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  • A look inside one couple’s office-turned-apartment on Market Street

    A look inside one couple’s office-turned-apartment on Market Street

    Allison Levari and Frank DiMeo were among the first tenants to move into 17 Market West last June. DiMeo had driven past the converted office building during construction and was intrigued.

    “When I did the tour I was just wowed by it,” recalled DiMeo, an attorney at Rosen, Schafer, & DiMeo.

    Their corner unit faces southeast, flooding the apartment with natural light through windows that stretch from the floor nearly to the ceiling. The 1,200-square-foot unit features an open-concept floor plan with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

    “We love the city feel, seeing the skyline,” said Levari, a court stenographer. She opens the windows each morning, letting in the fresh air and sounds of the city. “I will follow the light around the apartment throughout the day, finding the sunniest spot to enjoy a good book.”

    The kitchen, dining area, and living room, where light pours in from the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows.

    Those windows were a priority when Alterra Property Group converted the old Morgan Lewis office building into an 18-story, 299-unit luxury apartment building, opened last May.

    “Replacing the old office windows with floor-to-ceiling glass was a complex work sequence but necessary in order to transform the interiors, bringing in natural light and city views that define the new apartments,” said property manager Jennifer Oyola.

    The surprisingly smooth process of turning offices into apartments in Philly’s first big conversion project

    The design pays quiet tribute to its origins, honoring the strength and scale of a classic Center City high-rise while reshaping it for the way people live now, she added.

    The couple enjoy dining in front of the wall of windows, watching the activity down below. In the evening, they admire the sights of City Hall, Liberty Place, and other buildings lighting up.

    The guest bedroom, with views of the street below.
    DiMeo says dining in the apartment feels like dinner at a fancy restaurant.

    “Frank says he feels like he’s at a fancy restaurant with the view, especially at night,” Levari said.

    Both love to cook, and Italian food is their specialty. The kitchen is equipped with Samsung appliances, including a smart oven with phone app features, which is especially helpful to ensure they turned the stove off, Levari said with a laugh. There is plenty of counter space for meal prep and a lot of cabinet space.

    The apartment’s construction — windows framed in black, light brown luxury vinyl tile plank floors, and plentiful glass — lends itself to a contemporary design.

    Levari chose mostly neutral tones with pops of color to complement the look. She enjoys mixing classic pieces with vintage styles.

    The Alanda glass coffee table, made by Italian designer Paolo Piva, complements the apartment’s contemporary style.

    The living room features a lush velvet navy blue couch, a comfy spot to curl up on weekend nights and watch TV. The couple bought their Alanda glass coffee table, made by Italian designer Paolo Piva, at B&B Italia in New York.

    “It’s one of those designs that never goes out of style,” Levari said.

    The guest room/office includes the bedroom furniture she shipped over from Italy, where she lived for many years and taught English. It’s a comfortable reminder of the time she spent there. The only drawback is that the mattress is a European size that would be difficult to replace and it’s hard to find sheets that fit.

    “I felt it was worth it for the memories, look, and quality,” Levari said. “It’s hard to find pieces of quality that you love. Therefore, the shipping cost made sense.”

    The walnut Renaissance revival style cabinet in the primary bedroom came from a vintage shop outside of Como, Italy.

    The kitchen provides ample counter space and cabinet storage, with stainless steel appliances and gold details.

    Levari and DiMeo appreciate the building’s amenities, starting with the rooftop, which includes a saltwater pool, sauna, and cold plunge.

    “You really get the city vibe there because it’s on the 19th floor and you have all the highest buildings in the city surrounding you,” Levari said.

    Other amenities include the fitness center with a turfed area for cross training, pickleball and basketball courts, a yoga studio, and sport simulator. A club-style lounge includes a chef’s prep kitchen, private dining room, and billiards table. For furry friends, there’s a pet spa and park.

    Decorations on the dining room table echo the gold details in the kitchen.
    The apartment is decorated in neutral tones with some pops of color, like this throw pillow on the guest bed.

    The couple are embracing life in the city, where they can walk to great restaurants, shows, concerts, and the ballet. But they are also happy to come back home.

    “Having our corner apartment with the huge windows makes it feel like I’m on vacation,” said DiMeo.

    Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.

