SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL 🍻
#10 | This Week in Review - February 21st, 2026, 7:00pm
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SLAVERY EXHIBIT MUST STAY, JUDGE RULES
A federal judge has ordered the restoration of interpretive panels at Philadelphia’s President’s House that detail the lives of nine enslaved people held there by George Washington. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe, grants a preliminary injunction requiring the site to be returned to its condition prior to January 22nd, when the displays were removed following an executive order from the Trump administration. The decision sided with the City of Philadelphia and advocacy group Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, which argued that taking down the panels caused irreparable harm and erased a critical part of the nation’s founding history.
In a 40-page opinion, Rufe found that a survival clause in a cooperative agreement between the city and federal government keeps key provisions in effect, rejecting arguments that the agreement had expired. She also barred further federal action that could alter or damage the site. Supporters celebrated the decision as historic, saying it ensures visitors receive a complete and accurate account of the realities of slavery at the President’s House. The federal government has said it will appeal the ruling.
AIRPORT MEASLES CASE RAISES ALARM
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is alerting travelers to a potential measles exposure at Philadelphia International Airport. Officials say a person infected with measles was in Terminal E on Thursday, February 12, between 1:35 P.M. and 4:30 P.M. Anyone present during that window is advised to review their vaccination status and monitor for symptoms.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus that can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash. Health officials said there is no broad threat to the general public but urged those who are not fully vaccinated to contact their healthcare provider about the MMR vaccine. Anyone who develops symptoms through March 5th should seek medical care immediately and inform providers of the possible exposure.
NOT SO FAST: NEW SCHOOL SPEED CAMERAS PRIMED AND READY TO TICKET
The Philadelphia Parking Authority is launching a pilot program that will issue warnings — and eventually, fines — to drivers caught speeding in five designated school zones across the city. Beginning Tuesday, motorists who exceed posted limits while school-zone flashers are active will receive warnings during a 60-day grace period. Starting April 20, 2026, those warnings will convert into monetary penalties, though officials have not yet announced the fine amount. Violations will not result in points on a driver’s license.
The targeted zones, selected based on crash data from 2019 to 2023, include areas near John B. Stetson Middle School, KIPP North Philadelphia Charter School, Widener Memorial School, High School of the Future, and William L. Sayre High School. Officials cited multiple serious-injury and pedestrian crashes, including a fatal incident near Broad and Olney in 2023. PPA Executive Director Rich Lazer said the program aims to curb dangerous driving and improve safety for students, pointing to similar recent enforcement along Roosevelt Boulevard and Broad Street that significantly reduced speeding and pedestrian collisions.
BREATHING FREELY
Philadelphia officials on Wednesday launched “Breathe Philly,” a new citywide air monitoring initiative featuring 76 sensors designed to track particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide levels in neighborhoods across the city. The monitors feed real-time data to an interactive online map that allows residents to check local air quality conditions. According to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, every address in the city is now within one and a half miles of a monitor, providing more localized and accessible environmental data.
Community advocates welcomed the program but said monitoring alone will not solve long-standing pollution concerns, particularly in historically-impacted neighborhoods. Mayor Cherelle Parker said the city plans to use the data to guide policy decisions and improve public health outcomes. The Breathe Philly website is now live, enabling residents to review current air quality readings and determine whether conditions may pose risks, especially for people with underlying health issues.
GRAD WORKERS INK DEAL, STRIKE AVERTED
Graduate student workers at the University of Pennsylvania have reached a tentative agreement on their first union contract, narrowly averting a strike that had been set to begin Feb. 17. The two-year deal, announced early Tuesday, follows months of negotiations between the university and Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania (GET-UP), which represents roughly 3,400 research and teaching assistants and is affiliated with the United Auto Workers. Union members had authorized a strike in November and set a deadline after key issues — including wages, healthcare, and transit benefits — remained unresolved.
If ratified, the agreement would raise the annual minimum stipend to $49,000, a 22% increase, and set a $25 hourly minimum, with additional raises scheduled in 2027. The deal also includes paid medical and parental leave, a $200,000 annual dependent healthcare reimbursement fund and a $50,000 annual fund to assist international students with visa-related costs. University officials said academic operations would have continued in the event of a strike, though striking workers would not have been paid. A ratification vote has not yet been scheduled.
