A 9-year-old girl was hospitalized in critical but stable condition after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver Tuesday night in North Philadelphia, police said.
The girl was hit on Germantown Avenue not far from Erie Avenue shortly before 8:30 p.m., police said.
She was transported by medics to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, where she was being treated for a broken foot, at least one broken rib, and skin abrasions, police said.
The striking vehicle was possibly a Toyota RAV4 with two flat tires, police said.
The Cheltenham school board on Tuesday appointed Chris McGinley as its interim superintendent, approving a contract for the veteran administrator through the end of the 2026-27 school year.
McGinley, who first came to Cheltenham as an assistant superintendent in 1999, led efforts in the district aimed at closing its achievement gap, and partnered with the University of Pennsylvania to establish the Center for Equity and Excellence, a regional consortium of school districts working to close their own gaps.
“At a time when the district is focused on rebuilding public trust and ensuring the safety of all students at all district schools, we believe that Dr. McGinley is uniquely qualified to lead our schools during the upcoming school year,” Cheltenham board president Leah Mulhearn said in a statement Tuesday night.
McGinley was approved unanimously at a special meeting Tuesday, according to district spokesperson Kevin Kaufman.
Chris McGinley, newly installed interim superintendent, speaks as solicitor Edward Diasio and board member Daniel Schultz listen Tuesday at the Cheltenham Administration Building in Elkins Park.William Thomas Cain / For The Inquirer
He will be paid $1,500 per business day “for time actually worked” under the contract approved by the board, which specifies that McGinley is not an employee and will not receive benefits.
Cheltenham has not said what it will pay Scriven, who had received a new five-year contract from the board in December. Kaufman said last week that a separation agreement would be negotiated and approved at a future board meeting.
McGinley served as assistant superintendent in Cheltenham from 1999 to 2003. He then became superintendent and led the district until 2006. Two years later, he was named superintendent in Lower Merion, where he worked until leaving to become a professor at Temple in 2014.
In 2017, McGinley was appointed by then-Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney to the School Reform Commission, a state-controlled governing body that oversaw the Philadelphia School District. When the SRC dissolved the following year, Kenney named McGinley to the new Philadelphia school board; he served until 2020.
He recently left Temple, where he had worked as policy, organizational, and leadership studies department chair in the university’s College of Education and Human Development.
McGinley began his career in Philadelphia as a special-education teacher, and worked in the district as an elementary and middle school principal, a regional superintendent, and an executive director of leadership development.
A 78-year-old man was killed in a triple shooting late Tuesday afternoon in North Philadelphia, police said.
Just before 4:50 p.m., police responded to reports of a shooting on the 2200 block of Ridge Avenue and found three victims, Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
Police took all three to Temple University Hospital.
The 78-year-old man, who was shot once in the back, was pronounced dead at 5:15 p.m., Small said. The man’s identity was not released.
A 71-year-old man who was shot twice in the back and a 31-year-old man who was shot several times in the lower back and once in a leg were initially listed in critical condition, Small said. Their conditions were later upgraded to stable.
Small said surveillance video shows a light-colored SUV-type vehicle traveling south on Ridge and stopping in the middle of the block. Four individuals then get out and start firing guns toward the victims.
More than 50 spent shell casings were found at the scene, Small said.
A store was struck twice by gunfire, shattering a front glass window, and a parked car also was hit, Small said.
The shooters got back in their vehicle and fled south on Ridge.
Investigators are checking with multiple businesses on the street for more video, Small said.
After Trea Turner fielded the first grounder of the game Monday, third baseman Bryson Stott came over and gave the Phillies shortstop’s glove a tap.
Or rather, Stott tapped his own glove. It just happened to be on Turner’s wrist, because he was borrowing it.
The glove, a custom black model with red lacing, is from Rawlings’ Pro Preferred line. It’s also embroidered with Stott’s last name and his No. 5 in red. Turner has used it for the past few weeks while fielding grounders pregame, but Monday was the first time he tried it out in a game.
It was tested right away. On the first pitch of the game, Marlins outfielder Estury Ruiz hit a grounder to the hole between short and third. Turner was playing deep enough to cut it off, jump, and make the throw to first while in midair.
“It kind of gave me a little bit [of a] different feeling [on] ground balls,” Turner said. “It’s a lot different than what I have. It’s a lot longer.”
While it looks just like the glove Stott was using a few feet away at third, the one Turner borrowed was an extra, brand-new glove that he then broke in himself. (“I wouldn’t let him touch mine,” Stott said. “I wouldn’t let anyone touch mine.”)
Stott has been using the same Rawlings model for a while. At the beginning of each season, he receives several Rawlings models.
“I break one in and fall in love with that one,” Stott said, “and then I have three or four extra.”
Turner was looking for a change after his defensive struggles had reached a fever pitch this season. He made four errors in four games after the All-Star break, along with other miscues that weren’t scored as errors but were mistakes, regardless.
Bryson Stott (left) with Phillies shortstop Trea Turner pregame before last week’s Field of Dreams game. Turner has been using Stott’s extra glove during pregame warmups.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
So he asked Stott to borrow one of his extras.
“Just having this on my hand feels like a little different,” Turner said. “I feel like I make a little bit [of] different decisions.”
Stott’s gloves are a 12-inch model, which is on the larger side for an infielder — excluding first base, of course. He kept the same one when he made the position switch from second to third base to open a spot for Luis Arraez.
Turner said his old glove was also 12 inches, but other differences in the glove’s design cause Stott’s to feel longer.
“It kind of helped me make some plays that I don’t think I was doing perfectly,” he said. “To me, I was thinking about the other day. It’s kind of like using a different bat, whether it’s lighter, heavier, you know, longer, whatever. It’s the same swing, it’s the same player, but sometimes you just get a different feel of it.”
Ruiz’s groundout to open Monday’s game had an expected batting average of .260. It’s a play that earlier in the season Turner wasn’t making on a consistent basis.
Turner’s struggles this season are well-documented. He has posted minus-6 outs above average and minus-11 defensive runs saved at shortstop this season. His 18 errors this year have already surpassed his full-season total of 17 from 2025.
But Turner also hasn’t made an error since July 27. In August so far, he has recorded plus-3 OAA. He’s been working on not setting up too early on ground balls hit to him, which he identified as an issue leading to his misplays. And even if Turner has only used Stott’s glove in one game so far, he also thinks that’s helping, too.
Trea Turner hasn’t made an error since July 27Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The only drawback Turner has found in the borrowed glove is the bigger size made it initially harder to make the transfer from glove to throwing hand. But he didn’t have any problems with that on Monday, and he thinks he’ll stick with it going forward.
“It’s funny. It’s like sometimes when I think I’m going to transfer well, I transfer bad, and sometimes when I think I’m going to transfer it bad, I transfer it well, and I think it’s just kind of getting used to the glove, and the shape, and stuff like that,” Turner said. “But as far as just like playing shortstop and regular ground balls, it feels good.”
Extra bases
Aaron Nola (4-9, 5.33 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday’s series finale opposite Miami right-hander Sandy Alcantara (13-7, 3.43).
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission on Tuesday condemned an incident last week of antisemitic vandalism of a sculpture at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History.
On Thursday evening, “an individual scrawled a hateful message on the museum’s iconic OY/YO sculpture. This marks the second act of vandalism within a year, following spray-painted graffiti on the building, plaza, and an Israeli flag in August 2025,” the commission said in a statement.
State Rep. Tarik Khan (D., Philadelphia) was in the area early Friday morning when he saw the vandalism, which he described as written in black marker on the side of the OY/YO sculpture at the southeast corner of Fifth and Market Streets. The three accusatory words appeared directed at Jews in general.
Khan said he quickly called 911.
“It was like a kick to the stomach,” Khan said Tuesday in a phone interview.
“We have to acknowledge what is happening,” Khan said.
The Weitzman Museum said in a statement: “At a time of heightened antisemitism and hatred directed at Jews in America and around the world, incidents like this are deeply troubling — but they will not intimidate us or change who we are.”
A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department could not be reached for comment.
“Pennsylvania will not tolerate hate in this state and the PHRC will continue to foster inclusion and eradicate hatred in all its forms,” said Jones, who is also a member of Philadelphia City Council.
Less than a year ago, an Israeli flag that was displayed on the west-facing side of the museum was vandalized with red paint. A South Jersey man was charged with ethnic intimidation and related offenses. The case is still pending, court records show.
“Criticism of Israel is not antisemitism. Blaming Jewish people for the Israeli government’s actions is,” Khan wrote in a Saturday post on Facebook.
“This is a time we need to reach out to each other,” Khan said.
The Sept. 15 event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fallser Club, 3721 Midvale Ave.
Raymond Polak, a Holocaust survivor, will be the featured speaker at a community fourm co-hosted by State Rep. Tarik Khan on Sept. 15 in East Falls.State. Rep. Tarik Khan
Sullivan didn’t actually get to play against Messi until May of this year, when the Union infamously surrendered a two-goal first-half lead in a 6-4 loss that became Bradley Carnell’s last game as manager.
Now, finally, the Union’s 16-year-old star might get to play on his own turf against the Argentine legend.
Though there’s no guarantee Messi (or anyone) will play Wednesday night at Subaru Park (7:30 p.m., Apple TV), all signs point to it happening. So the hype machine is up and running: Messi vs. Sullivan, soccer’s greatest of all time against an American phenom in the land of underdogs.
Cavan Sullivan (right) posing with Lionel Messi at their first meeting in 2024.Philadelphia Union
It won’t just be those two on the field, of course. There will be several other players, and Sullivan was quick to point that out.
“Just more excited, because I know I’ll be able to go against him and play against him,” Sullivan said. “But not just him, right? Obviously, [Sergio] Reguilón’s on the field, [Rodrigo] De Paul, Casemiro, there’s other tremendous players. But I’m not too focused on that — just focused on my play and the team preparing and just ready to go.”
There also will be a lot of eyes on 18-year-old Union centerback Neil Pierre as he prepares for a potential battle with a star striker more than twice his age, 39-year-old Luis Suárez.
“It’s not going to be so much about the physical part of it, but it’s the clever movements, it’s the experience, it’s the guile, the way that he positions himself,” Union interim manager Ryan Richter said of Suárez. “The way he almost goes invisible from the game from the centerback, has been standing in an offside position, and then pops up at the right time. It’s going to take a lot of focus from Neil and a lot of communication from Andre [Blake] and from our back line to make sure that we know where he is at all times.”
Neil Pierre (right) will face his biggest challenge yet against Inter Miami’s superstars.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
His first meeting with the Union was his sixth of 108 games in pink, the Leagues Cup semifinal in August of 2023. It also was 4-1, but in the other direction. Messi scored Miami’s second goal in front of a bursting-at-the-seams crowd in Chester.
This time, Inter arrives following another 4-1 result: a shocking loss at first-place Nashville on Saturday that will echo all the way until the playoffs. It was a reminder that for all the Herons’ star power, they can be beaten.
The Union, meanwhile, are riding a four-game winning streak in MLS games, including Sunday’s wild comeback win in New York.
“I would say momentum exists,” Sullivan said. “We have it right now: Four wins in the league is pretty cool, coming off a poor start of the season. So, yeah, obviously vibes are high. But never too high, never too low, and we’ve just got to stay focused and be ready to go.”
The vibes were especially high after Sunday night’s final whistle, when Sullivan and fellow Northeast Philadelphia native Frankie Westfield led the team’s celebrations with the Union fans along the first-base line at Yankee Stadium. For all the talk of Sullivan eventually going to Manchester City, that moment showed the Union are his club.
“That moment was really special to me,” he said. “Since my debut to now where I’m actually playing, these fans have welcomed me and supported me along the way. … Big thanks to them, and I obviously feel at home.
So what will it take for this to finally be the time the Union beat Messi?
Cavan Sullivan leads the Union over to the away fans’ section to celebrate the win:
“We’ve just got to come out with that fire,” Sullivan said. “We went through it today: Don’t play scared. Have that same bravery we’ve had in the past. We’re just going to put our body on the line to fight for the fans, fight for each other, and the fans will see.”
He’s also ready, as many longtime Union fans are, for there to be a lot of pink shirts in the crowd amid the usual blue and gold. A victory could win some of them over, too.
