john street: Philadelphia Metropolis

Scandal at Traffic Court

What a shock.  It seems there is politics involved in Traffic Court. If you are politically connected you get treated one way; if you are not shut up and pay your fine. Did money change hands as part of the... (Comments)

Diary of a Teenage Eater

By Ada Kulesza» Everyone talks about what poor teenagers eat. At Metropolis, we decided to take it a step further: We asked them what they eat. For two weeks, two 18-year-olds texted details of their daily intake to reporter Ada Kulesza. The results are illuminating and surprising. So, sit down with a piece of chocolate cake, a Coke, a half-dozen cookies and a bag of Doritos and read: Diary of A Teenage Eater. (Comments)

Tales of the Freegan Dumpster Divers

Why pay for food when so much of it is free -- if you are willing to go diving for it. Meet John and Samantha, the Philadelphia couple who get most of their food from the dumpsters of area markets It's not easy. And it can be slimy. The couple say they are doing it for a higher cause. Reporter Ada Kulesza reports on a night in the life of dumpster divers. (Comments)

No Second Act

They say there are no second acts in American lives and that seems especially true of the Occupy Wall Street movement and its local manifestation. In fact, the local protest seems even more askew, at least in its symbolism.  Occupy... (Comments)

The Battle of Point Breeze

Welcome to Point Breeze, where old and new residents are fighting over the future of the neighborhood --sometimes literally. In a clash dominated by race and class, change means pain for long-time residents who are working to stop development. Reporter Ryan Briggs examines life in this South Philadelphia neighborhood with an in-depth report from the front lines. (Comments)