Police have arrested a Bucks County man accused of creating child sexual abuse material using Grok, the chatbot linked to the social media platform X.
Harry Tiffany IV, 66, of New Britain Borough, was arraigned Tuesday and faces multiple felonies, including sexual abuse of children and possession of child pornography.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said the investigation began last month after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received automated reports from X flagging 37 images Tiffany allegedly uploaded or shared through Grok in April.
The investigation led to email and IP addresses linked to Tiffany’s home. During a search by authorities Friday, investigators found “multiple computer-generated files depicting minors” on Tiffany’s Grok application, according to the district attorney’s office.
“Whether a predator is utilizing AI applications to generate illicit material or hiding behind gaming platforms to lure our children, the dangers are immediate,” said Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit focused on “making the internet safer,” estimated Grok created about 3 million sexualized images during an 11-day period between Dec. 29 and Jan. 9, including 23,000 that appear to depict children.
X and Roblox added to Buck County’s lawsuit against social media companies
Tiffany’s arrest came one day after Bucks County expanded a federal lawsuit against tech giants and social media companies accused of harming children to include X, Roblox, Discord, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
The lawsuit, first filed in California in 2023, previously included TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Google’s YouTube, and Snapchat. It aims to halt what the complaint described as deceptive practices by tech companies, especially when they market their platforms as safe for children.
Last week, Alec James Magill, 32, of Upper Southampton, Bucks County, was sentenced to just under two years in prison after using Roblox and Telegram to target young girls and manipulate them into sending explicit material, despite protections put in place by the platforms.
The lawsuit also demands unspecified financial damages for the rising costs of mental health services that Bucks County offers to young people.
According to screenings conducted during the 2021-22 academic year, 34% of the country’s school-age youth were at risk for moderate to severe depression, and 40% percent were at risk for significant anxiety. More than 25% of students reported a history of suicidal thoughts.
“An entire generation has now reached maturity with social media and without the protections they deserved,” Diane Ellis-Marseglia, chair of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners, said in a news conference Monday. “So now we will look forward to preventing such failures, stepping up to make sure that things change, and to attempt to make reparations to those youth.”
Former City Councilmember Jannie Blackwell, who has been a fixture of Philadelphia politics for decades, is no longer a Democratic wardleader. State Sen. Sharif Street — weeks after losing the city’s heated congressional race — just became one.
And the Rev. Lewis Nash Sr., who in 2024 was removed as leader of the 47th Ward after The Inquirer reported he was recorded making anti-LGBTQ+ remarks, has returned to the post after being reelected in his North Philadelphia ward Monday night.
Meanwhile, the upstart group Wards That Work, which was backed by progressive activists and sought to recruit hundreds of people to run for committee openings in the May 19 Democratic primary, claimed victories in six wards that were previously seen as aligned with the party establishment or more centrist Democrats.
Despite those notable gains,fewer than one-third of Philadelphia’s 69 Democratic ward leaders are seen as closely aligned with the party’s left wing.
That means Bob Brady, who has led the local Democratic Party since 1986 and is seen by many as the embodiment of the political old guard, will likely coast to victory in party leadership elections — decided by the ward leaders — next week, securing an 11th term as chair of the Democratic City Committee.
The party’s internal politics have become a key battleground in the fight between progressive upstarts and the Democratic establishment. There has also been a renewed push to grow the number of “open wards” — those that allow committeepeople to vote on political endorsements rather than allowing ward leaders to decide unilaterally.
Brady, a former U.S. representative, has over the last few weeks struck a conciliatory tone regarding the party’s left wing after clashing with activists in a series of elections, most notably when the party sought to punish committeepeople who endorsed the elections of Councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Nicolas O’Rourke from the progressive Working Families Party.
“These labels — Working Families, Reclaim, socialist — the best labels they have that I love is they’re Democrats,” he said in an interview, referring in part to Reclaim Philadelphia, a group inspired by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential runs that organized the local progressive movement’s first successful ward takeovers in 2018.
Now, he said, he is focused on unity as Democrats hope to make gains in this year’s midterm elections and defeat candidates aligned with President Donald Trump in future elections.
“We can come together and beat that nut in the White House,” Brady said.
Philadelphia Democratic Party Chairman Bob Brady (left) and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (right) listen as Mayor Cherelle L. Parker speaks in support of State Sen. Sharif Street at a get-out-the-vote rally at the Church of Christian Compassion in West Philadelphia Monday, May 18, 2026 the day before Tuesday’s Democratic primary election for the 3rd Congressional District.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Earlier this year, however, Brady acknowledged that the Democratic City Committee funded mailers opposing some of the committeepeople backed by Wards That Work, and many on the left are still hoping for major changes in the local party.
