Author: Julie Zeglen

Hi there, Philly. A major winter storm is looking more likely for the region this weekend, with experts calling for several inches of snow that’s likely to stick around into next week.

What can the city’s nonemergency service system do? Take our quiz to see if you know how to use Philly311.

And President Donald Trump’s strong support in the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania is splintering. Read on to learn what that could mean for key races this year.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Phoning 311

Several street lamps in my neighborhood park had been out for what seemed like months. So, earlier this winter, I fired up the Philly311 app, reported the dead bulbs, and voilà — within days, light was restored.

☎️ The 311 hotline and its accompanying app, website, and email address make up the city’s nonemergency service system. The call center fields residents’ requests and transfers them to the city department or community partner best equipped to help.

☎️ The service received over half a million requests last year.

☎️ But what counts as a nonemergency? Is it a noise complaint about a loud neighbor, a car that seems abandoned, a persistent pothole, a beeping smoke alarm?

Think you know all that 311 can do? Find out with our quiz.

‘He left nothing for the working man’

In the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania, where President Trump made his biggest gains in the state in the 2024 election, there are signs that his winning coalition is splintering.

Some Republican and independent voters in the region who previously backed the president told The Inquirer they still do. But others shared their disappointment with rising grocery prices and what they see as Trump’s failure to keep his commitments.

The shift comes as the Pennsylvania GOP looks to hold onto two swing congressional seats in November: U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie, who represents the Lehigh Valley, and Rob Bresnahan, who represents his neighboring Northeastern Pennsylvania district. Both won their seats in 2024 by a single point or less.

Reporter Alfred Lubrano spoke to voters in five counties to learn how the region perceives Trump now.

In other federal government news: A Chester County school district is under investigation by the Trump administration for a policy allowing transgender girls to play on girls’ sports teams. And Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touted his new nutritional guidelines and pushed back against criticism of his vaccine policy at a rally in Harrisburg Wednesday.

What you should know today

• From calls for “ICE out of Philadelphia” to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s signature housing initiative, see what’s on City Council’s agenda in 2026.
• The foster parent of a 20-month-old who died in a Harrowgate home in April has been arrested and charged with murder.
• A man died after being electrocuted inside the shuttered Brith Sholom House senior housing complex Wednesday, authorities say, one day after city officials announced a plan to redevelop the vacant West Philadelphia facility.
• In one of Phil Murphy’s final acts as New Jersey governor, he signed a bill that could help a Camden tower get $400 million in tax credits and pardoned a power broker’s son who was convicted in a fatal hit-and-run. The state also ended up with some of the most restrictive e-bike regulations in the country.
• The new owner of the defunct Crozer-Chester Medical Center wants to restore hospital and emergency services to the 64-acre Delaware County campus. Plus, two other Delco hospitals are getting $6 million from the state to help them address a sharp increase in patients after Crozer Health closed last year.
• A warehouse developer’s proposal to trade land with the state in Limerick Township and beyond has blindsided local officials and ignited fierce opposition from residents.
• The region nabbed 13 James Beard Award semifinalist slots, including Greg Vernick for outstanding restaurateur and Kalaya for outstanding restaurant.
• Architecture critic Inga Saffron weighs in on the city’s decision to allow the Rocky statue to be permanently installed at the top of the Art Museum steps, calling the move “no victory.”

Quote of the day

On this week’s episode of Abbott Elementary — the Emmy-winning sitcom from West Philly-raised comedy star Quinta Brunson — the teachers get a visit from a surprise guest: a reporter from The Philadelphia Inquirer.

More Philly-on-TV news: A politics and public policy professor from Immaculata University is competing in the Jeopardy! 2026 Tournament of Champions this Friday. And ABC’s Shark Tank is returning to Philadelphia for an open casting call on March 18.

🧠 Trivia time

Ahead of this year’s Groundhog Day, the animal-rights organization PETA offered to replace Punxsutawney Phil with what?

A) An animatronic groundhog

B) A taxidermied groundhog

C) A hologram of a groundhog

D) A human in a groundhog suit

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re …

🤝 Meeting: Dana Edwards, the new mayor of Narberth, and Conlen Booth, the new mayor of Swarthmore.

🍝 Ordering: These 26 standout dishes on Center City District Restaurant Week menus.

🏀 Confirming: Yes, Philly is most definitely a basketball city — dating all the way back to 1898.

🏒 Obsessed with: Heated Rivalry, the talk of Flyers’ Pride Night as it introduces hockey to a new, gayer audience.

🏈 Answering: Why is a Pennsylvania school celebrating Indiana’s national title?

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Luxury hotel in Center City

SUNROOF SEAS

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

Cheers to Mark Bussy, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Kim Kardashian. Skims, the clothing company she founded, collected sales tax from New Jersey consumers for five years. (The state doesn’t tax clothing.) The brand has settled an investigation for $200,000.

Photo of the day

🖌️ One last playful thing: Educational play spaces were built at two North Philly affordable housing sites. Stakeholders hope they can inspire similar projects nationwide.

Stay warm out there. I’ll see you back here 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.

Good morning, Philly.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker wants Philly police to live in Philly, but more cops live outside the city than ever before. Does it matter?

And where does South Jersey start? The geographical debate rages on. Join it by drawing your own lines on our interactive state map.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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‘Where they lay their heads at night’

The number of Philly police living outside the city has doubled in less than a decade, despite efforts from Mayor Parker and her predecessors to tighten residency requirements.

Changing policies: Most municipal employees must live within city limits. For cops, that requirement has been eased in recent years amid complaints from the Philadelphia Police Department that it made recruitment too difficult. Now, officers can live outside the city after serving on the force for at least five years, though they must also have lived in it for at least one year prior to their hiring.

