Category: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Local News

News

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The Battle Between Wawa and Sheetz Heats Up

There has long been a Wawa vs. Sheetz debate in the battle for Pennsylvania-based convenience-store supremacy. For many years, this battle mostly played out in the world of public opinion, because Delco-based Wawa had always been an Eastern Pennsylvania thing, while Altoona-based Sheetz had always been a Central and Western Pennsylvania thing. But times are changing.

Wawa has been slowly encroaching on what was Sheetz’s turf. And now the inventor of the Shorti is upping the ante with more aggressive expansion. Currently, Wawa’s westernmost store is in East Petersburg in Lancaster County, just down the road from one Sheetz and within five miles of five other Sheetz locations. But yesterday, Wawa broke ground on a location in Middletown in Dauphin County. Middletown is about 25 miles west of East Petersburg and decidedly in the middle of Sheetz Country.

And Wawa isn’t stopping there. Wawa says it’s going to have locations in Enola, Hanover, Dover, York and Williamsport coming later this year. Next year? More stores. More counties. All the way out to Union County, which is what one might reasonably refer to as “the sticks.” And what’s right next to Union County? Centre County, a.k.a. Penn State’s home. It’s hard to imagine that Wawa isn’t going to make a play for that college town. I can just see all those Nittany Lions fans scarfing down Wawa meatball parm sandwiches in that huge stadium a few short years from now.

Emma Dooling at the Philadelphia Business Journal has more on this story.

WNBA Talk

Ever since the recent NCAA women’s tournament and the sudden stardom of Caitlin Clark, there’s been lots of talk about the WNBA and lots of outrage over Clark’s new WNBA contract, considering that she’ll be earning about $84,500 a year, which is a pittance compared to what the men of the NBA make. Clark, at least, appears to be killing it in endorsement deals.

And then there’s also this nugget: Philadelphia is one of six cities and regions the WNBA is considering for an expansion team. Our competition? Toronto, Portland, Denver, Nashville and South Florida. Just for some wild speculation: Would Dawn Staley come home to coach?

By the Numbers

$30,000: Amount a 63-year-old man just lost in a robbery outside a swingers club in Northeast Philadelphia. The surprising part about this is that there are still swingers clubs. Well, at least the swingers club in question is across the street from a Walgreens, so you don’t have to go too far for condoms … or antibiotics.

64: Age of the New Jersey guy who is about to run from the northernmost point in the state to the very bottom of Cape May. I’ll have what he’s having.

$41 million: What the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown just spent on a major expansion that includes an animal hospital. Elmwood Park Zoo is the zoo I went to as a little kid, and it’s a pretty cool place. And here’s an interesting thing about Elmwood Park Zoo: It could one day be bigger than America’s first zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo. That’s because the Philadelphia Zoo can’t really get much bigger, because of where it sits geographically and what’s around it. But that’s not the case with the Norristown zoo, which has big plans for the future.

Local Talent

In our just-published 2024 salaries report, I was shocked to learn than one well-known Philly actress made just $8,000 last year. $8,000! I think I spend that much on all my streaming services combined. I’m exaggerating, of course. But still: $8,000! “People don’t seem to give a shit about women,” the actress told me. “I can’t get theater work, because look at the cast lists. They are predominantly male and one or two non-union young women. It’s gross.” Meanwhile, South Philly drag queen Brittany Lynn tells me she took in more than $200,000 in 2023. For more on what Philadelphians make, check out our full report here.

And From the Heart-Stopper Sports Desk …

For the Sixers’ ginormous play-in game against the Heat last night, Nick Nurse started Kelly Oubre Jr., Tobias Harris, Kyle Lowry, Tyrese Maxey, and, thank God, Joel Embiid, who’d been listed as questionable (but who we all knew deep down would play). It was a slow-starting matchup — nerves, maybe? — but the Sixers were up 12-4 halfway through the first quarter. The Heat, mostly because of our seven sloppy turnovers, battled back to a 23-22 lead at the quarter’s end, after this foul by Oubre.

He stayed in the game, unfortunately. It was more of the same in the second, as Joel just couldn’t get free and the turnovers continued. The crowd was not at all pleased. Nurse finally called a time-out to try and stop the bleeding. Didn’t help. The Sixers were 1-for-14 from the field halfway through the second. Argh. Dreadful, hideous, sloppy, lazy game.

at the half. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/5TmZqcJZ3l

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 18, 2024

At least there was Bricken for Chicken in the third quarter. And just like that, the lead was down to six. “Boy, it didn’t take long for the crowd to get back into it,” ESPN’s Mike Breen declared. Hey, man, this is Philly! Then it was down to three … to two … A dumb move by Paul Reed gave a free throw to the Heat for delay of game, for chrissake. The Heat stretched it back out to 74-69 to end the third. And early in the fourth, Embiid hit his first trey and tied the game. A Nico Batum three — his fifth? — for the lead! And then a sixth!

