David Ascalon’s sculpture, called “Totem,” is located near the entrance to the Cherry Hill Public Library.
The Cherry Hill Public Library brims with more than just books. It also houses an impressive collection of art, both within and outside its walls. One such work, an 8-foot-tall bronze statue, has long caught the eye of township resident David Jastrow.
His daughters even came up with a nickname for it: The “mixed-up elephant.”
Wondering about its meaning, Jastrow reached out to Curious Cherry Hill, where Inquirer reporters set out to answer reader questions from around town.
This week, The Inquirer’s Henry Savage found out how the abstract piece came to reside near the library’s entrance and how its creator wants it to be interpreted.
Gerald S. Yashinsky, a 51-year-old Cherry Hill man, died after being hit by a car Monday night when crossing Haddonfield Road near Yale Avenue. The driver is cooperating with investigators.
The cost of collecting and disposing trash for Cherry Hill will jump $1.4 million in January. Mayor Dave Fleisher said the township has accounted for the increase — about $12.4 million over the next five years — in its proposed municipal budget for 2026. Residents can share their thoughts on the budget at council’s next scheduled meeting on Dec. 22. (South Jersey Media)
The former Fulton Bank at 1460 Route 70 East could becomea Dunkin’. On Monday, the township’s Planning Board will consider variance requests from South Jersey Management, LLC to convert the former 2,300-square-foot bank into a 2,100-square-foot coffee shop. Changes call for removing the existing drive-through and making the western driveway along Frontage Road into an entrance only.
The AMC Cherry Hill 24 will be one of 500 movie theaters across the U.S. and Canada screening the finale of Stranger Things on New Year’s Eve as it makes its global debut. Fans can reserve seats now for screenings of the feature-length finale.
A Powerball ticket purchased at the Wegmans on Route 70 for last Saturday’s jackpot matched four of the five white balls called, meaning whoever purchased the ticket won $50,000. (Patch)
The Plaza at Cherry Hill has undergone several changes recently, including the opening of swimming lesson chain Big Blue Swim School and thrift store Savers, as well as the relocation of Pure Hockey. The shifts come as part of the shopping center undergoes a makeover. (42 Freeway)
New Jersey officials have declared a drought warning for many parts of the state, including Camden County, which has experienced about four inches below average precipitation over the past 90 days and is down six inches for the past year.
Cherry Hill East and West’s girls basketball teams both have a number of Big North Conference stat leaders returning to their rosters this year.Kirsten Gibson of West had the second-most points per game in the conference last year, according to NJ.com data. Her teammates Jizel Dowling and Lilly Legato will also return. East’s Dylan Kratchman, who averaged 11 points per game, will sport the Cougar colors again, along with Maya Morgan, Michelle Le, Jessie Atlas, and Lily Shubach.
Reminder for families: There are early dismissals for preschool, elementary, and middle schools today and tomorrow as parent/teacher conferences continue. There’s a districtwide early dismissal Friday. See the district’s full calendar here.
🍽️ On our Plate
Indian restaurant Bombay Express is opening at its new location at 219 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd. tomorrow. The eatery, known for its traditional and vegan halal dishes, as well as its naan tacos, closed its Marlton storefront in late October. Its new spot will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Italian restaurant Caffe Aldo Lamberti is hosting Christmas carolers during dinner service this Sunday and again next weekend. Students from East will perform this Sunday and next Friday, while students from West will sing tunes next Saturday and Sunday. Caroling will take place from about 6 to 9 p.m. each night.
Cherry Hill is home to three of the 99 greatest restaurants in New Jersey, according to NJ.com. The outlet ranked Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is known for its soup dumplings, the top restaurant in town, coming in at No. 42. It’s followed by Sichuan joint Han Dynasty at No. 81, and Korean barbecue eatery Dolsot House at No. 94.
🎳 Things to Do
⛸️ Skate and Decorate: Hit the ice at the Winterfest Ice Skating Rink and decorate holiday cookies. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, noon-4 p.m. 💵 Cookie decorating is free, skating admission is $6-$9 📍 Cooper River Park
🕎 Menorah Motorcade: Now in its 16th year, cars adorned with menorahs will parade from Chabad in Cherry Hill to Barclay Farm Shopping Center, where the giant menorah will be lit. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, parade starts at 4 p.m., giant menorah lighting is at 5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Chabad of Camden and Burlington Counties
The kitchen on the first floor has been recently updated.
Located on a corner lot, the first-floor unit of this duplex was recently renovated, including new flooring, lighting, and paint. It features two bedrooms, a kitchen with black and white cabinetry, a living room, an updated full bathroom, and a bonus room. It also has exclusive access to the basement and the front porch. The second floor is currently occupied by long-term tenants, providing passive income for a new owner.
Is your home a Haven? The Inquirer is seeking homeowners and renters for a weekly feature on how people make their houses, apartments, and condos into homes they love. Email details and a few photos to properties@inquirer.com.
🗞️ 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.
Kyle Schwarber is probably going to finish his career in a Phillies uniform.
The 32-year-old slugger agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract on Tuesday, fulfilling a priority that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski spoke about getting done in the fall.
Schwarber hit 56 home runs — or as we like to say, Schwarbombs — this season to finish two shy of Ryan Howard’s franchise record, and he was runner-up for National League MVP.
But did anyone really think the Phillies weren’t going to resign Schwarber?
They could have gone in another direction, especially as Schwarber got offers this week. But the Phillies believe Schwarber is unrivaled, and it’s the right move to not make sweeping changes to their roster.
The Phillies are optimistic about re-signing J.T. Realmuto and announced manager Rob Thomson’s contract extension through 2027.
Thomson has led the Phillies to a .580 winning percentage since he was named the manager in 2022. He is the fourth manager in MLB history to reach the postseason in each of his first four full seasons at the helm and was a finalist for manager of the year in 2025.
He doesn’t want to “go anyplace else whenever I’m done, because I love the people and I love the organization,” Thomson said.
The perception is that the Phillies are merely bringing back the band.
Jalen Hurts turned the ball over five times Monday, including twice on the same play.
Jalen Hurts threw a career-high four interceptions in the Eagles’ 22-19 overtime loss to the Chargers on Monday night, extending their losing streak to three games. The loss was not all on the sixth-year quarterback. However, it did expose his imperfections as a drop-back passer. He threw over and behind his intended targets, and made the wrong reads. The lowly Raiders offer a chance for the quarterback to get right this Sunday. Can he get the job done?
While the Eagles are still sit in the driver’s seat in the NFC East, their losing streak has not been good for their position in the NFL power rankings. There seems to be one consistent theme across every media outlet that ranked the Eagles: They all agree that the Birds are in serious trouble.
