Michael Tanenbaum
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.
June 30, 2023
Media
Upper Dublin-native Suzy Kolber among broadcasters ESPN lays off
ESPN announced a new round of layoffs on Friday that included a number of major personalities on the network. Suzy Kolber, an Upper Dublin native who spent 27 years at ESPN, said she was let go and called her exit from ESPN "heartbreaking" after a 38-year career in sports media. Other broadcasters laid off by ESPN include NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy and Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, who served as an analyst on "Monday Night Football" broadcasts.June 30, 2023
Music
'Hoagiewave,' a Philly-inspired album from South Fellini's Tony Trov, is packed with lo-fi bliss
"Hoagiewave" is a new dream pop album written and produced by Tony Trov, the cofounder of Philadelphia lifestyle brand South Fellini. The song titles include humorous references to the city and the lo-fi music is inspired by the electronic genre vaporwave. The album is now streaming on all major music platforms and is available on cassette.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 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 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
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 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.Just In
- Seven low-budget, Philly-themed Halloween costumes that can be put together at the last minute
- Openings & Closings: South Philly gets a new boxing gym and Rittenhouse loses its library-themed bar
- Two men charged with dumping hundreds of tires near Amtrak's North Philly station
- Sixers' Jaylen Brown says he 'never demanded a trade,' refutes report from Celtics analyst Brian Scalabrine
- Filmmakers who set out to produce a comedy on the PPA instead confront tragedies of a car-obsessed culture
- Eagles-Commanders Week 8 injury report, with analysis
- Free HIV tests, sexual wellness supplies and Jefferson Health screenings offered at Feltonville library Nov. 24
- A billboard is handing out free Halloween candy at Dilworth Park
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