MILFORD — The spotlight will be on Kensington Metropark next year with the return of the PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships The event will draw 300 elite players from around the globe as well as thousands of spectators over the course of five days in 2026 and is expected to bring an economic impact to the area of $5 million “We are so excited to welcome the 2026 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships to Kensington Metropark,” Amy McMillan “We take pride in knowing how great the disc golf courses at our parks are "It is awesome that professional players from around the world are going to get to experience that firsthand We can’t wait to show players everything Southeast Michigan and the metro Detroit area has to offer.”Kensington home of Toboggan and Black Locust South 18-hole disc golf courses was chosen in a bid process for the biggest tournament in the sport Several factors were taken into consideration for the park’s selection including infrastructure and capacity to hold such a large event director of marketing for the Professional Disc Golf Association is the ability of the course to challenge the best disc golf players in the world the best players are showing up and they are all hungry for that win,” Voss said It has a history of hosting pro tour events that are already somewhat calibrated to that level of play.” The Toboggan course at Kensington was originally designed by Discraft owner Jim Kenner for the 2000 World Championships it has been the official course for the U.S Amateur Disc Golf Championship and for the past seven years has hosted the Great Lakes Open on the Disc Golf Pro Tour “has a mix of large elevation changes and tight fairways that will test every shot in your bag Bring a spotter because it has long holes and punishing rough.” When the world championships return to Kensington for the first time in a quarter century disc golfers will also play the park’s Black Locust South course which is getting some upgrades to make it worthy of a world championship course including five new holes and “tweaking of others,” said Ledgestone CEO Nate Heinold.Ledgestone will oversee the 2026 world championship event at Kensington working with partners that besides park officials include the Detroit Sports Commission and the Livingston County Convention and Visitors Bureau Three rounds of the tournament will be held on the Toboggan course which is more open and gives players an opportunity to throw hard in challenging distances while two rounds will be on the Black Locust south course which is more wooded with narrower fairways the two ensure that the winner of the tournament is the most well-rounded player To earn one of the roughly 300 invitations to play in the 2026 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships requires accruing points from performing well this season and earning a top tier player rating The best players get first dibs on registration The PDGA was founded in 1976 and now has more than 300,000 members more than a quarter of a million that have joined in the past 15 years The sport has hundreds of thousands more active casual players that enjoy more than 13,000 courses worldwide “Disc golf is different in Southeast Michigan,” Heinold said. “We expect a disc golf record crowd in 2026 and cannot wait to show off Kensington Metropark to the disc golf world.”Tickets will for the PDGA World Professional Disc Golf Championships will go on sale in early 2026, with event dates available later this winter. For more information, visit www.pdga.com Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@hometownlife.com TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need West Mifflin police officers left a visibly injured assault victim untreated in a holding cell for more than nine hours after arresting him last summer according to a federal civil rights lawsuit filed Monday alleges West Mifflin and seven police officers were at fault in the July 8 Officers watched as Vong crawled around in his cell kicking and flinching in “pain and agony” from a head injury Vong’s family alleges the police department lacked policies and training for officers governing how to handle people in custody the 31-year-old man from New Kensington was left to suffer from “untreated brain hemorrhaging culminating in his slow and painful death.” An autopsy report found Vong died from untreated trauma to his face and head The lawsuit also alleges Vong was handcuffed so tightly his wrists were cut and bleeding we’re all devastated by what happened,” Jonathan Nguyen said during a news conference Monday in Downtown Pittsburgh at the offices of lawyer Alec Wright He was joined by about 20 of Vong’s relatives some of whom cried as Nguyen recalled how Vong Wright filed the lawsuit on behalf of Angie Vong Lookabill Vong’s aunt and the administrator of his estate The complaint names as defendants two people it said were West Mifflin police officers during the incident Ronald Bobick and someone identified only by the last name Cheslock It also lists five unnamed defendants: John Doe police officers 1-5 said he and other borough officials cannot comment on pending litigation A West Mifflin police arrest report provided to TribLive by Wright indicates Vong was arrested at 2:56 a.m The heavily redacted report states Vong was being charged with a nontraffic citation for public drunkenness who was listed as the victim in the police report told TribLive he never spoke to Vong and his only involvement in the incident was calling police when someone banged on his door at 3 a.m Wright said the police blacked out almost the entire page-long narrative describing what happened Vong was assaulted early that morning while celebrating the Fourth of July with friends The lawsuit offers no details about the assault Vong approached homes and a gas station seeking medical help Police who responded to calls about Vong found him “injured delirious and seeking medical attention.” The lawsuit indicated Vong had “visible injuries to his face bleeding and bruising that were consistent with significant trauma officers left Vong “without justification” in a West Mifflin Police Department holding cell for about nine hours and eventually Vong lost consciousness on the cell floor When officers eventually found him unconscious rescue breaths or other basic first aid efforts Vong went into a coma and died three days later The West Mifflin police report lists Vong as being from New Kensington Wright said Vong was living with his mother there The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office Wright said he believes that’s where the mother of Vong’s children lived The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages Allegheny County Police investigated Vong’s death and turned over their findings to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office The DA’s office declined to comment Monday Mourning relatives keep photos of Vong in their homes and cars Everyone hangs out with people they shouldn’t hang out with be in places that they probably shouldn’t be in That shouldn’t be a death sentence,” Nguyen said He questioned why officers didn’t help Vong as he sat in a holding cell “He shouldn’t be dead right now,” Nguyen said Julia Burdelski is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jburdelski@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE 1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service With a name inspired by the First Amendment 1A explores important issues such as policy and what connects us across the fissures that divide the country 1A's goal is to act as a national mirror-taking time to help America look at itself and to ask what it wants to be Philadelphia’s Kings Highway Apartments comprises 27 buildings along Frankford Avenue Odin Properties bought and renovated them last year Kings Highway Apartments on Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia (Aaron Moselle/WHYY) The $6.3 billion plan is designed to help address Philadelphia's deepening affordable housing crisis The class-action complaint calls on Odin Properties to make Bentley Manor safe and repay tenants who unlawfully paid rent City and state law requires landlords to keep their properties safe and habitable violators are barred from collecting rent until the property is compliant Balderston pushed back on the suit’s allegations “We care deeply about our residents and take tremendous pride in our relationships with them so we take any allegations to the contrary very seriously We are carefully considering the allegations of the recent complaint and plan to respond appropriately,” said Balderston whose company owns and manages at least 1,500 apartments in Philadelphia Tenants at other Odin properties have also targeted the company for allegedly failing to make urgent repairs The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox 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. The legislation is designed to make it easier for developers to build homes in certain sections of the city the shallow rent program has helped keep vulnerable residents housed amid an affordable housing crisis 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 clipboardFrustrations over Kensington erupted in Philly City Council with heated speeches: ‘How dare you!’City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada delivered a lengthy speech at times raising her voice and hitting her desk saying: “How dare you organize and tell people lies.” A Philadelphia lawmaker who represents the Kensington neighborhood the site of the city’s largest open-air drug market unloaded on critics of her tough-on-crime approach during an impassioned speech in City Council chambers Thursday saying those who see her efforts as heartless are operating in bad faith would require the mobile groups to operate only in areas designated by the city and create a framework for a permitting system After several providers testified in opposition to the legislation Thursday saying: “How dare you organize and tell people lies … without reading the damn bill.” “This bill will take people off of people’s sidewalks,” she said “I have seniors who are living with people who are unsheltered on their porches and threatened by those individuals if they call police on them was then backed up by several other members who delivered similarly emotional remarks Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson told Lozada: “You don’t have to stand alone in this fight.” who represents the city at-large and lives in Kensington accusing them of implying that Council members don’t care about people living in addiction in the neighborhood which range from nonprofits distributing food to medical professionals and behavioral health organizations providing care The bill will be up for a final vote next week A parade of opponents testified in Council against the bill Thursday including healthcare professionals and people who favor an approach more centered on “harm reduction.” One opponent called Lozada’s bill “anti-religious.” Another said the new constraints would render street medicine efforts in Kensington “ineffectual.” And a physician for a medical mobile clinic said the bill “will ultimately harm our patients.” “The proposed legislation would force these people to leave or mobile providers to leave areas in greatest need of outreach and services effectively isolating an already marginalized population,” said Sam Stern because it allows providers to meet people in need where they are The city also operates mobile units that offer first aid services in Kensington the vans and those who operate them have at times rankled neighborhood residents who say they attract nuisance crime and often leave trash strewn about Lozada has said her goal is not to reduce the number of mobile units in the neighborhood but to regulate them and to foster better relationships between the groups and other constituents Her legislation seeks to address neighborhood complaints by separating the groups into two categories: those that provide medical services and those that do not Medical service providers would be allowed to operate only in areas designated by the city Nonmedical providers — such as groups that distribute free food or other supplies — would be permitted to do so freely but would be allowed to stay in one place only for 45 minutes or less medical providers could operate at night along the two-block stretch of East Allegheny Avenue between Kensington Avenue and F Street If organizations rack up three violations or more in a year they would be ineligible to renew their annual permit The legislation outlines several exemptions including for emergency medical service providers and healthcare professionals offering pediatric services Food trucks that sell items are also exempt Following Thursday’s session, City Council President Kenyatta Johnson said Lozada’s emotional speech was indicative of “democracy in action.” “You have a member who feels very strongly about the issues and concerns in her district,” he said “which … the city of Philadelphia have left a particular neighborhood to pretty much rot over the last several years.” Staff writer Jake Blumgart contributed to this article After years of deliberation, I finally purchased Burberry’s Kensington trench coat I really have worn it as much as I had hoped The allure of a good trench coat is that chic This means that I’ve been throwing my trench on in almost every situation making all of my sartorial dreams come true It has been a really useful addition to my closet There’s no doubt, however, that a Burberry trench coat is an investment piece – it is bananas expensive. Which is why I debated for almost five (5!!) years. And while it does have some special features, a few other options — similar to Burberry’s — have been popping up. Namely? J.Crew’s Icon Trench J.Crew’s Icon Trench looks very similar to Burberry’s iconic one. It has many of the same features and a double-breasted design with a belted waist In this video, I do a deep dive into the differences between Burberry’s Kensington Trench Coat and the J.Crew Icon Trench or if you’ve found a good Burberry dupe We’re a shopping and lifestyle website with a playful We focus on authenticity and believe that we all feel our best when we’re our most genuine selves a supporter and a totally inclusive place for style – ALL are welcome here The situation of Harry and Meghan, as they have lived until now, is about to come to an end | en.edatv.news, Europa Press LIFESTYLE Kensington Palace Confirms the Worst News for Prince Harry and Meghan MarkleAn imminent decision from the royal circle jeopardizes the Sussexes' future within the British family02/05/2025 11:20:00h by Angélica Oyarzún Harry and Meghan Markle have been the subjects of headlines around the world Their new life away from the monarchy has been full of projects the Royal House watches every move with caution have kept their public composure in the face of the challenges posed by Meghan and Harry William has had to accept the way his father handles the situation; however Everything points to certain decisions that have been postponed are getting closer to being realized Harry and Meghan Markle have established their family far from the royal family and England | Europa PressThe Notice That Comes from the Heart of the CrownNoble titles have been one of the most sensitive elements in this new stage for the Sussexes Although they stopped officially working for the family they continue to use their titles in some events They have used their noble title to boost their own businesses "The use of their royal status as a calling card is not appropriate," a source close to the heir has pointed out Although King Charles has preferred to adapt to Harry's decisions to not increase the distance He considers that it is time to act "for the good of the institution." The situation will not be solved immediately but the environment of Kensington Palace is already outlining a new strategy One of the most discussed measures is the possible removal of the Sussex dukedom "They have betrayed everything the family represents," they claim Charles III has accepted and adapted to Harry and Meghan's situation | CedidaThe End of an Era as We Know ItThe privileges linked to their status as dukes could come to an end with the change of monarch The heir would be determined not to repeat past mistakes and make it clear that there will be no exceptions the rules must be the same for everyone; even Prince Andrew could lose some protections from the Crown The support of Queen Elizabeth II was essential for Harry and Meghan to establish their new life without open conflict future decisions will follow a different path The future king's approach points to a clearer and firmer line a new form of leadership is emerging and how he will address the issues affecting the Crown the titles inherited by those who are no longer active members could disappear A passion area for Shannae Ingleton-Smith has blossomed into a 6-year-old talent management firm prioritizing diverse creators Ingleton-Smith understands the nuances of the creator economy, having worked as an influencer who was earning revenue and steadily securing more deals. She also co-led a Facebook group with a close friend that helped Black creators learn how to advocate for themselves and negotiate opportunities This even led to a mention by a Forbes writer who highlighted the significant revenue creators were generating through the group while actively working in a corporate role Ingleton-Smith began receiving requests from creators to become their manager I’m learning and I like helping people I don’t expect to be paid doing this.’ That was my mentality initially,” she said in an interview with AFROTECH™ “Then I think after the fourth or fifth person asked me if they could manage them ‘The universe is telling me that this is what I’m I’m supposed to be doing Another turning point for Ingleton-Smith occurred while she was working at a communications and entertainment company that owned magazines. She spent eight years at the company and recalls a moment when a client informed her that they were choosing not to spend their money with the company directly Ingleton-Smith says she recognized a growing trend: Social media was becoming the preferred medium “Social media was taking market share away from every medium They’re the new radio where before there were clearly defined media pillars Social media just came in and ate everybody’s food… At the time but then TikTok came around and took even more people’s attention And advertising is the business of people’s attention I knew it was the right bet and that there was gonna be a lot of money in it and it wasn’t gonna be going anywhere,” Ingleton-Smith explained For the past six years, Ingleton-Smith’s bet has placed her at the top of her own agency as founder, president and CEO of Kensington Grey, which is a talent management firm that specializes in casting, influencer marketing, creator marketing, social media, and social marketing. Its roster includes Topicals Founder and CEO Olamide Ayomikun Olowe, lifestyle creator Symphani Soto, and beauty and fashion content creator Aaliyah Jay. A post shared by Aaliyah Jay (@aaliyahjay) A post shared by Kensington Grey Agency Inc. (@kensingtongrey) “We’ve since expanded to all underserved categories across every intersection of what it means to be considered a minority,” she said “And we just continue to replicate what we’ve done within the Black and brown community so successfully to all people who consider themselves to be underserved or to be a minority We wanted to make sure that we would have diverse options for people on the decision maker side.” “I just have this inner fire up inside of me that just continues to tell me that you’re gonna be good. Just keep going. Keep pushing. Keep fighting. Keep innovating. And you’ll continue to rise and evolve and innovate and move forward,” she expressed. Looking ahead, part of Kensington Grey’s next chapter will include a first for the agency. It is poised to expand into film, sports, and entertainment, and it’s also set to launch a proprietary product alongside Jenee Naylor by the Fall 2025 within the accessory space. This would mark the agency’s first creator-led proprietary product. A post shared by JENEE’ (@jeneenaylor) Samantha Dorisca is a Houston-based journalist and photographer whose mission is to impact communities through the gift of storytelling using the written word or visual media. She completed her B.A at The University of Texas at Austin and is pursuing a M.A at The University of Memphis. Her work can be found on platforms such as Houstonia Magazine, Girls' Life Magazine, and Blacque Magazine. Samantha mainly reports on tech, trends, and entrepreneurship. Multi-city event series empowers corporate executives, investors & tech moguls Join the Growing Community of Tech Creators and Innovators Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardJudge almost shuts down the city’s Kensington wellness court over mounting frustration with Parker administration sources sayOne judge called city leaders ‘fake.’ The city’s new Neighborhood Wellness Court initiative has been placed on hold amid growing concern from the leadership of Philadelphia‘s courts and judges’ mounting frustration with the city officials tasked with overseeing the program Parker’s administration launched in January as a fast-track way to arrest people in Kensington for drug-related offenses and get them into treatment has not taken any new cases over the last three weeks Supervising Municipal Court Judge Karen Simmons was nearly ready to shut the program down over frustration with the lack of coordination and communication from the Parker administration with the courts and other city agencies involved according to sources with knowledge of conversations about the program Simmons was concerned that the city was treating people arrested in some neighborhoods differently from others and that there was inconsistency in how the program was tracking its data and determining who should be eligible for treatment who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations Simmons ultimately gave the city time to fix those issues asking that officials put together a written manual and streamline the paperwork and intake procedures to ensure fairness The city is expected to make those adjustments so police can resume making arrests and bringing people through the program next week A spokesperson for the courts declined to comment and referred questions to the city who oversees the city office that runs wellness court said the delays were related to “administrative protocols” that needed to be resolved but declined to provide specifics Geer said that he expects the program to return to normal operations next week and that the city “is fully committed to successfully implementing and sustaining the Neighborhood Wellness Court model.” the city’s deputy director of public safety is no longer overseeing the program‘s operations and Deputy Mayor Vanessa Garrett Harley is now involved “As with all new pilot programs of this kind adjustments will continually be made to improve operations as time moves forward,” city spokesperson Joe Grace said Thursday The pause comes amid long-simmering tension between the courts and the city over how the program was launched Leadership of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and even the judges tasked with overseeing the court were largely excluded from the city’s plans for the program and how it would operate They have felt like the Parker administration did not want their input That conflict spilled into open court this month Municipal Court Judge Henry Lewandowski III who has presided over most of the wellness court cases so far said at a hearing in early April that certain politicians in the city think they can “just wave a wand” and fix Kensington’s long-standing drug problems adding that officials are trying to build new programs just so they have something to take credit for His frustration was clear again Thursday as he oversaw more than 100 summary offense cases most for fare evasion amid SEPTA‘s new crackdown on turnstile jumping “Who knows what program they’ll start by next week,” he said I’ve never been more uncertain what my job is.” Wellness court is a signature part of Parker’s plan to shut down Kensington’s notorious open-air drug market and restore quality of life for neighborhood residents police conduct sweeps of the Kensington area and arrest people in addiction for offenses like sleeping on the sidewalk They are typically charged with summary offenses like obstructing highways Those arrested are then brought to the Police-Assisted Diversion program building on Lehigh Avenue where they are evaluated by a nurse and an addiction specialist Officials also attempt to address any outstanding arrest warrants and connect them with a court-appointed attorney hired by the city to discuss their rights they are brought before a judge — Lewandowski has heard most cases so far — inside the nearby police district They are offered the opportunity to immediately go to rehab or face a summary trial for their alleged crimes Those who opt to go into treatment and complete the program and terms set by the city will later have their cases dismissed and expunged Few in the program have asked for a same-day trial Those found guilty have so far been ordered to pay fines and court fees ranging from about $200 to $500 according to data collected by The Inquirer The vast majority brought through the program almost immediately leave treatment and do not appear at follow-up hearings The city has declined to share data on wellness court including with City Council at a recent budget hearing saying that it is too early to judge the program on numbers alone and that more time is needed to see results But the Parker administration said it wants to expand the court and needs more funding for it to succeed Geer asked City Council for an additional $3.7 million to operate the court five days a week and hire additional staffers Geer has said that the program will never have a 100% success rate but that every “touch” the program has with people in addiction increases their likelihood to eventually go into treatment But the First Judicial District has said wellness court will not be expanding anytime soon Obianuju Anyaogu can remember times in her life when she chose to turn obstacles into stepping stones rather than allowing them to become setbacks When she was in college at Slippery Rock University she overcame deep depression and suicidal thoughts I say that intentionally — choosing to win — instead of giving up,” said Anyaogu “It doesn’t mean I didn’t feel these things it means I made intentional decisions to move forward — in spite of.” she’s teaching others to love themselves through a children’s book she published last month called “I’m Awesome Positive Affirmation Book for Children.” Brightly illustrated and filled with affirmations of positivity It costs $9.99 on Kindle and $14.99 in paperback “I’m so happy to uplift people on a large scale that’s the goal for my life,” Anyaogu said She hopes the book helps children build self-esteem “We all really are awesome in our own way,” she said I hope that people read this book and can connect with the greatness inside of them and can live out their greatness.” Anyaogu’s book is a long time coming for her she would recite affirmations to him daily and write them down ‘That would be a really cool book,’” she said It was important for Anyaogu to provide these affirmations to her young son so he would grow up having a positive relationship with himself therefore having a positive relationship with others and having a better attitude when dealing with life’s challenges “What I really encourage my son — and anyone who’s reading this book — is to say it daily,” she said a fifth grader at New Kensington-Arnold School District’s Roy A “I’m really intentional about developing the mind subconscious programming and how that affects their lives,” she said Friend Zaire Bracey of Forest Hills said “I’m Awesome!” is more than a book “It’s an early invitation for kids to take control of their inner narrative,” Bracey said “I think it is an indisputable truth that we become the stories we tell ourselves — and it begins when we are children … I plan to pass that down to my son and ensure that he recognizes the power of that truth with this book.” Anyaogu was born and raised in New York City Her family moved to New Kensington in 2004 She graduated from Valley High School in 2006 and attended Slippery Rock where she graduated with a degree in business management in 2010 and Baltimore before returning to New Kensington in 2016 “It’s been a beautiful uphill journey,” she said “I really appreciate things regardless of the climate I’m really grateful to have taken this path.” Bracey said that since he met Anyaogu in 2023 at the gym Webb’s World of Fitness in Penn Hills Anyaogu has made it her mission to learn new things to help people in her community Bracey said Anyaogu proves that entrepreneurship and motherhood are not mutually exclusive “She advocates strongly for Black women and gives them a space to unveil both traumas and untapped potential that they otherwise would not have seen,” Bracey said “(She) has such a unique high-demand niche service — something both essential and rare Make Chocolate Cake.” That would serve as a lifestyle or self-help book for adults ‘Self love is the best love.’ ” she said Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. He joined the Trib in April 2023. He can be reached at kstepler@triblive.com Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardHow the ‘Long Bright River’ writers and cast brought Kensington’s opioid crisis to the screenCast and crew of 'Long Bright River' listened to local voices about thoughtfully portraying the opioid crisis and the Kensington community When she set out to adapt her best-selling novel Long Bright River for television screens Philly author Liz Moore was committed to portraying the opioid crisis in Kensington — the backdrop for the novel and its adaptation now streaming on Peacock — with accuracy and empathy Both tend to be challenging to capture in many fictional takes on addiction Moore said in an interview last month before the show’s premiere In this historically working-class community residents are protective of how their neighborhood is portrayed — and wary of decades of media productions that define it solely by the crisis on its streets “One of the things we talked about was involving the community at every level,” Moore said explaining that she and showrunner Nikki Toscano discussed at length “the ethics of making art about Philadelphia and specifically art that would include Kensington.” The show follows Michaela “Mickey” Fitzpatrick a police officer working in Kensington whose sister As a serial killer targets sex workers on Kensington Avenue “One main reason to tell a story like this is to give a new perspective and to breed compassion We’re hoping to help be a voice for a community that’s incredibly resilient,” Seyfried said who heads the harm-reduction organization Savage Sisters who plays Kacey and visited Kensington Avenue several times to prepare for the role “We would talk about my substance use in Kensington about survivor sex workers and the things we did — what it’s like to be a person going through that crisis compounded with violence against women and police indifference,” Laurel said but I was very impressed with the way Ashleigh took her time with it.” Cummings has family members who have also struggled with addiction but was raised in Australia and had never heard of the crisis in Kensington before auditioning I tried to spend as much time down the Ave as possible,” she said “There are a lot of exploitative eyes on Kensington but our responsibility was to engender empathy Mickey walks down Kensington Avenue with her new partner “How could someone choose to live like this?” A few scenes later answers the question: “When these women started using,” he says said the cast didn’t want to make “voyeuristic television.” “We didn’t want people to be shocked into it We want them to have empathy from the inside [the opioid crisis] is portrayed in such a way where there’s a blanket view of these things Moore said it was important for the show to portray addiction as a medical condition not a moral failing — even if some of the show’s characters think otherwise She also wanted to subvert narratives about “victims” and “saviors” common in crime fiction “Mickey perceives herself to be morally upright almost in contrast to her sister at the start I think she comes to have a much more nuanced understanding of her own complicity in some dark forces in the neighborhood and also within her own family,” Moore said “She comes to see herself not as the sister who’s done everything right all along but somebody who’s made some questionable choices herself.” to portray Kensington as a place with nuance who has volunteered for years in the neighborhood “We were really committed to portraying it very holistically — as a place that is underserved a place with a really fascinating history,” she said typically avoids media about the opioid crisis — and no fictional portrayal can truly convey the reality on the street in Kensington “I think Kensington has gotten a ton of media a lot of negative media — it’s been trauma porn,” she said “My hope is that [Long Bright River] portraying it in a compassionate way opens hearts and minds.” ResearchNew Kensington to host Research and Student Engagement Expo on April 15Coincides with career fair and professional networking eventCredit: Penn State. Creative Commons — Penn State New Kensington will host its annual