Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes

Author: Frank Kummer

  • Burpee, the Philly-born seed seller, has proven to be ‘recession resistant’ after 150 years in business

    Burpee, the Philly-born seed seller, has proven to be ‘recession resistant’ after 150 years in business

    George Ball stood at the W. Atlee Burpee & Co. booth at the Philadelphia Flower show last week and lifted the company’s artfully designed 150th anniversary seed collection from a wooden rack.

    Ball, 74, traced a finger down the list of nine packets of “Historic Breakthroughs” and told stories about some of them: Iceberg lettuce (1894). Big Boy tomatoes (1949). Snowbird sugar snap peas (1978).

    Golden Bantam sweet corn (1902) wasn’t an instant hit, Ball noted, despite its sweet, buttery flavor. Americans were accustomed to white corn.

    “This is the first yellow sweet corn. Before that, yellow corn was hog feed. The kernels were hard,” Ball said. “This yellow corn was a totally new taste. It’s delicious. But for two years, nobody bought it because to them it was hog feed.”

    Only when an assistant coined the phrase “Looks like butter, tastes like butter” did the variety take off.

    Burpee’s display at this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show highlighted the brand’s historical roots.

    Burpee has been rooted in the Philadelphia area since its founding by W. Atlee Burpee in 1876. Now, more than a century later, having once teetered on the brink, it’s again thriving and positioned for the future with seed, plant, and product sales in big box stores and online.

    “We’re celebrating our 150th” and still selling those same seeds, Ball said.

    Regrowing Burpee

    When Ball came to buy Burpee in the 1980s, the company was in serious financial trouble, and its staying power was anything but certain.

    “Burpee was going to be padlocked,” Ball recounted. It had fallen 240 days behind on payments, some of which were owed to his family’s company, Ball Horticultural.

    Ball had become president of PanAmerican Seed, a Ball Horticultural company, by the mid-1980s and was breeding plants in Costa Rica. When he returned to the United States, he read a story in the Wall Street Journal that industry giant Burpee was teetering.

    Sensing an opportunity, Ball moved to buy the historic brand for a fraction of its value, or as he phrased it, for “kind of a poem.”

    More than a century before that, W. Atlee Burpee, scion of a prominent Philadelphia medical family, started his seed company in 1876, the same year he visited the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. It featured robust agricultural and horticultural displays. By 1881, a notice for the company’s Old City warehouse appeared in The Inquirer.

    The first mention of W. Atlee Burpee & Co. in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jan. 3, 1881.

    Burpee seized on the emerging power of mail-order catalogs — the era’s version of the internet — and the catalog became a rural household staple since most of his customers were originally farmers.

    In 1888, Burpee bought a farm on New Britain Road in Doylestown. He named it Fordhook and transformed it into the company’s experimental garden and began conducting thousands of seed trials. The 60-acre property still opens to the public once a year.

    Burpee died in 1915, leaving the business to his 22-year-old son, David, who expanded the company’s flower offerings and cemented a reputation for innovation. The company soon found a market for its seeds with home gardeners.

    Christopher DeMairo, a former archivist for the Smithsonian Institution and the author of a book on the history of Burpee, calls W. Atlee Burpee, “a really fascinating man, and one of the most prolific businessmen in American history.”

    DeMairo credits David Burpee as a visionary who steered the company through the turbulent 20th century when many competitors went bankrupt. Under David’s leadership, Burpee pushed hard on innovation, pioneering hybrid vegetables through controlled pollination experiments.

    “Even if you may not know Burpee now, your ancestors certainly did,” DeMairo said. “It is still really important when you think of where agriculture and gardening are today.”

    In 1970, David Burpee sold to General Foods, and the corporate headquarters moved from Philadelphia to Warminster, where it remains.

    Eventually, ownership passed to a private equity firm, and the company fell into financial trouble.

    Then Ball, who views himself as a turnaround specialist, stepped in to save Burpee, officially becoming its sole owner in 1991. He’s run the company ever since and still lives at Fordhook Farm.

    The Creekbed Garden at Fordhook Farm in Doylestown in 2024. The seed barn is second building from the right.

    “I was very interested in the basic virtues and values of life,” Ball said, and felt that the nursery business fit with that essence.

    DeMairo, the archivist, believes the founding Burpee family would be relieved to know the company is privately held by Ball, who has no plans to sell.

    “I can almost say for a fact that both David and Atlee would be very happy to know that the company is in the hands of a true gardener,” DeMairo said, “and not a boardroom.”

    Burpee today

    Under Ball’s leadership, Burpee expanded into retail aisles and into the digital age.

    When COVID-19 hit in 2020, Burpee experienced a surge in demand, CEO Jamie Mattikow said, and the company has retained much of that momentum.

    He declined to share financial details or an employee count. But, he said, consumers spent $242 million on Burpee products last year, a 120% jump from 2019. Growth, he added, is in the “mid-single digits.”

    “Fortunately, seeds have proven to be a recession-resistant type of category,” Mattikow said, “so the growth is pretty steady.”

    Burpee president and CEO Jamie Mattikow (left) with owner George Ball at the Burpee Seed display at this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show.

    Burpee has long focused on home gardeners. Its products appear in major chains including Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Tractor Supply.

    Mattikow describes Burpee as a full-service “gardening company” rather than simply a seed supplier, offering live plants and supplies like soil and cages. Online sales through Burpee.com and Amazon continue to expand.

    The company also maintains a niche business selling seeds to small growers who supply farmers markets and restaurants.

    The company has leveraged social media to reach younger customers. It has about 725,000 followers across Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms, and offers advice such as “the easiest tomatoes to grow for beginner gardeners.”

    Burpee relies on its own horticulturists and traditional seed breeders to adapt to changing customer preferences.

    For example, a seven-year breeding process resulted in the company’s new line of “garden sown” tomatoes and peppers — seeds hardy enough to be planted in ground after the last frost, bypassing indoor tray-starting.

