Michael Tanenbaum
Michael Tanenbaum is a senior staff writer for PhillyVoice.com, with interests ranging from technology and behavioral health to local community initiatives and cultural life. Michael has written for the Argentina Independent and Bespoke Magazine and previously served as a news editor for Xfinity.com before joining PhillyVoice. He received his B.A. in The Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University.
July 28, 2023
Investigations
Canoes, fishing gear used by youth programs vandalized at FDR Park, friends group says
At FDR Park in South Philly, canoes and fishing gear used for youth programs were among the property recently damaged by people drinking at the popular South Philly recreation spot, the park's friends group said. In an Instagram post on Monday, the Friends of FDR Park described that multiple canoes were destroyed, fishing equipment was broken or stolen, and the boathouse near Meadow Lake was vandalized.July 27, 2023
Wildlife
Baby osprey rescued off the coast of Ocean City by family in boat
A baby osprey was rescued in Ocean City on Wednesday when a family encountered the struggling bird of prey during a fishing trip. The family was able to get the bird onto the back of their boat and take it to the nearest dock to meet officials with the Humane Society of Ocean City. The species, a fish-eating bird of prey, is still considered threatened in New Jersey decades after populations were decimated by the use of pesticides like DDT. The Humane Society hopes to reunite the osprey with its family.July 26, 2023
Adult Health
Smart tattoos could be the next wearable health technology
Smart tattoos are an emerging health technology that could soon be used to monitor vital signs like sun exposure, dehydration and blood sugar levels. Researchers believe body art can be harnessed as a way to equip people with wearable tracking tools that help them stay on top of health needs. Smart tattoos can use biosensors to change color in response to various factors, helping people improve performance and anticipate symptoms before they appear.July 26, 2023
Investigations
SEPTA bus crashes into Center City building, injuring the driver
A SEPTA bus crashed into a building near 15th and Walnut streets in Center City on Tuesday night, leaving the bus driver with minor injuries, police said. There were no other people on the bus and no other reported injuries. The crash was the third involving a SEPTA bus in the last week. A crash on Roosevelt Boulevard on Friday killed a woman and injured 19 other people. And seven people were injured when a SEPTA bus crashed in Fishtown on Sunday.July 26, 2023
Business
R.E.Load, the Philly messenger bag company, to close after 25 years
R.E.Load Bags, the Philadelphia company that makes custom bike messenger bags and other cycling accessories, is closing at the end of 2023. Owners Roland Burns and Ellie Lum started the company from a shared apartment in 1998. It later moved to a Northern Liberties storefront and developed a reputation for the quality of its handmade products. The business is still accepting orders ahead of the closure.July 25, 2023
Investigations
Driver who crashed into parked car in Absecon, killing 8-year-old, charged with DUI
A boy, 8, who had been asleep in a car, parked on the side of a road in Absecon, New Jersey was killed when his vehicle was struck by a passing car early Sunday morning. Javier Velez, of North Philly, was with his dad and younger brother on a weekend fishing trip. The driver, Edward Johnston, 25, has been charged with DUI.July 25, 2023
Government
Cape May considers adding more arches to the Promenade, but some residents push back
Cape May is considering a proposal to add 16 more arches along the Promenade. The six existing arches, installed over the winter, pay homage to the wooden arches that once lined the Jersey Shore town's beachfront during the first half of the 20th century. The arches have received mixed reviews from residents and visitors. Some say more arches may interfere with views and cause light pollution.July 25, 2023
Healthy Eating
Why do dieters so often regain weight? Drexel, Penn researchers join national study to find better answers
Most people who lose weight from dieting eventually end up regaining most or all of what they lost, leading researchers to search for the biological and behavioral causes of this. A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health, and involving researchers from the Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania, aims to give scientists a better understanding of the factors that cause people to regain weight.July 24, 2023
Investigations
Boy, 5, killed in farming accident in Lancaster County, state police say
A 5-year-old boy was killed Monday morning in a farming accident in Little Britain Township, Pennsylvania State Police said. The accident took place at a property on the 100 block of Fulton Britain Road in Little Britain Township, a Lancaster County municipality located a short drive from the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. A preliminary investigation determined the boy's death was accidental. The child's name has not been released.July 24, 2023
Investigations
Retired minister charged in 1975 cold-case homicide of Delaware County girl
Retired minister David Zandstra, 83, of Georgia, is charged with homicide for allegedly killing Gretchen Harrington in 1975 in Marple, Delaware County. The girl was 8 at the time and disappeared while walking to a Bible school program at Trinity Chapel Christian Reformed Church in August 1975. Her remains were found at Ridley Creek State Park two months later. Zandstra was a minister at the church at the time of Harrington's disappearance.Just In
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