The biggest news stories that shaped Philadelphia in 2025

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — 2025 was a whirlwind year for Philadelphians. There was pain and tragedy — a plane crash in the Northeast and the case of a missing 23-year-old woman that gripped the nation. But there were joyous moments, too — yet another Super Bowl win and the return of a holiday tradition.

Take a look back at some of the biggest headlines that shaped Philadelphia this year.

The first month of 2025 ended with a series of tragic aviation disasters. Just two days after a passenger jet collided with an army helicopter in Washington, D.C., killing 67 people, a medical jet crashed onto Cottman Avenue about 30 seconds after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

On Jan. 31, the jet, carrying an 11-year-old patient, her mother and four crew members, crashed near the Roosevelt Mall, setting homes ablaze, strewing about debris, and rattling residents. All six people on board, who were Mexican nationals, were killed. Dozens on the ground were injured, and two died.

In November, families of two of the eight people killed filed a lawsuit, claiming the medical air transport company and others negligently caused their deaths.

On Feb. 9, 2025, the city became electrified after the Eagles dominated the Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX, bringing home another championship title for the second time in franchise history. Thousands swarmed the streets, from Center City to the Northeast, jumping, cheering and chanting for their beloved Birds. And about a week later, the excitement grew as the team paraded through the City of Brotherly Love, fittingly, on Valentine’s Day. While Jason Kelce didn’t take the mic in his Mummers costume and make a legendary speech this time around, history was still made for the Birds.

After five electrical fires on Regional Rail cars earlier this year, the feds said enough was enough. In September, the Federal Railroad Administration ordered fire inspections of all of SEPTA’s 50-year-old Silverliner IV cars — sidelining about two-thirds of its fleet. Trains, if they were running at all, had fewer cars. Packed trains skipped stops, and commuters were exasperated.

A return to normal service was slow because even as inspections were completed, SEPTA kept many cars in the shop to fix other problems found. And, SEPTA didn’t have money budgeted for the repairs. In November, Gov. Josh Shapiro approved $220 million for SEPTA capital expenses from the state’s Public Transit Trust Fund — the second state-sanctioned lifesaver for SEPTA in as many years.

The year kicked off with a new, yet familiar, president. Donald Trump was inaugurated for a second term and almost immediately made his power known, from DEI cuts to immigration crackdowns and a near-complete reversal of his predecessor’s policies. The swift executive orders sparked controversy across the country and the world, so much so that nationwide “No Kings” protests took place twice in Philadelphia. Those protests were peaceful, but in West Chester, a man was arrested for carrying a concealed handgun, several clips of ammunition and a bayonet. At his house, investigators found 13 pipe bombs. No one was injured.

On April 14, a man scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police, and set fire to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion, not long after the governor held a seder to celebrate the first night of Passover. Cody Balmer said he was motivated by what he claimed were the governor’s plans for “what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” according to a search warrant. In October, he pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Shapiro and other charges.

“Horrendous.” “Unbearable.” For eight long, hot days in July, members of the blue-collar workers union went on strike, leaving no one to collect Philadelphians’ trash.

This was the first AFSCME District Council 33 strike in nearly 40 years, and there were tense moments. Two picketing sanitation workers were injured when they were hit by an alleged drunk driver. One worker was arrested after police said he slashed the tires of a PGW vehicle.

The city set up dozens of collection sites where people could take their garbage, and those dumpsters filled up quickly. Heaps of garbage cluttered whole sidewalks in the hot summer sun. Even LL Cool J and Jazmine Sullivan stood with the striking workers by backing out of their July Fourth Parkway performances.

Ultimately, the union reached a deal with the city. Workers didn’t get the raises they wanted, but the union’s president said they got the best contract they could.

Eight people were injured when gunshots rang out just before 4 a.m. at the 7 Elements bar on 11th Street and Washington Avenue on July 5. When police arrived at the scene, the door was locked, and there was a trail of blood outside the establishment. The fire department helped them get inside. An argument escalated into a knife fight on the balcony. As security tried to break up the fight, shots were fired.

Two days later, 12 people were shot, three of them fatally, when gunfire erupted as people were gathered along South Etting Street. The victims ranged in age from 15 to 24. Jason Reese, 19; Zahir Wylie, 23; and Azir Harris, 24, died. Another person was injured on-scene.

Investigators said the shooting was not sparked by an argument, social media beef, or some sort of turf war; it was random. Five people have since been arrested in connection.

Freshmen orientation at Villanova University was quickly derailed on Aug. 21 when a school-wide alert said there was an active shooter on campus.

Chaos ensued as students and their families scrambled to safety, and dozens of authorities from across the region descended on the university — only to determine hours later that the threat was a “cruel hoax.” It was one of several fake threats made against universities across the U.S. this year.

No one has been arrested in connection with calling in the fake threat, but an online group has publicly taken responsibility for swatting Villanova and a host of other colleges.

This year saw a first for the Roman Catholic Church: an American pope. Before he was named Pope Leo XIV back in May, he was Robert Prevost of Chicago, but Philadelphians were quick to adopt him as one of their own. He eventually left the Windy City for the City of Brotherly Love, graduating from Villanova University in 1977. While studying there, he also worked as a groundskeeper at Saint Denis in Havertown, Delaware County. (We’re still waiting to hear his Wawa order.)

The case of missing Kada Scott gripped the city and the nation back in October. The 23-year-old went to her overnight shift at a Chestnut Hill nursing home on Oct. 4 but never came home. Investigators said she had been communicating with Keon King, who they later found had met her at her place of work that night.

Scott’s remains were found nearly three weeks later, behind the vacant Ada H. Lewis Middle School — where King was seen on surveillance video just 15 minutes after Scott’s initial disappearance.

King had previously been charged with kidnapping and assaulting a different woman, but those charges were dropped in May because the witness failed to appear in court.

People have been able to visit the Wanamaker building and enjoy daily concerts from one of the world’s largest pipe organs since 1911, but that came to an end in March. Despite the closure of Macy’s and those daily organ performances, music lovers pushed for the tradition of the Holiday Light Show — accompanied by festive favorites on the organ, of course — keeping the Christmas spirit alive through 2025.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner won a third term in 2025, defeating retired Municipal Court Judge Pat Dugan not once, but twice. Dugan ran for DA in the Democratic primary but fell to Krasner. Republicans had not run a candidate, but instead, a write-in campaign for Dugan. As a lifelong Democrat, Dugan was reluctant to accept their nomination but couldn’t resist the rematch — though he ultimately lost in November.

Democrats also came out on top in New Jersey. Mikie Sherrill emerged victorious against Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the governor’s race, after notably crowded primaries. Sherrill crushed Ciattarelli behind an overwhelming wave of Democratic Party turnout, earning 56% of the vote.

After a long battle, Crozer-Chester Medical Center, which had been serving Upland Borough and surrounding communities in Delaware County for generations, closed in May.

It happened just one week after Taylor Hospital ceased operations. Both were owned by the private equity firm Prospect Medical Holdings, which had filed for bankruptcy in January.

The closures left more than 2,500 people out of work and no emergency services for residents in the immediate area. Only two hospitals remain in Delaware County: Mercy Fitzgerald in Darby and Riddle in Media.

Amid the ups and downs of 2025, Philadelphia is moving full steam ahead toward 2026 — the year of the country’s semiquincentennial. The city is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with a slew of events all year long, plus the World Cup and the MLB All-Star Game this summer.

Stay tuned, Philly.