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Author: Michelle Myers

  • Peco contract negotiations continue as union members remain on strike

    Peco contract negotiations continue as union members remain on strike

    Peco and its striking unionized workers continued contract negotiations on Sunday, the second day of a strike that occurred as the region was affected by power outages caused by severe storms.

    A dozen striking workers were picketing at Peco’s Philadelphia office on the 2300 block of Market Street, as the company and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 614 continued talks.

    The two sides have differed over wages and benefits, with the union seeking to have all of its roughly 1,500 members covered by pensions — 600 of them currently are not.

    It is the first strike in the company’s history.

    Peco has said its contingency plan should prevent customers from experiencing delays or interruptions in service. The company has also said that its contract offer is competitive and fair for employees and customers, adding that it has also offered improved retirement benefits.

    Bargaining was expected to continue through Sunday, according to Melissa McCleery, a union spokesperson.

    Peco’s latest offer, according to Larry Anastasi, president and business manager of IBEW Local 614, would give call center workers a lower wage increase than the rest of the union members. According to the union, 98% of call center workers are women.

    “We will not accept a contract that undercuts the women of our union,” Anastasi said in a statement.

    The company’s current offer, the union said, would bring an average annual wage increase of 3.5% for non-call center workers, between 2027 and 2031. Call center workers would receive 3% annual wage increases in the same time frame.

    To Anastasi, that is unacceptable.

    “Any deal that leaves the call center behind is a deal that will not be signed,” he said in a statement. “PECO’s proposal is an attempt to drive a wedge between our members and that’s not going to work.”

    The company rejected the union’s characterization of its offer.

    “To suggest that PECO would undercut the women of our union is ridiculous,” said a company spokesperson in a statement. “PECO values the contributions of all represented employees, including our customer care professionals, and we reject any suggestion that our goal during negotiations was to diminish the importance of any employee group.”

    The company said that its customer service workers’ average hourly pay is $45.12, well above regional benchmarks of $23.80 for customer consultants and $30.91 for specialized consultants.

    The striking workers in Philadelphia spent a long day in the sun on Sunday, bringing water bottles, coolers, and lawn chairs. They arrived on Market Street as early as 6 a.m., the union said.

    Pulling a megaphone he said he found in his children’s room, union member Tom Jarozynski yelled: “Peco, can you hear us?”

    As cars drove by beeping in support, Jarozynski continued: “What do we want?”

    “A contract,” the crowd replied.

    “When do we want it?”

    “Now.”

    On Saturday, the company said that federal mediation had been offered for the talks. Peco said it had accepted the offer for mediation, but the union did not. An IBEW spokesperson said union negotiators were busy bargaining and not available to answer questions about mediation.

    The union said workers plan to picket at different Peco locations until a contract is reached.

  • Semiquincentennial parade canceled due to heat, Pops on Independence still on

    Semiquincentennial parade canceled due to heat, Pops on Independence still on

    Wawa’s Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade is canceled due to high temperatures, according to organizers.

    The parade was set to start Friday at noon after a delay was already announced Thursday.

    The Pops concert Friday night, featuring Idina Menzel, is still on, according to Wawa Welcome America.

    Idina Menzel joins Philly orchestra for free Pops concert on Independence Mall

    While some Facebook users understood the expected over 100 degree weather could put people at risk, others felt strongly about the lack of celebration.

    “What a disappointment for not only those of us who had hoped to watch, but also for the bands and other marchers who have come from all across the U.S.” one user commented. ”I get it — no one wants the liability. But are we just going to cancel everything?”

    Another added, “It’s the 250th in the Birthplace of Freedom, and we’re just canceling parades because it’s warm,” leaving people to argue and point out that it wasn’t simply a warm day in Philadelphia, but a dangerous heat advisory.

    Friday’s high is expected to break records in Philadelphia, with the anticipated minimum high of 104 last met in 1966 — when the nation was a mere 190 years old.

    Philly declares a heat emergency and Welcome America alters events as 100-degree temperatures loom

    Experts say this is different and riskier than warm days in past Julys.

    Over the past 85 years, Julys in Philadelphia are running on average 4.4 degrees warmer than in 1940, based on an analysis of historical weather data. That translates to an increase of about 0.52 degrees per decade.

    The city on Tuesday declared a “heat health emergency” in effect from 1 p.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Saturday. Across the Northeast, outdoor events are being rescheduled or canceled, citing the heat. Those events range from other America 250 events to local farmers’ markets.

