#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY
Standing out in the crowd
(Photo by @gpatomk)
Parker renews plea for rideshare tax to a skeptical council
Mayor Cherelle Parker is trying to buck up City Council support for her proposed rideshare tax to aid public schools, but it’s unclear if prospects for lawmaker approval of the hotly contested tax have improved.
Lobbyists for Uber and Lyft have become a frequent presence in City Hall, pressing councilmembers to vote against the proposed $1-per-ride fee. At the same time, several councilmembers have rebelled against the proposal because they are upset about an unrelated plan to close 17 schools. Continue reading…
The Rocky statue’s long, unlikely road to acceptance inside the Art Museum
Rocky is headlining the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s new exhibition on monuments, after two decades of drawing millions of tourists to the outside of the building.
Given the rocky — sorry, bumpy — relationship between the two since the statue first arrived, many never thought this line of acceptance would ever be crossed, including those who extended the invitation. Continue reading…
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
• After ICE detainees in Pa. went on a hunger strike, officials put them in solitary confinement. [PennLive]
• Pa. election 2026: These 4 Democrats hope to rep Philly’s 3rd District in Congress. Here’s what to know. [WHYY]
• Philly’s deal with Ancestry.com could reshape access to public records, raising new questions about who governs searchable civic history. [Technical.ly]
• Reading Terminal was crowned America’s Best Public Market, per USA Today, and the historic market celebrated the victory with a visit from the mayor, a flash mob and free cookies. [Billy Penn]
• The property transfer for Historic Germantown Town Hall redevelopment was approved last week. [Germantown Info Hub]
• Dirt Day turns an empty Kensington lot into a pop-up park with greening education and community. [Kensington Voice]
MAYOR WATCH
Mayor Parker joins the U.S. Army Reserve’s 118th birthday celebration at Independence Hall, where 118 soldiers will be enlisted into the group, and then the Betsy Ross House for a reenlistment ceremony. (9 a.m.)
BILLY PENN GUIDES
🌱 Spring in Philly guide
🎤 Philly Record Store Guide
⚽ Billy Penn’s FIFA World Cup Guide
🛍️ Thrifty in Philly guide
📚 Book lovers’ guide to Philly
🍹 Non-alcoholic Philly
🏃🏽 Philly Runners Guide
ON THE CALENDAR
For the **FULL LIST** of this week’s events calendar, visit BillyPenn.com!
+ A One Book, One Philly film screening at Parkway Central explores stories of identity, family and resistance (today, 4/23 at 6 p.m.).
+ A free preview party in University City for this year’s full cinéSPEAK outdoor summer festival lineup (Friday, 4/24 at 5 p.m.).
+ Happy 29th anniversary, Tattooed Mom! Check out their themed birthday art show. (Friday, 4/24 from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.)
+ More!
