Save the Academy rally; Pickles on cheesesteaks?; Philly apartments shrink

#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY

Sturgeon moon from Blackhorse Alley
(Photo by @jrwvk)

Save the Academy protest rally planned for today

Fans and supporters of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia are not ready to see the storied institution shut down without a fight.

The goal of today’s 10 a.m. rally in front of the Academy is to say that Philadelphia residents want to make their voices heard in this matter, said Sarah McAnulty, one of the organizers and the executive director of Skype A Scientist.

“I think they thought perhaps that if you just announce it last minute and say it’s happening, that we’ll just accept it. And we will not,” she said. “You have to at least give us the opportunity to rescue the situation.” Continue reading…

File: A group of children marvel at the oviraptor at the Academy of Natural Sciences in June, 2019. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Should we be putting pickles on our cheesesteaks?

Jim’s South St. has always been one of BP’s Julia Binswanger’s go-tos to take out-of-towners, thanks to its combo of cheesesteaks, history and art via Isaiah Zagar murals. But on a recent visit, her friend asked for pickles on top.

Immediately, she questioned her decision making. “That’s not a cheesesteak.” Disappointed that her bestie had just ruined her first cheesesteak, she was surprised when she tried it herself.

Would the BP team agree? Continue reading…

A cheesesteak with pickles (Julia Binswanger/ Billy Penn)

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Philadelphia labor leaders discussed John Dougherty’s potential future after President Trump commuted his federal prison sentence. [NBC10]

• Drivers returning home from Labor Day weekend faced another hit to their wallets, with gas prices in Philly reaching a record high for the holiday. [CBS3]

• Philly apartments are shrinking. New ones will be even smaller. [WHYY’s PlanPhilly]

• This weekend marks the start of a plan to close SEPTA trolley tunnels from 2 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday for repairs to prevent power outages. [WHYY]

• Eastern State Penitentiary’s first artist-in-residence offers ‘ReVision’ of life behind bars. [Billy Penn]

• With ‘Kramer/Fauci,’ the Philly Fringe opens with a reminder of civic debate circa 1993. [WHYY]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker has no public events scheduled for Tuesday.

Open Call: 25 Years Later: How 9/11 changed us

Twenty-five years later, how has 9/11 changed the way you live, the way Philadelphia works or the way you think about the future?

Send us your reflection in no more than two sentences. What did we lose, learn or gain — or what do you hope the next generation does differently?

Share your thoughts with Billy Penn at tips@billypenn.com with subject line: 9/11 Reflection

Highlights from Billy Penn’s City Guide

The Wissahickon’s 100 Steps connect a natural oasis to the city
Over 100 years old, the community has repeatedly worked to protect the staircase and its glimmering schist wall.
Columbus Square Park, a South Philly community gathering spot
The historic park, beer gardens, a playground and ball fields are big draws for local families.

ON THE CALENDAR

Save the Academy Rally (today),
Rittenhouse bird walk (Wednesday),
Neighborhood Jawnts heads to West Philly (weekend),
AND MORE!

See the **FULL LIST** of this week’s events calendar at BillyPenn.com!