Latest news with #Inquirer
Axios
25-06-2025
- Axios
Scoop: Philly man wrongfully convicted as a teen sues city and police
A Philadelphia man convicted of murder two decades ago as a teen but exonerated in 2023 is suing over his wrongful conviction. The big picture: David Sparks, whose case was featured in an Inquirer investigation in 2018, is among at least 41 exonerees in Philly who have been cleared of wrongdoing in the last eight years. Many of the convictions were overturned because of allegations of police misconduct, per the lawsuit. The latest: In his federal lawsuit against the city and more than a dozen members of the Philadelphia Police Department, Sparks, 35, alleges that his wrongful conviction resulted from "extraordinary misconduct." Sparks is accusing police of making critical mistakes that tainted their investigation into a fatal shooting at a Labor Day block party in Nicetown in 2006. He alleges detectives coerced witnesses into implicating him in the murder of 19-year-old Gary Hall, and withheld evidence that suggested another teenager was the shooter. What they're saying: Police homicide detectives had "free reign to engage in unconstitutional actions with the knowledge and acquiescence of city policymakers and PPD Homicide Division supervisors and command staff, all of whom were deliberately indifferent to this misconduct," Sparks' lawyers wrote in the complaint. Sparks is seeking unspecified damages and attorney fees to compensate him for the more than 15 years he spent behind bars. He "looks forward to finally obtaining some measure of accountability," Sparks' attorney, Grace Harris, told Axios in a statement. The other side: The Philadelphia Police Department referred Axios to the city Law Department, which declined to comment on the lawsuit. Context: Sparks, one of many teens at the scene during the 2006 shooting, was 16 years old when he was charged in Hall's murder. Sparks had called 911 shortly after gunshots rang out to report that Hall had been shot and needed medical attention, per the lawsuit. Sparks was convicted at a bench trial in 2008, sentenced to life in prison, and spent years fighting to prove his innocence. The Innocence Project took on his case in 2014 and worked to obtain evidence that showed police detectives were told someone else was responsible for the homicide. A judge vacated Sparks' conviction in 2023, and prosecutors dismissed the case. Zoom in: After the shooting, one of the police supervisors at the scene ordered officers to conduct curfew checks on the teenagers present at the block party, instead of instructing them to interview the dozens of potential witnesses, per the lawsuit. Many teens left the area without speaking to police in order to avoid being issued curfew citations, the suit states. Still, several people told police that another teenager at the party, Ivan Simmons, had shot Hall after he argued with Simmons' brother, the suit alleges. Simmons was killed three months later as part of what the lawsuit describes as a string of retaliatory shootings stemming from Hall's murder.
Axios
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Sixers need to find their Edgecombe in the NBA Draft
The Sixers have one of the top picks in Wednesday night's NBA Draft — and many looming questions about their future after last season went bust. Why it matters: Bandwagon? There'll be no wagon to band back together this season unless the team makes some moves to inspire faith among fans who are skeptical that the Paul George-Joel Embiid experiment will work. Embiid, the 2023 MVP, is coming off knee surgery and has only played in 58 combined games the last two seasons, per the Inquirer's Keith Pompey. Driving the news: ESPN is projecting the Sixers will use the third pick to take Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, an explosive guard who could play alongside Tyrese Maxey for years to come. The Sixers could also trade the pick, including a potential deal with a team that wants to take George following another injury-plagued season. The intrigue: There's a strong Sixers contingent, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, that's prodding the team not to draft Rutgers guard Ace Bailey, who canceled a scheduled workout with the Sixers this month, per the Inquirer. "I just don't like that," Shapiro told the " Men at Work" podcast. "He's got great talent, great upside, but if you don't want to be here, if you're not dying to be here, I don't want you to be here." Meanwhile, Duke's Cooper Flagg is our state's most searched prospect, but good luck with that pipe dream. He's pretty much a lock to go No. 1. What they're saying: Pompey, the Inquirer's Sixers beat writer, thinks it's too risky for the Sixers to trade the No. 3 pick and potentially not land one of their "prime targets."
Eater
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
7 Major Restaurant Openings Around Philly, June 2025
Welcome to Eater Philly's guide to the notable restaurants, bars, and cafes that opened around the city in June 2025, from the expansion of a local Mexican favorite to a shop selling candy charcuterie boards. If there's an opening in your neighborhood that we've missed, let us know at philly@ . South Philly star El Chingón is ready to show off its highly anticipated Fishtown expansion. The year-round outdoor venue is open as of Wednesday, June 18, and is ready to start slinging the restaurant's sought-after cemitas, tacos cradled in sourdough tortillas, and more. Chef and owner Carlos Aparicio will also unveil a 'jardin de agave' in the new location, which will be his spin on a beer garden, according to the Inquirer . 1431 Frankford Avenue New restaurant Leo debuted at Philly's Kimmel Center at the end of last month. Led by executive chef Chris Cryer, formerly of NYC restaurant Peak at Hudson Yards, the spot highlights 'coastal cuisines,' per the website, and dishes include coriander-cured hiramasa and clam campanelle. 1414 Spruce Street A buzzy, vegan Puerto Rican restaurant is now open in East Kensington. The new spot, Casa Borinqueña, is an offshoot of the San Francisco restaurant of the same name. Don't miss the mofongo cups. 2557 Amber Street There's a new BYOB omakase to try in town. Nakama Japanese Cuisine & Omakase, from Sushi by Bou and Sushi Suite alums Mitsutaka Harada and Haris Yohanes, features a $125, 17-course omakase that unfolds over 80 minutes, the Inquirer reports. Looking for less of a commitment? There's an a la carte menu, too, and the restaurant also does takeout and delivery. 45 North 13th Street Pull back the soda vending machine door to gain access to Newsroom Philly, a trendy new cocktail bar and restaurant in Northern Liberties. The spot is an expansion of a similar bar and restaurant in New York, also called Newsroom, where diners enter through doors modeled after Coke and Snapple fridges installed in a newsstand. 1102 Germantown Avenue Quesadillas, burritos, tortas, and tacos are all on the menu at Tu Rinconcito, a Mexican newcomer in Old City. Owner Eugene Guevara, his daughter Lorena, and wife Ernestina (with her recipes from San Luis Potosí) are behind the venture, the Inquirer reports. 17 North Third Street Not a restaurant per se, but we're still excited about this one. An adorable candy shop called All Aboard Candy opened near Rittenhouse Square in mid-June, PhillyVoice reports. For co-founders Alyssa Bonventure and Emily Grossman, the shop is the culmination of what started as a pandemic project in which the pair sold colorful candy charcuterie boards online. The candy boards, and much more, are now available in the physical location. 233 South 20th Street See More:
Daily Express
08-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Express
Phivolcs sees rise in sulphur emissions from Kanlaon Volcano
Published on: Sunday, June 08, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 08, 2025 By: Inquirer Text Size: Kanlaon Volcano in a calmer state in this file photo taken by Marvin Escander, contributor. MANILA: Kanlaon Volcano registered an increase in sulphur dioxide emissions Friday, according to 24-hour monitoring by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). The report, posted on Saturday, noted that the volcano released 5,868 tons of sulfur dioxide – significantly more than the 2,841 tons emitted the previous day. Advertisement The volcano also generated a 900-meter tall plume that drifted southward and southeastward. It also registered continuous degassing. Aside from this, four volcanic earthquakes were recorded from the volcano. Phivolcs earlier defined volcanic earthquakes as earthquakes 'generated by magmatic processes of magma-related processes beneath or near an active volcano.' The volcano, which sits between Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, remains under Alert Level 3 or in the category of magmatic unrest. Phivolcs still prohibited flying any type of aircraft close to the volcano. It also reminded residents that possible hazards can occur such as sudden explosive eruption, lava flow, ashfall, rockfall, lahar flor during heavy rains, and pyroclastic density current. Advertisement The volcano logged a moderately explosive eruption last May 13, which lasted for five minutes. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fetterman called to ‘step aside' by Philadelphia Inquirer if disengaged or mental health issues too severe
The Philadelphia Inquirer called out Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., in an editorial on Sunday, demanding the senator "perform his job" or step aside, amid reports of concern about his mental health. "Being an elected official comes with public scrutiny. If Fetterman can't handle the attention or perform his job, then in the best interest of the country and the nearly 13 million residents of Pennsylvania he represents, he should step aside," the Inquirer's editorial board wrote. "Being a U.S. senator is a serious job that requires full-time engagement," the editorial board continued. "If Fetterman wants to continue to serve, then he must take his position seriously." Fetterman, who suffered from a stroke in 2022, was the subject of an alarming New York Magazine article last month that cited anecdotes from several former staffers about his issues, which the senator said was a "hit piece." The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported on the ex-staffers' concerns, including one who said, "It's pretty impossible to overstate how disengaged he is." Knives Out For Fetterman: Maverick Senator Joins Long Line Of Dems Punished For Breaking From Left Fox News' Shannon Bream asked Fetterman during an installment of the Senate Project series, organized by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, about how the Democratic senator would respond to the Inquirer. Read On The Fox News App "Well, for me, it's very clear, which is part of like this weird smear, this thing," Fetterman said, pointing to his support for Israel, a strong border and his vote to avoid a government shutdown. "I've continued [to] get more and more kinds of incoming and those things, and all of those things. So, the more kinds of left kind of media continue to have these kinds of an attack, and it's just part of a smear, and it's just not accurate." The Philadelphia Inquirer argued that the senator hasn't had much time for Pennsylvania or Washington, D.C., pointing to multiple trips he's taken to Israel, and his January trip to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President Donald Trump. The Inquirer accused Fetterman of schmoozing Trump. John Fetterman Faces New Spotlight On Health, Family Drama, Sparking Online Uproar "It's time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away," the Inquirer concluded. A staffer told New York Magazine that he received a message questioning how Fetterman was doing, as he was found sitting at a table alone, silently drinking a soda. The report went on to claim the lawmaker was "nearly struck by a car" and found "wandering" Capitol Hill. "Former and current staffers paint a picture of an erratic senator who has become almost impossible to work for and whose mental-health situation is more serious and complicated than previously reported," the article read. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Fetterman was hospitalized for clinical depression shortly after taking office in 2023. He spent about six weeks in treatment before being released. During his 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign, liberal media outlets aggressively defended Fetterman from concerns about his fitness for office after his stroke, but his pro-Israel stance and more moderate positions on some key issues have alienated some of his progressive supporters since then. Fetterman's office did not immediately respond to a request for article source: Fetterman called to 'step aside' by Philadelphia Inquirer if disengaged or mental health issues too severe
