Author: Paola Pérez

Good morning. Let’s finish the week off right.

First, learn how Philly’s kitchen professionals manage to stay as cool as possible throughout the hottest days.

Then, get a look at where all of the tangible signs of the World Cup in Philadelphia have gone to.

Plus, we have updates on the wildfire smoke and its health impacts, and more news of the day.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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If you can’t take the heat …

Trying to cook up a meal on a scorching hot day can turn real uncomfortable, real fast. It’s a surefire way to feel immediate regret.

🥵 This reality is part and parcel for Philly-area food and restaurant professionals. Toasty days only amplify what they already have to cope with inside their sizzling kitchens.

⛔ They may shut down if temps threaten the integrity of certain dishes.

🧊 To handle one heat wave after another, their solutions require preparedness, hydration, and lots of icy treats.

Food writer Kiki Aranita has the story on how local chefs get through their stifling shifts.

After the final whistle

Goodbye, Philadelphia Stadium. Welcome back, the Linc.

Now that the World Cup takeover is effectively finished (at least as far as Philly games go), FIFA flags and team bench caps are nowhere to be found, and the pitch is returning to its usual form.

But where does everything go after the teardown? What happened to leftover food, and to items like television monitors? Apparently, there’s a WhatsApp group for that.

Sports editor Kerith Gabriel reports on how all the big game gear is finding a second life.

What you should know today

• Pa. officials advise that all residents limit their time and exertion levels outside Friday due to “very unhealthy” air from Canadian wildfire smoke. Whether you are planning to go out or stay home, see what experts suggest to stay healthy, and visit Inquirer.com for updates.
• Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner rallied protesters on Capitol Hill, thumbing his nose at Republicans a day after they subpoenaed him for immigration records.
• The city filed stop-work orders for the redevelopment of a handful of historic rowhouses along Mole Street following an Inquirer article about the project.
• An Inquirer staffer’s interview notes came into the possession of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office during an investigation that led to the high-profile, and recently abandoned, racketeering indictment against South Jersey power broker George E. Norcross III.
• Nineteen people have been hospitalized for measles since April in Pennsylvania, state health officials reported in a new online data dashboard launched this week to track the spread of the highly contagious disease.
• Prosecutors withdrew charges against a Philadelphia Family Court judge accused of assaulting his wife and daughter, citing the victims’ wishes and evidence of mitigation.
• After a failed vote that could have ended aid to Israel, Sen. John Fetterman said he’d consider leaving the Democratic Party over a lack of support.
• New Jersey state energy regulators will examine utilities’ handling of recent heat-related outages that affected thousands of residents.
• Amtrak and the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority will work together to revive passenger train service between Philadelphia and Reading after an absence of 45 years.
• The U.S. Mint on Independence Mall will soon begin producing $1 gold-hued coins featuring a portrait of President Donald Trump.

Plus: Can you park in school zones during the summer in Philly?

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

This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer on school zones and whether or not ticket-free parking is possible during the summer months.

While Philadelphia schools are not in session, there may be summer programming to consider. Here’s the full story.

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

🧠 Trivia time

This local personality has the most-searched Wikipedia pages of celebrities born in Lower Merion or Narberth:

A) Kylie Kelce

B) Beck Dorey-Stein

C) Sabrina Carpenter

D) Kobe Bryant

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

What (and whom) we’re …

🎤 Ready for: Bebe Rexha’s FIFA Fan Fest concert and more shows around Philly this week.

🧀 Proud about: Even the internet’s toughest food critic can’t deny that Philly cheesesteaks rule.

⚾ Applauding: Cole Vanderslice, the former Villanova pitcher who caught the winning Home Run Derby ball — and then did what “felt natural.”

👀 Watching: The Bron-O-Meter updates while we wait on pins and needles, and “King James” quietly lives his best life.

🧠 Considering: Ways to save Pennsylvania’s crumbling behavioral health organizations.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: “Yo, Adrian!” biopic

PICKY ROYAL

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

Cheers to Dustin Flay, who solved Thursday’s anagram: The Sandlot. Eleven locals took part in a tribute to the 1993 classic film at Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.

Photo of the day

👋🏽 Thanks for reading. Have a great start to your weekend when you get there.

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

Rise and shine, Philly. We’re promised mostly sunny skies with a high near 85.

Our Sunday read is about a Delco woman who spends her free time locating stubbornly lost dogs in the Philly area.

And a local business got its start by making dinners for doctors. Now it’s selling thousands of meals a week.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Closing in on canines

They call her the Delco Dog Detective, but her real name is Colleen Bell, and she has a true passion for tracking down pups in distress in the Philadelphia region.

By Bell’s estimates, she has recovered nearly 1,000 dogs over the last 14 years, using her own unique methods to accomplish the mission.

Two years ago, Bell created the nonprofit GoodBoy Dog Recovery to facilitate the growing costs of the operation. But she’s not in it for the money or fame, reports The Inquirer’s Dana Munro.

“She does it purely for a love of the game, the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of capturing a petrified pup, and the fulfillment of reuniting it with a frenzied family,” Munro writes.

