Author: Julie Zeglen

Welcome to the last week of the year, Philly.

Philadelphia museums’ dynamic programming for the United States’ 250th birthday kicks off on Jan. 1. We have the rundown on the arts events to add to your 2026 calendar.

And at a South Jersey high school, students are harvesting 1,000 pounds of mushrooms annually while getting a civics lesson. Read on for these stories and more of the day’s news.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Artsy parties for the 250th

When you offer to host the entire country’s birthday party, you’d better plan a good one.

Ahead of the country’s Semiquincentennial, Philly cultural institutions are doing their part with a slew of programs to reflect on U.S. history. Among the big arts initiatives coming to the city in 2026:

🎨 The Philadelphia Art Museum and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts will aim to tell the story of American creativity in an exhibit featuring works from Phillies owner John Middleton’s collection.

🎨 The African American Museum in Philadelphia — itself born out of the 1976 Bicentennial — will premiere the extension of its “Audacious Freedom” exhibit, a study of Black Philadelphians from 1776 to 1876.

🎨 Mural Arts is working on several public projects, including a tribute to Questlove and a refurbished mural in honor of the late Gloria Casarez.

Columnist Elizabeth Wellington has the full slate.

In other 250th news: The Schuylkill River Trail and the city’s transit shelters are slated for upgrades thanks to state grants, including some earmarked for Philadelphia’s Semiquincentennial preparation.

(And on the subject of the trail: A segment that had been closed since October because of a sinkhole was repaired and reopened just in time for Christmas Eve.)

Mycology lessons

Students at Rancocas Valley Regional High School are learning how to cultivate mushrooms alongside the business of supply and demand.

Now in its third year, the classroom project produces more than 1,000 pounds of mushroom varieties annually. Most of the fungi are sold to South Jersey restaurants, and the profits are reinvested into the Mount Holly school’s environmental science and biology programs.

It’s real science, teacher Michael Green says. But the hands-on education is fun for students, too. It also provides a service to their community, with some of the harvest donated to a free lunch program.

Notable quote: “My goal is just to get the mushrooms out,” Green told The Inquirer. “The goal is to get mushrooms into people’s hands.”

Education reporter Melanie Burney has the story.

What you should know today

• While the city is on pace to record its fewest killings in 60 years, hundreds in recent years still remain unresolved. The 2024 murder of a young woman in Frankford offers a window into how a case can stall even when a detective puts dozens of hours into an investigation.
• Family members of the victims of Philadelphia’s largest mass murder met on the 25th anniversary to commemorate their loved ones.
• One person died after two helicopters collided and crashed Sunday in Atlantic County, according to authorities.
• Atlantic City community members and leaders gathered last week to condemn recent “aggressive” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the resort town.
• Some Delaware County residents could be given bottled water after a “significant” amount of gasoline leaked at a petroleum tank farm.
• A Montgomery County school board moved last week to fire an elementary school principal who was recorded making antisemitic remarks.
• City residents were unable to request street plowing online this weekend when Philly 311’s portal was down.
• A new building will bring 46 apartments to Germantown Avenue, along with density and commercial space.
• As a Philadelphia teen, her school’s leaders lifted her up. Now, Dr. Sonia Lewis is giving back to Bodine High School in a major way.

Quote of the day

Urban designer Daniel Rodriguez is what’s known as a super commuter — he travels by plane, train, and bus to make his commute to and from Philadelphia and Atlanta, several times per month. He plans to become a content creator full time to encourage viewers to travel without owning a vehicle.

🧠 Trivia time

Philadelphia’s homeownership rate fell during the pandemic as rates grew nationally and in other big cities. About what percentage of city residents own their own home?

A) 52%

B) 64%

C) 75%

D) 88%

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🎆 Noting: Where to watch New Year’s Eve fireworks along the Delaware River, and what’s open and closed on New Year’s Day.

🎭 Remembering: Seven shows we loved on Philly stages in 2025.

🏘️ Comparing: Homes for sale for $390,000 in Lower Merion, Northeast Philly, and Camden County.

🛍️ Remembering: The local businesses that didn’t survive 2025.

🏛️ Considering: The Inquirer editorial board’s review of President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Borough in Lancaster County

HEAT RAP

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

Cheers to Marilyn Wimp Paolino, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Martin Guitars. The world-renowned company first moved to Nazareth in 1839 and has crafted 2.5 million guitars.

Photo of the day

About two dozen people gathered in Germantown this weekend to celebrate Kwanzaa by lighting candles and tending the flame of unity.

📬 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 Deb Olsen, who describes a memorable New Year’s Eve:

My friends and I loved going down to Old City to have dinner on New Year’s Eve and then to Penn’s Landing to watch the fireworks every year in the ’80s.

One year we were a little late getting to Penn’s Landing and the crowds were thick — and drunk. There were so many people, we were stuck on the upper parapet and couldn’t get down to the water, which was the prime viewing spot. The crush was so heavy we were forced up against the wall of the Seaport Museum. It felt like a Who concert scenario.

I noticed an elevator door and wondered if it was working. I pushed the button and it opened. It was empty. We all looked at each other and piled in. Down we went, hoping we would be able to get out once we got to the lower level. When the doors opened, we were down at the river level where the crowds were not as dense. With a sigh of relief, we made our way to the water’s edge just in time for the countdown.

The fireworks were amazing; the Ben Franklin Bridge was lit up with a sparkling waterfall display. Colorful boats motored up and down the Delaware. Music was coordinated with the fireworks, and everybody sang along. It was a delight and a night to remember. Philly is the place to be at the New Year.

Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer. 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.

Good morning, Philly. Flying during this holiday week? Be sure to check our travel tracker for delays.

Harry Kalas’ rendition of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas still resonates. Below, learn how the annual CBS3 tradition came to be.

And we go inside the haphazard crackdown on Pennsylvania’s smoke shops, from undercover stings to a marijuana museum.

Plus, an explosion rocked a nursing home in Bucks County on Tuesday killing at least two people. Read on for the latest.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

P.S. This newsletter is taking some time off for the holiday. Look for its return to your inbox on Saturday.

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Tradition on the airwaves

Phillies announcer Harry Kalas died in 2009, but his iconic voice lives on at Citizens Bank Park, where his cover of “High Hopes” plays after each home game win.

