🎤 Philly’s best karaoke bars

🔎 New Philly Shooting Details

Eddie Irizarry’s car windows were rolled up when a Philly police officer fatally shot him on Monday afternoon, according to two law enforcement sources and photos from the scene. Initially, police said Irizarry attempted to flee the traffic stop and lunged at police while holding a knife. But upon reviewing body camera footage, the Philadelphia Police Department walked back that account. At a news conference last week, police commissioner Danielle Outlaw promised to conduct a thorough investigation of the case. [Inquirer🔒]

📱SEPTA Payment Pilot

SEPTA is testing out contactless payment on its buses, trolleys, and subways. Participants in the pilot program can pay their fares using a smartphone or credit card, instead of a Key card. Once the pilot is finished, the agency plans to roll out this method for general public use.  You can sign up online to try it out. [Billy Penn]

🏆 PA’s Mullet Champion

Rory Ehrlich, a 6-year-old from Montgomery County, recently won first place in the USA Mullet Championships, taking home a cash prize and a trophy. Ehrlich beat out 900 competitors in the kids division, winning by nearly 7,000 votes. With his $5,000, he plans to buy an alpaca for his sister. [Axios Philadelphia]

🎭 Theater in the X

West Philly’s Theatre in the X just celebrated ten years of putting on free outdoor performances in Malcolm X Park. Since 2013, the company has provided opportunities for theater professionals of color. City Cast Philly arts and cultural contributor Charles Tyson Jr. details the impact of this theater company on Philly’s arts scene. [WHYY/City Cast Philly ​​🎧]

Buckle up, Hey Philly readers. I asked you to share your most unforgettable experiences – good or bad – navigating the city on SEPTA. Responses are still rolling in, but here's what you’ve been saying so far:

The Bad:

“Smell of weed on the buses. I feel sorry for the drivers that have to work long hours.” - Eileen J.

“I love SEPTA and use it all the time, but there have been so many times when I have been waiting around 30 minutes for a bus, just for it to go zooming past me. There's only so many times you can say ‘the bus was late’ to your boss.” - Rhiannon R.

The Good...or at Least Entertaining:

“I am a Philly transplant and rode the bus for the first time recently. The bus driver made the experience so much fun when I told him this, and he made sure to point out where the stop was for me. He said he was happy to have been ‘my first’ and we had a good laugh. There are good people who deserve to be acknowledged.” - Randye S.

“I was on Bus [Route] 32 when a group of teenagers got into a brawl in the back of the bus. The driver pulled over and walked off leaving the bus! The rest of us were stranded, but I wish that bus driver nothing but peace.” - Amanda S.

Room for Improvement:

“Safety, cleanliness, better schedules.” - Amanda S.

“I think the bus speed needs to be monitored more. I also think all the construction in Philly makes the buses have to take so many detours, which then messes up the bus times.” - Rhiannon R.

“Safety training for drivers, many drive dangerously and ignore passengers.” - Sergey S.

🤣 Comedy | Monday | 8:30 p.m.

Laugh away your worries at Saint Lazarus Bar. [free, Fishtown]

🧘🏽‍♂️ Wellness | Monday | 6 p.m.

Join Race Street Pier for yoga and pilates. BYO mat. [free, Penn’s Landing]

🍀 Bingo | Tuesday | 6 p.m.

Enjoy happy hour bingo at Level Up Bar & Lounge. [free, Center City]

📽️ Movie | Thursday | 6 p.m.

Watch the documentary “Malcolm X” at Parkway Central Library. [free, Logan Square]

What’s Derailing Philly’s High Line

Major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and New York have turned unused railway lines into beautiful public parks. Philly has been trying to do a similar makeover with the Reading Viaduct, but so far only a tiny part has been completed. Philadelphia Inquirer architecture columnist Inga Saffron joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss the challenges stopping this project's progress.