🌱 Watch Robberies + New Temple Football Coach

Happy Friday, people of Philadelphia! Here's everything worth knowing today in town.

First, today's weather:

Some sun, then clouds; mild. High: 60 Low: 43.

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Here are the top stories today in Philadelphia:

1. Three men were taken into police custody as officers investigate a string of robberies in which victims' watches were stolen. The three suspects, including two 19-year-olds and a 22-year-old, were arrested following a robbery on Wednesday evening. The men are from Upper Darby and West Philadelphia. Their names have not been released. (WPVI-TV)
2. Temple hired Stan Drayton on Wednesday as the latest football coach who is charged with making the Owls relevant again in the American Athletic Conference. Drayton spent five years at Texas where he was associate head coach and run game coordinator and has coached for nearly 30 years at all levels of football, including a stint in the NFL. He has Pennsylvania ties with coaching stints at Villanova, Penn, and his alma mater Allegheny (Pa.) College. (FOX 29)
3. There's been a rash of deadly gun violence across Philadelphia Wednesday night. In just the course of an hour, five people were shot in two separate shootings. Two people were killed and in one of the shootings, a man was outside talking to a friend when he was gunned down. These deaths add to a homicide total that is now over 530. (CBS Philly)

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Today in Philadelphia:

• Veteran's Meditation & Yoga At NE Philadelphia Veteran's Center (10:30 AM)
• The Crossing @ Christmas presented by Penn Live Arts At Clark Park Farmers' Market (7:00 PM)
• Chrystal E. Williams, mezzo & Laurent Philippe, piano At Philadelphia Chamber Music (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Traveling for the holidays and need a new vaccine card? The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is requesting you bring your immunization record prior to traveling as it can take up to 5 business days to receive your record. (Facebook)
• Beginning January 3, proof of vaccination is required to enter all Philadelphia establishments that serve food. If you are not fully vaccinated yet, a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of entry is required. (Facebook)
• If you are a business owner and haven’t had a chance to check out the new Philadelphia Tax Center, this webinar provides an overview of the features and benefits of the City's new tax filing and payment website. (Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! See you tomorrow for your next update.

— 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.