🎁 Kalas’ voice echoes at Christmastime, too: Philadelphia’s CBS3 has been airing his reading of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas almost every Dec. 24 since 2005. Viewers can expect to see it again tonight.

🎁 To the producer who first put him on the air, the tradition still makes sense, 20 years on.

🎁 “Obviously, people love Christmas and people love Harry Kalas,” Andy Wheeler told The Inquirer. “And having him read that story, with his voice that everybody is so used to … it’s almost like watching a home movie of Christmases past.”

Sports reporter Alex Coffey has the story on the origins of this decades-old tradition.

In other sporty news: Bryce Harper plans to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this March. The Phillies first baseman also hopes to play for the United States in the 2028 Olympics.

Smoke shops under fire

Confusion over federal hemp law coupled with Harrisburg lawmakers’ inability to pass regulations has led to a smoke shop frenzy in Pennsylvania. But the emerging effort to police these shops has so far been inconsistent and haphazard, an Inquirer investigation found.

Philadelphia is making an effort to crack down on scofflaw operators with new legislation, and investigators have doubled violations for improper licensing over the last two years.

Yet many smoke shops remain open and continue to operate with relative impunity — sometimes within view of a similar shop that authorities have closed down.

Reporters Max Marin and Ryan W. Briggs explain ahead of a possible THC hemp ban.

What you should know today

• Two people were reported killed and several others injured or missing in an explosion that rocked the Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bristol Township Tuesday afternoon.
• A Delaware State Police trooper was shot and killed while responding to a report of an active shooter on Tuesday in Wilmington.
• June Rodriguez, 54, was killed in a hit-and-run early Saturday while riding his bike home after a shift at Bob & Barbara’s Lounge. The DJ is remembered for creating “a sanctuary on the dance floor.”
• President Donald Trump’s administration said on Tuesday that it will begin garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers who are in default early next year.
• Officials in Bucks and Montgomery Counties say millions of dollars for homeless services are at risk under a Trump administration plan.
• Philadelphia is suing a host of drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers over high insulin costs.
• The founder of a now-defunct South Philly Bitcoin mining company is accused of misappropriating more than $48 million of investor funds.
• Lower Merion residents will see an 8% increase on their property tax bill in 2026, as commissioners cite a “looming cliff” after 13 years of no increase.
• Some of Amtrak’s fleet of next-generation Acela and Airo trains will likely sit idle in 2026 as the national railroad company faces delays in upgrading maintenance facilities.

Quote of the day

Nashville band Old Crow Medicine Show’s OCMS XMAS album features a song that imagines a “little baby born in the Keystone State” in Lehigh County and references the Phillies. Check out pop critic Dan DeLuca’s 2025 holiday music playlist to hear more new originals, reimagined seasonal classics, and more holiday songs with local ties.

🧠 Trivia time

Ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, the Wall Street Journal has named Philadelphia the world’s what?

A) Best destination for cheese lovers

B) Cutest sports fan base

C) Top place to visit in 2026

D) Smelliest city

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🐧 Welcoming: Baby penguins Duffy and Oscar to Camden’s Adventure Aquarium.

🚣 Voting for: The lower Schuylkill, up for Pennsylvania’s River of the Year.

🎉 Ringing in: The new year with these events in and around Media, Cherry Hill, Lower Merion, and Chester County.

🍝 Visiting: Red Gravy Goods, East Passyunk Avenue’s new food and Philly-centric gift shop.

🥟 Appreciating: How Philly’s Polish community keeps a Christmas Eve tradition alive.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A Berks County native’s new docuseries (five words)

FEATHERED NONA

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

Cheers to Christopher Jungers, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Parkway Central Library. The Philly branch is one of the stops on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2026 book tour, which kicks off Jan. 24.

Photo of the day

Wishing you a cozy few days. Paola will be bringing you the holiday weekend news on Saturday. ’Til 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. The forecast for this holiday week includes light rain, but likely no snow accumulation.

Late-night dining is back as several menus debut to fill the post-9 p.m. void (and stomachs) in the city.

And recruiters flew people from Kensington to California for what they described as free luxury rehab. Critics say it’s a scam.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Where to eat late

Since the pandemic, it’s been harder than it used to be to find a good meal in Philly after, say, 9 p.m. What’s a reveler to do when the munchies hit on a night out? Or an industry worker getting off their own restaurant shift?

A handful of local spots are bringing late-night eats back to the masses, from slimmed-down versions of their dinner menus to elevated meals offered exclusively at night:

🌭 Almanac in Old City has yuzu-glazed wings, a wagyu hot dog, and more refined Japanese comfort foods until 12:30 a.m.

🍗 dancerobot in Rittenhouse just launched a nighttime menu with hot dog-stuffed buns and spicy fried chicken, served weekends from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

🍺 Messina Social Club in South Philly makes a roast pork sandwich that’s only available from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on weekends. Add a shot and a can of beer or wine to make it a Messina Happy Meal.

Food reporter Kiki Aranita has the full rundown of new late-night options.

In other food news: Inquirer critic Craig LaBan rounded up his top 10 Philly restaurants that “capture the most special energy” this year.

Cashing in on addiction recovery

Recruiters for far-flung addiction recovery centers are at work in Kensington.

In recent months, representatives of a company called the Rehab Specialist have been pitching people in addiction in McPherson Square and around the neighborhood. Their offer: an all-expenses-paid trip for free treatment at a luxury rehab center out west.

But several people who took them up on it told The Inquirer reality didn’t match expectations.

In their own words: “I don’t know if they have the intention of trying to help people,” said one woman who flew to California but ended up in the emergency room soon after, “but they’re going about it totally the wrong way.”

Reporters Zoe Greenberg, Aubrey Whelan, and Ryan W. Briggs have the story.

