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  • Pa. Attorney General Dave Sunday talks Supreme Court’s Krasner ruling, abortion appeal

    Pa. Attorney General Dave Sunday talks Supreme Court’s Krasner ruling, abortion appeal

    Attorney General Dave Sunday has spent 18 months as the state’s chief law enforcement officer, overseeing a sprawling office that handles criminal prosecution, civil litigation, consumer protection services, civil rights enforcement, and more.

    In that time, the 51-year-old Republican and Harrisburg native says, he has taken on issues ranging from the opioid crisis to illegal crime guns. And last week, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court handed his office broad authority to review the efforts of Philadelphia prosecutors to overturn murder convictions they have called unjust, a signature initiative of District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office.

    In a recent interview at his Philadelphia office, Sunday talked about that and more.

    What is your reaction to the Supreme Court ruling on the work of District Attorney Larry Krasner’s Conviction Integrity Unit?

    Obviously, it’s an unprecedented ruling.

    Oftentimes, the best outcome is through the adversarial process. We work with the Philly DA’s office in a lot of different areas, and I viewed this ruling as any other that provides me with instructions on a way on which I have to run my office.

    Moving forward, the ruling requires your office to review any post-conviction concession that Krasner’s office aims to pursue. How will that work?

    There are questions. How many times will we have to intervene? What will that do to staffing? Will we have the logistics and resources to do it appropriately? I think that process will unfold over the next month or so.

    There’s no other real comparison for this ruling, and so what I can say very simply is this: It is absolutely crucial that there is a voice for the families of victims, and at the same time, I think it’s crucial to make sure that we protect the rights of individuals who are charged with crimes and convicted of crimes.

    That balance is found in applying the law and the facts to the issue. That’s something we will enthusiastically do.

    .Assistant General David Sunday, in Philadelphia, June 23, 2026.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
    Since Krasner first took office, his prosecutors have supported efforts to overturn around 115 convictions. Given the Supreme Court’s findings, do you now question whether some of those overturned convictions should be reconsidered?

    Well, we have to look at the legal process there. For individuals who the court has already ruled in a manner in which they’re out of prison, those cases are done.

    But with cases that are still going through the appellate process, individuals that are incarcerated, those are situations where we’re going to have to take a look at it. I mean, this is very serious, and when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules in this manner — not just the ruling itself, but the verbiage — I, as attorney general, take that extremely seriously.

    We will do our job, and we’ll do our duty, and we’ll review it, but it’s also important to understand that this isn’t a quest to prove someone wrong. It’s a quest to ensure that all parties are zealously advocated for.

    Krasner has strongly opposed the ruling. He’s likened this issue to the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement and said that the decision undermines the votes of those who elected him to office. What is your response to that?

    I don’t think that it benefits anyone for criminal justice leaders to editorialize a lot of the work we do.

    It’s critical that the citizenry knows and understands that their case will be dealt with by applying the facts to the law — and I know that’s not the most exciting answer, but there are things that are in my control and there are things that aren’t in my control, and his reaction to anything is completely out of my control.

    The last thing individuals who live in the community want to hear are elected officials yelling at each other. They want to see outcomes.

    Earlier this year, justices ruled that mandatory life sentences without parole for those convicted of second-degree murder are unconstitutional. What are your thoughts on that?

    Third-degree murder, second-degree murder, those are cases where the acts resulting in the crime are vastly different case to case. As a prosecutor, I’ve tried horrific second-degree murder cases — one was an in-home burglary where an individual was left face down on the ground, duct-taped, and they ultimately died from positional asphyxiation, which really is torture.

    At the same time, there are second-degree murder cases where you have multiple codefendants, and — this case is highlighted a lot — one of the codefendants pulls a gun out, kills an individual, and all those codefendants, because they were acting in concert and furthering some conspiracy, they’re all guilty of second-degree murder and they’re in for life.

    So there are second-degree murder cases where the individuals should have an opportunity for parole, and at the same time, there are cases that are absolutely horrific, where individuals should spend the rest of their lives in prison.

    The important place we’re in now is the legislative process, moving forward to ensure that the punishment is commensurate with the harm caused in the crime.

    Violent crime has fallen dramatically from its pandemic-era highs in Philadelphia and across the state. Should the attorney general’s office get some credit for that?

    There is no one individual or agency that can take credit for these outcomes. We’re with our federal partners, we work with everybody.

    After I was elected, some of the very first calls I made were to the Philadelphia mayor and the police commissioner, and I made it very clear that we’re partners. I’m excited, let’s go. And that’s what we’ve done.

    The Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force is a huge part. We do everything we can every day to go after gun traffickers, illegal straw purchasers. We’ve removed more than 500 crime guns off the streets [statewide] in 2025.

    In addition to that, our Bureau of Narcotics works every day in Philadelphia. Last year, we removed 56 million doses of fentanyl from the streets, and a large portion of that was in the city.

    The Commonwealth Court struck down a decades-old law that banned Pennsylvanians from using their Medicaid benefits to pay for abortions, and last month, your office appealed. Why?

    A lot of people don’t understand the role of the AG in a lot of issues. In Pennsylvania, we have the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, the rules that dictate the job, and one of the rules in there is that the attorney general shall defend the constitutionality of statutes in Pennsylvania.