📖 Learning: Heading into Week 15, the Eagles’ matchup with Las Vegas might feel like a get-well game. But the Raiders have been scoring at roughly the same pace as the Birds over the last six weeks.
Ty Murchison made his NHL debut on Tuesday against San Jose.
During morning skate on Tuesday, Ty Murchison learned that he would be making his NHL debut later that night against the San Jose Sharks.
The 22-year-old was a fifth-round pick by the Flyers in 2021 and was a star at Arizona State. Not many would have pegged the California native, who grew up playing roller hockey before pivoting to the ice, to be the first guy to take a rookie lap this season, but the 6-foot-2 defenseman has adjusted to the pro game. He got to live out his dream in front of his family and friends, who were in attendance at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Four different Flyers scored in a 4-1 win over the Sharks. Travis Konecny reached a career milestone, picking up his 500th career point with a goal and assist in the win.
From left, former Daily news sportswriters Bob Cooney, Ed Barkowitz, and Mike Kern at Wolf Burger in South Philadelphia. The bar will host their annual Christmas fundraiser on Friday.
Ed Barkowitz, a former Daily News sportswriter, has organized a toy drive for 23 years, a task that feels more arduous each December. He’s 55 years old, teaches a college course, works with his family business, stays active as a freelance writer, and has to deal with the ever busy — and ever growing — holiday season.
But the donation boxes throughout his South Philadelphia neighborhood soon fill with toys. His friends — especially the ones he worked with for more than 30 years at the Daily News — will pack a corner bar on Friday night. And then he’ll watch his nieces and nephews use the money collected to buy enough gifts for more than 50 South Philly families to have presents on Christmas morning.
Sports snapshot
Gabriel Luzbet of Harrison, N.J., doing some juggling and tricks with the soccer ball at the FIFA World Cup drawing at Stateside Live! on Dec. 5.
Weighing the aftermath: A week removed from the FIFA World Cup draw, these are our picks for the early winners and losers.
The Phillies have locked up Kyle Schwarber for his age-33 to 37 seasons.
Kyle Schwarber is a remarkable hitter on a number of different levels. His return to the Phillies was a given. There was a market for his services, and the Phillies would have been devastated to lose him. Of course, there are some risk. Over the last 15 years, only three players have had more than two seasons of 30-plus home runs between the ages of 33 and 37, but any judgment of the Phillies’ offseason will depend on what happens next, writes columnist David Murphy.
🧠 Trivia time answer
How many passing yards did Tom Brady have in the Patriots’ loss to Nick Foles and the Eagles in Super Bowl LII?
D. 505 yards — Pete S. was first with the correct answer.
The national media, including a few former Eagles, had somethings to say about the team’s performance.
While Jalen Hurts played the worst game of his career in the Eagles’ overtime loss to the Chargers, this former Eagles player wouldn’t put too much weight into it. Find out who said it here.
What you’re saying about the Eagles’ loss
We asked: Who is most at fault in this Eagles slump? Among your responses:
I believe it’s a combination of whoever is calling the plays and Hurts poor play. The play selection seems easily predictable resulting in too many 3rd and longs in which the Eagles are extremely woesome. Hurts just seems off. High throws and appearing to not notice wide open receivers is very concerning. — Bob A.
Jalen Hurts lost that game!!— Joseph M.
After last night’s game, there should be no question in anyone’s mind, that the main player who is at fault would be Carson Wentz 2.0! Don’t be surprised to see Howie move Hurts during the off season for almost nothing. And to think Howie gave the greatest kicker ever to play the game to the Chargers for nothing. 99 field goals out of 102 attempts is almost impossible. — Ronald R.
Stubborn Nick Sirianni and unimaginative Kevin Patullo— Sheldon W.
Nick Sirianni argues a call during the second half against the Chargers on Monday.
Well since they are still searching for an “identity ” (It’s December.) Got to be Sirianni. — Bill M.
Lots of coaches and players to blame, but the one who always has to answer for the overall lack of team success is the leader. Sirianni is the head coach and winning and losing is ultimately his responsibility. “Heavy lies the crown.” Hurts is playing like a rookie, the play calling is awful, and the O line needs help. Maybe the Saints will fire Kellen and he can come back and run the offense. And maybe bringing back Kelce is not all that laughable. A trip to Santa Clara is looking more and more like a fading dream, but we fans will not give up. — Everett S.
You’ve got to start with Patullo, because he’s really the only one doing a job he’s never done before. Sirianni, great record or no, for only seeing the silver lining and not the clouds. The OL, which doesn’t have the consistency it had last year and a couple of their best playing hurt. And Jalen, who just doesn’t seem to mesh with his tenth play-caller in 10 years. The schedule has been brutal, but two wins over the Daniels-less Commanders means they only need one other and they win the division. And then, who knows?— Joel G.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from David Murphy, Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Jeff McLane, Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Jackie Spiegel, Matt Breen, Gabriela Carroll, and Kerith Gabriel.
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.
As always, thanks for reading. Kerith will be back in your inbox tomorrow, till then! — Bella
There’s this idea in the sports world that when your team wins a championship like the Super Bowl, fans can’t really complain about whatever happens in the next season or two. The author of that maxim has obviously never been to Philadelphia, which is experiencing a 1776-level revolt over the Eagles’ three-game losing streak and the increasingly erratic play of the Super Bowl MVP, quarterback Jalen Hurts. So much for brotherly love, pal.
No, the thing that finally caused the mainstream media to go all Watergate all the time on Donald Trump and his Pentagon chief was a lot more simple, if harder to stomach: the early September murder by drone strike of two men — their identities still unknown to the world, or most of it — clinging to a piece of ship-wreckage in the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela.
Flip on the favorite show of the Beltway set — MS Now’s Morning Joe — and there practically is no other story than the second attack on the seemingly helpless victims of an initial drone strike that killed their nine comrades. The media is demanding to learn what did self-proclaimed “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth know about the strike, and when did he know it. Commentators are calling the killing a war crime at best, a murder at worst. An unnamed lawmaker who saw a video of the second strike told reporters that the film is nauseating.
Pressure on the Trump regime to release this 45 or so minutes of footage of the boat attack is intensifying, and it’s not hard to understand why. It’s a bit like 2020’s video of the excruciating cop murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which made a problem that activists had been talking about for decades — police brutality — so real for everyday folk that millions took to the streets.
Likewise, people have been calling Trump names — including the “f-word,” fascist — ever since the Manhattan real-estate mogul descended the escalator at Trump Tower to run for president in 2015. But somehow the mental image of men reportedly begging to be saved seconds before an admiral givesthe order to obliterate them has captured the angry imagination in a way that past Trump outrages did not. No wonder Trump has flip-flopped on releasing the video.
