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  • 🐉 Celebrate the Year of the Horse | Things to do

    🐉 Celebrate the Year of the Horse | Things to do

    Last week was for the lovers. This week, well, it’s for the culture. The region will be booming with celebrations all weekend.

    Fashion lovers can catch the latest from local and international designers at Philly Fashion Week runways. Home improvement-obsessives and amateur DIYers can stop by the annual Philly Home + Garden Show for gardening and landscaping tips.

    Then there’s Lunar New Year, which marks the arrival of spring, and another year of good fortune. Dozens of parades, tai chi demonstrations, dance performances, and other celebrations will continue throughout the region.

    And I can’t forget about the Barnes Foundation’s new exhibition, celebrating the work of famed post-Impressionist painter Henri Rousseau, running through Sunday.

    Read on to find more exciting celebrations happening this weekend.

    — Earl Hopkins (@earlhopkins_ Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

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    An overhead shot of the beach in Atlantic City during Phish’s three night concert run in August 2021.

    Beach concerts are finally coming back to Atlantic City

    Once again, there will be music on the beach in Atlantic City this summer, thanks to a new collaboration between Visit Atlantic City and Live Nation.

    Electronic dance music trio RĂŒfĂŒs Du Sol will kick-off a wave of ocean-side shows after their Aug. 29 concert at the A.C. boardwalk this summer.

    Their performance will mark a return to the tradition of A.C. beach shows, which have included ocean-side concerts that have included Pink in 2017, the Vans Warped Tour in 2019, the pop-punk Adjacent Music Festival in 2023, and others.

    For the last two years, there’s been an absence of large-scale A.C. beach shows, though Philly impresario Dave P.’s Making Waves festival drew a crowd last year.

    The collaboration between Visit Atlantic City and Live Natioon means more shows at the shore, and not just in the summer.

    Read more of my colleague Dan Deluca’s story here. And don’t miss out on some of his concert picks for this weekend below.

    The best things to do this week

    đŸ–Œïž Make-it-POP!: Join InLiquid from Thursday to Saturday at Crane Arts for an inside look at Make-it-POP!, a vibrant group exhibition showcasing InLiquid members’ bold portfolios, cultural commentary, and playful imagery.

    🎹 Meet me at the Barnes: Explore the work of artist Henri Rousseau, which will fill the Barnes Foundation as part of a collaboration between the Benjamin Franklin Parkway museum and the MusĂ©e de l’Orangerie in Paris.

    đŸŽ¶ Musical down the Shore: Compassion Cafe in Beach haven is a nonprofit that employs neurodivergent adults. It is launching its sixth season with Be Our Guest, performed by its employees and inspired by the evergreen Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast.

    đŸ§” Step into your best: Join thousands of fashion lovers for Philly Fashion Week, now in its 20th year. From now through Saturday, there will be runway shows, design competitions, pop-up shops and more throughout the city.

    📅 My calendar picks this week: Black History Month Family Fun Night at the Constitution Center and Punk Rock Flea Market at 23rd Street Armory.

    Community organizers hold a “No Arena” block party near the Friendship Gate in Chinatown Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, as the neighborhood celebrates the Lunar New Year nearby with a parade, lion dancers and fireworks.

    Lunar New Year at Dilworth Park

    The Year of the Horse is charging its way into Center City this weekend.

    Head to Dilworth Park to celebrate the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar, signifying the start of spring and the ushering of good fortune.

    The celebration includes a red envelope giveaway to the first 100 guests, a Kun-Yang Lin/Dancer performance, Chinese opera by Jiaye Xu of Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance.

    The celebration closes out with the Philadelphia Suns performance at 6:30 p.m.

    Check out some more Lunar Year celebrations happening this weekend.

    Winter fun this week and beyond

    🏡 A little home improvement: Nearly 300 exhibitors will be at Montgomery County’s Greater Philadelphia Expo Center for the annual Philly Home + Garden Show. Specialists will offer tips on everything from gardening to landscaping, architecture, construction, electronics, interior design, and more.

    ⛞ The Winter at Dilworth wrap-up: The Winter at Dilworth Park will wrap up select attractions starting this Sunday. The Rothman Orthopedics ice Rink and Cabin will pack things up this week, so bundle up and put on your best ice skates for a final lap this weekend.

    🐉 Lunar New Year festivities: Among the most popular Lunar Year celebrations is at Rail Park. Head there to see live lion dances, tai chi performances, K-pop workshop, and an appearance from the Fletcher Urban Riding Club on Saturday from 1-4 p.m.

    🎡 A festival of multiple traditions: Stop by the Mummers Museum for the Festival of Many Colors. The new multiweek event series highlights the Mummers Parade, Philly Caribbean Carnival and Carnaval de Puebla. There will be hands-on workshops to design garments, forge tools, and learn traditional dance that run through May 17.

    Staffer picks

    Pop music critic Dan DeLuca lists the top concerts this weekend and a few holiday pop-up jams happening this month.

    🎾 Thursday: After playing in Philly for his solo tour last year, songwriter Alejandro Escovedo is back, plugged in, and ready to rock with his band Electric Saints at Sellersville Theater on Thursday.

    🎾 Friday: Philly songwriter Ben Arnold is home to promote his new solo album, XL. He will perform at WXPN’s Free At Noon with the 48 Hour Orchestra on Friday.

    đŸŽ€ Saturday: R&B superstar Miguel, who’s played multiple times at the Made in America festival, returns to Philly for a headlining show at the Met Philly for his 2025 album, CAOS.

    đŸŽ€ Tuesday: Mariah the Scientist, who’s enraptured fans with her sultry vocals and chilling love songs since her major label debut Master in 2019, will headline the Met Philly on Tuesday.

    — Earl Hopkins

    Enjoy everything the region has to offer this weekend. And per Lunar New Year tradition, avoid wearing black and white if you can. Trust me, nobody likes a killjoy.

    Courtesy of Giphy.com
  • A ‘giant’ down payment | Real Estate Newsletter

    A ‘giant’ down payment | Real Estate Newsletter

    One family’s list of must-haves narrowed their home search to just one property in Passyunk Square. And it wasn’t even on the market — yet.

    Fast forward a few months and the couple snagged the first viewing and snatched up the century-old house. The homebuyers were able to make a down payment of $300,000 thanks to the sale of their former home.

    Read on to see which traditional South Philly home feature the family rebuilt because they had to have it.

    Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:

    — Michaelle Bond

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    Putting a lot down to move up

    Homebuyer Catherine Wargo Roberts calls one aspect of her home renovation “a vanity project for sure.” But she doesn’t regret it.

    She really wanted a traditional South Philly vestibule in the front of her home, so she rebuilt one. “Best money I ever spent,” she said.

    Speaking of money, she and her husband put down what she called a “giant down payment” of $300,000 on their $725,000 home to keep the monthly mortgage payment manageable for them. That was possible because they sold their old home.

    The family loved living in Passyunk Square and didn’t want to leave, but their block of both homes and businesses had gotten too busy. And they wanted more space, especially outside.

    Keep reading to learn about complications with the home sale and why the homebuyers sought out an unfinished basement.

    What to do with school buildings

    It’s common for homebuyers to pick locations based on the schools their kids would attend. And families get deeply attached to their school communities, whether residents are new or have been living in an area for generations.

    That’s why it’s not surprising that a plan to close some Philly schools is getting pushback.

    The School District of Philadelphia has around 300 buildings, including more than 200 schools. Many buildings are at least 75 years old and not in good condition.

    Some schools have 1,000+ empty seats, and others are squeezing students in.

    This week, City Council members grilled school district officials about the superintendent’s plan to address these challenges.

    Over the course of a decade, according to the plan:

    • 20 schools would close.
    • 6 would be co-located inside existing school buildings.
    • 159 would be modernized.

    Before the superintendent’s scheduled presentation to the school board next Thursday, read up on his plan and the reaction it’s gotten.

