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.
September 25, 2024
Investigations
Three men allegedly caught stealing 1,600 pounds of beef in Northeast Philly
Authorities arrested three men Tuesday morning in the Tacony neighborhood of Northeast Philly, where authorities said they broke into a locked trailer and were stealing about 1,600 pounds of beef valued at $7,000. The investigation is part of wider probe of food thefts in the region.September 24, 2024
Business
Bob & Barbara's must knock down its $35,000 streetery after losing legal fight with city
South Street bar and restaurant Bob & Barbara's Lounge must dismantle its streetery for outdoor dining after the city ordered it removed due to a planned road resurfacing project. The structure cost the business about $35,000 to build earlier this year. The owners said city regulators approved the streetery without notifying them of the upcoming road work, which would have changed their plans and design for the project.September 24, 2024
Film
Questlove's next film project will be a documentary on Earth, Wind & Fire
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson is slated to direct an upcoming documentary examine the legacy of Earth, Wind & Fire, the legendary soul and R&B group whose career spans more than five decades. The project will be a follow-up to Questlove's Oscar- and Grammy-winning directorial debut, "Summer of Soul," which featured archival footage of the Harlem Cultural Festival in the summer of 1969.September 23, 2024
Education
Penn Law professor Amy Wax suspended one year for 'flagrantly unprofessional conduct'
University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax was given a one-year suspension and stripped of her named chair at the Ivy League school after a decision was reached Monday by the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Freedom. For years, Wax has stoked controversy with disparaging comments about people of color and immigrant communities. The decision ends more than two years of university proceedings to discipline Wax.September 23, 2024
Wildlife
Blue whale spotted off Cape May coast – a rare sighting of the world's largest animal
A blue whale surfaced about 50 miles off the coast of Cape May, New Jersey during an ecological tour led by the Cape May Whale Watch & Research Center earlier in September. The endangered species is the world's largest animal, but it is not usually seen this far south in the Atlantic Ocean.September 20, 2024
Courts
Man convicted of throwing firebomb that torched front stoop of Northeast Philly home
Jason Mattis, 51, was found guilty Thursday of throwing a firebomb at a home in the Tacony neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia during the summer of 2022, federal prosecutors said. Mattis was accused of throwing the homemade devices at multiple properties on two separate nights. He was found guilty of possession of an unregistered destructive device. Mattis faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of probation and a $250,000 fine.September 20, 2024
Technology
Plan would power new Microsoft AI data center with electricity from Pa.'s Three Mile Island nuclear reactor
One of the nuclear reactors at Three Mile Island, the Pennsylvania site of a partial meltdown that occurred March 28, 1979, would be brought back online power a Microsoft's artificial intelligence data center. Constellation Energy has signed a 20-year power purchasing agreement with the tech giant to draw nuclear energy from the plant along the Susquehanna River outside Harrisburg and about 85 miles west of Philadelphia.September 20, 2024
Courts
Sesame Place found not liable in lawsuit claiming discrimination at Bucks County theme park
A federal jury in Philadelphia determined that character performers at Sesame Place in Bucks County did not discriminate against Black children during visits to the theme park. The case was sparked by a viral video in 2022 that appeared to a show a mascot snubbing two Black girls. The lawsuit, which sought $25 million, was filed by another family that made similar allegations. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, which owns Sesame Place, was found not liable.September 19, 2024
Courts
Fantasy football rivalry goes awry, ending with fake reports of international threats and conviction for Philly man
A Philadelphia man submitted fake tips to police in Norway and at the University of Iowa, claiming a rival in his fantasy football league was planning mass shootings and bombings on two occasions in August 2023 and March of this year, federal prosecutors said. Matthew Gabriel, 25, pleaded guilty to charges on Wednesday.September 19, 2024
Transportation
Section of I-76 East to close during next four weekends to allow PennDOT repairs
A section of I-76 East will close each of the next four weekends in South Philadelphia while PennDOT makes bridge repairs. The closure extends from just before the ramp for the Grays Ferry Avenue/University Avenue (Exit 346B) to just before the 34th Street on-ramp. When the highway is closed, motorists will be detoured to I-676 East to get to I-95 South, or I-476 North to get to I-95 North.Just In
- Who's John Ternus, the Penn graduate named next CEO of Apple?
- Pa. court strikes down state ban on using Medicaid for abortions
- These Philly bars are offering Flyers-themed drink specials for the playoffs
- Sixers own No. 22 overall pick in 2026 NBA Draft via Jared McCain trade after winning tiebreaker
- Mann Center concertgoers have to pay for parking again starting next month
- Full injury reports for Sixers-Celtics Game 2 on Tuesday
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