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Category: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Local News

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  • At $6.2M, sale of 13,000-SF home is second-highest price recorded in Lehigh Valley

    At $6.2M, sale of 13,000-SF home is second-highest price recorded in Lehigh Valley

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    The sprawling 22-acre estate near Saucon Valley Country Club was built in 1939 for an executive of Bethlehem Steel.

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    Lisa Dukart

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  • Report: Eagles sign tight end C.J. Uzomah to one-year deal

    Report: Eagles sign tight end C.J. Uzomah to one-year deal

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    The Eagles are adding depth at tight end. The team is reportedly signing CJ Uzomah to a one-year deal, per the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo

    Uzomah, entering his age-31 season, had eight catches for 58 yards and a touchdown in 12 games with the Jets last season. His best season came with the Bengals in 2021 when they went on to the Super Bowl, putting up a 49-493-5 stat line. 

    Uzomah will compete for the TE2 role in Philly behind the entrenched Dallas Goedert.

    Here’s a video of his lone 2023 touchdown:


    MORE: Eagles mock draft roundup


    Follow Shamus & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @shamus_clancy | @thePhillyVoice

    Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports

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    Shamus Clancy

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  • Man accidentally shoots girlfriend’s daughter outside Philly McDonald’s, police say

    Man accidentally shoots girlfriend’s daughter outside Philly McDonald’s, police say

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    A man was arrested after he accidentally shot his girlfriend’s daughter while they were walking outside a Philadelphia McDonald’s, police said.

    Léelo en español aquí

    Derrick Marshall, 32, was walking with his girlfriend’s 9-year-old daughter at the McDonald’s on the 3100 block of North Broad Street on Wednesday around 6:15 p.m., according to investigators. Marshall was in possession of a gun which accidentally discharged, shooting the girl in her right calf, police said. Marshall took the girl to Temple University Hospital. She was then transported to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children where she is currently in stable condition.

    Police arrested Marshall and recovered two firearms, investigators said. He is charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, violation of the uniform firearms act – no license, violation of the uniform firearms act – former convict, tampering with evidence and other related offenses.

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    David Chang

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  • Philly Today: It’s Now Cheaper to Fly to Pittsburgh Than Drive

    Philly Today: It’s Now Cheaper to Fly to Pittsburgh Than Drive

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    News

    New flights start May 16th. Plus, a breathtaking new local album.


    You can now get dirt cheap flights from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh on Frontier Airlines. / Photo illustration by Jamie Leary

    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!

    Cheap Flights from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh Cost Less than Driving

    It costs $36.50 in tolls to make the five-hour drive from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. And that’s assuming you have EZ-Pass. Otherwise, it’s more than double that. And then you have to drive back and pay the same amount in tolls. Plus, you have the gas, the cost of which just went up again. Ugh.

    But what if there was a way you could fly from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and spend even less than it costs you to drive to Pittsburgh?

    A plane from Frontier Airlines, which is offering cheap flights from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh

    A plane from Frontier Airlines, which is offering cheap flights from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh (photo courtesy Frontier Airlines)

    Frontier Airlines just announced that the company is starting non-stop flights from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh (and back, of course) beginning on May 16th. And the introductory rate? $34. That’s round trip. Dirt cheap.

    Now, I know what you’re thinking. Sure, they say these rates are available, but will they be when I try to book them? I did some searching on Wednesday and again on Thursday, and sure enough, I found plenty of flights from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for $34 round trip. And, no, I didn’t have to be a member of their discount program to find those fares.

    Of course, you’d pay extra for a carry-on item. But I’m able to squeeze a weekend’s worth of stuff into the free “personal item” they allow. (It’s amazing what you can fit into a laptop bag, especially if you tightly roll your clothes, and then, of course, you wear a bulky jacket and stuff the many pockets full of extra things.) You’ll also pay extra if you want to pick where you sit. But I’m here to tell you: It’s Frontier, and pretty much anywhere you sit is going to be tight. But you’ll be in Pittsburgh before you know it. And, hey, at least Frontier is not the world’s worst airline.

    If you’re wondering about flight-time math, the flight takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. Figure on showing up at the airport an hour ahead of time. So that’s two-and-a-quarter hours versus five hours. And it’s not like the five-hour drive on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is filled with excitement and gorgeous vistas.

    Eh, screw it. Anyone who knows me knows I’m “frugal,” meaning I’m a cheap bastard. So I just have to snag one of these $34 tickets. And I’m going to do so immediately after publishing this story.

    By the way, if you have absolutely no clue what to do in Pittsburgh, some good news. Recently, I went to Pittsburgh and wrote this Pittsburgh travel story. If you go, I’d love to hear about your trip. Two nights is all you need.

    The Death of the Dollar Store

    In case you hadn’t noticed, dollar stores are shutting down left and right. They’re pretty awful places. But then again, when I needed 20 purple balloons two weeks ago (long story), the dollar store did me right. If you’re confused as to why dollar stores don’t seem to be working in an era when everybody is complaining that things are too expensive, here’s a pretty good explainer.

    Now, I have a bit of local dollar store trivia for you. The Dollar Express chain, which eventually grew to more than 100 stores before selling to Dollar Tree, was founded by the late Philadelphia entrepreneur Bernie Spain, who sold many, many millions of those smiley face buttons and stickers in the 1970s. Keep that one in your back pocket for Quizzo night.

    Local Talent

    Think all 24-year-old female musicians are making mindless pop tunes like so much of what you hear on the radio? First of all, that would be sexist. Second, you’d just be wrong. The best evidence of the latter is the Main Line’s own Lizzy McAlpine.

    Lizzy McAlpine, as seen on the cover of her new album, Older

    Lizzy McAlpine, as seen on the cover of her new album, Older (Photo courtesy RCA Records)

    She just released her new album, Older. (You can stream it here.) This is a deeply moving, confessional album that at times veers into total heartbreak. So far, reviews are great, and she comes to the Met for two shows in June if you want to hear it all live. Bring Kleenex.

    By the Numbers

    5: Arrests quickly made by Philadelphia police after a shooting erupted during an Eid al-Fitr celebration in West Philly. Fortunately, no one was killed. And, yes, it made national news. Fox News talked about it for what seemed like 20 minutes. Believe me, they had plenty to say. And David Muir led World News Tonight with the shooting, mentioning the incident not once but twice during his intro.

