AltWeeklies Wire
Petty's Island, a Fin-Shaped Slice of Strange in the Delaware Rivernew
Never heard of Petty's Island? It's littered with colorful characters — Pennsylvania founder William Penn, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, a man who declared himself the island's king, and even the pirate's pirate himself, Ol' Blackbeard.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Holly Otterbein |
02-02-2010 |
Economy
Did the Push to Save Philadelphia's Libraries Backfire?new
The decision not to close any of Philly's libraries may come at a cost. Because while all branches remained open this fall, the libraries did suffer from the first round of budget cuts: Free Library Director Siobhan Reardon now faces the prospect of running all 49 branches with significantly fewer resources per library.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Isaiah Thompson |
03-24-2009 |
Economy
How Slot Machines Are Secretly Designed to Seduce and Destroy Younew
Slots-only gambling parlors located in highly populated areas are precisely the model that Foxwoods and SugarHouse casinos hope to replicate in Philadelphia. Gov. Ed Rendell and others have portrayed slots as a safe medium. The opposite is true.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Isaiah Thompson |
01-13-2009 |
Economy
Living on Scrap: How Two Men Found Their Calling in the Garbagenew
The skyrocketing market for metal is turning into a boom for scrappers, guys who roam the streets searching for metal they can pile into their truck haul to the scrap yard for cold hard cash. Despite having led hard lives and having checkered pasts, Greg and Ron are now making an honest go of it as scrappers.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Isaiah Thompson |
08-05-2008 |
Economy
Food Prices are Going Up, but Food Stamp Allowances Aren'tnew
There hasn't been a major revision of food stamp regulations since 2002. Philadelphians on food stamps continue to wait for any action, and improvise.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Tom Namako |
05-13-2008 |
Economy
Rural People Once Watched the Weather; Now They Track the Price of Oilnew
Rural America's deep disaffection is in some ways more terrible than the pain of the inner city -- because urbanites never harbored any illusions about the Republicans' deceptive rhetoric.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Bruce Schimmel |
04-29-2008 |
Economy
Her Aim is Truenew
Pennsylvania's lone female rep in D.C. works to stimulate the economy.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Paul Fain |
02-05-2008 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
How Bad is the Subprime Crisis in Philly?new
The city hasn't suffered from devalued homes and jobs losses like other parts of the country, but many people with poor credit who bought homes will soon be struggling to pay their mortgages, if they aren't already.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Ted Hesson |
10-16-2007 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
The Transactionnew
A new, faster way to ruin your credit (just add hookers and blow).
Philadelphia City Paper |
Jeff Deeney |
02-06-2007 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
Dietary Restrictionsnew
Can man (and woman) live on food stamps alone?
Philadelphia City Paper |
Doron Taussig |
08-15-2006 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