Look, I’m glad the media and Congress, including some Republicans, are finally taking seriously the idea that major felonies are being committed in Trump World. Still, the two men killed in what’s called the double-tap strike came after nine other people had already been blown up, in an attack against civilians of a nation America is not at war with, who were accused of committing a crime — drug trafficking — that is not a capital offense.
There is no legal, let alone moral, justification for this attack — and it was the first of a series of drone strikes that have killed at least 86 people. There’s a strong case that every one of these is a war crime. It’s just that the killing of the two men clinging to debris appears even more egregious.
This highlights an even weightier issue. From Day One of Trump’s second term, there has been a callous indifference to human life — a hallmark that the current U.S. government unfortunately shares with many other authoritarian regimes throughout history. But the media, and the watchdogs, have struggled to convey this reality with so many of the deaths taking place off camera.
So far, the worst crime has been the rash move back in the first weeks of the new administration by Trump’s billionaire then-ally Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) — a once-thriving $34-billion-a-year agency that funded food, medicine, classrooms and other aid in developing nations.
The Musk team labelled USAID as inefficient and out of whack with Trump’s new priorities like curbing immigration. This despite the fact that experts saw the American agency as the best projector of “soft power” around the globe as it saved literally millions of lives, especially for children under age 5.
“We are now witnessing what the historian Richard Rhodes termed ‘public man-made death,’ which, he observed, has been perhaps the most overlooked cause of mortality in the last century,” Atul Gawande, a surgeon who worked with USAID in the Joe Biden years, wrote last month in the New Yorker. Gawande estimated that the wanton destruction of USAID programs that offered vaccines and fought AIDS and infectious disease outbreaks caused 600,000 needless deaths in the first 10 months of the Trump regime, with millions more to come.
This week, the philanthropic Gates Foundation reported that for the first time in the 21st century, mostly preventable deaths of children under age 5 are rising instead of falling, and the main culprit is cuts in development aid, led by the United States. “We could be the generation who had access to the most advanced science and innovation in human history,” the billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates said, “but couldn’t get the funding together to ensure it saved lives.”
The MAGA comebacks to cries that Trump is a fascist dictator often claim that innocent people aren’t getting slaughtered as happened under Adolf Hitler or Mao Zedong or other historic despots. The truth is that the regime’s cruelty-is-the-point demagoguery is inevitably becoming a death cult, epitomized by Musk’s chainsaw DOGE shtick. The murder happens in small batches, on boats off South America, and it also happens in big lots in places like famine-plagued South Sudan, as children die from aid cuts to badly needed health centers.
And increasingly, Trump’s death cult is taking root here at home, from the 25 humans, and counting, who’ve died in ICE’s overcrowded detention centers this year, to individuals like Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez, who was struck by cars while running awayfrom immigration agents who raided a Home Depot parking lot in Southern California. This is before we know the full and likely lethal impact of alarming health policy changes from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Health and Human Services Department, and the toxic anti-vaccine culture he promotes.
We should be just as outraged by the deaths that take place out of sight, in dusty and remote places on the other side of the world, as by two premeditated murders captured in a MAGA snuff film. Understanding the nature of Trump’s cult of death is critical for folks to find the courage to rise up and stop this before it gets much, much worse.
Yo, do this!
The one thing that truly sets MS Now’s Rachel Maddow apart from her peers as an opinionated late-night cable-news host is her love for history, and her ability to put today’s crisis in the context of what came before. In her second life as a top podcaster, Maddow’s sweet spot has become America before, during, and immediately after World War II, and what memory-holed stories from that era tell us about today. Her new audio series, Burn Order, is about immigration, paranoia and demagoguery — not now, but in the unconscionable internment of Japanese-Americans in the 1940s. Two episodes in, it’s her best podcast yet.
I’ve never really kept my promise to include great restaurants and bars in this space, but here goes. During last week’s fairly frantic journalistic sojourn to New Orleans, I took one night off and grabbed a beer in what might be the greatest American dive bar, Jake and Snake’s Christmas Club Bar. This shotgun shack of a watering hole in the middle of an otherwise residential street has to be seen to be believed, both on the ramshackle outside and in the dark interior pumping 1950s rockabilly and lit only by — what else? — Christmas lights. There is no better way to kick off your holiday season.
Ask me anything
Question: All things considered, the U.S. has weathered this first year of the second Trump regime OK. But three more years of this? Any guesses as to what happens between now and then? — Shawn “Smith” Peirce (@silversmith1.bsky.social) via Bluesky
Answer: Weathered? Just barely. But I do exit 2025 slightly more optimistic than I began the year, thanks to the size of the No Kings protests and the growing resolve of citizen resistance to immigration raids. What happens in the next three years? I think 2026 will be pivotal. Trump will surely look at his sagging polls and double down on dictatorship, which could include misguided foreign wars, more aggressive use of troops at home, and efforts to somehow nullify next November’s midterms. I also think these will fail, which means a Democratic Congress in 2027 and 2028 that will certainly impeach Trump and restrain his worst impulses. If not, I may be writing this newsletter from my prison cell.
What you’re saying about…
The question I posed here two weeks ago about the John F. Kennedy assassination was a good, evergreen topic ahead of a long break. Maybe it was my boomer-heavy readership, but all but one respondent didn’t believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. “I also saw Jack Ruby shoot Oswald on live television, another searing memory,” wrote Laura Hardy, who was 8 in 1963. “Nothing ever added up in my mind. Still doesn’t. Was it the Russians? The CIA? The mob?” The one naysayer was Armen Pandola, who argues that “JFK was a fairly conservative Democrat at the time…Where is the motive?”
📮 This week’s question: This has been asked before, but it’s still the most important thing going. Trump is appearing in public with a bruised, bandaged hand, prone to weird digressions or outbursts. So what is the deal with his health? Please email me your answer and put the exact phrase “Trump’s health” in the subject line.
Backstory on an all-too fitting venue for Trump’s Pa. speech
The Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pa.
Donald Trump may be constitutionally ineligible to run again for president — no seriously, he can’t — but that factoid apparently isn’t stopping the 47th POTUS from campaigning in the critical swing states. Why else did Trump choose Pennsylvania — a state he visited a gazillion times as a candidate — as the location for a major speech on the economy, to convince citizens that what they are seeing in supermarket aisles is not what’s happening? I can’t even imagine what Trump will say Tuesday night, but I was stunned to learn the regime’s choice of venue: The Mount Airy Casino Resort, the former honeymoon haven in Mount Pocono.
