Bidens mark MLK Day by volunteering in South Philly | Morning Newsletter
And, Feds charge a Harrisburg woman accused of stealing Nancy Pelosi’s laptop.
The Morning Newsletter
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Good morning, Philadelphia. Here’s some of what you should be paying attention to.
First: Federal authorities charged a Harrisburg woman who told her ex she stole House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s laptop when storming the Capitol earlier this month.
Then: Delaware County has been fighting the coronavirus pandemic without a county health department. But there appear to be concrete steps being taken to put one in place by January 2022.
And: President-elect Joe Biden and future first lady Jill Biden visited Philadelphia yesterday, just days before Inauguration Day, to volunteer at Philabundance, a hunger-relief organization.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
President-elect Joe Biden was in Philadelphia yesterday to volunteer at Philabundance, visiting the city just two days before his inauguration. Biden took selfies with masked supporters in South Philadelphia before he and his wife, Jill, helped pack food for those in need.
The Bidens weren’t the only folks marking MLK Day in the Philly region. Our photographers were out showcasing the Philadelphians who turned out to volunteer during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
Delaware County has spent almost a year trying to deal with the coronavirus pandemic with the assistance of neighboring Chester County. Delco’s neighbors have stepped in to help because it doesn’t have a health department of its own. Now, though, county officials say that after taking concrete steps to form its own health department, Delaware County could have a health department up and running by January 2022. My colleague Vinny Vella has the story.
Federal authorities charged a Harrisburg woman who they think may have stolen Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s laptop during the insurrection at the Capitol. Riley June Williams, 22, told her former romantic partner she had intended to send Pelosi’s laptop to a friend in Russia, who would then help get it to the Russian equivalent of the CIA.
What you need to know today
President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
For Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, doctors and nurses volunteered at Girard College to administer coronavirus tests and give out PPE — while also working to combat racial injustice in health care.
Officials are defending a Pennsylvania prison policy of not always informing families about incarcerated people who are sickened or killed by the coronavirus, Spotlight PA reports.
Penn’s medical school is planning to give staff who don’t see patients the COVID-19 vaccine in what looks to be a violation of Philadelphia’s prioritization plans but aligns with a federal recommendation.
A man living at a campsite in Bucks County was arrested last week on charges of making online threats against President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and others.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
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That’s interesting
⚕️ Remember when Joe Biden had a broken foot in November? An unusual medical device invented by a Montgomery County company helped doctors track it.
🌲 Praveed “Abe” Abraham is the first full-time warden of color in the 115-year history of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He took an unlikely path to the outdoors, my colleague Jason Nark writes.
🎂 Today is the 90th anniversary of Camden’s beloved Bell Pharmacy. It’s one of the city’s oldest family-owned pharmacies and has developed a dependable reputation among Camden’s residents, especially for members of the LGBTQ community.
🚶♂️ What’s been keeping columnist and reporter Frank Fitzpatrick sane over the course of the pandemic? Daily walks that feature occasional surprises and comforting consistency.
Opinions
“For nearly a year, the prospect of a coronavirus vaccine has been the single ray of hope for those devastated by the pandemic’s destruction of lives, businesses, and livelihoods. Now that it’s here, the failure to deliver it to the majority of Americans quickly and efficiently has doubled down on this public health tragedy.” — writes The Inquirer Editorial Board about the nation’s slow COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
It’s important to call the Capitol attack “domestic terrorism,” writes Jeremy Backstrom, an assistant professor in Widener University’s department of political science and international relations.
The “incivility of these times,” writes Edward J. Sheehan, is highlighted by Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision to close the Pennsylvania Capitol this week. Sheehan is the president of the Pennsylvania Society and president and CEO of Concurrent Technologies Corporation.
What we’re reading
This request-only sushi plate at a Queen Village spot is $1,000. Billy Penn reveals what’s in it.
The Atlantic writes about the FBI’s surveillance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and connects it to continued paranoia around Black activism.
Could a post-pandemic boom make the 2020s look like the 1920s? Marker has the analysis.
Your Daily Dose of | The UpSide
Beyoncé gifted Philly entrepreneur Kimberly McGlonn with a grant to help deal with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. McGlonn’s company is called Grant Blvd and sources reclaimed fabrics for its up-cycled clothes. It manufactures its clothes in Philly and supports social and environmental-justice causes.