Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Tag: topic-link-auto

  • 🎆 The fireworks aren’t over yet | Things to do

    🎆 The fireworks aren’t over yet | Things to do

    While Independence Day has passed, it won’t be the last time fireworks light up the summer sky.

    America’s 250th birthday celebration continues Saturday with the Philly Foodie & Fireworks Festival.

    More than 100 local food vendors, live music, a pop-up beer garden, and a fireworks show will take over Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack.

    Read below to see what else is happening in the region.

    Also in this week’s edition:

    — Earl Hopkins (@earlhopkins_, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Diplo’s Run Club returns to South Philly

    Diplo’s Run Club in San Francisco in 2024. The DJ-producer brings the 5K to FDR Park in South Philly on Saturday, in a Make The World Better Concert Weekend adjacent event.Prscilla Rodriguez

    Lace up your running shoes and don’t forget your headphones: Diplo’s Run Club Philadelphia is back for another sprint in South Philly.

    The 5Kfun begins and ends at Lincoln Financial Field. Once runners cross the finish line, the football field transforms into a concert venue for Diplo’s post-race performance.

    Purchase tickets here.

    The best things to do this week

    Alto saxophonist Sonny Fortune is to headline Saturday at Lancaster Avenue Jazz and Arts Festival.

    🥘 Wickedly Gluten Free: Drop in to the Wicked Gluten Free Expo this Saturday for allergen free, vegan, and gluten-free vendors. There will also be free product samples, a kid’s play area, and over 100 exhibitors at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.

    🎺 Get Jazzy in West Philly: The Lancaster Avenue Jazz and Arts Festival returns Saturday with live music, food trucks and local vendors at Saunders Park Greene.

    🎺 All Love Block Party: Stop into West Philly for the ninth All Love Block Party, featuring a stacked lineup of local DJs, live performers, and Black-owned vendors.

    📅 My calendar picks this week: Philly Youth Music Fest, Summerfest in Northern Liberties, Jewelry Swap with Yam Jewelry. Here’s our full list for the week.

    Fireworks continue to light the summer sky

    Fireworks fill the sky at the One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Sunday, July 5, 2026 in Philadelphia.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    The Philly Foodie & Fireworks Festival returns to Harrah’s Philadelphia on Saturday with more than 100 vendors, including local food trucks, a pop-up beer garden, and an antique and general vendor market.

    Mechanical bull rides, live performances, and a family fun zone round out the festivities before a fireworks show at 10 p.m.

    The festival kicks of at 2 p.m.

    Purchase tickets here.

    Summer fun this week and beyond

    People at the Parks on Tap – Water Works traveling beer garden drink as the setting sun reflects off of the Schuyllkill, behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    🍛 Specialty dishes in UCity: Get a taste of specialty discounted dishes for University City Dining Days. Select restaurants will offer three-course meals ranging from $20-40 through July 26.

    🎣 Good catch my friend: Fishing with Friends at Pier 68 offers families a chance to learn the fishing basic – rods, tackle, and instructions provided. Participants ages 5 and older can try their new skills on the Delaware River.

    🍺 Parks on Tap: This week, the traveling beer garden is in East Falls’ McMichael Park through Sunday.

    💐 A second life: Wood recovered from Morris Arboretum & Garden is transformed into beautiful arches and trellises for the new exhibition, Exuberant Blooms.

    Staffer picks

    Earth, Wind & Fire – (from left) Verdine White, Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson – brought a party to The Theater at MGM National Harbor Dec. 12, 2025 at the first of two sold-out shows at the venue.Vickey Ford for Live Nation

    Here’s a list of the best concerts happening this week from our music critic Dan DeLuca.

    🎸 Thursday: Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire take over Xfinity Mobile Arena for an all-in-one celebration of R&B, soul, disco, funk, and jazz.

    🎶 Friday: While the FIFA Fan Festival runs through Sunday, the final show in the concert series will feature dance-pop singer Bebe Rexha.

    🎸 Saturday: Philly bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma teams up with Sun Ra Arkestra leader Marshall Allen for a performance at the Grounds for Sculpture stage in Hamilton, N.J.

    🎤 Monday: North Carolina rap star J. Cole says his new album, The Fall Off is his last. That’s to be seen. For now, he’s bringing “The Fall-Off World Tour” to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday and Tuesday.

