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  • Who is living in all of Center City’s new apartment buildings?

    Who is living in all of Center City’s new apartment buildings?

    When Adam Sawyer and his wife, Marissa Tan, moved to Philadelphia in 2024 from Baltimore, they were attracted to Center City by its proximity to work and mass transit.

    The couple figured if they sold their car, they could even afford to rent in one of the thousands of new, high-rise apartments that have been built across Center City over the last 10 years.

    Tan had just gotten a new job with the Cooper University Hospital in Camden, and Adam needed access to 30th Street Station for work. They eventually settled on the PMC Property Group’s Riverwalk North at 23rd and Arch Streets and have been impressed by the city, its transit system, and life without a car.

    Adam Sawyer and his wife, Marissa Tan, moved to Philadelphia in 2024 from Baltimore.

    “One of the things I love about living in a city is that you’ll be walking down the street and there are five different events you didn’t even know about,” Sawyer said. “Festivals, farmers markets, just activity, people doing things. I love that Philadelphia has so much energy.”

    In many ways Sawyer and Tan — who are both 35 — are representative of the people who have taken up residence in the new apartment buildings across Center City. Between Pine and Vine Streets, river to river, 3,500 new apartments have opened since 2023.

    Center City District (CCD) set out to learn more about who is calling these apartments home, with a survey of more than two dozen buildings constructed since 2015.

    Like Sawyer and Tan, the vast majority of respondents to CCD’s survey are under 45 (83%), more than half don’t own a car (55%), and close to half moved from outside the Philadelphia area (44%). Sawyer works remotely like 21% of respondents, and Tan works in healthcare like 32% of them.

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    In a city where a fifth of all residents live in poverty, the respondents aren’t representative of the average Philadelphian in many ways. The buildings surveyed have an average rent of $2,645, well above the median of $1,387.

    But the results show that there is a market for the kind of new buildings that are still being proposed. They also highlight that many people are attracted to the most central parts of Philadelphia because it offers more density, walkability, and other urban characteristics that few other American cities can boast.

    “People actively choose Philadelphia over other cities and metropolitan areas because we outperform them in some ways,” said Clint Randall, vice president of Economic Development with CCD, which is funded by downtown property owners and provides advocacy and services like additional security and cleaning downtown.

    “The city spent so many decades shrinking,” Randall said. “When you see this entire skyline of high-rise apartment buildings emerge, it contradicts what longtime Philadelphians think they know about this place, which is that it does not grow or attract residents.”

    Reversing reverse commuting

    Center City District’s survey confirmed a longtime finding of the organization’s other research reports: People who live downtown are likely to work there or very close by.

    In Philadelphia, reverse commuting is common, a testament to the fact that many private-sector employers have remained outside the city to avoid wage and business taxes. But among survey respondents, only 12% commuted to the suburbs for work compared to almost 40% citywide.

    Over half of respondents work in either Center City or University City, and a similar proportion work in either healthcare (32%) or in the jobs more typically associated with office towers: “business, professional, or financial services” (27%). Twenty-one percent work from home.

    “A lot of people are in medicine, in healthcare. I see a lot of scrubs,” said Kaz Rivera-Gorski, about her building One Cathedral Square at 17th and Race Streets.

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    “I would imagine there’s a good amount of people that work remotely, too,” said Rivera-Gorski, who is a management consultant who works from home. “I see people on their laptops in the shared spaces during the day.”

    Seventy percent of respondents said their jobs are within walking, biking, or transit distance from their homes, while 80% of them said that owning a car was not necessary to enjoy daily life in Philadelphia.

    That’s part of what attracted Sawyer and Tan, even though another part of Philadelphia’s allure was that it was closer to family in central and eastern Pennsylvania (the couple have a Zipcar membership).

    “While I do drive, I really, really dislike driving,” Sawyer said. “I’ve lost people. Everybody has, to either accidents or crashes or DUIs. So we were open to selling our car and became more and more convinced it was a good idea.”

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    Retaining out-of-towners

    Randall said that he was surprised by the proportion of CCD’s respondents who reported having moved to Philadelphia from outside the region. (A recent Realtor.com report showed that Philadelphia switched from having mostly local interest in rental listings before the pandemic to mostly out-of-towners today.)

    The survey also found that the majority of Center City dwellers planned to be living in Philadelphia in three to five years, with 45% planning to continue renting and 16% hoping to buy.

    “You hear about the transience of other places like D.C. or Boston, and it seems like people are here [in Philadelphia] and they intend to stay,” Randall said.

    That is certainly the goal of Annika Verma, a student at Temple University who lives in the Logan Lofts in Callowhill.

    “I am already calculating: Can I get an entry-level job? What salary would work for the rent in this area?” Verma said. “I would love to stay. The area seems ideal for me in terms of commuting or walking. Anything, everything is a 15-20 minute walk or bus ride away.”

    Sawyer and Tan are hoping to stay in Philadelphia, too. They are currently searching Center City for a condo to buy. They may try to stay in their current Logan Square neighborhood for its proximity to the Schuylkill River Trail and 30th Street Station.