  • Letters to the Editor | Jan. 28, 2026

    Letters to the Editor | Jan. 28, 2026

    Whitewashing slavery

    Authoritarians try to rewrite history, fashioning a story that reflects well on them. That’s why the Trump regime ordered the removal of the President’s House exhibits that tell the story of the people George and Martha Washington enslaved. Donald Trump denounced any public interpretation of our history that “inappropriately disparages” the United States.

    But it’s not the historians and community activists who insult the white founders. They did that themselves, fighting for their own freedom while enslaving, raping, and torturing others. Washington continually rotated the people he enslaved out of Philadelphia, so as to evade the city’s six-month limit on owning other people. He went so far as to try multiple times to kidnap and re-enslave Ona Judge after she liberated herself in 1796.

    This is Black history, but it is also white history. It is American history. I myself am descended from Virginia enslavers. I know the knots my people tied themselves in, trying to soften and justify what they did. But there it is in my great-great-grandfather’s diary, after he describes the weather: “This day my overseer beats my negro Shadrick for sleeping in.” My ancestors and other enslavers committed a grave crime against humanity. Only by telling this truth and facing it can we hope to even begin to redress the consequences of their crimes.

    Sarah Browning, Philadelphia

    . . .

    As longtime educators (35 years) in Philadelphia, we are outraged and saddened that references to slavery at Independence National Historical Park have been removed. We cannot change history, but we can learn from it. Can we come together as people in Philadelphia to find a private location close to Independence Park to display these panels with the help of grants from foundations, such as the William Penn Foundation? Can we show visitors that we are proud citizens of a city that values brotherly and sisterly love? America was and is great. Let’s celebrate our Semiquincentennial while addressing the reality of our treatment of enslaved people and Native Americans.

    Joseph T. and Barbara R. Devlin, Telford

    . . .

    The Trump administration’s removal of educational slavery exhibits from the President’s House site at Independence National Historical Park was apparently done on the basis that they “inappropriately disparage Americans, past or living.” Generations of Americans have learned of our history through such exhibits at national parks all around the country. This move to censor our true history serves no “Americans, past or living.”

    Mark Baum Baicker, Carversville

    . . .

    After the National Park Service dismantled all of the displays memorializing the enslaved people at the President’s House, a call went out to Philly artists to contribute creative work to the now dismantled memorial.

    As I headed out to the site with some artwork, I learned that federal officers had killed a protester in Minneapolis, Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse.

    Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, Marco Rubio, Russell Vought, et al. can’t find another country to invade that won’t bring down the condemnation of the international community. Instead, with the help of the U.S. Supreme Court, the GOP, and a handful of billionaires, they are waging war on the United States of America. We are on the receiving end of a deliberate form of cultural erasure, disappearing references about the brutality of slavery at the same time that the good people of this country are being abducted, beaten, incarcerated, and now, killed.

    Cindy Maguire, Merion Station

    . . .

    I am outraged that the National Park Service removed the exhibits documenting slavery at the President’s House. Erasing those parts of our history that make us uncomfortable does not make “America Great Again.” What can make America great is the acknowledgment of its failures (past and present) with a firm commitment to righting those wrongs and making life better for everyone who lives here, regardless of where they come from, what color they are, whether they are rich or poor, or whether they are citizens or not. We seem to be drifting further and further away from any semblance of what makes a country great, from being an example for others to emulate. I wonder how future exhibits of this period in our nation’s history will be depicted — or if they will also be erased.

    Kathleen Coyne, Wallingford

    . . .

    I am writing to urge that references to slavery not be removed from our national parks and historic sites. These places exist to tell the full American story, not a sanitized version of it.

    Slavery is a painful and shameful part of our history, but it is also central to understanding who we are and how far we have come. Erasing or softening that history does not honor the past; it diminishes it. When visitors encounter honest accounts of slavery, they also encounter the reality of progress — the long struggle toward freedom, equality, and justice, and the fact that our nation ultimately rejected slavery as incompatible with its ideals.

    National parks are uniquely positioned to educate. They should present history in context, with care and accuracy, showing both the wrongs that were committed and the moral courage it took to overcome them. Facing difficult truths helps us appreciate the progress that was made and reminds us why it mattered.

    Preserving these references is not about assigning guilt to the present, but about understanding the past. An honest history strengthens our national character and ensures that the lessons of slavery — and the achievement of overcoming it — are not forgotten.

    Martha Weinar, Cherry Hill

    . . .