    ❓Pop quiz

    Diplo returns to Philadelphia for his annual 5k run. While the DJ and record producer largely grew up in Miami, what local university did he graduate from?

    A) Drexel University

    B) La Salle University

    C) Thomas Jefferson University

    D) Temple University

    Here’s the answer to last week’s question: What Chestnut Hill tavern created the signature Philly sandwich, the Schmitter? Answer: McNally’s Tavern

    Ask Earl anything

    Many of you have questions about each week’s listings, and others about Philly’s arts, culture, and entertainment scene.

    I have you covered. Have a question? Email him for a chance to have it answered in an upcoming newsletter.

    Alright folks, that’s it for this week’s edition. Have fun and hydrate. It’s going to be another simmering weekend. But take it from me, it will be well-worth the extra sweat.

    – Earl Hopkins

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    Courtesy of Giphy.comCourtesy of Giphy.com
  • Trump administration revives rule that could deny green cards to immigrants who use public benefits

    Trump administration revives rule that could deny green cards to immigrants who use public benefits

    MIAMI — The Trump administration is reviving a rule that could deny green cards to immigrants who use public benefits that could include food stamps, Medicaid, and housing vouchers.

    The policy, known as “public charge,” appeared on Thursday in the Federal Register. It will be formally published on July 20 and take effect Sept. 18. Under the policy, applicants for green cards have to show they wouldn’t be burdens to the country or “public charges.”

    The policy was first implemented in February 2020 as one of President Donald Trump’s moves to limit legal immigration during his first administration, but it was reversed after Democratic President Joe Biden came to power.

    Its return comes when the Republican administration is implementing a hard-line policy to curb both illegal and legal immigration, and when the cost of healthcare and food is rising.

    The federal government “is reaffirming the requirement of self-reliance, protecting public resources and ending policies that encouraged dependency on the backs of hard-working American taxpayers,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a post published on its X account.

    “Under President Trump, USCIS is restoring the basic principle that immigrants must be able to support themselves,” the post said.

    While the administration’s crackdown on immigration has an increased focus on deportations and immigration enforcement in cities across the country and at borders and entry points, it has also taken actions that target legal immigrants and mixed-status families, in which the parents are foreign nationals with U.S.-born children.

    The rule expands disqualification options

    Federal law already requires those seeking permanent residency or legal status to demonstrate that they will not become a public charge. The Trump administration’s rule, however, broadens the grounds for disqualification.

    The new rule does not describe or specify by name the benefits and programs that could be considered a public charge. Instead, it says that officers who would implement the policy will make “individualized, fact-specific public charge inadmissible determinations, based on a totality of the alien’s circumstances.”

    It says that, “using good judgment and discretion, officers will more accurately assess an alien’s likelihood at any time of becoming a public charge.”

    The Trump administration first promoted the rule in 2018 as a way to ensure that only those who were self-sufficient came to the U.S. Immigrant rights advocates criticized it, saying it amounted to a “wealth test.” Public health experts said it would lead to worse health outcomes.

    Manatt Health, a group that provides advice to state and federal governments, estimated the policy would have deterred as many as 26 million people from seeking healthcare, food, housing, or other aid through programs for which they qualified under federal law. About half were U.S. citizens, mostly children or adults living in a mixed-status family, according to the group.

    Experts also noted that most people who receive benefits from the government are already legal residents.

    A 2020 study from the Migration Policy Institute said that while the “chilling effects” may be vast, the number of immigrants who could be deemed ineligible for legal permanent residence based on use of one of the public benefits under the rule was small.

    The institute estimated that no more than 167,000 people — less than 1% of the 22.1 million noncitizens residing in the United States at that time — could be determined ineligible for a green card based on their current use of a listed benefit.

    There were 22.8 million noncitizens living in the U.S. in 2023, according to the Census Bureau.

    Critics say the rule creates fear in the community

    Nongovernmental organizations said the policy generated confusion and fear and caused many immigrants and their U.S.-born relatives to decide not to apply for benefits and services to which they were entitled.

    Immigrant advocates condemned the government’s decision to revive the “public charge” rule and expressed concern.