By the numbers: About one-third of the department’s 6,363 full-time staffers live elsewhere. Nearly half of all captains, lieutenants, and inspectors live outside the city, too. (Even Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel maintains a second home in Montgomery County.) The most popular destination for expats is Lower Bucks.

Unclear impact: Parker maintains that Philadelphians are better served when their police hail from the place they’re patrolling. But public safety experts say that might not bear out in the data.

Reporters Ryan W. Briggs and Anna Orso have the story.

Drawing the line

Some parts of South Jersey are clearly South Jersey. Cherry Hill is minutes and one $6 toll from Philly. You’ll find way more Eagles fans than Giants fans in Atlantic County.

📍 But elsewhere, it’s not so obvious. Ocean County, for instance? Vibes-wise, depends on which side we’re talking. Trenton seems to straddle the state, but can one end claim it?

📍 Adding to the confusion is Central Jersey, a concept so nebulous that Gov. Phil Murphy’s office had to put forth an official definition in 2023.

📍 According to the state, it’s Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset Counties — yet somehow, not Monmouth County, which is about as geographically central as it gets.

To help settle this never-ending debate, tell us where you think South Jersey begins — then, if you believe Central Jersey exists, where that begins, too.

In other Jersey news: State lawmakers approved a bill that would make it easier for development projects in Camden to qualify for hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits. A new minor-league hockey team in Trenton will be named the Ironhawks. And following the death of its own “Milltown Mel,” the Jersey town wanted to import out-of-state woodchucks for Groundhog Day celebrations — but Gov. Murphy vetoed it.

What you should know today

• A 16-year-old was found shot to death inside the bathroom of a Chipotle near Temple University’s campus on Monday in what investigators say may have been an unintentional shooting.
• Union Trinity AME Church, one of Philadelphia’s historic Black religious institutions, was vandalized with racist graffiti over the weekend.
• Few candidates have stepped up so far to be the running mate of State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, the Pennsylvania Republican Party’s endorsed candidate for governor since September.
• Temple University Health System and Jefferson Health are the latest area health systems to sue pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical companies over high insulin pricing.
• A disability watchdog group has closed its investigation into child abuse in the autistic support program at a Central Bucks elementary school.
• Thousands of University of Pennsylvania graduate student workers could strike next month if they do not reach a contract deal with the university by then.
• Ena Widjojo, the owner and longtime celebrated chef at Indonesian restaurant Hardena in South Philadelphia, has died at 73. And Temple assistant men’s basketball coach Bill Courtney died suddenly at the age of 55, the school announced Tuesday.
• A $150 million streetscape project will break ground this week to bring South Broad Street more trees, public art, traffic calming, and redesigned medians and sidewalks.
• Kevin Patullo is out as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, the team announced Tuesday, a widely expected move that came two days after they were knocked from the playoffs. Plus, meet the viral 11-year-old Birds fan who wants Patullo “flipping burgers.”

Quote of the day

The viral, 93-year-old Avril Davidge wants to keep in touch with her new Mummer friends after making the transatlantic flight to see them perform. But her Instagram account was mysteriously taken down. She’s part of a growing number of people allegedly being banned by faulty artificial intelligence systems.

🧠 Trivia time

Another Wawa is closing in Philadelphia — the latest in a string of closures in recent years — after its new digital-order-only system fell flat. Where is it?

A) Across from Independence Hall

B) On Aramingo Avenue

C) At 17th and Arch Streets

D) On Drexel University’s campus

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re …

🍹 Attending: Philly’s first-ever Dry January bar crawl.

🦅 Meeting: The local team who took us behind the scenes of this Eagles season on HBO’s Hard Knocks.

🥊 Reading: This Inquirer archive dive on the Rocky statue’s arrival controversy.

🐟 Tentatively trying: Trout chowder and other Pennsylvania delicacies at the Farm Show.

🌲 Considering: The majesty of America’s national parks, including those in our own city.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Center City events hub, the Pennsylvania _ _

OVEN INTERCONNECT

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

Cheers to Adam Lees, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Max’s Steaks. The North Philadelphia sandwich shop is being sold after three decades. Far from tourist hubs, it was recently featured in the Creed movies.

Photo of the day

Paola has you covered for the next few days. Until we meet again in your inbox, be well.

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.

Hi, Philly. Expect a sunny Tuesday.

A new Montgomery County office helped the suburb identify $14 million in savings over the past year. County commissioners are proud the team has “outlived DOGE” while prioritizing efficiency and avoiding layoffs.

And another day removed from the Eagles’ loss that crushed the city’s repeat-Super Bowl dreams, we have plenty of analysis on what went wrong, as well as reactions from the team’s true bosses: angry Philadelphians.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Lessons from Montco

In its first year, Montgomery County’s Office of Innovation, Strategy, and Performance has helped the county find $14 million in savings and reduce the deficit by half, officials say.

The 11-person office’s goals may sound familiar.

“It’s kind of like DOGE,” said Montco Commissioner Vice Chair Neil Makhija, referring to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, which upended federal agencies and haphazardly slashed jobs in the name of cost cutting during its peak last year. “We didn’t just take the richest person in the county and tell them to cut, you know, benefits for poor people, which is what the federal DOGE was.”

The Montco version is also here to stay, with a focus on finding repeatable savings. Next up: assessing where artificial intelligence could fit into county services.

Politics reporter Fallon Roth has the story on the blue suburb’s efficiency efforts, and the lessons they could offer other cash-strapped local governments.

‘We had higher hopes’

The Eagles’ hunt for a second consecutive Super Bowl ended Sunday with a 23-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at home. So, after a frustrating season, now what?

🦅 What the pros are saying: Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo and receiver A.J. Brown each face a possible end to their time with the team, but head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts aren’t going anywhere, Inquirer reporters predict.

🦅 What fans are saying: Everyone is being very calm, kind, and understanding. Just kidding! Fans immediately after the game and on Monday were shaking their heads in disbelief, analyzing failed plays, and calling for mass firings.

