🌱 Mosque Vandalized + SEPTA'S $715M Upgrade + Darrell Clarke Retiring

Hello again, neighbors! It's Tuesday in Philadelphia and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in our community today. Because community news matters! In today's briefing, you'll read about these stories and more:

• Philadelphia police are searching for a suspect seen vandalizing a mosque this weekend.
• SEPTA will purchase a new fleet of 130 trolleys with more seat capacity and accessibility.
• City Council President Darrell Clarke announced his retirement.

But first, today's weather:

Low clouds, then some sun. High: 46 Low: 32.

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Here are the top stories in Philadelphia today:

1. Masjidullah - The Center for Human Excellence was vandalized over the weekend and it was all caught on security cameras. A man is seen painting symbols and the words, "Jesus Christ" on the buildings wall around midnight this past Friday. Masjidullah leaders found the damage on Sunday and called police. "All Americans should feel safe from harassment or intimidation at their houses of worship," CAIR-Philadelphia President Mohammed Zubairu said. (6abc Philadelphia).
2. How many trolleys does $715 million buy? About 130. That's the plans SEPTA has for a $715 million dollar deal the transit authority just inked to purchase a state of the art fleet of trolleys that are fully ADA-compliant . Look for these new trolleys on the tracks in 2027.(nbcphiladelphia.com)
3. There's a whole lotta shakeups going on in Philadelphia City Council. After six members resigned to run for mayor in 2023 it was a surprise that City Council President Darrell Clarke is opting not to run for re-election. The jockeying for the leadership position could be a brawl or a chess match. (inquirer.com)

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Today in Philadelphia:

• Purim Comes Alive! (5:30 PM)
• Microsoft Office Excel - Digging Deeper Level 2 (6:00 PM)
• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night at Dave and Buster's - Philadelphia (7:00 PM)
• Educator Open House: Educating for the Future (9:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Who cares if Philly got snubbed by Madonna's upcoming tour? Here's a list of all the headliners coming to our town so grab your tickets now before they triple on the third-party seller's websites! (NBC 10 Philadelphia).
• If you didn't see this funny and heartwarming video, this Philly kid got into Morehouse. Amir Staten from Germantown Friends School broke the internet. (6abc Philadelphia).
• The only thing that could make this better is that he gets hired by Dallas. Washington Commanders release former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz after one season - (6abc Philadelphia.)
• Hey, who wants to get paid $15/hour to make hoagies in our beach towns this summer? WAWA is offering free hoagies, good pay and a summer at the shore as it preps for beachgoers craving Shortis and coffee. (NBC 10 Philadelphia)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update!

— Patty-Pat Kozlowski

About me: Patty-Pat Kozlowski has been writing community news and Philly-cenric Op/Eds for over 20 years. A Jill of all trades she's been a stand-up comedian, chef, DJ, newspaper editor, food trucker and Parks Director for Philadelphia Parks & Rec as well as a community relations/legislative aide for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Philadelphia City Council.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Philadelphia Patch newsletter? Contact me at philadelphia@patch.com