    “We love it,” said Sawyer, who notes that they’ve lived in three cities in Texas, Cooperstown in New York, and Baltimore before this. “But our favorite place we’ve ever lived is here in Philadelphia.”

  • Nick Sirianni: Sitting Jalen Hurts ‘ridiculous’? Hardly. Bench him if he struggles Sunday.

    Nick Sirianni: Sitting Jalen Hurts ‘ridiculous’? Hardly. Bench him if he struggles Sunday.

    Early during Nick Sirianni’s weekly interrogation by Eagles flagship station 94-WIP on Wednesday morning, he was asked about Jalen Hurts by host Joe DeCamara: “Is there a possibility later this season, if he continues to struggle, that you could make a change at the quarterback spot?”

    Sirianni replied:

    “I think that’s ridiculous.”

    You know what’s ridiculous?

    Saying you would never replace a quarterback in the middle of a horrible performance — that’s ridiculous. Saying you would never bench a quarterback who’s slumping worse than the economy — that’s ridiculous.

    It’s more than ridiculous. It’s malpractice.

    It’s not as if Sirianni is averse to benching people.

    He benched defensive coordinator Sean Desai late in the 2023 season.

    Hell, he benched himself in 2021, when, as a rookie head coach, he found the burden of play-calling too onerous, and ceded it to then-offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.

    Don’t be afraid to do unto others, Nick.

    There are two reasons a coach has not only the right, but the responsibility, to bench a quarterback who is playing losing football. This is doubly true of a coach whose team has the weapons to make another deep postseason run, which is exactly the sort of team Sirianni has.

    Jalen Hurts’ unrelenting work ethic: From SoCal to his locker stall, the Eagles — and Tony the janitor — tell stories

    First, the coach owes it to the rest of the team to give them the best chance to win. He doesn’t just owe the players. He owes his coaching staff, his support staff, the administrators, the scouts, the janitors — everybody.

    Because everybody’s livelihood suffers when the team doesn’t win, and if Hurts continues to play this poorly, the team cannot win.

    Second, when you’re in a tailspin like Hurts, you’re very unlikely to dig your way out of it. Defensive coordinators are using a very clear formula to beat Hurts: Load the box to stop the run, force the receivers inside, give up nothing deep, and don’t bother with a spy, since Hurts doesn’t want to run anymore, and he has lost a step, anyway. And blitz, blitz, blitz.

    This is the third time since Hurts became the unquestioned starter that he has lost three straight regular-season games. However, it is, by far, his worst performance of any three-game slide, and the first time he has been the biggest reason for the losing. Hurts has a lower passer rating (69.9), more total turnovers (seven), and fewer rushing yards (72) than in previous losing streaks. He’s been bad before, but never this bad.

    The Eagles are 8-5. A loss Sunday to the visiting Las Vegas Raiders combined with a Dallas Cowboys win against the Minnesota Vikings would shrink the Eagles’ lead in the NFC East to a half-game and put even a wild-card berth in peril.

    This is no time to worry about Jalen Hurts’ feelings.

    It might sound heretical to say of the Super Bowl MVP, but if Hurts continues to struggle, he damn well should be benched. He is not sacred.

    Also: Do you believe Sirianni?

    Liar, Liar

    Can you believe Sirianni? He lies all the time to protect players. He admitted this in 2023: “That’s something I’ve always done.”

    With that in mind, if, by halftime Sunday, Hurts has thrown two interceptions, fumbled the ball away, and he’s 3-for-11, I think we‘ll see Tanner McKee.

    I guess Sirianni needs to say that Hurts is untouchable in order to fortify Hurts’ confidence. Sad.

    The Eagles were burned the last time they benched a starter. In 2020, Carson Wentz, who already was angry that the Eagles drafted Hurts in the second round, was benched with 4½ games to play. The benching infuriated Wentz. He first got coach Doug Pederson fired, then forced a trade. The trade hung the Eagles with a then-record $33 million salary-cap hit and left them with Hurts, a talented, raw, flawed quarterback.

    Four years later, Hurts has gone to two Pro Bowls, two Super Bowls, and won a Super Bowl, and signed a $255 million contract. Nevertheless, Hurts remains raw and flawed — less so, but still.

    It’s rare that franchise quarterbacks get benched on merit, but that’s a phenomenon almost exclusive to NFL QBs. Hurts is on a five-game slump, which is about 30% of his season. If Bryce Harper hit .150 over 54 games and made 10 errors or if Tyrese Maxey shot 20% for 27 consecutive games and averaged seven turnovers, you can bet your britches they’d get a day or two off.

    Hurts understands that he’s a big part of the problem. He acknowledged that he’s in a slump, and it’s a granular slump. And when he says he needs to be more “detailed,” it means he needs to get back to the basics in practice so they translate during games.

    “How can I have the right technique?” he said. “How am I playing with the fundamentals? To run the way I want to run? To throw the way I want to throw?”

    It comes. It goes.

    “For whatever reason, that’s a part of the game,” Hurts said. “Success or greatness — those things aren’t linear. You have your ups, you have your downs.”

