Previous editions of The Local 

2024
September
Beats Over Bullets. Local rap battles boost lives one bar at a time.
Trump Card 2025. The authoritarian playbook has major implications for Philly.
Building Diversity. Rebuild increases diversity in the trades.
Soup’s On! A Cuban Citrus Chicken Soup that’s best enjoyed loudly.

August
Laughing Matters. The sad state of women’s right to LOL.
Purr and Pour. A new cat cafe offers interaction and adoption opportunities.
Special Events for Mom. A local guide to celebrating Mother’s Day.
Gangster’s Legacy. The hard life and times of a family felon.

July
Taste of Paris. Parisian charm at Matines Cafe.
Butterfly Effect. July is a Butterfly Bonanza in Philly!
Treetop Tale. A German immigrant builds a musical treetop haven.
Money for Mothers. Philly Joy Bank provides support for expectant mothers.

June
A Clear Victory. Public safety victory at Queen Lane Reservoir.
Corner Tap Room Tour. Reviewing five neighborhood corner bars.
Freedom Festivities. Juneteenth and Pride month events in Philly.
Cycling Season. Bike lessons for all and the MLK Bike Party.

May
Minds of All Kinds. JeffU breaks new ground on neurodiversity design.
Philly Felines. Critter Chronicles spotlights domestic cats.
Special Events for Mom. A local guide to celebrating Mother’s Day.
Gangster’s Legacy. The hard life and times of a family felon.

April
No With the Flow. NIMBYs clog progress on Philly water safety upgrades.
Gnawesome Rescue! Local wildlife rescue saves baby beaver.
Spring Fun Guide. So much to do in Philly!
Poll Worker Push. City Commissioners looking for help in April election.

March
Board Games. Philly  School Board plays hide-and-seek with agenda.
Helping Herps. Critter Chronicles: Eastern American Toad
Facts or Faux? Real talk about fake news.
Grounds for Celebration. Discovering the slow art of Ethiopian coffee at Salam Cafe.

February
More Brew, More Better. Wissahickon Brewing announces new Kensington location.
Flaky Flashback. Last month’s snowstorm can’t compare to 2016’s “Snowmageddon.”
That’s Amore. Valentine’s Day dining destinations.
Community Win! Colored Girls Museum keeps its Gtown home.

January
Curbing Hit-and-Runs. Speed cams coming to Philly roadways.
New Clues, Ancient Brews. U of P archaeologist rethinks discovery of ancient bar.
Critter Chronicles. White-tailed deer: What are these woodsy wanderers up to?
New Year, New Flavors. Reviewing three new Philly restaurants.

2023
December
Blueprint Beyond Policing. Why Philly needs a Marshall Plan to solve gun violence.
Rethinking Resolutions. A flexible, intentional approach to being your best self.
Festive Feasting. Mifflin Tavern helps make the season bright.
Eagle-Eyed History. How the Birds got their wings.

November
Historic Showdown. The Local Recaps Philly’s Mayoral Debate.
Not in My Name. A plea for peace in the Middle East.
This Land Was Their Land. The indigenous roots of Mt. Rushmore.
Rhyme and Shine. Dell-P’s Wordsmith Experience is a freestyle master class.

October
Dying for Solutions. City Council bans safe injection sites in Philly.
A Ghostly Past. Ghostly games and lore from 1914.
Fall Fun Guide. Tips and events to help you enjoy the fall season.
Upper Crust. Philly’s pizza scene is second to none.

September
The Carbon Diaries. Crunch time for the climate.
Happy 50th Hip Hop! A review of the Hip Hop in the Park festival.
Breaking Down SEPTA’s Budget. The good, the bad, the ugly.
Write Makes Might. The Mighty Writers program comes to Germantown.

August
A Chief in the City. Sitting Bull’s Philly Visit, 1884
Mosquito Magnetism. The science of selective biting.
Black Business Guide. August is Black Business Month.
Old School Italian. The retro charm of La Famiglia Ristorante.

July
Moms for Tyranny. Maga moms come to town.
We Cannon Believe It. Cannon disappears from Fort Mifflin.
The 411 on 988. A new kind of crisis hotline.
A Local Link. The Titan submersible tragedy has a local connection.

June
Big Bang Theories. Was that a firecracker, car backfire, or gunshot?
Gratitude for Daditude. The rise of dad doulas.
Proud and Free. Juneteenth and Pride Month events in Philly.
Nyuk Nyuk Nostalgia. Local Three Stooges museum offers more than pokes the eye!

May
Blast from the Past. The devastating Tidewater Explosion of 1956.
Screen Queens. Islamic women artists experiment with an ancient art form.
Resilience and Resistance. Trans Visibility Day rally shows the power of unity.
Seasonal Sniffles Support. Allergy advice from local herbalist and educator.

April
Hot Seat. Mayoral candidates square off over gun violence.
Cutting Edge Kids. Dobbins High students power the Future Visions program.
Honoring Arab Excellence. Celebrating Arab-American Heritage Month.
Sing a Rainbow. Remembering Captain Noah and His Magical Ark.

March
Straight Talk with Seth. Editor Sandy Smith chats with candidate Seth Anderson-Oberman about his plan for real change in the 8th District.
“Philly Pigeon” at PhilaMOCA. Poetic wings take flight in safe, comforting space for BIPOC artists.
Paranormal Report: Summoning Santos. The Local’s own Dr. Von Lichtenhollen dives into spooky legend of NY congressman with hauntingly good results!
“The New Town Librarian.” Check it out! Local author Larry Benjamin reviews page-turning tale of romance, mystery, and dewey decimal systems!

