Rise and shine, Philly. Wednesday’s looking sunny, but cloud cover conditions are unclear for the late-night Perseid meteor shower show.

Bananas are making a big splash on menus across the city. We looked into what’s behind the boom in popularity.

Hotter and more humid summers are putting pressure on the Philly suburbs’ aging infrastructure.

Plus, Mural Arts Philadelphia has named a new executive director for the first time since 1996, and more news of the day.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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From cafes to cocktails

The tropical fruit is hard to miss at the grocery store, but now it’s become more prevalent on menus across Philly.

The rise of banana beverages is part of a national trend that was a long time coming, following the likes of matcha- and ube-flavored treats and drinks.

“But what’s particularly unusual about it is that it straddles both the cafe and cocktail realms of beverage, when normally, these spheres do not intersect,” food writer Kiki Aranita reports.

Cocktail bars, for instance, are getting creative to use the banana in its entirety (including its peel), and bartenders are reaching more for banana liquor.

Aranita has the story, including where to try these drinks around the city.

‘We get a 100-year storm every year’

Philly-area summers have intensified, making flash floods, extreme precipitation, and life-threatening storms more commonplace.

In the suburbs, a unique challenge emerges as the region prepares for a future marked by climate change. Multiple facets of these communities play a role, including:

The topography. Flooding is the “biggest and most common hazard,” according to Chris Linn, manager of the Office of Resilience and Environment at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

The infrastructure. Aging stormwater systems are in need of costly repairs across many municipalities. These systems are crucial to move water off impenetrable surfaces like parking lots and paved roads.

The regulations. Municipalities differ in their desire and ability to use taxpayer dollars to tackle climate issues through various projects.

Denali Sagner reports on the difficulties Philadelphia suburbs face in dealing with extreme weather today and in the future.

What you should know today

• The ramp from Bridge Street to I-95 North in Northeast Philadelphia will close for good next week. In other transportation news, the University Avenue Bridge will soon receive repairs to its deteriorating steel beams.
• A teen who authorities believe stole a vehicle used in June by two other teens before they killed a Penn State student in South Philadelphia surrendered to police Tuesday night.
• Taxpayers paid $2.3 million last month to the victims of a former Philadelphia police officer who is behind bars for sexual assault.
• A South Philadelphia babysitter, originally from Argentina, was released from ICE detention Monday after being arrested at Philadelphia International Airport last month.
• Emily Mello will assume the role of executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia on Sept. 1.
• A Montco meat-processing plant that was set to shut down this week will stay open, but will downsize staff from about 1,700 to 400.
• The landmark Pub in Pennsauken is going on the market, but it plans to stay open while it searches for new ownership.
• 94.1 WIP won’t have a dedicated sideline reporter during Eagles games for the first time in more than 15 years.

Quote of the day

Mark Ringgold was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Cobbs Creek last year, near one of the city’s most dangerous roads. His mother, Angela McDonald, is pushing for the city to install speed bumps to slow down drivers.

🧠 Trivia time

President Donald Trump reportedly flew secretly on an alternate military aircraft last month because of an Iranian assassination threat.

Which former president also took part in a similar plane ruse?

A) George W. Bush

B) Bill Clinton

C) Jimmy Carter

D) None of the above

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🍗 Intrigued by: An unnamed Point Breeze corner store is cooking up one of the neighborhood’s best chicken sandwiches.

📍 Identifying: All the Philly locations featured in the opening episodes of the new season of Reacher.

🥬 Visiting: The best weekly farmers markets down the Shore.

🏀 Hearing: The buzz on record-breaking ticket prices, player reactions, and more on the Sixers-Knicks season opener.

🎤 Considering: Inquirer writer Jason Nark’s changing perspective on country music and its alternatives.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Star of John Wick and The Matrix

SEVEN EUREKA

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

Cheers to Mary Jane Connolly, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Snapper soup. Kelly’s Seafood is closing after 68 years in North Philadelphia. You have three weeks to get your last bowl of snapper soup.

Photo of the day

👋🏽 Thanks for starting your morning here. Have a good one.

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! Looks like we’re in for another hot day, with maybe some thunderstorms in the late afternoon. Translation: It’s August in Philly.

This morning, we have the story of a man who allegedly bilked NFL players and others out of money in a scam involving fake Shopify stores.

We also have details about Gov. Josh Shapiro’s early days in office when he welcomed businesses into Pennsylvania — including data centers, which are decidedly unpopular now.

Plus, some members of Congress want FanDuel to eliminate its VIP program in light of the Bryce Harper controversy. The Portal is going to move away from City Hall — and could leave Philly altogether. — Ellen Dunkel

(morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Football, Shopify, and an alleged Ponzi scheme

Hours before they found him dead in his Gloucester County home, one of Mohamed Coulibaly’s alleged victims said the 23-year-old entrepreneur had been desperately seeking a $75,000 loan.

A recent Barron’s investigation alleged Coulibaly defrauded three former NFL players out of $1 million in an e-commerce scheme involving fake Shopify stores.

Now others who invested in the venture or lent Coulibaly money, were blowing up his phone. They wanted to know if Eagles Jalen Carter and several former members of the team, including Nakobe Dean and Terrell Edmunds, were even real clients, a claim Coulibaly made on promotional materials.

Above all, these people wanted their money back.

Reporter Ximena Conde digs into the case.

Data centers are weighing on Shapiro’s popularity

Gov. Josh Shapiro made a declaration in the early days of his administration: Pennsylvania is open for business.

The move would ultimately include promises to slash bureaucratic red tape, cut permit wait times, and offer a new direct line to Shapiro’s office for major corporations hoping to set up shop in Pennsylvania.

It was with this same spirit last summer that Shapiro announced the largest single private sector investment in Pennsylvania history: Amazon committed $20 billion in Pennsylvania that included two data center campuses in Luzerne and Bucks Counties.

But in a year’s time, the politics — and public opinion on both sides of the aisle — have dramatically shifted on data center development.