🦅 What comes next: This offseason brings plenty of questions about roster shake-ups, the team’s salary cap, draft picks, and the efficacy of the Tush Push. Plus, we rounded up key dates to know, from free agency to opening kickoff of the 2026 season. Because there’s always next year, right?

What you should know today

• A South Philadelphia mother’s youngest son was killed in a mass shooting. Two years later, her eldest was charged with committing one. It’s a symmetry almost too painful for her to reconcile.
• A man was killed and a woman was injured Sunday after two shooters fired into a tow truck parked in Northeast Philly, police said.
• Dina Powell McCormick, a former official in President Donald Trump’s administration and the wife of U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.), has been hired as Meta’s new president.
• Health officials are warning of a potential measles exposure at Philadelphia International Airport, 30th Street Station, and an Amtrak train on Wednesday.
• New Jersey officials have filed suit against the large scrap metal recycler EMR over a string of hazardous and “especially dangerous” fires at its facilities, especially in Camden.
• A family leader of the Santucci’s Original Square Pizza empire was sentenced to one day in jail for tax evasion. Co-owners underpaid $1.4 million.
• A pit bull that recently attacked several dogs in Center City is now in city custody, officials said.
• Jeffrey Rosen has stepped down as president and CEO of the National Constitution Center after 12 years of leading the institution.
• A consortium to train future shipyard workers says it will get $8 million from a new federal program to prepare workers for Korean-owned Hanwha Philly Shipyard.

Quote of the day

Bella Vista’s acclaimed Mawn is among the hard-to-get-into eateries where customers have tried to auction off reservations. Frustrated restaurant owners are doing what they can to stop the practice, but it may be tough to ban the sellers from making future bookings.

🧠 Trivia time

A rare “classic” location — red plastic cups and all — of which popular chain can you find in Northeastern Pennsylvania? (Hint: It’s the only one in the state.)

A) Roy Rogers

B) Pizza Hut

C) White Castle

D) Wendy’s

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🃏 Anticipating: The Mummers string band competition at the Linc on Jan. 31.

🥃 Entering: Pennsylvania’s lottery for rare whiskeys.

🔥 Watching: The Philly region’s hot housing market, according to Zillow.

🥾 Planning: A trip full of antiques, river hikes, and cozy inns in Lambertville and Stockton.

🚶 Considering: Why keeping seniors fit in Philly takes a citywide effort.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Hollywood-famous sandwich shop in North Philadelphia

TEXAS MASKS

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

Cheers to Barbara Byrne, who solved Monday’s anagram: Pennsylvania Farm Show. This year, the annual Harrisburg event features a 1,000-pound butter sculpture honoring America’s 250th (and, amazingly, a mullet contest).

Photo of the day

Wishing you an easy Tuesday. I’ll be back to bring you more news 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.

It’s a new week, Philly, but a less exciting one, after our Eagles fell to the 49ers and out of Super Bowl contention. At least the tailgate sounded fun.

Kids get free dental care at a North Philadelphia K-8. Officials say it’s a model that could be replicated in schools with empty space.

And the Defender Association of Philadelphia has launched a new immigration unit amid growing federal arrests and deportations.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Brushing up

For students whose families can’t afford regular visits to a dentist, the Dental Clinic at North Philadelphia’s William D. Kelley School is a lifeline.

🦷 The clinic, operated by Temple University’s Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry and now in its third year, pairs dentistry students with any Philly children who need care. The service is free regardless of where they attend school and whether they have insurance. Some parents can get treated, too.

🦷 The underlying concept is simple: Removing barriers to dental care means healthier kids who do better in school. “If your tooth hurts, if you’re not feeling well, you’re not going to learn,” Eileen Barfuss, the Temple professor who leads the clinic, told The Inquirer.

🦷 School district officials also point to it as a model of what might happen in other district buildings with available space as the school system considers its facilities planning process this year.

Education reporter Kristen A. Graham has the story.

‘This is necessary right now’

As President Donald Trump’s administration presses for more arrests and deportations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Philly’s public defender is expanding its services for immigrant clients.

The nonprofit Defender Association’s Immigration Law Practice will focus partly on those in detention despite having no criminal charges or who have committed minor offenses.

Agency leaders also expect to handle more cases that challenge White House efforts around mandatory detention, a policy that has seen pushback from federal judges in Philadelphia.

Reporter Jeff Gammage has more details.

In other immigration news: A 46-year-old Cambodian immigrant held at the Federal Detention Center in Center City died in a hospital on Friday after being treated for drug withdrawal, according to ICE officials. And in the wake of the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, anti-ICE protests spread across Philly’s suburbs on Sunday.

What you should know today

• Two people were stabbed at 40th Street Station on Saturday, including a man left in critical condition, SEPTA said.
• The Trump administration is targeting ultra-processed foods. A University of Pennsylvania researcher explains why that might be complicated.
• Former New Jersey acting governor and longtime State Sen. Richard Codey has died at 79, his family announced.
• Robert Listenbee, the first assistant to District Attorney Larry Krasner, is retiring after eight years in the job. He has some advice for his boss.
• After two months of closure, the trolley tunnel connecting Center City and West Philadelphia was scheduled to reopen Monday at 5 a.m., SEPTA said Friday.
• Authorities in New Jersey and Delaware are investigating the deaths of two whales found in the past week.
• South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito was named Sunday to the United States’ 2026 Winter Olympic Team headed to Milan.

Quote of the day

The giant old stone house is full with three best friends, one spouse, two kids, and a dog. The adults now share a bank account, backyard, and Google calendar — and they consider it a “paradise that we’ve made ourselves.”

Plus: After a breakup, a homeowner left Graduate Hospital for a giant backyard in Port Richmond. Learn what he did with it in the latest installment of our How I Bought This House series.

