With Christmas Eve and the first night of Hanukkah falling on the same day, the city is taking full advantage of a Philadelphia landmark to celebrate both holidays at once.
Philadelphia began celebrating the holiday season by illuminating iconic Boathouse Row with a 'Happy Chanukah' message. Red and green lights have been glimmering since the middle of December, but with the beginning of Hanukkah on Saturday, the houses along Kelly Drive underwent a transformation "into one of the largest representations of the Menorah in the nation," said Mayor Jim Kenney's office.
From Christmas Eve (which coincidentally is also the first night of Hanukkah this year) until New Year's Eve, Boathouse Row will be lit in blue and white lights, with one house in the middle representing the shamash candle. Each night, starting from right to left, another house will be illuminated until all nine buildings are lit up, representing the nine candles of the Menorah.
For the first time this year, a "Happy Chanukah" sign adorned with bright white lights to celebrate the holiday was set up on the roof of the Vesper Boat Club.
Boathouse Row expert Dotty Brown told the the Jewish Exponent she sees the idea of lighting up the Row for different holidays as a reflection of its changing history.
"We're a community of lots of different kinds of people," Brown said. "So, the more you can reflect the cultures of the city, the better off we are, the more we understand each other and the more we accept each other."
On Dec. 29, Kenney will host an event at the Fairmount Fish Ladder on Martin Luther King Drive for the sixth night of Hanukkah at 6 p.m. Martin Luter King Drive traffic will be shut down between Eakins Oval and Sweet Briar Drive so that attendees can walk to the gathering spot across from Boathouse Row.
The decision was made "in the spirit of inclusiveness and to highlight the diversity of the City of Philadelphia," said Kenney's office.
'Tis the season to be rowdy.
Some holiday shoppers were ready to come to blows to find the perfect gift for their loved ones at the Newport Mall Friday evening.
Last-minute Christmas shoppers watched a real-life boxing match that ended with security guards pulling the brawlers apart to contain the fight just after 7:30 p.m., nj.com reports. At least one part of the fight occurred beside a shopper holding a toddler.
Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill told the newspaper Saturday afternoon that the fight involved a group of minors. Nobody was injured or arrested as a result of the incident.
The mall seems to be a choice location for holiday madness. In March, an Easter bunny and several customers got into a multi-level fight at the shopping center when a child slipped out of the photo-op chair after her picture was taken.
Embracing Soviet-style communism, Fidel Castro overcame imprisonment and exile to become leader of Cuba and defy the power of the United States at every turn. The strongman's half-century rule was marked by the unsuccessful U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. After surviving a crippling trade embargo and dozens of assassination plots, Castro died in November at age 90, one of many notables who left the world stage in 2016.
The year also saw the deaths of pop music giants: David Bowie, who broke musical boundaries through his musicianship and striking visuals, and Prince, considered one of the most inventive and influential musicians of modern times.
Among the political figures who died in 2016 was the world's longest reigning monarch: King Bhumibol Adulyadej, revered in Thailand as a demigod, a father figure and an anchor of stability.
Others in the world of public affairs included: former United National Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, ex-senator and astronaut John Glenn, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, former Israeli leader Shimon Peres and former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan.
In sports, the year saw the passing of Muhammad Ali, whose fast fists and outspoken personality brought him fans around the world. Other sports figures included golfer Arnold Palmer, Gordie "Mr. Hockey" Howe, basketball players Dwayne "Pearl" Washington and Nate Thurmond; and Olympians Vera Caslavska and Tommy Kono.
Artists and entertainers who died included author Harper Lee, conductor Pierre Boulez, musicians Leonard Cohen, Merle Haggard, Maurice White and Phife Dawg; and actors Gene Wilder, Abe Vigoda, Florence Henderson, Alan Rickman, Robert Vaughn, Garry Shandling, Doris Roberts, Fyvush Finkel and Anton Yelchin.
Here is a roll call of some of the people who died in 2016.
JANUARY:
Pierre Boulez, 90. Former principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic, one of the leading figures in modern classical music. Jan. 5.
Otis Clay, 73. Hall of fame rhythm and blues artist known as much for his charitable work in Chicago as for his singing. Jan. 8.
David Bowie, 69. Other-worldly musician who broke pop and rock boundaries with his creative musicianship and a genre-spanning persona he christened Ziggy Stardust. Jan. 10.
Alan Rickman, 69. Classically-trained British stage star and sensual screen villain in the "Harry Potter" saga and other films. Jan. 14.
Glenn Frey, 67. Rock 'n' roll rebel who co-founded the Eagles and with Don Henley formed one of history's most successful songwriting teams with such hits as "Hotel California" and "Life in the Fast Lane." Jan. 18.
Abe Vigoda, 94. Actor whose leathery, sad-eyed face made him ideal for playing the over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in the 1970s TV series "Barney Miller" and the doomed Mafia soldier in "The Godfather." Jan. 26.
FEBRUARY:
Maurice White, 74. Earth, Wind & Fire founder whose horn-driven band sold more than 90 million albums. Feb. 3.
Antonin Scalia, 79. Influential conservative and most provocative member of the Supreme Court. Feb. 13.
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, 93. Egyptian diplomat who helped negotiate his country's landmark peace deal with Israel but clashed with the United States as U.N. secretary-general. Feb. 16.
Harper Lee, 89. Elusive novelist whose child's-eye view of racial injustice in a small Southern town, "To Kill a Mockingbird," became an Oscar-winning film. Feb. 19.
MARCH:
Nancy Reagan, 94. Backstage adviser and fierce protector of Ronald Reagan in his journey from actor to president — and finally during his battle with Alzheimer's disease. March 6.
Rob Ford, 46. Pugnacious, populist former mayor of Toronto whose career crashed in a drug-driven, obscenity-laced debacle. March 22. Cancer.
Phife Dawg, 45. Lyricist whose witty wordplay was a linchpin of the groundbreaking hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest. March 22. Complications from diabetes.
Garry Shandling, 66. Actor and comedian who masterminded a brand of phony docudrama with "The Larry Sanders Show." March 24.
Patty Duke, 69. As a teen, she won an Oscar for playing Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker," then maintained a long career while battling personal demons. March 29.
APRIL:
Merle Haggard, 79. Country giant who rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws and underdogs. April 6.
Dwayne "Pearl" Washington, 52. Basketball player who went from New York City playground wonder to Big East star at Syracuse. April 20.
Prince, 57. One of the most inventive and influential musicians of modern times with hits including "Little Red Corvette," ''Let's Go Crazy" and "When Doves Cry." April 21.
MAY:
Tommy Kono, 85. He took up weightlifting in an internment camp for Japanese-Americans and went on to win two Olympic gold medals for the United States. May 1.
Morley Safer, 84. Veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent who exposed a military atrocity in Vietnam that played an early role in changing Americans' view of the war. May 19.
Rosalie Chris Lerman, 90. Survivor of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp who was a passionate advocate of Holocaust remembrance. May 19.
JUNE:
Muhammad Ali, 74. Heavyweight champion whose fast fists, irrepressible personality and determined spirit transcended sports and captivated the world. June 3.
Gordie Howe, 88. Known as "Mr. Hockey," the Canadian farm boy whose blend of talent and toughness made him the NHL's quintessential star. June 10.
Anton Yelchin, 27. Rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films. June 19. Hit by his car in his driveway.
Pat Summitt, 64. Winningest coach in Division I college basketball history who lifted the women's game from obscurity to national prominence during her 38-year career at Tennessee. June 28.
JULY:
Elie Wiesel, 87. Romanian-born Holocaust survivor whose classic "Night" launched his career as one of the world's foremost witnesses and humanitarians. July 2.
Clown Dimitri, 80. Beloved Swiss clown and mime who studied under Marcel Marceau. July 19.
Rev. Tim LaHaye, 90. Co-author of the "Left Behind" series, a literary juggernaut that brought end-times prophecy into mainstream bookstores. July 25.
AUGUST:
John McLaughlin, 89. Conservative political commentator and host of a television show that pioneered hollering-heads discussions of politics. Aug. 16.
Sonia Rykiel, 86. French designer whose relaxed sweaters in berry-colored stripes and eye-popping motifs helped liberate women from stuffy suits. Aug. 25.
