Eugene Sonn

What Philly’s corporate investors mean for renters and homebuyers A new study finds investors are snapping up properties in neighborhoods like Germantown and Cobbs Creek — and it could change who can afford to live there.

This new report shows how Philly's high homeownership rates are under stress. Growing investor purchase of homes, especially in Germantown, Cobbs Creek, Brewerytown.

whyy.org/articles/phi...

Photos of Kensington: Philly Bomba Plena Cultural Center showcases student performances Students of all ages closed out their Bomba and Plena classes with a recital in North Philadelphia organized by the Philly Bomba Plena Cultural Center.

If you need a moment of beauty and community togetherness, look at the AMAZING photos here from Sol Valerio for @kensingtonvoice.bsky.social

www.kensingtonvoice.com/photos-of-ke...

Job Seekers Need More Than Jobs: Addressing the Grief of Unemployment - Generocity Declining belief in the American Dream as job loss, rising costs, and student debt impact young people. Unemployment rate soars, affecting stability.

As journalism lays off more and more people, this story really gets about how this is yes a loss of income, but so much more.

generocity.org/philly/2025/...

Fringe Festival performance ‘Ashes and Iron’ captures Kensington’s heartbreak and resilience Daisie Cardon'a performance 'Ashes and Iron' is part of the 2025 Philadelphia Fringe Festival and portrays both the struggle and resilience of Kensington.

I know there is a ton to choose from in Philly Fringe Fest, but I have had the chance to meet and speak with Daisie a few times and expect this to be powerful. Thanks to @kensingtonvoice.bsky.social for the story.

www.kensingtonvoice.com/fringe-festi...

SNAP cuts incoming and could affect you. See if you qualify for an exemption. - Resolve Philly SNAP cuts hit in September. Learn how Germantown neighbors can see if they qualify for exemptions.

Great service journalism from Germantown Info Hub

resolvephilly.org/gih/snap-cut...

Das Good owner, Anou, has called the U.S. home for 45 years. Now he’s facing deportation. - Resolve Philly Das Good owner Anou Vongbandith as he faces deportation to a Laos, a country he barely knows, after 45 years in the United States.

Germantown is rallying around a restaurant owner facing deportation.

resolvephilly.org/gih/das-good...

Rising costs threaten Latino cultural fabric in Norris Square, new community survey finds Correction: The original version of this story misspelled the last name of Eliezer Vila. Pat De Carlo is known as the “lady who lives in the big house.” It’s a three-story brick row home on the North...

Thankful to @kensingtonvoice.bsky.social and ‪@vickydiazcamacho.bsky.social for this story on Norris Sq.

www.kensingtonvoice.com/en/rising-co...

Why the terms “second-generation” and “third-generation” matter for Philadelphia’s Latine communities – Metro Philadelphia Philadelphia has never been more diverse, and Latine families play a central role in that transformation.

“In work settings, I’m expected to know Spanish to translate,” Alfaro said. “That makes things difficult because it makes me feel like a failure as a Latina not being able to speak Spanish. It’s disheartening to be expected to translate and not be able to.”

metrophiladelphia.com/philadelphia...

Philly's African Drum Tradition as Resistance and Ritual​ African drum and dance are the heart of Black Music Philadelphia - from ‘tangin’ at block parties to the drum circles at Malcolm X Park. They are acts of memory and resistance, carrying the spirit of ...

The Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble, formed in 1969 and performs, teaches and celebrates the culture of African drum and dance.
It’s one of the many groups profiled by Love Now Media, Fun Times Magazine, and WURD for Black Music Month.

lovenowmedia.com/phillys-afri...

Things have been kind of quiet about what to do with Market East since the @sixersnba.bsky.social stadium project died. Appreciate this grassroots effort to build a community vision for the area on Monday 5pm at 1218 Arch St.

www.eventbrite.com/e/peoples-vi...

Will Philly fix its foster care system for kids and families? A City Council-driven look into the city’s foster care practices has those invested in change hopeful.

Friday Philly City Council holds hearing on foster care. As @billy-penn.bsky.social and the Philadelphia Journalism Collab report, activists are pushing for action, not more study.

billypenn.com/2025/06/05/p...

‘Paul Miller’s Law’ Effective June 5 ‘Paul Miller’s Law’ Effective June 5

According to PennDOT, distracted drivers injured 6,000 people and killed 49 last year in Pa. There's more detail here on the tougher hands-free cell phone while driving law taking effect Thursday.

www.pa.gov/agencies/pen...

Germantown Women’s activists push for action over talk Crossroads Women’s Center urges City Council to act on known solutions to stop poverty-driven family separation in Philly’s foster care system.

Philly City Council is promising hearings on foster care system. These Germantown activists says the city already has a plan to improve it. It has to actually do it. Story from Germantown Info Hub and Steve Volk.

resolvephilly.org/gih/crossroa...

Germantown Neighbors: Meet Bernice Rosalind Eugenie Sebastian, the oldest living Philadelphia resident - Resolve Philly West Germantown’s Bernice Sebastian is Philadelphia’s oldest resident at 111 — and a former headmistress from Saint Kitts.