Research and Student Engagement Expo alongside its Career Connections Day located inside the campus’ Athletics Center co-chaired by Amy Rustic and Penelope Morrison creativity and academic excellence involved with undergraduate research Penn State New Kensington students have presented on topics such as "Women’s Rights and Health in Afghanistan," "Cryptococaryon Irritans in Fish," and "Interventional Radiography in Veterinary Practice." Nearly 50 projects were featured at the 2023-24 Student Engagement Expo of which 10 students were awarded the University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award for their excellence in information literacy students will have opportunities to network and present their academic work to faculty and potential employers during Career Connections Day Exact details on this portion of the event are not yet finalized Job recruiters interested in attending Penn State New Kensington’s Career Connections Day should contact Sarah Krupp Kate Middleton and William, decision made | en.catalunyadiari.com, Europa PressNews Kensington Palace admits that Kate Middleton and William have made a final decision Kate and William reinforce their stance toward a family member: a definitive distancing by Another Take01/05/2025 11:07:00h Prince Andrew remains one of the most controversial members of the British Royal Family After the scandals that marked his public life his relationship with the rest of the royal family has taken a definitive turn Prince William and Kate Middleton have made it clear that their stance toward their uncle The distancing of William and Kate from Prince Andrew seems irreversible William has expressed that he doesn't want to spend time with Andrew especially after the scandals surrounding him The couple moves away from Andrés | Europa PressAndrew's image has been severely affected by accusations of sexual assault and his association with figures like Jeffrey Epstein he has been removed from the official circles of the royal family agree that there is no way for Prince Andrew to return to public life Vickers claimed that the royal family has already agreed on his withdrawal from official duties Nobody wants him back in public service," the expert noted Since the controversial interview on BBC Newsnight in 2019 where Andrew denied the accusations against him His friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and other episodes have fueled growing disapproval within the royal family Although King Charles III's brother has continued to attend family events his presence in public life has been reduced During the recent Easter Sunday service at St Prince William and Kate Middleton decided not to attend This decision has sparked speculation about their relationship with Prince Andrew Andrew attended accompanied by his ex-wife Prince Andrew returns to the spotlight of criticism | Twitter @EFEnoticiasSarah Ferguson's supportSarah Ferguson has been one of the main defenders of his image she has expressed her unconditional support for him this support hasn't managed to restore the relationship between Prince Andrew and the rest of the royal family William and Kate's stance reflects an increasingly marked distancing from Prince Andrew Although King Charles III continues to show affection toward his brother many question whether the Duke of York has any future within the royal family his return to public life seems increasingly complicated seems to be one of the forces driving this decision the prince has taken the lead in ensuring that Andrew has no presence in the media or official events The reputation of the monarchy is one of his main concerns and any association with Andrew's scandals could jeopardize it Prince Andrew has been relegated to the background in the public life of the royal family his influence in the institution seems to have come to an end and the British monarchy appears to be charting a path without him ➡️ News New photos shared by Kensington Palace capture the Prince and Princess of Wales immersed in the day's activities The first image is particularly striking: taken from a low angle it shows William and Kate walking through the forest Kate blends beautifully into the natural backdrop an olive-green sweater and a matching blazer William opted for a more subdued look with navy trousers and a black sweater the Prince and Princess of Wales ventured into the Ardura Community Forest where they spent time with children participating in an outdoor learning session led by forest rangers The final day of their brief tour is centered on nature and environmental conservation—a cause both royals have championed passionately over the years This visit feels deeply aligned with who William and Kate are—comfortable in the outdoors naturally engaging with children and fully present in their roles as leaders and parents the couple emphasized the significance of outdoor education and conservation “Spending time in Ardura Community Forest with the Mull and Iona Ranger Service and young nature explorers,” they wrote “A powerful reminder of the importance of protecting the environment and the role outdoor learning plays in building connection and care for nature.” They also announced continued support through The Royal Foundation and United for Wildlife which will provide resources for local rangers—ensuring ongoing protection of these cherished natural spaces Want all the latest entertainment news sent right to your inbox? Click here Kate Middleton & Prince William Are Set to Appear on Buckingham Palace Balcony—and It’s For a Surprising Occasion guests can experience luxury living with an artistic twist Located in London’s upper echelon neighborhood of Kensington just steps away from the Natural History Museum and V&A Museum the 19th-century townhouse hotel provides a picturesque arrival to those on holiday or local Londoners looking for an upscale staycation decorated by lush landscaping and a baby blue bicycle adorned with the hotel’s name guests are ushered into the reception area where their luxurious stay begins Perhaps what makes The Kensington one of the more unique stays in the city is through the history of the hotel itself the hotel’s ground floor has been converted into charming shared spaces which each bring their own personality and purpose to visitors Each room is meticulously adorned in decorative wall coverings to match the aesthetic whether it’s enjoying an eye-catching and artistic afternoon tea in one of the two main drawing rooms or savoring a sumptuous meal in the hotel’s picturesque restaurant The Townhouse every element of the hotel’s design signifies its commitment to artful discoveries may be sold out until June to those visiting London this special package provides visitors with tickets despite the limited ticket quantity we strive to offer guests more than just a place to stay—we immerse them in the heart of London’s culture,” Klaus Kabelitz general manager of the Kensington hotel in London “Our collaboration with the V&A reflects this ethos providing a rare opportunity to experience world-class art and design in one of the city’s most iconic cultural landmarks With access to sold-out exhibitions like ‘Cartier,’ this special experience allows guests to explore the beauty of the V&A in an exclusive and enriching way it’s an invitation to experience the creativity that defines both the museum and the neighborhood sophisticated hospitality for which The Kensington is known.” As part of the collaboration, The Kensington Hotel’s K Bar, an oak paneled art deco-style lounge area clad in striking artworks inspired by history and travel has crafted a specialty “hidden gems” menu filled with inventive cocktails inspired by the Cartier exhibition Comprised of four different options titled after precious gems each specialty cocktail is made with the highest and most inventive ingredients Among the offerings include the martini-inspired Diamont (made with Beluga gold line vodka and served with a a diamond-shaped ice cube) and finally the non-alcoholic amethyst (made with everleaf mountain as well as white peach & jasmine soda) © 2023 Hudson One Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Tastykakes and the Mummers can't save this new Peacock crime series from being a slogfest the new set-in-Kensington Peacock series that longtime Kensington resident Tim McCloskey reviews here “I grew up here. Went to elementary school here. So did a lot of the girls working the avenue.” So begins the trailer for Long Bright River, an adaption of the critically-acclaimed novel by South Philly writer Liz Moore is set in the gritty streets of Kensington a cop who grew up in Kensington and is now back patrolling the streets The series is just too long and moves too slow It’s like so many “limited series” these days you’re trying to figure out why the hell they needed eight hours to get through what they just got through Long Bright River would have been much better served by a 90-minute – OK I could write an entire essay on how wrong and overwhelming the soundtrack is for the show as someone whose family has been in Kensington continuously since the 1870s and as someone who bought my house here ten years ago I’m here to tell you: the neighborhood in Long Bright River does not look like Kensington could that be because they filmed the entire thing in New York because this series is supposed to take place in Philadelphia we need to talk about the Philadelphia accents If Aussie Toni Collette could pull off a Philly accent in The Sixth Sense and if Brit James McAvoy could manage one when he hosted Saturday Night Live and if fellow Brit Kate Winslet nailed a Philly (OK why can’t Amanda Seyfried even attempt one Then there are the demographics presented in Long Bright River Kensington is an incredibly diverse section of Philadelphia and the rest a smattering of people of Asian descent and a smattering of white people the casting in Long Bright River simply lacks diversity and local business owners seem to be white Irish Catholic Kensington in Long Bright River looks more like Mayberry It’s almost as if there are fewer people of color on screen than in the first five seasons of Friends bachata or reggaeton being blasted from car stereos or porch speakers The Kensington of Long Bright River is an alternate universe for anyone who has spent time here The writers try to inject multiple Philly references into the dialogue to ramp up the authenticity Yuengling (which really isn’t considered a Philly beer anymore) Wawa (which now has more stores in Florida than it does in Pennsylvania) Tastykakes (which are no longer made here) Mickey slams a shot and a beer and declares “I grew up in a Mummers club drinking citywide specials!” if you’re in Cleveland or Des Moines you could somehow find Long Bright River to be a worthwhile way to lose eight hours of your life But no bona fide Philadelphian possibly could You can follow author Tim McCloskey on X at @timmmccloskey Get the Most Out of Your Credit Card Rewards 30 Must-Visit Pennsylvania State Historical Markers 19 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do at the Library — Penn State New Kensington hosted its Scholarship Luncheon on April 16 celebrating the generosity of donors and the achievements of student recipients senior director of campus development (southwest region) “[Our students] are the future leaders and the embodiment of the dreams that Penn State New Kensington strives to fulfill,” Chasin said inspires excellence and ultimately strengthens our community.” senior director of enrollment management for Southwestern Pennsylvania “Many of our students juggle one or even two jobs and some also support their families financially,” Smith said a scholarship isn’t just a monetary gift — it’s peace of mind It’s the ability to concentrate on their studies a senior business major focusing on accounting she has held leadership roles in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee She also played college basketball and volleyball “When I first arrived at [Penn State New Kensington] and working to pay my college tuition,” Usko said I can tell you that every bit of financial support is a blessing to the awardees I have found these scholarships have not only decreased the financial burden Usko dedicated more time to campus and community initiatives As president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee she worked to connect student-athletes with local families and organized the campus’ first Trunk or Treat event bringing together students from all majors sports and clubs to engage with the New Kensington and Burrell communities The Giant Eagle supermarket in New Kensington is undergoing some changes to its layout A renovation of the store’s Starbucks is connected to a change in Giant Eagle’s overall layout The beer and wine department is being relocated to the middle of the store and a new Starbucks kiosk will be moved slightly — into the area where the beer and wine department was previously located “The existing Starbucks kiosk will continue to operate until the new one is complete so there will not be any interruption of service,” Drexler said “The new Starbucks kiosk will have a refreshed look and feel but the offerings will remain consistent.” Drexler anticipates the work to be complete by late summer Although a new Starbucks location opened in February just yards away in Riverview Plaza the Giant Eagle Starbucks kiosk was due for an upgrade “We are regularly reviewing all of our store locations and their features to ensure we’re keeping everything up to date for our customers,” she said the New Kensington location was due for a refresh and the timing worked nicely with the other planned changes to the store layout.” and operates its in-store Starbucks locations with its employees following Starbucks guidelines and procedures The show is based on author Liz Moore’s bestselling novel about a beat cop’s search for a murderer and her sister in Kensington amidst the opioid crisis LONG BRIGHT RIVER -- "These Girls Episode 101 -- Pictured: (l-r) Dash Mihok as Lafferty Amanda Seyfried as Mickey— (Photo by: David Holloway/PEACOCK) The new series Long Bright River premiers Thursday on Peacock It’s a gritty crime drama based on Philadelphia author Liz Moore’s bestselling book by the same name The story is set in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood amidst the opioid epidemic and stars Amanda Seyfried as a beat cop searching for her sister and a killer Liz Moore and Amanda Seyfried join us this hour to talk about bringing the book to life and doing right by the Kensington community, which has become a national stand-in for America’s drug crisis. Do you think Hollywood gets Philadelphia right? When did they get it really wrong? Email us at studio2@whyy.org it’s been more than a year since Mayor Parker’s Kensington cleanup – homeless encampments were cleared out and more police officers deployed to the neighborhood streets We’ll talk with two Kensington residents about how they think their community is doing Local horticulturists expect the season will peak during the first week of April aligning perfectly with Shofuso’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival near the intersection of the city’s East Germantown ResearchNew Kensington recognizes students with Information Literacy Award for researchCampus celebrates scholarly persistence, creativity and excellenceCredit: Penn State. Creative Commons — Penn State New Kensington has announced the recipients of the 2025 University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award for Excellence in Information Literacy this award recognizes undergraduate research projects that demonstrate exemplary information literacy skills Students presented their research at Penn State New Kensington’s annual Research and Student Engagement Expo psychology: "The Effects of a Phobic Stimulus on the Populace" biology: "Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) in Cats: Is It Really ‘Cat AIDS’?" criminal justice: "Perceptions of Safety in the Presence of Campus Law Enforcement" biobehavioral health: "Investigating the Association Between Stress and Eating Habits" biobehavioral health: "he Effect of Social Media Use on the Mental Health of College Students" criminal justice: "The Ripple Effect: Friends biobehavioral health: "The Impact of Caffeine on Sleep Quality" each winner will receive a $70 award deposited to their student account and a certificate of recognition What started as a sewer repair in a New Kensington alley has devolved into a public safety and health hazard “It’s technically not a sinkhole but it turned into one,” said Vince Davis “The hole originally was like (the width of) a manhole it’s probably bigger — at least 12 by 14 feet (wide).” The hole is located on Moss Alley in a residential part of New Kensington “It’s going to get bigger if something doesn’t happen,” said Sierra Sweitzer Davis said the situation started about four months ago when a homeowner’s sewer project went awry It’s since sat there and the hole has gotten bigger and deeper as the days go by While traffic cones surround the hole to keep people out who said children and adults use the alley to play and travel It’s eroded feet away to the corner of Davis’ property’s foundation It’s filled with trash,” Davis said New Kensington city officials didn’t return requests for comment Wednesday Sweitzer is also worried about neighbor children playing in the area She said the alley is impassable to vehicles because the hole has gotten so big I almost fell into it — and that was three months ago when it was smaller,” she said Sweitzer said New Kensington officials mailed letters to Fifth Avenue residents about a month ago directing them to put their trash cans on the street instead of the alley “It keeps getting worse,” she said described the situation as “horrible.” it’s a danger for these kids,” she said Davis believes if the hole is not fixed soon trash and debris stew in the hole’s stagnant water “You won’t be able to keep you windows open it was 100% worse than what it is now,” he said and Grace & Proper celebrates spring with a Txakoli-filled event and George Sabatino / Photograph by Mike Prince And welcome back to the weekly Foobooz food news round-up It’s another week of really big news in the food world — including (but not limited to) a much-anticipated expansion So let’s get right into it and kick things off this week with … Okay, so this news was a little bit surprising, considering the last time we talked about George was in August of last year, and way back then (all of eight months ago) he was just getting himself settled into his new post as exec at Rosemary in Ridley Park But now it looks like he’s made another jump — back into the city this time as chef at the new French restaurant Fleur’s which he’s opening alongside partners Josh Mann and Graham Gernsheimer and their pictures of it make it look seriously cool and all of it happening right on Front Street with some very big names attached having done 16 years with Starr in various FOH roles before jumping over to Defined Hospitality and spending the last four years at Condesa Gernsheimer tended bar at Amis and Osteria managed a half-dozen different big-name restaurants around town and is currently director of ops for the Loco Pez Group It was short-lived but solid — and he was already taking over the gig from a different chef (Elijah Milligan) who also happened to be the chef who took over at Stateside when George left back in 2011 Here’s George talking about his ideas for the place: “We will be building the menu around what’s available at nearby farms which really invigorated my love for the region’s bounty of produce and inspired me to take my approach to vegetable cooking to new heights but it will represent the six growing seasons in which the region’s farmers grow Garnishes and little things will change often and we will feature a handful of signature dishes that will give us a lot of seasonal flexibility We will be focusing heavily on preservation and what’s available both from local waterways and the farms This is an opportunity for me to be the most focused and intentional that I’ve ever been putting all of my knowledge of hospitality into one package Our goal is to simply produce the best food we can in a beautiful setting with outstanding hospitality and without any egos or pretense and this is really exciting for all of us.” The plan is for the restaurant part of the project to be open sometime this spring — meaning soon-ish and a dozen seats in one private dining room The 2,000-square-foot rooftop bar will be opening later in the year along with a dedicated event space on the fifth floor and the hotel rooms with a weekend brunch and happy hour coming once the team gets their legs under them Inside Càphê Roasters / Photo courtesy of Càphê Roasters The impending opening of Fleur’s is not the only reason for the neighbors to be celebrating It looks like the team at Càphê Roasters is eyeing a big move of their own Know that kinda creepy abandoned building across the street from their current location on Kensington Avenue but the CR team is looking to expand into that space and turn it into a brewery and a multi-use cafe space with a takeout window The Inky talked with the owners about the new plans and wrote all about it over the weekend but my favorite part of the entire piece was when a recent zoning hearing before the Harrowgate Civic Association broke out in applause (and a unanimous vote to support the expansion) Càphê Roasters’ lawyer seemed completely flummoxed by the overwhelmingly positive reaction So while I can’t imagine what in the Scooby Doo the Càphê Roasters team is thinking and would absolutely think twice before expanding my small Vietnamese cafe and coffee-roasting operation into what is an obviously haunted abandoned roller skating rink they seem to be moving full speed ahead with their plans There’s still a lot of paperwork and a lot of meetings to come but I am super psyched to see what they’ll do with more space and a brewery of their own Inside Hearthside in Collingswood / Photograph courtesy of Hearthside I told y’all about the Piperno Hospitality Group (who own Hearthside in Collingswood) and their plans to open a “high-class sit-down ‘contemporary American’ restaurant with an elevated bar program focusing on the classics (plus extensive zero-proof options) and a menu built around the same kind of wood-burning ovens that gave Hearthside its name.” This was a project that had been in the works for years — a complicated dance of paperwork and community drainage surveys — which the Pipernos (Dominic and Lindsay) had begun before COVID and hoped to have finally wrapped up in 12 months or less rather than adding 145 seats and a brand new contemporary American restaurant to their portfolio the Pipernos have decided that they’re just going to up stakes and move Hearthside down the street to the new location at 105 Haddon Avenue in Haddon Township Over on Instagram “This move wasn’t something we initially planned we imagined building something entirely new we kept coming back to Hearthside — to the food So we made the decision to take everything we love about this place and give it the room to grow.” No decisions have been made yet as to what’s going to happen with the original Hearthside location — whether the Pipernos are going to keep it and turn it into something new or whether they’ll be looking for a new tenant Hearthside is currently open in its current location at 801 Haddon Avenue in Collingswood And the new space won’t be ready for move-in until sometime in 2026 Dishes and drinks featured on Jaffa’s brunch menu / Photograph Liz Wissmann Here’s something cool: Artist (and former New Yorker editor) John Donohue is having an exhibition at Gleaners Cafe in Bella Vista that he’s calling “The Art Of Philly Dining.” It features hand-drawn illustrations of more than 75 iconic Philly restaurants — both classics and newcomers — that capture “not just the facades of these beloved eateries but also the emotional connection people have with them.” These are pen-and-ink sketches, done as one-of-a-kind objects, and Donohue has been doing it for a while through his “All The Restaurants” project But if you’re a Philly restaurant fanatic (and if you aren’t Friday Saturday Sunday — no matter what your favorite place is odds are good that Donohue has a sketch for sale so proceeds from sales will be going to CHOP Donohue has about 75 four-by-six-inch sketches for sale at Gleaners that’ll run you around $100 each But he’s also got a few double-signed 12-by-12 canvas prints with signatures from the chefs that run them if you want a sketch of Royal Sushi and Izakaya The show will run at Gleaners from April 29th through June 2nd. You can check out some of Donohue’s work (and buy one of those signed prints, if you’re interested) right here (with an additional “Mid-Day Happy Hour” service on Sunday from 2 p.m In news that should surprise absolutely no one, SIN in NoLibs has shut down after a little over a year. The influencer-bait restaurant-slash-nightclub-slash-steakhouse that tried to popularize “vibe dining” and had plans for massive, nationwide expansion before the first location had even opened went dark late last week rather unexpectedly one of the worst-named restaurants in recent memory (SIN stood for “Steak Italian Nightlife,” and I mean a new restaurant will be moving into the recently vacated space in a hurry And finally this week, the crew at Grace & Proper are honoring the season Basque-style with their one-night-only “Basque in the Spring” event featuring a Txakoli-soaked celebration of warmer weather to come “Txakoli, the wine of the Basque Country, is just like the region’s language, culture, and food — completely independent from the world around it,” according to the restaurant’s Instagram “Basque in the Spring is a celebration of Txakolina at the core along with a showcase of all the things we love about the Basque region of Spain Who isn’t in the mood for some ham and wine and olive oil cake right now The party starts at 3 p.m. on April 29th and will run until the sun goes down. An RSVP ticket for the event will cost you $5, and you can get yours right here Takeout Foods to Include in Your Perfect Philly Picnic 16 Philly Restaurants Offering Passover and Easter Specials Meet the Chefs Reimagining the Cheesesteak (WKBW) — The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced it will not appeal a judge's ruling to halt the Kensington Expressway project a judge ruled that New York State cannot move forward with plans to cover a portion of the 33 with a tunnel to restore the top as a parkway without a full environmental impact study We are going to go through a new EIS," Assembly Speaker Crystal Peoples-Stokes said The DOT said it would work with the community to hear what East Side neighbors would like to see The state said the goal is to "reconnect neighborhoods," but the state DOT said it is not walking away from it and will look to the community to enhance the future of transportation in the city the East Side Collaborative Partnership is calling on the state to keep the environmental study on track Leaders on the East Side said the study needs to move quickly and the state needs to keep East Side residents informed calling on the state DOT to move forward with an environmental impact statement for the Kensington Expressway project as ordered by the court "And the one thing that we're not going to do is give up," Richard Cummings president of Black Chamber of Commerce of WNY & Restore Our Community Coalition (ROCC) said The following is the full statement from NYSDOT Region 5 Director Eric Meka: They said they are delivering a "clear message" that this project must move forward with urgency integrity and respect for decades of advocacy and community planning "We need to reconnect this community – that's what these dollars are for," Ellen Harris-Harvey president of Trinidad Neighborhood Block Club The group is outraged by the East Side Parkways Coalition which filed a lawsuit against their project I'm looking forward to going through that tunnel," Rev "I'm looking forward to not having snow in my way." fought for the project to renew the community divided by a highway we must make sure it doesn't become a tool to derail the project," Sydney Brown "This process must remain focused on the current project—restoring Humboldt Parkway and reconnecting our community Any effort to broaden the scope beyond what the judge ordered is a delay tactic that our community cannot afford." "There'd be shovels in the ground if back in 2009 if the DOT had planned and facilitated an environmental impact statement then," Michael Gainer "They did not do that – that's not our fault." denies the group is trying to hurt the entire project because of the communities and because of the long-term vision," he said Assembly Speaker Peoples-Stokes says Governor Hochul has assured her the $1 billion the state has promised will still be provided for the project and believes the environmental study could take two years Other elected city leaders were also on hand for Friday's event including Buffalo Common Council Masten District lawmaker Zeneta Everhart and County Majority leader and Ellicott District Councilwoman Leah Halton-Pope "It is my duty to stand strong for them and to stay committed to their vision," Everhart said "My people – this community that didn't have a voice at the table when you put this expressway in the first place should not be ignored now," Halton-Pope said The state DOT says in the coming weeks and months The leaders outlined the following three guiding principles for the EIS process: Stay Focused – Align strictly with the judge's directive; no expanded scope 2 Move Quickly – Begin and complete the EIS with urgency 3 Center Equity – Ensure East Side residents remain at the core of the process and outcomes Governor Kathy Hochul was asked about the project last week at the new Buffalo Bills stadium "It's disappointing – that when we bring the resource to do something that the community has wanted a long time and Crystal Peoples-Stokes that we'd finally heal a community that was severed by this highway since the 1960's and right the wrongs of the past and then to have people thwart us in court and stymie this," she said Hochul told reporters she would need to take time with her attorneys to "analyze what our next steps are." Then word came from the DOT that it would not appeal We want to hear what’s going on in your community Share your voice and hear from your neighbors interviews and music from around the world presents an engaging portrait of the global community there’s been a 57% reduction in shootings in Kensington and police have seized 24,000 grams of fentanyl People experiencing homelessness hung out north of Allegheny Avenue on Kensington Avenue after two blocks south of there was cleared by city officials on May 8 Proposed legislation would restrict mobile providers from operating on residential streets near schools and recreation centers and in other public areas of Kensington Philadelphia police could offer reduced charges and possible expungement to people willing to submit to drug treatment “This community has been struggling for a long time and finally I feel like there is some breathing room,” said Councilmember Quetcy Lozada but the reason we have had some success is that we continue to show up.” Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Mayor Cherelle Parker was not in attendance The city and school district offer hundreds of summer programs meant to keep Philly students out of trouble and entertained during the summer months Mayor Cherelle Parker introduced her proposed budget to city council Thursday with a commitment to keep city residents safe The plan includes expanding twice-weekly trash pickup to North Philly fixing heating and air conditioning in libraries and adding planters to commercial corridors Prince William and Princess Kate made a significant statement following Meghan Markle's revelations about the challenges she encountered during her early days with the royal family who are currently on a royal tour to the Scottish Isles promoting the beauty and nature surrounding the west coast of Scotland A video featured a local of the area highlighting beautiful features of the less populated area "From exploring how islanders are protecting their natural world to meeting young families who are shaping the future of rural life we’re excited for an inspiring two days here celebrating the power of community and connection!" It is important to mention that the Waleses issued a new update after the Duchess of Sussex claimed that she and her husband Prince Harry "went into the trenches together" at the beginning of their romance During a conversation on The Jamie Kern Lima Show Meghan shared that finally after seven years she and her better half found peace as they are living with their two children It has been said that the Suits actress once again took a dig at royals by revisiting her past in a new bombshell interview The youngest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales stole hearts with his antics at the VE Day processions Kelsey Grammer visits the site of his sister’s tragic death The 11-year-old young royal took part in the special tea festivity Jenna Ortega's 'Wednesday' season 2 has been teased by the makers Prince Harry dragged through the mud with Thomas Markle comparison Barry Williams opens up about portraying Greg Brady in 'The Brady Bunch' Copyright © 2025. The News International, All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Authors Kensington Metropark was closed to the public Monday afternoon for contracted sharpshooters to cull whitetail deer within the nearly 4,500-acre park between Milford and South Lyon The number of deer killed and removed was not made available Tuesday by Huron-Clinton Metropark officials Spokeswoman Danielle Mauter said the information would be made available when presented to the Metroparks board of commissioners either next month or in April "All animals removed from the population are processed and donated to local food banks to help feed hungry families across Michigan," she said The operation is part of an ongoing effort by Huron-Clinton Metroparks to keep deer populations at healthy levels as well as to protect plants and other parts of the ecology in the Metroparks system sprawling across 13 properties and 25,000 acres in Livingston The Deer Herd and Ecosystem Management Plan began at the Metroparks in 1999 after the observed decline in the overall health of deer herds and the loss of many species of native plants from deer browsing Under a management plan made in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources the Metroparks strive to keep population density at between 15 and 20 deer per square mile Deer are counted through helicopter flyover surveys infrared surveys using an airplane flying over the park at night More: Michigan firearm deer hunt numbers plummet, particularly in U.P., and locals blame wolves More: Warmer winters, fewer hunters have Michigan deer numbers soaring — and it's becoming a problem The culls began in the Metropark system in 1999 and by 2021 had resulted in the reduction of 4,200 deer throughout the park system with more than 183,000 pounds of venison distributed to food banks After more significant reductions in the deer herd in the early years of the program the culls have now been more maintenance-oriented to keep populations at desired levels With an 11 deer per square mile estimate last year across the Metroparks system For safety reasons and to avoid conflicts with protestors advanced notice of Metropark deer culls is limited "Park closures for most parks for any planned culls would occur at 3 p.m on those days with closure signing clearly posted," Mauter said "Park closures for any planned culls at Indian Springs Metropark (near White Lake) will be full-day closures Neighbors of the parks receive a letter in the mail at least two days prior to any management activities occurring exact date of any required deer culls will not be published publicly ahead of time." That led to some community confusion on Monday afternoon with members of a Milford community group on Facebook wondering why Kensington Metropark was closed,"They are killing deer getting ready," Ginger Estep Canup replied Some on the page were less supportive of that idea than others "Leave the deer alone," Linda Kleabir posted Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@freepress.com And that’s when he realized how popular he had suddenly become in Philly “This Eagles fan comes running up to me and says ‘I’m going to buy that for you,’” Murphy said The throwback Birds jacket — wool with leather sleeves — cost $250 and kept Murphy warm as the Eagles beat the Rams and continued marching toward an eventual Super Bowl title surged as it found an audience thanks to Brown » READ MORE: Moro Ojomo gave ‘Inner Excellence’ to A.J. Brown. The lesser-known Eagle has his own motivational story. The book will be rereleased worldwide Tuesday by Grand Central Publishing as Murphy continues to ride the Super Bowl wave nearly three months after the confetti dropped will be spending more time in Philadelphia the city where a stranger bought his jacket and football fans helped his book become a bestseller The author is working with Shane Claiborne, a Philadelphia-based activist, to open an “Inner Excellence headquarters” in Kensington Murphy plans to have a studio where people can come and learn about the teachings of Inner Excellence which are intended to “train your heart and mind for extraordinary performance and the best possible life.” “We want to support the families and youth there and teach them Inner Excellence and teach them what A.J who was in Kensington last week with Claiborne “I want to bring Inner Excellence to this neighborhood.” Murphy dreamed of being a major-league baseball manager when he studied coaching science in graduate school at the University of British Columbia after his minor-league playing career fizzled out He used his dissertation as a way to network interviewing 39 managers and executives about what makes a championship team Murphy met during 1998’s spring training with the architect of the 2008 champion Phillies He ended the interview by asking Gillick if he could recommend anyone else Gillick said he could put Murphy in touch with Davey Johnson who was the American League Manager of the Year the previous season with the Orioles but was fired following a dispute with the owner » READ MORE: ‘Inner Excellence’ spotted on Broad Street as Eagles fans celebrate the NFC championship win “Pat starts to give me his number and then instead he just grabs his phone and puts it on speaker phone,” Murphy said He was like ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do next Maybe I’ll get into real estate.’ I was like ‘Are you joking?’ It made me realize that everyone was human.” Murphy later visited Johnson at his home and Johnson wrote the foreword when the project became Murphy’s first book All the interviews helped Murphy land a job after graduation with the Texas Rangers as a minor-league coach with the Savannah Sand Gnats It was a dream job but Murphy soon found out it wasn’t for him “It ended up being a box that I couldn’t fit in,” Murphy said But now I see that God had much bigger plans for me I thought I was meant to be a superstar athlete I thought I was meant to be a superstar coach “I went to the desert to see what I could devote my life to and what I was willing to live and die for Brown read it on the sidelines throughout the season but it didn’t become widely known until the playoffs It suddenly became a thing as fans brought the books to the Linc and someone even dressed as the front cover during a celebration on Broad Street The man who helped the Phillies win a World Series boosted Murphy’s first book and his next book became a bestseller thanks to the receiver who helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl “He showed the world that you can read even if you don’t have time to read,” Murphy said “He showed the world how to be your true self no matter what people are going to think He took that book and said ‘This helps me get centered and focused and perform better but what are people going to think They’re probably going to judge me.’ He just said I’m going to be my true self.’ That’s amazing.” It had been three months since Brown read his book on the sideline but it seemed like everyone Murphy met last week in Philly still remembered “There’s a bunch of young folks who knew about the book,” said Claiborne who has been friends with Murphy for 10 years Brown carry it and now they want to know what Jim has to offer so I’m excited to create spaces where he can share the ideas that have been so helpful to so many people.” The nonprofit based in Kensington has initiatives for affordable housing They build community gardens in Kensington » READ MORE: ‘Inner Excellence’ has gone international, thanks to an Australian football player’s pregame routine “The stuff that’s difficult is obvious and in your face and in the news all the time,” Claiborne said “But a lot of neighborhoods that are economically struggling are community rich Murphy intended his book for professional athletes setting out to write “the best book ever written about mental toughness” and find out how athletes remain calm under pressure But he found the message had a much broader audience resonating in Kensington just like it does on the sidelines in South Philly We all have the same big dreams and the same big issues We all want to live a meaningful and fulfilling life with amazing experiences and deep enriching relationships where we’re learning and growing and making a difference “We also all have the same limiting belief We have a mind that thinks negative thoughts and gets caught up in self-centeredness that leads us to fear and anxiety and getting attached to what we want but can’t control We don’t even know if that’s what’s best for us.” “We’re just trying to navigate this crazy life And I think Eagles fans have it a lot harder in general than Eagles players They have coaches like myself and a massage therapist where an average Eagles fan doesn’t have any of that They don’t have these coaches and therapists to help them Claiborne gave Murphy a tour last week of Kensington as they met community leaders and visited abandoned homes that Claiborne’s organization is rehabbing for Murphy to help with along with teaching Inner Excellence Claiborne said maybe even Brown could stop by a flag football game “There’s 400 young people who are being mentored by a grassroots sports league started here in Kensington,” Claiborne said of Timoteo Sports » READ MORE: After Eagles’ A.J. Brown read it on the sideline, ‘Inner Excellence’ author lands a book deal Murphy will be spending more time in Philadelphia And he’ll have the right jacket this winter if it snows “It was so inspiring,” Murphy said of visiting Kensington What a gift to be in a place with great need and great passion I think the people are ready for Inner Excellence in their lives.” And April was a busy one for Princess Catherine, 43, and Prince William, 42—not to mention it was busy for their youngest, Prince Louis (but more on that in a minute) a few highlights from their Instagram Stories featuring the Kensington Palace April Royal Rewind The first Story (after their traditional intro slide shown above) featured a video of Prince William making a major announcement the prince revealed that the upcoming Earthshot Prize ceremony is heading to Rio "The Earthshot Prize is coming to Rio this November and 15 new incredible Finalists from around the world You'll notice he was joined by Robert Irwin (and this wasn't the pair's only collab in recent weeks) "I find it a very spiritual and very intense emotional reconnection I suppose these environments," she said in one video "Not everyone has that same relationship perhaps with nature but it is so therefore meaningful for me as a place to balance and find a sort of sense of peace and reconnection in what is otherwise a very busy world." things ended with a "thank you" slide from the Palace Want all the latest royal news sent right to your inbox? Subscribe here Kate Middleton Just Teased Something Major on Instagram: ‘Coming Soon’ Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardOnly two people have successfully completed the Kensington ‘wellness court’ so far The Parker administration wants to expand it.Nearly two-thirds of the more than 40 people brought before the court since late January have dropped out of treatment within days and then failed to appear at follow-up hearings Nearly two-thirds of the more than 40 people brought before the court since late January dropped out of treatment within days then failed to appear at follow-up hearings according to an Inquirer review of the cases would allow the court to operate five days per week and hire seven new staff members to oversee it Parker and her team have touted the court as a key part of their goal to shut down the open-air drug market in Kensington and restore a neighborhood that pilot phase of the court have raised questions about its effectiveness and underscored the challenges of trying to force people in addiction many with complex physical and mental health issues certainly about expense,” Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke said during a budget hearing this week head of the Philadelphia Office of Public Safety declined to share data on the program with Council He would not say how many people have successfully completed treatment or how many dropped out emphasizing that it is too early to judge the program by numbers alone he said his team needs to meet with the court to review the data and determine which cases could be considered successfully completed police had arrested about 70 people during the Wednesday morning sweeps for wellness court Not everyone picked up makes it to court — some have outstanding bench warrants and are transferred to jail he did not want to share data on the court until it reaches the six-month mark said he was frustrated by the lack of transparency and called it disrespectful to the budget process is designed to connect people in addiction with same-day treatment and resources police walk through Kensington in search of people who appear to be in addiction stumbling into the street or sleeping on the sidewalk They are typically charged with public drunkenness or obstructing a highway People are first brought to a resource center at B Street and Lehigh Avenue Attorneys from the Defender Association of Philadelphia work to clear any outstanding warrants that would typically send them to jail they are connected with a city-contracted attorney to represent them in court they are brought before a judge inside the nearby police district They are offered the opportunity to immediately go to rehab or face a summary trial for their crime Most people have opted to go into treatment One man fled before he was even met by an intake worker at the facility Only two have successfully completed the terms of their treatment and both are now being housed at Riverview the new transitional housing complex built by Parker’s team on State Road their defense attorney contracted by the city she was homeless and addicted to opioids in Kensington and was rekindling her relationship with her sons “I really want it this time,” she said of staying sober Her resolve and perseverance were rare for wellness court Many brought before the court are chronically homeless and are shaking and sweating during their proceedings Geer said it is unrealistic to believe that everyone in the court will successfully complete treatment Every contact officials have with people in addiction matters and increases their likelihood of entering treatment “The notion that neighborhood wellness court is going to sweep in and take in people in the worst throes of addiction and they’ll get this one hit and be successful and go straight to Riverview “It’s not pragmatic or what we would expect from any other system.” Geer said the city’s existing diversion programs are more likely to send people to jail will continue to enforce laws and make arrests in the neighborhood those who are arrested are more likely to be charged with misdemeanors and “go to a cold cell” inside the local police station “that does not have a nurse that does not have a housing specialist … that does not have a behavioral health specialist He added: “That is not the sort of representation that we need to be having coming out of our city if we are serious about providing care.” Parker has asked Council to approve $2.7 million for the court operations and $2.8 million for the B and Lehigh resource center to run 24/7 plus $1 million for the Defender Association to provide full-time support In total, the administration is asking Council to allocate $78.9 million for Geer’s office, which was established last year as a way to centralize the city’s myriad public safety programs outside traditional policing O’Rourke said he and his colleagues want to see the efforts succeed “The idea is not to see the administration fail,” he said a symphony of force and care and provision they’re putting together to address the disease of addiction.” Staff writer Anna Orso contributed to this article The role of the gun industry in America’s gun violence epidemic Our team is examining a decade's worth of data from the Gun Violence Archive for insights into one of the most devastating public health crises in the United States The National Rifle Association is one of the most powerful special interest groups in America We’re investigating how it spends its money and programs grappling with the gun violence crisis Sign up now to get our latest stories and eye-opening briefings has provided job opportunities and housing services in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood since 1974 he’s been witness to sweeping changes across the community which is now infamous for drug trafficking and the violence that so often breaks out amid the chaos.  security cameras at his organization’s building frequently recorded murders On the heels of a high-profile effort to revive Kensington the community has experienced a historic decline in gun violence outpacing the progress seen across the city Impact Services’ cameras captured hardly any shootings “I don’t know how many of you knew what this intersection looked like five years ago,” O’Donnell said at a February news conference on the turnaround 50 people at this intersection either using or selling we turned over murder video pretty regularly to the police part of the reason you didn’t see any of that … is proof that collaboration works.” Officials and some residents like O’Donnell say that one year in the “Kensington Community Revival” plan is showing early signs of progress While Philadelphia’s homicides and nonfatal shootings were both down 35 percent in 2024 and all violent crimes were down 17 percent.  