Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes

Category: Pennsylvania News

  • 5 area Fourth of July events | Inquirer Lower Merion

    5 area Fourth of July events | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Hi, Lower Merion! 👋

    Communities throughout the region are pulling out the stops to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary this weekend. We’ve rounded up spots to catch the festivities. Also this week, longtime Narberth guitar shop owner Dan Gold reflects on his career, an Ecuadorian who grew up in the township is finding camaraderie and feeling proud amid the World Cup, plus a Wynnewood home once part of the Clothier estate is back on the market.

    We want your feedback! Tell us what you think of the newsletter by taking our survey or emailing us at lowermerion@inquirer.com.

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

    The local Fourth of July events you won’t want to miss

    Wynnewood resident Lori Ney, along with her dogs Ava and Lilly, attended the Army’s Pershing’s Own followed by fireworks at the Great Plaza at Delaware River Waterfront in 2023.

    Celebrate the nation’s Semiquincentennial at one of these festive events, which are replete with parades, fireworks, and musical performances.

    • Bala Cynwyd: The Neighborhood Club of Bala Cynwyd’s annual parade starts at the Union Fire House and ends at the playground at Bala Cynwyd Park, where there will be a rock wall, pony rides, a petting zoo, and music. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, starts at 9:30 a.m. đŸ’” Wristbands are $15-$45 📍 Union Fire House and Bala Cynwyd Park
    • Ardmore: The community will celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary with a ribbon cutting for its new mural, a “freedom walk,” and crafts and sweet treats at Linwood Park. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Throughout Ardmore
    • Penn Wynne: The Penn Wynne Civic Association’s annual celebration kicks off with a parade at 10 a.m. followed by a carnival at Penn Wynne Park. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. đŸ’” Wristbands are $10-$30 📍 Penn Wynne-Overbrook Hills Firehouse and Penn Wynne Park
    • Narberth: This daylong event kicks off at 10 a.m. with a carnival, games, and pie-eating contest, which run until 1:30 p.m. After a break, the celebration continues at 6:30 p.m. with food trucks, live music, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence before the fireworks show. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 6:30-10:30 p.m. đŸ’” Free to attend, pay as you go for the carnival and food trucks 📍 Narberth Park
    • Garrett Hill and Rosemont: This festive hourlong parade starts at the Rosemont Business Campus at the corner of Conestoga and Williams Roads at 10:45 a.m. and ends at Clem Macrone Park, where there will be entertainment and live music. Residents can join in by decorating a bike or float. The judging begins at 10 a.m. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 10:45 a.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Rosemont Business Center to Clem Macrone Park

    🎇 See more area fireworks shows here.

    đŸ‡ș🇾 Looking for other ways to celebrate the Semiquincentennial? Here’s what Montgomery County has in store.

    💡 Community News

    • Reminder for residents: There will be no trash and recycling pickup tomorrow when the township is closed in observance of the holiday. See how your household might be impacted here.
    • After a 17-year tenure in Narberth, Dan Gold remembers his time in the borough helming Danny’s Guitar Shop as “just perfect.” The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner caught up with the musician, who recently closed the guitar lesson and shop, about his career and what comes next.
    • World Cup fever continues throughout the region, and one resident who grew up in Lower Merion said the tournament has made him especially proud of his Ecuadorian roots. Rowan Teran, 24, was among those celebrating ahead of the team’s early round match at Lincoln Financial Field, finding joy with his fellow Ecuador fans.
    • Blackbird Health opened a new clinic last week at 225 E. City Ave. in Bala Cynwyd. The Pennsylvania-based chain offers mental healthcare for children, teens, and families.

    đŸ« Schools Briefing

    • Applications are now open for eligible Lower Merion and Narberth seniors to get a 2025 rebate for property taxes paid to the school district. Learn more about the program here.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • Two new eateries are getting closer to opening in Ardmore. Dessert spot Mango Mango is teeing up a July opening at 38 Greenfield Ave., while Vintner’s Table, a wine bar that dishes up Italian cuisine, is aiming to open in August on Cricket Avenue.

    🎳 Things to Do

    📖 Book Signing and Discussion with Jessica Knoll and Jennifer Weiner: Shipley School alum Jessica Knoll, who gained acclaim for her 2015 novel Luckiest Girl Alive, will sign copies of her new book, Helpless, and discuss it with fellow local author Jennifer Weiner. ⏰ Tuesday, July 7, 6 p.m. đŸ’” Free to attend, $25 for the book 📍 Barnes & Noble Bryn Mawr

    đŸŽ” Music in the Park: The next concert features a performance by the Brazilian jazz outfit the Minas Trio. ⏰ Wednesday, July 8, 7 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Narberth Park gazebo

    🏡 On the Market

    A three-bedroom Wynnewood cottage with Clothier estate ties

    The exterior of the home blends the Arts & Crafts and Tudor styles.

    A Wynnewood cottage once part of the Clothier estate is back on the market, this time with a new price. Designed in the Arts & Crafts and Tudor styles, the three-bedroom cottage has a distinctive exterior from its stone facade to its woodwork. Inside, the home has been overhauled to give it modern amenities, including a sleek eat-in kitchen which complements the original herringbone-patterned floors. It also has a patio, a deck, and a fenced yard. There’s an open house Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $1.575M | Size: 2,673 SF | Acreage: 0.04

    📈 Lower Merion market report

    • Median listing price: $875,000 (down $100,000 from April) 📉
    • Median sold price: $1.1M (same as April)
    • Median days on the market: 31 (up six days from April) 📈

    This Lower Merion market report is published on a monthly basis. Above is data for May from realtor.com.

    đŸ—žïž What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:

    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.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • 5 area Fourth of July events | Inquirer Greater Media

    5 area Fourth of July events | Inquirer Greater Media

    Hi, Greater Media! 👋

    Communities throughout the region are pulling out the stops to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary this weekend. We’ve rounded up spots to catch the festivities. Also this week, the so-called Swarthmore 9 pleaded no-contest to noise violations, a local woman has been charged with the years-old execution-style killing of her parents, plus the battle over an area liquid natural gas facility continues.

    We want your feedback. Tell us what you think of the newsletter by taking our survey or emailing us at greatermedia@inquirer.com.

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

    Five Fourth of July events to check out in and around Media

    Media is celebrating the Fourth of July with festivities at Barrall Field.

    Celebrate the nation’s Semiquincentennial at one of these festive events, which are replete with parades, games, food, and music.

