Cargo Ship Strikes Tacony-Palmyra Bridge Over Delaware River as City Council Subpoenas Drexel Over Museum Closure

Cargo Carrier Strategic Alliance Collides with Tacony-Palmyra Bridge Fender Structure

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — River transit along the Delaware River and vehicular traffic between Northeast Philadelphia and Palmyra, New Jersey, were disrupted on Thursday, November 12, 2026, when the Singapore-flagged bulk carrier Strategic Alliance struck protective fender pilings of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. The impact temporarily misaligned the bascule drawbridge span, preventing it from latching shut and forcing the Burlington County Bridge Commission to close lanes for emergency structural and mechanical safety evaluations.

Engineers cleared the bridge for restricted traffic late Thursday after confirming no structural damage to load-bearing piers, while the U.S. Coast Guard investigates maritime navigation logs.

City Council Subpoenas Drexel University Leadership Over Academy of Natural Sciences Closure

Outraged by the sudden shuttering of public exhibits at the historic Academy of Natural Sciences, the Philadelphia City Council issued formal subpoenas on Thursday demanding that Drexel University leadership testify at an emergency oversight hearing scheduled for November 16. Lawmakers and scientific preservationists are demanding financial clarity and binding protections for the institution’s priceless 19-million-specimen biological research collection.

Julie Ertz Surprised with National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction at Eagles Facility

In uplifting sports news, former U.S. Women’s National Team standout Julie Ertz was surprised on Thursday at the Philadelphia Eagles' NovaCare Complex by her husband, tight end Zach Ertz, with news of her first-ballot election into the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2027. Celebrated for her midfield mastery in two World Cup victories, Ertz was congratulated by athletes and civic figures across Philadelphia.