FOP president John McNesby said he’s open to possible police reforms, but he won’t allow changes “to get shoved down our throat.”Five years before any Philadelphian had heard of George Floyd, hundreds marched through the city, through snow and heat, chanting the name of another black man who was killed by a police officer: Brandon Tate-Brown.Tate-Brown, 26, had been stopped by two rookie Philadelphia patrol officers as he drove through Frankford on a December night in 2014. The officers would claim they’d spotted the butt of a handgun jammed next to the driver’s seat, and tried to arrest...…FOP president John McNesby said he’s open to possible police reforms, but he won’t allow changes “to get shoved down our throat.”Five years before any Philadelphian had heard of George Floyd, hundreds marched through the city, through snow and heat, chanting the name of another black man who was killed by a police officer: Brandon Tate-Brown.Tate-Brown, 26, had been stopped by two rookie Philadelphia patrol officers as he drove through Frankford on a December night in 2014. The officers would claim they’d spotted the butt of a handgun jammed next to the driver’s seat, and tried to arrest...WW…

The PPP loans were intended as a “job-saving program” for small businesses crushed by the pandemic. Thousands of workers lost their jobs anyway.When COVID-19 mandates shut down Philadelphia last year, Chris Mason got laid off from the Hilton Garden Inn near the Convention Center. It was a place where he had worked for so long — nearly a decade — that he figured he was “pretty much a fixture as far as cooks go.”Two weeks later, in April, his employer pocketed a $1.1 million forgivable loan from the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), according to federal data.The PPP...…The PPP loans were intended as a “job-saving program” for small businesses crushed by the pandemic. Thousands of workers lost their jobs anyway.When COVID-19 mandates shut down Philadelphia last year, Chris Mason got laid off from the Hilton Garden Inn near the Convention Center. It was a place where he had worked for so long — nearly a decade — that he figured he was “pretty much a fixture as far as cooks go.”Two weeks later, in April, his employer pocketed a $1.1 million forgivable loan from the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), according to federal data.The PPP...WW…

Library staff members have been fighting for racial justice for years. This training, they say, was just the latest misstep.In a diversity and inclusion training for Free Library of Philadelphia staff last week, a presenter to avoid terms like white supremacy and systemic racism because they were overused, distracted from solutions, and focused on just one race. White privilege — which she called “one of the other myths out there” — was another to avoid.This kind of language, , a Black diversity consultant, told the staff, didn’t account for the fact that people of color, too, could cause...…Library staff members have been fighting for racial justice for years. This training, they say, was just the latest misstep.In a diversity and inclusion training for Free Library of Philadelphia staff last week, a presenter to avoid terms like white supremacy and systemic racism because they were overused, distracted from solutions, and focused on just one race. White privilege — which she called “one of the other myths out there” — was another to avoid.This kind of language, , a Black diversity consultant, told the staff, didn’t account for the fact that people of color, too, could cause...WW…

Deputy Health Commissioner Dr. Caroline Johnson resigned Saturday night amid the fallout from the city's now severed partnership with Philly Fighting COVID.Deputy Health Commissioner Caroline Johnson has resigned after records obtained by The Inquirer show she gave an advantage in a city bidding process to Andrei Doroshin, Philly Fighting COVID’s young CEO who until this week the city entrusted to run its largest vaccination site.Johnson sent a similar message of advice to the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, which was provided to The Inquirer by Health Department spokesperson James...…Deputy Health Commissioner Dr. Caroline Johnson resigned Saturday night amid the fallout from the city's now severed partnership with Philly Fighting COVID.Deputy Health Commissioner Caroline Johnson has resigned after records obtained by The Inquirer show she gave an advantage in a city bidding process to Andrei Doroshin, Philly Fighting COVID’s young CEO who until this week the city entrusted to run its largest vaccination site.Johnson sent a similar message of advice to the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, which was provided to The Inquirer by Health Department spokesperson James...WW…

