Latest news with #Philadelphian
Business Wire
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
From Gas Station Grill to National Powerhouse: Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Becomes First Black-Owned Cheesesteak Brand to Crack Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers List
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, the burgeoning fast casual brand that started in a gas station and is now a nationally-recognized franchise from entrepreneur and visionary Derrick Hayes, has ranked # 6 on Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers of 2025. Big Dave's Cheesesteaks is proud to be the first majority black-owned brand named on this esteemed industry list. Additionally, Big Dave's Cheesesteaks President Jessie Bray was also honored in the Top 25 Fast Casual Executives list. 'As one of the youngest black men to ever make the Top 100 'Movers & Shakers' list, the impact and inspiration that this award will have on future entrepreneurs who come from a similar background is not lost on me,' said Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Founder and CEO Derrick Hayes. 'It's an honor that my passion and purpose for this brand is being recognized, and I couldn't do it without my incredible team and valued franchise partners.' Named as a tribute to his late father, the West Philly native Derrick Hayes overcame adversity and Big Dave's Cheesesteaks got its break when Grammy-winning artist and fellow Philadelphian Eve promoted the food after visiting his first location. Since 2014, Hayes has successfully grown Big Dave's from a 700 square foot space in a gas station in Dunwoody, Georgia to locations across the Southeast (Georgia, Florida, North Caroline, South Carolina) and into major sports stadiums like Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Orlando's Kia Center. Big Dave's Cheesesteaks has attained impressive growth all while being self-funded and independently built, and the fast growing brand aims to rapidly scale in 2025 by inking deals for 100 locations by the end of year. "I'm proud of the growth we have achieved so far as a brand, and it has been a pleasure working with Derrick to see his dream come true,' said Big Dave's Cheesesteaks President Jessie Bray. 'Being recognized as one of the top Movers and Shakers helps pave the way to achieve our goal of 100 signed franchise locations by the end of the year. While being honored as one of the Top 25 Executives in Fast Casual shows our dedication to our team members, it's our core values, business strategy and fact-based decision making that are the keys to Big Dave's Cheesesteaks long term success." Awarded annually since 2006, the Top 100 award honors the top 100 brands and 25 executives who are leading the fast casual restaurant industry. It celebrates their accomplishments in growth and sales, as well as their influence on menu innovation and trends. The award recognizes growth and sales accomplishments but also trend setting and incorporating technology to enhance the customer experience. To view the 'Top 100 Movers & Shakers' list in its entirety, visit About Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, founded by Derrick Hayes, is revolutionizing fast-casual dining with bold flavors, high-quality ingredients, and a commitment to innovation. Established in 2014 in a 700-square-foot gas station in Dunwoody, Georgia, the brand has expanded significantly, now boasting multiple locations across Georgia, including three inside Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In addition to its Georgia presence, Big Dave's has expanded into Florida with locations in Orlando's Camping World Stadium and partnerships with the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center. The brand has also opened its first out-of-state location in Charlotte, North Carolina. The establishment is a tribute to Derrick's late father, David Hayes, whose legacy inspires the brand's dedication to quality and community engagement. For more information visit Big Dave's Cheesesteaks and follow along at @bigdavescheesesteaks
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Officials call for more poll workers in Philadelphia ahead of Pennsylvania primary election
City of Philadelphia still needs poll workers for Pennsylvania Primary City of Philadelphia still needs poll workers for Pennsylvania Primary City of Philadelphia still needs poll workers for Pennsylvania Primary The Pennsylvania primary election is hours away. Many critical races are happening right here in Philadelphia, including the Democratic primary for Philadelphia district attorney. Incumbent Larry Krasner is up against challenger former municipal judge Patrick Dugan. Monday afternoon, Philadelphia city commissioners joined members of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office Election Task Force to discuss election protection and their efforts to maintain integrity. They say if there are any threats of violence, please call 911. "We would just like to remind you and reiterate that voting is safe and secure in Philadelphia," Commissioner Lisa Deely said. Also on Monday, Chairman Commissioner Omar Sabir spoke at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility to champion voting rights for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated citizens. He also issued an urgent call for poll workers in Northeast Philadelphia. New workers will be trained online and work alongside experienced members. "We feel confident, you know, we have the best election staff in the country, and we need poll workers. You can make up to $295," said Sabir. There is also a big push to get people to vote. On Tuesday, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. "It's a sacred right, and we want every eligible Philadelphian, doesn't matter whether or not you are incarcerated, it doesn't matter if you are free, doesn't matter if you have a criminal background, we want to hear from you," Sabir said. Voters can also drop off their competed vote by mail ballots at drop box locations and satellite locations all across the city. "If you are currently in possession of a mail-in ballot, it may have been sitting on your refrigerator, it may have been inside your house, and you may have have just been looking at it and you have it, we want you to bring it back. Please do not put your ballot in the mailbox," he said.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WATCH: Giants Channel Reality TV in Schedule Release
