RECAP: Looking back on the week that was
• Protests surround Moms for Liberty summit
A four-day dance party protest organized by ACT UP Philadelphia filled Center City streets as people came out to express opposition to the Moms for Liberty summit in Philly over the weekend. Local elected officials also spoke out against the group, which is known for supporting book bans and pressing to limit teaching about race and gender in schools. No direct clashes were reported; the national news takeaway seemed to be that Trump, after speaking at the conference, made a stop at Pat’s Steaks.
[Billy Penn x 3/Mediate]
• Rec centers start composting food waste
Philly took a step toward keeping food waste out of landfills last week, cutting the ribbon on its first facility on city land to compost rec center leftovers. The project, a partnership with local business Bennett Compost, supplements the city’s existing Community Composting Network, which launched last year at neighborhood gardens around Philadelphia.
[WHYY’s PlanPhilly/BP 2022]
• Independence Mall hosts Hoagie Day on 75th anniversary
When Congress authorized razing several city blocks to create Independence National Historical Park back in 1948, did they imagine one of its most popular events would be a sandwich giveaway? This is Philadelphia, so maybe they did. On the same day as INHP celebrated its 75th anniversary, Wawa Hoagie Day took over the mall, with thousands of people from around the region happily standing in line to nab a free lunch. Said one event-goer, “It’s a very Philly thing to do.”
[Hidden City/INHT/Billy Penn]
• Middle Child wins best breakfast on GMA
Is the nation’s best breakfast spot in Philadelphia? Yes, according to Good Morning America, which hosted a competition that culminated in Friday’s finals, where Middle Child walked away with the trophy (a golden coffee pot) and a $10k prize. The winning dish is already famous locally: the breakfast sandwich with absurdly fluffy scrambled eggs, Cooper sharp cheese, and pastrami on rye bread from Merzbacher’s. Philly bakery Darnel’s Cakes was also in contention, having made it to the semi-final round.
[6ABC/Instagram/Philly Mag$/PhillyVoice]
VISION: Looking forward to the week ahead
• Stalemate pushes Pa. budget past deadline
Pennsylvania’s main bank account has $15 billion available to make payments, per the Shapiro administration, so entering the new fiscal year without a budget isn’t a crisis…yet. The Pa. Senate passed a $45 billion spending plan in the final hours Friday, but it doesn’t match what was earlier passed by the House. Disagreements revolve around education, including aid for state-related universities (Republicans are against) and a voucher-like scholarship fund to pay private school tuition for students at underperforming public schools (Dems are against).
[AP/Post-Gazette/Capital-Star/Spotlight PA]
• Independence Day celebrations sweep through
Having a holiday on a Tuesday makes for a weird workweek, but July 4 is pretty immutable, so that’s what we get. There’s no daylong “Party on the Parkway” this year; Independence Day festivities begin with the evening concert — Demi Lovato and Ludacris headline — and end with fireworks over the Art Museum (plus elsewhere around the region). Thinking of buying your own sparklers? Here’s an updated explainer on Philly’s confusing fireworks rules and regs.
[Phila Gov/WHYY/BP events newsletter/Billy Penn]
• The Oval returns for an 11th season
The Ben Franklin Parkway is one of the most underused public spaces in Philly, but since 2013, the city has organized a pop-up park in the former parking lot at Eakins Oval that opens it up for summer fun. This year’s edition kicks off Friday with a concert featuring Snacktime, and continues for seven weekends of programming that include movie nights, concerts, dance performances, yoga, art shows, and other festivities.
[BP 2015/Metro/PhillyVoice/Phila Gov]
Catch up on the previous week
Receive Billy Penn’s free daily roundup in your inbox every morning