40+ PHILLY NARCOTICS CONVICTIONS UP IN SMOKE
More than 40 additional drug and gun convictions tied to three narcotics officers have been thrown out in Philadelphia, as prosecutors continue reviewing nearly 1,000 cases that relied on their testimony. On Wednesday, Common Pleas Court Judge Rose Marie DeFino-Nastasi vacated 47 convictions after the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office said it could no longer stand behind the credibility of Officers Ricardo Rosa, Eugene Roher and Jeffrey Holden. The cases stem from investigations by the Philadelphia Police Department’s Narcotics Strike Force, and many of the affected defendants had been serving years in prison.
Attorneys with the Defender Association of Philadelphia uncovered surveillance video they say contradicts the officers’ sworn testimony, alleging the trio failed to disclose their use of city cameras and described drug transactions they could not have seen — or that never occurred. Prosecutors have cited a pattern of inconsistencies but stopped short of accusing the officers of lying, while defense lawyers contend the misconduct was deliberate. The officers remain on active duty in reassigned roles as an internal affairs investigation continues. More dismissals are expected in the coming months.
MAGIC GARDENS FOUNDER PASSES AT 86
Isaiah Zagar, the visionary mosaic artist whose glittering glass murals transformed South Philadelphia into a kaleidoscope of color, has died at 86. Zagar, founder of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, died at his home from complications of heart failure and Parkinson’s disease, the organization confirmed Thursday. Over decades, the self-taught artist covered an estimated 50,000 square feet of walls with broken mirrors, tiles, bottles, and found objects, creating more than 200 mosaics that reshaped the city’s visual identity and became synonymous with Philadelphia’s public art scene.
Born in Brooklyn in 1939 and educated at the Pratt Institute, Zagar moved to Philadelphia in the late 1960s with his wife, Julia, and helped spark the South Street Renaissance while fighting plans for a Crosstown Expressway. His immersive Magic Gardens installation, once threatened by demolition, was preserved after supporters raised funds to purchase the property, cementing its status as a cultural landmark that now draws roughly 150,000 visitors annually. Zagar’s work appears in major museum collections and across city blocks, leaving behind a legacy etched in tile and mirror. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
STUDENT WALKOUT ENDS IN ARRESTS
A student-led walkout protesting immigration enforcement turned chaotic this Friday in Quakertown, ending in multiple arrests after a confrontation with police. About 35 students from Quakertown Community High School left campus around 11:30 A.M. despite warnings from administrators. Authorities said some students became disruptive, allegedly throwing snowballs, blocking traffic and damaging property, prompting police to respond. By the end of the incident, five to six students and one adult were taken into custody, and the school was briefly placed on lockdown.
Video from the scene shows a man identified by sources as the Quakertown police chief — dressed in plain clothes — placing a female student in what appears to be a chokehold before falling to the ground as other students gathered around. Witnesses disputed police claims that students escalated the situation, saying officers intensified what began as a peaceful protest against ICE. Police have issued only a written statement, and school officials say they are reviewing the actions of students who left campus without permission.
PAW & ORDER
Philadelphia City Council has approved a temporary ban on unlicensed puppy breeding in an effort to reduce overcrowding at the city’s primary animal shelter. The measure places a three-year moratorium on the unlicensed breeding, sale and transfer of puppies within the city. The Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia will begin enforcing the law in three months.
Under the new rules, prospective sellers who advertise puppies without including a valid kennel license number and the ZIP code where the dog is located could face daily fines. Supporters say the crackdown is designed to curb irresponsible breeding practices and ease the strain on Philadelphia’s shelter system.
LOCAL CONCERTS, FEBRUARY 23RD - FEBRUARY 28TH
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD
RUEL
Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Valgur, Andy Loebs, and ZOM6ii
Nikki Lopez Philly, Philadelphia, PA
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH
TWICE
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Mariah the Scientist
The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Rich Brian
The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA
Lynch Mob
Nikki Lopez Philly, Philadelphia, PA
Rio Kosta,
Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH
JJ Grey & Mofro
Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA
Aries (with Zack Villere)
Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Clinton Kane
The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA
Briscoe
MilkBoy, Philadelphia, PA
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH
Brass Against
Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA
blackwater holylight
Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH
Chad Taylor
Solar Myth, Philadelphia, PA
Everyone Orchestra
Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH
Brett Young Xcite Center,
Parx Casino, Bensalem, PA
Peter McPoland (w. DUG)
Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Lost Frequencies
NOTO Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA