Max M. Marin
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maxmmarin.bsky.social
Max M. Marin
@maxmmarin.bsky.social
Reporter at Philadelphia Inquirer, investigations team.
Reposted by Max M. Marin
Feds accused Shane "Sugar" Hennen of providing rigged card-shuffling machines and other tech that was used to fix mob-affiliated backroom poker games in New York City, among other crimes.

🔗 www.inquirer.com/news/shane-h...
How a Philly ‘betfluencer’ wound up at the center of an NBA gambling scandal
Feds also accuse Hennen of providing rigged card-shuffling machines and other tech that was used to fix mob-affiliated backroom poker games in New York City.
www.inquirer.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
In Pennsylvania’s largest immigrant detention center, detainees report violence, desperation, and little oversight.

We take you inside the increasingly crowded Moshannon Valley Processing Center.
Inside Pa.’s largest immigrant detention center: Violence, desperation, little oversight
While complaints about conditions at Moshannon Valley Processing Center predate Trump, his administration has effectively eliminated outside oversight as the population has reached all-time highs.
www.inquirer.com
September 17, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
Reporters Max Marin and Ryan Briggs spent the last few months buying “legal” weed... for work.

Their investigation revealed it's full of harmful contaminants that some companies are intentionally hiding from consumers.

🔗 Ask us anything: www.reddit.com/r/philadelph...
August 4, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
My colleagues @maxmmarin.bsky.social and @ryanbriggs.bsky.social tested hemp products from smoke shops around the Philly area -- and found mold, fungus, pesticides, and THC levels as potent as dispensary-grade pot. An important read about an unregulated industry: www.inquirer.com/news/a/penns...
Pennsylvania’s unregulated weed stores are booming — but tests show products are rife with toxic and illicit chemicals
Almost every sample The Inquirer had tested was over the legal potency or contained mold or pesticides.
www.inquirer.com
July 29, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
Unregulated hemp stores in Pa. are booming, but products are rife with toxic and illicit chemicals. Almost every sample The Inquirer tested was over the legal potency or contained mold or pesticides. Story by @maxmmarin.bsky.social and @ryanbriggs.bsky.social: www.inquirer.com/news/a/penns...
Pennsylvania’s unregulated weed stores are booming — but tests show products are rife with toxic and illicit chemicals
Almost every sample The Inquirer had tested was over the legal potency or contained mold or pesticides.
www.inquirer.com
July 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The Trump admin is employing aggressive tactics to short-circuit immigration court and fast-track immigrants for deportation.

The result: Deportations in PA and NJ are up 80% over last year.

w/ @samanthamelamed.bsky.social & @sstirling.bsky.social
www.inquirer.com/news/philade...
Deportations are up 80% in Pennsylvania and Jersey amid Trump’s aggressive tactics
ICE has detained many who had been complying with rules, picking up immigrants in court and at check-ins. And judges are denying more asylum cases.
www.inquirer.com
June 17, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
Out of nowhere, a January night turned into chaos. Five neighbors share what they saw and how their lives were changed by the Northeast Philly plane crash.

By @wendyruderman.bsky.social, Astrid Rodrigues, and I on @inquirer.com

share.inquirer.com/1eBFT4
Five neighbors, four months later: How the Northeast Philly plane crash changed one street forever
On Jan. 31, a medical transport plane took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. It crashed 42 seconds later, killing six passengers and spreading debris and fire across Cottman Avenue.
share.inquirer.com
June 2, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
For this piece, we take you back to the 1970s Villanova University of Pope Leo's youth - a time when budding social changes clashed with the Catholic school's conservative ethos.

w/ @maxmmarin.bsky.social @beaforman.bsky.social @njvadala.bsky.social

www.inquirer.com/news/villano...
Inside Villanova in the 1970s, when the future Pope Leo XIV arrived on campus
When Bob Prevost arrived from South Side Chicago, Villanova found itself at a crossroads.
www.inquirer.com
May 10, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
Next week is the 40th anniversary of the MOVE bombing, one of the most painful events in Philadelphia history. With
@allisonmp5.bsky.social, I wrote about two children killed in the bombing and lingering questions about the handling of their remains. www.inquirer.com/news/philade...
The long, tragic journey of the MOVE bombing’s youngest victims
Depositions in legal cases shed new light on the way Philly and Penn treated bones pulled from the rubble 40 years ago.
www.inquirer.com
May 7, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
The city’s Kensington Wellness Court has been placed on hold amid judges’ mounting frustration with the city officials tasked with overseeing the program. A supervising judge nearly shut it down, and the judge who presides over the cases called city leaders "fake." www.inquirer.com/crime/kensin...
Judge almost shuts down the city’s Kensington wellness court over mounting frustration with Parker administration, sources say
Wellness court is on pause amid a months-long frustration between the courts and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker's team over how the program was launched. One judge called city leaders "fake."
www.inquirer.com
May 1, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
A harrowing must-read about an epidemic of lost limbs -- and those on the frontlines trying to do something about it.

By @aubreywhelan.bsky.social @maxmmarin.bsky.social @dylancpurcell.bsky.social
Amputations are soaring as a tranq crisis takes hold in the Philly region
To amputate or save a limb? Philly’s tranq crisis is forcing doctors to make difficult choices amid a slow public health response to the latest threat in the drug epidemic.
share.inquirer.com
April 23, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
Amputations among people addicted to opioids have doubled in five years in Philadelphia.

To learn why, @maxmmarin.bsky.social, @dylancpurcell.bsky.social and I spent more than six months digging into medical data and interviewing doctors and patients: www.inquirer.com/health/a/tra...
Amputations are soaring as a tranq crisis takes hold in the Philly region
To amputate or save a limb? Philly’s tranq crisis is forcing doctors to make difficult choices amid a slow public health response to the latest threat in the drug epidemic.
www.inquirer.com
April 22, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
First episode is up - our podcast with Temple's Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting, digging into what led Philadelphia to bomb its own people 40 years ago next month.

