Author: Paola Pérez

Thursday is here.

Patchy fog should clear up by the afternoon, and windy showers are expected to roll through the region in the evening.

From new homes to garages and a hotel, today’s top story touches on what we can expect from some of Philadelphia’s biggest development projects in the new year.

And attention, SEPTA trolley riders: There won’t be a Christmas miracle for the Center City tunnel.

Scroll along for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Ones to watch

Before developers are allowed to break ground on a major project on your neighborhood corner, you’ll want to know what’s going up and who’s behind it.

Developers are required to submit their plans to the Planning Commission for public input through the Civic Design Review committee.

🏙️ It’s an advisory board of architects, planners, and other experts that gives residents an opportunity to speak directly to the developer. It also provides feedback to projects that will have an outsized impact on the city landscape.

🏙️ This year, the committee considered 18 projects. (But even projects that make it through review don’t necessarily get built. Remember the proposed Sixers arena?)

🏙️ Combined, these 18 developments could bring more than 2,500 new homes and apartments, 1,800 parking spaces, and 118,000 square feet of storage space to Philly.

Commercial real estate reporter Jake Blumgart has the details on what’s coming from each project and where they stand.

In other development news: Another former religious building is being redeveloped into apartments in South Philly, with an assist from a law that helps preserve large, historic buildings like churches.

SEPTA’s slider saga

The Center City trolley tunnel closed in November to repair its overhead wire system. Now, SEPTA says it will remain closed through the end of December.

Some lawmakers are set to lead a canvass alongside SEPTA riders and advocates along part of the tunnel on Thursday morning.

Officials are hopeful service can resume in January as it continues to replace sections of wiring. But even then, the quest to put in new brass slider parts may not be over.

Nate File explains his latest report.

What you should know today

• The man who walked through the streets of Kingsessing and shot people at random in 2023, killing five and wounding five others in one of Philadelphia’s deadliest mass shootings, pleaded guilty Wednesday to multiple counts of murder and was sentenced to decades in prison.
• Par Funding salesman Dean Vagnozzi has sued the U.S. government, accusing federal officials of abuse of process, negligence, and unconstitutional search and seizure.
• Teddy Einstein, a beloved professor and West Philly mathematician, was about to hit his stride. Then he was killed while riding his bike earlier this month.
• Two teens were charged with first-degree murder and authorities are looking for a 20-year-old man in connection with a fatal Norristown shooting that was reportedly motivated by a street gang feud.
• A former Philadelphia corrections officer pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a female prisoner inside her cell last year.
• Radnor school board officials are now considering a charter school seeking to open in the fall of 2026 on the Valley Forge Military Academy campus.
• Three moderate Republicans from Pennsylvania joined Democrats to force a House vote in a last-ditch effort to save healthcare tax credits.
• Bucks County passed a property tax increase for next year, in response to a deficit in the county’s operating budget.
• A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by Jefferson Health patients accusing the health system of allowing Facebook’s third-party tracking technology access to private patient information.
• Philly is creating a new path through a now-hidden alley to help tourists get through Old City.

🧠 Trivia time

A statue of Barbara Rose Johns, a civil rights activist who spent much of her life in Philly, now stands in the U.S. Capitol.

Which area university did she graduate from?

A) University of Pennsylvania

B) Temple University

C) Drexel University

D) Villanova University

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

❄️ Visiting: A winter wonderland home in Ocean City.

🍺 Toasting to: A new Philly Pilsner celebrating women’s sports.

🥋 Highlighting: The Fairmount resident behind a women’s fightwear apparel brand that won over Shark Tank.

🦐 Hungry for: The reborn pil pil shrimp at the new Pine Street Grill.

☕️ Curious about: A coffee shop and wine bar coming to the Navy Yard.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: South Philly author

LIME ORZO

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Lars Weintraub, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Thomas Holme. Pennsylvania’s first surveyor general is the namesake of a new elementary school in Northeast Philadelphia. The $88 million building will open to students in January.

🎄 Photo of the day

Enter Deptford Mall’s Christmas House, a holiday attraction that skirts tradition and leans more into the humorous than the Yuletide.

Thanks for starting your day with us. Take care.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Wake up, it’s Wednesday.

It may be slightly warmer out, but beware the icy glaze lurking on streets, sidewalks, and driveways.

A Philly school principal told The Inquirer they’re experiencing what they call “the season when we get charter kids.” Today’s main story digs into a practice that several administrators claim drives troubled students from charters to district institutions.

Also in this edition: We stop by a Christmas Village hut using the element of surprise to sell unclaimed mail packages.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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‘It’s no secret’

It’s not unusual for students to switch schools after the school year begins. However, some Philly principals point to one “concerning” trend behind a bump in transfers from charters.

The Inquirer spoke with a dozen current and former district administrators who say some pupils with behavior problems are pushed by charters out to Philadelphia School District schools. Charter leaders dispute claims that kids are sent to district schools over disciplinary issues.

Charter-to-district data: Over the past three years, the number of charter students transferring to district schools increases every month throughout the school year. “It’s not talked about, but in the schools, it’s no secret,” said one principal about the increase.

