Meldoria Miles, 88, of Philadelphia, award-winning cosmetologist, longtime beauty school instructor, retired salon owner, mentor, and big sister extraordinaire, died Wednesday, Aug. 26, of heart and lung disease at Jefferson Abington Hospital.
The oldest of 11 children, Ms. Miles grew up in a two-room farm house in rural Mercer County, Kentucky. Naturally affable and supportive, she not only helped her mother with the household chores, she mentored her younger siblings, giving good advice, styling their hair, and generally making life more pleasant.
“She always helped people,” her sister, Maureen Meaux, said. “She listened to people. She was beautiful inside and out.”
After high school, Ms. Miles moved to Louisville, went to beauty school, and styled hair for clients at a salon and privately in her home. She left for Philadelphia in 1971 to work for Luster Products Inc. and became so proficient at developing, testing, selling, and demonstrating personal care products that Luster sent her to workshops, demonstrations, competitions, trade shows, and conventions across the country and around the world.
Ms. Miles was at home in her shop, El Salon, (above) and at personal care product events (center below).Courtesy of the family
She was especially skilled at matching colors with style, and anticipating ever-changing cosmetic trends. In 1971, she was named dean of technicians at Luster. She helped develop its groundbreaking hair relaxing formula in the 1980s and was named educational director in 1991.
For decades, Ms. Miles, often with her sister Maureen along as her model, traveled to cosmetology events in Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and elsewhere. She was dynamic in front of crowds, her family said, and won competitions for her use of cosmetics and wigs, and awards for her innovation.
In 1996, she was named Philadelphia’s hair dresser of the year by the Affirm hair care line.
Ms. Miles opened her own five-seat shop, El Salon, in 1973 on East Washington Lanein West Oak Laneand managed it for 37 years. Before Philadelphia, she worked in sales and product development for two companies in Louisville.
Above, Ms. Miles (front right) attended several beauty schools. Below, she (right) won several competitions for personal care skills.Courtesy of the family
In 1974, Ms. Miles earned her teaching certification at the old Wilfred Academy of Hair and Beauty in Philadelphia. She went on to teach chemical hair relaxing, manicuring, and other personal care skills for decades at Wilfred, Devine, Pearson VUE, and Gordon Phillips beauty schools in Philadelphia, the National Beauty Culture League in Washington D.C., Clairol in New York, and Pivot Point Academy in Chicago.
In addition to Wilfred, she studied at the National Beauty Culture League, Pivot Point, and Vidal Sassoon in Paris. In 1980, she took business management classes at the University of Colorado.
She was good at everything, her sister said, but “she dedicated herself to hair.”
Meldoria Louise Meaux was born Sept. 12, 1937. She moved to Louisville after high school and spent a year at the old Tucker’s Beauty & Barber School.
Above, Ms. Miles sits with her children. Below, she (right) stands with Muhammad Ali (second from left) and others. Courtesy of the family
She married James Miles, and they had a daughter, Lamarr, and a son, Gary. She and her husband divorced later. She married Jerome Wortham, and they divorced later.
Ms. Miles lived in West Philadelphia and Mount Airy. She was active at church, taught Sunday School, and doted on her family. “She built a life of purpose, service, and faith,” her family said in a tribute.
A friend said: “Mel was my teacher, mentor, friend, and I will miss our monthly visits and conversations.”Her daughter said: “She was the most caring, giving, positive, beautiful soul. She was effervescent. Her smile lit up the room.”
In addition to her children, Ms. Miles is survived by four grandchildren, six siblings, and other relatives. Her first husband died earlier.
Memorial services were held earlier.
Ms. Miles “built a life of purpose, service, and faith,” her family said in a tribute.Courtesy of the family
The Hiway Theater in Jenkintown.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The Jenkintown zoning board denied the first request for a short-term rental in the borough last week after neighbors voiced concerns about safety and noise.
The couple behind the request has been hosting via Airbnb for almost a year, accommodating visitors such as medical students and World Cup travelers. In spring 2025, an update to borough code green-lit property owners to operate short-term rentals if they get permission from the zoning board, which meets once per year.
Meanwhile, it appears that some other Jenkintown Airbnbs have been live for years before it was strictly legal.
If you’ve ever wanted to teleport back in time to revel in the Gilded Age, now’s your chance.
Elkins Park’s historical Lynnewood Hall, the second-largest surviving U.S. mansion from that time period, has opened its doors to the public for the first time in 84 years for a floral exhibition that pays homage to hit HBO series The Gilded Age.
“Fleurs de Villes: The Gilded Age” runs through Sunday and features life-size floral mannequins crafted by local designers depicting scenes and characters from the popular show.
In a federal lawsuit, a whistleblower is accusing Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration of bypassing requirements designed to safeguard taxpayer dollars when making eight-figure security updates to the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg and an additional $1 million in upgrades and landscaping to his Abington home.