ANOTHER BATUM 3-POINTER ‼️

Nic Batum hits his 6th-pointer on ESPN to extend Philly’s lead! pic.twitter.com/8CYiOylY1C

— NBA (@NBA) April 18, 2024

He’d rack up a season-high 20 points. And then Embiid came to life. Tie game, backcourt violation on the Heat, 55 seconds to go, and Oubre comes through with a layup plus one on a perfect pass from Joel. A flying Maxey got fouled on a defensive rebound and sank two, Miami hit a two, questionable Sixer foul (on Batum), a Herro three, ball out of bounds with a heartbeat to go — and it was over: 105-104.

https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1780774758176489871

Guys. Guys. Don’t do that to us again. They face the Knicks next, starting on Saturday.

How’d the Phillies Do?

Well. Funny you should ask. Behind starter Cristopher Sánchez, we fell behind in the first inning, 1-0, but made up for it as Schwarber and Trea Turner started our half with back-to-back homers. Exciting! The Phils followed that up with hits by J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh that tacked on two more and sent Sánchez back out with a 4-1 lead. We picked up another in the fifth on a Turner double and Realmuto ground-out, and damn if Schwarbs didn’t go yard again in the sixth after Johan Rojas doubled, to make it 7-1.

Yunior Marte came in for Sánchez for the seventh, then came out in the eighth for Gregory Soto, who loaded the bases with three straight singles and let one more run in, then walked in another to make it 7-3. End of night for him. Um, make that 7-4, as Jeff Hoffman gave up a grounder, then a walk to load the bases again, then a base hit that cut it to 7-6.

Phillies collapsing to distract us from the Sixers collapsing

Brotherly love pic.twitter.com/vB40Ba3Mwq

— Kat (@katfromphilly) April 18, 2024

José Alvarado came on for the ninth, notched two outs, gave up a single, then allowed the runner to steal. Talk about your nervous crowd. But with a final pop-up out, it was all over: a very shaky 7-6 win. Whew. Tonight, a needed night off.

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.

News

It’s been a while since we took a look at what people in Philadelphia make for a living.

In fact, it’s been so long that when we last did this, John Dougherty was still the powerful head of Local 98 instead of a convicted felon. Seth Williams was hanging on by a thread as district attorney before heading off to federal prison. And some guy named Jason Peters was playing for the Eagles.

Now, here we are. It’s 2024. And we decided it was time to run the numbers again. Here, a presentation of what a wide range of Philadelphians make.

(To read the methodology behind this report, scroll to the bottom of this story.)

Cherelle Parker, Mayor: $261,497

Mayor Parker’s salary is the same as what Mayor Kenney’s was during his last year in office. Parker will get an $8,000 bump next year. But that still won’t make her the highest paid City of Philadelphia employee. Not even close. Keep reading to see who gets the biggest taxpayer bucks.

Brittany Lynn, drag queen: $200,000-plus

But, Lynn tells Philly Mag, more than $105,000 of the money she took in last year through her company Philly Drag Mafia went back out to pay other drag queens she books for gigs. As for her exact earnings last year: “A lady never reveals her age or how much money she makes … But you can safely say over $200,000.”

Rookie Philadelphia Police Officer: $66,183

Thanks to a contract extension with the city, all rank-and-file police officers will see a five-percent wage increase starting in July. And what does a rookie cop in relatively chill Lower Merion make? About $20,000 more than their peers in Philly. After five years, a cop in Lower Merion is making more like $124,000.

First-year associate at Blank Rome: $200,000

The huge Philly-based firm offers some of the highest starting salaries in the entire country. If you’re a new lawyer and you want to live in Philly, you might want to put your resume in with them.

John Fetterman, U.S. Senator: $174,000

He actually took a pay cut to take the job on Capitol Hill: Fetterman was making about $217,000 as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. When Fetterman was the mayor of Braddock, just outside of Pittsburgh, that job paid $150 per month.

Executive chef at a popular Delco restaurant: $75,000, including bonuses

The chef in question has been at the restaurant for more than ten years and says, “Believe me, the place wouldn’t still be around if I wasn’t breaking my back there every day.”

Carol MacKenzie, KYW Newsradio anchor: $153,000, approximately

No, the veteran on-air talent didn’t offer us this information. She revealed it in a lawsuit she filed last year against KYW. MacKenzie alleged that the station routinely paid similarly situated men much more than her. That suit is now in legal limbo, because Audacy, the parent company of KYW, has entered bankruptcy proceedings.