What you should know today

• Former national security adviser H.R. McMaster, a Roxborough native who will soon be feted by the Museum of the American Revolution, says Americans should “have a say” on strikes against Venezuelan boats.
• Two men were shot on Monday morning inside the Frankford Transportation Center, police said.
• Temple University Hospital is being investigated over its care of a patient experiencing homelessness who was discharged before he was determined to be stable, and later died.
• A paralyzed New Hope man’s $1 billion verdict against Mitsubishi, handed down by a Philly jury in 2023, was erased by an appeals court.
• As a legal battle with former director Sasha Suda looms, Philadelphia Art Museum staffers say they’re approaching the new year with tentative hope and reputational concerns.
• A former Temple basketball player gambled more than $176,000 on other teams during his time as a volunteer coach at West Chester University, the NCAA reported.
• Some Center City blocks will no longer get sidewalk cleaning, as a residents’ association declines to renew a contract with the Center City District.
• The Schuylkill River Trail has been partially closed since October due to a “chasm”-sized sinkhole. Repair work could begin in early 2026 — if weather allows.

Quote of the day

Prime-time Longwood Christmas reservations are hard to come by. Some devoted fans even booked theirs as far back as July. But the region has other festive attractions with tickets available, including the Philadelphia Zoo’s LumiNature and Penn’s Landing ice skating rink.

🧠 Trivia time

A former Eagles player’s Super Bowl LIX ring was just auctioned off for about how much?

A) $124,000

B) $250,000

C) $520,000

D) $1.2 million

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🎆 Anticipating: A big night out at Philly’s free New Year’s Eve concert.

👟 Eyeing: The celebrity-tied finds of South Jersey’s King of Collectibles star.

☕ Noting: All the recent business closings and openings in Chester County.

❄️ Planning: A cozy winter weekend in the Western Catskills.

🤝 Considering: How to combat Islamophobia through daily, ordinary decency.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: __ Library, a branch in Center City

PLANETARY WRACK

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

Cheers to Joe Hanley, who solved Monday’s anagram: Middletown. The Delaware County township welcomed its first full-service hotel — a Hilton Garden Inn — last week ahead of major tourism events.

Photo of the day

⚪ One last Shore thing: Ginny Chappell’s little home on Wovern Place is one of the stops on Ocean City’s Holiday House Tour. Take a peek inside her blue-and-white-decorated house, where she combines Christmas tradition with a beachy vibe.

Have a great Tuesday. See ya back here 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 a new week, Philly, kicking off with about two seconds more daylight than yesterday. We’ll call that a win.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker notched big wins of her own in her second year in office. But her administration also saw signs of tension.

And the fallout from a Chester County chaplain’s sermon inspired President Donald Trump’s administration to investigate “anti-Christian bias” within federal agencies.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Big wins, signs of tension

Philadelphia’s 100th mayor has counted political hits and misses in 2025, from the 76ers’ abandoned Center City arena plans to the unveiling of her signature housing initiative to a bitter municipal workers strike.

Among the takeaways from Parker’s second year in office:

A focus on public safety: Violence is down, and there appears to be progress in tackling Kensington’s open-air drug market. Though some improvement began before her tenure, the mayor can tie recent success to her own policies.

Avoiding Trump: Unlike many of her peers, Parker has rarely in public discussed the president’s threats to Democrat-led cities. The approach has yielded praise from supporters who say she’s saved Philadelphia from Trump’s wrath, and criticism from those who want to see a more forceful rebuke.

City Hall reporter Sean Collins Walsh has the full year-end assessment.

Task force’s local ties

The Trump administration announced the launch of a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ task force that will investigate what it calls “anti-Christian bias” within federal agencies.

The creation of the task force was inspired in part by backlash to a sermon given by an Army Reserve chaplain at the Coatesville VA Medical Center in 2024.

Russell Trubey says he was temporarily removed from his position after he preached to a congregation of veterans from a Bible passage that refers to same-sex relationships as “shameful.” His lawyers took his case to the White House this February, arguing the chaplain had been subject to prejudice against Christians.

Noticeably absent from the VA task force, critics say, is any effort to explore instances of discrimination against other faiths within federal agencies.

Politics reporter Fallon Roth has more on the incident and how religion has become a focus in the Trump administration.

In other federal news: Activists, historians, and officials on Sunday commemorated the 15th anniversary of the President’s House Site on Independence Mall and mobilized resistance amid its uncertain future.

What you should know today

• A woman and an infant were shot in Carroll Park early Sunday, according to Philadelphia officials. Police said the Special Victims Unit is also investigating after a 2-year-old boy died Sunday in Point Breeze.
• A former West Catholic Prep football star was convicted last week on state murder charges in Georgia.
• Newly appointed Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse says he hopes to continue to improve the way crime is prosecuted in the suburban county
• A Hunting Park charter just laid off 17 employees. Students, staff, and parents say it’s a sign of troubling changes at the K-12 school.
• Two workers who make Pennsylvania’s minimum wage would each have to work 96 hours per week to afford the area’s median asking rent, a Realtor.com analysis found.
• Journalists from 11 college news publications have joined the new Philadelphia Student Press Association, which aims to provide support and attract funding for their work.
• The Eagles clinched the NFC East and a playoff spot with Saturday’s win against the Washington Commanders. That means Google’s artificial intelligence-generated victory post got it right, despite coming hours too early.
• An unexpected Birds fan emerged on social media this weekend: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, who shared a photo of herself in an Eagles T-shirt.

Quote of the day

We asked Philly-area grocery workers what it’s really like to work during the holiday season. They say it can be hectic and requires patience to manage both stressed customers and the incessant playing of “This Christmas.”

🧠 Trivia time

What is the name of the popular New Year’s Day activity that takes place outdoors and is marked this year by local events from Marsh Creek to the Pine Barrens?

A) First Day Hikes

B) Fresh Start Free Solo

C) New Year, New You Cold Plunge

D) Bird Watching for a Better 2026

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🎅 Noting: What Philadelphians want Santa Claus to bring the city this Christmas.

🎨 Admiring: The 1873 painting now on view for the first time in 152 years.

✈️ Tracking: Delays during the year-end travel surge at PHL.

📺 Looking back on: The year of the Philly crime show.

🦮 Considering: Why so few blind Philadelphians have service dogs.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Township in Delaware County

DIM LETDOWN

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

Cheers to Catherine Konopka, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Emily Chelsea Jewelry. Emily Phillippy, the name and face behind the popular Philadelphia-based company, showed us how she spends her idea of a perfect day in the city.