    64%: Drop in monthly student loan payments for this one Philadelphian, who explains how they did it here. Their payments went from $800 to $285. Now if I could only get my mortgage payment to do the same.

    35 to 50 mph: Wind gusts expected in the region on this rainy day. I’d tell you to bring your umbrella, but the wind would probably turn it inside out and then you’d get soaked and look all silly at the same time trying futilely to fix it.

    And From the Squeaked-By Sports Desk …

    Yesterday afternoon’s rain-soaked Phillies/Cardinals game was the epitome of our guys this season. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Kyle Schwarber scored on an error and Alec Bohm had an RBI single, but starter Aaron Nola let the Cards creep back in with a run in each of the second and third on solo homers by Iván Herrara and Brendan Donovan. The Phils obligingly scored two more for Nola in the sixth as Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos both hit RBI singles.

    But Nolan Arenado’s RBI single off Seranthony Dominguez in the eighth made it a 4-3 game. Against all odds, that’s where it stayed.

    J.T. Realmuto had two hits and scored two runs (a day after being struck in the throat by an errant Zack Wheeler pitch), and Trea Turner managed two walks. We’ll host the Pirates at CBP tonight, starting at 6:40.

    There’s News About the Eagles?

    Big news: The NFL announced that the first game of the upcoming season will be the Eagles vs. Packers — in Brazil. Brush off your Portuguese – it counts as an Eagles home game.

    Tonight? Well, the Flyers play.

    All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hinsgton.

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    Victor Fiorillo

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  • Biden administration puts $830M to helping protect infrastructure from climate-fueled extreme weather

    Biden administration puts $830M to helping protect infrastructure from climate-fueled extreme weather

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    Posted:

    Updated:

    (The Hill) – The Biden administration is putting $830 million toward helping protect bridges, roads, ports and other infrastructure from extreme weather disasters fueled by climate change. 

    The $830 million in grants from the Transportation Department will support 80 projects in 37 states, Washington, D.C. and the Virgin Islands. 

    Most of the funding, $621 million, will go toward 36 projects aimed at bolstering the resilience of existing infrastructure through things like improving draining, moving roadways, and lifting up bridges.

    A barrier warns of flooding in Bay Head, N.J. during a storm on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. Communities up and down the East Cast were dealing with flooding and high winds from the storm. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

    An additional $119 million will go toward protecting, strengthening, or removing at-risk coastal infrastructure like highways.

    The rest of the funding goes to improving evacuation routes or helping to improve resilience plans. 

    “It’s not an exaggeration to say that extreme weather driven by climate change is one of the biggest threats to our infrastructure to quality of life and safety in our communities and it’s not an exaggeration to say that extreme weather related to climate change is one of the biggest risks to our supply chains,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters. 

    He described the funding as part of the “first ever dedicated program” where the federal government was partnering with states and tribes to strengthen infrastructure.

    The money comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

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    Rachel Frazin

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  • Cancer patient dealing with family crisis among those displaced in Philadelphia rowhome collapse

    Cancer patient dealing with family crisis among those displaced in Philadelphia rowhome collapse

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    PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A cancer patient, who is also dealing with serious health issues among his children, is among the people displaced after a row home partially collapsed in Philadelphia’s Spring Garden section on Wednesday morning.

    It happened around 7:15 a.m. at a two-story row home on the 700 block of North 16th Street.

    Neighbors were evacuated from the building as a precaution after the collapse.

    Action News spoke with one resident who says this incident is extremely difficult to process. He says he can’t seem to catch a break.

    “My house is gone, I’m trying so hard,” said Tyrone Mack from Spring Garden.

    Mack says life has not been easy lately.

    “I got a 9-year-old son that has leukemia, I got an 11-year-old daughter that had her third open heart surgery, and all I’m trying to do is survive and make it and this is unbelievable,” he said. “I can’t believe that I’m having this much bad luck in my life and I’m just trying to take care of my family.”

    The stage four colon cancer patient says he was on his way home from the doctor’s Tuesday night when his wife called him.

    “She said, ‘I’m hearing this loud noise and the whole house is shaking.’ And then all of a sudden there’s this big crack in the side of my house and they were trying to fix it,” Mack recalled.

    On Wednesday morning, he found his home partially collapsed.

    “They’re saying you can’t go in, we left last night and my kids’ school clothes are in there. I got three generations in this house. I don’t care how much money they throw at me, I can’t get those pictures back of my great grandfather that I can show my daughter, ‘Hey this is your grandfather.’ Some things are invaluable. My cats are in there. I don’t know what to expect,” Mack said.

    Authorities have not yet stated what caused the partial collapse. At this time no injuries have been reported.

    The city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections released the following response to the partial collapse:

    “The property located at 729 N. 16th Street is imminently dangerous following a partial collapse. The Department of Licenses and Inspection did an emergency demolition of the property today. The family has been relocated. No one was injured during the collapse.”

    Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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    6abc Digital Staff

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  • A Late Season Collapse Jeopardizes Flyers Season – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    A Late Season Collapse Jeopardizes Flyers Season – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Describing what has happened to the Flyers over the past two weeks is hard.

    On March 24th, the Flyers had an 88% chance of making the playoffs.

    Since then, they have lost eight games in a row, six of which were against teams outside of a playoff position. Over this stretch, they have outscored 42 to 18 and have fallen to only a 6% chance of making the playoffs.


    The new goalie combination of Ersson and Fedotov has also struggled over this period. But the main problem has been the shaky defense and ice-cold offense.

    The Flyers were playing without half of their defensive starters before this drought. But the additions of Seeler and Drysdale have not helped the team like they should have, as Ristolainen will most likely miss the rest of the season. The forwards were without Captain Sean Couturier for two games with a shoulder injury.

    Since nothing has worked over the past two weeks, Coach Tortorella has been forced to throw together different lineups every night, hoping that something would click. For some nights, it looked like the Flyers were fielding an AHL roster with players like Ginning, Attard, and Staal playing over Couturier, Atkinson, and Deslauriers. Ginning and Attard ended up being the only goal scorers for the Flyers on Saturday night in a 6-2 loss to Columbus. While Couturier, Atkinson, and Deslauriers have all been scratched multiple times this season due to lackluster performances while making up 18.4% of the team’s total cap space. Others like Konecny have not scored in six games, and Farabee snapped a ten-game goalless drought during garbage time of a 9-3 blowout loss to the Canadians.