The CEO of Redeemer Health, a Montgomery County nonprofit health system that has posted financial losses annually since 2017, has resigned. Among the organization’s recent struggles is a proposed 239-bed hospital in Abington Township that never came to fruition.
High-friction surface treatment will cause a moving lane closure on Church Road between Route 73 and Washington Lane in Cheltenham Township through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
🗺️ Other nearby news
Montgomery County officials are taking aim at apps peddling cash advances as part of a new consumer protection effort they say is particularly important as companies take advantage of Pennsylvanians impacted by widespread economic uncertainty.
A single “severe” bullying incident is grounds to trigger a formal investigation, officials said at Cheltenham School District’s policy committee meeting on Sept. 22, clarifying language that previously called for a recurring pattern to exist. Additionally, policy regarding cyberbullying now applies to incidents outside school hours, including over the weekend.
Officials at the meeting also discussed new social media and digital literacy curriculum, which addresses the impact of screen time and dangers of using the platforms. School librarians could help support teaching these subjects, they suggested.
Overlook Elementary is commemorating its centennial anniversary with a free community day with music, food, and games on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
🍽️ On our plate
Sorrentino Pasta & Provisions, located in nearby Ambler, is moving into the wholesale space after the eatery shuttered over the summer, The Inquirer’s Michael Klein reports.
🌺 Fleurs de Villes: Be among the first to visit this historic Elkins Park estate in more than 80 years and get a peek at floral displays inspired by popular HBO series The Gilded Age. ⏰ Daily through Sunday, Oct. 4 💵 Free for children 3 and under, $30.50 for adults; various times 📍 Lynnewood Hall
🎞️ Family Movie Night: Mark the start of spooky season with an outdoor screening of Halloweentown, which kicks off this year’s Abington Fest lineup. ⏰ Friday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Roychester Park
🎥 Fall Movie Night: Snack on free popcorn during this family-friendly showing of 2026 animated comedy Goat. ⏰ Friday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Weldon Park, Glenside
🍂 AbingtonFall Festival: Don your best costume and check out live music, food trucks, and kid’s activities including a bounce house and “trunk or treat.” This event is also part of the Abington Fest calendar. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 3, noon-3 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Crestmont Park
🍁 Elkins ParkFall Festival: Keep the seasonal vibes going all day with snacks and activities organized by the Business District. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 3, 3-6 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 7900 High School Rd.
Built in 1912, this Arts and Craft-style house features a more than 30-foot-long front porch, exposed woodwork, and an eat-in breakfast counter. The four-bedroom, two-bathroom home, located within walking distance of the Jenkintown-Wyncote Regional Rail stop, also features a detached one-car garage and a backyard with a deck.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Redeemer Health CEO Greg Wozniak has resigned from the financially troubled nonprofit Montgomery County health system after a little more than two years, Redeemer announced Thursday.
Replacing Wozniak on an interim basis is chief transformation officer Jim Logue, who has held the role since early 2025.
Redeemer has posted operating losses every fiscal year from 2017 to 2025. It hasn’t yet posted financial results for the fiscal year that ended in June.
“Jim and his team will work with our financial advisors and counsel to implement a reorganization of the Redeemer system to assure its continued viability and a sustainable business model,” board chair William R. Sasso said in an internal communication obtained by The Inquirer.
“This reorganization is expected to involve some significant organizational changes which will be announced in the coming weeks as they are finalized,” the note said.
More than four years ago, Redeemer announced that it was seeking what it called a “strategic partner” for its 239-bed hospital in Meadowbrook, near Abington, but nothing came of that effort.
Redeemer also operates a home care business, nursing homes, senior apartments.
Redeemer announced additional personnel changes Thursday in its internal communication, including the departure at the end of this month of chief financial officer Kim Cummings. Former CFO Michael Keen is returning to that position.
Another returning executive is Donald Friel, a former executive vice president tapped to assist Logue.
Diane Derr, who has been at Redeemer for 44 years, is being promoted to chief administrative officer from chief nursing officer.
Editors note: This article has been updated to correct Derr’s history with Redeemer.
A whistleblower lawsuit accuses Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration of bypassing procurement requirements meant to safeguard the use of taxpayer dollars, including during renovations to the governor’s mansion, and firing a staffer who had raised concerns.
The administration waived competitive bid requirements after purchases were made, split transactions to bypass the threshold requiring a bidding process, and kept paying a security contractor who no longer provided service, the suit says — claims that a spokesperson for Shapiro rejected.
The federal lawsuit is the latest in the controversy surrounding the security upgrades and renovations to the state-owned governor’s residence in Harrisburg and Shapiro’s personal home in Abington Township, after a man firebombed the mansion on the first night of Passover in 2025 while the governor and his extended family were asleep inside.