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 Michael Thomas Leibrandt, who describes a historically significant Christmas:

There is absolutely nothing like Christmas in Philly. Think ice skating and lighting a giant tree at Dilworth Park, the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village, holiday lights from the Schuylkill to the Delaware and seemingly everywhere in between. Not bad for America’s oldest metropolis whose founder didn’t even celebrate Christmas.

The holiday is significant around the Philadelphia region for another reason. Each Christmas Day, my family attended the annual reenactment of General George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River.

Washington’s Continental Army would represent much more that just a surprise attack on unsuspecting British and Hessian forces. His daring military maneuver on Christmas night in 1776 — a plan that included Philadelphia militia units — would lead to patriot triumphs at the Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton.

The Americans’ nighttime voyage was a major turning point in the war and proved they could defeat their opponents, though Philadelphia would fall to the British 10 months later. Seeing reenactors capture the details of that powerful, daring, secret military operation was awe-striking even nearly three centuries later.

Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer. Happily, I’ll be back with you tomorrow.

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Morning, Philly. Today’s newsletter is all about buildings.

Thousands of new apartments have sprung up in Center City since 2015. But who, exactly, is living in all of them?

And demolition has started at the mosaic-clad former Painted Bride Art Center building. See how the Old City space went from art haven to neighborhood battleground.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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New neighbors

Between Pine and Vine Streets, river to river, 3,500 new apartments have opened since 2023. If you’ve lived in Philly for a while, you might have looked up at all those high-rise towers and wondered: Who’s up there?

The answer is, more than likely, a bunch of carless, 30-something transplants who work at Jefferson.

🏢 Most of these renters are young — under 45 — and probably don’t own a car, a Center City District survey found. Nearly half moved from beyond the region, but they want to stay for at least the next few years. Many work in Center City or very close by, and they’re in healthcare more than any other sector.

🏢 They say they’re attracted by the downtown area’s density and walkability. They’re also likely to pay nearly double the median Philadelphia rent, for an average of $2,645.

🏢 Case in point: “I love that Philadelphia has so much energy,” said a Logan Square data analyst who moved to the city with his wife, a Cooper University Hospital employee, from Baltimore last year. Next, they hope to buy a condo nearby.

Commercial real estate reporter Jake Blumgart has more on a changing Center City.

In other housing news: Airbnb expects to host 17,000 guests at its short-term rentals across the region when the FIFA World Cup comes here next summer.

The fall of the Painted Bride

The former site of the Painted Bride at 230 Vine St. is in the process of being demolished to make way for apartments and commercial space.

This unceremonious ending follows a nearly six-year legal battle that pitted artists and preservationists against neighbors, who opposed developer Shimi Zakin’s plans to save the arts space. Zakin said he now hopes to incorporate pieces of the exterior’s 7,000-square-foot mirror-and-tile mosaic by Isaiah Zagar into his new building.

But the celebrated structure had faced tumult before.

See the full timeline of the Painted Bride’s stay in Old City, and the complicated legal battles that led to its building’s razing.

More arts funding news: A Roxborough nonprofit thought it had $170,000 in the bank. Then the payroll didn’t clear.

What you should know today

• A man and teenager who were killed Tuesday in Germantown had met for the sale of a Rolex watch.
• A North Philadelphia street-gang hitman wanted in connection with three murders was taken into custody Wednesday in Delaware County, officials said.
• Out-of-state residents can’t use New Jersey’s aid-in-dying law, a federal appeals court ruled.
• King of Prussia-based Recovery Centers of America will pay $2 million to settle federal claims of illegally dispensing controlled substances and falsely billing Medicaid.
• The Trump administration changed the name on a portrait of former Health Secretary Rachel Levine, formerly Pennsylvania’s physician general. She called it a “petty action.”
• Former Gov. Ed Rendell has endorsed State Sen. Sharif Street to succeed U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans.
• A former Philly teacher-turned-Democratic official wants to unseat a Republican state senator in the suburbs, part of a larger effort to flip the state Senate for the first time in 31 years.
• Philadelphia City Council voted Wednesday against Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s vision for her signature housing plan, signaling a win for progressives.
• A Philly judge’s ruling in a charter case has called into question Joyce Wilkerson’s seat on the school board.
• For the second year in a row, the Delaware County Council approved a double-digit property tax increase.

Quote of the day

Richardson is now making “bus-driver rap” in a different way: He has become a go-to artist for Philly-set TV show Abbott Elementary, plus Albie’s Elevator and other local productions .

🧠 Trivia time

Beginning Jan. 5, twice-weekly trash pickup is coming to which area of the city?

A) North Philadelphia

B) West Philadelphia

C) Northeast Philadelphia

D) Northwest Philadelphia

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re…

🪙 Collecting: The new Semiquincentennial coins featuring three Philly landmarks.

🥊 Following: The latest plans to keep a Rocky statue at the top of the Art Museum steps.

🫗 Glad to know: The Ridley Creek oil spill cleanup is almost complete.

⛸️ Cheering on: This Mount Laurel figure skater and Olympic hopeful.

🥔 Eager to try: South Philly’s Mod Spuds, a monthlong jacket potato pop-up, plus South Street’s new Banshee from Cheu alums.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Lt. Gov. _ _

UNSAID VISTA

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

Cheers to Fatima Lee, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Wissinoming. Jeff Brown, whose family operates a dozen local ShopRites, recently purchased the Shoppes at Wissinoming shopping center in Northeast Philadelphia for $30.8 million.

Photo of the day

📚 One last homey thing: When Abel Tootle Jr. bought his home 13 years ago, it gave him full freedom to design a space reflecting his interests — most importantly his many, many books. Check out his “maximalist” North Philly rowhouse.

Sounds like a dream home to me. I’ll be OOO through next week, so Paola and Sam will bring you the weekday news. ‘Til 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.

Good morning, Philly.

Philadelphia is now the top market for online gambling companies — and addiction helplines are ringing off the hook.

And approximately 2.7 million state agency letters were never mailed to Pennsylvania residents last month, officials say, after a state-contracted vendor failed to send them.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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‘A national crisis’ centered on Philly

“I have nothing. I’ve gambled everything away on FanDuel.”

📱 In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, two of only six states in the U.S. where both sports betting and online casino games are legal, gambling helpline calls have tripled since 2021. Half cite online gambling as their main problem.

