SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL 🍻
#8 | This Week in Review - September 13th, 2025, 8:00pm
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SEPTA UP AND RUNNING
SEPTA UP AND RUNNING
SEPTA will fully restore its services this Sunday, September 14, after a Philadelphia judge ordered the agency to halt planned service cuts, including bus and rail eliminations, curfews, and station closures. The court injunction comes as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro approved nearly $400 million in emergency funding to keep transit running.
While service will return to normal, fares are set to rise 21.5%. The new base fare for bus and metro trips will be $2.90. SEPTA says the combination of fare revenue and temporary state funds will prevent cuts for about two years but stresses that a long-term funding solution is still needed.
State Senator Vincent Hughes is urging SEPTA to cancel the fare hike, arguing that recent state aid should shield riders from what amounts to a more than 30% increase since 2024.
Riders can view updated schedules and fare details at septa.org/news/restored-service-schedules.
ILLEGAL DUMPING? THINK TWICE
Philadelphia is stepping up its fight against illegal dumping with a new task force that combines surveillance cameras, patrols, and steep fines. The initiative is led by the city’s “Clean and Green” cabinet, created under Mayor Cherelle Parker.
Roughly 470 cameras are now monitored by staff trained to catch offenders, who can face fines of up to $5,000 per item dumped. Since the program began last year, officials say they’ve closed 49 cases and collected about $3 million in fines.
The crackdown is expanding: 15 newly trained recruits will soon patrol dumping hotspots in person, issuing violations on the spot. City leaders say the goal is to clean up streets and hold violators accountable.
MAN ARRESTED IN SERIES OF BOMBINGS
A man dubbed the “Gruver Bomber” has been arrested in connection with a series of explosions in Palmer Township, Northampton County. Police identified the suspect as Ronald Erney of Fogelsville, who was taken into custody after investigators executed a search warrant at his Upper Macungie Township home.
During the search, officers found explosive materials, including chemicals, fuses, PVC tubing, and projectiles, along with tools used to build devices. Authorities also recovered ten firearms and parts to assemble ghost guns. Because Erney is a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing weapons.
In Northampton County, Erney faces seven counts of possessing explosive or incendiary devices and seven counts of disorderly conduct. In Lehigh County, prosecutors charged him with weapons of mass destruction, possession of explosive materials, and ten counts of illegally possessing firearms.
He has been arraigned and is being held at Northampton County Prison on $50,000 bail.
THIEF IMPERSONATES POLICE OFFICER
A man in Philadelphia’s Tacony neighborhood says he was the victim of a terrifying home invasion after a suspect posing as a police officer forced his way into his house. According to the 63-year-old homeowner, this impersonator handcuffed him at gunpoint, taped his mouth shut, and demanded information about money and bank accounts – some of which the victim said he didn’t even recognize.
The intruder also stole the man’s keys and wallet before making his escape through the back door. Neighbors called for help, and Philadelphia police arrested a 24-year-old suspect nearby, recovering a weapon and towing a white Jeep Cherokee used in the incident.
Though the victim was unharmed physically, he was predictably shaken. Authorities have not yet released the suspect’s name or formally announced the charges.
CHARGES LESSENED IN CENTER CITY SHOOTING
Charges have been downgraded in the fatal Center City Philadelphia shooting of 33-year-old Lauren Jardine, after new surveillance and cellphone videos painted a more complex picture of how the confrontation unfolded. Initially charged with murder, the accused, 45-year-old John Kelly, now faces voluntary manslaughter charges.
The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. at the busy intersection of 12th and Chestnut Streets. The video shows Jardine drawing a gun, then Kelly pulling what is described as a screwdriver. After a struggle over the firearm, Kelly gains control and fires multiple shots at Jardine, resulting in her death.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, and neighbors stated Kelly has been known for past disturbances in the area. Jardine’s family highlighted her recent efforts toward self-improvement, noting she was earning her GED and talking about starting her own business.
Police believe Jardine may have intervened in a dispute between Kelly and the woman believed to be his girlfriend, who is also visible in the video.
