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.
December 12, 2022
History
11 new Pa. historical markers approved for Philly in 2022
The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission has approved 36 new historical markers this year, including 11 in that will be placed at significant sites in the Philadelphia. The new markers were selected from 91 applications, bringing the state's total number of markers to more than 2,500 since the program's inception in 1946.December 9, 2022
Government
As Brittney Griner returns from Russian prison, Pennsylvania's Marc Fogel remains jailed on marijuana charges
Marc Fogel, an international teacher from Pennsylvania, hopes that WNBA star Brittney Griner's release from prison in Russia will pave the way for him to return home. Fogel, 61, was arrested in Russia in August 2021 on marijuana charges similar to those that landed Griner in prison. Griner's freedom was secured as part of a prisoner swap, but the U.S. was unable to negotiate the release of Fogel or retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, whose case also has garnered significant publicity.December 9, 2022
Celebrities
Former 'Jackass' star Bam Margera placed on ventilator for pneumonia, COVID-19
Bam Margera was hospitalized in San Diego this week and placed on a ventilator due to a severe case of pneumonia and complications from COVID-19. Margera has struggled with substance use issues for years and has been in and out of rehab. He was fired from "Jackass Forever" last year for failing a required drug test. Margera filed a wrongful termination suit and ultimately settled the case out of court. TMZ reported that Margera is in stable condition at the hospital.December 9, 2022
Courts
Columbus statue in Marconi Plaza must be uncovered, Pennsylvania court rules
The plywood box concealing the statue of Christopher Columbus at Marconi Plaza in South Philly must be removed, The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled Friday. The monument has been covered up since June 2020, when civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd led to tense protests at the plaza. A lawsuit filed by the Friends of Marconi Plaza has kept the controversial statue's fate tied up in court.December 8, 2022
Transportation
Route 420 bridge in Delaware County closes indefinitely due to 'significant' deterioration, PennDOT says
The southbound Route 420 bridge crossing Darby Creek in Delaware County will be closed indefinitely after an inspection revealed significant deterioration to the structure. During the bridge closure, southbound Route 420 (Wanamaker Avenue) motorists will be directed to use U.S. 13 (Chester Pike), Stewart Avenue and northbound Interstate 95 to access Route 420.December 8, 2022
Business
Wawa is planning expansion to Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky within a few years
Wawa, the Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain will open locations in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky in the coming years. Over the next few years, Wawa also will open stores in Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia. The chain, which is Pennsylvania's largest private company and the 24th largest in the country, aims to double its store count by 2030. The company currently has about 900 stores in in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.December 8, 2022
Investigations
Philly's cold-case homicide victim, the 'Boy in the Box,' identified as Joseph Augustus Zarelli, police say
Philadelphia police say Joseph Augustus Zarelli is the Boy in the Box, the previously unidentified victim of the notorious 1957 cold-case homicide. After his remains were found in a box in a field in Northeast Philly, the child's death received national attention. Forensic genetic genealogy was used to determine the boy was Zarelli. Investigators also determined he was 4 years-old when he died.December 7, 2022
Lottery
$2.4 million-winning lottery ticket sold at lucky Roxborough gas station, where a $1.3 million ticket was bought last year
A Pennsylvania Lottery Fast Play ticket worth more than $2.4 million was sold last Saturday at the Sunoco gas station at 630 Walnut Lane in Philadelphia's Roxborough neighborhood. The top prize for the Fat Wallet game set a Pennsylvania Lottery record for a Fast Play game. In May 2021, the same Sunoco station sold a winning Extreme Green lottery ticket that was worth $1.3 million.December 7, 2022
Investigations
Who is the 'Boy in the Box?' A look back at the efforts to solve the 1957 homicide in Northeast Philly
Philadelphia police will identify the "Boy in the Box," a child whose body was found in 1957 in a cardboard box in the Fox Chase section of Northeast Philly, on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. The case of the boy's death has gone unsolved for decades, earning the child the nickname "America's Unknown Boy," but authorities now say DNA analysis has confirmed his identity. The "Criminology" podcast detailed the case in the 2020 episode.December 7, 2022
TV
'Jeopardy!' streak ends at 21 wins for Jersey Shore contestant Cris Pannullo
Ocean City, New Jersey resident Chris Pannullo's 21-game win streak on "Jeopardy!" came to end Tuesday night. Pannullo racked up $748,268 in winnings since the streak started in September. He is No. 6 on the "Jeopardy!" Leaderboard of Legends for consecutive games won and No. 5 for highest winnings during regular-season play. He's also earned a spot in the show's 2023 "Tournament of Champions." Pannullo lost to Andy Tirrell, a political science and international relations professor from San DiegoJust In
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