Kristin Hunt

Kristin Hunt is a senior staff writer for PhillyVoice. A history and pop culture junkie, she spends her spare time stalking the Free Library shelves and binge watching TCM. She has previously contributed to Vulture, GQ, Mental Floss, JSTOR Daily, and The Washington Post.

kristin@phillyvoice.com

January 4, 2023

Business

Private mailbox services are booming in Philadelphia as residents seek options to combat package thieves

by Kristin Hunt

The increasing number of thefts of mail and packages has resulted in a boom for private mailbox businesses in Philadelphia as residents look for options to avoid porch pirates. A private mailboxes is a rental service that promises more security and flexibility than the traditional USPS and P.O. Boxes. In Philly these services are offered by businesses like Fishbox, Package Safe Club or Stash Spot.

January 2, 2023

Development

Jim's Steaks plans to reopen in 2023 with a second-story addition

by Kristin Hunt

Jim's South Street shared sketches of its rebuild on New Year's Day. The cheesesteak shop has been closed since July 29, 2022, when a two-alarm fire ripped through the building, but it plans to reopen sometime in 2023. When it does, it will include a second-story addition that matches its Art Deco storefront.

January 2, 2023

Performances

Alanis Morissette musical 'Jagged Little Pill' opens at Kimmel campus this week

by Kristin Hunt

"Jagged Little Pill," the Broadway musical based on the Alanis Morissette' album of the same name, opens at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia on Jan. 3, 2023. It runs through Jan. 15. The jukebox musical features hits like 'You Oughta Know' and 'Ironic.' Tickets cost $20 to $119.

January 2, 2023

Nature

Rare comet should appear in sky later in January — and it could be visible without a telescope

by Kristin Hunt

A rare comet, known as C/2022 E3 (ZTF), may be visible without a telescope in late January or early February, NASA predicts. The comet, which was photographed by space geeks on the East Coast around Christmas, was first spotted last March. It has not been this close to Earth since the Stone Age. It will not appear again for 50,000 years.

December 29, 2022

Lawsuits

U.S. Justice Department sues Conshohocken-based pharmaceutical distributor for role in opioid crisis

by Kristin Hunt

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Dec. 29 against AmerisourceBergen, claiming the Coshohocken-based pharmaceutical distributor failed to report suspicious opioid orders to the DEA under the Controlled Substances Act.

December 29, 2022

Investigations

Fire at Independence National Historical Park building was arson, NPS rangers say

by Kristin Hunt

A fire was set in the basement of Carpenters' Hall, part of Independence National Historical Park in Old City, Philadelphia, on Christmas Eve. It is being investigated as an arson, the National Park Services, says. Carpenters' Hall, a national historic landmark, was the site of the First Continental Congress in 1774.

December 28, 2022

History

Lucy the Elephant is fully renovated and ready for visitors

by Kristin Hunt

Lucy the Elephant, the Margate, New Jersey landmark, has been been repaired and was unveiled to the public on Wednesday, Dec. 28. The $2.4 million renovation project replaced 140-year-old structures deteriorating metal exterior. Lucy is the oldest roadside attraction in America, and a national historic landmark.

December 28, 2022

Lottery

Mega Millions jackpot hits $640 million ahead of Friday's drawing

by Kristin Hunt

The Mega Millions jackpot soared to $640 million after 21 drawings without any winners. It is the second biggest prize of 2022. The final drawing of the year is slated for 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30.

December 27, 2022

How the Mummers Parade (briefly) landed on national TV in the 1990s

by Kristin Hunt

The annual Mummers Parade is usually broadcast on local Philadelphia-area stations, but for a brief run in the '90s, it aired on national TV through the Travel Channel. WGN also ran the New Year's Day event in 2009-2010. This year, it will be broadcast on MeTV, or Channel 2, instead of the usual PHL17.

December 23, 2022

Music

Listen to 'A Philly Special Christmas,' now available to stream

by Kristin Hunt

Philadelphia Eagles Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata cover holiday classics like White Christmas on the limited-edition A Philly Special Christmas. The entire album is now available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. Money raised by album benefit the Children's Crisis Treatment Center.