🎥 The inside story of the Phillie Phanatic | Morning Newsletter
And Shapiro’s new 2028 signal.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Happy Friday, Philly. Break out your sweaters but don’t put away the short sleeves just yet. We’re sliding from warm, possibly drizzly conditions today to a potential first frost later this weekend.
Today, we’re going to cover what Jalen Hurts’ recovery time for a superficial blood clot could look like.
And, we’ll get into new reporting on the strongest signal yet that Gov. Josh Shapiro is eyeing a presidential run, along with other top stories.
But first, I want to start with a bit of joy this Friday morning by raising the curtain on everyone’s favorite flightless bird from the Galapagos.
— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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When they were kids in Montgomery County, brothers Hoag and Tyler Kepner wrote a baseball newsletter together.
Hoag drew the covers. Tyler wrote them. And they were Phillie Phanatic superfans.
“He was magic, man,” said the now-46-year-old Hoag, comparing the mascot to Santa Claus.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and the brothers are now a filmmaker and sports journalist, respectively. This week, their documentary Big Phan debuts at the Philadelphia Film Festival. It’s the first to go inside the inner workings of the iconic mascot, and how the Phanatic went from a local figure to a national phenomenon.
In reading about how the brothers pitched the film, and the access they got when making it, I found myself smiling along with their sheer, childish glee.
Inquirer sports reporter Matt Breen has the full story.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is running for statewide reelection this year, but this week took a step that pushes him into a national political conversation.
Widely rumored to be eyeing a presidential run in 2028, Shapiro created a federal political action committee, New Path PAC.
That will allow Shapiro, who has amassed a considerable war chest, to fundraise and contribute directly to the four Democratic candidates he’s supporting in Pennsylvania. Those races are seen as key for Democrats’ hopes of flipping the U.S. House.
It’s also a part of a well-established pattern that presidential hopefuls take in the lead-up to announcing their candidacies. Other steps Shapiro has already taken include publishing a memoir and appearing on national TV programs.
Inquirer political reporter Gillian McGoldrick has the scoop.
What you should know today
Superficial blood clots, like the one forcing Eagles QB Jalen Hurts to sit out Sunday’s game, can clear up in a few weeks or spread and cause more serious health issues.
City Council President Kenyatta Johnson criticizes finger-pointing by DA Larry Krasner after a police officer’s slaying this past weekend.
Affordable Care Act insurance plans in New Jersey will see premium costs rise by nearly 20% next year.
Comcast and Pennsylvania billionaire investor Jeffrey Yass each donated millions of dollars to President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project, per a national report.
Philadelphia City Council wants to dramatically restrict where new stores that sell tobacco or vaping products can be located with new zoning legislation introduced on Thursday.
Marsha’s, Philadelphia’s first women’s sports bar, has announced its closure after only a year of operation, following criticism on social media posted by a former employee and bartender.
Next year’s Pennsylvania Flower Show theme is “Iconic,” in celebration of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s 200th anniversary.
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday, where we feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.
This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer from last year by reporter Michelle Myers. A reader asked: What’s with all the Temple University ‘T’ flags in Philly, often far from the main campus?
Myers dug in and found out there are a few reasons. For one, Temple has many offshoots, satellite campuses, and health centers.
Read on for the full explanation.
Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.
🧠 Trivia time
Which ride at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, N.J., is temporarily closed?
A) Nitro
B) Jersey Devil
C) BATMAN
D) El Toro
Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.
What we’re …
❄️ Forecasting. Experts can’t agree on whether snow is likely this winter, but they are confident the weather will be strange due to El Niño, writes atmosphere reporter Anthony Wood.
🍿 Watching. A new Ava DuVernay documentary and a drama starring Pedro Pascal are among The Inquirer’s picks at the 35th annual Philadelphia Film Festival.
✏️ Laughing at. As Abbott Elementary returns for a sixth season, there will be some fresh faces roaming the fictional school halls, writes The Inquirer’s Henry Savage.
🎃 Frightfully excited for. It’s spooky bar season, which means you can sip a Violet Invader at an Area 51-themed popup in Manayunk or mini golf with Frankenstein on Girard Avenue.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.
MOLDING NATTY
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Kristen Seitz, who correctly solved Thursday’s anagram: Black sesame. One of the oldest cultivated crops in human history, this classic Asian ingredient is trending on dessert menus in Philly along with matcha and ube.
A reminder that top athletes can be truly superhuman.
👋 Thanks for spending some of your week with The Inquirer. The intrepid Paola Pérez will be your guide this weekend.
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