In Bell’s own words: “We never stop until we catch the dog.”

Read the full story here.

‘Bursting at the seams’

Home Appétit traces its humble beginnings to a Center City apartment in 2013. This year, the meal delivery company is on track to rake in $10 million in revenue.

🛒 What it does: Brings roughly 16,000 to 20,000 fully prepared meals a week within a 50-mile radius, according to founder and CEO Lee Wallach.

🛒 Next up: A move to a former catering facility in East Falls in September. It’s currently operating out of a space off City Avenue in West Philly.

Business reporter Ariana Perez-Castells has the story on why Home Appétit grew as some competitors fizzled.

What you should know today

• Tattooed Mom, one of the city’s most iconic dive bars, said it’s been ordered to cease all live music and performances by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections.
• Top Pennsylvania leaders have reached a $50 billion state budget deal, sources say.
• Philly Democrats criticized President Donald Trump’s recent promotion of Freedom Fuel stations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey as an effort to fool people about the high price of gas rather than a long-term solution to the problem.
• A sampling of Philadelphia stores and businesses showed half are violating the city’s ordinance that bans plastic bags and requires a fee on paper bags, according to an environmental group.
• Lower Merion’s police department is investigating a string of itinerant burglaries that have occurred in the township in recent weeks.
• Two elite rowers and a couple of bystanders jumped into action — and into the water — Friday afternoon to rescue a man who drove his car into the Schuylkill.
• Philly-based retailer Five Below plans to open its 2,000th store soon. The company’s expansion puts it on par with Home Depot and Target.
• Abington moved toward banning e-bikes and e-scooters at public parks and trails.
• A new FDA study found traces of heavy metals in tampons, but not enough to cause harm. Fewer girls use tampons today, an expert told The Inquirer.
• With seven days and eight nations remaining in the World Cup, Fan Fest’s commitment to remain open for the full 39 days of the tournament includes four concerts starting Sunday.

This week in history

🎤 Here’s Tommy Rowan with a look back at the legalization of bingo in Pennsylvania.

Despite its proliferation across charitable events and senior centers, bingo is considered gambling.

And it wasn’t always legal.

But on July 10, 1981, Republican Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh signed the Bingo Law.

It was time to crack down on the ping-pong-ball pullers. Read on for the full story.

❓Pop quiz

Despite the blowout loss, the USMNT-Belgium World Cup game drew more than:

A) 65 million viewers

B) 100 million viewers

C) 50 million viewers

D) None of the above

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🧅 Mesmerized by: Kibbeh nayyeh at Suraya, among the best things we ate this week.

☕ Loving: How the World Cup provided a sense of community at a University City coffee shop.

🧳 Packing for: The perfect Jersey Shore weekend in Sea Isle and Strathmere.

🏰 Admiring: The distinctly Philadelphia Victoriana architecture of an 1891 building that looks like a castle, a cathedral, and a factory.

🌉 Learning: Before the Ben Franklin Bridge opened 100 years ago, Pennsylvania wanted to make it toll-free.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: French soccer star

INKY MAPPABLE

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

Cheers to Jimi Ogunneye, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Patti LaBelle. “The Godmother of Soul” will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the MLB All-Star Game. But she won’t be the only local performer.

One more All-Star story: We looked into how baseball’s midsummer celebration has transformed into a major-league merchandising machine.

Photo of the day

🎶 Today’s song goes like this: “Nothing I can say / A total eclipse of the heart.” Grammy-nominated Welsh pop star Bonnie Tyler died last week. She was 75.

One more musical thing: An old-fashioned Battle of the Bands is coming to Philly.

👋🏽 That’s it for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

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

Happy Saturday, Philly. Showers are possible today.

A starstruck reader asked us for tips on how to calmly live next door to Super Bowl royalty.

Plus, we have an update on El Niño, a look at who is behind the Trump-promoted stations selling cheap gas in the region, and our report card for this week in Philly news.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• Road closures and parking restrictions are in effect for the MLB All-Star Game events in Philly. Here are the details.
• Federal marshals arrested a man in Philadelphia in connection with a homicide in Puerto Rico.
• Philly hotels and cultural institutions saw historic crowds during Independence Week, according to new data by the city’s tourism agency.
• Delco is working to restore county services to residents after a “sophisticated cybercriminal attack” disrupted its network systems in late June.
• A Philadelphia-based political firm is at the center of the fallout of Graham Platner’s failed Senate campaign in Maine.
• Delta Air Lines customers are paying the price for record jet fuel costs after the recent leak and fire at the company’s refinery in Delco.
• Some of the 25 gas stations selling mysteriously cheap fuel in the Philly area and South Jersey have ties to local owners. There are ethical concerns.
• Warming in the tropical Pacific has been intensifying rapidly, and with increasing certainty government meteorologists say this El Niño event could become the strongest in records dating to 1950.
• Access to therapy is about to get easier for Pennsylvania residents who travel out of state.
• From the Schmitter making its long-awaited return to CBP to the Ben Franklin Bridge celebrating its 100th birthday, catch up on the good, bad, and weird from recent stories out of Philly.

