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.
July 11, 2022
2022 Election
Lancaster County movie theater, hotel cancel screenings of pro-Mastriano documentary
A pair of venues in Lancaster County have canceled plans to a screen the premiere of a documentary that supports Republican Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano. Penn Cinema, in Mannheim Township, and Wyndham Lancaster Resort and Convention Center, both backed out of a July 16 screening of YouTuber Steve Turley's documentary, “Return of the American Patriot: Rise of Pennsylvania,” citing backlash against the film's agenda.July 9, 2022
Environment
15-acre Chester County property to be permanently preserved to protect drinking water
The Homsey farm, a 15-acre property in Landenberg, Chester County will be permanently preserved in order to protect natural lands and a tributary that serves as a major source of drinking water in New Castle County, Delaware. The conservation easement was secured by Natural Lands, the Philadelphia area's largest conservation organization. The property's forests and meadows will be protected and no subdivisions or development will be permitted. The owners of the property are descendants of 19th century illustrator and Wilmington native Howard Pyle.July 6, 2022
Investigations
July Fourth shooter was 'quite a distance away' from Ben Franklin Parkway, Philly police say
The gunshots that injured two police officers during Philadelphia's Fourth of July celebration appear to have been fired from "quite a distance away" from the Welcome America festival grounds on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, police said Wednesday. No arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation.July 6, 2022
Investigations
Suspect wanted for sexual assault at Center City law office
Philadelphia Police are seeking help from the public to locate a man who allegedly walked into a Center City building on Tuesday afternoon and sexually assaulted a person in a law office. The incident happened at a building along the 200 block of North 13th Street. The suspect was last seen leaving the area south on 13th Street.July 5, 2022
Food & Drink
Joe's Steaks, the shop that once had a racial slur in its name, to close Northeast Philly location after 73 years
Joe's Steaks & Soda Shop in Northeast Philadelphia will close its doors over Labor Day Weekend after 73 years on Torresdale Avenue. The restaurant was known for decades as Chink's before public pressure led to an eventual rebranding in 2013 due to its racist name. The business's second location on Girard Avenue in Fishtown will continue to operate as normal, owner Joseph Groh said.July 5, 2022
Celebrities
Michael Rubin's girlfriend went to the hospital after 'face plant' at Hamptons party
At Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin's Fourth of July party in the Hamptons on Monday, his girlfriend, Camille Fishel, suffered minor injuries to her face when she fell from a stage during the celebration. Rubin recently sold his ownership stake in the Philadelphia 76ers and has two children with Fishel. The couple joked about Monday's incident on Instagram.July 5, 2022
Transportation
SEPTA police chief abruptly retires as transit system struggles to combat crime
SEPTA's Police Chief Thomas Nestel III has retired from his role, effective immediately, and will be replaced in the interim by Charles Lawson, his second-in-command, SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards announced. Nestel's retirement comes as SEPTA continues to struggle with high rates of crime and persistent problems with officer recruitment, areas that became worse during the COVID-19 pandemicJune 30, 2022
Courts
Judge permanently blocks PennDOT's major bridge tolling plan
PennDOT's $2.2 billion plan to create new tolls on nine interstate bridges to fund their repair and long-term maintenance was permanently blocked by a Commonwealth Court panel on Thursday. The controversial plan supported by Gov. Tom Wolf faced strong opposition from communities and lawmakers who argued that it lacked sufficient oversight and authority to choose bridges without involving local governments and constituents. The Girard Point Bridge in South Philadelphia, which runs over I-95, was among the nine candidate bridges in the initiative.June 30, 2022
Arts & Culture
Philadelphia Museum of Art returns 17th century shield lost by German museum during WWII
The Philadelphia Museum of Art has returned a 17th century, gilded silver shield to the Dresden City Museum in Germany. The work was a trophy for the winner of a traditional archery contest and had been donated to the city's silver treasure collection, where it remained for more than three centuries before it was lost during the 1945 Dresden bombing, toward the end of World War II.June 30, 2022
Wildlife
American martens, part of the weasel family, may be reintroduced in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Game Commission will review a proposal from the Bureau of Wildlife Management to reintroduce the American marten, a small mammal in the weasel family. The species has been extirpated from the state since the early 1900's after populations were depleted by the fur trade and deforestation. The game commission's past reintroduction efforts have included the bald eagle, river otter, beaver, bobcat and other fur-bearing mammals.Just In
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