    I have irritated the entire political spectrum, because I am defending statutes whether you like them or not. That’s literally my job. What a lot of people don’t understand is that the [Medicaid] law is part of the Abortion Control Act — the same law that allows abortions to occur up to six months of pregnancy, the very same law.

    In that law is a subsection that also says that government funds cannot be used for abortions — so I’m defending the abortion law in Pennsylvania, just like I would any other section of that law.

    Critics say that by appealing the ruling and prolonging this issue, you are denying Pennsylvanians of what the court called a “fundamental right to reproductive autonomy.” How do you respond?

    Just like every law we defend — every single one — there are people that like it and don’t like it, and they will have commentary. I certainly respect their absolute right to have that commentary.

    What I will say is, this decision has nothing to do with that. It is the job of the attorney general to defend the statute.

    .Assistant General David Sunday, in Philadelphia, June 23, 2026.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
    What would you say has set your tenure apart from your predecessor, Gov. Josh Shapiro, and his appointed successor, Michelle Henry?

    Very simply, I came into this job as a prosecutor. I ran on public safety. I wasn’t a legislator, so when I look at the office, I view it as a place where you follow the facts in the law, and you fight hard to keep people safe.

    With that being said, I have hyper-focused on issues impacting citizens. We have huge crises in Pennsylvania that need to be addressed, specifically the mental health crisis.

    When I came into office, I saw our prisons are full of people that have mental and behavioral health challenges. Individuals go to jail solely because they have a mental health crisis, and what I want to see are people getting treatment.

    What we did was create a new initiative that gives police a toolbox, so when they come into contact with someone in a mental health crisis [who is committing a low-level criminal offense], they can get that person into treatment [if the person chooses to do so]. At the same time, that person can be charged, and the police have the flexibility to hold that charge.

    This is brand-new, and we have nine counties that are already signed up and are rolling. We have five more lined up and ready to roll over the next few months.

    President Donald Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, and he was joined by some of the state’s other top Republican officials, such as Stacy Garrity. Is that an event you would have liked to attend?

    In all candor, I have events that have been scheduled for months and months, and the reality is, a lot of these [presidential] events pop up pretty quickly.

    On Tuesday, I had an event with the first elected attorney general in Pennsylvania, LeRoy Zimmerman. I was with him at a fireside chat, talking about what the AG’s office has looked like, and how it’s changed over the last 30 years.

  • Collingswood residents have spent years fighting for backyard chickens. This time, they think they might win.

    Collingswood residents have spent years fighting for backyard chickens. This time, they think they might win.

    Any Collingswood resident over the last 18 years can remember the fight to legalize backyard chickens. Or the second attempt. Or the third.

    Gwenne Baile, 77, knows the efforts well. A Haddon Township resident and the unofficial “Chicken Lady of South Jersey,” Baile initially became interested when she saw Martha Stewart showing off her chickens on TV. After retiring in 2009 from a long career as an ob-gyn nurse, Baile decided she needed a hobby.

    “I started looking into it,” Baile said, “but it was illegal here.”

    Since then, Baile said, she has played some part in changing the ordinances in 35 municipalities across South Jersey, including in her hometown. She keeps a list of places with pro-chicken zoning rules, including the 19 municipalities in Camden County that allow them. Baile now has five hens, taken in as fosters, including those injured by predators or forced from owners whose municipalities do not allow coops.

    One hen with arthritis lives indoors. Baile calls her a “mini me” since she hates the heat, doesn’t like exercise, and has golden feathers that match Baile’s hair.

    Gwenne Baile, an advocate of backyard chickens, holds Mimi, a family’s hen in Audubon.TRACIE VAN AUKEN / For The Inquirer

    Baile and a small group of hopeful Collingswood residents have frequented Collingswood Borough Board of Commissioners meetings in recent months. At its last working meeting on June 17, the group handed over proposed language that they hope the board will use in a future ordinance supporting backyard chickens, informed by Baile’s years of advocacy.

    The last major push for residential hens fizzled out in 2019 after several Collingswood residents spent more than a year regularly attending meetings to champion an ordinance that never saw the light of day.

    But this time feels different, Baile said, and some locals and officials agree.

    Dan DiVito, 42, has lived in Collingswood for six years and owns Front Yard Food, a business that teaches people how to grow their own crops and helps design the backyard infrastructure to do it. If Collingswood passes an ordinance, DiVito said, he will get chickens himself and join the new Backyard Chicken Advisory Board — a five-member commission that would oversee the initiative and investigate complaints.

    “Chickens are a no-brainer,” DiVito said. “It’s a pet that makes you breakfast.”

    Gwenne Baile in her backyard in 2014. CLEM MURRAY

    ‘A change and an opportunity’

    Collingswood did not always ban chickens.

    But in 2008, Collingswood’s three-person board of commissioners — made up of a mayor, deputy mayor, and a commissioner — adopted measures prohibiting residents from keeping or breeding a long list of livestock and fowl, including chickens.

    Local news records from 2008 do not give a clear explanation why the rules were adopted, other than comment from then-Mayor Jim Maley that the board wanted to “head off a problem before it presents itself.”

    The maximum penalty for violating the ordinance is a $500 fine.

