As self-driving bus launches at Navy Yard, unions push back
At the Navy Yard Tuesday morning, the launch of a pioneering autonomous vehicle was a cause for celebration. But the prospect of broader use alarms some both in Philly and nationally; critics include transit worker unions and public safety advocates.
That includes Local 234 in Philadelphia, which is gearing up to start bargaining with SEPTA this spring ahead of its November contract expiration. BP’s Meir Rinde explains the issues at play and what to know as the debate moves forward. Continue reading…
Racial homeownership gap persists in Philly metro, analysis finds
The homeownership gap between Black and white Philadelphians persists despite an uptick in the number of Black renters who are able to afford a mortgage, according to real estate giant Zillow.
The finding suggests the metro’s homeownership gap is the result of systemic roadblocks that go beyond income. Continue reading…
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
• As the 2024 election season ramps up, so do questions surrounding election security. Here’s what to know about Pa.’s voting machines, how the state keeps them safe, and more. [Votebeat/Spotlight PA]
• License plate scanners are coming to the Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Betsy Ross and Commodore Barry bridges and will be maintained by New Jersey State Police. The focus is said to not be speeders, but to track suspects in criminal investigations. [KYW]
• Should Spruce Hill get a historic district designation? There will be two public meetings this spring to discuss the possibility. [West Philly Local]
• The Painted Bride, known for its iconic Isaiah Zagar mural, is officially on the market for $6.5 million, but its owner says he still might keep it and the listing is just to keep his options open. [WHYY/Inquirer$]
• Xfinity Live! is getting an upgrade, with new gathering spaces in its outdoor plaza and updates to its interior and exterior, Comcast announced. Construction begins this year and should end by early 2026. [Crossing Broad]
• Black-owned roaster Win Win Coffee will soon start brewing in Kensington as they build a network of coffee farmers across the African diaspora. [WHYY]
Weekly brief on gun violence prevention (with PCGVR)
We publish this report each week in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.• Philly’s Queen Mother Falaka Fattah talks ‘Books vs Bullets’ and House of Umoja’s ‘Reading Is Resistance’ plan. [Inquirer$]
• Pennsylvania’s high court sided with a local township over its ban of a backyard gun range. [The Associated Press via NBC10]
• Research shows stop-and-frisk doesn’t result in increased drug or gun violence prevention, writes Penn State sociology, criminology, and public policy professor Megan Kurlychek. [The Conversation]
By the numbers in Philadelphia
- 15: Shooting victims recorded last week, vs. 22 the week prior. [PCGVR]
- 146: Shooting victims as of February 25 were down 45% vs. the previous year. [PCGVR]
- 45: Year-to-date homicides, down 34% vs. last year’s pace; down 4% vs. five years ago [Philly Police]
MAYOR WATCH
Mayor Parker will join other city leaders at the Kimmel Center this morning to celebrate the renaming of Verizon Hall.
Later, she’s expected to introduce some new economic development initiatives at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia’s annual meeting.
ON THE CALENDAR
🍺 Mark this year’s leap day with a leap into the Black History Month pop-up at Dock Street South with happy hour specials and Black-owned businesses on-site. (5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29)
🎨 Vox Populi’s March First Friday features several exhibition debuts focused on themes of home, identity, labor and estrangement, and the materiality of daily landscapes. Free. (6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 1)
🎶 Experience Ethiopian music from the violin player of Qwanqwa alongside surrealistic performance and storytelling from the Flux Bros and Ray Toy at the Fire Museum. $10-20 sliding scale tickets. (7:30 p.m. Friday, March 1)
Catch up on the previous week
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