The Bird next door

This week’s question is: A beloved Eagles player moved to our neighborhood. I have to pass by his house every time I drop off or pick up my son from daycare. And every time I inevitably stare at his house, and then tell myself “be cool, be cool.” I did one time throw a “Go Birds!” at him when he stopped his car to let me cross the sidewalk. How many more “Go Birds” do I get? Should we, as his new neighbors, pretend he’s not a Super Bowl champion?!

To tackle the situation, Inquirer reporters Earl Hopkins and Stephanie Farr first addressed the most important aspect: “One ‘Go Birds’ is enough,” said Hopkins. “(All right, maybe two.)”

Overall, they suggested our dazzled reader lead with casual, friendly interactions, and strongly advised against fanatic behavior. For instance, don’t swarm the guy with jerseys at a neighborhood block party that he may or may not attend.

Relative distance is also key. “It matters how close this person lives to the Eagles player,” Farr said.

Read their full conversation here. Need advice, or want to share your thoughts? We want to hear it. Email us here.

One viewpoint

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is examining a video from Phillies star Bryce Harper that FanDuel sent to a VIP with a gambling addiction.

In this week’s Shackamaxon, Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson unpacks Pennsylvania’s gambling dependence.

“The more lawmakers in the Keystone State rely on gambling to pay our bills, the more complicit we are in the industry’s misdeeds,” Pearson writes.

Read on for Pearson’s take, along with his perspectives on property tax assessments and state budget negotiations.

📍 Find the location

Think you know where you can get this view? Our weekly game puts your knowledge of Philly places and streets to the test. Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: “The Godmother of Soul”

ALBEIT PALLET

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

Cheers to Stacy Stone, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Rothman Orthopaedics. The large physician-owned group plans to open three new surgery centers over the next year and keep adding doctors in its Philadelphia-area market.

We were there

Staff photographer Monica Herndon captured Philly artist Paul Carpenter in his element, painting “a love letter to Philadelphia.”

Carpenter went from painting Phillies murals in his bedroom to designing limited-edition aluminum bottles. Trending sports reporter Ariel Simpson has the story of how Carpenter is scaling up his artwork in South Philly.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

🏈 A young Eagles fan asked Saquon Barkley a funny question during youth camp.

⛱️ @bobbyfiler comically plays out motherly shenanigans down the Shore.

🔬 Fairmount Water Works shows us the microscopic creatures living in one “scoop” of the Schuylkill.

👋🏽 Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll catch up with you again tomorrow.

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

It’s Friday, Philly.

The city broke a 74-year-old rain record on Thursday. As for today, patchy fog is in the forecast, along with a chance of storms in the evening.

In our main read, we followed the trail of premium mangoes to learn how they got from Pakistan to the Philadelphia area.

And could “King James” himself really become a Sixer? We built a way to gauge the chances en vivo.

Plus, Philadelphia firefighters blasted a new contract that leaves them behind police on pay, and more news of the day.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Juicy secret

Consider the mango out of the bag.

🥭 Pakistani mangoes, approved for import in 2010, are hard to come by in the U.S. due to high transport costs, customs restrictions, and their short shelf life.

🥭 But a network of dealers across the country makes it possible for people to enjoy the highly coveted fruit. Mango middlemen sell them through WhatsApp groups at a premium.

🥭 A father-son duo of a Delco farmers market talked to The Inquirer about what it took to navigate this high-stakes network, and the satisfaction of acquiring the sweet fruit. “It smells like you’re in Pakistan, that’s how fresh they are,” Musa Khan told food reporter Hira Qureshi.

Read on about the secretive supply chain.

LeBron vibe check

At 41, basketball superstar LeBron James is considering several suitors for his 24th season with the NBA, and insiders are reporting that Philly is among the top destinations.

But is it at all likely for him to join the Sixers? 🤞

Enter the Bron-O-Meter. We built it to keep our finger on the pulse of the latest reporting, analysis, and speculation surrounding the all-time great’s moves.

It’s wholly unscientific, but with the rumor mill working overtime, the tool lets us peep the evolving possibility that he may or may not come to South Broad.

Scope out the current vibes for yourself.

What you should know today

• Philly firefighters and paramedics will receive smaller wage increases than police officers got for the first time in two decades. The head of the union said the new contract is a “middle finger” to the city’s emergency medical personnel.
• An Oregon man was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday for fatally stabbing a beloved South Jersey veterinarian at the vet’s Cherry Hill home.
• Police officers in one of Philadelphia’s largest districts frequently failed to activate their body-worn cameras during encounters that department policy required them to record, according to a new audit.
• SEPTA is trading Glenside Regional Rail riders three scheduled daytime trains for new off-peak options, more train cars, and new schedules aimed at preventing delays.
• Bryce Harper declined to comment Thursday on an Inquirer report that FanDuel sent a personalized video of him to a VIP bettor with a gambling addiction.
• A New York-based developer who outbid real estate investor Dean Adler and Philadelphia’s PMC Property Group for control of the huge office complex at Centre Square has decided to walk away from the property.
• In a rare move, Pennsylvania’s two senators have created a joint fundraising committee that would allow them to split money from donors who want to give to both of their campaigns, despite being members of different parities.
• Scrap iron, one of the Philadelphia area’s biggest exports, is plagued by battery fires, junkyard and port operators say.
• The Ben Franklin Bridge will be closed to vehicles for much of Saturday, allowing pedestrians to walk the span’s roadway. Here are the details of the party shutting down the bridge.