    “This regulation is a direct assault on immigrant families, and a threat to our country’s health and economic security,” said Adriana Cadena, executive director at the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition. “The Trump administration is basing immigration decisions on bias and politics, regardless of the resulting harm.”

    Sarah Krieger, senior policy counsel at the National Immigration Law Center, said the rule would make immigrants afraid to go to the doctor, buy food at the grocery store and file taxes.

    “With this new rule, they are sowing fear and chaos to ultimately reshape America into a country where only the few who are white and ultra-wealthy are welcome,” Krieger said. “The rule is not just deeply harmful, it also violates the law.”

  • Pew Charitable Trusts has named a new CEO with Lower Merion roots

    Pew Charitable Trusts has named a new CEO with Lower Merion roots

    The hazy smoke above Philadelphia may not emanate from the Pew Charitable Trusts offices, but the organization has chosen its new leader.

    William Foster, a nonprofit consultant who grew up in the Philadelphia area, will be Pew’s next president and CEO, the organization announced Thursday.

    Foster’s tenure will begin in March, and Pew’s current president and CEO, Susan K. Urahn, will remain in position through the end of February. Urahn announced her coming retirement from the research, policy, and grant-giving nonprofit in October.

    Foster is currently a Boston-based managing partner with the Bridgespan Group, a powerful nonprofit consulting firm affiliated with Bain & Co. He has been with the firm since 2002, and is “an active thought leader on issues of philanthropy and social change,” according to his Bridgespan bio. He is from Lower Merion and attended Friends Central High School.

    “William brings a deep understanding of the nonprofit sector and a strong commitment to nonpartisan, evidence-based work, and he is a thoughtful leader who builds strong teams and invests in people,” Christopher Jones, chair of Pew’s board of directors, said in a statement.

    Though Pew has a strong Philadelphia presence, Foster will work from the organization’s office in Washington, like Urahn. Bridgespan has worked with Pew in recent years on Philly matters, including a four-year strategic learning initiative funded by $4 million from Pew and Harris Philanthropies, which included 80 Philadelphia-area organizations.

    “I am inspired by what Pew has accomplished and by what makes it distinctive, and I am energized by the possibilities ahead,” Foster said in a statement.

    “I believe that Pew’s commitment to rigorous nonpartisan work, and its inherent optimism, is more important than ever, and I am honored by the opportunity to build on that foundation and to work alongside Pew’s talented staff and partners,” he said.

    Philly makes progress on gun violence and poverty, while economic growth stagnates, Pew report finds

    Urahn has been at the helm of Pew, which is made up of several trusts valued at a combined $6.1 billion as of 2024, since 2020. She took over from Pew’s longtime and transformational CEO, Rebecca W. Rimel, in 2020. Urahn began working at the nonprofit in 1994, the same year Rimel began as chief executive, making Foster the organization’s first outside leader since at least Bill Clinton’s presidential administration.

    Urahn and other colleagues had worked with Foster over the last decade. The departing leader said in Pew’s statement she believed he had demonstrated the right experience, perspective, and understanding of Pew to lead the organization.

    “As I continue in my role through the transition, my focus remains on ensuring continuity, stability, and a smooth handoff to William Foster, whose leadership and vision will help guide the organization into its next chapter,” she said.

  • DA withdraws all charges against Family Court judge accused of attacking his wife and daughter

    DA withdraws all charges against Family Court judge accused of attacking his wife and daughter

    Prosecutors on Thursday withdrew all charges against a Philadelphia Family Court judge accused of assaulting his wife and daughter earlier this year, saying that the women did not wish to proceed with the case and that the judge had shown proof of “extensive mitigation” in the months since the incident.

    Michael Fanning was charged with aggravated assault, strangulation, and related crimes in March after prosecutors said he repeatedly punched his wife in the face, choked her, and dragged his 30-year-old daughter to the ground by her hair, causing her to cut her face, during a fight at their East Torresdale home.

    But Assistant District Attorney Brian Collins said Wednesday that the two women were evaluated by medics and did not suffer injuries. They did not want to move forward with prosecuting Fanning, he said.

    Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Fanning.Courtesy of Philadelphia Courts

    That, combined with the “extensive mitigation” records Fanning provided to prosecutors and the court, led the district attorney’s office to withdraw the charges, he said.