Deep frustration: The bar is much higher for district administrators to remove students; they “can’t turn kids away,” another principal said. Making matters more difficult is a lack of additional funding to attend to more students.

Notable quote: “It’s just not fair,” said a third principal. “We’re not getting their best kids.”

Philly schools reporter Kristen Graham reports on the challenges district schools face as they take on charter school students.

🎁 Mystery mail

🎤 Now I’m passing the mic to columnist Stephanie Farr.

Emma Zielinski wasn’t sure how her business selling unclaimed mystery mail would fare at the Christmas Village in Philadelphia this year, or if she’d even be accepted into the holiday market at all.

“I didn’t think they’d take us because we’re not handmade, but when I picked up my vendor badge they were like, ‘We’ve been waiting for you to apply!’” she said.

As it turns out, thousands of people from across the region have also been waiting for the chance to buy orphaned packages that never found their way home and nobody went to look for — the contents of which remain shrouded to both Zielinski and the buyers until after they are purchased.

“The Christmas Village has really turned my business upside down,” she told me. “I don’t think anyone realized this was going to happen.” — Stephanie Farr

See what’s inside the bags going from $10 to $40 a pop.

What you should know today

• A Philadelphia judge denied summoning a colleague to his courtroom over a criminal case. Courtroom recordings call his account into question.
• The 10-year-old boy who was severely burned in the Northeast Philly plane crash was headed home on Tuesday after spending nearly a year in the hospital. “It’s the best thing ever that he’ll be home for the holidays,” his grandmother said.
• Hundreds gathered Wednesday morning to bid farewell to Andy Chan, the Philadelphia police officer who died six years after a motorcycle crash.
• A 63-year-old woman riding as a passenger in an Uber vehicle was killed Monday morning when a man allegedly fleeing a warrant crashed a car into the Uber in North Philadelphia, police said.
• The well water used by a Montgomery County school located near a toxic landfill has tested positive for human-made polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS.
• All 17 members of Philadelphia City Council have indicated they will seek reelection in 2027. That would be the first time in at least 75 years.
• A Philly landlord whose intimidation campaign against a tenant led to a deadly confrontation was sentenced Tuesday to 9 to 18 years in prison.
• The woman who was captured on video rage pooping on a car during a Delco roadway dispute in April entered into a first-time offender program.
• Chester County is rolling out a fleet of propane public buses, with plans to build its own fueling station to reduce costs and as part of a climate action plan.
• Sports apparel store Rally House plans to open its first Center City location. Its new spot would bring continued momentum to the retail corridor around Rittenhouse Square.

🧠 Trivia time

In December of 2022, Jalen Hurts gave diehard Eagles fan Paul Hamilton a historic touchdown ball at MetLife Stadium.

What happened next, according to a lawsuit?

A) Hamilton tried to sell it on eBay for $1 billion

B) Security officials accosted and detained Hamilton

C) Hamilton hurled it at a Giants fan

D) None of the above

Think you got it? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re …

🎅 Riding along with: The Cherry Hill Santa tour bringing Christmas cheer around snow-dusted South Jersey.

🤫 Ranking: The Philly region’s loudest and quietest hospitals.

🎄 Learning: How Pennsylvania grows 720,000 Christmas trees a year.

🎬 Watching: The first trailer for Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg’s new movie filmed in New Jersey.

🔬 Analyzing: Why Philadelphia loses promising biotech firms to Boston, San Francisco, and San Diego.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Pennsylvania’s first surveyor general, and namesake of a new elementary school in Northeast Philly

HAMEL SMOOTH

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Tracey Slobotkin, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Adolis García. The Phillies signed the free-agent outfielder to a one-year contract, which major league sources said is for $10 million. Here are five things to know about the newest Phillie.

Photo of the day

Have a good one, and I’ll catch up with you again tomorrow.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Welcome to Sunday.

By the time you’re reading this, it has likely snowed overnight. The National Weather Service issued a warning overnight for 3 to 5 inches, with 6 or more possible across the region. Check Inquirer.com for the latest.

Our top story highlights Atlantic City’s struggles as it tries to close the door on 2025.

Further on, go inside the FBI’s hunt for a ring of bandits who allegedly tried to rob five armored trucks over the summer.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Shore town in trouble

Between the looming threat of New York casinos moving in and a fire at Peanut World, it’s been a rough year for Atlantic City.

And just as business owners and residents alike are ready to turn over a new leaf, a new plot twist has emerged: Marty Small Sr., the newly reelected mayor, is on trial for what he described a “private family problem.” Small is accused of allegedly physically abusing his teenage daughter.

The site of historic mayoral misdeeds, multimillionaire overreach, and chronic unwanted attention is ending 2025 in crisis, and more worries are brewing.

Can A.C. come out of this unscathed? Amy Rosenberg has the story on the myriad problems the resort faces entering 2026.

In other Shore news:

🌊 Eroded beaches could soon get federal money for replenishment. Will it be enough?

🎡 Ocean City Mayor Jay A. Gillian was hit with a civil suit saying he owes nearly $600,000 for an unpaid debt related to Gillian’s Wonderland Pier.

💰 Atlantic City wind turbines were once opposed by residents. Two decades later, officials estimate they have saved $8.8 million.

How the hunt happened

Old-school detective work. High-tech surveillance. An anonymous tip. And seemingly unrelated probe into car thefts.

These elements and more helped investigators piece together a case against a crew that allegedly executed two robberies of armored trucks over the course of six days this summer in Philadelphia.

Caught in the mix of records is a text message that came from a West Philly man now playing in the NFL, referencing a news story about the heists.

Investigative reporter David Gambacorta details how officials worked to identify, track, and ultimately arrest members of the robbery ring.

What you should know today

• At least two people were killed and several more injured in a shooting in the area of Brown University in Rhode Island on Saturday, a law enforcement official said, as the Ivy League school issued an active shooter alert and urged students and staff to take shelter.
• A Philly charter awarded a big contract to a board member’s friend, then punished the official who reported it, according to a lawsuit.
• Candidates running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans spent a busy weekend in New York trying to woo donors and supporters, as Pennsylvania’s political elite gathered in Manhattan for the annual Pennsylvania Society dinner — and a parade of related events.
• A South Jersey man was charged with impersonating law enforcement after he showed up at a police investigation claiming to work for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• Approximately 3.4 million state agency letters intended for Pennsylvania residents — including some detailing whether they are eligible for health benefits or food assistance, or need to renew them — were not delivered to residents from Nov. 3 through Dec. 3, officials said Friday.
• Julianne Murray, President Donald Trump’s U.S. attorney in Delaware, abruptly resigned Friday. She is the latest Trump-appointed federal prosecutor whose appointment has drawn scrutiny.
• Off-duty Jefferson nurses performed CPR on a man who fell ill during a music performance at a Philly venue this week. It’s not the first time in recent memory that hospital staff helped save a customer’s life at the club.
• Two local bookstores are among eight in Pennsylvania to win a $500 grant from award-winning author James Patterson’s annual Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program.
• A Texas-style country outlaw-themed bar meets secondhand store — deep in the heart of Fishtown.
• A couple in York claim to have the best-lit Christmas tree in all of Pennsylvania. They shared tips to make yours second best.

❓Pop quiz

This week brought some conversation regarding the fate of the Rocky statue located at the top of the Philadelphia Art Museum’s steps (for now, it’s not moving). In total, how many official Rocky statues are in Philly?

A) one

B) four

C) three

D) two

Think you got it? Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: City in Chester County

LOCATE ELVIS

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Peter DiMaio, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Elkins Estate. The Gilded Age estate and wedding venue in Montco is adding a boutique event space and distillery.

Photo of the day

🎶 Today’s song sounds like: “Free, I want to be / Tell them all get out from under me.” I’m enjoying Golden Apples’ Shooting Star record. Here’s how Russell Edling, the man behind the music, enjoys his perfect day in Philadelphia.

One more musical thing: The most acclaimed Philly act of 2025 is a band called They Are Gutting a Body of Water. Pop critic Dan DeLuca spoke with its frontman on why he loves Philadelphia, and Philadelphia music.

👋🏽 Thanks, as always, for spending part of your morning with us. Stay warm, and take care.

Good morning.

The first measurable snowfall of the winter seems a certainty this weekend with about 3 inches expected in the region.

Today, we’re discussing train etiquette when it comes to playing music loudly.

But first, let’s go over the latest broadside against the board of the Philadelphia Art Museum by ousted director and CEO Sasha Suda, what we know about Philly’s first-ever New Year’s Eve outdoor concert, and our report card for this week in Philly news.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• Police are looking for a suspect wanted in connection with the killing of a 93-year-old man in the city’s Logan neighborhood last week.
• A flier showing the KKK was posted in Southwest Philly. A ward leader, wanting to calm community fears, said he believes this all may be some kind of misunderstanding.
• A Southwest Philadelphia woman was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in state prison for the October 2024 killing of a pregnant woman during a fight.
• Dismissed Art Museum chief Sasha Suda is arguing for a trial with a jury, rather than settling her dispute with the museum through arbitration, in a new court filing.
• Pennsylvania’s political elite will return this weekend for the first time in seven years to where the annual out-of-state glitzy gathering all began: the Waldorf Astoria New York.
• Philly’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday kicks off on New Year’s Eve with a free outdoor concert featuring LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and more.
• The Philadelphia Portal art installment at City Hall is offline. The cause of the blackout was unclear as of Friday.
• After Lincoln University’s homecoming in October ended with seven people shot, including one killed, the surrounding rural Chester County township plans to pass new regulations on large events.
• It’s a buyer’s market around Temple. But an Old City real estate agent’s clients were paying about double the original asking price for properties.
• What, exactly, is the Eagles “positivity bunny”? We explain in our roundup of the good, bad, and weird in the latest stories out of Philly.

Etiquette on the El

It happens every so often, even in the quiet car: I get on the train, and somebody’s loudspeaker starts blaring music or even TikTok videos. A quick look around, and a shared discomfort is obvious on other riders’ faces. What do you do in this situation? Do you speak up, or suffer on your morning commute?