    President Donald Trump and his administration, including the National Park Service, are wrong and foolish to remove the true story of slavery from the President’s House at Independence National Historical Park.

    The President’s House is historic because it shares with only the White House in Washington, D.C., the distinction of being the official residence of two or more presidents. The President’s House was also at the center of America’s original sin of slavery, as George Washington lived there with enslaved people, and John Adams, an abolitionist, lived there without captives.

    Trump and his followers are wrong to try to whitewash our national history. We must acknowledge our past, warts and all, and resolve to do better. And Trump is foolish. His censorship only draws more attention to what he is trying to deny. Americans are smarter than he is.

    As another president famously said, you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.

    Joseph Hoeffel, current volunteer ranger, Independence National Historical Park

    The writer is a former member of Congress.

    . . .

    My grandmother, Margaret Washington, descendant of George Washington, and my grandfather, George Robins, descendant of Bishop William White, are probably rolling in their graves in the Christ Church graveyard over the removal of the signage at the President’s House nearby.

    As a retired public schoolteacher and a Washington and White family descendant, I’m appalled at the removal of the exhibit signs about the people Washington enslaved. Included was one sign with images of the Rev. Absalom Jones and the Rev. Richard Allen.

    Bishop White ordained Absalom Jones as our first African American Episcopal minister of St. Thomas Church.

    I supported the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition’s work to bring the exhibits to the President’s House 20 years ago, and we need to continue to do so today.

    Teaching the truth and supporting ongoing public education have been long-held values in our democracy as it progresses through time. We cannot erase historic harms. My grandchildren are the seventh generation of their family’s Philly ancestry, and we need to work now to stand up for the truth and our democracy for our unborn citizens in seven generations to come. We the People need to demand the return of the signs now and stand in truth together, protecting the birthplace of our democracy in our nation’s 250th anniversary year.

    Peggy Hartzell, Glenmoore

    . . .

    Regarding the removal of the slavery exhibits at the President’s House, could the displays be recreated by either the city of Philadelphia or even a private organization with a GoFundMe page? Surely somebody must have photographs of those panels that were taken down. Set them up on public, private, or city-owned property nearby so they can still be seen, and the information contained therein is not removed from the public domain.

    Doug Smithman, Dresher

    Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

  • Dear Abby | Woman prefers a wipe-down and dry shaving to a shower

    DEAR ABBY: I am a longtime divorcee and a retiree with grown kids. What is troubling me is I’ve always had an issue with taking a shower and all the oil and dirt flowing down my body. I think it’s gross, so I usually wash my hair in the kitchen sink. I also don’t get in the shower to wash my body. I hate getting out of the shower and feeling cold, or trying to get dressed partially wet.

    When I’ve been in relationships, I force myself to shower or wipe down with hospital-type wipes. (I still wash up this way, just not regularly, and I know it’s gross.) I dry shave my legs and underarms when needed, but this is really an issue for me. I brush my teeth twice a day. I use a light perfume and often get compliments, but I know from reading your advice that seniors lose their sense of smell and I could be ripe.

    I don’t know how to overcome this, and, for obvious reasons, I don’t have a friend I can float this by. I’m healthy and, like everyone, struggle with depression, but I don’t feel it’s bad enough to seek professional help. I’m on a fixed income.

    Just curious as to what your thoughts are on this. It’s been a good six weeks since I’ve had a proper shower, and I find no justification for it other than I don’t enjoy it.

    — UNSHOWERED IN ILLINOIS

    DEAR UNSHOWERED: If I thought your quirk could be solved as easily as buying a portable heater for your bathroom, I would suggest it. You state that you suffer from depression “like everyone else.” From the mail I receive, people do have problems interacting with interpersonal relationships, workplace issues, etc., but they do NOT “all” suffer from depression.

    Although you live on a fixed income, you could benefit from discussing your issue with a licensed psychotherapist. Help is available on a sliding financial scale through your county’s department of mental health or your local university with a department of psychology. While medication might help you overcome your depression, getting to the root of your shower avoidance will likely happen once you start talking.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: My question is about dating among older adults. I have been on a dating website for a while now. Most of the profiles are fake. I finally encountered a legitimate profile of a nice-looking man, and we are now talking. After one week, we are finally going to meet for dinner. I’m thrilled, but he stated that he has “baggage.” When I asked him what kind, he replied, “It’s physical.” What does that MEAN?