February
V-Day Voices. Seniors reflect on the meaning of Valentine’s Day.
Mysterious Signs. Who’s behind the “Pick Up the Damn Trash” signs?
Shopping for Sisterhood. “Rebel Rides” on the Sisterhood Sit-In Trolley Tours.
Championship Pics. Celebrating a Birds Beatdown.

January
Dream Big. Opal Lee takes Juneteenth nationwide.
Here Fur Them. Elizabeth Morris founded the country’s first animal shelter.
Gimme a Brake. Grassroots traffic-calming efforts in NW Philly.
Heart of Education. How communication skills nurture learning in difficult times.

2022
December
Philly’s Jewish Santa. “Daddy” Cohen was a light to hundreds of children.
Coming to Town. Major grant moves SW Philly dream forward.
Comfort & Joy. Dealing with the stresses of the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
Brighter Days Ahead. Taking solace from the Winter Solstice.

November
No Contract, No Matisse! Art Museum workers end strike after winning new contract.
Political Theater. What movie titles best describe Philly politics?
Thanksgiving Thoughts. A meditation on gratitude.
Give a Hoot! November spotlight: The Great Horned Owl.

October
Shocking Saturdays. Remembering a local horror TV host
Haunted Restaurants. Breaking bread with the undead in Philly.
Calling All Voters. The stakes don’t get much higher in November’s election.
Paranormal Report. Unexplained incidents in East Falls, Germantown and environs.

September
Labor Fight in Philly. Tragedy and victory at mill strike in Kensington.
Pox Vax Is Here. Additional doses of Monkeypox vaccine arrive in NW Philly.
Fab Festivals. Odunde and NE x NW festivals showcase food, music, and culture.
For Frisk’s Sake! Some neighbors push for a return to the bad old days of minor traffic stops.

August
Getting Lost Is Good. Mazes help us wander and find our way.
Best BBQ Near You. Our resident pit master rates the best joints around.
Keeping Cool, Old School. Seniors share time-honored tips for keeping cool.
Summer Fiction. Selected tales from two local authors.

July
Blindsided. Roe v Wade decision hits home.
Pit Primer. An intro to America’s best BBQ regions.
Classic Summer pics. Sunny scenes from seasons past.
Freaky Flick. Review of Folk Horror Movie “Men”

June
Sensational Soul. Celebrating a culinary American revolution.
Ready for a Fight. Pro-choice protesters prepare for battle.
Inclusion Intrusion. As Juneteenth goes mainstream, what’s the best way to honor it?
War! What Is it Good For? Seniors reflect on war memories.

May
VOTE! Primary election prep.
City on Fire. Documentary marks the anniversary of MOVE bombing.
Island Flavors. Top Caribbean restaurants.
Wissahickon 101. Wissahickon wonders.

April
Harrowing Homecoming. Neighbor narrowly evades Russian forces on her way home
The 311 on 420. Making the most of a magical plant on 420 Day.
In the Spotlight. WHYY’s “Movers and Makers” profiles The Local.
Redlining=Racism. Rigging the housing market in NW Philly.

March
Cruel and Unusual. Philly’s prisons are a human rights crisis.
All Heart. Community Focused Women Taking Charge and Changing Outcomes.
Invasion Separation. Fallser Keeping Vigil for his Wife in Kyiv.
Groundbreaking Author. A Children’s Book Ahead of its Time.

February
Hero and Gone. Philly gets its 1st statue to a Black woman, but it’s only here a short while.
Cemetery Save. After decades of neglect, preservationists intervene to save Mt. Vernon
New Cafe Coming. Breakfast Boutique announces new East Falls location
Mad or Nah? Block the Vote. Feeling let down by the government’s failure to protect voting rights?

January
Mad or Nah: New Mandate. Reactions to new vaccine mandates for indoor dining in Philly.
2022: Believe and Achieve. NW Philly is full of potential for all of us, if we open up to it.
Apron Strings Attached. Ask Athena takes on gender stereotypes in a reader’s family.
Popup Village Coming. Shipping container mall coming to West Philly.

2021

December
New Day at NAACP. Purple Blackwell interviews Catharine Hicks, the new President of
Philly’s NAACP chapter.
Toward a Better Justice. The flawed Rittenhouse verdict demonstrates the need for Restorative Justice.
Tat’s a Shame. Think before inking a lover’s name on your body.
Whose Neighborhood? Heads up NIMBYs. Law suits, like the one filed by an East Falls RCO against a proposed development, aren’t the answer — activism is.

November
Rescuing Gtown YWCA. Activists push for new developer for historic landmark
Taking out the trash. Gtown resident helps fight Philly’s tide of trash
Cruel and Unusual. America’s for-profit prison system is a cruel race to the bottom (line)
Pages for All Ages. SOWN’s intergenerational reading programs helps seniors and grandkids.

October
Ida Know. Hurricane Ida flooding,
Classic Film, Community Conversation. “Do the Right Thing” film event,
Old School Halloween. Halloween memories from SOWN,
Public Safety Progress? Reclaim Philly critiques Philly police budget

September
Calculated Frisk. Police Experimenting with Less ‘Stop & Frisk’ in NW Philly
Mad or Nah. Neighbors React to New Mask Mandates & Vax Requirements
Crisis Coping for Kids. Skills for traumatized students.
Cleaner Currents. JeffU Students’ Project Removes Trash from the Schuylkill

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