🌱 Jim Gardner's Replacement + COVID Cases Down After Peak

Dan Casarella
Updated ·3 min read

Good morning, people of Philadelphia! Dan Casarella here with the Wednesday Philadelphia Daily.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and not as cold. High: 41 Low: 26.

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Here are the top four stories in Philadelphia today:

  1. On Tuesday night, legendary 6ABC anchor Jim Gardner gave his last 11 p.m. news broadcasts as he transitions into the final year of his career anchoring the 6:00 p.m. news. Before the broadcast on Tuesday afternoon, ABC announced Rick Williams will be the new 11:00 p.m. anchor starting on Jan. 12. Previously, Williams anchored Action News at 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. (6ABC)

  2. After a dip in new COVID-19 infections, city officials hope that cases have peaked. The percentage of positive test results in Philadelphia is down to 31.5% from 40% last week. The seven-day average for news cases is down from 3,108 last week to 2,978 this week. (NBC 10 Philadelphia)

  3. A building in Strawberry Mansion caught on fire after a car struck a utility pole. The pole then fell into the roof of a vacant part of the building, lighting it on fire. The driver immediately fled the scene and more than 150 people are currently without power. There were no injuries during the fire. (WPVI-TV)

  4. Authorities are looking for a man after catching him on tape pulling down a statue at the Buddhist Association of Philadelphia over the weekend. The incident happened at the 1200 block of Ridge Ave. The suspect is a light-skinned male, about 20 years of age, and wore dark colors on the day of the incident. (FOX 29 Philadelphia)

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Today in Philadelphia:

  • Pretty Woman At The Academy Of Music (6:00 PM)

  • Bowie Bowling Night At Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia (6:00 PM)

  • Kane Brown with Chase Rice At Wells Fargo Center (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

  • Based on its review of COVID-related staffing data from last night through this morning, all School Districts of Philadelphia that are currently providing in-person learning will continue to do so at this time. (Facebook)

  • The Philadelphia Police Department is looking for a suspect that vandalized an area in the 6th District. (Facebook)

  • Did you know that ALL Philadelphia residents are eligible for FREE food distributions? Just visit phila.gov/food or call 311 to find a food site near you. No ID or proof of income is required. (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday. I'll see you around!

— Dan Casarella

About me: Dan Casarella is a writer, podcast producer, and small business development specialist who formerly worked in late-night television. He’s produced many talk segments, including with President Joe Biden, Kobe Bryant, and Chadwick Boseman. Dan studied Media Studies and Production at Temple University. He also enjoys running, painting, and the highs and lows of Philadelphia’s sports teams.

This article originally appeared on the Philadelphia Patch