    The latest news to pay attention to

    Home tour: Transformation in Lambertville

    Lauren Braun-Strumfels and Kyle Strumfels lived in a rowhouse in Lambertville, N.J. when they started eyeing the neighboring standalone house.

    They and their two kids had outgrown their home, and the couple had a vision for how to transform the other property, where maintenance had lapsed for decades.

    The couple bought the house in 2017 in a “very stressful and very intense” process, Braun-Strumfels said.

    Then, in the first round of renovations, the homeowners:

    đŸ› ïž moved the kitchen

    đŸ› ïž bumped the back wall out to create more space

    đŸ› ïž added a Jack-and-Jill bathroom

    đŸ› ïž upgraded mechanical systems

    They turned the home into a California modern-inspired ranch house.

    “Sometimes I wondered if people would be mad we stuck a modern house in the middle of this [Victorian-era] town, but people seem to really like it,” Strumfels said.

    Peek inside the family’s home and learn about the second renovation, which created an “adult wing.”

    đŸ“· Photo quiz

    Do you know the location this photo shows?

    📼 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.

    Last week’s quiz featured a photo captured in the East Conservatory at Longwood Gardens.

    Shout-out to Doug S. and Jeff B. for getting that right.

    Jeff said: “Wonderful place to go to beat the cold weather blues. Every now and then we just need a pick-me-up, especially since we like to garden. Every season has something new to see. Been going there since I was a kid with my parents and now we are senior citizens and still love it.”

    I’ve only been to Longwood for a reporting assignment or two. But last week’s photo and Jeff’s memories are making me want to flee there for my own winter pick-me-up.

    đŸ“č On the street

    A couple weeks ago, I shared the latest news in the saga of suspicious property sales near Temple University. Buyers seemed to be paying almost double the asking price for buildings that had been sitting on the market.

    According to an Inquirer investigation, more than two dozen Philly-area real estate agents helped arrange $45 million worth of questionable deals involving student rentals.

    My colleagues’ new video lays it all out.

    Watch the video and join the conversation here.

    And enjoy the rest of your 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.

  • DUIs, secret crashes linked to cop bar | Morning Newsletter

    DUIs, secret crashes linked to cop bar | Morning Newsletter

    Welcome to Thursday, Philly. First, see the latest details on the region’s weekend snow threat.

    A members-only cop bar in the Far Northeast has been linked to two DUIs — plus a third crash previously kept secret.

    And the city’s No. 2 public official has been noticeably absent during major events in the last year. His increasingly low profile in Philadelphia City Hall has generated frustration and fueled questions.

    — Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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    ‘It’s just not something that would have happened maybe if it didn’t involve the police or the FOP’

    7C Lounge, a members-only club in the Far Northeast for active and retired cops, has been connected to multiple drunken-driving incidents in the last few years.

    The most severe incident left a woman in a coma for more than two months. An off-duty police officer who had been drinking at 7C just down the street plowed his car through the front of her home, striking and dragging her into another room.

    It was the second time the family’s property had been damaged by a patron who left 7C impaired.

    The bar is operated by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, inside the union’s headquarters, raising questions about how drunken-driving cases are investigated when they involve a powerful police union operating its own bar.

    The officer behind the near-fatal crash was ultimately sentenced to prison. But records show that in the immediate aftermath of the incident, he had been allowed to confer with FOP representatives and delay a blood-alcohol test for nearly six hours.

    Reporters Barbara Laker and David Gambacorta investigate several apparent alcohol-related crashes linked to 7C — including one in the union’s own parking lot that was kept secret.

    In other police news: Dozens of drug and gun convictions were vacated Wednesday, the latest batch in what could grow to 1,000 cases tied to three narcotics officers who prosecutors say repeatedly gave false testimony in court.

    MIA managing director

    As Philadelphia’s managing director, Adam Thiel is tasked with overseeing the delivery of city services. Yet the top-ranking official has been noticeably absent from public view in recent months.

    An Inquirer review found that Thiel was out of office last year for a total of nearly five months, much of which he spent on military leave. In addition to his high-profile role with the city, he serves as a major in the U.S. Army Reserves, works as a consultant, and is an adjunct faculty member at two universities.

    Almost half of his $316,200 city salary — more than the mayor’s — in 2025 was for paid time off, according to payroll records.

    His extended absence has prompted frustration at City Hall.

    City Hall reporter Anna Orso has the story.

    More on local government: Philadelphia has spent about $59 million in snow response since January’s massive storm. That includes spending on the extended activation of warming centers, plowing operations, and more.

    What you should know today

    Quote of the day

    Lingel interviewed hundreds of Craigslist users in Philadelphia for her book An Internet for the People: The Politics and Promise of Craigslist. She says the platform functions as a kind of parallel infrastructure to the more polished Facebook Marketplace and Depop, particularly for people with fewer financial resources.

    🧠 Trivia time

    Philadelphia’s Chinatown gate isn’t the oldest in the country, but does have the distinction of being the first Chinese American archway that was what?

    A) Built over 20 feet tall

    B) Built with materials from Asia

    C) Built to match another U.S. city’s gate

    D) Reconstructed after a massive fire

    Think you know? Check your answer.

    What and whom we’re …

    🏡 Remembering: Marie Whitaker, whose Media organization bridged racial divides.

    đŸ« Checking: Philly’s new real-time public air quality monitoring network.

    đŸČ Suggesting: Where to break Ramadan fast around Philadelphia.

    🌊 Eager to see: A concert on the Atlantic City beach.

    📜 Considering: The pitch to get this Old City print shop a blue historic marker before July 4.

    đŸ§© Unscramble the anagram

    Hint: Wildwood amusement park

    ROSY EMPIRES

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

    Cheers to Nereda Jones-Pugh, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: NovaCare Complex. The Eagles’ training facility in South Philadelphia will have a new name this coming season: Jefferson Health Training Complex.

    Photo of the day

    Ice sculptures made by artist Emily D. Stewart seen outside her home in Narberth last week.

    ⛄ One last creative thing: Narberth artist Emily Stewart is making public art out of snow in her own front yard, including Swedish lanterns and sculptures of a giant eagle and orge-like creature. The art form is “ephemeral,” she said. “Like, enjoy it, and it’s not yours to keep.”

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

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

  • Carlino’s has your back following Di Bruno’s closure | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Carlino’s has your back following Di Bruno’s closure | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Hi, Lower Merion! 👋

    Missing Di Bruno’s? Don’t worry — we’ve still got Carlino’s Market. Also this week, a popular gluten-free bakery has opened in Bryn Mawr, a Narberth artist used the recent snow to craft Swedish-inspired sculptures, plus a new hotel with a tavern and rooftop terrace is opening this spring.

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    Carlino’s Market remains a Main Line go-to for Italian goods

    Alejandro Perez is the executive chef at Carlino’s Market.

    While Di Bruno’s recent downsizing left a hole in the Ardmore Farmers Market — and in some shoppers’ hearts — a longtime staple continues to serve Main Liners in search of Italian goods.

    Founded in 1983 in Ardmore by husband and wife Nicola and Angela Carlino, who immigrated from Italy, Carlino’s Market has grown over the years and expanded into wholesale.

    In the past two decades, the family-operated market, now led by their son Pat Carlino, has added a location in West Chester but continues to serve its core customers, some of whom Pat grew up with.

    The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner checked in with the family on its measured growth plans.

    Gluten-free bakery Flakely opens in Bryn Mawr

    Lila Colello is the owner of gluten-free bakery Flakely.

    Main Liners can get fresh gluten-free pastries closer to home now that Flakely has opened in Bryn Mawr.

    The popular bakery held a soft opening for its new storefront this past weekend at the former Grand Middle East hookah lounge. The new space means more offerings than were possible at its previous home in Manayunk, including fresh gluten-free croissants.

    “It’s a totally different experience,” said owner Lila Colello, an Ardmore native and Shipley School alum.

