SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL 🍻
#11 | This Week in Review - February 28th, 2026, 7:00pm
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LABOR PAINS: UNION RANKS DIP IN PA, NJ
Union membership in Pennsylvania and New Jersey declined in 2025, even as national rates held relatively steady, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nationwide, 10% of workers were union members last year, a slight increase from 9.9% in 2024. In New Jersey, 14.7% of workers were unionized, while Pennsylvania’s rate fell to 10.9% — each down about one percentage point from the year prior. Federal officials cautioned that comparisons to past years are more difficult because a government shutdown left October data incomplete.
The figures come amid what labor experts have described as an anti-union push by President Donald Trump’s administration, including efforts to end some federal union contracts and actions that left the National Labor Relations Board without a quorum for part of the year. Despite high-profile organizing drives and strike threats across the Philadelphia region, analysts say organizing momentum has slowed, with fewer union elections and concerns about how federal rulings could affect future efforts.
HAVERFORD VOWS CHANGE AFTER ISRAELI TALK SPARKS CLASHES
Haverford College says it will revise its events policy following a disruption during a talk earlier this month by Israeli journalist Haviv Rettig Gur. About a dozen masked protesters interrupted the event, at one point shouting through a bullhorn and drawing a physical confrontation with an audience member before campus safety removed both individuals. Neither person was affiliated with the college, officials said. The incident renewed allegations of antisemitism on campus, which is already under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education and facing scrutiny from a Republican-led congressional committee.
College President Wendy Raymond told the campus community that shouting down speakers violates school values and acknowledged gaps in how events are managed. Administrators said updated policies will aim to clarify expectations and provide additional oversight for events deemed “higher risk” due to safety or disruption concerns.
TOW-TAL RECALL: PHILLY AGREES TO STOP LOSING YOUR RIDE
The City of Philadelphia has agreed to overhaul its long-criticized “courtesy tow” system and pay $750,000 to 36 drivers as part of a proposed federal court settlement. The deal, which still requires approval from a U.S. district judge, would require tow truck operators participating in the city’s vehicle relocation program to electronically log where cars are dropped off. The city is also expected to partner with the Philadelphia Parking Authority to create a searchable database so drivers can locate relocated vehicles more easily.
The settlement follows years of complaints and a five-year federal lawsuit alleging that the city’s system routinely lost legally parked cars, leading to tickets, impoundments, wrongful stolen vehicle reports, and even armed police stops of unsuspecting owners in other states. Under the proposed changes, vehicles would be marked before relocation to prevent improper ticketing, and new tracking technology would aim to prevent cars from disappearing into what plaintiffs described as a “bureaucratic black hole.”
19 CHARGED IN GANG BLOOD FEUD THAT LED TO OVER 35 VICTIMS
Nineteen people connected to a violent feud between the Young Bag Chasers (YBC) and rival crews are expected to be charged in a sweeping indictment tied to nearly two dozen shootings across the city, including at least five homicides. Prosecutors say the yearslong retaliation cycle, spanning 2022 to 2024, left 35 victims ranging in age from 5 to 42. Five suspects were taken into custody Wednesday as part of an investigation by the Philadelphia Police Department.
Authorities said the probe linked members of YBC and affiliated groups — along with rivals including CCK and the Parkside Killers — to shootings fueled by social media taunts and drill rap videos. Investigators used ballistics, phone records, and online posts to connect suspects to multiple crimes, including the killings of Zyir Stafford and several alleged gang members. Officials said more arrests are expected as the long-running investigation continues.
FUTURE OF CHINATOWN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IN JEOPARDY
The future of the Chinatown Stitch project, a long-planned effort to cap the Vine Street Expressway and reconnect the neighborhood divided by the highway, is uncertain after the Trump administration rescinded a $159 million federal grant. The funding had been awarded through a Biden-era transportation equity program, but was clawed back as part of a broader rollback of unspent federal infrastructure dollars. City officials are now scrambling to identify alternative funding sources to keep the project alive.
Planners are seeking up to $12.5 million in alternative federal funds to complete final design work, a key step before environmental approval and construction can begin. The proposal is under review by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, where some members have expressed concern about advancing the project without secured construction financing. City leaders say they are exploring options including tax-increment financing and remain committed to a project supporters say has been decades in the making.