    The Flyers have three games left in the regular season to try and salvage what was once an exciting season. They are in action Thursday night at the New York Rangers, Saturday hosting the Devils, and Tuesday night hosting the Capitals.
    The Flyers are two points out of the last Wild Card spot, which is currently held by the Capital, who have four games left in their season.

    Photo: —

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    Nathan Harding

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  • Shuttered Mickey and Minnie’s Inn outside Atlantic City listed for sale at $625,000 – Philadelphia Business Journal

    Shuttered Mickey and Minnie’s Inn outside Atlantic City listed for sale at $625,000 – Philadelphia Business Journal

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    A South Jersey property formerly home to a German restaurant has been listed for sale with an asking price of $625,000.

    The former Mickey and Minnie’s Inn at 733 W. White Horse Pike in Galloway Township hit the market on April 6. The listing includes the restaurant’s liquor license and most of its equipment and furnishings, including fryers, refrigerators, bar taps, a sound system, tables, dishes and glassware.

    Dating back to the 1930s, Mickey and Minnie’s was owned and operated by the Garbutt family for several generations, according to Jack Kelly, a broker with Century 21 Frick Realtors who has the listing. The restaurant was known for its German comfort food.

    “It was there forever,” Kelly said. “Everybody in the neighborhood knew it. Everybody went there. It was just a neighborhood staple.”

    The inside of the former Mickey and Minnie’s Inn restaurant at 733 W. White Horse Pike.

    SJPhotoscape

    An entity called Denboer Management LLC bought the restaurant for $500,000 in April 2022, New Jersey property records show. Kelly declined to identify the property owner behind the LLC, but the Press of Atlantic City reported at the time of the sale that the buyer was Bridget Den Boer.

    Mickey and Minnie’s closed for renovations following the sale, but the restaurant never reopened after personal issues prevented the new owner from being able to bring the property back online, Kelly said.

    In its few days on the market, Kelly said the property has already gotten a significant amount of interest from prospective buyers.

    “I think we’re going to probably get a quick closing on it, and hopefully we’re going to get it reopened,” he added.

    Located off White Horse Pike in Cologne, Mickey and Minnie’s sits near the Atlantic City International Airport and a roughly 25-minute drive from Atlantic City.

    733 W. White Horse Pike

    An aerial view of the Mickey and Minnie’s property.

    SJPhotoscape

    The nearly 1-acre property features a two-story building housing the restaurant and a four-bedroom apartment, as well as two single-level cottages that can be rented, Kelly said.

    The restaurant, located on the ground floor of the main building, seats 98 people across its indoor dining space and features a bar, wood floors, a pool table and three bathrooms, according to the listing. The pool table is not included in the sale. The second-floor apartment includes a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace, and a full bath with a walk-in shower and walk-in closet.

    The two cottages on the property are not connected to the main building. The first cottage is a one-bedroom with a vaulted ceiling, tiled bathroom, washer and dryer. According to the listing, it is currently being renovated.

    The second cottage is a two-bedroom unit with a garage.

    The Mickey and Minnie’s property also includes 50 parking spaces, Kelly said.

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    Emma Dooling

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  • Some companies discriminate against Black job applicants more than others, report finds

    Some companies discriminate against Black job applicants more than others, report finds

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    Some companies discriminate against Black job applicants more than others, report finds – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    Some of the nation’s biggest companies are discriminating against Black job applicants, according to a new report by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Researchers contacted 97 companies with 80,000 resumes over three years. Evan Rose, a co-author of the “A Discrimination Report Card,” joins CBS News with more details on the research.

    Be the first to know

    Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.


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  • Federal Donuts plans national expansion starting with 3 stores in Philly suburbs

    Federal Donuts plans national expansion starting with 3 stores in Philly suburbs

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    Federal Donuts is taking the next step with its previously announced plans to grow beyond Philadelphia, revealing on Wednesday that new franchise locations will soon open in Radnor, Willow Grove and Conshohocken. Beyond those stores, the company has its sights set on multiplying in Pennsylvania and growing a national footprint. 

    Founded in 2011, Federal Donuts began as a passion project of culinary partners Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook, whose CookNSolo family of restaurants, headlined by Zahav, has earned the pair national acclaim. The trifecta of donuts, fried chicken and coffee at Federal Donuts grew to be a staple in Philadelphia, which has 10 stores scattered around the city and stands at the Wells Fargo Center and Citizens Bank Park.

    Opening dates for the stores in Radnor, Willow Grove and Conshohocken haven’t yet been announced, but the company shared the planned locations. A 1,550-square-foot store in Radnor will open at 200 Radnor Chester Road; a 1,250-square-foot-store in Willow Grove will open at 4021 Welsh Road; and a 1,700-square-foot store is opening in Conshohocken’s Plymouth Square at 200 Ridge Pike. 

    Two years ago, Federal Donuts announced it had received a growth equity investment from Radnor-based NewSpring Franchise, which has helped finance the expansion of other brands like Duck Donuts, Blo Blow Dry Bar and brunch spot Turning Point.

    Federal Donuts is a sister company to CookNSolo that operates separately under CEO Jeff Benjamin, a longtime partner of restaurateur Marc Vetri. Solomonov and Cook originally created the concept together with Felicia D’Ambrosio, Bob Logue and former Federal Donuts CEO Tom Henneman, who had been leading the company when the planned expansion was announced in 2022.

    Since then, only one Federal Donuts location has opened outside the Philly area, a store that debuted in March at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas. The company also rebranded last year to the full name Federal Donuts and Chicken.

    On Wednesday, Federal Donuts said it has partnered with three local entrepreneurs to open a series of stores in the Philly suburbs. The company said Pennsylvania will see “an influx of store openings,” adding that Federal Donuts is now poised for both regional and national franchises.

    “I am thrilled to now lead the expansion as CEO and allow Federal Donuts to reach its full potential,” Benjamin said.

    The company is seeking potential franchisees for multi-unit and single locations.

    In January, Federal Donuts closed its original South Philly store to open its largest location yet last month at a former warehouse nearby. Another store in University City also closed to allow the company to pursue a bigger space that’s planned in that neighborhood.

    This isn’t the first time Federal Donuts has attempted to venture beyond Philadelphia. In 2017, Federal Donuts and CookNSolo’s Israeli restaurant Dizengoff opened in Miami, but both locations closed within a year. Laser Wolf, the Israeli grill house in South Kensington, expanded to Brooklyn in 2022. 