🧠 Trivia time

A Philadelphia woman attracted attention in the city and Chester County for posting fliers asking for help after a breakup. What did the fliers say?

A) “Date My Ex: Why He Deserves Better”

B) “Missing: The Love of My Life”

C) “Help! My Ex Stole the Cat”

D) “Seeking: Experienced Witch to Curse My Ex”

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

📺 A big fan of: Donna Kelce’s devious turn on The Traitors.

👒 Eager to see: Suffs, the hit musical centered on South Jersey suffragist Alice Paul.

👟 Answering: “Do I risk my stress-free run club for a relationship that might not work out?”

🏈 Watching: Boys to Fame, a film about Ray Didinger’s Tommy and Me play.

🩺 Considering: Why pediatricians are grieving changes to the childhood vaccine schedule.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Annual Harrisburg event, the Pennsylvania _ _

FORM WASH

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

Cheers to Rick Brasch, the only reader who solved Sunday’s anagram: Adam Cesare. The acclaimed local author described his perfect Philly day, including visits to The Book Trader and PhilaMOCA.

Photo of the day

📬 Your ‘only in Philly’ story

Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Nancy Brown, who describes a tentative first taste of a local classic:

In 1998, my husband and I were transferred from Michigan to Philly and were super excited to be moving east. We stayed in a Center City hotel for a week while house hunting. On our first morning in the hotel restaurant, we ordered breakfast, and asked the waitress about something on the menu called “scrapple.” We Midwesterners had no idea what that was; had never even heard the word.

Our waitress, in her uniquely Philly accent, insisted we would love it. She described scrapple and then added that she didn’t really know everything that’s in it, which made us feel not so sure we actually would love it. But we ordered it anyway, eager to acclimate to our new hometown.

We were apprehensive after our first bite, but kept eating, and with a little more salt and pepper and maybe some ketchup, determined it wasn’t so bad. We’ve decided restaurant scrapple, especially diner scrapple, is often the best, and for that you need to be in Philly.

Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer. Back at it 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.

It’s Friday, Philly. Today may bring clouds and light wind, but Eagles fans and kickers should beware: Wind gusts of 40 mph are possible during Sunday’s playoff game.

In dozens of cases, federal judges in Philadelphia have ruled against a Trump administration policy that mandates detention for nearly all undocumented immigrants. The pushback has added to a chorus of similar decisions in federal courts nationwide.

And Regional Rail service is creeping back to normal. Still, packed trains and skipped stops persist on some lines, frustrating commuters.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Philly judges push back on ICE

A mandatory detention policy rolled out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last summer has been found unlawful dozens of times by Philly-based federal judges, as well as in courts across the country.

The ICE directive has dramatically boosted the number of immigrants being held in detention — including those seeking to stay in the United States through legal channels — past 65,000, a two-thirds increase since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

Under Trump, it has also gotten harder for detainees to be released on bond, especially those without the money to hire a lawyer and sue.

Notable quote: “They are doing it because they can, and because the consequences are that most [immigrants] cannot fight this and will end up being deported,” a local immigration attorney told The Inquirer.

Reporters Chris Palmer and Jeff Gammage explain the dramatic change in precedent.

In other ICE news:

• Hundreds gathered at Philadelphia City Hall Thursday evening to protest the killing of a 37-year-old woman by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
• District Attorney Larry Krasner on Thursday condemned the ICE shooting and vowed to prosecute law enforcement officers who commit crimes in Philly.
• The Trump administration is jailing migrant teens in a Berks County facility known for child abuse, a Washington Post investigation found.
• Avelo, the only commercial airline serving Wilmington’s airport, has ended its contract flights to carry foreign nationals detained by U.S. immigration agents.

Rebounding Regional Rail

Following a rough year for SEPTA and its riders, the transit agency reports improvements to its Regional Rail service, with more to come.

🚆 The big picture: Regional Rail trains are operating with fewer canceled trips and running with more cars.

🚆 By the numbers: As of Thursday, 180 of the 223 Silverliner IV cars the transit agency was mandated to inspect and repair have been cleared to return to service — though only 78 have actually returned.

🚆 On the way: Packed two-car trains and skipped stops persist on some lines during peak travel times as SEPTA continues to add cars, including 10 passenger coaches leased from Maryland’s commuter railroad.

Transportation reporter Tom Fitzgerald has more.

What you should know today

• U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Bucks County and two other Pennsylvania swing-district Republicans joined Democrats in voting for Affordable Care Act subsidies Thursday.
• Gov. Josh Shapiro kicked off his reelection campaign in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, asking voters to choose “getting stuff done” over “chaos.” Ahead of a likely matchup between Shapiro and State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, here’s what to know about the stakes.
• A former Philly fire deputy alleges he was framed for sexual harassment after he exposed overtime fraud — and that the city is hiding reports that show it.
• Another lawsuit has been filed on behalf of victims of the explosion at a Bucks County nursing home on Dec. 23 that left three dead and about 20 people injured.
• An Ephrata man has been charged with stealing more than a hundred skulls and bones from Mount Moriah Cemetery, which straddles Philadelphia and Yeadon.
• Abington Library has offered a safe space for LGBTQ+ kids for years. It’s now the subject of a far-right misinformation campaign on social media.
• Ocean City’s planning board unexpectedly deadlocked on a vote involving the defunct Wonderland Pier boardwalk property, another blow to a luxury hotel proposal.
• Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law banning cell phones in New Jersey public schools from “bell to bell” in an effort to help students focus on learning.
• Though it’s legal to buy cannabis in Delaware, you can still be arrested for smoking it in public. A new bill might change that.

Plus: What makes something a unit block in Philadelphia?

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 an urban planning term you might have heard in news reports: “unit block,” used to describe certain addresses in cities that operate on a grid, as Philadelphia does.

The term might appear when a report wants to communicate where an incident happened without giving the exact address. 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.

