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Read the news of the day in less than 10 minutes — not that we’re counting.

We’re reaching full crazy when it comes to the pope visit. This week saw the introduction of tickets for the events and plenty of bickering back and forth between the World Meeting of Families, the Archdiocese and the Secret Service. Good thing it’s a holiday weekend! Billy Penn recaps those stories and other top news from the week and combines them with music in the #BillyPennPlaylist.

“Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” The Police

Things changed a little bit Wednesday with regards to the Parkway and the papal visit. Rather than allowing everyone to stand where they please as a free and open event — as the World Meeting of Families had earlier claimed– there are tickets. They’ll be difficult to get. And if you don’t get one, you’ll be standing pretty far away from Pope Francis.

Pope ticket

“Ticket to Ride,” The Yesterdays

About those tickets…they’re free, but you’ll still have a tough time getting them. An undisclosed allotment has been given to local parishes. Next week, 30,000 tickets, between three events featuring the pope, will be offered online on a first come, first serve basis.

“I’ll Be There,” Mariah Carey
The ticket thing didn’t exactly make people happy. The executive director of Center City hotels said some people have been canceling reservations since the news. But that hasn’t stopped the organizers of the papal event from staying positive. They continue to trot out their #OpenInPHL, I’ll Be There campaign.

“Backseat Freestyle,” Kendrick Lamar

“All my life I want money and power.” Johnny Doc just got even more powerful. He’s now the leader of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council.

“Bright Lights, Bigger City,” Cee Lo

Philly’s residential building permits are up 75 percent over the historical norm. And that rate makes us the third-biggest building city for now, behind only New York and Boston.

“Hot Mess,” Chromeo

There’s a lot of fuss over Le Bok Fin, a pop-up restaurant that opened in early August atop the site of a shuttered public school. It’s really popular and also a controversial symbol of gentrification in South Philly.

“Smoke Two Joints,” Sublime

Improved marijuana culture, FTW. It’s been nearly a year since Philadelphia decriminalized marijuana. And in that time arrests are down 77 percent. Plus, pot users are feeling more comfortable carrying weed around and smoking in public.

“Hold My Liquor,” Kanye West

An ex-PLCB official got charged with defrauding the state this week. But why would PA ever get rid of or reform liquor laws?

Mark Dent is a reporter/curator at BillyPenn. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he covered the Jerry Sandusky scandal, Penn State football and the Penn State administration. His...