This work was largely done through the state’s emergency procurement process that allows agencies to the skip lengthy bid protocols, as officials took quick action to strengthen security.
But the overall cost and questions over whether the correct processes were followed led to scrutiny by Republican lawmakers. The project at Shapiro’s Abington residence also led to a property dispute with his neighbors, who filed a federal suit against him that led the Shapiros to sue in return. Those lawsuits are ongoing.
Nicole Moyer, a procurement specialist with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, claims in the federal lawsuit filed last week that after she repeatedly raised concerns about the “waste and wrongdoing” by the agency, she was fired.
Moyer, 49, has been working in procurement since 1995, first in the Army and later at the Pennsylvania State Police and various state agencies, according to the complaint. She joined the Pennsylvania Department of General Services in 2023.
Rosie Lapowsky, Shapiro’s press secretary, said in a statement that the allegations “by a disgruntled former employee who was dismissed from her position” are “totally and completely false.”
The suit, filed in the Middle District of Pennsylvania against the state, also names the Pennsylvania Department of General Services and former General Services Secretary Reggie McNeil, along with other officials from the agency that oversees the state’s purchasing, construction, and facilities. Shapiro is not a named defendant.
Mark Schwartz, a Delaware County attorney representing Moyer, said he hoped Shapiro will be deposed as part of the litigation.
“The question is how involved, if at all, was the governor in terms of the residence procurement process,” Schwarz said.
In her role as a procurement specialist, Moyer would not have beenaware of details about the emergency procurements for the governor’s residence project, Lapowsky added. Shapiro’s administration complied with “all relevant procurement policies,” she said.
“PSP identified necessary security improvements based on its assessment and issued an emergency declaration consistent with the procurement code in the fastest, most efficient, and most cost-effective way to complete the work and ensure the safety of the governor and his family,” Lapowsky said.
The whistleblower lawsuit claims the administration flouted bidding requirements and made purchases outside of existing contracts, often to meet specifications provided by Shapiro’s interior designer, de la Torre Design Studio.
The firm had been quietly hired to renovate the official residence by Team Pennsylvania, a Harrisburg-basednonprofit that operates the public-private partnership between the state and private businesses. Shapiro has come under scrutiny previously for utilizing the group to watch the Philadelphia Eagles lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 Super Bowl and for other trips, Spotlight PA reported.
Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania, waves before meeting with Mike Parson, governor of Missouri, at the NFL Experience to make a friendly wager on the Super Bowl outcome. The governors met at the Lombardi Trophy on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, in Phoenix, Ariz. .David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
De la Torre had been working on the governor’s mansion before the fire, and asked for a specific brand of lighting fixture for the design.
The Pennsylvania Department of General Services deemed the $456,000 purchase too expensive, the suit says, and did not budge when the supplier revised the cost to $380,000.
But after the fire, the costly lighting fixtures were installed without any competitive bid or paper trail that would allow the purchase to be audited, according to the complaint.
Similarly, a $17,000 carpet was purchased and partially installed before procurement’s approval and outside existing contracts for carpets and floorings, the suit says.
Time and again, through other examples detailed in the lawsuit between the April 2025 fire and her March termination, the general services department had to issue waivers after the fact to “clean things up,” the suit says.
Moyer also questioned overlapping payments for the security monitoring companies for Shapiro’s residences, the home of Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, and regional offices, with one company not providing services for months, the suit says.
“Nonetheless, the proposed emergency job order contract that included provision for private residences was processed under the same umbrella as state facilities without bidding,” the complaint says.
The residences are not the only place Moyer says the administration fell short of the procurement requirement.
Earlier this year, the suit says, general services approved a $20,000 lactation pod for the Capitol even though a $4,950 option was available under an existing contract. The only difference between the pods was “outer fake ‘woodgrain’ decal,” according to the complaint.
“Plaintiff questioned the rationale for paying substantially more for a minimal aesthetic modification,” the suit says. “Plaintiff was overruled.”
Moyer was terminated in March after repeatedly reporting concerns, including on whether the department couldlegally make purchases for private residencies, the suit says.
Moyer, a registered Republican from York County, filed her suit just weeks ahead of the forthcoming midterm elections, in which Shapiro, a Democrat, is seeking a second term.
Lapowsky said the suit was “clearly timed” to hurt Shapiro politically.
McNeil left his post as secretary of the general services department in August. Shapiro appointed executive deputy secretary Sandra Aguilera to serve as acting secretary.
Also in the headlines, four former Cheltenham football coaches were held for trial for failing to report a player’s locker room assault, a contested $4.5 million pool development project may be delayed, plus, political leaders and clergy gathered outside the Philadelphia ICE office in the wake of the suicide of a deportation officer and Cheltenham High School alum.
Capricorn Books owner Jackie Botto on Sept. 17, 2026.William Thomas Cain / For The Inquirer
Across Greater Philadelphia, bookstores are so back — mirroring a national trend of physical book sales outpacing online retail.
In Jenkintown, Capricorn Books has almost doubled its business since expanding its storefront in July, owner Jackie Botto said. Last year brought other newcomers to the local bookstore scene: an Abington outpost of Barnes & Noble, which credits BookTok with reviving the chain, and Glenside Book Garden.
Local libraries, too, are seeing a boost in patronage.
📚 Bonus: See the best books that area booksellers, including from Jenkintown and Wyncote, have read this year.
💡 Community news
In a preliminary hearing Monday, a district judge said four former Cheltenham High School football coaches failed to protect a then-15-year-old player who told them he had been assaulted twice last year by his teammates in the locker room. The victim also testified.
Pending litigation over Cheltenham Township’s $4.5 million pool contract could now take a year to resolve, potentially delaying the project.
Cheltenham police will begin using AI-enabled cameras to deter crime at a local construction site and may use them at crime hot spots and community events down the line after township commissioners signed a $35,000 contract with controversial New Jersey tech company Packetalk.
Clergy, political leaders, and activists gathered outside the Philadelphia ICE office last week following the suicide of deportation officer Joseph Moore, 38, who was a 2006 graduate of Cheltenham High School.
Democratic State Sen. Art Haywood, who has an office in Abington, is co-introducing legislation that would formally designate hazing as a mandated reportable offense. In a press release, Haywood pointed to the recent Cheltenham football case as a “mishandling of a serious disclosure of harm.”
Philadelphia man Justyn C. Wharton, 37, was sentenced to up to 25 years in a state correctional institution for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old Jenkintown girl, according to The Pottstown Mercury.
Cheltenham police charged a suspect with robbery, simple assault, terroristic threats, and harassment after he attempted to steal a woman’s phone in the Target parking lot at 2450 Shoppers Lane.
Rose Bridge Farm in Dresher has been going viral thanks to its new Coffee and Cows morning offering, which taps into the growing wellness trend around cow cuddling. The Inquirer’s Beatrice Forman shares what it’s like to start your day with a dose of baby calves, kids (the four-hoofed kind), and caffeine during the hour-long sessions.
🏫 Schools briefing
Cheltenham School District recently appointed a new director of teaching and learning, Rachel Girman. She will need to be formally approved at the school board directors’ Oct. 13 legislative meeting, Assistant Superintendent Kendra V. Johnson said during last week’s Educational Affairs Committee meeting.
The same district is working to implement new evidence-based materials focused on literacy for K-3 students by the start of the 2027-28 school year, Kaity Ferraro, supervisor of curriculum for grades K-5, said at the meeting.
🍽️ On our plate
Wendy Stahler’s take on brisket made it onto the menu at Recipe Philly, a new Center City concept with a unique food competition model that features dishes with stories from local home chefs. The 82-year-old is a longtime member of Old York Road Temple-Beth Am in Abington, The Jewish Exponent reports.
Hand-rolled bagels, “genuine and outgoing” service, and an eclectic, worldly dinner menu ranging from a smoked arctic char spread to a faux-meatloaf platter are just some of the details that make new all-day eatery Blue Warbler the “most intriguing restaurant in years” in nearby Chestnut Hill, Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan writes.
🎳 Things to do
🌃 Night Market: Support local businesses slinging fresh produce and artisanal bites. ⏰ Tuesday, Sept. 22, 4-8 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Jenkintown town square
🎤 Labyrinth In Concert: Blast into the past for the 40th anniversary of Jim Henson’s musical fantasy film Labyrinth, shown on the big screen while a live band accompanies David Bowie’s vocals from the stage. ⏰ Friday, Sept. 25, 8 p.m. 💵 $65.59-$250.43 📍 Keswick Theatre, Glenside
🎨 Festival of the Arts: Peruse works from local artists and eats from food vendors while taking in live music and dance performances. ⏰ Sunday, Sept. 27, 1-6 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Greenwood Avenue and Leedom Street, Jenkintown
This Jenkintown dwelling, originally constructed in 1900, hit the market this month with a thorough list of home improvements, including a new roof, siding, windows, and flooring. The six-bedroom, three-bathroom space has quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and updated cabinets in the kitchen. Each of the three bedrooms on the third floor are outfitted with new mini-split cooling units. There is an open house Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Fishtown Books opened last weekend, the neighborhood’s fifth bookstore. In Manayunk, one couple opened two bookstores on the same street. The August opening of a West Chester fantasy shop wrapped a line around the building, ending early when the shelves were nearly emptied.
Across Greater Philadelphia, bookstores are back.
And despite the growing competition, many sellers said sales are up, mirroring national trends: The Association of American Publishers found the number of books sold via physical retail grew almost 34% over the past five years, outpacing online retail.
“I did not plan for it to be so busy,” said Jackie Botto, 41, of Capricorn Books, which expanded its Jenkintown storefront in July. “We’ve almost doubled our business.”
Capricorn Books owner Jackie Botto chats about the books and customers’ love of reading on Sept. 17 in her Jenkintown bookstore.William Thomas Cain / For The Inquirer
Screen fatigue, a hunger for community, and a desire to support local businesses are fueling the surge, said sellers — many of whom are investing in niche genres and hosting creative events to meet their customers’ needs.
Readers are reading, book people say
The reading boom isn’t limited to stores. At Jenkintown and Abington libraries — which sit along the same corridor as Capricorn and a newBarnes & Noble — patronage is growing, and bothlibraries are mulling expansion.
Adult print circulation is up 10% in Abington, and children’s circulation is up 50% since last year. “People are consuming more literature and media in general,” said Abington’s head of circulation, Marcus Palm.
And parents are prioritizing reading for themselves and their kids, said the Abington library director, Elizabeth Fitzgerald: “There is a bit of backlash to the doomscrolling.”
At Bookmarks in West Chester, some customers have tried ebooks and are returning to print.
“They spend all day working on the computer,” owner Lisa Strohl said. “They’re tired of being on the screen.”
But some apps like TikTok — and its algorithmic niche known as BookTok — are also driving readers to the stacks.
BookTok and tailored offerings draw young readers
“The screen is helping them get back into reading,” said Charity Herndon,ownerof Austen’s Shelf in Bordentown. “[BookTok] was the only way to reach the younger generation of readers.”
Charity Herndon, owner of Austen’s Shelf, stands in the entrance of her shop in Bordentown on June 13.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Sellers like Herndon and Anthony Long — who opened Thrillerdelphia in Manayunk last year after helping his wife open romance-focused Cupid’s down the street — are using both digital and analog strategies to turn new customers into loyal fans by delivering the community hubs they crave.
In a recent Instagram reel, a Thrillerdelphia staffer played a guitar riff to match each book cover he displayed. In November, the store is hosting the horror punk band Blitzkid, a member of which is also an author.
“I know my customers,” Long said. “You can get the eyeballs, but you have to build the intrigue and make people want to come in.”
Active support from local residents is key, many sellers said. Literary agent Eric Smith decided to start the Philadelphia Book Crawl a few years ago. It’s become a kind of Black Friday for bookstores; several said it’s their best day of the year.
“I’m terribly invested in how things go for our local indie bookstores,” Smith said. “I want to see them thrive.”
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“[BookTok] was absolutely a key point, especially during COVID,” said Barnes & Noble vice president Janine Flanigan. “I’ve never seen the conversations around books the way we see them now.”
The chain has taken notice of successful indies: A news release for the new store in Abington — where a Barnes & Noble had closed more than a decade ago — highlighted plans for local author events and book clubs.
The Abington store’s stock will be selected more locally, Flanigan said. “The store managers are deciding what to put in front of their customer.”
The private equity-owned company’s shift to localized control only highlights the value of independent sellers, said Buffy Hastings, a co-owner of Farley’s Bookshop in New Hope.
“They got beat by us,” he said.
Botto, who owns Capricorn Books near the new Abington Barnes & Noble and has fond childhood memories of the chain, is optimistic that there’s room for everyone.
“Looking at our numbers we have no reason to be worried, which is great,” she said.
People buying books despite affordability crisis
Richard De Wyngaert, whose Queen Village store Head House Books opened during the online and big-box-bookstore boom of the early aughts, said those initial customers would always compare him to online vendors.
“Price was all that mattered,” he said. “That two-dollar savings.”
But a few years ago, he noticed a shift — “a new generation who wasn’t raised to think you had to match Amazon,” De Wyngaert said. “By then, we all knew the horrors.”
Mila Panchev (center), 9, and her father, Nikolay Panchev, look at the book “The Scroobious Pip” by Edward Lear and illustrated by Charles Santore and Nicholas Santore before a reading by Nicholas Santore at Head House Books in the Queen Village neighborhood on Jan. 25, 2025. Nicholas Santore finished the illustration started by his father, Charles Santore.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Sellers say book prices have shot up in recent months, but the customers keep coming.
The relative price hike for other consumer luxuries like airfare may be part of the reason: The consumer price index for “recreational books” has yet to return to its 30-year peak in 2009.
“I have seen this summer someone who’s like, ‘I can’t go on vacation, so I’m going to read about Italy,’” Herndon of Austen’s Shelf said.
