🧀 Kensington’s 24/7 cheese machine, reviewed

🚍 SEPTA Board Approves Bus Revolution

The transit authority’s revamp of its bus network will reduce the total number of routes from 125 to 106, while increasing the number of “frequent” routes (where buses arrive every 15 minutes or more often) by 30%. These changes will start going into effect on June 1, 2025. [WHYY]

🛣️ I-95 in Northeast Philly Fully Restored

Officials celebrated the restoration of all eight lanes of I-95’s Cottman Avenue Interchange yesterday. All lanes are slated to be open to traffic in time for today’s morning commute. [NBC10]

• The reopening comes a little less than a year after the fiery crash that caused part of the highway to collapse, killed a truck driver, and created ripple effects across the city and region. [City Cast Philly 🎧]

⛺ Drexel Encampment Disbands

Early Thursday morning, Pro-Palestinian protestors packed up their belongings after university leadership decided to call in Philly and campus police to disband the encampment. Organizers wrote online that their departure was a “strategic retreat,” and that they “won’t back down” from their divestment demands. [Associated Press]

• Meanwhile, Swarthmore’s encampment — the Philly region’s first — was still active as of Wednesday. The college’s commencement ceremony this weekend will happen in Fairmount Park instead of on its campus in Delco. [CBS3]

🍎 ‘Abbott Elementary’ Namesake Honored

Andrew Hamilton School in Cobbs Creek now has a portrait of and an office named after Joyce Abbott, a former teacher there who taught Quinta Brunson and inspired the name of Brunson’s hit TV show, “Abbott Elementary.” [6ABC]

Perrystead Dairy, an award-winning cheesemaker in Olde Kensington, opened Philly’s first 24-hour cheese vending machine in April to bring its sustainable dairy delights directly to the neighborhood. As a cheese fiend myself, I knew I had to try out this new addition to Philly’s great cheese scene.

Experiencing Philly’s Novelty Cheese Machine

Walking into the fragrant pollinator garden, herbs like rosemary and lavender line the pebble path to the self-service machine. I visited this novelty food experience not once, but twice in the past few weeks. On my first visit, the vending machine was experiencing some technical issues from all of the use. Yoav Perry, Perrystead’s owner and cheesemaker, told me he didn’t expect the popularity and national media coverage it’s received, and had to upgrade some parts. On my second visit … it was still having some issues. But Perry saved the day and promptly got it fixed so I could live my Philly fromage fantasy.

The refrigerated machine can hold nine rows of merchandise. When I went, it was stocked with three of Perrystead Dairy’s cheeses: The Real Philly Schmear (a spreadable cheese), Intergalactic (a soft, cave-ripened cheese), and Atlantis (a seasonal seawater-washed cheese). The machine also offered Rustic Bakery Organic Sourdough Flatbread Bites, prosciutto, wood cutting boards, a variety of small jams, and some branded stickers.

Trying Vending Machine Charcuterie

Sitting on one of the benches strewn throughout the garden, I dug into Intergalactic, the dairy’s signature cheese ($16.99). The soft rind and creamy center made scooping directly into it with a Rustic Bakery cracker, also from the vending machine ($8.99), effortless. The mild nature of this cheese was only broken by a delightful nutty aftertaste, making it perfect for pairing. Perry suggested trying it with a prosecco during the hot weather months, and the onion jam in the winter (you can also get that from the vending machine).

I opted to try Quince & Apple’s Raspberry Rose Jam ($5.99), which added a lovely floral depth to the subtle cheese.

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‘Most Valuable Philadelphian,’ Mayor Parker vs. Municipal Unions, Future of Rizzo Statue

It’s the Friday News Roundup! We’ve got the details on how people are responding to the return-to-the-office mandate for all city workers, whether the Frank Rizzo statue could be returned to the people who paid for it, and which local figure has been named the “Most Valuable Philadelphian.”