BG retirement reax; Mayor’s budget nuggets; Weekly gun violence brief | Morning roundup

13 interesting nuggets from the mayor’s budget address

Mayor Cherelle Parker’s budget address last week was full of big ideas — a generation’s worth of affordable housing, crafting a skillful response to the opioid epidemic — but the numbers that backed up the plans only came out in the following days.

BP’s Meir Rinde has looked through them, and shares 13 things that will help you better understand the mayor’s — and the city’s — priorities and challenges. Continue reading …

Brandon Graham retires after 15 seasons with the Eagles

He’s the author of the most consequential play in Eagles’ history — the game-saving, Super Bowl-winning strip sack of Tom Brady in 2018 — and a 15-year veteran who played his entire career here in Philly.

So it’s no surprise that Brandon Graham announcing his retirement on Tuesday set off tremors. Nick Kariuki chronicles all the reactions — and, of course, the corresponding Nick Castellanos home run to deep left field. Continue reading …

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Retired Philadelphia detectives go on trial in perjury case stemming from 2016 murder exoneration. [AP] 

• Mental health experts and advocates are calling for an expansion of Philadelphia’s Community Mobile Crisis Response Teams network, which they say has become critical in addressing behavioral health emergencies across the city. [WHYY] 

• “Beards on Ice,” a drag show about climate change, was mocked on Fox News in December. The artistic director of the cabaret group Bearded Ladies holds it as a badge of honor and opportunity to amplify its message. [WHYY] 

• Philly’s Fox Chase Farm program aims to grow student entrepreneurs in agriculture. [WHYY] 

• 10 Phillies questions with Opening Day nearly here, include: Does Wheeler get his Cy Young? Kepler vs. Castellanos? The Hittin’ Season crew weighs in. [Billy Penn] 

• Penn Museum’s CultureFest! Holi celebrated the Hindu holiday welcoming spring with dances and a traditional color throw. [Billy Penn] 

Philly DA Race 

• Philadelphia DA election:
  What you need to know about the Democratic primary candidates
• Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 20

Candidate appearances: 

• Recap of Larry Krasner and Pat Dugan’s first town hall on March 11. 
• Tuesday, March 18: RAD District Attorney Candidate Endorsement Meeting
  Riverwards Area Democrats host a virtual meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. Both candidates will speak for 20 minutes and answer questions from attendees. RSVP to receive the Zoom link via email. 
• Thursday, March 20 at 6:45 p.m.: Candidate Forum
  Hosted by the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, the Philadelphia Crosstown Coalition, and the SUN. At String Theory School, located at 1600 Vine Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The forum will conclude at 8:30 p.m.

Weekly brief on gun violence prevention (with PCGVR)

We publish this report each week in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.
 

• Philadelphia moves to bolster violence prevention as federal funds evaporate. Mayor Parker’s budget plans for 2025 include millions for public safety initiatives.  [The Trace/WHYY]
• Trauma surgeons are bracing for a return to gun violence rates of five years ago, warn PCGVR’s Dr. Jessica Beard and Dr. Elinore Kaufman. [Inquirer$]
• PCGVR saved a copy of the June 2024 Surgeon General’s Advisory on Firearm Violence, declaring it to be a U.S. public health crisis, which was deleted from federal websites by the Trump administration last month. [PCGVR]

By the numbers in Philadelphia

• 17: Shooting victims recorded from March 9 through March 15, including 3 fatalities, according to city data. During the previous week, 11 shooting victims were recorded, including 4 fatalities. Visit the Philadelphia Shooting Victims Dashboard for more information. [data.phila.gov] 
• 39: Year-to-date homicides, down 38% vs. last year’s pace; down 51% vs. five years ago [Philly Police]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker will join city officials and PAL students for the 55th Police Athletic League Day at City Hall. (10 a.m.)

ON THE CALENDAR

👭🏽 Women’s History Month events in Philly
🙌🏽 WHYY Civic News Conference – April 4

💰 Wednesday, March 19: Civic Engagement Academy (CEA) Learning Series, City’s Annual Budget
This virtual training discusses how the City’s Annual Budget works, where funds come from, and how decisions are made about how money is spent. Presented by The Committee of Seventy. Free with registration.  (6 to 7:30 p.m.)

👩🏼‍⚕️ Thursday, March 20: Healing Women: Women’s Care Work and Caring for Women’s Bodies during the 18th Century
Available both in-person and online, this after-hours event features a colonial-era Philadelphia Midwife and lecture from Penn professor Kathleen Brown about women’s medicine and reproductive health in the 18th century. Tour and Q&A to follow. (5:30 p.m.) 

💸 Thursday, March 20: People’s Budget Workshop: North Chinatown
One of a series of free community workshops through May. Vox Populi hosts this opportunity for residents to learn more about the City Budget process and speak about what they want to see funded — and help create collective artwork about local priorities. Free food will be provided. (6 to 7:30 p.m.)

📙 Thursday, March 20: Book Launch: The Latina Anti-Diet
Author Dalina Soto, MA, RD, LDN, in conversation with Amy Rivera-Nassar of Amy’s Pastelillos, talks about her book, followed by Q&A and book signing at Taller Puertorriqueño. Pre-order the book ($30) and RSVP for free. 

🛍️ Saturday, March 22: Community Yard Sale
A fun day of old and new while meeting neighbors and dancing to some good tunes. Beverages for sale, as well. At d’griot in Germantown. Free. (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)