Happy Memorial Day. Itâs slated to be a beautiful one with temperatures soaring into the 90s.
Today, we bring you a short list of whatâs open and closed in Philly, a curation for those wondering whether youâll be able to grab a few more burgers for the grill at the market (yes), or if that package youâve been anticipating might arrive (probably not).
Also, thereâs the story of Union captain Alejandro Bedoya, whoâs leading the charge in efforts to eradicate gun violence â again.
And sticking with sports, weâre curious what Sixers star Joel Embiid thought was going to happen with his tongue-in-cheek trade tweet?
â Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Before we get into whatâs open and whatâs not, a brief âdid you knowâ about today.
Did you know that Memorial Day started a few years after the Civil War? In 1868, a commemoration of fallen soldiers was called Decoration Day, but it wasnât until 1971 that what we celebrate as Memorial Day actually became a federal holiday?
This is why itâs highly unlikely that youâll find any federal, state or city government entities open today, as we remember those who have given their lives in service to the U.S.
Now hereâs what is open today in Philly:
đ Supermarkets: Weâre told Acme, Giant, Wegmans, Trader Joeâs, and a few others are all holding regular business hours.
đš Wine and Spirits: Pa. state stores that host regular Monday business hours will be open for regular hours today.
đ Pharmacies: Weâre told CVS, Rite-Aid and Walgreens are all operating under normal business hours.
Thereâs much more and fortunately our reporter Michelle Myers compiled this rundown so you know before you go.
⨠Itâs just one part of our Phillyâs Best tool, your guide to navigating the city and beyond.
What you should know today
In Philadelphia last year, 600% more gun permits were issued than the year before as sales hit historic highs in Pa.
Is Pa. GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano an existential threat? These Democrats are urging disaffected voters to think so.
An Afghan baby shares the name of the Philly woman who went above and beyond to aid a refugee family.
More homes were built in Chester County in 2021 than at any other time in the last 20 years.
Consider this our gift to both your mental focus and an opportunity for a little mindless fun.
Local Coronavirus Numbers: Hereâs your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
It wasnât Alejandro Bedoyaâs đđ˝ first time speaking out against senseless acts of gun violence â it wasnât even his loudest.
But it was still a poignant moment to see him and the rest of the club don bright orange shirts with the words END GUN VIOLENCE on the front as the Union played â and tied, 1-1 â the New England Revolution on Saturday. Bedoya, the teamâs captain, was vocal about his efforts to call out gun violence, all in response to the mass shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24 that left 21 people dead, including 19 children.
Bedoya sounded off during the postgame news conference, with powerful statements our reporter Jonathan Tannenwald transcribed. Itâs worth taking the time to read.
As a father myself, I found that what the Union captain had to say really stuck with me:
âI hugged and kissed my kids, held them real close, [as] many other Americans did ⌠when we talk about American exceptionalism, is this truly what it looks like?⌠There needs to be something done about this. We canât keep standing idly by, just sending thoughts and prayers and seeing words. Iâm sure [the parents of the fallen in Uvalde] would have much rather had their kids, rather than prayers.â
đ§ Philly Trivia Time đ§
Nearly 15,000 firearms in Philadelphia have been recovered from criminal investigation or confiscated from people who possessed them illegally. Todayâs question: How many local firearms dealers can these weapons be traced back to? Take a guess and find the answer here.
a. 9
b. 15
c. 20
d. 25
What weâre âŚ
đđ˝ Applauding: The seniors stepping up to save Philly pools and ostensibly â summer in the city.
đ Viewing: These awesome images from our photographer Tom Gralish of Haddonfieldâs âProject Poppyâ commemoration.
𤣠Reading: This retelling of the 10 worst people youâll meet at the Jersey Shore and wondering how much this list still holds weight.
đ§Š Unscramble the Anagram đ§Š
đď¸ Itâs not âcooler by a mile,â but itâs close by.
YES CIS TAILE
Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. Weâll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly.
Photo of the day
Enjoy today and remember the sacrifice of our fallen veterans while you do. Until tomorrow.âď¸