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

December 13, 2022

Holiday

Where to donate toys in Philadelphia this holiday season

by Kristin Hunt

Several Philadelphia charities and institutions are soliciting new toy donations to be given to children this holiday season. There are drives taking place at City Hall, Eastern State Penitentiary, the Museum of the American Revolution, the Institute for Community Justice and CHOP. There also are various Toys for Toys drop-off sites.

December 12, 2022

Investigations

Families of Pan Am Flight 103 bombing victims react to suspect being taken into U.S. custody

by Kristin Hunt

The Libyan man accused of making the bomb that detonated on Pan Am Flight 103 as it traveled over Lockerbie, Scotland on Dec. 21, 1988, has been extradited to the United States to face charges for terrorist attackt. The Lockerbie bombing killed 270 people, including at least 16 from the Philadelphia region. Their families reacted to the news that Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi was arrested in 2020.

December 12, 2022

Lawsuits

Pennsylvania will receive more than $450 million in opioid settlement with CVS, Walgreens

by Kristin Hunt

CVS and Walgreens will pay numerous state, local and tribal governments $10 billion to settle lawsuits related to the opioid crisis. Pennsylvania will receive more $450 million, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. Walmart and pharmaceutical companies like Purdue also have reached settlements, bringing Pennsylvania's total in opioid settlements to $2.2. billion.

December 9, 2022

College Football

Why this weekend's Army-Navy game is the last one in Philly until 2027

by Kristin Hunt

The Army-Navy game will leave Philadelphia until 2027 after Saturday's contest at Lincoln Financial Field. It will be played in Boston, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and East Rutherford, New Jersey before returning. Philly has hosted the Black Knights and Midshipmen 89 times since the tradition began at West Point in 1890.

December 7, 2022

Lifestyle

Phillies, Taylor Swift tickets among Google's most-searched terms in 2022

by Kristin Hunt

Google unveiled its 2022 "Year in Search," a compilation of the most-searched terms across news, pop culture and sports. The Philadelphia Phillies appeared near the top of multiple search categories. Hometown stars, including Taylor Swift, Bob Saget and Will Smith, also were the subjects of many online searches. 'The Watcher' was the third most-searched TV show of the year.

December 6, 2022

Government

The Real ID requirement deadline has been extended again. Do you still need one?

by Kristin Hunt

The deadline to obtain a Real ID has been extended to May 7, 2025, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The deadline has been extended multiple times, leaving many to wonder if they even need get the enhanced security form of identification. Here are answers to some of the most common questions from Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents about Real ID.

December 6, 2022

Pets

Two Pennsylvania cities have banned cat declawing. Why hasn't Philadelphia?

by Kristin Hunt

Pittsburgh and Allentown have banned the declawing of cats, and a bill in the Pennsylvania General Assembly could make the elective surgery illegal statewide. But Philadelphia's city council has never discussed the issue. Veterinarians and animal rights groups say the procedure is inhumane except in certain scenarios.

December 5, 2022

Books

Holiday shopping for a bookworm? Here are 23 gift ideas from Philly book stores

by Kristin Hunt

Need a book idea for a holiday gift? Three Philadelphia booksellers – Head House Books, A Novel Idea and The Spiral Bookcase – offer recommendations on seven popular genres: mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, horror/thriller, young adult and non-fiction.

December 2, 2022

Immigration

Federal government will close migrant detention center in Berks County next month

by Kristin Hunt

The Berks County migrant detention center, long decried by activists and local politicians will close Jan. 31. The federal government informed Berks County officials this week that it would end its contract with the Berks County Residential Center, a 96-bed, women-only detention center in Leesport. The ICE contract is set to expire on January 31, 2023. Immigrant advocates cheered the news, characterizing the closure as a hard-won victory.

December 1, 2022

Government

Philadelphia City Council passes permanent 10 p.m. curfew for teens

by Kristin Hunt

The Philadelphia City Council voted on Thursday to make the summertime curfew for teens a permanent city fixture. Teens 14 to 17 would have to be inside by 10 p.m., while those 13 and younger would have to be home by 9:30 p.m. The bill is intended to keep children safe from gun violence.