From missing to a ‘brutal murder’ | Morning Newsletter
And who would benefit from a $15 minimum wage.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning, Philly. Morning showers should ease off by this afternoon, clearing the way for crisp weekend weather.
Today, we’re starting with the horrific story of a little girl’s death, and calls to investigate the foster care system that she was entrusted to.
And, we’ll break down the dollars and cents of a now more-likely minimum wage hike in Pennsylvania.
Plus, Philly’s top sustainability official has resigned, and more news of the day.
— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Ten-year-old Malayshia Alford was a shy, timid, smart girl with three siblings, her aunt Yolanda Brown recently told The Inquirer.
When Malayshia was reported missing in late October by her foster mother, Brown was among those posting flyers around West Philly, pleading for information that could lead them to their missing relative.
The information they would ultimately receive was crushing.
Overnight on Wednesday, Philly police recovered Malayshia’s body inside a Lincoln sedan parked in New Jersey. Her foster mother has now been charged with what the District Attorney’s Office called a “brutal murder.”
Other city officials were quick to condemn the tragedy and call for accountability. The city must “take a hard look at the circumstances surrounding [Malayshia’s] disappearance and the systems entrusted with her care,” City Council President Kenyatta Johnson said in a statement Thursday.
On social media, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said Malayshia’s death has “shaken me to my core.”
The Inquirer’s Ellie Rushing, Dana Munro, and Robert Moran have the latest.
With Democrats poised to take control in Harrisburg, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration hopes to deliver on a long-desired goal: raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15.
Since 2009, it’s been pegged to the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour.
The Inquirer’s Andrew Seidman dug into the details of what raising that standard could do, such as:
Who would benefit: Less than 1% of workers in the commonwealth earn minimum wage. The group is predominately white and female, and leans younger. But a much larger group earns less than $15 an hour and would also see a lift in income.
Yes, but: A 2021 analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that a $15 federal minimum wage would slightly reduce overall employment.
Does it go far enough? A living wage calculator developed by MIT estimated that a Philly single adult must earn $25.38 an hour working full time to make ends meet.
Keep reading for more on the bottom line.
What you should know today
Philadelphia’s jails stopped offering a monthly shot to ease opioid cravings and withdrawal to save money. Now, inmates are misusing a cheaper, pill-based option.
Philadelphia’s top sustainability official has resigned, vacating a key position in Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration as it navigates a live debate over whether the city should keep sending trash to an incinerator in Chester.
Pemberton Township Mayor Matthew Bianchini, who made national headlines for charging at a resident last month, lost his bid for reelection.
LeBron James’ attorneys have sent a cease and desist letter to makers of the AI sports-betting app Bron, to stop them from using his name, image, and likeness. In addition to the name, the company’s ads show a figure wearing James’ No. 23 jersey.
Graduates of Williamson College of the Trades in Delaware County find themselves flooded with job offers, bucking larger hiring trends.
Voters in Philly approved a ballot measure to make the city’s office of arts and culture permanent, but that move does not come with additional funding for Philly’s struggling cultural institutions.
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday, our forum in which readers ask about the city’s quirks and we report the answers.
This week, we’re resurfacing a timely article from 2023 on what happens when campaign swag becomes campaign trash. When an election ends, a reader asked: Whose job is it to clean up the mess?
Within the city of Philadelphia, private-property owners are responsible for disposing of any signs on their lawns or buildings. Meanwhile, campaigns are supposed to collect their signs from public spaces, a city spokesperson said.
But in many cases, that doesn’t happen or at least not very quickly. 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
On Monday’s game against the Bulls, Sixers star LeBron James had a viral moment after crashing into a fan courtside and helping himself to some of their:
A) Wine
B) Beer
C) Popcorn
D) Cotton candy
Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.
What we’re …
🥊 Reading. Sylvester Stallone’s recent memoir The Steps describes his gritty teenage years in Philly, where he details street fights and getting sent to a school for troubled youth, writes Inquirer contributor John Semley.
🗳️ Answering. Inquirer politics reporters Sam Janesch and Gillian McGoldrick will be taking your questions about the midterms live on Reddit at 11 a.m. today. Click here to tune in or submit a question.
🩰 Watching. BalletX’s new piece Speakeasy blends ballet with Broadway, with dancers flexing their acting chops to bring Prohibition-era Philly to life, per Inquirer dance critic Ellen Dunkel.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Former SNL cast member set to have a cameo on Abbott Elementary this season.
HERBAL LID
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Congrats to Matt McClain who correctly solved Thursday’s anagram: Christian Pulisic. For the first time, Cavan Sullivan, Philadelphia Union player and U.S. Mens soccer’s new star, will soon team up with the veteran star.
Today, the Sylvester Stallone biopic “I Play Rocky” debuts in theaters. Arts and Culture writer Earl Hopkins interviewed the cast that brought a Cinderella story even bigger than that of Rocky Balboa to life.
👋 It’s always hard to read about a child who’s been harmed by trusted adults. I hope you take a beat and hug a loved one today.
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