    When athletes in other sports have their downs, they get sat down.

    But not quarterbacks.

    They’re special.

    Whatever.

    Tradition!

    It’s more than a little ironic that the analytically driven Eagles have, in Sirianni, a pocket-protector spokesman who is essentially telling us that he wouldn’t bench his quarterback because “This is the way it’s always been done.“

    Listen: If you want to go for it on fourth-and-4 from your opponent’s 32-yard line with 3 minutes, 30 seconds to play, when a field goal would put you up seven or eight points, then you don’t get to use the “This is the way it’s always been done” defense.

    I understand the concerns with going to McKee — concerns independent of how it affects Hurts. There are concerns about offensive timing. You know Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will show McKee exotic looks on every snap. McKee will be baited by defensive backs.

    McKee might fail catastrophically, and then, where are you?

    You are no worse off, that’s where.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 15 vs. the Raiders

    It’s not as if Hurts hasn’t been benched before. He lost his job as Alabama’s starter at halftime of the 2018 College Football Playoff national championship, which his replacement, Tua Tagovailoa, won. Instead of transferring, Hurts returned the next season, served as a backup, and, 11 months later, replaced Tagovailoa in the SEC title game and led a comeback win.

    If anybody can handle a benching, it’s Jalen Alexander Hurts.

    There’s no debating that there’s a contingent of folks, especially in the Philadelphia area, who would love to see Hurts fail. You can debate their motives, but he’s not nearly as appreciated as he should be.

    This has led to a cycle of protectionism inside the NovaCare Complex. That’s not good for anybody.

    However, most folks don’t want any scenario to surface in which Hurts gets benched. He has played wonderful football at times.

    But to dismiss his benching out of hand isn’t just ridiculous.

    It’s coaching malpractice.

  • 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Built for the rail trail?

    2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Built for the rail trail?

    2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD XRT: Off-road electric?

    Price: $57,085. Floor mats added $210.

    Conventional wisdom: Motor Trend likes that the Ioniq 5 XRT offers “proper fun in mild dirt,” that it’s “great as an everyday do-it-all crossover,” with “built-in NACS convenience.” But they lament the “off-road gear brings on-road compromises, using Tesla Superchargers not yet optimal,” and the “price close to high-end Ioniq 5 Limited trim.”

    Marketer’s pitch: “Our fast-charging electric SUV that goes the distance.”

    Reality: The off-road accoutrements are so limited, you might as well get one with more range.

    Catching up: Last week, we tested a Chevrolet Equinox EV, which seemed like a real bargain until we started digging deeper.

    This week we blow another $20,000 and see what we have to show for it.

    What’s new: The Ioniq 5 received a refreshed appearance for 2025. It adds the NACS charging port, allowing easy access to Tesla superchargers, and boosts the size of the batteries across all models.

    The new XRT model is marketed as a more rugged version, slightly lifted and with all manner of cladding and black.

    Unfortunately it still has the Ioniq 5 look, which I find hearkens back to 1980s econohatches, specifically the Mitsubishi-made Dodge Colt/Plymouth Champ.

    Competition: In addition to last week’s Chevrolet Equinox, there are the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Honda Prologue, Kia EV6, Mini Countryman EV, Subaru Solterra, and Tesla Model Y.

    Up to speed: The Ioniq 5 gets to 60 mph as fast as any EV. It reaches the magic number in just 4.5 seconds, according to Motor Trend. Unlike last week’s stripped-down Equinox, the Ioniq 5 offers power aplenty throughout the range of driving, as well as through the range of models.

    Shiftless: I’ve been singing the praises of the Hyundai twisty-stalk gear selector, and that will continue.

    On the road: The Ioniq 5 handled nicely on highways and wasn’t too bouncy for its squared-off shape. Country roads were quite fun, especially in Sport mode.

    The Ioniq 5 did have more than its share of rattles, though, from either the hatchback door or the rear cargo area; the squarish shape of the vehicle is probably a factor here.

    In the rain: EV makers put low-resistance tires on to help with range. I can’t specifically recall having any other EV in the rain, but the Ioniq 5 with its 235/60/R18 all-terrain tires designed for off-ish roading seemed like it would slide on wet roads. Test drive in the rain, if you can.

    Steady speed: The Smart Cruise Control with curve control feature in the Ioniq 5 felt dumber than advertised. I’ve noticed many test vehicles from all brands slowing on curves while the cruise is set, and it’s a welcome feature, but more than a few times I found myself shouting at the dashboard as the Ioniq 5 suddenly started to slow dramatically from my set speed. The cruise was still engaged, too, so it required me taking complete control and starting from scratch.

    This can all be controlled through the various settings, but I never found one that I thought worked as well as other manufacturers’ offerings.

    The interior of the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq XRT offers plenty of comfort and easy operation.

    Driver’s Seat: The leather-covered seat was geared for comfort but still supportive. It held me in place while not getting fresh. The lumbar bolster was just fine and the seat bottom stretched to my knees, something often lacking at this vehicle size.

    The seat heater operation and some other functions are in a row of silver buttons (yay!) on the console that will help you in yoga class, requiring a sharp contortion just to reach them (boo!).

