🧮 Parker’s Trump calculation | Morning Newsletter
And a judge’s behavior under fire.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Hi, Philly. The city wasn’t hit by Monday’s storm as hard as predicted, but the Shore contended with high flood tides and 60 mph winds.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has avoided overtly criticizing President Donald Trump, even as the president has sought to deploy troops to other American cities against the will of their Democratic mayors. It’s both calculation and gamble.
And Philadelphia Family Court Judge Daine A. Grey Jr., who is up for reelection, has faced a string of scathing reversals from the appeals court. Some said he left kids in dangerous situations.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Philadelphia City Council has passed more than a dozen resolutions decrying Trump’s actions and policies. District Attorney Larry Krasner has hosted town halls to prepare residents for possible military action in the city.
🧮 Yet Philly’s mayor has avoided publicly discussing the president — an intentional strategy, those close to her say, as Trump targets other blue cities with lawsuits, withholding federal funding, and National Guard deployments.
🧮 Parker has long touted her experience working across the aisle. She also indicated after Trump retook office this year that she would prioritize maintaining the city’s federal aid over politics. Supporters say Trump’s non-focus on Philadelphia shows that her strategy is working.
🧮 But other elected officials on the left want to see the city’s leader do more.
City Hall reporter Anna Orso explains.
When the state Superior Court reviews decisions by Philadelphia judges in juvenile delinquency and dependency cases, the higher court usually affirms their rulings. Judge Daine A. Grey Jr.’s decision-reversal rate stands out at 17%.
Grey, who is on the ballot this November in a retention election for another 10-year term, has come under fire for his courtroom conduct and decision-making that has left children in unsafe situations.
To better evaluate the judge’s record, The Inquirer reviewed a decade of Superior Court decisions and interviewed nearly 20 lawyers, child-welfare caseworkers, and caregivers who have handled cases in his courtroom.
Reporter Samantha Melamed has the story.
What you should know today
Pennsylvania’s general election is Nov. 4. The Inquirer voters guide has details on important dates and who’s on your ballot, from Philadelphia district attorney to the state Supreme Court.
A 16-year-old was shot and killed over the weekend in Rhawnhurst, and another teen has been charged with his killing, after police said an argument escalated to gunfire.
A security guard who shot a patron at a Center City IHOP restaurant this weekend has been charged with murder and related crimes, police said Monday.
Despite new information, Philly’s chief medical examiner concluded that Ellen Greenberg’s death in 2011 should remain classified as a suicide, as it has been by the city since it was switched from homicide in the weeks following her death.
Gloucester County officials must scrap their unlawful ballot design and replace it before in-person voting in the state begins on Oct. 25, a New Jersey appeals court ruled.
As of 2027, thousands of people who legally immigrated to the region and have spent years paying into Medicare will no longer be able to enroll in the health program when they turn 65.
Valley Forge Military Academy’s closure quietly made way for a new charter school campaign. Critics call it deception.
In time for the 2026 celebration of John Coltrane’s centennial, progress is finally underway on the restoration of the saxophonist’s long beleaguered house in Strawberry Mansion.
With one year left on his contract, Rob Thomson will be back to manage the Phillies next season, a major league source confirmed Monday.
Quote of the day
Some dog parents go all out to celebrate their pets with custom cakes for birthdays, gender reveals, and even “bark-mitzvahs.” Go inside the world of Philly’s upscale pet bakeries. (And yes, you can eat the cakes, too — but you might not want to.)
🧠Trivia time
Which fish, once so abundant that they fed George Washington’s troops, have dropped to a depleted level in the Delaware River?
A) American shad
B) Rainbow trout
C) Blue catfish
D) Striped bass
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
📻 Noting: Penn State University’s approval of a revised WPSU deal with WHYY.
🥕 Saying goodbye to: Gladwyne Market, a beloved community grocery store in Lower Merion.
🏛️ Swiping to see: Four Philly buildings that just got historic protection — and one that didn’t.
🎥 Plotting: What to see during this month’s Philadelphia Film Festival. (Psst, here are the critics’ picks.)
🎉 Considering: How Philly can host another world-class event, 10 years after the pope’s visit.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: West Philly _ _ 🔨
ORATORY BILL
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to David Laderman, who solved Monday’s anagram: “Rooted: Origins of American Gardening.” The Philadelphia’s 2026 Flower Show theme will focus on the history of plants and gardening culture in the United States.
Photo of the day
⚓ One last celebratory thing: Philly native Patti LaBelle’s “Victory at Sea” concert played on despite a nor’easter, moving indoors Sunday night to the Temple Performing Arts Center. See more photos from the city’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
Enjoy your Tuesday. Back at it tomorrow.
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