Philly blinded Trump with science

Mar 10, 2025

A thousand Philadelphians rallied against the Trump administration’s attacks on science, protesting not just funding cuts to research but also frozen communications from health departments and threats to the work of agencies like the CDC and FDA.
Jahlil Okafor. Nerlens Noel. TJ McConnell. Ring a bell? They were part of some of the worst Sixers teams ever—we trusted the process, and now tickets are selling for just a buck again.
As climate change accelerates rising sea levels, Philadelphians face a future of salt-contaminated drinking water. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is gutting the NOAA, the very agency tasked with tracking the crisis.
More bike lanes could be on the way—Councilmember Jeffery Young, Jr. introduced three bills to expand bike lanes in some of the city's busiest, most hazardous areas.
New Yorkers looking to buy a house are eyeing Philadelphia more than any other city. Good thing comrade Zohran Mamdani is running for NYC mayor with a plan to build 200,000 new affordable housing units over the next 10 years!
Philadelphia saw one of its lowest homicide rates in decades last year, with a 34% drop from 2023 to 2024—the largest decline in recorded history. Why would Larry Krasner do this?
Philadelphia billboard terrorist and Democratic mega-donor John “Jawn” Morgan is teasing a run for Florida governor under his new political party. Last year, he said he'd call it the "Capitalist Party." What’s the difference?

GOP mega-donors are funneling millions into the Pittsburgh mayoral race to unseat progressive incumbent Ed Gainey, and our good pal Jeff Yass is involved.
As Trump and Musk continue their crusade to gut the federal government, Governor Josh Shapiro is offering laid-off workers a soft landing in state jobs.
Read this Spotlight PA profile on a woman trapped by Pennsylvania’s broken commutation system.
Key Republicans in Harrisburg are suddenly saying cyber charter schools need reform. What changed? An audit found the same thing as every other audit: these schools burn through tax dollars on advertising, bonuses, real estate, gift cards, and car payments.
Radnor High School has yanked three LGBTQ+ books from its library after a single parental complaint in yet another example of reactionary moral panic.
Chester County Democrat Chrissy Houlahan joined Republicans in voting to censure Al Green for his protest against Trump’s fascist rantings. Because unless you oppose fascism quietly, respectfully, and without disruption, you’re just as bad, right?
PJM, our grid operator, says data centers will drive up Pennsylvania’s energy demand, which could mean higher consumer costs and, of course, more fossil fuels.
Pennsylvania Congressmen Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie are facing heat from constituents after backpedaling on their promises not to support Trump’s federal funding cuts to programs like Medicare.

Move over, hitchBOT. The Portal, a popular art project that connects Philadelphians to the rest of the world, is down again.