🥶 $1,200 for rent but no heat?!

💵🥶 Paying $1,200 in Rent, But Freezing Without Heat

Tenants at Locust Towers apartments in West Philly say they have been without heat since October, with no communication or support from the landlord despite numerous requests for assistance. Several contacted 311 but their concerns went unaddressed until WHYY News started calling officials. The building’s owner claims that the heating units work, but attributes the lack of heat to unpaid utility bills. [WHYY]

📉 Data Shows a Dip in Juvenile Crime

Although juvenile crime levels are still higher than three years ago, data indicates a decline in 2024. As of Nov. 30, 1,879 incidents involving juveniles were reported, compared to 2,224 in 2023. Crimes involving firearms, however, saw a slight increase. This coincides with overall crime trends in the city. [PhillyVoice, 🎧 City Cast Philly]

📝 Lawsuit Alleges Principal Fired for Being White

In 2023, Lisa Mesi, the principal of Philadelphia High School For Girls, was fired after denying diplomas to three Black students who allegedly violated rules of decorum at their graduation ceremony, according to a new lawsuit. Mesi, who is white, is now suing for racial discrimination and retaliation. [PhillyMag]

🇬🇱 Fetterman Open to the U.S. Takeover of Greenland

President-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to “Make Greenland Great Again!” (meaning: make it part of the United States) has been tentatively endorsed by Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman. The iconoclastic Democrat expressed openness to the idea, comparing the proposal to the Louisiana Purchase. Fetterman made it clear that he wouldn’t support the acquisition of Greenland by force. [Penn Live]

Sports truly rule Philadelphia, and our teams’ mascots – especially the chaos agents of the Phanatic and Gritty – embody the passion and provocative nature of our fans. Let’s look at eight of the city’s beloved mascots.

Phillie Phanatic

Does anyone fully understand what the Phanatic is? This furry, neon-green creature who once got into a physical altercation with Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda can be found during all home games bopping on the Phillies dugout and riding his four-wheeler around. According to his official backstory, the Phanatic is a 6’6”, 300-pound flightless bird from the Galápagos Islands. Making his debut on April 25, 1978, the Phanatic was created by Bonnie Harrison and Wayde Erikson, who worked with the Muppets. They both went on to create other mascots including Slyly of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and Youppi! of the Montreal Canadiens. And there is definitely a similar look among these mascots!

Gritty

The Philadelphia Flyers are represented, and often outshined, by none other than Gritty. The name comes from Flyers alum Paul Holmgren who often used the word “grit” to describe the Flyers. This iconic individual wasn’t initially embraced by Philadelphians when he was introduced in 2018, but in true nobody-likes-us-we-don’t-care fashion, once other cities started hating on him, we knew he was ours, furrever. Gritty, who is often accompanied by a Secret Service-style handler, also has the best social media presence in sports. And that’s why he’s the NHL’s best mascot.

Swoop the Eagle

Swoop has been the mascot for the Eagles since 1996, standing tall at 6’ 3” and weighing in at 216 pounds. He was “hatched” at Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem, and he likes to eat Cardinals, Falcons, Ravens, and Seahawks. Although Swoop is appreciated, he's often upstaged by an actual eagle who swoops through the Linc during home games. And in contrast to the unabashedly aggressive Gritty, Swoop’s image has softened since he crash-landed into the vet in 1996.