    We have discussed being intimate and, at our age, we are no longer virgins. I intend to go on the date and be gracious and kind, but I am more than a little confused. What are your thoughts? I thought we clicked or I wouldn’t be going on a date with him. What did I miss?

    — PERPLEXED IN FLORIDA

    DEAR PERPLEXED: The nice-looking man who has made a date with you could have been alluding to any number of physical problems. He might be missing a limb or need assistance getting around, or he may be impotent. Because he didn’t give you the laundry list he included in his “baggage,” you are just going to have to find out for yourself and take this a step at a time.

  • Horoscopes: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’ve been around hard people and known the cold pain of emotional indifference. Your capacity for kindness has been earned with firsthand experience of emotionally barren situations. Now your warmth changes everything for someone.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Questions arise. What’s the cost of attention, approval and affection? It’s different in different relationships. Sometimes it seems much more expensive than it’s worth. Often the currencies are subtle. Does the trade itself negate the presence of real love?

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Don’t waste time where red flags are flying. There are so many people of stellar character you haven’t met yet. Keep moving. You deserve to be around people who support, uplift and inspire your trust on every front.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). There’s a common belief that focusing on personal goals leads to happiness, yet shared effort and contribution often produce deeper, longer-lasting joy. Helping or collaborating with others will uplift you in the moment, and the good feelings linger.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You like someone. Your goal isn’t just to understand the piece of them you interact with. You already know their work role or public persona. You’re more interested in what motivates them. One thoughtful question can start that deeper connection.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’re doing well, but it’s OK to want to be doing even better. People who have your best interest at heart are fine with this. A transformation is happening now, albeit slowly. Keep focusing on what you want.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The vague restlessness of the day has you up and out, looking for somewhere to apply your energy that will keep you engaged, responsible and involved. Meaningful tasks will quiet an uneasy feeling and put you back on course.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Power and efficiency go hand-in-hand. Today sees you doing less but doing it well and creating a greater effect than overcomplicating or overextending yourself. Minimalism makes your world simply beautiful and keeps you from getting bogged down.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your internal weather produces states that come and go on their own. To argue with a feeling or force a mood only drains energy without changing much. You conserve energy just watching emotions drift like clouds across your sky inside.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You don’t always stop when you feel tired, because you know you have reserves that will kick in after you’ve spent everything in the tank. When it’s important enough, you can push through, and you’ll be met on the other side.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It clicks in. The plan comes together. You love the feeling of finally understanding a complex situation or making sense of the unknown. Your whole being lights up and you feel swept into the wholeness of life itself.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The contrast between curiosity and conviction is sharp today. Self-righteousness signals psychological danger. Certainty can harden positions. The most reasonable and accurate arguments are aware of their own ignorance. Stay open.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 28). Welcome to your Year of Lasting Support. You assemble a network that strengthens every part of your life, giving you more practical help, emotional understanding and an enduring source of mutual encouragement. More highlights: thriving projects, special connections with people of different generations and lifestyle upgrades that favorably affect your day-to-day. Libra and Cancer adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 14, 21, 32, 6 and 41.

  • Two teens, ages 14 and 15, injured in North Philly shooting

    Two teens, ages 14 and 15, injured in North Philly shooting

    Two teenage boys, ages 14 and 15, were injured in a shooting Tuesday night in North Philadelphia, police said.

    The shooting, which happened shortly after 7 p.m. at the corner of 24th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, was captured on surveillance video, said Chief Inspector Scott Small.

    The boys were walking toward a store at the corner when they appeared to get into a verbal altercation with another male, Small said.

    The shooter fired at least two times and then ran north on 24th Street, Small said. The 14-year-old was shot in the foot and the 15-year-old was shot in the abdomen.

    The teens, who are friends, then ran to a nearby house where one of them lives on the 2400 block of Turner Street, Small said. They were then taken by police to Temple University Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition.

    Police found one spent shell casing at the shooting scene, Small said.

  • Josh Shapiro backs Philadelphia’s legal fight to restore exhibits about slavery at the President’s House

    Josh Shapiro backs Philadelphia’s legal fight to restore exhibits about slavery at the President’s House

    Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is backing the City of Philadelphia’s federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration after exhibits about slavery were taken down from the President’s House last week.

