🎂 Our favorite Philly dessert pop-ups

🏛️ Senators Pull Support for William Way Renovations

Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey asked a U.S. Senate subcommittee to remove $1 million in funding for renovations to the Philly LGBT community center from a big government spending bill after the conservative social media account LibsofTikTok tweeted about a BDSM party being hosted at the center by a third-party organization. [Pennsylvania Capital-Star]

🪧 Harm Reduction Advocates Protest

Savage Sisters — a harm reduction group that recently lost its lease on Kensington Avenue after Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who doesn’t view them as good neighbors, intervened — led dozens in a protest outside City Hall on Thursday. [Inquirer 🔒]

🏗️ ‘Healthy Competition’ or ‘Too Many Apartments’?

Greater Center City — particularly in and around Northern Liberties — is seeing a huge apartment boom, with several big residential buildings set to open in the coming months. As vacancy rates have been increasing across the city, developers are waiting with anticipation to see whether supply and demand align in the short-term. [Business Journal 🔒]

🥫 Want a Can of Soup with Jason Kelce’s Face on It?

Your wish could come true — Campbell’s is giving away 620 of them. (Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle, in case you were wondering.) [PhillyVoice]

If you’re craving a sugary treat, roaming pastry chefs and dessert-focused cooks across Philadelphia are expanding your options with temporary pop-ups. Try some of the best roving sweet experiences in the city by following these businesses on social media to find out where they’ll be next. (And check out our website for an even longer list!)

Manna Bakery

This Levantine-inspired small batch bakery is a dream come true for Saif Manna and any who encounter his unique confectionary heaven. He often creates new flavor combinations for old classics, like a rose brioche cream bun with dulce de leche. Order directly from him online or keep an eye out for this latest pop-up venture.

New June

Noelle Blizzard’s microbakery is instantly recognizable for the stylized cakes featuring bright buttercreams and baroque designs with a distinctly modern twist. The online cake studio has gained national attention for these aesthetic creations and now can be found collaborating across the city with everyone from Her Place Supper Club to Friday Saturday Sunday.

Chocolate Alchemist

Robert Campbell brings artisanal chocolate products to the Philly pop-up scene. These “clean bean to bar” chocolates are made with unrefined sugar and make for a rich drinking chocolate. He can sometimes be spotted vending with his wife Judith Suzarra-Campbell, of the empanada pop-up Sazón 2 Go.

Em Wilson Pastry

The self-described “unofficial pretzel gremlin of West Philly,” Em Wilson combines their skills as a pastry chef and poet to make whimsical sweet and savory bakes. Their flavors are constantly rotating based on what’s in season, so their turnovers might have a balsamic honey blueberry compote one day and brown butter pecan pie filling the next.

Shootings Rattle SEPTA Riders, School Board VP Resigns, More $1 Dogs

The City Cast Philly podcast is back with another Friday News Roundup. Today's topics include: the four recent shootings on or near SEPTA property, an unexpected shakeup on Philly’s Board of Education, and which restaurants in the city are keeping the $1 hot dog tradition alive after the Phillies ended their “Dollar Dog Nights.”