Some wisdom from Meet Bernice Rosalind Eugenie Sebastian, who is 111 years old, lives in Germantown.

resolvephilly.org/gih/bernice-...

Guest Commentary: I Survived the Amtrak Crash in Philadelphia Ten years ago, former Congressman Patrick Murphy survived the Northeast Philly Amtrak train crash that killed eight and injured over 200.

It feels like it can't be 10 years ago that Amtrak train 188 derailed. Appreciate Patrick Murphy's thoughts here on the lasting impact and remembering the 8 lives lost to an utterly preventable crash.

thephiladelphiacitizen.org/patrick-murp...

Guess I can’t finish cutting the grass until this bird perches somewhere else.

Had a conversation this week about how pardons in the past have kept longtime immigrants in the US from getting deported by ICE for nonviolent offenses. Made me think about what would @govmurphy.bsky.social have to lose as a lame duck by taking this strategy? Would have to act quickly.

The Pa. Supreme Court reprimanded him as a lawyer. Philly Democrats want to make him a judge anyway. Judicial candidates like Shawn Page who win the party’s endorsement almost always triumph in the primary.

Interesting story on one judicial candidate. More interesting to me is only one of the candidates for Municipal Court endorsed by the Philly Democratic party got rated as "recommended" by the bar association. Seems like the bigger story.

www.inquirer.com/politics/phi...

Philly removes neglected children from homes to keep them safe. But they often face worse abuse in foster care placements. Since the city established Community Umbrella Agencies, or CUAs, they've been sued nearly 70 times for allowing kids in their care to be killed, assaulted, and injured.

How did a model for making child welfare work better lead to 69 lawsuits, 50 settled for $1million +? The Inquirer and Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative report on how kids removed from their homes were then scalded, burned, beaten. Some died.

www.inquirer.com/news/dhs-chi...

Gabriel Escobar - Wake Up With WURD 4.4.25 Gabriel Escobar is editor and Senior Vice President of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He joined Solomon Jones to discuss the communities and engagement desk and more.

For folks who are interested in hearing directly from the Inquirer's Editor and Senior Vice President Gabriel Escobar about the decision to get rid of the Communities and Engagement desk, you can listen for yourself. He was on the air Friday on WURD.
soundcloud.com/onwurd/gabri...

How Would We Build Homes Without Immigrant Labor and Foreign Materials? Take a line-by-line look at the estimated costs of building this four-bedroom home in Phoenix, Ariz., under President Trump’s agenda.

Analysis shows a home being built in Phoenix would cost 18% more if done under the new tariffs and without immigrant labor. Would have been better to do this on a more typical home (not a $1.2M one) but good info on housing affordability.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Stay tuned, we're expecting another investigation from the Our Kids series in the next few weeks.

Philly took $5 million in foster children’s Social Security payments without telling them Under this legal but controversial practice, DHS transferred the money into the city’s $5 billion general fund.

This builds on past reporting Steve and Julie did showing how Philly has been doing this. Despite a City Council law, Philly DHS still does this, but now says it notifies youth or their families.
www.inquirer.com/news/foster-...

PA counties divert millions from foster kids' Social Security Pennsylvania child advocates are calling out counties for using Social Security funds to offset care costs for foster youth, often without their knowledge.

Now Steve Volk and Julie Christie have teamed up with @spotlightpa.org to document how Pa. counties have taken at least $15.7 MILLION in Social Security payments owed to youth in foster care. That's just from 2020-2024.

www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/04...

Parker administration ends community-led opioid settlement grants, leaving Kensington programs in limbo The Overdose Prevention and Community Healing Fund, or Prevention Fund, used a community-led grantmaking process to distribute $3.1 million to 43 organizations in 2024.

I missed this last week from @kensingtonvoice.bsky.social on how Mayor Parker is ending community-led opioid settlement grants
www.kensingtonvoice.com/en/parker-ad...

I was at both Sixers/Celtics games in Philly this year. The one without Embiid or George was a thriller nearly won by Maxey and supporting cast. The other with Embiid wasn't close. If Sixers get a top pick, would it work better to trade Embiid?

LEVEL UP: A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS! Level Up CONTEST: A Celebration of Black Women Entrepreneurs and Innovators In celebration of Women's History Month, the Level Up contest is back! Each year, we highlight Black women business owners. ...

WURD Radio is holding a Level Up contest for women entrepreneurs. Deadline to apply is 3/21
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Citizen detective tracks illegal dumper - The Chestnut Hill Local A trail of trash led to accountability this week when a demolition contractor agreed to help clean up illegal dumping behind Valley Greene Apartments.

I love how a resident who cared dug through and found proof of where the trash came from....and the city and the property owner who got dumped on won't have to pay for cleaning this up.

chestnuthilllocal.com/stories/citi...

Twins? Cousins? Never met another dog that looks like her.

Philly Land Bank still not a priority bidder at sheriff sales The public agency has funding to acquire new parcels for affordable housing and community gardens, but is still not a priority bidder.

Another way the Philly land bank is not functioning. Not bidding on sheriff sales. What a missed opportunity.
whyy.org/articles/phi...