🦅 Heads up, Eagles fans: It’s playoff time in Philadelphia, which means you probably have a lot of questions about the Birds. Eagles beat reporter Olivia Reiner is ready to answer them during a Reddit AMA in r/Eagles today. Join the conversation at 9 a.m.

🧠 Trivia time

Which article of clothing or accessory did CBS Philadelphia anchor Jim Donovan set the Guinness record for having the largest collection of?

A) Socks

B) Beanies

C) Tie clips

D) Ties

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

What we’re …

🥼 Heeding: Health officials’ call to get vaccinated as flu cases surge in Pennsylvania.

🏈 Delighted by: The history of the rowdy Eagles-49ers game that led to Eagles Court.

📺 Hoping for: A second season of Delco-set Mare of Easttown.

💻 Recycling: Old electronics the right way, according to e-waste experts.

🌈 Considering: How lies feed attacks on transgender and nonbinary people.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: 300 acres in the Delaware River

DENSITY SPLAT

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

Cheers to Steve Cameron, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Sing Us Home. Now in its fourth year, the music festival will be staged on Venice Island in Manayunk from May 1 to 3.

Photo of the day

This good pup hopes you have a pleasant weekend (probably) and so do I. Paola has you covered with the news Saturday and Sunday, and I’ll be back with you Monday. Till then, be well.

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.

Hi, Philly. After all that talk of snow in yesterday’s newsletter, we have more, despite this week’s near-balmy temperatures: A snow record is officially on the books in New Jersey, 30 years later after it was set.

Gov. Josh Shapiro will officially announce today that he is seeking reelection in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, speculation over a 2028 run for president continues to build.

And national attention on Philadelphia has been ramping up ahead of big events for the country’s 250th birthday. Below, learn the history of yet another notable first we can claim: a certain city-sponsored New Year’s Day procession.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Ready to run

With expected stops in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh today, Gov. Shapiro is kicking off his campaign to be Pennsylvania’s chief executive for another four years.

Speculation over a potential run for president just two years from now is building, too.

Shapiro has been elusive when asked directly about plans for 2028. But he has made a number of big public moves to raise his national profile in the past year and change since he was on Vice President Kamala Harris’ short list of potential running mates.

If he does run parallel campaigns, the gubernatorial election must take precedence, observers say.

Notable quote: “The challenge, of course, is you have to take care of your next election first,” a polling expert told The Inquirer. “Of anything he does, he knows this is the most important thing for his potential success in 2028 if he was to run.”

Politics reporters Julia Terruso and Gillian McGoldrick have more.

Plus: State Sen. Doug Mastriano will not seek the GOP nomination for Pennsylvania’s governorship again this year, after months of teasing a potential run. Mastriano lost to Shapiro in the 2022 election by nearly 15 percentage points.

Philly’s year

Now that we’re officially in 2026, the year of the United States’ Semiquincentennial, the spotlight of the world’s attention on Philadelphia is getting brighter.

🔔 The New York Times just stuck Philly (and, yes, some nearby places in the original colonies) at the top of its popular annual “52 Places to Go” list. That distinction came two weeks after the Wall Street Journal named it the world’s top travel destination this year, too.

🔔 At home, we’ve already begun recognizing American milestones. Philadelphia Historic District Partners’ 52 Weeks of Firsts kicked off last week by celebrating the country’s first hydrogen-powered balloon ride.

🔔 This week, they’re honoring the first folk parade. You know the one — it involves sequins, feathers, and (probably) a hangover.

Columnist Elizabeth Wellington has the story on the event that was founded as a festive celebration of Philly’s immigrant communities.

Further reading: On this week in 1776, Thomas Paine published his 47-page pamphlet Common Sense — and helped ignite a revolution.

What you should know today

• Philadelphia violence prevention groups say they were flourishing. Then, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice cut their funding.
• Two former Philly homicide detectives were sentenced to probation Wednesday for lying about DNA evidence during the retrial of a man they helped convict of murder 35 years ago.
• After an attempted package theft in Feltonville turned into a police shootout, officials are asking for the public’s help to find the alleged thief and shooter.
• Pennsylvania and New Jersey lost thousands of jobs after the Trump administration offered federal workers the opportunity to resign with months of pay last year.
• Councilmember Jeffery “Jay” Young introduced a bill at the last City Council meeting of 2025 to ban residential development from the area around the former Hahnemann University Hospital.
• Philadelphia will open two new public schools soon: a K-8 and a high school that will follow the acclaimed Harlem Children’s Zone model.
• Alfonso Q. Llano Jr., a veteran Vineland educator, has been named the state-appointed superintendent to oversee the Camden school system.
• After more than 40 years behind bars, reputed former Black Mafia leader Lonnie Dawson has been freed from prison. See how the Daily News and Inquirer covered his case.

Quote of the day

The third-generation owner of Donkey’s Place doesn’t know where the walrus penis bone came from, but he said it’s been with the bar since he was a kid. A patron was captured on video stealing the oddity on Dec. 29.

🧠 Trivia time

To prevent development, Radnor Township is moving to use eminent domain to take 14 acres owned by what?

A) Cabrini University

B) Penn Medicine Radnor

C) Willows Mansion

D) Valley Forge Military Academy

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

📺 Anticipating: Donna Kelce’s reality TV debut tonight on The Traitors.

🦅 Appreciating: Ladder 15’s response to the 49ers fans planning a playoff takeover.

🏘️ Ogling: This $9.9 million Lower Merion mansion with a bonus house next door.

🗞️ Mourning: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which will shut down May 3.

🗳️ Considering: Why Pennsylvania’s leaders are losing Gen Z.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Manayunk music festival (three words)

GNOME SUSHI

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

Cheers to Lee Narozanick, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Sheetz. Stephen G. Sheetz, the former president and CEO of the Altoona convenience store chain, died Sunday. His legacy — and the Wawa vs. Sheetz rivalry — lives on.

