1 big thing: Post-Roe protests and promises

Illustration of a small blue megaphone against a red background.

2. Through the lens: Signs of outrage

A woman yells while holding up a protest sign outside Philadelphia City Hall on Friday.

3. What the wage tax cut means for your wallet 

Illustration of a dollar sign with an arrow for a middle bar over a grid.

4. News Market

Illustration of a hanging scale with an Axios logo on it with an arrow rotating between 8 and 9. 

On the job hunt?

5. Rent a private pool this summer

Welcome back. Thanks for choosing to start your week with us. 

Today's weather: High of 82. But keep the umbrella handy. Scattered thunderstorms are on the way.

Today's newsletter is 835 words, a 3.5-minute read.

👶 Mike is celebrating the birth of his new baby girl! He's headed on paternity leave, and looks forward to bonding with his daughter and getting recharged before returning in a few weeks.

😊 Taylor is beaming over Mike's beautiful news. 

Philadelphia

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Philadelphia. Written by local reporters.

Axios Philadelphia

No new solutions to city's gun violence crisis

1 big thing: No new measures yet on gun violence

District Attorney Larry Krasner, police commissioner Danielle Outlaw, Mayor Jim Kenney and Ala Stanford, regional director for Department of Health and Human Services Region 3. 

This Filipino food cart has the best cheesesteak in Philly

 2. A cheesesteak with a time limit

Tabachoy’s bistek cheesesteak at Mural City Garden.  

Unvaxxed city employees get the boot

3. Unvaxxed city employees fired 

Illustration of a rope barrier with a vaccination card hanging from the rope section. 

Illustration of a Philadelphia subway station tile wall with lettering reading News Market. 

A new career is waiting for you

Thursday has arrived so start making your weekend plans. 

⛅ Temps in the high 80s with partly sunny skies. But watch out for possible thunderstorms and showers.

Today's newsletter is 795 words, a 3-minute read.

 Want free Axios swag? Refer your friends to Axios Philly and get cool merch like stickers, totes, hats, T-shirts and more!

Plus: 🇵🇭 Filipino cheesesteak bliss

1 big thing: Roe v. Wade reversed

We're back in your inbox with a special Axios Philadelphia Thought Bubble, our snap dispatch that breaks down the events that shape our community.

Smart Brevity™ count: 321 words — a 2-minute read.

Axios Philadelphia Thought Bubble

New digs for African American museum

1 big thing: New digs for African American museum

The Family Court Building located at 1801 Vine St.

Your guide to the Eagles preseason

2. Eagles preseason begins

3. Pining over this Penn Street charmer

A view of 3430 W. Penn St. in Philadelphia.

4. Weekender

Illustration of a latte with "weekend" written in the foam.

Check out our Job Board

🥳 Friday is here and the Eagles' preseason opener is tonight. More on that later.

Cooler weather arrives as temps will remain in the low 80s with mostly sunny skies.

Today's newsletter is 870 words, a 3.5-minute read.

📧 Mike is getting back in the groove of writing newsletters and finally managed to get through the thousands of emails he received during his parental leave.

1 big thing: $5.8 billion budget approved

Illustration of Philadelphia City Hall with lines radiating from it.

2. The Sixers No. 23 trade 

De'Anthony Melton #0 of the Memphis Grizzlies dribbling the ball

3. Your weekend plans: Block parties, festivals and more

A dragon lantern at the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival 

4. News Market  

New jobs to check out

5. 🏳️‍🌈 1 Pride pop tart to go

🎉 Welcome to the first Friday of summer! 

Look out for patchy fog early on, but it'll be sunny later with a high of 84.

Today's newsletter is 829 words, a 3-minute read.

🔥 Mike is planning on visiting the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival this weekend.

🍿 Taylor plans on binge-watching this mini-series over the weekend. 

Federal health officials and the city's top leaders pledged at a closed-door meeting Wednesday to boost collaboration around efforts to reduce soaring levels of violence in Philadelphia. 

Yes, but: The meeting didn't lead to any new anti-violence solutions, officials told reporters after it ended.  

Why it matters: It was the first time the Department of Health and Human Services regional office corralled together Mayor Jim Kenney, police commissioner Danielle Outlaw, school leaders and others to address violence in the city, which has hit record levels. 

The big picture: Homicides so far this year reached 337 as of Wednesday, up 3% over the same time last year.

That's after homicides reached a record high in 2021, fueled by gun violence, which accounted for nearly 90% of the deaths. 

Zoom out: The uptick in homicides in Philly has been exacerbated by the pandemic and reflects national trends, HHS Region 3 director Ala Stanford, who called for the meeting, told reporters Wednesday. 

Firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death among people aged 1-19 in the U.S. in 2020, according to CDC data. 

What's happening: Stanford said she would probe whether existing programs and efforts funded by the HHS in the city are operating effectively. 

HHS provides millions of dollars to fund school-based mental health services, community programs that address high-risk youth and families, violence prevention efforts and more in Philly. 

