👀 Why our streets are still so dangerous

Why Are There Still So Many Traffic Deaths?

When it comes to traffic safety, 2025 was Philly’s least deadly year since 2019. But the city still has one of the nation’s highest traffic death rates. Vision Zero, Philly’s safe streets initiative, is in its 10th year, but has a long way to go before its goal of zero traffic fatalities is realized. Local organizers blame funding deficits and political inertia, saying that the city needs to better prioritize road safety improvements. [Grid Magazine]

Washington Square West Loses Historic District Designation

A judge overturned the Washington Square West historic district designation, which covered most of the blocks from 8th to Walnut Streets and South to Broad Streets. Residents who sued argued that the designation made construction projects costly and burdensome, while preservation advocates are worried about the potential implications for other historic districts. [Billy Penn]

Philly on the DNC Shortlist

Philadelphia is one of five cities being considered to host the Democratic National Convention in August 2028. If Philly is chosen, the event could generate millions of dollars in local economic impact. The city last hosted the DNC in 2016. [The Inquirer 🔒]

First Responders Injured in Wynnefield House Fire

A fire broke out in the Wynnefield neighborhood Monday night, injuring nine firefighters and damaging at least three homes. As of Tuesday, three of the firefighters were still in the hospital in stable condition. The cause of the fire is under investigation. [6ABC]

The school district is proposing major changes to its schools that could dramatically impact neighborhoods in our city. District officials say this is all in an effort to address lower enrollment, dilapidated buildings, and overcrowded classrooms. But are the concerns of parents, students, and teachers being heard?

Carly Sitrin, bureau chief at Chalkbeat Philadelphia, sat down with City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri to explain all the shifting parts of the school district's master plan. This is a lightly edited excerpt from that conversation.

Last month, the school district came out with a tentative plan to close 20 [later amended to 18] of Philly's public schools by 2027. … This is all part of a larger plan that needs to be approved by the Philadelphia Board of Education. Can you give us an overview? How did we get here?

“This is a long time coming, and a long process to get to where we are today. … It’s reflective of what's been happening both in Philadelphia and across the country as well. The district has lost about 17,000 students over the last decade. So enrollment declines have really hit Philly public schools hard. A lot of that is due to a declining birth rate, but also the rise of charter schools and cyber charter schools in particular, and just an overall shift in the way that people are using and attending our public schools.

“And that means that we've got a lot of really old, big buildings that are half empty and cost a lot to maintain and upkeep. It also means that in some regions of the city – the Northeast, especially – there are classrooms that are bursting at the seams and schools that are not big enough to hold all of the students and give them the opportunities that they need. … District Superintendent Tony Watlington has been clear that to him this is a chance to sort of reorganize and reset. He's called it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sort of design the district that best fits the needs of the students that we currently have.”

What about teachers and education advocates? What have you heard from them?

“It's pretty resoundingly, 'No, don't close our schools.' It's pretty loud and clear on that front. … The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers union president, Arthur Steinberg, called the plan an abomination. He has said – and folks from the other unions have said – it's gonna force people to look elsewhere for jobs. It creates this feeling of instability that our schools could be ripped out from underneath us at any point. It's harder to sell working in the public school system in our city as a good and stable job. And the unions have said it's really gonna tank morale. ... [But] Watlington has said he doesn't anticipate people will be losing positions from this.”