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đŸ“±How apps changed Philly’s dating scene | Morning Newsletter

And the curious case of the Amazon plant.

    by Taylor Allen
    Published 

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

It’ll be sunny with the perfect weather for a light jacket. Temps will hit the low 70s ☀

It’s starting to get cooler weather and October is right around the corner. We’re entering the prime time of year to think about settling down. Our lead story is a treat. It’s about the joy (and pitfalls) that come with the rise of dating apps over the past decade.

  1. 📧 If you’re feeling bold and have a fun (or messy) Tinder story, email us for a chance to end up in the newsletter.

We have a lot to cover. Let’s dive in.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

A decade of swiping right for love

Tinder came on the scene in 2012 and the dating world hasn’t been the same.

It is indisputable that dating apps transformed the world of online dating. Tinder is the easy one to name but there are now other giants like Bumble, Hinge, and Grindr.

  1. Instead of searching for love via paid memberships to Match or eHarmony or navigating the web-based OKCupid, singles can log onto a free app and swipe anytime, anywhere, narrowing their search options by age and location.

Fun fact: 1 in 10 Bumble profiles in Philadelphia included the word “Eagles” as of August.

The bad news: Opting for apps increased in popularity, but so did feelings of disillusionment. The endless swiping and streaks of lukewarm dates can leave some singles “burned out” and miserable.

  1. A survey of 500 daters found that nearly 80% of the 18 to 54-year-old said they were emotionally burned out or fatigued on dating apps.

The good news: You can absolutely find love on these apps.

Reporter Erin McCarthy proves it is possible with several Philly love connections that started with a swipe (and some tips from those who found love).

The curious case of the Amazon plant in Southwest Philadelphia

The new Amazon facility in the heart of Southwest Philadelphia hasn’t opened yet despite a year passing since the major construction was completed.

  1. The 300 to 500 jobs, starting at $15 an hour, that were promised to the neighborhood that needs them have yet to materialize.

No one really knows what’s up (or they’re not sharing).

  1. An Amazon spokesperson told The Inquirer there is “no exact timeline yet.”

Necessary context: The Amazon plant displaced a SEPTA plan. The change upset supporters who had hoped the transit agency would buy the site for a bargain $5.7 million and build its trolley barn there. It then had to find higher-priced ground elsewhere.

  1. Fast forward to today, and SEPTA is negotiating the purchase of a former steel fabricating plant at 5100 Grays Ave. near Bartram’s Garden in Southwest Philadelphia. It’s valued at $21.8 million (not exactly a bargain compared to what could’ve been).

Reporter Joseph DiStefano breaks down how we got here (and a politician’s regret).

What you should know today

  1. A Delaware County judge denied a motion to toss manslaughter charges against police officers who killed Fanta Bility.

  2. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development agreed to allow the residents of University City Townhomes until the end of year to find new homes. It was previously set to expire next week.

  3. Jim Florio, the former New Jersey governor and the author of the landmark Superfund legislation, died at 85.

  4. Local coronavirus numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.

Workers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art are on strike

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has never experienced this magnitude of a staff walkout.

  1. More than half of the roughly 350 workers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art went on strike Monday, throwing up picket lines at multiple entrances of the main building.

Meanwhile, officials said the museum is open and running on its normal schedule (9 a.m.- 5 p.m.), staffed my managers and nonunion employees.

Necessary context: Leaders of the union called for a strike Friday, noting they’ve bargained with the museum for their first contract since October 2020 without success. The workers voters to unionize in July of that year.

  1. Union leaders and museum management met for about 14 hours between Thursday and Friday. The big hangups centered around pay and health-care benefits.

Reporter Stephan Salisbury has you covered for what’s next for the fight for better working conditions.

What we’re ...

📰 Reading: This opinion piece about how college rankings are just hype. (I wish my teenage self could have read this)

🎧 Listening: To Rihanna’s last album, Anti, in light of the news that she’ll be performing for the Super Bowl halftime show.

👀 Watching: For more Senate endorsements after Philly’s police union chose to support Mehmet Oz.

đŸ§© Unscramble the Anagram đŸ§©

Hint: A new South Philly distillery

DILLONGIST TITO

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shout-out goes to Cathy Liebars, who correctly guessed Glassboro State College as Monday’s answer.

Photo of the Day

And that’s all I have today. I’m celebrating the new fall season with a cup of hot apple cider this morning 🍎. See you tomorrow.