Echoes of COVID in measles fury | Morning Newsletter
And Jalen Hurts under the microscope.
The Morning Newsletter
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Happy Friday, Philly.
Today, we start with the political fight over measles in Pennsylvania and how it mirrors fault lines established during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And, we look ahead to football season with a deeply-reported profile of the reserved Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, as he reckons with how his aloofness could be holding back the team.
Plus, John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty’s presidential commutation, and more news of the day.
— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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An airborne virus. Case numbers ticking up. A debate over the efficacy of vaccines.
This year’s major measles outbreak represents a far different public health crisis than COVID-19. But the political tussle over how government should respond rhymes with the fights over the pandemic, and is now feeding into a new line of attack in the governor’s race this year.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s decision to personally announce the two measles-involved deaths in Lancaster last week is giving “lots of people flashbacks to” COVID, particularly conservatives who believed there was government overreach, said one GOP consultant.
Shapiro’s Republican gubernatorial challenger, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, has sought to strengthen that association — and used it to attack Shapiro over new Department of Health regulations proposed earlier this year.
The Inquirer’s Sam Janesch and Michelle Baruchman have the full story.
Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts is not known for partying or sloppy behavior off the field. But he does have a different liability that he appears to be actively working to change ahead of his seventh season with the Eagles: his introversion.
With reporters and teammates, Hurts has been trying to let his guard down, sources told The Inquirer, sitting down for longer interviews and organizing team outings. By all accounts, he’s also embraced changes to offensive strategy to try to shake off last season’s disappointing performance.
But change is hard.
When asked about the pressures he’s under as he starts a critical year given his contract realities with the Eagles, Hurts gave one of his signature, cryptic answers: “No narratives are new. Just recycled.”
What you should know today
President Donald Trump agreed to commute the prison sentence of John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, the former Philadelphia labor leader convicted of bribery and embezzlement, Dougherty’s lawyer said on Thursday.
One year after SEPTA was cutting service to help close a budget deficit, Moody’s Ratings has upgraded its financial outlook from negative to stable, due to “better-than-expected financial performance” this year.
Elon Musk’s super PAC has contributed roughly $12,000 apiece to support three GOP incumbent congressmen in tough reelection fights.
Burlington Stores, which takes its name from its longtime location in Burlington Township, N.J., is moving its corporate headquarters to Philadelphia.
Campbell’s Co., the soup, snack, and sauce slinger headquartered in Camden, cut 13% of its workforce and plans to raise prices amid declining sales.
Mighty Writers, a Philly educational nonprofit that provides tutoring, after-school care, and other support for low-income families, is temporarily suspending its offerings due to funding difficulties.
A Guinean man who has lived legally in the United States for nearly 20 years and resides in West Oak Lane may be deported to a different country — Ghana.
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday, our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks and then we report the answers.
This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer from 2024 on a burning question facing many Philly-area commuters: Why don’t SEPTA’s Regional Rail trains have restrooms?
Pittsburgh Regional Transit has them. So does New Jersey Transit.
SEPTA’s communications department said the trips its trains take are not long enough to require facilities onboard, but the full story is a bit more complicated.
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
A man has been charged with attempted burglary of which famous Philadelphia athlete’s Chester County home?
A) Jason Kelce
B) Bryce Harper
C) Joel Embiid
D) Saquon Barkley
Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.
What we’re...
🇺🇸 Collecting. Who needs a bobblehead of the Phanatic riding a bald eagle? Inquirer columnist Stephanie Farr wrote up all the most over-the-top commemorative tchotchkes rolled out this summer for America’s 250th.
🚣 Wishing for. After a summer packed with novel sporting events in the city, Inquirer sports editor Kerith Gabriel has this wish list of five more he’d love to see return to Philly.
🎧 Reading...err, listening to. If you find book clubs too sedentary and hiking clubs too social, this New Jersey bookstore has melded the two to make a unique third thing. The Inquirer’s Sam Stewart takes us to a meeting of its audiobook walking club.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This author, activist and feminist icon passed away on Wednesday at the age of 92.
EGOIST MANLIER
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Alisa Giardinelli, who correctly guessed Thursday’s anagram: Bruno Mars. Fans braved stormy weather to see the entertainer play two back-to-back nights in his “The Romantic Tour” at the Linc. “It was a pleasure to spend a few hours with such a world-class entertainer, even on a thunderstorm-soaked South Philly summer night,” wrote Inquirer pop music critic Dan DeLuca.
I feel you, bud! But the long weekend is almost here.
See you all on Saturday morning 👋
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