    Collins did not detail the forms of mitigation Fanning presented, and Berks County Court Judge Jeffrey Sprecher, who presided over the case to avoid any conflict of interest with Fanning’s peers, did not ask during the brief hearing.

    But at a hearing in March, Fanning’s wife said he had voluntarily entered a 30-day inpatient recovery program to treat his alcoholism, an issue the family had worked to address in the past.

    Fanning did not testify during Wednesday’s hearing. He thanked Sprecher for his time before leaving the courtroom.

    He declined to comment through his attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr.

    Collins also declined to comment on the decision.

    Fanning was appointed to the Common Pleas Court bench in 2014 by then-Gov. Tom Corbett. He won a 10-year term in the 2015 election, and was retained for another term in November. He has been serving as a Family Court judge throughout his tenure.

    Within days of his arrest, the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline, which adjudicates complaints against judges, suspended him without pay.

    It was not immediately clear Wednesday how that judicial discipline case would proceed after the outcome of the case, or whether Fanning would be allowed to return to the bench.

  • Phillies reliever Brad Keller expected to miss rest of the season with torn elbow ligament

    Phillies reliever Brad Keller expected to miss rest of the season with torn elbow ligament

    Brad Keller returned from the injured list and threw 14 pitches in a scoreless inning last Wednesday night. He didn’t pitch again before the All-Star break.

    And now, his season is over.

    Keller, the Phillies’ highest-paid reliever and a primary bridge to closer Jhoan Duran, tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, the team disclosed Thursday. The 30-year-old righty will get a second opinion before likely having Tommy John elbow surgery, which typically involves a 12- to 14-month recovery.

    “It’s tough, tough news,” Keller said. “Obviously with the team and the position that we’re in, you want to come in the second half and fight with the boys. Just tough to swallow this pill right now.”

    Baseball celebrated itself with All-Star Week. Next up: Avoiding self-destruction with a looming labor fight

    Keller’s injury may alter the Phillies’ approach to the trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. on Aug. 3. A leverage reliever already ranked among their needs. But it may now move ahead of a right-handed bat and back-end starting pitcher.

    Orion Kerkering, already filling a late-inning role, took a 2.43 ERA into Thursday night’s game against the Mets. Fellow righty Jonathan Bowlan, who didn’t allow a run in seven innings before the break, has gained more of interim manager Don Mattingly’s trust.

    But even before losing Keller, the Phillies were looking for another reliever. Hard-throwing lefty José Alvarado had a 6.82 ERA entering Thursday, although Mattingly noted his underlying metrics forecast better results. Alvarado’s expected ERA, for instance, is only 3.74.

    “Obviously,” Mattingly said, “we’re going to need Alvy to be Alvy.”

    Jonathan Bowlan will step into a bigger role in the Phillies’ bullpen now that Brad Keller has been lost for the season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    And, even then, the Phillies will need to find relief help in a trade market that favors sellers over buyers.

    Interestingly, the Mets, with a 40-57 record at the break, are likely to move a few relievers, including walk-year lefties A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley. Luke Weaver, who has one year at an $11 million salary left on his contract, also could be available.

    “I know we’re always going to try to get better — everyone’s going to try to get better at the deadline if they can,” Mattingly said. “For me, I’m comfortable with where we’re at. If you’d say this is our club the rest of the way and whoever’s in the minor leagues is going to help us and we go forward, we’re good enough to win.”

    The Phillies recalled righty Seth Johnson from triple A to take Keller’s roster spot. Another name to watch: Alex McFarlane. The 25-year-old is on the 40-man roster and has a 2.12 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 34 innings in double A, although his 13% walk rate is a concern.

    Mike Trout said he loves Philly during Monday’s All-Star festivities. But he seems no closer to playing here.

    The Phillies signed Keller to a two-year, $22 million contract in the offseason after a breakout year with the Cubs, a rare instance in which president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski committed more than one year to a free-agent reliever.

    Keller overcame a rough start to the season before giving up three runs in the eighth inning June 13 in Milwaukee. He went on the injured list a few days later with what the Phillies classified as forearm tendinitis.

    An MRI last month “showed no tear or anything,” Keller said. And the discomfort he had felt, including being unable to straighten his arm after pitching, subsided to the point that he described it as a “night-and-day difference.”

