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Rethinking Philly’s historical district | Morning Newsletter

🍗 And a Wing Bowl documentary.

Rendering shows possible enhancements, such as a new sign and pedestrian and bicycle crossings at Christ Church Burial Ground.
Rendering shows possible enhancements, such as a new sign and pedestrian and bicycle crossings at Christ Church Burial Ground.Read moreFrancis Cauffman Architects / Historical Philadelphia Vision Framework

    The Morning Newsletter

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

Morning, Philly. If you missed last night’s supermoon and partial eclipse, feel heartened that you could get another chance to embrace astronomical wonder soon via the northern lights.

A $100 million reimagining of Philly’s historical district would make more room for bikes and pedestrians — and less for cars. We have the details on the pitch for new plazas, green spaces, and pop-up markets all linked to Independence National Historical Park.

And six years after the final Wing Bowl, two documentarians want to tell the story of Philly’s most infamous eating competition.

Here’s what to know today.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Philly is poised to get the “wayfinding” treatment akin to Boston’s Freedom Trail.

🔔 A group of local cultural orgs have a pitch to make it easier to navigate between downtown historical sites, especially by foot and bike.

🔔 Their proposal aims to better connect six locations. That includes a new Tamanend Square Plaza at Second and Market, Dock Street Plaza envisioned as a gateway to Old City and Independence National Historical Park, and Franklin Square, where a long-closed PATCO station is set to reopen.

🔔 The full plan would cost $100 million and require government buy-in. But those behind it are confident that can happen — and that some of the projects could even be finished in time for Philadelphia’s spotlight year, 2026, when the city will host events for the U.S. semiquincentennial.

Reporter Frank Kummer has exclusive details, and renderings, of the proposal for a more cohesive historical district.

What you should know today

  1. At a National Association of Black Journalists event at WHYY Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris discussed guns, Gaza, and “working to earn” the votes of Black men. She also spoke to students at a voter registration event at the Community College of Philadelphia.

  2. Former President Donald Trump will visit the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown Sunday.

  3. After slow delivery of mail ballots during April’s primary, Montgomery County is one of the first counties in Pennsylvania to print and mail ballots for November’s general election.

  4. A 61-year-old man was found dead in his Philly jail cell after the unit was left unsupervised overnight, and one week after 31-year-old woman died in custody, raising questions about short-staffing.

  5. Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway announced Tuesday he would step down in June after several turbulent years on the job.

  6. Discussion over a Lower Merion School District policy edit has ignited into a heated debate over racism, antisemitism, and the intent of DEI.

  7. In Gloucester County, Richwood residents are blaming the town’s leaders for enabling a 10-warehouse proposal “none of us want.” And in Holmesburg, a huge new warehouse is planned next to the former prison.

  8. Phillies fans can now register online for the chance to buy playoff tickets.

The Wing Bowl is getting the documentary treatment, six years after competitors slurped their last chicken bone at the Wells Fargo Center.

🍗 Cofounded by then-WIP host Angelo Cataldi, Philly’s most gluttonous party was a pre-Super-Bowl tradition for more than two decades before it ended amid mounting criticism.

🍗 Now, a forthcoming documentary narrated by Cataldi will chronicle the origins of the event and its debaucherous evolution.

🍗 “It took everyday guys who were driving trucks and working hard for a living and put them in the middle of an arena where they got applause and attention,” the radio legend told The Inquirer. “They got to sample what it was like for them to be sports stars, and that’s a great thing for so many people. And we forgot that because of how it ended.”

Arts and culture reporter Earl Hopkins has the story on No One Died: The Wing Bowl Story.

🧠 Trivia time

The progeny of which baseball legend will be the third generation to play in Philadelphia when he joins La Salle University’s team in 2025?

A) Pete Rose

B) Mike Schmidt

C) Ryan Howard

D) Richie Ashburn

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re...

🐾 Reading: West Philly-born rapper Eve’s new memoir.

🎥 Watching: The new Max doc on the Jersey-tastic making of The Sopranos.

🪻 Ogling: These gorgeous container gardens in Fairmount.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

The area of suburban Philadelphia named for a railroad

LEAN MINI

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Mary Saladna, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Gillian’s Wonderland Pier. If you have unused tickets to the summertime staple, which is closing after this season, send them to the South Jersey teacher who is donating them to local kids.

Photo of the day

☁️ One last dreamy thing: “Seated Little Cloud,” on view through September, greets visits to the South Philly complex with an air of tranquility. Its placement is a part of Navy Yard’s annual public art installation, which is curated by Philly collective Group X.

Back at it tomorrow. In the meantime, have a great Wednesday.

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