    Read more about what you can find at the new bakery.

    💡 Community News

    • The Montgomery County District Attorney and the Police Chiefs Association of Montgomery County recently released a joint statement underscoring that they don’t enforce immigration action. Earlier this month, the LMPD released its own statement, reiterating that it doesn’t enforce or participate in immigration enforcement. The joint statement comes after recent ICE action in the area, including an arrest in Norristown that some local officials condemned.
    • Montgomery County commissioners covered a wide range of topics during their annual State of the County address last week, from potential federal funding cuts to immigration concerns. While the top officials remain divided by party lines, they did underscore some bipartisan achievements, like the 2026 budget, as well as upcoming goals like opening more shelters for those experiencing homelessness. The Inquirer’s Fallon Roth recaps the key takeaways.
    • The Ardmore Avenue Pool won’t be reopening in time for Memorial Day weekend this year. The township’s parks and recreation department said at a meeting that it expects the pool, which was closed last summer for construction of the Ardmore Avenue Community Center, to not open until late June or early July. The good news: Membership fees won’t be going up for the township’s pools this year, despite a proposal from the finance committee to increase rates at Belmont Hills by 4.25% for residents and 6.5% for non-residents. Commissioners decided against the increase for 2026, albeit not unanimously.
    • Narberth artist Emily Stewart used the lingering effects of last month’s snowstorm to craft icy sculptures in her yard, where three Swedish lanterns glowed. More than looking cool, these pieces of public art provide a “little communal social interaction” among neighbors.
    • A new hotel is coming to the Main Line. Brandywine Realty Trust plans to open a 121-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel at 165 King of Prussia Rd. that will be called The Brandywine. The $60 million Radnor hotel is expected to open in time for college graduations this spring and will have a ground floor tavern and a rooftop terrace.
    • A Lower Merion High School alum has thrown his hat into the ring to represent the 148th district after State Rep. Mary Jo Daley announced she will not seek reelection. Leo Solga, who graduated LMHS in 2022 and the University of Pennsylvania in December, is a criminal justice researcher at Penn’s Carey School of Law, and served on LMHS student council and Model UN. He will face Jason Landau Goodman, Andrea Deutsch, and Megan Griffin-Shelley in the May Democratic primary. (The Merionite)
    • Tuesday is the last day to submit responses to the township’s Montgomery Avenue safety study survey, which you can find here.
    • A note about last week’s newsletter: We’ve updated the photo accompanying details on the Montgomery Avenue safety study to better reflect the story.

    đŸ« Schools Briefing

    • Black Rock’s home-school association is hosting an ice cream social tonight and tomorrow Penn Wynne has a fourth grade social. Tomorrow is also “Panther Pride” day at Penn Valley and Tuesday is STEM Night at Black Rock. Next Thursday, the Lower Merion High School Black Student Union is hosting its fourth annual “Shades of Black” showcase, featuring dancing, singing, and spoken word performances. See the district’s full calendar here.
    • The 2026 Prom Boutique kicks off tomorrow at Lower Merion High School, where students attending prom can browse free dresses and accessories. It’ll be open tomorrow from 3:30 to 6 p.m. and again on Monday from 3:30 to 7 p.m. See all the upcoming dates here.
    • The deadline to submit applications for the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund has been extended one week to Feb. 27. To be eligible, recipients must graduate from a Lower Merion School District high school, have attended one of the district’s high schools for at least two years, have been a student in the district for at least four years, and be a full-time student at an accredited post-secondary education institution.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • Middle Eastern restaurant Malooga opened its Narberth outpost this week at 203 Haverford Ave. This is the second location for the Old City Philadelphia restaurant that specializes in traditional Yemeni dishes like lamb fahsah, made with potatoes, okra, and herb fenugreek; and saltah, a potato and okra dish.

    🎳 Things to Do

    🧊 Bryn Mawr on Ice: Ice sculptures will dot Lancaster Avenue between Roberts Road and Bryn Mawr Avenue. ⏰ Friday, Feb. 20, 4-7 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Downtown Bryn Mawr

    🔍 Best-Laid Plans: A Murder Mystery: Try your hand at sleuthing in this immersive whodunit at Stoneleigh’s main house. There will also be light food and drinks available. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 4:30-7:30 p.m. đŸ’” $75-$85 for standard tickets 📍 Stoneleigh

    đŸ“œïž Ordinary People: Catch a screening of the 1980 Robert Redford-directed film starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, and Timothy Hutton in 4K. ⏰ Monday, Feb. 23, 7:15 p.m. đŸ’” $11.75-$16.25 📍 Bryn Mawr Film Institute

    â˜Ș Ramadan Crafternoon: Celebrate the holiday with themed crafts at this drop-in event. ⏰ Wednesday, Feb. 25, 3-5 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Gladwyne Library

    🏡 On the Market

    A four-bedroom Wynnewood home with a screened-in porch

    The home spans more than 3,700 square feet and sits on a half-acre lot.

    Built in 1952, this four-bedroom Wynnewood home blends past and present thanks to its classic stone exterior. The home’s first floor features a living room with a fireplace, a dining room, a home office with an exterior entrance, a family room with vaulted ceilings and built-ins, and an eat-in kitchen with an island and double ovens. The bedrooms are all on the second floor, including the primary suite, which has two closets and a bathroom with marble floors and a steam shower. Other features include a screened-in porch, a flagstone patio, and a finished walk-out basement.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $1.6M | Size: 3,724 SF | Acreage: 0.52

    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.

  • Racism in a restaurant spurred a woman’s life mission | Inquirer Greater Media

    Racism in a restaurant spurred a woman’s life mission | Inquirer Greater Media

    Hi, Greater Media! 👋

    The co-founder of Media Fellowship House is being recognized this month by the local branch of the NAACP. Here’s why. Also this week, Sheetz is looking to plant its flag in the heart of Wawa country, a new stir-fry and salads eatery is coming to Granite Run, plus, we’re keeping an eye on another potential snowstorm this weekend.

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

    The local NAACP branch is remembering a woman who championed inclusion in Media

    A mural of Marie Whitaker and Dorothy James, co-founders of Media Fellowship House.

    It’s been 82 years since Marie Whitaker co-founded Media Fellowship House and 73 years since the organization opened on South Jackson Street, but its founding principles of inclusion, resilience, and courage live on.

    She and another woman, Dorothy James, launched the organization after Whitaker was denied service at the Tower Restaurant at the corner of State and Olive Streets. James, a white Quaker woman, witnessed the interaction and approached a worker there, who said the waitresses did not serve Black people. Whitaker and James left the restaurant soon after and became fast friends. They later formed the Media Fellowship as a place where residents of all races and religions could gather.

    Its mission has since expanded, but remains rooted in “bringing people together and having people speak across what seems now to be a chasm of our differences,” said Whitaker’s son, Bill, a 60 Minutes correspondent for CBS.

    Read more about Whitaker’s legacy and why the NAACP Media Branch is spotlighting her this Black History Month.

    💡 Community News

    • Cross-state rival convenience chain Sheetz is looking to enter the heart of Wawa country and has submitted a proposal to open a store just five miles from Wawa’s corporate campus. The Altoona-based competitor wants to put its first Delaware County location in the Village at Painters’ Crossing, with plans to build a 6,000-square-foot store at the site of the vacant Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Wells Fargo. Plans call for indoor and outdoor seating, two mobile-order pickup windows, and six gas pumps, but still require approvals.
    • Swarthmore’s planning and zoning committee will discuss Swarthmore College’s Cunningham Fields proposal at tonight’s meeting. The college is looking to redevelop its aging facilities at College Avenue and North Chester Road.
    • After dropping for four consecutive years, underage drinking offenses picked back up in Delaware County in 2024, according to the latest available data, which was released this month. The county had 192 offenses of individuals under 21 purchasing, consuming, possessing, or transporting alcohol in 2024, accounting for about 3% of the statewide total. It’s among the top 10 counties in the state with the highest percentage of offenses. Locally, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties surpassed Delco at 4% each, and Chester County had the region’s highest total, accounting for 8% of cases statewide.
    • Lingering snow from the storm a few weeks ago is melting, but there’s a chance for even more white stuff this weekend. Here’s what we know about a possible snowstorm on Sunday.
    • Five couples who live at Upper Providence Township retirement community Rose Tree Place renewed their vows last week. Each of the couples have been married for at least 50 years and some for over 70 years. 6abc’s Alicia Vitarelli spoke to two of them. See the segment here.
    • Swarthmore College has thrown its support behind Harvard University, which is suing the Trump administration for its efforts to block international students from enrolling at U.S. colleges and universities. Twenty-seven percent of Swarthmore’s latest incoming class consisted of international citizens, people with dual citizenship, or permanent residents. (WHYY)

    đŸ« Schools Briefing

    • In Rose Tree Media, there’s a districtwide technology presentation from 6:30 to 8 p.m. tonight at Springton Lake Middle School. Tomorrow night is Penncrest High School’s choir cabaret, and Saturday is the high school’s sports fest and jazz night. See the district’s full calendar here.
    • Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is hosting eighth grade orientation tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. It’s also the Strath Haven Middle School student-faculty basketball game. On Monday, there’s a board of education meeting at 7 p.m. See the district’s full calendar here.
    • Yan Weng, an eighth grader at Mother of Providence Regional Catholic School in Wallingford, won first place in the National Society Sons of the American Revolution’s Sergeant Moses Adams Memorial Brochure Contest for her design of the Bill of Rights. The contest was open to middle school students, who designed brochures based on the United States’ foundational documents. (Daily Times)

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • A new fast-casual restaurant is coming to the Promenade at Granite Run later this year. Honeygrow, the Philadelphia-born eatery known for its made-to-order stir-fries and and salads, plans to open at 1127 West Baltimore Pike this summer, a company spokesperson said. Honeygrow is looking to expand its footprint this year as part of a push to become a more national brand.
    • If this week’s great thaw has you hankering for summer, good news: Scooped Ice Cream & Gelato has reopened for the season, and it has more than just sweets on offer. The shop in the heart of Media has added an outpost of Backroom Records, which buys, sells, and trades vinyl records.
    • Taste and Sea is hosting a four-course winter wine tasting dinner next Thursday at 6 p.m. The meal at the Glen Mills restaurant is $99 per person.

    🎳 Things to Do

    đŸ—“ïž Lunar New Year Celebration and Lion Dance: Celebrate the Lunar New Year by catching a lion dance that will loop through the borough of Media. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 2-4 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍Downtown Media

    🇹🇮 Colombian Festival: Learn more about Colombian culture through dancing, music, food, and crafts. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 5:30 p.m. đŸ’” Suggested donation of $5 per person or $25 per family 📍Park Avenue Community Center, Swarthmore

    🎭 Rapunzel! Rapunzel!: See the classic fairy tale come to life on stage. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 22, 11 a.m., and Saturday, Feb. 28-Sunday, March 1, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. đŸ’” $13.50-$18.50 📍Players Club of Swarthmore

    đŸŒ± Winter Gardening: Vegetable Seed Starting: Learn how to get a jump-start on your vegetable gardening. Registration is required. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 22, 1-2:30 p.m. đŸ’” $21.25-$25 📍Tyler Arboretum, Media

    đŸ—“ïž A Celebration of Black History Month: Delaware County Council is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Black History Month with music, art, and a keynote address. Registration is required. ⏰ Thursday, Feb. 26, noon-2 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍Towne House, Media

    🏡 On the Market

    A four-bedroom Media home with a covered porch

    The home spans over 4,700 square feet and sits on more than an acre.

    Built in 2006, this four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom Middletown Township home has had just one owner. It features hardwood across part of the first floor, including the foyer, a living room, and a dining room. It also has a family room with a gas fireplace, a home office, an eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances, and a wet bar area in a hallway. The bedrooms are upstairs, including the primary suite, which has a walk-in closet, a jetted tub, dual vanities, and a separate sitting room. The home also has a partially finished basement and a three-car garage.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $800,000 | Size: 4,756 SF | Acreage: 1.02

    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.

  • 🩅 Inquiring minds| Sports Daily Newsletter

    🩅 Inquiring minds| Sports Daily Newsletter

    As we’re past the “what-if” stage of the 2025-26 NFL season, we move into the questions phase, specifically with the NFL scouting combine starting on Monday.

    These questions circle less around the top prospects (though they’re in there), but more so around decisions that were made or are yet to be made this offseason by the Eagles.

    These are a few questions that kick off your Thursday edition of Sports Daily, as Inquirer writer Jeff Neiburg delves into that and more in his latest story.

    Speaking of Thursday, expect a carbon copy of yesterday across the region, with cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-40s.

    — Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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

    ❓What’s your burning Philly sports question? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

    Turner not slowing down

    Shortstop Trea Turner is entering his fourth season with the Phillies.

    Trea Turner hasn’t lost a step 10 years into his major league career. If anything, he may be a tick faster. As a 23-year-old rookie with the Nationals in 2016, he averaged 30 feet per second, according to Statcast. Last season, at age 32, he averaged 30.3.

    Through the years, Turner has changed his nutritional habits. He cut out soda several years ago. He eats more carefully now, taking cues from Bryce Harper, Aaron Nola, and other teammates.

    “Genetics, I’d say, is a big part of it,” said Brett Austin, Turner’s college teammate and close friend. “But I think his offseason program really allows him to optimize and maintain his speed.”

    Indeed, the biggest reason Turner has remained in the fast lane is a training routine that he has followed since he was a teenager.

    Softball masks, paddles, and tennis balls are all part of early spring workouts for Bobby Dickerson, whose drills are designed to get infielders to work on one of the game’s most basic skills.

    Recently, J.T. Realmuto sat down with Inquirer Phillies writer Scott Lauber to discuss the offseason, all of the rumblings, and now that he’s secured a deal to remain in Philly, his aspirations for the season. Watch here.

    What we’re 


    đŸŸïž Sharing: The Ivory Coast has chosen the WSFS Sportsplex in Chester as its home base ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    đŸ€” Pondering: How long will it take to stop calling the Eagles’ training facility the NovaCare Complex after it was renamed the Jefferson Health Complex earlier this week?

    🏀 Wondering: The lessons learned from a prep basketball skirmish that saw Carver Engineering & Sciences High School lose its opportunity to compete in the upcoming Public League playoffs.

    âšœ Introducing: Union newcomer AgĂșstin Anello and how choosing Philly coincided with a chance to be back on American soil.

    The new guys

    Oliver Bonk was one of several players brought up to the Flyers’ first team for practice sessions during the Olympic break.

    The Olympic break has always been a great reset for NHL teams. The Flyers are no different. Consider it a second training camp, if you will.

    This week, the Flyers called up defensemen Oliver Bonk and Hunter McDonald, and goaltender Carson Bjarnason from Lehigh Valley to fill in for the players in Milan for the Winter Olympics. The coaches say having new, hungry players in practice has given the group a “new energy.”

    “The guys, their spirits have been really high,” said Flyers assistant coach Todd Reirden. “Today’s practice was pretty spirited, with some competitions that we had. That, in conjunction with bringing in new players that are excited about getting an opportunity, I think, is a really great experience for everybody involved.”

    So what does that mean for when the team is back at full strength? Well, that remains to be seen, but it’s definitely promising for a team looking for a spark in a push for the playoffs.

    ‘I guess the NBA’s still watching’

    Cam Payne, who recently signed with the Sixers, said “When your focus is in the right place, things like this happen.

