☀️ Welcome, long weekend | Morning Newsletter
And Northeast Philly plane crash costs.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
It’s the Friday of Labor Day weekend, Philly.
Monday marks the unofficial end of summer, which means it’s also a great time to get in a last ocean swim — or enjoy the many events the city has to offer. (Or to do nothing, tbh.) Below, find a rundown of what to expect from the weather, fun activities for kids, and how trash pickup and more will be affected.
And the January fatal crash of a medical jet in Northeast Philadelphia has cost taxpayers $2.5 million, the city revealed in a new court filing. Here’s what to know to end your week.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
P.S. Friday means trivia. Our latest news quiz includes questions on a pop-up bookstore, Michelin’s local entrance, and more.
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
The long weekend is finally here, and you’ll find plenty of ways to celebrate in the Philadelphia region.
☀️ Sunny forecast: If you’re headed to the Shore or plan on spending any time at all outside this weekend, you’re in luck. No rip currents, no tropical storms, no rain, just sun? It’s a Labor Day miracle. The forecast comes as August has taken a dramatic turn toward the cooler.
🗓️ On the schedule: Need to occupy the kiddos? Treat them to a cultural experience with free admission to the Museum of the American Revolution. Check out a North Philly carnival or a German heritage festival in the Northeast. Visit the last weekend of this year’s Chinese Lantern Festival at Franklin Square, or RiverRink Summerfest at the Delaware River waterfront. With these and more, there’s plenty to do with your kids this weekend in Philly.
📫 Open and closed: Trash collection will be delayed by a day, mail won’t be delivered, and SEPTA will run on a Sunday schedule. Banks and libraries will be closed, but your favorite grocery store will probably be open — unless it’s Reading Terminal Market. See the full rundown of what’s operating.
As families impacted by the plane crash on Cottman Avenue continue to deal with financial hardship and grief, months after the deadly disaster, the city is still navigating the economic impact.
In a Wednesday response to an insurance provider’s complaint filed in relation to the crash, city attorneys said they are seeking claims for property damage and personnel costs totaling “no less than $2,555,897.58.” That includes the costs of emergency services equipment and infrastructure repairs.
City Solicitor Renee Garcia declined to give a detailed breakdown of these costs — or say if this sum was expected to rise.
Reporters Ryan Briggs and Dylan Purcell have more.
In other Northeast news: Two people were killed and a third person is in critical condition after a driver on Roosevelt Boulevard struck pedestrians Thursday, police said.
What you should know today
The family of a man who was shot and killed by an off-duty Philadelphia homicide detective last year has filed a lawsuit against the city and the officers tasked with investigating the shooting.
Nearly two months after being shot while attempting to help someone on North Columbus Boulevard, a Philly school safety officer has been released from the hospital.
In a historic game, Kyle Schwarber set a Phillies franchise record with 9 RBIs after hitting four home runs.
U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon was denied entry to the federal immigration facility in Pennsylvania where a detainee was found hanging by his neck earlier this month.
A Philadelphia researcher who was fired from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory committee reflects on the ouster of the CDC’s director: “People need to see these activities for the red flags they are.”
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit brought by controversial University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax, in which she claimed the school discriminated against her because she is a “white Jewish woman.”
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration is moving city funds around to restore SEPTA bus routes that get Philly students to school. And county officials across Pennsylvania have long asked the state to allow them to establish a county-level wage, transfer, or sales tax — and now hope the impasse over SEPTA opens a door.
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers members ratified a three-year contract, approving a deal that includes raises, parental leave, and an easier path to the top of the pay scale. Plus: YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter, which works to get once-disengaged students to graduation, on Thursday celebrated the acceptance of 300 new students.
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Semiquincentennial birthday bash kicks off Oct. 9. Consider the elaborate event a preview of what’s to come in 2026.
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.
This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer on Philly’s oldest buildings. Properties constructed in the 1600s are rare, but they’re not hard to find if you know where to look. Two of note are a home built by William Penn’s physician in what’s now Wynnefield, and a Swedish church along the Delaware that still hosts services.
When these buildings were constructed, Philadelphia — formerly called New Sweden — looked quite different than it does today. Here’s the full story.
Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.
🧠 Trivia time
Thanks to a lost bet against his kids, a Downingtown dad’s first — and only — tattoo is a permanent orange-and-green reminder of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win. What does the tattoo depict?
A) A soaring eagle wearing an orange tutu
B) The University of Miami logo inside the words “SaqUon Barkley”
C) The Hulk smashing a Life of a Showgirl vinyl
D) Chester Cheetah wearing a Jalen Hurts jersey
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🎤 Remembering: That time a South Jersey township tried to shut down a Lil’ Kim concert.
🦅 Predicting: The outcome of every Eagles matchup this season — and planning our kelly green ‘fits for these three games.
🧀 Recalling: Five times Philly foods were at the center of crime and political drama — besides the Herr’s chips bribery scheme.
🍗 Already knowing: 4C breadcrumbs did indeed have trace amounts of cinnamon.
⛱️ Considering: Lessons from the soon-to-be-permanent Porch at 30th Street Station.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Home to new speed cameras, as of Sept. 15
ABORTED REST
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Kristen Seitz, who solved Thursday’s anagram: The Summer I Turned Pretty. The lead character of the Amazon show is supposed to be from the Philly area, but are fans convinced? (Shout-out to my own all-girls alma mater, among the guesses of where Belly attended high school.)
Photo of the day
No matter how you labor, celebrate yourself this weekend. Paola has you covered tomorrow and Sunday, then we’re off for the holiday. Look for this newsletter to return on Wednesday. See ya then!
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