Philadelphia’s vaccine rollout became a national cautionary tale. Now, city officials are scrambling to rebuild public trust — the foundation of any successful vaccination campaign.Andrei Doroshin stood in the lobby of his Fishtown apartment complex Friday — the very place where his dream of building a coronavirus vaccination empire first came to life — and prepared to address the media once again.Two weeks after touted him as the “22-year-old whiz kid” running the city’s vaccination efforts, the disgraced CEO of Philly Fighting COVID was determined to convince the public that he was not...…Philadelphia’s vaccine rollout became a national cautionary tale. Now, city officials are scrambling to rebuild public trust — the foundation of any successful vaccination campaign.Andrei Doroshin stood in the lobby of his Fishtown apartment complex Friday — the very place where his dream of building a coronavirus vaccination empire first came to life — and prepared to address the media once again.Two weeks after touted him as the “22-year-old whiz kid” running the city’s vaccination efforts, the disgraced CEO of Philly Fighting COVID was determined to convince the public that he was not...WW…

From library workers to sanitation worker influencers, here's a look at the people and organizations who shaped the labor movement in Philadelphia this past year.In 2020, it seemed everyone was engaged in a labor struggle.Workers confronted dangerous conditions on the job, racism in the workplace, and the lack of job opportunities at all. They organized and protested. They died of COVID-19, even as they were championed as heroes by commercials and billboards.Here’s a look at the people and organizations who shaped the labor movement in Philadelphia this last year.In one of the most visible...…From library workers to sanitation worker influencers, here's a look at the people and organizations who shaped the labor movement in Philadelphia this past year.In 2020, it seemed everyone was engaged in a labor struggle.Workers confronted dangerous conditions on the job, racism in the workplace, and the lack of job opportunities at all. They organized and protested. They died of COVID-19, even as they were championed as heroes by commercials and billboards.Here’s a look at the people and organizations who shaped the labor movement in Philadelphia this last year.In one of the most visible...WW…

The package of bills aims to provide job security to the thousands of hospitality sector workers who were laid off during the pandemic.Philadelphia City Council unanimously approved three bills Thursday that aim to provide job security to the thousands of hospitality sector workers who were laid off during the coronavirus pandemic — and who would likely face more job instability as the recession drags on.The package of bills, dubbed the “Black Workers Matter Economic Recovery Package,” covers more than 12,000 tourism industry workers, such as hotel housekeepers and stadium food service...…The package of bills aims to provide job security to the thousands of hospitality sector workers who were laid off during the pandemic.Philadelphia City Council unanimously approved three bills Thursday that aim to provide job security to the thousands of hospitality sector workers who were laid off during the coronavirus pandemic — and who would likely face more job instability as the recession drags on.The package of bills, dubbed the “Black Workers Matter Economic Recovery Package,” covers more than 12,000 tourism industry workers, such as hotel housekeepers and stadium food service...WW…

UArts professors, most of whom are adjuncts, said they wanted to unionize to fight for job security, better pay, and a voice in university decisions.Faculty members at the , who are mostly adjuncts without access to health-care benefits or job security, have voted to unionize with United Academics of Philadelphia (UAP).The vote was 255-2.About 350 instructors were eligible to vote in the election, conducted by mail and administered by the National Labor Relations Board, UAP said. The size of the bargaining unit is still to be determined between the union and UArts did not immediately...…UArts professors, most of whom are adjuncts, said they wanted to unionize to fight for job security, better pay, and a voice in university decisions.Faculty members at the , who are mostly adjuncts without access to health-care benefits or job security, have voted to unionize with United Academics of Philadelphia (UAP).The vote was 255-2.About 350 instructors were eligible to vote in the election, conducted by mail and administered by the National Labor Relations Board, UAP said. The size of the bargaining unit is still to be determined between the union and UArts did not immediately...WW…

The Trump event was moved after the hall's owner said it had been booked deceptively.About 75 Donald Trump supporters — many of them wearing masks with an Italian flag and the words — squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder into the campaign’s Northeast Philadelphia office Monday night to hear former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani make a case for the president.The crowd at the rally billed as Italians for Trump fawned over Giuliani — “Next mayor of Philadelphia — Rudy!” yelled one attendee — who emphasized the importance of Pennsylvania for the president’s reelection.“You know how important your...…The Trump event was moved after the hall's owner said it had been booked deceptively.About 75 Donald Trump supporters — many of them wearing masks with an Italian flag and the words — squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder into the campaign’s Northeast Philadelphia office Monday night to hear former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani make a case for the president.The crowd at the rally billed as Italians for Trump fawned over Giuliani — “Next mayor of Philadelphia — Rudy!” yelled one attendee — who emphasized the importance of Pennsylvania for the president’s reelection.“You know how important your...WW…