What they're saying: Kenney said he hoped the meeting would allow federal and city officials to "coordinate resources better and communicate better." 

"This is a process that we're going to continue," he said. 

The mayor reiterated his belief that reducing access to guns is the best solution to reducing violence. 

Of note: The city invested more than $200 million in anti-violence efforts in this year's budget, an increase over last year. 

What's next: HHS and city officials are expected to meet again in December.   

Federal and local officials pledged Wednesday to better collaborate to address the problem, but didn't provide specifics.

From left to right, District Attorney Larry Krasner, police commissioner Danielle Outlaw, Mayor Jim Kenney and Ala Stanford, regional director for Department of Health and Human Services Region 3, meeting Wednesday. Photo: Mike D'Onofrio/Axios

Federal health officials and the city&#x27;s top leaders pledged at a closed-door meeting Wednesday to boost collaboration around efforts to reduce soaring levels of violence in Philadelphia. Yes, but: The meeting didn&#x27;t lead to any new anti-violence solutions, officials told reporters after it ended.

News

The Kenney administration is firing 83 city employees over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, while thousands of others have won exemptions.  

Why it matters: The terminations, announced on Tuesday, mark the end of the city's effort to fully enforce its vaccine mandate, which was announced in December 2021 but delayed several times due to pushback from police and firefighters unions. 

What they're saying: Joy Huertas, a spokesperson for the administration, said the city does not expect "any operational impacts related to these terminations." 

Yes, but: The city is struggling to fill thousands of vacancies, with about 1 in 7 municipal jobs unfilled, amid a competitive labor market. 

By the numbers: The firings account for a fraction of the city's 25,000 employees. 68 unionized workers will be fired, according to the city, while 15 non-unionized workers have already lost their jobs due to the mandate. 

The Department of Streets accounted for the lion's share of firings with 39, followed by the Department of Prisons with 13.

Six police officers will lose their jobs for failing to get the vaccine. 

Of note: The city does not have a final date for when all unionized employees will be fired due to issues related to their collective bargaining agreements, like accrued vacation time and other paid time off. 

Zoom out: More than 2,800 employees have received religious or medical exemptions from getting the vaccine.  

187 exemption requests have been denied and 89 are pending an appeal. 

The Kenney administration is firing 83 city employees over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, while thousands of others have won exemptions.

The Kenney administration is firing 83 city employees over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, while thousands of others have won exemptions. Why it matters: The terminations, announced on Tuesday, mark the end of the city&#x27;s effort to fully enforce its vaccine mandate, which was announced in December 2021 but delayed several times due to pushback from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="police" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2022/01/18/philadelphia-vaccine-mandate-city-employees-delay" data-vars-content-id="452e7581-1917-469a-9517-7f3c63d65d9f" data-vars-headline="Unvaxxed city employees get the boot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2022/01/18/philadelphia-vaccine-mandate-city-employees-delay" target="_self">police</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="firefighters" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2022/02/14/philadelphia-firefighters-union-vaccine-mandate-lawsuit" data-vars-content-id="452e7581-1917-469a-9517-7f3c63d65d9f" data-vars-headline="Unvaxxed city employees get the boot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2022/02/14/philadelphia-firefighters-union-vaccine-mandate-lawsuit" target="_self">firefighters</a> unions.

COVID

Eagles preseason kicks off against the New York Jets at 7:30pm Friday at Lincoln Financial Field.  

Here's a preview of this year's Birds team.

The backdrop: The Eagles came in second in the NFC East last year with a 9-8 record, but still managed to make a playoff berth. 

Yes, but: Philly fell to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round. 

Notable newbies: Rookie center Cam Jurgens, cornerback James Bradberry and wide receivers Zach Pascal and Devon Allen.   

What to watch: Head coach Nick Sirianni said he expected the starters to play in the preseason opener. 

Jalen Hurts is entering his third year as the Eagles starting quarterback.  

Veteran Jason Kelce, a five-time pro-bowler, remains sidelined after undergoing elbow surgery this week and is questionable for the season opener. 

Of note: Injuries continue to pile up during training camp. 

The Eagles had more than a dozen players listed on the injury report on Wednesday. 

Zoom out: The Eagles have the 14th-best odds of winning the Super Bowl this year, placing them squarely in the middle of the pack, per FanDuel. 

What's next: The Birds have two more preseason games this year. 

Eagles preseason kicks off against the New York Jets at 7:30pm Friday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Eagles preseason kicks off against the New York Jets at 7:30pm Friday at Lincoln Financial Field. Here&#x27;s a preview of this year&#x27;s Birds team.

Sports

Niki Toscani and Mike Sicinski are a pickle power couple. 

State of play: The husband-and-wife team are the owners of Fishtown Pickle Project, where they have been selling small-batch jars of pickles since in 2018. 

They moved to a larger space in the same Northeast Philadelphia site earlier this year, hired more staff and invested in new equipment.

The move, they say, allows them to double — or triple — their pickle output and help grow their retail partnerships. 