Photo of the day

Cheer up, buddy, the weekend’s almost here. See you tomorrow.

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Happy Wednesday, Philly. After a run of cloudy days, we’ll be treated to sun and high temps in the low 50s today.

That’s a stark difference from 1996, when 2.5 feet of snow fell upon the region on Jan. 7 and 8. On the 30th anniversary of our biggest blizzard on record, see whether the atmosphere this year is expected to bring a good ol’ fashioned snowstorm.

But first: The results are in from the Philadelphia School District’s facilities planning survey. Read on to learn what parents and teachers said they want, including smaller classes and no school closures.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Survey says …

What do Philly parents, teachers, students, and community members want to happen to their neighborhood school buildings? For one, they want them to remain.

The city’s school district surveyed stakeholders on what they hope to see come of its slow-moving facilities master planning process, which is expected to yield big decisions this year about school closings and reconfigurations.

Some themes emerged, many of which will be tough for the cash-strapped district to balance:

✏️ No school closures, and instead, more investment in existing facilities

✏️ Smaller class sizes

✏️ More magnets to attract high-performing students

✏️ Upgraded resources, such as vocational programs, technology, and AP courses

Education reporter Kristen A. Graham has more takeaways from the survey.

Remembering the blizzard of ‘96

Thirty years ago, nearly 31 inches of snow fell on the region over two days — the largest blizzard in Philadelphia history. Millennials have never stopped romanticizing it.

Sure, in terms of record storms, we also got 29 inches in 2010, and just a decade ago, we got 22.

But more than two feet of snow to a kid? As Inquirer editorial writer Daniel Pearson noted in his ode to the Philly snow day, that’s magical.

As for this year, it’s tough to say whether we’ll get a big storm later on, but no flakes are expected in the short term. Friday may even hit 60 degrees.

Weather reporter Anthony R. Wood has more on the 2026 forecast.

Further watching: See Wood — who wrote the book on snow, literally — answer Philly’s most searched winter weather questions on the latest episode of The Inquirer’s Wooder Cooler.

What you should know today

• Five years after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Gov. Josh Shapiro and other Pennsylvania Democrats marked the Jan. 6 attack’s anniversary by sharply criticizing President Donald Trump.
• The explosion and resulting fire at a Bristol Township nursing home has resulted in a third death: a 66-year-old resident at the facility.
• A Philadelphia man is wanted in two killings since his 2015 murder conviction was overturned. His initial case was tainted by a disgraced detective.
• Police on Tuesday released the name of the officer who shot and wounded a knife-wielding man on New Year’s Eve in Strawberry Mansion.
• Long under fire for his behavior in office, Jack Tompkins has resigned as mayor of Pemberton Township in South Jersey. A new mayor will be selected Wednesday.
• The Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters plans to relocate its headquarters and two training centers to the Navy Yard.
• The trolley tunnel that connects Center City and West Philadelphia is still closed as SEPTA tests repairs — but is “pretty close” to reopening, a spokesperson said Tuesday.
• More than 100 new restaurants and bars are opening in the city and suburbs this year, from a six-course tasting menu to a South Philly pretzel shop. Plus, restaurant reporter Mike Klein analyzes the trends in the 2026 dining forecast.
• Bucks County’s Trump Store is closing after six years. The shop thrived during the Biden administration, but Trump’s return to the White House has been bad for business, its owner said.

Quote of the day

El Carnaval de Puebla, one of the biggest yearly celebrations of Mexican culture in Philadelphia and on the East Coast, will not return in 2026 amid concerns over federal immigration activity.

🧠 Trivia time

Signage from which iconic shuttered Philadelphia eatery is now available for sale on Facebook Marketplace?

A) Little Pete’s

B) Melrose Diner

C) Bookbinder’s

D) Horn & Hardart

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re …

🩸 Donating: Blood as post-holiday shortages loom.

⚡ Attending: Bowieoke and other Philly Loves Bowie Week events.

⛸️ Cheering on: The South Jersey skater aiming to join the U.S. Olympic team this week.

🛍️ Curious to see: Who will buy the Shops at Liberty Place.

🖥️ Considering: The impact of Grok’s alarming deepfakes of children.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Convenience store rival

ZEST HE

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

Cheers to Colby Tecklin, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Haddon. The company that owns P.J. Whelihan’s, which is headquartered in the Camden County township, may be moving into a former Iron Hill Brewery in Bucks County.

Photo of the day

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, even if it feels like this post-holiday week should already be long over. See ya back here tomorrow.

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Good morning, Philly.

Vic Fangio’s journey to becoming one of football’s most revered defensive minds began as a high school coach in a small town 120 miles from Philadelphia. Ahead of the Eagles’ playoff run, get to know Dunmore’s hometown hero.

And after federal health officials on Monday announced sweeping changes to the United States’ childhood vaccine schedule, we spoke to a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia expert about the implications.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Local legend

Those who knew Vic Fangio around the 1970s say he’s always been like this — stern, focused, and endearingly gruff.

🏈 The lifelong Philly sports fan grew up near Scranton in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He coached the football team at Dunmore High School, his alma mater, gaining a reputation among players for his love of film and attention to detail when developing plays.

🏈 Now the Eagles’ well-regarded defensive coordinator, Fangio has a Super Bowl win and citywide fame under his belt. But locals still see the same understated guy, who they say maintains firm ties to the place where it all started.

🏈 Fangio’s former players even see traces of their high school coach in Philadelphia’s defense: “When we watch the Eagles now, we’re like, ‘Hey, we recognize that,’” one told The Inquirer.

Sports reporter Alex Coffey visited Dunmore for this deep dive on the famously reserved coach.

Childhood vaccine schedule changes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its childhood vaccine schedule this week, decreasing the number of universally recommended shots for children from 17 to 11. Among those no longer recommended are immunizations for hepatitis B, the flu, RSV, and the gastrointestinal illness rotavirus.

