The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning, Philly. Bundle up: Gusts as strong as 50 mph are expected today, and a hard freeze is possible next week.
Former Rothman Orthopaedics CEO Mike West didn’t want to burden his family with his early-onset Alzheimer’s. He quietly planned his suicide. Now, his widow is determined to help others face the disease.
And this week’s election results showed renewed momentum for Democrats after a bruising year. But they are also likely to revive long-standing debates on how the party should present itself going forward. Read on for takeaways and analysis of voter sentiment.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Michael West knew what to expect from his early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He had seen the same disease progress rapidly in his mother, who began to lose her ability to speak or swallow soon after being diagnosed in her 50s.
West, a former Philadelphia businessman credited with helping to build one of the nation’s largest orthopedic practices, didn’t want his family to be burdened with his care or to watch him decline. Instead, he secretly planned to die.
Since her husband’s suicide at 64, Lynn West has been left navigating a complicated grief. She asks herself if she could have done anything more to help Mike, and is channeling her energy into helping Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones get the support they need. She hopes to normalize end-of-life conversations to keep other families from being “blindsided,” as hers was.
Further reading: An Alzheimer’s diagnosis can take months, but that’s just the beginning. Here are resources to help families.
The Democrats who scored big wins in Tuesday’s elections came from across the political spectrum and succeeded in disparate campaign environments.
🔹 Both Mikie Sherrill, a New Jersey centrist, and Zohran Mamdani, a New York City progressive, won their respective high-profile races, for instance.
🔹 What can the party learn from the results as it approaches the 2026 midterms and ongoing battles with President Donald Trump’s administration?
🔹 There were other learning moments from this week’s outcomes, too, including the apparent reversal of Trump’s gains with Latino voters in both New Jersey and Philadelphia, and Republicans’ own need to consider their party’s path forward when Trump isn’t on the ballot.
The Inquirer’s politics reporters explain the big takeaways from the general election.
Plus: Voters came out in record numbers on what is usually a sleepy off-year Election Day. National issues were what drove them to the polls.
More notable results: Democrat Erica Deuso will be Pennsylvania’s first openly transgender mayor after winning Downingtown’s contest. Democrat Joi Washington will become the first woman and person of color to serve as Media’s mayor. And suburban school board races had their own blue wave.
What you should know today
The federal government shutdown is officially the longest ever, with no immediate end in sight. In the meantime, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration has demanded that full food assistance payments arrive for Pennsylvanians faster.
After his landslide reelection win, Philly District Attorney Larry Krasner sidestepped policy details, swiped at Trump — and ignored his opponent. Challenger Patrick Dugan, meanwhile, lashed out at Krasner in his concession speech, calling him “despicable, uncaring, heartless.”
All of Philadelphia’s judges were reelected to the bench, including those not recommended by the city’s bar association.
Bucks County voters rejected a partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as Democrats swept two law enforcement races and ousted two GOP incumbents. Sheriff-elect Danny Ceisler says he’ll act quickly to end the controversial ICE alliance.
New Jersey prosecutors on Wednesday asked a state appellate court to revive a criminal racketeering case against Democratic power broker George E. Norcross III.
Fifteen months after an SUV assigned to a top deputy in the sheriff’s office blew a red light in West Philly and caused a four-car wreck, promises of accountability have not yet been fulfilled.
After a tough year, SEPTA and its largest union are negotiating a new contract — again. TWU Local 234 wants a two-year contract, wage increases, and the promised bullet-resistant bus cockpits.
North Broad Street’s historic Logan Theatre is set to undergo a $10 million renovation to become the Cicely Tyson Performing Arts Center.
A Lower Merion synagogue invited an Overbrook church to use its space for worship after a fire. What began as a logistical favor became a lasting cycle of interfaith support.
Quote of the day
James Horn sought a new start after serving time in prison. The South Jersey resident enrolled in Hopeworks, a job-training program that helps at-risk young adults turn their lives around. Now, he’s landed a job with the Camden nonprofit, helping young people who struggle with the same issues he did.
🧠 Trivia time
An auto-body repair shop and an artist partnered to rebuild Pierre Robert’s beloved 1970s vehicle, Minerva, in 2013, and now hope it can serve as a tribute to the late WMMR host. What type of car is Minerva?
A) Volkswagen RV
B) Land Rover Defender
C) Jeep Cherokee
D) Hummer EV
Think you know? Check your answer.
What (and whom) we’re …
🍴 Glad to see: Google has removed fake one-star ratings from Philly restaurants’ pages.
🎤 Welcoming back: Former 6abc sports anchor Jeff Skversky, now joining Fox 29.
🦞 Trying to buy: The popular Oar House Pub in Sea Isle City, up for sale for $7 million.
📽️ Anticipating: Three film festivals coming to the area this fall.
🗳️ Considering: How democratic socialists like Mamdani are working in this region.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Part of Center City
STATE MAKER
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Tom Pawlowski, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Voorhees. The former Echelon Mall in the South Jersey township is set to get townhomes, retail, and more in a long-awaited redevelopment.
Photo of the day
Hang in there! The weekend will be here soon enough. Till then, be well.
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