💌 Want this daily digest emailed to you? Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter and it’ll land in your inbox every morning.

CAPA students walk out to protest anti-Black discrimination

Students at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts walked out of class yesterday to protest discrimination at the school.

• CAPA’s student body is nearly 75% non-white, but the majority of their teachers aren’t. Students say this normalizes microaggressions, and they believe their Black assistant principal is being pushed out.

Wednesday’s rally rang out with chants of “Respect Black leaders,” Emily White reports for Billy Penn, as students gave speeches expressing frustration.

Seeking sharp knives? Check South Philly’s new Steel & Stone

Ask a chef, and they’ll often say a properly sharp knife is their favorite kitchen tool.

• Launched by a restaurant kitchen veteran, Steel & Stone is a new service that makes it easier for home cooks to get those searing sharp blades, too.

The Pennsport spot offers unusually fast 24-hour turnaround, Hope Cohen reports, in the next installment of CravePhilly.

March On: The Fight for Pride

New podcast by Billy Penn reporter Michaela Winberg
Out now: Ep. 2: “No Timbs allowed”  | Next up: Ep. 3, June 9

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• As the U.S. Supreme Court examines a case about the viability of Pa. mail ballots without dates on the outer envelope, Justice Alito halted counting in Lehigh Valley. The pending decision has implications for the Oz-McCormick Senate race recount, where imperfect mail ballots also loom large. [CBS News/Billy Penn/Inquirer$]
• University of the Sciences officially merged with St. Joe’s yesterday, with the resulting higher ed institution now serving 9,000 students. One change: USciences health centers will no longer provide birth control, conforming with Catholic doctrine. [KYW/Billy Penn]
• WHYY’s new VP of news and civic dialogue will be Sarah Glover, a past president of the NABJ who currently leads the newsroom at the Minneapolis NPR affiliate and has over a decade of experience in Philly news. [Inquirer$/WHYY]
• The Philadelphia Board of Ed. announced its budget for the upcoming school year, with an increase of $175 million thanks to some one-time federal funding. [Tribune$]
• When Philly Pride Presents collapsed, a new collective of organizers emerged. Its first event is this weekend: a Pride march with no police brigades and more community say. [Billy Penn/NPR]
• Tuck-ins, the Philadelphia food startup that created an inside-out s’mores on a stick, now sells in all 50 states and is looking to expand. [Sweety High/Biz Journal$]
• After 13 years of making beer and slinging flatbreads, Mt. Airy staple Earth Bread + Brewery will close permanently July 1. Sister brewpub Bar Hygge in Fairmount will remain open. [PhillyVoice]

MAYOR WATCH

Nothing public in Philly for Mayor Kenney for a week, per his office, as he’s traveling. First stop is Reno for the 90th annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Next up is NYC, where Kenney attends the Yale Mayors College CEO summit.

ON THE CALENDAR

💰 Cutting through the Budget BS: Join Billy Penn at Parks on Tap for a happy hour chat with Controller Rebecca Rhynhart about how Philly spends taxpayer money — and who gets a say in the process. Free with RSVP. (5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 8)

🎪 Fulfill your childhood dreams of running off to join the circus with an afternoon of free workshops at La Peg on basic aerial acrobatics, juggling, and even plate spinning. (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 4)

🚲 Join bike brand Trek for rainbow-themed Pride rides between their Center City store and the hills of Manayunk. The vibe is casual, with free drinks, snacks, and swag provided. (9:00 a.m. Sunday, June 5)