Plus: What does it take to get a historical marker in Pennsylvania?

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

This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer from 2024 on how to nominate a person, place, or event to be immortalized on a blue-and-yellow plaque.

More than 320 historical markers line the streets of Philadelphia, and about two dozen new ones join the ranks annually, according to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Here’s what they told us about the process.

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

🧠 Trivia time

Will Smith was ready to go home on the night of the July 4 Parkway concert following bad weather. Then, he said he got a call from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, pleading for a late-night concert. When recounting this on stage, Smith affectionately referred to the mayor by this nickname:

A) “Mrs. Mayor”

B) “Fresh Princess”

C) “Aunty Cherelle”

D) “Cherelle-ton Banks”

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

P.S. Yesterday’s trivia link was wrong. Sorry about that! Here is the correct story (and solution): The Vances added a chicken coop to the vice president’s residence.

What we’re…

🎸 Rocking out to: Concerts in Philly this week, featuring a triumvirate of legends and much more.

🧺 Curious about: Why Philly’s chefs and bartenders are gathering black walnuts this week.

📖 Reading: The real (and more complicated) story on the Delco library that made headlines for a “borrowed book returned after 100 years.”

🩻 Hearing from experts: The reasons behind a perceived prevalence of cancer right now.

🥙 Anticipating: The award-winning Emmett in Kensington is opening a second restaurant — upstairs.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Large physician-owned group

ANDORRA PHOTOCHEMIST

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

Cheers to Jeanne Maier, who solved Thursday’s anagram: The Schmitter. The iconic sandwich is making its triumphant return to Citizens Bank Park for the All-Star game.

Photo of the day

Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend when you get there.

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

Welcome to Wednesday. It should be a mostly sunny day with a high near 83.

Our main read analyzes new city assessments that show increases in several changing neighborhoods, with Kensington leading the increase in property values.

And the last Philly-area Rite Aids shuttered for good nearly a year ago. We looked into how their sites have been repurposed.

Plus, a new flight route fills the void at PHL left by Spirit Airlines, and more news of the day.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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The cost of change

Low-income neighborhoods near gentrifying areas saw the sharpest jumps in property values compared with the rest of the city, according to an Inquirer analysis of new assessment data.

And as Philadelphia ramps up efforts to address long-standing problems in Kensington, valuations there have climbed faster than in any other neighborhood.

Steepest increase: The median assessment of single-family residential properties in Kensington rose by 15% from the 2025 to 2027 tax years. Citywide, there was a 3% increase.

What the data show: It’s a further sign that market pressures in higher-income areas are pushing into pockets of the city that have long been primarily home to Black and brown working-class residents.

Notable quote: “I’m going to do whatever I have to do to make sure that residents who have lived in that community can stay there, can raise their families there,” said City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, a Democrat who represents the 7th Council District, which includes parts of Kensington.

Inquirer reporters Anna Orso, Yueyang Tang, and Lizzie Mulvey dive into the data and explain how a popular city tax break plays a role.

Also: The housing market in the Philly area is “weird” right now, agents say. Here’s why.

Reborn from Rite Aids

After years of turbulent finances, the pharmacy chain called it quits, but its presence still lingers across the Philly region.

While a few defunct Rite Aids are empty and overgrown, other buildings are getting new life as daycares, dollar stores, and other facilities.

Here are a few examples of what now fills — or what could become of — the vacant spaces:

🏈 In Center City, a sports retailer opened its first location in the heart of Philadelphia.

🏋️‍♂️ In South Jersey, some sites are becoming fitness centers.

🧼 In Delco, one could become a township’s first (and only) car wash.

Consumer reporter Erin McCarthy takes us inside former Rite Aids to see how they have found new commerce.

What you should know today

• Peco and its workers union reached a tentative agreement on a new contract Monday, ending the first strike in the company’s history on its third day.
• State and local health officials are tracking cases of an illness caused by an intestinal parasite.
• Philadelphia police released surveillance images of the white SUV suspected in a fatal hit-and-run crash on Kelly Drive last month that killed a Temple University student.
• Philadelphia so far has confirmed seven heat-related deaths in the last week, bringing the seasonal total to eight, according to the city medical examiner’s office.
• Cybercriminals stole the private information of more than 50,000 clients from a Philadelphia-based law firm, according to two lawsuits.
• Philadelphia drivers can now fill up their tanks with less-expensive gasoline promoted by President Donald Trump’s administration, but details on the entire enterprise remain scarce.
• Frontier Airlines has begun new nonstop daily service between Philadelphia International Airport and Detroit, taking over a route formerly operated by discount carrier Spirit Airlines.
• Point Breeze’s Keith Haring mural is being proposed to be added to Philadelphia’s Register of Historic Places. Some are wary of the precedent the designation would set.

