RECAP: Looking back on the week that was
• SEPTA crashes trending down, but spate is ‘alarming’
The latest SEPTA crash — which saw an out-of-service trolley crush a historic house wall and ruin an artist’s studio — marked the fifth involving a bus or trolley in one week. The transit authority, calling it “alarming and concerning,” has vowed to investigate each incident, which happened under very different circumstances. Overall, SEPTA crashes are trending down, per data provided The Inquirer: the agency recorded 884 incidents during the first half of this year, vs. 1,521 in 2022 and a similarly high figure the year prior.
[CBS3/Inquirer$/Billy Penn/Inquirer$]
• Layoffs and $2.7M settlement at Jefferson
Jefferson, which comprises Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University, is navigating a rough patch. Shortly after the university’s president resigned after controversy, the school agreed to pay $2.7 million to settle allegations it improperly used federal funding meant to assuage student loan debt. Also last week, the health care company, which has over 42,000 people and runs 18 regional hospitals, announced it would lay off 400 workers as part of administrative streamlining.
[PhillyVoice/DOJ/WHYY]
• 35-property listing sparks debate
As residential property in Philly attracts a growing number of out-of-town investors, there was some consternation last week after social media discovered a listing on Zillow for a $7 million package encompassing 35 homes in Cobbs Creek. Turns out the houses are spread across various blocks, but the marketing of the portfolio as in a “red hot neighborhood” with “significant capital appreciation opportunity” spurred worries of displacement.
[Drexel/@sierrakatherinee/Zillow/WHYY’s PlanPhilly]
• Soccer bounces into Philadelphia consciousness
It was a great week for Philly’s burgeoning cohort of local soccer fans, which will likely continue to grow as the 2026 FIFA World Cup games approach. Last weekend’s Premier League showcase brought 105k people to the Linc; the city announced it would host a women’s version of the annual Unity Cup tournament; and — after a weather delay (cue “Always Sunny” jokes) — Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’ Cinderella club Wrexham took a draw against the Union.
[BP 2022/WHYY/KYW/Daily Mail/ESPN]
VISION: Looking forward to the week ahead
• District kicks off back to school tour
The first day of school in Philadelphia doesn’t happen till Sept. 5, but August’s arrival means it’s time to start preparing. The district’s annual Ring the Bell bus tour kicks off Monday, bringing backpack and supplies giveaways (plus free immunizations and physicals) to locations around the city. It all starts Monday at Martin Luther King School in Germantown.
[Phila SD/Tribune$/Facebook]
• Harriet Tubman statue design presentations
The five artists vying to be selected for Philly’s forthcoming statue of civil rights icon Harriet Tubman present design proposals this Thursday during a Zoom meeting (register to attend). Plans for the new permanent public artwork resulted from debate around a temporary Tubman installation outside City Hall — one of very few statues of a historical woman in all of Philadelphia.
[Phila Gov/Zoom/BP 2022 x 2]
• BlackStar Film Festival
Tickets are still available for BlackStar Film Festival’s opening night party Wednesday at Cherry Street Pier — and for dozens of the fest’s other screenings, showcases, creator Q&As, and panel discussions (tip: the online event schedule has great filters and search). After 11 years at venues in University City, the festival this year is centered on the Avenue of the Arts, solidifying its place as one of the city’s premier happenings.
[BlackStar x 2/Billy Penn]
• Eagles revive kelly green unis
After pics leaked online, the Eagles released photos of their highly anticipated kelly green jerseys two days early. Fans who can’t wait to get their hands on the throwback combo — worn by greats like Randall Cunningham and Mike Quick — can visit one of three official team pro shops (at Lincoln Financial Field, in Cherry Hill, and in Lancaster) starting 9 a.m. Monday. We’ll have more details about the alternate unis later this week.
[@PHLEaglesNation/Eagles/CBS3]
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