    Cameron Payne was in the middle of a game with KK Partizan when his agent, Jason Glushon, alerted him that a return to the 76ers was in play. Payne had spent the summer waiting for the phone to ring and decided to take a deal overseas when an opportunity with the Phoenix Suns didn’t stick. But this was the moment he had waited for at that time. “You might want to pack,” Glushon told him.

    Payne practiced with the Sixers on Wednesday and received praise from head coach Nick Nurse and star guard Tyrese Maxey. And while he wasn’t looking for an NBA opportunity, Payne was grateful. “I don’t know how I keep finding a way to get back,” Payne said. “But I guess the NBA’s still watching. And if you still take your game seriously and do the right things, play the right way, they’re still looking.”

    Blowout win

    Union’s Stas Korzeniowski (top center) jumps to celebrate with teammate Olwethu Makhanya after Makhanya scored a goal during the Union’s Concacaf Champions Cup game against Defence Force FC on Wednesday.

    The Union opened their 2026 season with a win on Wednesday night, defeating Defence Force FC, 5-0, in the first of a two-game Concacaf Champions Cup first round series at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

    Milan Iloski, Ezekiel Alladoh, Olwethu Makhanya, and Bruno Damiani (twice) all scored in the win. Next up for the Union is the MLS season-opener at D.C. United on Saturday.

    On this date

    Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet was part of one of the biggest trades in Flyers history on this date, 34 years ago.

    Feb. 19, 1992: The Flyers bid farewell to current head coach Rick Tocchet as a player in a monster trade with Pittsburgh that sent Mark Recchi, Kjell Samuelsson, and Ken Wregget to Philly.

    David Murphy’s take 


    Phillies slugger Bryce Harper underwent a team workout during spring training in Clearwater, Florida, earlier this week.

    The best way to understand Bryce Harper is to think about all the things he can’t say. He can’t say that Alec Bohm is a seven-hole hitter at best. He can’t say that Adolis García is much closer to Nick Castellanos than he is a legitimate four- or five-hole hitter. He can’t say that J.T. Realmuto isn’t the guy he was three years ago. He can’t say that he’d swing at fewer pitches out of the zone if he had more confidence that the guys behind him would get the job done. Murphy’s latest tries to dive inside the mind of Harper in the aftermath of comments made about him by team president David Dombrowski.

    What you’re saying about collectibles

    We asked: Do you have a sports card or any memorabilia that is meaningful to you, and why?

    In 1965, I was 6 years old and living in Hedgerow Woods, a community in Morrisville, Pa. The tough card to find that summer was the 1965 Phillies team card. It actually showed the 1964 team, the season the Phillies blew the pennant. My buddy Mark Becker and I were always looking for that card, spending our quarters at Irv’s Pharmacy in the Makefield Shopping Center on packs of cards and enjoying the sweet bubblegum that came with them. We could not find that Phillies team card though. While wandering our neighborhood, Mark and I happened to look down, and there in the gutter was the card! Actually, half the card. Someone had torn the team card in half and tossed this portion the gutter. — Rich G.

    I used to live in Havertown, but that was 48 years ago. I once corresponded with him to ask him questions about something I had, but that is a distant memory. I have some autographs, and used to collect tickets, and believe I still have one from Pittsburgh, the day Mike Schmidt hit is 500th homer. “It’s outta here.” I have not looked at anything I have for a long time. Will have to do that. — Everett S.

    We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jeff Neiburg, Scott Lauber, Jonathan Tannenwald, David Murphy, Gabriela Carroll, Lochlahn March, Mike Sielski, and Gina Mizell.

    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.

    That’s my time. As always, thanks for reading. We’ll be in your inbox for the final time this week on Friday, to get you ready for the weekend. Take care. — Kerith

  • Change comes to Pat’s Steaks | Let’s Eat

    Change comes to Pat’s Steaks | Let’s Eat

    Pat’s King of Steaks, where the steak sandwich was invented in 1930, makes two bold changes.

    Also in this edition:

    • “Girl dinner”: This $39 steakhouse feast has gone viral.
    • Ramadan: A guide to breaking the fast.
    • Coffee boom: Read on for news, including word of major coffee activity in Center City.

    — Mike Klein

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

    Kicking it new school at Pat’s

    It’s only taken 96 years, but you can now get a seeded roll for your steak at Pat’s King of Steaks. Frank Olivieri explains this and one other seismic shift at the shop that invented this storied sandwich.

    Where to break the Ramadan fast

    Hira Qureshi is fasting for Ramadan, and she shares her guide to fasting and celebrating. Above is the lagman soup from Uzbek standout Plov House in Northeast Philadelphia.

    ➕ Where to break the Ramadan fast around Philadelphia.

    Here’s a ‘girl dinner’ gone viral

    Kiki Aranita sat down for Del Frisco’s $39 martini/oysters/Caesar/fries bar special. It’s a ready-made “girl dinner” that social-media consumers are eating up.

    You still can buy Italian specialties in the burbs

    With Di Bruno Bros. gone from Ardmore and Wayne, Denali Sagner visits the homegrown Carlino’s Market to scope out its line of Italian specialty foods.

    Closings: Manakeesh Cafe and La Chingonita

    Manakeesh Cafe Bakery & Grill — home of fine Lebanese treats such as the qatayif shown above — has ended its 15-year run at 45th and Walnut Streets. Management cites a rent increase, and Andrew Kitchenman explains the family’s next steps.

    La Chingonita will wrap its four-year brick-and-mortar run in Fishtown with burrito offerings on Wednesday, Feb. 18 (burritos) and Friday, Feb. 20 (birria), from noon-6 p.m. or sellout. Rebecca Baez and Omar Martinez, who started the business in 2020 as a food cart, said they decided it was best “to prioritize our family, bow out gracefully, and end things on a high note.” They said the decision to shut down “did not come lightly, but we recognized that it was time to close this chapter with intention and gratitude, before burnout set in further.” They say they think they’ll do popups but have no plans to open another restaurant in the near future.

    The best things we ate last week

    Here’s what we enjoyed during our various local travels: Craig LaBan is delighted by the bise bele bath (above) — a comforting porridge from southern India — at Exton’s Malgudi Cafe. Also: Bedatri Choudhury enjoyed a goat with spicy scallop creole at a Honeysuckle collab dinner with New York’s Kabawa, while Jenn Ladd says she visited Bomb Bomb Bar and had what might be the best crab cakes she’s ever had. That’s high praise coming from someone who lived and worked in Baltimore. (To enjoy more of our “Best Things,” click here.)

    Craig, meanwhile, found “something magical about the mole poblano” for his review of Tlali, a modest Mexican BYOB in Upper Darby, where the Sandoval family is cooking its heart out.

    Beatrice Forman touts the smashburgers at the new El SazĂłn R.D. in Northern Liberties, which are topped with a pad of queso frito and tangy mayo-ketchup to bring Dominican flavors to an American classic.

    Scoops

    Chef Dominique Shields, founder and former owner of North Philly’s Pretty Girls Cook (at left with her staff when she was featured last year on the Fox show Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service), will oversee weekend brunch at the new SavĂș (208 S. 13th St.) as chef-in-residence. The brunch service starts Feb. 28.

    The Broad Street Diner will yield to a new six-story hotel, as Jake Blumgart found in new city documents. What could that mean for the Melrose Diner site, also owned by Michael Petrogiannis?

    Imminent openings include Mi Vida (the swank Mexican restaurant out of D.C.), coming to 1150 Ludlow St. in East Market on Feb. 22, and Bar Tacconelli, the cocktail lounge from the pizza family in the former Versa Vino at 461 Route 38, Maple Shade, on Feb. 25.

    Root & Sprig, Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio’s health-forward fast-casual restaurant, has been booked for the Shop Penn retail district in the Perelman School of Medicine’s Kelley Research Building (421 Curie Blvd.) later this spring. There’s also a location at the Penn Medicine Food Hall.

    Sports bar P.J. Whelihan’s will replace the shuttered Iron Hill Brewery in Newtown, Bucks County.

