Michaela Althouse

Michaela Althouse is a staff writer for PhillyVoice with interests in climate, technology, education and politics. She’s previously written for Technical.ly, Washingtonian Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, New Project Media and Metro Eireann. She is a Bucks County native who enjoys gardening, exploring Philly and finding the city’s best coffee.

michaela@phillyvoice.com

July 23, 2026

Health News

Rittenhouse Square dental office that closed due to unsanitary practices is set to reopen

by Michaela Althouse

Smiles at Rittenhouse, now operating at Smiles at the Square, will reopen after dentist Kirti Chopra's license was reinstated this month. In May, patients were asked to get tested for HIV and hepatitis due to unsanitary practices at the office.

July 23, 2026

Movies

Documentary to explore life of former Philly radio host whose mother fatally shot her father

by Michaela Althouse

Former Philly radio host Lois Burak is the subject of an upcoming documentary about how she navigated life after her mother fatally shot her father in 1982.

July 23, 2026

Investigations

Jenkintown man allegedly impersonated FBI agent at Philly grocery store

by Michaela Althouse

Seok Joon Lee, 54, of Jenkintown, was charged in federal court with impersonating an FBI agent. He walked into a Philadelphia grocery store in April and attempted to perform a 'security check,' authorities say.

July 22, 2026

Saquon Barkley shows off hurdling skills in new DirecTV commercial

by Michaela Althouse

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley literally jumps through hoops in a new commercial for DirecTV to mimic the difficulty of navigating streaming services to find live sports.

July 21, 2026

Healthy Eating

How much coffee is safe to drink? American Heart Association weighs in

by Michaela Althouse

Drinking up to 5 cups of black coffee per day is safe for the average adult and could promote good heart health, an American Heart Association study finds. But researchers caution that the impact of coffee consumption differs from person to person.

July 21, 2026

Environment

Chester County to add 82 acres to parks and green spaces with new grants

by Michaela Althouse

Chester County officials have approved funds for three park spaces to acquire 82 acres of land through a preservation program. Eight grants and more than $1.7 million were awarded in total.

July 21, 2026

Investigations

Man barricaded inside RV at Walmart parking lot in South Jersey, police say

by Michaela Althouse

A man barricaded himself within a motorhome parked at the Walmart in Lumberton, New Jersey on Monday night, police said. The situation remained active on Tuesday morning, and police advised people to stay away from the area.

July 20, 2026

Books

Temple medical student uses real-life experiences to create fictionalized storylines in debut novel

by Michaela Althouse

Lizzie Buehler, a Temple student, will release her debut novel 'The Obsessed' on July 28. 'I turned a lot of the things that I was seeing into fictionalized bits of stories, and ... wove it together into a full narrative,' she says.

July 20, 2026

Health News

Taylor Farms lettuce test for cyclospora yielded false positive, FDA says

by Michaela Althouse

The iceberg lettuce linked last week to the cyclosporiasis outbreak is no longer believed to be the culprit, the Food and Drug Administration said Sunday. A sample of the lettuce, produced by Taylor Farms and supplied to Taco Bell, produced a false positive, the FDA said.

July 17, 2026

Food & Drink

Map at Lion Sports Bar shows it's had customers from 165 countries and 48 states during the World Cup

by Michaela Althouse

The Lion Sports Bar, a soccer pub in Center City, put up a map and asked customers to place a sticker on their home cities and countries during the World Cup. Visitors from 165 nations and 48 states made their mark.