Joe Biden campaign caps day one in Philly; Bloomsburg president faces harassment accusations | Morning Newsletter
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Bloomsburg University’s president is facing sexual harassment claims brought against him by an employee at the school. A pattern of accusations seems to be following Bashar Hanna as he moves through Pennsylvania institutions, but he’s continuing to fight for his reputation. Former Vice President Joe Biden is ready to battle it out for the White House — again. He wasted no time going after President Trump on the campaign trail. A charter school’s proposed move into East Falls was hotly contested and it looks like parents opposed to it have scored a victory for now.
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— Ray Boyd (@RayBoydDigital, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
Bloomsburg University President Bashar Hanna arrived in the summer of 2017 with a mission to unify the staff. Accusations brought against him by his executive assistant quickly turned Hanna into a divisive figure just months into the job.
Before coming to Bloomsburg, Hanna had been quietly pushed out of two Pennsylvania universities after being accused of mistreating employees. His hiring at Bloomsburg baffled others within the 14-school state system.
Inquirer findings raise questions about the integrity of the presidential search process in the state system as Hanna continues to say his departure from other schools were about leadership disputes, not misconduct.
Thursday marked day one of Joe Biden’s third presidential bid. Biden entered the field with a video posted to social media — a far cry from the methods he used to launch his previous campaigns.
Biden also hopes to change things up by winning this time around. He’s viewed as the Democrats’ best bet to wrestle the White House from President Trump, but his front-runner status could mean very little if he fails to resonate with a rapidly changing Democratic Party.
He wrapped up his first day on the campaign trail at a stop in Philly for a fund-raiser hosted by Comcast executive David L. Cohen. There, Biden explained why he believes Trump has “shredded” America’s moral fabric.
Laboratory Charter School was poised to relocate to East Falls — a move Philly’s school district argued would help the school financially. That was until parents in the neighborhood voiced their opposition.
They were heard loud and clear. On Thursday night, the Philadelphia Board of Education voted to postpone the relocation decision while gathering more information on community impact.
Parents argued that they were never informed of the plans to move the school there and question the need for it while the public elementary school has available seats.
What you need to know today
A Philadelphia man is arguing for his freedom once again. Hassan Bennett is being tried for a 2006 murder for the fourth time. And for the second time, he’ll be acting as his own lawyer.
A University of Pennsylvania anesthesiologist has lived through unimaginable tragedy due to the grip the opioid crisis had on her sons. Now, she’s on a mission to save other families from the same pain.
The mother and daughter that prosecutors say killed five members of their family in Bucks County are set to appear in court next month. The motive in the case remains a mystery.
Two Philadelphia Council members introduced a bill Thursday that would end the city’s practice of raising additional revenue off of increasing property values while guarding against automatic tax increases for residents.
Comcast lost more than 100,000 cable subscribers in the first quarter. So how did the Philly cable giant still manage a significant rise in profits? It’s all thanks to a new wave of broadband customers.
Welcome to Philadelphia, Andre Dillard. The Eagles selected the offensive tackle out of Washington State in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday — a move that should have a major impact on Carson Wentz.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
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That’s Interesting
The first trailer for Chadwick Boseman’s Philly-filmed drama 21 Bridges is here. The only problem: Philly’s just standing in for some other city to the north.
For years, Adam Goldberg, the creator of ABC’s The Goldbergs, has apologized to his mom for the Mother’s Day he ruined 31 years ago. He’ll even use an upcoming episode of the Jenkintown-based show to prove how sorry he really is.
Speaking of gifts for mom: A local businessman is making a $1 million donation to Springfield Area Education Foundation for the naming rights to two areas at the new Springfield High School. And he’s doing it all to honor his mom and mother-in-law.
We all want to believe that the ads and online posts that athletes use when they leave a city are genuine, heartfelt goodbyes to a place they called home. But experts explain that they often have other motives.
The release date for Bruce Springsteen’s latest album, featuring current and former E Street Band members, has been announced. Despite his Jersey roots, Western Stars draws inspiration from Southern California.
Opinions
“American icons or not, William Penn and Benjamin Franklin must go. Consistency requires it. If Kate Smith became a nonperson for recording two songs 80 years ago perceived as racist today, and if Frank Rizzo is to be exiled because he is accused of racism, how can we tolerate men who actually owned human beings?" — Columnist Stu Bykofsky on America’s “moral crusade” against racism.
Critics are correct in calling out the massive race-based harm of the war on drugs. But their critiques of current opioid crisis intervention methods are misguided, write family therapist Aisha Mohammed and nurse practitioner Amna Shaikh.
It’s time for President Trump to realize that climate change is real and a major factor in the increase in migrants making their way to the U.S. border, writes columnist Will Bunch.
What we’re reading
There are roughly 57 million gig economy workers in the U.S. and there is a clear notion that many are taken advantage of by the company’s employing them. A New York lawmaker has come up with a proposed solution for “tip theft," Vox reports.
What’s a workout without DJs, water balloons, puppies and body paint? One Philly gym is incorporating all of these things into its upcoming series of top secret (sort of) workouts, Philadelphia Magazine reports.
Michael A. Fletcher, writing for The Undefeated, takes a deep dive into the controversy surrounding the Flyers distancing themselves from Kate Smith. While he agrees with their initial move, he explains why the Flyers and other teams should go even further.
The Atlantic offers a captivating look at how an indigenous people in New Zealand fought to maintain their spiritual connection to the Whanganui River — a fight that ultimately won the river personhood.
Philadelphia is planting seeds for its future in urban agriculture. PlanPhilly introduces us to the city’s first-ever farm czar.
A Daily Dose of | BYOB
Chef Richard Cusack (Joel Embiid’s private chef) and his wife and wine professional Christina Cusack have signed on to open their own eatery, June BYOB, which will soon replace Will BYOB on East Passyunk.