    • Lion’s Club Independence Eve 2.5-Mile Walk and 8K Run: Celebrate the holiday by hitting the pavement for a 2.5-mile walk or an 8K run. The run/walk may be postponed to Sunday in the event of extreme heat. ⏰ Friday, July 3, 7-8:30 p.m. đŸ’” $32.80 📍 Swarthmore town center
    • Swarthmore Fourth of July Festivities, SRA Bike Races, and Parade: The day kicks off with a bike race, followed by a children’s parade and then the community parade, with other activities to follow. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Swarthmore town center
    • Media Borough Fourth of July Celebration: There will be yard games, live music, food, and kids’ activities like water slides and face painting, in addition to a bike decorating contest. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m.-noon đŸ’” Free 📍 Barrall Field, Media
    • Rose Valley Borough Fourth of July Parade: The annual parade, complete with decorated bikes and wagons, will start at the Moylan-Rose Valley SEPTA station and end at Rose Valley Swimming Pool, where there will be a flag raising ceremony. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 2 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Moylan-Rose Valley SEPTA station and Rose Valley Swimming Pool
    • America’s 250th Birthday Celebration: To mark the Semiquincentennial, Upper Providence Township is hosting a Fourth of July event complete with games, contests, music, and food trucks. RSVPs are encouraged. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 1-4 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Rose Tree Park, Media

    🎇 See more area festivities here.

    đŸ‡ș🇾 Looking for other ways to celebrate the Semiquincentennial? Here’s what Delaware County has in store.

    💡 Community News

    • The so-called Swarthmore 9, a group of protestors charged with trespassing after refusing to leave a pro-Palestinian encampment at Swarthmore College last year, entered no-contest pleas on Monday to summary noise-violation offenses. As part of the deal, they’ll each undertake community service.
    • Last week, 33-year-old Michelle Zajko was charged with the first-degree murder of her parents, who the Delaware County district attorney says she killed execution-style inside their Chester Heights home in December 2022. Zajko, a member of the cultlike Zizians, has been a person of interest in the case for years, but maintains her innocence. The DA doesn’t believe she acted alone and is continuing to investigate. The Inquirer’s Vinny Vella explains how new information led to the charges.
    • A pair of environmental groups are readying to oppose a planned liquefied natural gas export facility in Eddystone. Local communities, including Media and Swarthmore, have stated their opposition to the nearby terminal.
    • Pepper Lee Boutique and Gina the Jewelry Lady are reopening today at their new storefront at 1176 N. Middletown Rd. in Edgmont Township, above the Country Deli. The boutique will be hosting a grand reopening celebration today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pepper Lee will be open Wednesdays to Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Gina the Jewelry Lady will operate Thursdays to Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • The Delaware County Health Department identified this year’s first pool of mosquitoes positive for West Nile virus. The pool was tested on June 16 at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Collingdale. No infections among people have been reported. The department suggests taking steps to reduce the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses by eliminating standing water, using appropriate repellents, and wearing protective clothing.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • Miller’s Ale House has closed its Springfield location at 18 Baltimore Pike, but continues to operate an outpost at 1119 W. Baltimore Pike at the Promenade at Granite Run.

    🎳 Things to Do

    đŸŽ¶ Rose Tree Summer Concert Festival: Tonight, Big Band from the Valley takes the stage, followed by Steve Pullara and His Cool Beans Band, which is performing a morning show tomorrow, and Smoke’s Ebonys and Raising Kane Band on Saturday. On Wednesday, Jimmy and the Parrots will perform, sampling from Jimmy Buffett, The Beach Boys, and Bob Marley, among others. There’s no show on July 4. ⏰ Thursday, July 2-Wednesday, July 8, 7:30 p.m., except July 3, which is at 10 a.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Rose Tree Park, Media

    🍿 Family Movie and Craft: Catch a screening of Moana and make a tiki-themed craft. ⏰ Friday, July 3, 10:15 a.m.-noon đŸ’” Free 📍 Media-Upper Providence Free Library, Media

    🩋 Nature at Night: Pollinators: Learn about native pollinators at this after-hours event. ⏰ Tuesday, July 7, 6-7:30 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Tyler Arboretum, Media

    🏡 On the Market

    A Springton Reservoir home with a pool and spa

    The home is located near Springton Reservoir in Upper Providence Township.

    Located near Springton Reservoir in Upper Providence Township, this home can accommodate multi-generational living thanks to a two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom main floor suite with its own kitchen. The rest of the main floor has living and dining rooms, a family room with a brick fireplace, and an updated kitchen with marble countertops and an island with a beverage refrigerator. There are three bedrooms upstairs, including a primary suite with a walk-in closet and dressing room. Out back, a deck overlooks a heated pool and spa. There’s an open house Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    See more photos of the property here.

    Price: $1.395M | Size: 5,356 SF | Acreage: 0.8

    📈 Greater Media market report

    Media

    • Median listing price: $812,500 (up $62,500 from April) 📈
    • Median sold price: $713,800 (up $238,800 from April) 📈
    • Median days on the market: 24 (up three days from April) 📈

    Swarthmore

    • Median listing price: $425,000 (up $55,100 from April) 📈
    • Median sold price: $370,000 (same as April)
    • Median days on the market: 37 (up nine days from April) 📈

    Wallingford

    • Median listing price: $425,000 (down $202,500 from April) 📉
    • Median sold price: $448,000 (same as April)
    • Median days on the market: 27 (up six days from April) 📈

    This Greater Media market report is published on a monthly basis. Above is data for May from realtor.com.

    đŸ—žïž What other Greater Media residents are reading this week:

    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.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • As Congress comes to Philadelphia, Josh Shapiro takes center stage in America 250 celebrations

    As Congress comes to Philadelphia, Josh Shapiro takes center stage in America 250 celebrations

    Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has a message for members of Congress when they convene at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Thursday:

    This is the birthplace of democracy, and with it, comes the responsibilities that America’s founders left behind.

    “The founders made clear that we have a real responsibility to do the work to constantly perfect our union,” Shapiro said in an interview this week, ahead of his speech before the ceremonial meeting of Congress, marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed in that same building. “And that the Congress of the United States has a unique responsibility in that to be a check on the executive branch.”