    Repeated attempts to end the ban have been unsuccessful, even as neighboring municipalities passed ordinances to allow chickens. Some residents voiced concerns about the smell or the noise, or about Collingswood properties being too small to house chicken coops. Collingswood Chicken Uprising, the local Facebook group for the chicken resistance, was created 16 years ago and is up to 234 members.

    But a recent political shift in Collingswood has meant hope for some local chicken advocates.

    Maley’s 28-year tenure as mayor ended last May, when two progressive challengers joined Maley to win seats on the board of commissioners.

    Daniela Solano-Ward became the first female and Latina mayor of Collingswood in 2025, and Deputy Mayor Amy Henderson Riley became one of only a handful of women to serve on the board in the borough’s history. That shuffling was one factor that brought on the chicken resurgence.

    “Advocates and community members saw that this was a change and an opportunity to try this out with the new team and see what could happen,” Henderson Riley said.

    Maley, who has said that he would not want chickens living next door or support a backyard chicken pilot program, would be one of three votes if an ordinance makes it to the floor. It takes only a majority to pass.

    Passing an ordinance takes time. There must be two separate readings of the proposal, and time must be given for residents to comment. The next commissioners meeting is not until July 15, and Henderson Riley said Tuesday that she was unsure whether the proposal drafted by Collingswood residents would make it to the agenda.

    But with an organized, citizen-led group, Henderson Riley said, she suspects this is the most favorable effort thus far. Plus, with concerns like the cost of living and gas prices, she said, there are bigger things to worry about than banning chickens.

    “Let the chicken people have their thing,” she said.

    Maley and Solano-Ward did not respond to requests for comment.

    What advocates are proposing

    Suzanne Passante feeds her chickens inside the chicken coop in the backyard of her home in Haddon Township, N.J., on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Every municipality’s backyard chicken ordinance is slightly different. Most have strict requirements, including that coops are predator-proof, set a certain distance from other properties, and kept dry and clean.

    Collingswood residents’ pitch to the commissioners would ban roosters, forbid residents from selling their eggs, and require completion of an online course teaching applicants how to care for hens. Collingswood could have only 30 households with hens at a time (of the 6,900 estimated housing units the U.S. Census Bureau estimates are in Collingswood), and new licensees would be capped at four chickens.

    Chicken owners would have to pay $10 fees annually to renew their licenses. The Backyard Chicken Advisory Board would investigate complaints and help relocate chickens that are no longer wanted, since the advocates are calling for a ban on slaughtering hens.

    Any violations could result in a fine of up to $1,250 or imprisonment of up to 90 days, a more severe punishment than the current ordinance gives for keeping chickens.

    Henderson Riley, who has a doctorate in public health, took the three-hour backyard chicken course to learn more about the potential process residents would have to go through to get a coop.

    She passed, but not without a bunch of red markings and a reality check that owning chickens takes time, money, and energy that she does not have. Henderson Riley said she thinks the long list of requirements, along with the difficulty of raising hens, will dissuade the vast majority of people from partaking in the hobby.

    “It’s not like the hens are going to take over Collingswood.”

    Words of wisdom

    Lynn Parker, 52, has 10 hens in her backyard in Stratford Township, Camden County. When Stratford passed its ordinance allowing chickens in 2023 (an effort Baile helped with), Parker was the first person in line for a chicken permit.

    She now chairs the township’s Hen Advisory Commission, which inspects new coops and educates residents. Fourteen homes in Stratford have chickens now, Parker said, and there have been no complaints.

    Her advice to people who want to change their municipality’s chicken law is simple.

    “Even if you get a no, do it again,” Parker said.

    Suzanne Passante, 71 and Baile’s neighbor, chairs Haddon Township’s Backyard Chicken Advisory Board. She has four chickens and averages a dozen eggs per week.

    It took time to educate residents about the benefits of hens and to quell misconceptions, like chickens attracting rats, but she said complaints have been nonexistent in recent years.

    “Now, after 11 years, people don’t even think about it,” Passante said.

  • Eagles newcomers ‘26: Will Andy Dalton emerge as QB2 behind Jalen Hurts?

    Eagles newcomers ‘26: Will Andy Dalton emerge as QB2 behind Jalen Hurts?

    With Eagles training camp drawing nearer on the horizon, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three-dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28. Whether a 2026 draft choice, a veteran addition or a rookie free-agent hopeful, we’re telling you more about each player’s potential role this season. We’re rolling out two players per day in a mostly unscientific order that balances offense and defense, bigger names with mysteries, and locks with longer shots to be chosen for the 53-man roster.

    Player: Andy Dalton

    Position: Quarterback

    Age: 38

    Previous experience: Dalton has the most NFL experience on the 2026 Eagles — unless Brandon Graham returns. The veteran quarterback is going into his 16th NFL season. Dalton began his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that drafted him in the second round, 35th overall in the 2011 draft out of TCU.

    He started 133 games over nine seasons with the Bengals and reached the playoffs in five straight years (2011-15). Although Dalton was successful during the regular season, the three-time Pro Bowler has not won a postseason game in his career.

    Andy Dalton’s best NFL years came in a Bengals uniform. Frank Victores

    The Bengals eventually moved on from Dalton in favor of 2020 first-overall pick Joe Burrow, marking the beginning of the veteran’s journeyman career. Dalton has spent time primarily as a backup with the Dallas Cowboys (2020), the Chicago Bears (2021), the New Orleans Saints (2022), and the Carolina Panthers (2023-25).

