In-depth analysis and commentary on today's biggest news stories as only the BBC can deliver BBC "Newshour" covers everything from the growth of democracy to the threat of terrorism with a fresh The story behind Sabrina Carpenter's Grammy Award shout out to a Bala Cynwyd music studio Sabrina Carpenter poses in the press room with the award for best pop solo performance and best pop vocal album during the 67th annual Grammy Awards When pop sensation and Quakertown native Sabrina Carpenter took the stage to accept her first Grammy award for her album Short n’ Sweet she expressed her gratitude for the years of voice lessons she took in Bala Cynwyd While many viewers might struggle to locate Bala Cynwyd on a map those living near Philadelphia likely know the suburb just on the city’s western edge The music studio where Sabrina’s mother drove her each week her daughter Kathy Cavell remains close to the popstar and shared with Avi that the singer’s emotional acceptance speech brought her to tears WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. Mural Arts Philadelphia has created more than 4,000 murals The nonprofit organization also helps kids hone their artistic and social skills after school Star Wars Day has transformed into a full-blown cultural holiday The original “Cato” was a favorite play of George Washington Philadelphia Artists’ Collective reimagines it with a critical lens Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardA Main Line cheesesteak shop’s nearly 70-year-old tradition will soon be historySince 1960 Mama's Pizzeria has been supplying Bala Cynwyd with finely crafted cheesesteaks Its second-generation grillman plans to hang up the spatula once his son earns his accounting license The bold yellow sign above the front door still says Mama’s Pizzeria but it’s been at least a decade since a pizza has emerged from the oven Mama’s in Bala Cynwyd is strictly a cheesesteak joint now The steaks are cooked by second-generation owner Paul Castellucci in the same way they have been for nearly 50 years: with a three-cheese blend twisted throughout the finely chopped sirloin Castellucci’s spatula never stops sparring with the flattop as he steals glances at the wall clock “You can take a picture of the sign,” Castellucci’s son The younger Castellucci — Paulie — cuts rolls generation of Castelluccis to work at Mama’s an additional seven workers were required to handle the line that regularly snaked out the door dresses in overalls and wears a red cap with the insignia of St where he’s studying for his accountant’s license The end of Mama’s will be a loss not just for Bala Cynwyd Its consistency is a hallmark of the family-run shops that sprouted up in the region throughout the 1960s and the following decades and all of the idiosyncratic ways they cook steaks » READ MORE: Frusco’s Steaks was one of Philly’s only woman-owned cheesesteak shops. Here’s what she taught me about great steaks. and his wife Miriam found a spot on Main Street in Manayunk to start a family pizza shop and Miriam put the whole family to work: kids “You always did have somebody from the family here It’s a little easier to yell at your family than to yell at people that aren’t.” and his son all have different middle names.) makes cheesesteaks the way his parents did: He chops the steak into a mound of thin-cut ribbons sprinkles a shredded three-cheese blend on top folds the meat over until the cheese twists with the meat and it all melts together I recently took my 79-year-old father to the family-run shop where he remembers eating in the ‘70s and ‘80s He guesses that the cheese is a mix of mozzarella with a nod toward the shop’s original purpose I ate the steak over a napkin to get a sense of how much oil is in it; there was barely a footprint left behind said he uses both vegetable and olive oil on the flattop griddle “Olive oil can be too strong sometimes,” he said spongy roll maintains its structural integrity until the last bite which is impressive for a soft roll that’s so completely filled with meat and cheese “Our bread here is so much different than in any other part of the country,” Paul Jr will be the last grillman at Mama’s Pizzeria is that he’s the only one who can do it but I can’t make these cheesesteaks,” Paulie said The shop will begin its closure after Paulie passes his CPA exam the Castelluccis’ signature steak-making style will fade away And in her acceptance speech she gave a special shoutout to a small but well-known Philly suburb “I want to thank my mom for driving me to every voice lesson in Bala Cynwyd,” Carpenter said recognizing the role the community played in her musical journey Carpenter took early voice lessons at Cavell Music Studio in Bala Cynwyd Bala Cynwyd — pronounced BAH-lu KIN-wood — is in Lower Merion Township just across from Philadelphia along City Avenue It has long been associated with affluent neighborhoods and several major radio and TV broadcast stations Carpenter starring in “Girl Meets World,” from 2014 to 2017 as well as other Disney vehicles and later built her music career with break out hits like “Feather” and “Espresso.” But she started performing in local talent shows and regional theater in Pennsylvania She also has starred “A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter,” a musical variety show that debuted in December Jerry Haught is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team 2025 at 3:11 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Pennsylvania State Police took three teenagers into custody after a chase in Bala Cynwyd Tuesday morning PA — Three teenagers were taken into custody by Pennsylvania State Police Tuesday after leading troopers on a chase in Bala Cynwyd when a state police trooper stopped a Kia Optima at Righters Ferry Road and Belmont Avenue that was reportedly stolen out of Philadelphia Police said the vehicle fled from the stop police used a precision immobilization technique to stop the vehicle on the 200 block of Garnet Lane in Bala Cynwyd were taken into custody after trying to run off Police did not release the suspects' names Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. and I am now pushing aside the bikes and tools in our garage to make room for a massive crate the culmination of a journey of discovery and connection Inside the crate is a luminous blue and gold Pennsylvania historical marker awaiting its moment in the sun to reveal the long-hidden story of a family of remarkable women who also called my corner of the world home 1908 Atlas of Lower Merion Township showing the Idenlea estate in Bala Cynwyd | Image courtesy of Lower Merion Historical Society Although my training as a scientist prepared me to ask questions then collect and analyze data to answer them nothing prepared me for the thrill of the historical research that I began that fall day just waiting to be pieced together into a historical marker nomination to honor Dr Lucretia Mott Longshore Blankenburg (1845-1937) All three were determined leaders in the causes of abolition of slavery They championed civic and municipal reform especially during Lucretia’s years as the First Lady of Philadelphia alongside her husband Mayor Rudolph Blankenburg Here I share moments of discovery about compelling aspects of this family’s story–moments that connected with my awakening about the role of local history in helping us understand our own place and time When I discovered that the connection between Idenlea and the names on the atlas was not yet something Google could reveal I made my first research visit to a historical archive the Longshore Family Papers documenting the some of the origins of women in medicine at the Legacy Center Archives and Special Collections at Drexel University College of Medicine Buried in this collection is the Autobiography of Thomas Longshore As I skimmed the looping cursive it became apparent that this was not the life story of the writer and prominent abolitionist but was in fact a detailed account of his wife I learned that Hannah and her sister Jane’s curiosity about the natural world and commitment to social justice was nurtured by their father While both girls had big dreams about higher education the family couldn’t afford tuition at Oberlin College one of the few educational institutions open to women in the 1840s Hannah and Jane self-educated on topics ranging from botany to literature while they helped maintain the family farm in Ohio When Elizabeth Blackwell and her peers began to challenge the system of educating physicians in the United States Hannah seized an opportunity to enter the profession of medicine Along with her supportive husband and their infant daughter Lucretia the family traveled by wagon to Philadelphia where she apprenticed with her brother-in-law a founder of the city’s new Female Medical College of Pennsylvania (later Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania) the world’s first school established to train women in medicine | Image courtesy of Drexel Legacy Center Hannah graduated in the first class of the college in 1851 in a ceremony that required police protection due to threats to the students She became the first woman physician to open a medical practice in Pennsylvania and the first woman faculty member of an American medical school The collection at Drexel contains a powerful memory in an autobiographical speech given at her alma mater when she was nearly 80 years old “The first women physicians in Philadelphia did not find their paths strewn with flowers nor their advent welcomed by the general public or by the profession I went to one of the leading pharmacists to purchase some ounces of drugs Go home and darn your husband’s stockings Housekeeping is the business for women!’ I informed him that my house was probably as well kept as his and that the stockings were darned As a graduate of the Female Medical College chartered by the Legislature of Pennsylvania I proposed to practice medicine as long as the women of Philadelphia saw fit to employ me and I had the strength to work.” Hannah created a career path that simply hadn’t existed for women her sister Jane joined her in Philadelphia to enroll in the college they were practicing medicine alongside each other treating the women and children of Philadelphia these daughters of a struggling farmer earned enough to purchase a hilltop property in Cynwyd and commission architect Isaac Pursell to design a three-story stone house featuring distinctive arches and a clear view of Philadelphia from its windows The home was the family’s country retreat from busy careers and activism in the city They named it Idenlea to honor the matriarch of their Quaker family An undated portrait of Lucretia Blankenburg | Photo courtesy of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania Hannah’s daughter Lucretia Blankenburg published an autobiography along with her biography of her husband I was delighted to see Lucretia had signed it herself in blue ink Lucretia was raised in a dynamic household at the center of the biggest issues of pre-and post-Civil War America recalling that “the success of my mother as a doctor brought many advanced thinkers and reformers to our home.” Like her mother her long life dedicated to service and progressive ideals She was known as the “Grand Old Lady of Philadelphia,” a renowned leader who worked to make things better for people from all walks of life whether that be through protections and playgrounds for children An inspiring inscription and signature by 83-year-old Lucretia Mott Longshore Blankenburg in “The Blankenburgs of Philadelphia” her biography of her husband Rudolph and memoir of her own life My visits to the archives of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania provided insights into the lives of the Blankenburgs One item in particular encapsulated what this woman meant to the city and beyond notable figures in Pennsylvania organized a luncheon attended by over 100 civic and women’s organizations and assembled a commemorative volume testifying to the impact of her work When I submitted a call slip for the volume and was surprised to flip through hundreds of gilded pages with entries by political leaders and extraordinary friends like artist Violet Oakley and suffragist Jane Campbell I could not understand how a woman of Lucretia’s stature had no public recognition in the city that she worked to transform strengthening my resolve to bring her story out of the shadows Myers is the most elusive of the three women of the Idenlea estate Lucretia described “Aunt Jane” as a private person who did not seek the public attention enjoyed by the rest of their family but let her successful medical career speak for itself The most evocative trace of Jane comes from a 1950 oral history by a Bala Cynwyd resident hidden in the files of the Lower Merion Historical Society “We also had characters in our neighborhood She was a strictly modern woman of her day and felt that female attire of her time was ill-suited to the needs of a professional woman And so instead of shirtwaists and feminine headgear and derby hats–that is until she was arrested for wearing clothing unbecoming a woman She fought it out and ultimately compromised to the extent of wearing a skirt instead of trousers but kept the rest.” I found this profile to be utterly endearing a small indication of the fierce self-determination that distinguished Jane’s life.     Of all the ways that learning about these women has influenced my own life since I first read their names A visit to a cemetery turned into an enduring mystery First, some context. Philadelphia’s great reform power couple had a simple beginning. As the country emerged from the Civil War, Lucretia met a kind German immigrant named Rudolph Blankenburg. The city’s 1876 Centennial Exposition launched their political consciousness and each found their own path in public affairs They were blessed with three healthy daughters birthed by the skilled hands of their grandmother and great aunt the family suffered crushing loss as all three girls succumbed to infectious diseases and were buried in the family plot at historic Fair Hill Burial Ground in Germantown Reflecting on these compounded tragedies that stole the next generation of this remarkable family Lucretia wrote “We resolved to do all we could to help others and improve civic affairs.”     A young Rudolph and his daughter Julia hand in hand at their farm in New Jersey Reading Lucretia’s words about the loss of her three daughters made my heart ache I decided to visit their graves and stopped to buy a bouquet of white roses on the way knowing it had probably been close to 100 years since someone had paid respects I started at Chelten Hills Cemetery in North Philadelphia I asked a staff member to direct me to the gravesite She disappeared into the office before returning to tell me there was no record of her burial I then drove to Fair Hill Burial Ground to find the rest of the family A groundskeeper pointed me to a section of dense headstones I was stunned to find grass-covered gaps where the family’s markers had once been I took my white roses back home and pulled up the cemetery’s records My heartache turned to bewilderment as it became evident that on the same day in 1921 the remains of 11 family members were disinterred and cremated at Chelten Hills Crematory I reached out to Chelten Hills for more information The answer arrived as scanned pink notecards that constituted the cemetery’s filing system a century ago The cremains of the remarkable women of Idenlea and their family members were retrieved by Quaker undertaker Ellwood Heacock the first president of the Philadelphia NAACP The historical record contains no clues other than the timing of the disinterment a date that has everything to do with Idenlea.     An undated photograph of former Philadelphia Mayor Rudolph Blankenburg The mystery about the final resting place of this family hinges on how Lucretia came to live in her Aunt Jane’s Idenlea estate the only independent mayor in the history of Philadelphia Rudolph Blankenburg married into a family of powerhouse women and was determined to leave a worthy legacy. After the loss of his last surviving child, he shifted his focus from humanitarian causes to launch a 20-year battle against the entrenched political machine of Philadelphia and its corrupt business associates His pursuit of good government earned him the nickname “Old Warhorse of Reform.” he ran for mayor on a platform that foreshadowed modern campaigns: a focus on education and an administration “not for the profit and gain of the few but for the benefit of all.” During his years of service at City Hall despite the efforts of the machine to oppose his reforms Mayor Rudolph Blankenburg with his cabinet in the Reception Room at City Hall on May 4 He was interred alongside his beloved daughter Bereaved Lucretia relocated to the family estate of Idenlea to grieve their losses Congress passed the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote and Lucretia resolved to move back to Philadelphia to resume her social activism and inexplicably chose to disinter the remains of her entire family and relocate them to a place that is now unknown and lost to time Of the 31 male mayors of Philadelphia from the Civil War-era to the election of Cherelle Parker six are still living and all others remain in their final resting places which is less than a mile away from Idenlea there can be no visit to the final resting place of Mayor Blankenburg who battled the political machine of his day and fought for women’s rights alongside his family I hope that a final piece completing this puzzle will emerge one day so that those of us inspired by this family’s stories can pay our respects Neighborhood friends playing in the snow in front of Idenlea in Bala Cynwyd The house that Jane and Hannah built in 1890 is perched at the highest point of our neighborhood Since I did most of my research while my daughters slept I often found myself gazing at it from the windows of my home office musing about how my findings might connect with conversations that happened behind its stone walls long ago While I was often moved by the persistence of these brave and brilliant women there was only one discovery that brought me to tears because of its profound significance I was scrolling through late night search results when something unexpected caught my eye: in 1921 as Lucretia was busy relocating to Philadelphia from Idenlea Lucretia used the proceeds of Idenlea’s sale to establish two memorial scholarships at Bryn Mawr College for women who also had big dreams of pursuing medicine These two scholarships have supported the careers of women in medicine to this very day over 170 years after the first women physicians received their medical degrees and Lucretia created a legacy of generations of changemakers who continue to shape our lives today and carry on the purpose of those who came before them A dedication ceremony for the Pennsylvania historical marker honoring the women of Idenlea is scheduled for Sunday, September 15 at 2 p.m. See Lower Merion Historical Society’s website for more information: https://lowermerionhistory.org/events/women-of-idenlea-estate-state-historical-marker-dedication/ For a comprehensive exploration of Erin Betley’s research on Idenlea, watch her 2022 public presentation for Lower Merion Library System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu47lDIk55o Tags:     Erin Betley is a conservation scientist and educator at the American Museum of Natural History and Vice President of the Lower Merion Historical Society I lived in the first floor apartment in this house in 2008-2009 and had no idea of its history My Great Grandmother was Also a Doctor in the Philadelphia area I only know her First name Louisa … She was somehow tide into the Stranahan & Everwine Families. the Idenlea estate—a sanctuary where formidable women like Dr Longshore and Lucretia Blankenburg orchestrated symphonies of progress Their endeavors in medicine and suffrage were not mere acts of defiance but calculated moves in a grander game of societal transformation reminding us that true power often resides in the shadows whose stories now reclaim their rightful place in history.​ and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardAnd the survey says: This Philly family was made for ‘Family Feud’ gloryA Bala Cynwyd family needed to do something special for a sibling's birthday Birthdays are a big deal for the Heuislers of Bala Cynwyd the Philly-area natives have made it a point to reunite for each of their 40th birthdays The celebration typically calls for a surprise that’s a bit outside the box When John, 49, the oldest, turned 40, the family surprised him during a 26-mile marathon in Raleigh They invited his friends and former rowing teammates to cheer him on at every one-mile mark his loved ones showed up at a golf course in Los Angeles and revealed surprise “golfers” at all 18 holes and all four siblings played a different phase of the former actor’s life They even made a soundtrack with the help of Philly-area native Don McCloskey and premiered the film at a local theater near his current home in Belmont it was time for their sister Katy’s 40th surprise But the second youngest of the five took matters into her own hands and decided to get married a day before her 40th birthday “It kind of threw off our plans,” said Chris While the wedding “was a great party,” Bill said And Katy’s four brothers weren’t letting her milestone go unmarked Chris was cooking dinner when he heard Steve Harvey’s voice blaring from the TV The long-running game show Family Feud was on I just applied for Family Feud.’ Moon shot idea but it would be epic to kidnap Katy and fly to Family Feud,” Chris said the four brothers had a Zoom interview scheduled with a Family Feud casting director they had to put the kidnapping idea to rest and bring Katy into the fold They invited her on a Zoom call and revealed their audition video for the show “It took me a minute to realize what was happening “I was overwhelmed with the lengths that they went to make this special thing happen.” After their interview, the Family Feud showrunners invited the family down to Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta to film for the show’s 26th season They flew to Atlanta in April 2024 and after a series of preliminary rounds behind the scenes the Katy-led squad earned a spot on the Family Feud stage said the experience felt like he was playing with “house money.” He even had a chance to talk about Philly with Harvey in between rounds “One of my siblings is kind of neurotic and was probably more anxious Chris said a flurry of unexpected emotion came over him “I got teared up walking out because I got my four favorite people in the world to my left and my right,” Chris said The combination led to a less-than-ideal start to their episode “Steve literally looked me in the eye and said ‘What the hell is wrong with you man?’ I kind of blacked out but I thought you were trying to throw the game,” Tim While the goal was to take home the $20,000 prize Katy said the sibling reunion was the real treat and it felt like we were back to childhood,” she said “It was just us five goofballs having the time of our lives.” A day before he flew out to Boston for Christmas Chris got the email that revealed their episode’s airtime — Feb “It was the best Christmas present,” Tim said will finally come full circle on Tuesday night And while her 40th birthday surprise will arrive at age 42-and-a-half Katy said the experience was beyond worthwhile She’s excited for the world to see her crazed The new episode of “Family Feud” is available on CW Philly 57 at 7 p.m The show is also available on live streaming services like Philo 2024 at 1:19 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Henry ComfortZone Home Health Care and 18 other people are charged with Medicaid fraud tampering with public records and conspiracy PA — A Main Line home care agency was operating a Medicaid fraud scheme according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office Attorney General Michelle Henry ComfortZone Home Health Care and 18 other people — including Mobley's daughter and other family members— were charged in a scheme that allegedly defrauded the Medicaid program out of millions of dollars ComfortZone Home Health Care is a Medicaid provider permitted to provide Personal Assistance Services to eligible recipients Naya Campbell — who served as Mobley’s second in command — and others conspired to defraud the program by submitting claims for reimbursement for services that were not provided according to charges filed by the Attorney General's office All 20 defendants are charged with Medicaid fraud They are expected to surrender and be arraigned this week in Montgomery County court "The Medicaid program is designed to help vulnerable people in the Commonwealth not line the pockets of those who deliberately exploit it," Henry said "Every dollar stolen from the Medicaid program deprives an individual or family in need of funding that could have paid for essential services." The charges were filed following a two-year collaborative investigation by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Section and the FBI and Barbara Thomas are also charged with corrupt organizations and Tiffany Hogans are also charged with perjury Authorities allege these crimes happened between 2020 and 2023 The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Benjamin McKenna The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty 2025 at 1:03 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}See which establishments had health code violations in February here PA — Health inspectors visited numerous Narberth and Bala Cynwyd establishments in February looking for health code violations Find full details on these inspections by searching the establishment name online here for Montgomery County 2025 at 10:51 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Montgomery County's stores had the third-highest sales of all Pennsylvania counties PA — Tipplers in the Narberth and Bala Cynwyd spent more than $11.5 million on alcohol in 2024 according to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board released its annual report recently And the report features sale figures for individual Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores across the state Two of those are located in Narberth and Bala Cynwyd Bala Cynwyd's Fine Wine and Good Spirits store sold $9.16 million worth of alcohol in 2024 over the course of 262,810 transactions totalling 121,233 transactions to the tune of $5.24 million Montgomery County's stores had the third-highest sales of all Pennsylvania counties See the full 2024 report from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board online here. 2024 at 4:09 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Another small brush fire began at about 2 p.m but it was knocked down in about half an hour PA — Firefighters in Lower Merion Township took on a brush fire along the Cynwyd Heritage Trail Monday morning as dry conditions persist in the region According to the Belmont Hills Fire Company were sent to the trail for a reported brush fire firefighters saw smoke rising in the sky and asked for more units which led the Gladwyne Volunteer Fire Company and Union Fire Association to respond as well >>>Montgomery County Enacts Burn Ban Amid Dangerous Dry Spell<<< firefighters found a large brush fire that was moving quickly up the hill towards Westminster Cemetery prompting the Merion Fire Company of Ardmore and Narberth Fire Company to join in fighting the blaze >>>Burn Ban Instated In Lower Merion Township<<< the fire was out and all units returned to service said another small brush fire began at about 2 p.m That fire was taken care of in about half an hour Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardA 77-year-old woman died after rescuers pulled her from a car in the SchuylkillThe woman was taken to Lankenau Medical Center A 911 caller alerted rescuers that a car was in the river at 9:08 a.m Two Lower Merion police officers and a Union Fire Company firefighter were first on the scene and pulled the woman from the car An investigation into the incident is ongoing The police officers and firefighter were also taken to Lankenau for evaluation and were released Tuesday afternoon Several cars have had to be pulled from the Schuylkill this fall 2024 at 10:10 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Ford Explorer above was involved in a Jan (Lower Merion Police Department)BALA CYNWYD PA — Police in Lower Merion are seeking to solve a hit and run from early 2023 that they said led to significant property damage smashed into a building on 200 Monument Road in Bala Cynwyd contact the Lower Merion Traffic Safety Unit at 610-645-6260 2024 at 8:38 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Firefighters ​removed the vehicle's roof and doors to rescue the occupants who suffered non-life-threatening injuries PA — Two people were rescued from a crashed vehicle in Bala Cynwyd Thursday night The Belmont Hills and Penn Wynne Fire companies were called to 5 Montgomery Ave emergency responders found a crashed Maserati with two people entrapped in the vehicle According to Action News, the vehicle got wedged between a dry cleaner and an entrance ramp. Firefighters removed the vehicle's roof and doors to rescue the occupants The scene was clear in about an hour's time according to the Belmont Hills Fire Company 2024 at 4:46 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A 77-year-old woman died after she was rescued