Columbus
Axios Philadelphia
Meet the conductor of Shady Brook Farm's pyromusical
Scott Hopkins is the Santa Claus of summer, bringing joy to thousands of people who watch his company's fireworks shows across the East Coast.Why it matters: Fourth of July extravaganzas are getting bigger and more sophisticated, requiring pyrotechnicians like Hopkins to meticulously plan the shows' productions years before any fireworks crackle in the sky.Driving the news: Hopkins of Celebration Fireworks in Slatington is putting on a massive fireworks show at Shady Brook Farm on Saturday.More than 4,000 people are expected to attend the UnWINEd event in Yardley, says Eve Moody, part of the farm's special events staff.The big picture: The...
Philadelphia spends $1.4M to fight election misinformation
The Philadelphia City Commissioners' office is spending $1.4 million to hire an outside marketing firm to connect with voters and combat misinformation ahead of the November election.Why it matters: Pennsylvania, one of six swing states expected to decide the election, was hammered during the 2020 race by Republicans' baseless claims of voter fraud — and former President Trump repeated those allegations during a recent campaign rally in Philadelphia.Driving the news: Commissioners chair Omar Sabir tells Axios this is the most his office has spent on a media blitz in recent years — an effort to make Philly's more than 1 million...
New boutique hotel with pool opening in Fishtown
A stylish boutique hotel opening inside a historic Fishtown property later this summer promises a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.Why it matters: Hotel Anna & Bel — which will have a courtyard pool, Mediterranean restaurant and a bar — is already getting a ton of hype. The renovated property was named one of the most exciting hotel openings earlier this year by Condé Nast Traveler, and its restaurant Bastia was included on Bon Appétit's must-visit new restaurants list.State of play: The 50-room hotel is slated to open Aug. 7, with rates starting around $300 a night.Bastia...
Sixers land Paul George in flurry of free agent moves
The Sixers lured free agent Paul George from the bright lights of L.A. to the Wells Fargo Center.Why it matters: The Sixers now have their own version of a Big 3 that fans hope gives them the best chance of winning their first NBA championship since 1983.Driving the news: After taking Duke's Jared McCain in the first round of the NBA Draft, the Sixers made a flurry of moves in free agency, striking deals to lock up All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey (five-year, $204 million) and bringing back Kelly Oubre Jr. on a two-year, $16.3 million deal, per the Inquirer.The Sixers...
Where the Philadelphia 76ers arena plan stands 2 years after it was pitched
The Sixers' pitch to build a $1.5 billion arena in Center City hits its second anniversary this month with little to show beyond slick renderings and millions of dollars spent on lobbying.Why it matters: The transformational project can potentially turn around the struggling Market East neighborhood but has divided residents and fueled concerns about quality-of-life issues and displacement.State of play: All eyes remain on PIDC. The public-private development agency has yet to complete independent studies on the economic and community impacts of the plan, known as 76 Place.Key legislators and officials have said they're awaiting the completion of those studies...
The best and worst July 4th travel times in Philly
If you haven't finalized your travel plans for the 4th, do it stat.Why it matters: More than 972,000 people in the Philly region will hit the road or skies around Independence Day, up 5% compared to last year, per AAA.✈️ Fliers: The Philadelphia International Airport is forecasting a 26% hike in travelers over last year.The busiest day will be Wednesday the 3rd, followed by Saturday and Sunday.Pro tip: Check how long it'll take to get through security ahead of time on PHL's website. The TSA has seen the number of daily security screenings spike here since Memorial Day.🚗 Drivers: People...
Welcome to Picnic, Philly's new dining hotspot
Picnic, Philly's newest restaurant hotspot, opens next week just in time for the buzzing Fourth of July crowds.Why it matters: Getting here was no picnic for Defined Hospitality, which runs a stable of go-to restaurants including Kalaya and Pizzeria Beddia.Driving the news: The group spent two years reworking the abandoned Weisbrod & Hess Brewery in East Kensington into a vibrant and inviting no-reservation restaurant and wine shop. It opens Wednesday at 5pm.Executive chef Mark Jerome Hennessy heads up the kitchen. On the menu: Wood-fired rotisserie chicken and oysters from Fishtown Seafood.More than 70 low-intervention wines are on offer (bottles in...
The Philadelphia Zoo is celebrating its 150th birthday
The Philadelphia Zoo marks its 150th anniversary Monday.Why it matters: The city lays claim to maintaining America's first zoo.Plus: You can score discounts on tickets and memberships to celebrate the milestone.Flashback: The zoo's gates swung open in West Philly on July 1, 1874, with nearly 600 animals on display.The zoo had been chartered in 1859, but the opening was postponed due to the Civil War.Catch up quick: On its way to becoming among the best zoos in the U.S., the Philadelphia Zoo pioneered animal care and accomplished notable firsts.1928: The first successful births of an orangutan and chimpanzee in a...
Philadelphia weekend: Summer fest and Avenue of the Arts block party
🛼 Get your last skate sesh in this weekend at Dilworth Park before the checkerboard roller rink says goodbye. Tickets: $10 adults; $8 children 10 and under, plus $6 skate rentals.🎪 The circus invades the Philly burbs but it ain't Ringling Bros. Paranormal Cirque is a darker, freakier and more sensual high-flying affair. Expect lots of skin and to hold your breath during the death-defying stunts under the big tent outside Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem. Runs through Sunday. Tickets: $20-$60Children 13-17 years old can attend if they're accompanied by a parent or guardian.⚾ The Phils are looking to snag...
Philadelphia weekend: Summer fest and Avenue of the Arts block party
🛼 Get your last skate sesh in this weekend at Dilworth Park before the checkerboard roller rink says goodbye. Tickets: $10 adults; $8 children 10 and under, plus $6 skate rentals.🎪 The circus invades the Philly burbs but it ain't Ringling Bros. Paranormal Cirque is a darker, freakier and more sensual high-flying affair. Expect lots of skin and to hold your breath during the death-defying stunts under the big tent outside Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem. Runs through Sunday. Tickets: $20-$60Children 13-17 years old can attend if they're accompanied by a parent or guardian.⚾ The Phils are looking to snag...
Scoop: Springfield Little League ousts board member over flyover scandal
Springfield Little League has removed a board member who was behind an airplane flyover targeting a parent last month, per an internal email obtained by Axios.Why it matters: The viral stunt outraged parents in the Montgomery County town, who called the flyover an act of bullying and demanded an investigation.Driving the news: Springfield Little League president Thomas McGeehan Sr. informed parents Saturday that their investigation revealed a single board member was responsible for "carrying out the act," per the email.McGeehan said the individual was stripped of all coaching and leadership roles.The league didn't publicly share its statement or name the...
Scoop: Philadelphia police inspector accused of sexual harassment sues city
A Philadelphia police inspector has sued the city and accused department officials of discriminating and retaliating against him over allegations of sexual harassment that internal probes dismissed.The big picture: Inspector Anthony Washington is among a group of high-ranking police supervisors accused of sexual harassment between 2019 and 2020, per a new federal lawsuit he filed this month.But he asserts in the suit he's the only one who faced backlash when the allegations publicly surfaced despite them being unproven by internal affairs.Why it matters: The Philadelphia Police Department has faced allegations of sexual harassment within its ranks for years.Some victims and...
Wawa is doling out free hoagies today
Philadelphia is celebrating hoagies in all their glory.Why it matters: Welcome America's Hoagie Day is giving away 7 tons of free turkey sammies Thursday.Driving the news: The annual event will be set up in front of the National Constitution Center on Arch Street between 5th and 6th Streets.15,000 hoagies are available starting at noon.Another 10,000 are slated for donation to Philabundance for people in need, as well as to the Veterans Multi-Service Center and Police Athletic League centers.📜 Plus: Enjoy free admission to the National Constitution Center all day.🥪 Hoagie history: Hoagie Day has been a staple in Philly for more than three decades.In 1992, then-Mayor Ed Rendell declared the hoagie was the "official sandwich of Philadelphia."What else: WMMR's Preston Elliot and Casey Foster will host the event.At 12:30pm, first responders will compete in a hoagie-building contest for charity.Then at 12:55pm, Voices of Service, a singing quartet made up of veterans, will perform.Sign up for Axios Philadelphia for free.