It’s not just that Trump is touting economic security in a casino, which seems way too fitting in an America where so many folks have decided that the only way they’ll ever get rich is through gambling, whether that’s a get-rich-quick investment in crypto or meme stocks, or by an addiction to the betting sites like DraftKings that are devouring the sports world. Or that the backdrop might remind people that Trump was the rare entrepreneur who drove his own Atlantic City casinos — supposedly a license to print money — into bankruptcy.
The real problem is that the Mount Airy Lodge is the epitome of the real Trump economy: Public corruption. Like Trump’s real-estate empire, the original Mount Airy Lodge fell on hard times in the 1990s, and its longtime owner died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1999. The supposed savior was the state’s headlong rush into casino gambling and northeastern Pennsylvania’s landfill magnate Louis DeNaples, long dogged by allegations of ties to Scranton’s organized crime family. In 2008, DeNaples was indicted on four counts of perjury tied to his casino permit application; ultimately the politically connected businessman turned over the casino to a trust chaired by his daughter and saw the charges dropped. But the Mount Airy Resort Casino remains dogged by controversy, including a recently proposed $2.3 million settlement with its table-games dealers who accused the owners of years of wage theft.
But Trump considers DeNaples “a close friend,” and the Mount Airy casino nabbed a $50 million federal bailout loan during the COVID-19 pandemic in the final year of Trump’s first term. Five years later, is there a positive story about the Trump economy that can be told from this stage of dropped felony charges, alleged wage theft, and government largesse for the well-connected? Don’t bet your nest egg on it.
What I wrote on this date in 2015
Ten years ago, I was fascinated by the decades-long political rise of Vermont senator and then-White House hopeful Bernie Sanders. This left-wing curmudgeon and relic of the 1960s didn’t capture the White House but changed America, for good. On Dec. 9, 2015, I touted my Amazon Kindle Single e-book about Sanders (The Bern Identity…it’s still available!) and offered highlights. I wrote: “Politics mattered then, before Chicago and Kent State and Watergate and all the cynicism, and the unvarnished, authentic voice of Bernie Sanders is bringing that feeling back for many.” Read the rest: “5 things I learned writing an e-book about Bernie Sanders.”
Recommended Inquirer reading
Did I mention that I went to New Orleans? I wrote two columns from the scene of Homeland Security’s immigration raid that the Trump regime has branded “Catahoula Crunch” in a gross homage to the Louisiana state dog. The first piece looked at Day One of the operation — the Big Lie behind the raids that claim to target criminals but instead go after day laborers, usually without criminal records — and the fear that pervaded the Latino community. The second column was a much more hopeful look inside the growing citizen resistance, as I profiled the everyday folks who are taking risks to blow whistles, chase cars, and generally impede Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
Last week — if you could somehow make it through the sickening bromance between Donald Trump and FIFA, the world governing body of soccer — we finally learned the key groupings and early-stage matches of the 2026 men’s World Cup finals across the United States as well as our now frenemies Canada and Mexico. You won’t be surprised to know that The Inquirer’s soccer writer extraordinaire Jonathan Tannenwald was all over the key developments. We learned who the U.S. team will play: Paraguay, a to-be-determined European qualifier, and Australia, in a June 19 Seattle match I still want to attend if I can start a GoFundMe (kidding…maybe) for the astronomical ticket prices. The Philadelphia matches include perennial contenders France and Brazil as well as a Curaçao-Ivory Coast showdown that I’m excited for because I might be able to afford it. The World Cup is going to be one of the biggest stories of 2026, and you know the Inquirer will cover this like an Italian center back. This alone will be worth the price of a subscription, so what are you waiting for?
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.
Hundreds of Philadelphians live next to dangerous abandoned buildings. The city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections stopped using a tool meant to track vacant properties.
And in other housing news, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker visited pulpits across West and North Philadelphia on Sunday, promoting her vision for her signature H.O.M.E. initiative that’s heightening tensions in City Hall.
Across Philadelphia, scores of families live next to vacant properties that are or could become dangerous — houses with collapsing porches, flooded basements, foundation-cracking weeds, and the like.
Many of those empty and imminently dangerous buildings are rowhouses, which share walls with neighboring homes. Disproportionately, they are based in the city’s poorest zip codes.
The total amount, though, is unclear. L&I’s methods of tracking vacant properties have shifted in recent years, including the discontinuation of an algorithmic tool to predict whether a property is likely to be vacant.
In the meantime, concerned residents and community activists want L&I to do more to ensure their safety, in some cases organizing to get the city to deal with abandoned properties more quickly.
Amid City Hall tensions, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker spent the weekend seeking public support for her signature housing initiative, the Housing Opportunities Made Easy program, aka H.O.M.E.
🏠 Parker on Sunday promoted the $800 million program to congregants at 10 churches, emphasizing that she wants to ensure the funding helps Philadelphians of varying incomes.
🏠 The speaking tour followed City Council’s changes last week to H.O.M.E.’s initial budget and eligibility requirements to prioritize Philly’s lowest-income households.
🏠 “We’ve got to take care of the people who are most in need, but we can’t penalize the people who are going to work every day, pay their taxes, contribute to the city, and they can’t benefit from home improvement programs,” Parker said during a stop at Cobbs Creek’s Church of Christian Compassion.
In other local funding news: A bilingual credit union, Finanta Credit Union, is now open in Port Richmond. It’s seeking “unbanked” customers who want to buy homes and build businesses.
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick plans to introduce a bipartisan bill to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies after this fall’s shutdown battle left the issue unresolved. Meanwhile, for every person who signed up for Obamacare health insurance in Pennsylvania last month, two others dropped their plans in anticipation of skyrocketing costs.
Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is permanently banned from holding public office in New Jersey — and if he tries, he could face criminal charges.
Jeffrey Yass, Pennsylvania’s richest man, detailed how school vouchers drive his massive political spending operation in a rare interview with The Washington Post.
A Wistar Institute scientist’s study has found a new approach to ovarian cancer treatment, which tends to be resistant to hormone therapy.
Former Fabric Workshop and Museum leader Christina Vassallo will become executive director of the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage on Jan. 5, Pew announced Monday.
The students of Room 221 at Fanny Jackson Coppin Elementary in South Philly watched a massive construction project rise for months outside their classroom window. At teacher Kate Atkins’ request, the builders came to class last week and answered their questions about the project.
Among them: “Why did you decide to make the house bigger by making it taller instead of making it wider?” and “Will it be done by Christmas?” (The latter answer is no — and not by Hanukkah, either.)
🧠Trivia time
Tony Award-winning playwright Tom Stoppard died last week at 88. To which Philadelphia theater did the Czech writer have a close connection?
Cheers to Nick Petryszyn, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Not for Nothing. The South Philly crime drama debuted on Amazon Prime this week.
Photo of the day
SEPTA operators costumed as Care Bears (from left) Jose DeCos and James Smith with mechanic Raymond Borges greet visitors during the Festibus Competition on Saturday.
Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Jack Kapp, who describes a perfect game — and afternoon — from his youth in Northeast Philadelphia:
I was 10 in the summer of 1964. My father started letting me handle the lawn mower. We didn’t have much of a lawn, but it needed to be done. I did a fairly good job, and he proposed that my twin and I start a small business mowing the neighbors’ lawns. We agreed, enticed by the idea of making money.
I clearly remember mowing lawns the day of Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning’s perfect game on Father’s Day, June 21, 1964. This was to become a seminal event in Philadelphia sports history — one of the greatest games ever pitched. It was a doubleheader. His game was first. It was a hot day, and we rushed to get our work done. My father didn’t watch too much TV or baseball, but I guess because it was Father’s Day, he watched it with us.
It was the first perfect game in the National League since 1880, the first in regular-season baseball since 1922, and only the seventh in the history of the majors. Quite the achievement. Bunning, the father of seven children at that time (he would have two more after that), threw only 90 pitches, and struck out 10 batters.
It was also one of the best days that I ever spent with my father. Bunning would go on, after a fabulous Hall of Fame career, to become a U.S. senator from Kentucky for many years. I met him once, and told him this story. He thanked me politely.
Wishing you a smooth start to your week. See you back here tomorrow.
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It has been 22 days since the Eagles last won a game. It has been a lot longer than that since they last felt good about their offense.
On the positive side, at 8-4, they can move a step closer to clinching the NFC East with a road victory this evening against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football. Still, the Eagles are struggling and the vibes on the sideline reflect a team that is trying hard to correct its issues without success, Jeff Neiburg writes.
“Honestly I think it’s been awful,” Saquon Barkley said when asked what the sideline energy has been like. “I think if you asked anybody, if they’re being honest, we’ll all agree on that.” Maybe Barkley and the running game can lead the charge in changing those vibes.
And maybe the offense could finally get untracked if Jalen Hurts ran the ball more. Designed runs have become rarities for Hurts in his fifth season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. He has gotten hurt both in and out of the pocket throughout his NFL career, which has caused him to miss games. The threat of injuries figures into the equation, but the offense gets a jolt when he runs the ball.
It’s unlikely the Eagles will suddenly have a high-powered offense at this late stage, Jeff McLane writes in his keys to the game. There is room for improvement and one way to address that is having Hurts run more.
The defense must get the job done without Jalen Carter, who is out after undergoing a medical procedure on both shoulders. Carter’s absence figures into the predictions from our writers on how things will pan out in California. Not everyone’s picking the Eagles, either.
How can the defense turn things around? The Eagles will need a huge game from edge rushers Nolan Smith, Jaelan Phillips, and Jalyx Hunt, David Murphy writes.
Here’s everything you need to know before Hurts and the Birds face Justin Herbert and the Chargers for the first time since 2021.
Maybe this completely different take on the game could calm the nerves of some Eagles fans: ESPN2 will offer a real-time animated broadcast of Eagles-Chargers set in the universe of Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. franchise. The alt-cast will use real-time player tracking data to place Barkley, Hurts, and the rest of the Eagles in the animated Monsters universe.
Flyers center Trevor Zegras fires a shot during the third period against Colorado at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Colorado Avalanche came into Xfinity Mobile Arena with an NHL-best 20-2-6 record, but the Flyers held their own Sunday in a 3-2 loss.
“Some people use games as measuring sticks, and I think we don’t need to do that anymore,” Travis Konecny said. “We’ve shown we can compete with the best teams, so why not start believing that we should be right there with them?”
Paul George stares down Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. on Friday at Fiserv Forum.
There was a promising Paul George sighting for the Sixers in their victory over the Bucks on Friday night. George finished with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in just under 30 minutes. Even after knee surgery and an injury-riddled first season as a Sixer, he has shown flashes of the player who became a perennial All-Star.
The Villanova Wildcats celebrate defeating the Penn Quakers in the Big 5 championship at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday.
Villanova came up short in the first two iterations of the Big 5 Classic, but the Wildcats left no doubt as they closed the tournament’s tripleheader Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. They beat Penn, 90-63, in the finale and won their three Big 5 games by an average margin of 20 points.
Now they’ll take a big step up in competition. Next up for 7-1 Villanova is a showdown with unbeaten Michigan on Tuesday night in Ann Arbor. “We have a big test Tuesday because I think, by far, they’re playing the best basketball in the country,” Wildcats coach Kevin Willard said.
The loss to ’Nova was a costly one for Penn, as star forward Ethan Roberts was taken to the hospital after leaving the game with a injury.
Penn State’s Kaytron Allen scoring a touchdown against Rutgers.
Penn State will close a tumultuous season with a date against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Dec. 27 game at Yankee Stadium will close a chapter on Nittany Lions football before new coach Matt Campbell takes over. Clemson (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) has seen its own ups and downs this season, but the Tigers won six of their last eight games to earn bowl eligibility.
In the Football Championship Subdivision, Villanova advanced to the quarterfinals with a 14-7 upset of Lehigh.
Join us before kickoff
Gameday Central: Eagles at Chargers
Live from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.:Beat writers Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner will preview tonight’s Eagles game against the Los Angeles Chargers at 6:45 p.m. Tune in to Gameday Central.
Sports snapshot
La Salle’s leader: Notre Dame-bound Joey O’Brien lifted the Explorers past Pittsburgh Central Catholic for the PIAA Class 6A state championship.
Ron Hextall becomes the first NHL goalie to score a goal by shooting the puck into the opposing net as the Flyers beat Boston, 5-2, on Dec. 8, 1987.
Dec. 8, 1987: Flyers rookie Ron Hextall became the first NHL goaltender to score a goal. Hextall scored an empty-netter in a 5-2 victory against the Boston Bruins at the Spectrum.
Jalen Hurts has to start playing up to his contract if the Eagles are to make another Super Bowl run.
Now that the drop-off in Jalen Carter’s play in 2025 compared with 2024 has been explained by his deteriorating shoulders, the responsibility for a late-season surge falls more squarely on the shoulders of embattled quarterback Jalen Hurts.
He’s got to throw better passes. He’s got to run the offense more efficiently. He’s got to start using his legs as a weapon, because the main weapon on defense is gone.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Jeff McLane, David Murphy, Owen Hewitt, Jackie Spiegel, Keith Pompey, Marcus Hayes, Jonathan Tannenwald, Devin Jackson, Greg Finberg, Dylan Johnson, and Katie Lewis.
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.
Thank you for reading Sports Daily. I’ll see you in Tuesday’s newsletter. — Jim
Experts in Philadelphia sharply criticized a CDC panel’s decision to end a long-standing recommendation to immunize all infants at birth against hepatitis B. The vaccine was first developed in the city.