    Friends and stuff: Sturgis Kid 4.0 blessed the rear seat as comfortable and roomy on a trip to the Sweetest Place on Earth. The flat floor means middle seat occupants won’t feel too bad.

    Cargo space is 26.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 58.5 when it’s folded.

    Play some tunes: Sound from the system is pretty good, about an A-, maybe a B+.

    The 12.3-inch touchscreen makes playing tunes and getting to other functions easy enough, and buttons and dials underneath offer a real assist. The home screen has large icons that make navigation swift.

    Keeping warm and cool: I was at first pleased at the HVAC’s use of real buttons underneath the infotainment display. But things were not exactly as they appeared; those were just faux buttons of the highly sensitive touch pad variety. Every time my hand got close, I seemed to adjust three things I didn’t intend to. So the driver’s attention is still stolen away from the driving portion of our adventure and is instead trying to fix things that have been changed by accident.

    Range: The Ioniq 5’s advertised range of 258 miles was about spot on, as determined by our trip to the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) museum in Hershey. We used up about 200 miles of range in 180 miles or so of travel — about half of them keeping up with turnpike traffic; those high speeds suck down the juice. (I could slow down, and yet, I don’t.)

    A less expensive SE model would get you beyond 310 miles on a charge. Recharging from 10% to 80% takes as little as 20 minutes.

    Where it’s built: Ellabell, Ga. This was the site of an ICE raid in September. It remains to be seen how long the Ioniq 5 will actually come from there, also considering recent trends in EV sales. Stay tuned.

    The U.S. and Canada supply 29% of the parts; South Korea another 29%; and Hungary, 33%.

    How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the reliability to be a 2 out of 5.

    In the end: The Ioniq 5 has always been tied with the Kia EV6 on my list of EV champs; the Kia looks a little less stupid, so I’d probably go that direction. But the Equinox is a strong challenger and is worth a look.

    A lower price and more range makes any of them more attractive.

    Next week: How does the Volkswagen ID.4 compare?

  • The West Philly rapper whose work has landed on ‘Abbott Elementary.’ Twice.

    The West Philly rapper whose work has landed on ‘Abbott Elementary.’ Twice.

    When Philly artist Amir Bey Richardson first uploaded his rap songs online in 2010, he was told his music was “too corny” to garner an audience.

    “I definitely had friends who encouraged me, but I had other friends who used to call it ‘bus driver rap,’” Richardson said. “Or they said, ‘Too many people rap. Get out of here.’”

    Today, Richardson is a go-to musician-for-hire for major network shows, including for the Emmy-winning, Philly-set comedy series Abbott Elementary.

    Philly artist Amir Bey Richardson in his home studio on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.

    Richardson, who goes by Bul Bey, knows his music doesn’t have the same musical edge that has long defined Philadelphia’s hip-hop sound. But he makes up for it with his more soulful and personal hip-hop records that speak to his West Philly roots and connect with a wider range of rap fans.

    “Philadelphia is one of those cities where rapping is held to a higher standard, so I had to listen to my heart,” he said. “I was an artist whether I wanted to be one or not.”

    While his sound didn’t match that of his contemporaries, he believes it sets him apart from other Philly artists.

    On the Oct. 22 episode of Abbott Elementary, Richardson’s 2024 track “Elbow Deep” can be heard in the background as characters Gregory and Janine (played by Tyler James Williams and show creator Quinta Brunson), set the vibe for a friendly hangout.

    “I lost my mind when I heard it,” Richardson said. “There are some explicit moments in the song, but when I saw the scene, it all made total sense.”

    This was the second time Richardson’s music was placed in the hit series.

    Back in February 2022, Richardson sent an “awkward” introductory message on LinkedIn to Abbott Elementary music supervisor Kier Lehman. Among the tens of tracks Richardson pulled from his catalog to include in that message, the 2014 single “Where I’m From” struck a chord with Lehman.

    Philly artist Amir Bey Richardson at his home studio Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.

    In early 2023, the Grammy-nominated music supervisor reached out to Richardson to request the use of “Where I’m From” for season two, episode 19, of the show.

    Richardson said he’s still processing the achievement. “Sometimes I go back to the episode just to make sure it wasn’t changed,” he said.

    That song placement, Richardson said, arrived at a “time of desperation.”

    After a decade of making music, Richardson was at a creative crossroads. He was confident in his musical talents, but it felt like there were limited avenues to showcase them. “I felt very lost and desperate,” he said.

    He stumbled onto Abbott Elementary like everyone else. Only he paused the TV to find Lehman’s name in the credits and reached out to him months later on the networking platform.

    While he’s now “embarrassed” by his direct message to Lehman, the eventual song placement was the first time Richardson was ever paid for his music.

    “That was definitely me crossing a threshold,” he said. “And in my mind, I was like, ‘I have to do that again.’”

    It would be two years until that would happen. Earlier this year, Lehman reached out to Richardson to use “Elbow Deep.” Richardson approved immediately.

    Philly artist Amir Bey Richardson at his home studio Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. He is seen doing the voice-over for a Joel Embiid Skechers commercial.