    He has started 36 games since 2020 (14 wins, 22 losses), completing 65.1% of his passing attempts while throwing 50 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. In his seven starts over the last three seasons with the Panthers (one win, six losses), Dalton completed 64.7% of his passes, throwing 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

    Path to a roster spot: Seeing as the Eagles tend to carry three quarterbacks on the active roster, Dalton is essentially a lock to make the team out of training camp. But in the aftermath of the offseason program, bigger questions linger about his role on the team.

    Dalton and Tanner McKee split reps with the second-team offense behind Jalen Hurts, while Nick Sirianni did not commit to McKee as the backup for the upcoming season. Could Dalton have a chance to usurp the incumbent McKee for the QB2 role in training camp? And does Dalton’s contention for the job indicate that McKee could be a candidate for a trade ahead of the start of the regular season?

    Alternatively, if teams aren’t willing to take a chance on the inexperienced McKee (who has started just two games over the last two seasons), could Dalton eventually be on the move before the November trade deadline? The Eagles seem to have options with their depth quarterbacks depending on their preseason performances and the team’s start to the season.

    Fun fact: In addition to having zero career playoff wins, Dalton has thrown just one touchdown pass in the postseason. His lone passing touchdown — a 4-yard completion to tight end Jermaine Gresham — came in the Bengals’ 27-10 wild-card loss to the San Diego Chargers during the 2013 season.

    Since 1970, 83 quarterbacks have played at least 10 NFL seasons and started at least four playoff games, according to Stathead. Dalton has the fewest passing touchdowns in the postseason among them.

    Quotable: “Any time you’ve got a guy that’s got experience, different types of experiences, you lean on that. Having a relationship with him, I was with him in Carolina, so being with him prior, [I] knew that he had that wealth of knowledge, that he’s open to helping other guys as well … he’s a great resource for all of us to be able to lean on, just a guy that’s played a lot in the NFL successfully.” — Eagles quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier on Dalton

    Kapena Gushiken (4), then at Washington State, attempts to defend a potential touchdown against San Jose State in 2024. Young Kwak

    Player: Kapena Gushiken

    Position: Defensive back

    Age: 23

    Previous experience: As an undersized defensive back at 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, Gushiken wasn’t highly recruited coming out of high school in Maui, Hawaii, according to The Seattle Times. But his coach at Kamehameha High School knew the coach at Saddleback College, a community college located in Mission Viejo, Calif, a connection that would lead to the first stop in his college football career.

    He spent two years at Saddleback and became a starter in his second season. As a sophomore, Gushiken posted 22 tackles (one for a loss), six pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble in nine games. His strong JUCO performance earned him opportunities at the Division I level, first at Washington State (2023-24) and then at Ole Miss (2025).

    Through 40 games (28 starts) over his final three seasons, Gushiken racked up 143 tackles (5½ for a loss), 20 pass breakups, four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), two fumble recoveries, and a sack. Gushiken has played every spot in the secondary, from outside cornerback at Saddleback to nickel cornerback at Washington State to safety at Ole Miss.

    Gushiken, now listed at 5-9, 189 pounds, signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent this offseason.

    A way-too-early Eagles 53-man roster prediction: How might the personnel picture change before training camp begins?

    Path to a roster spot: Special teams and safety depth. Gushiken is a long shot to make the initial 53-man roster, but he has a chance to carve out a role on the team, especially on the practice squad. Still, in May, Vic Fangio called the starting safety spot vacated by Reed Blankenship “open,” acknowledging that Marcus Epps, Michael Carter, Andrè Sam, J.T. Gray, and “Gush” will each get a look in the competition when the Eagles are in nickel. Cooper DeJean will start at safety alongside Drew Mukuba in base.

    Special teams will be Gushiken’s most likely path to a role on the Eagles in 2026. His overall athleticism, as evidenced by his 4.35 40-yard dash at his pro day, makes him a strong candidate for the unit.

    Fun fact: In high school, Gushiken lettered in football, track, volleyball, and basketball. As a junior in 2019, he ran a personal best of 11.17 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Track and Field Championship.

    Quotable: “He’s really versatile. He can play a bunch of spots, a really savvy player. Hoping he can be [former Ole Miss safety] Trey Washington-ish for us. He’s really smart. So it’s really good to have him.” — former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin on Gushiken, via 24/7 Sports.

  • Letters to the Editor | June 29, 2026

    Letters to the Editor | June 29, 2026

    Books to bars

    Why can’t Johnny read? That depends on whom you ask. For years, they blamed it on Johnny. Then they blamed his teacher. Now, a new culprit has emerged: They are blaming Johnny’s teacher’s teacher. The new blame came from a recent report from the National Council on Teacher Quality examining whether colleges and universities have aligned their curriculums for future teachers to teach reading. They evaluated 23 graduate and undergraduate programs in Pennsylvania; five received “A’s” and five received “F’s.” Ron Noble, director of teacher preparation, said it all: Pennsylvania is “among the lowest performing states in this analysis.”