    Those words come at a critical inflection point in America’s history, amid a tumultuous presidency, and as Shapiro is rumored to have aspirations of a White House bid in 2028. The first-term Democratic governor will appear before approximately 40 bipartisan members of Congress in Old City at the event convened by U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D., Pa.), speaking to the lawmakers from across the country about their collective duty to the public. Shapiro will attend numerous other 250th celebrations across Philadelphia in the coming days, during which he said he plans to share his optimism for America’s future and deep concerns that President Donald Trump has led the nation astray from its founders’ design.

    “I don’t think patriotism belongs to one party. I don’t think it should ever be partisan,” Shapiro said. “Unfortunately, Donald Trump routinely divides us, routinely injects partisanship into his definition of patriotism, and his actions, in many ways, are the opposite of patriotism.”

    Partisanship, divisive Trump presidency hang over 250th celebrations in Philadelphia and Washington
    Assembly Room in Independence Hall (Pennsylvania State House) Monday, June 15, 2026. This is the exact space where the Second Continental Congress met and the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

    As Trump plans to spend America’s 250th birthday hosting a political rally on the National Mall — with no plans to visit Philadelphia, the city where the nation was founded — Shapiro sees his own role as a unifier, and in direct contrast to Trump. As attention shifts to Philadelphia this weekend, he’ll appear on the national stage from sunup to sundown at events and on frequent TV hits — all with a home-turf advantage for his 2028 presidential prospects, as the governor of the nation’s quintessential swing state and also most important to the country’s founding.

    “[Celebrating the 250th] allow the spotlight to shine on Shapiro, even though it’s not entirely about him,” said Alison Dagnes, a political-science professor at Shippensburg University. “Do I think that helps his ambitions? Sure.”

    ‘Direct contrast’

    Sitting with Shapiro in his Harrisburg office earlier this week, it’s undeniable that he’s a history nerd — another reason why he was built for the moment.

    He casually quotes segments of The Federalist Papers, and references his favorite story about Benjamin Franklin‘s fixation on a half-sun on the back of George Washington’s chair during the 1787 Constitutional Convention, which Franklin remarked during the U.S. Constitution signing that “it is a rising and not setting sun.” Without having to look for its location, he points to his right to a portrait of Franklin, one of his predecessors as governor of Pennsylvania, hanging on his office wall. He notes lesser-known Pennsylvanians who played an important role in the nation’s founding whom he plans to highlight over the coming days.

    “You know, I hate to quote a guy not from Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said, returning to The Federalist Papers to recite James Madison’s concerns about giving an executive too much power.

    Gov. Josh Shapiro in the Capitol in Harrisburg Feb. 21, 2023.

    “If Madison were here today, he’d be really concerned about how one man has accumulated so much power and is wielding it in really dangerous ways, and I hope that at this 250-year mark we find our way back to that balance and back to the constraints on the people who lead our government,” he said.

    Shapiro sees his leadership style as a “direct contrast” to Trump’s, especially at this moment.

    “[Trump] restricts peoples’ freedom and liberties,” the governor added. “He whitewashes our history. That doesn’t further a sense of community, that doesn’t further patriotism. All that does is divide us, and I refuse to participate in that.”

    But for the next few days, Shapiro said his approach to the 250th celebrations is to: “Celebrate America, find ways to bring people together, and to have some fun in the process.”

    Fair games

    Despite his overtures of political unity, Shapiro has faced accusations from Republicans in recent days for playing partisan games over Pennsylvania’s participation in Trump’s 16-day Great American State Fair. Shapiro, in addition to several other Democratic governors last week, announced that Pennsylvania would not take part in the fair due to his administration being unable to secure any state businesses to sponsor the exhibit. Staffing and sponsoring the exhibit on the state’s dime would have cost $700,000 that would be better spent on in-state 250th events, he said this week.

    In the weekend that followed, Pennsylvania’s U.S. senators, Republican Dave McCormick and Democrat John Fetterman, made a push to fill the state’s empty exhibit. By Tuesday, it was filled with antique flags lent by a York County man, bags of potato chips from Snyder County, and a Christmas tree display from Fayette County, among other Pennsylvania-centric items.

    Chips, a Christmas tree, and the Liberty Bell: Here’s what’s inside Pennsylvania’s new showcase at the Great American State Fair
    Pennsylvania’s pavilion showcases state history and memorabilia at the Great American State Fair on June 30, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

    Some of the businesses originally told Shapiro’s office they didn’t have enough time to participate. But when McCormick and Fetterman approached them with the idea to fill the empty pavilion, they joined in.

    “They obviously had a change of heart at the last minute. That’s fine,” Shapiro said about the revived Pennsylvania pavilion.

    State Treasurer Stacy Garrity — Shapiro’s Republican challenger for governor, who has aligned herself with Trump — in a statement called Shapiro the “only career politician who has politicized America 250.”

    “Josh Shapiro put his political ambitions above his commonwealth and his nation when he pulled Pennsylvania out of the national celebration of our 250th birthday in a pitiful attempt to score cheap political points with the liberal wing of his party,” Garrity said.

    Beyond the 250th

    Shapiro’s strength as a politician has always been his ability to appear “harmonizing” and bringing people together, dating back to his days as a Montgomery County commissioner, Dagnes said.

    A careful politician, Shapiro is known to stick to his message and has faced criticism from some fellow Democrats for his well-rehearsed statements.

    When Shapiro delivers his messages of unity and freedom to a broader audience in the coming days, voters are likely to view them as authentic — one of the most important qualities to any presidential hopeful, she added.

    “If [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom is the guy who’s gonna punch Trump in the face, then Shapiro is going to be the guy who’s like, ‘No, let me offer you an alternative,’” Dagnes said.

    “It’s what he should be doing right now, because this is what America is about,” she added.

  • Philadelphia’s historic sites draw tourists from around the world. They’re getting an incomplete version of the President’s House.

    Philadelphia’s historic sites draw tourists from around the world. They’re getting an incomplete version of the President’s House.

    On a sweltering and humid summer afternoon — as tourists and historical reenactors milled about Old City ahead of 250th anniversary celebrations — Cristian Marín guided his family through the President’s House.

    Loyal soccer fans, Marín’s family had traveled from Colombia to visit their son in Philadelphia, attend the World Cup matches, and see the Revolutionary Era sites.

    But it was up to Marín, 37, to play tour guide last Friday and explain to his family why large gaps of brick wall were covered by paper adorned with handwritten messages expressing their indignation with President Donald Trump after his administration removed exhibits about slavery at George Washington’s former home in Independence National Historical Park.

