Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw to resign for NY job
After a three-year tenure filed with controversy and tumult, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw is out. Her last day is Sept. 22, Mayor Kenney announced yesterday, when she’ll head to a new job as a deputy security chief at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Who’ll run things after she leaves? As interim commissioner, Kenney tapped John Stanford, a two-decade veteran who’s currently Outlaw’s second in command. Meir Rinde runs down what you need to know about the incoming head of the PPD.
Just 1 in 5 Eagles fans say their partner has to root for the Birds
Despite Philly’s reputation for having a rabid fan base, sports rivalry apparently isn’t a dealbreaker when it comes to finding the right romantic partner. Only 21% of Eagles fans say it’s important for their significant other to share team loyalties.
How do Philadelphians handle cross-team relationships? “Just stay in your own lane and let them talk their crap,” a lifelong Birds fan tells Asha Prihar, “and let the Eagles … do what they do.”
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
• Nine months after the submission deadline, Philadelphia still hasn’t responded to around 8k property assessment appeals, holding up potential property tax refunds. [WHYY’s PlanPhilly]
• Penn Medicine has appointed Kevin Kline its first ever medical director for LGBTQ health. [Daily Pennsylvanian]
• A senior at South Philadelphia HS created an on-campus game room accessible only to students with a 95%+ class attendance rate. [CBS3]
• With a red vintage typewriter and an act she’s taken around the world, a new UArts dean inspires incoming students to define “art.” [Billy Penn]
• The trio of Eagles players whose 2022 Xmas album raised $1.25M for charity are back at it. Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, and Jordan Mailata recruited Patti LaBelle and other local artists to join them on this year’s release: “A Philly Special Christmas Special.” Pre-orders start Nov. 3. [BP 2022/PhillyVoice]
• September has traditionally been a rough month for the Phillies — that was true even last year — but there are five reasons this season could be different. [Billy Penn]
Weekly brief on gun violence prevention (with PCGVR)
We publish this report each week in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.
• Young gun violence survivor Semaj O’Branty features in this international story on Philly’s “peace patrols” and other community efforts happening in tandem with a year-over-year drop in shootings. [Globe and Mail]
• After Southwest Philly mom Ikea Welsh was lost to gun violence, her neighbors joined anti-violence groups at a rally to show solidarity. [Tribune$]
• As Philadelphia students return to school, district officials are implementing new measures meant to increase safety. They include a fleet of patrol drones, and gun detection systems described as less invasive than metal detectors. [Chalkbeat]
• ICYMI (like we did), “Eyewitness News” is no longer a thing. CBS ended it last spring, a year after a story by former BP reporter Layla Jones detailed its place in history as origin of broadcast TV’s sensational, crime-focused approach to news. [Inquirer$/YouTube]
By the numbers in Philadelphia
- 33: Shooting victims recorded last week, vs. 40 the week prior. [PCGVR]
- 1,241: Shooting victims this year so far, down 24% vs. this time last year. [PCGVR]
- 295: Year-to-date homicides, down 20% vs. last year’s pace; up 33% vs. five years ago [Philly Police]
MAYOR WATCH
Mayor Kenney joins Gov. Shapiro, PennDOT officials, and others at Penn’s Landing for the official groundbreaking of the $329M cap park over I-95 (9:30 a.m.).
ON THE CALENDAR
🎓 Billy Penn event: Campus Philly’s Collegefest block party takes over 19th and Race, and we’ll be there with BP Quizzo questions and stickers — for the 20k incoming students expected to attend, and for anyone else who wants to come through. (10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9)
🌈 “Out In The Garden” kicks off a month of free events celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with Sip City Mixer at PHS Pop Up Garden on South Street. (6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7)
🪩 Glitterbox, which calls itself the “largest disco party brand in the world,” lands at Fabrika in Fishtown for its first Philly edition. Tickets start at $35. (8 p.m to 2 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8)
📘 Billy Penn is proud to headline the inaugural Philly Story Fest, joining journalists from media outlets around Philadelphia to tell the city’s best stories on stage at the Bok. Tickets are $25. (7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5)
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