Sullivan claimed he “doesn’t really focus on the fans too much,” but within a breath he admitted he knows.
“You obviously notice when your home crowd is there to support versus when they’re not,” he said. “But, yeah, I think by the end of the night, you’ll see people buying Philadelphia Union jerseys because they watched a good game and they saw a team with spirit and fight. Maybe we have a little bit of an underdog story.”
Messi still brings Philly out
For those who thought the Lionel Messi Effect had worn off, given that it’s his third MLS season, know that it’s still alive and well here in the Philly area.
The Union’s game Wednesday night vs. Inter Miami at Subaru Park again will be in front of a near-capacity crowd with just standing room only tickets remaining, according to multiple sources.
Lionel Messi undoubtedly will play in front of a sold-out crowd again when Inter Miami travel to Subaru Park to face the Union. Heather Khalifa / Staff Photographer
That leaves the secondary market for an actual seat, and, as of Tuesday evening, tickets jumped close to three times their usual price. The cheapest seat was in the Union’s supporters’ section, the River End, for $187, which included fees on SeatGeek, the official secondary ticket market for several MLS clubs, including the Union. That same seat on a regular match day is a fraction of that.
Premium tickets, like Managers Row (behind the team benches) could run you $1,229. It was $136 to stand along the Seaport Party Deck, with limited availability remaining for standing room only.
Union interim head coach Ryan Richter says the excitement over Lionel Messi is great for the league but not what he and his team are focused on ahead of Wednesday’s match. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But currently in a quest to lock in a playoff spot — which if you can believe that the Union are a mere five points out from the final playoff spot in MLS’ Eastern Conference — Richter says that the Messi hoopla is “an amazing thing for the league,” but at the end of the day, three points are all he and the Union are envisioning.
“What Messi and what Miami has done for MLS and for our league has been incredible,” Richter said. “Just the following that they brought and the excitement that comes around with them coming into town. But for us … we are pushing to win the game. It’s a league game, and we’re in desperate need of three points. And that’s how we have to approach it. … We are in a moment where the three points are the most important thing. And that’s what we have to attack the game with. [Our motivation] is going for the win.”
Shapiro, a first-term Democrat running for reelection and a rumored 2028 presidential contender, had been an early champion of data center development in the state, including a $20 billion commitment from Amazon to build at least two data centers in Bucks and Luzerne Counties.
Now he is taking a hard-line stance against the burgeoning data center industry he once courted, as proposed projects draw increasing bipartisan backlash across Pennsylvania.
The far-reaching executive order does not include a moratorium on data center development. However, the order requires local approval for projects to receive state permits, which in effect may block many developments from moving forward.
Shapiro used his executive powers Tuesdayto push through his previously proposedGovernor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development standards, which wereinitially pitched as voluntary incentives for data center developers to receive tax breaks, but failed to receive support from the GOP-controlled state Senate. All projects will be required to follow GRID’s environmental, economic, and transparency requirements in order to move forward.
“I have no other choice than but to take this executive action to protect the good people of Pennsylvania from these predatory developers and from these projects that would negatively impact our communities,” Shapiro said after signing the order.
Shapiro’s order also:
Removes all data center developments, including those by Amazon, from the fast-track permitting program, and no data centers will be considered for the program moving forward.
Requires data center projects to sign legally binding agreements to certain transparency and environmental requirements in GRID, such aswater conservation standards and early and transparent public notification of proposed projects ahead of key local approvals. Companies must follow GRID guidelines to access the state’s existing sales tax break for data centers.
Prohibits any state agency from signing a nondisclosure agreement related to a data center project.
Instructs the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to publish a publicly accessible map of current permitting information for all proposed data center projects.
Mandates that the projects bring their own electricity generation and pay all costs associated with increased energy usage.
Requires a community-benefit agreement that includes promises to hire and train local employees, as well as developer investments in schools or infrastructure.
UnderscoresPennsylvania’s unique state constitutional rights to clean air, pure water, and environmental preservation — a focus of many residents who oppose data center projects.
‘On notice’
Pennsylvania has become a top target for data center projects, due to its key placement near some of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, its energy production potential, and its vast rural areas.