    Shapiro said in a news release Tuesday that Trump “picked the wrong city and the wrong Commonwealth” when dismantling exhibits at the President’s House.

    “Those displays aren’t just signs — they represent our shared history, and if we want to move forward as a nation, we have to be willing to tell the full story of where we came from,” Shapiro said after his office filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit from the city seeking to restore the exhibits to the President’s House.

    The city filed a suit against the Department of Interior, the National Park Service, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron last week while the exhibits were being dismantled by the Park Service.

    “There is no virtue in refusing to acknowledge certain aspects of our history because it is painful to do so,” according to an amicus brief filed by the governor’s counsel Tuesday evening. “The removal of the slavery exhibit from the President’s House undermines this commitment and denies Pennsylvanians and others the opportunity to learn more about a part of our history that cannot be ignored.”

    Shapiro’s support comes as stakeholders across the country are voicing their outrage against the Trump administration’s efforts to sanitize United States history.

    Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has emphasized the importance of a 2006 cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government.

    Parker issued some of her most forceful comments yet against the Trump administration Tuesday night in a video posted to social media, saying that the federal government “breached” this cooperative agreement.

    Parker said her administration will continue “fighting” for the panels to be restored.

    “This history is a critical part of our nation’s origins, and it deserves to be seen and heard, not just by the people of Philadelphia, but by every person who comes to Philadelphia from around our nation and the world to see and learn from, especially as we celebrate our Semiquincentennial 250th birthday, I want the world to know you cannot erase our history,” Parker said.

    “Yes, it is flawed, yes it is imperfect, and yes includes the real life, lived experiences and stories of people who endured a great deal of pain so that America could realize its promise,” she added.

    The removal of content from national parks comes after Trump and Burgum issued orders that call for the review and potential removal of content at national parks that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”

    In addition to the actions in Philadelphia, signs about the mistreatment of Native Americans and climate change were removed from other parks including the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park, according to the Washington Post.

    In Shapiro’s filing Tuesday, his counsel states that the governor wanted to step in to ensure that important parts of U.S. history are continuing to be told and that he has “a compelling interest in protecting the role of state and local governments within Pennsylvania from the abuses of federal executive power,” such as the Trump administration carrying out the removal without notifying the city.

    A hearing on the suit is expected to be held Friday morning.

    In her video Tuesday, Parker thanked the governor and other elected officials for their support.

    “Philadelphia, we are on the right side of history,” she said.

    Staff Writer Abraham Gutman contributed reporting.

  • Allen Iverson criticized for ‘disgusting’ behavior at children’s cancer charity meet-and-greet in Australia

    Allen Iverson criticized for ‘disgusting’ behavior at children’s cancer charity meet-and-greet in Australia

    Allen Iverson is being criticized for an allegedly disrespectful visit with a children’s cancer charity in Australia, after a viral Reddit post called out the former Sixer for “absolutely disgusting” conduct at the hospital.

    Challenge, a Melbourne-based charity supporting children with cancer, has hosted NBA players such as Shaquille O’Neal, Cameron Johnson, Josh Giddey, Seth Curry, and Carmelo Anthony for visits in the past.

    Challenge chief executive officer David Rogers told The Inquirer in a statement on Tuesday that Iverson spent almost two hours engaging with media, executives, and high-profile sports figures, but “in stark contrast,” described the Hall of Famer’s conduct with the children and families as “unacceptable.”

    Iverson was set to do a 45-minute meet-and-greet with children and families supported by Challenge. Iverson was more than 90 minutes late, and according to the Reddit post, decided not to sign anything or speak to anyone, adding that his security said he was “having a bad day.”

    “My little brother who is 12 years old and is currently receiving chemotherapy for ALCL lymphoma, was so excited to meet one of his idols,” the Reddit post reads. “He came out to be extremely disgusted and disappointed in Allen Iversons[’] [behavior], and so were the other [families].”

    Iverson took one group photo and then ended the visit. The poster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    “Challenge was deeply disappointed with the meet and greet involving Allen Iverson,” Rogers said in the statement. “There was nothing further we could have done as an organization to improve the experience and, despite working diligently on the day to manage a challenging and at times disrespectful approach from his management team, we believe Allen Iverson ultimately let down the children and families who came to meet him.”

    Iverson and his management team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The incident was one of a number of reportedly bad events on Iverson’s recent tour of Australia. Former NBL player Chris Anstey posted on Instagram that Iverson skipped a scheduled free guest-speaking experience with CreativeCubes.Co in Melbourne, canceling two hours after the event was set to begin.

    Another former NBL player, Jason Cadee, said on a podcast that Iverson was invited to HoopsFest in Perth, and he spoke for just a few minutes on stage before skipping his scheduled meet-and-greet.

    “Iverson comes across and he speaks,” Cadee said. “He walks in the room and he speaks, he spoke pretty well for about seven minutes or eight minutes, gives the mic up and just leaves, that’s it. Apparently there was supposed to be photos, supposed to be some time to mingle, [but he was] out. That was it.”

  • Many Philly side streets remain full of snow and ice days after Sunday’s storm

    Many Philly side streets remain full of snow and ice days after Sunday’s storm

    It is a sentiment long held by residents across Philadelphia, especially those living on side streets, dating back to when snowfall was a more frequent occurrence than it has been in recent years: Don’t expect the city to do a thorough plowing job.

    That belief is one that Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has said she is trying to shake with action.

    Two days before a storm that whacked the city with 9.3 inches of snow and sleet, Parker, surrounded by the leaders of various agencies, including the Philadelphia Streets Department, vowed to buck precedent on the plowing issue.

    “We will make every effort to get to every primary, secondary, and tertiary street in the city of Philadelphia, and that is our standard,” she said, adding it would take “as long as it takes,” citing worker safety.

    “But know that we won’t leave any neighborhood, any block, or any community behind.”

    Still, residents across the city Tuesday said they were losing patience as side streets and even some secondary streets remained packed with several inches of snow and ice, locking cars in and making navigating intersections impossible.

    Fishtown resident Rohan Khadka, 22, was hoping plowing might happen overnight. Instead he woke up Tuesday to streets that were hard for him to cross even with the proper footwear.

    “A lot of our roads down here look exactly the same,” he said. “Most of the cleanup that has happened, to my knowledge, has either been by other residents or just cars happening to clean it because they’re using those roads.”

    A pedestrian walks through a snow-covered parking lot at Ninth and Arch Streets in Center City Philadelphia, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026.

    Analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s PlowPHL data, which tracks the movement of plows via GPS data, showed that about a quarter of streets citywide had received no snow treatment at all — including salting or plowing — after the conclusion of the storm Sunday night.

    Some areas were worse off than others.

    In places like Overbrook and Wynnefield, the city had salted or plowed about 70% of streets by the end of Sunday morning, when the storm began. But the majority of streets in these neighborhoods received no additional plowing or salting since Sunday, according to city data.

    The same was true for about a third of streets in South Philadelphia.

    The streets department said Tuesday it was deploying over 200 vehicles and excavators as part of a so-called lifting operation. Fourteen teams were fanning across the city to scoop up snow from the narrow roads and load it into dump trucks on nearby primary streets.

    The snow hauls were then being taken to storage sites across the city.

    Director of Clean and Green Initiatives Carlton Williams drove through parts of South Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon, as dozens of the side-street-size excavators made their way through the city’s narrowest byways.

    “It is the smaller tertiary streets that are challenging,” he said. “There’s more of them. It’s difficult to navigate through those streets.”

    As Williams passed a side street with several inches of snow packed, he noted a car illegally parked on the corner, which would make it difficult for machines to get through.

    Williams said this storm came with additional challenges. Not only did the snow fall in a condensed period of time, but it was followed by sleet and frozen rain.

    “We wouldn’t have many of the challenges that we’re facing today, slowdowns, if those other weather conditions beyond our control did not exist,” he said. “But again, I want to reassure the public that we’re aware. You see us out here today. We’ll be out here tomorrow, and we’ll continue to fight this storm.”

    But for Philadelphians waiting for a plow, time is of the essence.

    311 ringing off the hook

    For Moya Ferenchak, 30, the effectiveness of the operation carries serious health implications. They started pet sitting on the 1500 block of South Capitol, a South Philly side street, for a friend last Tuesday, bringing exactly one week’s worth of food and lifesaving medication — more than they expected to need.

    Ferenchak, who lives with a disability that causes limited mobility, cannot shovel. Calling a car not only is expensive but also would require Ferenchak to travel with all their belongings to an intersection that is not blocked by snow.

