Tunnel of light (Instagram by @_mtkrupka)

SEPTA Key glitch came as the agency plans new payment system

SEPTA’s often-troubled Key payment system faced a Monday of lost revenue and commuter gripes over a glitch that kept riders from adding money to their Key cards and stymied Regional Rail conductors trying to collect fares. (Editor’s note: SEPTA reported the system was working again before the evening commute.)

BP’s Meir Rinde recaps what went wrong and explains how the potential loss of several hours of revenue comes as the transit agency seeks to create a new Key 2.0 payment system, even as budget woes force the cash-strapped transit agency to freeze spending and consider fare hikes. Continue reading…

The SEPTA Key kiosks at Fairmount Station on the Broad Street Line. (Billy Penn file photo)

2024 Olympics recap: All the local athletes who medaled

The Paris Olympic Games came to a close on Sunday, and Team USA topped the overall standings with a total of 126 medals: 40 gold, 44 silver and 42 bronze.

Athletes from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware contributed a lot to that total. So, before we completely forget about sports like handball, rhythmic gymnastics, and dressage until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, let’s recap which athletes from the area — or with ties to it — came home with some hardware. Continue reading…

United States’ Joel Embiid (11) celebrates after winning a men’s gold medal basketball game against France at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• A Philadelphia group wants schools to focus more on being places of joy as a way to overhaul the culture in district schools, and it’s relying on parents and community voices for help. [Chalkbeat]

• Crozer Health will end operating room services by Sept. 1 at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, which admits more than 7,000 patients each year and treats more than 28,000 patients in its emergency room. [WHYY] 

• A Marriott hotel project at North Philly’s historic “Boner 4ever” Beury building is “on pause” after the lender backed out of financing the $70 million plan. [PhillyVoice]

• A portion of Bartram’s Garden trail remains closed after testing found small amounts of contamination. Evidence shows similar contamination documented two years ago. [WHYY] 

• Former Sixers coach Doc Rivers will be back in the Wells Fargo Center for the team’s home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks. [Crossing Broad] 

• Meet Sam Sayward, the Philly dodgeball player from Fishtown who is headed to Austria to compete in a world championship. [KYW]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker has no events scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 13.

ON THE CALENDAR

🎑 Tuesday, August 13: Moonwalk + Stargazing Party
Join Fairmount Park Conservancy and astronomer/educator Buddy Muhler for a two-mile, guided moonwalk above Kelly Drive and telescope observation. $15 tickets. All experience levels age 6 and up welcome. (8:30 to 10:30 p.m.) 

📽️ Thursday, August 15: Women’s Film Festival
Fairmount hosts opening night for 10 days of films and a forum that seeks to inspire and cultivates a movement to celebrate and unite the power of women in the film and entertainment industry. $25 to $125 tickets. (Through Sunday, August 25) 

🍵 Friday, August 16: Black Tea Rhapsody — A Homage to African American Tea Culture
This exhibit at Parkway Central Library is curated by Dr. Rolanda Spencer, a professor at Xavier University, and highlights the intersection of history and health. (12 p.m.)