But data centers have become increasingly unpopular in the year since Shapiro championed the Amazon deal as one promising that the future of artificial intelligence “is going to run right here through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
In a June poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, 76% of registered Pennsylvania voters said they would oppose a data center in their communities. Only 24% of voters said they approve how Shapiro is handling data centers in Pennsylvania, including 40% of Democrats — a drop from his 51% overall favorability in the same poll.
A yard sign protests the proposed data center on New Elm Street near the Closed Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill photographed on Thursday, June 4, 2026 in Conshohocken, Pa.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
“Archbald and Montco are just two examples of dozens of communities being overrun and overwhelmed by developers who don’t give a damn about us and think they can have their way,” Shapiro said. “Today, I’m formally putting them on notice.”
Shapiro took specific issue with the more than 100 speculative projects across the state, which include some from real estate developers who are seeking building approvals without determining or disclosing the company for which they would be storing the data.
The Data Center Coalition — the leading data center group representing Amazon, Microsoft, and other top developers — said in a statement that distinguishing between real, company-led projects and proposals is important and that rules should not be “changed midstream” for “verified and responsible data center projects.”
“Companies have made plans, communities have prepared for economic opportunities, and workers are ready to build the next generation of digital infrastructure right here in Pennsylvania,” said Dan Diorio, the executive vice president for state policy and government affairs at the Data Center Coalition.
Diorio previously told The Inquirer that Shapiro’s GRID standards were “extensive” compared with the 37 other states that offer sales tax exemptions.
Shapiro’s administration appeared prepared to face legal challenges from the deep pockets of the data center industry or property developers. The order includes a severability clause, something not traditionally used in executive orders, that says if any parts of the order are “held to be invalid,” the rest of the order still stands.
Shapiro has previously said his position on data centers has evolved. But his order Tuesday is perhaps his most dramatic shift: He has gone from consulting Amazon and the data center industry on his GRID principles earlier this year to pulling the tech giant and others from the state’s fast-track permitting program and requiring community-benefits agreements for the projects to move forward.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signs an executive order restricting data centers in Pennsylvania during a ceremony in the Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday August 18, 2026.Kalim A. Bhatti / For The Inquirer
The Amazon projects currently underway in Pennsylvania have already passed through the first phase of permitting, and will be required like all other projects to follow the requirements moving forward, a spokesperson for Shapiro said.
An Amazon spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
There aresix data center projects under construction in Pennsylvania,and 10 have received at least one state-level permit approval, Shapiro’s office previously told The Inquirer.
Shapiro and the General Assembly have been under pressure by anti-data center activists to enact guardrails on the massive projects, with many arguing that Pennsylvania moved too quickly and sacrificed the state’s safety in favor of Big Tech. Pennsylvania lawmakers nearly unanimously supported ending the sales tax exemption for the projects, but failed to implement a measure during the spring legislative session.
At the news conference Tuesday, Shapiro invited representatives from the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors — the main group representing the local governments at the forefront of pushing for data center restrictions — in addition to advocacy groups including the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project and the National Resources Defense Council. The groups praised Shapiro’s plan.
Though Shapiro’s order was widely lauded by Democratic state lawmakers and environmental groups, it was met with criticism from some of his detractors, including his Republican challenger for governor in November, Treasurer Stacy Garrity.
Garrity’s first TV ad featured Shapiro’s support for data centers, and on Tuesday she said in a statement that Shapiro is “trying to gaslight the people of Pennsylvania into not believing what they’ve seen with their own eyes for the past 13 months.” (Garrity’s position on data centers has also changed since the June 2025 announcement, which she lauded at the time; she has since said Pennsylvania needs to put a “pause” on all data center development.)
Megan McDonough, the state director for advocacy organization Food and Water Watch, said in a statement that “Shapiro knows that he’s been acting out of accordance with what Pennsylvanians actually need,” but that the order falls short.
“Shapiro is feeling our heat because Pennsylvanians have made it impossible for him to ignore us,” she said. “The only solution to addressing AI data centers’ many woes is by placing a mandatory moratorium on all new data center development.”