    Marín’s family started laughing from pure disbelief about the “craziness of the situation,” he said.

    Marín’s relatives are among an influx of tourists visiting Philadelphia in the lead up to the city’s Semiquincentennial festivities only to find themselves confronted with evidence of the largely partisan battle playing out over how to tell the complicated story of America’s founding.

    “For me, it’s shocking to see a country trying to erase that history,” said Marín, a freelance journalist. “I think it’s important to remember our past in order to just not repeat those kinds of things.”

    Cristian Marín, 37, tours the President’s House in Independence National Historical Park last week.

    Ahead of the 250th, both Philadelphians who have been engaged in the fight to protect historical exhibits and tourists who have wandered through the President’s House for the first time, have lamented the Trump administration’s changes to the exhibit, which was largely dismantled by the administration earlier this year.

    They told The Inquirer that the missing panels, such as those that discuss the brutality of slavery, do a significant disservice to understanding the full picture — even the ugly parts — of U.S. history.

    “History is going to be out there, and the more we share history, the better for everybody,” said Hector Vargas, 40, from New York. “For the new generation, and even ourselves, because this is something from the past and we need to understand better — what happened and how this great country basically became the great country it is.”

    The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that from 250th-related events alone the city will welcome over 1.5 million overnight visitors in 2026.

    But the turmoil facing the President’s House is hanging over the celebrations, as the site’s stakeholders and the Trump administration battle over which version of history residents and visitors will see as they celebrate on Independence Mall.

    Judges presiding over lawsuits related to the President’s House or other threats by the Trump administration to change historical content at national parks have viewed the Fourth of July as a deadline to set the record straight as to whether the federal government has the authority to rewrite history.

    Some advocates believe the Trump administration saw it that way, too.

    Visitors read unofficial signage put up to protest the Trump administration’s changes to the President’s House site, which memorializes the nine people enslaved by George Washington in Philadelphia.

    The Inquirer reported that the federal government also quietly removed mentions of slavery from Independence Hall and a panel under Thomas Jefferson’s portrait at the Second Bank — sending a new wave of outrage among historians and advocates ahead of this weekend.

    “In the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Declaration of Independence, there’s probably increased impetus and motivation to get these changes installed before the dawn of the Fourth,” said Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

    ‘They want to make us believe that slavery did not happen’

    Perched on folding chairs bordered by patriotic banners that flapped in the wind, dozens of Philadelphians spent their Friday night at the People’s Plaza, a concrete gathering space just steps away from the President’s House eight days before the 250th anniversary.

    A truck displaying a digital screen with the name of the event, “Trump Fascism: Historical Erasure and the Battle Over the Truth,” parked across the street.

    With Independence Hall towering behind them, state Rep. Chris Rabb, attorney and advocate Michael Coard, civil rights organizer Masaru Edmund Nakawatase, and visual artist Dread Scott railed against the federal government’s changes to history at an event hosted by Refuse Fascism, an anti-Trump organization.

    The gathering is one of many events opponents to the Trump administration’s actions are holding in the days surrounding the 250th. Coard’s group, Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, is hosting its annual Black Independence Day on July Fourth at the President’s House.

    “We have so much power and it scares these people. If it didn’t scare them, why would they be worried about this exhibit right here?” Rabb (D., Philadelphia) declared, pointing at the President’s House.

    Rabb, who will represent parts of Philadelphia in Congress after winning the Democratic primary for the Third District in May, has often spoken of how he is a descendant of both a signer of the Declaration of Independence who enslaved people and of Black abolitionists.

    The Trump administration had spent a year eyeing the President’s House and other exhibits before they abruptly dismantled the site in January, just weeks into the nation’s 250th year. Last year, the president had issued an executive order directing parks to conduct a content review of materials that could “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”

    Subsequent legal battles have allowed some — but not all — of original panels to be reinstalled, though the administration can now install its own spin on history at the President’s House, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia has ruled.

    But the struggle to confront the full scope of U.S. history is baffling to some visitors, like Camila Ordenana, 24, from Ecuador. Ordenana, who ventured from Guayaquil to Philadelphia to attend a World Cup game, said she has never seen this kind of censorship in her other travels.

    “It is weird, because we have been to several places, several historical cities, like, I can remember going to the U.K. or going to Germany, and you can learn about the experience in a very neutral and respectful way,” Ordenana said.

    Katrie White, 53, from Illinois, traveled to Philadelphia specifically for sightseeing to learn more about African American history. She said she was disturbed by the removal of the signs.

    “They want to make us believe that slavery did not happen,” White said. “And that’s how it affected African Americans, that it wasn’t a big deal, that it made us better. But of course, we all know that it didn’t, and it really did affect us. It was a trauma that is still carried on to this day.”

    Many Philadelphians appear to agree.

    A recent Suffolk University / Inquirer poll found that a quarter of city residents see preserving historic sites as Philadelphia’s top responsibility to the nation ahead of the 250th.

    Richard Porter (left), 52, of Michigan, at the President’s House last week.

    Gathered by the Market Street entrance of the President’s House last Friday, looking at the colorful illustration panels that remained, Richard Porter grappled with the impact of the removals, saying that without the educational information, “We’ll repeat it over and over again.”

    The Michigan resident said that the country is at a point where it needs to move forward but that the changes to the President’s House are sowing further divisions.

    “This is an everyday battle. It’s not just today or for the 250; this is all the time,” Porter said.

  • Never-opened Amazon Fresh in Havertown set to become a Sprouts Farmers Market

    Never-opened Amazon Fresh in Havertown set to become a Sprouts Farmers Market

    A long-empty retail space in Havertown is set to become a Sprouts Farmers Market.

    The organic grocery chain has signed a lease for a 29,500-square-foot store in the Llanerch Shopping Center on the 400 block of West Chester Pike, according to Fred Snow, president of Brandolini Cos., which owns the complex.

    David McGlinchey, chief development officer of Sprouts, confirmed in a statement that the chain signed a lease at the site and is planning for an early 2027 opening.

    Sprouts is taking over a parcel that Amazon Fresh had rented for the past six years but never opened as a grocery store, Snow said. In February, the tech conglomerate abruptly closed all its physical Amazon Fresh locations, providing an opportunity for the landlord to terminate its lease in Havertown, Snow said.

    What makes someone love their grocery store? Ask the Philadelphians who are already missing their Amazon Fresh.

    “It’s never really been vacant very long, but it’s looked vacant,” Snow said of the space, which was previously occupied by an LA Fitness that relocated before the pandemic.

