🚓 Crime leads to closure of 'Queer Eye' restaurant

🪧 Will Philly Remain a Sanctuary City?

• Immigration activists rallied outside of City Hall and held a vigil at the downtown Immigration and Customs Enforcement office Tuesday, saying they want Mayor Cherelle Parker to be more vocal in her support for Philly’s status as a sanctuary city. President-elect Donald Trump is promising mass deportations – putting the approximately 47,000 undocumented Philadelphians in the crosshairs. [🔒The Inquirer]
• With Trump’s inauguration on the horizon, City Councilmember Rue Landau sat down with City Cast Philly to expain how she wants to protect residents from adversarial presidential actions. She also talked about being one of the few councilmembers opposed to the Sixers’ arena proposal, which she expects will pass. [🎧City Cast Philly]

😢 Tragic End to a Restaurant That Symbolized Perseverance

Alma del Mar, a Mexican restaurant in the heart of the Italian Market that came to life and national fame when it was featured on an episode of “Queer Eye,” is out of business – and crime (along with a deficient police response), is the reason, according to the owners. [🔒The Inquirer]

🚗 Fatal Crashes Higher Than Pre-Pandemic

• While deadly car crashes are on the decline in Philly, the numbers are higher than before the pandemic. [🎧City Cast Philly, Axios]
• The city plans to hold four public meetings to discuss the future of Roosevelt Boulevard (which has been eclipsed by Broad Street as the city’s most dangerous street). The goal is to improve traffic and maybe add a subway, light rail, or bus line by 2040. [PhillyVoice, 🎧City Cast Philly]

Holiday Events In Pennsylvania

With so many holiday events in Pennsylvania, it's easy to get into the Christmas spirit. Harken back to those childhood days when we piled into the car to ride around the neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights, arguably some of the most dazzling Christmas light displays in Pennsylvania. Whether you prefer staying in your car or going on a Christmastime stroll, you'll find Christmas light displays in Pennsylvania that meet your needs. But that's just the start of the Christmastime fun; don't forget to add some of the best Christmas festivals in Pennsylvania to your holiday bucket list, too.

Koziar’s Christmas Village

• Location: Bernville
• Popularity: One of the top Christmas displays in Pennsylvania. Expect long waits on the weekends.
• Price: $11-$16 per person

Hands down one of the most magical and popular Christmas lights displays in Pennsylvania, Koziar's Christmas Village has been a Bernville favorite since 1948. Bundle up and wear comfy shoes for your stroll through this Christmas village that shimmers with more than one million lights. As you explore the village, you might run into Santa, pass a Kissing Bridge, and pop into the Old-Fashioned Bakery Shop for a scrumptious treat. A journey to Koziar's Christmas Village, which welcomes visitors from early November through Jan. 1, deserves a spot on every Pennsylvanian's bucket list. It wouldn't be winter in Pennsylvania without a visit to Koziar's Christmas Village.

Hershey Sweet Lights

• Location: Hershey
• Popularity: Gets extremely busy
• Price: $29.99 (car) - $52.15 (van)

Listen to Christmas carols as you mosey along the two-mile path awash in twinkling lights at Hershey Sweet Lights, a beloved annual tradition. Your Christmastime adventure will take you past around 600 lighted displays and through an enchanted Candy Cane Forest and Victorian Village. If you'd like sweet treats for your ride, add the Hershey Sweet Lights Sweet Treat Bundle, a half-pound of chocolate fudge and kettle corn, when you purchase your ticket.

The fun doesn't stop there, though. Zip up your jacket and head inside Hersheypark for its Candylane, a Christmastime celebration that includes millions of glittering lights, seasonal goodies, and a selection of open rides. Hershey's Sweet Lights welcomes holiday revelers on select evenings from mid-November through Jan. 1.