    To fill Brad Keller’s spot, Phillies recalled righty Seth Johnson from triple A.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    The tightness returned after his scoreless inning last week in Cincinnati and didn’t subside. He got another MRI on Monday, which revealed the tear.

    “I don’t really recall a pitch or anything like that I felt a pop or anything, so it’s kind of really strange,” Keller said. “It’s pretty surprising news, for sure.”

    Keller said he has a second opinion scheduled with Keith Meister, a Texas-based orthopedic surgeon and the Rangers’ longtime team physician.

    In 32 appearances, Keller had a 4.02 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 31⅓ innings.

    Right on schedule

    Set a calendar reminder for March 25, when the Phillies are expected to open the 2027 season in Washington, according to the schedule released Thursday by MLB.

    That assumes, of course, that next season starts on time.

    Baseball is facing a work stoppage after the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, at which point the owners likely will lock out the players. If a new agreement can’t be reached by mid-March, it’s possible games will be lost.

    What makes Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber such unique stars? We asked each about the other.

    Meanwhile, optimists can circle a few dates:

    • April 1: Home opener vs. the Nationals
    • April 20-22: The Phillies host the Dodgers
    • May 21-23: A visit from Mike Trout’s Angels
    • Holiday games on May 9 (Mother’s Day) vs. the Braves, June 20 (Father’s Day) vs. the Giants, July 4 vs. the Mariners, and Sept. 6 (Labor Day) vs. the Marlins.
    • Sept. 26: Season finale at home vs. the Nationals
    Cristopher Sánchez will make his next start against the Dodgers on Monday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Extra bases

    Mattingly said Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler are lined up to start Monday and Tuesday, respectively, against the Dodgers. Sánchez started the All-Star Game for the National League and threw 34 pitches in the first inning. Wheeler will wind up with seven days’ rest. “He’s our oldest guy [36 years old], so we want to keep him strong, give him the best chance to have success through the whole second half,“ Mattingly said. … The Phillies and Mets will be off Friday before resuming their series Saturday night. Jesús Luzardo (8-4, 3.51 ERA) is scheduled to face Mets lefty Sean Manaea (2-4, 4.56).

  • More than 500 acres of Burlington County farmland could be protected from development

    More than 500 acres of Burlington County farmland could be protected from development

    Even more farmland in Burlington County could be preserved for years to come after the Burlington County Board of Commissioners took the first steps to protect more than 500 acres from future development late last month.

    The board voted on June 24 to grant preliminary approval for seven Burlington County farms totaling 529 acres to enter the county’s Farmland Preservation Program.

    Farms can voluntarily join the program where the state and county pay farmers for the development rights to their land and enact a permanent deed restriction, ensuring the land is forever protected for agricultural uses even if the farm is sold. The farmers would retain ownership of the land.

    The seven farms will now be appraised before the county can make offers to purchase the development rights.

    Burlington County leads the state in farmland preservation with more than 67,000 acres of farmland protected, Commissioner Randy Brolo said, which accounts for nearly 72% of all active farmland within the county.

    “Farming and agriculture have always been a major part of life in Burlington County, and our board has made it our mission to do everything possible to keep the industry strong and viable for the present and the future,” Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson said in a statement. “The Burlington County Farmland Preservation Program is essential to that goal, and we’re pleased to take this step to protect more acres of farmland.”

    The farms that could be preserved are:

    • Bruch Farm in Chesterfield, 59 acres
    • Kirby Farm in Pemberton, 50 acres
    • Lounsberry Farm in Springfield, 169 acres
    • Russo Farm in Tabernacle, 37 acres
    • Seward Farm in Southampton, 22 acres
    • Specca Farm in Springfield, 82 acres
    • Varano Farm in Tabernacle, 110 acres

    State funding could cover up to 80% of the preservation costs while the remainder is paid for out of the county’s Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.

    The county is also poised to preserve another seven farms totaling 1,070 acres.

    “Every acre of farmland Burlington County preserves guards against overdevelopment that can impact our environment and quality of life, so we continue to target more farms and open space for protection,” Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel said in a statement. “It’s good policy for Burlington County farmers and a win for residents who value living in a county with a green landscape and freshly grown food.”