    Once the property became available earlier this year, Snow said, Sprouts was “very aggressive,” and showed great interest in moving into such a densely populated, well-to-do area of Delaware County.

    In 10 square miles, Haverford Township has nearly 51,000 residents, with a median household income of more than $130,000, according to U.S. Census data. The township is surrounded by other populous, affluent suburbs, including Lower Merion and Radnor.

    The Havertown store is primed to be Sprouts’ first location in Philadelphia’s Western suburbs.

    A view inside the Sprouts in South Philadelphia, as seen in 2018.

    “We’re just excited that they are going to provide offerings that aren’t in the area right now,” Snow said.

    Sprouts markets sell organic, gluten-free, and plant-based products, including private-label items, as well as vitamins, supplements, natural toiletries, and bulk nuts, coffee, and baking ingredients.

    Based in Phoenix, Sprouts opened its first Pennsylvania location in South Philadelphia in 2018, and has been expanding in the region.

    Sprouts now operates two Montgomery County stores in Upper Dublin and Montgomeryville; three South Jersey outposts in Haddon Township, Marlton, and West Deptford; and four city locations, including Roosevelt Mall in the Northeast and the new Rivermark complex in Northern Liberties.

    Sprouts has more local spots in the works, too, with stores under construction in Limerick and Washington Township.

    The extensive supplement section at Sprouts in South Philadelphia, as seen in 2018

    Sprouts reported $163.7 million in net income in the first quarter of 2026, beating analysts expectations. While profits were down year-over-year, sales increased slightly, and the company opened six new stores.

    Sprouts plans to open at least 40 stores by the end of 2026, for a total of more than 500 markets nationwide, according to the report.

    “We’re seeing a great reaction as we enter new communities,” CEO Jack Sinclair said on the recent earnings call. “We’re sharpening site selection as we scale, expanding access to healthy foods.”

    We used a new AI app to grocery shop at Sprouts in South Philly. This is what happened.

    Sprouts’ expansion comes amid uncertainty in the larger grocery industry. The market has appeared relatively resilient despite tariff pressure, continued inflation, and more competition.

    Yet some stores have struggled. After the Amazon Fresh shutdown in February, Grocery Outlet bargain market closed dozens of stores, including eight in the Philadelphia area.

    Sprouts executives said on the earnings call that they’re aware of customers’ financial pressures and are taking steps to make their products more affordable. They mentioned store promotions like $5 Sushi Wednesday, and said they recently reduced prices on some basics like coffee, which has become exorbitantly expensive amid extreme weather and global conflict.

    “We take the responsibility for affordability really seriously,” Sinclair said. “There’s a real opportunity for us to help people live and eat better.”

  • Historic St. Peter’s Village is going up for auction. It prompts the question: Will it be preserved, or developed?

    Historic St. Peter’s Village is going up for auction. It prompts the question: Will it be preserved, or developed?

    Roughly 83 acres of the historic St. Peter’s Village in Chester County will go up for auction this fall to the highest bidder, opening up potential for massive development of the land. And it already has seen thousands of interested parties.

    The auction, scheduled for Sept. 30 at The Desmond Malvern, will put on offer the entirety of the Warwick Township village, in what auction and preservationist experts call an “unusual” type of sale.

    On the table: 121 homes, which consist of 33 single-family homes, 33 twins, 34 townhomes, and 21 two-acre home sites; a wastewater treatment plant that serves the existing buildings; and 13 historic and commercial village buildings — including The Inn at St. Peter’s — which total about 43,500 square feet.

    The new owner could also clinch iron ore deposits on site, “adding a rare investment dimension,” the auction website notes.

    The 83-acre St. Peter’s Village — a historic destination in Chester County — will be sold at an absolute public auction to the highest bidder in September. The Inn and various shops on the main drag. Wednesday, July 1, 2026

    The property is being sold as one unit. The buyer will have to improve the existing wastewater treatment plant for a full build out. The land is zoned for residential and neighborhood business uses.

    It is definitely an “unusual property” and the auction is unusually large as well, said Doug Clemens, chief executive officer of the Traiman Real Estate Auction Company, which is overseeing the sale. Clemens said the property is owned by one entity. The Piazza family, which runs the Piazza Management Co. and owns multiple Main Line car dealerships, is listed on associated parcels. A spokesperson declined to comment.

    “We’ve sold properties that were thousands of acres, but they weren’t builder properties, so this is a large property for a builder,” Clemens said.

    Its good reputation, long history, and the sheer size of the parcel are why Clemens suspects they’ve seen remarkably high interest. The auctioneers put out a news release about the upcoming sale last week. They’ve received 14,000 responses since, he said.

    St. Peter’s Village sprung up because of its nearby natural assets: the French Creek, timber, good soil – and resources like iron ore, copper and black granite.

    Bidders must register at the auction with $150,000 guaranteed funds, but the bids will start wherever they’re comfortable.

    “At the conclusion, we’ll know what the bidders were willing to pay for it,” Clemens said.

    Following the curves of the French Creek, the village was established in the 1880s during the Gilded Age — a point in history where America was going through “growing pains” of both capital and labor, as well as whether it would be an “industrialized or agrarian nation,” said Jared Frederick, a history professor at Penn State Altoona.

    Like many a small village or hamlet in Pennsylvania, St. Peter’s sprung up because of its nearby natural assets: the French Creek, timber, good soil – and resources like iron ore, copper and black granite.

    Its economy flourished, thanks to those natural resources, which it transported to Philadelphia. It’s a “fascinating little enclave that demonstrates how some places were caught in the middle” of semi-ruralness and proximity to the big city, Frederick said.

    Alongside that growing economic engine was also leisure, though. St. Peter’s Village became a recreational getaway due to its beautiful, scenic vista — something considered a “majestic retreat for commoners,” Frederick said. And while Chester County places high value on its green spaces now, it was even more essential for people living in urban areas to have access to such places in the 1880s through the 1900s, Frederick said.

    St. Peter’s Village is on the National Register of Historic Places, but that may not safeguard it from development after it is auctioned off.

    Its sale has prompted concern about what it could become, with the auction site touting it as “suitable for major builders, venture capitalists, historic preservationists, and entrepreneurs.”

    Places like this are increasingly rare, Frederick said. And while the village is on the National Register of Historic Places, that doesn’t necessarily safeguard it, Frederick said. There’s a “fairly lengthy list” of places that have earned such recognition, but been bulldozed or neglected.

    And while development and other attractions could help revive the village by drawing in tourism, he believes it’s a careful balancing act.

    “Something that I always impart to my students in the classroom when we talk about the power and the need to preserve historical places, is that regret only goes one way,” he said. “When a place is gone, it’s gone forever, and that is something that very much needs to be kept in mind when pondering the fate of places like this.”

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • The University of Valley Forge is warned it could lose accreditation

    The University of Valley Forge is warned it could lose accreditation

    The University of Valley Forge, a small Christian school that prepares students for leadership in the church and the world, has been given a serious warning that it is in danger of losing its accreditation.

    The Phoenixville-based college has until Sept. 1 to “show cause” to justify why it should not lose accreditation, according to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which posted the action on its website this week. Colleges need accreditation to keep their students eligible for federal aid.

    The “show cause” action is the most serious that the commission issues. Others include warning and probation.

    The commission cited “insufficient evidence that the institution is in compliance” with standards involving planning, resources, and institutional improvement, and governance, leadership, and administration.

    The university must document in its show-cause report “financial resources, funding base, and plans for financial development to support its educational purposes and programs and to ensure financial stability,” the commission said. The school also must provide information on long-range financial planning that includes “realistic enrollment projections and the assumptions on which they are based,” the commission said.

    The university did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday, and when asked for the current enrollment, an employee said she was not permitted to disclose any information and hung up. The school enrolls 589 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

    Under the action, the school is required to immediately notify its community of Middle States’ action.

    The university started in 1939 as the Eastern Bible Institute, which was aimed at training pastors, evangelists, missionaries and Christian educators, and lay workers, according to the school’s website. It became a college in 1975 and the University of Valley Forge in 2014. The university is part of an international network of Assemblies of God colleges and universities and offers more than 60 degree programs, according to its website.

  • Pennsylvania’s state budget is late — again

    Pennsylvania’s state budget is late — again

    HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania enters the new fiscal year on Wednesday without a state budget in place for a fifth consecutive year, while top leaders in the politically split legislature publicly disagreed over whether a deal was near.

    Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democratic-led House have known for months that Pennsylvania faces fiscal straits, as the state is on a path to spend more than it brings in in revenue in fiscal 2027. Top negotiators have spent weeks meeting behind closed doors about how the state should spend more than $50 billion in taxpayer dollars, in hopes of avoiding another drawn-out budget impasse.

    Under first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed $53.2 billion budget, Pennsylvania would spend $4.8 billion more than its $48.6 billion in projected revenue and would require lawmakers to create new revenue streams, cut spending, or raise taxes — or dip into the state’s reserves.

    Senate Republicans on Tuesday recessed until legislators have a final budget deal to vote on, with Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R., Indiana) saying that there is “no reason we cannot conclude our work early next week” and that lawmakers “have a very good trajectory in front of us.”

    Pittman — a top negotiator in the closed-door talks — made those remarks just one day after a Senate committee voted to gut the main spending bill in Shapiro’s budget proposal, which was approved by the House in April, from $53.1 billion to $25 million.

    Pennsylvania leaders want to avoid another lengthy state budget impasse. But with a $4.3 billion budget shortfall on the horizon, can they?
    State Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R., Indiana) during a press conference at the Capitol in Harrisburg in February.

    In a news conference Tuesday, House and Senate Democratic leaders offered a different picture: Despite lawmakers traditionally staying in Harrisburg in the days leading up to July Fourth in hopes of hashing out a deal, Senate Republicans are already packing up for the holiday weekend, the Democrats said, and are politically motivated to hold up the state budget. (House Democrats later canceled their scheduled legislative session on Thursday.)

    “[Senate Republicans are] going to tell you that progress is being made, and that it’s important that we allow time for members to go home for the weekend. And by the way, it’s Tuesday,” said Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D., Allegheny).

    “The bottom line is they’re not serious about getting a budget done, they’re slow-walking this process for weeks and weeks, and we’re calling them on it,” Costa said.

    Shapiro echoed the same frustration with Senate Republicans in an interview Tuesday, adding that the Senate “decided to go home on vacation” when lawmakers are due to deliver a budget bill to him for his signature.

    “I think it’s disrespectful to the people of Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said, noting that Pennsylvania has a revenue surplus. “They should be here, and they should be working. And instead, they ran away.”

    Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton (left) and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis are seated behind Gov. Josh Shapiro as he delivers his third budget address to a joint session of the state House and Senate at the state Capitol on Feb. 4.

    Senate GOP leaders, in a statement following their recess Tuesday, said they believe they are “well on our way to effectuating a full budget agreement in the days.”

    House Minority Leader Jesse Topper (R., Bedford) told reporters that legislative leaders have been constantly in contact “over the past month” no matter if members are in the building.

    “At the end of the day, the talks continue,” Topper said. “This kind of stunt feels a lot like politics.”

    Top legislative leaders have been tight-lipped about what the remaining sticking points are in budget talks.

    Pennsylvania is constitutionally required to deliver a balanced budget by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, releasing state funds which are then sent to school districts, county governments, and nonprofit organizations that offer critical services to residents.

    The true impact of the missed deadline won’t be felt by local governments and schools for weeks. However, these entities are often required by law to submit their own budgets despite inaction by the state, often leaving them unable to predict how much state money to budget. State employees and lawmakers continue to receive pay during a state budget impasse.

    Last year, a nearly five-month budget impasse required schools, counties, and service providers to cut jobs, take out high-interest loans, or stop services altogether. The School District of Philadelphia, the state’s largest school district, borrowed $1.5 billion to pay its bills, resulting in $30 million in interest and borrowing costs that weren’t repaid when the state approved its annual spending plan.

    Lawmakers were at a bitter standstill about whether to allocate a new, reliable funding stream for public transit, reviving the state’s long-held rural-urban divide. Members also couldn’t agree on how much to spend, until ultimately reaching a $50.1 billion budget deal in November 2025.

    The winners and losers in Pennsylvania’s $50.1 billion budget

    This year, both chambers have slim margins for budget votes: House Democrats hold a one-seat majority, while Senate Republicans have a three-seat majority with several conservative members who rarely support spending increases. This often means legislative leaders must work with the minority parties to come to a final deal.

    On Monday, Senate Republicans leaders did not show up to a scheduled meeting with Shapiro and Democratic leaders, Costa said, signaling potential discord.

