By Jeff Gammage, The Philadelphia Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA — The spirits of the pets come first, treading home on soft, shadowy paws, making their way by the light of altar candles and guided by the eternal tie of love.

They’re welcomed with offerings of favorite treats and fresh water, and by the careful placement of old toys and worn collars that have become cherished mementos.

It’s a new tradition connected to the Day of the Dead, the ancient Mexican holiday where people honor and celebrate the lives of family members at a time when the wall between worlds melts.

Now, in Philadelphia and elsewhere, people have begun to recognize not just human relatives but those with wings and whiskers, the departed dogs, cats, birds, and other animals that enriched their lives. And who, like family, continue to be mourned and missed.

The souls of pets are said to return on Oct. 27, a few days before the Dia de Muertos on Nov. 1 and 2.

“The day,” said Gerardo Coronado Benitez, manager of the Association of Mexican Business Owners of Philadelphia, “is not about death, but about celebrating and remembering people, keeping memories alive. Of course many people want to keep alive the memories of their pets.”

He’s helping organize a big Day of the Dead event at the Italian Market on Nov. 2, where people will be able to place photos of relatives and pets on a community ofrenda ― a decorated altar ― at 9th Street and Washington Avenue.

Others have set up altars in their homes. These ofrendas may be adorned with traditional marigolds, with candy skulls, paper skeletons, and photographs. But they may also feature a snatch of fur or a whisker left behind.

Genesis Pimentel-Howard created an ofrenda for her cat, Mobi, on a bedroom shelf of the West Philadelphia home she shares with her husband, Yaphet Howard.

It’s hard for her to talk about Mobi, who died suddenly in May at only 4 years old.

He was, she said, an adorable menace. Mobi loved to poke at and play with the couple’s other cat, Sannin, though Sannin didn’t always appreciate the attention.

Mobi sometimes stole food from the trash. And he managed to push over and break Pimentel-Howard’s flat-screen TV. Still, she said, he followed her everywhere, even into the bathroom. She couldn’t use the bathroom without him trailing her inside.

“A sweet momma’s boy,” she said. “Always next to me.”

On the ofrenda, Pimentel-Howard placed her grandmother’s pearls. And photos of her family dogs, Ella and Red, and her hamster, Shia LaBeouf. She added a shadow box that holds Mobi’s collar and an impression of his paw.

“I’ll stay up as late as a can to welcome him,” she said. “I like to think he’ll be around.”

Genesis Pimentel-Howard holds a photo of her late cat, Mobi, beside a lovingly crafted “ofrenda” in her Philadelphia home on Monday. The altar glows with candlelight, welcoming the spirits of her beloved departed pets. The ritual is part of a growing tradition tied to Día de los Muertos. (Jose F. Moreno/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS)

The roots of the Day of the Dead go back 3,000 years, to Aztec and Mayan traditions. It’s celebrated not only in Mexico but also in wider Latin America and in communities across the United States.

Dogs have always played an important role. The ancients considered them sacred, guides that led souls through the afterlife. They revered the Mexican Hairless Dog, the Xoloitzcuintle, or Xolo for short.

It’s a Xolo dog, Dante, that guides Miguel to meet his ancestors in Coco, the popular animated Disney movie. And it’s a song from the movie, Remember Me, that’s become the soundtrack for countless social-media posts about departed pets.

In Philadelphia, the Italian Market festival welcomes all who wish to take part to South 9th Street between Federal and Christian Streets from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Fleisher Art Memorial in South Philadelphia also will hold a big Day of the Dead celebration. Everyone is invited to help with final preparations for the ofrenda from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 31, and to come to the Day of the Dead event the next day.

“The animals, that’s family too,” said María De Los Angeles Hernández Del Prado, the artist who led the creation of the Fleisher’s large, three-part ofrenda, which includes a section devoted to pets. “They’re the same as us, they just don’t talk the same language.”

