City Cast Philly
🚌 Feedback on Philly’s new bus stop
December 20, 2023
Good morning! I had my first experience with Philly’s new bus pickup location (I hesitate to call it a “station” or “terminal”) for a trip to New York last weekend. After exiting the El station, I walked right past the boarding zone for my bus, jaywalked across Spring Garden Street, and surveyed two blocks on that side of the street before realizing my error.
What's CITY Talking About?
Suspect May Be “Fairmount Park Rapist”
Police say a man who was arrested for recent attacks in a Northeast Philadelphia park may also be responsible for an unsolved murder and a series of sexual assaults in the mid-2000s. Investigators linked DNA from the suspect, Elias Diaz, with evidence in the 2003 murder-rape of 30-year-old medical student Rebecca Park in Fairmount Park, as well as two other attacks the same year and one in 2007. In a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Philadelphia police said they were awaiting confirmation of a DNA match before issuing charges. [NBC10]
PA Gets Tough on Porch Pirates
A new state law creates stiffer penalties for stealing parcels from someone’s doorstep, making mail theft a felony on the third offense or in cases where the loss exceeds $2,000. Such crimes may be punished with up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. State Senator Frank Farry, a Bucks County Republican, sponsored the legislation along with a package of bills intended to update the criminal code to respond to trending crimes. [Inquirer]
City Panel Reviews Sixers Arena Plan
Philadelphia’s Civic Design Review committee listened to developers’ plans and hours of public criticism of the 76ers proposed arena at the edge of Chinatown in a day-long meeting Monday. About 30 members of the public aired concerns about issues like traffic, interruptions to existing bus routes, and a lack of retail space, while developers argued it would revive the area. The committee serves in an advisory role only. [Inquirer]
LGBTQ Activist Arrested on Child Rape Charges
Kendall Stephens, a Black trans woman and well-known local activist for the Philadelphia LBGTQ+ community, is accused of raping two boys ages 14 and 9, along with other related offenses. Stephens, 37, has served on the board of the William Way LGBT Community Center and the District Attorney’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee. [PGN]
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What To Do
Wednesday, Dec. 20
- 🪖 Networking Happy Hour for Veterans | 5 p.m. | $25 – 45 | South Philly
- 🎤 Improv Comedy Night Fundraiser | 6 p.m. | $10 | Northern Liberties
- 🧘 Yoga at Rec Philly | 6–8 p.m. | $12+ | Fashion District
- 🎷 Christmas with the Peter Frank Orchestra and Friends | 7:30 p.m. & 9 p.m.| $15+ | Center City
- 📽️ Sing-A-Long-A Sound of Music | 8 p.m. | $20 | University City
Thursday, Dec. 21
- 🎶 The Christmas Spirituals Project | 7 p.m. | Free | Old City
- 🍷 Great French Wine Tasting Class | 7:30 p.m. | $75 | Center City Wes
- 💃 Burlesque Show: The Tease of the Sugar Plum Fairy | 9 p.m. | $15–30 | Center City
Friday, Dec. 22
- 🐦 Winter Solstice Bird Walk at The Woodlands | 3 p.m. | Free | West Philly
- 🚃 Holly Trolley in Downtown Haddonfield | 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. | $12 – 14 | Haddonfield
- 🎙️ Samara Joy Concert | 5 p.m. + 7:30 p.m. | $35 – $75 | Center City
- 🎺 A Jazzy Soulful Christmas | 7 p.m. + 9:30 p.m. | $40 | Spring Garden
- 🕺 Winter Solstice Dance | 6 p.m. | $22.22+ | Plymouth Meeting
- 🧝 Elf in Concert | 7 p.m. | $42+ | Center City
- 💃 Fabrika presents "A Very Merry Disco" | 9 p.m. | $25 – $75 | Fishtown
- 🕺 Disco and Glam Rock Dance Party | 10 p.m. | $7 – 10 | Northern Liberties
Today on City Cast
Reactions To Philly's New Intercity Bus Stop
It’s been just over a month since Philly moved the outdoor bus station for companies like Greyhound and FlixBus from Market Street to Northern Liberties. While it's arguably a more logical location, area businesses and some passengers are not loving it. Host Trenae Nuri speaks with Meir Rinde, investigative reporter at Billy Penn, about what travelers and nearby businesses are saying and whether the city is planning any changes in response to their critiques.
Thanks for reading. Have a great day.
— Joel Wolfram
Thanks to Laura Benshoff for editing the newsletter.
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