Plus, number of missing women tied to Olney home increases ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
Friday, September 18 

Your Daily Guide

How’d you rate your spelling skills? Turns out that a landmark fountain across from the Philadelphia Museum of Art has had a typo since its installation in 1969. And it looks like there are no plans to fix it any time soon.

That’s no surprise since Philly’s had some infamous spelling flubs from the “Cenrtal Phila” I-95 sign to Mayor Parker’s E-L-G-L-E-S chant (she did attempt to redeem herself this week). I think I’m gonna host a spelling bee themed on the hardest to spell Philly terms. Which words still trip you up? (It’s “Schuylkill,” isn’t it?)

What Philly's Talking About

A silver SEPTA Market-Frankford Line train car is parked on an elevated platform.

Videos of “subway surfers” have gone viral online. (Ben Schumin / Wikimedia Commons)

Ride the Subway From the Inside, Not Outside

SEPTA is trying to identify a man captured in a viral video hanging off the back of an L train. Another video showed individuals riding on top of a train. While no injuries were reported, there are concerns that the virality could encourage copycats. [6ABC]

More Missing Women Linked to Olney ‘House of Horrors’

Philadelphia police have identified two more women who appear dead in images recovered from the late pornographer Raymond Horsch’s home, bringing the number of dead or missing women linked to the house to seven. As investigators continue to parse Horsch's video and photo archives, which depict real and staged violence, 58 different people have so far been identified in images but no bodies have been recovered at the residence. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

PODCASTFriday, September 18

House of Horrors in Olney, Judge Wants Krasner Investigated & an Evacuation at City Hall

City Hall Evacuated After Bomb Threat

Authorities said no incendiary device was found after a suspicious package inside the council caucus chamber prompted an evacuation yesterday. The evacuation interrupted City Council’s first meeting of the new legislative season. [CBS Philly]

ICE Agent’s Suicide Linked to Agency’s Hiring Spree

An ICE agent died by suicide in August outside Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s field office in Philadelphia after he was informed that he was being fired. Following a hiring spree to meet the Trump administration’s demands for increased enforcement, the agency is now firing employees who weren’t properly vetted. [🔒The Washington Post]

Philly’s Political Parties Now Have Infinite Money to Play With

The Philadelphia Ethics Board updated its policies to allow parties to spend unlimited funds on candidates of their choosing. This could put endorsed candidates at an increased advantage, particularly because the Democratic primary generally determines election winners in Philly. The move comes after a Supreme Court ruling removed federal spending limits. [🔒 The Inquirer, 🎧 City Cast Philly]

Don’t Get Fined for Parking Here

The Philadelphia Parking Authority is now ticketing violators parked in the agency’s Smart Loading Zones across Center City. The initiative utilizes cameras and an app called CurbPass to regulate who is loading and unloading, and for how long, in an attempt to ease traffic. [NBC10, 🎧 City Cast Philly]

City Cast newsletter ad image

How Well Do You Know Philly?

A golden statue of a woman with wings holding up a globe is in the foreground, with an Emmy Awards sign and foliage in the background.

The 78th Emmy Awards aired on Sept. 14, 2026. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times for Getty Images)

Are you ready for our news quiz? Let’s see how well you’ve been paying attention to the news — and the newsletter — this week!

The 2026 Emmy Awards took place in Los Angeles on Monday. An actor from which show set in the Philadelphia region was honored?

  1. “Abbot Elementary”
  2. “Task”
  3. “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
  4. “Reacher”
I know the answer!

What To Do

Friday, Sep. 18

Saturday, Sep. 19

Sunday, Sep. 20

More Philly Events

⚽ Let’s go, Union! Cavan Sullivan, the 16-year-old Philadelphia Union soccer star, is being called up to play for the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team, making him the fourth-youngest player to ever represent the USA. His teammates Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield have also been selected.

— Siani Colón

Matt Katz edited this week’s newsletter.

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