    Adding to frustrations across the city were reports of inundated 311 phone lines.

    “I called first thing this morning, and there was a 50-plus-person queue,” Ferenchak said. “Then I called again, and there was like a 70-plus-person queue. I waited for like an hour or so, and then it hung up on me.”

    Alex Wiles of Philadelphia has been hustling during the recent snow, shoveling sidewalks and digging out cars. This photograph was taken along North Second Street near his home, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. He was heading to the bus for a trip to his next client.

    The processing of online 311 tickets has also been a source of confusion for residents who wonder if they are being paid attention to. Williams said the complaints are populating a map used to direct plows to avoid redundancies.

    “We’ll take that data and get it within the operation,” he said.

    Some homes feel the impact more than others

    On the 4800 block of Regent Street in West Philadelphia, Justin Rothrauff described the road as “treacherous” for the mix of families and older residents who live there.

    “One of the big problems, besides the street not being plowed, is that the plowing that they have done on some of those primary roads has blocked the secondary and tertiary roads,” the 43-year-old teacher said, adding even if he could somehow get his car out of his block, he is not sure he would make it back in.

    While Rothrauff had heard of people paying to have their roads shoveled, he feels no one should have to.

    “I refuse to pay anyone money, I pay enough taxes in the city,” he said.

    For some Philadelphians, some information could go a long way. A much-touted live map of plow operations has been reported for mistakenly listing some streets as plowed, according to the residents who live there.

    Ken Wong shovels snow on Waverly Street, in Philadelphia, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.

    Krista Dedrick-Lai, 45, a South Philly resident, hopes the city will do more to tell people about plowing statuses, and explain why their streets are still covered in snow days after the storm, even if the answers are not what they are hoping to hear.

    “Sometimes context can make everyone feel better,” she said, noting her block on Federal Street got a plow Monday and Tuesday, but the snow banks had blocked cars in.

    Fortunately, she said, she and her husband have not needed to leave their house to work or to help their child learn through third-grade virtual learning modules.

    Others, however, do not have that flexibility. Making matters worse, more snow may be on the horizon this weekend.

  • The Flyers need their top line of Trevor Zegras, Travis Konency, and Christian Dvorak to rediscover its game — and fast

    The Flyers need their top line of Trevor Zegras, Travis Konency, and Christian Dvorak to rediscover its game — and fast

    It’s been a roller coaster of a January for the Flyers.

    Within 27 days, the Flyers have claimed wins against the two-time Stanley Cup finalist Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks, endured a six-game losing streak, and snatched five of six points across the new Death Valley.

    Monday brought a reality check as the Flyers faced a division opponent, the New York Islanders, and were handed a 4-0 loss. But coach Rick Tocchet has emphasized how important it is for his club to remain at an even keel.

    Flyers takeaways: ‘Some guys accepted it,’ and more quotes from a disappointing loss to the Islanders

    “It’s huge,” forward Travis Konecny said when asked about Tocchet’s approach, which was also stated by Jamie Drysdale after the game Monday.

    “I mean, even during a game, I know, I get pretty intense and frustrated, but it’s important to just reset every shift and not let things drag on. Especially coming in this morning, a positive attitude, be excited to play, be excited to practice, and on we go.”

    The Flyers now head to Columbus to face a Blue Jackets team that has only lost once in six games since Rick Bowness took over following the dismissal of former coach Dean Evason on Jan. 12. And it’s another critical game against a division foe that trails the Flyers by just two points in a tight Eastern Conference. The Flyers are currently two points back of the Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Metro, albeit with a game in hand, and six points back in the wild card, also with games in hand.

    While Tocchet likes that his team is so close and has been resilient, he did say Tuesday that part of being close is holding each other accountable when warranted.

    “I’d like to see them get on each other a little bit. In a positive way — I’m not saying yell and scream — but whether it’s practice, or if somebody makes a mistake after the first in the dressing room after the coaches leave don’t be afraid to make your friend accountable,“ the coach said. ”Sometimes we’re all buddies and they’re scared to say something. I find that a little bit with this team. The teams that I’ve played or coached with the leadership gets on each other, in a good way. That’s probably the next level for this team.”