  • Gerry O’Reilly, Villanova track Hall of Famer, Irish Olympian, and Vanguard executive, has died at 61

    Gerry O’Reilly, Villanova track Hall of Famer, Irish Olympian, and Vanguard executive, has died at 61

    Gerry O’Reilly, 61, of Chester Springs, Hall of Fame middle distance track star at Villanova University, 1988 Irish Olympian in the 1,500-meter run, longtime executive at the Vanguard Group Inc., mentor, and role model, died Thursday, June 11, at Phoenixville Hospital after an earlier sudden cardiac event.

    Born and reared in Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland, Mr. O’Reilly earned a track scholarship to Villanova in 1983 and joined a dozen other Irish athletes in what became known as the school’s Irish Pipeline to the Main Line. He went on to run cross-country and indoor and outdoor track, win seven Big East Conference championships, and hold the Big East outdoor record in the 1,500 for 37 years.

    He ran the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs, the mile, and the distance medley relay at Villanova, and was named All-America four times. He won six national collegiate championships, was named outstanding performer at the 1986 Big East Indoor Championships, and was inducted into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame in 2007 and the Villanova Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2009.

    “Without exaggeration, those were four of the best years of my life,” Mr. O’Reilly told Dave Thomas on the Belmont Plateau Hall of Fame podcast. Villanova “kind of set me up both athletically and academically for the rest of my life.”

    Marcus O’Sullivan, former Villanova teammate and countryman, now director of track and field and cross-country at Villanova, said Mr. O’Reilly “had a steadfast moral compass that guided him in his life, and in doing so it had an intoxicating influence on others. … We all need a person like Gerry O’Reilly in our lives.”

    After college, Mr. O’Reilly competed in the international Millrose Games in New York, the 1987 World Championships, the 1989 World Indoor Championships, and for Ireland in what is now the World Athletics Championships. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, he made it to the semifinals of the 1,500.

    Irish Olympic team officials called him “an exceptional athlete” and praised his “genuine commitment to helping the next generation.” They said: “Once an Olympian, always an Olympian.”

    Irish marathon Olympian John Treacy told the Irish Times: “Gerry was a smashing runner and just the nicest guy, great for staying in contact and communicating with other Irish runners over the years.”

    Mr. O’Reilly ran miles at night after school in the rural Irish fields and lanes, and joined the Dunboyne Athletic Club when he was 9.
    Villanova University

    Mr. O’Reilly was also inducted into the Belmont Plateau Hall of Fame in 2025 and recently honored by his hometown Dunboyne Athletic Club.

    He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1987, joined Vanguard in 1992 and the trading desk in 1994, and worked as an investment leader and portfolio manager. He was a mentor, colleagues said in a tribute, “who made immeasurable contributions to several of Vanguard’s flagship index funds.”

    He served on corporate panels and lectured at leadership development events. Colleagues called him “riveting and influential” and “a giant in every sense except ego.” One said: “You could tell he truly cared about the markets and about doing things right.”

    A friend said: “Great athlete, great person.”

    This photo and a story about Mr. O’Reilly (left) appeared in The Inquirer in 1987.Newspapers.com

    Gerard Christopher O’Reilly was born July 1, 1964. He was the oldest of six children and excelled at cross-country, track, soccer, and other sports.

    He ran miles at night after school in the rural Irish fields and lanes, joined the Dunboyne Athletic Club when he was 9, and was inspired, he said later, by Irishman Eamonn Coghlan’s fourth-place finish in the 1,500 at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Mr. O’Reilly went on to win the 1983 Irish Junior 1,500 championship.

    He met fellow track star Melody Sye, and they married in 1992 and had a daughter, Meghan, and sons Keelan, Jack, and Conor. They divorced later.

    “Despite all his trophies and merits,” Mr. O’Reilly’s family said in a tribute, “he always remained humble and would say being a dad to his four kids was his proudest accomplishment.”

    Villanova honored Mr. O’Reilly online.Villanova University

    Mr. O’Reilly was an avid bicyclist, and he spent many weekends on long rides and at Eagles games on Sundays. He liked poker, hikes with his dog, Bear, and watching sports with his family.