Brian Roberts, Comcast CEO: $32.1 million

According to this report, Roberts is the highest-paid CEO at any publicly-traded company in the Philadelphia region. The next highest paid is Gregory Bentley, CEO of Exton-based software company Bentley Systems. His earnings? $18.44 million. He’s followed by Steven Collis, CEO of Conshy-based big pharma player Cencora, formerly known as AmerisourceBergen. He’s at $16.74 million.

Larry Krasner, District Attorney: $211,495

He made around $179,000 in his first year, back in 2018. The starting salary for lawyers in his office is $70,000. Good luck paying back all that law school debt! But actually, attorneys who come to work for Crusading Krasner can take advantage of a tuition reimbursement program, assuming they work as a prosecutor or public defender or for a non-profit organization for a full decade and that they’ve kept up with their loan payments.

A server at Middle Child Clubhouse: $70,000

That’s for an evening server at the popular all-day bar and restaurant in Fishtown. And that figure includes tips, of course.

A Philly 911 dispatcher: $52,519

Starting pay for 911 trainees is $42,379. Now that is one incredibly stressful job.

Middle school teacher at a well-known local private school: $55,000

The teacher in question says they’d be open to working in a Philadelphia public school, where they’d have the potential to earn more money, once they feel better about the direction of the school district. Speaking of Philadelphia public school teachers, they start at $50,066. The most senior teachers can earn in the ballpark of $100,000.

Kenyatta Johnson, City Council President: $194,934

Councilmembers who don’t hold leadership positions within City Council make $155.313, which is about three times the median household income in Philadelphia.

A full-time, overnight Delco Wawa worker: $40,520

That’s not bad! Especially considering the perks, which include free hoagies and, oh yeah, what’s actually a pretty stellar benefits package, relative to a lot of other jobs of this level out there.

A brewer at Yards Brewing Company: $50,000

Though we have to imagine that, after a while, you just get really, really sick of the smell of beer.

A senior librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia: $111,577

Meanwhile, Kelly Richards, the new head of the Free Library, makes $223,871. Your average library assistant earns in the $40,000s. And the lowest-paid actual librarian has a salary of $52,303.

Rich Lazer, Philadelphia Parking Authority executive director: $238,081

And in case you want to become one of those dreaded parking enforcement officers who leave tickets on cars, your starting salary will be $45,000. Lazer just upped the starting salary from $40,137 as of April 1st. No, the position does not include hazard pay. It probably should.

A Philadelphia Uber driver: $68,000

OK, so Uber loves to tell people that drivers can make a lot of money. And $68,000 doesn’t seem like a bad living. But Uber drivers tell you that they actually wind up with far, far less at the end of the year than what their gross income shows, thanks to car washes, repairs, maintenance, leasing fees, and the like. This particular Uber driver confirmed as much but declined to say what his net income was. It’s also worth noting that the driver works the shifts a lot of drivers don’t want to touch. Late weekend nights, when you have to deal with lots of drunk people. Big sporting events and concerts, when you also have to deal with lots of drunk people — and traffic.

Bernard Havard, Walnut Street Theatre CEO: $934,461

If you think that’s a lot of money for the head of a local theater, plenty of starving artists in town agree with you. That said, most of the seats at Walnut Street Theatre shows tend to be filled.

A well-known Philadelphia actress: $8,000

Speaking of starving artists … Says the actress: “It’s embarrassing and exhausting. People don’t seem to give a shit about women. I can’t get theater work, because look at the cast lists. They are predominantly male and one or two non-union YOUNG women. It’s gross.” So how on earth is she surviving? “I’m living off savings,” she tells us. “I’ve made some really smart business decisions in the past. So, luckily, I have a decent amount in savings. Thank God!”

Sharon Pinkenson, Greater Philadelphia Film Office executive director: $196,248

How ’bout you get Bradley Cooper to shoot another movie here, Shar?

John Zillmer, CEO, Aramark: $13.32 million

We’re sure that all those Aramark workers — like concession-stand workers, cooks, and bartenders at Citizens Bank Park and the Wells Fargo Center — who’ve been fighting for better wages and benefits are well aware that their boss is one of the best-compensated chief execs in the region.