Readers want to ‘escape’, booksellers say
The genres driving much of the growth in stores with broad selections, sellers said, are romance — especially when mixed with fantasy, a subgenre known as romantasy — and horror.
There are also the blockbuster books they can’t keep in stock, like the sci-fi fantasy series Dungeon Crawler Carl, and a return to the classics.
What these books have in common, sellers said, is they’re totally disconnected from everyday life — or, as Hastings put it, “the realities of living in America in 2026.”
The bestsellers at Austen’s Shelf are “books that allow people to escape,” Herndon said. “People just want to tuck themselves into a different world.”
When Head House Books opened in 2005, “people thought I was nuts,” De Wyngaert said. “Today you see bookstores … springing up everywhere.”
It’s “good news,” he added, “for a world that needs some good news.”
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Pennsylvania State University’s board of trustees agreed Friday to sell two of its closing Commonwealth campuses to developers for more than $6 million.
Plans call for the Wilkes-Barre campus in Northeastern Pennsylvania to be developed into event and conference space for a nearby golf course and space for educational programming, while the Shenango campus in Northwestern Pennsylvania will be used for educational, cultural and workforce training purposes. The Shenango campus enrolled 309 students in 2024 and the Wilkes-Barre campus 329 students, according to a Penn State report on the closures.
Sara Thorndike, Penn State’s senior vice president for finance and business and chief financial officer, told trustees at a committee meeting Thursday that discussions continue on the future use of the other five campuses: Dubois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington and York. The seven closing campuses are spread from Northeastern Pennsylvania to Western Pennsylvania. The campuses in the Philadelphia region — Abington, Brandywine, and the graduate education-focused campus at Great Valley — are not impacted.
“Every campus is on its own path and own time line,” Thorndike said of the closing campuses. “Our goal is to find a positive path forward.”
Penn State in May 2025 voted to close the seven campuses at the end of the 2026-27 academic year due to precipitous enrollment declines, marking the largest remake of the Pennsylvania flagship university’s Commonwealth campus system in its history.
Since then, Penn State has been conducting meetings at each of the campuses with elected officials and others in the community to hear concerns about future uses, Thorndike said.
The board approved the sale of the 13-acre, 12-building Shenango campus in Mercer County to JCL Development LLC for $1 million. It will be used for education, workforce training, economic development and cultural enrichment, Thorndike said.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s 57-acre, 17-building campus in Luzerne County will be sold to HGC Development LLC for $5.25 million. HGC is a subsidiary of the Huntsville Golf Club, which is next to the campus. The property will be used for event space “complementary to the golf club,” the university said, and educational purposes, including a planned partnership with the nearby Misericordia University.
Thorndike said the university considered community benefits, appraised values, deferred maintenance and the costs Penn State would have to pay if it held on to the campuses. Though both offers were below the value of the properties, she said the university determined they were the best overall offers.
“Both proposals outline a vision for preserving the community-facing qualities of these properties while building on the educational impact the campuses have had for decades, and that’s an outcome we’re pleased to see reflected in each plan,” Renata Engel, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor, said in a statement.
Greater Philadelphia will welcome a host of new restaurants this fall. Among the newcomers will be Glenside’s Capperini, an upscale Italian-Mediterranean concept complete with a liquor license. The spot is anticipated to debut by November.
Meanwhile, a trip to Marshalls in Willow Grove will place you across the street from the latest location of popular breakfast-and-lunch chain Nudy’s Cafe. It’s targeting a late-September open.
And soon, local couple Mike and Joy Grafenstine, owners of Glenside’s Roberts Block and Abington’s Bonnet Lane Family Restaurant, will take to Doylestown to launch an upscale American concept dubbed Tusk.
Whet your appetite with The Inquirer’s look at all 60 spots slated to bring fresh bites to the region in the coming months, including in nearby Ambler and Hatboro.
Cheltenham’s new manager is ready for a challenge.
Jonathan Altshul, who stepped into the role last week, has a full docket of to-dos, including figuring out how to balance updating aging infrastructure with “holding the line” on tax increases for residents — who are already the most property tax-burdened in Montgomery County.
With midterm elections less than two months away, much of the focus in the Pennsylvania governor race is on incumbent (and Abington resident) Josh Shapiro and his Republican opponent, Stacey Garrity. And yet, another name with local ties will appear on the ballot in November: Abington-based libertarian Ken Krawchuk, the only third-party candidate vying for the position, Spotlight PA reports.
Cheltenham police issued 32 violations to drivers during the first week back to school after school bus-mounted cameras captured them passing buses using red lights and stop signs to indicate student boarding.
A northbound lane will be closed in Cheltenham on Washington Lane between Ashbourne Road and Rock Lane through next Tuesday due to pipe replacement work. Additionally, paving will prompt an overnight lane closure in the township from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Friday on Ashbourne Road, Montgomery Avenue, and Central Avenue between Washington Lane and Route 73.