Catch a glimpse of Philadelphia City Hall's new colorful lights
Courtesy of Brett Gross/@bgrophoto and @elevated.anglesPhilly's City Hall is getting lit up like never before.Driving the news: The Center City District unveiled new lighting fixtures Wednesday that illuminate the facade of the 123-year-old building.The two-year project cost nearly $7 million. It's the first to upgrade City Hall's exterior lighting since 2004.How it works: Crews installed LED lighting and fixtures atop 10 adjacent buildings and at the base of City Hall.The programmable lights come in a rainbow of colors.Glare shields on the fixtures allow for precise aiming and alignment of the lights.📸 1 cool thing: Brett Gross and Elevated Angels used a drone to capture footage of an early test of the new lighting system.What's next: The CCD will install additional downlighting light poles around the building in the coming months that will boost nighttime visibility for pedestrians.Sign up for Axios Philadelphia for free.
Philadelphia pilots cash assistance for pregnant residents
Philadelphia has rolled out a program this week that will give $1,000 a month to pregnant people in three neighborhoods with the highest risk factors for poor birth outcomes.Why it matters: The guaranteed income pilot aims to reduce Philly's infant mortality rate — which is far above the national average and disproportionately affects communities of color.The big picture: Philly joins a growing number of cities including San Francisco, Denver and San Antonio experimenting with no-strings-attached payments to address homelessness, poverty and other inequities.State of play: The Philly Joy Bank, which began taking applications on Monday, will distribute payments to...
What to expect from the Sixers in the 2024 NBA Draft
Sixers team president Daryl Morey has said that "all options are on the table" during Wednesday's NBA Draft.Why it matters: The team is under immense pressure to win after they were bounced by the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.Driving the news: Basketball insiders believe the team could trade away their first-round pick (No. 16) as part of a deal that helps them acquire a player to complement All-Stars Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, who missed part of the season with a torn meniscus.They'll select 41st in Thursday's second round — a pick they'll likely hold onto to...
Pennsylvania abortions increasing after Roe v. Wade overturned
Data: Guttmacher Institute; Note: Includes procedural and medication abortions provided at brick-and-mortar health facilities as well as medication abortions via telehealth and virtual providers; Map: Axios VisualsClinics provided roughly 37,900 abortions in Pennsylvania last year, per new data estimates from the Guttmacher Institute.The big picture: That's up more than 17% from 2020, two years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Why it matters: This week marks the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision, which has left a patchwork of abortion access laws posing heightened logistical and financial challenges for patients seeking care.Since then, roughly half the states have imposed...
Highway sign gaffe directs drivers to "Cenrtal" Philadelphia
A freshly installed sign at an Interstate 95 on-ramp in Holmesburg is getting attention for all the wrong reasons.Driving the news: The state highway directs drivers to "Cenrtal" Philadelphia and Chester from the intersection of Cottman Avenue and State Road.Crews covered the sign with a black tarp on Monday and were expected to place a placard with the correctly spelled word over the error Monday night, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesperson Krys Johnson told Axios.A new sign is expected to be installed later this week.What it's worth: Replacing the sign is estimated to cost $15,000, all of which will...
Suspect charged in Philadelphia police shooting in Kensington
A Philadelphia officer is clinging to life in the hospital after he was shot following a traffic stop in Kensington on Saturday, the city's police commissioner says.The big picture: The shooting occurred days after police ramped up enforcement on drug use and quality-of-life crimes in the neighborhood, deploying more than 70 new police academy graduates to patrol the area.Driving the news: The suspect, Ramon Rodriguez Vazquez, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons offenses stemming from Saturday's shooting, prosecutors said during a news conference Monday.He faces additional charges, ranging from kidnapping to burglary, for briefly taking a man...
Elevated park planned for old Philadelphia viaduct faces hurdles
The Center City District is full steam ahead in its plans to expand Philadelphia's elevated park atop an unused railroad trestle, looking to start construction next year.Why it matters: The Viaduct Greenway would create a cool new public park and trigger investment along a stretch of North Philly plagued by blight, underdevelopment and a lack of green space. But funding for the project still isn't in place.State of play: Paul Levy, who heads the downtown development nonprofit Center City District, tells Axios he aims to finalize plans by March to transform much of the 1890s railway viaduct into a...
Axios Philadelphia
2K+
Posts
3M+
Views
Axios Philadelphia, anchored by Michael D'onofrio and Taylor Allen, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.