tom ferrick jr: Philadelphia Metropolis

He's Baaack!

Now comes Rick Santorum's 15 minutes in the limelight. His showing in Iowa this week guarantees that.  With little money and no organization to speak of, the former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania placed second in the Iowa caucuses, just eight... (Comments)

The Custodial Mayor

Michael Nutter will be sworn into a second term as mayor of Philadelphia this week. In this Cover Story, senior editor Tom Ferrick offers an appraisal of Nutter's first term and looks forward to the next four years. In Part Two, we examine the broad forces at work that will define Philadelphia during Nutter's second term. (Comments)

Philadelphia 2012

On the week of Mayor Nutter's inauguration, Metropolis takes an in-depth look at Nutter's leadership and the prospects for this second term. In Part Two, we examine the larger trends that define the state of the city in 2011. Read on about the good, the bad and the ugly forces at work in Philadelphia. (Comments)

Election 2011: Seven Trends That Are Changing Philadelphia

When Michael Nutter is elected to a second term Tuesday, he will face trends that could change the city's future. In this Metropolis Spcial Report, Senior Editor Tom Ferrick examines in detail the state of the city under Nutter and the outlook for his second term. (Comments)

Election 2011: The Curious Case of Karen Brown

There was a point during my interview with Karen Brown, the Republican candidate for mayor, when the conversation turned from the mundane to the strange so quickly I had to stop -- to make sure I heard what I just heard. "Wait a minute," I asked her, as she munched on a sandwich and fries at Darling's Diner. "Are you telling me your car has been vandalized eight times? She nodded. (Comments)