Quote of the day

We can thank Afro Sheen founder George E. Johnson for “The Sound of Philadelphia,” columnist Elizabeth Wellington wrote last spring. The haircare pioneer died on Monday.

🧠 Trivia time

Bryce Harper loves putting Philly on his feet, and his latest cleats from Under Armour are no exception.

What do they pay tribute to?

A) Rocky

B) Cheesesteaks

C) SEPTA

D) Pretzels

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re …

☕ Noting: New and forthcoming businesses in Ardmore.

🍦 Curious to try: A new Graduate Hospital ice cream shop that’s all about big flavors and little wins.

🏫 Featuring: The educator helping to guide Philly families and staff through the district’s plan to close and modernize schools.

🍅 Learning about: South Jersey farmers’ creative efforts to bounce back from a destructive spring freeze.

🎤 Wondering: Will the city be refunded for Christina Aguilera’s canceled July Fourth concert set? The mayor’s office isn’t saying.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: In a galaxy far, far away …

RAW TSARS

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

Cheers to Bob Allmond, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Scott Franzke. Nick Piccone built a social media following for posting clips of the sportscaster’s radio calls during Phils games. His hustle gives a radio broadcast new life.

Photo of the day

One viewpoint to go: The USMNT’s 4-1 loss to Belgium on Monday night was “cosmic payback” and an embarrassing end to the World Cup for the home country, writes sports columnist Mike Sielski.

👋🏽 That’s it for now. Thanks for starting your day with us.

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

Good morning and happy Friday, Philly.

Today’s high temps could break records, and nightfall may not bring much relief. Experts tell us why warmer nights can be more dangerous than daytime heat.

On the eve of America’s 250th, we’re flashing back five decades for a look at how Philadelphia celebrated the Bicentennial.

And to the surprise of some Fairmount residents, this year’s fireworks display will start around midnight. They aren’t happy about it.

Plus, a federal judge ruled that Philly can’t force ICE agents to unmask, and more news to know to kick off your holiday weekend.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Falling short

The hype was real for the Bicentennial in Philly.

With 20 million visitors projected to travel to the city, there were big dreams for projects to mark the major occasion, like a massive suspended platform at 30th Street Station and a flower-focused theme park in Fairmount Park.

Instead, the birthplace of American democracy hosted an under-attended party, and was then caught in the grips of a disease outbreak.

It’s an understatement to say reality did not live up expectations of a Bicentennial boom, but it wasn’t a complete bust. In some ways, the nation’s 200th birthday gave us some of the Philadelphia we know today.

For more on the lasting legacy, dive into the Inquirer archives with Nick Vadala.

Parkway after dark

Those who live near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway are used to the sparks and blasts for July Fourth, but some aren’t particularly thrilled about their late start this year.

🎆 Fireworks will begin closer to midnight. The star-studded lineup for the One City: Unity Concert for America is bigger this year, so the show will also start earlier and end later.

🎆 The noise is not the problem. Some residents told The Inquirer the nuisance is the events’ timing competing with youngsters’ bedtimes, referring to the move as “not a family-friendly decision.”

🎆 Traffic will be a headache, too. With 300,000 people expected, there are concerns about how the city is handling traffic leaving the Parkway.

Henry Savage has the full story.

Plus: Brush up on road closures and transportation info before heading to the Parkway.

What you should know today

• The President’s House is fair game for the Trump administration following an appeals court ruling that cleared the way for the National Park Service to install a new exhibit.
• A teenager who police say killed a Penn State student from South Philly was captured in Colorado Thursday and will be charged with murder. A second teen suspect also surrendered to authorities.
• Philadelphia can’t prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other federal officers from concealing their identities, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
• Police identified a man who they say shot and killed two men and injured a third near the Hunting Park Recreation Center. Investigators believe the crimes are linked.
• Delaware County is investigating a hack of its network systems. The scale of the breach remains unclear.
• Thirty-one people were arrested for trafficking fentanyl and other illegal drugs inside the Camden County Jail.
• Philly-based restaurateur Stephen Starr settled with the National Labor Relations Board over union-busting allegations at his D.C. steakhouse.
• Several new stores are coming to the King of Prussia Mall in the coming months.
• The University of Valley Forge has been given a serious warning that it is in danger of losing its accreditation.

Plus: How does SEPTA’s bus numbering system work?

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

This week, we have an explainer from Michelle Myers on the logic behind SEPTA’s bus route numbers.

The transit system operates more than 120 routes, but its numbers don’t necessarily indicate where they go or what streets they operate on. It turns out the digits are a relic from the streetcar era. Here’s the full story.

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

🧠 Trivia time

A local ceramicist, whose dishware can be seen at restaurants ranging from Provenance to Zahav, is rebuilding following bankruptcy and a kiln disaster. What are they called?

A) Le Creuset

B) Fiesta

C) Felt and Fat

D) East Fork

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

What we’re …

🥵 Avoiding: Exhaustion and dehydration in the heat, and at Philly’s last World Cup game.

🚂 Excited to see: Big Boy, the world’s largest steam locomotive, as it passes through Philly.