District Attorney Larry Krasner, for instance, recently called on Brady to resign, and State Rep. Chris Rabb, a democratic socialist who last month won the Democratic primary for an open Philadelphia congressional seat, has emerged as a leading critic.
Rabb beat Street, the party’s endorsed candidate, in the 3rd Congressional District race, and has accused the city committee of neglecting the work of turning out the vote, instead concerning itself with backroom dealings among party insiders.
State Rep. Chris Rabb greets supporters on election day. He is arriving to his polling place to vote, Grace Epiphany Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 19, 2026.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
Rabb has not explicitly called for Brady to resign. But he is now calling for a dramatic overhaul of the party, from its leaders to its bylaws to the city’s antiquated ward boundaries.
“What I’m asking for is for the ward leaders — whatever candidate is running for chair, whether it’s Bob Brady or anyone else — that they demand that their first order of business is to overhaul the bylaws by Labor Day [to focus] on building a local party built on transparency integrity and inclusion,” Rabb said in an interview last week.
Progressives make gains
On paper, Philadelphia’s Democratic Party structure is bottom-up. Every four years, during the primaries of presidential midterm cycles, registered Democrats elect two committeepeople from their precincts, as they did this year on May 19. The committeepeople then elect neighborhood-level ward leaders, and the ward leaders in turn elect the top officials in the city party, including Brady.
But in practice, many critics of the city’s old guard see a top-down reality, with Brady and other high-ranking city officials controlling the party’s agenda.
Progressives are hoping to wrest control of the party from the establishment or to force reforms that make it more hospitable to left-leaning candidates. But it remains an uphill battle given the diffuse nature of the party system.
Among the notable progressive wins in Monday night’s ward elections:
5th Ward (Center City): Ryan Alsayegh, a political consultant currently working for State Reps. Tarik Khan and Joe Hohenstein, unseated Mike Boyle.
25th Ward (Port Richmond, Kensington): Alexandria Mercedes Murphy, a neurophysiologist and volunteer with Reclaim Philadelphia, succeeded Tommy Johnson.
31st Ward (Fishtown, East Kensington): Molly Hartman, a staffer for Councilmember Rue Landau, faced no opponents in her bid to succeed Margaret Rzepski.
27th Ward (University City): Benjamin Moss-Horwitz, a staffer for State Rep. Rick Krajewski, won a contested race to succeed retiring ward leader Carol Jenkins, a party stalwart.
46th Ward (Squirrel Hill, Cedar Park): James Bridgeforth, a University of Delaware professor, ran an uncontested race to succeed Blackwell, who retired this year after defeating a progressive challenger for her ward in a contentious election four years ago.
In West Philadelphia’s 60th Ward, State Rep. Amen Brown, a centrist Democrat, was unseated by Lorraine White-Johnson.
White-Johnson, who had the backing of Wards That Work, said in an interview that she is not aligned with one faction and welcomes all Democrats. She added that she plans to explore opening up the ward but has not made formal plans to do so yet.
Philadelphia City Councilmember Cindy Bass on Thursday, September 11, 2025.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
In Mount Airy’s 22nd Ward, Councilmember Cindy Bass declared herself reelected to a new term in a controversial move by saying she won a contested voice vote of committeepeople and denying motions for a roll-call vote that could have clarified the results. Her opponent, Octavius Price, was backed by progressive organizers and said he plans to challenge the election.
Some notable ward election results did not involve major ideological shifts.
Nash, who on Tuesday denied having made the anti-LGBTQ+ comments that previously cost him his seat, won a three-way race to reclaim the 47th Ward.
“I forgive everybody that was involved with those unforeseen circumstances,” Nash said in an interview Tuesday. “To anyone that was offended by the alleged comments, forgive me and the person who made those comments, allegedly and falsely, and let’s move forward.”
In a statement, Street said he would “take a back-to-basics approach, listening to my neighbors about their concerns and filling vacant committee member seats.”
“Last month’s election results galvanized my belief that we need to build the party from the ground up,” Street said in a statement. “We need to increase voter turnout in Black communities, like North Philadelphia, by demonstrating every day that Democrats are fighting for them.”
Staff writer Anna Orso contributed to this article.