To answer this reader question, Inquirer editor Evan Weiss recruited reporters Beatrice Forman and Henry Savage. Their chat touched on whether there is a “right way” to ask someone to quit blasting their playlist or other disruptive behaviors like smoking.

Forman shared a solution-oriented anecdote: “I was recently on the BSL home from an assignment in South Philly around the time classes let out, and this kid was blasting Kendrick Lamar loud enough for all the train car to hear, so I ended up politely offering him a pair of corded earbuds to use to see if he’d take the hint.”

Personally, I opt for drowning it out with my own music — in my headphones, of course. But I’ve definitely been stuck on SEPTA without that option because said headphones also run out of battery.

Read along for my colleagues’ full verdict. And if you have a pressing question you need advice on, we’re all ears. Send it in here.

One viewpoint

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s H.O.M.E. initiative — a $2 billion proposal to build or restore 30,000 homes across the city — has proved to be a sticking point between Parker’s administration and City Hall. On Wednesday, City Council voted against Parker’s vision.

In the latest edition of “Shackamaxon,” Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson unpacks the mayor’s housing plan and more.

📍 Find the location

Somewhere in Philly, there’s a bright yellow pop-art inspired sculpture that reads “OY/YO” (depending on your vantage point).

Where is it?

A) City Hall

B) Independence Mall

C) Penn’s Landing

D) None of the above

Think you know? Our weekly game puts your knowledge of Philly’s streets to the test. Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Gilded Age property in Montco

LEAKIEST NEST

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Ken Schwartz, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Baby KJ. The Philadelphia-area infant, who made international headlines this year after a successful gene-editing treatment at CHOP, has been named by Nature as one of 10 people who helped shape medicine in 2025.

We were there

This is Olga Sorzano, owner of Baba’s Brew of Phoenixville, holding a scoby.

Sorzano’s kombucha company generates large amounts of scoby, the mother culture used as a kombucha starter, so she found a new way to use leftover supply: in skincare products.

Food writer Kiki Aranita and photographer Alejandro A. Alvarez went inside the brewing room to learn how the fermenter transforms her bubbly brew into toners, masks, and more.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

Redditors are nostalgic for these SEPTA bus designs from the ’80s.

Jake Beckman, “the Eagles guy” for FanSided and a stand-up comic, shared a video of what appears to be a police officer conducting a wellness check on Monday night. Their exchange says it all: “The Eagles lost.” “I know.” I wonder how Beckman feels about the positivity bunny.

And another passionate Birds fan is keeping the holiday spirit alive by belting out a Jalen Hurts serenade to the tune of “All I Want for Christmas is You” — at 3 in the morning, no less.

👋🏽 That’s it for now. Let’s catch up again tomorrow.

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It’s Friday, Philly.

Good news for snow lovers: Forecasters say the city could see its first measurable amount of the season over the weekend.

So-called porch pirates continue to strike in the city and beyond. Our top story is an Inquirer analysis that shows how package theft reports have stacked up this year.

Farther down, hear how a chain restaurant and longtime Sixers hangout transformed into one of Philadelphia’s hottest “clubs.”

Scroll along for these stories and more to start your weekend.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Beware the thieves

Porch pirates are expected to be particularly active as gifts and other goodies pile up outside your house this month.

With this in mind, we looked into Philadelphia Police Department data to gauge the severity of the problem.

📦 Reported thefts are up 6% from January to November, compared with the same time period last year, according to an Inquirer analysis of police data.

📦 Reports spike every December, coinciding with a flurry of purchases over the holidays. Still, some incidents go unreported to law enforcement. These factors can make it difficult to project end-of-year totals.

📦 The crime goes beyond Philly, as suburban residents frequently vent about the issue on local Facebook groups.

Consumer reporter Erin McCarthy and graphics editor John Duchneskie explain their calculations, and share best practices to protect against porch piracy-related headaches this holiday season.

What you should know today

• Philadelphia’s school board voted Thursday night — over some objections — to explore giving its surplus buildings to the city.
• A veteran lawyer in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office has been disbarred in the region’s federal courts after a panel of judges concluded he “lied repeatedly” while seeking to overturn the death sentence of Robert Wharton, who killed a Mount Airy couple and left their infant behind to die.
• Authorities are searching for someone who shattered two windows at Philadelphia’s federal courthouse this week.
• Philadelphia lawmakers voted on Thursday to ban mobile outreach groups that provide medical care and support services to people in addiction across a swath of Kensington. City Council also voted to approve plans to refurbish and reuse Center City’s abandoned Greyhound terminal for intercity buses.
• With the region in the grip of bitter cold, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency Thursday due to a service disruption at a Delaware County propane distribution facility.
• Philly has banned so-called reservation scalpers and made it easier for restaurants to add outdoor dining in areas of the city.
• A Warminster man who fled to his native El Salvador last year after he was charged with sex crimes against children was extradited to Bucks County on Thursday to face trial for sexually assaulting three girls.
• A Penn State faculty group has taken the next step to form a union across the system’s campuses, which eventually could represent about 6,000 faculty. And employees of a West Philly mental healthcare provider have formed a union, citing increased workloads and business changes that diminished patient care.
• Voters in Shamong handily rejected a $25 million school bond question that would have raised property taxes, while a referendum in Mantua was too close to call, officials said Wednesday.
• Would Pa. coal miners really turn down a “beautiful, magnificent” Manhattan penthouse, as President Donald Trump claims? Some say yes; some say it’s not that simple.