🏛️ Shocked by: Lawmakers almost demolished Independence Hall in the 1800s.

📺 Looking out for: Task will start filming its second season next week in Manayunk.

🌱 Learning: Soil from Revolutionary battlefields was mixed at Independence Hall on this week in Philly history.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A destination for Main Line musicians

ANY DASHING SPROUT

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

Cheers to Tanya O’Neill, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Christina Aguilera. This singer has been recruiting Philly-area “soldiers” for her concert on the Fourth of July.

Photo of the day

🔔 One more Semiquincentennial thing: Members of Congress gathered in Philadelphia Thursday to commemorate the vote for independence 250 years ago. Their speeches reflected on historical struggles and present-day tensions.

👋🏽 This newsletter is taking a break in observance of the Fourth of July. We’ll be back on Monday. Until then, you can find all the latest news and our holiday weekend coverage at Inquirer.com. Take care!

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Welcome to July.

With a new month come new restaurants and bars. We compiled a roundup with 16 openings to look out for.

But first, Philadelphia’s July Fourth celebrations will look a little different this year, and they will also cost taxpayers millions more than previous iterations.

Plus, a heat emergency is in effect for the city, and more news of the day.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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‘This is her big concert’

🎤 Allow me to pass the mic to City Hall reporter Sean Collins Walsh.

With the eyes of the nation on Philadelphia for America’s 250th birthday, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration this year took over management of the city’s free July Fourth concert, which for years was produced by a nonprofit established by the city, Welcome America.

The mayor instead hired ESM Productions, a for-profit company, to put on the annual show featuring musical acts and fireworks over the Ben Franklin Parkway, and she changed the name from Wawa Welcome America to the “One Philly: Unity Concert for America” — a version of Parker’s well-known slogan, “One Philly: A United City.”

Another change: It will cost taxpayers far more than in the past.

The city is due to pay ESM Productions about $15.5 million for the show, which will be headlined by Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott and The Roots and will feature rapper Meek Mill, according to a copy of the city’s contract paperwork with ESM, obtained by The Inquirer. The city in March signed a $10 million contract with the Philadelphia-based company, as well as a $5.5 million contract amendment. — Sean Collins Walsh

Keep reading for Walsh’s full report on the contract, how it compares to last year’s iteration, and how Parker’s office said it plans to publicly disclose the concert’s costs and economic benefits.

In related news: The revamped July Fourt concert is impeding on World Cup fans’ access to a popular tourist attraction.

New digs

From bakeries to brewpubs, summertime will see a flurry of culinary debuts in the Philly area including:

☕ a plant-based cafe in Point Breeze

🥪 a casual sandwich shop fusing Chinese and Cuban flavors in Washington Square West

🍸 an agave-focused Mexican cocktail bar in East Kensington

Food writer Michael Klein has the full calendar.

What you should know today

• Temps in Philly could hit 100 for three consecutive days — something the city hasn’t seen in 33 years. The city declared a heat emergency, and SEPTA and Peco have contingency plans while the airport is on watch.
• The Olney man at the center of a sprawling investigation into the disappearance of at least two women in recent years was taken into federal custody Tuesday and will be detained until trial.
• Police are looking for two teenagers in connection to the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old Penn State student in South Philadelphia.
• A CSX freight train derailed Tuesday afternoon in Bensalem Township. No injuries were reported.
• A Norristown man allegedly bilked dozens out of more than $3.8 million with promises of monthly payments and full returns on principal investments.
• Two Chester County residents have been diagnosed with measles, local health officials said on Tuesday, the first cases reported in the Philadelphia region this summer.
• U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who had not been seen since March in Congress or in his competitive New Jersey district, said Tuesday that he had been hospitalized to treat depression.
• Nine protestors who were charged with trespassing for refusing to leave a pro-Palestinian encampment at Swarthmore College last year entered no-contest pleas to summary noise-violation offenses.
• A replica Liberty Bell, a Knoebels amusement park bench, and bags of potato chips are on display as part of Pennsylvania’s showcase at President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair.

Quote of the day

🥳 The Ben Franklin Bridge turns 100 today. Inquirer columnist Stephanie Farr recently walked the iconic bridge that connects Philadelphia and Camden, and urges us all to do the same sooner rather than later. Join her bucket-list adventure here.

Keep going: Our interactive developer Jasen Lo crafted a cool way to learn how the monumental superstructure spanning the Delaware was built.

🧠 Trivia time

Which basketball player is contemplating a return to the Sixers?

A) Michael Carter-Williams

B) Nerlens Noel

C) Ben Simmons

D) None of the above

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🥵 Giving tips on: How to stay cool without air conditioning in Philly.

👟 Impressed by: A Philly man’s record-setting, five-day run across Pennsylvania.

🚧 Heeding: Road closures for Wawa Hoagie Day today and other upcoming events.

⚽ Discussing: Whether the U.S. or Bosnia will win tonight’s knockout match.

🤔 Debunking: Did Pope Leo XIV actually go to a ‘Nova frat party in the 70s?

