The ‘Star Trek’ actor you didn’t know was from Media | Inquirer Greater Media
Plus, White Dog Cafe’s owner must pay in a suit over mishandling sexual harassment.
Hi, Greater Media!
A surprising mix of athletes and other celebrities hail from the region. We take a look at the most Wikipedia-searched ones last year. We’re also looking at what’s on Tuesday’s ballot, a new breakfast and lunch spot has opened in Media, plus the group behind White Dog Cafe has been ordered to pay two former employees over its mishandling of sexual harassment.
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Ever wonder who the region’s most-searched locally born celebrities are?
The Inquirer dug into the 2025 most-popular individuals born in the Media, Wallingford, and Swarthmore areas, with Media punching above its weight class.
Topping the list are a mix of athletes, including two Penncrest alums (one of whom played in the World Cup), a pair of coaches, plus former Star Trek actor John Billingsley.
See who made the top five here.
💡 Community news
In case you missed it, Middletown Township Council last week approved Rose Tree Media School District’s preliminary plans for a K-1 Center, which is slated to be built next to Penncrest High School. The roughly $84 million project is targeted to open for the 2029-30 school year.
The general election is Tuesday, and the governor’s seat is the top race. Unsure what else is on your ballot? Check out The Inquirer’s guide to the midterms here. (P.S. Last week we misreferenced the election, which is indeed a general election.)
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling essentially nullified Pennsylvania’s antidiscrimination protections and closed the door on Swarthmore College alum Evie Parts’ lawsuit, the school said in a court filing. Parts, a transgender track and field athlete, sued the school, its athletic officials, and the NCAA, after being removed from school varsity teams last year, citing Title IX violations. The Inquirer’s Abraham Gutman explains why the suit is a new frontier in the legal fight over trans women’s participation in college sports.
With fall foliage at its peak and Halloween on the horizon, visitors have been flocking to Linvilla Orchards’ Pumpkinland. Inquirer photographer David Maialetti captured fun moments at the Media mainstay last weekend. See his gallery here.
A monthslong project on State Road between Providence Road and Dora Drive in Media Borough and Upper Providence Township is slated to get underway Monday. Utility work will result in weekday closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Feb. 26.
In Swarthmore, work is getting underway this week on Yale Avenue between Union Street and Park Avenue and will continue through the end of February. The Peco project will take place weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with no parking in the area.
In Middletown Township, War Admiral Lane will be closed today between Rampart East and Citation Lane from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for tree removal.
Media has released its fall leaf collection schedule, which runs through Dec. 24.
Nordstrom Rack is opening today at the Promenade at Granite Run.
L. RAE Salon is now open at 47 E. State St. in Media.
🗺️ Other nearby news
For-profit organization Chariot Allaire expects to know the fate of the former Crozer-Chester Medical Center campus early next year, when it looks to have an answer about if it can secure a healthcare system to anchor services there and get state funding. The company bought the campus last year for $10 million after Crozer shuttered.
🏫 Schools briefing
Registration is open for 2027-28 incoming kindergartners in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District.
🍽️ On our plate
Hungry Hub, a new breakfast and lunch spot, is now open at 11 S. Orange St. in Media, taking over the former Rivalry Cafe space. It’s one of dozens of new restaurants opening in the region.
Fearless Restaurants, the group behind White Dog Cafe and other popular regional eateries, has been ordered to pay $200,000 to two former employees. They alleged Fearless mishandled sexual harassment at the group’s Italian restaurant, Rosalie, in Wayne. Fearless operates a White Dog location in Glen Mills in the same shopping center where it recently closed its outpost of Testa Rossa. Neither location was included in the suit.
🎳 Things to do
🍁 Hayrides to the Witch’s House: It’s your last chance to take this hayride for the season. ⏰ Through Friday, Oct. 30, times vary 💵 $10-$13 in advance, $12-$16 on-site 📍 Linvilla Orchards, Media
🎭 Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike: Concord Theatricals will perform its take on the Tony Award-winning comedy. ⏰ Select days Friday, Oct. 30-Saturday, Nov. 7, times vary 💵 $13.50-$23.50 📍 PCS Theater, Swarthmore
🎃 Trunk-or-Treat: Kids can dress up and gather treats at this morning event. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 31, 11 a.m. 💵 Free 📍 PCS Theater, Swarthmore
🫖 Beauty and the Beast: In honor of the film’s 35th anniversary, catch an evening screening of the Disney classic. ⏰ Monday, Nov. 2, 6:30-8 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Helen Kate Furness Free Library, Wallingford
🏡 On the market
This 126-year-old farmhouse has undergone a number of updates, including a renovated kitchen with high-end appliances, granite countertops, and a walk-in pantry. It also has a family room addition with a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and vaulted ceilings. Four of the home’s five bedrooms are on the second floor, with the third level dedicated to the primary suite, complete with its own fireplace and sitting room. There’s a patio outside, as well as a wraparound porch. There’s an open house Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $1.5M | Size: 4,500 SF | Acreage: 0.73
🗞️ What other Greater Media residents are reading this week:
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