The move was widely criticized by pediatricians and infectious disease experts, including Paul Offit, a CHOP physician and nationally renowned vaccine expert who co-invented a vaccine for rotavirus.

Notable quote: “I think the goal of [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.] is to make vaccines optional,” Offit said Monday. The health and human services secretary and longtime anti-vaccine activist, he said, “is doing everything he can to make vaccines less available, less affordable, and more feared.”

Reporter Aubrey Whelan has more on the announcement’s potential impact.

In other health news: University of Pennsylvania researchers recently won a $25 million grant to see if they can fight heart disease with a game that promotes a healthy behavior — walking.

What you should know today

• The city of Camden last year reached its lowest homicide total in four decades, police said — 12, the same number recorded in 1985.
• A man died Sunday after being placed in the back of a Philadelphia police cruiser that was parked in Mayfair, police said.
• A new lawsuit alleges that the deadly explosion at a Bristol nursing home on Dec. 23 was the result of negligence on the part of the facility’s operator and its natural gas supplier.
• Philly District Attorney Larry Krasner was sworn in to his third term Monday. In a speech, he recounted wins and took shots at President Donald Trump. City Controller Christy Brady was also sworn in, and promised to examine spending related to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s signature housing plan.
• Sen. John Fetterman praised Trump’s order to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, breaking with most Democrats’ messaging on the military operation.
• New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s digital innovation office has been made permanent in what appears to be the first move of its kind in the nation.
• A new slate of Chester County elected officials took their oaths of office over the weekend.

🧠 Trivia time

A decade after teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and being taken over by its home state, which city just signaled that it had found its financial footing by earning an investment grade rating by Moody’s Ratings?

A) Wilmington

B) Trenton

C) Atlantic City

D) Philadelphia

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🥚 Mapping: Philly’s best flaky, custardy, and barely sweet egg tarts.

🛒 Noting: Changes to how Giant handles online orders.

🐧 Picking: A name for the new baby African penguin at Camden’s Adventure Aquarium.

🍖 Learning about: The lawsuit over the ingredients in the McDonald’s McRib.

🫴 Considering: Pennsylvania’s hidden human trafficking problem.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: _ Township in Camden County

DAD HON

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

Cheers to Rosie Ladeau, who solved Monday’s anagram: West Bradford. The Chester County township is lowering property taxes this year — a rarity that other towns may not be able to copy.

P.S. Want more Chester County news? Sign up to get your free weekly guide to the news and events shaping life in your community.

Photo of the day

🎨 One last artistic thing: Media-based painter Rinal Parikh is redefining Indian folk art with contemporary themes and local imagery. “What inspires me is my surroundings, and I’m blessed with an amazing backyard,” the biochemist-turned-artist said. “That is my main inspiration.”

Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. See you back here tomorrow.

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Morning, Philly. Expect a cloudy start to the first full week of 2026.

After a boutique on South Street received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for selling breast binders for gender-affirming care, the region’s transgender community worries about the potential wider impacts.

And survivors of the explosion that rocked a Bristol nursing home last month recount a persistent gas smell and lack of concern by staff in the hours before.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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A notice over binders

A federal warning has sparked outrage within the Philly area’s transgender community.

The FDA sent a warning letter to South Street’s Passional Boutique & Sexploratorium, along with 11 other businesses, for selling breast binders for gender-affirming care. In the Dec. 16 letter, the agency said the store is violating regulations because it is not registered to sell the binders, which are classified as a medical device.

Agency Commissioner Martin Makary has said the businesses market the binders to minors, but Passional employees dispute that their company does. The warning letter came as President Donald Trump’s administration moved to cut off federal funding from hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to children.

Trans Philadelphians say it’s a clear and alarming attempt to restrict access to gender-affirming care for all, not just children and teens.

In their own words: “This is going to create a chilling effect for anyone who needs a breast binder,” one person told The Inquirer. “It’s all just to open the door to eventually say, ‘Trans people are not allowed to exist.’”

Reporter Wendy Ruderman has the story.

‘The whole hall smelled like gas’

Dec. 23 began as a typical day at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bucks County — besides the persistent gas smell.

More details are emerging about the circumstances surrounding the explosion that killed two people and injured 20 others at the facility last month. One former resident who spoke to The Inquirer said staffers had acknowledged a gas leak earlier in the day, but said Peco had fixed it.

But investigators still face key questions as they seek to determine the cause of the explosion and assess whether Peco, the nursing home, or both may have been negligent.

Reporter Barbara Laker has more details from the day of the deadly incident.

What you should know today

• Venezuelans in Philadelphia report mixed reactions to the U.S. strike against their home country over the weekend, from elation to trepidation. Some Ukrainian Americans are feeling an uneasy sense of déjà vu, too.
• Amid conflicting recommendations, Americans are now more likely to trust the American Medical Association than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to vaccine guidance, a University of Pennsylvania study found.
• If she makes it on the ballot, Carlisle lawyer Karen Dalton will be Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry’s first primary opponent since 2012, the year he first won the seat.
• New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill to prohibit households from being denied housing because they use public assistance.
• Vandals scrawled racist and antisemitic graffiti outside Roxborough High School, prompting community members to respond Sunday by chalking positive messages onto the school sidewalk.
• Montgomery County is addressing homelessness with an unusually bipartisan effort, which will result in three new, emergency short-term shelters by the end of this year.
• Construction on the South Street Pedestrian Bridge’s footbridge expansion, planned for years alongside the capping of I-95, will begin this spring.
• “Leaving a legacy” has been a catchphrase ahead of the World Cup. What will that mean for children in Philly?

Quote of the day

GM Sauer spoke to The Inquirer about SEPTA’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year, from train fires to service cuts, as well as what commuters can expect in 2026.

