Clinic vaccinates more than 4,000 people over 24 hours | Morning Newsletter

Thousands of Philadelphians waited through the night, some for 10 hours or longer, to be vaccinated by the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium.

The group’s clinic was open for just 24 hours, Friday through the night until noon Saturday. By the time the pop-up clinic closed, more than 4,000 people had been vaccinated at the site.

And, this week, I chatted with reporter Valerie Russ, who covers Philly’s neighborhoods, on how she approaches her work and what she enjoys most about her job.

— Lauren Aguirre (@laurencaguirre, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Each week we go behind the scenes with one of our reporters or editors to discuss their work and the challenges they face along the way. This week we chat with reporter Valerie Russ, who writes about history, race and identity, social justice and Philly neighborhoods.

Can you describe your coverage area and what you generally look for in stories?

I have covered neighborhood issues in Philadelphia for years, starting at the Philadelphia Daily News before it merged with its sister paper, The Inquirer. I look for stories that tell the struggles of ordinary people who find themselves having to contend with people with more power, both economically and politically.

What does an “average” day look like for you? Is there such a thing?

Right now, with the pandemic, there isn’t an average day. I also have written about race and identity. And I’ve written obituaries of people who have died from COVID-19 and also obits of Philadelphians who died from other reasons.

What are a few stories you’ve worked on recently that you’re proud of?

One story I’ve written about recently was about people in the Packer Park neighborhood in South Philly, who are appealing to city zoning officials to deny a zoning request to allow the Parx Casino-owned off-track-betting and sports book business, the Turf Club, to operate inside what residents consider to be their family-friendly neighborhood sports bar, Chickie’s & Pete’s.

Another story, not that recent, but just before the 2020 election season kicked off, was about how some Black Americans were asking presidential candidates, especially current Vice President Kamala Harris, to support reparations for slavery and address the racial wealth gap between Black and white Americans. Now the topic of reparations is being discussed seriously. There was a congressional hearing on a bill, H.R. 40, to allow the establishment of a commission to study reparations last week.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I have found that I enjoy digging into the complexities of different issues. Another recent story, about concerns of traditional Catholic worshipers at both St. Charles Borromeo in South Philadelphia, and St. Michael’s in Olde Kensington, were both stories about religion and neighborhoods. Most traditional members at St. Charles are Black and most traditional Catholics at St. Michael’s are white and Latino, yet both traditional worshipers were in agreement that they did not like changes being made at their churches by a relatively new Catholic group within the church, the Neo-Catechumenal Way members.

The churches were remodeled without permission from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Neo-Catechumenal leaders were told to restore the church as much as possible. The traditional worshipers said pews were removed, the marble aisle at St. Michael’s was covered in red carpeting and the altar had been removed.

What’s something you wish more people understood about your job?

I wish people understood that reporters need time to research and understand the various aspects of a news story and that sometimes the news isn’t just reacting to what is happening, but discovering something new, below the surface.

What do you get up to in your free time? What do you do for fun?

I love to read and take walks. I sometimes do yoga at home. While I’ve played the piano for years, I haven’t felt like playing with so much uncertainty and death during the pandemic.

Email Valerie Russ at vruss@inquirer.com and follow her on Twitter at @ValerieRussDN.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout-out!

The coronavirus vaccines are safe, highly effective against the virus, and are our best tool for ending the pandemic. But while you wait your turn, you may have questions. First, now is the time to get excited, not nervous. Severe allergic reactions are exceedingly rare and side effects are also typically brief. If you have any concerns, call your doctor. Medical professionals want you to get the vaccine as soon as it’s available to you. Here’s how else you can prepare, along with what to expect during and after your vaccine appointment.

Do you love or hate the snow, and why? With all the snow coming down in Philly lately, we asked our Instagram followers for their snowy opinions. Many strong feelings (and emojis) were shared. Here are a few of their responses:

👍 “LOVE it! We live in a cold climate, so if it’s going to be cold anyway, it might as well snow 🤷‍♂️☃️”

👎 “THE WORST! I don’t want to shovel it, slip on ice, or be cold 🥶”

🌨️ “I’m originally from CA and three years into living in Philly I’m still enamored by the snow 😍”

🚫 “I moved here last year and thought this didn’t happen. I’m. Over. It.”

💖 “I love snow! It’s nature’s blanket! ☃️💕”

❄️ “I don’t understand how people live here in winter.”

It was a pretty even split between snow lovers and haters. If you want even more snow thoughts, check out this Pro/Con from our opinion team, where two weather enthusiasts discuss the good and the bad of snow.

And be sure to follow us on Instagram at @phillyinquirer so you can participate next time we ask a question!

Temple University’s oldest bar on campus, the Draught Horse, is closing today on its 20th anniversary. Its lease is expiring. But the memories will live on. The Draught Horse’s contents are up for sale in an online auction, including all of the fittings and trappings of a bar, from dishwashing equipment to neon signs and beer tap handles.