also told The Inquirer Friday that James has known Sixers co-owner David Blitzer for many years, and appreciates the franchise’s rich history and passionate fan base.

    Still, James waited more than three weeks to pick his last basketball-playing destination.

    Contenders brought their pitches, privately and publicly. As the NBA gathered in Las Vegas for Summer League, Sixers and Cavaliers representatives (and the occasional information-seeker) lingered in the lobby of the same luxury hotel. Elsewhere on the Strip, a Denver Nuggets staffer told a casually assembled group that the team was still hopeful about its chances to land James. But far more speculation than actual insight percolated from NBA team insiders and plugged-in followers.

    The hovering buzz epitomized the magnitude of James’ presence and that he is still an excellent player, even entering his NBA-record 24th season. The league’s wait for James held up the second wave of free agency. Even commissioner Adam Silver publicly said the league could not finish creating its 2026-27 schedule until it knew for which team James would be playing.

    LeBron James chose the Sixers over more predictable picks, like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Yet there was purpose behind James’ elongated, close-to-the-vest timeline, a source said.

    James could take advantage because, unlike past spins in free agency, he was willing to sign for far less money than in his previously earned contracts and instead prioritized happiness and the opportunity to compete for a championship. He spent the past couple of days in Los Angeles with his family, the source said, and likely played some golf. He and his personal team did not plan a big announcement (or an announcement that an announcement would be announced).

    Instead, James told Paul that he would call him when he had made his choice, and then Paul would call the team, the source said.

    Once his choice became public, cue the evidence of James’ mainstream fame — with Philly now at the epicenter. His Sixers jersey sold out in all colors on the Fanatics website. Celebrities and normies alike rejoiced on social media. This reporter did a radio interview in Regina, Saskatchewan, while Inquirer colleagues ventured out into the streets to get immediate, unfiltered reactions.

    That the Sixers were even in position to make their offseason splashes is the equivalent of a basketball roster-building miracle.

    LeBron chose the hard, dramatic path when he picked the Sixers. Get ready for a wild ride, Philly.

    Remember, this team is less than 17 months removed from concluding a 2024-25 season with Marcus Bagley and Lonnie Walker IV in its starting lineup, after Embiid and Paul George’s constant health issues turned championship aspirations into disaster. They are less than three months removed from the jarring flip from the euphoria of rallying to beat the Boston Celtics in the playoffs’ first round to getting swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks. That sent the Sixers into the offseason with muted expectations, given Embiid and George had multiple years remaining on max contracts widely viewed as difficult to trade.

    Then Gansey found perhaps the only scenario in which they could unload George’s albatross contract and upgrade, adding an All-NBA wing in Brown. And they landed James when he no longer cared about salary, but is still an All-Star-caliber player with exceptional basketball IQ and championship experience.

    That all led to Friday morning’s series of social-media posts, and the capper on a transformative-yet-improbable offseason.

    Jaylen Brown is a Sixer. So are Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe.

    And, now, so is LeBron James.

  • Phillies call up catcher Payton Henry as Rafael Marchán joins Garrett Stubbs on the IL

    Phillies call up catcher Payton Henry as Rafael Marchán joins Garrett Stubbs on the IL

    For most of the season, the Phillies have carried three catchers on their roster.

    In the span of four days, both backups — Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs — have been placed on the injured list.

    Stubbs landed on the shelf Tuesday with left wrist inflammation. Marchán departed Wednesday’s game in the middle of the ninth inning with left knee pain, and imaging Thursday revealed patellar tendinitis.

    Interim manager Don Mattingly said the news was better than feared.

    “We were worried about a tear,” he said. “They haven’t given us a real timetable, but it didn’t sound like it was extended. … I do feel like they’re pretty encouraged, get the inflammation out of there, calm it down, and see where it goes.”

    Marchán played 32 games for the Phillies this year. The switch-hitter has a .102 batting average and has posted plus-5 defensive runs saved at catcher. Stubbs has made 20 appearances, including four as a position player pitcher in blowouts. In 28 at-bats, Stubbs has a .179 batting average.