On Wednesday night, the New York Giants' schedule was revealed, giving fans the time and date for each of their regular-season games. Some fans found out early, as the schedule leaked on social media, and others stayed tuned for 8 p.m., when the league made a show out of the schedule release. (It's incredible what the league can monetize these days.) Advertisement For those conveniently scrolling on Wednesday evening, they may have found New York's schedule release video. Fans can watch the Giants' reality-television-inspired video here. Seemingly based on the British reality show 'Love Island,' New York 'meets' each of its opponents in an over-the-top introduction. Of course, the Giants were happy to poke fun at their division rivals. The Philadelphia Eagles (Weeks 6 and 8) were portrayed as an obnoxious… Philadelphian who is happy to boast about the 'tush push.' The Dallas Cowboys (Weeks 2 and 18) are played by an old cheerleader trying to relive the glory years of the 1990s. For the Washington Commanders (Weeks 1 and 15), New York pokes fun at their perpetual branding issues, having had three names in the last decade and another change never too far away. Advertisement The Giants also took not-so-subtle shots at a handful of famous figures connected to the football world. They kicked things off with the Kansas City Chiefs (Week 3) with a Taylor Swift wannabe whose favorite animal happens to be a zebra, a predictable play given the AFC dynasty's reputation. A Bostonian dressed like Bill Belichick who is self-proclaimed as past his prime represents the New England Patriots (Week 13). Unsurprisingly, Eminem's style was replicated for the Detroit Lions (Week 12). For the Chicago Bears (Week 10), the fan looks like franchise legend Mike Ditka. The Green Bay Packers (Week 11) fan falls in (Jordan) Love, and the Minnesota Vikings (Week 16) fan was a little too nice New York's video also showcased an outdoorsman (Denver Broncos, Week 7), a scary but soft Las Vegas Raiders fan (Week 17), a nerd meant to be San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan (Week 9), and a partygoer for the New Orleans Saints (Week 5). Advertisement The Giants will play the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and New England Patriots in the preseason. Related: Giants Schedule Reveals Potential Dart Debuts Related: Giants Entire 2025 NFL Schedule Released Via Massive Leak
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside Why Roseman is ‘Most Valuable Philadelphian'
In a city that breathes football, one man has become synonymous with the Philadelphia Eagles' modern success story. Now, Howie Roseman has another honor to add to his growing legacy: 2024's "Most Valuable Philadelphian." The Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation announced on June 10 that Roseman would receive the prestigious honor, recognizing his impact on elevating the city's profile both through his football acumen and community initiatives. Roseman's journey with the Eagles began in 2000 when he arrived as a 24-year-old intern armed with a law degree and boundless determination. Twenty-five years later, his fingerprints are on every aspect of the organization, from Super Bowl trophies to the team's deep community roots. Advertisement What makes Roseman's story quintessentially Philadelphian is the resilience he's shown throughout his career. After being temporarily sidelined during the Chip Kelly era, Roseman returned stronger than ever, orchestrating the roster that would bring the city its first Lombardi Trophy. Roseman's genius has been most evident in his ability to balance analytics with instinct. When the Eagles collapsed following their 2023 Super Bowl appearance, he didn't hesitate to tear down what wasn't working and rebuild with remarkable efficiency. The results speak for themselves. The Eagles boast the NFL's third-best winning percentage since 2021 (.706), with Roseman drafting 16 Pro Bowlers during that span. His ability to find talent in unexpected places—transforming former Australian rugby player Jordan Mailata into an All-Pro offensive lineman or rehabilitating Mekhi Becton into a Pro Bowl guard—has become his calling card. Perhaps most impressively, Roseman's bold trade for A.J. Brown and his widely questioned signing of Saquon Barkley (who rushed for 2,005 yards in 2024) demonstrate his willingness to make high-stakes moves that ultimately pay dividends. Advertisement While Roseman's football decision making alone might justify the "Most Valuable Philadelphian" title, his impact extends beyond the sidelines. His community work—funding youth programs, supporting military families, and even participating in charity events—has made him a fixture in Philadelphia's civic life. Moreover, Roseman has turned the Eagles' front office into a GM factory, with protégés like