Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Healing invisible wounds | Morning Newsletter

And a guide to the different types of Broad Street runners.

Waltkeem Jenkins, 25, of South Philadelphia, poses for a portrait in Lansdowne in April. Jenkins is a part of the “Heal and Hurt People” program at St. Chris Hospital with Drexel University. He provides therapy and peer support for people who come into the hospital affected by traumas, being shot, stabbed, assaulted, or people who witness these events.
Waltkeem Jenkins, 25, of South Philadelphia, poses for a portrait in Lansdowne in April. Jenkins is a part of the “Heal and Hurt People” program at St. Chris Hospital with Drexel University. He provides therapy and peer support for people who come into the hospital affected by traumas, being shot, stabbed, assaulted, or people who witness these events.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

Hello! I’m Evan Weiss, filling in for Kerith. We’ll see just about the same weather as yesterday — highs in the upper 50s — but should see a bit more sun throughout the day.

Today, we’ll look at how Philly hospitals are expanding services designed to address the depression, PTSD, and anxiety that often accompany injuries through violent crime. A March study from the University of Pennsylvania involving Black men found almost half of those hurt either intentionally or in an accident experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or both within three months of their injury.

And, we’ll have fun looking at an illustrated guide to the different types of Broad Street runners.

But first, consider signing up for our new Must-Read alerts, which deliver some of our most dynamic journalism directly in your inbox. It’s the stories you might have missed, those longer reads, the deeper dives, or our interactive storytelling, curated for you. Check it out.

When 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.

OK, let’s get Thursday going ➡️

— Evan Weiss (@eaweiss, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

As Philadelphia endures another year of near-record killings and nonfatal shootings, Temple University Hospital, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, and Einstein Medical Center are among the city hospitals adding staffers who can address the emotional toll of violent crime.

Hospital workers who share these experiences can speak directly to the feelings of isolation that can overwhelm people after an injury. They are invaluable messengers to connect victims to mental health support and other services.

The need for such services has accelerated along with the pace of shootings in the city. Last year, more than a third of Philadelphia’s nonfatal shooting victims were 24 or younger, according to Philadelphia Police Department data, and more than 75% of people shot in Philadelphia since 2015 have been Black men.

“Pre-COVID, many of our assaults or injuries were school-based fights. In the last two years, we’ve seen a huge increase in gun violence,” said Laura Vega, who codirects the violence intervention program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which has offered peer support for young victims of violence since 2016.

Our reporter Jason Laughlin has the full story about the challenges these patients — and the hospitals trying to treat them — will face.

What you should know today

  1. Bialys are having a resurgence. Kismet Bagels will bring them to Reading Terminal Market.

  2. Going out for a hike anytime soon? Take a look at the most common ticks in the Philly region, and how to protect yourself.

  3. Wondering if you can grow your own marijuana in New Jersey? We have a guide.

  4. Local Coronavirus Numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.

🏃 The Broad Street Run returns this Sunday and there are all sorts of people who sign up for the race. Reporter Tom Avril and illustrator Marta Sevilla look at barbell bros, gearheads, suburbanites, and more.

For example, Tom wrote this on newbies: “Clad in crisp T-shirt from this year’s actual race. Sports matching tights and headband in vivid fuchsia. Has carefully followed training plan on Excel spreadsheet. Will leave Barbell Bro in her dust by mile 3.”

It’s a fun illustration and a great way to get ready to watch this weekend’s run.

🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠

Philadelphians, like just about everyone in the world, love their doughnuts. But there’s a doughnut trend that has made its way to Philadelphia.

Today’s question: So, what are these trendy doughnuts made of? Take a guess and find the answer here.

  1. Dough

  2. Mochi

  3. Pretzels

  4. Potatoes

What we’re …

🌹 Wondering: How the University of the Arts will look different after raising $67 million.

📚 Reading: Who shined (and didn’t) at the Pennsylvania Senate debates. 🔒

👂 Listening to: I’m finally finishing Season 3 of Dead Eyes, the podcast that follows one actor’s exploration into the time Tom Hanks fired him from a tiny role in 2001′s Band of Brothers. It is silly and smart.

🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩

It’s the location of a big farmers market and a commemorative Civil War stone.

ACR RPKAKL

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shoutout to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shoutout goes to Jen Gleason, who correctly guessed PHILLIE PHANATIC as Wednesday’s answer.

Photo of the day

That wraps it up! Enjoy the sun and have a good one. 👋🏻