Philadelphia leaders officially learned this week what they'd feared for months: Federal funding for the $207 million Chinatown Stitch project is gone — and now they're charting a new path forward.

Why it matters: It's a huge blow for Chinatown, jeopardizing the future of a decades-long push to cap the Vine Street Expressway that cuts through the neighborhood.

State of play: State and local officials are back to "grant shopping" to fund the project, John Chin, executive director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC), tells Axios.

• The already-funded preliminary phase — including finalizing a design — will continue while stakeholders search for new funding to begin construction in 2027, City Councilmember Mark Squilla tells Axios.

Zoom in: The latest design, unveiled during this week's Art Commission meeting, includes a capped lush park between 10th and 12th streets.

• Plus: landscaped pathways, a playground, statues, garden terraces and a plaza with a shaded pavilion.

By the numbers: The project lost $150.5 million in federal funding after cuts from President Trump's recently passed "big, beautiful bill."

• The project had already secured an initial $8.4 million in federal funds, which remains available.

What they're saying: The U.S. Department of Transportation has "cut any remaining unobligated balances" for the Stitch project, a spokesperson for the Federal Highway Administration tells Axios.

Context: Philadelphia leaders were in limbo for weeks about whether the Chinatown Stitch project had been defunded after Congress passed Trump's bill.

• Confusion ramped up when Sen. John Fetterman's office announced the Trump administration was releasing more than $1 billion for dozens of infrastructure projects across the state.

What we're watching: Chin says other federal or state grants are possible, or a philanthropic group could swoop in to rescue the project.

• The goal is to have the project "shovel-ready" for when new funding is found, but Squilla says it seems likely the lobbying effort will resume next year.

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SEPTA's doomsday service cuts begin Aug. 24.

The big picture: Despite several additional weeks of negotiations, Pennsylvania's divided government failed to reach a budget deal and boost SEPTA funding.

• SEPTA is putting in place service cuts due to a $213 million budget shortfall this year.

What they're saying: "With no new source of state funding secured, SEPTA has no choice but to move ahead with implementing these devastating cuts," spokesperson John Golden tells Axios.

Zoom in: The SEPTA cuts will lead to at least 275,000 more vehicles on the roads in the region, per a report from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

How it works: SEPTA will phase in service cuts on Aug. 24-25.

• 🚌 Bus: 32 routes eliminated; 16 shortened; dozens with reduced service.
• 🚇 Metro: Reduced service for several lines, including the heavily used Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines.
• 🚋 Trolley: Reduced service on several routes.

Plus: All special services running for games in South Philly, concerts and other major events are eliminated.

• That could leave fans without supplemental trains during Eagles and Phillies games.

What we're watching: If state lawmakers pass a budget with enough funding to reverse SEPTA's cuts, the agency will need at least 10 days to restore full service.

Keep reading

🎤 Taylor Swift, our Pennsylvania pop star, joined her beau, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, on the "New Heights" podcast this week to announce her new album, "The Life of Showgirl."

• It was a rare sit-down appearance for Swift, who normally shuns interviews. (NYT)

🏟️ It's official: The Wells Fargo Center is no more. We all have to start calling it Xfinity Mobile Arena from now on.

🧑‍🎓 Some Philly-area universities are seeing declines in international student enrollment, while others are reporting increases. It comes as some international students rethink their post-graduation plans due to the Trump administration's policies. (Inquirer)

Who let the dogs out? Philly artist Emily White did — and a guinea pig, too.

Why it matters: A new Northern Liberties mural is turning these loveable neighborhood pets into local dog-nitaries — but they're not getting too pig-headed about it.

Driving the news: The Northern Liberties Business Improvement District is unveiling White's mural, "Can I Paint That Dog," today, followed by a "yappy hour" at nearby Orianna Hill Dog Park.

The intrigue: When she was tapped to create a piece capturing the hearts — and howls — of the neighborhood, White remembered how, for five years, she'd walk her dog Mason nearly every morning to that same dog park.

• Her mural is painted on the historic Kaplan's bakery, right across the street from the dog park.
• "It feels awesome to make other people feel like your dog is … a neighborhood beacon," White says.

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The leaves may still be green and the temperatures blazing, but America's favorite fall flavor is already brewing.

What's happening: For people who just can't wait until fall, we are in "Augtober" and Summerween — when Halloween meets the summer heat and autumnal flavors creep into menus across the country.

The intrigue: Weeks ago, the unofficial season began in grocery aisles.

• Now, it's debuting at restaurants with brands slowly launching products.
• Trader Joe's traditionally has launched pumpkin spice products by mid-September.

On Monday, La Colombe begins offering its pumpkin spice latte and draft latte at its cafes.

• Freebie: The first 30 people in line for a pumpkin spice drink at each Philly cafe that day will get a free seasonal pumpkin pastry with their purchases.

Aug. 26 is when Starbucks' fall menu debuts, four days later than last year's earliest ever release.

See when PSLs arrive at other places