Michael Tanenbaum

Michael Tanenbaum Headshot

Michael Tanenbaum is a senior staff writer for PhillyVoice.com, with interests ranging from technology and behavioral health to local community initiatives and cultural life. Michael has written for the Argentina Independent and Bespoke Magazine and previously served as a news editor for Xfinity.com before joining PhillyVoice. He received his B.A. in The Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University.


tanenbaum@phillyvoice.com

June 29, 2023

Business

Center City Pretzel Co. looks to reopen in late July – 10 months after it caught fire

Center City Pretzel Co. on Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia has been closed since September 2022 after an electrical fire destroyed some of the bakery's equipment. After months of delays, owner Erika Tonelli Bonnett is hopeful the business can reopen by the end of the July.

June 29, 2023

Government

Stone Harbor issues 17 times more parking tickets this May than a year ago — and the police chief has no remorse

Since Stone Harbor switched to the ParkMobile app for metered parking spaces, the Jersey Shore town has had a dramatic increase in the number of parking tickets issued. The borough started using ParkMobile in May, replacing the old cash payment system.

June 29, 2023

Health News

Penn Medicine expected to use Brandywine Hospital for veterans care

Penn Medicine's pending acquisition of Brandywine Hospital from Tower Health will be part of a reorganization of Veterans Affairs services in the Philadelphia region. Penn Medicine signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to develop new facilities and says it will repurpose Coatesville's Brandywine Hospital, which closed last year, into a site for outpatient, acute mental health and long-term care for veterans.

June 28, 2023

Health News

Penn Medicine to acquire shuttered Brandywine Hospital from Tower Health

Penn Medicine has agreed to buy Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville from Tower Health, with shuttered the Chester County facility in January 2022, a month after it closed Jennersville Hospital in West Grove. The tentative deal comes after Tower Health backed out of an earlier agreement to sell the hospital to Canyon Atlantic Partners.

June 28, 2023

Celebrities

Jason Kelce chugs 30-ounce beer in 5.7 seconds for charity

Jason Kelce chugged a 30-ounce mug of beer on Wednesday morning to start an activity-filled day in Sea Isle City, where the Eagles legend is holding his third annual fundraiser for the Eagles Autism Foundation. He'll be guest bartending at Ocean Drive from 4-8 p.m. Kelce is joined by his younger brother, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, for a new Beer Bowl competition sponsored by their hit podcast "New Heights."

June 28, 2023

Investigations

Philly towing company allegedly bought and resold thousands of stolen catalytic converters

TDI Towing in Philadelphia allegedly bought and resold thousands of catalytic converters valued at $8.2 million, Bucks County prosecutors said. The company, seven employees and four allegedly thieves are facing criminal charges. Catalytic converter thefts have surged in the U.S. due to the resale value of the metals they're made of and the relative ease of removing them from cars.

June 27, 2023

Adult Health

Vigorous exercise may increase stroke risk in people with blocked arteries

People with carotid artery stenosis — a narrowing or blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the brain — could have a higher risk of a stroke as a result of intense exercise that raises the heart rate. A new study using computational models suggests that a rapid heart rate could compromise the arteries of people with moderate blockage. Those with no blockage or only mild blockage do not face the same risks and are more likely to benefit from vigorous exercise. The study points to the need for more careful consideration of a healthy exercise regimen for those who have advanced stenosis.

June 27, 2023

Investigations

Death penalty to be sought for Bryan Kohberger, the Pa. man charged in University of Idaho killings

Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, may face the death penalty. Prosecutors allege the case meets the state's standards for capital punishment. The trial is set to begin in October. Kohberger, 28, was arrested at his parents' home in the Poconos after he drove home from Washington with his father.

June 26, 2023

Odd News

Jersey Devil statue stolen from outside Ocean County restaurant, owners say

The owners of Lucille's Luncheonette, a popular restaurant on Route 539 in Ocean County, just outside Barnegat, say a thief stole their Jersey Devil statue from the lot outside the business on Friday night. The restaurant has turned surveillance video over to police to help identify the thief. Fortunately for Lucille's, the creator of the Jersey Devil statue has offered to work on a commissioned replacement.

June 26, 2023

Celebrities

Rob McElhenney, Ryan Reynolds among group investing in Formula One team Alpine

An investment group that includes actors Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Michael B. Jordan is now backing the Alpine Formula One racing team in France, owned by the Renault Group. The roughly $218 million investment from Otro Capital, RedBird Capital Partners and Reynolds' Maximum Effort Investments amounts to a 24% equity stake in the team led by drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Alpine F1 ranks fifth in the constructors' championship behind Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari teams

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