Hey there, Philly.
After a yearslong legal battle, the city tentatively agreed to start requiring tow truck drivers to keep track of where they leave vehicles, signaling a fix to the long-maligned “courtesy tow” problem.
And a suburban office park in Chester County is getting converted to apartments. Is it a sign of things to come?
Plus, we asked you where South and Central Jersey start. The results are in.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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‘A due-process violation’
Have you ever felt bewildered after your car went missing from its legal parking spot, only to be found blocks away, thanks to a towing company that never bothered to let you or police know they were moving it? Maybe you’ve even had to pay to get your vehicle back from the Parking Authority lot after it was moved to a no-parking zone and towed again?
🚙 Congratulations: You’ve been the victim of so-called courtesy towing, a very Philly problem.
🚙 After a protracted legal battle in federal court, reform of the maddening practice may be on the way: Lawyers for the city have tentatively agreed to require tow truck drivers who participate in its vehicle relocation program to keep track of where they unhook them.
🚙 The settlement agreement will also pay $750,000 to 36 courtesy-tow victims.
🚙 As of Wednesday evening, a judge still needs to approve the court settlement.
Suburban conversion
Several former office buildings in downtown Philadelphia are being converted for residential use as housing demand increases and workspace demand decreases. A high-profile case is the historic Wanamaker Building, where 600 loft apartments will be constructed in former office and retail areas.
But the suburbs have been lagging in replacing vacant offices with housing, due in part to architectural challenges — their developers tended to build out, not up, which means lots of dark interior space — as well as hyperlocal zoning regulations and remote locations.
One new project, a sprawling office complex in Tredyffrin Township that will become 162 apartments, indicates that could be changing. It helps that its buildings aren’t big glass boxes, leaders say.
Commercial real estate reporter Jake Blumgart has more.
What you should know today
- A former child abuse investigator was killed by Lower Merion police on Wednesday, hours after charges of child rape were filed against him, authorities said.
- Nineteen people are expected to be charged in connection with a yearslong West Philly gang war that investigators say fueled nearly two dozen shootings.
- President Donald Trump spread falsehoods and lashed out at opponents in his historically long State of the Union address Tuesday. Pennsylvania popped up throughout the evening.
- A new poll of Pennsylvania voters indicate varying support of Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. John Fetterman, and Trump ahead of the 2026 midterms.
- How did a proposed security fence around Shapiro’s Abington home land in federal court? The messy land dispute has brought accusations of a political hit job. Plus: Learn more about the dueling lawsuits between the governor and his neighbors.
- Families of people killed in Philadelphia will be eligible to receive up to $2,000 to help cover funeral costs under a city program announced Wednesday.
- Students walked out of Parkway Northwest High School on Wednesday to protest its potential closure. They say they’re concerned about a larger school’s impact on their education and safety.
- The Franklin Mall is temporarily closed after a small fire over the weekend.
- When her late husband’s gem went missing, a Kennett Square woman figured it was gone forever. Then it turned up 1,100 miles away — in a shoe.
Plus: The lines are drawn
As we noted here last month, South and Central Jersey are nebulous concepts. For one: Does Central Jersey even exist?
📍 We asked readers to draw a line where they believed each section starts. Factors that influenced their lines included highways — say, I-195 — and area codes.
📍 And on that existential question, 74% said yes, Central Jersey is real. But they strongly disagreed on where it is.
See the full map, based on thousands of reader suggestions.
In other Jersey news: Attorney General Jennifer Davenport marked her first official day in the office exchanging lawsuits with the Trump administration.
🧠 Trivia time
The latest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations were announced on Wednesday. Which Philly-tied musical act has never been nominated?
A) Lauryn Hill
B) Chubby Checker
C) Pink
D) The Roots
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🦪 Congratulating: Oyster House for its America’s Classics Award win from the James Beard Foundation.
🌈 Visiting: Philly’s new LGBTQ+ visitor center, one of few in the country.
🐴 Trying to adopt: One of 30 miniature horses up for sale in Gettysburg.
☕ Standing in line for: Powelton’s buzzy new Yemeni coffee shop.
📖 Considering: How Black History Month teaches us to learn from our past, flaws and all.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Historic Germantown _ Meetinghouse
NO EMINENT
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Keyana Kutney, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Pennsport. The development group behind a 36-story apartment tower planned for the Delaware River-adjacent neighborhood secured a $150 million construction loan and plans to break ground next year.
Photo of the day
🟫 One last wordy thing: Feeling competitive? Go inside the Delco Scrabble Club, a home for the thriving local Scrabble scene including some of the best players in the country.
Enjoy the rest of your Thursday. I’ll be back with you tomorrow morning to close out the week in news.
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