‘Things just didn’t add up’ | Morning Newsletter
Plus the Ben Simmons trade situation.
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 going to warm up a bit today, with highs in the mid-30s. Snow also is in the picture for tonight but nothing that a broom won’t be able to handle.
Today we’re bringing you an exclusive investigation into a college student’s 1980 drowning in a boat that’s drawing fresh attention now.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
🎤 And now I’m passing the mic to our reporter William Bender:
The death of 20-year-old Debbie Sadusky at the Jersey Shore in 1980 never sat right with her family and friends, who had always suspected that it wasn’t just an accidental drowning. When I began looking into this a couple of months ago, I immediately saw why: Sadusky left a Margate bar with an unidentified man and asked her friend to watch her purse. Two days later, she was found inside the cabin of a sunken boat, wearing only her bra.
In between working on other stories, I interviewed as many people as I could about this case, including police, Sadusky’s brothers, a private investigator they’ve hired, Sadusky’s friends, and a man in South Jersey who some believe could have been the last to see her alive. He has denied ever meeting Sadusky, but will not take a polygraph.
My story doesn’t answer all the questions surrounding Sadusky’s death, but we wanted to at least lay out the facts that are currently known. Before the story ran, a detective from the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit told me that they had reclassified the death from an accident to unsolved.
Keep reading for more on what to know about this cold case.
What you should know today
Demand is outpacing funding for a Pennsylvania program offering nurses up to $7,500 in student loan debt relief. State Sen. Maria Collett is fighting for a cure to that.
They were strangers who came together at an Eagles’ Super Bowl victory parade to re-create an iconic photo. Guess who just got engaged?
Merza Mohammadi is not famous in his new home of South Philly. But in the Afghanistan he fled, he was the best-known skateboarder.
Here’s how to tell if your COVID-19 rapid test expired.
Temple’s diversity adviser says just admitting more Black students won’t fix Temple’s diversity problems.
A new sewer project is coming to a sleepy Delaware Bay town that’s been waiting for this.
Environmentalists suing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy say he hasn’t done enough about climate change.
We’re recognizing Philly-area Latinos for landmark achievements despite pandemic challenges.
A trauma surgeon discusses her frustration with escalating gun violence — and that notable tweet.
Our restaurant critic Craig LaBan’s must-read review of Fitz and Starts in Queen Village leaves the real verdict up to the community.
Meet the Philly-area dancers spinning comedy gold in a world-renowned satirical all-male comic ballet company.
And let’s review Jimmy Rollins’ Hall of Fame moment with the Phillies: the hit that rocked Citizens Bank Park.
Local Coronavirus Numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
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❓Pop Quiz❓
Girl Scout Cookie season is upon us, so clear your freezer to make space for the essentials. And if you checked out the 2022 lineup in the story Kerith mentioned last week, then you can try to spot which cookie name is definitely not a real Girl Scout cookie.
A) Adventurefuls 🚀
B)Toast-Yay 🍞
C) Lemon deLites 🍋
D) Toffee-tastic 🍪
Find out if know the answer here.
🥨 Your Essential Philly 🥨
We asked you about your favorite neighborhood restaurants. Thanks to everyone who wrote to us. Here’s where you like to hang.
🦀 The Crab Trap — George... Buckets in J-Town — Terry... Andonios Diner — Andrew... Bruno’s — John... Friday Saturday Sunday —Jane... Gran Caffe L’Aquila — Walter... Marathon Grill — Harriet
What we’re ...
Listening to: Can you cook and sew, make flowers grow? Do you understand my pain? Are you willing to risk it all? Or is your love in vain? 🎶