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 27, 2022
Food & Drink
AWSM Sauce, a local sustainable ketchup company, takes on Heinz with $57 million stadium naming campaign
AWSM Sauce is a sustainable ketchup and sauce company founded by Paul Lehmann and Carl Starkey, two dads and former high school athletics coaches in West Chester. The suburban Philadelphia duo, whose ketchup is made by mixing flavored powder and water at home, are taking on ketchup giant Heinz with a $57 million Indiegogo campaign to pursue a stadium naming rights deal in Pennsylvania. Heinz recently dropped its stadium naming deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose home is now called Acrisure Stadium.July 27, 2022
Entertainment
WrestleMania 40 to be held at Lincoln Financial Field in 2024
WWE's WrestleMania 40 will take place at Lincoln Financial Field in April 2024, the Philadelphia Eagles said Wednesday. The event is part of a weeklong celebration that will also include 'Friday Night Smackdown,' the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony and 'Monday Night Raw' taking place at to the Wells Fargo Center. WrestleMania was last held in Philadelphia in 1999.July 27, 2022
Politics
Pa. congressman voted against same-sex marriage bill days before attending gay son's wedding
Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Glenn Thompson voted against the Respect for Marriage Act bill that passed the House of Representatives last week. The legislation would codify the legal right to same-sex marriage. Three days after voting against the bill, Thompson and his wife attended their gay son's wedding with full support for the marriage.July 26, 2022
Weather
Lighting bolt sets fire to steeple at Port Richmond church
A lightning bolt set fire to the steeple at Grace Episcopal Church and the Incarnation in Philadelphia's Port Richmond neighborhood during a flash thunderstorm Monday afternoon. The church, which dates back to the 19th century, suffered water damage in addition to the destruction of the steeple. The church has created a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the cost of the insurance deductible to complete needed repairs.July 26, 2022
Social Media
Eagles' Gardner Minshew is selling his 'love shack' bus in Philly for $25,000
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Gardner Minshew has been living in a bus since February while preparing for his fourth NFL season. The 26-year-old wrote on Instagram that he wants to sell the bus in Philadelphia and is asking $25,000. The vehicle has about 146,000 miles on it and comes equipped with an energy efficient A/C unit, cooktop and refrigerator.July 26, 2022
Courts
Wawa reaches $8 million settlement over 2019 data breach case
Wawa has agreed to an $8 million agreement with six states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, to resolve the fallout of a massive data breach that exposed millions of customers' payment card information in 2019. A separate, class action lawsuit remains tied up in court over a proposed settlement that would require Wawa to provide up to $8 million in gift cards and as much as $1 million in cash reimbursements to customers affected by the data breach.July 25, 2022
Development
West Philly apartment complex proposal includes 352 units, retail space
Alterra Property Group and JKRP Architects have proposed a six-story, 352-unit apartment complex with more than 20,000 square feet of commercial space at the southwest corner of 42nd and Market Streets in West Philadelphia. The site sits in an area that projects to see continued population growth amid the Schuylkill Yards development project in University City. The nearby neighborhoods have a history of residential displacement, which has prompted pushback from affordable housing advocates against further development.July 25, 2022
Investigations
Car crash involving Wisconsin state senator kills Pennsylvania woman, young daughter
A central Pennsylvania woman and her young daughter were killed in a car crash on July 22 in Ashland, Wisconsin, near Lake Superior in the northwest part of the state. Wisconsin state Sen. Janet Bewley had pulled out of a parking lot onto U.S. highway 2, near Lake Superior, and struck the car driven by Alyssa Ortman, 27. Ortman's car struck a third vehicle on the highway. No other serious injuries were reported.July 22, 2022
Social Justice
Sesame Place apologizes to Black family snubbed by Rosita mascot, pledges change
Sesame Place issued a lengthy apology on Thursday to the family of two Black girls who were snubbed by a mascot at the Bucks County theme park last Saturday. The Rosita character was seen in a viral video refusing to give high-fives to the girls, which prompted outrage and calls for the employee to be fired. Sesame Place has committed to mandatory diversity training for its employees, but has not indicated whether the employee will be fired.July 22, 2022
Prevention
Reducing violent crime in cities also results in fewer heart disease deaths, Penn research suggests
Heart disease deaths appear to be linked to rates of violent crime in city neighborhoods, according to a study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. An analysis of cardiovascular disease deaths and violent crime rates in Chicago from 2000 to 2014 found that as violent crime decreased, heart disease deaths also went down based on how significant the decrease in crime was in a neighborhood. The researchers say the study points to the significant health impact of the legacy of racial segregation on communities of color, which are disproportionately affected by violent crime.Just In
- Juvenile charged in connection to swatting calls to Pa. universities last summer
- City Council to consider expanding SEPTA’s student fare program
- Former Bucks County home of judge in Abscam case is listed for $5.85 million
- American spending on prescription drugs to surpass $1 trillion this year
- Standouts from the Phillies' first winning series – a sweep! – since Easter weekend
- Eagles way-too-early 53-man roster projection
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