Reporters Michelle Baruchman and Gillian McGoldrick have the details.

What you should know today

• Senate and Congress members have demanded FanDuel eliminate VIP programs for bettors, citing the Bryce Harper controversy.
• A Lancaster County man pleaded guilty to fraud after the feds accused him of running a $400 million Ponzi scheme.
• Six were killed and two wounded in wave of weekend violence in Philadelphia.
• Philly Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. won his seat in 2023 without a primary opponent. This time is likely to be different.
• The Philadelphia Portal is moving out of City Hall — and might have to move to a new city.
• A Bucks County farm owner who fled to Belize to dodge animal abuse charges has pleaded guilty.
• From Northwest Philly to an Olympic hopeful, Maurice Scott used rowing as an outlet. He says: “The water gave me strength.”

Quote of the day

“Baby boomers like me vividly remember the towering, then-state-of-the-art right field scoreboard at Connie Mack Stadium,” Dave Caldwell writes, “topped by a gigantic advertisement for Ballantine Beer. Well, that scoreboard was erected in 1956, five years before beer was sold there.”

🧠 Trivia time

Which South Jersey town recently celebrated its 100th anniversary of incorporation?

A) Haddonfield

B) Lawnside

C) Merchantville

D) Glassboro

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🍕Eating: Pizza topped with oxtail and collard greens, jerk chicken, and shrimp and grits.

🌱 Planting: Native vegetation. Here’s how Jersey Shore gardeners do it.

🧰 Borrowing: Tools from the Northwest Tool Library. After all, not everyone has a leaf blower.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: People are stocking up on this dish since the Northeast Philly restaurant that specializes in it announced that it’s closing.

PAPERS PUN SO

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

Cheers to Gary Bolton, who solved Monday’s anagram: Lane Johnson. The six-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro said 2026 will “probably” be his final season.

Photo of the day

Chase Utley’s path to the Phillies Wall of Fame was forged with hours in the video room.

Enjoy your Tuesday!

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Good morning, Philly! Happy Monday. Be prepared for a hot one today with highs expected to be in the 90s.

In 2024, Pennsylvania became the first state in the nation to enter into an agreement with OpenAI. State officials stress that the AI tools improve efficiency without cutting jobs.

Villanova spent more than $100 million on upgrades to the former Cabrini University campus, where half of its sophomores will live this fall and more than 2,000 students will take classes.

Plus, a father is searching for answers after lawyers say a police pursuit of an ATV ended in his son’s death, and more news of the day.

— Sam Stewart (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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A first-of-its-kind pilot

When Pennsylvania announced plans in 2024 for a first-of-its-kind generative artificial intelligence pilot program with the tech giant OpenAI, the head of the state workers’ union approached state officials about entering into an agreement to provide its members with job protections.

The state agreed to talk, which led to a deal. Gov. Josh Shapiro published a public letter outlining commitments to employees amid the rising popularity of AI use, and the union reached a separate agreement with the state, establishing protections for its members.

Today, Pennsylvania state employees use AI for a range of functions but focus on relatively basic tasks: deciphering handwritten clemency applications, scanning documents, and triaging customer service requests.

Some experts say generative AI can serve as an important resource to deliver public services to constituents. But to do this best, they say, governments should first find friction points and inefficiencies in their operations and then determine if the technology can help.

🎓 A new era for ‘Nova

The former Cabrini University campus has undergone a more than $100 million, Villanova-fueled rebirth, and students will begin attending classes and living there this month.

The Radnor Township campus once in dire need of maintenance sports a fresh look, including new light poles, landscaping, painting, furniture, boilers, roof repairs, an operating fountain, pickleball courts, and restored architectural flourishes, in addition to upgraded educational technology for classrooms.

It is all part of Villanova’s effort to make the 112-acre campus that it acquired from the shuttered Cabrini look and feel decidedly Villanovan. The campus has been closed for the last two years for the planning and upgrades.

Notable quote: “It’s always been a beautiful campus, but it looks very Villanova now. […] You can feel the change. Everything is just done to perfection.”

What you should know today

• The father of a Philadelphia man who was killed in an ATV crash in the spring said police officers pursued his son moments before he drove the wrong way on a one-way street, ran a red light, and collided with a sedan. The father has since hired a team of attorneys to investigate the incident. The father has alleged that the chase may have been unconstitutional.
• A double shooting left one man dead and another wounded early Sunday in the Ludlow section of North Philadelphia, according to Philadelphia police.
• The Philadelphia School District is changing a policy that effectively barred some qualified students with disabilities from gaining admission into certain magnet schools. But it did so only after a local family notified the district that it intended to sue over the old policy under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Haverford College has agreed to form an antisemitism committee and enact policies supporting Jewish, Israeli, and Zionist students as part of a settlement of a suit filed during a wave of protests against the Israel-Gaza war.
• Oxford officials are inching closer to disbanding the borough’s century-old police department and joining a regional law enforcement agency, as increasing costs of maintaining the local force have outpaced revenue. But the plan has prompted worries from some residents.

Quote of the day

Linden Curhart lives with his wife, and his husband, and his partner, in a six-person polycule in Philadelphia. The polycule — the textbook term for a group involved in polyamory together — shares costs, and meets weekly to discuss chores and meals. They’ve lived collectively for two years.

🧠 Trivia time

Phillies fans have redefined what’s considered acceptable ballpark food. The Inquirer recently spoke to fans about the most outlandish things they’ve brought to the ballpark.

Which of these foods have not been brought to the ballpark, according to our readers?

A) Fresh mussels

B) Oysters tucked inside hoagie rolls

C) Hard-boiled eggs

D) These have all been brought to the ballpark

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🥖 Learning: Angelo’s wasn’t the first cheesesteak shop to innovate and use seeded rolls. It was actually Donkey’s Place in Camden.

🎸 Rocking out to: A Philly band that’s providing the soundtrack for a recreational kickball league. The band jams out from an apartment window, and the kickball players listening below “feel famous.”

🎨 Loving: Artwork gifted to Tyrese Maxey that depicts him as Spider-Man. Maxey is known as a Marvel superfan.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Eagles’ five-time All-Pro tackle

JONAH NOLENS

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

Cheers to Harry Whalen, who solved Sunday’s anagram: The Bourse. A lender wants to force the sale of the building on Independence Mall after work ground to a halt on a hotel development.

Photo of the day

⚾ One more thing: Chase Utley’s path to the Phillies Wall of Fame, an honor he received on Aug. 7, was forged with hours in the video room. He spent hours before and after games in that room to find any advantage.

📬 Your ‘only in Philly’ story

Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Michael Leibrandt, who describes a night to remember at the Palestra:

Six years after Kobe Bryant electrified The Palestra with a 39-point performance against Chester High School, young sensation LeBron James arrived in Philadelphia with St. Vincent-St. Mary’s of Ohio to face-off with Strawberry Mansion.

At first for those of us who saw it, that evening’s match had little possibility of topping the rich history of the Palestra. Just a few months from now is the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Palestra and Penn’s first game there, a 26-15 victory over Yale that now seems to be a better summary of an Eagles game in South Philadelphia rather than a basketball matchup. But on this night, against the backdrop of the banners and trophies in America’s longest operational college basketball arena, history was made once again.

The marvel of the Palestra isn’t just as the oldest, continuous college basketball arena in the country. To this day it’s pillar-less interior offers spectators nearly no bad seats in all of the house — allowing you [to] feel like you are both right on the floor and right up to the action. On this night, thousands were in attendance, including Allen Iverson.

James lived up to every moment of the hype. Like the Sixers of 2026-2027, St. Vincent-St. Mary’s of Ohio had an incredible lineup. With James were Division I players and Romeo Travis and Dru Joyce III. They were a marvel to watch and proved to be too much for Maureece Rice and Strawberry Mansion.

Seeing what would be the finest player in the NBA for the next two decades and perhaps the finest in history during the holiday season in the historic setting of the Palestra was as fun-filled an evening in the fog of December 2002. Now, 25 years later, James is back in Philly for more fun evenings.

And very possibly, a championship to go along with them.

Have a good day, folks! 👋

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Good morning. We’re promised some sunshine and a hot high near 94.

It’s that time of year where one definitive track takes the throne as “Song of the Summer,” but we’re not going to play that game. Instead, we’re curating the season’s sounds in one playlist.

And if LeBron James ends up living in New York while playing for the Sixers, he wouldn’t be the first to make that commute.

Scroll along for these Sunday stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Put your headphones on

What’s a summer without a soundtrack?

Pop critic Dan DeLuca has us covered with a curated mix of 30 songs, annotations included. They’re not individually ranked, though, and instead highlight a wide range of the season’s sounds.

Here’s a sampling:

💥 “CRANK” by Slayyyter, serving in-your-face electro-pop.

🎸 “Can’t Be Wrong” from Low Cut Connie, “perhaps the catchiest earworm yet,” as DeLuca put it.

🎤 “Nightmares to Dreams” by Meek Mill, a sequel spin on the unofficial Philadelphia anthem.

Find our full playlist here.

P.S. What’s your song of the summer? Let us know if we missed your favorite(s).

If I could add some of my own, I’d throw in “Too Easy” by Tinashe, “Sun Has Set” by beabadoobee, and “Do It” by underscores (she’s opening for Charli XCX in Philly this fall!).

The New York-Philly trailblazer

NBA insiders have said that LeBron James may live in New York City while playing for the 76ers.

If it turns out to be true, he’d be following in the footsteps of another player who had to make the trek to and from Philly in a Sixers jersey.

In the 1960s, Wilt Chamberlain spent most nights in New York, regularly making the drive in luxury cars up and down the turnpike. Friends recall he would burn rubber with his “heavy foot.” (LeBron would probably use a helicopter, though, so he has Chamberlain beat there.)

A New York “magnet,” Chamberlain owned a popular club in Harlem and lived in Manhattan. His choice of residence became a point of contention every time he missed a practice, though.

In 1965, with just a few weeks left in the regular season, then-Sixers owner Ike Richman had Chamberlain move in with him and his family in Elkins Park.

Sports features writer Matt Breen has the full story.

What you should know today

• New Jersey’s attorney general launched an investigation into the operation of Delaney Hall in Newark. Several detainees have died at the privately run ICE facility.
• Authorities charged four men with sex-trafficking two women in Camden, allegedly coercing them with violence, threats, and drugs.
• Haverford College and a Jewish group suing the school over its handling of antisemitism allegations have reached a settlement, according to federal court documents.
• A Philadelphia firefighter headed to court after suing the city for discrimination may get help from a new state law protecting hairstyles.
• The U.S. Senate passed a bill Saturday to fund the government through Dec. 11. The measure also temporarily blocks the White House from giving political appointees more control over federal grants.
• Residents got rowdy at a Plymouth Township zoning meeting this week in opposition to plans for a big data center on the site of a closed steel mill.
• A federal judge approved settlements with DuPont and 3M that will pay New Jersey up to $2.5 billion over the next quarter century to remediate damages from decades of manufacturing and use of PFAS chemicals in the state.
• The Commodore Barry Bridge is getting a paint job and restoration, thanks to a $220 million project, leading to some traffic jams.
• Lane Johnson, the Eagles’ five-time All-Pro right tackle, said he’s considering retiring following the 2026 season.

This week in history

🎤 Here’s Tommy Rowan with a look back at the racially tense transit strike that required an Army intervention.

On Aug. 1, white transit workers with the Philadelphia Transit Co. had gone on strike over the hiring of Black trolley operators.

Black workers were now being given operator jobs, graduating to higher pay and better conditions than in their previous jobs in mechanics and labor.

On Aug. 5, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dispatched about 5,000 U.S. Army troops to Philadelphia to intervene in the ugly transit strike.