    That painstaking breeding process has been with the company since the beginning. In his history of Burpee, DeMairo cites a Life magazine article describing the painstaking work behind developing seed varieties.

    The company, the article noted, “hired 60 girls from Vassar, Smith, Bryn Mawr and other colleges to spend the summer with tweezers and brushes” to control pollination and create new hybrids.

    Mattikow said Burpee faces typical challenges such as supply chain issues, tough competition, and tariffs.

    “We do a great balance of holding on to a loyal base of customers, and every year we bring in new customers,” Mattikow said.

  • Conservation group to pay $15M to preserve 835-acre Pinelands property

    Conservation group to pay $15M to preserve 835-acre Pinelands property

    An 835-acre property in Burlington County once threatened by development will be sold to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation for $15 million, according to a deal announced Tuesday.

    Evesham Township plans to incorporate the new property into its already popular Black Run Preserve, swelling the size of that 1,300-acre holding widely used by hikers, bird-watchers, and cyclists.

    Developer Linda Samost has agreed to the sale, with the price $2.4 million less than the property’s full market value, the announcement said.

    “We are eager to move forward with the project so that the community can experience and appreciate the natural beauty of this land for years to come,” Samost said in a statement.

    File: A 2025 of a trail at Black Run Preserve off Kettle Run Road in Evesham, Burlington County, N.J.

    Tuesday’s announcement noted, however, that while a sale contract has been signed, the foundation still needs to raise more money before taking ownership. It plans to launch a fundraising campaign with partners that will allow for public contributions.

    The property has been the site of a fight over its future since 2024, when Kettle Run Investments LP, led by the Samost family, submitted plans to the New Jersey Pinelands Commission to build 250 single-family homes on a portion of the tract.

    That plan drew vehement opposition from the community, the nonprofit Pinelands Alliance advocacy organization, and local officials.

    At the same time, the Pinelands Commission was rezoning a large area from rural development (RD-3) to Pinelands Forest Area, which would have greatly reduced the amount of development that could have taken place on Samost’s property.

    Linda Samost told The Inquirer last year that her “inclinations” were to have the land “benefit the community and the ecosystem, the environment,” rather than be developed.

    Developer with controversial plan to build houses on a Pinelands tract hopes to have it preserved instead

    But the price had to be right, and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation began negotiating with Samost.

    In November, the Burlington County commissioners authorized $5 million from open-space funds to help with a purchase. The Pinelands Commission, an independent state agency, also approved a $3 million grant toward the purchase.

    It was not immediately clear how much additional money the foundation needs to raise.

    The Samost property is situated between Kettle Run, Tomlinson Mill, Kenilworth, and Egret Roads in Evesham.

    It is part of New Jersey’s Pinelands and the source of the Black Run, a tributary that feeds Rancocas Creek. The property is habitat for numerous species, including the threatened Pinelands tree frog.

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    Robyn Jeney, a New Jersey Conservation Foundation regional manager, said the preservation means “water quality, critical plant and animal habitat, and the overall ecological integrity of the area will be protected for generations to come.”

    “This agreement marks a historic milestone for Evesham Township and a victory for every resident who treasures our natural landscape,” said Evesham Township Mayor Jaclyn Veasy.

    Jane Dean, board president of the Friends of the Black Run Preserve, said the deal means “this place will remain as it should be, unbroken, instructive, and alive.”

    Susan Grogan, executive director of the Pinelands Commission, called it “the best possible outcome for this property.” She noted the property has long been a “top target” by the commission for preservation.

  • Philly has lots of trails. For the first time, it is hiring a full-time crew to maintain them.

    Philly has lots of trails. For the first time, it is hiring a full-time crew to maintain them.

    Philadelphia’s miles of trails draw a constant stream of runners, walkers, hikers, cyclists, and commuters.

    Yet for years, city officials have depended on residents calling in or logging in to the 311 system to report trail issues before a crew was sent out.

    Now, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) is set to roll out the city’s first dedicated trail-maintenance crew, a pilot program funded by a $600,000 grant from the William Penn Foundation.

    The money will fund a six-person team tasked exclusively with monitoring and maintaining multiuse trails that thread through 10 watershed-protecting parks.

    Susan Buck, PPR’s deputy commissioner of operations, said the crew would launch this summer and resolve a long-standing logistical problem.

    “The focus has always been on building the trails,“ Buck said. ”However, in recent years we would go to community meetings and hear more about trail maintenance.”

    Right now, addressing a downed tree or a washed-out path means pulling staff away from recreation centers and neighborhood parks. A dedicated trail crew will ease that strain, she said, and position the city to address issues before they snowball into bigger problems.

    Now, PPR can be proactive, she said.

    Parks are priorities

    The crew’s immediate priority will be to rotate through 10 watershed parks, such as Wissahickon Valley, Pennypack, Tacony Creek, and Cobbs Creek. Crews will also monitor the Schuylkill River Trail, which recently saw major repairs to sinkholes and storm damage.

    Buck said the crew will initially be responsible for about 80 miles of trails.

    The city has 166 miles of trails or more depending on what’s being counted. Overall, PPR manages asphalt, gravel, and dirt trails that residents use not only for recreation but for commuting and walking neighborhood to neighborhood.

    The new crew will have skid-steer loaders, which are small versatile vehicles with mechanized arms and buckets used to clear, dig, grade, and lift. And they’ll have other equipment such as wood chippers and chainsaws.

    For the average park-goer, it should translate to a smoother weekend run, daily commute, or less frustrating bike ride, Buck said.

    “Overall, people will see safer trails and more enjoyable trails,” Buck added. “If you’re a runner or cyclist getting hit by overgrown brush, maybe we’ll be able to get to that faster. Ruts and divots should get filled in faster.”

