Philadelphia Inquirer

Good morning. It’s Friday, April 19th. A redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election was released Thursday. Attorney General William Barr held a press conference to discuss details of the report, including whether it pointed to ties between Russia and President Donald Trump’s campaign.

Good morning. It’s Thursday, April 18th Philadelphia is still growing, according to the census. Between 2017 and 2018, Philly added about four thousand residents, the twelfth year in a row that the city’s population has increased. The streak follows more than 30 years of population declines between the 1970s and the 2000s. While that’s changed, Philly is growing relatively slowly, overall, compared to other metro areas with more than a million people.

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, April 17th Philadelphia’s primary elections are just over a month away, and there are a lot of people running for City Council on May 21st. To learn more about who, exactly, is running, the Inquirer organized the City Council candidates into a number of categories, including age, neighborhood, occupation, and more. Here are some things to know: 44 Democrats are running, compared to 11 Republicans.

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, April 16th In the early hours of Monday morning, a storm rocked the Philadelphia area. Thousands of residents were startled from their sleep at 3:21 a.m. with an emergency alert sent to cell phones. The alert announced a Tornado warning, urging residents to take shelter. While some did take cover, others ignored the alert or didn’t even hear it at all. No tornadoes were ultimately reported in the immediate Philadelphia area.

Good morning. It’s Monday, April 15th. The Burke Community Fund is a city-run nonprofit in Philadelphia. It’s handed out tens of millions in tax dollars since it was established 25 years ago. But it’s unclear how the fund spends the money. A review from The Inquirer suggests that there’s been little, if any, oversight. The fund has never been audited and hasn’t filed a tax return since at least 2007.

Good morning. It’s Friday, April 12th The Juvenile Law Center and former students of Glen Mills Schools brought a federal lawsuit against the reform school Wednesday. Pennsylvania ordered all students removed from the school. And stripped Glen Mills of its license to operate this week following an investigation into decades of students being abused. However, the lawsuit argues that safety isn’t the only thing they were robbed of.

Good morning. It’s Thursday, April 11th. Your taxes might increase again if you live in Philadelphia. Three-quarters of Philly homeowners will see an increase in their property assessments next year. The city uses property assessments to calculate real estate tax bills. The middle class neighborhood of Rhawnhurst in northeast Philly will get hit the hardest, with the largest increase in the median value of a single family home in 2020.

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, April 10th. Philly could elect its first millennial to City Council. Right now the average age of council members is 58 years old. And there’s no current council member younger than 45. With the primaries in May, there are more candidates running for a council seat than in any year since 1979. And, about a third of them are younger than 40. Younger candidates running say there should be more representation for the largest age bracket in the city.

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, April 9th. Pennsylvania is closing the Glen Mills Schools. The state’s Department of Human Services revoked Glen Mills’ license Monday. The department found evidence that school employees beat juveniles at the all-boys school, and also tried to keep them silent. The decision follows an Inquirer investigation into decades of abuse at Glen Mills, which was founded in 1826 and had a reputation as one of the best reform schools in the country.

Good morning. It’s Monday, April 8th SEPTA has decided to take it a little easier on fare dodgers. If you skipped out on paying before, you would face a $300 fine, and a court hearing. Evaders can now expect just a $25 fine. SEPTA hopes the change will give officers more time to focus on other duties. They also believe the move will ease the burden on courts, and prevent one-time offenders from facing criminal charges.