    In the meantime, that first placement opened several creative doors.

    Between his role as an event coordinator for the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, Richardson dropped a pair of collaborative EPs with producers Sam Live and Patrick Feliciano. He also contributed music to WHYY programs, such as Albie’s Elevator and The Infinite Art Hunt, and served as host of the Franklin Institute’s So Curious podcast.

    He was even tapped to narrate a Skechers ad featuring Sixers star Joel Embiid, showcasing his abilities as a voice-over talent.

    It’s all been a surprising path, Richardson said. One that has inspired him to pursue avenues that meld his love of music and Philadelphia.

    “It let me know I had a narrower view of what I could do as an artist,” Richardson said. “I wouldn’t say I’m doing unconventional things, but it’s more of a wider range.”

    Philly artist Amir Bey Richardson in his home studio Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. He did the voice-over in a new Joel Embiid Skechers commercial, seen on screen.

    His goal is to be a more notable name for big-budget shows and eventually land a placement on a blockbuster film. He currently has his sights on Sony’s animated Spider-Man multiverse saga, which Lehman served as the music supervisor for in 2018.

    For someone who started out making songs from his college radio station at Pittsburgh’s La Roche University, and now sees his name on TV screens, Richardson has learned to avoid limiting his art and musical reach. And to the friends who previously doubted his abilities, he’s proving his music can take him places he’s never been, including prime-time television.

  • L&I is underfunded and overworked. It’s also integral to Mayor Parker’s affordable housing plan. | Editorial

    L&I is underfunded and overworked. It’s also integral to Mayor Parker’s affordable housing plan. | Editorial

    Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is traveling around the city to tout her $2 billion plan to invest in 30,000 new or renovated homes. Yet, one of the key city departments for ensuring her plan is enacted safely is facing questions about transparency and efficiency.

    If Parker’s affordable housing initiative is to succeed, it needs clear answers and greater efficacy from the Department of Licenses and Inspections.

    In many ways, L&I performs one of the most quintessential duties of local government: regulating local businesses and inspecting property. Despite the essential nature of their work, the department has not always met the standards Philadelphians deserve. For decades, it was known for corruption, with rogue inspectors accused of accepting bribes.

    In 2013, these issues metastasized into a catastrophe. A building being improperly demolished on Market Street collapsed onto the Salvation Army store next door, killing six people. An inspector took his own life, blaming his own actions for the disaster, even as city officials strongly defended his integrity.

    Mayor Jim Kenney appointed David Perri to lead L&I in 2015 with a mandate to effect transformational change, root out corruption, and embrace new ways of doing things. One of the changes Perri made was to the system of tracking vacant and abandoned properties. In the past, inspectors would verify vacancy by doing a “windshield survey.” This meant driving by homes to look for physical signs of abandonment. The method was inefficient, and the counts were almost certainly inaccurate.

    Parker and City Council must find common ground on affordable housing | Editorial

    The department partnered with the city’s Office of Innovation and Technology to create a new way of tracking vacancies. They used data from the Water Department, Peco, and other city sources that strongly indicate abandonment.

    This information was not only used by the city, but also by groups like Clean and Green Philly, which aims to reduce gun violence by cleaning up empty lots. According to a study led by University of Pennsylvania physician Eugenia South, keeping these lots from becoming sources of blight, trash, and disorder helps reduce shootings.

    Then, without warning, the database disappeared.

    According to Nissim Liebovits, the founder of Clean and Green Philly, it was down for 16 months before being restored. Even before its disappearance, it had significantly fewer properties listed than expected.

    While the data is available again on the city’s Open Data portal, residents still deserve to know what happened. City officials have yet to provide an adequate explanation for the disparity or the gap in publication.

    Beyond the missing data sets, L&I also struggles with understaffing and political pressure, particularly from members of City Council. Despite many quality inspectors joining the department in the years following the 2013 collapse, outside pressures often led them to leave city government. Union leaders called it a mass exodus.

    The workers themselves said they were often told to ignore violations by bigger developers and contractors, while also being urged to come down harshly on smaller entities.

    If ‘skill games’ cannot be banned, Harrisburg must act to regulate and tax | Editorial

    The U.S. attorney who oversaw the investigation into the Market Street collapse said the remaining inspectors are overworked and have too many buildings to handle. Meanwhile, Council members regularly divert departmental resources away from the backlog and toward their pet issues. They also seek to put their finger on the scales to help or hinder projects.

    A city controller report from earlier this year cited insufficient enforcement of the city’s building regulations, with construction crews across the city operating without licenses or work permits. Meanwhile, some contractors with suspended licenses and records of shoddy work have resumed doing business simply by changing their names.

    Philadelphia cannot afford further backsliding at L&I, particularly when the city has committed to increasing the rate of construction. Mayor Parker and City Council President Kenyatta Johnson must work together to provide adequate staffing, restore full transparency, and insulate inspectors from the kind of political pressures that routinely interrupt regular business and contribute to the backlog of unfinished work.

