School closure deja vu | Morning Newsletter

Welcome to Monday, Philly. If the weekend’s warmer temps had you craving summer, just pretend you’re in Clearwater, Fla., where spring training continues for the Phillies under palm trees and blue skies.

The Philadelphia School District tried to shut down Paul Robeson High School before. Now, it’s back on the chopping block as one of 20 schools recommended for closure.

And days after the arrest of Iriana DeJesus’ alleged killer, family and friends gathered in Hunting Park to honor her memory, 25 years after the 5-year-old’s death.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

Back in 2013, West Philadelphia’s Robeson High narrowly avoided a shutdown after its community pushed back against the district’s plan to move its students into William L. Sayre High, two miles away.

The small, human services-focused school is on the brink again: The district last month named Robeson on its recommended closures list, along with Roxborough’s Lankenau High School, Southwest Philly’s Motivation High School, Kensington’s Conwell Middle School, and 16 others.

That’s despite Robeson earning praise in recent years as the district’s most-improved high school.

Now, like they did over a decade ago, its students and other community members are pushing back.

Education reporter Kristen A. Graham explains Robeson’s deja vu.

In other education news: Quakertown Community School District Superintendent Matthew Friedman is on leave as of Friday for an undisclosed reason.

🎤 Now I’m passing the mic to reporter Michelle Myers.

Lizasuain DeJesus, 65, had received many calls from Philadelphia homicide Detective Joseph Bamberski since her daughter Iriana disappeared in 2000. But Thursday’s call was different: He was calling to tell her that the police had made an arrest in Iriana’s case.

DeJesus called her daughter Iyanna Vazques, 34, to deliver the news. “It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders,” Vazques said. She was 8 years old when her little sister disappeared, the week of her birthday.

“I lost my best friend and I remember it like it was yesterday,” Vazques said. She could recall what her sister was wearing and how her hair was done the day she disappeared. An arrest in the case felt “like a dream,” she added. — Michelle Myers

Read on for details of Sunday’s memorial event and the decades-spanning case.

The new bakery opened this weekend at Fifth and Dickinson Streets. Offerings include chewy Bavarians and big-bellied Swabians, which are fat enough to stuff. Just look at the long hot-provolone pretzel.

Shane Gillis’ hit Netflix series Tires received $6 million in tax credits from the state to film its third season in the Philly area. Where is the show set and filmed?

A) Coatesville

B) Ambler

C) Upper Darby

D) West Chester

Think you know? Check your answer.

📚 Eager to visit: The 150-square-foot used bookshop now open on Passyunk Avenue.

🎪 Impressed by: This former South Jersey kid’s turn as the script writer for Ringling Bros.

🥙 Sad to see: Lebanese restaurant Manakeesh is closing its West Philly location.

🦖 Sneaking a peek at: The Franklin Institute’s new Universal theme parks experience.

⚽ Reviewing: The Union’s players and schedule highlights as the 2026 season gets underway.

Hint: South Jersey figure skater

VIOLA BEAUTIES

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Joanne Walsh, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Mel Greenberg. The Inquirer staffer’s poll brought cohesiveness to women’s college basketball and created a platform for household names today.

The weekend’s near-balmy weather left Philly’s streets littered with artifacts from a bygone era — January — including Wawa cups, parking tickets, and a truly unfortunate amount of dog poop. See what else is left behind as the city thaws.

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 Jasmine Chiu, who describes a comfortingly familiar neighborhood scene:

I live in the Fairmount/Center City area and without fail, every Thursday night, I see a big group of guys playing basketball right outside my window. It could be sub-Arctic temperatures, like we’ve experienced these last few weeks, or it could be pouring rain — these guys are STILL out there playing ball. When it’s nice and warm out, I see them set up some chairs in the parking lot and sit in a circle and share a cold one together.

I haven’t had a moment to introduce myself or learn more about this weekly tradition, but I have so much respect for how they show up week after week for each other. There’s something heartwarming about a bunch of dudes committing to their community and making time to play a sport and keep up with each other’s lives (or at least that’s how I imagine it peering from my window).

Wishing you a week full of connections to your own community. Thanks for starting it with The Inquirer.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.