    By having a mobile team that can move from the Wissahickon to East Fairmount Park, the city aims to create a uniform experience for all users.

    Buck has been working alongside Sarah Clark Stuart, the trails manager for the Streets Department.

    The two are working toward a cost-sharing agreement between the two departments to turn the pilot program into an annual part of the city budget.

    That way the crew can continue to clear overgrown brush, haul away downed trees, fix washouts, tackle soil erosion, eliminate tripping hazards, and clean graffiti off signs.

    The pilot program could use existing employees or result in new hires, she said.

    ‘Great cities have great parks’

    Sara Stevenson, executive director of Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW), said the dedicated crew represents a shift in the way the city has viewed its natural assets. The nonprofit FOW helps manage the city-owned Wissahickon Valley Park.

    The 2,000-acre park has more than 50 miles of paved and dirt trails. The new trail crew will be assigned to help with paved paths and major arteries like Forbidden Drive.

    “It’s a great program,” Stevenson said. “The more we can invest in Parks and Rec, the better our city will be. This is a good step forward and a recognition of how important the trail system is.”

    The Wissahickon relies on thousands of volunteers annually to pull invasive species, clear debris, and help with other maintenance. Stevenson said that the demands of maintaining sustainable trails requires a professional, daily presence.

    “Great cities have great parks,” Stevenson said. “I think what we’ll see is a new standard of care … It’s an illustration that the city understands the value of the trail across the entire city.”

  • 1,100 dead or sick geese in N.J. spark bird flu warning, prompt lake’s closure

    1,100 dead or sick geese in N.J. spark bird flu warning, prompt lake’s closure

    At least 1,100 dead or sick birds, mostly Canada geese, have been reported across New Jersey in an outbreak that started on Valentine’s Day, according to state officials.

    At least 50 geese have died at Alcyon Lake in Pitman, Gloucester County. Officials have closed the lake and the adjoining Betty Park out of precaution.

    The fish and wildlife division within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are tracking them as suspected cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1), or bird flu.

    Bird flu is not new. But it began to spread in the U.S. in January 2022 and has infected wild and domestic birds in every state.

    While bird flu can infect humans, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said it is primarily a threat to animals and poses little risk to the public.

    State officials say large numbers of dead geese may be concentrated in areas where birds gather to look for open water as ice melts. They said that the 1,100 dead or sick wild birds were reported between Saturday and Monday.

    Where have dead geese been found?

    The DEP says it has received reports of dead Canada geese in South Jersey, including in Hainesport, Burlington County; Sicklerville, Camden County; and Pitman.

    Annmarie Ruiz, Gloucester County’s health officer, said the dead geese were noticed in Pitman on Tuesday. She said that there were probably more than 50 at Alcyon Lake, but that there were reports of dead geese elsewhere in the municipality.

    “Right now, we have to presume that it is bird flu based on the signs the birds were exhibiting,” Ruiz said.

    The New Jersey Department of Agriculture took some of the birds for testing. The results could take weeks, she said.

    “Right now, we’re just erring on the side of caution,” Ruiz said.

    Ruiz said workers use face shields and gloves when handling the birds, which are triple-bagged before being disposed.

    She said people can report sick or dead wild birds to Gloucester County animal control at 856-881-2828 or the DEP at 877-927-6337.

    A lifeless bird lays on the ice at Alcyon Lake in Pitman, N.J. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Two adjacent parks, Betty Park (in background) and Alcyon Park (not in photo) are closed as a result of the mysterious birds deaths.

    Caryelle Lasher, Camden County’s health officer, said there have been only a small number of reports of dead birds in the county.

    Those were concentrated in the lake off Mullen Drive in the Sicklerville section of Gloucester Township, she said.

    Overall, however, the county has not seen a spike in reports, she said.

    Ruiz and Lasher — as well as state officials — stress that people should not touch sick or dead wildlife of any kind. And they should keep pets away.

    Even though the risk is low, the potential for human infection exists.

    The DEP also has an online form to report sick or dead birds.

    H5N1 is a respiratory bird disease caused by influenza A viruses. Wild birds, such as ducks, gulls, and shorebirds, can carry and spread these viruses but may show no signs of illness, according to the DEP.

    The disease can kill domestic poultry such as chickens. Typical symptoms include diarrhea, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, and incoordination.

    It continues to infect not only birds, but also mammals.

    Tips to prevent infection:

    • Do not touch sick or dying animals, or bring them into your home.
    • Keep pets away from them, as well as away from droppings.
    • Wash hands frequently if you are near wildlife.
    • Do not eat undercooked eggs, poultry, or beef.
    • Prevent cross-contamination between cooked and raw food.
    • Avoid unpasteurized milk or cheese.
  • Philly launches real-time public air quality monitoring network

    Philly launches real-time public air quality monitoring network

    Philadelphia residents can now consult a new online dashboard to gauge outdoor air quality before heading out to a park, going for a run, or cycling through the city.

    The city unveiled a real-time air quality network that collects data from solar-powered sensors at 76 strategic locations, blanketing every neighborhood. The system can warn residents when pollution spikes — for instance, if a junkyard fire sends particulate levels surging.

    “Starting now, every resident in Philadelphia will be able to see, almost in real time, the air quality in their own neighborhood,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.

    What does the system measure?

    The weatherproof sensors, bolted to utility poles at 1.5-mile intervals, track two primary pollutants:

    • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), tiny particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause respiratory issues.
    • Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a component of ozone.

    Parker, along with City Council members and officials from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Air Management Services (AMS), introduced the Breathe Philly initiative Wednesday at Stinger Square Park in Grays Ferry.

    The monitoring system, manufactured by Clarity Movement Co., will cost the city $90,000 annually. It is currently funded through the nonprofit Philadelphia City Fund.

