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.

tanenbaum@phillyvoice.com

May 18, 2022

2022 Election

McCormick, Oz locked in tight race; no winner yet in Pa. Republican primary for U.S. Senate

by Michael Tanenbaum

Dave McCormick and Mehmet Oz, two of the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, led the pack in Tuesday's primary election, but the race between them was too close to call. Oz leads McCormick by .2%, fewer than 1,200 votes, with 95% of votes counted. It is close enough now to trigger an automatic recount. The campaign for the seat being vacated by Sen. Pat Toomey could have major ramifications on the balance of power in the Senate.

May 18, 2022

Food & Drink

Puttshack to open upscale mini golf and restaurant venue in Center City

by Michael Tanenbaum

Puttshack, the tech-infused mini golf venue, will open a location in Center City Philadelphia at the Shops at Liberty Place on Chestnut Street in summer 2023. The company combines mini golf with a bar and restaurant for an upscale experience. The patented Trackaball technology keeps score for you as you go, eliminating the need to carry around a scorecard and tiny pencil. Semi-private and private event spaces will be available at Puttshack when it opens next year.

May 18, 2022

2022 Election

Clock is ticking on automatic recount in Oz-McCormick U.S. senate primary, but first all votes need to be counted

by Michael Tanenbaum

Pennsylvania's Republican primary election for U.S. Senate appears to be headed for an automatic recount triggered by the narrow margin between candidates Mehmet Oz and Dave McCormick. The race remained too close to call on Wednesday. With a recount likely, here's what the timeline for that looks like in Pennsylvania and what steps need to be taken.

May 18, 2022

History

Sun Ra House in Germantown gets historic landmark designation

by Michael Tanenbaum

The 19th century Germantown row home that served as the home of late jazz musician Sun Ra and his Arkestra collective has been designated a historic landmark by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. The property was the base of operations for the legendary avant-garde jazz ensemble. Several surviving members of the group still live at the three-story stone property at 5626 Morton Street.

May 17, 2022

Investigations

South Jersey police chief, found lying in the street, charged with drunk driving

by Michael Tanenbaum

Bordentown Chief of Police Brian Pesce, 46, was charged with drunk driving after he was found lying on the ground along a residential road in Hamilton Township in Mercer County on April 22. Body-worn camera footage shows officers investigating the scene. One of the officers said Pesce's pants were down and he appeared to have urinated next to his truck before going to the ground. Pesce, Bordentown's police chief since 2018, was placed on restricted duty amid and ongoing investigation.

May 17, 2022

2022 Election

John Fetterman wins Pa. Democratic primary for U.S. Senate days after stroke

by Michael Tanenbaum

John Fetterman is projected to win Pennsylvania's Democratic primary election for U.S. Senate. Fetterman's Republican opponent in November had not been determined by early Wednesday. The race will be pivotal as Republicans and Democrats battle for party control in Washington, D.C. Entering Tuesday's primary, polls showed Fetterman held a strong lead over Democratic opponents Connor Lamb, Malcolm Kenyatta and Alex Khalil.

May 17, 2022

2022 Election

Doug Mastriano cruises to win in Republican primary for governor, defeating large field of candidates

by Michael Tanenbaum

Doug Mastriano won the Republican primary for Pennsylvania governor. He will be the GOP candidate in November's general election facing Democrat Josh Shapiro. Mastriano was endorsed by former president Donald Trump. He state senator and veteran, he also is a far-right candidate who believes in a number of conspiracy theories, including the unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

May 16, 2022

Social Media

Lyft driver rejects ride for Lehigh County bar owner, boyfriend who made racist comments

by Michael Tanenbaum

The owner of Fossil's Last Stand, a bar in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, was kicked out of a Lyft driver's car after she made racist comments when she entered the vehicle for a ride in Catasauqua on Friday night. The driver, James Bode, shared a video of the incident on Facebook. The bar owner was identified as Jackie Harford. A man in the video who is heard threatening violence against Bode is reportedly Harford's boyfriend, police said.

May 16, 2022

Investigations

Gunman in Buffalo supermarket massacre mentioned three New Jersey towns in manifesto

by Michael Tanenbaum

Payton Gendron, the 18-year-old man charged in Saturday afternoon's deadly shooting in Buffalo, allegedly wrote about his racial motivations for the attack in a manifesto that he shared online before the incident. Ten people were killed at the Buffalo market, all African-American, and three others were wounded. The document Gendron shared contained anti-Semitic references to three New Jersey communities — Lakewood, Toms River and Jersey City — with growing populations of Orthodox Jews.

May 16, 2022

Investigations

Woman, 63, fatally struck by erratic driver in Cape May

by Michael Tanenbaum

Cape May police are investigating a car crash that killed a 63-year-old woman Sunday on the Route 109 bridge. Authorities say the driver was driving erratically before the crash and also struck a utility pole and another vehicle before coming to a stop. The identity of the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was not released.