Previous editions of The Local
2023
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
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015