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Camden County borough

BORING RANT

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

Cheers to Kate Johnston, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Joe Frazier. The boxer’s statue was just moved to the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Photo of the day

Philadelphia’s long-shuttered “flying saucer” building is preparing for its next mission: hosting a beer garden and a restaurant.

👋🏽 Thanks for reading. Take care out there.

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

It’s Sunday. There’s a chance of showers, with a high near 84.

A longtime Philadelphia snack shop looks to social media for continued growth in the digital age as it marks 50 years in business.

Plus, go inside Urban’s headquarters to see how the company grew from Philly roots to global retailer.

Scroll along for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez and Brian Nelson (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Cashews to clicks

Nuts To You has been cracking on in Center City since 1976, owned by the same family for three generations.

The snack haven has adapted to a variety of changes, from the rise of the internet to the emptying of the business district in a post-pandemic Philadelphia.

🥜 Dealing with less foot traffic: Walk-in sales are down, but it has offset that through new online customers: 40% of sales come from its website, and the company has explored selling on TikTok.

🥜 Quality above all: “That’s what our customers expect,” said Justin Bernstein, who co-owns the business with his father, Howard, on their promise to loyal customers.

Olivia Prusky has the story on how Nuts To You’s has endured from its front-row seat to an evolving retail landscape.

Inside Urban HQ

Twenty years ago, Urban put down roots at Philadelphia’s Navy Yard. Since then, the company has grown, expanding from one building to a campus that houses 15 buildings and just over 2,500 employees.

To commemorate this momentous anniversary, a decommissioned 1977 tugboat, painted in Urban’s signature yellow and marked by its logo, is now permanently stationed outside its headquarters — as a sort of mascot to cofounder and CEO Dick Hayne.

Urban has almost 800 stores worldwide under the brand names Urban Outfitters, Free People, FP Movement, and Anthropologie and continues to grow.

Business reporter Ariana Perez-Castells dives into its past, present, and future.

What you should know today

• The FBI spent another day searching an Olney home tied to Eugene Albert Horsch as investigators continued processing the property. We have the latest on the investigation in our updated explainer, plus a closer look at Amy McHale, the woman who disappeared in 2016 after she was last seen at the home.
• Nearly 1,200 nurses at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital ratified a contract that includes raises and additional staffing at the Logan hospital.
• A Philadelphia wedding photographer was sued on Friday by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office for allegedly ripping off her customers for at least $75,000.
• The historic Conkling-Armstrong House will be renovated and expanded to offer 24 affordable apartments in North Philadelphia.
• Philly and its surrounding counties are set for what could be a record-breaking $322 million in federal and state money for trails.
• The Delco jail chief resigned after less than six months on the job, according to a statement released by the county government.
• A move by the Haverford Township School District to buy artificial intelligence tools for students and teachers has been met with protest from parents who fear the technology will erode learning.
• A state Supreme Court decision on skill games could provide funding for SEPTA and dozens of financially strained mass transit systems across Pennsylvania.

This week in history

🎤 Here’s Tommy Rowan with a look back at the skirmish between unpaid Revolutionary War soldiers and members of Congress.

The power of the purse came later.

First came mutiny.

It started with a group of unpaid Revolutionary War soldiers who marched against the country’s primitive government during a weeklong saga in June 1783.

The confrontation so startled the early version of Congress that its members fled from Philly to — of all places — New Jersey.

Read on for the full story.

❓Pop quiz

In a new poll, almost 28% of Philadelphia residents said which city landmark best embodies American democracy?

A) Liberty Bell

B) Independence Hall

C) National Constitution Center

D) Rocky Steps

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🌻 Loving: A rare reunion of two famous van Gogh paintings at the Art Museum.

🍤 Munching on: Fried silverfish and Argentinian empanadas among the best things we ate this week.

🇺🇸 Entertained by: Boston thinks its Revolutionary history might be better than Philly’s. We think that’s pretty cute.

🍽️ Looking to: The mainland for this summer’s biggest Jersey Shore restaurant openings.

🇬🇭 Learning: How Ghana became a part of Philly soccer lore nearly 15 years ago.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: West Chester native and “Jackass” star

ABE GRAMMAR

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

Cheers to Laura Oakes, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: RittenhouseTown. It was the site of the paper mill that was the only source of paper in America for more than 40 years.

Photo of the day

💃 One more story to go: For one night each month, Carlota Ttendant has been an entertainer and an equalizer, responsible for uniting people — gay and straight, from Haddonfield to Phoenixville — around a common goal. Now, after 30 years and raising millions for people with HIV/AIDS, she’s hanging up her heels.

🎶 Today’s track goes like this: “The heat was on, rising to the top.” It’s one of my favorites from our playlist of the 76 most iconic Philadelphia songs.

👋🏽 Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Inquirer. Have a great day.

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

Good morning, Philly. Saturday showers may turn our World Cup game soggy, and it appears a heat wave is on the way.

Trouble is brewing in an homeowner association’s group chat. Members are tired of one neighbor treating it like the complaint department. A reader asked: Should they get the boot? Inquirer staffers share their thoughts.

