Smashed Tesla protest; Intercity bus update; Hackers steal from Philly schools

#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY

Convenience in West Philly
(Photo by @karenbenson.eyeful)

On Wednesday night, a group of angry Democrats, and Philly Elmo, took out their frustrations with the Department of Government Efficiency and its figurehead Elon Musk by destroying a 2023 Tesla Model Y in a rage room in Holmesburg. “I knew it would feel good,” one participant said, “but that felt great.”

We spoke to participants and the leaders of the PAC, who explained his group’s perspective and unapologetically negative tactics. Continue reading …

Philly Elmo takes couple of whacks at a 2023 Tesla Model Y. (Nick Kariuki/Billy Penn)

The saga of finding a new permanent home for an intercity bus station is nowhere near a conclusion. Instead, work is ongoing to have an interim solution in place for the historic celebrations and events of 2026. 

The most interesting moment at the three-hour City Council hearing came when the CEO of a bus company offered to develop the station, then lease it back to the city. Continue reading…

Passengers waited to board a Peter Pan bus at Philadelphia’s intercity bus terminal on Spring Garden Street near Front Street. July 3, 2024. (Meir Rinde/Billy Penn)

RECAP

$ = paywalled

• All 10 Pa. congressional Republicans voted in support of Trump’s budget bill that includes cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, while increasing border funding and expanding the child tax credit. [Capital-Star]

• Hackers stole nearly $700K from the Philadelphia school district’s banking system in 2024, city controller says. [WHYY] 

• Mark Dial trial: The former police officer was found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter in the Eddie Irizarry killing. [6ABC] 

• Philly is finally out of a drought after 8 months of abnormally dry conditions. [PhillyVoice]

•  Mural Arts’ ‘No Place Like Home’ student exhibition champions the importance of art education. [Billy Penn]

• Philly Alzheimer’s disease researchers call a new diagnostic blood test promising, but advise caution. [WHYY]

• At the beginning of the Ultimate Frisbee Association season, there wasn’t a lot of hope surrounding the Philadelphia Phoenix. After several wins, they now face a big home matchup against a rival. [Billy Penn] 

MAYOR WATCH

The mayor has no public events scheduled for today.

ON THE CALENDAR

❤️ Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander month events
🎪 Philadelphia Contemporary Circus Festival through June 1
🌸 27 ways to get out and enjoy the warm weather
🏃🏽 Philly Runners Guide

Friday, May 23: VHS Club Summer Movie Screenings
Cher’s 1987 classic “Moonstruck” is on tap tonight at 6:30 p.m. (trailers start at 6 p.m.) in the latest VHS Club meetup around iconic films from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. On the second floor of the Arts League. BYO snacks, drinks, bean bag chairs and costumes. Free.

Friday, May 23: Midge Ure at City Winery
Midge Ure, one of the organizers of the 1985 Live Aid concert and key member of Ultravox and Visage, is performing at City Winery. Tickets $28 and up.

Saturday, May 24: Old City Design Walk
Explore Philadelphia’s Design District, starting at Washington Square Park and walking through Old City to hit FRIEDA, Omoi, Paradigm Gallery, Dudd Haus and more favorites. Each $15 ticket comes with a limited-edition tote bag and swag. (12 to 2 p.m.)

Saturday, May 24: Plantain Party (21+) 
Philly’s “Maddest & Baddest Afro-Caribbean Bashment” is celebrating 3 years of bare chunes, perreo and nonstop enjoyment at Craft Hall from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. $15 tickets.

Saturday to Monday, May 24-26: Philadelphia Renaissance Faire
Fort Mifflin welcomes history- and costume-loving folks for axe-throwing, archery and dagger-tossing, juggling, magic, Dungeons & Dragons, live theater, games and more. The grounds turn into a 16th century village for three days. Shuttles are available to and from the event.) Tickets range from free to $20

Sunday, May 25: a story of Jazz; a community art experience
Come through and experience a community art show that opens stories through performance, visual art and archival exploration.
Artist talk and reception in Germantown. Free with RSVP. (2 to 4 p.m.)

Sunday, May 25: May Zine Fest 
Check out the monthly free radical zine fest at Clark Park, with vendors, performances, shared food and resources and community. (3 p.m.)

Sunday, May 25: Philly Puppet Slam: May 2025
The third installment of ongoing puppet slams hosted by Aaron Mack, where a smorgasbord of puppeteers will perform their acts in West Philly. Will you laugh? Will you shed a tear? You will definitely be amazed. Doors option at 8 p.m. Tickets are sliding scale $10 to $15. Arrive early to check out Studio 34’s current art show, Alien of Extraordinary Abilities, featuring comics, posters and tapestries by Tracy Chahwan. Note: there are stairs, this is a sober space, and face masks are requested. 

Sunday, May 25: Scribes on South
Tattooed Mom hosts this poetry reading and open mic, where readers have five minutes. Everyone welcome to listen. “Read poems. Kick ass.” This reading’s featured reader is Chloe Williams. Free. (7 p.m.)

Sunday, May 25 through Sunday, July 6: 2025 Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival
Kickoff PHLAFF 2025’s virtual programming with the Thriller & Drama Shorts Block, a 74-minute journey through tension and passion. A tapestry of films, events and community gatherings that promise to captivate audiences and honor the diverse stories of the Latinx diaspora. Dozens of films are scheduled virtually and in-person at various locations like PhillyCAM and Fleisher Art Memorial through July 6. Virtual tickets range from $5 to $50 for the full season while In-person tickets range from $10 to $120 for the full season.

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2025-05-23 09:07:59

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