from a vehicle that crashed into the Schuylkill River Tuesday morning (Pete Gains)BALA CYNWYD PA — The woman involved in a car crash into the Schuylkill River Tuesday morning in Bala Cynwyd has died Lower Merion Township authorities Tuesday afternoon First responders were called to 601 Righters Ferry Road at about 9:08 a.m Two Lower Merion Police officers and a firefighter from the Union Fire Company were the first to arrive Those three pulled a 77-year-old woman from the car The woman was taken to Lankenau Medical Center by Narberth Ambulance crews She was listed in critical condition before dying later in the day The officers and firefighter were also taken to Lankenau evaluation There is no word yet on what caused the crash Jonathan Deutsch Hymie’s in Bala Cynwyd has everything you want in an old-school Jewish deli. If you grew up Jewish, it brings back the nostalgic smells and flavors of your grandmother’s kitchen, and if you didn’t, you’ll feel like you did by the time lunch is over. Like a beloved grandmother from any culture, Hymie’s will feed you way too much and then insist you take more with you from the gauntlet of oversized desserts on the way to the cash register.  Ardmore Ripplewood in Ardmore is one of the best gastropubs in the Philly area Japanese Steaks Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardA Bala Cynwyd woman got a fake letter notifying her she’d have to house migrants under a nonexistent Biden-Harris program‘Congratulations’ the fake letter reads ‘you have been selected as a Wayward Steward exchange home for homeless immigrants and victims of foreign wars.’ A Bala Cynwyd voter got a detailed letter this week from the made-up Pennsylvania Congressional Office of Immigration Affairs notifying her that her household had been selected to house five migrant refugees “I’m concerned to find out how many people might have actually gotten it and to make sure the record’s set straight so people aren’t getting fearful or angry and deciding to vote another way,” Elizabeth Bennett The letter says Bennett was selected as a “wayward steward” as part of “US5Ca12-B .. written into Law by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.” No such law exists It advised Bennett she’d been selected based on property and income records and would receive an $80 weekly stipend for food costs The letter suggested a “minimum of one bedroom be prepared with a minimum of 5 beds,” with a link to “government-approved” bunk beds The return address listed is for an intersection in front of the Capitol building in Harrisburg Neither the governor’s office nor the department of state immediately returned a request for comment She has a large Harris/Walz sign in her front yard she’s also done volunteer resettlement work with immigrants for the last 30 years but she assumes that was just a coincidence “Of all the people they could send this to we gotta take care of these people,’” she said she realized the program was fake and intended to scare people even for me reading this letter it felt threatening even though I’m very pro-immigrant because it felt like something that was being imposed on me,” she said It’s unclear if other Pennsylvanians received the letter Bennett posted about it in small Facebook groups but hasn’t heard from others who received it But whoever created the letter took time to make it look like an official document including an imprint of a fake Pennsylvania seal on the letterhead and a stamped date informing Bennett when to expect the migrants goes to a voicemail for the named office where a messaging service invites the caller to press one for housing vouchers and three to “expand your footprint to help more people.” The letter Bennett received went on to specify garages or sheds without electricity and running water could not be used “Thank you for your dedication to the health and safety of these future Americans!” it concluded The federal Office of Refugee Resettlement does invite people to be part of a government hosting program but participation is entirely optional Philadelphia) is an immigration attorney who called the letter “a betrayal of the actual spirit of our country.” “It’s definitely designed to make people think that there’s a broader government program to resettle refugees and my guess is that the intention is to stir up fear of immigrants and refugees,” he said “That’s reprehensible It’s a betrayal of the actual spirit of our country of being a welcoming beacon to people who are seeking freedom.” Hohenstein is cosponsoring a bill to establish an Office of New Pennsylvanians which would help provide support services for refugee businesses and migrants fleeing persecution in Pennsylvania “This would provide help to people who need it,” he said Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardA 61-year-old woman in a wheelchair who was killed in a hit-and-run has been identifiedJamal McCullough has been charged in the November hit-and-run and turned himself in to Lower Merion police A Philadelphia man has been charged in her death Tracy E. Cary was killed when Jamal McCullough, 37, allegedly struck her with a Toyota Camry on City Avenue, south of Conshohocken State Road Cary was homeless at the time of the incident but was a former Philadelphia resident McCullough faces several charges in the hit-and-run including causing an accident involving death and tampering with evidence He surrendered to Lower Merion police on Monday McCullough allegedly was driving southbound on City Avenue on his way to work at Waste Management of Delaware Valley when he struck Cary at approximately 2:07 a.m shielding her from traffic with his parked car according to the Lower Merion Township Police Department Cary was transported by ambulance to Lankenau Medical Center » READ MORE: 61-year-old woman in wheelchair killed by hit-and-run driver on City Avenue Surveillance video allegedly shows McCullough returning to the collision scene minutes afterward pacing back and forth “within feet” of Cary for about three minutes reporting that McCullough had informed his supervisor he was involved in a car crash with an older woman after it was reported on the news Lower Merion police officers met McCullough at his job McCullough allegedly informed the officers that he had hired an attorney and would not be able to speak about the incident Some of McCullough’s coworkers told police that he had confessed to them about the incident but that he said he believed he hit an empty wheelchair in the road which is why he did not immediately stop his car Other surveillance footage allegedly showed McCullough inspecting the damage to the front of his car shortly after the crash Lower Merion police officers recovered McCullough’s Camry with the assistance of his attorney Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardLower Merion led racial equity efforts in the ′90s But its achievement gap has only widened.Lower Merion spends more per student than almost any other district in Pennsylvania but Black parents say it’s not delivering the same caliber of education for all children Yet those gaps between Black students and their peers persist — and have only widened since the district committed to closing them Black students in third through eighth grades trailed white students by 28.4 percentage points in English language arts standardized tests the difference in English scores had grown to 33.4 points Administrators who presented the latest test results in December said they were well aware of the problem “We know people are asking us questions about it Lower Merion is not an anomaly; other suburban districts with similar shares of Black students — 9% of Lower Merion’s students are Black — have also seen their gaps widen according to an Inquirer review of historical test data But its response has alarmed and frustrated Lower Merion’s Black parents, who say even though the district spends more on its programs than almost any other school system in the state it is not delivering the same caliber of education for all children Some fault racism and teachers who are not culturally competent or who maintain low standards for their children Others see an unwillingness to make wholesale changes that could upset white parents who they feel are prioritized by the district who has one child in the district and another who recently graduated is among those parents questioning the sincerity of Lower Merion’s efforts She sees a disconnect between the district’s public statements and how it interacts with Black parents — failing to connect the dots between individual test scores and a systemic problem “At what point do they stop and look at how effective their approach is After progress was made in the 1970s and ’80s efforts to shrink the Black-white achievement gap have stalled across the country The gap has not changed much in the last few decades a professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education The segregation of Black students in high-poverty schools and socioeconomic differences between Black and white families have traditionally driven the divide though “the places with the largest Black-white gaps tend to be small as other communities with significant gaps Lower Merion officials did not address why they think the district’s achievement gap has widened over the years but noted the gap “exists in nearly every school district in the nation.” which is majority Black but was also an early leader in school racial equity efforts the Black-white achievement gap is 34.8 points in English and 42.8 points in math Lower Merion’s efforts in addressing racial disparities date back to at least 1997 when a group of Black parents raised concerns Among their complaints: Black students were disciplined more often than white students were overidentified as needing special education and were underrepresented in gifted classes The district that year formed the Committee to Address Race in Education (CARE) which continues meeting monthly with teachers Lower Merion has also sought to make its curriculum more culturally relevant with all resources reviewed “to ensure they include diverse voices perspectives and representation,” the district said It also said professional development is “ongoing with all staff receiving specific training in cultural proficiency.” while 90% were white — staff make assumptions about Black children and “don’t even know they’re doing it,” said Heller Heller said she had worked with a child who was recruited by the Haverford School; that school’s testing revealed he had a 130 IQ who said Lower Merion had never recognized he was gifted “They look at the kids who are bright as unusual,” Heller said who is Black and graduated from Lower Merion in 1995 recalled how his mother had to battle to get him into honors English it’s ‘a challenge.’ For Black students … it’s based on recent experience working in the district and as a current district parent “That’s a lot of the way the biases creep in There are additional struggles for Black students in the minority in an advanced class It’s intimidating to participate if you’re afraid not just of being wrong but also that “your being wrong goes to invalidate your presence as a Black student,” Wilson said Students may feel it’s safer to be quiet — a “psychologically corrosive” situation who worked as an instructional aide at Harriton High School before leaving in 2022 said some Black students in the school’s International Baccalaureate program told him they felt isolated having encountered “all of my most visceral experiences” with racism while in Lower Merion schools Wilson’s oldest did not attend elementary school in the district when he had already developed self-confidence His son graduated with a full ride to Howard University stopped wanting to go to school in second grade she told Wilson why: She was uncomfortable around a white student who had been repeatedly