    The new network operates independently from the city’s existing 10‑sensor system that supplies data to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    Parker said it represents a significant step toward environmental justice, especially in neighborhoods that previously lacked adequate monitoring. Some of the sensors will begin monitoring for ground-level ozone as soon as spring.

    Ozone is a potent pollutant formed from chemical reactions between vehicle, power plant, and industrial emissions in the presence of sunlight.

    “You can check it on your phone, your tablet, your computer,” she said. “You can access up-to-date information about the air that you and your family are breathing right where you live.”

    Paresh Mehta (right), an engineer with Philadelphia’s Air Management Services, explains to City Council President Kenyatta Johnson (left) and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker how air quality data is collected.

    ‘We knew right away’

    Palak Raval-Nelson, the city’s health commissioner, said the new air monitoring network has been in the works for years. The project is overseen by the health department’s AMS.

    “It’s amazing to finally see that it’s here,” she said.

    The system detected the air quality as poor during a fire last week, Raval-Nelson said.

    “The monitor went off, and we knew right away that we needed to communicate information,” Raval-Nelson said.

    The monitor displays colored circles and squares indicating the air quality at each monitor. Colors range from green, the best, to purple and mauve, the worst.

    A sample of the Breathe Philly online dashboard that gives residents real-time data on air pollution from 76 sensors placed around the city.

    The sensors detect levels of particulate matter, which are tiny particles in the air that can cause health risks. PM2.5 is the result of the burning of fossil fuels, such as by vehicles or power plants. They sensors also measure NO2, a gas also emitted by burning fossil fuels.

    Both chemicals can cause respiratory issues.

    “It is a concrete step to help keep all of us and our loved ones safe,” Raval-Nelson said of the new sensor system.

    Council President Kenyatta Johnson, who grew up in Point Breeze, said the system will help provide real-time information in the event of a disaster, such as the PES Refinery explosion and fire in 2019.

    And it will help those with breathing issues like asthma decide whether it is safe to go outside for extended periods.

    One of 76 solar-powered sensors made by Clarity Movement Co. for a new network of real time air quality data available for Philadelphia residents.

    A new layer of safety

    Alex Bomstein, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Clean Air Council, said the network adds a new layer of safety for city residents.

    “You can’t go very far in the city without encountering a monitor, which is wonderful, because that means that everybody in the city is being protected,” Bomstein said.

    He fears pollution will worsen in the future as the administration of President Donald Trump continues to roll back environmental rules and regulations, such as those governing vehicle tailpipe emissions.

    Sean Wihera, a vice president with Clarity Movement Co., said the company was founded in 2014 as a start-up at the University of California, Berkley. Similar systems have been installed in Los Angeles and Chicago, he said.

    The company owns the sensors and is responsible for them if they break or are stolen. The sensors are upgraded after three years for the latest technology. Wihera said it is possible that Philly’s system could monitor for benzene in the future.

    “We’ve been working now in 85 different countries, hundreds of cities,” Wihera said. “But this is one of the most successful integrations that we’ve seen.”

  • U.S. Army Corps official, congressman say help is on the way for N.J. beach erosion

    U.S. Army Corps official, congressman say help is on the way for N.J. beach erosion

    The federal official in charge of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers visited Ocean City and other Jersey Shore communities Friday, along with U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, pledging that beach replenishment help is on its way.

    Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, came to New Jersey for a tour hosted by Van Drew. The Army Corps manages beach projects and puts up the majority of money. States and municipalities contribute the rest.

    “There’s emergency funding that’s available,” Telle said from Fifth Street on Ocean City’s boardwalk, adding that some beaches would see repairs by summer.

    Telle said the money does not hinge on legislation and has President Donald Trump’s support.

    The Army Corps will evaluate which beaches are in the most severe condition, he said, including Ocean City, which is among the top of the list. Telle and Van Drew did not cite a specific amount of money but indicated millions could be available.

    Telle, Van Drew, and other officials visited Strathmere, Avalon, and North Wildwood, which have all been heavily impacted by storm erosion over the last year. The short-term goal this year would be to take spoils from Army Corps projects and spread that on beaches.

    They said they plan to draw on a mix of funding, including money still remaining from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, other supplemental funds, and earmarks — language in appropriations bills to direct federal funds to state and local projects.

    Van Drew, a Republican, represents multiple Shore towns on the southern tip of New Jersey.

    Friday’s tour came on the heels of zero dollars earmarked for beach replenishment in 2025 — the first time that had happened since 1996. Up to $200 million annually has typically been awarded for beach erosion control projects.

    Van Drew also introduced a bill last week to establish a new source of continuous beach replenishment money through the Coastal Trust Fund Act.

    The bill would pay for ongoing coastal storm risk management by the Army Corps. U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen, a Democrat from New York, is a cosponsor.

    According to Van Drew, the legislation would use revenue from offshore energy leases to fund $1 billion a year into Army Corps of Engineers coastal storm management projects.

    He said his bill, if approved, would create a permanent source of funding so that it would not depend on yearly appropriations from Congress.

    “We need to get a permanent system in place so we aren’t riding this roller coaster,” Van Drew said.

    However, he acknowledged that getting any bill approved in Congress right now is difficult.

    “It’s going to be a labor of love,” Van Drew said, adding that he is gathering “support from all around the country.”

    There is no date for a vote on the bill.

    U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (center), Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle (right) and Upper Township Mayor Curtis Corson Jr. discuss shore erosion and beach replenishment in Strathmere.

    A measure has been introduced by U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, a Republican from Tennessee, for $23 million to fund coastal replenishment projects this year. That would be supplemented by a Senate bill introduced by U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, that would allocate $62.2 million. However, neither bill is scheduled for a vote.

    In 2025, multiple New Jersey Shore towns found themselves in a crisis over erosion as Congress and Trump pushed for a huge reduction in the federal budget.

    No money was made available for crucial beach nourishment projects. The lack of funding became a political issue in New Jersey, which depends heavily on its beaches for tourism revenue.

