⚖️ SW Philly Mass Shooting Suspect in Custody

Philadelphia police released updates on Monday’s mass shooting that killed five and injured four in Kingsessing. The suspect, 40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker, wore a bulletproof vest and a ski mask while “shooting aimlessly” with an AR-15 assault rifle, police said. Carriker reportedly told responding officers who made the arrest that the rampage was an attempt to help authorities address Philly’s gun violence crisis, because it would trigger divine intervention. [Inquirer 🔒]

🏫

Philly To Change School Lottery Admissions Process

Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington announced that the school district will revise its current process for admission to its most selective schools. The lottery system was introduced in 2021, to try to increase the proportion of Black and Latino students in these schools. It replaced a long-standing practice in which principals made final admission decisions. However, the consulting firm Accenture conducted a recent survey of counselors, principals, students, and other stakeholders, and only 20% said they liked the newer process. [Chalkbeat Philadelphia]

🎒What went wrong with Philly’s school lottery system? We found out! [City Cast Philly 🎧] 

🎓 Temporary Girls’ High School Principal

After refusing to give diplomas to some students at graduation, Girls’ High principal Lisa Mesi has been temporarily replaced. Prior to the ceremony, Mesi warned graduates that if their families clapped, cheered, or called out their names, diplomas would be withheld. Video of Mesi withholding a diploma from a student who danced across the stage then went viral. Some alumni said that Mesi received death threats after the incident. [Inquirer🔒]

🥳 Free Summer Events in Philly

Living your best life this summer doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. There are tons of exciting things to do all over Philly for free, and we’ve got your ultimate event roundup to keep your soul and your wallet happy all season. [City Cast Philly 🎧]

Society Hill is a historic neighborhood bounded by Walnut Street, Lombard Street, Front Street, and 8th Street. It got its name from the Free Society of Traders, a company that William Penn chartered in 1682 to control trade and commerce with England.

There’s no shortage of fun things to explore in the area. Here are a few of my favorites.

Something to do: Pick up wine, baked goods, and fresh produce at Headhouse Farmers Market every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at 2nd and Lombard Streets. The year-round market features a rotating selection of more than 40 local vendors, and several food trucks.

Something to eat: Enjoy wood-fired pizza, savory appetizers like calamari and grilled octopus, and sip on some sangria at Pizzeria Stella on 420 S. 2nd Street.

🍝 Indulge in Italian dishes like lobster ravioli and bucatini at Bistro Romano on 120 Lombard Street. On Fridays and Saturdays, enjoy live music from Craig Satchell in the piano lounge.

Something to explore: Step into the past at Mother Bethel AME Church's basement museum on 419 S. 6th Street. Founded in 1787, it’s the nation’s first Black denomination and it rests on the oldest continuously Black-owned parcel of land in the U.S. Check out the original pews and pulpit constructed by founding pastor, Rev. Richard Allen. There's also a huge collection of stained-glass windows. Museum tours are available by appointment.

Thanks to a partnership between Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and local company Bennett Compost, Philly has its first city-supported composting facility and it’s located in Lawncrest.

Philly has given Bennett Compost the keys to a former Parks & Rec maintenance facility where it can compost materials from the city, as well as its private customers.

At a recent press conference, Mayor Jim Kenney called the facility a “great example of what can happen when we find innovative ways to work together.”

Currently, Bennett Compost picks up food scraps from 50 recreation centers, but it plans to expand to all Philadelphia rec centers that serve meals within the next five years.

City and state officials hope the initiative will serve as a model for other cities and municipalities to replicate.

🎥 Short Films | Friday | 6 p.m.

Catch three under-30 minute films made by Latino filmmakers at Cherry Street Pier. [free, Penn’s Landing]

🍿

Movie Screening | Friday | 9 p.m.

Watch “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” at Triangle Park. [free, Wynnefield]

🪩

Dance Party | Friday | 9 p.m.

Drink, dine, and dance the night away at World Cafe Live featuring live music from Guachinangos and DJ Mario Cotto.

🍻

Parks on Tap | Through Sunday | Various times

Enjoy fresh food, beer on tap, wine, snacks, and other drinks at FDR Park. A portion of all proceeds benefits the park. [pay-as-you-go, South Philly]

McGlinchey’s Bar is a long-time dive on South 15th Street in Center City. It’s also one of the few bars that still allows smoking, despite a 2008 ban on smoking in most indoor spaces.

Host Trenae Nuri sits down with Ali Mohsen, food and beverage reporter for Billy Penn, and Sheldon Sokol, co-owner of McGlinchey’s Bar, about how it has kept its smoking exemption and why these bars are likely to lose them in the next couple of decades.

Talk to you tomorrow, friend!

- Brittany Valentine