Wake up, itâs Friday.
Itâs sunny with a hot high near 92.About a quarter of Philly schools will operate virtually because of the heat.
Read more đș Build a tropical garden | Outdoorsy Newsletter
Todayâs main read will leave paw prints on your heart. The other might make you … itchy.
Plus, SEPTA police are threatening to strike during the World Cup, and more news of the day.
â Paola PĂ©rez ([email protected])
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A wholesome getaway
The Animal Care and Control Team of Philly (known as ACCT Philly) takes in an average of 22 dogs every day. As the cityâs only open-intake shelter, itâs legally obligated to accept all unwanted animals at its facility.
Stuck in kennels for most of the day, the dogs have nowhere else to go. So when Inquirer columnist Stephanie Farr heard about Philly Pupventures, she felt the tug of the leash around her heart to give it a go.
The program makes it possible for people to give shelter dogs time outside of the center, whether itâs for a few hours or the whole day. And beyond the mental and physical benefits (for pups and humans), time spent together also makes a difference by helping paint a picture of the animalsâ personalities and shape their stories.
Joined by our colleagues Esra Erol on video and Jessica Griffin on photos, Farr got on the emotional roller coaster of meeting dogs awaiting adoption.
In Farrâs own words: âI didnât know what the future held for these dogs but I knew my colleagues and I were going to give them the best day we could through ACCTâs Pupventures program.â
đ„ș Follow along and meet their new friends Rainbow, Sugar Dumpling, and Lucky Girl.
Tracking ticks
Sorry for the jump-scare, but we have to talk about them.
Remember the 30 inches of snow that fell in the Philadelphia region and took seemingly forever to melt? That was apparently the perfect igloo for these tiny arachnids to slow their metabolism and snuggle up.
Now, experts say we may be in for one of the tickiest tick seasons in years.
The Northeast is usually hit hardest by ticks, CDC data show. Pennsylvania consistently ranks as the top state for reported cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
The rise of alpha-gal syndrome, a food allergy primarily related to red meat, is linked to the bite of the lone star tick (pictured above). Pennsylvania has launched a new effort to track AGS in the state.
To protect yourself and your pets, cut tall grasses and perform routine checks for ticks. If you must go into dense vegetation, wear long pants and closed shoes.
Environmental reporter Frank Kummer has the full report.
What you should know today
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Philadelphia School District officials said they may cut hundreds of classroom jobs â even though theyâre getting $48 million in new funding from the city that lawmakers hoped would avert the reductions.
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City Council preliminarily approved a $7.1 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The plan does not include Mayor Cherelle L. Parkerâs proposed taxes meant to squeeze revenue out of gig economy companies like Uber and Airbnb.
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Council also begrudgingly passed a measure that would allow the city to borrow $200 million to purchase the North Broad Street tower where the police department is headquartered.
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The union representing transit police officers has asked SEPTA to settle stalled contract talks in binding arbitration â or risk a strike during the World Cup and other major summer events in Philadelphia.
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A bouncer who fatally punched a patron outside a Gayborhood bar in 2022 was convicted of involuntary manslaughter this week.
Read more The LGBTQ Spirit of 1776 could show the way for this yearâs celebrations of freedom
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A measles outbreak in central Pennsylvania continues to grow, with state health officials reporting 10 more cases on Wednesday.
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The Atlantic City mayor has sued the local prosecutor who charged him with child abuse, and he accused the prosecutor of being involved in a conspiracy with officials to unseat him.
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People who donât speak English made fewer calls for emergency services in Montgomery County during periods of increased ICE activity.
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Temple University paid its former president $1.475 million in 2024, even though he resigned the year before amid criticism of his leadership.
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The city of Philadelphia wants to install 800 public electric vehicle chargers over the next decade.
Plus: Why does jury duty pay $9 per day?
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. Weâll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the cityâs quirks.
This week, weâre resurfacing an explainer on juror pay in Philadelphia. The amount is set statewide in Pennsylvania, and dates back to 1959, when minimum wage was a buck a day.
A lot has changed since then, but the initial rate of compensation has remained same for decades. Hereâs the full story.
đ§ Trivia time
Drexel Hill-based shop Thrift & Thrive, formerly known as Nanaâs Attic, on Wednesday announced the arrival of a slew of screen-used furniture and clothing from this show:
A) Task
B) Dope Thief
C) Deli Boys
D) Abbott Elementary
Think you know? Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.
What weâre âŠ
đ§ Wondering: How much water will cost at the Linc, now that reusable bottles are officially banned at World Cup games.
đ Intrigued by: How an original copy of the Declaration of Independence made it to Amsterdam â and now back to Philly.
đ Craving: Fluffy buns and pastries from the new bao specialist in town.
đ„” Learning: How El Niño and the ongoing dryness could affect our summer temps.
𧩠Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Luxury homebuilder
BOTH TROLLERS
Email us if you know the answer. Weâll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to John Haggerty, who solved Thursdayâs anagram: John Kincade. Although heâs not retiring, heâs leaving the 97.5 Fanatic and his final show will be July 31.
Photo of the day
One more World Cup thing: Philly sports stars united to sign match balls for each of the nine nations playing in the group stage here.
đđœ Stay hydrated this weekend. Thanks for reading, and Iâll catch up with you again soon.
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