COVID-19 has changed the economy. No one knows how much. | Morning Newsletter

Peaceful protests and demonstrations against racism and police brutality continued in Philadelphia this weekend, but there were also scuffles between those standing near a statue of Christopher Columbus to protest “hate crimes against Italians” or violence against police and counter-protesters. Also, even as regions are beginning to ease coronavirus-related restrictions, economists can’t predict how the economy will react. They do agree, though, that a shift is happening.

— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Starting Saturday, a group with some carrying baseball bats and metal poles gathered near the Christopher Columbus statue in South Philly. They said they were standing guard at the statue as a result of recent protests. Columbus statues were removed in Camden; Richmond, Va.; and St. Paul, Minn., and there has been growing resistance to Columbus over the last several decades. By late yesterday afternoon, scuffles had broken out with counter-protesters.

In a tweet, Mayor Kenney wrote that those “protecting” the statue in Marconi Plaza were engaging in “vigilantism,” adding that “these individuals only bring more danger to themselves and the city.”

Experts say that an economic shift is underway. But no one knows where that shift will end up. There are so many factors, from health concerns (a vaccine or a second wave of the virus) to consumer matters (the continuation of remote work or sustained decreases in spending).

And, from a labor perspective, some companies are hiring, but a recent report estimates that businesses are hiring only three new workers for every 10 layoffs. The Congressional Budget Office said last week that it could take almost a decade for the U.S. economy to fully recover from the pandemic.

In Fredericksburg, Pa., chicken is king. The region’s largest private employer is Bell & Evans, whose two sprawling factories supply pricey organic breasts and thighs to Whole Foods and other grocery stores. The company has expanded aggressively, employing 1,800 largely Latino laborers, a workforce bigger than the Fredericksburg’s mostly white population.

But the sense of security that once came with a job at Bell & Evans is evaporating as the coronavirus has swept through the region. Many now view the company as the source of infection that has killed at least three people already and has sickened many others.

Also, Bell & Evans’ chicken has unsafe levels of salmonella, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sorry for going with back-to-back sunrise photos. But @cgregory422′s beautiful morning shot was just too good to pass up.

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!

“It’s too little, too late. And more important, if this truly is a tipping point for real change, it won’t come under the same leadership.” — writes columnist Helen Ubiñas in a piece calling for new and better leadership in Philadelphia.

With the loosening restrictions on outdoor dining at restaurants in Philly, food writer Jenn Ladd offered 10 places to eat and drink outside. In New Jersey, outdoor dining is allowed starting today, and nonessential retail and day-care centers are able to open.