Highway cap park aims to reconnect Philadelphia’s Chinatown
Capping two and a half blocks of I-676 in Chinatown with public park space, arts and play areas, and a cafe will cost about $160 million and be completed by 2030 at the earliest, city officials say.
Conceptual designs for the “Chinatown Stitch” were unveiled this week after decades of discussions about how to remedy the harm wrought by the construction of the Vine Street Expressway slicing the neighborhood in two. BP’s Meir Rinde explores how the Chinatown Stitch got to this point and what comes next. Continue reading…
Winter holiday traditions with Philadelphia roots
It’s no secret that Philadelphia is chock full of history. But the Philly area has also been a key player in the history of a few commonplace holiday symbols and customs, with local connections to Christmas and Hanukkah traditions spanning from the 1820s to the 1970s.
BP’s Asha Prihar explains how these familiar Philly-area places gave rise to some recognizable signs of the holidays, including a plant, a song, a sled, and two types of public ceremonies. Continue reading…
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
• A record 405,000 Pennsylvanians signed up for health insurance for 2024 through the state-run Pennie online marketplace. [PennLive]
• An increase in ballot errors coincides with Pa. counties struggling with high turnover of trained election officials amid national scrutiny. [Votebeat]
• A data breach at Comcast-owned Xfinity revealed personal data of nearly 35.9 million customers, according to a legal filing. Data included usernames and hashed passwords — and, for some, the last four digits of Social Security numbers, account security questions, birthdates and contact information. [6ABC]
• Philly police believe a man charged in a series of machete attacks last month is also responsible for a 2003 murder and several sexual assaults near Fairmount Park. [WHYY]
• Philly has denied more than 100 Right-to-Know requests about the 76ers arena proposal process from Asian American legal groups, even as the city held its first official design review for the development company. [PhillyVoice/BP/WHYY]
• Philadelphia is the first city in the U.S. to receive “Sensory Inclusive Certification” from nonprofit KultureCity. At 17%, Philly has the highest rate of disability among large cities. [CBS3]
Weekly brief on gun violence prevention (with PCGVR)
We publish this report each week in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.• Since 2017, tips from the public have led to rewards in only 1 percent of Philly homicide cases, officials say. Distrust of police, fear of retaliation, and lack of transparency might contribute to that low rate. [NBC10]
• Philly’s gun violence rates are dropping but more work is needed – as well as support from the next mayor — to strengthen youth empowerment, leaders say. [WHYY]
• Temple Police discussed gun violence prevention efforts amid a decrease in shootings on campus. [The Temple News]
By the numbers in Philadelphia
- 22: Shooting victims recorded last week, vs. 23 the week prior. [PCGVR]
- 1,625: Shooting victims as of last week were down 27% vs. the previous year. [PCGVR]
- 398: Year-to-date homicides, down 20% vs. last year’s pace; up 18% vs. five years ago [Philly Police]
MAYOR WATCH
Mayor Kenney joins city and school leadership at the ribbon cutting for T.M. Pierce Elementary School’s new LEED Gold certified building. (10:30 a.m.) Then he speaks at the Fire Department Awards Ceremony, where members are promoted, lives lost are commemorated, and recent acts of bravery and teamwork are recognized. (11:15 a.m.)
ON THE CALENDAR
🎺 The Peter Frank Orchestra returns to Chris’ Jazz Cafe for a night of big band versions of Christmas classics. Come for the show or dinner, too. Tickets start at $15. (7 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20)
🐦 Enjoy nature with the birds on this free Winter Solstice Bird Walk through the Woodlands. (3 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22)
🛍️ Holiday markets abound across the Philly region. Check out our updated guide with the season’s latest offerings. Next up: Kwanzaa Quizzo and Evening Bazaar on Friday, Dec. 29
Catch up on the previous week
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