Will change come for Philly’s controversial eviction process?
Philadelphia’s eviction diversion program has recently been held up as a national model, but the city’s enforcement process is under increased scrutiny. Instead of trained sheriff’s deputies, armed private security contractors are typically hired to evict people from their homes — and twice in the past few months, these landlord-tenant officers have fired shots, in one case sending a woman to the hospital.
City and state legislators are now looking into the issue, Jordan Levy reports, with an eye toward overhauling the entire system.
Termini Bros. Bakery’s black-and-white floor is history
One of the most notable features of Termini Bros. is the black-and-white tiled floor inside the iconic South Philly bakery — but after nearly a century, it was crumbling. Third-generation owners Joseph and Vincent Termini Jr. decided to rip off the band-aid and temporarily close to redo it.
They weren’t expecting the flurry of comments they received. Dozens sent notes asking for pieces of the old flooring, and the family intends to follow through. It’s about more than just tiles, the brothers told Ali Mohsen: “You’re talking about people’s memories.”
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
• Sen. Casey and Fetterman lead their colleagues in LGBTQ+ staff representation (at 30% and 28%, respectively), per the latest survey of the chamber’s Democratic members. [@metzgov/Senate Dems]
• American Airlines passengers can now check into PHL flights and clear security at the Lehigh Valley and Atlantic City airports, after which a bus takes them directly to their gate at Philadelphia International. [NBC10]
• Dangerous overcrowding at Philly’s Juvenile Justice Services Center is because the commonwealth refuses to take children sentenced by the state, according to a lawsuit — the second time the city has gone to court over this issue. [KYW]
• Rivers Casino is opening a 62-room boutique hotel in the former PECO power plant at Penn Treaty Park on the Delaware. [PhillyVoice]
• The Chester A. Arthur School has changed its name to the Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy, after the renowned opera singer and civil rights activist, a switch spearheaded by the students. [Tribune$]
• What do a Philly museum president, city planner, and corporate VP have in common? They collaborated at GPLEX — a leadership conference focused on improving the region, the director writes. [Billy Penn]
• Kae Lani Palmisano, the host of “Check, Please” on WHYY TV-12 and regular Billy Penn freelancer, has been hired as the new food editor at Philadelphia magazine. [BP/Philly Mag$]
MAYOR WATCH
Blank public sked for Philly’s 99th mayor today.
ON THE CALENDAR
🌇 Walk to Cherry Street Pier to view the “Walk Around Philadelphia”exhibit, which features a panorama of images from ~100 miles of the furthest reaches of the city’s perimeter. Free. (Through September 13)
🎧 Learn audio recording basics with a free workshop at Callowhill’s Iffy Books, no computer needed. (1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 16)
🏋️ Sweat it out at a free workout with friends and neighbors at the new Jefferson Plaza in Center City, led by City Fitness. (6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 18)
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