Gene Wilder, 83. Frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in "The Producers." Aug. 28.
Vera Caslavska, 74. Seven-time Olympic gymnastics gold medalist who stood up against the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. Aug. 30.
SEPTEMBER:
Phyllis Schlafly, 92. Outspoken conservative activist who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. Sept. 5.
Rose Mofford, 94. Arizona's first female governor and a shepherd for the state during a period of political turbulence. Sept. 15.
Arnold Palmer, 87. Golfing great who brought a country-club sport to the masses with a hard-charging style, charisma and a commoner's touch. Sept. 25.
Shimon Peres, 93. Former Israeli president and prime minister whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace. Sept. 28.
OCTOBER:
King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88. World's longest reigning monarch, he was revered in Thailand as a demigod, a humble father figure and an anchor of stability through decades of upheaval. Oct. 13.
Junko Tabei, 77. The first woman to climb Mount Everest. Oct. 20.
Tom Hayden, 76. 1960s antiwar activist whose name became forever linked with the Chicago 7 trial, Vietnam War protests and his ex-wife, actress Jane Fonda. Oct. 23.
NOVEMBER:
Janet Reno, 78. First woman to serve as U.S. attorney general and the center of several political storms during the Clinton administration. Nov. 7.
Leonard Cohen, 82. Canadian singer-songwriter who blended spirituality and sexuality in songs like "Hallelujah," ''Suzanne" and "Bird on a Wire." Nov. 7.
Gwen Ifill, 61. Co-anchor of PBS' "NewsHour" and a veteran journalist who moderated two vice presidential debates. Nov. 14.
Florence Henderson, 82. Broadway star who became one of America's most beloved television moms in "The Brady Bunch." Nov. 24.
Fidel Castro, 90. He led his bearded rebels to victorious revolution in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and challenged U.S. power during his half-century of rule in Cuba. Nov. 25.
DECEMBER:
Jayaram Jayalalithaa, 68. South Indian actress who turned to politics and became the highest elected official in the state of Tamil Nadu. Dec. 4.
John Glenn, 95. His 1962 flight as the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth made him an all-American hero and propelled him to a long career in the U.S. Senate. Dec. 8.
Alan Thicke, 69. Versatile performer who gained his greatest renown as the beloved dad on the sitcom "Growing Pains." Dec. 13.
Zsa Zsa Gabor, 99. Jet-setting Hungarian actress and socialite who helped invent a new kind of fame out of multiple marriages, conspicuous wealth and jaded wisdom about the glamorous life. Dec. 18.
George Michael, 53. Rocketed to stardom with Wham! and went on to enjoy a long and celebrated solo career lined with controversies. Dec. 25.
Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah and happy holidays.
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Christmas day will shape up to be a nice, but warmer than average one. This time of year, temperatures should be in the low 40s for Philadelphia. Instead, we'll see upper 40s and potentially a few lower 50s in parts of our Philadelphia, Delaware, and even, Jersey Shore neighborhoods. Winds will be light Sunday, as we remain sunny to mostly sunny.
In the following days, temperatures continue to climb, with Tuesday our warmest day. Some moisture and clouds move in by Monday witha slight chance of freezing rain in colder areas, but it's more likely the region will see rain by Tuesday.
Another system looks to skirt the area by Thursday potentially brings some mixed precipitation to the area ahead of a cold blast for next weekend and New Year's Eve. Currently, it looks like the New Year may bring some wet weather for the first of the year. This would follow the celebrations, which look to stay dry through midnight. However, models are not in agreement on this potential and we'll be continuing to update the forecast for the 1st of 2017 as we get closer.
Check back for updates, and catch us on air.
Christmas Day: Sunny conditions, and dry. High 50
Monday: Partly to Mostly cloudy. Isolated late day shower. High 52
Tuesday: Cloudy with some passing. High 57
Wednesday: Mild day with some sun. High 44
Thursday: Passing showers, cloudy. High 46
Friday: Mostly sunny and windy. High 40
A violent crash at a busy Philadelphia intersection left one driver dead and the other in the hospital on Christmas.