    For decades, beach projects have been a staple of coastal management in the United States. In 2025, projects were paused in New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware.

    Projects set for Cape May, Stone Harbor, Avalon, Sea Isle, Strathmere, Ocean City, and Long Beach Island were stalled because of the lack of funding. Georgia and Florida also were affected.

    In October, Ocean City declared a local emergency over the severe erosion exacerbated by storms like Hurricane Erin and a potent nor’easter in October. The city was left grappling with sand cliffs upward of five feet high after the storms scoured its beaches.

    Mayor Jay Gillian and others pushed for urgent state and federal intervention, citing the difficulty of managing large-scale beach replenishments and dune restoration with city resources alone.

    Gillian said Friday at the tour stop in Ocean City that he welcomed any help from the Army Corps and Van Drew.

    “They’re working for a solution,” Gillian said of Telle and Van Drew. “The permanent funding, that’s huge because it stops the games, and it stops the politics.”

    Van Drew represents the largely conservative 2nd District, which spans mostly rural and Shore communities in South Jersey, including all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem Counties, plus parts of Gloucester and Ocean Counties. He remains optimistic for funding.

  • Nordic-style sauna with cold plunge debuts at Schuylkill Center

    Nordic-style sauna with cold plunge debuts at Schuylkill Center

    Erin Mooney, executive director of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, slipped out of a sweltering sauna last weekend wearing only a bathing suit and strode barefoot straight into the coldest day of the winter.

    “I never thought that I would find myself in a bathing suit laying down in the snow on a 15-degree day, and I found myself doing that at the Schuylkill Center,” Mooney said.

    It marked the opening weekend of a new experience that the Schuylkill Center, on Hagy’s Mill Road in Philadelphia, is offering along with a local sauna company, Fiorst — one that already has had solid booking off social media views, despite having just opened Saturday.

    Visitors will have the chance to relax in a glass-walled, wood-fired sauna overlooking a snowy field and woods in Northwest Philly, paired with a cold plunge.

    Mooney said the idea to host a mobile sauna on the preserve’s grounds grew from a desire to keep the center lively through winter and draw in new visitors. She was inspired by a sauna exhibit by the American Swedish Historical Museum in FDR Park and began looking for a way to bring that Nordic tradition of “hot and cold” to her own facility.

    She spotted Fiorst, a mobile sauna venture run by Jose Ugas, on social media, reached out, and the two forged a near-instant partnership. They spoke on Jan. 30, a Friday; by the next Friday, a custom sauna unit from Toronto rolled onto the grounds.

    By last Saturday, the fire was lit, and guests arrived.

    “It was, you know, kind of kismet, in a way, we were able to have this shared vision,” Mooney said. “And with him doing this servicing of the saunas on site, it makes it so much easier for us.”

    The interior of the Nordic-style sauna at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.

    How does the sauna work?

    Nordic-style wood saunas are notable for their minimalist design and high heat, which participants couple with either a plunge into a cold shower, tub, or lake or a step outdoors.

    Fiorst’s installation overlooks the center’s main wooded area, framing the winter landscape through a glass wall as guests sweat it out inside the sauna’s 170- to 190-degree temperatures. Each 90-minute session allows participants to cycle at their own pace through intense heat and biting cold, a contrast Mooney found invigorating.

    The sauna is modeled on a concept popular across Nordic countries, including Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden.

    Mooney said the project has already pulled in new visitors from neighborhoods like Fishtown or outside Philadelphia who might not typically visit for hiking or birdwatching.

    She believes the sauna fills a niche for “clean, wholesome, healthy fun” that is alcohol-free.

    However, unlike the typical Nordic experience of being nude during the sauna, the Schuylkill Center experience is strictly “bathing-suit friendly,” a choice tailored to American comfort levels.

    The collaboration operates on a revenue split, with a charitable twist. During February, the center’s share of the proceeds goes to its Winterfest for Wildlife campaign to support the on-site wildlife clinic.

    For now, the sauna remains a seasonal experiment, but it will stay in place as long as demand — and winter weather — holds up.

    “I think it will stay seasonal,” Mooney said. “We live in a sauna already in the summer in Philadelphia.”

    The sauna is open on weekends at the Schuylkill Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is booked through the Fiorst website. The cost for a 90-minute session is $75. You can add a friend for $25. Private sessions of up to 16 cost $600. For now, bookings can be made only one week in advance.

    The Schuylkill Center is expecting Valentine’s Day weekend to book quickly.

    Jose Ugas (left), founder of Fiorst, and Erin Mooney, executive director of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, at the sauna.

    ‘A moment of clarity’

    Ugas, a bioengineer at Johnson & Johnson who lives in Whitemarsh Township, felt compelled to bring a Nordic-style sauna experience to the region after a trip he took to Sweden following the loss of his mother to brain cancer in 2023. There, friends introduced him to a traditional Scandinavian ritual: enduring searing dry heat inside a wooden sauna, followed by a plunge into icy water or a cold shower.

    What began as a distraction soon crystallized into a moment of clarity, Ugas said.

    “Just that time together and kind of going between the hot and the cold just was like a mental reset for me,” Ugas said.

    Ugas, who will graduate with an MBA from Villanova University this spring, wanted to replicate the nature-immersive element that had grounded him overseas.

    He found a Toronto company that builds portable glass-fronted wooden saunas and ordered a custom unit equipped with a wood-fired stove, hot stones, steam, aromatherapy, and a cold-plunge tub. Ugas launched Fiorst in 2024, describing it as “nomadic” at first.

    The venture first hosted sessions overlooking Valley Forge and at Fitzwater Station in Phoenixville. Ugas then established a more permanent site, which he calls Riverside, on River Road in Conshohocken where he still books sessions.

