Philadelphia Flower Show debuts; Super Tuesday looms | Morning Newsletter

Philadelphia’s annual Flower Show blossomed this weekend at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, so if you’re looking to smell the roses, among other flowers, “Riviera Holiday” awaits you. Plus, after former Vice President Joe Biden’s win in the South Carolina primary yesterday, the 2020 presidential election sets its sights on Super Tuesday. Also, in today’s Q&A, we sit down with Mari Schaefer, who finds uplifting and feel-good stories around the Philly region.

— Tauhid Chappell (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Each week we go behind the scenes with one of our reporters or editors to discuss their work and the challenges they face along the way. This week we chat with Mari Schaefer, who writes human interest stories for The UpSide, a vertical dedicated to all the good news happening in the Philly region.

What does a typical day look like for you? How do you find stories?

There really isn’t a typical day when you are a reporter.

Some days I spend making calls and writing stories. On other days I might be out of the office doing the reporting or meeting sources. And, then there are those days I need to switch gears to respond to another story that has taken priority.

There are a number of different ways I find stories. Mostly, I try to listen to what people in my community are talking about to hear what is important and relevant in their lives. I comb through Facebook groups and Twitter for the same reason. Occasionally, a reader will contact me by email with a good story idea. Sometimes friends will suggest a story that I find interesting. Often, editors pass along stories.

What would you say is different about writing for the UpSide over other sections of The Inquirer?

The main difference in writing for the UpSide is that the stories always have a positive spin.

What is one of your favorite stories you’ve written recently and why?

I don’t really have one favorite story.

I did like writing about a local chapter of Days for Girls, the international group that makes sanitary products for women and girls. We hadn’t done that story before, so it was new information for our readers. I did receive a fair amount of feedback from people asking how they could get involved.

I learned a piece of history I wasn’t aware of when I wrote about the members of the Keystone Boys Choir and the connection they made with a survivor of Terezin, the Nazi-run World War II concentration camp, who helped secretly publish a weekly magazine, Vedem.

The story of a young couple who were able to keep to their plan of marriage, family and career even after one suffered a debilitating stroke was also a story I enjoyed reporting.

Fill in the blank: Readers should reach out and contact me if _______.

They have an original story that will resonate throughout the region.

You can stay in touch with Mari by following her on Twitter at @MariSchaefer or by emailing her at MSchaefer@inquirer.com.

We’re marking Miss Ceily’s Blues as our next spot to check out. Thanks for sharing @imsuperdope_.

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!

Have you submitted a question to Curious Philly yet? Try us. We’re listening to our readers and doing our best to find answers to the things you’re curious about.

Wonderful article David and you painted the picture with class. Most of the fans wanted Fultz to succeed in many ways. Supportive of him even when he was traded. Anyone can write an article as they see it and not much can be done. Nature of the beast.— spalmereagles, on A Bleacher Report story accuses Philadelphia of hating Markelle Fultz, and gets everything about the city wrong.

Hospital stays aren’t typically a fun experience for the sick and ailing, but surgeon Robert Parry has been able to give families and children some solace by leaving heartwarming drawings over patients’ surgery marks. “During a time of stress for families, it’s nice to be able to help them smile and laugh,” Parry said.