📱 Many of those who call the helplines report the devastating impact the activity has on their lives, from blown paychecks and foreclosed homes to ruined relationships. In New Jersey, debt averages to about $34,000 for each caller.

📱 Meanwhile, advertisers have pounced on the fast-growing market, spending $37 million in the Philadelphia area in 2025 — more than New York City and much more than Las Vegas. Experts say lawmakers have struggled to keep pace with the industry’s rise.

Reporters Max Marin and Lizzie Mulvey dig into the data, plus anonymized helpline call logs and state revenue reports, for this investigation.

Mail fail

More details are emerging about the millions of pieces of mail from Pennsylvania agencies that never made it to residents last month.

A state-contracted vendor was fired last week after officials discovered the mistake, which affected PennDot and Department of Human Services correspondence from Nov. 3 through Dec. 3.

Missing mail from PennDot included driver’s license and vehicle registration renewal invitations. It’s not yet clear what type of communications went unsent from DHS, a representative said, though Electronic Benefit Transfer cards and some other benefits-related items were not affected.

Questions remain, too, about why it took a full month for officials to determine that the mail had not been reaching residents, and how the issue was discovered.

State politics reporter Gillian McGoldrick has more.

What you should know today

• President Donald Trump hosted a rally Tuesday night in Northeastern Pennsylvania to try to flip the script on affordability concerns. Before Trump spoke at the Mount Pocono casino, gamblers shared a mixed view of the economy.
• Twin Atlantic County brothers were arrested and charged Tuesday with allegedly writing threats on social media against a federal employee and immigration agents.
• A top Philadelphia fire department official was demoted amid a sexual harassment probe. The city refuses to discuss the case.
• The Frankford Arsenal once housed Philly’s narcotics unit. The site gave police officers brain cancer, lawsuits contend.
• New Jersey officials are asking residents to voluntarily curtail water as a plunge in rainfall strains reservoirs, streams, and aquifers.
• The University of Delaware on Tuesday appointed Laura A. Carlson, who had been serving as interim president, to the permanent post, effective Jan. 1.
• Philadelphia’s newest school building, Alternative Middle Years at James Martin in Port Richmond, will open in January. Take a look inside.
• Typical retail workers would need to make more than twice their annual wages to afford the region’s median-priced apartment, per Redfin.
• The Phillies and free agent slugger Kyle Schwarber have agreed on a new five-year contract worth $150 million. The team has also extended manager Rob Thomson’s contract through 2027.

Quote of the day

A five-week-long, multidisciplinary arts festival called What Now: 2026 will launch in May as part of the county’s Semiquincentennial. Collaborators include BlackStar, Philadanco!, and Theatre in the X.

P.S. Also coming in 2026? Year-round FringeArts programming, a souped-up RockyFest (possibly including a permanent Rocky statue atop the Art Museum steps), and lots of Liberty Bells.

🧠 Trivia time

Philly native Sheinelle Jones is taking over Hoda Kotb’s chair at Today permanently. She once worked as cohost of which other morning show?

A) Morning Joe

B) Good Day Philadelphia

C) Preston & Steve Show

D) Good Morning America

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and where) we’re…

🏢 Eyeing: The Wanamaker building owners’ plans for a rooftop pool and a sunny Grand Court.

🍾 Living it up: Center City’s newest bar, which plans to serve caviar and $600 glasses of Champagne.

🍷 Shopping: These excellent wine shops in Philly and the suburbs.

☕ Checking out: Trung Nguyên, the Starbucks of Vietnamese coffee.

⚽ Considering: Philly’s Haitian soccer fans’ excitement for their team’s World Cup match at the Linc.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Area in Northeast Philadelphia

MISSION WING

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

Cheers to Rohit Lal, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Wynnewood. Residents of the Main Line community are building a Village to help Lower Merion’s older adults age in place.

Photo of the day

🎄 One last festive thing: Brandywine Valley businesses get a Christmas boom from Longwood Gardens visitors. In the run-up to the Kennett Square attraction’s light show festival, “we know that we need to be staffed up and ready,” one local restaurateur told The Inquirer.

Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Stay warm out there.

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Welcome to a new week, Philly.

Hundreds of Philadelphians live next to dangerous abandoned buildings. The city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections stopped using a tool meant to track vacant properties.

And in other housing news, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker visited pulpits across West and North Philadelphia on Sunday, promoting her vision for her signature H.O.M.E. initiative that’s heightening tensions in City Hall.

Plus, as of Sunday evening, union leaders representing SEPTA’s bus, subway, and trolley operators were still negotiating to avoid a strike. In the case of a SEPTA work stoppage, Philadelphia School District’s contingency plans may include some virtual classes. See the latest updates at Inquirer.com.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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When vacant homes threaten neighbors

Across Philadelphia, scores of families live next to vacant properties that are or could become dangerous — houses with collapsing porches, flooded basements, foundation-cracking weeds, and the like.

Many of those empty and imminently dangerous buildings are rowhouses, which share walls with neighboring homes. Disproportionately, they are based in the city’s poorest zip codes.

The total amount, though, is unclear. L&I’s methods of tracking vacant properties have shifted in recent years, including the discontinuation of an algorithmic tool to predict whether a property is likely to be vacant.

In the meantime, concerned residents and community activists want L&I to do more to ensure their safety, in some cases organizing to get the city to deal with abandoned properties more quickly.

Real estate reporter Michaelle Bond and data reporter Joe Yerardi have the story.

Further reading: Worried about the vacant building next door? An expert explains what do, from taking pictures to logging formal complaints with the city.

Parker pitches housing plan

Amid City Hall tensions, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker spent the weekend seeking public support for her signature housing initiative, the Housing Opportunities Made Easy program, aka H.O.M.E.

🏠 Parker on Sunday promoted the $800 million program to congregants at 10 churches, emphasizing that she wants to ensure the funding helps Philadelphians of varying incomes.

🏠 The speaking tour followed City Council’s changes last week to H.O.M.E.’s initial budget and eligibility requirements to prioritize Philly’s lowest-income households.

🏠 “We’ve got to take care of the people who are most in need, but we can’t penalize the people who are going to work every day, pay their taxes, contribute to the city, and they can’t benefit from home improvement programs,” Parker said during a stop at Cobbs Creek’s Church of Christian Compassion.

