New year, new laws | Morning Newsletter
And a stolen manuscript’s time in Philly
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
We made it to Friday. It’s supposed to be sunny, with a chilly high near 37, but clouds will start rolling in over the evening. We’re keeping a close eye on the winter storm headed to the Philly region this weekend, but it looks like the city’s record snow-deprivation streak is safe.
A new year also means new laws on the books. Our main story breaks down notable changes to state rules, including when they take effect.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Between changes to the prosecution of SEPTA crimes and potentially life-saving measures in hospitals, several bills passed recently that will affect millions of Pennsylvanians.
Here’s a preview:
📦 Porch pirates can now face felony charges. More than 3,000 packages are stolen every year in the city of Philadelphia. This law goes in effect in February and hopes to “crack down on porch pirating” by increasing penalties for mail theft.
🍃 All medical marijuana growers can now sell directly to patients. Starting in March, they can apply and get a license to open dispensaries. Prior to this, only five out of 25 growers in the state were allowed to do so. The goal is to level the playing field for smaller independent medical marijuana businesses.
📿 Teachers can no longer be penalized for wearing religious garb. As of January, this law reverses a restriction in the state’s Public School Code of 1949. It makes Pennsylvania the last state in the U.S. to repeal its “garb statute.”
See the full list of new laws to look out for in 2024.
A manuscript from the 16th century lived at the Rosenbach Museum & Library for more than a century. But as it turns out, it was stolen property.
How it got there: Renowned Philadelphia book collector A.S.W. Rosenbach acquired some prints and ephemera, which came with six pages from a 1599 manuscript, from an American expat living in Peru. That manuscript contained groundbreaking history about the origins of theater in the Americas, but Rosenbach didn’t know — and never knew — that it had been stolen.
The discovery: An international investigation was launched after a Seattle-based theater scholar noticed the pages were missing. The Rosenbach went on to voluntarily remove the manuscript from the collection, and hand it over to agents from the FBI Art Crime Unit to start their journey back home.
Read on for more on the contents of the mysterious pages and their impact on what we know about American theater history.
What you should know today
A person was fatally struck by a Market-Frankford Line train in University City during an altercation late Thursday afternoon at the 34th Street Station, authorities said.
A measles cluster that started with an infant hospitalized at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia last month has spread to at least three other unvaccinated city residents.
Mayor Cherelle Parker says she’ll do something her predecessors couldn’t: end the Kensington drug market that commands dozens of blocks and that some experts say draws $1 billion a year.
Police in West Goshen Township are investigating the death of two men this week in an apparent murder-suicide.
The Philadelphia Police Department’s first diversity, equity, and inclusion officer was fired this week. Leslie Marant was hired in 2022 as part of the administration of former Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.
Main Line Health is requiring patients, staff, and visitors at all of its hospitals and outpatient facilities to wear masks for at least two weeks as COVID cases rise and the health system treats more patients with respiratory viruses. Cooper University Health Care has also instituted a masking requirement.
For Pennsylvania drivers and travelers throughout the state, the balance between electric vehicles and available chargers may be tipping.
Some Philly partygoers are trying to get their money back after finding out they purchased tickets for a New Year’s Eve bar crawl that didn’t happen.
🧠 Trivia time
A Pittsburgh couple is going viral after their dog had a very expensive snack.
What did the pooch eat?
A) A diamond ring
B) A gold bar
C) $4,000 in cash
D) A Rolex watch
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we're...
📰 Reading: Dozens of previously sealed court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
🍺 Wondering: If Victory Brewing’s Tastykake beer is worth the hype.
👀 Viewing: Joel Embiid’s Society Hill penthouse just hit the market for $5.5M.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Celebrating Ziggy Stardust from Jan. 5-13
BEEHIVE SLOWPOKE WILLY
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Judy Pidgeon who correctly guessed Thursday’s answer: Chestnut Hill.
Photo of the day
The weekend awaits. I’ll bring you the latest news bright and early on Sunday. Until then, stay warm and take care.
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