Chinatown, Philadelphia – This is one of those communities that might not be long for this world. Philadelphia’s Chinatown seems in a perennial fight for survival from the interests of the city’s business and political establishment, which over the years have chipped away at Chinatown as a viable community or sought to exploit residents for commercial gain.
Located in the Center City district of Philadelphia, the area is a stark contrast to the blocks that envelop it. Bound in by the Vine Expressway to the north, a convention center to the west, the Gallery Mall to the south, a transit… Continue Reading Tag Archives: society
Chinatown, Philadelphia
Chinatown, Philadelphia – This is one of those communities that might not be long for this world. Philadelphia’s Chinatown seems in a perennial fight for survival from the interests of the city’s business and political establishment, which over the years have chipped away at Chinatown as a viable community or sought to exploit residents for commercial gain.
Located in the Center City district of Philadelphia, the area is a stark contrast to the blocks that envelop it. Bound in by the Vine Expressway to the north, a convention center to the west, the Gallery Mall to the south, a transit… Continue Reading From Around the Travelsphere: Bad Trips, Dark Tourism and More
Bad Trips
After saving for nearly five years, British backpacker Rebecca Callaghan, 21, was two weeks into a three-month adventure when a rogue wave on a Thai beach swept her from the arms of her boyfriend and out to sea last June. The Daily Mail reports, “The sea was initially calm, but a massive wave came suddenly and separated the couple, dragging them under the water.” The tragedy occurred on Thailand’s popular Koran Beach, where at least 20 people have died so far this year after being carried off in unusually strong rip tides. At an inquest held… Continue Reading Putting the Brakes on Highway Killings
Last week, USA Today ran a fascinating story on the FBI’s Highway Serial Killer Initiative, shedding light on a disturbing subculture of long-haul truck drivers who kill. Turns out they kill a lot. Or maybe there’s just a lot of them. No one really knows. Regardless, the body count is rising.
Over the last 30 years, more than 500 people, mostly prostitutes, hitchhikers and, to a lesser extent, travelers, have been found dead along highways in 48 states. Since the initiative launched in 2004, the FBI has drawn up a list of more than 200 suspects, most of whom… Continue Reading Crime, Victims and Cultural Makeovers: I Missed You Philly!
Philadelphia, PA – Philly is short on many things but criminal intrigue isn’t one of them. Really, Law and Order should’ve come here instead of Los Angeles, a cliched backdrop for any drama. Were L&O‘s producers looking for a wellspring of seedy storylines they needed to look no farther than Philly, a city virtually untapped by television. Here, Dick Wolf would’ve quickly realized the daily police blotter is chock full of opening scenes. Take the last 24 hours for example:
Yesterday a group of children find a bullet-ridden body in a Fentonville park on the city’s north side.
Later,… Continue Reading The Vagaries of Suburban Life and Corporate Work
Haverford Township, PA – That I made it back to Philly isn’t perfectly true. In fact, I haven’t stepped foot in the city since I’ve been back. The closest I came was last Friday evening when I ended up accidentally at 69th Street Station, in Upper Darby, just shy of the city line.
But let’s back up so I can explain my route. The shuttle bus servicing Great Valley Commons – a sprawling complex of bland commercial space, big parking lots, greened up with saplings and sod – carries me to the Paoli Train Station from Malvern. There I… Continue Reading Comp Time with Federal Inmate Brent Delzer
Tomorrow, Brent Delzer, 36, will begin what he hopes is only a four-and-a-half year odyssey at the very bottom. At 2:00 p.m., he’s scheduled to turn himself in to federal marshals in Madison, WI, to begin serving a federal prison sentence. Last month, he pleaded guilty to an indictment alleging he was part of a marijuana trafficking conspiracy that lasted from 2000 to Nov. 8, 2004, the day his best friend and supplier, Amos Mortier, went missing.
Mortier’s disappearance sparked a massive federal drug investigation reaching across five states and into Canada. According to federal court documents – including… Continue Reading 24 Hours of ‘Rage’ in Indiana
Indianapolis, IN – Not long after stopping off in Indianapolis, I meet “Bonnie”, a 30-something jam band scenester, at a cafe on the city’s east side. Thirty-three hours into a 50-hour bender, Bonnie is mushy brained from the ecstasy she ate at a show the night before. At the show, she met some kids with a bunch of nitrous tanks and ended up at their hotel instead of her bed. One of the guys, she tells me between sips of her latte with a double espresso shot, is at her house. “We raged hard,” she explains. “Sorry if I’m not… Continue Reading Rebuilding Lives After the Flood
Nashville, TN – Carlo Zantucttiss, 57, lost everything two weeks ago after flood waters washed away his home, decimated his used car business and put out of business a restaurant he rented out. The businesses and properties, which Zantucttiss purchased six years ago, were an investment for retirement, something that now is unlikely.
“All of my money was here,” he says.
He still owes the bank $230,000 and says he’ll be lucky to receive $100,000 from insurance. He may get a loan from FEMA, he says, but even then, the city has told him that he cannot rebuild his properties,… Continue Reading A Meth Miracle
Rockfield, KY – I’ve been in southeastern Kentucky longer than I expected. I came here to do a story on the methamphetamine problem, a topic that, like addiction in general, has long fascinated me. But large stories take time. Tracking down good sources, setting up interviews, transcribing them, research, re-interviewing, is labor intensive. Add to this my limited access to wi-fi, electric power, etc, and I’ve been off the grid for a few days.
More stories are coming. Promise.
There isn’t much going on in this area. Last night I checked out the local roller derby league’s first home bout… Continue Reading 
Coping with Post-Travel Stillness Disorder