William H. Ward, Jr., 97, of Gloucester City

William Henry Ward, Jr., Age 97, of Gloucester City, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 20, 2026 at home in the loving care of his children. Born on July 8, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bill was the son of the late William H. Ward, Sr. and Amanda (Bivians) Ward.

Raised in South Philadelphia, he answered the call to serve his country. Bill proudly served in the United States Navy.  He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal. Bill and his late wife, Margie raised their children in Westville where he was a longtime resident. Following his military service, Bill worked for many years for Fox Transport in Philadelphia.

Bill loved his Philly sports team and also going to Rams and American Legion baseball games with his son, Bill. He was also a longtime member of the Cherokee Club of South Philadelphia with his best friend, Sonny.  Family was everything to Bill and he enjoyed spending family vacations in Wildwood.

Bill was the beloved husband of the late Margaret “Margie” (née Hatty) Ward, with whom he shared 45 years of marriage. He was predeceased by his son, Joe Ward; sisters, Elizabeth, Cass and Franny.

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Black-Owned Businesses in Center City

Photo courtesy of Bower Cafe

This Black History Month, celebrate the diversity and richness of Center City by supporting our local Black-owned businesses. Below is a curated list of Black-owned establishments, ranging from coffee shops to clothing stores to all-natural skincare services. There’s something for everyone!

Bower Cafe | With a focus on good vibes and simplicity of service, Bower Cafe is not just a cafe but also features outdoor seating and the “Bower Booth,” a podcast station and DJ booth available to rent. | 1213 Walnut St.

Common Ground | Common Ground is a consignment shop located in Center City offering many different styles of collectible shoes, apparel, and accessories. | 134 S. 11th St.

Dviniti Skin Care | Known as Philly’s ‘Mad Scientist Gone Good,’ Marquita Robinson Garcia, a cosmetic chemist turned entrepreneur, has a mission to bring personalized, sustainable skincare to the mainstream. | 1500 Locust St., Ste. 3801

Farina Pasta | While traveling in Italy, Farina founder and Drexel culinary grad Dan Lee discovered that freshly made pasta was available anytime – not just for special occasions. His business brings that ethos and high quality to Center City. | 132 S. 17th St.

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NOAA Celebrates Whale Week 2026

We celebrated Whale Week from February 9–13. If you missed it, be sure to check out some of our great whale content!


Whale Week: Celebrating the Wonder of Whales
Whales are among the largest and oldest animals on Earth. They can be found in every ocean and range in size from the small dwarf sperm whale to the massive blue whale, the largest animal on the planet. Explore NOAA Fisheries’ whale science and conservation efforts through the features and videos below.

Gray whale mother and calf

Celebrate Whale Week with Us: A Message from the Director of Protected Resources
Director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Protected Resources, Kim Damon-Randall, shares a message inviting everyone to learn about the types of technology we use to study whales, how to watch whales responsibly, and how you can help whales.

Acoustic recording tag on whale

Follow the Whales: How Tagging Supports Whale Research and Rescue
Scientists at NOAA Fisheries attach electronic tags to individual whales to safely and remotely collect powerful data. Marine animal telemetry allows the scientists to monitor the movement and behavior of a tagged whale and learn how whales use their ocean habitats.

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Pennsylvania Hospital Museum Opening

The 275-year-old Pennsylvania Hospital will transform into Philadelphia’s newest museum.The University of Pennsylvania will feature the medical library, surgical amphitheater, and apothecary, opening on May 8.This transformation aligns with Philadelphia’s 250th celebration, reaffirming its historical leadership in science and medicine.Eight exhibits will showcase the hospital’s history in behavioral care, women’s health, apothecary innovations, and leadership during times of conflict.For updates regarding the museum’s opening, you can enter your email here.

Philadelphia Espresso Martini Crawl Takes Over Northern Liberties This March

Philadelphia, PA – Spring is buzzing early in Philadelphia’s fastest growing neighborhoods. Northern Liberties Business Improvement District announces the return of the 3rd Annual Northern Liberties Espresso Martini Bar Crawl on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 11:00am to 4:00pm.

The event returns with the biggest line-up ever, with 20+ participating locations and dozens of $8, $10 and $12 specially priced espresso martinis. Bars and restaurants will compete for bragging rights for categories such as best classic, most creative and best of the day. Look for standards and spins on the classics, plus more out of the box options, ranging to cheese covered, garnish embellished and flavored espresso martinis. The 2026 line-up includes Amina, Bar1010, Bourbon and Branch, Cantina Dos Segundos, El Camino Real, Jerry’s Bar, Newsroom Philly, North 3rd, North Bowl, One Shot Coffee, Ortliebs, SET NoLibs, Silk City, Standard Tap, The 700, Urban Village and Yards Brewing.

