Jake Blumgart

please write this!!

It’s ‘Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day‘ weekend in Philly after a court ruling An appeals court ruled in August that former-Mayor Jim Kenney’s 2021 order replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day is invalid.

www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

New bill would ban new convenience stores and pharmacies from opening in Kensington The new zoning restrictions on new pharmacies and convenience stores come in the wake of a curfew bill that sought to crack down on "nuisance businesses."

As City Council struggles to confront skill games, fake weed, and kratom stores--which are regulated (or not) rom Harrisburg and D.C.--local legislators are increasingly using broad brush tools that effect other small businesses too: www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

when?

www.inquirer.com/health/child...

L.A.’s Entertainment Economy Is Looking Like a Disaster Movie Work is evaporating, businesses are closing, longtime residents are leaving, and Los Angeles’s creative middle class is hanging on by a thread.

"At the end of 2024, some 100,000 people were employed in the motion picture industry in Los Angeles County, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Two years earlier, there were 142,000." www.wsj.com/business/med...

Apartment tower planned for Columbus Boulevard could be the first of three The proposal is the latest for a parcel that has seen multiple failed development plans in the last decade.

A New York capital management firm is planning a soaring tower on the Delaware River with 620 units. The project is legally possible due to the unique zoning incentives available along the central riverfront.

Philadelphia Film Society unveils renovation of its Chestnut Street centerpiece theater PFS's Philadelphia Film Festival kicks off with a newly redesigned lobby and concession area for the nonprofit's Chestnut Street flagship.

The nonprofit completely remade the lobby and concession area, adding double doors, a street-facing box office, and a new Americans with Disabilities Act accessible entrance.

Worker absences and flight delays at Philly regional airports could worsen amid the government shutdown So far, the budget impasse has not led to chronic traffic snarls on the runway at PHL, but absences are already up.

Philadelphia regional airports are contending with staffing shortages as the federal government shutdown drags into a second week — and union officials warn the situation could worsen quickly if the government doesn’t reopen soon.

Apartment tower planned for Columbus Boulevard could be the first of three The proposal is the latest for a parcel that has seen multiple failed development plans in the last decade.

A 620-unit tower planned next to Pennsport, on the Delaware River, could be the first of three (although given the history of failed projects on this parcel many are skeptical) www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

The Secret to Vancouver’s Public Transit Ridership Recovery The Canadian city’s transit agency, TransLink, bounced back from Covid even as other North American systems have struggled. Its leader explains why riders returned.

The head of Vancouver’s transit agency can sum its ridership recovery in one word: Frequency.

“Running the bus every 30 minutes isn’t going to cut it if you want to grow ridership.“

Many Vancouver 🚌 run every 5min or less, and the SkyTrain runs every 3-4min, via @davidzipper.bsky.social

What’s Really Going On in Portland, According to Police Reports Protests outside an ICE facility were dwindling in size and at times ”low energy” in the days and weeks before President Trump called in troops, according to official law-enforcement logs.

"Newly released police reports filed in federal court describe how the protests that began in June were dwindling before Trump’s order." www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Inside the Justice Department Where the President Calls the Shots The president has executed a wholesale transformation of the Justice Department, taking control in ways he could have only dreamed of in his first term.

"The section tasked with public corruption investigations is down from 30 prosecutors to two full-time, and the national security division has lost about half its personnel; both were involved in cases against Trump or his allies." www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Developers should build more apartments for families, study argues Developers should experiment with different kinds of layouts to attract families at various life stages, the authors argue.

Developers have been building more studio and one bedroom apartments since 2008. Is it time to start building bigger, and more family friendly, units? www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

Philadelphia Film Society unveils renovation of its Chestnut Street centerpiece theater PFS's Philadelphia Film Festival kicks off with a newly redesigned lobby and concession area for the nonprofit's Chestnut Street flagship.

There's a lot of fun items in my Philly Film Center profile, but among them is that they are screening all of the David Lynch's Twin Peaks: The Return on the big screen later this year! www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

Pretty sure some version of this was proposed when I lived in Philly in 2012. Though it could have been any number of other failed riverfront tower proposals.