    “Most of all,” his family said, “he simply enjoyed cracking jokes, sharing stories, and spending time with his friends and family.”

    Why did best-selling author Carol Saline email The Inquirer’s obit writer?

    In addition to his children and former wife, Mr. O’Reilly is survived by three sisters, two brothers, and other relatives. “His final gift,” his family said, “was saving multiple lives through organ donation.”

    Services were held earlier.

    Donations in his name may be made to the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, Texas 75231; Special Olympics, 2600 Virginia Ave. N.W., 11th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20037; and the American Cancer Society, Box 6704, Hagerstown, Md. 21741.

  • FDA approves new pill to slash cholesterol levels

    FDA approves new pill to slash cholesterol levels

    The Food and Drug Administration approved a daily pill on Thursday that can lower cholesterol levels far below what can be achieved with statins, the cheap cholesterol-reducing pills.

    The drug, enlicitide, whose brand name is Lipfendra, is made by the pharmaceutical company Merck. Clinical trials have shown that it can bring levels of LDL — the dangerous type of cholesterol — down to 50 or 60 or even lower. Adults not taking cholesterol-lowering drugs usually have levels above 100. It works by inhibiting a protein known as PCSK9.

    New cholesterol guidelines issued by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology say that people who have an above-average risk of heart attacks or strokes should get their LDL levels below 70. Those at high risk because, for example, they have had a heart attack, should get their LDL below 55.

    Lipfendra’s list price will be $315 for a 30-day supply, and it will be available in a few weeks, said a Merck spokesperson, Julia Cunningham.

    There are currently injectable drugs that work in the same way, but they are more expensive, with list prices of $500 to $600 a month or more. Insurers sometimes balk at paying, and some patients do not want injections. Only 1% of the 6 million eligible patients use the injected drugs. Yet a PCSK9 inhibitor can reduce the risk of heart attacks by 20% in high-risk patients.

    Cardiologists not associated with Merck applauded the FDA approval and the drug’s price. The hope is that a pill that costs less than an injectable and is easier to take will allow many more patients to get their cholesterol levels under control.

    “I’m thrilled,” said Christopher Cannon, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who consults for several drug companies, but not Merck.

    “This would make a big difference compared with the cost of injectable PCSK9 inhibitors,” said David Maron, a preventive cardiologist at Stanford.

    Last November, Merck reported results from a 24-week clinical trial of Lipfendra, which involved 2,912 people. The drug lowered LDL levels by up to 60%. And there was no difference in side effects between the drug and a placebo.

    Those results are the same as what has been seen with the injectable drugs.

    In studies of the injectable drugs, blocking PCSK9 reduced the incidence of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths 20% in high-risk people. Merck is conducting a study now to see if Lipfendra has the same effect. Dean Li, president of Merck Research Laboratories, said he is confident that it will.

    Li said the company wants to make lowering cholesterol with Lipfendra as easy and convenient as it is with a statin. Primary care doctors can prescribe it — it does not have to be limited to cardiologists. And, he said, patients are used to taking daily pills. Most who are at risk for a heart attack already take at least a blood pressure pill, a statin and an aspirin.

    It’s not clear yet whether companies making injectable PCSK9 inhibitors will lower their prices to compete.

    This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

  • Jayson Tatum finally reacts to the Jaylen Brown trade: ‘If I’m being transparent, it’s weird’

    Jayson Tatum finally reacts to the Jaylen Brown trade: ‘If I’m being transparent, it’s weird’

    It’s been two weeks since the seismic Jaylen Brown trade to the 76ers, and his former teammate and co-star, Boston Celtics guard Jayson Tatum, finally has a response.

    “If I’m being transparent, it’s weird,” Tatum said in an ESPN interview at the ESPY Awards. “I’ve been on the Celtics for nine years, and he was my teammate every single one of those.”

    LeBron James has been living it up while the NBA world awaits his next decision

    Tatum joined Brown in Boston as the No. 3 draft pick in 2017, one year after Brown himself was selected third. Since then, the duo has played more than 600 games together and won a championship in 2024. Despite that bond, Tatum said he understands that “the NBA is a business” and is ready to turn his focus to next season.

    “There’s still a human element of it that you feel those emotions. The city feels those emotions,” Tatum said. “But there’s also a side of like, we have to welcome our new teammates in with open arms, and we still have to attack the new season.