    Friday’s parade would have featured elaborate, giant floats paying tribute to America, including larger-than-life recreations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman, a peace dove, and a Liberty Bell.

    Inquirer staff writer Anthony R. Wood contributed to this report.

  • SEPTA’s bus numbering system is a relic from the streetcar era

    SEPTA’s bus numbering system is a relic from the streetcar era

    While waiting for his SEPTA bus, Jake McGovern, 28, noticed at least three routes go by his corner in Point Breeze.

    He wondered if route numbers had any particular meaning: Maybe 7 indicated a north-south route, and 9 meant east-west.

    “There has to be some logic to it,” he thought.

    No amount of looking at the bus maps proved helpful in deciphering the pattern, so McGovern asked Curious Philly, The Inquirer’s forum for questions about the city: “Is there any rhyme or reason for the SEPTA bus numbering system?”

    » ASK US: Have something you’re wondering about the Philly region? Submit your Curious Philly question here.

    Places like New York City have bus lines with a combination of letters and numbers that show the borough they serve: Bx (Bronx), B (Brooklyn), M (Manhattan), and even S for Staten Island.

    Philly, on the other hand, has always vibed to its own logic, even when that might mean not having one.

    SEPTA operates more than 120 bus routes, including the lines to the suburbs. But bus numbers in Philly do not indicate where routes go or which streets they operate on, according to SEPTA spokesperson John Golden.

    SEPTA bus numbers above 90 are lines driving to the suburbs.

    The routes below 90 were formerly Philadelphia Transportation Co. streetcar routes, Golden said.

    The bus numbers in Philly are a relic of a time when Philadelphians moved through streetcars pulled by horses.

    Back then, the lines were named in the order they were introduced, Billy Penn reported in 2020. When bus routes replaced them, the route numbers were retained.

    For areas with new bus routes, letters were assigned as the route identifier. Eventually, new bus routes were numbered in the high 80s, Golden said.

    The letter system ended in February 2025, when SEPTA renamed bus routes named after letters into numbers, turning:

    • The G into 63
    • The H into 71
    • The J into 41
    • The L into 51
    • The R into 82
    • The XH into 81

    Upon hearing the explanation McGovern said, “Oh, jeez” between laughs.

    “It’s kind of a letdown, but it’s funny that it worked out like that,” McGovern said. “I imagine the randomness is probably useful to other people in the city as well, because it makes it very unique.”

  • Road closures for Philly’s July 4th concert and other events are announced

    Road closures for Philly’s July 4th concert and other events are announced

    Between concerts at Independence Mall, block parties, Wawa Hoagie Day, fireworks, and a parade, Philly streets will be booked and busy in early July.

    For folks planning ahead, these are roads that will be closed as Philly celebrates the nation’s 250th with the Wawa Welcome America Festival:

    Thursday, June 25

    Starting at 8 a.m., the north traffic lane on Market Street (between Fifth and Sixth Streets) is closed to accommodate the stage buildup for the Independence National Historical Park concert.

    The north lane should reopen to traffic by 10 p.m.

    Friday, June 26

    The stage buildup continues. The north lane on Market Street (between Fifth and Sixth Streets) will be shut down once again from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    Reservoir Drive in front of Smith Playground is also scheduled to be closed for Kidchella. Between noon and 11 p.m. the drive will be shut down to accommodate the free music festival with art stations.

    Saturday, June 27

    Starting at 6 a.m., three roads will close for Concilio’s Hispanic Fiesta:

    • The Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 16th Street to 17th Street
    • Arch Street between 15th and 16th Streets
    • 16th Street from John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Arch Street

    All streets are expected to reopen at midnight.

    Sunday, June 28

    Market Street and its north sidewalk (from Fifth to Sixth Streets) are scheduled to be closed from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the gospel concert at Independence Hall.

    The north traffic lane on Market Street will also be shut down for the concert between 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

    Tuesday, June 30

    The inner lanes of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 20th Street to Binswanger Triangle will close starting at 6 a.m. in preparation for the One Philly: Unity Concert for America July 4th concert and fireworks. Closures will remain in place through Monday at 6 a.m.

    Wednesday, July 1

    Wednesday brings six street shutdowns, some as early as 5 a.m., for the Wawa Hoagie Day (free hoagies at noon) and U.S. Air Force Heritage Band:

    Closing from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    • Arch Street from Fourth to Sixth Streets
    • Fifth Street between Market and Race Streets
    • Sixth Street from Market Street to Race Street

    Closing from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

    • Market Street north traffic lane from Fifth to Sixth Streets
    • Market Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets

    Closing between 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

    • North sidewalk on Market Street from Fifth to Sixth Streets

    Thursday, July 2

    Two days before the 250th, road closures are ramping up for the Red, White, and Blue To Do celebration, the All American Block Party, and the Salute to Service: United States Army Field Band and Soldiers Chorus.