    Legislators still need to reach agreements on a number of issues, including whether to tax and regulate so-called skill games differently from slot machines and whether the state should overhaul existing school choice programs.

    Three years ago, the school choice debate shut down Harrisburg. Now Democrats are ready to engage.

    Democrats have wholly backed Shapiro’s budget proposal, which included legalizing recreational marijuana and raising the state minimum wage. Republicans have emphasized a need to slow down spending, citing the state’s structural deficit.

    The leaders will also trade a number of legislative priorities in closed-door meetings unrelated to state spending as part of an overall deal, such as data center oversight proposals.

    In Pennsylvania, the state budget topped $50 billion for the first time last year. It had increased by 25% — about $10 billion — over a five-year period.

  • Lake draining debate | Inquirer Chester County

    Lake draining debate | Inquirer Chester County

    Hi, Chester County! 👋

    Neighbors of a West Goshen reservoir are concerned about what will be lost if it’s drained by Aqua as planned. Also this week, local caterer John Serock has taken over a Malvern events venue, Bam Margera returns to the big screen, plus all the Fourth of July events you need to know.

    We want your feedback! Tell us what you think of the newsletter by taking our survey or emailing us at chestercounty@inquirer.com.

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

    What could a waterless West Goshen lake mean for residents?

    A view of Fernhill Lake in West Goshen.

    West Goshen’s 64-acre Fernhill Lake will soon be drained under water company Aqua’s plans to partially decommission the Township Line Dam, which dates back to 1935.

    Geese, turtles, and a bald eagle are among the critters that have called the dam home for nearly a century. Nearby residents worry about the ecological changes the draining would cause in their backyards, though environmentalists generally support the move.

    Aesthetically, neighbors also fear ending up with an unmaintained eyesore, particularly as some shelled out up to $20,000 to ensure a lake view from their backyards. A township official defended the scheduled drainage in a recent board meeting, despite residents’ pushback.

    The Inquirer’s Brooke Schultz chronicled the dissension, and has the scoop on which Chester County municipality appears to have first dibs on purchasing the site after the decommissioning.

    📍 Countywide News

    💡 Community News

    • In case you missed it, Exton Square Mall officially closed its doors yesterday after five decades in operation. A few businesses will remain open: Boscov’s, Main Line Health, and Round 1.
    • Good news for Main Line Health patients insured by UnitedHealthcare: The two parties have reached an “agreement in principle” for a new contract and plan to continue coverage until it’s finalized. If they hadn’t, some 32,000 patients risked losing coverage when the existing contract expired yesterday, including to providers at Paoli Hospital.
    • Local caterer John Serock has taken over operations of Loch Aerie Mansion after purchasing the Malvern estate and its events business for $4 million. He plans to increase offerings for midweek corporate and nonprofit events, while keeping weekends for weddings.
    • Notorious West Chester native Bam Margera returned to the big screen Friday when Jackass: Best and Last made its debut, featuring unseen archival footage and outtakes from the series’ early days. While Margera didn’t attend the premiere or film new stunts, he sat down with The Inquirer’s Jason Nark to discuss his sobriety, his passion for boxing, and more.
    • A new “fitness court” opened last week at Charlestown Township Park. It features seven exercise stations geared toward individuals 14 and older.
    • New Garden Township recently passed an ordinance restricting large trucks on a number of roads, except those making local deliveries. See which roads are impacted here.

    đŸ« Schools Briefing

    • Coatesville Area School District will have screenings next Tuesday and Wednesday for incoming kindergartners, helping the district understand their needs and interests. Learn more here.
    • Great Valley High School’s tennis courts will be closed this summer while they undergo an update.
    • The Kennett Consolidated School District is partnering with the Believe and Achieve Foundation to host its “Fresh Market Tuesdays” throughout July. The event will take place in the Kennett Library parking lot where fresh produce will be available, along with recipes and other resources. The markets kick off next Tuesday.
    • Applications are now open for Twin Valley High School’s Preschool Lab this coming school year. The program helps kids ages 3 to 5 socialize, while high school students can get hands-on experience with early childhood education. Learn more here.
    • Unionville-Chadds Ford School District has named Brett Thomas the new principal of Hillendale Elementary School, taking over for Josh Leight, who has been named the district’s director of human resources. Thomas was most recently principal of Russell Elementary School in the Marple Newtown School District.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • Nottingham-based Herr’s recently released the winners of its “Flavored by Philly” campaign. Curious what Freedom Loaded Cheese Fries, Liberty Hickory Barbecue, and United Jalapeño Cream Cheese taste like? Inquirer reporters share their thoughts.
    • Tickets go on sale today for the fall edition of Kennett Brewfest, which will take place Oct. 10 in Kennett Square.

    🎆 Where to celebrate the Fourth of July

    • Norco Fire Company Fair: The annual fair includes rides, live music, and a beer garden. There will be a fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. on July 2, with a rain date of July 3. ⏰ Through Saturday, July 4, times vary đŸ’” Free admission; pay as you go for rides or $30 for a wristband 📍 Norco Fire Company, Pottstown
    • Parkesburg 250: The borough is hosting a five-day celebration complete with a carnival, beer garden, live music, and baseball game, as well as a fireworks show on Friday. ⏰ Wednesday, July 1-Sunday, July 5, times vary đŸ’” Pay as you go 📍 Throughout Parkesburg
    • Longwood Gardens’ Fireworks and Fountains: The summer show gets a patriotic twist, featuring a fireworks and fountain show set to great American composers’ works. ⏰ Thursday, July 2, 9:15 p.m. đŸ’” $64-$84 for reserved seating 📍Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square
    • West Goshen Decorated Bike Parade: Catch a parade featuring decked-out bikes, tricycles, strollers, scooters, and wheel chairs. ⏰ Friday, July 3, 10 a.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 West Goshen Community Park
    • West Caln Township: Take a step back in time at this event, which features muskets, a skirmish, food and other festivities. ⏰ Friday, July 3, 4-9 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Layton Park, Coatesville
    • Good Neighbor Day: This daylong event benefiting Downingtown’s emergency services includes friendly competitions, a carnival, music, and cornhole. The day is capped by a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. đŸ’” Prices vary 📍 Kerr Park, Downingtown
    • Easttown Township’s Annual July 4th Community Picnic and Concert: The community event kicks off with a children’s bike parade, followed by a picnic at the park. There will be games, inflatables, a barbecue, and live music from Uptown Band. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Frank Johnson Memorial Park, Berwyn
    • Demo Day and Independence Day Celebration: The Mill at Anselma will offer historic demonstrations, live music, and face painting. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. đŸ’” $5-$10 📍 The Mill at Anselma, Chester Springs
    • Phoenixville Food Trucks and Fireworks: Grab a bite to eat at one of the food trucks on site and then enjoy the fireworks show. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 5-9 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍Friendship Field, Phoenixville
    • Tredyffrin Township Fourth of July Celebration: Listen to music and grab a bite to eat from one of the food trucks ahead of the main event. The fireworks show kicks off around dusk. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 7-9:15 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Wilson Farm Park, Wayne
    • Exton Park Community Day: Keep the festivities going past the nation’s birthday with this community event that features kids activities, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, music, yard games, and a fireworks show. ⏰ Saturday, July 11, 4-10 p.m. đŸ’” Pay as you go 📍 Exton Park

    🎇 See more area fireworks shows here.