PAYING RESPECTS
The City of Philadelphia will provide up to $2,000 to help cover funeral costs for homicide victims under a new initiative launching March 1st, becoming the first municipality in the US to do so. The Homicide Victim Funeral Assistance (HVFA) Program will pay funds directly to funeral homes, with applications reviewed within 48 hours, according to city officials. The effort will be administered by the Office of the Victim Advocate, part of the city’s Office of Public Safety.
Officials said the program is designed to ease the financial burden on grieving families, as the average funeral in Philadelphia costs about $9,100. The city’s contribution is intended to supplement Pennsylvania’s Victims Compensation Assistance Program, which offers up to $6,500 in reimbursement. The announcement comes as homicides have declined significantly since their 2021 peak, with city leaders describing the fund as a tangible way to support families facing sudden loss.
CITY OPENS NEW GAY PRIDE VISTOR’S CENTER
City leaders on Wednesday cut the ribbon on the new Philly Pride Visitor Center, an LGBTQ+ tourism hub located at 12th and Locust Streets in the heart of the Gayborhood. The center was launched by the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation and Visit Philadelphia in partnership with Visit PA and the Philadelphia Gay News. Officials say the space will promote LGBTQ+-owned and allied businesses, highlight queer-friendly destinations, and serve as a welcoming resource for visitors.
Tourism leaders opened the center ahead of what they anticipate will be a record-breaking year for travel, noting that LGBTQ+ travelers contribute an estimated $65 billion annually nationwide. The opening also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Gay News, underscoring the city’s historic role in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Governor Josh Shapiro joined local officials at the ceremony.
SPRAY IT AIN’T SO
Philadelphia has once again been named the “Best City for Street Art” in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The honor highlights the city’s reputation as the “mural capital of the world,” with thousands of public artworks transforming streets, buildings, and public spaces into an open-air gallery.
Home to more than 4,000 murals, sculptures, and installations, Philadelphia boasts one of the largest and most accessible public art collections globally. City officials and arts advocates say the recognition reflects decades of investment in public art programs that have made street art a defining feature of the city’s cultural identity.
DEBATE SWIRLS OVER LOCATION OF NEW CITY BUS TERMINAL
Residents weighed in this week on where to relocate the city’s Greyhound bus terminal during an open house hosted by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission at the Independence Visitor Center. Planners are considering three potential sites: 29th and Arch Streets near 30th Street Station, the 1500 block of Vine Street, and the 700 block of Arch Street.
City officials say public input will help shape the final decision, and residents can also complete an online survey about the proposed locations. Meanwhile, the current Greyhound station on Filbert Street is scheduled to temporarily reopen in May as longer-term plans for a permanent bus terminal move forward.
FARE WARNING: NEW SEPTA AI PROGRAM TO FINE PARKING VIOLATIONS
SEPTA will begin installing AI-powered enforcement cameras on trolleys across the region starting March 2, expanding a similar program already in use on city buses. Officials said the cameras, developed in partnership with the Philadelphia Parking Authority, will identify vehicles illegally blocking trolley lanes and stops on Lines T1 through T5 and the G1 route. After a 60-day warning period, $51 citations will begin April 1.
The initiative follows the rollout of AI cameras on more than 150 buses last year, which have since issued more than 112,000 tickets. SEPTA officials say illegally parked vehicles cause major service delays and safety hazards, and the PPA noted each violation will be manually reviewed by enforcement officers before fines are issued. The agencies say the effort supports the city’s broader Vision Zero traffic safety goals.
LOCAL CONCERTS, MARCH 2ND - MARCH 7TH
MONDAY, MARCH 2ND
Conan Gray (Wishbone World Tour, with Esha Tewari)
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
I See Stars
Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia, PA
Until I Wake
Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia, PA
TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD
Ratboys (w. Florry)
First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
Beauty School Dropout (w. NIGHTBREAKERS)
The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4TH
Bryce Vine
The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA
THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH
prison Affair and D Sablu (w. Snõõper and F.i.b.)
First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
Chrissy Chlapecka
Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH
Subtronics
The Met, Philadelphia, PA
SATURDAY, MARCH 7TH
MANA
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Subtronics
The Met, Philadelphia, PA
Eric Hutchinson
City Winery, Philadelphia, PA