The Philadelphia Citizen

Fun Things to Do in Philly this Week and Weekend

Christina Griffith — 2026-09-25T23:00:46Z

Summer becomes autumn on Tuesday, bringing with it harvests, comfort food, flannel, seasonal flavors, and cool things to do. You’ll have to pick and choose amongst festivals galore this week unless you have some kind of power I wish I had: There’s the Philly AIDS Thrift block party, South Street Fall Fest, Manayunk Oktoberfest, and … Continue reading Fun Things to Do in Philly this Week and Weekend

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CHOP’s Gun Safety Rx

Autumn Demberger — 2026-09-25T09:55:53Z

Since 2020, firearms have been the leading cause of death in children aged one through 19 in the United States. Reports show significant declines in violent crime and homicides in Philadelphia since the pandemic, though gun-related incidents remain a concern. According to Chalkbeat Philadelphia’s analysis, the percentage of children who are injured by gunfire but … Continue reading CHOP’s Gun Safety Rx

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The New Urban Order: Don’t Close Urban Golf Courses. Fill Them

Diana Lind — 2026-09-25T09:53:56Z

Lately, a number of journalists, urbanists, and regular people have taken issue with urban golf courses. As both an urbanist and a golfer, I was naturally intrigued. I first spotted this trend a few weeks ago when I read a LinkedIn post calling for an “uncomfortable conversation” about golf courses in San Francisco. The post … Continue reading The New Urban Order: Don’t Close Urban Golf Courses. Fill Them

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Do You Have a Philly Idea Worth Scaling Up?

Courtney DuChene — 2026-09-25T09:45:19Z

Last year’s Ideas We Should Scale Showcase made one thing clear: Philadelphia already has many of the solutions it needs to build a stronger, safer, more thriving city. The event was designed to uplift Philadelphians who are actively addressing issues in their communities. Three outstanding organizations — the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, The Merchants … Continue reading Do You Have a Philly Idea Worth Scaling Up?

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Keeping Us Safe From — or With — AI

Patrick J. Murphy — 2026-09-24T10:55:40Z

Last weekend, federal agents arrested a 21-year-old Pennsylvania man from the suburbs of Pittsburgh, who they say was preparing to carry out an ISIS-inspired mass shooting. According to prosecutors, Jonathan Hunter Kramer had repeatedly pledged allegiance to ISIS online, shared extremist propaganda, and told others that he was ready for a “mission” as soon as … Continue reading Keeping Us Safe From — or With — AI

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Things to Do This Week For America’s 250th

Christina Griffith — 2026-09-24T10:05:13Z

This year, the United States of America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding. The American Revolutionary War was fought between April 1775 and September 1783, though the war for independence wasn’t “formalized” until the next year, when the Second Continental Congress, right here in Philadelphia, passed the Lee Resolution for Independence on July 2, … Continue reading Things to Do This Week For America’s 250th

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How To Really Run A City Goes to College

J.P. Romney — 2026-09-24T09:45:32Z

What does it take to be a full participant in your city’s civic life? To bring the full weight of your work and personal experience to city planning or policy? To lead a city, as its mayor? This is what former Mayor Michael Nutter hopes to answer in The University of Pennsylvania’s new Impact Scholars … Continue reading How To Really Run A City Goes to College

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Guest Commentary: Protect Our Healers

Kevin B. Mahoney and Madeleine Dean — 2026-09-23T15:21:06Z

On an October morning in 2024, three emergency department nurses ran toward a gunshot victim without hesitation. It was just after 4am when an SUV pulled up to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia. One of the passengers had been shot. The nurses moved quickly to provide lifesaving care. In the seconds that followed, they … Continue reading Guest Commentary: Protect Our Healers

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Like the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park, RFK Jr. is Learning

Paul Offit — 2026-09-23T09:55:26Z

In the 1993 movie, Jurassic Park, the velociraptors are testing the electrified fences looking for weaknesses. A scientist explains how their systematic efforts show that they can learn. Is RFK Jr. also able to learn from experience? Listen to the audio edition here: In his book, The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill … Continue reading Like the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park, RFK Jr. is Learning

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Citizen of the Week: Chef Nick Elmi

Lauren McCutcheon — 2026-09-23T09:45:04Z

When Semaj Sims was middle school age, he wanted to be a chef. By age 14, he was well on his way, working under chef-restaurateur and Top Chef winner Nick Elmi at The Landing. Today, Sims is a full-ride freshman at Cheney University majoring in business administration, minoring in communications, staying in touch with Elmi … Continue reading Citizen of the Week: Chef Nick Elmi

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Guest Commentary: Have We All Been Ed Sheeran?

Yasmine Mustafa — 2026-09-22T15:28:47Z

Since October 2023, I have become more certain about the human cost of dehumanization, and less certain about the simple judgments we make about the people navigating it. It begins when a person becomes a label before they are allowed to be a person: Palestinian, Israeli, Jewish, Muslim, immigrant. We stop picturing the mother trying … Continue reading Guest Commentary: Have We All Been Ed Sheeran?

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Guest Commentary: PA’s Closed Primaries Close Out Democracy. It’s Time to Open Them

Lauren Cristella — 2026-09-22T09:55:09Z

This month, I sat in the Kimmel Center and watched two governors from opposite parties agree on something important. In a conversation hosted by the Knight Foundation and the National Constitution Center, both Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox and Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro agreed that we need more civility in our politics — but … Continue reading Guest Commentary: PA’s Closed Primaries Close Out Democracy. It’s Time to Open Them

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Ideas We Should Steal: Safely Making Compost From … Poop?

Courtney DuChene — 2026-09-22T09:50:17Z

Tyler Hendon can’t stop talking about how huge the produce is this year in Washington D.C.’s Franciscan Monastery Gardens. Listen to the audio edition here: They had a lot of luck with watermelon germination, Hendon, the garden guild’s farm manager, tells me on the phone as he walks through the fields. There’s also the butternut … Continue reading Ideas We Should Steal: Safely Making Compost From … Poop?

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The New Urban Order: The End of Green Roofs?

Diana Lind — 2026-09-21T17:55:00Z

The Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers recently shared first some renderings of their proposed new stadium in South Philadelphia. When I saw the design, it made me think of the Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn. (The new South Philly stadium is supposed to remind people of Philadelphia’s old Spectrum, but since I’m a native New Yorker, … Continue reading The New Urban Order: The End of Green Roofs?

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Guest Commentary: The Summer that Was a Test Kitchen

Prema Katari Gupta — 2026-09-21T10:00:22Z

Every so often, a city is offered an occasion big enough to justify trying things it’s already been curious about. This summer, Philadelphia got such an opportunity, between the FIFA World Cup, MLB All-Star Week, and the semiquincentennial. At Center City District (CCD), our team took this opportunity and ran with it. Between a weekday … Continue reading Guest Commentary: The Summer that Was a Test Kitchen

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