🌱 'Woodergate' + Was There A Slur? + 10 Year Old Shoots 12 Year Old

Hello all. I'm back in your inbox this morning with your new copy of the Philadelphia Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town. Today's briefing includes news about...

• Can we drink it or not? The past 48 hours in Philadelphia after a chemical spill in the Delaware River has been dubbed, "Woodergate."
• An 18th District police officer was accused by politicians of shouting a racial slur while apprehending a gunman, however, his body camera footage shows the opposite.
• Police report that a 10-year-old has been charged in his 12-year-old brother's accidental shooting on Sunday.

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But first, today's weather:

Breezy and cooler. High: 54 Low: 37.

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Here are the top three stories in Philadelphia today:

1. Like the great toilet paper hoarding of 2020, the hottest item in Philadelphia right now is a case of bottled water. With the city of Philadelphia issuing conflicting emergency alerts and updates on the safety of the city's drinking water supply, thousands of Philadelphians rushed to the supermarkets, gas stations and even drove over to New Jersey to grab as many cases of bottled water as they could. Price gouging occurred with some online retailers charging more than $20 for a case of bottled water. (NBC 10 Philadelphia)
2. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw announced she requested an internal affairs investigation of one of her police officers accused of using a racial slur twice during an arrest. An Instagram account with over 100,000 followers called "phillyspotnews" posted a video of officers making an arrest of a man in a vehicle with a gun. Many Philadelphia politicians called for the officer's firing, however, the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police President John McNesby stated that the body camera footage of the arrest from all the officers on the scene clearly shows that no slur was yelled or spoken by the officer. (inquirer.com)
3. A 12-year-old boy was rushed to Temple University Hospital on Sunday with a gunshot to the chest. The shooter, police say, was his 10-year-old brother. Police report that the 10 year old accidentally shot his brother in the chest around 11 a.m. Sunday on the 2600 block of North Hollywood Street in Strawberry Mansion. The juvenile has been arrested and charged with possession of a gun, simple assault and aggravated assault as the investigation searches for the owner of the gun. (WPVI-TV)

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Today in Philadelphia:

• Hilco Redevelopment Partners: Community Meeting (6:00 PM)
• Beginning Piano for Busy Adults FREE Intro Class (6:00 PM)
• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night at Dave and Buster's - Philadelphia (7:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Madge! We knew you love Philly! A few months ago, Patch reported that The Material Girl Madonna was snubbing Philadelphia on her World Tour — even though she played The Met on North Broad Street to rave reviews and multiple standing ovations and encores. Well, Shanghai Surprise us all, she added eight extra shows to her "Celebration" tour and Philly is one of them! Don't just stand there, let's get to it at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, Dec. 20! (NBC 10 Philadelphia)
• Raise Your Glass of bottled water. It's our journalistic duty to give you the information you need about this contaminated water and chemical spill. While the city and water department swear our drinking water supply is safe. They still urge you to drink bottled water. (City of Philadelphia Government via Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with your next 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