Rise and shine, Philly. Wednesday’s looking sunny, but cloud cover conditions are unclear for the late-night Perseid meteor shower show.
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Bananas are making a big splash on menus across the city.We looked into what’s behind the boom in popularity.
Hotter and more humid summers are putting pressure on the Philly suburbs’ aging infrastructure.
Plus, Mural Arts Philadelphia has named a new executive director for the first time since 1996, and more news of the day.
— Paola Pérez ([email protected])
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From cafes to cocktails
The tropical fruit is hard to miss at the grocery store, but now it’s become more prevalent on menus across Philly.
The rise of banana beverages is part of a national trend that was a long time coming, following the likes of matcha- and ube-flavored treats and drinks.
“But what’s particularly unusual about it is that it straddles both the cafe and cocktail realms of beverage, when normally, these spheres do not intersect,” food writer Kiki Aranita reports.
Cocktail bars, for instance, are getting creative to use the banana in its entirety (including its peel), and bartenders are reaching more for banana liquor.
Aranita has the story, including where to try these drinks around the city.
‘We get a 100-year storm every year’
Philly-area summers have intensified, making flash floods, extreme precipitation, and life-threatening storms more commonplace.
In the suburbs, a unique challenge emerges as the region prepares for a future marked by climate change. Multiple facets of these communities play a role, including:
The topography. Flooding is the “biggest and most common hazard,” according to Chris Linn, manager of the Office of Resilience and Environment at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
The infrastructure. Aging stormwater systems are in need of costly repairs across many municipalities. These systems are crucial to move water off impenetrable surfaces like parking lots and paved roads.
The regulations. Municipalities differ in their desire and ability to use taxpayer dollars to tackle climate issues through various projects.
Denali Sagner reports on the difficulties Philadelphia suburbs face in dealing with extreme weather today and in the future.
What you should know today
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The ramp from Bridge Street to I-95 North in Northeast Philadelphia will close for good next week. In other transportation news, the University Avenue Bridge will soon receive repairs to its deteriorating steel beams.
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A teen who authorities believe stole a vehicle used in June by two other teens before they killed a Penn State student in South Philadelphia surrendered to police Tuesday night.
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Taxpayers paid $2.3 million last month to the victims of a former Philadelphia police officer who is behind bars for sexual assault.
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A South Philadelphia babysitter, originally from Argentina, was released from ICE detention Monday after being arrested at Philadelphia International Airport last month.
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Emily Mello will assume the role of executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia on Sept. 1.
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A Montco meat-processing plant that was set to shut down this week will stay open, but will downsize staff from about 1,700 to 400.
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The landmark Pub in Pennsauken is going on the market, but it plans to stay open while it searches for new ownership.
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94.1 WIP won’t have a dedicated sideline reporter during Eagles games for the first time in more than 15 years.
Quote of the day
Mark Ringgold was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Cobbs Creek last year, near one of the city’s most dangerous roads. His mother, Angela McDonald, is pushing for the city to install speed bumps to slow down drivers.
🧠Trivia time
President Donald Trump reportedly flew secretly on an alternate military aircraft last month because of an Iranian assassination threat.
Which former president also took part in a similar plane ruse?
A) George W. Bush
B) Bill Clinton
C) Jimmy Carter
D) None of the above
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🍗 Intrigued by: An unnamed Point Breeze corner store is cooking up one of the neighborhood’s best chicken sandwiches.
📍 Identifying: All the Philly locations featured in the opening episodes of the new season of Reacher.
🥬 Visiting: The best weekly farmers markets down the Shore.
🏀 Hearing: The buzz on record-breaking ticket prices, player reactions, and more on the Sixers-Knicks season opener.
🎤 Considering: Inquirer writer Jason Nark’s changing perspective on country music and its alternatives.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Star of John Wick and The Matrix
SEVEN EUREKA
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Mary Jane Connolly, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Snapper soup. Kelly’s Seafood is closing after 68 years in North Philadelphia. You have three weeks to get your last bowl of snapper soup.
Photo of the day
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