LeBron James 76ers jerseys have arrived at Dick’s Sporting Goods across the Philadelphia area, and, despite some reports, officials at the store contend that they’re flying off the shelves — legally.
On Tuesday, Crossing Broad reported that James jerseys were being kept behind the counter at the Dick’s Sporting Goods location in Cherry Hill “because the store was having trouble with people stealing them.”
A store manager who chose to remain anonymous at the Dick’s location in Cherry Hill said the jerseys — there were only a few left — were placed behind the counter to boost sales, not because the store was experiencing thefts.
A representative from Dick’s corporate offices located in Coraopolis, Pa., confirmed that no jerseys were reported stolen, but that they were kept behind the checkout initially and are in the process of being moved to the floor.
Multiple locations of Dick’s Sporting Goods across the region noted that they have had no series issues of theft surrounding the arrival of LeBron James’ jersey now in stores. David Paul Morris
At the Dick’s location in the King of Prussia Mall, another store manager, who also chose to remain anonymous, said the James jerseys at their location are being kept on the floor and not behind the counter.
Online, Dick’s has shirts available, but only one jersey in stock, the Nike Adult 2024-25 City Edition Philadelphia 76ers LeBron James Swingman Jersey in medium, on preorder for $125.
Other outfitters like Fanatics, the NBA Store, and the Sixers Shop have James’ jersey available to be reserved in royal blue in select sizes. They’ll be shipped in September.
There are also some jerseys available by reservation in red. Both jerseys are selling for $79.99.
A row of East Market Street storefronts owned by Comcast and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) will continue hosting small local businesses until at least the end of 2026.
The experimental initiative, dubbed Meantime on Market, is meant to activate the once-barren stretch of the 900 block of East Market Street. When announced earlier this year, it was planned to only last through the end of July.
“Midway through the summer pop-up, I think everybody felt like, ‘Why would we go back to vacancy?’” said Brian Phillips, founder of Interface Studio Architects (ISA), which founded the Meantime project. “I don’t think anybody wanted this to end if it didn’t have to.”
All six businesses that took part in Meantime were offered the opportunity to continue their residency on the 900 block of East Market, and four decided to do so: vintage clothier Almost Famous, music listening hub Clubfriends Radio & Records, media convener space Love Now Media, and West Philadelphia’s Siddiq’s Water Ice.
“This summer has been incredibly meaningful,” Siddiq Moore of Siddiq’s Real Fruit Water Ice, said in a news release. “It’s been an incredible and beautiful experience for our business, and I’m excited to carry that energy into the fall extension.”
The city-operated MY Market East, run by the Planning Commission, will continue to function as a community engagement hub at 930 Market St. as well.
Two Persons Coffee and vintage furniture store Rarify will not continue their tenure on the strip. But those retail spaces will be available for other entrepreneurs to participate in the incubator program and receive three months of free retail space.
Phillips said that Meantime is in talks with several small Philadelphia businesses about occupying the spaces and that an announcement would be coming “in the next couple weeks.”
In the first three weeks of the Meantime businesses being open in May and June, 3,300 people visited the stores and $50,000 in sales were generated, according tothe news release.
“That momentum extended to the corridor as a whole — foot traffic along the observed stretch of Market East rose approximately 10% from May to June, outpacing growth in surrounding areas and signaling that the programs were doing more than filling empty storefronts,” the release reads.
Phillips said weekends have been even busier than weekdays on this stretch of East Market Street, at least for Meantime.
“Weekend life in Center City has, if anything, become more robust than it was 15 years ago,” Phillips said. “Weekday is a little bit tamped down since COVID.”
Brian Phillips, architect and Meantime executive director, at the Green Room grand opening in University City in April. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The properties have a long history with HBSE. From 2022 until early last year, the company planned to build the Philadelphia 76ers a new stadium on East Market Street with accompanying residential and commercial development on the 900 block.
Then in early 2025, after a contentious political battle, HBSE announced that the Sixers would stay in South Philadelphia and renew their alliance with Comcast Spectacor, which owns the team’s current arena in the stadium district.
But last June, HBSE and Comcast purchased the buildings on the 900 block of East Market anyway. They promised a project in this corner of Center City that has long lagged its neighboring counterparts in development and foot traffic. A longtime methadone clinic on the block closed down, too.
