School Shakeups, Snow Piles, and Cheesesteak Changes
Hey Philly. If you missed what happened around here yesterday, here’s the stuff that actually matters (and maybe a few things you’ll want to talk about over coffee).
Schools: Closures, Cash, Cameras
Philadelphia’s $2.8 billion school modernization plan took center stage at City Council, and the backlash is real. The proposal includes closing about 20 schools and spending big to update others, but parents and local officials are not sold—especially in neighborhoods that have already lost schools. Cranky about traffic around schools? You’ll soon see speed cameras going up at five more locations, part of a pilot to (hopefully) make streets less wild during drop-off and pickup times.
City Living: Manayunk Guide, Frozen Pipes, Snow Dumping
If you’re house hunting (or just nosy), here’s a fresh guide to Manayunk—river views, tight parking… you know the drill. Some Manayunk and Roxborough folks are dealing with a way less fun side effect of winter: weeks without running water; the city says call if you’re still iced out. Down in Grays Ferry, people aren’t happy about the huge mounds of snow the Streets Department left behind—it’s melting straight into people’s yards.
Cheesesteak News You Can Use
Pats King of Steaks, yes, that Pats, is changing how it makes some cheesesteaks for the first time in decades. They’re adding new steak cuts and updated prep. No word yet on whether this will ignite a citywide existential crisis, but be ready to fight about it anyway.
Politics & Power Moves
Over in New Jersey, the high-profile racketeering case against George Norcross just got dropped by the state attorney general—ending a political saga that’s been a sideshow for months. Closer to home, Philly Mag has a good read on what it’d take for Philly to actually hire a Congressperson the way you’d pick someone for a real job (not happening, but fun to dream).
Quick Hits
- Penn grad student workers and the university reached a deal after nearly two years of back-and-forth. Stay tuned for ratification.
- If you parked at Spring Garden’s parking garage, hope you didn't leave valuables—major flooding hit yesterday.
- Center City is getting a new Cake & Joe café, expanding from Pennsport and Fishtown. Sweets and coffee people, rejoice.
- SEPTA drama was light yesterday, so don’t push your luck.
And if you need a weird distraction: someone found a diamond in their shoe after traveling from Florida back to Pennsylvania. Philly magic or just weird luck?
That’s the gist. Go get yourself a coffee—and maybe a new argument about which cheesesteak is best.