    đŸ‡ș🇾 Looking for other ways to celebrate the Semiquincentennial? Here’s what Chester County has in store through the rest of the year.

    🏡 On the Market

    An 18th-century Kennett Square home on a sprawling estate

    The home dates back to the first half of the 18th century and sits on over 27 acres.

    History buffs, rejoice. This sprawling 1700s stone home in Newlin Township is situated on part of the 20,000 acres of original Pennsylvania land granted by William Penn, according to the listing agent. The updated home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, in addition to a brick terrace, ponds, and a bank barn.

    See more photos of the property here.

    Price: $3.5M | Size: 3,418 SF | Acreage: 27.5

    📈 Chester County market report

    • Median listing price: $625,000 (up $10,000 from April) 📈
    • Median sold price: $552,800 (down $7,200 from April) 📉
    • Median days on the market: 25 (up four days from April) 📈

    This Chester County market report is published on a monthly basis. Above is data for May from realtor.com.

    đŸ—žïž What other Chester County residents are reading this week:

    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.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

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

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

    The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued an “extreme heat” warning for the entire region through July Fourth, with a record-tying three consecutive days of 100-degree temperatures possible in Philadelphia.

    Though heat warnings may lack the sizzle of warnings for blizzards or hurricanes, health officials advise that they can be more dangerous — slow-motion disasters that target the most-vulnerable populations. Plus, the timing of this one couldn’t be much worse.

    Along with the daytime heat indexes approaching 110, the nights aren’t going to be much cooler. Temperatures Friday morning may not get below 80 degrees in the city, said Sarah Johnson, the warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, which has been briefing emergency managers since late last week.

    “It’s very concerning,” she said.

    The city on Tuesday declared a “heat health emergency” in effect from 1 p.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Saturday, activating its pioneering heat-response system.

    In deference to the heat, Wawa Welcome America announced several schedule changes, including canceling Thursday’s All-American Block Party, and moving back start times for concerts Thursday and Friday.

    It also said the Liberty Medal ceremony on Friday honoring Pope Leo XIV would be moved to inside the Constitution Center and the route of the Semiquincentennial Parade, which begins at Fifth and Chestnut Streets, would end at Broad and Chestnut, rather than proceeding to Logan Circle as originally planned.

    PJM Interconnection, the region’s electric grid operator and one of the nation’s largest, already has sounded alarm bells regarding power demands. Peco advised that it has a contingency plan in case workers go on strike Saturday, as they have threatened.

    SEPTA is making preparations for what would have been a challenging week even if the weather was cool (as it was in 1776, by the way). At Philadelphia International Airport, a bigger concern would be pop-up thunderstorms that could disrupt the weekend celebrations that have been 250 years in the making.

    The heat wave will have staying power in Philly

    Only twice has Philly had three consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures — in 1993, and on July 2, 3, and 4 of 1966. That could happen again on July 2, 3, and 4 of 2026, the weather service says.

    Officially it reached 90 degrees Tuesday at the airport, the 16th time this year that the high reached at least 90 degrees, the second-most number of days before Jul 1 in records dating to 1874. Wednesday’s forecast high, in the mid to upper 90s, would be the prelude to the holiday heat festival.

    Along with the heat, of concern for event planners is the potential for strong thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon and evening during the climax of the Semiquincentennial events.

    Preparing for the heat and storm threats in the region

    At Philadelphia International Airport, it’s not the heat so much as the attendant storm threat that is the major concern, said spokesperson Heather Redfern.

    The national extent of the extreme heat — the result of a so-called heat dome of high pressure — and the pop-up storm threat could “impact flights with delays, diversions to other airports and cancellations,” she said.

    The airport was expecting more than 680,000 departing and arriving passengers from Wednesday through next Tuesday. Redfern advised travelers to sign up for airline flight alerts.

    In its forecast discussion Tuesday, the weather service cautioned “that any holiday weekend festivities could be impacted by thunderstorms,” adding that “the environmental setup would be favorable for strong to severe” storms.

    SEPTA was expecting a crush of passengers, especially Saturday when in addition to the 250th bash, a World Cup soccer match will be played in South Philly. The agency may set up misters outside stations where long lines may develop, spokesperson Andrew Busch said. The agency would try to make some cooling buses available if the city requests, he said.

    A Saturday complication for Peco is a threatened strike by 1,500 union members. The company said it has a “contingency plan” in place to keep customers’ air-conditioning systems operating and would be able to respond to any severe storm issues.

    With or without storms, in deference to the heat SEPTA will be reducing speeds on all rail lines, said Busch, as extreme heat can cause overhead lines to sag and tracks to buckle.

    Heat-wave response is a Philly thing

    It’s not in a league with the Rocky statue or cheesesteaks, but heat response is a very Philly thing that got its start in the 1990s when the city won high praise from the Centers for Disease Control and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

    The impetus was the summer of 1993 when Philadelphia recorded 118 heat-related deaths — about triple the combined total of 2015-16. That summer was also the last time the city had three consecutive days of 100-plus degree temperatures.

    The relatively inexpensive program includes setting up more than 50 cooling centers; health officials hold that even a short break from extreme heat can save lives. Residents are encouraged to look in on elderly neighbors, and the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging will be operating a heat hotline, 215-765-9040.

    Variants of Philly’s response system have spread to other cities around the country.

    In Philadelphia, even though summer temperatures have been rising, heat-related deaths have declined dramatically.

    May that trend continue.

    Staff writer Ariana Perez-Castells contributed to this article.