    Restaurant report

    Maddy Rose at the Landing has replaced the Landing restaurant on the Delaware River in New Hope, which closed in late 2024. It’s a second Maddy Rose location (after Jersey City) for Frank Cretella of By Landmark, who also runs the nearby Logan Inn, Hotel du Village, and Anzu Social. The open dining room faces the Delaware and the New Hope–Lambertville Bridge, with indoor dining, bar seating, and deck dining planned as part of a second renovation phase. Mediterranean-influenced menu includes dinner entrees priced in the high $20s (white bean ravioli, Bolognese), the $30s (roasted chicken, baby back ribs), and occasional gusts into the $40s and higher (dayboat scallops, prime rib).

    Maddy Rose at the Landing, 22 N. Main St., New Hope. Hours: 4-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday, noon-3 p.m. and 4-11 p.m. Saturday, and noon-3 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Reservations via OpenTable.

    Cake & Joe owners Sarah Qi and Trista Tang open their third location at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 1735 Market St. with free cakes for the first 100 people. The specialty coffee-and-dessert shop started in Pennsport in December 2020 and added a second in Fishtown in June 2023. The Center City location, open daily from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., features more grab-and-go options as well as a larger focus on Chinese food.

    Besides Cake & Joe, the Center City West coffee scene is broadening. Last week, Mahmood Islam and Samina Akbar opened a M.O.T.W Coffee (Muslims of the World Coffee) franchise at the Murano (2101 Market St.), next to Trader Joe’s, with Arabic baked goods alongside specialty coffee in chill environs. Two Yemeni coffeehouses are planned nearby: As I reported a few weeks ago, Haraz Coffee House is applying for zoning to open at 1822 Chestnut St., while Rittenhouse Ramblings says Jabal Coffee House has a deal at 1524 Chestnut St.; Jabal’s corporate website suggests a fall opening.

    Briefly noted

    West Chester Restaurant Week will run from Sunday, Feb. 22 to Sunday, March 1 with 30 restaurants offering multicourse menus priced from $40 to $60.

    East Passyunk Restaurant Week returns for its 14th year: Monday, Feb. 23 to Friday, March 6 at 21 participating restaurants with prix-fixes of $20, $40, and $60.

    Filipino stylings are on the menu Wednesday, Feb. 18 at Breezy’s Deli (2235 Washington Ave., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Porco’s & Small Oven Pastry (2204 Washington Ave., 4-8 p.m.). Owner Chad Durkin is collaborating with the visiting Mike and Eylonah Strauss — formerly of Mike’s BBQ and Sidecar Bar — who in 2023 moved to Bacolod City, Philippines, where they run Sugaree Gelato Bakery Cafe.

    Gilda in Fishtown will have help from Cantina La Martina for Gilda’s first-ever Tuesday service, on Feb. 24. Expect Mexican specialty drinks, pastries, sandwiches, and more with a Portuguese twist. Menus will be released on their Instagram accounts. It’ll be pay-as-you-go; dine-in or takeaway.

    At AmĂĄ, chef Frankie Ramirez’s Taco Tuesday special, Taco Novela, brings in a guest chef every month for a special weekly taco, with proceeds benefiting a charity. Juan Carlos Aparicio of El Chingon launched the series this week with a taco de lobster zarandeada (a full 1Âœ-pound Maine lobster, charred cabbage sancocho, squink ink sofrito, and chiltepĂ­n mayo on squid ink corn tortillas, priced at $42). It will be repeated on Feb. 24. Esperanza Immigration Legal Services is the beneficiary.

    Cuba Libre in Old City is marking its first quarter-century with an open house noon-4 p.m. Saturday, March 7 (snow date, Sunday, March 8) with comp tastings of the restaurant’s original menu items plus rum tastings, cocktail samples, beer, wine, and sangria. No reservations, but those who register will get a $25 gift voucher.

    Convenience chain Sheetz is scouting Wawa territory hard for a new location— as in “a site five miles down the road from Wawa HQ” hard. Erin McCarthy shares the intrigue.

    ❓Pop quiz

    What new policy is in place at Philly dive bar Dirty Franks?

    A) Customers must be at least 25 to enter

    B) One additional hour of happy hour daily

    C) Free drink for anyone with Frank in their first or last name

    D) Non-U.S. beers only

    Find out if you know the answer.

    Ask Mike anything

    I saw a posting at the former Devon Seafood Grill on Rittenhouse Square with an estimated investment of $3.2 million. Any insight? — Woody R.

    Stephen Starr is developing a restaurant — concept is TBD — at the former Devon Seafood Grill at 18th and Chancellor Streets, as I reported nearly a year ago. What you’ve spotted in a window is a printout of a city commercial building permit. The “$3.2 million” cited is the estimated cost of the general work — just a fraction of the total budget, including major categories such as equipment, furnishings, and architectural and design work. Starr would not disclose the budget. It’s probably safe to say it won’t be $20 million, the sum he and partners invested in Borromini, which opened last year across the way.

    📼 Have a question about food in Philly? Email your questions to me at mklein@inquirer.com for a chance to be featured in my newsletter.

    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.

  • Preparing to confront ICE | Morning Newsletter

    Preparing to confront ICE | Morning Newsletter

    Good morning, Philly. It’s official: One of the region’s longest snow-cover streaks is over, just in time for a possible weekend storm.

    Across Philadelphia, churches and neighborhood groups are preparing to confront U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if the federal agency undertakes a large-scale deployment of agents.

    And could city bars stay open past 2 a.m.? Go inside the new push for late-night hangout spots ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

    — Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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

    ‘Courage is contagious’

    Philadelphia has so far not been the target of a massive ICE operation like the one seen in Minneapolis this winter. It’s not clear if or when a bigger push will come from President Donald Trump’s administration.

    Immigration advocates aren’t waiting around. From block leaders to religious communities, Philly groups are preparing to confront federal immigration agents pursuing their undocumented neighbors for arrest.

    A Presbyterian church in Spring Garden, for instance, created what its congregants call Fourth Amendment areas to shield immigrant families in case ICE enters the building, while a Center City synagogue ordered 300 whistles to be able to quickly alert neighbors to ICE presence. Know-your-rights trainings and ICE-watch chats are active across the city.

    “While you’re here, you’re safe, is what we want to assert,” the Rev. Peter Ahn, pastor of the Spring Garden church, told The Inquirer.

    Immigration reporter Jeff Gammage has the story.

    In other federal government news:

    Late-night kicks

    Philadelphia is not known as a late-night hotspot, with closing time at 2 a.m. and crowds diminished since the pandemic.

    đŸ» That’s a potential problem for the estimated 500,000 World Cup fans visiting this summer, many of whom will be used to later last calls. A handful of matches set to broadcast in from other North American host cities won’t even start until midnight.

    đŸ» Some hospitality organizations are proposing a solution: Let Philly bars stay open until 4 a.m. for the duration of the tournament.

    đŸ» It’s been done on a limited basis before, during the 2016 Democratic National Convention. And it’s not just a chance to earn more money, but to “prove that 4 a.m. nightlife can work in Philadelphia,” as one sports bar owner put it.

    Will legislation meet the moment? Reporter Henry Savage has more.

    More hospitality news: Inquirer staffers tried R&D’s new Philly-themed cocktail menu, from the HitchBOT to the Crum Bum. Their (largely positive) review includes the word “wackadoodle.” Plus, Sheetz could soon stake a claim in rival Wawa’s home, Delaware County.

    What you should know today

    Quote of the day

    The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. helped set the stage for modern-day American politics, columnist Jenice Armstrong wrote last fall. After the civil rights leader died Tuesday at 84, Armstrong reflected again, noting that Jackson’s death during Black History Month “only magnifies the sense of loss.”

    Plus: See images of Jackson’s visits to Philadelphia dating back to the 1970s.

    🧠 Trivia time

    After 96 years, Pat’s King of Steaks is changing how it makes cheesesteaks. What’s different?

    A) The cheese is melted into the meat on the grill

    B) All rolls are now seeded

    C) The shop is introducing pepperoni as a topping

    D) There’s now a vegan option

    Think you know? Check your answer.

    What we’re …

    đŸȘ‘ Anticipating: The return of Major League Wrestling to 2300 Arena this summer.

    🎾 Queueing for: “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour tickets for the Philly show.

    ✹ Dazzled by: Isabeau Levito’s figure skating costumes over the years as well as her Olympic short program Tuesday.

    🍔 Eager to try: Northern Liberties’ TikTok-famous Dominican smashburgers topped with queso frito.

    đŸ‡ș🇾 Considering: Why this South Jersey guy became the face of ICE resistance.

    đŸ§© Unscramble the anagram

    Hint: Former name of the Eagles’ training facility, the _ Complex

    ACORN AVE

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

    Cheers to Devynn Chester, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Jill Scott. The North Philly singer just made her debut on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series.

    Photo of the day

    Mason Kardon, 1, just started walking. He is seen talking a stroll at Liberty Place in Center City.

    Keep going, Mason! We’re about halfway to the weekend. ’Til then, be well.

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

  • How a 911 dispatcher helped a woman save her husband | Inquirer Chester County

    How a 911 dispatcher helped a woman save her husband | Inquirer Chester County

    Hi, Chester County! 👋

    A 911 dispatcher has been recognized for helping a Willistown woman save her husband’s life when he went into cardiac arrest. Also this week, work to rehab the Downingtown Trestle is set to get underway, a Netflix series with West Chester ties is getting a tax credit for its latest season, plus, Tredyffrin officials are addressing residents’ concerns about a Department of Homeland Security lease.

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    How a 911 dispatcher guided a woman through saving her husband’s life

    Chester County 911 dispatcher Kayla Wettlaufer (left) guided Terri Borzillo (center right) through CPR on the phone when Bob Borzillo (right) went into cardiac arrest in November.

    When Willistown residents Terri and Bob Borzillo returned from a trip to Barcelona last fall, neither had expected that Terri would soon be holding “the balance of his life” in her hands.

    But that’s what happened one November evening when Bob, 65, went into cardiac arrest. With guidance from county dispatcher Kayla Wettlaufer, Terri, also 65, was able to perform compressions on her husband of more than 40 years years while she waited for EMTs to arrive.

    Wettlaufer’s direction helped saved Bob’s life in an often fatal situation, earning her honors from the county this month.

    The Inquirer’s Brooke Schultz spoke with the couple about the harrowing evening and why the experience made them proud to be longtime Chesco residents.

    ❀ Plus, we’ve put together a guide for how to help someone in cardiac arrest.

    The Downingtown Trestle Bridge will be rehabbed, extending the Chester Valley Trail

    The Brandywine Valley Viaduct, better known as the Downingtown Trestle Bridge, will eventually help extend the Chester Valley Trail.

    The more than century-old bridge known as the Downingtown Trestle is set to be rehabilitated, a move that will eventually help extend the Chester Valley Trail. Work on the overall extension project is estimated to take five to seven years, with the design phase starting next year.

    The nearly 19-mile multi-use trail currently runs from Atglen to Exton and the trestle bridge is a “keystone” of the extension project, said Chester County’s director of facilities and parks department.

    Read more about how officials say the bridge and extended trail will benefit the community.

    📍 Countywide News

    • In case you missed it, an unknown number of annual mail ballot applications went out to county residents with the first and last names reversed earlier this month. Officials said the error won’t affect processing of the forms, but it comes at a time when some voters have expressed concerns after tens of thousands of independent and unaffiliated voters were left off November’s poll books.
    • In an address to the Senate floor, Sen. Dave McCormick used the county’s recent poll book blunder as an example of why there should be nationwide rules mandating proof of citizenship and photo identification for voters, like those outlined in the proposed SAVE Act. But the senator painted an incomplete and inaccurate picture of what happened in November and the SAVE Act wouldn’t have solved those problems, The Inquirer’s Katie Bernard reports.

    💡 Community News

    • Michael Phillips, a 44-year-old Coatesville man, was taken into custody last week after allegedly stabbing his 3-month-old son and then throwing him into the snow. The infant was taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for surgery and was later listed in critical but stable condition. Phillips faces charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault.
    • Tredyffrin Township officials have responded to community concerns after the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, leased about 10,000 square feet of space at the Westlakes Office Complex. In a statement, they reiterated that local law enforcement agents don’t enforce immigration orders or work with ICE. The space “will not house ICE agents or support their operations. It is strictly for back-office officials, such as lawyers and analysts,” a spokesperson for the property told Wired.
    • Last week, shareholders approved the merger of American Water Works and Essential Utilities, which serves customers in parts of Chester County, including Phoenixville and West Chester. More details about the merger are expected in the coming weeks.
    • There have been recent leadership changes at two area police departments. Brian Barber, who previously spent over 26 years with the Pennsylvania State Police, is the new deputy police chief of Caln Township. In Uwchlan Township, James Fisher has been appointed as the department’s new head following Chief of Police Scott Alexander and Lieutenant Maureen P. Evans’ recent retirements.
    • The Netflix comedy show Tires has been awarded $6 million in tax credits for production of its third season. The Shane Gillis-led show takes place in a fictional West Chester auto shop and is expected to generate $24 million in the local economy.
    • Alisan Road Mercantile, a new general store stocking Pennsylvania-made goods, is now open at 89 N. Main St. in Spring City.
    • A new bookstore opened over the weekend in Kennett Square. Located at 121 W. State St., Forage Books also offers a selection of gifts.
    • Heads up for drivers: There are several construction projects causing delays around the county. In Uwchlan Township, there will be traffic restrictions on Route 113 between Gordon Drive and Lionville Station Road today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for utility work. In East Pikeland Township, Rapps Dam Bridge will be closed today for maintenance. In West Whiteland Township, there’s a temporary new traffic pattern in effect for the next three weeks on Valley Creek Boulevard between Swedesford Road and the entrance of the Church Farm School. The southbound lanes will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for sewer line construction. In Easttown Township, Chester Road between South Fairfield and South Waterloo Roads is expected to be closed to non-local traffic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday for sewer improvements. And in and around East Marlborough Township, there may be delays on U.S. 1 between Schoolhouse Road and the Kennett Oxford Bypass tomorrow from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday as PennDot installs overhead signage.
    • After multiple power outages in East Marlborough and Pocopson Townships, Peco will be upgrading and installing new equipment as well as trimming trees over the next month. The $1.5 million project includes work along Folly Hill Road, East Doe Run Road, East Street Road, Brooks Road, Huntsman Lane, Schilling Drive, Windovr Way, Gideon Drive, and Valley Road.

    đŸ« Schools Briefing

    • Kennett Consolidated School District’s finance committee is considering a 4.17% real estate tax hike in its 2026-27 preliminary budget, which would cost homeowners of the average assessed home an extra $268 annually. The hike would help to fund special education and student services, according to the finance committee. The proposed hike requires a referendum exception and could change between now and June when the board is expected to approve the final budget.
    • A Westtown School teenager is balancing being a kid with a burgeoning collegiate athletic career. As Jordyn Palmer looks ahead to college ball, the 6-foot-2 junior guard who’s averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds this season, “has not even scratched her full potential,” one coach said. Joseph Santoliquito recently profiled Palmer for The Inquirer.
    • Palmer scored 19 points in Westtown’s victory over Friends’ Central on Friday, clinching the team’s sixth Friends Schools League title. Westtown’s boys’ team similarly won its game against Academy of the New Church, giving the Moose its first league title in four years.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • The Original Hot Bagels, a Delaware eatery specializing in bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and omelets, is opening its first Pennsylvania location in Landenberg. It will take over the former home of The Landenberg Store, at 100 Landenberg Rd., which closed in September.
    • West Chester Restaurant Week kicks off on Sunday and runs through March 1. Over two dozen restaurants will offer $40 to $60 specials during the eight-day event. See the full list of participating restaurants and their menus here.