    Federal Donuts has lately been growing its menu, adding fried chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders and a breakfast sandwich called the Early Bird. It also announced a chicken Caesar sandwich this week and plans to soon introduce a three-piece chicken dinner meal, in addition to its rotating cast of donut flavors. 

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    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • Philly Today: When that Phone Call From Your Kid Actually Isn’t

    Philly Today: When that Phone Call From Your Kid Actually Isn’t

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    News

    A local couple was just scammed out of $34,000. And I know two people who’ve been targeted as well.


    Phone scam image via Getty Images

    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!

    When Your Kid Calls You Frantically In Need of Money But Isn’t Actually Your Kid

    It’s happened again.

    Phone scammers targeting a Bucks County couple managed to get $34,000 out of them after the couple received a frantic call from a person they believed to be their daughter. Naturally, it wasn’t their daughter. But, as they told 6 ABC, it sure did sound like their daughter. Police arrested her after a deadly car crash. She needed money. A “lawyer” and a courier materialized. And now the couple is out $34,000.

    It wasn’t long ago that the most pervasive scams were emails you’d receive from some former treasury minister of some country somewhere on the other side of the world. The supposed treasury minister needed help getting $40 million in gold out of some account and would reward you handsomely if you would just help him. Most people just deleted those emails. Some didn’t, and lost a ton of cash.

    But these days, scammers are far more sophisticated and turning more and more to these fake phone calls. They usually surround some kind of fictional emergency involving a loved one of the person the scammer calls.

    I know two people this has happened to in recent months.

    In the one instance, the scammer called a Lower Merion grandmother, pretending to be her grandson. He said he hit a pregnant woman with his car. He was in jail, needing immediate cash. And he gave her the number of a lawyer to call to make the transaction happen. She swore up and down that the voice sounded exactly like her grandson. Fortunately, she called another relative before doing anything, and the jig was up.

    The other instance involving another friend of mine in Delco was very similar. The target in question knew from the get-go that the whole thing was phony.

    I’m guessing that most people don’t actually give up the money. But if you try to scam 1,000 people and only two percent cough up $30,000, you’re doing OK for yourself.

    It’s a strange, strange world and only getting stranger. So be careful out there.

    Judge Orders Theater to Show a Movie

    Yes, you read that right.

    Bryn Mawr Film Institute had been scheduled to show the Israeli documentary The Child Within Me last night. Just a single screening as part of the 28th Israeli Film Festival of Philadelphia, which is taking place at a few venues in and around Philadelphia.

    Then on Monday, the Bryn Mawr Film Institute decided to cancel the screening amid protests and outcry from groups critical of Israel. And just when we thought that was that, the whole thing wound up at an emergency hearing in court. And the judge ordered the theater to show the film, which it did.

    Protesters showed up. There are calls to boycott the theater and some of its sponsors. Basically, it’s all exactly the big mess that you’d expect it to be. And you can read more about it here.

    Local Talent

    Congratulations are in order for Kalaya, the Philly spot that has turned the Thai food scene on its head. Kalaya opened five years ago today, on April 10, 2019, and has won so many awards and accolades since that I’ve lost count. The key to Kalaya’s success is, of course, the restaurant’s talented chef-owner, Nok Suntaranon. We caught up with her recently to talk $95 tom yum soup and why she dislikes the terms “New American” and “Progressive American” so much. You can catch the full interview here.

    Lisa Ann Walter

    Lisa Ann Walter (photo courtesy Lisa Ann Walter)

    Though she’s not actually from South Philly, comedian Lisa Ann Walter sure seems like she is when she plays the hilarious role of South Philly teacher Melissa Schemmenti on the hit ABC show Abbott Elementary. Walter just announced three shows at Helium in July. You can pick up tickets here.

    Finally, if you see Philly’s own Colman Domingo (he was recently nominated for the Oscar for his brilliant work in Rustin) running around town, it’s because he’s filming a new Netflix series here.

    By the Numbers

    1,462: Rolling average of Philadelphia shooting victims as of today. If you need a reminder on what the rolling average is (I discussed it on Monday), this is the number of shooting victims over the past 365 days. It’s a useful tool for measuring just how violent Philadelphia actually is, as opposed to relying on the bleeds-it-leads local TV news broadcasts. 1,462 is the lowest rolling average since July 12, 2019. If we keep going at this rate (and let’s hope that we do!), we’ll be looking at 2018 numbers pretty soon.

    12,000: Free haircuts a barber under the El in Kensington has given out over the last ten years. One might call him a hair-o. (Sorry!)

    2: Number of days we’re forecasted to hit 79 degrees early next week. But let me save you the trouble: The Jersey Shore is still lingering in the 60s. So save up those sick days.

    And From the Half-and-Half Sports Desk …

    As my esteemed colleague Victor has mentioned, I missed a few days of sports action in traveling to see the eclipse at Lake Erie with the kids and grandkids. (Photos below.) It was a magnificent celestial spectacle we observed with a few thousand other folks at Shades Beach Park, and as glorious as the shadow falling across the sand and beach chairs was, even more thrilling was sharing it with — well, with more other people than I’ve been around since COVID began, I think.

    What struck me most was how friendly and genial our fellow eclipse-gazers were, as we all ooh’d and aah’d together, sure, but also as we picnicked under the pavilion, as the kids ran rampant in the playground, and even in the incredibly lengthy lines for the Port-o-lets, not just at the beach, but at the rest stops all along our 11-hour journey home. (The traffic woes were not exaggerated, my friends.)

    The whole experience gave me a renewed sense of hope for our nation. My more cynical son said we eclipse-viewers self-selected for, well, wackiness: How far would you go to see a shadow? But in the general good humor and geniality, not to mention the wildly creative assortment of bumper stickers and license plates we saw on the road, I felt more than that. There still are some events momentous enough to unite us as a nation — to make us laugh together and gasp together and share toilet paper and hand sanitizer outside the Port-o-lets. Maybe there’s hope for America after all.

    And hope for the Sixers, apparently, who’d won five in a row going into last night’s home matchup with the Pistons, with and without Joel Embiid. He was back on the court to start the final week of the regular season, though Tyrese Maxey was out following his career night on Sunday, and Kyle Lowry was resting for the game. The Sixers started hot, with Joel, Cam Payne, Tobias Harris, Nic Batum and Kelly Oubre Jr. sprinting to a 30-22 lead halfway through the first quarter behind some fancy dancing by Joel, then reeling off six straight to start the second quarter. They held on and were up 64-50 at the half.