The Meantime initiative, first spearheaded by Center City District, activated the long vacant storefronts, which HBSE and Comcast repaired, as they figure out their plans.
HBSE declined to comment on what the extension of Meantime’s tenure on East Market will mean for potential larger development projects.
“Our vision for the Market East Revival has always included both the large-scale investment that can transform this corridor and space for small, local businesses from communities across Philadelphia to help shape its future,” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said in a statement.
Members who were fired from Westtown Township’s historical commission after disagreements with local officials over the future of a historic inn have launched anindependent historicalsociety with a mission to protect buildings and history in the area.
“Although it’s very disappointing to see the township operate the way that they did, it was perhaps an opportunity for us to build something even better,” said Stephen Wahrhaftig, one of the society’s founders.
Wahrhaftig, who served on the township’s commission for four years,had been involved with other historical organizations. One, which was privately run, seemed to operate more efficiently and effectively without political oversight, he said.
Within the new society’s first two meetings, the group had already sketched out a long list of potential events and activities, Wahrhaftig said.
“I was crushed when we were all dismissed, sad and angry. But within two weeks, we all came back together and said, ‘OK, let’s try something new and different,’” said Christine Gunsaullus, who served on the township’s historical commission for more than a year. “I feel like we’ve continued without missing a beat.”
The newly formed society has already teed up four events in the coming months. They plan to host a hike and historical tour of Crebilly Preserve, the 204-acre preserved open space in Westtown that was purchased by the township in 2024 to fend off residential development. Also in the works is a historical book club. In October, the society will have a table at Westtown Day — an event the commission helped found — and will give historical tours of Oakbourne Mansion and Park, where festivities are held, and have activities for children.
And they’ll host a presentation about the Darlington Inn, the 19th century property on the Crebilly tract that the township also purchased when it sought to preserve the farm. At that talk, they’ll show “what a gem we have and why it’s important to save,” Gunsaullus said.
The township’s officials have said that it wasn’t the conflict over the inn that led to the members’ removal from the commission, which sits on a two-acre parcel at the corner of State Routes 202 and 926. But the dismissal came as the commission had been advocating for the township to preserve the inn, while officials have sought to offload it.
The members of the now-fired historical commission had argued that the inn was worth preserving, and asked officials to include a facade easement to protect the property from being demolished for commercial construction. The supervisors declined to do so at the time, but nothing precludes them from adding it in the future.
The historical commission was composed of volunteers, appointed by the board of supervisors, and acted as an advisory body, with no governing power. The supervisors said in July they would be reexamining the goals of the commission, and invited the fired members to reapply once that process was complete.
Even with the abrupt parting, the new society doesn’t foresee any tension blossoming between their new organization and the township they once served. They received the OK to represent the new group at the annual Westtown Day, which they think “bodes well” for working together. The township did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the group.
The society will offer free membership to those who want to join, and the intent broadly is to do what they accomplished with the township “but do even more and do it better and do it faster,” Gunsaullus said. That includes a newsletter, lectures, and historical tours. They’ll also be able to look broaden the scope beyond Westtown and welcome members from outside the municipality.
Without being under the restraints of the township government, they envision they’ll be able to offer more and varied events. But like the commission, the group is made up of volunteers with the leadership composed of working architects, engineers, an author, and people with marketing expertise. Only one member is retired, making the society a labor of love, Gunsaullus said.
“We’re very pumped up about what we’re able to accomplish now,” Wahrhaftig said.
And they’ve seen an outpouring of support, they said.
“The response we’ve gotten from the community, from other historical societies and commissions — everyone is supporting us, wants to know how they can help, wants to provide venues for us to continue giving talks,” Gunsaullus said. “We’re very grateful for the support we’re getting from other historical geeks in the area.”
There are no plans to make the society a nonprofit at the moment, they said, but they aren’t sure what the future holds. They’re operating with no funding (but that’s not exactly unfamiliar; their finances were already “hilariously abysmal” under the township, Wahrhaftig noted), and may consider donations.
But aside from money, “It takes time, passion, and creativity, and we’ve got plenty of that,” Gunsaullus said.
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