NEW GUN ORDINANCE IN EFFECT WITHIN CITY LIMITS
Philadelphia has enacted a new law targeting “straw purchases” of firearms. The ordinance, signed by Mayor Cherelle Parker, requires all licensed gun dealers in the city to post bright orange warning signs. These signs will inform customers of the penalties for buying a gun for someone who is legally barred from purchasing one themselves—a federal crime known as a straw purchase.
Violators of the law face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Dealers who fail to display the required warning signs could be fined $2,000 per day.
SHAPIRO CRITICIZES NATIONAL RESPONSE TO KIRK ASSASINATION
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is urging elected officials to take a universal stand against political violence, criticizing President Donald Trump for what he described as “selective outrage.” In an interview with ABC News, Shapiro said Trump “cherry-picks which political violence he’s going to condemn,” noting that while the president denounced the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, he failed to mention recent attacks against Democrats, including the firebombing at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion and the murder of two Minnesota lawmakers.
Shapiro stressed that “no political violence can be viewed as acceptable,” warning that rising threats make Americans less safe and stall national political progress. He condemned rhetoric surrounding Kirk’s death, saying no one should celebrate the killing or call for revenge, emphasizing that Kirk “left behind a wife and two children.”
Shapiro ordered Pennsylvania flags flown at half-staff through Sunday to honor Kirk, aligning with Trump’s national proclamation. He called the shooting “yet another example of the sad reality of rising political violence in our country,” citing multiple attacks in recent months as evidence of a growing crisis that “needs to end.”
PA MAN BANNED FOR BRINGING ALLIGATOR INTO WALMART
A Pennsylvania man and his five-foot emotional-support alligator, named Jinseioshi, have drawn attention after being banned from entering a Walmart in West Brownsville. The alligator, which weighs about 32 pounds and is sometimes dressed up, had accompanied its owner, Wesley Silva, on shopping trips there for years without incident.
Silva says Jinseioshi has received a warm reception at many public places, including restaurants, and that she has become something of a local celebrity. However, Walmart has officially prohibited the pair from its premises, citing safety concerns. The store noted that while service animals are allowed, alligators are not permitted due to potential danger to customers and staff.
Jinseioshi’s status as an “emotional support” animal does not give legal protection equivalent to that of a service animal. Animal welfare experts warned that reptiles can act unpredictably in crowded or stressful environments like stores. Silva, for his part, expressed disappointment over the ban but said he plans to continue bringing the alligator out in public despite the restriction.
INVASIVE FISH CONTINUE SPREAD ACROSS NORTHEAST
Scientists in Pennsylvania are intensifying efforts to study and contain Northern snakeheads, an invasive fish species that has rapidly spread through the Delaware River Basin since first being documented in Philadelphia’s FDR Park in 2004. Biologists with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission recently collected specimens at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, where drained wetlands exposed the air-breathing fish in the mud.
Native to Asia, snakeheads are prized as food but are considered a major environmental threat because of their ability to survive out of water and their voracious appetite. Researchers found that they consume at least 21 species of local fish, including killifish, sunfish, and eels, raising concerns for endangered species such as the Ironcolor Shiner.
The current study is examining snakeheads for contaminants like PFAS and other biomarkers, while also assessing their ecological impact. Wildlife officials report declines in frogs and other sensitive species at Heinz due to predation.
With snakeheads now found across the region — from Philadelphia’s waterways to creeks in South Jersey and even the upper Delaware in New York — scientists warn the “top predator” poses a long-term threat to the balance of local ecosystems.
DOCTOR V. DOCTOR
A Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) pediatrician is highlighting how teens increasingly turn to social media influencers, rather than their own doctors, for health advice. Writing in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Dr. Katie Lockwood noted that even her son prefers following “Dr. Mike,” a YouTube-famous physician, over listening to her expertise.
