The stories you haven’t heard about Jill Biden | Morning Newsletter
And crowd restrictions clear Eagles fans for this weekend’s game
The Morning Newsletter
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The setting for our profile of Jill Biden is the Betsy Ross House, where you’ll find the words “Little Rebel” inside a black heart. That’s only appropriate, considering that rebel is a word Jill can relate to.
The former second lady, or, as she put it, “Captain of the Vice Squad,” grew up in South Jersey and later Montgomery County, and she recently spent time with political reporter Julia Terruso to discuss the opportunities and tragedy that brought her to this pivotal moment.
Plus, looser crowd restrictions in Philly have given thousands of Eagles fans the green light to attend the game this weekend at Lincoln Financial Field, and there’s both returning and closing news happening with area schools.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
For proof of just how far Jill Biden will go to make a point, look no further than her childhood. When she was growing up in the Philadelphia area her hijinks included — but were in no way limited to — punching the bully who tormented her little sister, surprising her teacher with a pumpkin prank gift, and cutting school to get hoagies. “Innocent things,” she says of her past in my colleague’s intimate profile of her, which tracks her path from playful Philly kid to potential FLOTUS.
The city is relaxing coronavirus restrictions in a move that will clear thousands of Eagles fans to return to Lincoln Financial Field for Sunday’s game. Those venturing to the game can expect mandatory mask-wearing rules and tape blocking off seats to keep social distancing in effect. Effective Friday, the changes also raise the limit on indoor gatherings to up to 250 people. Our story runs down all the rules for different kinds of venues.
In other coronavirus news, three local high schools have temporarily closed due to positive cases. Delran High School, Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School in South Philadelphia, and Council Rock High School North in Newtown Township have halted in-person instruction for now. Remote learning will proceed as some schools pursue contact tracing efforts.
What you need to know today
The homeless encampment on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be “amicably” closed down “by the end of the week,” city officials announced Tuesday evening. Under terms of the agreement, the city and the Philadelphia Housing Authority will transfer a total of 50 properties to a land trust established by the encampment residents.
The Philadelphia School District will begin in-person learning for some students with a Nov. 30 phased-in approach and an option for families to stay all virtual if they’d like.
The eCommerce giant Radial will hire 2,000 part-timers to staff their warehouse fulfillment centers in Easton, Pa., and in Burlington for the holiday shopping season.
Four men charged in the death of a Philadelphia police officer made their court appearances seven months after the fatal shooting.
President Trump swung through Pennsylvania last night for a rally in Johnstown with just 21 days to go before the election.
Experts discuss whether pricey new drugs with “monoclonal antibodies” could make a difference in the fight against the pandemic.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
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That’s interesting
🚗 New drivers are giving public transportation the slip for hot new (and old) rides in the social distancing era.
🧼 Problem: excessive waste from the disposable PPE health-care workers wear. Solution: comfortable, affordable PPE gowns that people can reuse safely with a little help from an app.
🏠 This couple renovated their treasure trove of a South Jersey Victorian home and got a “PhD in toilets” in the process.
💦 Dentists around the country say pandemic-related stress is making people grind their teeth more than before.
🎬 On our Zoom with Liam Neeson, he talked about fueling the anger he felt about his working mother’s layoff for his new action movie, Honest Thief.
Opinions
“Given the central importance of judicial independence to our constitutional system, impeachment is never a legitimate response to unhappiness with a judicial decision.” Write Robert L. Byer, a lawyer at Duane Morris, and Charles Becker, a lawyer at Kline & Specter, proposing that the effort by some lawmakers to impeach Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice David Wecht is an attack on the principle of judicial independence.
Helen Ubiñas writes that the Trump administration’s critical race theory ban cheats us of important learning opportunities.
Trudy Rubin writes that we have to come together to address the complexities of the nation in order to have a clear foreign policy.
What we’re reading
Some people who eagerly applied to be poll workers are still frustrated they haven’t heard back, the Philadelphia Tribune reports.
Winter is coming and restaurants are trying to prep with bubbles, greenhouses and tequila-spiked hot chocolate. Get a look inside their weatherproofing efforts with Eater Philadelphia.
Newsweek introduces us to a chef who trained in Michelin-star kitchens before getting big on TikTok by making churros, hash browns and fries.
Your Daily Dose of | Inspiration
It’s about time more people got to know why Rena Graves always draws a crowd for her birthday. The retired deaconess, known for snappy dressing and snappier one-liners, marked her 100th birthday with well-wishers from the St. Martin in the Field Episcopal Church, where she collected plenty of admiration and compliments on her hats. Described as a “fireball,” the hero of a woman likes “pomp and ceremony.” As to be expected, the party had both.