    Jaden Ivey had the hot hand for Detroit as they fought back in the third and came within a single point before our guys regrouped and got it back to 90-78 to close the third. Hey, Bricken for Chicken! The Sixers stormed ahead in the final frame and closed it out handily, 120-102 — a good sign for the playoffs to come. Joel had 37 points in 36 minutes, including this.

    Two more games to go …

    How’d the Phils Do?

    Zack Wheeler took the mound last night in the Phils’ away game against the Cardinals, and he got into a pinch in the second with men on first and third before striking out Masyn Winn to end the threat. Other than that, it looked like a pitcher’s duel between Wheels and Sonny Gray until Nolan Gorman whacked a solo homer in the fourth to put the Cards up 1-0. They notched two more in the fifth — so much for that pitcher’s duel. Bryson Stott beat out an infield hit with one out in the seventh, and Nick Castellanos got on with a broken-bat single before reliever JoJo Romero walked Brandon Marsh to load ’em up, but Whit Merrifield struck out. Could Kyle Schwarber get the job done? Nah, he struck out. The fan base was … not pleased.

    Wheeler started the seventh by giving up a base hit and a walk before J.T. Realmuto got really hurt on a crappy-ass pitch in the dirt that bounced up into his throat and took him out of the game. Marsh saved Zack’s arse with a terrific running catch, and Trea Turner started the eighth with his second infield hit of the night, but naught came of that, either. Ricardo Pinto came in for Wheeler and gave up a walk and a single but escaped unscathed. On to the ninth … in which the Phils did nada. Pfft. One last chance against the Cards, this afternoon at 1:15.

    And Thanks Are Due …

    To the Eagles’ Fletcher Cox, who held a belated retirement news conference yesterday. One of the greatest ever to play the game.

    The Flyers also played.

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    Victor Fiorillo

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  • Popular New Jersey brunch spot Almost Home General expands to Philadelphia

    Popular New Jersey brunch spot Almost Home General expands to Philadelphia

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    One of New Jersey’s most popular brunch spots has made its way to Philadelphia.

    Almost Home General has opened a location in Old City at 205 Race Street, in the former home of United by Blue, at the base of Bridge on Race apartments.

    The eatery is one of the top coffee shops and cafes in Central New Jersey. It has six locations and this is the first expansion out of state and into Philadelphia.

    Almost Home takes inspiration from the coffee shops in Vietnam and Thailand. The new spacious and lofty 3,000-square-foot space will have a welcome-home vibe, an energetic scene, a family-friendly dining room and seating for 60 guests with additional outside seating.

    Signature dishes include tempura fried scrapple with olive oil poached egg, truffle fondue and crispy potato sticks on a hoagie roll, triple flash fried chicken thigh with umami sauce, hot honey butter on a seeded milk roll and much more.

    You will also have to try some of the coffee shop options, such as the smoked maple latte, smoked s’mores latte, old-fashioned cold brew and pour-over coffee.

    The grand opening event is set for Thursday, April 11. For more information visit almosthomegeneral.com.

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    Cherise Lynch

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  • Most voters see Trump hush money charges as serious, poll finds

    Most voters see Trump hush money charges as serious, poll finds

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    (The Hill) – Most voters in a new survey said they see former President Trump’s charges in the hush money case as at least “somewhat serious.”

    A Reuters/Ipsos poll, released Wednesday, found that roughly 64 percent of registered voters said the charges in the New York case are “somewhat serious.” Another 34 percent of respondents said the case “lacks seriousness,” and the rest were either unsure or did not respond.

    The case is set to go to trial Monday and marks the first criminal trial of any former U.S. president. While it’s been considered less severe than his other legal battles, any conviction could be a hit to the former president’s reelection bid, the pollsters noted.

    When broken down by party, around 40 percent of Republican respondents said the hush money charges were serious. Two-thirds of independent voters said the same, per the poll.

    Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payment by his former attorney Michael Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels — seen as a cover up for an alleged affair before the 2016 election. The former president has pleaded not guilty in the case.

    His latest attempt to delay the trial was rejected by an appeals court Tuesday.

    Respondents in the survey were more likely to say the charges in Trump’s other cases were more severe, specifically those around election subversion. Just under 75 percent of survey takers said his election charges were “serious,” according to the poll.

    Around 60 percent of registered voters said Trump’s criminal trials, including being charged with the mishandling of classified documents, should take place before the November election. Trump has pleaded not guilty in all four of his criminal cases. 

    The former president has alleged the indictments, where he faces 88 charges in total, are “politically motivated” — a sentiment largely shared with GOP voters. Four out of five respondents in the poll said they agreed with the statement.

    Still, per the survey, nearly 25 percent of Republicans said they would not vote for Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, in November if he’s convicted of a crime.

    The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online from April 4-8 among 1,021 adults, including 833 registered voters. For the full sample size, the margin of error was 3 percentage points.

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    Filip Timotija

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  • The Embiid Effect – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Embiid Effect – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Everybody knows the Sixers’ hype died down after Embiid suffered a meniscus injury.
    Everyone also had a lot of doubts about when he would return: Would he be healthy? In shape? Will he get injured again? etc.’

    While we can’t overlook some of those doubts, he has already proven he can still be at the top of his game even after missing an extended period of time.

    The team already looks brand new after just a few games back.


    Biggest Beneficiaries

    First off, the whole team obviously has a confidence boost after seeing Embiid take the floor and return to his dominant form.

    There’s no question that any team would have their spirits lifted tremendously when the reigning MVP returns to action, but certain players will improve more than others upon his return.

    Tyrese Maxey

    Maxey reaps the greatest rewards out of anybody else on the team. Although they’ve played just two games back together again, you can’t help but see the freedom that Embiid gives Maxey. It’s no secret that speed is Maxey’s greatest weapon, and when teams can constantly double-team him, it is hard for him to get moving – especially for a player his size.

    With Embiid back, the defensive focus instantly shifts. Teams can no longer afford to double-team Maxey because they are busily double-teaming (sometimes triple-teaming) Embiid. Now, Maxey can scream through the lane for easy buckets or use his lethal step-back move to hit 3s, demoralizing other teams.

    Maxey is easily Embiid’s best number two in his whole career. They complement each other so well.

    Kelly Oubre Jr.

