A rocky rise to Philly’s second-in-command | Morning Newsletter
And Chris Christie’s gamble.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Welcome to September, Philly. Expect an August-like high of around 90, with an outside shot at showers.
Today, we have an in-depth profile of the man holding one of Philly’s most important unelected roles, and the trials he overcame to get there.
And, we ask New Jersey’s godfather of sports betting, former Governor Chris Christie, about his take on that industry today.
Plus, 6abc chief meteorologist Cecily Tynan’s last broadcast, and more news of the day.
— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Over a decade ago, Carlton William became the face of a tragedy that could have ended his career.
As the commissioner of Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections, he bore scrutiny for L&I’s role in the deadly 2013 Market Street building collapse. Then-mayoral candidate Jim Kenney called for Williams to be fired.
Today, Williams remembers that tragedy as “one of the saddest moments” of his time in government. “You have to lead through some tough challenges when you’re a leader,” he said in an interview with The Inquirer. “You don’t get to pick and choose when you lead.”
Williams not only kept his job, he’s now Philadelphia’s managing director, the most powerful city administrator after Mayor Cherelle Parker. His durability, some say, is a testament to the relationships he’s built since then, including with Mayor Parker.
In 2012, then-New Jersey governor Chris Christie signed a bill legalizing sports betting in the Garden State. In doing so, he defied federal law and set off a veritable jackpot of lawsuits.
At the time, Christie was trying to “differentiate Atlantic City, and give the casinos something new and different to offer,” he said in a recent interview with The Inquirer.
Eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with Christie’s logic, overturning the federal law barring sports gambling. It’s since evolved into a 24/7, online prediction betting industry where bets can be placed not only on sporting events but on random occurrences.
“I don’t think I could ever have anticipated that it would be in everybody’s pocket. That’s a little bit disturbing to me,” said Christie, who now works as a strategic adviser to the American Gaming Association.
Read the full interview with Inquirer investigative reporter David Gambacorta.
What you should know today
Pennsylvania Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman came out in support of President Donald Trump’s pro-data center position, “Let Data Reign,” in a post on X.
William Dunbar, a key adviser in Mayor Cherelle Parker’s 2023 campaign, has pleaded guilty to tax evasion.
Two measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania last week were omitted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s measles outbreak update, continuing an increasingly political clash over the nature of the deaths.
Live hospital schedules and cell phone numbers for thousands of medical workers in Philly and beyond were made erroneously available by an online workforce scheduling tool.
A $300 million-plus, 525-foot-long ship built at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard will be sailing for the U.S. Navy, likely supporting U.S. forces in the Middle East.
A man has been extradited from Honduras to Philadelphia to face charges in a murder case that rocked Hunting Park in 2000.
The 52 Philly public schools that still lack air-conditioning will dismiss classes early today due to the expected heat.
After more than three decades on the air, 6abc chief meteorologist Cecily Tynan offered her final weather report on Action News Monday night, The Inquirer’s Rob Tornoe reports.
🧠 Trivia time
When the Eagles announced their active roster on Sunday, how many quarterbacks made the cut?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🥒 Tasting. Philly’s no stranger to breweries and distilleries offering tours and tastings, but soon it will have its very first “brinery” for pickles, food writer Mike Klein reports.
🎧 Listening to. Pearl Jam is releasing a new vinyl LP of a 2016 Philly concert where the band gave an impromptu performance of their entire debut album Ten, per music critic Dan DeLuca.
🏠 Squeezing into. While the trend in other cities may be for more commodious abodes, Philly’s new apartments are shrinking, real estate reporter Michaelle Bond reports.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: ________ ____ Brewing recently opened in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
CLEF DAWN JERK
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Kierston Koory who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Dominic Sessa. Before portraying Bourdain in the A24 biopic “Tony,” South Jerseyite Sessa used his paychecks from Cathy’s 14th Street Bakery in Ocean City to buy booze. It was the perfect research.
Thanks for reading 👋
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