IRVINE, Calif. — Most of the time in soccer, one of the first things a team does is set its starting goalkeeper. But for the U.S. men, it appears that will be one of the last things that happens.
Leading candidates Matt Freese and Matt Turner have said in recent days that they don’t know who will get the nod for Friday’s group stage opener vs. Paraguay (9 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62).
“Not a ton of clarity,” Turner said Tuesday as he met with the media before the day’s practice. “It’s about training really well, keep fighting, and then the decision will be made on Friday.”
A day earlier, when Freese asked if he’d been told who the starter will be, he said, “No, just focused on training today.”
Matt Turner (right) watches Matt Freese in a drill at Friday’s practice.Jonathan Tannenwald
This is despite the fact that Freese has started 15 of the Americans’ 18 games since his debut last June, including a Gold Cup tournament that cemented his rise and U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino’s demotion of Turner.
That demotion, in turn, came despite Turner having been the starter at the 2022 World Cup and for a long time afterward. Now, he’s the only goalkeeper on this World Cup squad with experience in the tournament.
With the clock ticking toward Friday night, what happens now — or at least until Pochettino is asked about it at his news conference on Thursday?
Even then, he might choose not to name a starter publicly.
If Mauricio Pochettino has made his decision about his starting goalkeeper, he hasn’t said so publicly.Jonathan Tannenwald
From most of the indications we have so far, Freese is ahead. The fact that he started the final tuneup game vs. Germany signaled that after Turner played the first half of the first tuneup vs. Senegal.
What is certain is that each is laser-focused on trying to win the race and on his individual tasks to get there.
After two years on campus, he left to turn pro with the Union, and served as Andre Blake’s backup for four seasons before getting a trade to New York City FC so he could become a starter. He has kept improving since then, combining his saves, passing, and a work ethic that Pochettino appreciates.
Matt Freese (center) during the U.S. team’s game against Paraguay at Subaru Park in November. The teams will meet again in their World Cup opener on Friday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“I think the mentality that I always have, and I always will have for the next 15 years of playing, is to never expect to be in a roster,” Freese said in a recent news conference. “You always want to chase it, no matter what. And even if you’re a guy who’s played 100 games in a row for the national team, I’m going to be someone that is chasing that next one.”
As cliché as it is to say, consistency is key, and Freese lives it intentionally.
“I think every player has his own routines and strategies, but what works for me is taking every game the same and doing the same routine,” he said, “and doing the same preparation, same mind work, same physical work. Because then you arrive into the game in your standard situation.”
Matt Freese has started 15 of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s last 18 games.Jonathan Tannenwald
Freese acknowledged that “it’s obviously a World Cup, and it’s obviously different, and it’s obviously special: a once, twice hopefully, in a lifetime experience. And so that excitement will be there, naturally.”
But he persists, all the way down to what he packed for the trip.
“I bring my tea kettle, so I make the same tea. I’ve brought my own alarm clock from home,” he said. “The exact same stuff. I love keeping things consistent because if it works for you in small moments, then the game itself doesn’t change. So it helps me, at least, deal with those big moments and that pressure.”
And there undoubtedly is pressure: to make a historic impact at this World Cup, and on him personally to continue the legacy built by Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, and Tim Howard. Howard often wore No. 24, the same one that’s on Freese’s back this summer.
Matt Freese with his No. 24 jersey at the introduction of the U.S. World Cup team last month.Eduardo Munoz Alvarez
“I was a fan of that goalkeeping corps for much of my life — still am,“ Freese said. “And so it’s an honor to be on this team and be part of that group, to hopefully continue that great legacy.”
He summed it up this way: “The ones that work hard without the promise of reward are the ones that usually succeed.”
Now to Turner, who has his own remarkable story. The 31-year-old North Jersey native wasn’t well-known when the New England Revolution signed him undrafted out of Fairfield in 2016, but he quickly became a stalwart. That led not just to being the 2022 World Cup starter, but to a $6 million move to England’s Arsenal earlier that year.
But he failed to establish himself there, so he moved across England to Nottingham Forest, then Crystal Palace on loan, then France’s Lyon. None of those moves brought stability, and his U.S. stock started falling as a result.
Matt Turner played just seven games for Arsenal in his short time with the English Premier League giant.Julio Cortez
So he returned to New England on loan last summer, and this year has finally regained his form. By some statistical measures, he has done better than Freese in MLS this year.
With the U.S., Freese looked better in the March games vs. Belgium in Portugal. If Turner looked slightly better against Senegal than Freese did in conceding an early free kick goal to Germany, the fact that Turner only played half of his game means a full comparison isn’t possible.
“I think playing consistent minutes at the level that I’ve been playing at this year has helped me tremendously with staying ready,” Turner said, “unlike in the past, where I was kind of scrapping for minutes at the club level, and then when you show up to the national team, you’re not as sharp when your number is called. So it’s obviously been really great to be playing consistently, be an important player for my team as well, and, of course, that just helps with my preparation on a weekly basis, daily basis.”
One of Pochettino’s goals in his tenure has been to foster competition across the roster, so no player feels assured of a place — which can breed the complacency that sank the team at the 2024 Copa América. In that context, Turner was asked to expand on his “lack of clarity” remark: Is it a good dynamic or too unsettling?
Matt Turner (left) with the Union’s Andrew Rick, who’s serving as a guest player for U.S. practices this summer.Jonathan Tannenwald
“I think it’s a great thing, and I think he’s constructed a roster of guys that buy into that,” he said. “And it creates competition in training for spots on a weekly basis. Just because [a group of] 11 starts one game doesn’t mean the next 11 is going to be the same. Everybody knows that they’re looked at in the same light in the coach’s eyes, and if they merit and deserve an opportunity with this coach, they’re going to get one.”
And asked if he prefers to not have the starter at his position set yet, Turner was just as direct.
“Well, given the fact that I haven’t played a ton in the last year for the national team, of course, for me, that makes me feel like the door is always cracked [open] — everyone has a chance,” he said. “But I think the coach will always pick the guy that’s playing the best, and he’s going to make the right decision for the team. And whatever my role is going to be, I’m going to be ready to do it to the best of my ability.”
What tokens of Philadelphia appreciation would you bring across the globe to the first pope from the United States?
A bundle of Villanova swag? A replica of George Washington’s Acts of Congress? A Wawa tote bag filled with Tastykakes?
That’s what a delegation of Philadelphians on behalf of the National Constitution Center brought to Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican ahead of his speech to be broadcast on Independence Mall next month amid the city’s celebrations of the country’s 250th birthday.
The pontiff, who has ties to the Philadelphia region as an alumnus of Villanova University, gave a “big belly laugh” at the sight of the Tastykakes, a gift from Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez.
“Where else would this happen that you meet up with the archbishop toting Tastykakes in a Wawa bag?” said Vince Stango, interim president and CEO of the Constitution Center, in an interview Tuesday. “So there was a real humanity to it, a real Philadelphia vibe that was unmistakable.”
But the group’s visit to the Apostolic Palace, the pope’s official residence, was not just about Philly’s delectable sweets or relentless Big 5 basketball pride. It served as a precursor to Leo’s speech that will be shown live on Independence Mall and YouTube on July 3 as he delivers an acceptance speech for the Constitution Center’s annual Liberty Medal award.
The delegation from the Constitution Center, which included Stango, Pérez, and four center board members, presented Leo with the medal, which honors the pontiff’s efforts toward promoting religious liberty.
“I would just like to recall the words signed by the Founding Fathers of the nation 250 years ago in Philadelphia in the Declaration of Independence when they said that we hold these truths to be self-evident … that all men have received fundamental rights from our creator,“ the pope said upon receiving the Liberty Medal.
”And they include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. May those values continue to inspire us in the United States and throughout the would, and together hopefully,” he continued.
The July 3 ceremony, beginning at 11 a.m., will also feature remarks from Stango, Pérez, civic leaders, and various faith leaders, including:
Imam Quaiser D. Abdullah: director, Mayor’s Office of Muslim Engagement; board member of Interfaith Philadelphia.
The Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness: pastor of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church; board member of Interfaith Philadelphia.
The Rev. Luis A. Cortés Jr.: founder, president, and CEO of Esperanza; founding member of Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia; member of the Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia.
Rabbi Jill L. Maderer: senior rabbi of Congregation Rodeph Shalom; board member of Interfaith Philadelphia.
The Cathedral Basilica Choir andthe Archdiocesan Choir of Philadelphia will also perform.
Stango said the pope took his receipt of the Liberty Medal award very seriously, and the pontiff had taken it upon himself to confirm the details of the delegation’s visit to the Vatican on April 30, in an email on the morning of Good Friday.
“His character as an individual and his humbleness really came through,” Stango said.