Pimentel-Howard knew after Mobi died that she would find a way to honor him, along with the other animals she has loved.

“You don’t know what it’s like to lose an animal,” she said, “until you’ve lost one.”

©2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Farmington Police Department said Wednesday they’re mourning the loss of an officer.

Pete Zajac, who spent the past two years as a school resource officer, died by suicide late Tuesday, according to a social media post from the department.

The 41-year-old Zajac was married and had three children. He’d been with the Farmington police for 15 years.

“His presence within our department and our community as a whole will be missed,” said the department’s post. “A sincere thank you to our law enforcement partners, and those in the community who have surrounded us in our time of need and those that will support us in the tough times ahead.”

The department also reminded that anyone who is struggling can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For current and former law enforcement and their families, CopLine is at 800-COPLINE.

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By GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a devastating Category 5 storm, tied for the strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane in history. The deadly storm has also caused devastation in Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The world is still learning the extent of the destruction, but relief organizations are already mobilizing to help across the northern Caribbean.

As is typical in disasters, nonprofit groups told The Associated Press that cash is the best way to help, since unsolicited goods donations can overwhelm already strained systems. Experts recommend using sites like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance to check out unfamiliar charities before donating.

Here is some of the work being done and ways to support people impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and beyond.

Locals supporting locals: United Way of Jamaica

The 40-year-old nonprofit has a history of supporting Jamaicans after disasters, especially the country’s farmers.

Last year, United Way of Jamaica mobilized help for female farmers hit hard by Hurricane Beryl, helping them replace farm equipment, repair roofs, and pay tuition fees for their kids right as the school year began.

The Kingston-based group accepts cash donations.

Doubling your dollars: American Friends of Jamaica

AFJ has donated to Jamaican charitable organizations since 1982, supporting education, economic development and health care. Its disaster relief fund helped repair nearly 800 roofs after Hurricane Beryl, according to the group.

The New York-based organization is currently matching donations to its Disaster Relief Fund, up to $1 million.

Fast cash: GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly will deliver emergency cash directly to Jamaica households.

The nonprofit sent households impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton $1,000 last year, using AI to pinpoint the worst impacted areas and making fast electronic transfers.

The New York-based group is trying to raise $1 million and is accepting cash donations.

Immediate relief: CORE and many more

CORE ‘s local staff is already responding in Haiti and will arrive in Jamaica when airports reopen to deliver relief items like hygiene kits and tarps, conduct medical assessments an distribute cash assistance. The group will also help households remove debris and rebuild homes.

The Los Angeles-based nonprofit is accepting cash donations to its Emergency Response Fund. Its board of directors is matching up to $200,000.

There are a host of other humanitarian organizations deployed or in the process of reaching the northern Caribbean, including Convoy of Hope, Mercy Corps, World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, Project HOPE, CARE, Global Empowerment Mission, World Food Program USA and Americares.

Installing backup power systems: Footprint Project

The solar-energy nonprofit supplies communities and first responders with temporary power equipment to aid their response and restore communications.

Footprint Project is shipping 150 portable solar and battery power stations and deploying mobile microgrid equipment, working with local partners like Jamaica Renewable Energy Association to ensure the systems are deployed where they are most needed.

The New Orleans-based group is accepting cash donations. Equipment donations can be coordinated through give@footprintproject.org.

Medical aid: Direct Relief

The humanitarian organization supports the Caribbean year round with medicines and other supplies, and has delivered more than $3 million in medical aid in the last month to areas now under threat.

Direct Relief will support health facilities, many of which it says are in coastal and low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding and power outages. The group also sent 100 field-medic packs for Jamaica’s National Health Fund, and is working with the Pan American Health Organization on supplies for Cuba.

The Santa Barbara, California-based group is accepting cash donations. All contributions specifically designated for “Hurricane Melissa” will go directly to those efforts.

