New coronavirus cases in Pa., N.J. lead to school closures; Trump’s promise to bring manufacturing jobs to Pa. did not pan out. Will that hurt? | Morning Newsletter
Plus, Biden and Sanders face off in more primaries today.
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
The coronavirus continued to affect the region yesterday as new cases were announced, events were canceled, and thousands of students and staff were told not to come to school today. Follow live coverage at Inquirer.com/Coronavirus.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
The coronavirus’ impact on the region grew Monday. New cases emerged. Dozens of area schools told tens of thousands of students and staff to stay home. Universities, businesses, and trade groups canceled events and classes.
As of this morning, Pennsylvania had 10 announced cases, with three new cases announced yesterday. Pennsylvania’s secretary of health said more cases are expected to be confirmed in the coming days. New Jersey identified five new patients yesterday, bringing its total to 11 and leading Gov. Phil Murphy to declare a state of emergency and a public health emergency.
More on the coronavirus:
What you should do if you think you might have the new coronavirus
Coronavirus sends CHOP-King of Prussia cardiologist to Philadelphia hospital
What Philadelphia workers should know about paid sick days
More colleges planning for online classes as virus spreads
As a public benefit, The Inquirer is offering free access to our digital coronavirus coverage. And, to get our reporting delivered to your inbox, you can also sign up for a new email newsletter.
When Donald Trump visited Erie in 2016, he blasted Democrats for ruining the region’s manufacturing sector. He pledged to reverse the decay. But now, more than three years into Trump’s presidency, Erie County has fewer manufacturing jobs than when Trump took office and the smallest number since 2010.
Trump’s inability to change the trajectory of manufacturing goes beyond Pennsylvania’s northwest corner. And the president’s ability to hold on to Pennsylvania, and states such as Michigan and Wisconsin, could depend on maintaining the support he got from blue-collar voters.
What you need to know today
Philadelphia City Council is asking lawmakers to consider legislation that could essentially doom supervised injection sites in Philly.
Demographically and politically, Michigan has a lot in common with Pennsylvania. And with Michigan (and other states) voting today, it could provide some clues about the Keystone State, which doesn’t vote until late April.
Future Temple students who would rely on the GI Bill could lose that funding because of the business school’s rankings scandal.
Atlantic County Democrats have thrown their support behind congressional candidate Amy Kennedy, potentially boosting her momentum in the nominating race to run against U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew.
A police officer who shot a 61-year-old man during a standoff in Doylestown Township last month was justified in firing his weapon and will not be charged, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s office.
Investors took a hit yesterday as financial markets and oil prices fell, raising fears that a recession might be on the way in the U.S.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
Kicking back in the sun is something I really missed over the winter. Thanks for the pic, @lauren.loves.philly.
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!
That’s interesting
🏒The Flyers will try to extend their winning streak to 10 games tonight against the NHL’s best team.
🥗Instagram creates “the perfect storm” for an obsession with healthy eating.
💰The weed industry spent millions to lobby New Jersey last year.
🏀Coach Pat Chambers has Penn State basketball playing its best hoops in a long time. A bloody night in Philly pushed him to State College.
🌿An Avalon woman has won her battle to keep her treasured vines on her Shore home.
Opinions
“What might have been acceptable in Kensington is a bridge too far in South Philly.” — writes Linda Kerns, a lawyer and co-founder of the site Broad + Liberty, about where plans for a supervised injection site go from here.
The Inquirer Editorial Board writes about the recent Supreme Court hearings about a Louisiana abortion law.
Jobert Abueva, a resident of New Hope, was a delegate for Pete Buttigieg. Now that Buttigieg is out of the race, Abueva writes about how he plans to remain politically engaged.
What we’re reading
After more than a decade of negotiations, Pennsylvania has bought more than 1,700 acres of land for preservation in Chester County, creating the biggest state park near Philly, WHYY reports.
The Guardian wrote about the life of a man who was homeless and built himself a life underground.
Your Daily Dose of | Micro Toys
Even as a kid growing up in Northeast Philly, Alan Dorfman was always interested in the latest toy fads, be it Silly Putty or yo-yos. And now, the Langhorne native gets to work on such toys as the Super Soaker or Etch a Sketch. Except that Dorfman’s versions are extremely small — such as Hot Wheels cars that can park on a postage stamp.