    Closing between 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

    • Arch Street from Fourth to Sixth Streets

    Closing between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    • Third Street between Chestnut and Walnut Streets
    • Dock Street between Third and Walnut Streets
    • Walnut Street between Second and Third Streets

    Closing between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

    • Market Street north traffic lane from Fifth to Sixth Streets

    Closing between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    • Walnut Street from Second to Fourth Streets

    Closed between 11 a.m. until the parade ends or passes

    • Chestnut Street between Second and Fifth Streets
    • Market Street at Fifth Street
    • Chestnut Street at Fifth Street closure starts at 11:15 a.m.

    Closing between 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

    • Market Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets
    • Sixth Street between Arch and Market Streets
    • Market Street north sidewalk from Fifth to Sixth Streets

    Closing July 2 and July 3

    • Fifth Street from Race Street to Chestnut Street is closed from July 2 at noon to July 3 at 5 p.m.

    Friday, July 3

    With the Salute to Independence Parade the Philly Pops concert at Independence Mall, and the Parkway concert and fireworks, Friday brings more road closures. Expect some streets to close as early as 4 a.m.

    Closing between 4 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    Three streets will be closed between Spruce and Arch Streets:

    • Third Street
    • Fourth Street
    • Fifth Street

    Closing between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

    • Market Street from Fifth to Sixth Streets

    Closing from 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. on Monday

    • 1900 block of Race Street 
    • 1800-1900 Vine Street 
    • I-676 off-ramp at 22nd Street 
    • I-676 on-ramp at 22nd Street 
    • I-76 eastbound off-famp at Spring Garden Street 
    • Spring Garden Tunnel 
    • Park Towne Place between 22nd and 24th Streets 
    • 20th Street between Arch Street and Pennsylvania Avenue 
    • 19th Street between Callowhill and Cherry Streets 
    • Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 17th Street to Eakins Oval (all lanes) 
    • Eakins Oval (all lanes) 
    • Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Fairmount Avenue (Kelly Drive inbound closed at Fountain Green Drive beginning at about 5 p.m.) 
    • Rear of Art Museum – Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive 
    • 2000-2100 Winter Street 
    • MLK Drive from Falls Bridge to Eakins Oval 
    • Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 31st Street 
    • 23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eakins Oval 
    • 22nd Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue 
    • 21st Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue 
    • All roads from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street, 18th to 22nd Streets (local access maintained for residents) 
    • All roads from Arch Street to Fairmount Avenue, 22nd to Corinthian Streets (local access maintained for residents) 
    • 16th and 17th Streets, between Arch and Spring Garden Streets will be closed only if conditions warrant in the interest of public safety 
    • 1600-1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed only if conditions warrant in the interest of public safety 

    Closing from 11:30 a.m. until the parade ends

    • Market Street from Sixth to 17th Streets
    • Seventh Street between Arch and Walnut Streets
    • Eighth Street between Arch Street and Walnut Streets
    • Ninth Street between Arch and Walnut Streets
    • 10th Street between Arch and Walnut Streets
    • 11th Street between Arch and Walnut Streets
    • 12th Street between Arch and Walnut Streets
    • 13th Street between Arch and Walnut Streets
    • John F. Kennedy Boulevard between Juniper and 17th Streets
    • North Broad Street between John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Arch Street
    • 15th Street between Cherry and Chestnut Streets
    • Benjamin Franklin Parkway between Arch and 20th Streets
    • 16th Street between Cherry and Chestnut Streets
    • 17th Street between Race and Arch Streets
    • 18th Street between Vine and Cherry Streets
    • 19th Street between Vine and Cherry Streets
    • 20th Street between Vine and Race Streets
    • Chestnut Street between 11th and 16th Streets

    Closing between 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

    • Sixth Street from Market to Race Streets
    • North sidewalk on Market Street from Fifth to Sixth Streets

    Saturday, July 4

    Sealing the 250th festivities, the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony brings few more road closures. Closures related to the Parkway concert and fireworks continue.