‘Club Fridays’

Hours-long wait times. Fans lined up around the block. Patrons dressed to the nines.

You’d think these excited partygoers were posted up for a Center City club, but we’re talking about the TGI Fridays on City Avenue.

Over the years, the chain restaurant was incorporated into the city’s nightlife scene with the help of Sixers legends like Allen Iverson, who transformed the spot into a destination.

It was the team’s unofficial hangout due to its proximity to where the Sixers practiced. But everything changed when Iverson, a rookie at the time, came to town.

Features sportswriter Alex Coffey has the story.

Plus: What happens if one of the 109 flags lining the Parkway is damaged?

Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.

This week, we have an explainer from reporter Nate File on how the city maintains the 109 flags that line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which were first installed in 1976 as part of the United States’ Bicentennial celebration.

The city’s department of public property aims to replace them twice a year, or as needed when a flag gets damaged. Here’s the full story.

Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.

🧠 Trivia time

The average commute in Philly takes longer than in most large U.S. cities — and it’s gotten slightly worse recently.

In 2024, how many minutes on average did commuters spend getting to work in the city?

A) 31.1 minutes

B) 33.2 minutes

C) 27.2 minutes

D) 45.5 minutes

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🧸 Loving: A former Daily News sportswriter’s toy drive that gives South Philly kids the “Christmas they deserve.“

😮 Remembering: When Archbishop Ryan High School students were held hostage on this week in Philly history.

🍴 Following: What happened after a restaurant came clean about why the Health Department shut it down.

🫣 Confounded by: The half-naked man who stood — and shivered — on a box near the Liberty Bell.

📝 Considering: The role that the Department of Licenses and Inspections plays in Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s affordable housing plan.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Philadelphia-area infant who made international headlines this year

ABBY JK

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Sandy Homel, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Austin Davis. Several hospital-based anti-violence programs in the area received $3 million in state funding, as announced Wednesday by Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor.

Photo of the day

Thanks for stopping by this morning. Have a great weekend.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Good morning. Traces of snow coated parts of the region Friday, but Saturday should be mostly cloudy.

Today, we’re chatting about Philly’s year in music and our top Google searches.

But first, let’s cover why SEPTA’s largest union appears to be on the verge of a strike, how Amazon delivery could pick up speed in Philly, and our report card for this week in Philly news.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

What you should know today

• Union leaders representing SEPTA’s bus, subway, and trolley operators have grown frustrated with contract negotiations and are preparing members to walk off the job. Visit Inquirer.com for the latest updates.
• Experts in Philadelphia sharply criticized a CDC panel’s decision to end a long-standing recommendation to immunize all infants at birth against hepatitis B. The vaccine was first developed in the city.
• A judge vacated more than 130 drug cases after prosecutors said three Philadelphia narcotics officers repeatedly gave false testimony in court. Hundreds more cases may see the same fate in the coming months.
• Wonderland Pier will undergo a review for possible redevelopment after officials voted to move forward this week.
• A former top Philadelphia labor official claims in a lawsuit that she was passed over for a promotion because she’s a woman, and was later fired after raising concerns about gender-based discrimination spanning two mayoral administrations.
• Amazon is testing out a new delivery model that would get items to customers in 30 minutes or less.
• The celebrated architect Frank Gehry died Friday at the age of 96. His acclaimed signature can be found from the audacious Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, to the 2021 renovation of the Philadelphia Art Museum.
• Delaware County is now the third of Philadelphia’s collar counties to enact a local policy protecting LGBTQ+ residents from discrimination.
• Would you be a Grinch if you’re bothered by a neighbor’s Christmas lights shining brightly into your bedroom? Inquirer reporters discuss the holiday question.
• From Delco Donny turning Wawa parking lots into concert venues to Eagles fans egging Kevin Patullo’s house, catch up on the good, bad, and weird in the latest Philly news.

This week’s obsession

By now, you may have already seen your personalized music-listening habits courtesy of Spotify Wrapped and other streaming services, or swiped past countless social media posts of people sharing theirs. As far as Spotify goes, things are slightly different in the city this year.

Rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake stood strong in our streams, so Taylor Swift is no longer Philly’s top artist of the year (the Reading-born singer dropped to No. 2). Newtown native Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” ranked No. 4 among Philadelphia’s top podcasts. Personally, my favorite feature of Spotify Wrapped 2025 was “listening age.” With “Who’s Crying Now” playing in the background, mine said I’m actually 60 years old with “an old soul” because I enjoyed a lot of early ’80s tunes.

But music isn’t the only data dump we have to contend with. Just one look at Google’s 2025 “Year in Search” report tells you everything you need to know about Philadelphia’s psyche. It turns out we couldn’t stop searching slang terms like “clock it” and “6-7” (which was born here, IYKYK), Eagles players DeVonta Smith and Cooper DeJean (to cop kelly green jerseys), and two songs by Swift: “Wood” and “Father Figure.”