Bill Marrazzo, CEO, WHYY: $806,188

WHYY has long been criticized for Marrazzo’s salary, which is beyond huge in the public radio industry. If you’re wondering how Marrazzo’s salary has grown over time, he made $430,786 in 2007. We definitely think about what Marrazzo makes every single time Ed Cunningham interrupts our favorite WHYY shows to plead for more money for the station. (And then we still make a donation, because we love the station so much. But still …)

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback: ~$51 million

Well, that might not be what Hurts is taking home this year. But thanks to his recent contract extension, Hurts will earn $255 million over the next five years, averaging out at $51 million per year. (NFL salary structures are byzantine.) His predecessor as Birds’ signal-caller, Carson Wentz, came in at about $32 million each year.

South Philly-based house painter: $52,000

He says that he’s “constantly covered in paint” but that it’s a “good-enough living.” “I never have to take my work home with me,” he points out. He said he works an average of four days each week.

Full-time bartender at a popular Center City bar: $80,000, including tips

That’s no chump change. Then again, you do have to put up with the guy who inevitably wants to put “Piano Man” on repeat on the play-anything jukebox.

Terry Gross, Fresh Air host: $402,415

Nationally syndicated Gross is, by far, the highest-paid on-air talent at WHYY. The second-highest paid, prior to her giving up her longtime WHYY show Radio Times in 2023 and switching to a weekly show with a new format, was Marty Moss-Coane, whose most recently reported salary was $158,075.

Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Philadelphia Orchestra musical director: $1,124,037

According to tax documents, he also pulls in over $1 million in his role as musical director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Maybe you shouldn’t have given up on those piano lessons your parents wanted to pay for.

Music teacher at a South Philadelphia public school: $84,394

The teacher supplements this school district income by playing in a wedding band and teaching private music lessons.

Amy Meisinger, Conestoga High School principal: $190,491

The high school has been ranked the second-best in all of Pennsylvania and landed its hometown on a recent list of the 20 best places in America to live for public schools.

Jeannine Payne, Masterman principal: $159,536

The principal of what has been ranked the best high school in all of Pennsylvania earns about $30,000 less than the principal of the second-best. Sometimes second-best is OK, kids!

Robert Briggs, American Bible Society president: $456,184

At least that’s what he made before he resigned. Yes, this is the same American Bible Society that poured $60 million into a Bible museum that it’s now closing down after less than three years in operation. Interestingly, the ABS is the 19th-biggest non-profit in Philadelphia (based on gross receipts) ahead of St. Joseph’s University and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. (Don’t worry: The PMA isn’t closing!)

Scott Adzick, chief surgeon, CHOP: $3,138,521

Adzick is the highest paid doctor in the University of Pennsylvania health system. The University of Pennsylvania itself is the largest non-profit in Philadelphia, based on gross receipts. Penn is also the largest employer in Philadelphia and the fourth largest in the state, behind the federal government, state government, and Walmart.

Sister Mary Scullion, Project HOME president: $193,501

She’s not the highest-paid executive at the charitable organization that houses the unhoused and provides other services. That would be her treasurer and associate executive director, who earns $370,000. Both are retiring this year.

Bryce Harper, Phillies first baseman: $26 million

That’s what Bryce Harper is earning this season. In 2019, he signed a 13-year, $330 million contract. Trea Turner is taking home slightly more than his teammate, with $27.3 million in earnings this year. His contract is an 11-year one and totals $300 million. Falling in line right behind them: Aaron Nola ($24.6 million); Zack Wheeler ($25.3 million) and J.T. Realmuto ($23.9 million).

Philadelphia school crossing guard: $13,640

We wonder if those crossing guards who dance and sing while they work make any more money than this. Maybe they can put out a tip bucket?

Bartender at a local dive bar: $36,400

That’s working five nights a week in a smoky bar filled with a bunch of deadbeats. And, yes, that includes tips. Stay in school, kids!

Fishtown-based singer and occasional pet-sitter: $12,210

And now you understand why your parents told you to get a degree before pursuing your dream of becoming the next Taylor Swift.

Pat’s Steaks manager: $50,000-plus

That’s working a four-day week. The people actually making your Whiz Wits make $15 to $18 per hour. And they get free cheesesteaks.

Pedro Ramos, The Philadelphia Foundation president: $473,159

The Philadelphia Foundation, as in the non-profit that supports so many local organizations and initiatives. The foundation also owns the Philadelphia Inquirer and helps keep it afloat.

Anthony Gargano, ALL CITY host: $250,000

That’s what Gargano says he’ll make this year after leaving The Fanatic last year, which led to a since-settled lawsuit. He was making $300,000 at The Fanatic but doesn’t seem to be worried about the pay cut. He explains that he has a piece of ALL CITY, so that if it blows up and sells in 10 years, he’ll be able to buy that private island off the coast of Italy he’s always wanted.

Rochelle Bilal, Philadelphia Sheriff: $155,313

The controversial (and we do mean controversial) elected official would be making $285,000, had the cushy raise she proposed for herself gone through. Thankfully, it did not.

