The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Wake up, Philly. It’s set to be a sunny Saturday.
Today, I’m highlighting fans’ reactions to the new Xfinity Mobile Arena.
But first, let’s touch on public pools closing for the season, rumors of summer stimulus checks, Philadelphia police officers’ new contract, and what Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is now saying about SEPTA as service cuts approach.
Read on for these stories and much more.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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What you should know today
The sixth and final person involved in the Roxborough High shooting that killed a teen and wounded four others is in custody, police sources said.
Philadelphia police officers will receive a pay raise this and next year, but there won’t be rollbacks on transparency and accountability measures in their newly awarded contract as their union had initially proposed.
Rumors on social media Friday saying government stimulus checks would be distributed soon are false. Here are the facts.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker warned that major SEPTA service reductions would be devastating to the city and to the fiscal health of the state — but stopped short of detailing Philadelphia’s plans should they move forward.
Game-day train service is about to change in a big way due to a significant funding shortfall for SEPTA. Here’s what we know so far — and what, if anything, can be done to help.
Philadelphia’s public pools are starting to close for the summer. See the full list of closing dates for each one.
A transgender female athlete sued Swarthmore College on Thursday, alleging the college violated Title IX when it banned her from competing on the women’s track and field team earlier this year.
Drexel University’s prestigious female-only medical fellowship is now open to men. It’s not the only medical program rethinking women’s leadership training.
Inez J. Turner, longtime Philadelphia schoolteacher, administrator, and master bridge player, has died at 100. She worked in the classroom and administration at the Edward Heston School on North 54th Street and other Philly schools for 36 years.
After renovations due to water damage, St. Joseph’s University is relaunching the Pharmacy History Museum with a new exhibition.
Love it or hate it, Xfinity Mobile Arena is here.
Philadelphians have expressed strong opinions about the new moniker since news broke that the spot would drop Wells Fargo from its name. The change was expected in early September, but it became digitally and physically official on Thursday when the sports and entertainment venue donned new signs online and IRL. This is the building’s fifth name since opening in 1996.
Reactions to the change were swift on social media. One commenter on The Inquirer’s video of the new name going up pitched an idea: “They should just put the name on with velcro.” In an attempt to accept this new normal, some fans are wondering: Can we drop the “mobile” part? Should we call it “The X” for short? How long before we confuse it with Xfinity Live! across the way? And is it obvious that the place itself is not mobile? Others wish it was named something else entirely, like the Hoagie Dome, a pinnacle of pure Philadelphia pride: “We wanted Wawa.” And some just can’t stand it: “I have never cringed harder in my life.”
It’s understandable why it’ll always be “the Farg” for concertgoers and sports lovers, especially considering Wells Fargo was the arena’s longest-held name. Some still call it the “FU Center” (a cheeky nod to First Union Center), and saying CoreStates Center and Wachovia Center is still a thing, too.
The now-defunct Wells Fargo era, home to many iconic moments, will live on in people’s memories forever. No matter what it’s called in your heart, I think Shannon Marie on Facebook spoke for all of us when she asked this very important question: “So will the WiFi actually work now?!”
Many cities in Europe have benefited from dense, reliable, and modern public transit systems, as they generate more revenue for society than they cost.
In a column for The Inquirer, Adrian Schulz argues that here in Philadelphia, SEPTA is not a burden — it’s an opportunity.
“As a visitor from Berlin, what strikes me most about the fight over SEPTA funding is how public transportation is looked at by some as a vexatious budget item, when it’s the exact opposite,” Schulz writes.
Read Schulz’s comparison of European cities’ systems to Philadelphia, and how the city could profit from higher-quality public transit beyond economic impacts.
🧠Trivia time
Some mansions in and around Philly cost less than $1 million. Roughly how many mansions are in the area?
A) 88,000
B) 53,000
C) 32,000
D) 100,000
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Rutgers’ new sweet tomato variety. It’s golden with a touch of red.
CITRUS REALNESS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Rosalie Marcus who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Tracy Davidson. The anchor announced she is retiring from NBC10 after more than 30 years to pursue a full-time role as a public speaker.
The Union are headed to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, thanks to Olwethu Makhanya’s late-game heroics.
Makhanya scored the winner in the 89th minute after Milan Iloski’s first goal for the Union in the 74th, sealing a 3-2 comeback victory over the rival New York Red Bulls.
Soccer reporter Jonathan Tannenwald has the story from the pitch, with photos by Elizabeth Robertson.
Somewhere on the internet in Philly
Kylie Kelce gave a rundown on Philly dating “red” or “green” flags. She didn’t mention this, but knowing how to pronounce Schuylkill is probably a green flag, right? Watch a couple of Eagles players try their best.
And spotted on The Summer I Turned Pretty: A Phillies hat in Steven’s apartment. For those watching, are you Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah? Send in your hot takes.
👋🏽 Thanks for stopping by this morning. I’ll catch up with you again tomorrow.
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