    Ugas calls the partnership with the Schuylkill Center a natural fit given its location amid nature, merging his wellness goals with the venue’s environmental focus.

    “At the core of our mission and their mission is to get people out in nature,” Ugas said.

    So far, he has relied on social media to market the sauna, which has drawn hundreds of visitors to its locations.

    The Nordic-style sauna at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Philadelphia.

    ‘Social sauna’

    Serena Franchini, a nurse and founder of Healing Fawn Inner Child Work & Somatic Therapy, has taken sauna sessions at Ugas’ other locations. She sees it as a tool to help with nervous system regulation while offering an immersion in nature.

    “I loved the idea that it was outside,” Franchini said.

    She likes the relaxed atmosphere compared with some traditional saunas that often enforce strict time limits on heating and cooling cycles. Instead, she cycles between the sauna and cold-plunge tub at her own pace.

    Franchini highlighted the mental wellness aspect of Ugas’ “social sauna” sessions, noting Friday night events as “skip the bar” alternatives that allow strangers to gather for a healthy, communal experience.

    “It’s a great way for community to connect with people that are interested in the same things that you are,” Franchini said.

  • The cold’s toll: Woodcocks wiped out in Cape May, opossums frostbitten in Philly, robins struck on roads

    The cold’s toll: Woodcocks wiped out in Cape May, opossums frostbitten in Philly, robins struck on roads

    Steve Frates of Ocean View, N.J., was driving along Route 9 in Cape May County on a recent bitter cold day and noticed something strange: dead robins lying by the side of the road.

    Lots of them.

    Frates was even more startled when one flew into his Ford F-150 and died. The 72-year-old retired telecommunications manager wondered what was happening.

    “I noticed when it was really cold that I would see flocks of birds alongside of the road as I was traveling up and down Route 9 and the Garden State Parkway,” Frates said. “I would see a lot of birds that had been hit. I’d never seen anything at that scale. This was at a level I’ve never experienced before.”

    The winter has been hard on the region’s animals, wiping out 95% of the woodcocks in Cape May Point, fostering frostbite on opossums in Philadelphia, and freezing turtles in place in ponds.

    Experts say the animals are well adapted to survive the cold, but this winter has been especially harsh, producing a frozen snowpack that keeps animals from digging for food, and a prolonged cold that has pushed some to the brink.

    About 200 woodcocks have died in the area of Cape May Point since the Jan. 25 snowfall that froze under a prolonged cold spell. These were found likely seeking food near the edge of homes.

    Woodcocks are starving

    Mike Lanzone, a wildlife biologist and CEO of Cellular Tracking Technologies, has been busy the last two weeks helping to gather hundreds of dead woodcocks in Cape May Point and West Cape May. His company makes products that track birds via GPS and other technology.

    He described a devastating die-off for the woodcocks, which depend on finding food by probing the ground to extract worms and invertebrates. They have been unable to penetrate the snow and ice, causing starvation.

    “They were losing a lot of muscle mass, and they weren’t able to eat anything,” Lanzone said. “We started seeing them die off. First it was just a few. Then 10. Then 15. Then 40. Then almost 100 woodcocks.”

    Lanzone said about 254 woodcocks had died as of Thursday.

    “There was at least a 90-95% die-off,” he said. “That is what we know for sure. At least in Cape May Point and West Cape May.”

    Lanzone said the woodcocks were being taken to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia to be examined.

    Jason D. Weckstein, associate curator of ornithology at the academy, said such die-offs have happened before. He will examine the birds and, using chemical signatures in their bodies, determine where they were born.

    “They’re dying because they’re starving,” Weckstein said. “They can’t feed. Most of those birds were super emaciated and just died.”

    Robins are desperate

    Chris Neff, a spokesperson for New Jersey Audubon, said the robins that Frates saw along the side of the road had been driven there in search of food.

    “Birds are congregating along the melted edges of roads searching for bare ground on which to find food and even meltwater to drink,“ Neff said. ”Birds are desperate to consume enough calories each day during this extreme weather, and this makes them bolder, meaning they may not fly off when a car approaches if they have found something to eat.”

    American robins, he said, travel in large flocks. When their food is exhausted, a few will take off in search of the berries of American holly and Eastern red cedar. The rest will follow en masse, following a path that might lead them across a road.

    The chances of collisions with cars become much higher.

    Neff advises that people should slow down if they see birds congregating along a road and keep an eye out for any that might fly across.

    “Like deer,” Neff said, ”if one darts across the road, there are sure to be more following.”

    A grebe that was rescued amid the harsh winter weather and taken to the Wildlife Clinic at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, where it is being fed and cared for until an open water source can be found for it to be released.

    Opossums and other animals

    Sydney Glisan, director of wildlife rehabilitation for the Wildlife Clinic at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Northwest Philadelphia, characterizes the severe winter conditions as a critical “make it or not” period for local wildlife.

    Some animals, such as deer, are well adapted to the cold and can eat fibrous bark and twigs to survive. Other species, however, struggle.

    She said Virginia opossums found in Philadelphia, despite being a native species, have physical attributes that “do not really work for this type of weather.” She has treated multiple opossums for frostbite. The latest patient arrived Friday.

    They are susceptible, she said, because their ears, tails, and paws have no fur for protection. Often, tails or fingers need to be amputated.

    Residents often find them curled up and immobile, mistakenly believing the animals are dead when they are actually just trying to stay warm or are in a state of shock.

    The weather also affects aquatic birds like grebes, which become stranded on land because they require open water to take off and cannot walk well on ice or ground.

    Even squirrels struggle, as the ice prevents them from digging up cached food, Glisan said.

    Glisan advises the public to be cautious about intervening for wildlife such as birds. She notes that even well-intentioned acts, such as providing heated birdbaths, can result in hypothermia if a bird’s wet feathers subsequently freeze in the air.

