Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney joined Solomon Jones on Wake Up With WURD to talk Pre-K, beverage tax and more on the Wake Up With WURD show. Photo: Official Photo Jim Kenney / City of Philadelphia Solomon Jones is an Essence bestselling author and award-winning columnist. He is the creator and editor of Solomonjones.com and morning…

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In the hours after President Donald Trump was sworn in on Friday, the battle for America’s soul took shape. President Trump and Press Secretary Sean Spicer sparred with journalists as the New York Times and other media reported that anti-Trump protesters at the Washington DC Women’s March outnumbered crowds for the inauguration itself. Cities like…

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“We’re Philadelphia and we fight.” That’s what Chip Kelly said early in his tenure as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. His statement was true, but not for the reasons that Kelly probably thought. We don’t fight because of our association with the rags-to-riches story of fictional boxer Rocky Balboa. We fight because deep lines…

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If ideas died with people, America would have won the fight against modern-day terrorism by killing al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden. If killing people were the only answer , then America would have won the day with the invasion of Iraq, or the war in Afghanistan, or with drone attacks. Ending terrorism isn’t just about killing…

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 I find it ironic that as Pope Francis comes to join us for the World Meeting of Families, the families that are most in need of a blessing will be on the outside looking in.Those families are the ones who comprise Philadelphia’s stunning 26 percent poverty rate, and they are accustomed to being outsiders. They live…

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I AM NOT Catholic, but I understand the significance of the upcoming papal visit. In short, the presence of Pope Francis, a man who has placed poverty at the center of his papacy, will put the world’s eyes squarely on our city. The world will see the brick tower of Independence Hall standing tall against…

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I’M STARTING to fear for the future of Philadelphia’s children, because education seems to have taken a back seat to imprisonment. At least that’s what it looks like to me. Why else would City Council consider Bill No. 150406, which would empower the city to spend $7.27 million to buy land at 7777 State Road?…

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THE INVESTIGATION that led to the 2012 child molestation conviction of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is over, but the fallout continues. The latest salvo in the ongoing battle for the political high ground in the Sandusky affair came earlier this week, when Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane (D) found that former Attorney…

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The journey to hell and back THE STREETS WERE dangerous, but I survived them because I had a loving extended family that nurtured my spirit and an educational environment that built my mind. Those things held me for a time, but eventually I chose to let go. [blocktext align=”right”]”The money I earned sustained me, but it…

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AS A MEMBER organization in a coalition called the Campaign To Take Back Vacant Land, the Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP) helped to make the Philadelphia Land Bank a reality. But the Land Bank war is far from over, and in some ways, it’s just beginning. Currently operating under the guidance of a temporary board of…

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