we are not satisfied until no Philadelphian’s life is cut short by a needle or a gun,” said Adam Geer the city’s first-ever chief public safety director.  Still, law enforcement officials feel so strongly about the turnaround’s early success that, last month, they published a glossy booklet touting their claims and launched a dashboard the public can use to track conditions in Kensington it will take more than a year to restore it Kensington was home to European immigrants and their descendents U.S.A.,” author Peter Benzin includes a description of the Kensington community from an 1891 pamphlet bearing its name: “A city within a city nestling upon the bosom of the placid Delaware dotted with factories so numerous that the rising smoke obscures the sky the hum of industry is heard in every corner of its broad expanse.” Black people drawn to factory jobs began moving there The community slowed during the Great Depression but World War II breathed new life into Kensington a longtime reporter for the old Philadelphia Bulletin newspaper employed almost five thousand men and women and maintained a hospital for them,” wrote Benzin.  After the war, however, as employers began moving into the suburbs and overseas, the impact of deindustrialization rapidly eroded Philadelphia’s manufacturing industry. In 1950, Philly was home to 365,500 manufacturing jobs; by 1975, fewer than 170,000 remained.  press reports began documenting Kensington’s job losses aided by the proliferation of abandoned buildings dealing yet another harsh blow to a place that was already suffering Kensington gained the moniker of the largest open-air drug market on the East Coast.  This March in Kensington started with a few flashes of gunfire two men were shot after an argument erupted about loud music coming from two parked cars after midnight an incident police say may have been retaliation for the earlier shooting.  police barricaded a building after a man in a wheelchair armed himself with a shotgun a bar fight that spilled outside ended with a man being fatally shot in the head.  Even weeks like that mark an improvement over previous years there had been five homicides this month in the 24th and 25th police districts that serve the community a decline from the eight slayings that occurred at the same time last year Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker signed an executive order calling on her top public-safety officials to devise a plan to address Kensington’s downturn The Kensington Community Revival would ultimately combine increased policing and violence prevention work with a mix of community cleanups and drug rehabilitation efforts the effort has both its fans and detractors which narrowly targets a small neighborhood is causing problems to spill onto nearby blocks.  a member of the Harrowgate Civic Association complained at a February City Council hearing that the increased policing and dismantling of two homeless encampments in the heart of Kensington pushed drug users and dealers into different areas “Yesterday’s nice weather doubled the number of users passing my house to score Fentanyl … It appears there’s not much the police can do with the users and dealers who come right back when the police are gone “We are doing everything we can to think about how we’re going to address the way that it looks now — where folks might have gone to some of the blocks,” he said “We want to urge the community to continue to call in when you see anything untoward.” and Deputy Commissioner Pedro Rosario gathered with other leaders to discuss their work in Kensington so far “We started our work in Kensington with a core conviction that the status quo is unacceptable,” Geer said “It allowed us to provide seven days a week speaking with the community residents — was one of our best assets.” and took $40.7 million in narcotics off the streets the Police Department suffered a loss of its own three months after he was shot in the neck while conducting a routine traffic stop The husband and father of two died two weeks shy of his seventh anniversary with the department.  the city gave $8.6 million in anti-violence grants to 19 Kensington-based community organizations The revival plan also seeks to spruce up the community the city’s Office of Clean and Green removed 450 abandoned cars from Kensington’s streets cleaned graffiti on more than 17,000 properties and street fixtures and participated in 810 property and block cleanups the city opened Kensington’s Neighborhood Wellness Court which provides medical and mental health treatment and alternatives to prosecution and incarceration for those arrested for drug-related offenses and the Riverview Wellness Village opened in nearby Northeast Philadelphia The 366-bed facility provides comprehensive treatment for those addicted to drugs has been so active in homegrown community cleanup and improvement efforts that some had taken to calling him the Mayor of Indiana Avenue.  The city’s revival efforts are a welcome addition Knowing that I played a little role in all this makes me feel good,” he said.  “We want to thank Mayor Parker for her love and support “Her love and support is something that we haven’t seen in this area in 30 years.”  “Many drug users migrated to our area above Alleghany Avenue,” Klosterman said at the City Council meeting “Most of the [reform] actions are happening below Alleghany and most of us above are being neglected.” whose district includes part of Kensington and told him that officials intend to address his concerns — but said it will take more than a year “This situation has been brewing in the Kensington and Harrowgate community for many I understand your frustration,” she told him I would have liked to have seen it resolved in 12 months ​​And there are still daily reminders of just how relentless this work can be the Philadelphia Police Department reported that a woman and man were shot; the woman was wounded one block over from O’Donnell’s Impact Services Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors Your tax-deductible donation to The Trace will directly support nonprofit journalism on gun violence and its effects on our communities The number of Philly children and teens charged with homicide has been rising Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardKensington’s Càphê Roasters is expanding to a former roller rink across the street from its caféThe lauded Vietnamese restaurant and café has big expansion plans in the pipeline which were received well by neighborhood groups Càphê Roasters is planning a major expansion into a former roller rink at 3419-23 Kensington Ave. The lauded Kensington-based Vietnamese coffee shop and delicatessen The new location would host a brewery with expanded dining options and later hours While maintaining its focus on Vietnamese cuisine the expanded café will also invite immigrant chefs from different Southeast Asian backgrounds to experiment “We have a limited number of items on our [current café‘s] menu but in this new place we’ll be able to be more creative and have more flexibility to incorporate all these different flavors,” said Raymond John “It will still be grounded in what makes this place special and then we’re going to add a little bit more.” John declined to comment further on his plans for the brewery saying only that more information would be available later in the year so we’re limited by the amount of space that we have available to roast coffee and to sell it to our different wholesale partners across the country,” John said “The new building will afford us more space to expand.” Càphê is partnering with Shift Capital on the expansion plans The Kensington-based developer owns the building at 3400 J St that hosts the original café and purchased 3423 Kensington Ave The 10,000-square-foot building sits alongside SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line and historically hosted a movie theater but is well-loved locally for its more recent use as a roller rink and banquet hall and their team presented the expansion proposal to the Harrowgate Civic Association last week in advance of a Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing City records show permits for a “sit-down restaurant” and artisan industrial space were issued on Jan but the project needs zoning relief for an array of issues Those include the takeout window but also the creation of a brewery which requires light industrial zoning beyond the current commercial designation the Harrowgate Civic Association voted unanimously to support the effort “I’ve been doing zoning and land use for over a decade and I’ve never had an RCO meeting that ended in applause,” said Rachael Pritzker “It was an ode to Raymond and his team and how they’ve taken it upon themselves to be part of the community in Kensington.” Further government action will be required beyond the zoning board hearing and wider ramps to allow kegs to be rolled in and out of the building will require approval from City Council Shift Capital expects to begin construction in June or July Part of Càphê’s business model is that a percent of the profits are donated to 12 Plus an educational-equity nonprofit that John founded and leads which helps students pursue college and career opportunities after high school Càphê hires students who participate in 12 Plus as well as Kensington residents and other graduates of the Philadelphia School District “Usually breweries are synonymous with gentrification and pushback,” said Brian Murray of Càphê’s success at the neighborhood zoning meeting “But they were so well received because of how they have built relationships with everyone who was in that room either on the nonprofit side or the coffee shop side.” Join us for Vanguard Philadelphia! Application deadline extended This is your first of three free stories this month Become a free or sustaining member to read unlimited articles The first time Yolanda Del Valle came to work at Sherry’s Restaurant she was a teen covering a friend’s shift at the popular local diner located for 50-plus years at the corner of Kensington and Ontario Avenues in Philadelphia Del Valle returned to Sherry’s as an employee doing everything from serving to dishwashing to minding the griddle And Sherry’s got a new landlord: its community which includes three apartments above the restaurant was acquired a little over a year ago by the Kensington Corridor Trust a community-controlled commercial real estate entity that recently celebrated its fifth birthday the surrounding community that has patronized Sherry’s for the past five decades is now the restaurant’s landlord “I can’t ask for anything else in a landlord,” Del Valle says landlords are just focused on getting their money But the Kensington Corridor Trust’s approach is different and we’re going to take care of this and we’re going to help you,” she says These people are actually in the streets trying to get things done And they’re trying to make it happen.” The Waxery was the Kensington Corridor Trust's first commercial tenant The Kensington corridor has seen much better times The corridor’s mix of small and large buildings reflects its history as a place that once teemed with residents walking to work at factories and warehouses nearby or hopping on the Market-Frankford Elevated Train line running overhead along the avenue to get to jobs in other parts of the city there were street festivals along Kensington Avenue the intersection of Kensington and Allegheny Avenues has gained notoriety as the epicenter of the region’s opioid epidemic The Kensington corridor’s decline has discouraged many landlords from keeping up with basic maintenance: There’s little financial incentive for traditional property owners to spend on repairs or keep up with updated building codes if they don’t believe the rental income from those properties would justify the expenses it would take a long time,” Del Valle says I’d probably be fixing it on my own.” As Next City previously reported the Kensington Corridor Trust emerged from a dialogue between community members and Shift Capital a Philly-based real estate development firm created with a mission to revitalize disinvested communities Read more: Philly’s Kensington Corridor Is Taking Back Power Over Economic Development Residents along the corridor questioned Shift Capital about its intentions Was it truly looking to develop real estate in ways that would benefit existing residents of the neighborhoods along Kensington Avenue Or was it just taking advantage of the opioid crisis depressing real estate prices and amassing a huge portfolio on the cheap — before flipping the properties later and forcing out long-time residents and local business owners who can’t afford higher rents or higher property taxes after the neighborhood recovers The Kensington neighborhood is particularly vulnerable to gentrification and displacement of commercial and residential tenants Shift Capital partnered with local entrepreneurship incubator IF Lab and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation to establish Kensington Corridor Trust as a vehicle for residents to take control of real estate along Kensington Avenue and develop it in ways that truly reflected their collective vision as a neighborhood (Note: This story has been updated to include more details about the trust’s creators.) As Next City later reported it wasn’t easy convincing residents and business owners to join the trust’s initial board Kensington Corridor Trust spent much of its first few years working on its legal structure and governance — while working in parallel to raise funds and begin acquiring properties Kensington Corridor Trust consists of two layered entities At the top of Kensington Corridor Trust’s structure is the actual neighborhood trust, also known legally as a perpetual purpose trust the trust is governed by a trust stewardship committee which in this case consists of nine members elected from residents and local business owners within the trust’s catchment area The trust entity holds the deeds to the properties in the portfolio and the trust stewardship committee makes major strategic decisions like setting rents determining what types of businesses to allow as tenants or defining the catchment area — ensuring major decisions align with the trust’s overall purpose and goals Last year the stewardship committee extended the catchment area by one more block along Kensington Avenue Read more: The Bakery That’s Owned by an Idea 18 is the deadline for applying to run for one of this year’s open seats on the trust stewardship committee the trust compensates stewardship committee members for their time in meetings paying them double the local living wage or currently $44 an hour Five residents submitted their names for two open seats Current members of Kensington Corridor Trust stewardship committee will submit their votes at their first quarter meeting in March we received applications from a bunch of people we didn’t even know just residents in the neighborhood who live there who want to be engaged and involved,” says Adriana Abizadeh Kensington Corridor Trust’s executive director “When that happens it gives us new networks and new expertise and that’s very exciting.” Below the neighborhood trust is the original nonprofit entity incorporated five years ago which employs Kensington Corridor Trust’s growing staff and handles the day-to-day operations construction manager for gut rehabs or new construction and also serving as property manager and broker The non-profit has a separate board of directors also selected through open calls to the community Kensington Corridor Trust is coming off its busiest year yet which include a mix of vacant lots and mixed-use buildings all along Kensington Avenue Some have occupied storefront and residential tenants; some have vacant storefronts but apartment residents above; others have a mix of occupied apartments and vacant apartments that need gut rehabs the trust’s properties currently include 26 actively leased affordable apartments and 14 active storefronts with another 25 or so apartments and seven more storefronts in the rehab and construction pipeline “Last year was a really crazy whirlwind of a year,” Abizadeh says there were some private developer exits that happened and so I don’t anticipate that happening again this year This year we anticipate five acquisitions.” The trust recently made its largest and first multi-million dollar acquisition to date a mixed-use building at the corner of Kensington and H Street Acquired for $2.3 million