Shipping supplies and logistics: Good360 and Airlink

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Good360 connects corporate donors who have surplus, high-quality supplies with nonprofits that need those items. It will partner with local groups to deliver what’s needed, anticipating demand for generators, tarps and hygiene kits.

Good360 is accepting cash donations to support delivery of these supplies.

Airlink works with major airlines like United and American, using extra cargo space to help humanitarian organizations move aid to disaster zones.

It’s moving cargo to Haiti and Jamaica on behalf of 16 NGOs and finding solutions for moving supplies on the ground when many roads are blocked or washed out.

The Washington, D.C.-based group accepts cash and crypto donations and donations of frequent flyer miles.

Long-term recovery: Center for Disaster Philanthropy

While the immediate needs will be vast, CDP focuses on long-term recovery, an often underfunded aspect of disaster response.

The group will give grants to local organizations that are most in tune with the needs, focusing on the most at-risk residents and emphasizing solutions that leave communities better prepared for future climate events.

The Washington, D.C.-based organization is accepting cash donations to its Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund.

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

The Oak Park Heights City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a conditional-use permit for a retail cannabis business in the Joseph’s restaurant space.

The business will be known as Mango Cannabis and it will occupy the entire building at 14608 60th St. N., City Administrator Jacob Rife said. The restaurant is expected to move to a different location in the area, he said.

The application for a conditional-use permit to operate the retail cannabis business was submitted by Kevin Pattah, of ABJKM Holdings, and Boundary Waters Capital. They also have submitted an application for a permit to open a Mango Cannabis in the former Devil’s Advocate restaurant at 14200 60th St. N., in Stillwater, a half-mile west of Joseph’s.

When officials at ABJKM Holdings applied for the retail registration in Stillwater, the number of retail cannabis locations allowed in the city was capped at one, Pattah told Oak Park Heights city council members on Tuesday night. Stillwater has since increased the cap to allow four retail locations; Oak Park Heights also will allow four locations.

“Oak Park Heights has always been our destination for a Mango location,” Pattah said. “Joseph’s fit our demographics.”

What about the cupola?

Council member Mark Swenson asked Pattah about his plans for the cupola on the roof of Joseph’s, which has been a city landmark since the restaurant, then known as Big Ben, opened.

Joseph’s, an Oak Park Heights restaurant, pictured Oct. 9, 2025. (Mars King / Pioneer Press)

“Joseph’s has been a staple of the community for years, and the cupola that’s on the top of the roof has always been the kind of the gathering point, ever since it was with Big Ben,” Swenson said.

The community is losing a staple, Swenson said. “I mean, that was the place to go. If you’re going for breakfast or lunch, you go to Joseph’s, right? I’ve received just about as many calls on this as I did about the Highway 36 bridge.”

Swenson said he would like to see the cupola removed if the building will no longer house Joseph’s. “Let it be gone,” he said. “That’s not the restaurant anymore. It’s not what it used to be.”

“You want it gone?” Pattah asked.

“It’s part of change,” Swenson said. “I mean, those are my feelings.”

Joseph’s owner Sam Leon did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Pattah reassured the council that the owners of Joseph’s plan to relocate the restaurant in the area.

“Everyone has been asking about it,” he said. “I’ve talked to them numerous times, and their goal is to relocate, and they’re possibly thinking about relocating up the street, if I’m not mistaken.”

Interest in border community

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The Oak Park Heights City Council in July approved plans for the city’s first retail cannabis business, Oak Park Heights Canna, at 14729 60th St. N., near Carbone’s Pizzeria & Pub. The store is expected to open sometime in 2026, Rife said.

“We get calls all the time from folks interested in opening retail cannabis operations in the city,” Rife said. “We certainly understand their desire to be here. It’s a robust business corridor and a desirable place for people to do business.”

Because cannabis retail businesses are not legal in Wisconsin, just across the border, the Minnesota 36 corridor in Oak Park Heights is a prime location for potential shops, Rife said.

“That obviously is going to enhance the interest in locating here,” he said.