    The ability to call up an inspector and get immediate results may be politically beneficial for the city’s elected leaders and a few lucky constituents, but the “squeaky wheel” approach must end if the department is ever going to systematically address ongoing concerns.

    Parker says she wants Philadelphia to be America’s “cleanest, greenest, and safest city, with economic opportunity for all.” Her One Philly dream can only be achieved if residents feel they can trust L&I to work for all.

  • Why a ceasefire is not enough: A call to block the bombs

    Why a ceasefire is not enough: A call to block the bombs

    This Hanukkah, while Jews around the world prepare to light the menorah and bring light into the darkest days of winter, our celebration of hope and resilience remains in the shadow of Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. And, nearly two months into a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, I am still protesting.

    Hanukkah, which in Hebrew means dedication, tells the story of Jewish peoples’ resistance to an oppressive empire, and of a miracle that kept candles aflame for eight days and eight nights when there was only enough oil for one.

    It is a story that resonates to this day, and it is in the spirit of hope, light, and miracles that I find myself rededicating to the struggle for Palestinian liberation.

    The U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect on Oct. 10. Since then, Israel has continued near-daily attacks, killing at least 345 Palestinians and wounding another 889. While the agreement required Israel to lift its blockade on aid reaching Gaza, Israel continues to interfere with the free flow of humanitarian aid. Less than 25% of aid deliveries have made it to Gazans, who face increasingly dire circumstances.

    Palestinians grab sacks of flour from a moving truck carrying World Food Programme (WFP) aid as it drives through Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, in November.

    While the United States and Israel insist the ceasefire holds and deny the well-documented violations of the ceasefire agreement, I find it difficult to describe the current conditions as anything other than a slower-paced extension of the genocide.

    The need for our solidarity is no less urgent or crucial than it was last year or the year before.

    What’s more, Israel’s genocidal campaign against Palestinians isn’t confined to Gaza. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly expelled from the illegally occupied West Bank, actions that human rights groups have classified as war crimes. It is worth noting that the primary targets of this ethnic cleansing are the refugee camps set up in the 1950s to house Palestinians who were forcibly driven from their homes when the state of Israel was founded.

    I have been in the movement for Palestinian liberation for decades through my work on the Rabbinic Council for Jewish Voice for Peace, the largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization in the world. More recently, I joined over 400 other rabbis organizing as Rabbis for Ceasefire.

    Because of my organizing, I know history didn’t start on Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinians have faced expulsion from their lands, destruction of their homes and civil infrastructure, and deadly violence since 1948. They enjoy fewer rights than their Jewish counterparts, lacking freedom of movement and access to land, jobs, and public services.

    Many falsely proclaim that this system of violent occupation and the ongoing genocide are necessary for Jewish safety. The truth is that this is a desecration of Jewish values and an affront to our long tradition of resisting empire and seeking justice.

    We are Jewish parents of two college-age children. Don’t use us as an excuse for persecution. | Opinion

    I reject the claim that Jewish safety relies on the subjugation of Palestinians, and am inspired by the growing anti-Zionist movement among American Jews. Just as the Hanukkah lights our ancestors lit were not extinguished, our struggle for Palestinian liberation burns brightly.

    It doesn’t take a miracle, but it does require courage, rededication to fundamental human rights, and, for many, the willingness to shift positions and take accountability for the role of the United States in bankrolling and providing diplomatic cover for Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

    One opportunity I implore our elected officials to take is to sign on to the Block the Bombs legislation, which prohibits the president from selling, transferring, or exporting certain defense articles or services to Israel, except in specified circumstances. I was heartened to see Rep. Dwight Evans recently sign onto the bill, joining 59 other legislators, including three from Pennsylvania.

    Hanukkah celebrates an important miracle in the Jewish faith, the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

    This Hanukkah, I call on all of us to shine a light on Gaza and rededicate ourselves to Palestinian liberation. Only by keeping the flame of our solidarity alive can we hope to one day say, as in our Hanukkah story, “a great miracle happened there.”

    Rabbi Linda Holtzman teaches at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. She is the organizer of Tikkun Olam Chavurah, a group that pursues social and political justice work together as a Jewish community.

  • Letters to the Editor | Dec. 11, 2025

    Letters to the Editor | Dec. 11, 2025

    Well-meaning policy

    If you walk into any nursing home in the southeastern corner of the commonwealth, you’ll find a highly choreographed system of long-term care (LTC) pharmacies humming along that help keep older Pennsylvanians safe and are the backbone of patient care.

    But this system is just months away from a potential collapse. Unless the Trump administration or Congress takes action now, on Jan. 1, a new policy will devastate LTC pharmacies that serve senior living facilities and nursing homes.

    Passed during the Biden administration, the Inflation Reduction Act allowed the federal government to negotiate with drug companies to determine “maximum fair prices” on certain expensive brand-name drugs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries — a policy designed to help seniors afford medications.

    But there’s a problem: The law is about to bankrupt the very pharmacies these seniors depend on to stay alive.

    By setting “maximum fair prices” on certain brand-name drugs, the policy significantly reduces the reimbursement rates LTC pharmacies receive.

