As I’ve said multiple times in the newsletter, the thing I love most about my job is that I am constantly learning new things about Pennsylvania, and its history, each day.

My latest lesson comes courtesy of this story from our Kalena Thomhave about Philadelphia’s Black Founding Fathers, who fought for freedom during an era when it was routinely denied to Black people.

These activists and local leaders built churches, mutual aid organizations, businesses, and abolitionist groups, creating space for the city’s Black community and laying the foundation for generations of activism. Many of these institutions still exist today.

Looking back, the holes in the US history curriculum I was exposed to in school seem more gaping with each passing year. The Founding Fathers I learned about were a familiar cast of Colonial-era political leaders, like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson—monumentally important figures in helping to establish the United States, to be sure.

But the efforts of Philadelphia’s Black Founding Fathers like Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first independent Black Christian denomination in the United States, should not be overlooked. Their work was also integral to the fabric of our nation.

A few days after the snowstorm a couple of weeks back, I was looking for parking in the hilliest part of Philadelphia’s East Falls neighborhood—not an easy task when there’s no snow on the ground, let alone the icy remnants of 8-10 inches.

I found a spot on a residential street that someone had clearly taken great pains to dig out, and, while stricken with guilt, I took it because I was running very late for an event… AND because no one had marked it off, which brings us to our QOTW:

Should you be allowed to save your parking spot after a snowstorm?

An overwhelming majority of you are saying yes. More of your responses:

“Absolutely, I am 70 and worked so hard to get my car out. Definitely a trash can there to save my spot. I respect it. People deserve their spot if they shovel it out!”

— Lori, Northwest Philadelphia

“Yes, I believe you should be able to keep the spot you worked so long and hard to clear. Your neighbor, who did not come out and help at all with shoveling, should not have access to the spout you worked so hard for. I grew up on a single lane minor street that waited days sometimes for a snow plow, so I know what it’s like.”

— Mary Brintzenhoff, Coopersburg

“No chair needed. Coming from the Pittsburgh suburb that has had police collect parking chairs as far back as 1994, one just needs to dig out enough to get in and out of the spot without making it so attractive that a chair is needed. This method requires a lot less shoveling than clearing a space down to the pavement. However, it also requires a bit of skill controlling your vehicle in the snow, especially when parking on a hill.”

— Tim, Dormont

“Yes, you certainly should. We don’t have a driveway and my husband was out there for hours and hours shoveling out two spots to perfection, expensive rock salt included. I realize we don’t ‘own’ the street spots, however, they are directly in front of our home. We don’t put anything there to save them because people frown upon that but the day after he did all that work, a person from down the street parked there for seven hours. I was furious that someone would be so rude and unkind.”

— Eileen, Dunmore

Let us know where you stand on saving spaces after a snowstorm, and please let us know where you live!

Owner and Chef Hamir Patel with several of his dishes and desserts inside Patel’s Indian Fusion. (USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)

Just one Pennsylvania restaurant made USA Today’s 2026 Restaurants of the Year list, which highlights the 39 best eateries in the US, as selected by hundreds of local food journalists.

And if you think it’s some influencer-y spot in Philly where the chef is cooking with foam and tweezers, or an artisanal pierogi place in Pittsburgh, think again.

Pennsylvania’s lone representative on the ROTY list is an Indian restaurant in York called Hamir’s Indian Fusion.

Owner and chef Hamir Patel is originally from Mumbai and didn’t learn to cook until adulthood. And despite earning a degree in mechanical engineering, he took after his family members and went into business management.

His road to becoming a professional chef began in earnest when he hosted a fundraising dinner for a friend who had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

This is one inspirational story you need to read.

• According to a report from the American Farm Bureau Federation, with US farm bankruptcies up 46% last year, 10 Pennsylvania farms declared bankruptcy in 2025, up from just two in 2024. Learn more here.

• Part of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget proposal includes $1 billion supported by bonds to go toward new housing, upgrades to old housing, and other infrastructure projects for municipalities and schools. Get the details here.

• Shapiro is also one of 18 Democratic governors who will not participate in a traditional White House black-tie dinner after President Donald Trump disinvited several Democrats from an annual bipartisan gathering. Get the story here.

• Six former players on the Pitt women’s basketball team have sued coach Tory Verdi and the school over what they call abusive coaching methods and say their efforts to seek help were ignored. Find out more here.

Welcome to our weekly advice column, courtesy of Grace: She’s the big sister who shares her own mistakes so you can avoid making them, the coworker who builds you up to ask for the raise you deserve, and the friend who is always happy to listen.

We all need someone like Grace in our corner. Submit your own questions here. 

Dear Grace,

Everyone is talking about my sister-in-law because she has started going to protests ever since “No Kings.” People are saying she is a bad mom and putting her kids in danger, but I don’t agree. I think she is being brave and strong by standing for what she believes in. I don’t have the time to go myself, but I want to stick up for her when others badmouth her. What should I say when I hear people speaking about how she’s being too risky?

– Wanting to Speak Up

Dear Wanting to Speak Up,

Wow, hearing someone you love and admire being called a “bad mom” behind her back is a horrible feeling! As moms, we are already so hard on ourselves, even as we pour everything we have into caring for our kids. When someone throws that insecurity back at us, it stings and can make us doubt ourselves. Shaming your sister-in-law for her choices as a mom is downright unkind. I understand why you want to speak up for her.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery with stories from Kalena Thomhave, USA Today via Reuters Connect, Pennsylvania Capital-Star, The Associated Press, and Galvanize Together. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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