A 2024 detail I keep thinking about... the Trump campaign saw a growing problem where voters thought he'd be obsessed with revenge if he got back into office. They fixed this w a Fox town hall (campaign got Qs in advance) where he said of course he wouldn't do that. www.nytimes.com/2024/01/10/u...

Encampment residents along the Delaware River brace for a clearing, but they don’t know when or how it will happen Confusion about when the sweep at 1341 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. might take place and who will be running it has left residents grappling with uncertainty.

Currently there is a sprawling encampment along the bike trail next to this parcel, and at the neighborhood meeting last night developer representatives said a sweep is planned for next Tuesday. Our story on a similar situation there from last year: www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

Apartment tower planned for Columbus Boulevard could be the first of three The proposal is the latest for a parcel that has seen multiple failed development plans in the last decade.

A 620-unit tower planned next to Pennsport, on the Delaware River, could be the first of three (although given the history of failed projects on this parcel many are skeptical) www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

October 2025 F&M Poll Results The first poll since the 2024 election explores a number of issues, including AI, democracy, and the state Supreme Court retention election, along with the mood of Pennsylvania's voters and their rati...

One takeaway from the F&M poll of Pa voters for me:
People are super anxious about AI and want to see AI regulated.

All the hype from AI boosters could bite them in the butt if politicians realize AI regulations would be very welcome by voters.

Philadelphia Film Society unveils renovation of its Chestnut Street centerpiece theater PFS's Philadelphia Film Festival kicks off with a newly redesigned lobby and concession area for the nonprofit's Chestnut Street flagship.

MOVIES ARE BACK, BABY www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

‘Little treat culture’ is fueling a Philly bakery boom. Here are a baker’s dozen new spots to get that bread. Everyone, it seems, is saying it with flour — from national cookie chains with their leavened marketing budgets to mom-and-pop pop-ups. Here are some of the new bakery entrants out there.

You know what, i do deserve a little treat www.inquirer.com/food/restaur...

Developers should build more apartments for families, study argues Developers should experiment with different kinds of layouts to attract families at various life stages, the authors argue.

Interesting counterpoint in this new study arguing that developers learned the lessons of 2010s too well, and are building too many studios and one bedrooms: www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

Federal Agents Storm South Shore Building, Detaining Families and Children Families were woken by flashbangs and helicopters as hundreds of federal agents raided their homes. Days later, neighbors are still searching for the missing.

"Agents were seen choking a Black man on the West Side and conducted a raid outside a homeless shelter in Bronzeville..They shot and wounded a woman Friday, hospitalized at least two people over the weekend, handcuffed a Chicago alderperson" southsideweekly.com/federal-agen...

In related news, let me know if you or someone you know has any interesting work opportunities!

Developers should build more apartments for families, study argues Developers should experiment with different kinds of layouts to attract families at various life stages, the authors argue.

Developers have been building more studio and one bedroom apartments since 2008. Is it time to start building bigger, and more family friendly, units? www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

Philly’s top federal prosecutor, David Metcalf, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate Metcalf was nominated by President Donald Trump in March, but his candidacy had not received a vote amid partisan battles over many of Trump's nominees.

www.inquirer.com/politics/dav...

Poplar wins as city’s police union president after a combative campaign Roosevelt Poplar, who has led the Philly FOP since 2023, was elected to a three-year term on Tuesday, along with his entire slate.

"The campaign was unusually caustic, marked by social media attacks, fake accounts, AI-generated images, contentious union meetings, and even threats of violence."

www.inquirer.com/news/fop-pol...

Poplar wins as city’s police union president after a combative campaign Roosevelt Poplar, who has led the Philly FOP since 2023, was elected to a three-year term on Tuesday, along with his entire slate.

"The campaign was unusually caustic, marked by social media attacks, fake accounts, AI-generated images, contentious union meetings, and even threats of violence."

www.inquirer.com/news/fop-pol...

Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to raise money for public television stations after funding cuts "I can’t think of a more meaningful way to share his works of art than by supporting public television’s mission to educate and inspire," said the president of Bob Ross Inc.

Painter and television host Bob Ross' original work will be auctioned off to help support public television stations after funding was cut by the Trump administration.