    In his last four games, Oubre Jr. has averaged 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3 assists, all significantly more than his season averages. When Embiid gets doubled, Oubre Jr. does well, placing himself in the dunker’s spot, where Embiid can quickly fire a pass over to him for an easy dunk.

    Other than Ben Simmons (who would pass on that shot), the Sixers haven’t had a player who could get quick elevation for intimidating dunks like Oubre Jr. in a long time. He has a way of switching the momentum and sparking runs with his explosive play.

    The Fans

    Whether it’s on the radio, TV, or talking with friends/family, nobody has cared about the Sixers recently. The home games have been subdued, and nobody wants to discuss them. Now, the juice is back. Embiid is the Luke Skywalker to the Sixers: our only hope. With him back, all balance can be restored to the process, and the Sixers could possibly win their first title in over 40 years.


    Playoff Picture

    With just three games left on the schedule, the Sixers find themselves one game behind the Pacers for the 6-seed and .5 games ahead of the Heat, holding down the 7-seed. The Sixers do not hold any of the tie-breakers with either team, so they need to finish a full game ahead of each team to lock in their spot.

    The two most likely opponents in the first round (after the play-in because that doesn’t count as a round in my book) are the Bucks or the Magic. Either one of those teams can end up as the second seed, and there is no reason the Sixers should lose the play-in game, putting them in the 2 vs. 7 seed game.

    Neither of those teams should scare anybody. The Bucks were 30-13 when they fired Adrian Griffin and then hired the incompetent coach, Glenn Rivers, to take his place. He has gone 15-17 in his tenure as Bucks Head coach. I really hope we get to play the Bucks.

    The Magic are a good team, but they are led by a second-year star, Paolo Banchero. Young teams typically struggle in the playoffs—especially against good, experienced teams like the Sixers. For the record, the Sixers went 2-0 against the Magic this year.

    The Sixers are a nightmare matchup for any of the higher-seeded teams.

    The Play-in

    A lot of people want to avoid the play-in, but why? If this Sixers team is good enough to make a run, then nobody should worry about any of the 8-10-seeded teams, and if they can’t handle a game against those teams, they have no business in the playoffs. It could give them some needed momentum and added time to gain chemistry before playing the better teams.


    Legacy Building

    Embiid could retire today and enter the NBA Hall of Fame, but that’s not what he wants. Right now, he’s an all-time Sixers great, but he could become one of the top five Philly athletes ever with a championship under his belt.

    Nobody would be angry with him about his injuries anymore.


    He is finally 100% healthy coming into the playoffs, and he’s rested. He needs to put it all together to make a run.
    The pieces are set around him to succeed this year—a good combination of veteran and young players, as well as a coach with championship experience.
    Let’s see what you can do, big man.

    Photo: Matt Slocum

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • Philadelphia pharmacists raise alarm about industry struggles as Rite Aid closes more stores

    Philadelphia pharmacists raise alarm about industry struggles as Rite Aid closes more stores

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    PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Philadelphia pharmacists are raising an alarm about a growing trend in the industry amid Rite Aid’s announcement that it is closing several more stores in the Philadelphia region.

    The Philadelphia Association of Retail Druggists, or PARD, says many pharmacies are losing money on prescription reimbursements, causing many stores to shut down.

    “We lost $3.89,” said pharmacist Brad Tabacc, showing the receipt of one prescription he filled this week. “Here’s one we lost $20.80.”

    “How long can you continue to lose money in the hopes that we’ll get some reform?” asked Tabacc, who has been the pharmacy manager at Friendly Pharmacy in Kensington for decades.

    He says reforms need to happen. Otherwise, he could end up closed too.

    “The bottom line is if pharmacies can’t get paid appropriately for the prescriptions they expense, they can’t turn the lights on,” said Rob Franklin, the executive director of PARD.

    Three of the Rite Aid stores that will close soon are in the city.

    RELATED: Several more Rite Aid stores closing in the Philadelphia area amid bankruptcy filing

    Philadelphia-based Rite Aid is closing even more locations following its recent bankruptcy filing.

    “We’re now up to close to 80 pharmacies in Pennsylvania have closed since January of 2024,” said Frankil

    Rite Aid says it considers a lot of factors for store closings including leases, rent and store performance.

    Some of those stores, like the former Rite Aid in Grays Ferry on the 3000 block of Reed Street, or the former storefront in Kensington on Aramingo Avenue, are now empty.

    That leaves the neighborhood in what experts call a ‘pharmacy desert,’ where residents do not have easy access to their medications.

    “Elderly, disabled, underserved people who live in these neighborhoods have to go a mile or a mile and a half to a pharmacy. That’s a long way for these people to go to get their medicine filled,” said Frankil.

    “My father actually goes to this pharmacy all the time,” James Gregory from Southwest Philadelphia said of the Rite Aid on Woodland Avenue.

    The closure leaves neighbors like him to worry about how their loved ones will get their medicine.

    “Most of them are on fixed income. Now you have to pay for a hack or a taxi or Uber or Lyft. All pretty pricey and taking away from their income,” he said.

    Pharmacists were in Harrisburg this week talking to legislators about reform and advocating for better contracts so they get better reimbursements for the medicine they sell to customers.

    There are currently bills in both the Pennsylvania House and Senate concerning pharmacy reimbursements.

    Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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    Beccah Hendrickson

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  • 4/9: America Decides

    4/9: America Decides

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    4/9: America Decides – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    Arizona Supreme Court rules 1864 abortion ban can be enforced; father of Israeli-American hostage held by Hamas discusses meeting at White House with Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Be the first to know

    Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.


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  • EQT Exeter buys huge California industrial building for $197 million – Philadelphia Business Journal

    EQT Exeter buys huge California industrial building for $197 million – Philadelphia Business Journal

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    EQT Exeter has purchased an industrial building in California’s Inland Empire for nearly $200 million.

    Radnor, Pennsylvania-based EQT Exeter, the real estate division of Swedish investment firm EQT, bought the Commerce Way Distribution Center for $197 million from Manulife Investment Management.

    The 819,000-square-foot distribution center at 13423-13473 Santa Ana Ave. in Fontana, California, was built in 2000, with a cross-dock configuration and 30-foot clear heights. The industrial property’s location in the Inland Empire, the largest industrial market nationwide, sets EQT Exeter up with access to critical industrial supply chain infrastructure. The property is about 45 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

    Tenants in the building include retailer HSN, a sister company to West Chester-based QVC.

