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![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/longhorned-tick-pa-gov-1024x751.jpeg\")
A longhorned tick is seen in a file photo. (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)<\/p>\n Invasive ticks swarm southeastern Pennsylvania
\nA longhorned tick is seen in a file photo. (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)<\/p>\n
A potentially serious threat is spreading through the commonwealth.\n<\/p>\n
Asian longhorned ticks<\/a> were first discovered in the U.S. in 2017 on a New Jersey sheep farm just north of Philadelphia, wrote Liz Tung and Alan Yu.\n<\/p>\n \u201cLonghorn ticks are found in 27 counties in Pennsylvania \u2014 almost the entire southern half of Pennsylvania,\u201d said Keith Price, who manages the Vector Management Laboratory at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.\n<\/p>\n As the calendar turns to 2026, Pennsylvanians will want to keep a close eye on the invasive species, with the hope it does not become a public health threat.\n <\/p>\n A former Eagle and Super Bowl champ goes to prison Wendell Smallwood Jr. was a reserve running back and kickoff returner for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 to 2018, which included the Super Bowl-winning squad in 2017.\n<\/p>\n In court, Smallwood stated that he had defrauded federal government programs, and he admitted to fleecing the Internal Revenue Service for $645,000, reported Cris Barrish<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n On Sept. 18, Smallwood was sentenced to 18 months in prison.\n<\/p>\n \u201cI make no excuses for what I have done,\u201d Smallwood said in court before being sentenced. \u201cI have nobody to blame but myself.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the full story on Smallwood\u2019s path from a Super Bowl championship to incarceration<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n What\u2019s the buzz with 6-7?<\/p>\n A hot topic this year was the phrase \u201c6-7.\u201d The two digits combined were named Dictionary.com\u2019s word of the year<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n The song by Philly rapper Skrilla, \u201cDoot Doot,\u201d includes the lyric, \u201cThe way that switch, I know he dyin\u2019 \u2026 6-7.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Though the track was released last year, the phrase found its way into widespread public vernacular in 2025.\n<\/p>\n The global phrase has Philadelphia roots and mass appeal \u2014 that\u2019s why it\u2019s rounding out our top five stories from 2025.\n<\/p>\n
\n![\"Wendell](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP-Photo-Chris-Szagola-1024x683.jpg\")
Wendell Smallwood scored eight touchdowns for the Eagles over three seasons. (AP Photo\/Chris Szagola)<\/p>\n