Constance DiAngelo, Philadelphia Medical Examiner: $352,637

She sees dead people. Or at least she did until she abruptly resigned amid controversy in December. The medical examiner is always the highest-paid official in the City of Philadelphia. Some assistant medical examiners make $281,120.

Cafe manager at an area La Colombe: $75,000, plus bonuses

We guess the career decision to become a barista works out OK enough for some people.

Joel Embiid, 76ers center: $47.6 million

In NBA salary rankings, Embiid topped LeBron James for third place in 2023.

Methodology: Many salaries are based on the most recent SEC filings, form 990s and published reports available at press time from corporations and non-profits. Some salaries include forms of compensation other than salary, such as stock awards and bonuses. And some salaries were provided to us by individuals we don’t name here, because those individuals only agreed to reveal their earnings under the condition of anonymity.

Ed. note: A previous version of this story stated that the starting salary for an attorney at Blank Rome is $215,000. While that is true at the Blank Rome offices in New York, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles, the Philadelphia starting salary is $200,000. The original version of this article also reported that Curtis Jones, Jr. is the majority leader of City Council. He ended that role in 2023.

If you’re a homeowner, and you need to borrow $15,000, you’re likely in luck. You may be able to borrow the money you need against your home equity at a competitive interest rate. In fact, the average home equity loan interest rate ranges from 8.70% to 8.72%. That’s a meaningful savings over the average interest rates that personal loans or credit cards come with – 12.18% and over 21%, respectively. 

And, chances are that you have plenty of equity available to you. If you’re like the average homeowner, you have around $299,000 in home equity and you can safely borrow about $193,000 of it. Then again, you should only access your home equity if you’re confident that you can afford to make the payments. After all, these loans are backed by your home. 

But how much would a $15,000 home equity loan cost per month? That’s what we will calculate below.

Access competitive interest rates with a home equity loan today. 

How much would a $15,000 home equity loan cost per month?

The monthly cost of a home equity loan depends on a few factors. 

Factors that affect cost

The factors that affect the cost of a home equity loan are as follows: 

• The size of the loan: The amount of money you borrow plays a significant role in the monthly cost of your loan. The higher the loan amount, the higher you can expect your monthly payments to be.  
• The loan term: Longer terms tend to come with lower monthly payments. But there’s a tradeoff. Shorter terms usually result in a significantly lower interest cost over the life of the loan. 
• The interest rate: Your interest rate will play a meaningful role in the monthly cost of your loan – with higher interest rates resulting in higher monthly payments. So, it’s important to shop around.   
• Your credit rating: Those with better credit scores typically qualify for lower interest rates, resulting in lower monthly payments. 

But, you may be able to cut the cost of your loan. “There are only a couple of ways to cut the cost of a home equity loan and that’s by borrowing less or having a higher credit rating. Both of these would lower the rate and the resulting payments,” explains Mark Charnet, founder and CEO of the financial planning firm, American Prosperity Group.

Find out how much your home equity loan will cost monthly now. 

What a 10-year $15,000 home equity loan would cost

The average interest rate on a 10-year home equity loan is 8.72%. A $15,000 10-year home equity loan with an 8.72% interest rate would cost $187.75 per month. And, you would pay $7,529.77 in interest over the 10-year payoff period. So, your total payoff cost would be of $22,529.77. 

It’s also worth noting that home equity loans typically come with fixed interest rates. So, your payment will be the same every month for the life of the loan. But, if you decide to refinance your home equity loan, your payments could change.

What a 15-year $15,000 home equity loan would cost

The average interest rate on a 15-year home equity loan is currently 8.70%. A $15,000 15-year home equity loan at 8.70% would cost $149.47 per month. The loan would have a total interest cost of $11,905.45 and a total payoff cost of $26,905.45. 

Though these payments are lower, it’s important to note the difference in time and interest. If you choose a 15-year term, and make minimum payments, it will take you five years longer to pay your loan off and you’ll pay an additional interest cost of $4,375.68 when compared to a 10-year term at 8.72% interest. So, you should weigh the pros and cons of a longer term before you take out the loan. 

Benefits of using a home equity loan right now

There are a few big benefits that home equity loans come with when compared to other lending options in today’s borrowing environment. Some of the most important benefits include: 

• Lower interest: Home equity loans typically have lower interest rates than other popular borrowing options like credit cards and personal loans. 
• Fixed interest: The Federal Reserve often increases its federal funds rate when inflation is high. And while the federal funds rate doesn’t directly impact borrowing rates, it is often used as a benchmark for them. So, when it rises, lenders tend to increase the interest rates they charge. Considering the stubbornly high inflation rate, the fixed rates home equity loans usually come with may be more appealing than the variable rates that home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) usually come with. If inflation continues on its current path, rates could rise, leading to higher HELOC payments in the future. 
• Available funding: Since most homeowners have $193,000 worth of equity they can safely tap into, you’ll likely have access to plenty of funding to cover your $15,000 financial need if you take the home equity loan route.     