Reporter Maggie Prosser has more from the tour.

In other local funding news: A bilingual credit union, Finanta Credit Union, is now open in Port Richmond. It’s seeking “unbanked” customers who want to buy homes and build businesses.

What you should know today

• One man was killed and another seriously injured in a shooting Saturday in West Philadelphia, police said. The same day, one man died following a blaze at the Manchester Apartments in the Northeast, according to police reports.
• U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick plans to introduce a bipartisan bill to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies after this fall’s shutdown battle left the issue unresolved. Meanwhile, for every person who signed up for Obamacare health insurance in Pennsylvania last month, two others dropped their plans in anticipation of skyrocketing costs.
• Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is permanently banned from holding public office in New Jersey — and if he tries, he could face criminal charges.
• A Philadelphia journalist was sentenced Friday to 20 years in federal prison for possessing thousands of images and videos of child pornography.
• Jeffrey Yass, Pennsylvania’s richest man, detailed how school vouchers drive his massive political spending operation in a rare interview with The Washington Post.
• A Wistar Institute scientist’s study has found a new approach to ovarian cancer treatment, which tends to be resistant to hormone therapy.
• Former Fabric Workshop and Museum leader Christina Vassallo will become executive director of the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage on Jan. 5, Pew announced Monday.
• ESPN will host an animated Monsters Funday Football alternate broadcast of the Eagles’ Monday night matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Quote of the day

The students of Room 221 at Fanny Jackson Coppin Elementary in South Philly watched a massive construction project rise for months outside their classroom window. At teacher Kate Atkins’ request, the builders came to class last week and answered their questions about the project.

Among them: “Why did you decide to make the house bigger by making it taller instead of making it wider?” and “Will it be done by Christmas?” (The latter answer is no — and not by Hanukkah, either.)

🧠 Trivia time

Tony Award-winning playwright Tom Stoppard died last week at 88. To which Philadelphia theater did the Czech writer have a close connection?

A) Wilma Theater

B) Miller Theater

C) Forrest Theatre

D) Academy of Music

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re…

🦅 Congratulating: Jordan Mailata, the Eagles’ 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.

⚽ Just as excited as: These soccer fans ready to host a World Cup in their hometown.

🖌️ Following: This graphic designer creating a new art piece after all 82 Sixers games.

🌊 Taking: A holiday field trip to Lewes and the Delaware Beaches.

🎤 Considering: How KPop Demon Hunters explains OpenAI becoming a public benefit corporation.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: University City music venue

LOW CARVED LIFE

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

Cheers to Nick Petryszyn, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Not for Nothing. The South Philly crime drama debuted on Amazon Prime this week.

Photo of the day

Beep beep, the Care Bears bus is here: SEPTA workers displayed eight of their holiday-themed buses during the annual Festibus celebration in LOVE Park on Saturday.

📬 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 Jack Kapp, who describes a perfect game — and afternoon — from his youth in Northeast Philadelphia:

I was 10 in the summer of 1964. My father started letting me handle the lawn mower. We didn’t have much of a lawn, but it needed to be done. I did a fairly good job, and he proposed that my twin and I start a small business mowing the neighbors’ lawns. We agreed, enticed by the idea of making money.

I clearly remember mowing lawns the day of Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning’s perfect game on Father’s Day, June 21, 1964. This was to become a seminal event in Philadelphia sports history — one of the greatest games ever pitched. It was a doubleheader. His game was first. It was a hot day, and we rushed to get our work done. My father didn’t watch too much TV or baseball, but I guess because it was Father’s Day, he watched it with us.

It was the first perfect game in the National League since 1880, the first in regular-season baseball since 1922, and only the seventh in the history of the majors. Quite the achievement. Bunning, the father of seven children at that time (he would have two more after that), threw only 90 pitches, and struck out 10 batters.

It was also one of the best days that I ever spent with my father. Bunning would go on, after a fabulous Hall of Fame career, to become a U.S. senator from Kentucky for many years. I met him once, and told him this story. He thanked me politely.

Wishing you a smooth start to your week. See you back here tomorrow.

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Good morning, Philly. We’re in for some clouds today.

The political operatives who powered the successful Mamdani and Fetterman campaigns are trying to win House seats for Democrats in Pennsylvania.

And Northeast Philly’s Franklin Mall — aka Franklin Mills — is for sale after years of plummeting valuation, occupancy, and visitor numbers.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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‘A new road map’ for Pa. political campaigns

A Pennsylvania-based consulting firm that has worked with the likes of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is setting its sights on 2026, and the Keystone State.

🔵 Led by longtime Democratic political operatives, FIGHT has found success in helping progressive candidates win high-profile races such as Mamdani’s, and flipping Republican-held seats such as the one Sen. John Fetterman took in 2022.

🔵 They’re now focused on two swingy congressional seats — one in Northeast Pennsylvania, one in the Lehigh Valley — with an aim to craft buzzy campaigns that reflect the communities they’re running in.

🔵 “New York isn’t Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania isn’t New York,” cofounder Rebecca Katz, a Central High graduate, said of lessons learned from Mamdani’s win. “But there’s a universal desire for authentic candidates laser-focused on the affordability crisis.”

Politics reporter Julia Terruso has the story on FIGHT’s hyperlocal tactics.

In other political news: Gov. Josh Shapiro lashed out over former Vice President Kamala Harris’ portrayal of his interview to become her 2024 running mate, calling Harris’ retellings “complete and utter bulls—” intended to sell books.

Mills madness

Another regional shopping destination is facing change.

A real estate listing suggests the sprawling, 36-year-old Franklin Mills in the Far Northeast could be redeveloped for industrial and office uses. Experts say it could become warehouse or residential space, too, as is the plan for other area malls.

The building could also remain an outlet mall, though foot traffic, sales, and occupancy have been dropping for years. And demolition is on the table: “Ultimately, it may just be a piece of land” for sale, one expert told The Inquirer.

Commercial reporter Jake Blumgart has more on the once-bustling mall’s possible fates.