A judge vacated more than 130 drug cases after prosecutors said three Philadelphia narcotics officers repeatedly gave false testimony in court. Hundreds more cases may see the same fate in the coming months.
A former top Philadelphia labor official claims in a lawsuit that she was passed over for a promotion because she’s a woman, and was later fired afterraising concerns about gender-based discrimination spanning two mayoral administrations.
The celebrated architect Frank Gehry died Friday at the age of 96. His acclaimed signature can be found from the audacious Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, to the 2021 renovation of the Philadelphia Art Museum.
Every Saturday, we’ll talk about something happening around Philly. This time, it’s the city’s year in numbers via Spotify Wrapped and Google.
By now, you may have already seen your personalized music-listening habits courtesy of Spotify Wrapped and other streaming services, or swiped past countless social media posts of people sharing theirs. As far as Spotify goes, things are slightly different in the city this year.
Rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake stood strong in our streams, so Taylor Swift is no longer Philly’s top artist of the year (the Reading-born singer dropped to No. 2). Newtown native Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” ranked No. 4 among Philadelphia’s top podcasts. Personally, my favorite feature of Spotify Wrapped 2025 was “listening age.” With “Who’s Crying Now” playing in the background, mine said I’m actually 60 years old with “an old soul” because I enjoyed a lot of early ’80s tunes.
But music isn’t the only data dump we have to contend with. Just one look at Google’s 2025 “Year in Search” report tells you everything you need to know about Philadelphia’s psyche. It turns out we couldn’t stop searching slang terms like “clock it” and “6-7” (which was born here, IYKYK), Eagles players DeVonta Smith and Cooper DeJean (to cop kelly green jerseys), and two songs by Swift: “Wood” and “Father Figure.”
These behaviors are a lot more algorithmically curated and influenced than, say, the number of cheesesteaks we ate or times we hollered “Go Birds.” Still, it’s been fun to see Philly make other creative end-of-year recaps, like Fillmore Philly crunching venue numbers, the Phillies’ “John Kruk Wrapped” video, and the Brass Tap highlighting its most popular karaoke track — which just so happens to be Philly’s No. 5 song of the year.
This week, Marra’s in South Philadelphia shut its doors for good. The classic Italian restaurant, just two years shy of a century in operation, cited parking challenges along the renowned dining corridor as a contributing factor.
Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson argues that the neighborhood fixture and South Philly aren’t alone in managing a process Pearson calls “suburbanization.”
Cheers to Rick Eisenberg, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: High Note Caffe. The classic South Philadelphia restaurant has a new life as an old-time nightclub.
It’s lit (literally). The Philly Holiday Tree shone its 6,000 lights bright for the lighting ceremony at City Hall on Thursday. Grammy-winning artists Ashanti and Lalah Hathaway performed for attendees.
Somewhere on the internet in Philly
A Redditor wants to know who is feeding the city’s feral cones and road barrels: “Now we’re dealing with a full-on colony at 31st and Girard,” they wrote. The comments are a gold mine.
I can’t be the only one trying to wrap my mind around the way Gritty described his perfect day in Philadelphia. Unfortunately for us, he’s gatekeeping the dumpster he eats “delicious half-eaten burritos” out of.
THC-infused beverages, sold at smoke shops across the Philadelphia region, will soon be illegal. Companies are now mobilizing to save the billion-dollar industry, while officials say reforms could avert a public health crisis.
THC drinks, found for sale on shelves in Philadelphia and beyond, could soon be illegal after Congress banned intoxicating hemp products.
Catch up quick: Hemp-derived THC seltzers, teas, and sodas are widely available at gas stations and liquor stores. This unregulated market, made possible through a legal loophole that will close as soon as 2027, has exploded into a billion-dollar business.
The industry responds: As companies brace for impact, leaders are fighting for changes and extended grace periods for the legislation, warning the ban could hurt distribution lines and sales. Meanwhile, consumers say demand will remain even if the beverages are prohibited.
Concerns remain: Philly-area prosecutors stress the public health is at risk and are pushing for sweeping reforms and regulations, similar to those on alcohol and tobacco. And while some industry stakeholders also support more oversight, some small-business owners worry about the effects of “overcorrection.”
SEPTA had until Friday to finish equipping all 223 Silverliner IV Regional Rail cars with a new safety feature, but the transit agency didn’t make the deadline.
It blames a shortage of thermal wire, necessary for the heat-detection system required by the Federal Railroad Administration.
To outfit the entire fleet, SEPTA needed about 39,000 feet of wire. It’s short by about 7,000.
The Philadelphia School Board reelected its president and vice president and approved a new contract for principals that, for the first time, includes paid parental leave.
President Donald Trump will visit Northeast Pennsylvania on Tuesday to promote his economic agenda, including efforts to lower inflation, the White House confirmed to The Inquirer on Thursday.
Immigration activists rallied at Philadelphia’s Criminal Justice Center Thursday to demand Sheriff Rochelle Bilal bar ICE from the courthouse, while Bilal supporters said she’s been unfairly blamed. Meanwhile in Montgomery County, advocates urged local towns and municipalities to enact policies that would limit police and local government cooperation with ICE.
The family of a man accused of killing his wife is suing Montgomery County and two medical companies, saying they denied him crucial healthcare while in the county jail, leading to his untimely death.
Paul Staico, owner of the South Philly bar dedicated to the Kansas City Chiefs, has died at 59. Many of the people who packed Big Charlie’s Saloon every Sunday said they were mostly “there for Paul.”
This week, we have an explainer from reporter Michelle Myers on the dynamics of the live poultry business in the Philadelphia region.
Every week, about 500,000 birds are sent to live poultry stores across Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. These markets are more common in areas like Philadelphia with significant and growing immigrant populations. Here’s the full story.
Cheers to Morgan Flores, who solved Thursday’s anagram: RuPaul’s Drag Race. Philly drag queen Mandy Mango will compete in the show’s 18th season, premiering in January.
Photo of the day
Christmas Village, open now through Dec. 24, features a new 30-foot “Christmas Pyramid” at LOVE Park.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend.
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After surrendering 281 yards on the ground last week in a boo-filled Black Friday loss to the Chicago Bears, the Eagles’ defensive line was always going to be under the microscope.
That microscope lens will be zoomed in even further with Thursday’s news that star defensive tackle Jalen Carter will miss Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers (8:15 p.m., ESPN) after undergoing a procedure on both of his shoulders.
The injury, which first popped up in training camp, is the latest setback in what has been a stop-start season for the third-year defensive tackle who many expected to ascend among the league’s best defensive players.