from Shift Capital the building features 16 residential units above two commercial storefronts anchored by the Sunday Love Project a food pantry that uses the client choice model that allows participants to select what they take home from the pantry’s shelves The trust's largest acquisition has been this mixed-use building at the corner of Kensington and H Street featuring 18 residential units and two commercial storefronts Kensington Corridor Trust has set a target for itself to borrow $20 million for acquisitions with another $3 million in final approval stages All of Kensington Corridor Trust’s debt is unsecured meaning the lenders do not take any properties as collateral and the trust does not have any cash to serve as a backup source of repayment in case it goes belly up These aren’t loans that banks or even most community development financial institutions are willing to make but the trust has found success with a few smaller foundations that believe in the trust’s vision and values There are also around 20 or so individual investors who pooled their personal wealth into a low-interest loan to the trust because they we cannot take three or four or five or six percent,” says Abizadeh “It’s a slimmer pool of people who are willing to lend for 10 years unsecured at 2% or below.” Keeping the interest it pays to investors so low ensures that the trust can make its residential and commercial units affordable to people and local businesses in the neighborhood The trust sets residential rents based on income targeting households in the 30-60% area median income range or between $575 a month for a one-bedroom/one-bath and $1,500 a month for a three-bedroom/two-bathroom the trust sets commercial rents at 75% of comparable market rate rent along the corridor which currently comes out to $750 a month on average to rent a typical-sized storefront in the trust’s portfolio making its final payments to grantees in 2027 Kensington Corridor Trust anticipates that rental income from its portfolio will cover most or all of its staffing and programming operations as well as making interest payments to its lenders the nonprofit still raises grant dollars from foundations to cover its operations which now include a seasonal community gardener “The garden is a very physical reminder that beauty is possible,” Abizadeh says and that neighborhood-led initiatives can be not just imagined.” '&#'));while (--j >= 0)if (el[j].getAttribute('data-eeEncEmail_ldxUTcVGpF'))el[j].innerHTML = out;/*]]>*/ The Philly native began her freelance career in 2012 and has since written for a host of Philadelphia-based news outlets including XPN the Key, Technical.ly Philly she has over five years of experience in information technology Melissa explores her creative side through photography Follow Melissa View all → and support the spread of solutions that liberate cities Become a free or sustaining member to continue reading Or you can join for free—because we never want to create a financial barrier to information about fostering greater equity U.S. donations are tax-deductible minus the value of thank-you gifts. Questions? Learn more about our membership options Free gifts cannot be shipped to locations outside of the United States All members are automatically signed-up to our email newsletter You can unsubscribe with one-click at any time Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — The New York State Department of Transportation will not appeal a state Supreme Court judge's order that it conduct an environmental impact study before moving forward with a project to rehab Buffalo's Kensington Expressway create a tunnel over a portion with green space above The Restore Our Community Coalition is a group of residents who live in the East Side neighborhood adjacent to the expressway and have been fighting to reconnect the underserved Chair Sidney Brown said the coalition is a little disappointed "We were anticipating an appeal but we are not opposed to an environmental impact study but we do stand to say that we are not broadening this project for it to be delayed for 10 or 20 years from now," Brown said Construction has been on pause since the judge issued an initial restraining order in October ROCC members along with Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes suggested a well-funded and likely outside influence fought the decision in court because the project was not what they wanted.  "It's just absolutely totally unfair and it's so true to what America has to offer Black people is that whenever you plan something for yourself and get the resources you get stopped," Peoples-Stokes said The East Side Parkways Coalition was one of the groups that sued the state arguing the DOT attempted to forego the necessary environmental impact study with a less thorough environmental assessment said dozens of members who brought the suit live right next to the Kensington The coalition said it hopes the state considers its preferred option to fill in the expressway but is also calling for a unified path forward "We are all looking for and asking for the same thing from the DOT We all want long-term economic prosperity for our neighborhoods Acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon believes his role moving forward is to bring the groups and individuals with differing visions together.  "What I don't want to see is a back and forth to the point where we end up losing a billion dollars that's allocated to the City of Buffalo," Scanlon said The DOT still lists the project at an estimated $1 billion although some people Friday suggested the cost is closer to $1.5 billion The funding comes from a mix of state and federal sources The department said continuing legal action would have led to further delays but it is committed to a project that will improve quality of life and advance transportation and economic opportunities Buffalo Congressman and former state Senate Transportation Chair Tim Kennedy said the community deserves investment right now what we're demanding and I believe our community is demanding is a continuation of the promise being kept to our community not taking that money that was promised to Buffalo and Western New York and taking it elsewhere," Kennedy said.  There is no timeline yet on how long the environmental impact study will take although Peoples-Stokes said it is typically around 18 months to two years KENSINGTON — After 12 years of providing the community with fresh food, friendly animals and a welcoming atmosphere, the Farm at Eastman’s Corner made the decision to close its doors for good on Feb released a letter thanking the community for its support and explaining their decision to close “Throughout our years in business and philanthropy our family has also grown accustomed to making hard decisions when faced with the facts,” the letter signed by Harriet we are heartbroken to announce that we will close the Farm at Eastman’s Corner We have struggled to make it a financially sustainable mission-driven organization.” Harriet and the late Alan Lewis opened the farm in 2013 after purchasing the property at 267 South Road as well as 244 Amesbury Road across the road “They didn’t want another chain coffee shop fast food restaurant or strip mall on that spot,” the letter states the dream was to create a space where families could convene and spend the day while simultaneously supporting local farmers In addition to the farm, the Lewis family gifted to the town of Kensington a 35-acre town park with ballfields and opened the Alnoba Lewis Family Foundation which is dedicated to supporting leaders in philanthropy and conservation The foundation is housed on a 600-acre piece of land with 10 miles of trails and meeting places for charitable leaders to come together Lewis, known as a philanthropist, conservationist and business leader, died in 2022 “We take a measure of comfort knowing that shortly before he passed in November 2022 that the Farm could not continue to operate as it was,” the letter states and if the winds of fortune shifted a bit more in our favor noting they were sad to see the establishment close The café offered a comfortable lounge to dine in The market was also always stocked with high-quality items including maple syrup the farm offered the chance to pick fresh blueberries from the fields It also hosted live music and events for families to enjoy built by the Seacoast School of Technology The Lewis family said they hope the Alnoba Lewis Family Foundation will take over the property It is bittersweet to acknowledge that sometimes your dreams don’t come fully true as with the Farm at Eastman’s Corner,” states the letter “But we are sure glad we tried and are very proud we were able to provide a special gathering place for nearly 12 years.” Campus LifeNew Kensington to host anti-human-trafficking taskforce Jan. 30Students to receive free lunch following tabling services, presentationCredit: Penn State. Creative Commons — Penn State New Kensington will host an anti-human-trafficking presentation and tabling session featuring Kristin Malone-Bodair education outreach program manager at the Blackburn Center students and community members are invited to attend the event on Jan (7News) — There is a search to find a man accused of robbing two different Kensington area banks at gunpoint earlier this month 1 at the M&T Bank on Montgomery Avenue placed a gun on the counter and demanded the bank employee give him cash according to the Montgomery County Police Department The same situation unfolded days later on Feb 7 at the Capital One Bank along Connecticut Ave Police said the workers at both banks complied with the gunman’s demands and he left with an unspecified amount of money RELATED | Man seen on surveillance camera after Valentine's Day armed robbery in Southeast, DC The man at the center of the armed robberies was later spotted on surveillance cameras and now detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying him He is believed to be between 50 to 60 years old If you think you’ve seen him or have any information You could also receive an award of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest The American dream collides with tragedy in a historic largely immigrant community in Philadelphia that’s one of the epicenters of the nation’s fentanyl crisis This article appears in the February 2025 issue of The American Prospect magazine. Subscribe here Stepping off at the Allegheny subway station in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood visitors are immediately met with a grim reality Sidewalks are littered with trash and used needles somebody is slumped over in a trance-like state Those who are awake are so fixated on preparing and shooting up drugs that they don’t even acknowledge or notice passersby Nobody is talking and nobody asks for spare change The air feels heavy with despair and hopelessness Just eight subway stops away from where the Declaration of Independence was signed distressing and shocking scenes unfold in plain sight A man on Allegheny Avenue bleeds openly from a fresh injection wound A woman sleeps in a wheelchair parked in front of a Catholic charity Two women camp in a tent on a sidewalk with a young girl Numerous working-age men are completely oblivious to the world around them On the steps to enter the nearby Somerset subway station presumably due to a lack of viable veins elsewhere on her body Most people struggling with addiction are not from the neighborhood They come from the suburbs and other cities in search of drugs Kensington is the epicenter of Philadelphia’s opioid crisis and a haunting symbol of failed drug policies The iconic city gave birth to American independence and was defined by the progress and prosperity of the Industrial Revolution But now the City of Brotherly Love is shadowed by the largest open-air drug market on the East Coast grimly nicknamed “Needle Park,” serves as both a gathering point and a tragic symbol of the decline of the U.S While efforts have been made to clean the area remnants of addiction remain stark against the backdrop of a stately public library but it’s not uncommon to see police officers checking their cellphones instead of intervening in the chaos and suffering unfolding around them Decades after declaring a “war on drugs,” the United States now faces a deep-rooted fentanyl crisis with politicians preferring to blame Mexican cartels instead of funding drug treatment and prevention programs or identifying the underlying causes of addiction Kensington is home to resilient communities particularly from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic who now make up 59 percent of the neighborhood’s population they navigate the unwritten laws of the street with quiet strength and children splash in a kiddie pool placed on a sidewalk People walk around human feces and needles on the sidewalks Conversations with residents reveal stories of survival and determination like one Puerto Rican man who relocated after Hurricane Maria in search of a better future for his family Cantina La Martina stands out as an unexpected oasis Located at the corner of East Somerset Street and Kensington Avenue this acclaimed Mexican restaurant is a world apart and handcrafted Mexican decor creating an oasis from the surrounding maelstrom Opened by Chef Dionicio Jimenez and Mariangeli Alicea Saez Cantina La Martina tells a story of resilience and ambition Twice nominated for the prestigious James Beard Award Jimenez was a semifinalist for “Outstanding Chef” in 2024 he opened the restaurant in Kensington in February 2022 With over a decade of experience at El Rey a renowned Mexican restaurant in downtown Philadelphia Jimenez envisioned a space that would honor Mexico’s rich culinary heritage beyond tacos and burritos Limited financial resources steered Jimenez to Kensington and relied heavily on delivery services to stay afloat post-pandemic Cantina La Martina gradually gained a loyal following and patrons began to see the restaurant not just as a place for exceptional food but as a symbol of hope and perseverance amid Kensington’s harsh realities Cantina La Martina is more than just a restaurant—it’s a testament to the power of community and culinary excellence in one of Philadelphia’s most challenging neighborhoods Usually sporting cowboy boots and walking with a confident swagger Jimenez carries immense pride in his Mexican heritage and the arduous journey that brought him to the United States he commissioned a striking mural painted by Mexican artist Ignacio “Nacho” Bernal from Morelia or “The American Dream,” captures the immigrant experience in Philadelphia with raw honesty The mural tells a powerful story: backpacks symbolizing the journey of undocumented migrants and crosses marking the graves of those who never made it Flags from across Latin America highlight the diversity of the immigrant experience one American—symbolize the deep connection between the two nations the Virgin of Guadalupe represents faith and resilience while the Statue of Liberty stands as a beacon of hope Shaking hands at the mural’s top represents the solidarity often found at the border among migrants Death is an ever-present danger along each step of the journey to the United States And yet when they make it to their destination many migrants shrug off encounters that would scar most people with post-traumatic stress syndrome It’s a type of self-victimization that Jimenez believes is characteristic among people from colonized societies “Sometimes migrants fear reality,” Jimenez said Why victimize ourselves for something nobody forced us to do The mural’s hopeful message contrasts sharply with the Dantesque surroundings as an emblem of hope and perseverance and the pursuit of a dream that transcends borders Jimenez remains confident the mural will be respected “It is a mural that we did in Kensington and the people of Kensington try to protect it,” he said Chef Dionicio Jimenez and the mural at his Kensington restaurant Jimenez’s wife Saez brings both strength and determination to the restaurant she helped to open she sees their venture as more than just a business—it’s a platform to represent the Latino community in Kensington with dignity Opening a restaurant in this neighborhood remains a formidable challenge Saez highlights the struggles they face daily navigating interactions with individuals battling substance use disorders These encounters are routine—requests for food or restroom access—but Saez approaches them with respect and humanity Her approach is simple yet profound: offering assistance in exchange for small tasks “They all need to feel they are seen and that they matter as human beings.” But she also notes the systemic factors contributing to Kensington’s crisis Police from suburban areas are said to shuttle them to the neighborhood Saez has seen several heartbreaking scenes—overdose victims collapsing on sidewalks people foaming at