Take advantage of the benefits of a home equity loan today. 

The bottom line

You’ll probably pay between $149.47 and $187.75 per month on a $15,000 home equity loan. And if you need $15,000, a home equity loan may be the best way to access it. After all, these loans usually come with plenty of available funding and lower rates than other options and the fixed rates they come with may be welcomed in today’s inflationary environment. Find out how affordable your home equity loan could be today. 

News

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Delco Band Jellyroll Files Lawsuit Against Country Star Jelly Roll Over Name

The Delco band Jellyroll has been playing weddings in the Greater Philadelphia region for decades, entertaining crowds with covers of songs like “Jungle Boogie,” “This Is How We Do It” and “Poison.” You may also have seen Jellyroll at local galas and events like the Philadelphia Auto Show’s Black Tie Tailgate.

And then there’s Jelly Roll. No, not Jellyroll. Jelly Roll. That’s the country music star/rapper, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord. Jelly Roll has been around since the early 2010s, but he only recently gained country star status.

In 2022, his song “Dead Man Walking” was top of the charts on rock radio. One year later, his “Son of a Sinner” was one of the most-played new songs on country radio. The Country Music Association named him New Artist of the Year for 2023. And just this year, he was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys. He didn’t win, but he did seem to enjoy Miley Cyrus’s performance at the ceremony.

Well, Delco’s Jellyroll hasn’t taken too kindly to Nashville’s Jelly Roll. In fact, the local band just sued Jelly Roll in Philadelphia’s federal court. The founder of Jellyroll registered for a trademark on the name for use as a musical act way back in 2009. And he says that Jelly Roll is infringing on that trademark. A quick search of the national trademark database shows that DeFord just applied for a trademark on the name Jelly Roll for use on clothing and other wearables (a.k.a. concert merch) in early March and that the application is awaiting examination by a trademark office attorney.

According to the suit, DeFord’s use of the name Jelly Roll for a musical act leads to confusion, and since Jelly Roll recently shot to stardom, Google searches for a band called Jelly Roll that once led to Jellyroll’s site now lead to the country singer’s site. Plus, claims the suit, DeFord’s criminal past (he had several run-ins with the law in the 2000s, starting at age 14 — he’s now 39) harms the reputation of Jellyroll for anybody who might associate one act with the other.

Jellyroll’s attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Jelly Roll’s attorney, but Jelly Roll continues to promote himself as Jelly Roll, hence the suit.

Lawyers representing Jellyroll and Jelly Roll did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Broad Street Crackdown

If you’ve driven in Philadelphia anytime since 2020, you probably realize that drivers seem a bit nuts — nuttier than they used to be. They blatantly disregard red lights and stop signs. If you’re waiting for oncoming traffic to stop so you can make a left turn at an intersection, the impatient driver behind you might just go around you and dangerously make that same turn. Drivers basically do what they want these days, but the Philadelphia police department says it’s finally going to do something about that. Well, on Broad Street at least.

Police just announced a 30-day crackdown on Broad Street from City Hall up to Cheltenham Avenue. The initiative began on Monday, and police say officers are focusing on bad driving and double-parking and will be ready to hand out tickets left and right. The department has characterized this as a “zero-tolerance approach.”

“These reckless actions have put the safety of our citizens and visitors at risk,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said in a statement. “This initiative is designed to address these concerns and create a safer environment for everyone traveling along this busy corridor.”

Police say that in the past year, there were 1,601 crashes on North Broad Street alone. And 52 of those crashes involved pedestrians. Nine people died. Again, this is just on North Broad Street.

No word on what exactly is supposed to happen when that 30-day period ends.

Coyotes in Delco?

I have to say, I didn’t realize there were coyotes in these parts. But it turns out there are. And there’s one in Delco that just snatched a small dog out of a family’s backyard and ran into the woods. Where’s that damn Road Runner when you need him? Her? Wait, was Road Runner a boy or a girl?

By the Numbers

$2.6 billion: What SEPTA wants to spend in 2025. The transit agency just unveiled its latest budget proposal. That proposal includes more police officers and various system upgrades. But let’s just remember that some SEPTA upgrades aren’t necessarily upgrades.

