Good morning, Philadelphia.

A woman was fatally shot near a North Philly church early Friday morning when police responded to 911 calls at 20th Street and Lehigh Avenue and investigators found eight spent shell casings that suggest the shooter was very close to her target.

Former officer Mark Dial was sentenced to 9 and a half months to two years in jail for the 2023 killing of Eddie Irizarry in Kensington—he was immediately paroled after serving about 10 months—and his family left the courtroom before the hearing ended.

On July 3, municipal worker Tyree Ford was hit by a suspected drunk driver while on a trash strike picket line on Delaware Avenue and suffered severe injuries including a broken collarbone—police arrested the driver and Ford remains in critical condition at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital as city officials and union leaders offer support.

Five artists will present proposals for a $1.2 million memorial honoring former Congressman William H.

Gray at 30th Street Station on July 22 at the Cira Centre’s CYTO PHL from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—the winning artist will receive a $250,000 commission fee and be named in September.

About 90 former high school dropouts from South Jersey and Philadelphia earned diplomas on Thursday from Goodwill’s Helms Academy — a free adult education program that lets students finish school by passing tests or completing 30 college credits.

Kevin Dean, who dedicated his achievement to his late grandmother, led the ceremony and shared how the program helped him fulfill a lifelong promise.

After a five-year investigation, the Philadelphia School District reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department and is now under federal court oversight as it fixes its asbestos management program—this includes conducting timely inspections every six months of over 300 school buildings, posting detailed reports, increasing its environmental budget, and providing extra training for staff. The district will continue to update families and educators as it meets new federal safety standards.

Residents on the 600 block of South LeCount Street in Schuylkill say the switch from southbound to northbound traffic came after a year-long campaign and several crashes (including one on July 9 that left a cyclist critically injured).

The city's streets department made the temporary change amid public pressure, and lawmakers may introduce legislation after a six-month trial if it proves effective.

Congress voted early Thursday to rescind $1.1 billion in federal funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting—ending support for NPR, PBS and local stations like WHYY.

Public media leaders in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware now face tough choices as they adjust their programming and operations to manage the lost funding.

Immigration activists gathered outside the Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice this Friday to protest ICE detentions after a video showed an agent using force on a man earlier in the week.

The rally demanded that local government strengthen protections for immigrants—participants said Philadelphia must live up to its welcoming reputation.

The Phillies are set to face the Los Angeles Angels today at 6:45 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park despite injuries and a suspension, and trade moves may address a weak left field and bullpen while the Eagles report to training camp Tuesday with most offensive starters returning—other local sports stories spotlight coaching shifts, high school commitments, and facility updates.