🥯 Your Philly bagel guide

🌳 Zoning Board Approves FDR Tree Clearing

In a unanimous vote, the Zoning Board of Adjustment granted the Fairmount Park Conservancy approval to remove 48 heritage trees from FDR Park to make space for sports fields and courts. Meanwhile, a group of South Philly residents are suing to stop the $250 million plan to renovate the park. [WHYY]

🚗 PPA Plans Sidewalk Parking Crackdown

The Philadelphia Parking Authority is hiring 30 new enforcement officers to focus specifically on ticketing vehicles that block sidewalks and ADA-accessible curbs. It plans to start enforcement in May, with a warning period of three to four weeks before tickets would include fines. [Inquirer 🔒]

• The move is in keeping with Executive Director Rich Lazer’s focus on quality-of-life issues. The City Cast Philly podcast interviewed him about these priorities in November. 🎧

🗳️ Forward Party Announces Row Office Candidates

The national centrist party, founded by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, announced this week that it intends to run two candidates on the Pennsylvania ballot this November: Montgomery County-based lawyer Eric Settle for attorney general, and Pittsburgh entrepreneur Chris Foster for state treasurer. [Pennsylvania Capital-Star]

📚 How Many Librarians Work in Philly Public Schools?

I’ll give you a moment to think … the answer is four, full-time, certified librarians work in school libraries. That’s down from seven in 2020, and 176 in 1991. [Axios Philadelphia]

Hidden within Philly — sometimes in plain sight — are a variety of plants with uses beyond beautification, and there’s a community of urban foraging enthusiasts who seek them out.

City Cast Philly podcast host Trenae Nuri and producer Abby Fritz took a trip last year to Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park with Lynn Landes, the creator of Wild Foodies of Philly.

Here are some of Landes' tips for (carefully!) identifying useful, edible plants in the city.

How To Get Started

Wild Foodies of Philly hosts educational tours from March to November where you can learn about the uses of local wild plants.

Landes also suggests that aspiring urban foragers start by downloading a plant identification app. Once you have the name of a plant, head over to the Plants for a Future website to discover its uses. She says PFAF is the “gold standard” for foragers.

Some Useful Plants Found in Lemon Hill

• Broad-leaf and narrow-leaf plantain can soothe itchy skin.
• Paper mulberry can be used to make paper and cloth.
• Wineberry, similar to a raspberry, can be used in pies, jams, and drinks.

Be Careful!

Never consume any plant that you haven’t first identified — make sure you do your due diligence and cross-check with several sources. Even after you’ve identified it, eat it slowly. Some people might want to rub the plant or leaf on the back of their neck or under their chin to check for a potential allergic reaction.

Limitations

It’s illegal to forage on city property, but plucking up plantain and dandelion leaves in moderation is okay.

“If you’re just going to pluck a flower here or there and take some mulberries from a mulberry tree, they're not going to object to that,” Landes says.

🎧🫐🌿 Learn more about urban foraging in this episode of the City Cast Philly podcast.

The Best Bagels in Philly

There’s nothing like a fresh bagel with cream cheese, or a bagel sandwich, to kick off your morning. Luckily, Philly has an abundance of homegrown bagel places to satisfy all of your carb-y cravings. A few months ago, City Cast Philly podcast host Trenae Nuri and food contributor Dave Wez debated the pros and cons of the different styles, toppings, and shmears you can find at Philly’s best bagel shops.