Category: Inquirer Morning Newsletter

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.

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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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Welcome to a brisk, mostly sunny Saturday.

In today’s edition, we’re addressing a seasonal situation: the neighborly approach to snow shoveling.

But first, we’re covering Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s State of the City speech, how to avoid the stomach bug that recently hit one area school hard, why you may hear a different voice calling the Flyers game on 97.5 this weekend, and our report card for this week in Philly news.

Read on for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• In her second year-end speech, Mayor Parker portrayed the city as safer than when she took office and outlined a plan for homelessness.
• A Montgomery County school district is seeking to fire a principal for reported antisemitic remarks.
• Dozens of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable residents say they lost medical care without notice after millions of state agency letters weren’t sent.
• The Flyers and 97.5 The Fanatic have suspended play-by-play man Tim Saunders for two games after he made an inappropriate comment during the broadcast of Thursday’s Flyers-Sabres game.
• A South Jersey school was hit with an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness last week, as cases of norovirus, a common stomach bug, recently surged nationwide. Here’s how you can protect yourself.
• A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison this week for commissioning people in Indonesia to torture monkeys on camera.
• The Trump administration proposed new rules to prevent hospitals from providing gender-affirming care to minors. The move could have consequential implications for CHOP.
• A long-promised Philadelphia Housing Authority mixed-income tower will begin construction early next year in Center City.
• Philadelphia was the only big city to rank on Zillow’s list of the most popular real estate markets of 2025. Affordability, the main driver of popularity, helped push Philly up the list.
• Between Wawa taking Sheetz to the cleaners and Donna Kelce on The Traitors, catch up on the good, bad, and weird in the latest stories out of Philly.

The sidewalk snow debate

After it snows in Philly, sidewalks must get shoveled clean. It’s a city rule that could result in fines if not followed.

There are right (and wrong) ways to do it, but what happens when we add community courtesy into the mix? A reader asked: “I usually shovel beyond my own sidewalk, but my younger neighbor only does his patch. Am I expecting too much from him?”

To settle the issue, Inquirer editor Evan Weiss brought in editors Sam Ruland and Tommy Rowan. The Philly natives hashed out whether or not the responsibility to wipe the walkway ends at your property line, and how standards have changed over the years.

On Sunday, I gladly let some neighbors borrow my shovel to clear their front steps or even dig cars out, but I’ve definitely noticed when people push the white stuff to a precise fault line. I saw people recently express frustration online over folks not cleaning off block corners, and confusion over one neighbor piling a bunch of snow in front of their car. (And in case you were curious, we already handled the savesies situation.)

Between Sam’s and Tommy’s verdicts, one thing is for certain: It’s a bit weird to stop at the exact margins of your home, and Philly might be silently judging you for it. This quote from Sam will live rent-free in my head: “I don’t shovel because I love it. I shovel because I fear the block.”

What about the right price to pay kids eager to get the job done? You’ll have to read along for their full take. And if you’re looking for advice, we’re all ears. Send in your pressing Philadelphia problems here.

One viewpoint

In this week’s Shackamaxon, Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson reflects on political theater at the glitzy Pennsylvania Society dinner, and the discovery that “Champagne, cigars, cocktails, and filet mignon” are apparently essential to productive bipartisanship.

Read on for Pearson’s experience at the signature gala, along with thoughts on what City Council has been up to (including a new bill to ban residential development in one area), and what Pearson calls an example of positive preservation.

📍 Find the location

Think you know where this Christmas tree is located? Our weekly game puts your knowledge of Philly places to the test. Try your best guess here.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: New Year’s Day tradition

MAURER SPAMMED

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

Cheers to Amanda Costello, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Bryn Mawr Film Institute. The beloved Main Line theater turned 20 this year. Here are 20 iconic movies from its history.

We were there

Staff photographer Monica Herndon captured the moment Rabbi Yitzchok Gurevitz lit the menorah at Canal View Park on Thursday night, the fifth night of Hanukkah. The lighting was hosted by Chabad-Lubavitch of Northwest Philadelphia.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

We’re nerding out over this Eagles fan’s website tracking Tush Push data across the NFL. (It also points out which of the teams attempting to use it may or may not have also voted to ban it.😉)

Do our crosswalk indicators have Philly accents? I don’t think you’re imagining things, @thrashertv.

People are loving this sweet proposal as seen through South Street Sam’s lens.

And shoutout to Mike on X for managing to squeeze Phillies lore into 280 characters. Go Phils.

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

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It’s finally Friday, Philly.

Rains and strong gusts could impact your travel. A high wind advisory is in effect for the entire region.

Things can get chaotic with Christmas around the corner, but these local Santas wouldn’t trade the hustle for anything.

And while some Philadelphia architects take a standard, fast-casual approach to designing rowhouses, a few are bringing back one Romanesque feature.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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‘It melts my heart’

Donning the red suit and transforming into the jolly character can be a grueling grind. It can mean sacrificing time with loved ones and running on little sleep.

But local Santas do it year after year, and it’s not because it pays big bucks — some even do it for free. Each has their own reason, but they share one thing in common: It’s the holiday magic that makes it worthwhile.

In one Santa’s own words: “The hugs you get from the little kids, or to have a 5-year-old child run to you and [yell] ‘Santa!’” it melts my heart,” said 71-year-old Paul Bradley, or “Santa Paul,” of Mantua. “That’s why I do it.”

And sometimes, that special magic gets returned to them, too.

Allow reporters Erin McCarthy and Ariana Perez-Castells to introduce you to several Philly-area Santas, and hear their tales of the chaotic, magical world of being Old Saint Nick at Christmastime.

