And… we’re back. Welcome to 2026, Pennsylvania!
Aside from being sick from just before Christmas until a couple of days ago, and one of our dogs breaking out of his crate, prying open the doors to our walk-in pantry, and eating many of our snacks (including chocolate), which prompted a very expensive late-night visit to the emergency vet, my holidays were great!
With a new year comes New Year’s resolutions. Last year, I resolved to make an effort to eat healthier, and, for the most part, I feel like I accomplished that goal (though starting a pizza newsletter toward the end of the year presented some challenges).
This year, I’m focusing on improving my sleep hygiene. While I’m pretty good about putting the devices down once I hop into bed, toward the end of the year, I did find myself putting in the earbuds too often to fall asleep to music or a podcast. And, more often than not, I’d find myself waking up about two hours later and struggling to fall back to sleep.
Some folks resolve to take part in Dry January—a month when people abstain from alcohol and stay sober. If you’ve resolved to start the year booze-free, you should know that there are numerous non-alcoholic beverage options made right here in Pennsylvania that offer all the delicious taste of a craft beer or cocktail, without the hangover. Our Ashley Adams runs down the made-in-Pa. N/A offerings from companies like Wayne’s Mingle Mocktails, Harrisburg’s Appalachian Brewing Company, and Erie’s Blind Tiger.
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Since we’re on the topic of New Year’s resolutions, we’d like to know:
What’s your New Year’s resolution for 2026?
Reply with your answer below, and please let us know where you live!
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• The Trump administration launched a strike on Venezuela and arrested President Nicolás Maduro and his wife over the weekend, leading the president to claim that the US will “run” the country for the time being. We have reactions from Pennsylvania lawmakers in this story.
• In just over 300 days, Pennsylvania voters will decide whether to reelect Gov. Josh Shapiro for a second term. Political experts say his likely Republican opponent, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, may have a hard time persuading voters to change their minds. Find out more here.
• Bad news: Pa. Turnpike tolls increased on Sunday. Good news: It was the smallest price hike in the past 12 years. Get the details here.
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Scranton’s original Coney Island Lunch restaurant, which opened its doors in 1923, is getting a facelift for 2026. (Creative Commons)
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One of the most buzzed-about restaurants to open in Philadelphia last year was Honeysuckle, a stylish space on North Broad Street that leans heavily into the cuisine and culture of the African diaspora. We finally got around to checking it out on Saturday. My take: The food on the $95/person tasting menu was good, though hardly mind-blowing, and the whole presentation felt overly precious (I don’t necessarily need a server to provide a detailed explanation on a restaurant’s zero-waste m.o.; a line or two on the menu about it will suffice).
If you’re interested in seeing what new eateries will be opening across Pennsylvania in 2026—including revamps to longtime community favorites like Scranton’s Coney Island Lunch—our Kalena Thomhave has the details.
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A little more food talk to close today’s newsletter.
As I mentioned earlier, we recently launched a newsletter devoted to highlighting the best in Pa. pizza called Pizzavania. The third edition went out last week, featuring a roundup of the best pizzas I ate in 2025, and a look at Harrisburg’s Subway Cafe, a pizza institution in our capital city since 1948.
Whether you prefer your pizza thin and crispy, chewy and charred Neapolitan-style, by the tray and cut—like they do in NEPA, or you’re one of those ‘You haven’t lived until you’ve tried pineapple on pizza!’ people, if you’re a Pa. pizza lover who’s always on the lookout for your next favorite pie, Pizzavania is for you.
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