Largest Pa. community college ends mental health services; U.S. Attorney threatens to fight the opening of a supervised injection site | Morning Newsletter
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The Morning Newsletter
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I know it looks nice outside now, but it could get nasty this afternoon as a storm is expected to bring rain and wind that could impact your evening commute. So pack an umbrella, wear a raincoat, and get prepared for some delays.
In other news, the biggest community college system in Pennsylvania quietly ended its on-campus mental health services. Also, the top federal prosecutor in the region weighed in on the proposed supervised injection site, and the accused Rittenhouse Square stabber testified yesterday.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Harrisburg Area Community College has 17,000 students across five campuses. And it has quietly eliminated its campus mental health services without notifying all the students. It’s a move that college health experts called short-sighted and risky at a time of growing need.
The community college told its counselors to stop individual and group counseling as of mid-September. Counselors will still be able to assist students, but just not with their mental health. Instead, students will be referred to off-campus providers.
This is a story from Spotlight PA, an independent and nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Inquirer in partnership with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and PennLive/The Patriot-News.
On Saturday, a 10-year-old South Jersey girl became at least the fifth rider to be thrown to death since 2000 from the Sizzler, a spinning carnival ride. She wasn’t wearing a seat belt, which some other states require, but New Jersey doesn’t.
State investigators are continuing to look into how the girl was ejected from the ride that has been a staple at traveling carnivals for decades. And despite the fatalities, experts in amusement-ride safety described the Sizzler as safe.
Following the landmark court ruling that could clear the way for the nation’s first supervised injection site to open in Philadelphia, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain vowed to “use all enforcement tools” at his disposal to shut down any facility that opens before the Justice Department’s options for an appeal are exhausted, according to a letter The Inquirer obtained.
Options on the table include possible drug seizures, arrests, and criminal forfeiture proceedings, according to McSwain’s letter to the attorney for Safehouse, the nonprofit hoping to open a facility before the end of the year.
What you need to know today
Catch the Democratic presidential debate last night? Here are the big takeaways, including a new frontrunner.
The accused Rittenhouse stabber testified in court yesterday, saying that his alleged victim or his friends uttered a couple of racial remarks during a traffic dispute before there was a physical confrontation.
U.S. authorities are disputing the account of a British family that says they innocently crossed the Canadian border because of a wrong turn. Federal immigration officials say that it was a deliberate attempt to illegally enter the United States. The family has been detained at Berks Detention Center in Leesport, Pa.
A new study shows that suicide attempts have been rising for black teens, while attempts by teens of other racial groups have fallen.
A mother demanded not to be resuscitated after fatally shooting her two young daughters and husband in the head Monday night. She then shot herself in the head on the first floor of their home in Tacony. She is listed in critical condition and will be charged with three counts of murder and related offenses if she survives.
The Burlington County GOP has pulled its support for a township committee candidate who wore blackface.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!
That’s Interesting
Two Pennsylvania state senators introduced a bill yesterday that contains just about everything a cannabis advocate would love.
Some students at Temple were wearing shirts that said “HBCU-ish.” But do those T-shirts ignore the significance of actual historically black colleges?
If you look at the list of candidates to be the Phillies’ next manager, there might be some reasons for Phillies fans to be optimistic.
A locally made maple-infused craft spirit called Graverobber Unholy Whiskey comes from beyond the grave — literally.
The Barrymore Awards for Philly’s best in theater were announced earlier this week. Did any of your favorites make the list?
Opinions
Pssst ... we’re looking for pitches and sketches from cartoonists and artists for an upcoming edition of The Inquirer’s Currents section.
“But a bullet will pierce even the best façade of security — exposing grim truths. Among them: Change that sticks will come from those living this reality, not those making a living from it.” — columnist Helen Ubiñas writes about how Philadelphia is a city in trauma.
The Philadelphia Flower Show made the wrong choice with its 2020 theme, writes Ernesto Pujol, a consultant and gardener in Philadelphia.
When it comes to vaping, there are just too many unanswered questions, The Inquirer Editorial Board writes.
What we’re reading
Some businesses in Center City are basically banning teens under 18, Billy Penn reports.
The New Yorker writes about former Inquirer reporter Buzz Bissinger, who explores his identity in a new documentary.
CNN reports on a former NASA scientist’s Scientific American journal article that says NASA found life on Mars in the 1970s 😲.
— Correction: An earlier version of this newsletter identified a Burlington County man as a mayoral candidate. He is a township committee candidate.
Your Daily Dose of | ‘Making the Breast of It’
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, two women in their 30s say they decided that they were going to “make the breast of it.” Andy Sealy and Kristen Gentile have launched a podcast with that name to share their stories and advocate for self-exams.