Select bars and restaurants will have coffee-infused food specials, as well as specials for St. Patrick’s Weekend. Retailers will offer caffeine-inspired surprises, like Espresso Coffee Shower Steamers at Ray’s Reusables, exclusive espresso martini-inspired ice cream at Milk Jawn and espresso martini sweets and treats at Madison K Cookies. There is no cost to attend the event, with drinks, food and retail specials pay-as-you-go. For more information, visit explorenorthernliberties.org/events/ Presented by Northern Liberties Business Improvement District and sponsor Aversa PR & Philly Publicist. Follow for menu updates and previews on Instagram at @NorthLiberties

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NYBC Calls for Blood Donations in NY & NJ Following Historic Blizzard

New York Blood Center (NYBC) is projected to lose nearly 3,000 donations due to the snow storm, significantly impacting the region’s blood supply for the next week. NYBC shut down early on Sunday due to dangerous travel conditions, resulting in the loss of approximately 700 donations. All blood drives and donor centers were closed today, with additional community blood drive cancellations continuing into the week as schools, businesses, and community partners focus on storm recovery.

NYBC is asking all eligible donors across New York and New Jersey to make a donation at a blood donor center convenient for them as soon as it is safe for them to travel again. NYBC expects its donor centers to re-open on their regular schedules tomorrow if the weather permits. Blood is perishable and recovering from the significant losses caused by this storm will require strong donor participation over the coming days.

Williams Scores 27 as Rowan Defeats NJCU, 73-61, to Advance to the NJAC Men’s Basketball Semifinals

Brycen Williams scored a game-high 27 points to lead fifth-seeded Rowan to a 73-61 win over fourth-seeded NJCU in the quarterfinals of the NJAC Men’s Basketball Championship. The Profs advance to the semifinals where they will travel to top-ranked Montclair State on Wednesday, February 25th at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the semifinal will go on sale at noon on Sunday at NJACsports.com/tickets. Electronic tickets only will be accepted – there will be no cash sales at the venue. 
 
Williams hit four three-pointers to lead the way while Taz Cantey scored 19 points and handed out six assists. Khalil Baker had nine points, as he shot 4-for-4, and eight rebounds.

The Profs hit eight threes in the game, shooting 42 percent, made 48 percent (11-of-23) from the field and went 19-for-32 from the foul line. Rowan limited NJCU (14-12) to just 1-of-10 from three-point range in the second half.

The teams were tied, 35-35, early in the second half. Rowan started to break away at the 13-minute mark as Williams scored nine points in a 13-1 run that gave the Profs a 60-46 lead with 6:14 remaining. NJCU got within 63-51, but that was the closest the home team would get the rest of the way, as a dunk by Khamai Orange with 3:57 to play expanded Rowan’s lead back up to 65-51.

Rowan made six free throws in the final three minutes to secure the victory.

Rowan led  22-11 in the first half, after a three-pointer by Cantey at 8:49 and then stretched it to 29-13 at 6:40 after seven consecutive points, with five from Williams. NJCU went on a 10-0 run to close within 29-23 with 3:12 remaining and the teams entered intermission with the Profs owning a 34-29 advantage.

The winner of Wednesday’s game will head to the NJAC Championship game on Saturday, February 28th at the site of the highest remaining seeded team.

Victory Brewing + Visit Philly Partnership

Visit Philly staff and influencers at the launch of Philly First at Victory Brewing Company.

Coinciding with the nation’s 250th anniversary, Victory Brewing Company and Visit Philadelphia partnered to launch Philly First, a celebratory brew highlighting the many firsts that happened in Philadelphia.

Both organizations are also marking their 30th anniversaries this year.

The beer debuted on 215 Day at Victory Brewing Company locations on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and in Downingtown. Look for a broader rollout throughout the region in the coming weeks.

Baking Classes, Coffee Tours and More

Whatever you’re hungry for, Center City’s restaurant scene is brimming with delicious options like tasting menus, elaborate brunch experiences and much more. Whether you’re dining on a budget, splurging on a special occasion or looking for a great night out, we have a curated list of happenings on our Dine page.  

The Bread Room: Intro to Sourdough with Head Baker Kyle Wood | February 22 | 4:30 p.m. | 834 Chestnut St.

The Philly Coffee Tour | February 28 | 2 p.m. | 1800 Walnut St.

Tapster Philly: Paint Your Partner Sip N’ Paint | March 5 | 7 p.m. | 1601 Sansom St.

Butcher Bar: Top It Off Brunch | Saturdays and Sundays | 10:30 a.m. | 2034 Chestnut St.Estia $40 Theater Menu | Nightly | 1405 Locust St.
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Rosina Food Products, Inc. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Frozen Meatball Products Due To Possible Foreign Matter Contamination

Rosina Food Products, Inc., a West Seneca, N.Y. establishment, is recalling approximately 9,462 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) frozen meatball products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.