🧠 Trivia time

The United States’ first balloon ride happened in 1793 in Philadelphia. The hydrogen-powered balloon took off from what was then the Walnut Street Prison workyard, and is now what?

A) Penn Museum

B) LOVE Park

C) Walnut Street Theatre

D) The Athenaeum

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

💸 Noting: The one really great thing about renting in Philly, according to a Boston transplant.

🎓 Inspired by: This 67-year-old high school dropout who just graduated from college.

🏘️ Learning: Lessons about first-time home buying in Philly and how renovations can strain a relationship.

🎨 In awe of: The massive 1932 N.C. Wyeth mural, now reborn in Wilmington.

🩺 Considering: How to support nurses amid federal attacks.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: _ _ Township in Chester County

DEBTS FORWARD

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

Cheers to Bob LaBelle, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Nicole Michalik. For the 92.5 XTU host, a perfect day in Philly starts with coffee under the covers and ends with a Sixers win.

Photo of the day

📬 Your ‘only in Philly’ story

Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

We’re in search of new “only in Philly” stories for our 2026 series, so dig into your memory bank and send ‘em over. I can’t wait to read them.

Have a great week. Thanks for starting it with The Inquirer.

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Morning, Philly. Hold on to your hat when you step outside on what’s expected to be a blustery Tuesday.

Pennsylvania was known for an arduous permitting process. New policies aim to accelerate building projects and drive investment in the commonwealth.

And a Philadelphia lawyer who became one of the most influential voices in the U.S. juvenile justice system is taking a step back after 50 years as a “superhero.”

Plus, look back on The Inquirer’s best interactives and visual stories of 2025.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Reforms for quicker development

Pennsylvania has long been known as a state where development projects get caught in the slog of bureaucracy. That reputation has cost it business, stakeholders say, as in the case of a U.S. Steel mill that went to Arkansas instead of Allegheny County.

🏗️ State leaders hope that will change with a new process approved as part of the state’s $50.1 billion budget, signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro last month.

🏗️ Certain building permits must now be approved in as few as 30 days, among other updates, per the legislation.

🏗️ The goal is that when businesses consider projects in the state, “they won’t wince at the fact that this is going to take forever,” a Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry exec told The Inquirer.

Politics reporters Katie Bernard and Gillian McGoldrick have more.

In other state government news: The attorneys general of New Jersey and Pennsylvania — an anti-Trump crusader and a self-described “boring” Republican prosecutor, respectively — have forged an unlikely partnership. They say they will maintain their bipartisan friendship when one leaves office next month.

‘50 years later, you’re pushing the rock back up the hill’

Marsha Levick’s career has ranged from representing individual teenagers to steering landmark litigation that forced states to overhaul abusive practices.

Levick will step down Wednesday from her position as chief legal officer of the Juvenile Law Center, the Center City-based organization she helped build from a walk-in legal clinic into a national leader in children’s rights.

Her departure coincides with the center’s 50th anniversary, a time of celebration — as well as what she calls a “dark moment” for civil liberties in America.

Reporter Jillian Kramer has the story on Levick’s legacy.

What you should know today

• Philadelphia is on track to record the lowest number of fatal overdoses in nearly a decade in 2025, according to preliminary state data.
• A second South Jersey pilot died after helicopters leaving an Atlantic County airport crashed Sunday. The friends were known figures in the area.
• In a new lawsuit, a Lehigh Valley dealership owner says her business was ruined because of M&T Bank’s “racist and overzealous” fraud investigator.
• An Arizona couple told patients they’d created a breakthrough medical device. In a Philly courtroom, they admitted it was all a lie, pleading guilty to healthcare fraud.
• A Collingswood commissioner has sued the borough, asking a judge to nullify a contract with Virtua Health because the mayor’s husband works for the health system.
• A former NFL player battling Parkinson’s disease had been denied payment from the league’s concussion settlement program four times. His decade-long quest has finally ended in a million-dollar award.
• Honeygrow, the fast-casual chain based in Center City, plans to open up to 18 new locations next year.

Plus: The Inquirer’s best interactives and visual stories of 2025

The Inquirer’s interactives team spends their time designing fun, informative stories that invite you to play along.

This year’s slate ranged from a game that teaches you Gillie Da King’s viral two-step to a tour of the Southeast Asian Market to an explainer on how a plane crash changed five Northeast neighbors’ lives.

Want to finally understand how to navigate the green card maze, or see which route out of the Linc after an Eagles game is most efficient? We have interactives for those, too.

Check out the team’s favorite visual stories from the past 12 months.

🧠 Trivia time

Which of these was among the top searches by Zillow home shoppers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in 2025?

A) “Luxury”

B) “Historic”

C) “Fixer upper”

D) “Tiny”

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🔔 Greeting: The “sibling” Liberty Bell to be featured in Cherry Street Pier’s New Year’s Eve celebration.

🍕 Trying: The best new slices and pies in the Philly area.

🎤 Remembering: The best Philly concerts of 2025, according to pop music critic Dan DeLuca.

🔥 Cozying up at: These 40+ area spots with heated outdoor dining areas.

🍲 Eating: A cozy bowl of pozole, at food writer Kiki Aranita’s urging.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Wilmington children’s hospital

RUM EONS

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

Cheers to Marvin Adams, who solved Monday’s anagram: Ephrata. A former Mennonite left the dating parlors and courting buggies of Lancaster County behind. Now she’s learning to date from scratch.

Photo of the day

🐌 One last mouthwatering thing: Remember the best meals you ate in 2025? Inquirer critic Craig LaBan recalls his. Look back on his list of Philly’s best restaurants of the year, in photos. Then reminisce on the top five local restaurant trends of 2025 (hi, Michelin) and say a last farewell to the Philly-area eateries that shut down (RIP, McGlinchey’s).

I’ll be back with you tomorrow to close out the year of news. See you then.

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