    It’s clear what the Phillies need at the trade deadline. Do they have the prospect capital to get it?

    Stubbs’ placement on the injured list was retroactive to July 18. Mattingly hopes he will be ready to return once the 10 days are up on Tuesday.

    Until then, Payton Henry was recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley to serve as J.T. Realmuto’s backup. Henry has a .201 average with four home runs in 55 games in triple A this season. He was 20-for-47 in catching attempted base stealers.

    Henry, 29, last played in the major leagues in 2022 for the Marlins, where he crossed paths with Mattingly.

    “He’s always had the profile of good catch and throw. So that’s what we saw in Miami,” Mattingly said. “There is some pop in there, seeing that also. So it’s never off the table.”

    To clear room for Henry on the 40-man roster, Brad Keller (right elbow UCL tear) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

    Phillies players react to LeBron James’ decision to play for Sixers: ‘Really cool for the city’

    Extra bases

    The Phillies have not announced a starter for Saturday’s game against the Yankees, who will have Ryan Weathers (3-7, 4.40 ERA) on the mound. Brian Keller, who had a locker in the Phillies clubhouse Friday, is expected to play a role. Keller, a 39th-round draft pick in 2016, is set to be activated Saturday and is positioned to make his major league debut after stints in the minors and Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Keller also missed nearly three years because of injury, but, after signing a minor league deal with the Phillies in May, has a 2.06 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 39⅓ innings with the IronPigs.

  • Cyclosporiasis cases in Pennsylvania linked to recalled Taylor Farms lettuce at Taco Bell

    Cyclosporiasis cases in Pennsylvania linked to recalled Taylor Farms lettuce at Taco Bell

    Cyclosporiasis cases in Pennsylvania have been linked to a multistate outbreak of the intestinal illness spread by a parasite that causes “explosive” diarrhea, state and federal health officials said Friday.

    Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked cyclosporiasis cases in five states to lettuce grown by Taylor Farms and sold at Taco Bell. Now, investigators say they’ve identified illnesses in nine states in people who ate at Taco Bell and later became sick.

    Cyclosporiasis is caused by a single-celled parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis, that spreads through fecal material. It can infect a person’s gut after consuming food or water contaminated by feces, and in the past has spread through fresh produce like leafy greens.

    The CDC has identified 1,947 people in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia who were infected with Cyclospora and reported eating at Taco Bell. At least 98 people have been hospitalized, the Food and Drug Administration said.

    It’s likely that case counts are much higher than reported, the CDC says, because many people recover from cyclosporiasis without seeking medical care or getting tested.

    Nationwide, the agency is tracking 4,173 confirmed cases of the illness and another 7,400 cases that haven’t been confirmed by lab testing, including many cases in Michigan and Ohio.

    Pennsylvania health officials said they have confirmed 45 cases in the state so far this year and are monitoring three additional suspected cases. In all of 2025, the state saw 40 cyclosporiasis cases; Pennsylvania reported 87 cases in 2024.

    State officials said “several” of this year’s cases have been linked to the multistate outbreak, but added their investigation is ongoing.

    In New Jersey, health officials recorded 46 cases between May 1 and July 16. Cases typically rise in the late spring and summer months, and officials said last week that this year’s are in line with a typical year’s case count.

    Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey were among the 27 states affected by a recall of lettuce sold by the California-based Taylor Farms.

    Last weekend, a sample of Taylor Farms lettuce that wasn’t part of the recall, taken from a shipment at the U.S.’s southern border with Mexico, tested positive for Cyclospora. The results turned out to be a false positive.

    Still, the Food and Drug Administration tweeted, there is “overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall” from Taylor Farms.

    The FDA has listed products affected in the recall on its website. People who bought affected lettuce should throw it out immediately and not eat it, the CDC says.

    They should wash items and surfaces that might have touched the lettuce with hot, soapy water, and avoid recalled lettuce at Taco Bell or other restaurants. Customers should ask restaurants about the source of their lettuce before ordering it.

