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đŸ„‚ Crowds for culinary camaraderie | Morning Newsletter

And today’s top stories

Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
    by Paola PĂ©rez
    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

Hello, Saturday.

Showers are likely again, and the Philadelphia region is under a flood watch through 8 a.m. On the bright side, the persistent drought may finally be on the run.

Today, we’re getting in line for one of Philly’s most exclusive restaurants.

But first, there’s news about Philly ditching the “sanctuary city” label in the face of possible funding cuts, Eagles stars at a controversial wealth seminar, and why Bartram’s Garden will look a little different this weekend.

— Paola PĂ©rez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

  1. Five current and former members of the Philadelphia Eagles will speak at a Christian financial seminar this weekend. It’s organized by a man whose companies have faced allegations of mismanagement, fraud or deceptive business practices, an Inquirer review has found.

  2. A man shot and killed his girlfriend’s ex after the two men got into a confrontation in North Philadelphia early Friday, police said.

  3. Philadelphia has formally dropped its “sanctuary city” label and is now a “welcoming city.” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s top attorney confirmed the shift as the Trump administration threatens funding cuts to the city.

  4. On this day 40 years ago, a rare and deadly tornado outbreak struck Pennsylvania. What’s in the forecast for tornadoes of the future?

  5. VietLead, Philly’s grassroots advocacy nonprofit for Southeast Asian Americans, is laying off 70% of its staff amid a major financial crisis.

  6. A Philly family is accusing their neighbors of taking aggressive steps to curtail their dog’s bathroom habits in an adjacent patio. The dispute now involves a defamation and harassment lawsuit.

  7. Sen. John Fetterman amped up his appearances across Pa. this week after being criticized for his lack of travel around the state.

  8. A new permanent booth at the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza will be staffed daily to greet visitors and also serve as a deterrent for antisemitic vandalism.

  9. Bartram’s Garden has welcomed new flora of sorts with Venus Flytrap, a dance performance series that interrogates the thorny legacy of the founder of the oldest surviving botanical garden in North America.

  10. Cooper University Hospital is one of the few hospitals in the region where emergency visits are getting shorter, thanks to a “Fast Track” program.

This week’s obsession

This month, the Palizzi Social Club opened its membership rolls for the first time since 2023. Since May 8, they have sold $20 memberships at the door every Thursday at 3 p.m. sharp. Naturally, “Palizzipalooza” ensued, as one commenter put it on Instagram. One Redditor claimed to have seen about 150 people at one point. Some camped early — like 6 a.m. early — to score their spot in line. But this week was the last chance, and the stakes were higher.

My colleague Mike Newall was there this Thursday when the century-old South Philly destination dished out the last annual memberships to 25 very lucky people. He spoke to some who waited overnight, traveling from as far as Washington, D.C., and Ocean City. Through it all, Palizzi hopefuls bonded. They endured the rain, traded spot-watching shifts, and made friends.

Palizzi’s popularity is intriguing. I can understand why some won’t buy into the exclusive hype. For me, learning about its roots has provided yet another chapter of Philadelphia history that I’m catching up on. Its foundation is all about building community, and it’s nice that even those who didn’t get a golden ticket this time still managed to do just that. (P.S. Start counting down: May 2027 is your next chance.)

Have you been to Palizzi? What did you think? Tell me about your experience.

One viewpoint

Next year, Philly will host major events like the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary.

In a column for The Inquirer, Manish Thakre says the city must leverage these events to build a world-class transit system to support this moment.

“To stay competitive and inclusive, the city must invest in an affordable, climate-friendly, and user-centered transit system that serves both residents and millions of expected visitors,” Thakre writes.

Get Thakre’s take on why public transit, rich in potential but increasingly weighed down by critical concerns, should not be overlooked.

🧠 Trivia time

The Asian Longhorned tick, now the second-most common tick in Pennsylvania, was first detected in what state?

A) New York

B) New Jersey

C) Ohio

D) Florida

Think you know? Check your answer.

đŸ§© Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Edge rusher

CUFF HERBY

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Michael Bloom who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Palizzi Social Club. You should know all about it by now.

We were there

The high-tech food hall Wonder opened its doors this week at Cherry Hill’s Garden State Park shopping center. Nearly a dozen locations are expected in the Philadelphia area. Go inside Wonder with reporter Denali Sagner and staff photographer Tom Gralish.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

Excited Roots Picnic festivalgoers are perusing set times here.

Calling all graduates of Germantown High School Class of 1975: Your 50-year reunion is happening this fall.

I can’t be the only one who is still rewatching this incredible Jeff Buckley cover by West Philly’s own Renzo on The Voice. My hot take? Renzo was robbed.

And I know Wawa is selling some closed stores, but did you hear Florida apparently now has more Wawas than Pennsylvania? Between chatter about whether Sunshine State hoagies or soft pretzels are any good (do they even sell soft pretzels?), this comment made my day: “Living in Florida and going to a Wawa just to yell ‘Go Birds!’ is a luxury I don’t take for granted.” As a former Floridian, I approve of this message.

đŸ‘‹đŸœ Let’s catch up on the news again tomorrow.

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