Philly has a new mayor and top cop | Morning Newsletter
Cherelle Parker is officially the mayor of Philadelphia.
The Morning Newsletter
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Today’s newsletter will brief you on some of the new people in some of Philly’s most powerful seats.
And it should be in the 40s again. There may even be snow later this week breaking the streak like a belated holiday gift.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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It’s official. Cherelle L. Parker was inaugurated Tuesday, becoming Philadelphia’s 100th mayor and the first woman to lead the city in its 342 years.
And after she took the historic oath of office, Parker, a Centrist Democrat who has promised to curtail crime, swore in the city’s new police commissioner, Kevin J. Bethel, who is inheriting a department with its fair share of challenges.
There’s the ongoing violence crisis facing the city, staffing shortages, and morale issues, reporter Chris Palmer writes. Parker’s first official act following her inauguration was signing an executive order to declare a citywide public safety emergency.
Sidenote: Emergency declarations have been part of a political playbook for years. Here’s what that could mean for us.
The directive: Per Parker’s office, the declaration directs Bethel and the office of Managing Director Adam Thiel to develop “comprehensive plans that address public safety across the city.” The order directs Bethel, Thiel, and other department heads to deliver a plan within 100 days to hire more police officers, reduce violent crime, and quell quality-of-life offenses.
Bethel, who was Parker’s first appointment, hasn’t yet shared details about his plans. But Parker has made her support of the incoming commissioner clear.
What Parker said: “This commissioner has the support of his mayor 1,000%,” she said over loud applause and cheers. “I know he’s going to do what is right to make the public safety of our city his number one priority.” Read on for our full story to get to know Philly’s new top cop.
And in case you took a break over the holidays, here’s a refresher on the other key players Parker has selected for her administration.
What you should know today
Setting the stage for Parker’s vision for more opportunities, Philadelphia will open up more city jobs to people without college degrees.
Kenyatta Johnson was unanimously elected Philadelphia City Council president 14 months (to the day) after he was acquitted by a jury of federal corruption charges.
You really should see Abbott Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph recite a poem at Cherelle Parker’s inauguration.
Switching gears, we look at how patients ranked how clean 41 Philly hospitals are.
The plastic bag bans are coming to the Philly suburbs, and here’s everything you need to know.
It’s that high-stakes time of year for the Eagles, and columnist David Murphy stares down Jalen Hurts’ performance.
In the latest example of a darling Delco duchess among us continuing to be relevant, Golden Bachelor contestant Susan Noles is officiating the The Golden Bachelor’s’ Golden Wedding.
The touring Dry Vibes sober festival is coming to Philly.
A Longport woman bequeathed her lots to make into a park and the borough has to decide whether to accept.
You can study Taylor Swift, a masterclass on how to be a deft architect of your own ascent at the University of Delaware.
See the Mummers in all their glory as captured by our photographers.
🧠 Trivia time
Who introduced Philly’s street numbering system in 1856?
A) John Mascher
B) Thomas Holme
C) William Penn
D) James M. Willcox
Find out if you know the answer.
What we're
🪟 Considering: A Logan Square real estate property with acceptable 360-degree city views.
🥘 Eyeing: We have a local’s guide you can trust to all the delicious things you need to throw a Three Kings Day party.
🏟️ Dreamcasting: Six Philly-area foods that would make great Bowl game mascots to erase your memory of the Pop Tarts Bowl and Cheez-Its mascot. Philly has the internet’s most beloved mascot in Gritty, so why would any other town have more fun with a mascot that’s also a snack? Propose your own that’s not on this list and email it to me for a chance to be featured in this newsletter.
Anagram
The mayor who won the last competitive race for Philly mayor that was upended by an FBI listening device.
TETHERS NOJ
Email me if you know the answer, and as always we’ll shout out the winner in this newsletter.
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