Headlines of Yore
An abbreviated tale of Smedley D. Butler, the ‘fighting Quaker’ recruited to overthrow President Roosevelt
The Marine Corps major general and onetime Philadelphia director of public safety later became an outspoken critic of war.
Smedley Butler (in the car) at Gettysburg during a Pickett's Charge reenactment by Marines in 1922
Library of Congress
💌 Love Philly? Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day.
West Chester native Smedley Darlington Butler started as a celebrated war hero and ended it as one of the military-industrial complex’s most outspoken critics.
Along the way, he became a Marine Corps major general, fought in World War I, was awarded 16 medals, and served as Philadelphia’s director of public safety.
Butler was also central to a controversy known as the “Business Plot,” in which a group of fascists allegedly tried to recruit him to lead an army of 150,000 and stage a coup to overthrow then-U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
In the meantime, he found time to speak about…dating. Here’s a recap of some of the high points of the wild ride that was Butler’s time on this planet.
How will Bobby Henon be replaced? There’ll be a special election, and ward leaders get to pick the nominees
The timing is up to Council President Clarke.
14 streetlight sensors are collecting data on a Center City block as part of a ‘smart cities’ pilot
Use of the tech elsewhere has raised some privacy concerns. Philly officials say in this case, the data is highly anonymized.
Joseph Fox Bookshop in Center City closing after 70 years, as neighborhood bookstores press on
The Sansom Street store was a mainstay of the local literary scene.
Giant Heirloom Market’s new Philly location is a throwback to the ‘golden age’ of shopping downtown
Come for the groceries, stay for a drink next to the wild boar fountain.
Philly’s queer doula collective is helping LGBTQ parents navigate the health system
There are support groups, family meet-ups, and a growing resource list.
Harriet Tubman is Philadelphia’s first monument to a historical Black woman…but it’s only temporary
You can count the city's statues of women in history on one hand.
VIDEO: Martin Luther King Jr. at Girard College in Philadelphia, 1965
The civil rights leader spoke to a crowd protesting segregation at Girard Collge.
Police, fire, and streets departments lag behind as Philly extends vaccine mandate for city employees
About 81% of the municipal workforce is fully vaccinated against COVID.
Nearly 100 years ago, Pa.’s Senate race was jolted by allegations of election fraud in Philadelphia
The ostensible winner of the 1926 contest, Republican William S. Vare, was never seated as senator.
Betty White birthday celebrations in Philly, and local animal shelters to support in her honor
How to toast the late, great actress, who died just before her 100th birthday.
New mutual aid fund at the school near the Fairmount fire aims to help families — and combat student inequity
Bache-Martin Elementary is located in a well-off neighborhood, but the district considers 90% of its enrollment economically disadvantaged.
Philly colleges are starting to require boosters and double-masking for the spring semester
Most COVID regulations apply to students, faculty and staff, but specifics vary by school.
Penn swimmer Lia Thomas and the overblown frenzy over her participation in college sports
The science behind why she's allowed to compete with women.
Jim Gardner’s final 11 o’clock broadcast on Action News, and his wish for the next year: ‘To see the pandemic retire before I do’
The TV veteran will continue on the 6 p.m. newscast, and be replaced on late-night by Rick Williams.
Some Philly restaurant workers feel like they can’t call out — much less ask for sick pay — as omicron causes staff shortages
“There’s not a lot of people in service work that have a safety net,” said the manager at one Center City spot.
A hard look at the numbers behind 2021’s record gun violence in Philly, and an overview of what’s being done
People of color and young adults bore the brunt of city shootings.
125 years after women founded The Plastic Club to break into a men-only scene, the arts group is thriving
With headquarters in Center City and a popular exhibit on Instagram, the club is recruiting new members.
The Pasta Lab is turning out amazing noodles in a Kensington warehouse
It’s all made with Pennsylvania wheat and Lancaster dairy.
1990s battle over Mt. Airy AIDS hospice center shows the power of grassroots opposition — and the limits of NIMBYism
After much controversy, Betak eventually opened, but it would not last long.
PHA owns thousands of other rowhomes like the one that burned in Fairmount
The housing authority has a huge portfolio of so-called “scatter sites,” which were long neglected.