What you should know today

• More than 65,000 immigrants are being held in federal detention, a two-thirds increase from when President Donald Trump took office, new data show.
• The Trump administration has threatened to cut food aid funds for Democrat-run states if they don’t release recipient data, prompting outrage in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
• A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for making violent and racist threats to two Black women.
• Gov. Phil Murphy has asked the Indian government to extradite an accused killer to South Jersey to face criminal charges in the 2017 death of a woman and her son.
• A former Montgomery County executive says in a lawsuit that he was fired because of mental health accommodation requests, and because he was whistleblowing on wrongdoing.
• The Philadelphia Parking Authority would renovate and run the abandoned Greyhound bus terminal on Filbert Street under legislation approved Wednesday by a key City Council committee. And a Philly tax loophole allows refunds for people who steal homes, but a new Council bill would direct that money to victims.
• Philly-based restaurateur Stephen Starr is facing union-busting charges brought by the National Labor Relations Board over activity at his Washington, D.C., steakhouse.
• Nearly a year after local Whole Foods workers voted to form a union, their union’s ability to move forward and negotiate a contract is locked in a procedural standstill.
• A majority of Chinatown’s new gains in population and business have resulted in a decline in the share of Asian residents amid concerns over gentrification and displacement, a new report found.

Quote of the day

Kevin Patullo’s Moorestown home was vandalized with eggs early Saturday, just hours after the Eagles lost to the Chicago Bears and fell to 8-4. The coach on Monday expressed a desire to move forward from the incident and ongoing fan criticism and direct his attention to the next game.

🧠 Trivia time

Which of these young Philadelphians is not included on the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 list?

A) Textile artist Qualeasha Wood

B) ChompSaw cofounder Kausi Raman

C) Social media influencer Brandon Edelman

D) Eagles running back Saquon Barkley

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🥄 Excited about: December’s Philly-area restaurant forecast, which includes a honky-tonk and a Michelin star-winner’s third venture.

🏥 Debunking: Five autism myths with a CHOP expert.

🩰 Seeing: Four exciting Nutcracker versions staged in Philadelphia this season.

🌲 Ordering: A fresh-cut Christmas tree for delivery.

📓 Considering: Whether a humanities degree is a smart investment, actually.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A local performer will compete in its 18th season

CAPSULAR GUARDER

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

Cheers to Amber Ovens, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Neshaminy. A graduate of the Bucks County community’s eponymous high school cofounded Shwego, a start-up that tracks trucks and tradespeople.

Photo of the day

🎄 One last joyous thing: The former Macy’s space has come back to life with the return of the holiday lights show, Opera Philadelphia’s Pipe Up! series, and other festive events scheduled through December. I’m looking forward to visiting with my own family soon.

P.S. Looking for a fantastical lights display in the suburbs? Check out the 50th annual Festival of Lights, returning to Media this week.

Have a good one. Paola has you covered tomorrow through the weekend.

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Hi, Philly. We’ll see sun today after the region avoided the worst of yesterday’s storm.

Affordable Care Act tax credits are set to expire at the end of this year, unless they’re renewed or replaced. See how health insurance premiums are estimated to rise across the region, depending on where someone lives, how old they are, and what they earn.

And a man died driving on Northwest Philadelphia’s winding, wet roads. The neighborhood has tried to address the danger for decades.

Plus, Chester County might be the only Philly suburb not raising taxes next year. Read on for a preview of Inquirer Chester County, the free weekly newsletter launching today.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Health insurance premiums could increase fivefold

Have a health insurance plan through Pennie in Pennsylvania, Get Covered NJ in New Jersey, or Healthcare.gov in Delaware? You could see costs rise dramatically in 2026 after Congress failed to renew the financial incentive program during the budget negotiations that prompted this fall’s government shutdown.

If Congress does not approve an extension of the tax credits, monthly premiums for some could increase fivefold, but the amount depends on factors such as age, income, and county of residence. Consider these cases:

Case study #1: A 27-year-old Philadelphia resident who makes $35,000 a year could go from paying $86 to $218.

Case study #2: A 60-year-old Camden County resident who makes $65,000 could go from paying $461 to $1,157.

Use our tool to see how much you’ll pay for health insurance if ACA tax credits expire.

‘It’s a curvy, tricky road’

Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy residents have for years sounded the alarm about dangerous — and, in at least five cases since 2019, deadly — driving conditions on the winding Lincoln Drive.

The latest fatal accident occurred on Sunday: A 65-year-old man died after crashing his car on Cresheim Valley Drive, which intersects with Lincoln.

The Streets Department has installed some traffic-calming measures to improve safety along the area’s roadways. Neighbors want to see more. Most urgently, that includes the repair of the downed guardrail that failed to prevent this weekend’s crash.

Reporter Henry Savage has more on residents’ pleas and the city’s efforts.

What you should know today

• As a Fox News contributor in 2016, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth cited the same military law as the lawmakers he’s now calling seditious, unearthed recordings show.
• A Philadelphia highway patrol officer has died after a prolonged coma. Andy Chan, 48, was hospitalized in 2019 with a brain injury after a motorcycle crash.
• A Wilmington man who planned to target the University of Delaware campus police station with firearms was arrested last week and charged with federal weapons crimes, authorities said.
• A Pottstown man who shot a police officer who came to his home to respond to a domestic violence incident last year was sentenced Tuesday to decades in state prison.
• City Council on Tuesday amended the initial budget for Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s signature housing initiative by allotting more housing funds to the poorest Philadelphians.
• The William Way LGBT Community Center will return to its Center City building after renovations are completed, leaders said Tuesday, instead of permanently leaving as previously announced.
• A former Cherry Hill principal claims says he did not engage in discriminatory behavior or retaliate against a former employee following a lawsuit filed earlier this year.
• Blackfish BYOB’s 19-year run in Conshohocken will end New Year’s Eve, as chef-owner Chip Roman says he’s following a “bigger purpose.” And in Rittenhouse, Revolution Taco, owned by Carolyn Nguyen, will close to become Carolyn’s Modern Vietnamese.

Plus: Chester County holds the financial line

Inquirer Chester County launches today. Below is a peek at what you can expect from the free, weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get your guide to the news, stories, and events shaping life in your community.

Chester County residents may be the only ones in Philadelphia’s suburbs to dodge a property tax hike in 2026.