4: Years in business for Center City medical marijuana dispensary Ethos Cannabis, which is shutting down on, yes, 4/20. Apparently, the property’s newish owners secured financing that doesn’t allow marijuana dispensaries to operate in the building.

7: Wawa stores in and around Center City that the company has closed since 2020. But the company’s president declared yesterday (Wawa’s 60th anniversary) that Wawa remains committed to Philadelphia and is, in fact, “Philly proud.”

Local Talent

As I mentioned above, Tuesday was the 60th anniversary of Wawa. Yes, I got my free Wawa coffee in honor of the occasion. I rarely get food at Wawa, but, I figured, why not? The only thing I’ll eat at Wawa these days is a chicken salad Shorti with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, hot peppers and oregano. So I got one. But who cares what I eat at Wawa? What do local talents and celebrities like Michael Solomonov, Governor Josh Shapiro, weather predictor Cecily Tynan, and FOX 29’s Alex Holley eat at Wawa? We’ve got the answers to those burning questions right here.

And From the Ranger-Danger Sports Desk …

Ranger Suárez had all he needed and then some in a masterful performance last night against the Rockies. He pitched a baseball unicorn these days: a complete-game shutout. He only gave up seven hits, one walk and had eight strikeouts. And he got good offensive support for a change. J.T. Realmuto smacked a two-run homer in the first inning:

Dinger szn 🔔‼️

J.T. Realmuto puts the Phillies on the board first!

(via @Phillies)pic.twitter.com/SA3pvyr8F2

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 16, 2024

And Bryce Harper had an RBI double in the sixth and then a two-run homer in the eighth, just for fun.

Ring the bell, Bryce Harper! 🔔

(via @Phillies)pic.twitter.com/OCak78w0a4

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 17, 2024

There were some nifty defensive plays in the game as well. Gotta feel good about this one!

Shutout for Ranger #RingTheBell #MLB pic.twitter.com/xIKsNEeXfq

— Kyle Ross (@krr5045) April 17, 2024

One more against the Rockies tonight, starting at 6:05.

Any Sixers News?

Um, yeah. Tonight is also the big Sixers play-in game against the Heat. It’s at home, Joel is possible the last we heard, and tip-off is at 7 p.m. The season series, by the way, is tied at 2-2. Terry Rozier is officially out for the game for the Heat, which can only be a good thing for our guys. Wish it was Jimmy Butler, but what can you do?

The Flyers also played. And now they won’t anymore.

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.

News

Check phillymag.com each morning Monday through Thursday for the latest edition of Philly Today. And if you have a news tip for our hardworking Philly Mag reporters, please direct it here. You can also use that form to send us reader mail. We love reader mail!

Philadelphia Unemployment Rate Drops to Lowest In 30 Years

As we shared with you last week, Philly Mag’s April cover story is “An Optimist’s Guide to Philadelphia.” And it’s exactly what it sounds like: a thoughtful, data-driven, glass-half-full look at a city that’s usually viewed from a more glass-half-empty point of view. My personal contribution to the optimistic (but not unrealistic!) feature was this: “Yes, Philadelphia Is Safer Than They Say On TV”. Because it really is!

And it turns out that we here at Philly Mag aren’t the only ones bearing good news about Philadelphia. The Pew Charitable Trusts just released its annual “State of the City” report on Philadelphia. And it includes plenty of data that should make you happy, or at least hopeful.

Philadelphia’s unemployment rate in 2023? Down to 4.2 percent, on average. That’s the lowest Philadelphia unemployment rate in more than 30 years. Median household income? That went up 19 percent from 2019 to 2022. Good news? Yes. But as Pew rightly points out, our median household income is still significantly below the national average. We’re also becoming a more diverse city, with the percentage of residents born outside the United States at 15.7 percent, the highest percentage since way back in the 1940s. (Of course, depending on your politics, you might think that’s a very bad thing; we don’t.) And 36 percent of our residents have a four-year degree or better, a number that goes up to more than 50 percent for those between the ages of 25 and 34.

The Pew report certainly doesn’t ignore major problems the city still faces, including with public safety (though that’s clearly improving), public transportation, poverty and the opioid crisis.

“In this year of transition,” reads the report, “the challenge is clear for Philadelphia and its new leaders: They must nurture and strengthen the positive trends while making progress on a set of deep-seated problems that can sometimes seem intractable. That mission won’t be easy. But its success is essential for the future of the city and its people.”

You can say that again.

Read the full Pew report on Philadelphia for yourself here.

More Deadlines!

Yesterday brought with it an important deadline: filing your taxes. And today brings with it yet another important deadline: requesting a mail-in ballot in Pennsylvania. You can request one here. You can also just go to your county’s local election office, get a ballot, and hand it in. The biggest race you’ll be voting in is Pennsylvania Attorney General. Here’s what you need to know about all that.

