Younger voters agree Philly needs change, differ on solutions
Younger and older voters agree Philadelphia is “on the wrong track,” but the two groups have diverging views on how to fix things, per a new poll.
- Additional funding for police was called “extremely” or “very important” in decreasing crime by significantly more older voters, for example, while more younger voters favored funding for schools as a solution.
Commissioned by the Lenfest Institute as part of Every Voice, Every Vote, the survey asked voters about a range of top issues, Jeremy Styron reports for BP.→ How generations see things differently
Philadelphia Insectarium & Butterfly Pavilion files for bankruptcy
If you haven’t been to Holmesburg to walk among exotic butterflies, visit soon: Northeast Philly’s infamous insectarium is teetering on the brink of closure.
- Reports of a $40,000 “bug heist” in 2018 thrust the unique science museum into the spotlight — it was featured in a docuseries — but turns out the alleged theft may have been a symptom of internal strife.
After losing a related court battle last week, the insectarium has filed for bankruptcy and is launching an emergency fundraising campaign, per NBC10.
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
- Mayoral candidate Allan Domb serves on a board tied to Universal Health Services — a KOP firm that paid $117 million to settle accusations of overbilling the government, improperly restraining patients, and giving unnecessary treatments. [Inquirer$]
- Families of five of the 12 people who died in a January 2021 rowhome fire in Fairmount are suing the Philadelphia Housing Authority, which owns the building (and thousands like it). [BP /NBC10/BP]
- Philly 311 has gotten 38k pothole complaints over the past four years, and the average wait time for a fix was 52 days. [Axios]
- Tiger Woods is partnering with the Cobbs Creek Golf Course to design the new layout and provide youth programming. Environmentalists have tried to stop the renovation over worries about flooding. [Tiger Woods/WHYY’s PlanPhilly]
- Five years after spotting an adorable painting on a tiny South Philly mural, an urban explorer finally finds its creator — thanks to a trompe l’oeil rowhome-on-rowhome mural. [Streets Dept]
Weekly brief on gun violence prevention (with PCGVR)
We publish this report each week in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.
- All mayoral hopefuls except Amen Brown say they’ll continue or expand the city program known as GVI (Gun Violence Interruption), which produced a significant drop in shootings among its small initial cohort. [Trace]
- Philly Mag profiles six people with “promising approaches to gun violence prevention,” including innovative ER docs (Jessica Beard, Eugenia South), a relentless activist (Jamal Johnson), a parent moved to action (Dorothy Johnson Speight), and inspired young leaders (Tyrique Glasgow, Natasha Danielá de Lima McGlynn). [Philly Mag$/BP/WHYY/BP/Marshall Proj/CNN/Al Dia]
- In 2020 and 2021, Black children were 100 times more likely than white children to be shot in four U.S. cities, per a new study that includes Philadelphia. Hispanic children were 26x as likely. [Ars Technica]
- From an urban bike team to a gardening group to a horseback riding program, Temple University Police run a dozen programs intended to reduce violence in the neighborhood and engage North Philly youth. [Temple]
By the numbers in Philadelphia
- 25: Shooting victims recorded last week, vs. 22 the week prior. [City Controller via @PCGVR]
- 309: Shooting victims this year so far, down 26% vs. this time last year. [PCGVR]
- 87: Year-to-date homicides, down 15% vs. last year’s pace; up 43% vs. five years ago [Philly Police]
MAYOR WATCH
Mayor Kenney joins Pastor Carl Day on the anti-violence advocate’s Instagram Live chat series (12 p.m.).
ON THE CALENDAR
🌮 BP Quizzo: Join Billy Penn for a night of local trivia with Taco Tuesday deals! We’ll be at Pistolas Del Sur on East Passyunk, handing out prizes for high scores and best team name. Free with RSVP. (6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21)
🪜 Women’s networking group The Walnut Club hosts a conversation about how to be a changemaker in modern society, over cocktails at the Ethical Society on Rittenhouse Square. Tickets start at $20. (6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 16)
🎸 Skip the shamrocks and go for old school rock ‘n’ roll at The Trestle Inn’s happy hour dance party featuring tunes by the Rolling Stones. (6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 17)
Catch up on the previous week
Receive Billy Penn’s free daily roundup in your inbox every morning
