Philly’s new archbishop being installed today; how viruses travel from animals to humans | Morning Newsletter
Plus, the Flyers are doing something to make sure everyone can enjoy going to games.
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The Morning Newsletter
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Nelson J. Pérez will be installed this afternoon as the 10th archbishop of Philadelphia. We’ll be covering the developments throughout the day on Inquirer.com. In other news, my colleague explains how viruses like coronavirus can “jump” from animals to humans, an Allentown museum discovers that it has had a Rembrandt painting for decades, and some students are returning to their Philly school buildings after a five-month absence due to asbestos.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
The source of the new coronavirus is apparently an urban market with a collection of live animals that somehow infected shoppers. Viruses have been spreading from animals to humans since we began farming with them, living among them, and killing them for food — so, basically for many thousands of years. My colleague Tom Avril spoke with experts to explain what happens when a virus jumps between animals.
Meanwhile, a couple from York County, Pa., has been quarantined for coronavirus at an Air Force base in San Antonio after evacuating a cruise ship in Japan. They have not tested positive. Pennsylvania has had no confirmed cases of the virus.
When the Flyers score a goal at home, it sets off a chain of events: The puck hits the back of the net, a foghorn roars, over 19,000 fans scream in delight, sirens go off, lights flash. But in a room near the Club Level’s main escalators, only a muffled noise gets through. For fans with autism and sensory sensitivity, the Flyers have created an environment for them and their families to enjoy their favorite team.
Starting in 2015, the lounge was made available during the Flyers’ annual Autism Awareness nights. After a positive response, the franchise made them available at seven games, and there’s a chance that a permanent location could be carved out so it could become an every-game feature next season, according to a Flyers official.
What you need to know today
Over 2,000 people are expected to fill the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul this afternoon as Nelson J. Pérez will be installed as the 14th Roman Catholic bishop and 10th archbishop of Philadelphia.
Two former top prosecutors are accusing Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner of firing them because of their ages. They filed a lawsuit against their former boss last week. So far, six people have alleged age or race discrimination after being let go by the city’s top prosecutor.
A new study from researchers at ChristianaCare and Jefferson College of Population Health found that insulin is routinely being sold illegally on Craiglist for a fraction of its retail price.
It’s been five months since Benjamin Franklin High School and Science Leadership Academy students attended classes in their combined new Broad and Green Streets campus. The schools had to vacate their building in October because of damaged asbestos and problems with a renovation. They’ll return today after $50 million was spent on the project.
Roughly a dozen former federal prosecutors from New Jersey and Pennsylvania have joined more than 2,000 U.S. Justice Department alumni nationwide in calling on Attorney General William Barr to resign. “What’s going on is clearly illegal,” one former U.S. attorney told my colleague.
A state House candidate was endorsed this weekend by the Allegheny County Democratic Committee who expressed support for President Donald Trump on Facebook, generating backlash among progressives.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
🎂Thanks for capturing the Presidents Day celebrations, @alyssacwangerll.
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
💐Vendors at this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show are seeing their electrical bills more than double over what they were last year.
🖼️Since the 1970s, the Allentown Art Museum had a painting called Portrait of a Young Woman hanging on a wall. When it went out for cleaning two years ago, scholars pored over it. And when the museum got it back a few months ago, it was confirmed that the painting was a Rembrandt.
💩Mouse droppings made appearances in boxes of tortilla chips, meat slicers, a slushy machine, and a DJ booth, forcing the closures of Philadelphia restaurants recently.
🍺People lined up for hours outside Monk’s Cafe yesterday for the tapping of a really rare beer with proceeds going to a local charity.
🚗Before street sweeping fully arrives in 2023, Philly is looking to New York City for pointers.
☀️Even though it has been a pretty mild winter, we’re still dreaming of when we’ll feel the hot sun on our faces. We are planning this year’s Shore Guide, and we want your help. Help us out by filling out our quick Shore survey. Thanks a ton.
Opinions
“Didn’t anyone remind the ‘Diverse Editions’ team that you can’t judge a book by its cover? Didn’t anyone in the executive suites where this nut-job idea originated squirm a bit as they imagined a dark-skinned Frankenstein or a Latinx-looking Juliet? Did the word ‘blackface’ (‘yellowface,’ ‘redface’) never enter their minds?” — writes Anndee Hochman, a writer and teacher in Philadelphia, about how Barnes & Noble’s botched black history efforts made a mockery of true efforts toward inclusion.
More Philly college campuses need recovery programs, writes Jillian Bauer-Reese, an assistant professor at Temple and a volunteer who helped students in recovery organize and advocate for resources.
Restaurant critic Craig LaBan writes about why there’s no better time than now to support Philly’s Chinatown. He gives some suggestions on the spots you should eat at.
What we’re reading
Newsweek has a story about a log cabin from the 1700s that was discovered during a demolition in Washingtonville, Pa.
Sixers forward Mike Scott has become a sort of cult hero in Philly. And this weekend, he hosted a Mike Scott Hive Appreciation Party for 100 of his biggest fans. PhillyVoice captured the scene.
Bon Appétit reports that for asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border who wait in a tent camp, daily meals offer more than just sustenance.
Your Daily Dose of | A Modern Castle
How did a modern castle land in the heart of Center City? Architecture critic Inga Saffron writes about Jefferson Hospital’s Scott Memorial Library at 10th and Walnut because it bursts “with information about its purpose and its place in the city.”