How will the Eagles cope without Carter in the middle of their defense? A lot of that responsibility will fall upon Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Byron Young. It could also mean a role for rookie Ty Robinson, a fourth-round pick out of Nebraska.
But Ojomo believes whoever is out there will be up to the challenge and that the Eagles will bounce back.
“As a defense, we just have to have accountability,” he said. “Everybody look themselves in the mirror and realize, ‘OK, we have to be more accountable. I’m not going to mess up here, take this chance here,’ and get back to the defense we know we can play.”
The World Cup draw will take place on Friday at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States is still seven months away but things will ramp up and get real on Friday with the World Cup draw when the United States and the 41 other already-qualified teams will learn their fates.
Here’s a reminder of how things will work from the Kennedy Center in Washington (11:30 a.m., FOX). And on Saturday, we’ll find out which teams are bound for Philadelphia.
Ahead of the draw, some other major topics surrounding the tournament, including video review and weather, were addressed on Thursday.
What we’re …
⏱️ Waiting on: What’s taking Penn State so long to hire a coach?
🔍 Investigating: Sports gambling has made its way to the WNBA. But that’s brought unexpected consequences for players.
🦉 Excited about: Temple’s recruiting class. K.C. Keeler has the Owls trending in the right direction and might have a “hidden gem” in Roman Catholic wide receiver Ash Roberts.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is running less. Should the Eagles dial up more such plays?
With the Eagles offense in a season-long funk, many armchair offensive coordinators have called for more designed runs for Jalen Hurts to try and open up the passing game.
But the designed run is approaching extinction in the Eagles playbook, as Hurts is averaging just over one designed run per game, down from 3.6 a year ago. So why is Hurts running less? And could things change over the final five games of the season? Olivia Reiner takes a look at the dilemma facing the Eagles and how much they utilize their quarterback’s legs.
The Flyers have been playing well but not everyone is happy about it.
The Flyers are 15-8-3 and playing some of the best hockey this city has seen in five years.
But not everyone is happy, particularly when it comes to new head coach Rick Tocchet, if you take a gander at Flyers Twitter. Why? Many fans aren’t enthused by Tocchet’s style of play or the way he’s deployed Matvei Michkov thus far. Gustav Elvin writes that Flyers fans’ hate is misguided and that they should just enjoy having a competitive team again — for however long it lasts.
Speaking of Michkov, the Russian winger spoke on Thursday about his recent improvements and acknowledged his offseason training could have been better.
Lastly, the Flyers will be hoping for good news on Cam York, who is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury after leaving Wednesday’s game early.
Sixers forward Kelly Oubre Jr., has missed nine games with a ligament sprain in his left knee.
Kelly Oubre Jr. entered the final season of his two-year, $16.3 million deal with a lot on the line. An 11-year veteran who revamped his career in Philly, Oubre was staring down one of his last opportunities at a big payday. He started out the season like a player the Sixers would have a hard time keeping this summer, averaging 16.8 points and 5.1 rebounds and providing stability for a team that has struggled with injuries.
But a ligament sprain in his left knee brought that to a halt, and Oubre has been out for nine straight games. Oubre, who is progressing well and will be re-evaluated soon, said it’s been tough on the sidelines.
”It [stinks],” Oubre said. “Listen, man, I’m trying to stay above water, keep my head about it. Trying to fight the depression and all that stuff that comes with not being able to do your job and fulfill your purpose. So it’s a different challenge, and I’m up for the challenge.”
Our best sports 📸 of the week
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni reacts as he walks off the field after the loss to the Chicago Bears at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Eagles lose 24-15.
Each Friday, Inquirer photo editors will pick our best shots from the last seven days and share them with you, our readers. This week, photos include some Eagles disappointment, more happy times for the Flyers, and a Joel Embiid sighting. Click here for the full slideshow.
Free agent Kyle Schwarber has hit 187 home runs in four seasons with the Phillies.
Hopefully, we’re just waiting for the two sides to split the difference. Five years and $125 million would be a steep price to pay to lock up the designated hitter position through Schwarber’s age-37 season. But then, Schwarber will be bigger than a 37-year-old designated hitter when that time comes. He will be one of the defining players of an era, one of the franchise’s all-time greats, a fixture in the community, and a potential Hall of Famer. He may have passed [Ryan] Howard for second on the franchise home run list. He may be closing in on 500 for his career.
Can the Phillies afford to sign Schwarber?
The better question is whether they can afford not to.
We asked: What change are you hoping to see in Monday’s Eagles-Chargers matchup? Among your responses:
What I hope to see this Monday night is AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts on the sideline between series reading “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a [Dam].” Despite its title, the book does not encourage being apathetic and selfish, but rather stresses creating joy in the moment for yourself and your teammates, by embracing life’s struggles and finding meaning in adversity rather than mindless positivity. —Stephen T.
Like to use Tank Bigsby to spell Saquon unless he is having a great night. More run plays in general including Jalen. More plays over the middle using tight ends or receivers. Not sure why the Eagles aren’t using them. – Bill M.
For Monday night in Inglewood and for the rest of the season I want to see the offense, the defense, the quarterback, and the coaches perform like the Super Bowl Champions they are supposed to be.
And please remember to use Goedert in the offense and ditch the Tush-Push.-Everett S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jeff Neiburg, Jonathan Tannenwald, Olivia Reiner, Jackie Spiegel, Gustav Elvin, Keith Pompey, Christian Red, Devin Jackson, Joe Santoliquito, Matt Breen, David Murphy, Owen Hewitt, and Inquirer Staff Photographers.
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 closes out Sports Daily for the week. Have a good weekend, Philly. — Gus
I would be remiss not to mention some holiday-themed happenings, especially the City Hall Christmas lighting ceremony. But just like my Christmas shopping to-do list, there’s plenty of variety. Consider this the beginning of your late-year guide to what’s happening both in and outside your typical holiday ritual.
A 50-foot-tall tree, gleaming with thousands of colorful lights, will illuminate the north side of City Hall, at North Broad Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, for the first time of the season on Thursday night.
The tree lighting will feature a performance by Lalah Hathaway and Grammy-winning singer Ashanti. On offer will be free hot chocolate and warm apple cider, plus gift giveaways. If you can’t make it to tonight’s lighting, you can enjoy 6ABC’s live broadcast online, or on the mobile app.
The best things to do this week
🎄Lights in Delco: Starting Thursday,300,000 lights will adorn over 125 trees at the center of Media’s Rose Tree County Park for the 50th annual Festival of Lights.
🎭 A transformative musical leaves soon: Catch the acclaimed, eight-Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown at the Forrest Theatre before the show’s final show on Sunday.
😂 Laughs and brews: Stop by the Next In Line Comedy Club in Spring Garden to see headliners Chris Aileo and Josh Martier work their comedic magic on Thursday night. Drinks by Love City Brewing are available in the venue’s showroom bar.