These behaviors are a lot more algorithmically curated and influenced than, say, the number of cheesesteaks we ate or times we hollered “Go Birds.” Still, it’s been fun to see Philly make other creative end-of-year recaps, like Fillmore Philly crunching venue numbers, the Phillies’ “John Kruk Wrapped” video, and the Brass Tap highlighting its most popular karaoke track — which just so happens to be Philly’s No. 5 song of the year.

One viewpoint

This week, Marra’s in South Philadelphia shut its doors for good. The classic Italian restaurant, just two years shy of a century in operation, cited parking challenges along the renowned dining corridor as a contributing factor.

Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson argues that the neighborhood fixture and South Philly aren’t alone in managing a process Pearson calls “suburbanization.”

In the latest edition of “Shackamaxon,” Pearson unpacks ways in which cities change, whether some like it or not.

🧠 Trivia time

Somewhere in Philly, there’s a pond garden near a traditional tea house.

Where is it?

A) Calder Gardens

B) Morris Arboretum & Gardens

C) Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center

D) Bartram’s Garden

Think you know? Our weekly Citywide Quest game puts your knowledge of Philly’s streets to the test. Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Penn State’s next head coach

CLAM TEMPT LAB

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Rick Eisenberg, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: High Note Caffe. The classic South Philadelphia restaurant has a new life as an old-time nightclub.

✨ We were there

It’s lit (literally). The Philly Holiday Tree shone its 6,000 lights bright for the lighting ceremony at City Hall on Thursday. Grammy-winning artists Ashanti and Lalah Hathaway performed for attendees.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

A Redditor wants to know who is feeding the city’s feral cones and road barrels: “Now we’re dealing with a full-on colony at 31st and Girard,” they wrote. The comments are a gold mine.

Over on Facebook, people are raving about the vegan-style Puerto Rican dishes at Casa Borinqueña. Earlier this year, we listed it among the best places serving vegan comfort food.

I can’t be the only one trying to wrap my mind around the way Gritty described his perfect day in Philadelphia. Unfortunately for us, he’s gatekeeping the dumpster he eats “delicious half-eaten burritos” out of.

And The Inquirer wants to hear from you: What’s your favorite dive bar in the city? Fill out this form to tell us what makes your spot special.

👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day here. Take care.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Wake up, Philly, we made it to Friday.

THC-infused beverages, sold at smoke shops across the Philadelphia region, will soon be illegal. Companies are now mobilizing to save the billion-dollar industry, while officials say reforms could avert a public health crisis.

And SEPTA is set to miss another deadline, this time due to a lack of parts to install heat-detection systems in Regional Rail cars.

Read along for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Outlawing intoxicating drinks

THC drinks, found for sale on shelves in Philadelphia and beyond, could soon be illegal after Congress banned intoxicating hemp products.

Catch up quick: Hemp-derived THC seltzers, teas, and sodas are widely available at gas stations and liquor stores. This unregulated market, made possible through a legal loophole that will close as soon as 2027, has exploded into a billion-dollar business.

The industry responds: As companies brace for impact, leaders are fighting for changes and extended grace periods for the legislation, warning the ban could hurt distribution lines and sales. Meanwhile, consumers say demand will remain even if the beverages are prohibited.

Concerns remain: Philly-area prosecutors stress the public health is at risk and are pushing for sweeping reforms and regulations, similar to those on alcohol and tobacco. And while some industry stakeholders also support more oversight, some small-business owners worry about the effects of “overcorrection.”

Reporter Henry Savage has the story.

Short on parts — and time

SEPTA had until Friday to finish equipping all 223 Silverliner IV Regional Rail cars with a new safety feature, but the transit agency didn’t make the deadline.

It blames a shortage of thermal wire, necessary for the heat-detection system required by the Federal Railroad Administration.

To outfit the entire fleet, SEPTA needed about 39,000 feet of wire. It’s short by about 7,000.

Transportation reporter Tom Fitzgerald explains what this means for the system and commuters.

What you should know today

• The Philadelphia School Board reelected its president and vice president and approved a new contract for principals that, for the first time, includes paid parental leave.
• A second woman has accused a Philadelphia doctor of sexual abuse that allegedly occurred when she worked for him as a medical assistant.
• President Donald Trump will visit Northeast Pennsylvania on Tuesday to promote his economic agenda, including efforts to lower inflation, the White House confirmed to The Inquirer on Thursday.
• Immigration activists rallied at Philadelphia’s Criminal Justice Center Thursday to demand Sheriff Rochelle Bilal bar ICE from the courthouse, while Bilal supporters said she’s been unfairly blamed. Meanwhile in Montgomery County, advocates urged local towns and municipalities to enact policies that would limit police and local government cooperation with ICE.
• The family of a man accused of killing his wife is suing Montgomery County and two medical companies, saying they denied him crucial healthcare while in the county jail, leading to his untimely death.
• Paul Staico, owner of the South Philly bar dedicated to the Kansas City Chiefs, has died at 59. Many of the people who packed Big Charlie’s Saloon every Sunday said they were mostly “there for Paul.”
• Burlington County prosecutors charged two men in connection with a double fatal shooting outside a Bordentown convenience store in November.
• Waymo has begun testing driverless cars in Philadelphia. It expects to offer its robotaxis to customers at some point afterward.
• Uri Monson, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s longtime confidant and Pennsylvania’s budget secretary, is the new executive director of the $80 billion-asset Pennsylvania school pension and investment system.
• A $78.6 million hybrid ferry slated to join the fleet of vessels connecting Cape May and Lewes, Del., is expected to begin construction in 2026.