The Philadelphia delegation was greeted at the Vatican by the Swiss Guard, an armed patrol that has watched over the pope since 1506, said Stango, who described the “grandeur” of driving through the property toward the Apostolic Palace, where every room was “like you’re in the Sistine Chapel.”
They met Leo in the gathering room and presented him with two medals — one for him to keep and another to bless, as it will be displayed at the Constitution Center — along with his Philly-centric gifts.
Stango said he was able to walk the pope through the copy of Acts of Congress, which is a replica of Washington’s personal volume, and comb through the first president’s notes in the margins. The delegation then spoke with Leo about the work being done at the Constitution Center and the principles that the United States was founded on.
“It had the intimacy of the Philadelphia connection, but it also had the magnitude of the global impact of the award, and what it represents, and what Pope Leo represents as a recipient,” Stango said.
Leo’s participation in next month’s ceremony is notable given that the next day — on the Fourth of July — the pontiff will be in Lampedusa, a small Italian island between Sicily and North Africa, along what is considered one of the deadliest migration routes in the world.
The Vatican has said that the pope, who was elected in May 2025, will not be traveling to the United States in 2026. Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, personally delivered Leo an invitation to visit the White House earlier this year.
That invitation came before tensions spiked between the pope and the White House after the pontiff criticized the United States’ war on Iran.President Donald Trump, in turn, said on his social media platform Truth Social in April that the pope is “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”
Leo said at the time that he had “no fear of the Trump administration.”
“We are not politicians, we don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker,” Leo said.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced Tuesday that 770 free World Cup tickets will be given to New Jersey residents, with the tickets earmarked for youth soccer players, families of National Guard members, sick children, and first responders.
The news comes just days before the first New Jersey match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, and about three weeks after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that 1,000 New Yorkers would receive discounted World Cup tickets, which angered Garden State soccer fans and some of our state lawmakers.
“As governor, I promised to open the doors of opportunity, and I meant that in ways both big and small. Today, we’re giving fans another opportunity to get to the game,” Sherrill said at a press conference at Hackensack University Medical Center.
The 770 tickets will be spread across five group stage matches and two knockout rounds, and none will be available for the final match played in East Rutherford on July 19.
Five hundred of the tickets will go to New Jersey Youth Soccer players from underserved communities, families of New Jersey National Guard members deployed overseas, Hackensack Meridian Health patients in the Make-A-Wish program, and Bergen County first responders helping with World Cup operations. Another 200 tickets will be made available to New Jersey nurses, other healthcare workers, and pediatric patients, including children facing serious illnesses and their families.
The remaining 70 tickets will be available for state residents through a World Cup rewards program that allows people to earn entry by visiting small businesses and attending community events.
Sherrill said the free tickets are funded entirely through private sector partnerships, including with Uber, Choose New Jersey, and Hackensack Meridian Health. The committee organizing New Jersey’s World Cup matches is separately providing $3.6 million to support transportation costs for these ticket holders.
FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, has struggled to fill seats for what it touts as the largest World Cup in the tournament’s history, and NJ Transit’s dedicated train service has seen far fewer sales than expected. FIFA’s website shows tickets available for all matches in East Rutherford, ranging from a few hundred dollars to over $30,000 for the final.
Transportation to the game on NJ Transit costs $98, a drop from the original $150 cost, but still several times more than the typical $12.90 fare to MetLife Stadium. According to NJ.com, just 10% of tickets were sold as of Sunday.
No matter what social media tells you, Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts are still pretty popular.
For the second year in a row, the Eagles’ offensive duo ranked in the top 10 in jersey and merchandise sales, according to the NFL Players Association’s year-end list. Barkley’s jersey was the third highest-selling overall, while Hurts finished seventh. In fact, this year marked the third straight that a pair of Eagles appeared in the top 10 — in 2024, Hurts and Jason Kelce placed first and second, respectively.
The list took into account all officially licensed player products purchased from March 2025 through February 2026. The merchandise, which sold for more than $1.9 billion across more than 50 countries, according to the NFLPA, includes jerseys, drinkware, bobbleheads, accessories, and more.
“Fans have more choices than ever when it comes to the players they follow and support, and the Year-End Top 50 gives us a real look at who they’re showing up for,” president of NFL Players Inc. Matt Curtin said in a release.
After surpassing 2,000 rushing yards during the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl season, Barkley finished with 1,140 and seven touchdowns last season. The running back’s drop in production coincided with a slight dip in popularity. Barkley was ranked the top-selling player a year prior, but he still topped all running backs in total merchandise sold for the second straight year.
