A political consultant accused of fraud | Morning Newsletter

It’s a new week, Philly.

A political consultant kept working as fraud claims piled up against her. One of the many people who say she owes them money is a Philadelphia congressional candidate.

And Angelo’s Pizzeria is expanding into a new South Philly location on an industrial stretch, giving the popular chain “room to grow without bothering anyone nearby.”

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Third Congressional District candidate and State Rep. Chris Rabb made headlines last month when he said Yolanda Brown, his former campaign treasurer, made “unauthorized withdrawals” from his campaign account.

It’s not the first time the Florida-based Brown, a consultant who works primarily with Democrats and social justice groups, has faced such allegations: The financial misdeeds she’s been accused of span at least four states and total more than half a million dollars, The Inquirer found.

Yet she avoided jail time, and, using three different surnames, continued to work on political campaigns across the country. Now, the campaigns she once worked for don’t know where she is.

Her attorney says it’s all a misunderstanding.

City Hall reporter Anna Orso has the story.

Last April, we asked: Has Angelo’s Pizzeria become too big for Bella Vista?

The answer appears to be yes — and the local chain is doing something about it by expanding into the just-closed, industrial-scale Federal Donuts & Chicken location at Wolf and Swanson Streets.

Since attracting national fame, Angelo’s takeout-only South Ninth Street shop had become a headache for neighbors fed up with the long lines and litter. That flagship location will remain, but owner Danny DiGiampietro hopes the new South Philly spot — which will also serve as a production hub and commissary — will take the pressure off of it by offering delivery, takeout, and seating.

Restaurant reporter Michael Klein has more details.

In other food news: Almost Home General’s Old City coffeehouse has closed, months after severing ties with Glu Hospitality, the now-disbanded restaurant group that operated the location.

Overdose deaths in Philadelphia have hit the Puerto Rican community hard as the city remains divided on how to respond. Santos Jr. says the barriers his father faced in the ’90s persist today.

Which Philly suburb was named the first Fair Trade town in the United States 20 years ago?

A) King of Prussia

B) Media

C) West Chester

D) Doylestown

Think you know? Check your answer.

🍨 Following: This University of Pennsylvania expert’s rules for a healthy, fulfilling life.

🏡 Ogling: Fletcher Cox’s $1.5 million Mullica Hill home, now on the market.

🥜 Trying: Pietramala chef Ian Graye’s recipe for raw asparagus salad, plus this Deptford shop’s Kelce Klusters.

🦅 Wondering: What the NFL’s new salary cap means for the Eagles.

🕊️ Considering: Pope Leo’s message to Catholics the day after the U.S. bombed Iran.

Hint: Where Jay Wright coached

OVAL ANVIL

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Chris Singer, who solved Sunday’s anagram: David’s Bridal. The King of Prussia-based wedding dress retailer is staging an AI-fueled, post-bankruptcy comeback. Next up: a docuseries.

Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

This “only in Philly” story from Inquirer health reporter Aubrey Whelan was originally published in 2024, and appears here again following last week’s news that the dreaded “courtesy tow” may see reform:

You can’t truly say you live in Philadelphia until you’ve been courtesy towed. This is something I tell myself because I have to believe that my suffering at the hands of this citywide tradition must mean something.

For those blissfully unfamiliar, the courtesy tow is that thing where the Streets Department or a construction company is performing some kind of task on your block that requires your parking spot, and they just ... take your car away. Sometimes there are signs warning you of the potential of a courtesy tow; sometimes there are not. Technically, whoever tows your car has to tell the police where they put it, but frequently this does not happen, and you are left to shamble, panicked, in increasingly wide circles around your house until you come upon your car by chance.

I have been courtesy towed from my South Philly neighborhood three times, a sentence that enrages me every time I type it. [Editor’s note: And remember, this often happens even when a car is legally parked — then towed to an illegal spot.]

I wish I could say that waiting in line to get my car back at the PPA lot with dozens of other hapless souls, squinting into the setting sun of a late August evening as it sank behind the rowhouses, became some sort of bonding experience where I learned and grew and changed and ultimately understood my fellow Philadelphians better. The hottest club in Philly is the Weccacoe Avenue tow lot! But everyone was mostly just angry. I came home hungry and annoyed and $300 lighter and ready to perform a blood sacrifice for a parking spot.

Could I avoid this problem by moving to a house with a driveway? Yes. Would that also require me to probably leave South Philly? Also yes, and that’s something I hope I never do. I suppose there’s value in learning that you love your neighborhood enough to endure the unique derangement of multiple courtesy tows, an experience that would probably break brains in lesser cities. It would be nice to get my $300 back, though.

Wishing you a tow-free week. I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow.

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