    Closing between 8 a.m. to noon

    • Market Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets
    • Market Street north sidewalk from Fifth to Sixth Streets

    Closing between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. on Sunday, July 5

    • Kelly Drive from Fairmount Avenue to Fountain Green Drive 
    • Waterworks Drive 
  • Philadelphia-area Venezuelans are donating rescue tools and medicine to aid victims of massive earthquakes

    Philadelphia-area Venezuelans are donating rescue tools and medicine to aid victims of massive earthquakes

    The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul was a center of resilience Sunday, as dozens of Philly Venezuelans gathered to collect aid for folks affected by two earthquakes that struck the South American country on Wednesday.

    Emilio Buitrago, 52, was driving home when his brother called, telling him a 7.2 magnitude earthquake had decimated their home city of La Guaira, about 18 miles north of Caracas, the capital. Less than a minute later, a second tremor took place, this time reaching a magnitude of 7.5.

    One of his cousins was unaccounted for, for two days before being located on Friday morning.

    “My three cousins lost their homes; they are alive by a miracle. My uncle managed to get out, but he’s injured,” Buitrago said. “They are sleeping in the street because it feels safer [in case buildings collapse] and they said it’s starting to smell like decomposing bodies.”

    Since the earthquakes, Buitrago’s brother has been working nonstop, he said, removing rubble with his bare hands due to the lack of tools and machinery.

    Thousands of miles away from home, Buitrago thought the best way to help was to go to the cathedral and help with collecting donations and praying.

    By 1 p.m., 15 boxes sat on the area outside of the Cathedral’s chapel, being filled with donated masks, first aid supplies, medicine, electrolytes, nasal relief products, and more.

    Alex Moreno, president of the local nonprofit Gente de Venezuela, said the donations will be sent to Caracas, where their contacts are connecting with on-the-ground rescuers.

    “It has to be now, when we still have a chance to try to help get the people who are still trapped under the rubble out alive,” Moreno said.

    So far, the death toll has risen to 1,430 people, according to CNN, with many Venezuelans taking to social media to ask for help moving the structural debris to rescue their loved ones.

    Besides collecting physical donations, both Gente de Venezuela and another nonprofit, Casa de Venezuela, are raising funds through an umbrella group, the Venezuelan Organizations Network in the United States. By late Sunday afternoon, $16,310 had been donated for the effort, which has a goal of $75,000.

    That money, Moreno said, is destined for buying tools to help rescuers dig through the rubble. A first batch of hammers, gloves, drills, masks, and other supplies has been purchased with that money and sent to Venezuela, Moreno said.

    For future physical donations, he recommends following Gente de Venezuela and Casa de Venezuela to see where they will be receiving donations next.

    “The hope is to try and help rescue as many people as possible, because the rescuers on the ground are saying that the tragedy is too big for the number of hands able to help back home,” Moreno said.

    Despite the pain, the community is sticking together and his group plans plan to continue with their planned participation in the July 3 Salute to Independence parade in Philadelphia, to honor both the lives lost and the rescuers, Moreno said.

    “Above all, we are people of resilience, and we will continue to be here to support our community,” Moreno said.

  • 2 people died and 2 others were injured after being shot in Philadelphia’s Fairhill section

    2 people died and 2 others were injured after being shot in Philadelphia’s Fairhill section

    A shooting in the wee hours of Sunday left two men dead and two others injured in the Fairhill section of Philadelphia, police said.

    Gunshots prompted police to arrive near 5th and Westmoreland Streets right before 3 a.m.

    Police took one man to Temple University Hospital. He was pronounced dead.

    Two men brought themselves to Temple University Hospital, police said. They are in stable condition.

    A fourth man was taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, police said. He died soon after.

    So far, no arrests have been made. Police have yet to release the men’s ages and names, or a motive, but the investigation is ongoing with the Homicide Unit.

  • Human skull and other remains found in South Jersey

    Human skull and other remains found in South Jersey

    A human skull and other skeletal remains were found this week in a wooded area of Whitesboro, Middle Township.

    The remains were found by a resident walking in the area on Tuesday, police said.

    The Middle Township Police Department was called to the scene and began a search, finding the skeletal remains that police believe belong to an adult.

    So far, it is unknown who the remains belong to. The Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office continues to investigate, with Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland writing on Facebook that “there is no threat to the public at this time.”

    Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip through the prosecutor’s office website at cmcpo.tips or call the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-1135.

  • Philly-area Ukrainians and Iranians march from the Art Museum to City Hall

    Philly-area Ukrainians and Iranians march from the Art Museum to City Hall

    About 100 people gathered on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Sunday to stand with Ukraine, marking the recent fourth anniversary of the Russian war on the European nation.

