‘Filthadelphia’ no more? | Morning Newsletter
🔴 And Trump’s young voters.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Welcome to a new week. It’ll be a sunny Monday, with temps in the high 70s.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s budget win last week paved the way for a big, new cleaning plan for Philadelphia. Today, we look at where that dedicated sanitation funding will be going.
And in our deep-blue city, former President Donald Trump seems poised to attract a higher share of young voters. We have the story on why these (mostly male) Philadelphians are seeing red.
Plus, Phillies fans: Be sure to read all the way to the end of today’s newsletter. You’ll find a sweet “Only in Philly” story from a diehard with a very specific game-watching ritual, as well as fun photos from someone who traveled to the London games.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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“Filthadelphia” no more?
🧹 Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s $6.37 billion budget, which was approved unanimously by City Council last week, includes a hefty funding boost to support her pledge to make Philadelphia the “safest, cleanest, greenest big city in America.”
🧹 One of Parker’s best-funded initiatives is Philadelphia Taking Care of Business, a commercial corridor cleanup program that she started while a member of City Council. An expanded version of the program will get $100 million over five years.
🧹 The budget also dedicates millions of dollars to enhanced illegal dumping enforcement, Council district-specific sanitation crews, a twice-weekly trash collection pilot, and 1,500 Big Belly compacting trash cans.
The Inquirer’s Ryan Briggs breaks down the clean and green initiatives in Parker’s plan.
A growing share of young, mostly male voters in Philadelphia say they’re choosing former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden this November.
🔴 Shifting trends: These voters are somewhat of an anomaly in the politically deep-blue city, though they’re collecting peers across the state. A recent poll of Pennsylvania voters under 30 shows that 46% prefer Trump to Biden. In October 2020, just 32% preferred Trump.
🔴 What they like: Philly supporters told The Inquirer they trust Trump more to improve the economy and the housing market, and to crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters. And some like his brash, often incendiary personality.
🔴 In their own words: “The biggest thing is, Trump is a rebel,” said a 20-year-old voter who was raised in a family of Democrats in South Philadelphia. “Trump is almost punk in a way. He’s a rebel against the establishment — an establishment that doesn’t care about us.”
As Biden’s campaign seeks to make inroads with the same group, national politics reporter Julia Terruso explains where Trump’s young fans fit into the local political landscape.
What you should know today
Drexel University and the University of the Arts about two years ago explored a partnership that could have included a merger, but it ultimately went nowhere. Plus: While UArts’ sudden closure was a shock, it tracks with the troubled financial landscape of higher education.
A group of public and charter school officials has called on legislative leaders to pass state House Democrats’ proposal to fix Pennsylvania’s unconstitutional funding system, which would bring $1.4 billion to the city over the next seven years.
Pennsauken Township’s “Summer Kick Off Festival” was brought to an abrupt halt Saturday by what police described as a large, unruly crowd that descended on the event, resulting in the arrests of six people.
New research shows that Penn Medicine’s patients of color are far less likely than white patients to receive a novel gene therapy pioneered there and hailed as a cure for some blood cancers.
Nearly 80% of Americans are concerned about the spread of “disinformation,” according to a new poll, with Black people among the most targeted.
While Philadelphia sleeps, SEPTA’s overnight wash-down crews are on the move, attacking until dawn the accumulated grime, disgusting substances, trash, and foul odors of the city’s transit rail stations. It’s a war without end.
Philly won big at the James Beard Media Awards, with two local authors winning for their books on beverages and two Inquirer staffers earning a journalism prize.
🧠 Trivia time
The second season of Netflix series King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch, starring Cherry Hill native Ken Goldin, will launch on Wednesday. What type of collectibles is Goldin best known for selling?
A) Antique toy trains
B) Sports cards
C) Anime figurines
D) Royal memorabilia
Think you know? Check your answer.
What (and who) we’re...
🦅 Hoping: Jalen Hurts can meet his Drexel look-alike before he graduates.
🐦 Cheering: This second-generation St. Joe’s Hawk following in his mascot mother’s flaps.
🥧 Anticipating: The (possible) return of the Horn & Hardart Automat.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
The iconic commercial strip that’s home to hookah bars, Condom Kingdom, and a new DVD-rental store. (Yes, really.)
HOTTEST RUSE
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Eugene Bell, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Pat Sajak. The host of Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running game show in American TV history, is officially retired after hosting his final episode on Friday.
Photo of the day
Your “only in Philly” story
📬 Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Carol Basile, who describes the game-winning power of tradition (and some gummy bears):
I’m a true diehard, very superstitious Philadelphia sports fan, especially when it comes to the Phillies. I wear the same clothes to games, I bring the same treats, etc.
This started in 2007. We had a losing streak so the next game I went to I wore a little T-shirt that I bought at spring training that year, [and brought] along Doritos, and gummy bears. I went with my then-young niece, nephew and their cousins. We won, and one exclaimed, “Aunt Carol brought them good luck with her good luck junk food.” The trend continued with the winning and the good luck junk food up to clinching the National League East title.
In 2008 I continued going to as many games as I could, always with my special T-shirt, sandals, and Phillies boxer shorts, along with the good luck junk food. We won every game that I attended. By the playoffs — no way would I stop the winning trend.
I was fortunate to get tickets to one game in each playoff series, including game four of the World Series. As I’m dressing for the game, now in fall weather as compared to summer heat, I realized that I didn’t have the “good luck junk food” that I needed. Fortunately as I was living in the 12th and Pine area, I passed by a convenience store at 13th and Lombard on my way to the subway. I ran in, frantic, and explained to the shocked and amused clerk that I desperately needed gummy bears or gummy worms and other snacks. The fate of the Phillies were in my hands! The purchases were made, I arrived at the game, bought my Schmitter, etc., and sat in my expensive seat along with other fans who had purchased tickets the same as I did. We started the game as strangers and before too long were friends, cheering and hugging with each homer. Not only did we win, we won convincingly. Our pitcher Joe Blanton hit a home run! It was our destiny to win the World Series in game five.
On the way back home I once again passed the convenience store. The clerk was waiting in the doorway for me. She had turned the game on after I had made my purchases and knew that we had won. As I walked — floated — by, she waved me in and hugged me. We were jumping and crying with joy. She was thrilled that we had won and was happy that she played a part in that.
Not only is this an “only in Philadelphia " story, it also shows the love and passion we have for our teams, and it made me fall in love with my city all over again.
Bonus: Phillies fans in London
⚾ One last fun thing: Shout-out to morning newsletter reader Mary Beth Pratt of Bryn Mawr, who shared these fun photos from her family’s trip to London for this weekend’s Phillies games. She also praised the Brits for being welcoming and well-organized hosts. Among the sights: lots of fan camaraderie, and a smooch from a hometown hero.
“Well, I got kissed by the Phanatic!” she said Sunday via email. “Bummer that we lost today but a fantastic experience. So many Phillies fans — amazing.”
Check out Inquirer photographer Yong Kim’s gallery for more photos of Phillies fans in London.
Hope your week is off to a great start. See you back here tomorrow!
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