Headlines of Yore
Stealing Royal Paulownia trees used to be a thing people got arrested for in Fairmount Park
Those thefts don’t happen much anymore, officials say, but people do sneak in and take fruit or edible plants.

The large Paulownia in Cloverly Park is renowned throughout Pa.
Scott Wade / Monumental Trees💌 Love Philly? Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day.
With large flowers that come in varying shades, the Paulownia tomentosa is not native to the Eastern United States, but it grows all over the place.
Also known as a foxglove or royal empress tree, the species is originally from China. In that nation, its hardwood is prized — to the point where the sale price is high enough to incentivize theft.
Here’s the story of how often it happened in Fairmount Park.

ISO monkeypox vaccine data; Apartments for Germantown Town Hall; Is Wawa Shore Tea any good? | Morning roundup
Checkers is disappearing from Philly 🍔

Philly culture on a budget: Where to find discounts on arts, nature, and history
Pointers for exploring the city without breaking the bank.

Are Philly’s monkeypox vaccines going mostly to white people? The Health Department won’t yet release data to confirm or deny the rumor
City officials say the sample size is too small to report demographics, but other places do it.

Review: Wawa Shore Tea is the drink everyone at your beach party will agree on
The biggest flaw might be that it’s too easy to drink.

When Philly had a championship-winning Black baseball team: Remembering the Philadelphia Stars
The franchise took top honors in the 1934 Negro National League season.

Comcast as key to Philly economy; Who’s behind the Sixers arena?; LCB workers got dibs on bourbon | Sunday roundup
Spring Garden is getting a 2-mile 'greenway' 🚴♀️

The Ultimate Made in America Philly Weekend Giveaway
Presented by Visit Philadelphia and Billy Penn

What to know about David Adelman, the billionaire leading the push to build a Sixers arena in Center City
A developer from Montgomery County, Adelman already handles one of the largest real estate portfolios in Philly.

UC Townhomes residents: We won’t give up without a fight
As the deadline to vacate the West Philly affordable housing complex nears, activists vow to continue pressing for a better plan.

Divine Lorraine is a Mint House hotel; MOVE victim remains returned; Vogue’s error-filled Philly guide | Morning roundup
Doing the weather with a Beyoncé twist ⛈️

Divine Lorraine is now officially a Mint House hotel, but tenants feel pushed aside
The historic North Broad landmark's full transition to hotel is supposed to take a year to complete. Meanwhile, apartments are still advertised as available.

Dear Vogue: If you’re going to highlight Philly, please do the work and get it right
There were at least five factual errors in the fashion mag’s recent feature about the city.

Debate over new Rittenhouse benches; Philly’s bad property assessments; Phillies add ‘Thor’ to lineup | Morning roundup
Who knew 65,000 people wanted a hoagie NFT? 🥖

The Phillies just upped their fun level with a zen-loving pitcher known as ‘Thor’
Who wants to join Noah Syndergaard’s book club?

The latest info on abortion rights in Pennsylvania, and who’s trying to take them away
Abortions are still legal in the commonwealth, but a lot depends on the November election.

Rittenhouse Square has 160 new benches with a built-in center bar. Is it an accessibility feature, or hostile architecture?
The nonprofit that maintains the park says there’s been a lot of positive feedback, but people experiencing homelessness feel targeted.

Sixers arena targets bus station; Rec centers as biz incubators; Pa. Supreme Court upholds mail voting | Morning roundup
$25 million in Ida flood relief 🌊

Pennsylvania officials need to track the use of algorithms, which already make important decisions about schools, funding, and criminal justice | Opinion
Rampant use of artificial intelligence can create new problems, with baked-in biases that can grow if unchecked.

Unused space at Philly rec centers will be offered to local entrepreneurs, who’ll get free rent in return for mentorship
Applications are now open to participate in the program, which also offers a grant to outfit the space.

Monkeypox vaccine tracking; How to get a recycling bin; When most carjackings happen | Morning roundup
Immersive exhibits are landing in Old City 🖼️