    “So there’s like a balance,” he added. “But it’s weird.”

    The reaction to Tatum’s response has been largely one of frustration among Celtics fans. Many of the top comments on X under a video of the interview call Tatum “fake” and say he “was asking for it.” The trade, which sent 36-year-old Paul George to Boston, has the team reshaping its roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. Tatum agreed in the interview that the team has a lot of work to do.

    Jaylen Brown (left) and Jayson Tatum (right) spent nine seasons together with the Boston Celtics.Michael Dwyer

    For Brown, the emotions about leaving Boston are complicated also. He expressed his thoughts in a statement on social media.

    “I’m still processing how this all went down,” Brown said. “I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge.”

    He added in a Twitch stream that he is “excited for what comes next” despite the “lack of respect” from his former team.

    Philadelphia, however, is prepared to welcome him with open arms. New 76ers president Mike Gansey expressed his gratitude, “We’re just super lucky to get him, and I know he’s motivated,” he said. Brown will be eligible to sign an extension with the Sixers on July 26.

    For now, both players and fans seem to agree on one thing: after nine years together, there’s no clean way to say goodbye.

  • Fetterman says he’d leave the Democratic Party if it becomes anti-Israel. A majority of House Democrats voted to end aid.

    Fetterman says he’d leave the Democratic Party if it becomes anti-Israel. A majority of House Democrats voted to end aid.

    Only one House Democrat from Pennsylvania voted against an amendment on Wednesday that would have ended aid to Israel.

    The rest backed the measure, along with a plurality of Democrats in the chamber, highlighting shifts and factions within the party. The vote also inches closer to crossing a line that Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania says could cause him to abandon the party.

    The amendment, which would have cut $3.3 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Israel, was offered by U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who has clashed with President Donald Trump and was the only member of his party to support the measure.

    Massie’s amendment failed in a 104-314 vote, but it showed shifting sentiment around Israel in the Democratic Party.

    U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, who represents parts of Philadelphia, was the only Pennsylvania Democrat who voted against the amendment.

    Boyle said that the U.S. should push back against the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, but that the amendment was too broad to present a viable solution.

    “This amendment would have forced the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Israel, ended refugee resettlement programs, cut off vital humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, and weakened our ability to combat terrorist organizations,” Boyle wrote in a statement to The Inquirer. “The United States must change course in response to the far-right Netanyahu government’s conduct, the settler violence, and the devastating suffering of Palestinian civilians. But this sweeping amendment was not the answer.”

    The six other Pennsylvania Democrats supported the measure, while all Republicans present from the state voted no; U.S. Reps. Scott Perry of York County and Ryan Mackenzie of Lehigh County missed the vote.

    The share of Democrats voting for the amendment showed a striking difference from two years ago, when a similar amendment from U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, a progressive from Pittsburgh, garnered only 37 Democratic votes and 21 GOP votes.

    “Thousands and thousands of Palestinians have been killed using our tax dollars,” Lee wrote on X. “This shift in the party is a testament to the movement but it’s still unconscionable for any member of Congress to justify sending any aid to fuel Israel’s genocide.”

    The Israel-Hamas war started in October 2023 after a Hamas-led attack killed 1,200 Israelis. Since then, the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 73,000, the Associated Press reported.

    Fetterman, a staunch supporter of Israel, said that though he has no current plans to leave the Democratic Party, ending support for Israel is a line that could push him out of the party.

    “If our party ever becomes — and just makes it official — the anti-Israel party, that’s when I would leave because that’s been a moral clarity for me,” Fetterman said to the Hill on Wednesday.

    Fetterman has been insistent that he is still a Democrat, publishing an opinion piece in the Washington Post in May emphasizing he is still “pro-choice, pro-weed, pro-LGBT, pro-SNAP, pro-labor and even pro-rib-eye over bio slop.”

    But recently, more and more of Fetterman’s support has been coming from across the aisle.

    According to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday, 77% of surveyed Republicans said they approve of Fetterman, while only 19% of Democrats do.

    The poll also found that more than half of registered Pennsylvania voters want Fetterman to leave the Democratic Party altogether — a number that reflected majorities of voters from both parties.