The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Wake up. It’s Super Bowl Sunday.
The clouds are a reminder of the wintry mess that just passed through, but we should see the sun at some point and feel high temps near 42.
For years, Philadelphia officials have tried to gaslight the city’s driving population on the issue of courtesy towing. Today’s main read dives into the city’s tactics to avoid addressing the problem, and why the jig might be up.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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For Philadelphians who have fallen victim to courtesy towing, the city deflecting blame for moving or misplacing people’s cars makes little sense. A federal judge isn’t having it, either.
🚗 Courtesy towing happens when legal parking spaces temporarily switch to no-parking zones.
🚗 After cars get moved, they rack up big fines and become virtually impossible to locate. Some vehicles never get found.
🚗 The city’s approach? Deny the problem exists. But if it did hypothetically exist, it’s not that bad. And if it was hypothetically bad, the city is not to blame, and maybe there are other culprits to consider, like thieves.
🚗 A federal judge isn’t buying the city’s defense of its case. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs say the dysfunctional program is unconstitutional.
Investigative reporter William Bender has the story on the city’s attempts to dismiss potential class-action lawsuits that would force them to confront the mess.
Fears of an immigration crackdown are draining the vitality from the Ninth Street Italian Market. Rumors of imminent raids have spooked customers and employees, hurting businesses and stilling the vibrancy of the mainstay.
There have been more reports — real and unfounded — about U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents spotted in the region following President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Trump has promised the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history, a move supported by many Americans.
Still, undocumented workers and customers are trying to remain resilient.
In their own words: “Our people are gone, forced into hiding. To see a place that’s usually full of life like this, it’s truly disheartening.”
Read on for what’s happening in Jeff Gammage and Michelle Myers' latest report.
What you should know today
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker presented City Council Thursday with an initial $40 million funding proposal to help pay for Philadelphia’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of America next year.
West Chester University is facing criticism over a school contractor that uses AI to deliver name announcements at graduation ceremonies and is being urged to reconsider the “impersonal” practice.
The Central Bucks school board approved the hiring of a law firm Thursday to investigate allegations of abuse of special education students at Jamison Elementary School.
A battle over who runs and who employs staff of three well-known Philadelphia-based charter schools is emerging, with potential consequences for the education of more than 2,000 students.
A federal judge ordered a temporary block Friday on Trump administration orders that would have placed thousands more workers of the U.S. Agency for International Development on leave, and would have given agency workers abroad just a 30-day deadline to return to the U.S.
New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea suggested that New Jersey should have its own Department of Government Efficiency, also known as “DOGE.” Business and political leaders weren’t happy.
After imposing a cell phone ban for students, the Cherry Hill school board has adopted a policy to require board members to put their devices away during meetings.
A recent Surgeon General’s report highlighted alcohol’s carcinogenic effects on the body. A Penn State professor explains the process.
❓Pop quiz
Philadelphia Eagles cheer captain Arielle Hunt is retiring (after one more performance tonight, of course).
What is the maximum number of years cheerleaders are allowed to cheer for the team?
A) 6
B) 8
C) 10
D) Trick question — there is no limit
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: The late renowned Philadelphia illustrator
ACORNS LEATHERS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Marta Rusek who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Questlove. The Roots drummer and music documentary filmmaker turned up the drama and talk of his Philly school days (and survived the spiciest wings) on Hot Ones.
Matthew Chialastri, who was raised an Eagles fan by his father, Phillip, lost his life in a naval aircraft crash months before the Birds won the Super Bowl in 2018. Columnist Mike Sielski highlights the biggest Eagles fan in Baton Rogue who paid the ultimate price.
And for some more Eagles-related coverage:
💚 We asked you who you’d pick for an all-star starting lineup made up of past Eagles Super Bowl teams, and you delivered. Here’s who made your dream team.
💚 Religious leaders have been using Eagles-themed songs and sermons in the lead-up to the big game. The Birds’ Super Bowl run is a chance to “unite people,” one imam explained.
💚 These international student-athletes came to Philly for an education. Now their Eagles fandom is “a way of life.”
💚 We asked fans to share their Eagles love story. Watch the video here.
💚 And we have your guide to road closures, parking restrictions, and SEPTA in Philly; where to find touchdown-worthy watch parties; and many more of our stories right here.
🎶 Today’s track goes like this: “Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine / Maybe in another life.”
Apparently one local radio station won’t play any Taylor Swift songs until all is said and done on the field.
All eyes will be on Kendrick Lamar and his musical guests (including SZA) tonight. And because they could prove lucky, our pop critic Dan DeLuca has a message for them: Don’t let us down.
👋🏽 Let’s finish this hunt. Go Birds.