We asked Niki and Mike a few questions for our culinary advice series, Chef's Table:

Niki: I love the microplane for fruit zest and cheese toppings. Also, a huge fan of blenders.

N: Riverwards Produce. We go there for quality produce and locally produced goods. 

M: We also shop from some of our retail partners for locally produced goods. We often purchase our meat at Triple C Angus Farms and seafood at Fishtown Seafood. 

M: I really love cardamom. You can use either in savory or sweet application, and in dry rubs, marinades and more.

N: Oooh, it kind of depends on my mood. But for nostalgia and comfort, I love Cuban black beans like my abuela used to make. For quick, easy and tasty, give me all the tacos! Corn tortillas or bust.

M: Breaded pork chops, shake and bake style like my mom used to make.

Favorite local restaurant and favorite dish:  

N: One of our favorite local spots is Memphis Taproom, which has my favorite wings in the city: pilsner-brined hot wings. Love their kale salad too!

M: Goldie. Gotta go with the combo meal with amba sauce, shwarma fries and a Turkish coffee tehina shake.

N: As a dietitian, [this is] one of my favorite tips for getting tasty meals on the table fast.

Spend 1-2 hours each week prepping a protein, veggies and a starch (potatoes, rice, etc.).

The key is to store everything separately, so you can throw them together quickly during the week into different dishes: tacos, wraps, salads or pasta! 

That way you'll never get bored of leftovers.

M: I am quite the opposite. I love a good one-pot meal and cooking a lot of that meal. 

N: I exercise and do yoga often. I love to spend time practicing yoga and meditation at my local sangha Motherheart in Fishtown.

M: The truth is I watch "The Office" or play video games. But both of those require a plug.

Chef's Table with Fishtown Pickle Project

We asked Niki Toscani and Mike Sicinski a few questions for our culinary advice series, Chef's Table

Niki Toscani and Mike Sicinski. Photo courtesy of Mike Prince

Niki Toscani and Mike Sicinski are a pickle power couple. State of play: The husband-and-wife team are the owners of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Fishtown Pickle Project" data-vars-click-url="https://fishtownpickles.com/" data-vars-content-id="8a7bf258-e154-43ee-b92c-62487b0df70b" data-vars-headline="Chef&#x27;s Table with Fishtown Pickle Project" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://fishtownpickles.com/" target="_blank">Fishtown Pickle Project</a>, where they have been selling small-batch jars of pickles since in 2018.

Food and Drink

The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) is moving to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Driving the news: The city revealed Thursday that it will redevelop the massive, long-vacant classical building known as the Family Court Building on the Parkway at 1801 Vine St., which will house the African American museum and other tenants. 

The city also will expand the Parkway Central Library by redeveloping the 88,000-square-foot parking lot that sits behind it at 1901 Wood St. 

Zoom in: Four firms were recently selected to redevelop both city-owned sites. 

The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), the nonprofit founded by the city and The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, is managing the development process. 

The intrigue: No budget is set for the projects yet and future ownership of the sites will be determined as part of the development proposal process, Jessica Calter, a PIDC spokesperson, told Axios.  

A rendering of Logan Square where two properties will be redeveloped. 

A rendering of the Logan Square neighborhood highlighting where the parking lot at 1901 Wood St., left, and Family Court Building, right, are located. Photo courtesy of the City of Philadelphia

Details: The Family Court Building has more than 247,000 square feet and looks out onto Logan Square. 

The building is a twin of the Free Library of Philadelphia and is located among other cultural institutions, including The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and The Franklin Institute. 

Plus: The Parkway Central Library development is expected to add a 60,000-square-foot children and family center, auditorium, offices and more, according to the city. 

What they're saying: Ashley Jordan, AAMP president, said the move to the Parkway would boost the museum's visibility, and as much as triple the museum's current gallery, theater and other programming space.  

She hoped the change of venue would help make Philly a destination site for African American history and culture. 

"It's a turning point in our history," she told Axios. 

Of note: The nonprofit AAMP was founded in 1976 during the nation's bicentennial and was funded and built by the city. 

What's next: PIDC is expected to release a request for proposals later this month for the projects, with proposals due from the firms at the end of the year.

Jordan said the goal was to open the museum in the new building by 2026, which would line up with the planned celebrations around the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.  

The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) will move to redeveloped space in the Family Court Building.

The Family Court Building located at 1801 Vine St. Photo: Alexa Mencia/Axios

The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) is moving to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.Driving the news: The city revealed Thursday that it will redevelop the massive, long-vacant classical building known as the Family Court Building on the Parkway at 1801 Vine St., which will house the African American museum and other tenants.

Sections

Axios Local

Axios gets you smarter, faster with news & information that matters.

About

Subscribe

Mike D'Onofrio

Stories

New digs for African American museum

Your guide to the Eagles preseason

Unvaxxed city employees get the boot

No new solutions to city's gun violence crisis

Chef's Table with Fishtown Pickle Project

Newsletter editions

🏈 Eagles preseason cheatsheet

Violence solution shortfall

🪧 Protests and promises

⚖️ Roe overturned

💰 Hey, big spender