    This price change will have rippling effects on all facilities that depend on the services of LTC pharmacies, including the 200,000 Medicare Part D beneficiaries over age 65 who have long-term care needs.

    The Trump administration can act via an executive order to keep LTC pharmacies operational by delaying or modifying the new drug pricing until a sustainable payment model is identified.

    Simultaneously, Congress must pass the bipartisan Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act (HR 5031). This legislation would establish a temporary $30 supply fee for each prescription filled under the new negotiated prices — a modest investment that would keep pharmacies solvent through 2027.

    We can’t afford to look the other way — our seniors deserve a system that supports them, not one that collapses under the weight of well-meaning policy.

    Rob Frankil, executive director, Philadelphia Association of Retail Druggists

    Risks vs. benefits

    The loss of a child is always a profound tragedy, and any parent would take extraordinary measures to avoid that possible outcome. Potentially saving their child, though, would not justify the certain death of thousands of other children as a result of their actions, which is what would happen without the timely availability of vaccines. The risk-vs.-benefit consideration is the foundation of effective public health decisions. The Food and Drug Administration even has a reporting system for adverse effects after a vaccine comes on the market to ensure the blessings of getting a jab far outweigh the harms.

    If every vaccine were evaluated solely on the occurrence of any adverse event, it would be regulated out of existence, and the death rate for the diseases the vaccines were meant to address would be catastrophic. While every death is devastating, the 10 deaths Vinay Prasad of the FDA has attributed to COVID-19 vaccinations would not statistically justify impeding the timely development of new vaccines. It is puzzling that President Donald Trump would allow a reversal of his greatest achievement: the timely development of vaccines.

    Jo-Ann Maguire, Norristown

    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.

  • Horoscopes: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). Willpower is like a battery that drains over the course of the day. Make it easy for yourself to make good choices by anticipating what you’ll need in low-motivation moments. Don’t rely on willpower; rely on setup.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The right phrasing can inspire confidence. Precision communicates competence. People sense when you mean what you say. Put thought and practice into your word choices. It will be the difference between closing a deal or not.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Perfection can never fully be achieved. There’s always one more improvement, one more detail, one more layer of refinement. Even though absolute perfection is an impossibility, the pursuit itself leads you to the sublime.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). Feelings are power sources. Strong feelings such as anger, fear or the elation of love can make your heart pound and your body spring alive. Think of them as huge power plants. There’s no need to shut them down; direct the energy instead.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Boredom is a signal to pursue something different. When you’re truly interested in something (or someone), curiosity flows naturally and opens attention. Attention is love in motion. Follow fascination instead of trying to lead it.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Closure is efficiency. You’ve gathered all the lessons this situation can offer. Stop rereading old chapters and put that focus to better use. Reinvest the same energy in people and projects that give something back.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). A stumble teaches you where you need to build up strength. Start with one steadying habit: move your body, pay a bill, call a friend. Do it again tomorrow. Small consistencies become the structure that keeps your world from wobbling.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You used to see a situation and think, “This shouldn’t be happening.” But now, you’re more effective. You see the futility in resisting what is. By accepting it all, you waste no energy. You simply commit wholly to a solution.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You carry both fire and tenderness in the same vessel: You’re tough enough to follow through, but kind enough to let go when you need to. You have the discipline to meet goals and the softness to forgive the unmet ones.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). In business, retention means keeping what’s valuable: customers, employees and assets. Today it applies to your own life: Keep the value and cancel what drains you. Whether a subscription or a relationship, stop paying for anything that no longer enriches your spirit.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Someone pays attention to where you go and how you get there. They watch to see if you travel directly or wander perilously. Don’t forget that the witnessing is a form of love. Sometimes you’re the shepherd; sometimes you’re the sheep.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You have habits you notice and ones you don’t. The invisible ones run the show. Step back for a clearer view. You need feedback, journaling and other honest mirrors to help you see what’s really driving you.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 11). Welcome to your Year of the Triumphant Return. Something you gave up on gets resurrected, and this time it works brilliantly. It will fortify you to finally see the stellar results that match your years of acquired and well-applied knowledge. More highlights: promotions, publishing, property and proof in loving, fun relationships that your consistency wins. Cancer and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 7, 14, 22, 39 and 4.

  • Dear Abby | Date change of funeral leads to death of friendship

    DEAR ABBY: I had a friend, “Mylene,” for many years. We swapped dog-sitting to offset the cost for each other. I helped her when she was sick and broke her foot. I walked her dog whenever she needed me. If a funeral, wedding or family emergency came up, I was always there for her.

    An aunt of mine in another state passed away. I would have had to drive there, but her daughter was making the funeral arrangements while in the hospital herself. The funeral was delayed until the next week because my aunt’s body had to be shipped to another state for the funeral.

    When I told Mylene, she said she’d keep my dog, but when the date changed, she said she couldn’t do it. “I have to work,” she said. Abby, her dog stays at home while she works, so why is there a problem? I reminded her of everything that I have done to help her out when she needed it, but she didn’t want to help me. (This was two days before I was to travel for the funeral.)