    I don’t buy this new scapegoating. Don’t blame it on the colleges and universities. Teachers must know how to teach before they take the job. And, if they have deficiencies, it is their duty — not that of the colleges and universities — to correct them. Sadly, by the time Johnny gets to third grade, if he still can’t read, the system will cease to prepare a curriculum and begin to prepare a jail cell.

    Leon Williams, Philadelphia

    Regulate, don’t ban

    Recently, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided that skill games, now found in many local bars and social clubs, should be treated as slot machines. The Inquirer Editorial Board believes Harrisburg would be making a mistake if it tried to tax the games at the same rate as slots.

    I would take the other side. Since Donald Trump became president a second time, many useful federal programs that helped the states, including Pennsylvania, to balance their budgets have been shut down, or at least severely curtailed. Exhibits A, B, and C could be the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, money for hospitals, and funding for federal housing programs. So now the General Assembly is finding its fiscal cupboard bare as it tries to pay for these useful programs.

    With that in mind, why shouldn’t the 70,000 skill games outside the casinos also be taxed?

    The Editorial Board mentioned how skill games contribute to problem gambling. I believe it is possible to seriously reduce the urge to gamble with these skill games. One idea I have is that the legislature declares that someone has to be 18, 21, or even 24 years old to play and win at these skill games. By the age of 24, most people realize money doesn’t grow on trees and know they need to earn it.

    Andrew Saul, Media

    Drop DROP

    I was struck by two articles in a recent issue of The Inquirer. On one hand, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s budget slashed $1.5 million from the city’s $5 million arts budget; a rounding error for the city, but a cut that will hurt arts and culture groups throughout the city. And then, I read that Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. and Jazelle Jones, an appointee of Mayor Parker, by themselves, are grabbing a $750,000 payday thanks to DROP. Fully half of this cut to the arts throughout Philadelphia is being paid out to two people who are gaming the pension system. Councilmember Jones is planning to retire temporarily before his next term starts. We, the voters, should remember this next year and make it permanent.

    Jared Cram, Philadelphia

    Citizenship needs reform

    I applaud The Inquirer’s story of Muhammed Emanet. It highlights the plight of those who have entered our country legally, applied for green cards, and then are left in limbo for years because of our nation’s faulty immigration system. Regardless of where one stands on the issue of immigration and the need to deport criminals who are here without legal status, we know that, like Emanat and his family, most immigrants are here in search of a safer life and are actually contributing to our society. This issue becomes more dire today, as the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the current administration to remove legal protections from thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants in the United States, meaning they could be subject to deportation. Again, we are not talking about criminals, but rather people seeking refuge. I hope The Inquirer will continue to publish front-page stories like that of the Emanet family. Readers need to better understand the many difficulties within the pathway to citizenship in this country. We have so much work to do before we can ever be considered “Great Again.”

    Kathleen Coyne, Wallingford

    Profits over patients

    The special interests that have shaped America’s dysfunctional healthcare system remind me of Oliver Hardy’s comment to Stan Laurel: “Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten us into!” The Editorial Board suggests that we need a public option that “would allow eligible participants of all ages to pay adjusted health insurance premiums based on their incomes.” I assume infants would be excluded? While most agree that we need major reform, allowing for profit greed to continue only perpetuates the enormous administrative overhead that sucks 30% of healthcare dollars. It would also allow the “expensive” ill patients to be turfed to the “public option,” accelerating a death spiral for taxpayers. The cost savings we need only come from a single-payer, national health insurance program with a private delivery system focused on public health, prevention, and primary care.

    Walter Tsou, Philadelphia

    The writer is a former health commissioner of Philadelphia.

    Smart meter mandate

    The entire General Assembly should be ashamed of how it let the Public Utility Commission, an out-of-control, unelected bureaucracy, wholly controlled by the utilities it is supposed to regulate for the good of the public, dictate the mandating of electric smart meter installation, with zero opt-out, contrary to the original intent of Act 129, which was electric smart meter opt-in legislation.

    The case had to be taken to the Supreme Court of the United States. It is a complete disgrace that the legislature treats Pennsylvania citizens in this way.

    Tom McCarey, Berwyn

    House Bill 2632

    In their recent op-ed, Michael Marrone and Joseph Marano claim that the average Liguori Academy family’s income is close to the federal poverty line, that Liguori students typically display significant growth in reading and math, and that, according to a study commissioned by the Children’s Scholarship Fund of Philadelphia, educational tax credit scholarship recipients outperform their public and private school peers.

    All of those claims may be true. Or not. We have no way of knowing because current Pennsylvania law prevents such information as a scholarship recipient’s family income levels, household demographics, or former school from being shared with the state government. We, therefore, have no way of knowing whether these tax credits are going toward a quality education for the commonwealth’s neediest students or for a family vacation in the Bahamas.

    This is not simply conjecture. In 2019, a Keystone Crossroads investigation found that many private schools that accept Educational Improvement Tax Credit scholarship admissions have no low-income students in attendance.

    House Bill 2632 will begin to address this problem by allowing the auditor general to acquire the necessary information to determine whether qualified families have access to a quality education.

    The foundation of our children’s education should rely more on accountability than acts of faith. This is the reason we need the state Senate to pass House Bill 2632, and for Gov. Josh Shapiro to sign it into law.

    Diane Payne, retired public schoolteacher, 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.