the mouth and suffering seizures Saez was greeted by the flashing red and blue lights of emergency vehicles Three people had presumably died from overdoses She and restaurant staff have had to administer the lifesaving drug Narcan to revive unconscious people “Sometimes you wonder if it is OK to call 911,” Saez said we observe the deterioration of some people we get to know; we see them getting their first ‘high’ and then see how they slowly deteriorate Weeks pass by and you see how some start to bend how they start to die slower or faster … it depends.” And yet Kensington is not defined solely by despair Saez describes the neighborhood as an “onion,” layered with both hardship and hope Beneath the visible crisis lies a resilient community with youth program leaders quietly driving change Saez challenges the dominant narrative about Kensington emphasizing the importance of seeing beyond its struggles “There are very profound and complex problems to solve here of course,” she said and there is a community that fights for change … the mission of our restaurant is to change the perspective people have about Kensington but we need to analyze that sentiment and transform it.” Tracing its roots back to the early 18th century Philadelphia’s working-class Kensington reflects the broader social and economic shifts throughout urban America the neighborhood was founded as a center for shipbuilding Irish and German immigrants flocked to the neighborhood drawn by jobs and tight-knit communities with row houses lining residential streets Generations of families worked in the nearby factories and mills the mid-20th century brought significant decline numerous factories in Kensington and the rest of Philadelphia closed many white working-class families moved away in search of better opportunities Kensington experienced a demographic shift as Latino immigrants began to settle in the storied neighborhood Kensington had become a hub of Puerto Rican culture in Philadelphia Although the Latino community brought a renewed sense of identity and cultural pride economic opportunities remain scarce while poverty and a lack of investment persist the neighborhood became a focal point in Philadelphia’s opioid crisis as cheap heroin flooded its streets with easy access to major highways and public transportation Abandoned buildings and vacant lots became hot spots for illegal activity while open-air drug markets began to appear As the opioid crisis deepened in the 2010s Kensington gained national attention as a symbol of urban decay and public-policy failure while scenes of human suffering became all too common Heroin has been replaced as the top drug on the streets of Kensington by fentanyl and other opioids known as “tranq,” is the street name for xylazine a horse tranquilizer not approved for human use This central nervous system depressant is often mixed with fentanyl or even stimulants to enhance or prolong the effects the mix causes a slow heart rate and deep sedation The drug has also been linked to necrotic skin ulcers that can lead to severe infections and even amputations Policing remains a visible presence in Kensington yet decades of contrasting strategies—ranging from zero tolerance to community policing and displacement campaigns—have all fallen short Clearing encampments under bridges or along railroad tracks often supported by city initiatives with corporate involvement like the Resilience Project has done little to address the neighborhood’s core issues It’s clear that policing alone cannot resolve Kensington’s social and economic struggles are often fragmented and struggle to include the voices of those most affected The challenges here go far beyond addiction and homelessness Harm reduction has emerged as a strategy in U.S prioritizing the mitigation of drug-related harm over eradication harm reduction creates more problems than it solves in Kensington according to those who live and work there programs like Prevention Point Philadelphia’s syringe exchange have unintentionally contributed to streets being littered with used needles according to local residents and business owners It would be a mistake, however, to dismiss the benefits of these programs in saving lives and reducing the spread of infectious diseases. Overdose deaths in the United States decreased in 2023 for the first time in five years and the widespread availability of naloxone is said to have played a significant role in that decline there were 74,702 deaths attributed to synthetic opioids in 2023 a nearly 2 percent drop from 76,226 the year prior according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) drug overdoses are the third-leading cause of death in the city The City of Brotherly Love saw a record 1,207 overdose deaths in 2022 Although that number fell to 1,122 in 2023 that’s still more than 2.75 times the number of homicides the sixth-leading cause of death in the city Some residents express skepticism toward NGOs operating in Kensington viewing them as overly reliant on external funding and lacking long-term solutions it would be unfair to suggest these organizations operate with self-serving intentions but the absence of complementary strategies such as increased funding for comprehensive treatment programs and sustained economic investment in the neighborhood Addressing Kensington’s challenges demands a multifaceted approach Harm reduction should remain a key component but it must be paired with broader investments in treatment The goal should not just be reducing harm but creating pathways to recovery Without a commitment to meaningful collaboration Roz Pichardo is the founder of Operation Save Our City and the Sunshine House a community center for individuals living with addiction and the unhoused Known by her nickname “Mama Sunshine,” Pichardo highlighted that drug dealers in Kensington distribute free samples multiple times a day to hook new customers Calls of “Free samples!” echo through the streets drawing in vulnerable individuals and creating a fast track to addiction residents of Kensington argue that these initiatives often create unintended consequences that generate hazardous waste and concentrate human suffering “The provision of these grants … is used by local governments to allege they are doing something to solve the problem,” Saez said they are delegating their responsibility to a private partner.” Community members share similar frustrations emphasizing that while protecting the lives and safety of drug users is worthwhile it often overlooks their rights and well-being in the process frequently leaves behind litter and disruption they could also bring trash bins,” one resident suggested noting that police clearing one street simply pushes the problem to another area—demonstrating a lack of coordinated social responsibility rarely advocate for such programs in their own neighborhoods and the families that live in Kensington?” another neighborhood resident asked “Where are the human rights of the members who live in our poor community?” many in Kensington acknowledge the value of harm reduction when applied responsibly meaningful change requires a level of state investment and commitment that seems unlikely in Pennsylvania’s current political landscape with Republicans safely controlling the Senate and Democrats holding a narrow 102-101 majority in the House funding initiatives explicitly aimed at community well-being face significant political hurdles and are unlikely to gain broad bipartisan support Residents like Saez see the nuance of the situation “Leaving people on the streets isn’t humane for them or the community These individuals need treatment and support in spaces equipped to help them recover.” The opioid epidemic is fueled not just by illegal trafficking but also by Big Pharma’s role in spreading addiction The story of Kensington underscores a broader reality: The opioid epidemic is fueled not just by illegal trafficking but also by Big Pharma’s role in spreading addiction Pharmaceutical giants continue to profit from harm-reduction strategies including government-funded programs to purchase lifesaving medications like naloxone while largely avoiding accountability for the devastation they’ve caused “Pharmaceutical companies receive the extraordinary benefits of harm-reduction strategies since they benefit from social programs in which the government buys narcotics to deal with overdose,” Jimenez said We need to make the businesses and pharmaceutical companies accountable for all the damage they have caused and for the role they have played in the making of this human tragedy and public opinion in general prefer to place the blame on the Mexican cartels.” Nobody wants to stop buying Narcan when it can save so many lives a small but growing number of voices believe that pharmaceutical companies should be required to provide naloxone for free as part of their settlements in opioid-related lawsuits public officials seem more content to merely manage the crisis the people of Kensington must bear the social and economic burden The true beneficiaries of this ongoing public-health emergency are pharmaceutical companies real estate developers who see opportunity amid despair “the perfect time for developers to buy properties And after the police relocate the drug consumers and the unsheltered massive development projects can break ground in those areas that were once impassable and unlivable.” Real estate interests are frequently an overlooked but significant factor in the narrative of urban decline and renewal Once an area is cleared of visible poverty and crime reshaping neighborhoods while driving up prices and displacing longtime residents the story of Kensington is a microcosm of America’s broader struggles with systemic inequities and misplaced blame in addressing the fentanyl crisis Politicians have long favored performative measures and law enforcement crackdowns over systemic change that would address the root causes of drug use and addiction and prevention programs need funding levels comparable to those allocated to law enforcement if there’s any hope of reducing demand Solely blaming Mexican drug cartels for the fentanyl crisis is not only misleading—it’s dangerous Calls for border walls and declarations of “war on cartels” may play well in political sound bites but they sidestep critical questions about funding rehab programs and anti-drug education The widely perpetuated myth that fentanyl enters the U.S primarily through unauthorized migrants crossing the southern border is contradicted by evidence: Most fentanyl seizures involve U.S citizens returning from Mexico in private vehicles citizens made up 86.2 percent of fentanyl trafficking convictions only 0.02 percent of the people arrested by Border Patrol for crossing illegally possessed any fentanyl This narrative not only fuels xenophobia but also distracts from the far more insidious role of pharmaceutical companies which profited from opioid prescriptions and now profit again through taxpayer-funded harm-reduction programs But addressing the opioid crisis requires more than blame-shifting—it demands courage The unfolding story in Kensington serves as a stark reminder that el sueño americano—the American dream—remains alive in the hearts of immigrants and long-standing residents who refuse to surrender to despair True change requires a holistic approach to the opioid crisis—one that prioritizes accountability and human dignity over political expediency Taking a holistic approach to tackle the problem won’t be easy or cheap Solving the opioid crisis in Kensington and elsewhere in the U.S requires intergovernmental cooperation to simultaneously address addiction The first step would be to prioritize comprehensive drug treatment and recovery services that go beyond short-term measures That means funding long-term residential treatment facilities in addition to outpatient counseling and wraparound services such as housing assistance and job training The programs would also be culturally competent to meet the needs of Kensington’s diverse community Integrating mental health care into addiction services is critical as deep psychological traumas are often the root of substance abuse disorders Economic revitalization would be the second step Kensington needs significant public and private investment in infrastructure and job creation initiatives to break the cycle of poverty that perpetuates addiction and despair and funding workforce development programs would create pathways to economic stability policies must protect long-term residents from displacement ensuring that redevelopment benefits the existing community rather than pushing vulnerable populations further into the margins The third step requires coordination and accountability across all levels of government or local government agencies—must give way to integrated plans driven by deliverables and federal authorities should align resources toward shared objectives while fostering open dialogue with Kensington’s residents to ensure their voices are central to decision-making Only through this multilayered collaborative framework can Kensington transform from a symbol of urban blight and crisis into a model for resilience Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera is professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University Sergio Chapa is a freelance journalist and photographer based in Houston as well as the co-author of the book ‘Frontera: A Journey Across the US-Mexico Border.’ About the Prospect | Contact Info Careers |FAQ Newsletters Browse Archive / Back Issues Manage A Print Subscription Manage A Recurring Donation Privacy Policy DONATE TO THE PROSPECT Prince William and Kate Middleton left Royal fans excited with cryptic social media post featuring nature-themed video Taking to their official Instagram account the Kensington Palace posted a short clip featuring calming scenes of a forest stream Coming soon,” the caption of the post read the post has led to speculation that a special announcement may be on the way Can't wait to find out what this is about!" "Such a beautiful video," one commented while another added "Being outside in nature makes you happy inside Other wish the couple with sweet messages and asked them to pass on their love to the monarch “Happy May Day to you and the family,” one comment read “With the arrival of the most beautiful weather this year seems very special for everyone.” “Be blessed with healing and happiness,” it continued “Please pass on my love and respect to you father King Charles and my prayers for his recovery Royal visits are greatly highlighted by the media especially if they focus on such important issues as environmental protection and nature When these trips intertwine with personal and emotional memories The British Royal Family continues to set their official agenda with a strong connection to the past and the personal history of its members This is the case with the upcoming trip of Prince William and Kate Middleton which not only has an institutional purpose but also a dose of intimacy Kate has planned an activity for the last days of April in Scotland | Europa PressA Trip Full of Commitments with a Personal TouchThe Prince and Princess of Wales will travel this April 29 and 30 to the islands of Mull and Iona in Scotland The visit is part of an official agenda that will focus on rural communities and environmental conservation of which William and Kate are the main promoters they will visit a traditional farm and a local restaurant where they will actively participate in the collection of fresh ingredients they will join a group of children and the Mull and Iona Ranger Service in outdoor activities at the Ardura Community Forest two new collaborations of the Royal Foundation will be announced These are focused on supporting community spaces and protecting the local ecosystem William and Kate's trip has a very busy schedule Europa PressScotland: the Setting of Their Happiest MemoriesAlthough the visit has an institutional focus William and Kate will take advantage of this trip to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary on the island of Mull They will do so in a country house surrounded by nature a place that holds special meaning for both Scotland was where they met in 2001 when they were both studying at the University of St Prince William shared with the public the importance that Scotland has in his life "Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories William's connection to Scotland is also marked by moments of sorrow It was the moment when he received the news of his mother Scotland remains a place with joyful memories: "It was here where I first met Kate," he fondly recalled This return to Scotland is a return to royal commitments and also a tribute to their personal history William and Kate will be fulfilling their institutional duty and celebrating their love story in the place where it began