Plus, we’re talking about a $2.5 million revamp of Market Street, why an East Passyunk bar raised the price of its iconic burger, and our report card for this week in Philly news.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• Drivers caught speeding on Frankford Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia will now face a minimum $100 fine thanks to ten new speed-enforcement cameras.
• The feds raided an Olney rowhouse and uncovered drugs, chemicals, fake DEA badges — and possible links to two missing women. A police report obtained by The Inquirer shows what officers found inside the car of the homeowner, who is now held in custody.
• Pennsylvania health officials on Friday said several people have been hospitalized amid a growing measles outbreak that has spread to six counties in the southeastern and central parts of the state.
• The Ocean City Council voted to declare the site of the old Wonderland Pier “in need of rehabilitation,” a designation sought by a developer who plans to build a luxury hotel.
• Market Street just got a glow-up in Old City. Now, Philadelphia officials are planning a major renovation of its sidewalks, landscaping, and streetscapes, from Sixth Street to City Hall.
• Fountain Porter’s iconic $6 burger is now $7. The East Passyunk neighborhood bar made the nearly 17% price increase official after months of watching the prices of ingredients creep up.
• The Wawa Welcome America festival will close streets throughout the city. Here are the road closures planned for the nation’s 250th.
• Several Pennsylvania state offices have been involved in private meetings with a company tied to liquid natural gas export plans for at least a year, records show.
• Next week, Philadelphia will begin a centuries-long stint as the host of a time capsule to be unearthed in 250 years.
• Philadelphia proves once again that no city blends history and absurdity quite like this one. From Revolutionary War reenactments to mascot lodging and a Nicolas Cage bar crawl, catch up on the good, bad, and weird from recent stories out of Philly.

HOA chat tensions

This week’s question is: I am in an HOA. We are all in one group chat and are friendly to one another. One of the women in our chat, who is very nice in person, uses the chat to complain, almost weekly.

She thinks the kids are too loud playing outside on a Saturday afternoon. She says one of us put our trash out 20 minutes before we’re technically allowed to. She says one of us closes our front door so hard that it shakes the whole building. She constantly asks for us to get her Amazon packages and if we say we’re not home she says, “ANYONE ELSE?” Yes, in caps.

So yeah, we don’t like her. We’ve tried! So there are some ideas floating around, the main one being: Do we mute that group chat and start a new one without her? Or do we just tell her what the deal is?

Cue “Complaint Department” by Lykke Li.

Inquirer writers Kiki Aranita and Elizabeth Wellington jumped into a group chat of their own for a conversation on this situation. They agreed on the need for ground rules, and established a few for folks to live by. To start, no complaints. “Complaints are for friend group chats, not neighbor group chats,” Aranita said.

The act of keeping it real with the source of the annoyance, however, requires great delicacy. “People need to know when they are getting on your last nerves,” Wellington said, suggesting a gentle approach to confrontation.

Read their full verdict here. And if you need advice, or just want to share your thoughts, we want to hear it. Email us here.

One viewpoint

This week 149 years ago, 10 Irish Catholic miners were hanged in Pennsylvania following murder convictions in a long-running labor war. It was the biggest mass execution in the state’s long history.

In a column for The Inquirer, Mark Bulik, a retired senior editor for the New York Times and author of a book on the Irish roots of America’s first labor war, explores a hidden link between the notorious labor rebels known as “Molly Maguires” and Philadelphia mummers.

“The connection explains many of the mysteries about the Mollies — where the name came from, why the Mollies wore odd disguises, why they did their killing around high points of the calendar, and why they were revived in Pennsylvania amid resistance to the Civil War draft,” Bulik writes.

Get Bulik’s perspective on why the key to understanding who the Irishmen really were lies in the longtime holiday tradition.

📍 Find the location

Think you know where to find this pool? Our weekly game puts your knowledge of Philly’s places and streets to the test. Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: The site of America’s first paper mill (one word)

INTENSE THROWOUT

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

Cheers to Susan Walton who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Fourth of July. We rounded up a list of where to watch fireworks for America’s 250th in Philly, the suburbs, South Jersey, and the Shore.

We were there

Thursday’s Group E finale at Philadelphia Stadium saw Ivory Coast take charge with a 2-0 victory over Curaçao for the FIFA World Cup.

For 19-year-old Yan Diomande, Philly will be remembered as the place the rising striker launched his star in America.

Check out the full gallery from staff photographers Jose F. Moreno and Tyger Williams.

One more read to go: FIFA has already set an all-time World Cup attendance record, and Philadelphia has been a major part of that.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

📸 I’m loving Philly-based photographer Oreste Mercado’s ethereal captures of the city.

📰 The paper gets props for this headline presentation in print.

⚾ Owners of Nihonbashi Philly, Tokyo’s shrine to Philly culture, are calling on fellow Japanese netizens to vote for Kyle Schwarber — “NOT SHOHEI OHTANI‼️” — for the MLB All-Star Game. The Phillies’ Instagram page replied: “We are the Philadelphia Phillies and we support this message.”

🇭🇷 A wedding coinciding with a Croatian rally makes for a wholesome moment of celebration.

👋🏽 Thanks for spending time here this morning. I’ll bring you the latest news again tomorrow.

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