    If the Flyers are to stay in playoff contention, one thing they’ll need is the top line of Konecny, Trevor Zegras, and Christian Dvorak to rediscover its game. Since Jan. 1, Konecny has nine points in 11 games (he missed one game with an upper-body injury), and Zegras and Dvorak have seven apiece across 12 contests. From the outside, those numbers don’t look bad, but the glaring issue is their plus-minus; Konecny is a surprising minus-3, Zegras is minus-4, and Dvorak is minus-8.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, when the trio has been on the ice as a line at five-on-five since Jan. 1, the Flyers have allowed a greater share of shot attempts (54.34%), shots (53.49%), scoring chances (54.08%), and more high-danger goals (2-3). The one plus: they have managed to outscore opponents, 6-4.

    After averaging a point per game through his first 41 games as a Flyer, Trevor Zegras has two goals, five points, and is a minus-five over his last 10 games.

    But it’s a marked difference from the 38 games before the flip of the calendar. In those games, with that trio on the ice, the Flyers scored nine goals and allowed nine, but outshot (52.29%), outchanced from high-danger areas (63.01%), and outscored opponents from high-danger spots by a wide margin (7-2). They were also even in scoring chances.

    “I hate to use the word cheating; they’re cheating for offense,” Tocchet said of his top line’s game recently. “You’ve got to go through the procession to get offense. … And I think they put pressure on themselves. It’s not like a lot of guys are filling the net. So they feel that they have to be that line, but you can’t be that line that just cheats for offense.

    “You’ve got to play the right way. You’ll get the same amount of chances in the long run, and that’s the way you’re supposed to play the game anyway.”

    The Flyers need their top line to produce. Konecny played well during his latest streak, a four-game one with six points, which ended on Monday. But Dvorak has just two goals and one assist in the past seven games, all of which came in the OT loss to Utah, including one tally on the power play. Zegras has also cooled off considerably. He had 41 points in the first 41 games of the season, but has scored only twice in the 10 games since his emotional multi-goal game against his former club, the Anaheim Ducks.

    The Flyers will be irrelevant as long as they lack a No. 1 center. A trade for Robert Thomas could change that.

    “I think get to the inside with the puck. I feel like we’re kind of one-and-done plays right now, which is something we know, and we’re talking about,” Zegras said of his line.

    “It’s not like, ‘oh, we think we’re perfect and then we don’t have to do the little things or the hard things.’ I just think it’s that next play that we have to get back to making, whether it’s beating a check or supporting a guy in a corner. But I think just getting that puck to the inside.”

    Breakaways

    Dan Vladař participated in practice again but remains listed on injured reserve. Aleksei Kolosov was at the team’s practice, too. … The defensive pairings had Emil Andrae on the outside looking in. Tocchet said on Tuesday he felt the Swedish defenseman “seems to skate into trouble and he’s been losing the puck a lot.” … Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returned to the lineup on Monday after missing six games with an upper-body injury. He said it “[stunk] to kind of watch from the couch,” but said, while it’s never easy, he was able to slide right back into the lineup because the “last couple of years, I’m kind of used to it [but] it was a lot easier to come back after missing 10 days than when I was out for nine months.”

  • Streets will be closed around City Hall for snow removal operation

    Streets will be closed around City Hall for snow removal operation

    The Streets Department on Tuesday is removing snow that has piled up around City Hall, and the operation requires street closures on nearby blocks, the agency said.

    With the region expected to remain in a prolonged deep freeze, there is no chance the snow piles will melt anytime soon. And weather forecasters say the region might be hit with another storm this weekend, so the city is eager to get rid of the existing snow.

    The “lifting operation” includes the removal of snow using dozens of vehicles, including excavators and loaders, the department said Tuesday.

    The city already has been conducting lifting operations in North Philadelphia, removing snow from Girard Avenue and nearby neighborhoods since Sunday evening, the department said.

    ‘Bone-chilling’ cold is sticking around Philly, and so is the snow

    Similar operations have been underway in neighborhoods across the city, the department said.

    The streets around City hall will be closed through midnight Tuesday.

    The closures include:

    • Penn Square around City Hall
    • North Broad Street from Arch Street to City Hall
    • South Broad from Chestnut Street to City Hall
    • 15th Street from Arch to Chestnut
    • John F. Kennedy Boulevard from Filbert to 16th Street
    • East Market Street from 13th Street to City Hall
    • West Market Street from 16th to City Hall

    The snow is being removed to 37 storage sites across the city, mainly large paved surfaces, the department said.