Tom MacDonald

Philadelphia

Reporter at WHYY-TV (Philadelphia, PA)

News reporter for WHYY-FM and remote engineer. Opinions are my own and not of my employers

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Articles

SEPTA, PPA to use artificial intelligence to keep Center City bus lanes clear

1 month ago | whyy.org | Tom MacDonald

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!The Philadelphia Parking Authority is teaming up with SEPTA to target people who illegally park in bus lanes. That’s a violation that can result in fines of up to $76 in Center City and $51 in neighborhoods outside the area.
Philly jurors can get post-trial counseling to cope with secondary trauma

1 month ago | whyy.org | Tom MacDonald

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!Jurors who serve at Philadelphia courts will soon be able to meet with counselors after doing their civic duty. Jury Commissioner Patrick Martin said he’s been working on the project for about a year. It’s modeled after similar programs offered in several other states.
‘It’s a Summer Thing’: Philly leaders highlight free and low-cost summer programs

1 month ago | whyy.org | Tom MacDonald

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!As the days get longer and the temperatures get warmer, Philadelphia is gearing up for summer. City leaders took over an hour Wednesday rolling out “It’s a Summer Thing,” a city-sponsored initiative to keep young people entertained and out of trouble during the summer months.
13 people shot in Philly, two fatally over warm weekend

1 month ago | whyy.org | Tom MacDonald
Mayor Parker’s affordable housing blueprint could stall without Land Bank change

1 month ago | whyy.org | Tom MacDonald

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!While Philadelphia’s leaders celebrated a ribbon cutting for new affordable housing in Port Richmond on Friday, a city developer says changes are needed to get similar housing on the market quicker. The 19 homes just off Allegheny Avenue are a part of the Turn the Key program, which launched two years ago with a goal of building 1,000 new properties around the city.
Philly unrings the bell on Sixers Market Street arena zoning changes

1 month ago | phillytrib.com | Tom MacDonald

The last remnants of the Sixers deal with the city to build an arena on East Market Street are being cleared out of Philadelphia’s legislative history as City Council introduced legislation to return the area’s zoning back to its original state. The deal died in January, but Councilmember Mark Squilla said it took until now to make sure all the legislation, including zoning changes, will be properly erased from the city’s memory.
School zone speed cameras bill stalls in Philadelphia council committee

2 months ago | phillytrib.com | Tom MacDonald

A bill to install temporary speed enforcement cameras in school zones has stalled in a Philadelphia City Council committee after members worried about constituent backlash, among other things. The bill would have been part of a five-year pilot program testing the cameras at seven schools in the city. Cole Appelman, policy analyst of the city’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, known as OTIS, testified at the hearing.
9 months after Kensington cleanup, Philly officials offer progress report

2 months ago | phillytrib.com | Tom MacDonald |Tom MacDonald Whyy

Leadership of The Philadelphia Tribune received a citation from Philadelphia City Council on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 in honor of the newspaper’s commitment to the Black community for over 140 years.
Fewer shootings, more drug seizures following Kensington cleanup last May

2 months ago | whyy.org | Tom MacDonald

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!Last May, Philadelphia police and city workers cleared sidewalks of tents, structures and people along a two-block stretch of Kensington Avenue, the start of an ongoing effort to reduce open-air drug use and homelessness in the area. City leaders who gathered in the neighborhood Monday afternoon say that effort is paying off.
Philly sheriff’s deputies get autism training - WHYY

2 months ago | whyy.org | Tom MacDonald

The stickers, along with deputy training, are designed to help officers interact appropriately when approaching someone with autism.