🪕 Country Christmas carols: Among the list of exciting holiday pop-up concerts this month, veteran country singer LeAnn Rimes will hit the Keswick Theatre stage for her Greatest Hits Christmas Tour. Before you go, make sure to clear your throat. You will probably sing Christmas songs from her holiday albums in no time.
🎵 Tindley Temple’s organ recital: Tindley Temple’s presentation of Handel’s The Messiah is accompanied by organ and includes just music from Part I (plus the “Hallelujah Chorus”), but there’s no warmer, more joyous appearance of the piece than the one at Tindley, on South Broad Street. The Sunday concert features conductor Jay Fluellen, organist Luke Staisiunas, and vocal soloists Tessica McClendon, Kaitlyn Tierney, Perry Brisbon, and Shango Lewis.
📅 My calendar picks this week: Art & Eats Chestnut Hill, Holiday Lights on Boathouse Row, and the Santa Stroll block party on East Market.
Ross Varanyak helps prepare Christmas trees for customers at Yeager’s Farm in Phoenixville, Pa. on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.
The thing of the week: Time to get your Christmas tree
In the words of my colleagues Michelle Myers, Henry Savage, and Rosa Cartagena, the debate this Christmas isn’t whether Santa Claus exists. It’s whether to display a real or fake Christmas tree.
While many households have switched to artificial ones, holiday purists are sticking to the real thing. Lucky for them, Philadelphia is home to several Christmas tree farms and lots, offering a wide selection of pre-cut varieties and even delivery options.
🎁 From Center City’s Christmas Village and Dilworth Park’s Made in Philadelphia market to Bucks County’s Peddler’s Village and Bethlehem’s iconic Christkindlmarkt, these holiday markets are worth a look.
🩰 The ‘Nutcracker’ to grace the stage: The classic George Balanchine Nutcracker,featuring a cast of talented children and some of the best professional dancers in the city, kicks off at the Academy of Music on Friday. The ballet will run through Dec. 31.
🎅 Hop on Manayunk’s Jolly Trolley: As part of Manayunk’s Get Lit weekends, the neighborhood is offering free Jolly Trolley rides through Dec. 20. The trek will include live music, performances, and plenty of holiday season characters on board for the ride down Main Street.
🎵 Holiday organs will blare: Live organists play Longwood Gardens every day of the holiday season (including Christmas and New Year’s days) — among them, Luke Staisiunas, Thomas Gaynor, Andrew Paulson, and Dylan Shaw.
🙆🏽 Pirouettes and orchestral tunes: The most popular ballet in the world would be nothing without Tchaikovsky’s evocative score, and the city is fortunate to have the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra in the Academy of Music pit live for all 34 performances of The Nutcracker from Friday through noon on New Year’s Eve.
Staffer picks
Pop music critic Dan DeLuca lists the top concerts this weekend and a few holiday pop-up jams happening this month.
🎤 Friday: After making a cameo at the Playboi Carti concert last month, Meek Mill will headline a show of his own at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday. The Philly native and Grammy-nominated rapper will be joined by special guests for the one-night-only bash.
🎸 Saturday: Philly songwriter Don McCloskey, known for the 2008 Phillies fight song, “Unstoppable,” and his link to the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crew, will perform with his eight-piece band for the annual “Holiday Office Party” at Brooklyn Bowl.
🎤 Sunday: In line with the city’s string of holiday pop-up performances,Philly jazz vocalist V. Shayne Frederick will play two “A Very V. Shayne Frederick Holiday” at South Jazz Kitchen on Saturday and Sunday.
Plus:
🪕 Virtuoso banjoist Bela Fleck and band mates Howard Levy, Roy “Future Man” Wooten, and Victor Wooten will perform at Miller Theater on Dec. 12, alongside saxophonist Jeff Coffin and throat singing ensemble Alash.
🎤 Jingle Ball, the annual holiday season pop star cavalcade, includes pop-rock sibling band AJR, jazz singer Laufey, Alex Warren, and Texas country rapper BigXthaPlug, and others at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Dec. 15.
Fights over historic preservation have been brewing and bubbling over in Philadelphia for decades. Now, a City Council member is provoking more debate.
His bill gives property owners additional notice before the city considers whether to designate their properties as historic — a designation that prevents owners from demolishing buildings or significantly altering their exteriors.
Preservationists say an extra heads-up would give developers more time to tear down potentially significant properties.
City Councilmember Mark Squilla’s latest historic preservation bill comes during a time of heightened debate around preservation in the city.
Preservationists are pushing back against demolitions. Some homeowner groups and organizations that advocate for more development are pushing back against an increase in historically protected properties and neighborhoods.
Squilla’s bill addresses some common frustrations that I hear from property owners.
In Philadelphia, people can nominate properties for historic designation without the permission of the owners. This is a frequent point of friction when the city’s historical commission considers nominations.
Supporters of Squilla’s bill call it a good-government fix that gives more notice and power to property owners. But some opponents of preservation say it doesn’t go far enough to help homeowners.
If you’re buying a home, refinancing a mortgage, or just want to know what your home is worth, you’ll probably want a home appraisal.
Last week, I talked to a professional home appraiser about what exactly an appraisal is and what goes into evaluating a property. He said a lot of people don’t understand the process.
At its most basic, an appraisal is “an opinion of value for a home,” he said.
Banks want them before they let you take out a mortgage or borrow against a home. Families get them when they want to figure out the value of property in a divorce or after a loved one’s death.
In my Q&A with Matthew Sestito, who’s been a licensed appraiser in the Philly area since 2009, we talk about:
factors that go into an appraisal
what homeowners should expect during an inspection
Nicala La Reau bought her 105-year-old home in Fishtown for the neighborhood and the house’s “incredible bones.”
But the home needed a lot of work. She immediately started renovations after her purchase in October 2024.
The home was dated throughout, so she had to update mechanical systems as well as finishes and the floor plan.
She started with five bedrooms and 1½ bathrooms but turned one of the bedrooms into an additional full bathroom. And she expanded the primary bathroom.
La Reau uses one of the bedrooms as a walk-in closet.
Off the third floor, she has a rooftop deck, where she drinks morning coffee and entertains. Her backyard is a “rare luxury for city living,” she said, and fits lots of seating, plants, and a garden.
The house near Rittenhouse Square has made headlines because it’s filled with thousands and thousands of books. Hundreds of the most valuable are now on auction.
And at 2 p.m. today, the house on the 1800 block of Delancey Street will open for the estate sale, which runs through Sunday. Besides books, shoppers can snag artwork, rugs, and other household items.
I’m curious what it’ll be like. Let me know if you go.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
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