Local Talent

Code Emo is a local musical duo that performs, well, emo tunes, as well as music of other genres. And they got a major assist over the weekend when playing a set at the popular Green Parrot bar and restaurant in Newtown, Bucks County.

As they were rolling through “Whiskey Glasses” by Morgan Wallen, they noticed a big guy at the back of the room singing and dancing along. At some point, Code Emo’s lead singer realizes said big guy is none other than Philadelphia Eagles crooner (and offensive tackle) Jordan Mailata, who lent his stellar pipes to those Eagles Christmas albums.

Knowing that Mailata is a John Legend fan, Code Emo immediately starts playing a John Legend song. And before long, the staff at the Green Parrot is telling Code Emo that Mailata wants to do some songs with them. And he does! It doesn’t get much better than that for a local bar band.

You can check out some of the action on Code Emo’s Instagram page.

By the Numbers

$600,000: Speaking of Bucks County, this is the amount that the former director of medical staffing at Doylestown Hospital just pleaded guilty to stealing from the the hospital’s charitable account. That money was supposed to help the community as well as hospital employees in need. Instead, Norma Galagarza used the funds to pay her taxes, car payments, credit cards, and cell-phone bill. Hey, at least she actually paid her taxes!

50: Stories expected at the really tall Harper Square, an apartment building that’s about to go up in Rittenhouse Square. The project has been under discussion for about four years and is finally moving forward with construction. No word on what the rent is going to be, but keep in mind that you’ll want to budget for regular meals at Goldie and The Dandelion, which are just around the corner.

0: Number of independents who’ll be able to vote in Pennsylvania’s primary, which is a week away. That’s thanks to Pennsylvania’s silly closed primary system. But some people are working to change that.

And From the Unlikely-Hero Sports Desk …

In last night’s Phils game vs. the Rockies, Trea Turner doubled in the third and Bryce Harper singled him home to give starter Aaron Nola a 1-0 lead, but Michael Toglia tied it in the fifth on a solo homer. Nola made it through the seventh, in which he struck out the side, and started the eighth as well before coming out for José Alvarado. Nola had nine strikeouts and only allowed four hits and one walk.

In our half, Kyle Schwarber walked to lead things off and took second on a wild pitch. Trea Turner struck out, Bryce Harper flied out, Cristian Pache came in to run for Schwarbs, and the Rockies made a pitching change, bringing in Jalen Beeks to face J.T. Realmuto, who made the third out with a fly ball. On to the ninth! Jeff Hoffman was masterful through two batters, with a pop fly and a strikeout, before Elías Diaz doubled off the wall. Hoffman’s wild pitch sent Diaz’s pinch runner, Kyle Freeland, to third, Nolan Jones was intentionally walked, and this went down:

Runner is out. Inning over. Game is still tied. pic.twitter.com/hpv4TFOsX7

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) April 16, 2024

Nice body block, Jeff! The Rockies challenged the call to no avail. Last chance for the Phils, but Brandon Marsh, Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott couldn’t do squat. Tenth time, with Seranthony Domínguez on the mound. Harper made a nice play to stop a potential single, the runner on second took third on a long fly, and Brenton Doyle flew out to end that threat. In our half, Whit Merrifield sac-bunted second-base runner Bryson Stott to third; Alec Bohm, pinch-hitting for Rojas, grounded out; and Pache, of all people …

Cristian Pache walks it off! #Jackie42 pic.twitter.com/MYPhj13sAI

— MLB (@MLB) April 16, 2024

The first walk-off winner of his career. Woo! The Rockies are up again at CBP tonight, same 6:40 start.

Got Any NBA News?

As a matter of fact, we do. Joel Embiid is on the USA roster for the Paris Olympics. And there’s this as well:

New all-time attendance records:

🌟 Total attendance (22,536,341)
🌟 Average attendance (18,322)
🌟 Sellouts (872)
🌟 Percentage of capacity (98%)

Thank you to all of our fans for a record-setting season! pic.twitter.com/qZcSbGUAgt

— NBA (@NBA) April 15, 2024

And please enjoy this replay of former Sixer and current Houston Rocket center Boban Marjanovic deliberately missing his second free throw in order to provide free chicken to the masses:

This is funny as heck in a game the Rockets were about to win in LA, The fans were cheering when Boban missed his first free-throw, because if the opposition misses two in a row, the fans get free chicken.

So watch what Boban does. I love Boban! pic.twitter.com/O5eY7TFR6K

— Michael Beckman (@michaelbeck) April 15, 2024

What a guy. The Flyers also play.

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.