  • Horoscopes: Monday, June 29, 2026

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). Glowing in you: gratitude. It’s often mistaken for a pleasant feeling, when it is actually a powerful way of directing attention. What you appreciate becomes more abundant. Especially sweet: a friendship that has stood the test of time.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Glowing in you: hope. Not wishful thinking, but a practical belief that tomorrow can be better than today. You keep moving forward. Especially sweet: encouragement from someone who not only believes you can do it but will help however possible.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Glowing in you: discernment. You no longer feel compelled to pursue every opportunity that appears. Knowing what to decline creates more room for what matters to you. Especially sweet: the freedom that comes from a clear choice.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). Glowing in you: curiosity. Questions lead you further than certainty ever could. A willingness to learn opens doors, reveals opportunities and keeps life interesting. Especially sweet: an unexpected conversation that expands your world.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Glowing in you: adaptability. When plans change, you find another route instead of becoming stuck. Flexibility turns obstacles into detours rather than dead ends. Especially sweet: a solution that appears through improvisation.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Glowing in you: humor. You can spot the absurdity in situations that might otherwise become frustrating. This gift keeps challenges from growing larger than they need to be. Especially sweet: laughter shared with someone you love.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Glowing in you: confidence. Not the loud kind, but the steady belief that you can handle whatever comes next. This changes how people respond to you. Especially sweet: being trusted with greater responsibility.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Glowing in you: compassion. You recognize that most people are carrying burdens that remain unseen. This awareness helps you move through the world with grace and perspective. Especially sweet: a shared understanding that’s genuine and rare.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Glowing in you: creativity. You see possibilities where others see limitations. Ideas connect, combine and evolve into something useful, beautiful or entertaining. Especially sweet: a project that takes on a life of its own.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Glowing in you: emotional maturity. It shows up in how easily you connect with people and how you’re able to build lasting relationships. Especially sweet: the rhythms and routines you build with others resulting in a true feeling of togetherness and belonging.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Glowing in you: focus. Distractions lose some of their appeal as you become more interested in meaningful progress. Your efforts gather momentum. Especially sweet: finally finishing something that has been lingering a long while on your list.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Glowing in you: patience. You understand that many worthwhile things require time. Instead of forcing results, you allow growth to unfold at its natural pace. Especially sweet: a long-awaited development finally taking shape.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (June 29). It’s your Year of the Golden Compass in which every detour reveals itself as part of the route. You stop second-guessing your direction and start trusting inner guidance. More highlights: Two fun partnerships in purposeful projects. New income using your expertise. Events you host are a hit as your home is a hub of comfort and celebration. Libra and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 11, 4, 26, 18 and 7.

  • Dear Abby | Hot-headed grandson pushes grandmother to the ground

    DEAR ABBY: My 20-year-old nephew, “Conrad,” has anger issues. His girlfriend recently broke up with him. He was upset and went to see his grandma, my mom. When Conrad pulled into her driveway, my mom’s boyfriend, “Rob,” was standing outside. Conrad told Rob to “stay out of the house.”

    Conrad’s girlfriend was there talking to my mom. Conrad was visibly upset and went in, yelling and screaming. Watching from outside, Rob saw Conrad push Mom down. She fell on her hand and her bottom. Rob immediately ran into the house to make sure my mom was OK. Conrad then began yelling and screaming at Rob, calling him terrible names.

    My sister, Conrad’s mother, knows what happened. I haven’t spoken to her about the incident. My mom has confided in me. I listened to her and tried to remain calm and rational. She wants to protect Conrad. What do I do? Do I mind my own business? Keep my nose out of it? This is my mom and my kids’ grandma.

    — SICK TO MY STOMACH

    DEAR SICK: It’s no wonder that Conrad’s girlfriend ended their relationship. Heaven only knows how many times he has abused her. If your mother thinks she is helping her troubled grandson by remaining silent about the abuse she suffered at his hands, she is making a huge mistake. Conrad’s temper is out of control. He needs professional help before he hurts someone seriously. That said, there is nothing that can be done about this unless Mom decides to file a police report about the assault.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: I’m a single 48-year-old male. I come from a close-knit family of four. I am my disabled nephew’s personal home caregiver, taking care of him 24/7, 365 days a year. I live a normal, happy life with no interference.

    Lately, I’ve been stuck in a rut of sorts, and I can’t figure it out. I am a Type 2 diabetic who maintains and watches my health very carefully. I eat right and walk a mile or two every other day. I go to my doctor appointments when needed and stay on top of everything else that’s important for me and my family.

    I have been feeling down and sluggish lately. I don’t know if I am having a midlife crisis or something else. I never married and don’t have children, so I am not sure what this could be. I don’t have any outbursts or PTSD. All I’m feeling is like life is slowing me down and I don’t know why. Please give me your thoughts.

    — NOT MYSELF IN NEW MEXICO

    DEAR N.M.I.N.M.: My thought is this: You appear to be admirably in touch with your physical self. You are doing everything you can in that department. However, because you are so concerned about your change in mental health that you would write to me, this is something you should discuss with your doctor. If there is nothing physically wrong and your feelings of sluggishness and mild depression persist, it may be time to discuss them with a licensed psychotherapist.