    “As much as it might sound rude, I always say doing nothing is the best thing that you can do,” Glisan said. “I recommend helping by not helping.”

    Reptiles and amphibians

    Susan Slawinski, a wildlife biologist at the Schuylkill Center, said the danger for reptiles and amphibians comes as lakes and ponds freeze over. Aquatic species such as green frogs, painted turtles, and snapping turtles overwinter at the bottom of ponds.

    There, the animals survive by slowing their metabolisms enough to eliminate the need to eat or surface for air. However, prolonged cold poses a specific danger as ponds freeze solid to the bottom. Those hibernating will perish.

    The Schuylkill Center uses a bubbler in its Fire Pond to maintain a gap in the ice to let in oxygen.

    Despite the risks, Slawinski emphasizes that native wildlife is historically resilient, though mortality is an unfortunate reality for animals that select poor hibernation spots.

    For example, the gray tree frog uses glucose to create a natural “antifreeze” that prevents its cell walls from bursting in freezing temperatures.

    “Native wildlife is very good at adapting to cold temperatures,” Slawinski said. “There have been colder winters, longer winters before. Unfortunately, there is always going to be a mortality risk.”

  • $29M in federal and private funds to go toward Delaware River watershed projects

    $29M in federal and private funds to go toward Delaware River watershed projects

    Federal and private grants totaling nearly $29 million were announced Wednesday for conservation projects within the Delaware River Watershed, including a South Philadelphia wetlands park, a water trail in Camden County, and support of the Lights Out Philly program to keep birds from crashing into buildings.

    The money comes from nearly $12.5 million in grants to the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. An additional $17 million comes in matching funds from nonprofits such as the Philadelphia-based William Penn Foundation.

    The total is about $9 million less than last year’s grant awards of $38 million. A representative for the two federal agencies did not state a reason for the decline.

    However, the reduction comes as many federal grants have been cut or reduced by President Donald Trump’s administration.

    What’s being funded?

    In all, the new funds will flow to 30 conservation projects, including local trail creations, stream restorations, shoreline enhancements, and wildlife habitat improvements. The money will go toward planning, hiring for, and construction of projects in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York.

    Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF, said the projects “demonstrate the impact that public-private partnerships can have at a landscape scale and will help ensure a healthier and cleaner future for the Delaware River watershed and the communities and species that depend on it.”

    The watershed is within a densely populated corridor but remains 50% forested. Four hundred miles of it is classified as a National Wild and Scenic River, largely undeveloped but accessible for recreation.

    The grants cover a wide range of projects.

    For example, $498,800 will go toward reducing migratory bird collisions into buildings throughout the Delaware Watershed, which includes Philadelphia and New Jersey. The project of the Wildlife Management Institute, along with Bird Safe Philly, will identify and retrofit buildings to be bird-friendly, inform the public about built-environment hazards, and how to mitigate them.

    Leigh Altadonna, coordinator for Bird Safe Philly, a collaborative of five organizations, welcomed the grant.

    “These funds will reinforce Bird Safe Philly’s continuing work with nature centers, libraries, arboretums and other buildings as part of our mission to mitigate bird collisions with glass,” Altadonna said.

    She said money would go toward educating the public about how to make their homes and communities bird-friendly.

    Bird Safe Philly coordinates with owners of the city’s skyscrapers to turn off or dim lights, which can attract birds during the spring and fall migration seasons.

    ‘The right thing to do’: How a darkened Philly skyline has helped save birds

    A sample of grants with total federal and private funding

    Pennsylvania

    • $650,000 for South Philadelphia Wetlands Park II, a project of the Delaware River Waterfront Corp. The money will go toward completing needed documentation for the park located just south of the base of Tasker Street through Pier 70. The goal is to restore wetland habitat and increase public access to piers and berths, add a kayak launch and a natural pier park, and restore two acres of forested upland, meadow and wetlands.
    • $2 million for stream channel restoration in the south branch of French Creek, a project of the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust. The stream channel and surrounding wetland will be improved as a habitat for brook trout and bog turtle, restore 6.7 acres of riparian buffer, and more than 13 acres of surrounding wetland and flood plain.
    • $900,400 to reintroduce wild brook trout in restored agricultural watersheds in Chester County, a project of the Stroud Water Research Center, which will monitor the re-establishment effort and implement agricultural best management practices to give trout the best chance of recovery.

    New Jersey

    • $3.5 million for horseshoe crab and shorebird habitat at the Kimbles Beach and Bay Cove area in Cape May Court House, a project of the American Littoral Society. The money will go toward restoring one mile of critical habitat along the Delaware Bay, by placing 49,000 tons of sand to stabilize the beach, reverse coastal erosion, and protect the shoreline.
    • $1.2 million for restoration and recreational projects on the Cooper River Water Trail, which is spearheaded by the Upstream Alliance. The money will go toward engaging 3,000 community members through hands-on recreational programming, hiring local youth, and promoting public access on the new trail in Camden County. It will include paddling and fishing programs for the community and create a Friends of the Cooper River Water Trail group.
    • $487,400 for ecological restoration and wildlife habitat improvements at Swede Run Fields in Moorestown, Burlington County, for a project by the township to eradicate invasive species and establish native plant communities within the wetlands, riparian forest, and upland meadow buffers.
  • What does Montco’s PJM have to do with data centers and why is Gov. Shapiro always so mad at it?

    What does Montco’s PJM have to do with data centers and why is Gov. Shapiro always so mad at it?

    Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spotlighted energy affordability and the rapid expansion of data centers during his annual budget address Tuesday, singling out PJM to speed up new electrical connections for the centers.

    PJM Interconnection — the region’s dominant electric grid operator — is poised to play a central role in the expansion of data centers, as the independent organization has been shoved into the national spotlight and subjected to mounting pressure over the last year.

    It has been a frequent target of Shapiro, officials from other states, consumer advocates, and the federal government.