Barkley also finished in the top five in almost nearly every other listed category, including jersey sales, FOCO bobbleheads, Fathead wall decals, and shirts from BreakingT and 500 LEVEL.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts ranked seventh in jersey sales last seasonJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Hurts, who passed for 3,224 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025, suffered a dip in sales as well, falling from third to seventh overall. In terms of quarterbacks, Hurts trailed Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen (No. 1), Patriots’ Drake Maye (No. 2), Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels (No. 5), and Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes (No. 6).
The Eagles quarterback did prove to be especially popular with the next generation of rabid fans. He ranked second in youth apparel sales, trailing just Mahomes. Barkley was fourth in the category.
The only other team to boast two players in the top 10 overall was the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Jordan Love ranked ninth overall while linebacker Micah Parsons, who the team acquired last season from the Dallas Cowboys, rounded out the top 10.
But Barkley and Hurts weren’t alone. Two more Eagles also made the NFLPA’s top-50 highest sellers list.
Cooper DeJean topped all NFL defensive backs in total merchandise sold last season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
At No. 22, Cooper DeJean topped all NFL defensive backs in total merchandise sold. After a breakout rookie year, DeJean logged 93 total tackles and two interceptions during his sophomore season, which also resulted in his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections. DeJean climbed 20 spots from No. 42 last year.
Former Eagles receiver A.J. Brown, on the other hand, fell 26 spots and just made the list at No. 50. There is also likely a bit of buyer’s remorse for Birds fans who recently bought the wideout’s gear. Last week, Brown was traded to the New England Patriots. He caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns during his final season with Philadelphia.
But now that he’s playing in a new team’s uniform, there’s a good chance Brown skyrockets back up this list next season. Perhaps his departure will have a similar effect on new Eagles No. 1 wideout, DeVonta Smith, who was 29th last June but fell off this year’s list.
As Philadelphia prepares for a summer of pageantry with the World Cup and celebrations to mark the country’s 250th anniversary, a public safety hub is opening on Market Street to coordinate police responses in the area.
The center at 1011 Market St. will be a place for three police forces — Thomas Jefferson University police, Philadelphia police, and SEPTA police — to coordinate.
Officials expect that the hub will enable police to respond faster to incidents in the area both ahead of the World Cup and as part of a long-term effort to revitalize Market Street. Without an established place for collaboration, officers’ ability to work with different departments was hampered by the lack of physical infrastructure to coordinate.
“We’ve never had anything like this before,” said Kevin Seta, the director for public safety for Jefferson. Before this hub, he explained, “everyone’s kind of working in silos. We do work very well together with these partner agencies, and we share as much as we can. But in this case, this will allow us to be all in the same room at the same time.”
With the new center, police presence will increase on Market, Filbert, 11th, and 12th Streets. The hub will become the main headquarters for the Jefferson police force, which was previously on the other side of the Jefferson campus. Twelve officers from the Philadelphia Police Department have been assigned to East Market Street and will use the hub as needed, along with SEPTA officers who patrol the area. Jefferson CEO Joseph G. Cacchione said that with the new officers, he has already noticed a difference in vagrancy and panhandling.
The city has allocated $1 million for the hub. Jefferson, which has a large presence in the area with its university and health system, will provide additional funds for the project.
A holding cell at the new public safety hub for Market Street on June 9, 2026.Isabel Maney / Staff
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker emphasized that the public safety hub was part of a larger project to make Market Street “safer, cleaner, and greener.”
“We are strengthening our work here in Center City, creating a vibrant and thriving corridor where we have more than 60 partners from across the business, civic, and community sectors,” Parker said. As an expected tens of thousands of visitors begin to arrive, “this coordination right now is more important than ever.”
One in three Pennsylvania residents who bought an Affordable Care Act health plan last year has dropped coverage for 2026, after costs more than doubled on average when a critical financial incentive program expired.
A total of 160,000 people who bought a health plan through Pennie, the state’s ACA marketplace, last year had canceled their coverage as of the end of May. That includes just under 55,000 people in the five-county Philadelphia region, figures released Tuesday show.
Many of those 160,000 will become uninsured, marketplace leaders expect, though some may enroll in private health insurance through a new job, or transition to government coverage through Medicaid or Medicare.
Cost was the most common reason people cited for dropping their plans, said Devon Trolley, Pennie’s executive director.