  • An early morning shooting at a West Philadelphia bar left one worker dead

    An early morning shooting at a West Philadelphia bar left one worker dead

    A man was shot and killed at a West Philadelphia neighborhood bar early Sunday, according to police and media reports.

    The victim was an employee of a bar in the 1200 block of North 52nd Street in the Carrol Park neighborhood, which recently held a grand opening, NBC10 reported.

    The station said the shooting resulted from a quarrel with another employee over the duties involved in closing the bar.

    Police said they responded to reports of the shooting just before 4 a.m. They took the victim to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:28 a.m.

    The man’s identity was being withheld until his family could be notified. The suspect fled the scene. No arrests have been made,

    The case remains under investigation.

    Any information can be given to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334, or anonymously to 215-686-TIPS (8477).

  • Kyle Schwarber launches 30th homer of the season to lift Phillies past Mets

    NEW YORK — Kyle Schwarber watched it go.

    Just a guess, but when you’ve hit as many homers as the Phillies’ star slugger — 30 this season, more than any player in baseball; 370 in his career, tied fittingly with 1969 Miracle Mets manager Gil Hodges for 87th all-time — you probably know it when you feel it.

    And so, with one swing, Schwarber covered up another Phillies wart.

    “What he’s doing,” left fielder Brandon Marsh said after Schwarber’s two-run homer in the seventh inning here Sunday brought the Phillies back — again — in a 5-4 victory that drew them to within three games of first place in the NL East, “is off the charts.”

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    It’s also historic.

    With his 408-footer to right-center field against Mets righty Kodai Senga, Schwarber reached the 30-homer mark in the Phillies’ 84th game, faster than any player in franchise history. He didn’t hit No. 30 until the 94th game last season en route to finishing with 56, a career-high.

    “After last year, I didn’t think it was easily topped,” said starter Jesús Luzardo, who gave up one run but lasted only five innings. “But I mean, he just keeps making it seem easy.”

    In this case, Schwarber got four consecutive forkballs, Senga’s signature pitch, and fouled off the last two to keep the at-bat going. Eventually, Senga had to throw a fastball, and when he did, well, kaboom.

    “You’re just trying to get a pitch in the zone and put it in play,” Schwarber said. “There’s no real, look for this, look for that. It’s more just trying to really simplify the approach, and whenever that ball does come, try to put it in play.”

    Said Marsh: “I wouldn’t say it was a bad idea for [Senga] to try to sneak a heater in after throwing the 80-mile-an-hour forkball, which is a crazy pitch, by the way. But Kyle just really stayed on that heater and got one in a good spot.”

    And just like that, the Phillies had the lead again after Chase Shugart turned a 3-1 lead into a 4-3 deficit in the sixth inning. José Alvarado stranded two runners in the seventh inning and Orion Kerkering tightrope-walked through a bases-loaded jam eighth before Jhoan Duran locked it down in the ninth.

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    It feels nitpicky after a wildly successful road trip in which the Phillies went 5-2 in Washington and New York and moved to within three games of the division-leading Braves, but their flaws bubbled to the surface last week. They’re vulnerable to left-handed pitching; the middle relief can be exposed when the starter doesn’t go six innings; the defense isn’t good.

    But all’s well that ended well, and the Phillies scored 26 runs in the seventh inning or later in the seven games to make sure most of them ended well.

    “Well, I don’t know what it tells us, honestly,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “But it’s good to see that we keep going, like even losing the lead there and coming right back, getting it back.”

    Said Schwarber: “I don’t know if I’ve ever been part of a road trip quite like that. I don’t think I saw as many [comebacks] as we did in our previous series against Washington. You don’t see those games very often, but really cool. And then to be able to come here and have some one-run wins. Those are the things that it’s going to take as we keep moving forward through the season.”

    Ideally, the Phillies will address a few areas before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. But they can also tighten up their performance in others.

    Just ask their manager.

    “There’s going to be times where the bullpen’s carrying us, and the starters,” Mattingly said. “There’s going to be times where we score some runs. Hopefully, there’s going to be times we’re catching the ball and making plays.”

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    And there’s going to be times when the Phillies jump on Schwarber’s back.

    Everyone knows he can carry them.

    “I don’t know if I’ve seen anybody quite like him,” Mattingly said. “He’s a little different than guys I’ve played with. It’s a different time with more strikeouts, damage, walks. But he’s amazing in what he does, and it’s obviously good to see.”

    Schwarber is on pace for 59 homers, which would not only break Ryan Howard’s single-season franchise mark of 58 but also leave Schwarber one homer shy of 400 at the end of the season. It’s a race to 400 between him and Bryce Harper, who has 382 career homers.

    “I think it’d be cool, just knowing that it’s going to happen one day, right?” Schwarber said. “To see someone of [Harper’s] caliber be able to reach 400 will be really cool. Whenever that day comes for me, it’ll be another cool milestone.”

    In the meantime, he can keep making the Phillies’ issues vanish with one swing.

    “I’m just trying to soak it all in and learn,” Marsh said. “Because years down the road from now, it’s going to be one of those where, God willing, I’ll get to tell my family, ‘I got to watch this.’ It’s pretty special.”

