Good morning, Philadelphia.

VietLead, a nonprofit serving Southeast Asian Americans, will lay off 70% of its staff—cutting hours for remaining employees—as it seeks to raise $250,000 by the end of June and $500,000 by year's end to stabilize its operations amid a financial crisis.

Former Philadelphia Police Officer Mark Dial was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the fatal 2023 shooting of Eddie Irizarry, a 27-year-old man in Kensington—video evidence contradicted claims that Irizarry lunged with a knife.

Philadelphia and nearby areas host a busy weekend of culture with events such as Philly Pride from today through June 1 — which has a flag-raising at City Hall — and Roots Picnic at the Mann Center on Saturday and Sunday, with stage shows like 'Hairspray' in Wilmington and 'Giovanni’s Room' at the Sedgwick Theater rounding out the schedule.

Philadelphia’s annual Odunde Festival, the longest-running African American cultural heritage event, is set for Sunday, June 8 at 10 a.m. along South Street near 23rd and South and will feature a Yoruba ceremony, headliner performances by Rakim at 5:30 p.m. and Doug E.

Fresh at 7 p.m. Organizers led by second-generation curator Oshunbumi 'Bumi' Fernandez-West and her son Adeniyi Ogundana — they expect 500,000 visitors and have planned SEPTA bus detours and street closures to support the festival’s $28 million economic impact.

Emmy Award-winning TV producer Quinta Brunson will get Philadelphia’s Key to the City from Mayor Cherelle L.

Parker during a mural dedication at Andrew Hamilton School, the place that inspired Abbott Elementary. Local artist Athena Scott will speak at the event as the Blooming Futures mural is unveiled.

Philadelphia School District faced a federal investigation over its asbestos management practices during a school board meeting held Thursday at noon that considered a proposed agreement with the Justice Department — district officials had admitted to not meeting federal asbestos inspection rules in nearly 300 buildings and spent tens of millions on management efforts.

Former Temple University president Jason Wingard received over $1.1 million in compensation for less than three months of work in 2023 before resigning in March amid a graduate student strike, a campus police officer’s shooting, and enrollment declines—Temple said it cannot comment on personnel matters.

The school board approved Philadelphia’s first new charter in nearly a decade by giving the green light to Early College Charter School, which will serve about 800 students with college courses and career training when it opens in 2026 in Center City.

The board also passed a $4.7 billion 2025-26 budget by tapping $300 million from reserves — a decision that raised concerns about long-term fiscal stability.

Beginning June 5, Pennsylvania will ban handheld phone use while driving—this new law expands the texting ban to include calling and scrolling to help reduce accidents.

Yesterday, Emmy-winning producer Quinta Brunson received the key to the city and helped unveil a new mural at Andrew Hamilton Elementary—both actions honor local safety and art.

The Phillies had a game rained out on Wednesday and played a split doubleheader on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park—Bryce Harper did not play as he recovered from an elbow hit while Alec Bohm took first base.

The team added right-hander Brett de Geus to the roster, and Zack Wheeler asked to pitch in the night game against Chris Sale—he will start the series finale with his decision key to the team.