“Why is Crestmont, a mostly Black community, sitting right in the middle of overwhelmingly white suburbs?” That’s the question Philly-area creative DJ Atkins looks to answer in this opinion piece about the unincorporated community in Abington Township.
🏫 Schools briefing
New state legislation mandates that elementary schoolers have at least 30 minutes of recess, according to WHYY. Cheltenham students in third through fifth grade will soon see current recess time doubled in order to comply, The Inquirer’s Jess Rohan confirmed, and in Abington and Jenkintown, K-5 students already have 30 minutes of recess.
Following charges against Cheltenham High School football coaches and students over alleged hazing incidents, child welfare expert Janet Rosenzweig wrote an opinion piece about the “heroes” of the case that has shocked the community: the victim’s mother and the person who reported the attacks to the state’s Safe2Say system.
🍽️ On our plate
Glenside Local takes a look inside the recently opened Bella’s Cremeria, a dream project from local resident Amanda Sheridan, who also launched Steak It Easy in Willow Grove earlier this year alongside her husband.
🎳 Things to do
😂 Yammering Into The Void Tour: Laugh ‘til your belly aches at a live set from acclaimed comedian and podcaster Marc Maron, known for his many appearances on late-night comedy shows. ⏰ Friday, Sept. 18, 8 p.m. 💵 $64.39-$319.42 📍 Keswick Theatre, Glenside
🃏 Life of the Party: See if comedian and illusionist Jonathan Burns, who previously appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” can pull one over on you. ⏰ Friday, Sept. 18 and Saturday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m. 💵 $35-$45 📍 Smoke & Mirrors Theater, Glenside
🏎️ Roslyn Fall Festival & Car Show: Check out head-turning vehicles at this 26th annual event hosted by Abington Township, the Roslyn Boys and Girls Club, and the Roslyn Business Association. ⏰ Saturday, Sept. 19, noon-5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Easton Road from East Avenue to Woodland Road, Abington
This three-bedroom, three-bathroom house built in 1850 brings nearly 200 years’ worth of character to the Elkins Park East neighborhood. It features a fireplace, classic inlays, and a covered front porch, plus a family room with ample windows that bring natural light into the space. A walk-up attic adds extra storage space to the abode, which also has a deck and a fenced-in backyard. The house is under contract.
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This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Bennett Fairorth, a prolific writer and longtime Council Rock School District teacher, died Thursday, July 9, at a Rydal retirement home after falling in his Abington home of 64 years.
Mr. Fairorth had been looking forward to celebrating his 100th birthday with former students this month, his brother, Leonard Fairorth, said.
A high school English teacher of more than 30 years, Mr. Fairorth regularly heard from students for decades after his retirement, despite never owning a cell phone, a computer, or an answering machine.
His death sparked a flood of remembrances on social media from former students — who recalled reading The Odyssey and French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, seeing plays, and attending events for the student newspaper he advised — including several who became teachers and writers themselves.
“Freshman year in college English I was told not to come back to class after handing in my first paper,” one former student wrote. “The professor said I already knew how to write.”
“I have never laughed as hard as I did during those classes,” another wrote.
Mr. Fairorth’s curriculum included books that some considered controversial in the foment of the era, 1967 graduate Allen Hengst said, including The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner.
“It was a controversial time. A lot was changing,” Hengst said. “Here was a teacher who was on our side.”
Mr. Fairorth was oldest of five children born to a business owner and a homemaker. He and his sister were the only Jewish students at his North Philadelphia elementary school, Mr. Fairorth said in a podcast interview in 2023 with a former student and her husband, and had to switch schools after other kids attacked them.
Mr. Fairorth studied English at Pennsylvania State University, though his education was interrupted when he was drafted into the Navy during World War II and tasked with keeping mechanical records in Manila. He returned and got a master’s degree in business from the University of Pennsylvania, hoping to write for the Wall Street Journal, he said in 2024, but found he could not support a family on a reporter’s salary. Mr. Fairorth raised three children with his wife, Ruth, who ran a uniform store.
Instead of writing, Mr. Fairorth worked for several years putting new rock and roll records into jukeboxes around town and leaving the old ones at home for his youngest brother, Leonard Fairorth said. Bennett Fairorth, who preferred classical music, would drive to New York on Saturdays, squeezing in both a matinee and an evening performance at the opera houses.
He took a pay cut to teach for a few years at Abington Senior High School and struggled financially until the English department at Council Rock heard of his success preparing seniors for college and recruited him in 1964, Mr. Fairorth said in 2024.