    “You don’t have to be Ukrainian to know what’s right and wrong,” said Iryna Mazur, 50, honorary consul of Ukraine in Philadelphia. “You don’t have to be Ukrainian to have a heart, and to stand for justice.”

    The event also drew a second group: a small crowd of less than 10 people with a pre-Revolutionary Iranian flag stood alongside Ukraine supporters. While a joint protest had not been planned, Mazur expressed support for the Iranian demonstrators.

    “What happened to the dictator in Iran should have happened a long time ago,” Mazur said.

    Nazanin Saleh, 42, said she supported the attack on Iran’s supreme leader. She said she was getting ready for a birthday party when she got a notification that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was dead.

    After years of sorrow, she said felt hope for a motherland she hasn’t seen since 2016.

    “There is hope now, to be able to have a democracy and be able to have basic human rights, to vote,” Saleh said, pausing. “There is hope to be able to live as a free woman.”

    She said the U.S intervention was necessary for the future of her loved ones back home.

    “This war isn’t against the people of Iran,” Saleh said. “It is against an Islamic regime that’s forcefully killing people and taking away their freedom.”

    After more than an hour at the Art Museum, the group marched down Benjamin Franklin Parkway, cheering for drivers who waved in support as they passed by.

  • Gardening roots bring Philadelphians to the Flower Show

    Gardening roots bring Philadelphians to the Flower Show

    The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Philadelphia Flower Show is back at the Convention Center, full of colors, scented exhibits, flowery crowns, and roots.

    Through March 8, visitors can celebrate the 197th edition of the region’s premier botanical show. This year’s installment commemorates the nation’s 250th anniversary under the theme “Rooted: Origins of American Gardening.”

    The displays honor the people, places, and traditions that shaped gardening in the United States. So, we asked attendees on Saturday, the show’s opening day:

    “What roots you into gardening?”

    Learning to let go

    Judy Baskin, 70, and her husband, Richard Tassano, 77, have been gardening together for over 30 years.

    Between raised beds, produce, and a mutual hatred of mowing, the Bala Cynwyd couple found in gardening a way to maintain and strengthen their connection with each other and their community.

    “It’s really nice to do it together,” Baskin said. “But if you were to listen to us, there is a lot of ‘I don’t want that there,’ or ‘Move that there.’”

    Richard Tassano, 77, and Judy Baskin, 70, of Bala Cynwyd, Pa., pose for a portrait at the Flower Show in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. The two have been gardening together growing mainly vegetables and few flowers to help pollination for their plants. “Every year we learn something new,” Richard said.

    Those green debates have prompted better communication, and an easier time choosing their battles.

    “You learn something new every year,” Tassano said. “You have to learn to let go and go figure out what you are going to sacrifice to the squirrels and raccoons.”

    But the couple don’t just garden for themselves. Their tomatoes, lettuce, pesto, garlic, brussels sprouts, and peppers (hot and sweet) have also prompted better relationships with their neighbors.

    “We have Cambodian neighbors we can’t talk to,” Baskin said, referencing a language barrier. “But we exchange vegetables that go from our gardens to our tables.”

    Memories from a distant past

    For Mayumi Welman, 61, gardening brings back memories of loved ones and places she can now access only in her mind.

    She drove three hours from Virginia to experience the Flower Show for the first time with her son, New Jersey resident Millan Welman.

    As she and her son walked around, tiny flowers reminded Mayumi of her mother and her love for dianthus.

    Mayumi Welman, 61, of Fairfax, Va., poses for a portrait with her son Millan Welman, 25, of Princeton, N.J., at the Flower Show in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Mayumi has been gardening for about 40 plus years. Her favorite flowers are Tulips and Roses.

    The poppies brought back memories of her kindergarten teacher, back in her native Japan, whose kindness with plants inspired a green thumb for a then-6-year-old Welman.

    “Different plants bring back different memories of different people,” Welman said. “Tulips and roses are my favorites, but it’s too hard to pick because they are like choosing my favorite child.”

    Despite not being a gardener himself, Welman’s only child, Millan, has learned a lot about life through seeing his mom care for plants.

    “She gave me an appreciation and respect for the natural world,” Millan Welman said. “I look at her and I feel respect for that level of commitment and a certain nostalgia because it’s a sight I grew up with.”

    More oxygen, less seasonal depression

    Megan Robbins and her husband, Hunter, have over 50 plants at home, including a three-foot-high baby monstera.