    I have tried many times to apologize to Mylene, but she refuses to make amends with me. All she does is send emojis, which I find disgusting. Can’t she call and talk to me like a grown adult to straighten this out? I paid her several times to help her, and this is what I get? What do you think about this?

    — DISAPPOINTED IN NORTH CAROLINA

    DEAR DISAPPOINTED: You have done plenty for Mylene, but the time to remind her wasn’t when she said she couldn’t take care of your dog. (Is this why you “have tried many times to apologize”?) Mylene may have sent emojis instead of calling because you embarrassed her. When we do favors for others, we shouldn’t do them with the expectation that we will be paid back. What do I think about this? I think you should find another dog-sitter immediately.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: Our daughter and her family live an hour from us. We are both in fair health. Our daughter got a late start on marriage and children. Their girls are 10 and 8. The little one is sweet and shy, but the 10-year-old is a nightmare to be around. She’s very smart but also manipulative. She lies, cheats and steals. She is rude and seems to always do exactly the opposite of what an adult tells her to do. If her parents see her being sassy or ugly, they will put her in timeout for 10 minutes, but nothing ever changes.

    None of their neighbors wants this child at their home. To make matters worse, she has begun early puberty. We can’t stand being around this 10-year-old because it wears us out. We love our daughter and would like to have a good relationship with the whole family. Please advise on how we could help or what we should do.

    — EXHAUSTED GRANDPARENTS IN OHIO

    DEAR GRANDPARENTS: A 10-minute timeout is not enough discipline for a 10-year-old’s consistent bad behavior. Without further intervention, that girl is headed for big trouble. Please suggest to your daughter that she consult a child psychologist about how to get her obviously troubled daughter heading in the right direction before things become worse.

  • Delco residents prepare for a 19% property tax hike — the second double-digit increase they face in two years

    Delco residents prepare for a 19% property tax hike — the second double-digit increase they face in two years

    For the second year in a row the Delaware County Council approved a double-digit property tax increase.

    Facing fury from residents, the all-Democratic board voted 4-1 Wednesday to approve a $340 million budget that raises the county portion of property taxes 19%.

    Last year, the council voted to increase taxes 23% as federal COVID-19 relief dollars that had filled the county’s longstanding structural deficit began to run dry. That hike took effect in January.

    The new 19% increase, which will take effect next month, will place Delaware County on stable financial footing, members of the council argued.

    “Our primary responsibility is to ensure that this county is on solid financial footing. Make no mistake, absent this increase tonight that would not be the case. We would run out of money,” said Councilmember Kevin Madden, whose term on the board runs out this year.

    The budget, Council Chair Monica Taylor said, would be the first truly balanced budget for the county in more than a decade.

    The tax increase will translate to an additional $188 annually for the county’s average assessed home value of $255,000.

    Taylor and the other council members said they didn’t take the increase lightly, but that it was a necessary step. Their Republican predecessors, they argued, went too long without substantially increasing taxes and left the county in dire straits when Democrats took control in 2020.

    Amid inflation and shrinking federal funds, they said the last two years of increases were needed. And after increasing taxes 19% in 2026, they predicted taxes could be kept level in the future.

    “If it comes down to it, next year rather than raise taxes I am going to be looking at cutting discretionary spending,” Councilmember Christine Reuther said Wednesday.

    The proposed budget increased spending by just under 6% with the majority of new spending attributed to increased costs for employee health benefits, increased court costs, employee pay, and increases to the county’s SEPTA contribution.

    “Our strategy is not just to increase revenue but to decrease expenses,” County Executive Barbara O’Malley said.

    Over the course of several meetings and hearings ahead of the vote Delaware County residents showed frustration with the increase and doubt that 2026 would be the end of the hikes. They urged council members to find ways to cut the budget or to spread the increases out over more years.

    “I own my home but I’m behind on my taxes because the taxes are so high,” resident Maureen Mitchell said in a Monday budget hearing. “Something’s gotta give for the seniors, we’re losing our homes.”

    Although Democrats inherited a deficit when they took control of the council, residents pointed out that they also made significant expenditures in recent years, including the decision to deprivatize the prison, spending more on legal fees, and launching a health department. The majority of the health department is funded by state and federal dollars.

    “Find some cuts and give taxpayers a break, then hold the line on future spending,” said Michael Straw, the chair of the Media Borough Republican Committee.

    Democrats retained control of all five seats on council in November despite GOP messaging that focused on rising tax costs.

    Cynthia Sabatini, an Upper Providence resident, asked council members to release a full list of what spending is discretionary and to spread the increase out over several years.

    “Why does it have to be done in one fell swoop?” she asked Monday.

    Councilmember Elaine Schaefer voted against the increase because she said she couldn’t justify such a steep hike during hard economic times.

    “We do need to raise the revenue but in my opinion it’s too abrupt and causes too much of a hardship to do two really significant increases in a row,” Schaefer said Wednesday.

    Delaware County is one of three of Philadelphia’s collar counties considering a tax increase this year. Montgomery County is poised to vote on a 4% tax increase next week while Bucks County is contemplating a tax increase to fill a $16 million deficit.