Bennett Fairorth with journalists from Council Rock’s student newspaper, The Indianite, in the 1966–1967 school year.Council Rock School District
Mr. Fairorth was a lifelong fan of newspaper puzzles. He wrote weekly letters to a relative about The Inquirer’s crosswords, his brother said. In 1936, at age 9, he sent in the correct answers to an Inquirer kids’ challenge and won a prize, according to newspaper archives.
In retirement, Mr. Fairorth found more time for hobbies, self-publishing more than a dozen novels, often in a diaristic style chronicling holiday dinners and trips abroad.
As a teacher, Mr. Fairorth was known as a firm but thorough grader, his brother said — a trait that led to conflicts with some parents in the tony suburban district toward the end of his career.
“Parents would come in and [complain] about their kid not getting an A,” Leonard Fairorth said, and go to the principal after Mr. Fairorth refused to change it. “Some of them would be really nasty. … That’s one of the things that really discouraged him at the end.”
Although Mr. Fairorth maintained decades-long correspondence with some students, there was one letter that took more than half a century to arrive, he wrote in a 2020 essay for the Chestnut Hill Local.
In the 1960s, Mr. Fairorth had failed a senior who refused to submit a research paper. Though he was class president, he could not attend graduation and instead went to summer school.
“It was a tense situation,” Mr. Fairorth wrote.
The student, Bill Proser, went on to earn an English degree, become a teacher, and found a charter school in Idaho.
“Yesterday, after 55 years of his getting an F in my class, I received a letter in Bill’s handwriting,” Mr. Fairorth wrote. “‘Thank you for what you did for me.’ I suppose that if you wait long enough, who knows what magic will come to pass?”
In addition to his brother, Mr. Fairorth is survived by children Nancy, Mark, and Laurel, as well as grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Services and interment were private, according to a notice by the Philadelphia Cremation Society.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Before Glenside Lanes housed a yoga studio, coffee shop, record store, and other local businesses, the building at 2256 Mt. Carmel Ave. was once the site of an early-20th-century bowling alley and billiards hall. Soon, those once-bustling bowling lanes will welcome a concert and event space, too, further restoring the location to its original liveliness.
The driving force behind the micro-mall’s revival is Kevin Burke, a developer and Glenside native. His work is part of a national trend of investors seeking a blend of retail and experiential businesses to revitalize sleepy post-pandemic commercial spaces. He expects to open a similar multi-use project in Wyndmoor.
SPS Technologiesreached a tentative $5 million settlement agreement last week in a class-action lawsuit that could bring payouts to those who were affected by the four-alarm fire at a former Abington Township factory last February. Eligible business owners, employees of impacted businesses, and homeowners can file claims through Dec. 3.
Abington Township is looking into how it might exit its remaining contract with Flock Safety early amid data concerns. The news comes after Gov. Josh Shapiro, an Abington resident, last week vocalized “real concerns” about how the technology affects privacy.
Longtime Abington resident Bennett Fairorth, a well-known writer and teacher, died this summer at age 99. Former students, including some who planned to celebrate his 100th birthday with him this month, have taken to social media to remember Fairorth, who regularly heard from past pupils during his retirement despite never owning a cell phone, computer, or answering machine.
🏫 Schools briefing
A Tuesday night school board vote considered whether the Cheltenham district would bring former superintendent Brian Scriven a payout in excess of $265,000. Scriven resigned last month amid Cheltenham High School’s football hazing scandal. Reporter Maddie Hanna has the latest.
✨ Diamond in a Rhinestone World: Paint your own glittering ode to the late country music icon Dolly Parton. ⏰ Wednesday, Sept. 9, 7-9 p.m. 💵 $45 📍 Painting With a Twist, Jenkintown
🌭 Glenside Food Truck Festival: Fill your belly at this collaborative event from Downtown Glenside, Cheltenham Township, and Arcadia University. ⏰ Thursday, Sept. 10, 5:30-9 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Easton Road and Wesley and Glenside Avenues
🇺🇦 Ukrainian Fall Festival: Celebrate Ukrainian culture at this two-day fete offering food, live music, and kids activities. ⏰ Saturday, Sept. 12, 3-11 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 13, noon-6 p.m. 💵 $15 on Saturday for those age 13 and up; free on Sunday 📍 St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church, Jenkintown
📚 Building Better, Stronger Relationships: Tune into this virtual author talk with conflict facilitator Priya Parker as she unpacks the conflict resolution techniques detailed in her new book The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict. ⏰ Tuesday, Sept. 15, 4-5 p.m. 💵 Free, registration required 📍 Virtual, sign up via Abington Township Public Library
This expansive Elkins Park estate dates back to 1925, offering classic details such as hand-carved moldings, French doors, exposed beams, and a window seat. The eight-bedroom, six-bathroom home has two fireplaces, plus a yard, patio, and courtyard.
Correction: Developer Kevin Burke expects to open a multi-use project similar to Glenside Lanes in Wyndmoor.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