touching her hair Wilson’s daughter told him she didn’t want to tell her teacher who believed his daughter’s instincts were probably right When Wilson informed the teacher — and said it was problematic that his daughter was afraid of speaking up — she did not acknowledge that concern she moved his daughter to a different table In a report submitted to Lower Merion school officials in September, the Main Line NAACP noted one-third of Black high schoolers had individualized education plans for special education; about 20% of Lower Merion students districtwide receive special education while representing only 9% of district enrollment account for 30% of its disciplinary actions 25% of Black high school students in the district were enrolled in Advanced Placement courses said there is a link between disproportionate placement and other outcomes Black students in special education are more likely to be disciplined Special education is “this door where we go in and don’t come out,” said Carter, whose three children attended district schools. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2011 ruling there was no evidence of discrimination Some parents then brought individual complaints against the district » READ MORE: Conservative parent group accuses Lower Merion of discrimination because of its ‘affinity groups’ Disparities like those reported by the NAACP can reflect how a district’s equity mission is “disconnected from the practices that are actually happening and everyday social interactions people have in the context of the school,” said John Diamond a sociology and education policy professor at Brown University who wrote Despite the Best Intentions: How Inequality Thrives in Good Schools Diamond said how districts track students into higher-level classes and administer discipline “can reproduce inequalities people aren’t even conscious of.” Among local districts with similar achievement gaps a spokesperson for the Colonial School District called its gap “concerning” and said the district offers interventions including small group instruction North Penn Superintendent Todd Bauer said that while his district’s gap was historically smaller than the state average “we must ask ourselves ‘why’ and work to ensure that all students achieve at their highest potential.” Diamond said districts should be analyzing practices like how course placements are decided or tests with outcomes correlated with race and class?” he said » READ MORE: Black and Hispanic students in Philly suburbs are disciplined more harshly than white peers, underrepresented in AP classes, report finds Even though Lower Merion teachers recommend whether students should take higher-level courses district officials said any student can enroll as long as the prerequisite courses have been completed They also said there are opportunities for students to take more-advanced math classes even if they do not initially place into them The percentage of Black students in high school honors classes has been growing since 2020 It also pointed to standardized test data showing that Black students last year scored above or well above for growth in most subjects district officials said they follow a student code “that emphasizes uniformity pair discipline with a “restorative approach.” Officials also said CARE and other committees provide a forum for students and parents to voice where improvements are needed said CARE’s focus “had evolved into more of a conversation along belonging … vs ‘Here’s our plan’” for fixing the achievement gap “The moment you identify an issue of whiteness, that represents a fundamental threat,” Wilson said. He said the debate and subsequent demands for antisemitism training spoke to the “sense of ownership white parents who moved to Lower Merion from Los Angeles in 2011 said she had high hopes for her two daughters But despite monitoring their grades and attending parent-teacher conferences she felt she didn’t know how well they were faring that a teacher shared concerns about her older daughter’s writing Now that her youngest daughter is a senior “I can’t say this was a great move for my family,” James said She doesn’t think the district is operating with urgency when it comes to improving Black students’ achievement “The wool is pulled over people’s eyes,” she said “They trust and believe in a system that’s not working for them.” Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardWhat stores are open on Christmas in Philadelphia Here’s what you need to knowNeed to grab last-minute essentials on Christmas Day Here's a quick guide to stores in Philadelphia that are open You’re all set to relax on Christmas morning when it hits you — you forgot something crucial Maybe it’s an ingredient for the holiday meal or that last-minute gift for Aunt Sally it helps to know which stores are open and which ones are taking the day off Here’s a quick guide to stores and grocery options for Christmas Day Some grocery stores will open with limited hours on Christmas Day These stores will not open their doors on Christmas If you’re looking for a bottle of wine or a last-minute gift Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores are closed on Christmas Day but you can stop by on Christmas Eve during modified hours — they’ll close by 6 p.m CVS: Most locations open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Check your store hours to be safe at cvs.com/store-locator/landing Walgreens: Open, but hours have not been announced — check your local store at walgreens.com/storelocator You won’t be able to shop at these big-box or specialty retailers on Christmas: Call ahead: While these hours are accurate at the time of publication it’s always a good idea to check with your local store to confirm Plan for crowds: Stores open on Christmas tend to get busy Whether you’re grabbing essentials or finishing up last-minute holiday prep knowing where to go can save you from the frustration of closed doors.