Cleveland's Andrew Berry and Chicago's Ian Cunningham now leading their own teams—spreading the "Philly blueprint" throughout the league. As Saints GM Mickey Loomis joked in 2024, "Howie's really a bright guy, but he's also one of those guys where I have to keep both hands in my back pockets when I'm talking to him." With the 2025 season approaching and Dallas set to visit Lincoln Financial Field for the opener, Roseman's focus remains unwavering: sustain dominance. The current Eagles roster is vintage Roseman—only 14 players remain from the 2023 Super Bowl loss, with rookies like Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean anchoring a defense that allowed the fewest explosive plays last season. After all, in a city that embodies grit and perseverance, who better to represent Philadelphia than the executive who transformed from an eager intern to the architect of a football dynasty? Related: Phillies MVP Reminds Of Eagles Leader With Head-Turning New Hairstyle Related: Eagles Poised For Tush Push Revenge With Schedule Release
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
At Social Security, these are the days of the living dead
Health Care At Social Security, these are the days of the living dead Social Security glitches label the living as dead, disrupt payments and create bureaucratic headaches for beneficiaries nationwide. TNS Rennie Glasgow, who has served 15 years at the Social Security Administration, is seeing something new on the job: dead people. They're not really dead, of course. In four instances over the past few weeks, he told KFF Health News, his Schenectady, New York, office has seen people come in for whom 'there is no information on the record, just that they are dead.' So employees have to 'resurrect' them — affirm that they're living, so they can receive their benefits. Revivals were 'sporadic' before, and there's been an uptick in such cases across upstate New York, said Glasgow. He is also an official with the American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represented 42,000 Social Security employees just before the start of President Donald Trump's second term. Martin O'Malley, who led the Social Security Administration toward the end of the Joe Biden administration, said in an interview that he had heard similar stories during a recent town hall in Racine, Wisconsin. 'In that room of 200 people, two people raised their hands and said they each had a friend who was wrongly marked as deceased when they're very much alive,' he said. It's more than just an inconvenience, because other institutions rely on Social Security numbers to do business, Glasgow said. Being declared dead 'impacts their bank account. This impacts their insurance. This impacts their ability to work. This impacts their ability to get anything done in society.' 'They are terminating people's financial lives,' O'Malley said. Though it's just one of the things advocates and lawyers worry about, these erroneous deaths come after a pair of initiatives from new leadership at the SSA to alter or update its databases of the living and the dead. Holders of millions of Social Security numbers have been marked as deceased. Separately, according to The Washington Post and The New York Times, thousands of numbers belonging to immigrants have been purged, cutting them off from banks and commerce, in an effort to encourage these people to 'self-deport.' Glasgow said SSA employees received an agency email in April about the purge, instructing them how to resurrect beneficiaries wrongly marked dead. 'Why don't you just do due diligence to make sure what you're doing in the first place is correct?' he said. The incorrectly marked deaths are just a piece of the Trump administration's crash program purporting to root out fraud, modernize technology, and secure the program's future. But KFF Health News' interviews with more than a dozen beneficiaries, advocates, lawyers, current and former employees, and lawmakers suggest the overhaul is making the agency worse at its primary job: sending checks to seniors, orphans, widows, and those with disabilities. Philadelphian Lisa Seda, who has cancer, has been struggling for weeks to sort out her 24-year-old niece's difficulties with Social Security's disability insurance program. There are two problems: first, trying to change her niece's address; second, trying to figure out why the program is deducting roughly $400 a month for Medicare premiums, when her disability lawyer — whose firm has a policy against speaking on the record — believes they could be zero. Since March, sometimes Social Security has direct-deposited payments to her niece's bank account and other times mailed checks to her old address. Attempting to sort that out has been a morass of long phone calls on hold and in-person trips seeking an appointment. Before 2025, getting the agency to process changes was usually straightforward, her lawyer said. Not anymore. The need is dire. If the agency halts the niece's disability payments, 'then she will be homeless,' Seda recalled telling an agency employee. 