Plus: What brings customers to Philly’s live poultry stores?

Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.

This week, we have an explainer from reporter Michelle Myers on the dynamics of the live poultry business in the Philadelphia region.

Every week, about 500,000 birds are sent to live poultry stores across Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. These markets are more common in areas like Philadelphia with significant and growing immigrant populations. Here’s the full story.

Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.

🧠 Trivia time

This musician with Pennsylvania roots slammed the Trump administration this week for using their song without permission in a video promoting ICE.

A) Diplo

B) Pink

C) Taylor Swift

D) Sabrina Carpenter

Think you got it? Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.

What we’re…

🧆 Excited to try: Some of the finest falafel in the Philly region.

🚧 Checking: How much of the I-95 cap project is now complete.

💰 Breaking down: Why South Jersey superintendents get tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses.

⚾ Remembering: When the Phillies gave up on converting New York baseball fans.

📝 Considering: A study on how preserving historic districts actually impacts development and housing.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A classic South Philadelphia restaurant

HENCE FIFTH AGO

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Morgan Flores, who solved Thursday’s anagram: RuPaul’s Drag Race. Philly drag queen Mandy Mango will compete in the show’s 18th season, premiering in January.

Photo of the day

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Good morning. Sunday may be soggy, with rains expected throughout the day.

Today’s main read touches on the growth of electric-vehicle charging stations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, even as EV sales slow nationwide.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Charging stations forge ahead

As an unpredictable venture, the electric-vehicle business has been forecast for a downturn by analysts and automakers for a long time.

🔌 Despite a drop in EV sales, consumer interest remains strong, and charging suppliers are not losing their motivation.

🔌 Convenience stores are at the forefront of private investment in EV-charging stations. Wawa, Sheetz, and Pilot are deep into the game, with hundreds of charging locations combined.

🔌 EV owners are noticing the changes, but drivers report mixed results.

Scott Sturgis explains how federal funds play a role, and more of the latest developments in the EV world.

What you should know today

• Philadelphia police arrested a man they say struck and killed a 41-year-old woman in University City on Thanksgiving Day.
• A man died in a fire at a Strawberry Mansion home on Friday, officials said. The cause remains under investigation.
• Fans flocked to the annual Wanamaker Light Show, even as its future remains uncertain.
• The familiar Black Friday hustle descended on the Cherry Hill Mall, but as some retailers reported business as usual, others described the shopping destination as more subdued than in years past.
• Holiday travelers are returning home during a busy travel weekend and there could be disruptions to air traffic. We’re checking conditions at Philadelphia International Airport every hour.
• A white state trooper who served on the governor’s security detail is suing the Pennsylvania State Police, alleging he faced racial discrimination.
• For those who drove to South Philadelphia for the Eagles’ Black Friday matchup, the city had a postgame surprise: a new traffic management plan that might minimize stadium complex gridlock.
• A Filipino-American steakhouse called Manong is set to open in Fairmount next week. It’s a celebration of Tabachoy owner Chance Anies’ ’90s upbringing.
• A dispute over the level of taxation and accusations of retribution derailed another attempt to regulate skill games in Pennsylvania, Spotlight PA reports.
• Nobody likes rejection, but how it is communicated matters a great deal. Temple University studied the science behind softening the blow.

Design the dress

For Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s forthcoming star-studded nuptials, there’s a lot that we don’t know yet, including their attire to walk down the aisle.

In the spirit of creativity, The Inquirer recruited fashion students — and Tayvis fans — at several Philadelphia universities to sketch their own gowns and suits for the celebrity couple.

For Swift, one student said their asymmetrical gown design reflects “how Swift often separates her personal life from her stardom,” and another drew inspiration from a vintage wedding cake to craft a layered dress with a one-shouldered neckline.

And for Kelce, there’s a sporty tuxedo inspired by the football field, and another accessorized with gold chains as a nod to a lyric from one of Swift’s songs.

From fanciful to classic and architectural, swipe through our favorite selections and pick your fits.

❓Pop quiz

Somewhere in Philly, there’s a shopping center with a Starbucks coffee shop and a Sunglass Hut store right next to each other.

Where is it?

A) Fashion District Philadelphia

B) King of Prussia Mall

C) Philadelphia Premium Outlets

D) Franklin Mall

Think you know? Our weekly Citywide Quest game puts your knowledge of Philly’s streets to the test. Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Renowned architect who designed the Comcast Center and the Museum of the American Revolution

AMBER TORRENTS

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Dan Tureck, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Essen Bakery. Its James Beard Award-nominated owner is permanently closing both of her shops and may file for bankruptcy.

