Of bribery and belly fat | Morning Newsletter

Showers are scheduled to continue today, with temperatures in the 50s, a near carbon copy of yesterday. With that said, how are your hands and knees holding up?

The prosecution rested in the bribery trial of City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson. Today we look at what his defense has in store, after a failed motion for acquittal.

Also, our resident wellness expert Ashley Blake Greenblatt tells you how to approach losing stubborn belly fat.

Fact: Did you know that parking in Philly is almost fully virtual, as the PPA’s MeterUp app handles about 70% of all transactions? More than a million drivers have signed up.

Let’s get into Thursday. 👇🏾

— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

The prosecution rested its case Wednesday in Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson’s bribery trial, and the jury will begin hearing witnesses for the defense.

But first: Lawyers for Johnson and his wife, Dawn Chavous, filed a motion for acquittal, arguing that the government had not thoroughly proven its allegations that Johnson acted on Universal Companies’ behalf in exchange for $67,000 in consulting contracts for Chavous. Defense lawyers reiterated points that have come up throughout the trial, that Johnson’s actions aligned with the desires of both Universal and his constituents.

Ultimately: U.S. District Judge Gerald A. McHugh shot down the motion. He said the government had proven enough to advance the case to the jury.

What happens next: With the ruling, the defense now holds the floor. Lawyers for Johnson, Chavous, and the former Universal executives are expected to introduce a raft of witnesses in the coming days, and their testimony is expected to carry the trial into its fourth week.

Our reporters Oona Goodin-Smith, Max Marin, and Jeremy Roebuck deliver more of what transpired as the prosecution closed – and a look at what’s next.

The other day, our newsletter strategist Ashley Hoffman revealed that articles from our pair of wellness experts have been well-received by you, our readers. So I’d be doing you a disservice by not putting this latest wellness tip and tutorial from our other Ashley, personal trainer Ashley Blake Greenblatt, front and center.

Just in time for the warmer weather, she delivers a series of exercises to help you start chipping away at stubborn abdominal fat. Although she warns that we can’t spot-reduce, this routine will help lower overall body fat and get you on your way. She also explains how nutrition plays a role.

If you try any from her latest, might I suggest the side plank dip, as depicted in the image above. 👆🏽

💪 Rotate onto your right side, propping your weight on your forearm and feet.

💪 Elevate the left arm in the air and hold it there while you dip the hips down toward the floor and push through the core muscles to lift back to the starting stance. Repeat 10 times, then practice on the opposite side.

Ashley’s got more exercises to consider for a well-rounded approach to your fitness.

In 1982, the Painted Bride Art Center bought its Old City location for $325,000, according to records. This week, the center was sold to a developer looking to create a residential-mixed structure in its place. Today’s question: Do you know how much the site sold for? Take a guess and find the answer here.

a. $2.85 million

b. $3.85 million

c. $4.85 million

d. $5.25 million

He’s the Philly front office executive who keeps surprising us.

WAR ISE NO HOME

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shoutout to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shoutout goes to Clayton Moser of South Philly who correctly guessed ARCTIC SPLASH as Wednesday’s answer.

Thanks for starting your morning with The Inquirer. 🌞