Every Tuesday a new chapter posts:

MOVE: Untangling the Tragedy.

www.inquirer.com/move-bombing/
MOVE Bombing in Philadelphia
Police dropped a bomb on a West Philly house in 1985. The fire caused by the explosion killed 11 people, an atrocity that Philadelphia still grapples with today.
www.inquirer.com
April 22, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
With hope that better tracking will lead to better outcomes, @maxmmarin.bsky.social, @aubreywhelan.bsky.social and I wrote about drug-related amputations in Philly.

www.inquirer.com/health/a/tra...
Amputations are soaring as a tranq crisis takes hold in the Philly region
To amputate or save a limb? Philly’s tranq crisis is forcing doctors to make difficult choices amid a slow public health response to the latest threat in the drug epidemic.
www.inquirer.com
April 22, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
Pennsylvania lost $264M in projects during Congress' latest budget battle, from new fire stations to SEPTA station upgrades.

Julia Terruso and @joeyerardi.bsky.social dig into what was cut.

Readers can also look through a full list of every project that lost funding.
From infrastructure to playgrounds, $264M for Pa. projects this year vanished in Congress’ budget battle
When Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the government last month, it didn’t include earmarks for hundreds of projects across Pennsylvania.
www.inquirer.com
April 8, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
"In one case in Pennsylvania, DOGE appeared to take credit for cancelling a $34 million contract that was nullified by the Biden administration in November — adding to a pattern of errors that appear to have inflated the department’s success." www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...
DOGE slashed dozens of federal contracts in Pennsylvania — and businesses are feeling the pain
An Inquirer review of DOGE's Pa. contracts shows terminated work for recruiting people to work in the dairy industry at UDSA, for mental health support at USAID, and public housing programs.
www.inquirer.com
March 7, 2025 at 7:53 PM
New deep dive into the DOGE federal contract cuts in Pennsylvania:

- HUD and CFPB contracts were hit hardest
- Over half of the cuts hit minority & women-owned biz
- DOGE took credit for axing a $34 million USAID contract that the Biden admin ended last year
www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...
DOGE slashed dozens of federal contracts in Pennsylvania — and businesses are feeling the pain
An Inquirer review of DOGE's Pa. contracts shows terminated work for recruiting people to work in the dairy industry at UDSA, for mental health support at USAID, and public housing programs.
share.inquirer.com
March 7, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
The Inquirer is doing its part to shed light on DOGE. Latest from @maxmmarin.bsky.social and Julia Terruso. Have any tips, let them know.

www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...
March 7, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
I spent yesterday afternoon trying to figure out why the Trump administration wants to sell off a bunch of federal buildings in Philly--and then they took the whole list down today without warning. www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...
Trump administration proposes sale of federal buildings all over Pa. — with three in Philly
A list of hundreds of federal office buildings to be put up for sale was published by the General Services Administration Tuesday, stunning observers.
www.inquirer.com
March 5, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Philly is widely known for its outdoor art, but the 1000-piece collection is a mystery to the city itself.

Records show officials have not inventoried the collection in decades. 80+ pieces are flagged missing. We found others that have moved or vanished.
www.inquirer.com/news/public-...
Philadelphia owns more than 1,000 public artworks. Scores are missing.
Known for its outdoor art, Philadelphia has twice gutted its public arts office, and officials have not inventoried the collection in decades. At least 85 works are recorded as missing.
www.inquirer.com
February 23, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
Jalen Hurts was among nine Eagles who suffered concussions during the 2024 season.

But the overall number of player concussions in the NFL fell 17% during the season — the lowest figure during the last decade of record keeping.

www.inquirer.com/eagles/nfl-c...
Despite high-profile QB concussions, NFL says the brain injuries dropped 17% during the 2024 season
NFL players were found to have sustained 182 brain injuries during the season, including practices, and preseason and regular season games.
www.inquirer.com
January 31, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
it's a big news day so ICYMI:

The union representing Philly police officers is quietly seeking to block public from knowing how PPD operates. Info currently available would become confidential

latest in @inquirer.com w @maxmmarin.bsky.social and Rodrigo Torrejón

www.inquirer.com/news/philade...
Philly FOP seeks to restore secrecy around police shootings and disciplinary records in upcoming contract
The police union, in its opening contract proposals, wants to clamp down on what the public knows about how the department operates. It may have leverage, due to a shortage of cops.
www.inquirer.com
January 20, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Max M. Marin
“This gives us a conservative total of $469,095 of taxpayer money spent on a Center City arena that won’t happen.”

From @maxmmarin.bsky.social @ryanbriggs.bsky.social @jasen.bsky.social & Charmaine Runes:

www.inquirer.com/news/philade...
Here’s how much the plan to build a Center City arena actually cost the city
The new arena was promised "at no cost to city taxpayers." Here's what it cost.
www.inquirer.com
January 17, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Another shakeup at the Montgomery County SPCA in the wake of our @inquirer.com investigation: The board president has resigned amid ongoing leadership overhaul at the $67 million animal shelter.
www.inquirer.com/news/montco-...
Embattled Montco SPCA replaces its board president amid ongoing turmoil at the $67 million nonprofit
April Lownes-Hostler, 57, resigned as the leader of the shelter’s board of directors in November, ending a 20-year run on the shelter’s oversight board.
www.inquirer.com
December 5, 2024 at 5:10 PM
Gonna start posting into the bluesky ether. For my new followers, I'm a reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer investigations team. Interests include government accountability, nonprofits, criminal justice, drug policy, and quality-of-life issues. Send tips!
November 20, 2024 at 4:22 PM