    The Bellmawr couple got into gardening in 2024, looking to improve air quality in their home, and found an unexpected love that brought them closer.

    “It’s an intentional time spent together; you have to be locked in and there is always something you can do,” Hunter Robbins, 34, said. “It’s like having a kid.”

    For Megan Robbins, also 34, gardening has helped with her seasonal depression just by touching her plants when she is feeling down.

    “It’s really calming,” she said. “There is a sense of accomplishment that you are growing something that you created, an ecosystem. It feels like we are giving back.”

    The greenery has also turned their living room and other corners of their home into a concert venue.

    Megan Robbins plays classical music for the plants and her husband tunes them in to hip-hop to help them grow.

    “The world is crazy enough, so it’s nice to have this space to set up long term and look forward to seeing grow in the future,” Hunter Robbins said.

    Robin Posner, 37, of West Philadelphia, Pa., (left), and Megan Robbins, 34, of Bellmawr, N.J., (right), pose for a photo together at the Flower Show in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.

    Named for a sunflower

    Lorann Powell inherited her love for gardening from her parents, who gave her Sunflower as a middle name.

    “I followed my mom around as she was a landscaper,” Powell said. “She grew everything, so I grew up learning to cultivate and feeding the neighborhood with our vegetables.”

    Lorann Sunflower Powell, 65, of Graduate Hospital, poses for a portrait at the Flower Show in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Lorann has been gardening all her life, beginning with learning from her mother, who was a landscaper.

    The Graduate Hospital area still carries that love language. Powell, 65, spends the summers planting seasonal flowers for her neighbors to “make the block beautiful,” she said.

    Sunflowers are her favorite things to plant, and she has already passed on the tradition of cultivating them to her children.

    “It’s rooted in my system; it is my history and story,” Powell said. “I’m rooted to plant things and let it grow.”

    Gardening in the heart of the city

    Dana Napier, of Grays Ferry, Pa., 79, poses for a portrait at the Flower Show in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Dana has been gardening all her life and has been going to the show for over 40 years now.

    For Dana Napier, 79, gardening means life — and resilience, particularly when practiced within the city limits.

    “It’s important to have a garden when you live in the city,” Napier said. “It gets you off the grid and a lot of wonderful Philadelphia birds come through.”

    To her, gardening has become a way of connection, not only with her Grays Ferry neighbors but also with the animal life of Philly. Groundhogs and raccoons have become regular visitors in her backyard.

    “It makes me feel like I’m still self-sufficient,” she said. “It gives me peace and my thoughts can go someplace else.”

  • Quakertown police chief is on leave, as the Bucks County DA’s office continues its investigation

    Quakertown police chief is on leave, as the Bucks County DA’s office continues its investigation

    Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree, a center of controversy for his role in a confrontation with anti-ICE protesters last week, has been placed on leave.

    In response to a request for comment, McElree said Saturday he is “out with workman’s comp injuries.” He did not elaborate on what the injuries entailed.

    On Friday, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said it was continuing its investigation into the Feb. 20 incident that resulted in the arrest of five teenagers on assault charges.

    Quakertown’s solicitor said that McElree, who also is the borough manager, was placed on workers’ compensation leave for both positions, according to NBC10 and the Bucks County Courier Times. Efforts to reach other borough officials for comment were unsuccessful.

    McElree, 72, has held his unusual dual role since 2007.

    McElree had no record of alleged police abuses before the incident on Feb. 20, when bystander footage showed him apparently putting a teenage girl in a chokehold on a sidewalk as other youths scuffled with him.

    The teens were among 35 Quakertown Community High School students who walked out of class to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities.

    Videos show McElree arriving at the protest, not in uniform, and confronting a group of students. In the footage, teenagers appear to strike McElree as he attempts to grab a student.

    Police said the students were entering traffic and damaging property.

    A parent makes remarks to the Quakertown Community School District Board at its meeting Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Quakertown, Pa. Critics who addressed the board accused the district of not doing enough to support the students arrested during last week’s ICE protest.

    A GoFundMe campaign was created to raise money for the arrested students’ legal fees, court costs, and medical and other expenses. So far, over $130,000 has been donated.

    During a Thursday night board meeting, angry school parents pressed for consequences for both the Quakertown Community School District and McElree.

    On Friday, the district attorney’s office encouraged anyone with cell phone footage or photos of the incident to come forward and contact county detectives.

    It was unclear who would assume McElree’s duties as chief and borough manager.

    Staff writer Brett Sholtis contributed to this article.