While the county’s proposed budget for next year has a 4.7% spending increase, officials don’t expect to pass that on to taxpayers. That’s thanks to non-personnel budget cuts initiated earlier this year across departments, as well as delayed projects.

While still navigating financial uncertainty, the bipartisan Chester County Board of Commissioners tasked officials with holding “the line in terms of tax increases,” county CEO David Byerman said. The budget is expected to pass doing just that.

Reporter Katie Bernard has more on how the county maintained property taxes for 2026.

🧠 Trivia time

Which Delaware County university has entered an agreement to buy nearly half of the Valley Forge Military Academy property?

A) Villanova University

B) Neumann University

C) Widener University

D) Eastern University

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🚌 Supporting: Quinta Brunson’s field trip fund for Philly public school students.

🏕️ Humming: “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah!” ahead of this Allan Sherman tribute.

🍽️ Congratulating: Fishtown’s Emmett, named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants.

🏡 Noting: This professional home appraiser’s explanation of the appraisal process.

🕊️ Considering: How Philly’s faith communities are showing up for immigrants.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: In Bucks County

SHINY NAME

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

Cheers to Jack Falkenbach, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Logan Circle. The Center City park will have new sidewalks, ADA ramps, and a restored fountain this spring following a monthslong construction project.

Photo of the day

Get your winter fashion on and have a good one. I’ll see you back here tomorrow morning.

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Morning, Philly. We’re in for a cold, wet Tuesday — and another storm threat looms for the weekend.

A historic preservation bill is provoking debate: Supporters say the legislation gives more notice and power to property owners, while opponents say it will damage the city’s heritage.

And internal documents shed light on Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s decision to scrap contracting requirements meant to boost diversity and equity.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

P.S. We inadvertently sent our Sports Daily newsletter to your inbox yesterday morning. Don’t worry — you won’t continue to get it unless you’re already subscribed. Manage your newsletter preferences at any time here.

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Good government fix? Or demolition derby?

Most of Philadelphia’s buildings were constructed before the mid-20th century, though few are historically protected. A newly proposed bill from Councilmember Mark Squilla has caused a stir amid heightened debate around preservation.

In the bill: The legislation would institute changes to the city’s Historical Commission, which ensures that historic properties cannot be demolished or their exteriors substantially altered. One big update gives property owners at least 30 days before a pending nomination of their building goes to the commission and protections kick in.

In favor: Developers and other proponents of the bill argue that it is simply meant to give more notice and power to property owners before their buildings are considered for preservation.

In opposition: Preservationists fear that developers will use the extra time to begin razing historic buildings. Some preservation critics dislike the bill, too, saying it doesn’t help homeowners facing high costs to maintain historic properties.

Commercial real estate reporter Jake Blumgart has the details.

In other housing news: City Council bills that cap rental application fees and allow renters to pay security deposits in installments take effect Tuesday.

‘Disadvantaged’ vs. ‘small and local’

More details are emerging about the Parker administration’s decision to halt the use of some diversity targets in city contracts. The shift, which was revealed last month but enacted at some point earlier this year, came in the face of potential legal challenges as national DEI backlash grows.

According to documents obtained by The Inquirer, a law firm hired by the city recommended that Parker adopt a new policy favoring “socially and economically disadvantaged” businesses. Instead, the mayor prioritized “small and local” firms.

Her administration says this language will still help historically disadvantaged firms. Critics argue that it doesn’t go far enough to help women and Black and brown Philadelphians who were the focus of the previous, decades-old policy.

City Hall reporter Sean Collins Walsh has more.

What you should know today

• President Donald Trump’s efforts to keep Alina Habba as the top prosecutor in New Jersey aren’t legal, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.
• A man accused of committing voter fraud in Bucks County in 2020 is seeking to wipe out a pending criminal case, saying Trump’s pardoning of dozens of allies who helped him try to overturn that election should extend to him, too.
• A New Jersey Senate hearing on a proposal to scale back the authority of a state oversight office degenerated Monday into a blistering back-and-forth between officials.
• Rutgers-Camden is celebrating 100 years with a boost in dorm occupancy and international students. Now, its chancellor hopes for more support from central administration.
• Foundation for Delaware County’s Family Village initiative aims to close health gaps in the county, especially for those affected by Crozer Health’s closure.
• Mars Co-Op, the Philadelphia rapper known for the standout verse he contributed to The Roots’ song “Clones” from 1996, has died.
• Marra’s, Philly’s oldest pizzeria, has closed after 98 years on East Passyunk Avenue. EMei, one of the city’s most acclaimed Sichuan restaurants, is taking over the building.
• After 13 years at 6abc, reporter Annie McCormick’s last day with the station was Monday, she announced on social media.
• A disgruntled Eagles fan with access to the traffic signs near the Linc had a message Monday: “Fire Kevin Patullo.” Others took it further: The offensive coordinator’s home was vandalized with eggs hours after the team lost on Friday, police confirmed.

🚉 WTF is happening with…

Transportation reporter Tom Fitzgerald has become somewhat of a social media star with his series answering readers’ questions about what the … heck … is going on with Philly’s beleaguered transit systems. See the latest video on SEPTA’s Regional Rail service and join the conversation.

🧠 Trivia time

An estate sale will open to the public this week at a Delancey Street townhouse filled with an estimated 100,000 what?

A) Brooches

B) Bongos

C) Books

D) Bananas

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🎶 Attending: These 15 Philly holiday pop concerts this month.

🪪 Noting: TSA’s new $45 fee for travelers without REAL ID.

🍪 Baking: These eight Amanda Shulman-approved cookie recipes.

🛍️ Visiting: Joan Shepp, named one of the country’s best clothing shops.

✈️ Considering: The impact of fatigue on air travel safety.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Center City park

ALL COERCING

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

Cheers to Laura Napier, who solved Monday’s anagram: Awbury Arboretum. The East Germantown nonprofit’s Francis Cope House is home to the inaugural exhibition of the Museum of African American Art Collections.

Photo of the day

🌲 One last green thing: The real Christmas tree supply is “excellent” this year after several years of shortages, industry experts say. Shopping for your own? Check out these 17 tree farms around the city and surrounding counties.

Stay cozy. I’ll be back with you tomorrow morning.

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