City Council members on Monday sharply criticized top members of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration over a lack of details about the administration’s plan to end the open-air drug market in Kensington, with some lawmakers saying the discord was significant enough to disrupt negotiations over the city budget.The episode comes just one week after a fight between Parker and Council over her school board nominations came into public view, the first major point of conflict between the city’s executive and legislative branches since Parker and Council President Kenyatta Johnson both took...…City Council members on Monday sharply criticized top members of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration over a lack of details about the administration’s plan to end the open-air drug market in Kensington, with some lawmakers saying the discord was significant enough to disrupt negotiations over the city budget.The episode comes just one week after a fight between Parker and Council over her school board nominations came into public view, the first major point of conflict between the city’s executive and legislative branches since Parker and Council President Kenyatta Johnson both took...WW…

The opening of beaches offered one of the first rays of light to a region worried about a shut-in summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, but drew mixed reviews from local officials.New Jersey beaches can reopen in time for Memorial Day — with social distancing measures in place, Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday. The executive order offered one of the first rays of light to a region worried about a shut-in summer due to , but drew mixed reviews from the local officials who Murphy said will be responsible for limiting beach capacity and ensuring compliance with social distancing.Delaware, too,...…The opening of beaches offered one of the first rays of light to a region worried about a shut-in summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, but drew mixed reviews from local officials.New Jersey beaches can reopen in time for Memorial Day — with social distancing measures in place, Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday. The executive order offered one of the first rays of light to a region worried about a shut-in summer due to , but drew mixed reviews from the local officials who Murphy said will be responsible for limiting beach capacity and ensuring compliance with social distancing.Delaware, too,...WW…

The coronavirus measuring stick Pennsylvania officials released this week for when counties might be considered for reopening under Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan caused confusion across the region.» UPDATE: The coronavirus benchmark that Pennsylvania officials released this week for when counties might be caused confusion across the region, with guidelines posted on the state website contradicting statements from state and local officials.According to the website, Philadelphia would already have the case numbers needed to be considered for moving into the first phase of reopening. That prompted...…The coronavirus measuring stick Pennsylvania officials released this week for when counties might be considered for reopening under Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan caused confusion across the region.» UPDATE: The coronavirus benchmark that Pennsylvania officials released this week for when counties might be caused confusion across the region, with guidelines posted on the state website contradicting statements from state and local officials.According to the website, Philadelphia would already have the case numbers needed to be considered for moving into the first phase of reopening. That prompted...WW…

Critics say the request raises questions about a decades-old policy barring the Philadelphia Police Department from using its own officers to physically infiltrate protests.The Philadelphia Police Department enlisted federal drug agents to infiltrate crowds of protesters during racial justice demonstrations in the city last spring, a move that critics say may have circumvented a decades-old ban aimed at deterring police from spying on activists.The undercover operation was made public last week , a D.C.-based think tank that obtained emails between police and federal officials through a...…Critics say the request raises questions about a decades-old policy barring the Philadelphia Police Department from using its own officers to physically infiltrate protests.The Philadelphia Police Department enlisted federal drug agents to infiltrate crowds of protesters during racial justice demonstrations in the city last spring, a move that critics say may have circumvented a decades-old ban aimed at deterring police from spying on activists.The undercover operation was made public last week , a D.C.-based think tank that obtained emails between police and federal officials through a...WW…

Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel gave something to Kensington residents last week that they say they’ve wanted from the city for years: an apology.“You have the absolute right to be frustrated,” the city’s top cop told a woman who described the conditions in her neighborhood and said she was sorry for getting angry. He responded: “Don’t you apologize. We owe you an apology.”Bethel told residents who gathered at a community meeting that his department could not end the open-air drug market overnight, but he promised that change is coming under the leadership of a new administration.And it...…Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel gave something to Kensington residents last week that they say they’ve wanted from the city for years: an apology.“You have the absolute right to be frustrated,” the city’s top cop told a woman who described the conditions in her neighborhood and said she was sorry for getting angry. He responded: “Don’t you apologize. We owe you an apology.”Bethel told residents who gathered at a community meeting that his department could not end the open-air drug market overnight, but he promised that change is coming under the leadership of a new administration.And it...WW…