Citizen of the Week: Tonnetta Graham

The president of the Strawberry Mansion CDC champions the neighborhood’s history — while looking toward a future inclusive of smart development

By Raymond Jones

View From The Streets

For the first time in three years, the city is poised to start a new year with fewer than 500 fatalities, thanks to a renewed focus on the most violent neighborhoods. But the gunshots, sirens, and recurring cycles of mourning persist

By Mensah M. Dean

Can We Just Rename Taney Street, Already?

A dedicated group of citizens has spent three years trying to change the name of the tiny Philadelphia street that honors a big non-Philadelphian racist. Why won’t their Councilmembers let it happen?

By Lauren McCutcheon

Ideas We Should Steal: Get the DOJ to Investigate Illegal Dumping

An ongoing federal investigation into illegal dumping in poor, majority Black neighborhoods in Houston is already cleaning things up. Could it happen in Philadelphia?

By Nick Russo

Photo Essay: Grow Your Own

With Covid-19 food shortages looming, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society mobilized thousands of gardeners to grow food and feed their neighbors this year—an act that builds community resilience. Here, some gardening photos to inspire your own growing season.

By Katherine Rapin and Sabina Louise Pierce

Wonder Woman To The Principal’s Office

Thanks to help from the Philadelphia Schools Partnership, the School District is counting on a dynamo leader to turn around a struggling elementary school. But does the District have enough dynamos to fix all its broken schools?

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy