How Pa. became even more polarized; U.S. attorney sues to stop Philly supervised injection sites | Morning Newsletter
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Pennsylvania is a battleground state, but it isn’t so much purple as it is very blue and very red, in very different regions. This morning we’re examining how recent elections have widened the divide. You’ll want to spend some time with the interactive graphics my colleagues created to illustrate just how deep this split really runs. Speaking of divisions, the local battle over supervised drug injection sites escalated Wednesday. A U.S. attorney is suing to stop Philly from hosting the nation’s first such site.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
It was the bluest of times, it was the reddest of times. Pennsylvania is a tale of two states: one rode a “blue wave” to victory in November’s midterm elections and the other gave a “red response” that solidified the Republican base in rural areas.
At least, that’s what analysis of returns from the state’s more than 9,000 precincts, recently available for the first time, shows. Reporters Jonathan Lai and Jared Whalen parsed through the data to find out just how divisions deepened in the already-divided state.
The split has the potential to worsen the gridlock in Harrisburg and shape Pennsylvania’s role in the 2020 elections.
U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain, the region’s top federal law official, has filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking efforts to make Philadelphia home to the nation’s first supervised drug injection site.
McSwain is asking a judge to declare such a facility illegal under federal law. Meanwhile, Safehouse, the nonprofit supporting the idea, has signaled it has no intention of backing down.
The suit sets up a court battle that could shape legal debate over supervised injection sites across the country.
You’re about to hear a lot more about “Bobi + Tobi.” In their blockbuster trade with the Clippers, the Sixers gained Tobias Harris and Boban Marjanovic, one of the the league’s most famous friendships.
The deal isn’t just about the pair’s buddy cop antics. With Harris as the team’s starting power forward, the Sixers are now solidly in the Eastern Conference Finals conversation.
The Sixers also acquired Malachi Richardson from the Raptors Wednesday, and they still could make another move before today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.
What you need to know today
The historic preservation tax credit that helps fund redevelopment projects throughout Philly is set to expire next year. Lawmakers now wonder if it should be expanded with up to $30 million a year in tax breaks.
For the first time in eight years, House members convened for a hearing on gun violence Wednesday. It was another sign that House Democrats are making gun control a top issue.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Kevin M. Dougherty is among those who received home repairs or other benefits allegedly paid for by labor leader John J. Dougherty with stolen union money, sources say.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner outlined new policies for shrinking the footprint of the juvenile justice system Wednesday, but it wasn’t the dramatic reform some were hoping to see.
Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed adding $15 million to the Pennsylvania state budget for updating voting machines, but election officials suggest it’s not nearly enough.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
Quack, quack, @matteo_petrera. Quack, quack.
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
They say timing is everything, and no one knows that better than the Annenberg (Lunchtime) Running Group. Last month they chased down a theft suspect in University City who ran straight into them during his getaway.
Another new addition has been announced for the Fashion District that’s taking over the former Gallery space. Arcade games, billiards, bowling, karaoke and more are on their way.
The love life of presidential hopeful Sen. Cory Booker is much discussed in relation to his candidacy. Now, it seems, he’s boo’d up.
Wednesday was national signing day for high school athletes. A standout from Woodrow Wilson signed to Rutgers, while a former Imhotep Charter star committed to Iowa State.
Brandon Bruce is committed to helping Philadelphia students with scholarships. His mission is rooted in the tragic deaths of his two brothers.
Opinions
“Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania said the ruling ‘will remembered as a shameful moment in our nation’s history.’ Today, the ruling is still blocking people from the United States and separating them from their loved ones.” — Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, founding director of the Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Penn State Law in State College, on how the “Muslim ban” is still shutting out Pennsylvanians.
Take a trip back to English class (in a fun way) with the Angry Grammarian, Jeffrey Barg, who writes that passive voice makes Roger Stone’s indictment sound less damning than Johnny Doc’s.
In his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Trump’s references to foreign policy were brief, reinforcing the image that he’s bent on surrendering America’s global leadership, writes columnist Trudy Rubin.
What we’re reading
ProPublica’s investigation into the deadly accidents of two U.S. Navy destroyers that occurred within two months of each other is gripping and devastating, and alleges serious neglect by Navy leadership.
You’ll need to set aside a lot of time to comb through CNN’s intense probe of James Brown’s death — who, they report, nearly a dozen people suspect was murdered — but its twists and turns are well worth it. It all starts with a circus singer.
Memories of Philadelphia’s Wannamaker Building span a century and a new examination of its legacy by the Smithsonian says its mix of religion and retail left quite a mark.
Your school memories may be full of recesses spent on the playground, but many Philadelphia students don’t get that experience at school. WHYY’s look at the uneven distribution of playground equipment in city schools is a heart-breaker.
Do women have better sex under socialism? One Penn professor thinks so and the Daily Pennsylvanian sat down for a chat with her.
A Daily Dose of | Listening
Humans love telling and listening to stories, but sharing personal ones with a crowd of strangers? Local storytellers call it “the skydiving of public speaking.”