    🎳 Things to Do

    🏠 Cabin Fever: This family-friendly event includes arts and crafts as well as a mobile zoo, where you can get up close to animals. Registration is requested. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 1-4 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Malvern Borough Hall

    đŸŽ€ The Best of Carole King and James Taylor: Listen and sing along to hits from these iconic musicians at this benefit for Marvin’s Home, an organization that supports youth after foster care. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. đŸ’” $15 📍 Steel City Coffeehouse and Brewery

    đŸŽ¶ Mad Dogs and Englishmen: A 20-piece band will recreate Joe Cocker’s live album and tour, Mad Dogs and Englishmen. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. đŸ’” $41.78-$83.18 📍 The Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville

    🏡 On the Market

    A sprawling Paoli home with a wet bar and wine storage

    The home sits on a nearly 1-acre lot.

    This spacious five-bedroom Paoli home is a blend of classic details and modern amenities. Its first floor features a two-story foyer flanked by dining and living rooms; an office; an eat-in kitchen with cherry cabinetry, an island, and a butler’s pantry; and a family room with vaulted ceilings and a gas fireplace. There are four bedrooms upstairs, including the primary suite, which has a sitting area, two walk-in closets, and a bathroom with a soaking tub. Other features include a finished basement with a wet bar, wine storage, a full bathroom, a fifth bedroom, and another office. Outside, there’s a fenced yard and a brick patio with a firepit. There’s an open house Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $1.55M | Size: 5,800 SF | Acreage: 0.94

    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.

  • 8 local happy hours to check out | Inquirer Cherry Hill

    8 local happy hours to check out | Inquirer Cherry Hill

    Hello, Cherry Hill! 👋

    Looking for a great happy hour deal? We’ve rounded up eight spots to check out. Also this week, a bomb squad was called in after residents discovered a cannonball in their backyard, the school district is no longer planning to redraw enrollment boundaries for elementary schools, plus Mikado is looking to add a small bar.

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

    8 local happy hours to check out

    The Farm and Fisherman Tavern has a happy hour special.

    Looking for a spot to score $3 tacos or $7 martinis? Luckily you don’t have to go very far, thanks to these eight restaurants’ happy hour deals.

    The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner has rounded up eight spots in and around Cherry Hill with happy hour offerings, including the nostalgia-inducing Steak 38, neighborhood bar Kaminski’s, and farm-to-table eatery Farm and Fisherman ($8 P.E.I. Mussels, anyone?).

    See what’s on the menu at these eight happy hours.

    💡 Community News

    • Residents on Woodstock Drive South found an old cannonball buried in their backyard Friday, prompting street closures and evacuations as the Camden County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Unit removed it. It’s unclear where the cannonball came from or how long it had been there.
    • Cherry Hill residential property taxes rose 5.23% from 2024 to 2025, according to new data from the state, outpacing the statewide average hike of 4.7%. The average household paid $9,874 in residential property taxes, which is slightly less than the statewide average of $10,570. The average Cherry Hill residence was valued at $227,125 in 2025, a 0.03% increase from 2024. (NJ.com)
    • Speaking of taxes, today is the extended deadline for residents to pay their tax bills for the first half of 2026.
    • The landmark former Cherry Hill Diner could soon be demolished after construction permits were recently filed for the site, which will make way for a new Tidal Wave Auto Spa. A second Tidal Wave is planned for 2301–2311 Route 70 West. Yet another carwash is in the works at 1507 Kings Highway North, where Speeders Car Wash is taking over the former Route 41 Car Wash. (42 Freeway and A View From Evesham)
    • As iconic diners like the Cherry Hill Diner continue to disappear across New Jersey, legislators are searching for ways to keep these businesses afloat. Last month, a bill was introduced in the state Senate that would establish a registry of historic diners and restaurants and give them a tax credit of up to $25,000.
    • Archaeologists working at Croft Farm have discovered evidence that the historic property was an active part of the Underground Railroad. A dig to assess the property ahead of planned drainage improvements has turned up cuts of meat and crockery possibly used by people who moved through there. Residents can see the work up close this weekend (more on that below). (70 and 73)
    • The township is seeking feedback from residents 55 and older for its senior needs assessment. The survey, which is open through March 31, is part of a grant-funded study about how Cherry Hill can better support older residents, who make up about a third of the township’s population. Find the survey, which is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese, here.
    • Registration for the township’s spring programs is now open. Programs include yoga, cardio kickboxing, golf, painting, and dancing.

    đŸ« Schools Briefing

    • In case you missed it, the school district has decided against redrawing its elementary school boundaries to head off expected overcrowding in the coming years and instead is planning additions to Clara Barton Elementary School and Rosa International Middle School, which are anticipated to be the most impacted. The school board still has to approve the additions.
    • East’s boys’ and girls’ swim teams have advanced to the state semifinals after capturing their respective New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association sectional titles for South Jersey last week. The boys’ team defeated Gloucester County Institute of Technology 111-59, a victory that led to its 17th consecutive title. The girls’ team defeated Egg Harbor Township High School 91-79, marking the team’s second consecutive title. The boys’ semifinals take place today, with the girls’ slated for tomorrow. (NJ.com)
    • There’s a board of education meeting on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • Mikado will ask the town zoning board this week for permission to turn its roughly 500-square-foot outdoor patio into an enclosed 10-seat bar and waiting area.
    • Indian Villa Restaurant reopened earlier this month in the Woodcrest Shopping Center, and introduced an updated menu featuring classic Indian dishes.
    • Looking for a great cup of soup? Hen Vietnamese Eatery has one of the best in the state, according to a new list from NJ.com.

    🎳 Things to Do

    đŸȘ Unearthing History: Archaeologists will be excavating part of the Croft Farm property, where 18th and 19th century artifacts, as well as earlier pieces of Native American history, have previously been found. The public can view the dig and ask questions at designated times. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍Croft Farm

    đŸŽč A Time for Love: Vocalist and pianist Jay Daniels will perform some iconic love songs. Registration is required. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 2-3 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍Cherry Hill Public Library

    ❀ Healthy Heart Big Fitness Event: Part of the JCC’s heart health programming for February, this event will take attendees through pilates and fitness dancing demonstrations, followed by snacks. The event is open to anyone 12 and older. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. đŸ’” $20 for members, $25 for non-members 📍Katz JCC

    đŸ„ Black Girl Magic Drag Brunch: VinChelle is hosting this drag brunch, which features performances by Mz Peaches, Cyrus K. Stratton, and Samara LaNegrĂĄ. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 22, 2:30-5 p.m. đŸ’” $19.03 📍Vera

    ⛞ LGBTQ+ Skate Night: Head to WinterFest Cottage at Cooper River Park for skating, a DJ, food, drinks, and access to local resources for the LGBTQ+ community. Registration is encouraged. ⏰ Monday, Feb. 23, 6-8 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍Cooper River Park

    🏡 On the Market

    This home’s primary suite has a jacuzzi with a built-in sound system

    The home spans nearly 4,000 square feet.

    Located in the Springdale Crossing neighborhood, this four-bedroom home has a modern interior, including new flooring. It features a two-tone, two-story foyer, a dining room, an eat-in kitchen with a waterfall island and stainless steel appliances, plus living and family rooms. The family room has vaulted ceilings and a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. All four bedrooms are upstairs, including the primary suite, which has a jacuzzi tub with a built-in sound system, and a walk-in closet. Other features include a finished basement and a fenced backyard. There are open houses Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $925,000 | Size: 3,954 SF | Acreage: 0.3

    đŸ—žïž What other Cherry Hill 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.