“People want to have coverage, they see the value and the protection it provides,” Trolley said. “And when they can afford it, they enroll.”
Pennie leaders were bracing for dropouts on this scale after Congress failed to renew for this year a financial incentive program that ensured no one paid more than 8.5% of their salary for health coverage.
The so-called enhanced premium tax credits became a major sticking point in federal budget discussions last fall that led to a Democrat-forced government shutdown. Republicans had refused to include the tax credits without significant restrictions.
The tax credits introduced in 2021 had helped to drive Pennie enrollment to a record 497,000 enrollees last year. Just over 443,000 people were enrolled in Pennie as of June, with new enrollees partially offsetting the losses.
In New Jersey, nearly 69,000 people dropped out of their ACA plans between the end of January and April, according to the state’s Department of Banking and Insurance. The figures it released tracked drops only since the end of the state’s open enrollment Jan. 31.
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Dropping coverage over high cost
Many people were able to keep health coverage by switching to a less expensive plan.
In New Jersey, thousands of peopleopted for less expensive plans, instead of canceling their coverage entirely.
The most popular mid-level Silver plans accounted for 68% of New Jersey marketplace enrollments, down from 83% the year before. Many switched to Bronze plans, which have cheaper monthly premiums but higher out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles.
In Pennsylvania, Trolley said that marketplace leaders have “heard from people who tried to make it work” but a few months into the new year, decided they couldn’t afford to keep their plan.
Even less-expensive plans have become unaffordable, said Antoinette Kraus, executive director of Pennsylvania Health Access Network, which helps people enroll in coverage.
“It means that people are going to go uninsured,” Kraus said. “They’ll delay getting care, get sicker, and end up in the emergency department with conditions that could have been prevented.”
In Pennsylvania, dropouts have been highest among people age 55 and older, who are nearing Medicare eligibility and who pay more for coverage than younger people.
By income level, dropouts have been greatest among people with incomes between 150-200% of the federal poverty rate. That’s an annual income of between $23,475 and $31,300 for an individual. For a family of four, the equivalent income range would be $48,225 to $64,300.
Income-based tax credits for lower-income individuals and families are still available because they were written into law under the ACA.
Ongoing ACA challenges
Marketplace leaders predicted that people would continue to drop plans through the spring, when the grace period for overdue premiums passed. People who qualify for a tax credit have 90 days to pay their premium before losing coverage; everyone else has 30 days.
Dropouts may now level off, but new challenges are looming for the ACA marketplaces. Last year’s federal spending package included new rules that would save billions of dollars through cuts to the ACA marketplaces and Medicaid, the publicly funded health program for low-income families and people with disabilities.
Beginning this fall, open enrollment will start earlier and be cut short by about two weeks, running Oct. 15 through Dec. 15. In the past, people have had until at least mid-January to sign up.
Also beginning this fall, certain groups of people who legally immigrated to the United States will not be able to enroll in marketplace plans, Medicaid, or Medicare.
In 2027, new enrollment rules will prevent marketplaces from automatically renewing plans, requiring individuals to resubmit and verify their eligibility annually.
Amy Poehler had somewhat of a rude welcome when visiting Philadelphia.
“The only time I’ve ever been called a c-word to my face [was] at the Philadelphia airport [with Tina Fey],” the Parks and Recreation actor said, laughing, on the latest episode of her podcast, Good Hang.
Poehler’s crime? Saying no to an autograph flipper.
“Tina turned to me and she goes, ‘Welcome to Philly,’” Poehler added, referring to her close friend, the Upper Darby native and collaborator on last year’s “Restless Leg” comedy tour.
Her guest on the podcast, West Philly native Colman Domingo, seemed to empathize but also rose to the defense of his hometown.
“[Philly’s] a city of underdogs. Tina and I, we always talk about that,” said Domingo, who stars in Netflix’s The Four Seasons, on which Fey is a showrunner. “We’re like, there’s something, that Philly in us.”
Fey, who grew up taking trips to Wildwood, has the characters in Season 2 of The Four Seasons taking their summer vacation at the Jersey Shore, as a nod to her Philly roots. Domingo, who attended Temple University, also vacationed down the Shore, frequenting Margate and Cape May.
Domingo also recalled several Philly-specific memories from his childhood on the podcast, claiming that his parents “used to always throw the best parties.”
“We lived in a rowhome in Philadelphia, and [in] the basement, we had a bar down there,” he said, adding that dancing was a big part of those house parties.
