From years in foster care to tragedy | Morning Newsletter
And the fight for ‘Wawa Phil.’
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning. It’s set to be a chilly, sunny Sunday, with highs topping out around 50.
Flourtown’s favorite “roll” model was fired by Wawa after 21 years. The community has rallied to get him back.
But first, the disturbing death of Malayshia Allford has raised questions about the city’s and state’s efforts to keep children safe. Our main story traces how the paths of the 10-year-old girl and a Philadelphia teacher tragically collided.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Malayshia spent years in the child-welfare system before she entered into the care of Carprice Williams, a Philadelphia fifth-grade teacher with a disciplinary style that drew complaints from parents and students.
The girl was removed from her mother’s home in Philadelphia in 2020, when she was just 4 years old. Some of her relatives had not seen her since then.
Malayshia would be shuttled through at least three foster homes over the next six years, until she landed under Williams’ roof.
Williams, who had been a foster mother to at least four children dating back to 2019 or earlier, had two kids removed from her care over apparent abuse and neglect. A state review team recommended she “never be permitted to care for other foster children.”
On Nov. 5, Williams was charged with killing the 10-year-old girl and leaving her body in the trunk of a car.
Inquirer reporters Kristen Graham and Samantha Melamed detail the chronology of events that culminated in tragedy.
What you should know today
The aftermath of the ground stop of flights nationwide continued to plague Philadelphia travelers over the weekend. Federal authorities said U.S. air travel should be fully recovered by the end of Sunday.
Adult siblings who lived in a dilapidated South Jersey home were found dead under unusual circumstances. An investigation is ongoing.
A new Philadelphia ban on kratom and intoxicating hemp products was forced into limbo the day it was slated to go into effect.
A Montco school district must create an area for demonstrators and livestream school board meetings under a settlement reached through a lawsuit by the ACLU.
The Pan-American Health Organization will no longer consider measles “eliminated” in the United States, a public health achievement that the country maintained for nearly 30 years.
All eyes are on Democrats to restore Medicaid and SNAP as thousands of Philadelphians lose benefits under President Donald Trump’s cuts.
A $450 million film studio campus could bring movie and television productions to South Jersey, as well as jobs, apartments, a hotel, and restaurants.
The firing of “Wawa Phil” made no sense to customers of the Flourtown Wawa.
The beloved 45-year-old, whose real name is Philip Dougherty, had been a fixture of the store for over two decades. He was the guy who crafted their hoagies with care, knew the regulars by name, and greeted everyone with a smile. The company knew he was special, too, having included Phil in a video series celebrating its best workers.
The community is still pushing to see him behind the deli counter again, but Phil may have other plans for his future.
Abigail Covington has the story.
🎤 Here’s Tommy Rowan with a look back at how Philly celebrated the end of World War I.
Early-morning whistles, The Inquirer wrote, carried the news of victory to sleepers.
Business stopped while men, women, and children rejoiced with pomp and circumstance later seen at Super Bowl parades and papal visits.
It was Nov. 11, 1918, the day the world’s mightiest military powers signed the armistice that ended World War I.
From 3 a.m., when news of the deal hit the city, through midnight, the city “marched and sang and lifted up its souls and rejoiced,” The Inquirer reported.
❓Pop quiz
Looking at recent housing market trends, what is the typical age of a first-time homebuyer?
A) 34
B) 50
C) 23
D) 40
Think you know? Check your answer to test your real estate knowledge.
What we’re ...
🗳️ Analyzing: How Gov. Shapiro compares with other 2028 contenders.
🥩 Hungry for: BBQ beef shoulder at Dizengoff, the best thing Craig LaBan ate this week.
🎤 Moved by: R&B star Victoria Monét’s striking performance at the Met.
🦃 Highlighting: How Sixers Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown joined forces for Maxey’s annual holiday turkey giveaway.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Philadelphia’s House delegation in Harrisburg named this representative as its new chair.
BAX NEWMAN
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Tim L., who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Clemens Construction. One of Philadelphia’s largest general contractors, the company is going out of business. Real estate industry insiders call the closure a sign of the times.
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s song goes like this: “I put my name on the ceilin’ above / ‘Cause it was built for love.”
👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Laura Benshoff will bring you tomorrow’s news bright and early. Until then, take care.
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