  • Del Buono’s Pastry Shop set for August opening at former McMillan’s Bakery in South Jersey

    Del Buono’s Pastry Shop set for August opening at former McMillan’s Bakery in South Jersey

    The former McMillan’s Bakery in Haddon Township will reopen as Del Buono’s Pastry Shop in late August after months of extensive renovations, featuring the expertise of a McMillan family member and a Food Network alum.

    Construction is still underway, but entrepreneur and Haddon Heights resident Tom Whitman, 63, said he plans to host a grand opening on Aug. 29.

    Whitman, who also owns 100-year-old Del Buono’s Bakery in Haddon Heights and all three Carmen’s Deli locations, said he and his team took the South Jersey staple, once known for its cream doughnuts and holiday cakes, down to the studs.

    “We’re going to build upon that legacy,” Whitman said. “We’ll have some of the original flavor of the business, and hopefully make it better.”

    Construction continues July 20, 2026 on the former McMillan’s Bakery on Haddon Avenue in the Westmont section of Haddon Township. The family business closed in May 2025 after 86 years. It will be a new bread-and-pastry shop operated by the local Del Buono’s chain.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    The new pastry shop, set to open seven days a week, will be 2,000 square feet, more than double the size of McMillan’s Bakery. It will feature doughnuts, pastries, desserts, specialty coffee, and bread and rolls sourced from Del Buono’s Bakery. Whitman said he hopes the products at Del Buono’s Pastry Shop will also be sold at his other storefronts.

    “I combine legacies and use the strengths of each of the businesses and try to combine them,” Whitman said.

    The pastry shop will use 900 square feet of the new space to host DiBartolo’s Kakery, a cake shop led by Woolwich resident Al DiBartolo.

    DiBartolo, 51, has long baked for South Jersey residents and made his name in years past as a winner of Food Network’s Halloween Wars and as a contestant on TLC’s Next Great Baker.

    Whitman, a former Domino’s Pizza franchisee, plans to employ between 20 and 40 workers, including part-time and full-time staffers. Some employees who worked at McMillan’s for decades will return, Whitman said.

    One returning employee is Doug Biemiller, a grandson of McMillan’s founders George and Evelyn McMillan. Whitman said Biemiller, DiBartolo, and other bakers have worked together to compile 400 of their recipes to start the pastry shop off.

    From left to right, Atilla Baysal, Tom Whitman, Al DiBartolo, and Doug Biemiller stand in Del Buono’s Pastry Shop at 15 Haddon Ave. on Friday, July 24, 2026, in Haddon Township, N.J.Robin Lange

    The founding family of McMillan’s Bakery, a fourth-generation business at 15-17 Haddon Ave., put the shop up for sale in 2024. Whitman purchased the building for $500,000 last September from Grake Homes Construction, according to deed records, to pursue his third revival of a family-owned South Jersey food destination.

    In October, Whitman said he planned to spend $1.5 million to $2 million on the project, including the real estate purchase and the construction of two apartments above the pastry shop. Weeks before the August opening, Whitman declined to share the total spent, but he said the ticket price was over $2 million, after rebuilding the property from scratch.

    He had initially expected the shop to open in February, but construction has taken longer than Whitman anticipated.

    “It was extremely expensive, but I just want to do it once, and I want to do it right,” Whitman said.

    Until recently, DiBartolo served as chief baking officer for Cherry Hill’s Classic Cake.

    But after moving between three jobs in the last two years, DiBartolo said, he jumped at the chance to finally bake with his own recipes again and work with Del Buono’s, where his family members are regulars.

    “It’s still nice to be in your 50s and make your parents proud,” DiBartolo said.

    DiBartolo’s Kakery will have grab-and-go cakes, including fan favorite rum and pound cakes, along with a consultation area where customers can discuss options for custom specialty and wedding cakes.

    Del Buono’s Pastry Shop currently plans to have a soft opening in mid-August. In the meantime, renovations to the property are still in progress, and with the Aug. 29 grand opening looming, Whitman said he thinks the shop will meet the deadline to serve locals looking to rediscover their neighborhood “mental health food” destination.

    “I’m like a little kid waiting for Christmas,“ Whitman said. ”I want to see it as much as anybody else does.”