Karen Heller

Karen Heller has interviewed Philip Roth and Zsa Zsa Gabor, spent time with Pink and the Philadelphia Orchestra, the celebrated and the exemplary unsung. She's covered Miss America and political conventions. She's been a provocative voice at The Inquirer for nearly 20 years, garnering awards for criticism, feature writing and investigative reporting, and was a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize in commentary.

Read Karen's blog Populist
Latest post: Updike at Rest - 01/28/2009
Email Karen at kheller@phillynews.com

Cherry Hill OKs liquor sales in grocery, big-box stores
Beers skimping on buzz, lawsuit claims

U.S. Rep. Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith, "regarded as his common-law wife."

On Oscar weekend, long-forgotten Pa. politician is already a winner

By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

02/24/2013

Karen Heller: Even if Tommy Lee Jones fails to win an Oscar on Sunday night for his indelible portrayal of Thaddeus Stevens in Lincoln, the fiery Lancaster abolitionist congressman is already a winner for being rescued from the dustbin of history.

Mighty Writers spread love of books 02/20/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: Tiaira Rodgers has a sweet sparrow of a voice but knows how to make herself heard in print.
It was quite a show by Philly's would-be casino operators 02/17/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: You don't want to follow Steven Wynn. Ever.
Age, weight no issues for N.J. leaders 02/13/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: You can never be too rich or too thin, the Duchess of Windsor said. As it turns out, in New Jersey you can never be too old or too fat.
Corbett's costly rebuff to Medicaid 02/10/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: One in six Pennsylvanians lacks health insurance. These people are your neighbors and relatives. They serve food and sell clothing. They work in malls and casinos. They provide care for the young and elderly.
Karen Heller: 02/06/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: The governor's grab bag of ideas. B1.
Corbett's grab bag of ideas for Pa. 02/06/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: Booze for books! Expanded lottery for geezers! You can't say Gov. Corbett doesn't think outside the Capitol dome.
What? You don't have an 87K airport patronage job? 02/03/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Folks, why are we slaving in industries that adjusted for the economy and downsized, slashed jobs, and reduced salaries and benefits? We could be working in city government, which appears to be doing none of those things.
Karen Heller: Traffic Court? Try 'Club' 02/01/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Sometimes, all it took to fix a parking ticket in this town was a little deodorizer and some shellfish. This was part of the Friends and Family Plan at Traffic Court, as revealed in the federal indictment of nine current and former judges charged with conspiracy and fraud. Also charged: the court fixer, the owner of Number One Translations, and a junk vendor/landlord of two "gentlemen's clubs."
Political bedfellows Greene and Street square off 01/30/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: John Street took a seat in the second row of a federal courtroom Tuesday. "It's a tragedy," he told me. "There are no winners here. The agency has taken a beating." The former mayor is right.
Philly: It may not be hip, but it's interesting 01/22/2013: By Karen Heller, Inquirer Columnist

Karen Heller: Many years ago, my sister moved to Portland, Ore., when it was merely a rainy city with low rents. It was not remotely hip. There were bars on many corners where old men drank their breakfast.