Race for city controller: Rhynhart’s deputy faces a crowd
City controller wasn’t originally supposed to be up for grabs this year. The city’s fiscal watchdog is usually voted into office two years after the mayor.
- Rhynhart’s resignation to run a mayoral campaign, however, triggered a special election. At least four Democrats are vying to be on the May primary ballot for controller, Asha Prihar reports.
Former Deputy Controller Christy Brady, who was serving as her former boss’s replacement, launches her campaign today, with a boatload of party backing.
House of Umoja’s 1970s anti-violence work inspires Philly teens
A recent showcase of an forthcoming documentary is giving some teens hope for solutions to the city’s crisis of violence.
- Called “Falaka Fattah & The House of Umoja,” the film tells the story of the 1970s grassroots West Philly org that became an internationally recognized model for gang violence reduction, youth programming.
Learning about Fattah’s work “makes me feel like you can make change,” said Keyssh Datts, an aspiring filmmaker who worked on the project.
→ The film is out in September
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
- Lee Horton, freed after 28 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, attends the State of the Union address tonight with Sen. Fetterman. [BP 2022/Capital-Star]
- Three special elections today in Allegheny County decide who fills the vacant seats in the Pa. House — and the results will determine which party controls the chamber. [Spotlight PA]
- The Kensington Community Food Co-op has reopened after shutting down last year. The store has struggled since its conception, taking around a decade to launch. [PhillyVoice/BP 2022]
- Looking to build or grow a media biz? Now through Thursday, entrepreneurs of color can apply for the Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange, an accelerator that offers training, coaching, and grants. [Lenfest]
- Vanity, rejected: Perhaps unsurprisingly, “DADDY AF”, “F DA11AS”, and “O0OOO0O” are not acceptable license plates in Pennsylvania. [Axios]
- Will “Fly Eagles Fly” get a mention at the SOTU? It’s almost a marital obligation at this point, with Jill Biden a die-hard Philly sports fan. She’ll be at the Super Bowl this weekend. [Hill]
- Big Charlie’s, the longtime South Philly bar for Chiefs fans, decided to close for the Super Bowl. Tickets sold too fast and regular patrons would’ve been locked out, the bar said. [BP 2020/CBS3/@bigcharlies]
MAYOR WATCH
The Camino De Oro Senior Living Center opens today in North Philly, and Mayor Kenney joins community health org Asociación de Puertorriqueños en Marcha to celebrate the affordable housing complex’s launch (10 a.m.). Afternoon brings Kenney to the Live Casino and Hotel, where owner Cordish Companies announces a big investment in the city’s Rebuild program for parks, playgrounds, and rec centers (1 p.m.).
ON THE CALENDAR
⛸️ Take advantage of the cold snap and ice skate for free at the Rothman Rink next to City Hall. Reserve in advance; skate rental is extra. (3:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Tuesday throughout February).
📜 Learn how the Marquis de Lafayette influenced George Washington and vice versa at the Historic Gloria Dei Church in Queen Village. $10 admission includes a drink. (7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9)
🎭 Crossroads Comedy’s “Study Hall” series mixes lectures with improv, and this edition at Plays & Players Theatre features Harriett’s Bookshop owner Jeannine Cook. Tix are $18. (7 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11)
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