Witnesses told Philadelphia Police that a Honda Accord was going westbound on Washington Avenue when it struck the driver’s side of a Kia going southbound along Broad Street around 1:35 a.m. Sunday, said police accident investigators.
The Accord’s driver – a man in his 70s – died around 7:15 a.m. at Jefferson Hospital, said police. The other driver – a 32-year-old man – was hospitalized in stable condition at Jefferson, said police.
It appeared the driver of the Accord ran a red light, said police.
The wreck left both cars badly damaged, one pushed up onto the sidewalk. The impact of the wreck took out a traffic pole and fire hydrant.
The investigation continued Sunday, said police.
A police officer’s body camera captured the moment that Santa and his reindeer sped into South Jersey to deliver gifts Saturday night.
The Christmas Eve "amazing Santa sighting" came courtesy of Evesham Township Police with the time stamp of 6:58 p.m.
"An Evesham Police Officer quickly activated his body worn camera when he observed a sleigh soaring past his police car at 209 mph," wrote the department on Facebook. "ETPD continues to respond to town-wide reports of low flying aircraft's and suspicious noises on rooftops." [[408249055, C]]
Santa and his reindeer quickly flew off to their next town.
This wasn’t the first time Evesham police captured jolly Saint Nick going about his gift-giving duties, they stepped up patrols this year after a reported sighting last year, said the department.
Residents along one Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood woke up Christmas morning to discover they were victims of a Grinch.
A tire slasher vandalized around 10 cars parked along Foulkrod Street in the Summerdale section of Philadelphia late Christmas Eve or early Christmas.
"I just don't get it," said neighbor Bill Clark. "What pleasure does somebody get out of slashing peoples' tires?"
Clark, who rushed home from visiting family in South Jersey after learning of the vandalism, said he recently put on new tires at a cost around $600.
Officers responded to the block Sunday morning, said Philadelphia Police. They didn’t immediately reveal any details about the vandalism.
Dikembe Mutombo may have an easy smile and famous gravelly laugh, but the NBA Hall of Famer does not mess around.
"That African boy does not know how to play basketball," Mutombo recalls naysayers claiming when he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets fourth overall in 1991, according to NBC News.
The Georgetown graduate proved them wrong and went on to become an eight-time all-star and one of most celebrated defensive players in the sport's history.
Mutombo retired in 2009, and traded in his jersey for expensive blue suits. His mission is now saving and improving lives, not blocking shots, and he's using his stature and fame to help some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable — including building a state-of-the-art hospital to help the poor and sick in his native Democratic Republic of Congo that Mutombo says people told him he was "crazy" for attempting.
The Brandywine Zoo's Siberian tiger is preparing to move to the Bronx Zoo but not before a proper goodbye.
The News-Journal reports that Zhanna, an 8-year-old Amur tiger that is one of about 500 Siberian tigers worldwide, will be transferred to the zoo in New York in January. There, she'll live in the Bronx Zoo's Tiger Mountain exhibit complete with grasslands, trees and a multi-level habitat.
"Zhanna is a beloved animal at the Brandywine Zoo and we will all miss her," said Michael T. Allen, executive director of the Delaware Zoological Society. "We wish her the best and look at this as a new beginning for Zhanna and an opportunity to embark on a new phase of development at the Brandywine Zoo."
Once in her new home Zhanna, who is considered to be an ideal candidate for breeding, will be matched with a male tiger. The move is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' "Species Survival Plan," said the zoo.
The zoo planned a farewell to Zhanna for Dec. 31.
Zhanna came to the Wilmington zoo in 2011 after leaving her mother and siblings at a zoo in St. Louis, Missouri. Zoo officials say there are no firm plans to bring another tiger in to take her place.
Working on Christmas can be a downer, but some Philadelphia kindergartners and adults from a Northeast Philadelphia synagogue brought the holiday spirit to hospital workers on Christmas Day.
Members of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim synagogue, delivered 1,000 cookies to health care workers at Philadelphia area hospitals. The children wrote thank you notes to staff members while the adults baked the cookies.
The cookie delivery was started in 2015 as a way to say thanks to health care professionals who have to work on holidays.