  • Two relatives were killed Sunday in what police call a ‘murder-suicide’ in Abington Township

    Two relatives were killed Sunday in what police call a ‘murder-suicide’ in Abington Township

    Two men — an uncle and a nephew — were fatally wounded Sunday morning in Abington Township, Montgomery County, in what police said was a “murder-suicide.”

    Responding to a 911 call of a shooting around 11 a.m., Abington Township Police discovered William “Billy” Mauer, 54, dead from a gunshot wound inside a home on the 3000 block of Spruce Avenue.

    The two had been quarreling, police said.

    The nephew, Brandon Maurer, 28, was also found in the house, suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. He was taken to Jefferson Abington Hospital and pronounced dead at 11:39 a.m.

    At the time of the double shooting, police said, other unidentified family members were inside the home and were not injured. The nephew’s gun was recovered by police.

    Abington Township police closed down the 3000 block of Spruce Avenue after the shootings.Dylan Purcell / Staff

    With neighbors looking on, the block remained sealed off by police SUVs and caution tape Sunday afternoon while Montgomery County detectives and police continued to investigate.

  • Porter Martone, Maksim Sokolovskii headline Flyers’ development camp roster

    Porter Martone, Maksim Sokolovskii headline Flyers’ development camp roster

    It may be sweltering outside, but there is ice in our future.

    Fresh off drafting the next generation, the Flyers will be in action, beginning on Monday and wrapping up with a five-on-five scrimmage Thursday night and a three-on-three tournament Friday morning.

    Here’s what you need to know about Flyers’ development camp.

    What is the schedule for development camp?

    All on-ice sessions are free and open to the public at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees. There will not be any on-ice activities on July 1, the first day of free agency. Instead, fans can attend an autograph session at The Franklin Institute from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. A museum ticket is required to attend.

    On Tuesday, Team Jones and Team Brière will skate from 4-5 p.m. on the Phantoms and Flyers’ Rinks, respectively. Thursday at 6 p.m. on the Flyers Rink, the two teams will square off. On Friday, a three-on-three tournament will wrap up the week at 10 a.m. on the Class of ‘67 Arena rink.

    Who will be attending?

    Among the 41 players in attendance, fans will get a chance to see the entire 2026 draft class don Flyers gear for the first time at development camp. But while everyone will be clamoring to see 6-foot-7 defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii, the 27th pick on Friday, there are several familiar faces to get an up-close look at.

    Fresh off their first tastes of the NHL — regular season and the playoffs — Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, and Oliver Bonk will participate in camp.

    Centers Jack Berglund and Jett Luchanko will be at camp, but will not participate in on-ice sessions. Berglund has played a lot of hockey this past year between regular season and playoffs for Färjestad BK of the SHL, Sweden’s top men’s league, and World Juniors and World Championships for Sweden.

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    Ilya Pautov, a member of the 2024 draft class who signed an entry-level contract this spring, will make his development camp debut. He is expected to be playing for Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League this season.

    Of the last five draft classes, the only players still with the organization not attending are Matvei Michkov (2023), Yegor Zavragin (2023), Austin Moline (2024), and Max Westergård (2025). Forward Karsen Dorwart, who was signed as an undrafted college player, will be a restricted free agent on July 1 and is expected to get a qualifying offer by June 29. Every member of the 2026 class will be at development camp.

    Forwards: Denver Barkey, Samuel Beauchemin, Jack Berglund, Alex Bump, Alex Čiernik, Christopher Duclair, Grady Deering, Sawyer Dingman, Matthew Gard, Devin Kaplan, Jack Kernan, Cole Knuble, Jett Luchanko, Ryan MacPherson, Porter Martone, Jack Murtagh, Jack Nesbitt, Noah Powell, Nathan Quinn, Heikki Ruohonen, Ilya Pautov, KJ Sauer, Riley Thompson, Shane Vansaghi

    Defense: Carter Amico, Oliver Bonk, Matthew Desiderio, Jackson Edward, Spencer Gill, Alonso Gosselin, Leo Gruba, Max Laatikainen, Brek Liske, Maksim Sokolovskii, Riley Steen, Luke Vlooswyk

    Goalies: Carson Bjarnason, Mathis Langevin, Martin Psohlavec, Marek Sklenička, Shane Soderwall

    Things to keep an eye on

    The Flyers have invited 11 players to attend camp this season.

    Samuel Beauchemin is a winger who just put up 66 points in 64 games for Rouyn-Noranda of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. His father, François Beauchemin, played 903 NHL games, and Samuel played his youth hockey for the Anaheim Jr. Ducks.

    Swift Current of the Western Hockey League winger Sawyer Dingman, who was eligible to be drafted this weekend, is the son of former NHLer Chris Dingman. Forward Christopher Duclair, the shortest player in camp at 5-8, is the younger brother of New York Islanders forward Anthony Duclair.

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    Defenseman Matthew Desiderio is from North Jersey, and his fellow blueliners, Alonso Gosselin, who is 17 and played for Chicoutimi of the QMJHL, and Riley Steen, who played with the Ruck Twins for Medicine Hat of the WHL, were eligible to have been selected in the 2026 draft.

    Keeping with the theme of having a tall team, of the 46 players attending camp, only 10 players are under 6 feet tall. The tallest is camp invitee Jack Anderson, a defenseman who stands 6-6. He just wrapped his third season at Lindenwood University and is committed to Michigan Tech in the fall.