2023 could be the year for Philly progressives | Morning Newsletter

It’ll likely be a rainy day with temps reaching the mid-40s.

Philly progressives have won impressive victories over the past six years. Those who follow city politics believe progressive organizations developed a strong enough operation to rival the Democratic party itself in size.

And now they have their eye on the mayor’s office.

Our lead story follows their organizing power and what it could mean for the May 16 primary.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Progressives in Philadelphia proved they can organize over the past six years.

Some of the same groups and organizers that helped District Attorney Larry Krasner stun the establishment are pinning their 2023 hopes on former Councilmember Helen Gym.

They hope she’ll also lift a handful of progressive City Council candidates to office with the upcoming significant turnover on Council.

Be aware: A handful of groups backed by business interests are expected to spend big to try to steer the city back toward the center. More moderate candidates like Jeff Brown and Allan Domb have been running television ads for months, and former Councilmember Cherelle Parker won a coveted endorsement from building trades unions.

Keep reading to learn how this could be the year that will test the power of Philly’s ascendant left.

Andrew and Liz Svekla’s opted to take the plunge after they had two kids and wanted more space. Their addition took their home from 1,050 to 1,600 square feet.

Their home is one of 10 on their street with third-story additions. As the pandemic encouraged homeowners to seek more space, additions have become more popular.

It was the best decision for the Sveklas because they wanted to stay in Philadelphia, and they liked their neighborhood.

But adding an entire story or two to a rowhouse isn’t cheap. It could cost between $250,000 and $350,000.

Keep reading to get tips and find out if adding another level is worth the cost and time for you.

Question for you: This story is about adding an entire new floor, but not everyone needs that. If you could just add one more room, what would it be for and why? Email us and your answer might show up in the newsletter. 📧

Ian Fleming named his 007 character, James Bond, after a man who lived in Chestnut Hill.

What did the lesser-known Bond do for a living?

A) He was a famed ornithologist.

B) He was a cardiologist.

C) He was a travel singer.

D) He was a fight attendant.

Find out if you know the answer. 🔑

💧 Learning: About Pennsylvania’s next potential hydropower moment. Two Bucks County engineers recently launched a proposal to boost Pennsylvania’s electricity production using water from the Susquehanna River.

👀 Watching: Biden’s student loan forgiveness program will be debated this week before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Hint: America’s first commercial pretzel bakery 🥨

GILJUR ISTUSUS

We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Cheers to Kathy Gannon, who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Shorti. Email us if you know the answer.

And that’s it for today. I’m beginning my day with my morning run. Thanks for starting yours with The Inquirer.