The early word on Philly’s redistricting | Morning Newsletter
And, scars from a 1971 flood.
The Morning Newsletter
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Good morning.
We’re bringing you an early look at redistricting based on what people are saying they expect.
And, Anthony R. Wood tells you all about a flood far worse than Ida that essentially wiped out a Chester development. We’re also discussing how the Eagles pulled off that win.
OK, let’s get into it.
Respond to this email and tell me what you think of it, and what we can do to speak more directly to you.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Redistricting rarely goes smoothly for Philadelphia City Council.
The once-a-decade process of redrawing district lines based on new census data has produced pitched political battles in the past — in 2001, one lawmaker threatened to throw another out a window. It’s also produced gerrymandered maps. Previous versions of two North Philadelphia-based seats, for instance, were widely seen as the most bizarre and unfair local government districts in the country.
But this year, lawmakers and City Hall observers are predicting a smoother process, with minimal changes expected to the Council districts that were used in the 2015 and 2019 elections.
Reporters Sean Collins Walsh and Jonathan Lai can walk you through the early word on the maps and other key factors.
“On this night 50 years ago, the stream turned killer,” reporter Anthony R. Wood begins in his story about a record-shattering flood that hammered Eyre Park in Chester.
A 16-foot tidal wave that dwarfed Ida’s flooding in the Philadelphia region — hammered Chester Creek, claiming the lives of 10 people, and effectively erased Eyre Park, displacing 216 households. The aftermath was its own disaster.
Keep reading for the whole story on the scars the 1971 flood left. It’s a case study of how a disaster can affect a neighborhood.
Reopening resources
Here’s our latest list of restaurants, large performance venues, universities, and gyms in the Philly region where you need to show proof of vaccination.
Should you laminate your vaccination card? What if you lose it? Here are the dos and don’ts.
Here’s what you need to know about medical exemptions.
It could be time to upgrade your face gear. Which masks work best?
What you need to know today
The city of Philadelphia will pay $2 million to Rickia Young, the 29-year-old mother who was pulled from her SUV during civil unrest last October and beaten by police then separated from her toddler — a scene captured on video and shared widely on social media.
Sept. 30 is the day that 20,000 Philly schools employees must be vaccinated, and if they aren’t, there will be consequences. Here’s what happens if they are not.
The statewide increase of COVID-19 cases has proved to be “mind-blowing” to some medical experts, and shows among other things, just how much delta can spread among unvaccinated people, including children under 12 who aren’t yet eligible for shots. COVID-19 cases among Pennsylvania’s school-aged children are 10 times higher than they were last year.
Philly police and state prosecutors made 65 arrests for guns and drugs in West Philly. Those arrested face charges ranging from conspiracy to illegal gun possession and drug violations.
Racism, childhood trauma and the COVID-19 pandemic have dramatically influenced opioid overdose deaths in Philadelphia, and will have to be considered as part of the city health department’s efforts to curtail rising overdose deaths, a new city report says.
When refugees from Afghanistan arrive at Philadelphia International Airport, some of the first people they meet are the doctors and nurses ready to provide care to those who have been in transit for days or weeks, and perhaps are suffering trauma for even longer.
Bill McSwain says he’s running for governor of Pennsylvania, officially joining the competitive GOP primary.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art will return a historic shield stolen by Nazis from Czechoslovakia.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
When the window box has a real complex, it’s pure joy.
Tag your Instagram posts with #OurPhilly, and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature here and give you a shout-out.
That's interesting
🦅 59 yards is all the Eagles allowed the Atlanta Falcons last weekend. Look no further than the Eagles’ smothering defense.
🏞️ When it comes to enjoying the Schuylkill River Trail in Ida’s aftermath, here’s what is open and closed, and the alternate routes you can take.
🏒 The Flyers are asking fans to help them pick the team’s new goal song.
Opinions
“This is the year Social Security starts paying out more than it brings in,” writes Joseph N. DiStefano, and that’s costly. He has some ideas about how that can be fixed.
The school year is already off to a bumpy ride, and it’s family input that schools need, argues Cierra Freeman, founder of the Philadelphia Parents Coalition.
While you’re here, have an opinion of your own? Read up on how to submit your point of view to the opinion editors.
What we're reading
Seasoned SNL pro Maya Rudolph becomes the second Black woman to win back-to-back Emmys in the same category, Variety reports.
These are nine soothing apps to put your mind at ease for a chance to have a better night’s sleep, per Mashable.
And, PBS will have a webinar about athlete and activist Muhammad Ali.