Photo of the day

🎶 Today’s track goes like this: “All of the power that burns in the flame / Ignites the light in a single name.”

Ahead of Patti Smith’s Horses 50th anniversary show at the Met, pop critic Dan DeLuca spoke with the punk rock icon on the ways Philadelphia and South Jersey shaped her. She will be at Marian Anderson Hall on Monday to promote her new memoir.

👋🏽 Have a good day, OK? Julie will bring you tomorrow’s news first thing in the morning. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Saturday.

Today, I’m talking about a “Filmadelphia” movie that captures feeling lost in life, love, and youth in the city.

But first, read on for details on the FBI and Philly police raids on an alleged Kensington drug gang, a Philadelphia-based company helping pay for President Donald Trump’s controversial ballroom, and our weekly report card on this week in news.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

What you should know today

• FBI Director Kash Patel was in Philadelphia Friday to announce the results of a large-scale investigation into a Kensington-based drug gang, in line with the Trump administration’s nationwide crackdown on suspected drug dealers.
• Comcast is among major U.S. corporations footing part of the $300 million bill for the construction of Trump’s proposed ballroom at the White House.
• Two Plymouth Township police officers were hospitalized Friday after a driver allegedly injured them intentionally with a vehicle in a hotel parking lot. The suspect is in custody.
• A Malvern man who was arrested for bringing a gun and other weapons to a “No Kings” protest over the summer is now in federal custody on charges involving making and possessing explosive devices.
• Toys R Us will open more than two dozen flagship stores and holiday pop-up stores across the country by the end of the year, including two in the Philadelphia area.
• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will campaign this weekend for two Democratic governor hopefuls, New Jersey’s U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger.
• Ocean City has declared a local emergency and urged state and federal officials to help after suffering severe beach erosion during recent storms.
• A Delaware County man trolled a Philly Mag writer on Facebook. Now, a judge has ordered him to pay $160,000.
• An estate and former convent in Chestnut Hill has been converted to host galleries centering on local artists by the Woodmere Museum. It opens to the public on Nov. 1.
• From Burgergate to the Schuylkill sinkhole, we graded the good, bad, and weird from the latest Philly news.

My Filmadelphia pick

Sunday marks the conclusion of the 34th Philadelphia Film Festival, and I’m still thinking about one I saw last weekend: Alice-Heart, a gem of a movie showcased under the Filmadelphia program. These are films that are made for Philly, by Philly.

The city, seen through monochromatic lens all throughout, may as well have had acting credits. With the Schuylkill River Trail, the Broad Street Line, and food favorites like Crown Fried Chicken as the backdrop, the titular 20-something tries to find meaning and figure herself out in this quaint city full of possibilities.

Watching Alice-Heart was like watching a train wreck of the chaotic college student life, from the messy to the vulnerable and earnest. It was a sincere portrait of young, passionate people who find themselves trapped in a mess of their own making. The film also felt authentic to itself. I could tell that the people making it love Philly, and that they had fun telling this story. As for myself and the audience, if our collective reactions throughout were any indication, we certainly had fun watching it.

(Psst: You can catch it one last time Saturday at 2 p.m. at Film Society East.)

In other Film Fest news: West Philly native Colman Domingo will be honored on Sunday for his contributions to cinema and the city.

One viewpoint

In 2013, Philadelphia City Council created the Land Bank to help the city acquire and sell vacant, blighted, and tax-delinquent properties. Despite its goal, the agency has been bogged down by dysfunction.

In the latest edition of Shackamaxon, Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson unpacks how a shake-up by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker could lead to more affordable housing.

🧠 Trivia time

Somewhere in Philly, you can find the grave of Benjamin Franklin, marking the Founding Father’s final resting place (unless you believe rumors of his ghost still lurking around).

Where is it?

A) Penn’s Landing

B) Franklin Institute

C) City Hall

D) Old City

Think you know? Our new (weekly!) Citywide Quest game puts your knowledge of Philly’s streets to the test. Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Nobel Peace Prize winner

AYALA FAMOUS LIZA

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Kathleen Wersinger who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Carousel House. The West Philly rec center will be Philly’s “flagship.” But people with disabilities will have to wait until 2028 to reunite.

🪩 We were there

Seniors — both senior citizens and high school seniors — let their youthful spirits flow on the dance floor at the 12th annual Golden Age Prom in Cherry Hill on Thursday. Denali Sagner and staff photographer Yong Kim bring us this dispatch from the party.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

A post on X declared: “the prettiest girl you know is probably an Eagles fan.” Naturally, a Philadelphian obliged, immediately proving the point.

The parking situation in South Philadelphia is tight. Nothing new … but this is one wild maneuver.

A Redditor recently shared blissful views from a fall morning walk at Pennypack Park.

And over on Facebook, people are reminiscing in the comments about a 1960s-era photo of the Dupont Street steps in Manayunk. One nicknamed the climb “The Alps of Philadelphia.”

👋🏽 Thanks for stopping by. Let’s do this again tomorrow morning.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.