    In many ways, PJM may be one of the most consequential Philly‑area institutions that most residents have barely heard of, even though their electricity supply and monthly bills hinge on its decisions.

    The organization has faced escalating scrutiny nationwide and across the region because of its position as the country’s largest independent grid operator and the challenges tied to surging energy demand.

    What is PJM?

    Based in Audubon, Montgomery County, PJM manages the minute-by-minute flow of electricity for 67 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia.

    It helps keep the lights on for 13 million Pennsylvanians.

    Why are there concerns about PJM and data centers?

    Concerns have risen over the cost to consumers posed by hyperscale data centers — the massive server farms needed to run artificial intelligence — that are poised to come online across Pennsylvania and the U.S.

    PJM plays a major role in getting those data centers powered and connected to the regional electrical grid.

    Consumer advocates say the data centers are forcing consumers to pay for the new power plants and equipment needed to keep up with that demand. And they fear that huge demand could result in electrical outages during times of peak demand.

    Already, consumers have seen electricity prices spike — and that’s before most of the proposed data centers are even built.

    How much consumers pay is influenced by an annual auction held by PJM designed to get enough commitments from power producers so that the electrical grid can meet forecast demand for several years and to ensure power during peak times. That is known as grid reliability.

    Map produced by The National Resources Defense Council estimates electricity capacity costs to utility companies based on PJM forecasts through 2032.

    Why is Gov. Shapiro critical of PJM?

    Shapiro and other governors have been sharply critical of how PJM has designed its auction, saying the process lacks transparency.

    In a 2024 lawsuit, Shapiro’s office referred to PJM’s decisions as “inept” and responsible for “the country’s most snarled interconnection queue,” in reference to projects lined up for approval to be added to the grid.

    After the 2025-26 auction, Shapiro reached an agreement with PJM on a price cap that he said would save consumers over $21 billion and avoid historic price hikes. The cap limited the increase of wholesale electricity payments to power plant owners.

    PJM held another auction in December for 2027-28, in which it failed to procure enough supply to meet forecast demand next year.

    PJM forecasts that data centers will drive a need for more than 30 gigawatts of peak electricity capacity by 2030 — enough to power more than 20 million households, or approximately all the homes in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, and Maryland, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

    The NRDC says that could lead to another spike in electricity costs through 2033 and cost homeowners and businesses an estimated extra $70 per month.

    As a result, Shapiro and federal officials have urged PJM to extend the current price cap another two years.

    Why is there a push for more data centers?

    At the same time, however, officials are also pushing PJM to fast-track data centers.

    Late last year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order on so-called colocation that will allow tech companies to plug their data centers directly into power plants.

    In January, the Trump administration and a group of governors, including Shapiro, urged PJM to move quickly to boost power supplies and keep bills from rising.

    They also want PJM to hold a separate power auction in which tech companies would bid on 15-year contracts to build new power plants. That way, data center operators, not regular consumers, would pay for the power.

    Data centers that do not have their own power source and do not volunteer to be cut off from the grid during power emergencies should be billed for the cost of new power plants, they said.

    Why do people resist data centers near their homes?

    The quick rise of data centers has met stiff resistance from residents who fear the projects will radically alter the character of rural neighborhoods, increase electricity and water costs, and harm the environment.

    Developers have submitted applications for at least 20 hyperscale data centers in Pennsylvania. PJM would have to find a way to make sure they can be powered and connected reliably to the grid, or provide their own power.

    At least six data centers are being planned or proposed in the Philadelphia region, with some reaching 2 million square feet. Residents have fought the proposals, some of which have run into zoning and planning problems.

    Data centers are proposed in Falls Township, Bucks County; East Vincent and East Whiteland in Chester County; Limerick in Montgomery County; and Vineland, N.J. A proposal for a data center in Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County, has been withdrawn, but another proposal could be submitted at any time.

    Residents of some of those communities are alarmed by a new Pennsylvania House bill (HB 2151), which is backed by Shapiro. It provides a model ordinance designed to speed data center development.

    Opponents believe the bill is an attempt by the tech industry to get data centers approved.

    “HB2151 would undermine Pennsylvanians’ herculean grassroots efforts to keep dirty data centers out of our communities — it must be stopped,” said Ginny Marcille-Kerslake, an organizer for Food and Water Watch, an environmental advocacy nonprofit.

    “This bill pushes Shapiro’s reckless embrace of data centers even further onto communities struggling to grapple with Big Tech’s land, power, and water grab,” she said, calling it a part of “backroom deals” the state is making.

    A vote on the bill before the House Energy Committee is scheduled for Wednesday.

    What’s next?

    Environmentalists and other groups, including some legislators, say a process by PJM to fast-track electricity-producing projects excludes clean energy and gives special treatment to fossil fuel power plants, allowing them to cut ahead in the queue over renewable sources that have waited years to connect to the grid.

    Meanwhile, PJM recently released its much-anticipated plan for how to deal with the demand created by data centers.

    That plan calls for changes in PJM policies to bring new power online quickly by providing a streamlined path for state-sponsored power generation projects, improving load forecasts, giving a bigger role in the process to states, and offering ways for data centers to bring in their own power generation while curtailing power in times of system need.

    The plan, PJM said, “will also help address the supply-and-demand imbalance that has the potential to threaten grid reliability and is currently driving up wholesale costs that can impact consumer bills.”

    Jeff Shields, a spokesperson for PJM, said the imbalance has been created as sources of power generation are being retired without enough new generation coming online to keep pace. At the same time, demand for electricity has increased substantially due to the proliferation of data centers.

    “PJM is doing its part to bring new generation onto the system, and any suggestion otherwise is just not true,” Shields said.

    He also noted that while PJM does run wholesale power markets, it does not directly set rates for residential, commercial, or industrial customers. Those rates are set by utilities, such as Peco, along with government agencies, such as the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.