Lockwood said a major challenge for pediatricians today is competing with flashy online content that often spreads misinformation about vaccines, supplements, or health trends. To meet patients where they are, she shares advice on Instagram and through CHOP’s Primary Care Perspectives podcast, while also pointing families toward Pediatric Health Chat—a new CHOP website designed to counter myths with expert guidance.
She encourages parents to model critical thinking when consuming media, teaching children to evaluate sources, credentials, and motives behind online posts. Just as families teach kitchen safety, Lockwood argues, they must also teach digital safety.
Her message: credible health information may come from popular influencers, but it also comes from the doctors sitting across the exam room—or even across the dinner table.
LOCAL CONCERTS, SEPTEMBER 16TH - SEPTEMBER 22ND
Tuesday, September 16
Garbage with Starcrawler — Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia
KALEO, Quarters of Change, and Júníus Meyvant — Archer Music Hall, Allentown
Wolf Alice — Union Transfer, Philadelphia
Bayside and The Sleeping — Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia
múm — Underground Arts, Philadelphia
He Is Legend, Eyes Set to Kill, Downswing, and The Teeth — Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia
Sister Wife, Sex Strike, Apes of the State — Nikki Lopez Philly, Philadelphia
Celtic Thunder — F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre
Radio Free Alice, Zastava — Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia
Mint Field — Silk City, Philadelphia
Texas Headhunters — The Music Hall at World Cafe Live, Philadelphia
Matt Heckler — MilkBoy Philly, Philadelphia
Wednesday, September 17
PUP with Jeff Rosenstock & Ekko Astral — The Fillmore Philadelphia
Bayside and The Sleeping — Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia
Russian Circles, Blackwater, Holylight — Archer Music Hall, Allentown
Fu Manchu — Underground Arts, Philadelphia
Michael Schenker — Keswick Theatre, Glenside
Michael Minelli, The Color 8 — MilkBoy, Philadelphia
Hook — The Hook at Caesars Atlantic City, NJ
House of Waters — Sellersville Theater 1894, Sellersville, PA
Small Town Titans — Musikfest Café, Bethlehem
Lavender Llama — Funhouse, Bethlehem
Thursday, September 18
Alabama Shakes with The Budos Band — TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia
Eric Church and Elle King — Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
YUNGBLUD with Sawyer Hill — The Fillmore Philadelphia
Charlie Sexton, Elvis Costello & The Imposters — Wind Creek Event Center, Bethlehem
Deafheaven with I Promised the World — Arrow, Allentown
John Mulaney — The Met Philadelphia
CoComelon — Keswick Theatre, Glenside
Bambara — Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia
Tara Clerkin Trio — Solar Myth, Philadelphia
Sebastian Maniscalco — Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City
Shallow Alcove, Sarah Gross & Kennedy Shaw — Spruce Street Harbor, Philadelphia
Friday, September 19
The Lumineers, Chance Peña, Dr. Dog — Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
Papa Roach, Rise Against, Underoath — PPL Center, Allentown
Turnstile, Mannequin Pussy, Jane Remover, Speed (AUS) — Highmark Skyline Stage at Mann Center, Philadelphia
The Growlers — Union Transfer, Philadelphia
Saturday, September 20
Kali Uchis, Thee Sacred Souls — Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
Freddie Gibbs, Alchemist, Jalen Ngonda, Sven Wunder — The Fillmore Philadelphia
Soccer Mommy — XPoNential Music Festival, Camden, NJ
Russian Circles, Blackwater, Holylight — Union Transfer, Philadelphia
CAFUNÉ, Crushed (LA) — The Foundry at The Fillmore, Philadelphia
Sunday, September 21
Peter McPoland — Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia
The High Kings — Keswick Theatre, Glenside
KennyHoopla — Arrow, Philadelphia
Gurriers — MilkBoy, Philadelphia
Author & Punisher — Ukie Club, Philadelphia
Steve Gunn — Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia
Agnostic Front — Arrow, Philadelphia
SPRINTS — Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia
Zao — Nikki Lopez Philly, Philadelphia
200 Stab Wounds — Anchor Rock Club, Philadelphia