It marked one of the first major federal interventions amid the fight for civil rights.

Read on for the full story.

❓Pop quiz

Luxury homes are getting more expensive in the Philly area, but they’re still selling fast.

Homes that sold for at least _ meet the “luxury” threshold.

A) $975,000

B) $3 million

C) $1.15 million

D) $2.5 million

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🧠 Trying to crack: This week’s round of Pillars, The Inquirer’s new word game.

🍝 Loving: The sheer variety of foods Phillies fans bring to Citizens Bank Park, from lucky tuna salad to fanny pack meatballs.

✏️ Hearing: Most Philly school principals believe the district is moving in the right direction, but they also express frustration on various fronts, according to a new survey.

😋 Savoring: The spanakopita at Stina.

🪑 Disarmed by: A pair of sassy chairs at Museum of Art in Wood.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A long troubled building on Independence Mall

TUB HEROES

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

Cheers to Judy Pidgeon, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Lauren Cohan of The Walking Dead fame. She is the third most-searched Cherry Hill-born celebrity on Wikipedia.

Photo of the day

Pediatricians at CHOP and St. Christopher’s prescribe books to young children as part of a program to boost literacy. Organizers plan to expand it statewide.

🎶 Today’s song sounds like this: “I need to laugh, and when the sun is out / I’ve got something I can laugh about.” The Beatles’ Revolver turned 60 last week.

👋🏽 Thanks for reading, and have a great day.

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Saturday’s here. Afternoon showers are likely, and a heat advisory remains in effect until the evening.

A reader wants to know how to go about charging an electric car without causing too much trouble on their block.

Plus, we have updates on those mysteriously cheap Freedom Fuel stations, water systems being targeted in a cyberattack, and our report card for this week in Philly news.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• There’s been a surge of arrests by ICE at Philly’s airport in the last few weeks, immigration advocates say, including a grandmother and a babysitter.
• Water systems serving several Jersey Shore towns were hacked as part of attacks across the country, officials confirmed. Water remained safe to consume.
• Philadelphia’s chief paramedic said in a whistleblower lawsuit that he was stripped of his leadership position for sounding the alarm about allegations of favoritism in the city’s fire department.
• Some families say that the violent problems at Cheltenham schools go beyond the locker room and that there’s been a “lack of urgency” in response.
• Chris Rabb’s former campaign treasurer was charged with wire fraud after she allegedly defrauded more than 20 clients out of about $1 million, according to federal prosecutors.
• Funding was cut to life-saving medical research programs in Philly. Rep. Brendan Boyle demands to know why.
• A website is asking President Donald Trump to free the founder of Par Funding. He’s serving more than 15 years for his role in an investment scheme.
• Four new Freedom Fuel stations opened in Philly this week, while an existing location faces closure following a failed inspection.
• Among the good, bad, and weird from recent stories out of Philly: We debated ketchup on cheesesteaks, LOVE Park nears 1,000 weddings, and Gov. Josh Shapiro makes an unexpected music video cameo.

Cord courtesy

Today’s question is: I’m thinking of getting an electric car even though I don’t have a driveway. I’ve seen some of my neighbors run the cords out of their rowhouses across the sidewalk to charge their cars. I’m intrigued! What’s the etiquette?

Reporters Mike Newall and Zoe Greenberg jumped on this question with a handful of things for our “Intrigued-by-Electric” reader to consider. For starters, beware creating a tripping hazard, as the city could enforce it as a violation. As Newall pointed out, living in a city means being considerate of your neighbors.

Greenberg, who is a new mom, spoke to navigating sidewalks as if they were “an obstacle course” while pushing a stroller. “I say you can run the cords from the rowhouse, but you have to REALLY secure it to the sidewalk,” Greenberg said.

They also did some research on a program that would bring charging ports to neighborhoods.

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

One viewpoint

In October 2023, a SEPTA bus driver named Bernard Gribbin was shot and killed in Germantown. He was the first city transit operator to die by gunfire while on the job.

Gribbin’s killer was convicted of third-degree murder last week. In the latest edition of Shackamaxon, Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson argues that the DA’s office missed an opportunity to convey a stronger stance in defense of transportation workers.

“The death of Gribbin seemed like a case in which prosecutors could send a message that violence against SEPTA workers will be met with serious consequences,” Pearson writes. “Instead, District Attorney Larry Krasner opted to accept a plea bargain.”

Read on for Pearson’s perspective on the case and other happenings at City Hall and in Harrisburg this week.

🧠 Trivia time

When the Philadelphia Zoo opened, it was the first in the nation. (That was just the first of many firsts in the zoo’s history.)

When did it debut?

A) 1799

B) 1865

C) 1810

D) 1874

Think you know? Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Cherry Hill-born celebrity of The Walking Dead fame

ANNUAL CHORE

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

Cheers to Peggy Bogart, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: BlackStar Film Festival. Ahead of the 15th annual celebration of films by Black, brown, and Indigenous filmmakers, we spoke to the local filmmakers whose projects will be featured at this year’s festival.

We were there

This is Sam Okyere, a 12-year-old with sickle cell disease. When it came time to choose his Make-A-Wish dream, he used it to help the homeless.

Reporter Dana Munro and staff photographer Tyger Williams take us to his donation drive and block party at a homeless shelter in Philadelphia.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

🐈 Philadelphia Mail Cats is still meeting and greeting friendly felines on his delivery route. This orange buddy has captivating eyes.

🌳 People are raving over Cira Green. It was recently named one of Pennsylvania’s best places to catch a sunset.

📍 “My idea of a date is touring David Lynch’s Eraserhood.” Real talk.

👋🏽 A cafecito is calling my name. Thanks for waking up with The Inquirer, and I’ll catch up with you again tomorrow.

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Let’s start with the good news: It’s Friday.

Unless stifling humidity is your thing, the unpleasant news is that Philly feels more like South Beach, Miami, right now. (As a former Florida girl, I’m ambivalent.) Random showers are possible, and a heat advisory is in effect through Saturday night. The silver lining? Our drought conditions are improving.

While it may be the dog days of summer, some Philly chains are already ringing in the Halloween season. The so-called seasonal creep is real, and it’s only picking up speed.

But first, our main story looks into how SEPTA’s bus lane crackdown is going.

Scroll along for these stories and more news to start your weekend.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Under the watchful eye of AI

If the results of AI-powered camera enforcement on SEPTA buses and trolleys are any indicator, people are less likely to illegally stop in bus lanes these days.

👁️ More than 210,000 illegally parked vehicles were caught blocking bus lanes since the cameras were first deployed in May 2025. Violations have seen a downtown trend since enforcement began.

💸 Parking perps have been charged $14.5 million in fines as of June 30. The hefty fines seem to be motivating drivers to avoid adding to congestion.

🚍 Travel time has dropped, too. Buses along the enforcement routes are spending less time stuck in traffic.

Transportation reporter Tom Fitzgerald shows us the data, and explains how tickets are issued and assessed by human officers.

‘The guardrails are gone’

🎤 Allow me to pass the mic to my colleague Tony Wood for a look into a long-accelerating movement.

A certain seasonal disorientation is understandable these days, and we’re not talking about whatever is going on with the planet’s climate.

The Philly-born La Colombe coffee chain began offering its pumpkin spice drinks this week, and while that may seem early for evoking the spirit of Halloween, even among its rivals — Starbucks doesn’t turn to pumpkin until Aug. 25 — La Colombe is miles behind the candy industry, which has been at it for months.

In early May, as part of its “Halfway to Halloween” promotion, Mars Inc. was offering a “Creepy Crunch” variant of Skittles, Twix “skulls,” and pumpkin-shaped Snickers.

Over the weekend, as many as 3,000 people showed up for the seasonal grand opening of the Spirit Halloween store in Egg Harbor Township — 37 days before Labor Day, and in an era when summery weather appears to be lingering longer. (Philly’s average temperatures were above normal the last five Septembers.) — Tony Wood

Learn what could be driving seasonal creep, and why one expert says “holiday fatigue” could be the result.

What you should know today

• Cheltenham Superintendent Brian Scriven stepped down after the district was accused of failing to adequately investigate assaults in a locker room.
• Federal prosecutors will take over the criminal case against the Olney man whose house is at the center of a sprawling investigation into the disappearance of two women.
• The Philadelphia Housing Authority is planning an 85-unit mix of affordable rental and homeownership units in Strawberry Mansion.
• The parent organization of a Philadelphia-based painters union has taken control of the local entity after alleging “widespread financial malpractice” and a “lack of democratic controls.”
• The Pennsylvania Superior Court has reinstated the murder convictions of three men who were granted new trials after being imprisoned for nearly 25 years for a crime they say they did not commit.
• A man who previously got in trouble for leaving lewd and threatening voicemails for U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean pleaded guilty this week to stalking a Philadelphia TV news personality.
• A Delco police chief had her duties of office stripped away by officials in what her lawyer described in a federal civil rights lawsuit as a racist, sexist plot to force her out of her position.
• Philadelphia’s fiscal watchdog said this week that a recent city review identifying thousands of property owners cashing in on tax relief programs they are ineligible for may have only scratched the surface of the problem.
• The guidelines for how students are admitted to Philadelphia’s magnet schools are changing. The school district is also about to face significant new scrutiny, with City Council President Kenyatta Johnson asking for a sweeping audit of the system’s management and operations.

Plus: Why are the Citizens Bank Park seats blue?

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 about the color choice of the Phillies ballpark seats.

Why are they blue — sapphire blue, to be exact — and not red to match the team? The reason can be traced back to the 1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Here’s the full explanation.

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

Employees at this Philly museum adopted their first union contract this month:

A) Fabric Workshop and Museum

B) Woodmere Art Museum

C) Museum of Illusions

D) Magic Gardens

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

What (and whom) we’re…

❤️ Remembering: Chris DiJulia, a legend and dedicated part of the city’s sports scene.

🧁 Discovering: Philadelphia is the birthplace of all-American cupcakes.

🍃 Inspired by: A lawyer and a teacher sprucing up Camden, one free lawn cut at a time.

🎤 Catching: A free Iron Chic show and Hilary Duff’s concert, among the best live music happenings this week.

🍸 Intrigued by: A new vinyl listening room and bar concept coming to Kennett Square and Fishtown.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A Philly film festival happening now through Sunday

SLABTRACK

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

Cheers to Chris Campolucci, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Donkey’s Place Steaks. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said the Camden spot has better cheesesteaks than the “millions” she has tried in Philadelphia.

Here are some of your thoughts:

“Also recommended by the late Anthony Bourdain.”

“No offense to the governor, but did you see that hers was on a poppy seed kaiser roll? Heresy!”

“As a proud Philadelphian I dispute this.”

I asked The Inquirer’s cheesesteak connoisseur Tommy Rowan for his two cents. Here’s what he had to say: “It’s a good steak sandwich. It’s not a great cheesesteak.” Mic drop.

Photo of the day

👋🏽 Thanks for starting your weekend with us. Have a great one, and take care.

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Good morning, Philly. After what seemed like an endless barrage of flood warnings, we’re back to a heat advisory.

Today, we start with some early signs of the economic impact of the World Cup on Philadelphia. Also, moving in the city is a stressful puzzle, so we followed a few Philly pros who make it look easy, and to teach us a few tricks of the trade.

Plus, City Council members grilled the police commissioner over officers’ Pride response as LGBTQ+ advocates demanded accountability, and more news of the day.

— Tommy Rowan (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Was the World Cup good for Philly’s economy?

Prior to the kickoff of the World Cup, the organizers of the city’s events projected the soccer tournament would bring $770 million to Pennsylvania in gross revenue.

The cleat-kicked dirt is still settling, and conclusions will continue to emerge as more data comes to light.

But here is what we know so far:

⚽ Hotels and short-term rentals made more money.

⚽ SEPTA, PHL, and rideshare handled more travelers.

⚽ Philly’s fan festival, and bars near it, were poppin’ off.

Read our full report here.

All the right moves

For most homeowners and renters, moves are stressful — once ranked more stressful than getting a divorce.

But for the city’s professional movers, it’s just another day at work. Between parking troubles on tight South Philly streets and narrow doorways in historical trinity homes, these crews encounter and overcome Philly-specific challenges daily.

Reporter Olivia Prusky looked at how Philly movers maneuvered complicated or unwieldy items out — and into — small, old, or weirdly-shaped Philly homes, and learned a few expert tips.

Read her full, delightful report.

What you should know today

• Several members of Philadelphia City Council and a bevy of LGBTQ+ community leaders on Wednesday sharply criticized Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, who testified about the department’s response to Pride festivities in the city’s Gayborhood in June and largely defended the force’s crowd-control tactics that had drawn outrage.
• A Northeast Philly man disappeared in 2014 and months later his body was found in the Schuylkill with bullet wounds. A woman was just arrested.
• Attorneys for Bucks County Democrat Bob Harvie filed a defamation lawsuit against a political action committee and a consultant supporting his opponent, Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, in a high-stakes congressional contest.
• Right as work was set to begin on the Collings Avenue Bridge, Camden County announced Wednesday that the $2.5 million repair project is postponed until further notice.
• Hackers breached two local New Jersey water systems as part of a wider cyberattack across several states. Officials say drinking water remained safe.
• U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, in perhaps the most in-depth and toughest interview he has faced in recent memory, defended his unwavering support for Israel and his harsh criticisms of fellow Democrats when pressed by Jon Stewart in a podcast episode.
• A new $10 million fund is a “first step” toward recovery for Pennsylvania farmers after a disastrous April freeze.

Quote of the day

Christopher Nolan’s interpretation of The Odyssey is visually arresting, but not when it comes to dining. Our food reporter, who is also a classics scholar, tells us how to watch the movie and dine like a hero.

🧠 Trivia time

The school year started Wednesday for 500-plus new Philadelphia School District teachers and counselors. When do the district’s 113,000 students return to the classroom?

A) Aug. 31

B) Sept. 8

C) Aug. 24

D) Not soon enough.

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🍕 Curious about. Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy stopped into at least five Philly-area pizzerias this week for much-coveted “one bite” ratings. One spot nabbed an 8.3.

🙏 Remembering. Avid St. Joseph’s basketball fan Chris DiJulia was known for his wit, loyalty, and perseverance — not for his wheelchair. His death has been emotional for the greater St. Joe’s community who admired his battle with cerebral palsy.

🎬 Following. The HBO crime thriller Task has added new cast members who will join stars Mark Ruffalo and Mahershala Ali for its second season, which centers on two opposing dads in Philadelphia and its collar counties.

🏀 Noddying along to. Fans are all asking the same question after the 76ers signed prized free agent LeBron James: Does this make the Sixers favorites to win the NBA championship? So we asked our experts.

🍽️ Anticipating. Philadelphia’s late-summer restaurant openings range from Italian aperitivo culture and contemporary Mexican fare to family recipes, comfort food, and a returning neighborhood sports bar.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said this New Jersey shop has the best Philly cheesesteak.

CAT PEAKEDNESS YOLKS

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

Cheers to Page Allinson, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Aldar Bistro. The longtime Bala Cynwyd restaurant is closing after more than three decades, and Center City Italian restaurant veterans are moving in.

Photo of the day

The Eagles held the sixth practice of their 2026 training camp on Wednesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. As you can see, they’re pulling out all the stops this year — no matter how goofy they may seem.

👋 Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Paola Pérez has you covered tomorrow.

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Good morning. There’s a chance of afternoon showers.

Our main story unpacks how routine maintenance of Pennsylvania’s voter rolls has fueled misinformation ahead of the high-stakes midterm elections.

Parents tell The Inquirer their pleas went ignored by the Cheltenham School District before it hired the coach who was charged in a hazing scandal.

Plus, the family of a man who died in ICE custody in New Jersey has called for an investigation, and more news of the day.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Inside the inspection

On Monday, voter records in Pennsylvania underwent a standard inspection to account for people who have moved, died, or stopped voting.

This was a routine move. But according to right-wing activists, Republican U.S. senators, and Elon Musk, it was proof of a mass expulsion of potentially fraudulent voters.

🗳️ Here’s what actually went down. Counties across the Keystone State have been updating voter lists. They are required to do so no later than 90 days before a federal election, as mandated by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.

🗳️ Both parties saw changes. 55,241 Democrats were moved to inactive status, while 23,832 Republicans also became inactive.

🗳️ However, being inactive is not the same as being ineligible. Contrary to what has been claimed by MAGA influencer Scott Presler and others, those voters can still vote in November.

Politics reporter Michelle Baruchman has the details.

Families warned officials

Cheltenham families were concerned about allegations that former head coach Terence Tolbert allowed bullying to fester in his prior coaching position. His qualifications were called into question, and his failures to intervene in persistent bullying were scrutinized.

Despite this, Tolbert was formally hired by Cheltenham High School in June 2025.

Last week, Tolbert was charged with conspiracy and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the alleged assaults of a 15-year-old player in the football team’s locker room by teammates. Six players and other coaches were also charged.

In one parent’s own words: “We protested and pleaded,” said Naim Ferguson. “We didn’t think the people they were putting in place were adequate to handle the kids.”

Read more in Jess Rohan’s story, which includes similar allegations that emerged during Tolbert’s time at Abington Senior High.

What you should know today

• The family of an immigrant from El Salvador who died in ICE custody at Delaney Hall in New Jersey demanded state and federal officials bring justice by investigating his death and closing the facility.
• District Attorney Larry Krasner vowed to appeal a judge’s decision to overturn the conviction of the man who killed Philadelphia Police Officer Moses Walker Jr. in 2012.
• A bridge in Camden County has closed for about three months as part of a multimillion-dollar repair project.
• Federal and state officials met in Philadelphia on Tuesday to discuss efforts to address Medicaid billing fraud in the home-care industry.
• The state of New Jersey has sued Amazon again, this time accusing the tech giant of creating worse work conditions for lower pay via its “anticompetitive” delivery driver network.
• An investigative report criticized the Quakertown police chief’s “calamitous” decision to charge into a crowd of high school students protesting ICE in February.
• Upper Merion Township is hoping to build a sports and entertainment complex in King of Prussia that could accommodate more than 7,000 people — and a minor league baseball team.
• One of Philly’s top Vietnamese restaurants will close its South Philly location later this year. Chef-owner Thanh Nguyen is searching for a new home.

Quote of the day

Retinal vasculopathy with cerebral leukoencephalopathy is an ultrarare genetic disease with no cure.

Lindsay Ward, pictured right, grows more nervous with each passing year, knowing it could emerge at any time.

Thanks to a $10 million gift to the University of Pennsylvania, researchers there will work on developing a potential treatment.

🧠 Trivia time

Investors accused this Philadelphia-based business of securities fraud in a class-action lawsuit.

A) honeygrow

B) Insomnia Cookies

C) Comcast

D) Five Below

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🎙️ Following: WHYY is one step closer to taking ownership of Penn State’s public radio and television station.

🎸 Anticipating: Phish will play three shows in Atlantic City this fall.

⚾ Hearing: Mixed reviews on the Phils’ underwhelming trade deadline moves.

💍 Sleuthing: Did celebrity Bucks couple Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid secretly tie the knot?

🌶️ Avoiding: Jalapeños at Chipotle as officials investigate a salmonella outbreak.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Longtime Lebanese restaurant in Bala Cynwyd

ALTOIDS BARR

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

Cheers to Kim Flammini, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Wrexham A.F.C. Subaru Park became the temporary home for the soccer team over the weekend. “It’s just Philly but across the world,” a fan said.

Photo of the day

👋🏽 Thanks for starting your morning with us. Have a great Wednesday.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this newsletter erroneously indicated that investors in a Philadelphia-area business were accused of securities fraud. The business was accused, not the investors.

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, newsletter friends. The weather is looking much better today 🤞.

Pennsylvania lawmakers last month quietly repealed an unenforced 1929 law that allowed the main group of midwives delivering home births, to practice.

A Gilded Age village in Chester County is up for auction. Yes, an entire village.

Plus, the case of a fugitive pornographer, his troubled son, and missing women; the question of where to display the repaired Frank Rizzo statue; and more news of the day.

— Ellen Dunkel (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Midwife-assisted home births at risk

Pennsylvania lawmakers last month quietly repealed an unenforced 1929 law that allowed traditional midwives, the main group of midwives delivering home births, to practice.

Now, traditional midwives — who differ from midwives usually found in hospitals, are not medically trained and often serve religious minorities like the Amish — are worried they have no legal standing to work in Pennsylvania, and are challenging the repeal in state court.

Other forms of midwifery — such as nurse midwives and certified midwives, who are medically trained and are formally affiliated with a doctor or health system — are highly regulated by the state and its medical board.

But these affiliations often prevent nurse midwives and certified midwives from offering home births, as the health systems see them as possible risks for medical malpractice lawsuits.

Reporter Gillian McGoldrick has more details.

Gilded age village for sale

A historic destination in Chester County will be sold at an absolute public auction to the highest bidder.

Nestled in Warwick Township, St. Peter’s Village could see a bump in residences if initial development visions are executed.

But this small village’s scenic, rural location is a bit out of the way.

At the auction, scheduled for Sept. 30 at the Desmond Hotel Malvern, up for sale will be roughly 83 acres of the historic 19th-century village that sprung up in the Gilded Age, thanks to its rich mineral resources and its proximity to French Creek.

Reporter Brooke Shultz explains what happens when a village goes on the block.

What you should know today

• Five takeaways from the case of a fugitive pornographer, his troubled son, and missing women
• A Clifton Heights man who fired a gun three times in a crowded Walmart, injuring a bystander, has been charged with attempted murder.
• New Jersey GOP sees momentum for voter ID law after the governor’s comments in favor of it.
• The Frank Rizzo statue is repaired, and the search for a new location is underway.
• It is possible to tap the earth for more efficient geothermal heating and air conditioning at Philly schools, a new study says.
• The Philly school district promotes some administrators, changes principals elsewhere. Here’s a rundown.
• The Phillies acquired the National League batting leader Luis Arraez from Giants before the trade deadline.

Quote of the day

Spirit Halloween, the retailer best known for its costumes, animatronics, and creepy dolls, hosted the annual grand opening of its 20,000-square-foot flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. Preregistration for the event was capped at 2,000 people, but about 1,000 more people showed up for general admission.

Reporter Sarah Nicell and photographer Tyger Williams checked out the scene.

🧠 Trivia time

Which Philadelphia-area artist turned medical history into high art?

A) N.C. Wyeth

B) Thomas Eakins

C) Man Ray

D) Maxfield Parrish

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

👀 Eyeing: Two new dessert cafés that opened in Ardmore.

👟 Planning: A “Neighborhood Jawnts” tour that visit various pockets of Philadelphia.

💰 Considering: Artifacts from Gillian’s Wonderland Pier that are still up for sale.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: This soccer team visited Philly recently from Europe but is partially owned by a Philadelphian.

AC MEX WHARF

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

Cheers to Mark Burgoyne, who solved Sunday’s anagram: THOMAS EAKINS. The painter and photographer turned Philadelphia’s medical history into high art. Two of his pieces are on display in the city.

Photo of the day

Enjoy your Tuesday.

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Good morning, Philly! Let’s start the week off right (even if it starts off wet).

Latino voters shifted toward President Donald Trump nationally in 2024, but several Philly Latino voters say they’re all in on Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro as the gubernatorial election approaches.

A 46-foot-long “Join or Die” sculpture is expected to be unveiled this fall, but still $600,00 needs to be raised. The National Park Service has started a public donation page to close the funding gap.

Plus, a former state lawmaker who’s now leading a Delaware County transit agency was charged with a DUI and child endangerment, and more news of the day.

— Sam Stewart (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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‘People are sacrificing necessities’

Jorge Luis Burgos of North Philadelphia, a registered Democrat, was one of many Latino voters who shifted to the right and voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Now, he’s planning to shift back and vote for Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro as he runs for reelection in the key swing state.

Burgos said he voted for Trump in 2024 because he was worried about inflation and felt betrayed by the last-minute switch that swapped then-President Joe Biden for Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. But he said Trump has failed to fulfill his promises, and he has found himself turning back to the Democratic Party.

In the last decade, support of Republican candidates, specifically Trump, has grown in the majority Latino precincts of Philadelphia — with Trump’s share of the vote increasing from 6.1% in 2016 to 21.8% in 2024.

But now many Latino voters have not seen the outcomes they were hoping for, with a May poll from Pew finding that Trump’s support has fallen more sharply with Latino voters than other voters.

🐍 Slithering to completion

A 46-foot-long sculpture of Benjamin Franklin’s “Join or Die” snake is set to be unveiled this fall on the Liberty Bell Center block of the Independence Mall, near the corner of Fifth and Chestnut Streets. The sculpture will feature eight pieces that represent segments of the snake’s body.

The Independence Mall sculpture will be installed on the ground, allowing visitors to interact directly with the sculpture.

The sculpture was originally one of several other improvements to the park proposed in 2025 and was to be completed before this year’s semiquincentennial. In July of 2025, the Inquirer reported that the project was short the $1.6 million needed to complete the project by this summer.

Severe budget cuts to the National Park Service and other federal funding gaps forced the trust to turn to public fundraising for their improvement efforts.

What you should know today

• Former State Rep. Nick Miccarelli, who left Harrisburg in 2018 during the #MeToo reckoning and then landed a higher-paying job running a publicly funded transit agency, is facing felony charges of child endangerment following a DUI arrest on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
• President Donald Trump says he will order U.S. forces to hold off on new strikes against Iran, contending that Mideast allies have reached the parameters of a deal to end the five-month old war.
• Federal authorities are warning that critical infrastructure systems in the United States could be at risk after at least seven states reported cyberattacks that interrupted their water or wastewater operations last week.
• Vincent Pastore, a veteran actor who played mobsters and tough guys, and was best known for portraying Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on The Sopranos, has died. He was 80.
• Learn how a “perfect storm” spread fire, heat, and smoke across the Northern Hemisphere. Major wildfires and their massive, suffocating plumes of smoke blanketed vast swaths of North America and Europe, in some cases combining with intense heat waves.

Quote of the day

Will Yip — a Northeast Philly record producer who won a Grammy earlier this year — is also a huge Phillies fan. In fact, he believes that fandom is what brings people together. And it’s that fandom with the Phils that helped him win a Grammy.

🧠 Trivia time

South Philadelphia’s new pedestrian and bicycle route, the Washington Avenue Connector, will connect what park to the Delaware River?

A) Columbus Square Park

B) Dickinson Square Park

C) Jefferson Square Park

D) Chew Park

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re …

📚 Reading: A collection of “scandalous” 19th-century manuals that has made its way onto the Library Company of Philadelphia’s shelves.

🤔 Wondering: Do recent Philadelphia restaurant closings signal trouble for the industry? The Inquirer’s Michael Klein breaks it down.

🏡 Impressed by: A couple who sold their two Wildwood vacation condos, then found their dream split-level in Brigantine.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Philadelphia-based painter and photographer in the late 1800s

ASHANTI SMOKE

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

Cheers to Tim L., who solved Sunday’s anagram: Wissahickon Valley Park. The HBO series Task will film for its second season in the Northwest Philly park Monday through Friday.

Photo of the day

🎶 One more thing: New Barber’s Hall, a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s Black heritage, celebrated its historic run before saying goodbye. Owner Jake Adams and his wife, Sarah, were honored Saturday with a street sign near the iconic jazz venue and restaurant, which sold this year.

📬 Your ‘only in Philly’ story

Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Rick Schrenker, who describes how he keeps circling back to Philly:

I don’t get to Philly that often, but I lived there for about seven weeks during the summer of 1971. And I’ve visited Philly quite a few times since.

My grandfather lived in Old Forge and was a Scranton coal miner back in the first half of the 20th century. He somehow moved to Rome, N.Y., where my parents met. He then moved to Baltimore, and they followed. When I was a teen, he moved to Philly.

He lived above the bar where he worked, just up the street from the Greyhound bus terminal. He got to know the managers of an envelope printing company in a building on the corner of (I think) 12th & Spring Garden, just around the corner from the bar. And he got me a summer job there.

My routine was to catch a late bus on Sunday night from Baltimore to Philly, work through Friday, then take the bus home and hang out with my friends on the weekends.

Fast forward maybe 10 to 15 years. My Grampa had been at my graduation from Johns Hopkins but was otherwise not around much. I got married, bought a home, had a daughter. Then he got ill. Visits to Philly picked up again. We got nice pictures of the old coal miner holding his great-granddaughter. Later, we transferred him here for the rest of his days.

Then, my daughter finished college and moved to Pottstown. And once again, opportunities to visit Philly picked up. Mostly the zoo with our grandkids. There’s lots of interesting towns between Pottstown and Philly. But a year ago, she and her family moved to New England.

So, a few weeks ago, I got a subscription to The Inquirer’s morning newsletter. I also read the Baltimore Banner, along with the Globe, of course.

But Philly has a special sauce of some sort, or at least it has for me. Maybe I’ll get back again.

P.S. We love your Only in Philly submissions, and we need more! Email us with your stories and get a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.

👋 Have a good one, folks!

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