Tag Archives: Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports: A Philadelphia sheriff’s deputy who was a leader in the city’s gay community, and who a state legislator said “lifted up every room he ever stepped foot in,” was found dead at his desk in his Center City office Friday morning. Deputy Sheriff Dante Austin, 27, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the office …

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports: Former Vice President Joe Biden is choosing Philadelphia to base his 2020 presidential campaign, opting for his native Pennsylvania over the state of Delaware that sent him to the Senate for 36 years. The choice is both practical and symbolic for Biden. Philadelphia is convenient to his homes in Wilmington, Delaware, and northern Virginia. The site …

NBC News Philadelphia reports: As a mumps outbreak continues to grow at Temple University, school health officials said Thursday they will offer free vaccinations to students and staff. At least 86 people are tied to the mumps outbreak at the North Philadelphia university which has some 40,000 students and 4,500 staff members. The Philadelphia health department said Thursday that 16 …

The Wall Street Journal reports: Philadelphia is the first major U.S. city to ban cashless stores, placing it at the forefront of a debate that pits retail innovation against lawmakers trying to protect all citizens’ access to the marketplace. Starting in July, Philadelphia’s new law will require most retail stores to accept cash. A New York City councilman is pushing …

NBC News Philadelphia reports: A New Jersey couple accused of scamming a homeless good Samaritan out of hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of an online fundraiser that went viral a year ago had initially conspired with him to concoct a “fictitious story,” prosecutors allege. A complaint obtained by NBC Philadelphia says couple Mark D’Amico and Kate McClure made …

Philadelphia Magazine reports: Comcast on Wednesday fired Andrew Kovalic, a 10-year employee who earlier this week became the target of a viral petition alleging that he is a member of a hate group. The petition that called for Kovalic’s termination, which had garnered 373 signatures by Wednesday morning, was created and sponsored by the Philadelphia-based nonprofit Media Mobilizing Project, which …

Pink News reports: A street sign in honor of lesbian campaigner Edie Windsor was unveiled on October 7. “‘Don’t Postpone Joy’ today and take a stroll The Edie Windsor Way,” Windsor’s widow Judith Kasen-Windsor—her second wife—wrote on Facebook on Sunday, quoting one of the campaigner’s mantras. Windsor died in September 2017 aged 88 after spending most of the past decade …

Reuters reports: The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Thursday to force the city of Philadelphia to resume the placement of children in need of foster care with a Catholic agency that refuses to accept gay couples as foster parents. In a decision that Catholic Social Services had said would force its foster care program to close, the justices refused the …

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports: Vice President Mike Pence’s second visit to Philadelphia this summer was again met with protests, this time with a dystopian theme. People dressed as handmaids from the novel-turned-Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale joined protesters outside of the Union League Monday evening. Pence was hosting a fund-raiser at the club for fellow Republican Lou Barletta, who is …

The photo above is of convicted gay-basher Kathryn Knott. The Philadelphia Intelligencer reports: The Bucks County Commissioners approved a settlement agreement Wednesday with a Norristown woman who claimed the county District Attorney’s Office retaliated against her because of disparaging comments she made on social media. Commissioners Charles Martin and Diane Marseglia voted in favor of a $52,207.50 cash payment to …

The Associated Press reports: Starbucks has adopted an open-bathroom policy following the arrest last month of two African American men at a coffee shop in Philadelphia. Chairman Howard Schultz says he doesn’t want the company to become a public bathroom, but feels employees can make the “right decision a hundred percent of the time,” if that choice is removed at …

CBS News reports: A Southwest Airlines plane made an emergency landing at Philadelphia’s airport with what appears to be a damaged engine on Tuesday. Passengers walked off the plane on the tarmac at the airport. Passenger Marty Martinez did a brief Facebook Live posting with the caption “Something is wrong with our plane! It appears we are going down! Emergency …

The Washington Post reports: The chief executive of Starbucks apologized Saturday to two black men arrested at a Philadelphia store in an incident that has led to accusations of racial profiling by the company and police. In a statement to Starbucks customers and employees Saturday, CEO Kevin Johnson acknowledged “a disheartening situation in one of our Philadelphia-area stores this past …

The Philly Voice reports: The beating of a gay couple three years ago in Center City, which resulted in the high-profile trial of defendant Kathryn Knott, settled a civil suit against their attackers this week. Andrew Haught and Zachary Hesse sought more than $500,000 against Knott, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams in an assault and battery lawsuit filed in May …

The Philly Voice reports: A federal lawsuit alleging Kathryn Knott, her father and members of the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office conspired to retaliate against a Montgomery County woman who posted mocking Internet comments can proceed, U.S. District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg ruled last week. Goldberg declined to dismiss the lawsuit filed last year by Kathleen O’Donnell, a Norristown resident …

The Philadelphia Gay News reports: Like her two co-defendants, Kathryn Knott is contending she acted in self-defense during a high-profile attack on a gay couple in Center City. Knott made the claim in a June 23 court filing in a civil case brought by plaintiffs Andrew Haught and Zachary Hesse, who are seeking at least $500,000 in damages. The couple …

Via email from hate group leader Brian Brown: In Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney’s office [PHOTO: Kinney] was deeply involved in organizing the violent demonstrations against us, which were attended by anarchist groups that are closely watched by the FBI. The mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs proudly referred to themselves as ‘an accomplice’ in organizing protests which turned violent, with attacks …

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports: A peaceful rally in support of transgender people turned into a disruptive protest in Center City at about noon Saturday when an orange bus bearing anti-transgender messages on it — “Boys are boys… and always will be” and “Girls are girls… and always will be” — rolled around onto the north side of City Hall. The …

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports: Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams [photo] sent his friend and benefactor Michael Weiss this text in November 2014: “What does your badge say?” Weiss replied: “District Attorney, Special Advisor.” “Fancy,” Williams countered playfully about the official role he had conferred on Weiss, who owns bars in Philadelphia, including Woody’s, an iconic gay bar in Center City. …

BillyPenn.com reports: Little Pete’s is disappearing from Center City sooner than anyone thought. Although developers for the hotel that will replace the iconic diner at 17th and Chancellor had set August 31 as the deadline for vacating the space, owner Pete Koutroubas has decided to shut down earlier. He’s also throwing a farewell party. As reported by Philly Chit Chat, …