Data center protest and task force; Museum of the Philadelphian; SEPTA trolley accessibility

#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY

Busy sidewalks, city sidewalks
(Photo by @denisewalksphilly)

Data center growth draws protests, a new city task force and warnings of blackouts

Data center growth will likely increase the risk of electricity outages in the Philadelphia region in the next four years, according to a report released Monday by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

That same day, in Philly, protesters demanded city leaders prevent data center development and Mayor Parker announced a task force placing guardrails on potential data centers in the city.

The roof of a data center is pictured in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

This new museum is all about Philadelphians

Philadelphians don’t always care about what other people think. And that’s just one of the special things about them that will be highlighted in a new micromuseum in Fishtown.

Created by Brian Adoff, who also founded Join Philly, “this whole museum is like an initiation or an orientation that transplants or the people new to the city really do need to come through and say, ‘Oh, this is what the rest of the world thinks of me.’” Continue reading…

The Museum of the Philadelphian has unique exhibits, including a portrait gallery and Philly artifacts (Photo courtesy of Brian Adoff)

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Pa. Democrats held a “shadow hearing” to discuss election integrity, ICE at polling locations and more as the legal fight over mail-in ballots continues. [WHYY/AP]

• SEPTA is getting an $80 million federal grant to make ADA accessibility improvements on three trolley stations: the 22nd Street, 33rd Street and 36th Street stations. [WHYY]

• More than 40% of recent new housing is in the Center City area — a boom that is helping the city achieve its housing goals and slowing increases in rental costs in other neighborhoods, according to the Center City District business organization. [WHYY’s PlanPhilly]

• Kensington neighbors turned a trash-filled lot into a public garden. [6abc]

• U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle proposed a commission to plan 250th anniversary of signing of Constitution in Philadelphia for 2037. [WHYY]

• Malala Yousafzai went to the Eagles season opener. Here’s the history of her stealth Birds fandom. [PhillyVoice]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker joins the Jalen Hurts Foundation and the Fund for the School District to announce a $600,000 investment in a new HVAC system at Northeast High School. (9:30 a.m.)

Parker will join officials in welcoming airport professionals to the Airports Council International–North America (ACI-NA) 2026 Annual Conference & Exhibition. (1 p.m.)

Philly Fringe coverage

How to Fringe: Your guide to Philly’s massive Fringe Festival
Philly’s Fringe Festival puts rookie theater makers (including a former state treasurer) in the spotlight
These Philly Fringe shows focus on veterans stories with parallels to Iran, Vietnam and beyond
Philly Fringe shows explore joys and trials of fatherhood
How a clown on a Philly stage is helping audiences find solutions

Highlights from Billy Penn’s City Guide

South Street Art Mart connects local artists and its community
South Street Art Mart opened as a holiday pop-up shop during the winter of 2018, but while the holiday season came and went, the Art Mart remained.
Queen Village: Historic feel, minutes from modern amenities
Created in the 1630s as a Dutch settlement, it includes one of the few remaining 17th-century structures in Philadelphia, Gloria Dei Church. It is the oldest surviving brick building in Philadelphia, with its cornerstone laid in 1698.

ON THE CALENDAR

A cyanotype workshop for your West Philly story (Wednesday),
Constitution Day (Thursday),
the Philly Plant Crawl (through Sunday)
AND MORE!

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