    JLL’s capital markets sales team facilitated the deal, led by brokers Patrick Nally, Mark Detmer, Evan Moran, Makenna Peter, Mike McCrary and Ruben Goodsell. JLL capital markets debt advisory team also worked on the sale, led by Kevin Mackenzie, Brian Torp and Samuel Godfrey.

    EQT Exeter, led by former Liberty Property Trust executive Ward Fitzgerald, has over $29 billion of equity under management. The company owns and operates over 2,000 properties and 375 million square feet.

    Last summer, EQT Exeter closed a $4.9 billion fund to invest in industrial properties across the U.S., looking to capitalize on reduced prices amid higher interest rates. Exeter Industrial Value Fund VI is pursuing a value-add strategy to acquire, develop, renovate, lease, operate, and sell industrial properties in major U.S. markets. Through the fund, EQT Exeter is focused on modern, single-tenant fulfillment centers and last-mile assets used by large corporations for their delivery systems.

    JLL’s capital markets sales team facilitated the California deal, led by brokers Patrick Nally, Mark Detmer, Evan Moran, Makenna Peter, Mike McCrary and Ruben Goodsell. JLL capital markets debt advisory team also worked on the sale, led by Kevin Mackenzie, Brian Torp and Samuel Godfrey.

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    Isabel Sami

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  • Casting agency quits Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Tulsa King,’ claiming star insulted extras

    Casting agency quits Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Tulsa King,’ claiming star insulted extras

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    A casting agency in Atlanta has cut ties with the production of “Tulsa King” over claims that Sylvester Stallone, the star of the Paramount+ series, made disparaging remarks about background actors during a recent shoot for the mob drama’s second season.

    Rose Locke Casting announced Sunday on Facebook that it had “chosen to part ways” with the series after Stallone and an unnamed director called some of the extras “ugly,” referring to one of them as a “tub of lard” and another as a “fat guy with a cane,” Deadline reported Monday. The casting agency also claimed Stallone, 77, made the suggestion that the production should bring in “pretty young girls to be around me” instead of the actors who were hired.

    The accusations reportedly stemmed from last week’s filming of a bar scene in the series, which follows Stallone as a New York City mafia capo sent to Tulsa to establish criminal operations there after completing a lengthy prison term. The series premiered in 2022 and was renewed for a second season, becoming Stallone’s biggest role since he reprised his iconic Rocky Balboa character in the first two installments of the “Creed” trilogy. Production began at the beginning of the month.

    “Tulsa King” director and executive producer Craig Zisk told TMZ that there was a conflict over how the scene was cast, but he denied that Stallone or anyone else insulted the background actors. Zisk claimed the actors were supposed to be between 25 and 35 years old, but the extras on set were instead older than expected. The actors were included in the scenes, Zisk said, but he confronted casting supervisor Rose Locke to require that she begin submitting headshots of extras for approval before hiring them.

    Locke reportedly didn’t want to work that way and quit about an hour later.

    Stallone has not publicly responded to the accusations against him.

    Some of the claims about Stallone’s comments were discussed on private Facebook pages used by background actors.

    “What the f— is up with these f—ing ugly background …” Stallone was accused of saying to a director, according to the moderator of one Facebook page who urged Georgia actors not to seek work on “Tulsa King.”

    On another Facebook page for actors in South Carolina, moderator Dee Dee McDaniel Simmons said she didn’t want to believe what she had been hearing.

    “At first I had hoped it was just a bad rumor started by 1 person who may have felt some type of way; but there have been countless people who were on set and have stated what they saw, how they were treated, etc.,” McDaniel Simmons wrote. “Sadly it seems Sly Stallone and crew made things miserable for the background artists and many have said the set was completely unprofessional and a total mess.”

    An email Locke had sent to her team — shared by writer Julie Benson, who’s not connected to “Tulsa King” — said the resignation was due to a “clear toxic environment” on the set of the show.

    Zisk said Stallone’s wife, former model Jennifer Flavin, was on the set last week and that Stallone didn’t say anything about “pretty women” being cast as background actors.

    Deadline reported that one of the extras said it “hurt his soul” to be described negatively by Stallone.

    Stallone’s longevity has been fortified by the staying power of the “Rocky” series and many of his earlier films. He was in Philadelphia in December to celebrate the city’s first “Rocky Day,” joining fans who traveled from far and wide to attend the event and see the fictional boxing hero’s statue outside the Art Museum. City officials now plan to expand the “Rocky” celebration into a festival.

    Rose Locke Casting said it will finish out its commitments with the “Tulsa King” production until Friday.

    “We send well wishes to whomever takes over the show,” the agency said. “We thank all of you great background artists for your continued support.”

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    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • Fairmount double shooting kills one man, leaves security guard hurt, police say

    Fairmount double shooting kills one man, leaves security guard hurt, police say

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    A man is dead after a double shooting that also left a security guard injured on Tuesday evening in Philadelphia, according to police.

    The shooting happened around 7 p.m. at the Phillips 66 Gas Station on the 900 block of West College Avenue in Fairmount, police said.

    A 30-year-old private security guard was on duty at the time of the shooting, officials explained. He was struck one time in the left leg.

    The security guard was taken to a nearby hospital by police and is listed in stable condition, according to officials.

    The second victim was a man in his late thirties, police said. He was hit by gunfire multiple times in his face and legs.

    He was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead just before 7:30 p.m., officials said.

    Investigators with the Philadelphia Police Department are on the scene and say that they have recovered multiple weapons.

    No arrests have been yet, according to officials.

    This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.

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    Emily Rose Grassi

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  • Philly Today: A Food Bank Fight Fumes In Delco

    Philly Today: A Food Bank Fight Fumes In Delco

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    It’s “complicated,” says an attorney representing one of the feuding food banks. You can say that again!


    A sign for Media Food Bank at First United Methodist Church. This is where a lawsuit has erupted over another Media food bank (Photo by Matthew Roy)

    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!

    It’s Media Food Bank Versus Media Food Bank in Delco

    Food banks are an invaluable part of our community, providing aid to those who need it. The importance of food banks to the general public was never more obvious than during the pandemic. That’s when we saw dystopian lines of people waiting for food. And food banks are pretty much the last place you’d expect to find fierce feuding going on. And yet, Delco provides us with just that.