The urge for the curve

You may have noticed more contemporary arches and rounded corners around the city. Architecture critic Inga Saffron says it’s because the arch is making a comeback.

With origins in the Roman times, arches no longer serve much purpose in the structural sense. But Philadelphians started sneaking them back into architecture as early as the 1960s, Saffron writes.

Today, more are throwing a curve into the mix, though Saffron points out that these new-wave arches only faintly resemble their predecessors.

Continue reading on the history of the arch and its revival.

What you should know today

• SEPTA’s largest union has agreed to a new contract with the transit authority. The deal will deliver a 3.5% pay raise, bolster pension funds, and expand health benefits for new employees.
• Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. was acquitted of child endangerment and related crimes Thursday after being accused of repeatedly assaulting his teenage daughter.
• Experts in fugitive apprehension say Philadelphia deputies appear to have made serious tactical errors while trying to apprehend a wanted man Monday, which enabled him to speed away in his car.
• A 2-year-old girl was beaten to death in South Philadelphia last week, police say, and three people have been charged in connection with the crime.
• A Malvern man who brought weapons to a “No Kings” protest in West Chester — and who was rearrested when police found homemade bombs at his house — has pleaded guilty in federal court.
• President Donald Trump announced he would advise federal agencies to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug and ease restrictions. Here’s what that means.
• Two Philadelphia men are facing federal charges in Minnesota after authorities said they fraudulently obtained more than $3.5 million in government proceeds in a long-running “fraud tourism” scandal that has drawn the ire of President Donald Trump.
• Nonprofits ChristianaCare and Virtua Health dropped negotiations to join forces. A merger would have created a healthcare system with more than $6 billion in annual revenue and business in four states.
• European cargo ships are rerouting to Philadelphia as Baltimore struggles to replace the Key Bridge, whose collapse 21 months ago crippled ship traffic to that city’s harbor.
• A data center planned for the Pennhurst State School and Hospital site will now move forward in a monthslong, multistep process. A Wednesday meeting turned heated with yelling residents prompting officials to call for a break.

Plus: What’s the meaning behind the Cherry Hill library sculpture?

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

This week, we have an explainer from reporter Henry Savage about the sculpture on the Cherry Hill Public Library lawn. Since its installment in 2009, the 8-foot-tall “Totem” gives people pause to try and decipher its meaning.

Crafted by the award-winning sculptor David Ascalon, it turns out its meaning is in the eyes of the beholder. Here’s the full story.

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

🧠 Trivia time

During her first interview on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show, Taylor Swift referenced a photo from 2001, at age 11, performing at this local spot:

A) Reading Terminal Market

B) A Phillies game

C) An Eagles game

D) A Sixers game

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

What we’re…

🕎 Remembering: The likely first public menorah was lit on Independence Mall.

📝 Scoring: How Jersey Shore towns are faring in the off-season.

🍷 Curious about: More wine clubs popping up around Philadelphia.

✅ Noting: What’s open and closed on Christmas Day in the Philly area.

😋 Keeping: These five Philly restaurants on our radar, because Craig LaBan said so.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: The _ _ Film Institute, a beloved Main Line theater

BRAWNY MR

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

Cheers to Kathy Wersinger, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Liz Moore. Another book by the South Philly author is heading to the small screen.

Photo of the day

One more story to go: A Cobbs Creek man recorded thousands of basketball broadcasts onto VHS tapes for five decades. His grieving family wants to pass them on to someone who appreciates them.

Thank you for reading. Be safe out there, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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Thursday is here.

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

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

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

Scroll along for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Ones to watch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEPTA’s slider saga

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

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

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

Nate File explains his latest report.

What you should know today

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

🧠 Trivia time

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

Which area university did she graduate from?

A) University of Pennsylvania

B) Temple University

C) Drexel University

D) Villanova University

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

❄️ Visiting: A winter wonderland home in Ocean City.

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

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

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

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

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: South Philly author

LIME ORZO

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

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

🎄 Photo of the day

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

Thanks for starting your day with us. Take care.

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Wake up, it’s Wednesday.

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

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

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

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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‘It’s no secret’

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

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

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

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

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

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

🎁 Mystery mail

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

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

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

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

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

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

What you should know today

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

🧠 Trivia time

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

What happened next, according to a lawsuit?

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

B) Security officials accosted and detained Hamilton

C) Hamilton hurled it at a Giants fan

D) None of the above

Think you got it? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re …

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

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

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

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

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

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

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

HAMEL SMOOTH

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

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

Photo of the day

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

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Welcome to Sunday.

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

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

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

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Shore town in trouble

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

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

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

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

In other Shore news:

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

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

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

How the hunt happened

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

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

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

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

What you should know today

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

❓Pop quiz

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

A) one

B) four

C) three

D) two

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

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: City in Chester County

LOCATE ELVIS

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

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

Photo of the day

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

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

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

Good morning.

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

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

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

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

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

Etiquette on the El

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

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

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

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

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

One viewpoint

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

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

📍 Find the location

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

Where is it?

A) City Hall

B) Independence Mall

C) Penn’s Landing

D) None of the above

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

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Gilded Age property in Montco

LEAKIEST NEST

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

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

We were there

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

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

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

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

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

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

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

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

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

It’s Friday, Philly.

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

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

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

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

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Beware the thieves

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

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

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

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

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

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

What you should know today

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

‘Club Fridays’

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

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

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

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

Features sportswriter Alex Coffey has the story.

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

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

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

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

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

🧠 Trivia time

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

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

A) 31.1 minutes

B) 33.2 minutes

C) 27.2 minutes

D) 45.5 minutes

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

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

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

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

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

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

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

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

ABBY JK

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

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

Photo of the day

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

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