'I don't know if I'm going to survive this cancer or not, but there is nobody else to help her.' Some of the problems are technological. According to whistleblower information provided to Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, the agency's efforts to process certain data have been failing more frequently. When that happens, 'it can delay or even stop payments to Social Security recipients,' the committee recently told the agency's inspector general. While tech experts and former Social Security officials warn about the potential for a complete system crash, day-to-day decay can be an insidious and serious problem, said Kathleen Romig, formerly of the Social Security Administration and its advisory board and currently the director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Beneficiaries could struggle to get appointments or the money they're owed, she said. For its more than 70 million beneficiaries nationwide, Social Security is crucial. More than a third of recipients said they wouldn't be able to afford necessities if the checks stopped coming, according to National Academy of Social Insurance survey results published in January. Advocates and lawyers say lately Social Security is failing to deliver, to a degree that's nearly unprecedented in their experience. Carolyn Villers, executive director of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, said two of her members' March payments were several days late. 'For one member that meant not being able to pay rent on time,' she said. 'The delayed payment is not something I've heard in the last 20 years.' When KFF Health News presented the agency with questions, Social Security officials passed them off to the White House. White House spokesperson Elizabeth Huston referred to Trump's 'resounding mandate' to make government more efficient. 'He has promised to protect social security, and every recipient will continue to receive their benefits,' Huston said in an email. She did not provide specific, on-the-record responses to questions. Complaints about missed payments are mushrooming. The Arizona attorney general's office had received approximately 40 complaints related to delayed or disrupted payments by early April, spokesperson Richie Taylor told KFF Health News. A Connecticut agency assisting people on Medicare said complaints related to Social Security — which often helps administer payments and enroll patients in the government insurance program primarily for those over age 65 — had nearly doubled in March compared with last year. Lawyers representing beneficiaries say that, while the historically underfunded agency has always had its share of errors and inefficiencies, it's getting worse as experienced employees have been let go. 'We're seeing more mistakes being made,' said James Ratchford, a lawyer in West Virginia with 17 years' experience representing Social Security beneficiaries. 'We're seeing more things get dropped.' What gets dropped, sometimes, are records of basic transactions. Kim Beavers of Independence, Missouri, tried to complete a periodic ritual in February: filling out a disability update form saying she remains unable to work. But her scheduled payments in March and April didn't show. She got an in-person appointment to untangle the problem — only to be told there was no record of her submission, despite her showing printouts of the relevant documents to the agency representative. Beavers has a new appointment scheduled for May, she said. Social Security employees frequently cite missing records to explain their inability to solve problems when they meet with lawyers and beneficiaries. A disability lawyer whose firm's policy does not allow them to be named had a particularly puzzling case: One client, a longtime Social Security disability recipient, had her benefits reassessed. After winning on appeal, the lawyer went back to the agency to have the payments restored — the recipient had been going without since February. But there was nothing there. 'To be told they've never been paid benefits before is just chaos, right? Unconditional chaos,' the lawyer said. Researchers and lawyers say they have a suspicion about what's behind the problems at Social Security: the Elon Musk-led effort to revamp the agency. Some 7,000 SSA employees have reportedly been let go; O'Malley has estimated that 3,000 more would leave the agency. 'As the workloads go up, the demoralization becomes deeper, and people burn out and leave,' he predicted in an April hearing held by House Democrats. 'It's going to mean that if you go to a field office, you're going to see a heck of a lot more empty, closed windows.' The departures have hit the agency's regional payment centers hard. These centers help process and adjudicate some cases. It's the type of behind-the-scenes work in which 'the problems surface first,' Romig said. But if the staff doesn't have enough time, 'those things languish.' Languishing can mean, in some cases, getting dropped by important programs like Medicare. Social Security often automatically deducts premiums, or otherwise administers payments, for the health program. Lately, Melanie Lambert, a senior advocate at the Center for Medicare Advocacy, has seen an increasing number of cases in which the agency determines beneficiaries owe money to Medicare. The cash is sent to the payment centers, she said. And the checks 'just sit there.' Beneficiaries lose Medicare, and 'those terminations also tend to happen sooner than they should, based on Social Security's own rules,' putting people into a bureaucratic maze, Lambert said. Employees' technology is more often on the fritz. 'There's issues every single day with our system. Every day, at a certain time, our system would go down automatically,' said Glasgow, of Social Security's Schenectady office. Those problems began in mid-March, he said. The new problems leave Glasgow suspecting the worst. 'It's more work for less bodies, which will eventually hype up the inefficiency of our job and make us, make the agency, look as though it's underperforming, and then a closer step to the privatization of the agency,' he said. Jodie Fleischer of Cox Media Group contributed to this report. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