“We dance like, do you remember that show Dancin’ on Air? With Kelly Ripa? They don’t move like that anymore. We moved like we were trying to hurt somebody.”
Tina Fey as Kate and Colman Domingo as Danny in Season 2 of the Netflix comedy series “The Four Seasons,” premiering May 28.Emily V. Aragones/Netflix
And just in case Poehler needed more convincing that Philly is largely a decent and fun city, Domingo made sure to name-check another famous West Philadelphian: Will Smith.
“He was actually very friendly, everybody really liked him,” said Domingo of his fellow Overbrook High School alum.
Domingo, whose latest release is Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, definitely has more convincing to do.
“Philly makes Boston look like London, England,” said Poehler, referring to her Massachusetts hometown. “Philly is wild. [The Phillie Phanatic] is an insane person.”
A bill designed to protect reproductive and transgender healthcare in New Jersey passed an Assembly panel Monday, clearing it for a final vote in the legislature that could come later this week.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee voted along party lines to pass the Democratic proposal, which would create a new crime of interfering with reproductive and transgender healthcare services.
“This bill is needed to strengthen New Jersey’s existing shield protections and respond to the current reality of legal attacks on patients and providers,” testified Sarah Best, legislative and advocacy director for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey, the healthcare system’s political arm.
Best said the legislation is modeled on a federal statute designed to protect reproductive care access that is no longer being enforced under the Trump administration, making a state-level law more urgent. The legislation has long been a priority for LGBTQ+ organizations.
“Reproductive health and gender-affirming care providers are under unique scrutiny from extremist governments and activists,” Best said.
The bill was amended to align with a version that passed the Senate in late May, nearly two years after it was first introduced. A full vote in the Assembly — the last step before it could be signed into law by Gov. Mikie Sherrill — could come when members gather Thursday.
Republican lawmakers on Monday echoed concerns raised by opponents of the bill, who say it would interfere with constitutional free speech rights, further erode parental rights, and make New Jersey a “sanctuary state” for clinicians who specialize in services sought by transgender patients.
Gregory Quinlan, the founder and leader of the conservative advocacy organization Center for Garden State Families, said activists who oppose the use of those services and are anti-abortion could be arrested for praying outside facilities or engaging in what he called “sidewalk counseling” sessions.
“We could be 100 feet away and just praying” and still be found in violation, Quinlan said.
Gregory Quinlan.Dana DiFilippo/New Jersey Monitor
Marie Tasy, executive director of anti-abortion group New Jersey Right to Life, said language in the bill could make people afraid to speak out against abortion.
“The threat of prosecution is enough to silence lawful speech. And that happens to be exactly what this bill is designed to accomplish,” she said.
“This is the common thread that seems to run through everyone’s testimony,” Assemblyman Robert Auth (R-Bergen) said about the free speech concerns.
Lauren Albrecht, senior director of advocacy and organizing at Garden State Equality, an LGBTQ+ organization, noted that many parents had testified in previous hearings about the struggles they face trying to secure healthcare for their transgender children. Multiple parents described being told by doctors that medical care they said has saved their children’s lives would be suspended.
“The parents of trans kids have rights, too,” Albrecht said.
Bill sponsor Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul (D-Monmouth) held back tears as she rebutted testimony from some opponents who had challenged the need for gender-affirming care entirely.
“Let’s talk reality. Let’s talk truth,” said Peterpaul, who is gay, adding, “My rights should not be dictated by someone who doesn’t understand who I am.”
The proposal builds on existing reproductive care shield laws and expands the definition of these services to include care for transgender patients through a 2017 law that requires insurance coverage for all forms of gender-affirming care, treatments that can include hormone therapy, mental health services, and surgery.
The bill would make it a fourth-degree crime to harass, harm, or block patients, healthcare providers, staff, or volunteers from entering a healthcare facility and would protect providers from extradition to states that have criminalized reproductive or transgender treatments. Violators could face as many as 10 years in prison and a fine of $150,000 if someone is injured during the interference.
Trenton Councilwoman Jennifer Williams is the first transgender person elected to a municipal council in New Jersey. Williams told the panel that the bill would “protect the young, the adults like me, and our senior citizens who are transgender.”
“We deserve it and we are worth it,” Williams said.
An analysis by nonpartisan staff with the Office of Legislative Services found that if signed into law, the bill would have an “indeterminate” impact on state finances. The only clear cost identified was the expense of prosecuting and imprisoning offenders, calculated at just over $83,000 annually, per person.