    On the one side, you have Media Food Bank. This is a well-established organization that has been providing food to locals since the 1990s. That Media Food Bank is part the First United Methodist Church of Media. The church dates back to the mid-19th century.

    On the other side, you have … another Media Food Bank, an organization formed just in the last few months. And the church’s Media Food Bank is hopping mad over this development of there being another Media Food Bank, or at least as mad as a Methodist is supposed to get.

    So what’s going on here?

    As you probably know, food banks rely on volunteers. And a guy named Paul Mickle was one of the most trusted volunteers at the bank at the church. According to a recently filed lawsuit (yes, a food bank fight has resulted in a lawsuit), Mickle made a major career move in July 2023, asking the church to hire him to do the work he had long been doing as a volunteer. The church agreed to make Mickle director of operations and community engagement. But, according to the suit, the church soon realized that it needed to find somebody with more leadership experience to do the job. In November, the church told Mickle this. They asked him to stay on in some capacity, and work with the new director.

    Around the same time, says the church in the lawsuit, it became aware that someone — the church wasn’t sure who — had registered the name “Media Food Bank” with Pennsylvania’s Department of State. That person, we now know, was Mickle. The church confronted Mickle about the new registration. Within days, he submitted his resignation to the church and, according to the church’s allegations, set himself up as president of his own Media Food Bank.

    The church’s lawsuit, originally filed in Delaware County Court but just moved to Philadelphia’s federal court by Mickle’s attorney, Andre Richard Desir, alleges that Mickle used his position at the church’s food bank to gain access to phone numbers and other contact information with companies and organizations that had long supported the church’s food bank — supporters like Trader Joe’s and Wegmans — to try to leverage those relationships to get support for his own food bank. He also allegedly attempted to “co-opt the contract” the church’s food bank had with the main local non-profit that distributes goods to food banks in order to divert donations to his food bank.

    The church also alleges that Mickle retained control of the Facebook page for the church’s Media Food Bank after his resignation and that he refuses to turn over the password to it. Additionally, the church claims that Mickle continues to use Facebook to post confusing messages about what is happening with the church’s food bank.

    While Mickle may have control over the Facebook page in question, he does not appear to have control of the website. There, we found the following message:

    To address any confusion regarding the transition in our Food Bank: a group of volunteers has decided to pull away and start their own food bank. Unfortunately they have claimed the “Media Food Bank” name for their purposes. We will be rebranding our Food Bank in the coming weeks. In the meantime, our food bank remains the important resource it has always been, continuing to address food insecurity in our community and beyond.

    Our operations remain under the non-profit, 501(c)(3) status of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, ensuring all donations are strictly used for Food Bank purposes. We urge you to direct your generous donations to our church office or through our official website. Contributions made to the new address on the Media Food Bank Facebook page will not reach us. We apologize for any inconvenience and will provide further updates to ensure transparency and clarity.

    The suit accuses the new Media Food Bank of being “unfair and deceptive” and for interfering with contractual relationships, while also accusing Mickle himself of breaching his fiduciary duties to the church.

    A state judge has ordered Mickle to turn over the password for the Facebook page and to change the name of the food bank, the latter of which he has done at the state level. The new name: Delco Food Bank.

    But Desir, Mickle’s attorney, says it’s all very “complicated.” Desir tells Philly Mag that he moved the case from state court to federal court late on Monday night because he believes there are some important federal issues at play.

    First, Desir claims that Mickle set up the Facebook page for the church’s Media Food Bank many years ago on his own volition and that he has always controlled it and solely maintained the password for it. “The password is something he created and that is in his head,” says Desir. “And now you have a state actor [the judge] trying to force him to reveal it.” Desir believes that this may violate federal law. “The Facebook page is really what this entire fight is about,” he adds. “And the ownership and control over social media accounts is, in many ways, unchartered territory.”

    And then there’s the issue of freedom of speech. Desir believes that Mickle has a right to use Facebook under the name of the group he created to speak about the church and both food banks.

    “Paul isn’t doing this for riches,” insists Desir. “He is doing it for charity. Literally, all he cares about is making sure that hungry and homeless people get fed … Paul was literally doing this for decades at the church, and nobody paid attention, because the food bank was serving maybe 50 to 75 people a week. But then, when COVID hit, suddenly the donations were pouring in and the food bank received more in donations than any underlying ministry at the church. When no money is involved, nobody cares. And when, suddenly, hundreds of thousands of dollars are pouring in, people start caring.”

    Desir tells me that Mickle just signed a lease with another church a few blocks away from First United Methodist Church of Media where his food bank will be housed. “All this time, he’s been performing home deliveries for people,” says Desir. “But I just talked to him last night when he was picking up a fridge. I expect his food bank to be open to the public in about 20 days.”

    Darryl Wayne Shorter, attorney for the church, says that Desir’s constitutional theories are “claims that are ridiculous on its face.” Shorter insists that the church is very much ready for this matter to be over and says he is disheartened that Desir has chosen to elevate the matter to federal court.

    “As always, the church just wants to serve the community and feed people,” says Shorter.

    Aramark Workers Strike

    Aramark workers at the Wells Fargo Center are striking all day on Tuesday for better wages and benefits. This includes bartenders, cooks, and concession stand workers. The Sixers are playing the Pistons on Tuesday night, and Aramark has said it has contingency plans in place to make sure that food and drink service isn’t interrupted, so you can still get bad pizza and $13 domestic beers. But the union is asking fans to consider not eating or drinking at the game. We’ll see how that goes.

    About that Underwhelming Eclipse …

    It appears that the animals at the Philadelphia Zoo were about as impressed as you were with the eclipse here.

    By the Numbers

    $24: What a frigging burger will cost you at a new restaurant in Fishtown. I’m trying to keep an open mind about this. But’m having a really hard time doing so.

    $17,000: Fines assessed against the owners of a Chadds Ford home once owned by the du Pont family. The owners have been renting the home on Airbnb. And Chadds Ford Township officials aren’t big fans of the idea.

    11 percent: Amount of streetery licenses approved in Philadelphia so far. That’s 13 approvals out of 118 applications. City Council is currently considering measures to make the process easier. The city making it easier for small business owners? This I have to see!

    The Eclipsed-By-the-Eclipse Sports Desk, Day Two

    The Sports Desk will return later this week after Philly Today sports correspondent Sandy Hingston returns from her solar eclipse excursion to Niagara Falls.

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    Victor Fiorillo

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